The Righteous One – 2/4 – Keira Marcos (2024)

Reading Time: 146 Minutes

Title: The Righteous One
Author: Keira Marcos
Fandom: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Relationship(s): Cal Kestis/Merrin, Jaro Tapal/Eeth Koth, Anakin Skywalker/Padmé Amidala
Content Rating: R
Warnings: Slavery, Violence-Graphic, Violence-Against Children, Major Character Death, Suicide, Off-Screen Suicide
Author Note: BD-1 uses droidspeak, which is a language made of electronic sounds. His dialogue will thus be considered translated in the story and in italics. I have zero respect for canon. Star Wars canon is dark as f*ck and contains slavery, murder, extreme acts of violence, torture, and injustice.
Word Count: 156,487
Summary: The loss of another friend was a blow too many for Cal Kestis. He could blame the Empire for the loss of Master Tapal. But he had no one to blame but himself for Bode Akuna, and the betrayal cut so deep it’s all he can think about. When given the chance to time travel, he agrees. Cal will take whatever time the Force will give him to save everyone from the Empire.

Jedi Master Jaro Tapal must deal with the consequences of his padawan’s choices in a future that no longer exists as he deals with a child who has memories of a wretched future full of grief, loss, and the consuming avarice of the Sith.
Artist: Westwind
Artist Appreciation: My sincere thanks to Westwind for their hard work on my story. The artwork really embodies themes and characters in the work in a breathtaking way.

“If it was your intent to deliver upon them a near-mortal amount of shame, then you succeeded,” Obi-Wan said as he settled into a chair on the trainer’s observation deck. “They’re all sulking in their caff on the upper deck. Except for Mace, who’s focused on looking at them with as much superiority as possible since he woke them up and prodded them onto that observation deck to begin with.”

Jaro frowned and crossed his arms as he started to manipulate the obstacle course with a series of mental prods.

“What’s he going to do with the vertical tunnel?” Obi-Wan asked in confusion.

“Just watch,” Jaro murmured, then activated the intercom. “Reach the top northeast corner, Padawan.”

Cal gamely left the floor where he’d been kneeling, reviewed the puzzle Jaro had created, and nodded before beginning by running up the wall of the training facility, turning and jumping toward a ten-foot tower. He jumped upward twice, caught the ledge, and heaved himself up onto the top. Jaro closed the intercom and watched silently as his padawan navigated the complicated puzzle he’d created with few stops.

“This is physically no issue for him,” Obi-Wan said. “What skills are you honing at this point?”

“I’m teaching him problem-solving,” Jaro said, and Obi-Wan hummed under his breath. “I credit this sort of exercise with his escape from the transport when he was kidnapped. Critical thinking is his weak point if you can consider his current level a weakness. He can be a little brash, quick to act when he’s under pressure.”

“Quick action isn’t always a fault,” Obi-Wan pointed out.

“He has excellent reflexes,” Jaro murmured. “I just need him to pair those reflexes with critical thinking at all times.”

He watched Cal reach the vertical tunnel, which was forty feet off the floor, and he casually hopped between them to the next section of the puzzle.

“Fascinating,” Obi-Wan said. “Did you teach him that?”

“No, he did it on his own. I’d left him alone for a few moments after he finished an exercise, so he reconfigured the obstacle course he’d been working with to create something new for himself,” Jaro said. “He’s clearly releasing any sort of mental limitations on what the Force can allow him to do. Of course, now I must teach him moderation to avoid mental and physical exhaustion.”

Cal reached the end of the puzzle, sat down, and got a piece of candy from BD-1. Jaro shook his head as his padawan tucked the wrapper away for later disposal. He’d observed the droid making the candy in the food synth, so he knew they were actually quite healthy in composition.

He started to move the room around and left a twenty-foot gap between Cal’s location and the beginning of the puzzle.

He activated the intercom. “Again.”

Jaro watched Cal stand and jump up to grab the grated ceiling to climb across the room to start the puzzle.

“I’m exhausted already,” Obi-Wan muttered. “How long will he go on like this?”

“We’ll break for lunch,” Jaro said. “He wants to work with the remotes today since one of the kidnappers shot at him, and his deflection went awry. He’s worried about it.”

“So, he didn’t mean to deflect the laser bolt into the pilot?”

“No, he declared that a dumb thing to do, though it did accomplish what he wanted—he was alone in the back of the transport after that and could escape out of the side door.”

“Do you think the Force did it?” Obi-Wan questioned.

“Yes, but I’m not sure he’s ready for that conversation,” Jaro said. “As it implies the Force didn’t like his decision and made another on his behalf. That is a circ*mstance that every Jedi has to come to terms with at some point. I’ve had the Force take decisions out of my hands in the past, and it was frustrating.

“For the record, it wasn’t my intent to shame the Council to the point of near-death, Obi-Wan. I was furious with their political maneuverings and power-mongering. If the presumed best of us can fall to such circ*mstances just how many Jedi can I actually trust with my padawan? I’m beginning to think I can count the number on one hand.” He took a deep breath. “It’s galling that they made me lose my temper. I’ve not cursed someone out in decades.”

Obi-Wan laughed.

“Shut up,” Jaro muttered.

* * * *

Cal pushed the two towers apart and jumped from one to the other. Then pushed the opposite one further away. He jumped, pushed his body with the Force, and landed easily on his target. Turning, he pushed the opposite tower further away and repeated the maneuver. On his fourth turn he had to push his body twice and barely caught the edge. Content with the distance, he worked on that until he was moving into a second push without thinking about it then lengthened the push until he was catching the ledge easily.

After that, he focused on distance until he found his hard limit with two pushes. It turned out to be fifteen feet. He hit the padded floor, rolled to his feet, and climbed back up the tower with a little huff to try one more time. Cal bounced on his feet, focused on the tower, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Okay, maximum effort,” he murmured and jumped, flipped, then pushed hard and as long as he could twice. His fingers skimmed the top edge of the tower, and he caught a handhold halfway down.

He hung there for a few seconds and used his other hand to solidify his hold. His body was trembling with the effort to hold on, but he climbed up and pulled himself on top, then collapsed there.

“Cal?”

He sat up at the sound of his master’s voice and looked up at the only visible observation deck. Cal knew there was another one and that it was occupied, though he couldn’t tell who exactly was in that room.

“Just trying to figure out my limit, Master,” Cal said and stretched. “This seems to be it until I’m taller.”

“It’s a respectable distance,” his master said. “We have lunch plans. So come up.”

“Yes, Master,” Cal said and stood.

He ran a little along the wall, jumped, caught the ceiling grate, and climbed across the roof of the room until he reached the open doorway that would lead to the observation room. Cal swung into the room, rolled to his feet easily, and focused on his master and Master Kenobi.

“The upper deck is full of observers,” Cal said. “Do I want to know who?”

“No,” Jaro said, and Cal nodded. “We’re going to meet Master Skywalker for lunch.”

“Great. I could eat a whole nerf by myself.” He huffed when BD-1 beeped at him. “No, not really. Those things are huge. Don’t you know what a hyperbole is, BD?”

He followed Masters Tapal and Kenobi from the room and ignored their laughter as he focused on BD-1’s beeps and whirs. His understanding of the language was growing, but he knew the droid was keeping his communications simple on purpose.

Cal really didn’t pay attention to where they were going until they were outside of the temple building and in one of the walled gardens. He noted that the security shields were up, and he wondered if that was his fault. Well, not exactly his fault, but a result of the kidnapping.

“Am I the first padawan to get kidnapped on Coruscant?”

“That dubious honor is mine as far as official records go,” Master Skywalker said as he sat down at the table with a tray of wrapped sandwiches and covered bowls. “Master Tapal told me that you were fond of vegetable noodle soup, Cal.”

“I am,” Cal said and nodded quickly.

“I got some bantha cheese sandwiches to go with it,” Master Skywalker said as Cal removed the lid from his soup. “I watched some of your training earlier. Do you enjoy physical challenges?”

“Yes, and puzzles, too,” Cal said. “The more complicated, the better. How did you get kidnapped?”

Master Kenobi sighed when Anakin grinned. “The first time it happened, he got taken off the street in the lower city and was nearly smuggled off the planet for the illegal slave trade. It resulted in me and Mace Windu breaking up an entire black-market slave ring being run on several core worlds. Hundreds of individuals were arrested, eventually.”

“The second time, on Kuat, I was kidnapped by a tribe of bantha herders as payment for someone’s bantha theft. I almost got married off to the chieftain. Fortunately, once she realized I was just seventeen, that plan disappeared.”

“How were we to know?” Master Kenobi demanded, and Cal laughed. “And we rescued you.” He paused. “And paid for the bantha.”

“The third time, I was trying to rescue my master from being taken hostage by Count Dooku,” Master Skywalker said. “I’m not sure if that is actually a kidnapping or not.”

“Probably more of a prisoner-of-war situation,” Cal said, and Master Skywalker nodded. “Well, I don’t want to discount your past trauma, but I’m glad I’m not the first.” He opened the sandwich he was given, and steam wafted out of the wrapper. “I do like bantha cheese, but I wish it wasn’t blue. I much prefer red cheese.”

“You and many thousands just like you,” Master Tapal said. “Most of the dairy products and vegetables from my world are vibrant colors, so it’s never bothered me.”

* * * *

Cal accepted the second lightsaber he was handed. It was a training model much like the one he’d used as a youngling before he’d gone to find his own kyber crystal. He stayed where he was as Master Tapal walked to the case of training remotes they’d brought into the room and took a deep breath when his master released two.

He understood then, and he nodded. Multiple enemies. His master took a seat at the back of the room and leaned against the wall then the remotes started to move. Cal dodged out of the way of the first laser bolt, more out of instinct than desire, rolled to his feet, and activated both lightsabers when the remotes spun and started to fire at him from different directions.

Five minutes later, he’d deflected over fifty bolts and taken several stinging hits. Nothing that would even bruise, but he was certainly feeling it in the short term. There was something off about the training lightsaber, though, and he couldn’t figure it out. He turned off his own, mid-movement, and tucked it away. The training lightsaber was a little lighter than his own, as it only had a single power source. It vibrated slightly in his hand, and Cal stopped. He pushed both remotes away with a slash of his hand, and they dropped to the floor. A safety measure that he appreciated and had been amused to discover.

“Something amiss?” Master Tapal questioned.

“Yes,” Cal said and came to him. He sat down in front of his master and put the lightsaber down on the floor between them. “The power source is wonky.”

“Wonky,” Master Tapal repeated flatly.

Cal shrugged and started to take the saber apart with deft movements, and BD-1 hopped down to sit with them. “It’s drawing power unevenly.” He started separating the parts. “The blade emitter shroud is a little stripped, and the power adjuster is loose, which is weird for a training lightsaber. The energy gate is a little warped, and the diatium power cell is the wrong size. Look at the way it was wedged into the insulator.”

“I pulled it from the training cabinet myself, and no one knew it was going to be given to you,” Master Tapal said.

“It’s just shoddy work, not sabotage,” Cal muttered. “Whoever they have maintaining these things is cutting corners, so someone should figure out what they’re doing with the credits they aren’t using on the younglings’ training materials.” He tapped the power cell. “This clearly came out of a larger lightsaber, something used by an adult previously. There’s nothing wrong with recycling good parts, but this is just sloppy, Master.”

“Want to go over there and look through the whole bin?”

“Yes.” Cal focused on the parts and poked one. “But it would probably be rude. I’ll just file a grievance in the system about this particular shoddy training lightsaber.” He frowned as he started to put it back together. “Also, someone needs to go through these things and cleanse them of memories. This one is sad and dejected. I realize that psychometry is very rare, and I try to avoid using it often in front of others.

“People get weird if they think I can learn their secrets by touching their things. And that’s okay because they’re not wrong. Still, even those without psychometry would probably get some weird impressions off the training equipment because of how high-strung younglings can get.”

“How would cleanse this lightsaber of its negative feelings?”

“It would be best to use the Force to push the emotions off of the object,” Cal said thoughtfully. “Then they will just flutter away and disappear. The universe has a way of taking care of such things, I suppose. I tried to follow an emotion once, but it proved impossible.”

“Can you follow the emotions of people as they have them?” Master Tapal asked.

“You mean like with my empathy?” Cal questioned, and his master nodded. “No, and I’m thankful for that. I’d not want to be bombarded with other people’s emotions all the time. I think it would be especially hard around older Jedi who’ve spent so much time suppressing or ignoring their emotions that they’re probably all-time bombs just waiting to explode.” He paused. “No offense meant, Master.”

Master Tapal smiled. “None taken.”

Cal stared at the lightsaber with a frown. It was really irritating to have put the mismatched parts back together, but carrying all of the individual pieces would’ve been a hassle. “I’m glad my empathy level hasn’t changed since the dreaming started. It’s never been much of anything at all, and most of the impact comes from when I’m using psychometry.”

“Did you get anything from Bode Akuna?”

“I didn’t try,” Cal said quietly. “I couldn’t bring myself to. I never want to touch the dark side. I think it would hurt a lot.”

“Physically? Emotionally?”

“In every way,” Cal said. “It will hurt it in every single way possible to touch the dark side of the Force.” He placed the defective lightsaber down between them. “May I ask why we’ve moved to two lightsabers already? You said I had to wait another year to add a split emitter to my own.”

“I feel compelled to speed up your ability to defend yourself, Cal,” Master Tapal said quietly. “I hope you understand why.”

“I know how dangerous it is to be me right now. Count Dooku is probably sitting somewhere in the dark muttering dramatically to himself about his plans to get his hands on me.”

Master Tapal snorted, then laughed aloud. Cal was pleased as he’d rarely made his master laugh so loud and so easily before.

“Of course, that wouldn’t go well for him.”

“It certainly wouldn’t,” Master Tapal said, and Cal grinned.

“No, I mean he’s already irritating the Force. There’s no telling what she’ll do to him if he goes around kidnapping little kids. She doesn’t like the dark side, but she understands the need for balance of the two elements in the galaxy. But dark doesn’t have to equal evil jerk trying to kill everyone who disagrees with them. It’s the Unifying Force that talks to me, you know.”

Master Tapal stilled in front of him, and his breathing grew shallow. “Are you certain?”

“Very,” Cal said, and his master looked upward. “I guess we should discuss this elsewhere.”

“We might as well just go to the Council’s chamber,” his master muttered and stood up.

“Ugh.” Cal blushed when he got a look. “Sorry.”

Master Tapal laughed. “Come, we’ll get it over with then you can read the rest of the afternoon.”

“Should I shower first?”

“If they’re offended by the smell of your hard work, then they can just suffer through it,” Master Tapal said, and Cal grinned.

Jaro led his padawan from the training facility within the temple and straight to the Council’s chambers. Had he known what might come out of Cal’s mouth he’d certainly not have started that conversation where he started it. He really hoped that didn’t lead to yet another conversation about Yoda taking over Cal’s training. He’d already lost his temper once and would rather not do it in front of Cal if he could help it.

Despite his clear reluctance, Cal sat in what was fast becoming his chair in the Jedi Council’s chamber and got comfortable with BD-1. The droid popped out a piece of candy, and the boy caught it easily. He unwrapped it happily and ate it.

“We have observed you all day, Padawan,” Mace Windu said, and Cal pursed his lips in response but said nothing. “You’ve clearly learned much in the time that you’ve been apprenticed, and your physical use of the Force is prodigious already.”

“Thank you, Master Windu,” Cal said and tucked the candy wrapper into his pocket. “Master Tapal is an excellent teacher.”

“You spoke of several things that interest me, and rest assured that I will see that all of the training equipment is inspected, repaired, and cleansed appropriately,” Mace said, and Cal nodded. “Have you noticed a change in your psychometry?”

“I’ve not used it actively since I started dreaming,” Cal said. “The dreams are emotionally intense, and I’m worried that I might have issues controlling my psychometry as a result if it’s been ramped up by everything that has happened. Sometimes I get impressions, like with the training lightsaber, but nothing like what would happen if I actively used it.”

“This is a gift you and your master share with me,” Mace said and stood from his chair. He walked across the room and sat down in the middle. “Will you join me?”

Jaro nodded when Cal glanced his way and left his chair. He put BD-1 down, and the droid stayed in the seat as if it understood what Cal wanted without verbal instruction. Maybe it did. Cal sat down with Mace, and the Jedi Master pulled a small box from his robe pocket.

“Over the years, I’ve collected a variety of items. Nothing in this box will offer a traumatic memory of any sort. I’ve gathered them for several reasons. Firstly, it provides me a method by which I can cleanse my mind of the unpleasant impressions I can come across from objects and people.”

“That’s a really good idea,” Cal said. “I should gather a collection of my own.”

“Yes, you should,” Mace said. “It’s not something that is included in the curriculum regarding our gift, but I’ve suggested more than once that it be added to the course materials. I’ve been told by several that my box is a crutch. What do you think?”

“I think some people need to learn to mind their own business,” Cal said frankly. “They aren’t the ones that have to relive other people’s murders if they pick up the wrong thing.”

Mace nodded. “It can be a very traumatic experience if one is not very careful.” He opened the little box and sat it down between them. “Second, I’ve often used one of these items to center myself during meditation, as positive thoughts can sometimes be difficult to create on my own. I’ve learned over the years that a positive mindset makes for a better and more restful period of meditation.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to focus within the Force when even the floor beneath you can be a source of trauma,” Cal said quietly, and his hands clenched as he glanced at the carpet they were sitting on. “Did you put me here where Chancellor Palpatine died on purpose, Master Windu?”

“Yes,” Mace said.

Cal nodded. “I’m to touch the carpet, then.”

“Mace,” Jaro said lowly and shifted forward his seat.

“If he is to have a bad reaction, my friend, shouldn’t it be amongst those that can help him the most?” Mace questioned.

Jaro glared at him and joined them on the floor. “Never devise such an exercise for my padawan ever again without a private conversation with me first,” he said shortly.

He noted after that every single member of the Council left their seats and formed a circle around them, but none put themselves behind him. Jaro appreciated the gesture of respect and tried to relax as Cal reached out to the carpet with a trembling hand.

Cal’s eyes closed, and he took a deep breath as Force energy drifted gently over his skin. It wasn’t a common side effect of him using psychometry. His padawan took a deep breath.

“What do you feel?” Mace questioned.

“Fury, surprise, joy, sadness,” Cal murmured as he wet his lips. “Avarice. It’s not all Sheev Palpatine, as you already know.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because you’ve already done this,” Cal said simply. “I can feel your visit, just like my own, will leave my touch behind. An echo in the Force that will take hundreds of years to fade if it ever does. This room is saturated with Force energy because it’s housed the Council for meetings for over a thousand years.”

“Can you separate out the emotions and attach names to them?”

“I hear voices, but I don’t recognize all of them,” Cal murmured as his fingers pressed into the carpet fibers. “The emotions are sometimes rigid, and sometimes they seem to be boiling just under the surface. On Alderaan, there are people who focus on healing the mind as a profession. I think we should investigate for the Jedi Order.”

“For what purpose?”

Cal opened his eyes and lifted his hand off the carpet. “Because practically all of you need it.”

Jaro swallowed hard to keep from laughing because it would be inappropriate, and Cal focused on the box. He was already considering where he could purchase such a little box for his padawan. His own psychometry was insensitive and required effort on his part to use, so he had no use for such a thing. He wondered when Mace had started his collection. As if BD-1 understood his intent, the droid dropped down out of the seat, navigated neatly through the circle of Jedi, and scanned the box then sat down next to Cal.

“Sheev Palpatine was convinced his path was the only one,” Cal said and frowned at the carpet. “This carpet should be replaced as soon as possible. Younglings come in here and stand on it to be judged unfairly by you all, so they shouldn’t have to be exposed to his darkness on top of it.”

“Unfairly?” Mace questioned.

Cal shrugged. “Who are we to question the will of the Force? Should not each Force-sensitive person find their own path with guidance from the Force itself? It is not for me to decide how you walk through life, Master Windu, and it should not be for you to decide for me. If I make war, it will be my choice and no one else’s. Our pledge to the Republic is, at times, deeply profane as it has taken from the Jedi who serve the most fundamental of rights—free will.

“Perhaps I was wrong,” Cal said. “Maybe the clones aren’t the only slaves the Republic feels free to have, and maybe that’s why murdering us would be easy for them to consider reasonable.” He focused on the box. “I don’t think I should touch any of your objects.”

“Why?” Mace questioned.

“I might leave something unpleasant behind,” Cal said. “I don’t have a lot of control over it right now, and I saw some horrible things in the dreams.”

“Do you dream every night?”

“Yes,” Cal said. “Mostly, they don’t make sense. Other times, it’s like I’m being given…life lessons.”

Jaro hummed under his breath. “Give me an example.”

“Well, I dreamt I was on a world with a big, dense forest. It was very beautiful but dangerous. The Imperials seemed to be everywhere. I had to fight an Imperial Inquisitor, a very powerful dowutin who was at least three my size as an adult. I won, but it was a hard fight, and I think I killed her, which was both relieving and hurtful. I don’t know why. I learned a lot in the fight—about strength and size.” He took a deep breath. “But most importantly, I learned that killing is always going to hurt me.”

“Can you live with it?” Jaro questioned.

“I suppose I don’t have a choice, Master,” Cal said. “I’m a target, right? I either defend myself, or I’ll get used up and discarded by whoever gets their hands on me.”

Jaro felt a wave of shame swell in the room and hoped that Cal’s limited empathy was still very much locked down. “How do you know the Unifying Force is speaking to you?”

“She told me,” Cal said simply.

“Tell us what you know about the four aspects of the Force,” Jaro said.

“The Living Force is the energy we use due to the midi-chlorians in our bodies and exists as part of the circle of life and death that continuously preserves life in this galaxy. It is in every organic substance in some fashion or another.

“The Unifying Force is neutral, treats all beings equally, and is where visions of the future manifest for Force users all over the galaxy. It is where we place our trust in our craft, as its guidance is often the most overt.

“The Physical Force is the manifestation of the Force on our plane of existence, and it is how we can manipulate the environment around us. Most Jedi are fundamentally entwined with the Physical Force, whether they understand that or not.

“The Cosmic Force birthed all of the other aspects and is the part of the Force that will embrace and shelter us as we die, and our energy returns to her. In the end, our destiny is shaped by the Cosmic Force no matter what anyone else might think or want.”

“What do you think it means that the Unifying Force is speaking to you?” Jaro questioned.

“It seems like something, or someone asked her to,” Cal said with a shrug. “I don’t know what she wants exactly.”

“Are all the aspects of the Force female to you?” Mace asked.

Jaro pressed his lips together to keep from smiling as he figured his padawan was about to say something mildly inappropriate.

“Yes.” Cal folded his hands together and stared at Mace Windu.

Mace stared for a moment, then his gaze narrowed as he asked, “Why?”

“The aspects of the Force are powerful, compelling, thoughtful, compassionate, nurturing, and the source of all life. Is this not true of the females of most sapient species?” Cal shrugged. “Seems fitting to me.”

Shaak Ti turned to Adi Gallia, the only other female on the Council, and said, “Had I known Cal Kestis was this charming, I’d have locked Jaro in his apartment the day the boy agreed to accept a master.”

Adi hummed her agreement, and Jaro shook his head as Cal blushed. He could already see that puberty was going to be hell on them both.

“Is it weird that the Unifying Force is speaking to me?”

“Cosmic Force often speaks,” Yoda said, and Cal focused on him. “Unifying Force never documented.” He paused. “Before you.”

“If the Unifying Force is truly neutral, then it makes sense to me.”

“Why?” Jaro questioned.

“Because to be truly righteous, I must be without bias, and that speaks to neutrality, doesn’t it? I have to see the individual and not the façade they present to those around them due to social, religious, and political expectations.”

“So, you think for you to be right, you must also be without bias?” Mace questioned.

“Yes, of course, because otherwise, I’m just picking someone else’s version of right and not my own.”

“Give me an example,” Jaro ordered, and Mace inclined his head in Jaro’s direction.

“Well, it’s right to defend yourself from a threat—mortal or otherwise. But your response must be measured and equal to the threat. It would be wrong to kill someone because they threatened you verbally, but it would be right to kill them if they tried to kill you.” Cal shrugged. “It’s why revenge should find no purchase in the heart of those who invest themselves in the light side of the Force.”

“Because revenge is not just,” Jaro said.

“And it’s never righteous,” Cal said. “It can’t be because revenge is ultimately selfish and base. In the end, you only end up hurting and damaging yourself more than those who wronged you, even if you kill them.”

“Why?”

“Because they die, and you’re left to suffer the profane consequences of your actions for the rest of your life,” Cal said, and BD-1 popped a piece of candy out for him.

The candy hovered and sailed right into Yoda’s hand, and Cal laughed when BD-1 beeped reprovingly then dispensed another piece of candy. Jaro watched curiously as Yoda unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth without a single indication of guilt for the theft. The Grand Master of the Jedi chewed carefully and nodded.

“Good,” Yoda declared.

“BD makes them in the synth,” Cal said. “He’s training me with them.”

“What do you mean?” Jaro questioned.

“Stim, BD,” Cal said and a stim canister popped right out, which Cal caught but didn’t inject. “It’s so he can help me heal if I’m injured in an emergency situation.” He gave the stim back to BD-1, and the droid stored it.

“More candy BD-1 has?” Yoda questioned.

BD-1 popped out several pieces in Yoda’s direction, who caught them deftly and tucked them into his little robe.

Cal recognized his dream state far more quickly than he had the previous times and he paused as he catalogued the emotions that were swirling in his chest. He didn’t know if he could put them aside entirely as they did feel like they belonged to him. But he was learning to separate them from his present self. He was on a world that was both familiar and not. A place he’d only ever dreamed of.

In truth, he’d actually landed on precious few planets since becoming Master Tapal’s padawan. His master was very protective of him due to his age and size. Cal didn’t mind so much as he knew some masters were reckless with their padawans as a method of training. Master Tapal was very nurturing, and Cal appreciated the care he was offered so easily.

The pretty girl darted ahead of him, and Cal followed. He’d never catch her unless she allowed it. Yet, he felt like it was important that he pursue her. She had to know he was looking for her and believe that he would not stop. Cal didn’t know why, but he didn’t question it. He climbed up onto a ledge, slid down a ramp, and jumped to catch some vines on a wall.

“You’re too slow, Jedi.”

“You’re too fast, Spacewitch,” Cal retorted and wondered where the moniker had come from. It seemed to fit, and she laughed, so she wasn’t offended.

He climbed up the vines, crawled up onto the next level, and looked around the cavern. BD-1 shifted around on his shoulder and whirred.

“I don’t see her,” BD-1 said.

“No, me neither,” Cal murmured. “Do you know where we are?”

“Dathomir,” BD-1 suggested.

“It looks different here than the first time I dreamt of Dathomir,” Cal said.

The spacewitch brushed past him. Her exotic scent saturated his senses, and she faded into thin air even as he reached out for her. “Do you suppose, Jedi, that my whole world looks exactly the same?”

Cal flushed. “I guess not.”

She laughed, and the sweet sound seemed to swirl around him and fill the cavern.

“Do you dream of me?” Cal questioned.

She appeared in front of him then, and their eyes met. “Of course I do, Cal.”

“I don’t know your name,” he said, and his cheeks grew hot. He felt ashamed of the admission. “I’m so sorry.”

“I only know yours because I said it in a dream,” she responded. “I’m Merrin.”

“Hello, Merrin,” Cal said and took a deep breath. “I know you.”

“I know you, too,” she whispered. “I don’t know how.”

“Me neither,” Cal confessed. “I dream about a horrible future.”

“Yes, so do I.” Merrin moved closer. “Terrible things happened everywhere.”

Cal nodded. “I think you’re the best part.”

“I think you’re the safe part,” Merrin whispered, and she took a deep breath. “I have to wake up now. Be careful, Cal.”

He reached out for her, and she disappeared. The dream world started to shift around him, and Cal pushed it away so he could wake up. He sat up and found Master Tapal standing in the doorway of his bedroom.

“Padawan.”

Cal rubbed his face. “Is something wrong, Master?”

“You tell me,” Master Tapal said. “Your bed was vibrating with the Force.”

“Oh,” Cal said and took a deep breath. “I don’t know why.” He left the bed. “It wasn’t a bad dream…just the pretty girl making me chase her again.”

Master Tapal hummed under his breath. “That doesn’t sound bad at all. Where were you in the dream?”

“Dathomir,” Cal took a deep breath. “She’s a Zabrak.”

“The species can be quite attractive no matter the gender,” Master Tapal said. “And some of them are certainly powerful within the Force. Is she important to your future?”

“I think…she’s important to the future of her world,” Cal said. “Count Dooku wants to destroy everyone on Dathomir. He fears their power.” He waved a hand. “He clearly doesn’t understand the value of a powerful female.”

Master Tapal laughed and left the doorway. “Get ready, Padawan. We shall have the first meal of the day and prepare for whatever comes our way. In the meantime, you can feel free to ruminate on the subject of powerful females as long as you’d like.”

Cal took a quick sonic shower, fixed his braid, and dressed for the day as quickly as he could because he was hungry. BD-1 was sitting on the table with a bowl of hot cereal already in place at Cal’s seat. There was also a bowl of fruit. Cal quickly grabbed one of the muja berries and popped it into his mouth.

His master was eating and reading something on his datapad, so Cal focused on eating. Master Junda came into the kitchen and ordered caff and a plate of food before joining them at the table. She looked tired and sad. Cal wondered if he should say anything.

“Are you okay, Cere?” BD-1 asked.

Cal frowned as he stared at the droid.

“I’m fine, BD,” Master Junda said as she took a sip of caff. “I just slept poorly.” She focused on Cal. “Something wrong, Cal?”

“I think…that I learned binary in my dream or maybe I’ve been learning it all along? I’ve been studying, but my understanding wasn’t great. Then last night, when I was dreaming, I appeared to be fluent.” He focused on his master, who was staring at him. “Should I be concerned about that?”

“It’s not the first skill you’ve picked up from a dream,” Master Tapal said. “If you think about it, I’m sure you’ll discover other knowledge as well that you’ve learned via dreaming. What did you know about Dathomir before your first dream?”

Cal hesitated as he considered that. “Just that…there were Force users there that the Council didn’t like to talk about.” He shrugged. “I didn’t understand why, but now I know it’s about the lack of control.”

“Control?” Master Tapal questioned.

“The Council can’t control the Force knowledge that is taught on Dathomir. They don’t decide who learns and what path those learners take on that world. Certainly, they find that disconcerting. Grand Master Yoda has exerted an immense amount of control over who learns the ways of the Jedi for many hundreds of years. Yet, there are many paths in the Force that he does not and cannot control. He’d have younglings and padawans believe that the Jedi way is the only way. It’s simply not true.

“Dathomir proves that. It also proves that the tenets don’t actually protect us from the dark side. Only personal strength and resolve protect us from the dark side. There are plenty of people on Dathomir who are not dark side users who don’t follow the rules of the Jedi Order.”

“What else do you believe you were lied to about?” Master Tapal asked curiously.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it was an outright lie, but I believed when I was younger that if I wasn’t chosen for training and ended up in the research corps that I wouldn’t be able to use the Force anymore. Failure felt like a death sentence, and not being apprenticed certainly appeared to be an absolute failure. Yet, it can’t be because, in the end, the Force guides our path, not the Jedi Council. How can it be a failure when it’s our destiny within the Force?”

“You’re a little revolutionary,” Master Junda said in amusem*nt, and Master Tapal laughed.

“I should ask Master Yoda what he wants to do when he retires,” Cal muttered, and Master Tapal sighed. “Seriously. He’d probably be happier if he retired somewhere swampy where all he had to do all day is catch his own food, which he clearly enjoys doing.”

“You think he wants to live in a swamp?” Master Junda questioned.

Cal nodded. “Seems likely. But I don’t know why. I should ask him that, too.” He focused on Master Junda. “Did you have bad dreams last night?”

She hesitated but then nodded. “Yes.”

“I dreamt about Dathomir again and the girl. I was chasing her around this deep, green cavern. She spoke to me.” Cal decided, at that moment, to keep her name to himself. It felt important and personal. “She was my age last night. Sometimes, in the other dreams, we’re both older and fighting the Empire together. She said she dreams about us, too.”

“I’m glad you had a nice dream,” Master Junda said gently. “I dreamt about the Empire.”

Cal made a disgusted face.

“Exactly,” Master Junda said dryly.

“I have a meeting this morning,” Master Tapal said. “Cal, you’ll go with Master Junda to the training facility where she is meeting her padawan. I’ll collect you before lunch. Before we do that, I want to put a tracking device on you.” He pulled up his sleeve to show a bracelet. “Like this one. BD-1 has the encryption, so he can keep track of me and bring you to me in the case of an emergency. You’ll wear one as well so he can find you, and I can track you as well.”

“Okay,” Cal said. “But maybe I should wear mine on my ankle.”

“Why?” Master Tapal questioned.

“If I were kidnapped again, they might notice it on my wrist. They probably wouldn’t take off my boots to check my ankles for anything,” Cal said. “Right?”

“Very smart,” Master Tapal praised.

A half-hour later, Cal was following Master Junda into the largest training arena in the temple. The tracking device was snug but not uncomfortable around his ankle. It was flexible and stretched over his foot to slide on, so he wasn’t worried about it getting too tight.

An older girl was meditating when they entered the large private room. But her eyes opened, and she focused on him immediately. She stood gracefully from the floor and smiled.

“Good morning, Master Junda.”

“Good morning, Trilla,” Master Junda said. “This is Cal Kestis, padawan to Master Jaro Tapal. He’ll be spending the morning with us.”

Trilla nodded and tucked her hands behind her back. “Hello, Cal. I’m glad to see you so well after your kidnapping.”

“I’m okay,” Cal assured. “This is BD-1.” The droid beeped at her cheerfully in greeting. He focused on Master Junda. “I don’t want to get in the way, Master Junda. Where should I sit?”

“Actually, I believe you and Trilla can train together. Her lightsaber work is her only genuine weakness, and an unknown opponent will be good practice for her.”

Trilla appeared startled and concerned. “He’s very young, Master Junda.”

Master Junda smiled then. “I’m confident he can provide you with a challenge, Trilla.”

Cal urged BD-1 down on the floor, and the droid tucked himself into a corner. He pulled out his lightsaber and presented it to Master Junda, per protocol, and she verified the power setting with a nod then turned to her own apprentice, who did the same.

“Make her work for it, Cal,” Master Junda said in amusem*nt and joined BD-1.

Cal activated his lightsaber, took up a defensive stance, and Trilla took a deep breath. “I don’t bite.”

She laughed, activated her lightsaber, and advanced. It was clear, after they exchanged just a few blows, that Trilla was pulling her punches. Since she needed the challenge, Cal wanted to provide one. He threw out a hand and pushed her as hard as he could with the Force. She tumbled with a yelp, then rolled to her feet, eyes wide with shock.

“You’re underestimating him because of his age and size,” Master Junda said. “You will encounter very powerful enemies during your lifetime that are smaller than you, and they may even appear younger than you, Padawan. Danger comes in all sizes and shapes in this galaxy. Focus. Prepare. Assume every single opponent is your equal or better.”

The change was immediate in Trilla. Cal appreciated the intensity and responded in kind. He was pleased to hold his own, at least, as they moved around the room. She hemmed him up against a wall, so he turned, jumped, ran along the rough surface, flipped over her, and popped his lightsaber lightly against her back. Even with the lower power setting, getting hit with one would hurt, so he didn’t want to hit too hard.

He darted away as she hissed in shock and turned on him.

“Come on,” Cal said with a laugh. “Don’t get mad. Get even!” He held out a hand as he put away his lightsaber, pulled a protrusion from the wall, and jumped up onto it then climbed quickly to the top. “Wanna play a game?”

“I want to kick your little butt,” Trilla retorted and stared up at him as her master laughed in the background. “Come back down here.”

“Do you suppose your enemies will just present themselves easily and without protest?” Cal questioned and raised an eyebrow. “Maybe they’ll just line up and wait their turn to fight you.”

The training obstacles started to lift out of the floor and slide down out of the ceiling. Soon, there was a large, intricate maze in front of them.

“New objective, Padawan,” Master Junda said. “Catch Cal Kestis.”

Her words caused a little twinge inside that he didn’t understand, but the Force warmed around him as Trilla stored her lightsaber with a laugh and started to climb a tower. Cal knew he had an advantage when Trilla hesitated just briefly on her first decision, and he started to move. He led her around the room five times before she started to lose patience.

Cal started to plot his next move only to have a body drop down behind him and a slender arm wrapped around his neck. A deactivated lightsaber tapped his cheek even as a soft, female scent filled his nostrils.

“Looks like Trilla isn’t the only one who should pay more attention,” a voice said, and he laughed a little as he was released. He turned and found a Togruta girl standing there. “Ahsoka Tano, at your service.”

Cal sighed and turned to stare at Trilla. “Reinforcements, really?”

Trilla shrugged. “I was never going to actually catch you in this puzzle. A physical disadvantage must be met with an elegant and thoughtful solution. Ahsoka is the most elegant of choices, don’t you think?”

“I do think,” Cal said in agreement and dropped down off his tower with a grin and Ahsoka followed. “Now what?”

“Now the games are over,” Master Junda said as the training obstacles retreated loudly with a series of thuds, and six remotes were tossed at them.

They all three drew their lightsabers, and Cal found himself making a defensive circle with them.

* * * *

Jaro checked the time as he walked toward the training center. Obi-Wan Kenobi fell into step with him, so he shortened his stride to prevent the Human from having to trot to keep up with him.

“Problem?” Jaro questioned.

“I’ve been working with Shaak Ti on the issue,” Obi-Wan said. “It’s an immense undertaking, but she has a viable plan. We just need to create circ*mstances for widespread deployment.”

Jaro nodded. “Eno is due to return tomorrow. He found two different enemy ships in observation over our area of interest. They were both destroyed. I don’t know how that’s going to impact our plans for a discussion.”

They entered a lift with a dozen other people and Jaro moved to the back wall to create space for himself and provide comfort for the other passengers as he was the biggest of them. Obi-Wan joined him.

“There are a lot of unknown factors in that situation that we simply can’t plan for.”

Dathomir was a complete mystery. Jaro hoped for some illumination on the topic sooner rather than later.

“Yes, agreed,” Jaro said. “I just finished a meeting with Mace regarding tightening security in and around the temple. Going forward, I don’t think underaged padawans and younglings should be allowed out of the temple without a security check, and not all adults should be allowed to remove them from the temple.”

Several people hummed their agreement around them.

“How did he respond?” Obi-Wan questioned.

“He’s in agreement. He’s worried that Dooku might turn his attention toward the children and see them as a resource he could cultivate for his cause. The rule of two might prevent more than two Sith, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t create dark Force users to do his bidding within his organization,” Jaro said. “Younglings could be turned to the dark side far easier than we wish to believe, Obi-Wan. They must be protected.”

“I believe any of us could be turned to the dark side easier than we wish to believe,” Obi-Wan said. “Torture, severe loss, and the stripping of identity can be done. We’ve seen it done. Dooku was once one of us. He trained with Master Yoda, and yet…look at him now. Destroyed and corrupted by the dark side.”

“Then we should start figuring out how to fortify ourselves,” Jaro said as the doors opened. No one left. “Protecting our souls within the Force is paramount if we wish to join with our Lady in the afterlife.”

One of the Jedi in the lift turned then and focused on him. “I think we all need to talk about this, sir. We need guidance on this subject.”

“I agree,” Jaro said and turned toward Obi-Wan.

“I’ll speak with the Council about the issues we’re facing personally,” Obi-Wan said, and everyone nodded.

The lift cleared out at that point, and Jaro walked down the hall to the training room where Cal was sequestered with Cere Junda and her padawan. He entered the observation deck and Obi-Wan joined him at the window. There was another student in the room, and all three of them were battling against a host of remotes.

“Ahsoka Tano,” Obi-Wan said. “Anakin is in seclusion with Yoda and requested that I keep an eye on her. I sent her over here when I was called into a meeting with Shaak. I wonder how Cere Junda feels about becoming a padawan sitter.”

Jaro hummed under his breath. “She’s clearly adept at keeping them busy.”

“It’s good for them to interact and train together like this,” Obi-Wan said. “Sometimes, in the field, I’ve been put off or distracted by other Force users because I rarely trained with anyone except for my master. Part of me expected to be essentially alone in the Force when I fought.”

“We’re never alone in the Force, Obi-Wan,” Jaro said gently, and the other Jedi looked at him. “You know this.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “I spent the evening with Mace and spoke about my concerns and about my training with Qui-Gon. Looking back, I deeply regret saying yes to him. I’d have been better off emotionally in the AgriCorps. I told Mace that, and he was…honestly horrified. Qui-Gon’s initial rejection of me as a padawan and Yoda’s insistence that we were a good match meant that no other masters made me offers despite their interest. Yoda’s power over the situation and over me feels abusive in retrospect.”

“Have you told him that?”

“No, it wasn’t his intent,” Obi-Wan said roughly. “Yoda spends too much time communing with the Cosmic Force, Jaro. He’s so old and invested in his perceptions of the will of the Force that he’s far removed from his own emotions. Perhaps it was his way of preventing the dark side from ever gaining purchase in him, but the end result is an immense lack of empathy. What good what it do to tell him that his decisions nearly destroyed me when I was a child?”

“It might prevent him from destroying another child,” Jaro snapped and took a deep breath. “My apologies.”

“More and more, I realize that Mace definitely knew exactly what you’d do if that monster approached your padawan,” Obi-Wan said idly. “Do you feel used?”

“No,” Jaro said. “I’d have gone along with a plan with that as a goal.” He shrugged when Obi-Wan huffed. “I would’ve, and he knows it very well. My only regret is the loss….” He trailed off as he knew he shouldn’t speak the name.

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan said. “But there is a certain comfort in the fact that your very dear friend has found his way to the place of interest.”

Jaro raised an eyebrow. “Not his home world?”

“The Force leads us all, Jaro,” Obi-Wan said. “And I think that the path he chose will be to the benefit of all. And perhaps going home would’ve been too much. He couldn’t have had contact with any of his family clan.”

Eeth Koth had gone to Dathomir. It was an interesting choice, as it was a female-dominated society, and Eeth had not grown up in such conditions.

“It’s a good choice,” Jaro said after a few moments. “Blending in will certainly be easier than in most other places, and he’ll certainly have plenty of opportunities to…carry out his retirement plans.”

Obi-Wan sighed.

“I’m just saying that opportunities to breed won’t be in short supply,” Jaro continued, and Obi-Wan finally succumbed and laughed. Mission accomplished, he focused on his padawan, who was quite merrily darting up a pair of towers.

Ahsoka Tano tried it as soon as Cal finished and slid down the wall after her second jump. But she got back up and started again without pause. Trilla Suduri was watching the situation with a scrunched-up nose. It was interesting watching his padawan interact with others. His willingness to share skills and challenge other padawans was on par with what he knew of Cal. The boy was outgoing, thoughtful, friendly, and always ready for a challenge.

The thought of Cal being isolated and hiding in the terrible future that he only knew of in dreams was heartbreaking. Jaro didn’t like to think about the future that would no longer happen but did wonder if they’d set themselves up for a different, perhaps even worse future that they could not predict in the slightest.

* * * *

Cal shifted nervously in his chair as his master let Master Mace Windu into their apartment. There was something about the Jedi Master’s demeanor that told him that something important had happened.

“Cal, Master Windu is here to speak with you,” Master Tapal said.

Cal nodded. “Has something horrible happened?”

“No, not at all,” Master Windu said as he sat down on the low table in front of the couch that Cal was seated on. “I wanted to come here and tell you personally about a meeting I just had with Chancellor Organa.”

“Okay,” Cal said.

“First, I want to tell you about the Contingency Orders for the Grand Army of the Republic. There were originally 150 orders that the clones were forced to memorize during their training. We’ve verified that the clones have a control chip in their head that made violating these orders theoretically impossible.

“Every single clone trooper on this planet has had their control drip dissolved through the use of inhibitor technology. We’re deploying it on ships even as we speak. Not a single one of those chips will be left in place. This is being done without the knowledge or permission of the Republic. They don’t know about the chips, and now they never will.”

Cal nodded. “Okay.”

“As to the orders themselves, Supreme Chancellor Bail Organa has reviewed them and found them to be in violation of the Republic’s founding charter as they were not created by and voted on by the Senate. He has communicated to all clone troopers that the contingency orders are, in fact, illegal and in violation of the military code they are oath-bound to follow as part of the Grand Army of the Republic.”

He swallowed hard. “So, Order 66 is…gone?”

“It has been declared illegal,” Master Windu said. “We can’t erase what the clone troopers were forced to memorize, but they all know that following any of the orders blindly would be considered treason. Most of them are of little importance and are more or less matters of protocol. But they were created illegally, and their existence could very well be considered treason. If there was anyone left alive to punish for them, they’d go on trial before the Senate.”

Cal blinked back tears and cleared his throat. “It feels too big. I’ve been so worried this whole time.”

“I know,” Master Windu said carefully. “But you’ve done an amazing thing for the Jedi Order, Cal. You saved us all with your forthright conviction and willingness to trust in the Force so much that she shared with you a vicious and ugly future. I feel as if I owe you my life, but I don’t wish to burden you with such a thing. Just know that I have your back, and I always will. I trust your path within the Force as much as I trust my own.”

“Thank you, Master Windu,” Cal said quietly.

Master Windu nodded and sat back a little. “When I retire, I’m going to find some beautiful and warm planet to live where I can fish and complain about the stuff that I read on the HoloNet.”

“Great plan,” Cal said. “I’ll visit.”

“I look forward to it. Also, Chancellor Organa would like you to watch his speech to the Senate in just about twenty minutes. He believes you will be very pleased with what he has to say.”

“Okay,” Cal said. “I will.”

Master Windu stood with a nod. “We’re working on a variety of issues and problems. I appreciate both your patience and your faith going forward. Please trust that the Jedi Council takes everything you say very seriously, Cal Kestis. May the Force be with you.”

“And with you,” Cal said quietly and took a deep breath as the Jedi Master left their apartment with a nod in Master Tapal’s direction.

Master Tapal locked the door and activated the Holotelevision that neither of them ever paid attention to. He put it on the Senate channel, which was currently silent and showing several senators huddled in a conversation in one of the floating platforms.

Cal stared for a moment, then focused on his master. “I’m worried I might say the wrong thing to the wrong person and start…a civil war or something.”

Master Tapal sighed. “I’d never live that down.”

“I’m being serious,” Cal said with a laugh.

“Me, too,” Master Tapal said wryly. “I pride myself on teaching my padawans to be very savvy politically. If you start a civil war, my reputation on my homeworld will be utterly ruined. My own retirement plans would have to be altered considerably as a result.”

“You should have children one day,” Cal said. “You’d make a great father.”

His master stared at him, clearly startled.

“Was that an insult on your world?”

Master Tapal took a deep breath. “No, in fact, it is the highest of compliments. I’m glad that you believe this to be true about me.”

“I’ll try to avoid starting a civil war,” Cal said and stretched. “I’d hate to ruin your reputation. It would impact your mating opportunities, right?”

Master Tapal stared for a moment. “My mating opportunities are not a subject up for discussion.”

Cal laughed. “Can I have a snack?”

“Yes, but no more candy this evening. You’ve had more than enough.”

Cal retrieved an apple from the fruit basket in the kitchen and brought it back to the couch so he could watch Chancellor Organa’s speech while he ate it. The Holotelevision image changed, and the sound activated just as the chancellor’s arrival was announced.

“As my first act as the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, I must shine a light on a profound and deep injustice. To my great shame, this situation had to be pointed out to me, and I believe many of you will be just as startled and horrified as I was.

“While this body did not approve and did not order the creation of the clones that make up ninety-three percent of the Grand Army of the Republic, we did accept ownership of them when the conflict with the Confederacy of Independent Systems became a war. They were created and trained to serve the Republic, and that’s exactly what they do. They live, fight, and die for us. They labor in circ*mstances that can be called nothing less than slavery.”

The Senate exploded in a series of protests. Cal watched, fascinated, as more than one senator appeared to jump around in their little floating pods.

“Enough!” Chancellor Organa snapped, and the crowd grew quiet. “The clones are sapient beings. They have all the needs of the Human being that was used as a template to create them. They have no rights, no citizenship, and were given no choice regarding their service in our army. They don’t get paid and currently have no single way to leave the service of the Grand Army of the Republic without being considered a criminal. They are slaves, and that is a violation of our deepest and most profound principles as a republic. How can we continue to believe we are an enlightened and good society with such a crime tainting our legacy?”

The silence was startling.

“Senator Amidala from Naboo, you have the floor,” Chancellor Organa said.

“Thank you, Supreme Chancellor Organa,” Senator Amidala began. “Our path forward is clear. We must give the clones citizenship. We must give them a choice in the lives they will live going forward. We certainly must start paying them if they stay in the Grand Army of the Republic. The Galactic Republic must exist as a shining example of what is good in this galaxy. If we do not all labor in freedom, then I’d hesitate to believe that our democracy is worthy of existing. Let us vote now—let us show the galaxy that we are just.”

“It can’t be that simple! We must formulate a plan!” Someone shouted in the background. “We’re fighting a war!”

“It was that simple when we took the clones and made them our army,” Senator Amidala snapped. “I’ve been questioning the clones’ circ*mstances from the start to no avail. Yes, we need them, but we must treat them fairly. Naboo will not remain part of a governing body that deals in slavery another day.” She slashed a hand through the air. “We have been in violation of our own damned laws since we took ownership of the clones. This ends today!”

“She’s beautiful,” Cal said quietly and wondered if he should speak of the dreams he’d had about Senator Amidala. They were faded now, no longer viable. Maybe it would matter at some point, and he’d have to speak of the funeral he’d attended on Naboo in a dream. Though it was a relief to have a name to go with the face.

“Yet another powerful and compelling woman for you to reflect on,” Master Tapal said in an amused tone.

He watched the Senate vote to offer the clones citizenship and the measure passed with an astounding majority in favor. Cal felt the Force shift inside of him, and he took a deep breath.

“Something wrong?”

“The Force is happy,” Cal said quietly, and he turned to focus on his master. “This is very good, Master.”

“Will the clones leave the army?” Master Tapal asked curiously.

“It’s all they know,” Cal said. “All they were educated for. I think that citizenship and appropriate pay will be more than any of them ever expected. Perhaps some of them will allow themselves to dream of more. I hope so. The Force doesn’t seem worried about the war if that’s your concern.”

“It was,” Master Tapal said.

“Do you want to return to the Albedo Brave?” Cal questioned.

“I don’t know if that is our path,” Master Tapal said. “I have a feeling that we’ll be quite busy not starting any civil wars in the months to come.” He paused. “Do you think you’ll still react badly to the troopers?”

“I’m working on it,” Cal admitted. “In the dream, Commander Meza tried to murder you, and you had to kill him. I know the clones didn’t have a choice because of the biochips; it’s just hard to get over what happened in the dream. My fear of them is a weakness that I can’t allow to continue. There are millions of clones, and they’re not going anywhere.”

“We’ve got a problem,” Anakin Skywalker blurted out as Master Tapal let him into their apartment.

“Do tell,” Master Tapal said. “Should I send Cal to his room?”

“It’s about him,” Master Skywalker said, and Master Tapal sighed. “Fifteen hours ago, Chancellor Organa received a message from Dathomir. They’ve asked for the Republic’s assistance regarding threats from the Separatists. He’s preparing to send a ship to Dathomir with Senator Amidala on board, but he has a problem.”

“And that is?” Master Tapal prodded gently.

“Their leader, known only as the Luminary, wishes to meet the Righteous One. Clearly, the Chancellor and his staff have no idea who that is, and they’re trying to figure it out. When I heard this, I excused myself from the meeting and came straight here. Senator Amidala followed me, but she’s being held in the atrium since we’ve locked the temple down. As I was on the lift coming up here, I heard that Chancellor Organa had also arrived.”

“Fantastic,” Master Tapal muttered.

“My apologies, I didn’t realize either one of them even noticed my departure from the meeting,” Master Skywalker said. “There were fifty people in the room, and every single one of them was talking like they were in charge.”

“Well, it’s not something we could’ve hidden. The Council would’ve become involved when the Chancellor had no idea how to meet the demand then I would’ve been revealed.” Cal set aside his datapad. “You should probably tell the Council, right? So, they can pretend they have some kind of say in this?”

“He’s so jaded,” Master Skywalker said in an amused tone.

“I hesitate to say it, but it’s the Force’s fault,” Master Tapal said. “He was much more cheerful and sweet-natured before that first dream.”

“Well,” Cal said. “It was a pretty rough experience.”

* * * *

It took the Council an hour to summon him and his padawan. Somehow, Jaro thought they’d done it on purpose as some kind of weird power play. He didn’t like to think uncharitable thoughts about his fellow Jedi, often or for very long. So, he’d focused on more positive topics as he and Cal made their way to the Council’s space.

Senator Amidala and Chancellor Organa were in the room along with Anakin Skywalker when they entered. No one was seated, but Yoda still managed to be the center of the conversation despite his size. Jaro had always considered it one of the grand master’s more interesting social skills.

The Chancellor sighed as he stared at them. “No.”

Cal shrugged.

“I don’t understand,” Senator Amidala said as she glanced around the room. “Should such a young padawan be part of this meeting?” She turned to her left. “Obi-Wan?”

“Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, please meet Master Jaro Tapal and his padawan, Cal Kestis.” Obi-Wan Kenobi paused. “The Righteous One.”

“The boy,” she said. “He’s the padawan that was kidnapped, right?”

“Yes,” Jaro said and cupped Cal’s shoulder gently. “But he is well.”

She continued to stare.

“Were you not the queen of your whole world at my age, Senator Amidala?” Cal questioned.

Her cheeks flushed. “I was fourteen, but I trained from a very young age for the position.”

“I was raised here in the temple,” Cal said. “I began my initiate training at the age of three and sought my kyber crystal at seven. I was the youngest on that trip and I accepted a master the very day I tested out of the Jedi Academy here on Coruscant.”

“That’s not why you’re the called the Righteous One.”

“No,” Cal said. “It’s not.”

“Are we allowed to know why?” Chancellor Organa questioned. “It’s not my intention to intrude on the matters of the Jedi Order, Grand Master Yoda. But the situation with Dathomir is delicate. Count Dooku is very interested in the planet and finding out why would benefit the Republic.”

“The matter is for Master Tapal to decide,” Master Windu said when Yoda inclined his head in his direction. “He is the boy’s Jedi Master and thus his guardian until he is of the age of majority for Humans.”

“The Force is uniquely invested in my padawan,” Jaro said. “So invested that the dark side will not ever find purchase within him. He has the distinction of being Ever Light within the Order. He is righteous because it is believed that he cannot be corrupted, Chancellor Organa. Cal strives to educate himself thoroughly and be free of bias in all matters as much as possible.”

“I….” Chancellor Organa took a deep breath. “Is that possible? Really? No bias at all?”

“The Force creates balance within me,” Cal said. “It allows me to see a situation from as many perspectives as possible so that I can make a fair choice. The Force ensures that I’m righteous, and I have placed all of my trust in her.”

“And the Jedi tenets allow for this?” Senator Amidala questioned. “Must you not bow down to the doctrine of the Jedi Order?”

Cal smiled then. “I’m not Jedi Knight yet, Senator Amidala.” Her eyes widened with shock. “Perhaps by the time I’m ready to take that step, the rest of the Order will have caught up with me.” BD-1 shifted on his shoulder. “This is BD-1.”

She smiled and walked across the room to offer him her hand. “I am pleased to meet you, Cal Kestis and BD-1.”

“I have a rare gift among Force users called psychometry, which allows me to gather information from inanimate objects,” Cal said as he hesitated to take the hand she offered. “Your gloves could give me mental and emotional impressions of you. They could even reveal your personal thoughts to me.”

She pulled her hand back with a gasp of shock. “I’m…sorry. I didn’t offend you, did I?”

“No, of course not, but you represent your whole sector, and it would be wrong to touch anything you own without informing you of my gift,” Cal said. “It’s rare, honestly, that anyone ever touches me because of my gift.”

“It doesn’t sound like much of a gift,” Senator Amidala said gently, and her gaze drifted to Jaro’s hand.

“I have precious few secrets from my padawan, Senator, and I knew exactly what I was getting into when I offered him an apprenticeship, as psychometry is a gift we share.”

“You must be very special as well then, Master Tapal,” Senator Amidala said. “To have gained his trust when he knows so much about you.”

“Or I was the least offensive option he had,” Jaro said wryly, and she laughed.

“Very well, Master Tapal. Will you and your padawan join me on a diplomatic visit to meet the Luminary of Dathomir?” Senator Amidala questioned.

“Cal?” Jaro questioned.

“I’d be pleased to meet the Luminary in person,” Cal said.

“Have you met her in a different circ*mstance?” Senator Amidala questioned and shared a look of concern with Chancellor Organa.

“In a dream or two,” Cal admitted. “You should probably know that, so you aren’t surprised when she recognizes me. It’s one reason why I agreed that I should be revealed to you.”

“Yes, that is very good information to have,” Senator Amidala said. “Does she dream with you or on her own?”

Cal stared for a moment. “I dream of her. I dream of Dathomir. I also dream of dark times that could destroy the Republic if we do not hold ourselves to the highest of standards going forward.”

“Do your dreams come true?” Chancellor Organa asked with a brief glare in Mace Windu’s direction.

“Do yours?” Cal questioned, and Chancellor Organa blinked in surprise. “As we’ve already explained to you, I’m not a visionary, Chancellor Organa. You weren’t misled. I cannot tell you the future. Do you know what shatterpoint is?”

“I…don’t believe I understand the context, so I fear no answer I would provide would be accurate,” Chancellor Organa said carefully.

“It’s Force ability that allows those who are Force-sensitive to identify key moments in time and space that are points of divergence. It allows those gifted with the ability to shape and impact the future,” Mace Windu interjected. “It is a very rare gift, much like psychometry, and those who have it are carefully nurtured and prepared to understand their circ*mstances within the Force. There are two living Jedi currently who are widely known to possess the ability to discern and interact with shatterpoints. I am one.”

“The other am I,” Master Yoda said. “Such a moment we are in. A shatterpoint. Decide the fate of the galaxy we will in the days to come.”

“Do you see shatterpoints as well, Cal?” Chancellor Organa questioned.

Cal shook his head. “Not on my own, so it’s not really my gift. But the Force has pointed at least two out to me so far and allowed me to take action that best served the light side.”

“My decisions feel heavy,” Chancellor Organa admitted.

“Good,” Cal said. “They should always feel that way, Chancellor. Life in this galaxy, as we know it, depends on you. It’s a terrible burden. You don’t deserve it, but I believe you can handle it.”

“That’s…very good to know,” Chancellor Organa said quietly. “Your faith feels like a benediction.”

“Master Tapal, will your padawan accompany Senator Amidala to Dathomir?” Mace Windu questioned.

Jaro stared at the small Human female for several long, silent moments. “He goes nowhere without me, Senator Amidala. We will travel with you to Dathomir. Once there, you must make it clear to the leadership on the planet that my padawan will not set foot on Dathomir without me.”

“Of course, Master Tapal,” Senator Amidala said and turned to the chancellor. “Sir, I will arrange travel with Generals Kenobi and Skywalker and contact your office with a plan once we’re ready. It’s best if this mission is kept as much of a secret as possible. Count Dooku does not need to know we are considering bringing Dathomir into Republic.”

“No, agreed.” He nodded. “General Kenobi, I leave her in your capable hands. Thank you all for your work on behalf of the Republic.” He paused. “Please do not allow this child to be harmed under any circ*mstances. It’s not something I can live with, and no alliance would be worth it.”

Cal watched the man leave the room and slowly nodded. “It’s not even been a full month, and he already needs a vacation.” He flushed when several people laughed. “I mean it, though.”

“We know you do, kid,” Anakin said and shook his head.

“We should tell his wife,” Cal decided and focused on Senator Amidala as he spoke. “Don’t you think?”

She grinned. “I do happen to have her comm code.”

“Then you could chat with her…former queen to current queen,” Cal suggested.

“Yes, it seems reasonable,” Senator Amidala said with a nod.

“He’s a bad influence on her,” Anakin Skywalker whispered loudly to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the older man laughed. “You laugh, Obi-Wan, but we both know she doesn’t actually need any encouragement.”

Jaro stared at them both until they straightened up.

“As Generals Kenobi and Skywalker must be concerned entirely with your security on this mission, Senator Amidala, I will pick two Jedi masters to accompany me and my padawan as additional security for him.”

She nodded. “Of course.”

* * * *

“It’s not what we planned, but it will serve,” Eno said. “We’ll need to place a strong presence in the system to protect the planet once Dooku knows that the Republic is open to accepting Dathomir as a member. He understands on a profound level how much of a threat they represent.”

Jaro nodded and shared a glance with Mace Windu. Most of the Council had dispersed to undertake various tasks in their ongoing mission to remove Palpatine’s influence from the Republic and the Senate itself. While he’d retreated with Cal to his quarters. Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi had followed him.

“It would be best if you retook command of the Albedo Brave and accepted that duty,” Mace said quietly.

Jaro focused on Cal, who took a deep breath. “Cal?”

“The clones have been…fixed on the ship?”

“Commander Meza’s chip was physically removed, Cal,” Obi-Wan said. “When he was told he had a biochip in his head that would force him to follow orders considered to be illegal by the Galactic Senate, he insisted on removal. We complied. It proved invaluable in Master Shaak Ti’s research into the biochips. He also helped deploy the inhibitor technology on the ship and here on the planet at the trooper barracks in dozens of locations.”

Cal bit down on his lip. “Does he know about my dream?”

Obi-Wan hesitated but then nodded. “We did bring him into our confidence regarding how the biochips were revealed to us as the Force told us we could trust him with that information. It was also important that he know that you might react poorly to his approaching you without warning.”

“It’s weird, considering they all tried to kill me in my dream and did kill Master Tapal, but I believe I would be most comfortable with troopers that I know. I will do my best to adjust to their new circ*mstances. I trust the work that you and Master Shaak Ti have done, and Chancellor Organa would never order the mass execution of any group of people, much less the Jedi. He’s quite enamored with us. Did you notice?”

“We did,” Jaro said. “He has a profound respect for the Force and for those who follow the light side. We are very fortunate that he was elected. The Order will enjoy a unique protection as long as he’s in office.” He glanced at Cere Junda, who just smiled. “Which could be many years to come.” He cleared his throat. “Who is currently in command of my ship?”

“You are,” Obi-Wan said wryly. “When Commander Meza was informed that you had a personal task to undertake on the planet and would not be returning to the ship immediately, he suggested a period of maintenance for the ship and rest for his crew. I agreed, as the Albedo Brave hasn’t had a rest period in sixteen months and approved the request. He was told that they would be getting a new general if you couldn’t return to duty within the next month.”

Cal took a deep breath. “If we take that assignment, then we can protect Dathomir, right? It’ll be our duty?”

Obi-Wan nodded firmly.

“Yes,” Jaro said. “It’ll be our duty until declared otherwise and considering the circ*mstances that could be the length of the conflict with the Confederacy.”

Cal focused on Cere, and she nodded.

“Okay. I need to meditate,” Cal said. “So, I can put all of my emotions about the clone troopers in a proper place. I can’t let the trauma of the dream haunt me.”

* * * *

They’d brought a troop transport to the temple to arrange their transfer back to the ship. It was weird to see it land in the temple’s private hangar, as neither commercial nor military ships were normally allowed to do it. Cal took a deep breath, and everyone around him stopped moving. His master put a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m fine, Master.”

The transport opened, and Commander Meza stepped out.

“General Tapal, I’m pleased to provide your escort back to the Albedo Brave.” He removed his helmet as he approached them and took a knee in front of Cal. “Commander Kestis.” He turned his head, so his right temple was visible to Cal. There was a scar. “Chancellor Organa communicated with all of us regarding your discussion with him about our slavery. He told us that your perspective opened his eyes to the deep injustice of our circ*mstances, and he took action as quickly as he could. Thank you very much for what you did for me and my comrades in arms. They’ll never know exactly how, but every single clone trooper will know that we owe our freedom and our free will to you.”

“Thank you, Commander Meza,” Cal said quietly and made himself relax his shoulders. The Force was warm inside of him, which spoke to acceptance and safety.

“I understand, due to your dream, that you personally saw me betray you and the general.”

“Yes,” Cal admitted. “He had to kill you.”

“I’m glad for it,” Commander Meza said. “Better than to know that, even in a dream, I tried to kill a child. You are safe on the Albedo Brave. I swear it.”

“Thank you.”

Commander Meza stood and put his helmet back on. His master guided him onto the transport, and he sat down. The transport lifted off as he wondered how Senator Amidala was going up to the ship.

“Commander Meza, are there any issues we should be aware of from the maintenance cycle?”

“No, General, we’re five by five. Blew out the vents, changed some filters, and played some cards,” Commander Meza reported. “Got some elective surgeries.”

“I noticed you had a new nose and stuff,” Cal said in amusem*nt.

“Well, since I was under already,” Meza said with a shrug. “I figured I could give myself some individuality. It’s part of the Senate’s repreparations program—identity counseling, back pay, and citizenship being the biggest features.”

“That’s great,” Cal murmured and looked out the window as they broke the atmosphere.

“Good job on rescuing yourself, Commander Kestis,” one of the other troopers said roughly.

“Thanks, Tanner.”

His master turned to look at him. “Can you tell me the names of the other troopers on this transport?”

“Chasm is piloting with Ash as a copilot, which I thought they’d agreed not to do again after that incident over Tatooine.” He pointed to the three troopers in the back individually. “Tanner, Strike, and Wick.”

“He’s always been able to tell us apart,” Commander Meza said. “With or without helmets, sir.”

His master raised an eyebrow at him, and Cal shrugged.

“I have no idea why. They just don’t look the same to me. They never have.”

His master nodded, and Cal returned his attention to the window that normally had a shade pulled down over it. He wondered who had opened it and why. He looked around and raised an eyebrow at Wick.

“Thought it might help if you had a view, Commander. We know you were kidnapped in one of these things. We debated bringing it,” Wick explained.

“I’m fine,” Cal assured. “Knowing how it worked made escaping easier. I was able to open the door quickly, and I knew how fast it was moving because it was going as fast as it could, obviously, which wasn’t too fast. I jumped out easily.”

“We didn’t get details,” Tanner said.

“Oh, well, I got snatched off the steps of the temple by a guy with a jetpack, and two guys, also with jetpacks, hit Master Tapal really hard, but he killed those guys. I fought for a bit, but I realized we were too high, and if I fell, it would kill me. He tossed me in a transport, but he was an idiot as he didn’t realize I was armed. I threatened to cut off his body parts with my lightsaber.”

He paused when all the troopers nodded their agreement to his plan. “He threatened to shoot me, which was stupid. But it also told me he knew very little about Jedi or lightsabers since I had mine out. To distract him, I accused him of being a degenerate or trying to deliver me to a degenerate, which really upset the pilot. It’s too bad he died. He seemed a semi-decent hired mercenary.”

Master Tapal sighed, and Cal grinned.

“Anyways, the idiot took a shot at me, and I deflected it. I meant for it to hit him, but it hit the pilot instead. Maybe I was off because I was scared, or the Force decided to make a different decision for me. Either way, it hit the pilot in the head, and he died. The idiot had to run up to the front of the transport to fly it, and I jumped out the side. I landed on a building, ran into an empty office, and got in the duct system. I crawled up to the roof because I figured I could cross over the buildings and get back to the temple that way.

“But that traitor, Bode Akuna, was on the roof. And he grabbed me and threatened to kill me. He was awful. He either forgot I had a lightsaber or wasn’t afraid of it. He was shaking me and telling me he was going to murder me, which was a mistake. Because he was all worked about his next heinous crime, and I just stuck my lightsaber up against his chest and turned it on.”

Commander Meza hissed in shock.

“And his jetpack exploded, but his body protected me from the explosion,” Cal continued. “Then I had to use the Force to throw his body off of me because he was really heavy. Master Tapal came to get me after that, which was good because apparently, I went into some kind of shock.” Cal shrugged. “I slept the whole thing off.”

“You’re too young to have a body count, Commander,” Wick said quietly. “We’re sorry we weren’t there to help protect you.”

“I’m okay, Wick,” Cal said and took a deep breath as the transport started the docking process. “I have a duty to the Force to live, and defending myself is just.”

“Let me know when you want to practice deflecting laser bolts,” Strike said as the transport landed. “We’ll give you a good workout and increase your defensive reflexes.”

“Sounds good,” Cal said and was relieved that he meant it.

The doors opened on both sides of the transport, and Cal stood to follow his master out. The troopers in the docking bay came to attention as they walked past them, and Cal just hitched his backpack up on his shoulder, and BD-1 responded with a little beep of encouragement.

“The droid, General?” Commander Meza said.

“BD-1 is Commander Kestis’ personal droid and isn’t to be interfered with,” Master Tapal said as they left the docking bay. “We’ll drop our things off in our quarters and join you on the bridge within fifteen minutes. Have our guests arrived?”

“Masters Eno Cordova and Cere Junda are on board and in the quarters, as you assigned,” Commander Meza said as he walked with them toward their quarters. “The other four are due to arrive within the next ten minutes. General Kenobi arranged the transportation for the senator. I was surprised to learn that she’s coming on board without an entourage.”

“Oh, we can assume that General Skywalker is her entourage going forward,” Cal said and shrugged when they both looked at. “Can’t blame him. If I had to spend time with a senator, she’d be the one I pick, too.”

“Granted,” Commander Meza said. “She’s a beautiful and accomplished woman.”

“Commander Kestis has recently discovered an interest in powerful females,” Master Tapal said wryly, and Commander Meza laughed.

Cal flushed, but he couldn’t deny it. Commander Meza left them at the door to their quarters, and he entered as soon as his master put the code in and went to store his bag. In his room, he sat down on his bed and took a deep breath.

“Cal?”

He looked up and found Master Tapal standing in the doorway. His master came into the room and sat down on the bed beside him. “Is it too much?”

“To handle?”

“Yes,” Master Tapal said.

“No, I can do this. I want to push through, and the Force trusts the work that is being done for the troopers. I’m glad they have better circ*mstances and that the changes are going to spread throughout the whole army eventually. How many have had their chips destroyed so far?”

“About twenty-five percent, which I know is no real comfort,” Master Tapal murmured. “The ships are being hit as they return to Coruscant, and every single ship in the Grand Army will return to Coruscant at least briefly within the next three months. The outposts and bases are being visited by Master Shaak Ti personally, she’ll leave nothing to doubt and is keeping a list of clones that have been freed from the chip. They’ll all be given free will, Cal. She swears it.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Okay. Bridge?”

“Bridge,” Master Tapal said firmly and stood.

Cal stood as well, shed his traveling robe, and straightened his uniform. Most Jedi serving on the ships tended to wear robes, but his master wore an officer’s uniform and requisitioned one for Cal as well, so he wore it. He checked his rank insignia to make sure it was straight since his robe had covered them.

Since their quarters were not far from the command deck, Cal found himself at his station at the holotable shortly after entering the starboard bridge of the Albedo Brave. He reviewed the data and frowned as their guests came onto the bridge as well. Ahsoka Tano offered him a quick smile as she tucked in close to her master. He noted that Wick escorted them to an area normally used for observation.

“Lt. Strike, why isn’t Squad 18 on board?” Cal questioned as he started to work with the holotable.

“They were transferred off the ship yesterday for a brief stint as escorts during our downtime, Commander. They’ll be given coordinates to return to the ship once they finish their mission.”

Cal nodded and glanced toward his master, who was frowning. “That explains the six Y-Wings that are also listed off the ship, as well.”

“Current compliment?” Master Tapal questioned.

“The onboard crew stands at 564, plus our six guests. Flight is at 200 fighters, 70 V-Wings, 50 in Inceptors, and just twenty-four Y-Wings,” Cal reported as he reviewed the reports on the holotable. “We also have sixteen troopers in the med bay, sir.”

“Commander Meza?”

“Thirteen are there for identity counseling and assessment; two were in a training accident with no permanent injury caused, and Hollis is convinced he has the Felucian flu. He’s lobbying for a bacta tank.”

“How did he get nerf flu?” Cal questioned, then held up a hand. “Never mind, Commander. Forget I asked. Stick him in the tank, just in case.” He paused. “But make sure bacta will cure whatever STI he actually has.”

Master Tapal grinned and inclined his head at Meza before walking down the length of the bridge.

Master Cordova joined him at the holotable as his own master walked away. “I wasn’t aware that you actually had duties on the ship.”

Cal hummed under his breath as he continued to review reports. “Only guests get a free ride on a ship operated by the Grand Army of the Republic, Master Cordova.” He pulled a headset out of a pocket on the holotable and slid it into place and activated it.

“Lt. Chasm, we have a fifteen-second latency on reports coming from the port bridge,” Cal said, and his master turned to walk back toward him. “Run a check on the systems and comm link.” BD-1 hopped down off his shoulder and landed on the edge of the holotable. “Looks like we have at least one blown relay.”

“I see the problem on this end as well, Commander. I’m routing a repair crew to investigate immediately. My apologies for not noticing earlier.”

“Let’s just get it fixed before we achieve orbit above our destination. Combat is likely, and we can’t afford that kind of latency,” Cal ordered and closed the connection when he received an affirmation. He turned to his master. “Sir, we have a fifteen-second latency on reporting between bridges. If we can’t get it fixed before we achieve orbit, I would suggest that you request General Kenobi take command there.”

“Obi-Wan?” Master Tapal questioned.

“I can go now, just in case,” Obi-Wan said and offered Cal a firm nod as he left.

Cal activated his comm again. “Lt. Chasm, General Kenobi is assuming command on the port bridge while repairs are being made.”

“Understood, Commander.”

“Any other issues?” Master Tapal questioned as he assessed the information flowing around the holotable.

“All engines are showing at a hundred percent capacity.”

“Suggestions regarding course, speed, and the potential for combat upon arrival?” Master Tapal questioned.

“We can achieve orbit above Dathomir in four and a half hours at best speed, but we’ll burn a lot of fuel. I would suggest we plot a course at half speed, repair the relays, and drop out of hyperspace at least fifty light-years from the planet to scan the entire sector for Separatist activity.”

Master Tapal nodded. “Let’s make it seventy-five light-years, Commander Meza.”

“Yes, sirs.” Meza walked down into one of the command bays.

Cal focused on Eno Cordova, who was watching the holotable curiously. “You’ve never served on a military ship?”

“No, Master Yoda determined long ago that I was ill-suited to such things, and I’ve been in research most of my life. If I were not so gifted with the Force, I would’ve ended up in the corps. I believe I would’ve been content there.”

Cal nodded. “As long as you didn’t consider it worse than a death sentence.”

The rest of the guests joined him at the holotable as Master Tapal went down into the second bay to have a discussion with one of the combat engineers. He felt kind of abandoned, but that was childish, so he just resolved not to actively pout about it.

“Your command on the ship isn’t honorary,” Senator Amidala said quietly. “I didn’t know that.”

“All padawans are equal, Senator,” Master Skywalker murmured. “Ahsoka goes everywhere I do and has since she was younger than Cal. She has had the rank of commander on any ship I’m in command of since the day we became master and apprentice. I was still a padawan during the Battle of Geonosis if you’d remember.”

“Yes, but you were legally an adult.” Senator Amidala flushed and sighed. “The older I get, the younger padawans look.”

Master Junda smiled. “Yes, certainly. Mine would be here as well if she were not the age of majority. She chose to go on a mission with Master Windu as she prepares to join other Jedi in his service for the Order. Her trials will take place when I return to Coruscant.”

The comm sounded in his ear, and he activated it. “Commander Kestis.”

“Sir, all the relays are checking out. The delay isn’t happening on our end.”

“Understood,” Cal said and closed the comm. “BD-1, fusion cutter.” The tool popped out of the droid’s tool storage, and he caught it. Cal knelt and pulled off the maintenance panel. “Magna-driver.” He held out a hand as he slid under the holotable, and the tool slapped gently against his palm. “Call up a schematic for this thing and show me.”

BD-1 crawled into the holotable with him.

“Light,” Cal murmured, and BD-1 promptly lit up the whole space. “Son of bitch.”

“Commander Kestis!” Master Tapal snapped.

“Sorry!” Cal flushed. “I was unduly influenced and traumatized by that foul-mouthed degenerate during my violent and undeserved kidnapping, Master.”

Master Tapal sighed as several of their guests laughed. “What’s going on?”

“We’re being tracked,” Cal said and pulled the tracker off the internal comm on the holotable and passed the device out to his master, who hissed air between his teeth. “It requires more power than the relays in this table could handle and still function properly. BD-1, go ask Commander Meza for six fuse relays for the holotable out of the supply closet, and he’ll open the one on the bridge for you.”

“Need any help replacing those?” Master Skywalker asked.

“No, sir, but thank you.” Cal hit the power switch on the holotable to kill the current going into it so he wouldn’t end up electrocuted.

“Anakin, I need you to disable this tracker immediately. Cere, check our outgoing communications for if anything has left the ship yet regarding our navigational data. Then review all comms, personal and official, checking for Senator Amidala’s name,” Master Tapal ordered. “Eno, if you would go to General Kenobi and relay this information in person, I would appreciate it. Senator Amidala, while I cannot give you orders, it would be appreciated if you would stay within my eyesight until General Kenobi and General Skywalker can give you their full attention.”

“Of course, General Tapal,” she said. “I could help Master Junda with the comms.”

Cal could just imagine the face his master was making at the thought of putting a senator to work on his ship. He pulled out the fuses in the silence that followed and resolved to build himself a little tool kit of some kind. He could barely see anything with BD-1 gone.

“Please, General Tapal, I’m not used to being dead weight. Give me a job,” Senator Amidala said firmly.

“Then join Master Junda in her task, Senator Amidala,” Master Tapal said and nudged Cal’s foot when he snorted.

Cal bit down on his lip to keep from laughing.

“Commander Meza, I need a record of every single person who has come and gone from this ship since I brought it back to Coruscant,” Master Tapal ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Commander Meza said. “I’m retrieving security logs as we speak. I was off the ship for three days on assigned duty, so I’m focusing there first.”

BD-1 returned with the fuses, and Cal replaced them quickly once he had light again.

“BD, remind me to get a multitool the next time we go shopping.”

“You can get one out of the stores,” Master Tapal said.

“Ah, right. Thank you, Master,” Cal said and turned the table back on with a flip of a switch. He’d sort of forgotten he had access to ship stores again.

He slid out, replaced the panel, and dusted himself off as he stood. “We need to get a droid cleaner in there more regularly, sir.”

Master Tapal nodded. “Make sure to add that to the maintenance log.”

Cal checked the holotable. “The latency is gone.” He turned as Commander Meza joined them. “Someone from the Republic Security Corps came on board while you were on Coruscant, right?”

Commander Meza nodded. “Yes, Commander Lank Denvik boarded the ship three days ago and spent one hour conducting a security inspection. He ordered the clearing of both bridges during this time but only appeared to enter this one. Why would he place a tracker on the ship?”

“It’s not about this mission,” Cal said, and Master Tapal focused on him. “So, it’s about me. He was probably worried that you’d take me off the planet and put me back on this ship after the kidnapping.”

His master nodded. “Continue.”

“It stands to reason he’s going to forward my location to Count Dooku once he gets a transmission from his device.”

“Why does Count Dooku want him?” Senator Amidala asked and turned to General Skywalker when she didn’t get an immediate response. “Anakin? Why is that monster trying to find this boy?”

“Does she often ask you questions you shouldn’t answer because it’s Jedi business, Master Skywalker?” Cal asked curiously, and the senator flushed. “Right. That’s gotta be like being stuck between a supernova and a black hole.” His own master laughed. “The Jedi Council believes that Count Dooku will seek to acquire me to turn me to the dark side because he’s a corrupt old degenerate.”

“I’m beginning to think that you most often mean bastard when you say degenerate,” Master Skywalker said.

“Because I do,” Cal admitted with flushed cheeks, and Senator Amidala laughed. “It’s a multipurpose word that is going to serve me well for years to come.”

“Best course of action?” Master Tapal prodded.

“Send him a transmission and see what he does with it,” Cal suggested. “Forward that information to Master Windu so he can capture him after the fact and charge him with treason.” He called up a galaxy map and stared for a moment. “Let’s send them to Nar Shaddaa.”

More than one adult laughed.

“You want to send Dooku’s people to Little Slugland?” Master Skywalker questioned.

“Maybe he’ll go personally,” Cal said thoughtfully. “It would be a very good place for someone to disappear.”

“You’re not wrong,” Senator Amidala said in an amused tone. “Everyone there minds their own business like it’s a professional choice, and they have their own code of conduct to consider as well. Buying information on Nar Shaddaa is nearly impossible because of the extremely high levels of paranoia. Practically everyone on that moon is wanted by at least one whole planet.”

Cal considered that. “I know where to go if I need to make money as a bounty hunter, then.”

“That’s only slightly less appalling than civil war revolutionary, for the record,” Master Tapal said coolly, and Cal grinned. “My retirement looks less appealing by the minute.” He turned to Master Skywalker. “Anakin, can you prepare a signal that will look like the automatic signal the device was supposed to send?”

“Yes, of course,” Master Skywalker said.

“Cere, create the navigational data for him to send. Senator Amidala, if you can continue to review the comm logs, I would appreciate it. I need to know if I have a threat on this ship.”

“Of course, General Tapal,” Senator Amidala said from the station she’d claimed down in the left bay.

Cal wondered how the troopers felt about working that close to her. He turned his attention to the holotable. “It appears that General Kenobi has made himself comfortable on the port bridge, sir.”

Master Tapal nodded. “Leave him to it. Calculate the travel time to Nar Shaddaa from Coruscant, Commander Kestis.”

“Eleven hours at best speed, sir,” Cal said and flicked his gaze briefly over the reports being generated on the holotable. “Give it another five minutes to finish calculating its location since it wasn’t attached to the actual navigation core and another twenty minutes to create the transmission due to very limited power. If I’d placed that particular device, I would expect a transmission from Nar Shadda to be initiated eleven hours and thirty minutes after departure from Coruscant at the minimum.”

“Where does the extra five minutes come from?” Ahsoka questioned.

“It takes five minutes for the Albedo Brave to achieve orbit. A fact I would expect any intelligence officer of rank to know,” Cal explained, and she nodded. “What do you do on General Skywalker’s ship?”

“When I’m not training, I work on combat engineering and troop deployment plans. We secure planets after liberation from the Separatist forces,” Ahsoka said. “But it’s nothing like this. I’m normally down in a bay at one of the combat engineering stations.”

“I handle logistics, monitor communications, and provide feedback on combat tactics for space and ground combat,” Cal said. “This holotable allows me to do all of that and more. I can also direct navigation, deploy spacefighters, and take command of the port bridge operations if that bridge is destroyed or takes too much damage from here.”

“I have an open combat engineering station in my right bay, Padawan Tano,” Master Tapal said.

Ahsoka looked toward Master Skywalker, who just gave her a quick nod before returning to the locator device he was reprogramming with Master Junda. She smiled and trotted down into the bay and took a station.

“Commander Meza, status?”

“I’ve confirmed with security footage that Commander Denvik walked straight from the docking bay to the starboard bridge,” Commander Meza said. “This bridge is the only one he visited during his inspection. Only twenty-two panels on this ship can be opened quickly, have the power requirements, and are anywhere near his route through the ship. They’re all being checked. General Skywalker provided the frequency, and I’ve deployed astromechs to check each deck for a signal.”

Master Tapal nodded, and Commander Meza went back to work.

Cal started working on a report. “BD-1, scan the device and get me a schematic for the report.”

The droid hopped off the holotable and darted to the workstation where Master Skywalker was working. He returned quickly and added the schematic to the attachment section of Cal’s report without being asked to. Cal finished the visual description section of the report, detailed how it was discovered then transferred the report to his master’s datapad.

“Thank you, Commander,” Master Tapal said as he walked by the holotable. He read through the report as he walked and nodded. “Encrypt the report and send it directly to Grand Master Yoda and Master Windu. They’ll see it delivered to the appropriate people after the traitor is in custody.”

“Yes, sir,” Cal said and finalized the report.

He instructed the holotable to pack the report in a Jedi-designed encryption package, wrapped it in three layers of extra encryption designed by the Grand Army, and rolled it over into Master Tapal’s personal communication protocol before sending it as ordered.

Dathomir.

Cal stood at the front of the command bridge, staring at the dusty red planet for a long time before Master Junda joined him.

“Familiar?” she questioned.

He nodded. “It almost feels like home, but that makes no sense at all.”

“I’ve come to believe that home doesn’t always equal a place,” Master Junda said gently.

Cal nodded and took a deep breath. “Something is coming.”

“Something bad?” Master Junda questioned.

“I don’t know,” Cal murmured. “I need more time than I think I have to figure it out. The Force is so strong here that it’s hard to notice anything else. I’ve never been near a vergence so strong before, and it’s not just the darker elements that aren’t as dark as I expected them to be on the planet.”

“Some would divide the Force into dark and light acts,” Master Tapal said as he joined them. “Whereas others believe that true darkness comes from intent.”

“So, what I’m currently seeing as dark on Dathomir is something else—perhaps it’s merely their use of the wild elements of the Force. It’s almost feral here, in some ways. The Dathomiri clans use elements of the Force that we do not. They call it magick. I wonder if we can learn to use the magickal ichor the way they do.”

“You’re the only padawan I’ve ever had who insisted on learning more than I thought necessary, and I have a very extensive list, Cal,” Master Tapal said, and he laughed.

“Sirs.”

“Yes, Commander Meza?” Master Tapal turned away from the window and focused on the commander.

“We’ve got a strange comm from a ship that just achieved orbit near us. The pilot is insisting on coming aboard.”

“You have a pilot who wants to board my ship?” Master Tapal questioned evenly. “Some random person wants to board my ship, Commander Meza, and that’s just strange to you? It’s not alarming?”

“No, sir, the alarming part is that he’s demanding that we give Commander Kestis to him. He’s quite serious and is apparently prepared to pick a fight with us if we’re holding Commander Kestis hostage.”

Master Tapal focused on him.

“Don’t look at me. The only people with ships that I know are the ones you’ve introduced me to,” Cal protested. “Except….” He trailed off with a frown. “What’s the name of the ship?”

“The Stinger Mantis,” Commander Meza reported. “He refused to give us his name.”

“Oh.” Cal nodded slowly. “We should let him dock before he causes an incident.” BD-1 beeped his agreement from his shoulder, and Master Junda nodded quickly as well. “If we aren’t careful, the Haxion Brood might show up, or he could start a civil war. But also, isn’t the war with the Separatists already a civil war?”

“Yes, but at least you didn’t start it,” Master Tapal said dryly.

“Count Dooku started it,” Senator Amidala said as she joined them. “I don’t care what he says to the contrary.”

Cal eyed her. “Does he say you started it?”

She crossed her arms. “Maybe, but he’s a liar and a Sith. So, we don’t care what he says.”

Cal nodded his agreement. “Okay.”

“Kid, you just can’t agree with whatever she says,” Master Skywalker said.

Cal stared for a moment. “I can’t take advice from you about women, Master Skywalker.” He shook his head. “The Force says that’s just a bad idea.”

Senator Amidala laughed.

“Sirs?” Commander Meza questioned.

Master Tapal sighed. “Send our mysterious and demanding pilot to the docking bay, Commander. I’ll greet him personally.”

Cal started to protest but got a glare for his trouble.

“Commander Kestis, you have the bridge. Cere, will you accompany me?” Master Tapal questioned, and Cal slouched back to the holotable to micromanage the troopers.

Ahsoka wiggled her eyebrows at him when he looked in her direction and he smiled then shook his head. Cal had a feeling that she got away with a lot that he’d never get away with. Of course, he’d never disobey orders without a very good reason.

* * * *

The ship was a yacht. Jaro had traveled on luxury craft like it before, but he was surprised to see the overt weapons upgrades and military-grade deflector shields. The pilot handled the landing deftly, which was impressive since the space was a little tight for the size of his ship.

“Do you know him well?”

“Yes,” Cere said. “He saved Cal’s life repeatedly while they traveled together. Frankly, he loves Cal like a son and had agreed to be a grandparent to any children he had. Greez, that’s his name, lost an arm on a mission and it took a lot out of him despite the fact that we got a replacement. He eventually gave this ship to Cal so he could continue to fight the Empire.”

“He’s brash,” Jaro muttered.

“If he had the same dreams I had, then…well.” Cere shook her head. “He’s probably worried sick about them both. I would be.”

The ship opened, and a Latero male came out. At least his weapon was holstered, Jaro thought, but the tiny alien looked very determined.

“Cere!”

Cere Junda rushed forward, knelt, and hugged the pilot tightly. In return, she had four hands patting her back and head. Jaro couldn’t help but smile at the obvious love between the two of them.

“Where’s Cal?” he demanded as soon as she released him and stood.

“Let’s talk in private, Greez,” Cere said quietly and inclined her head toward the ship. “This is General Jaro Tapal, Cal’s Jedi Master and guardian.”

Greez’s gaze narrowed as he stared at Jaro. “Okay.” He jerked his head toward the ship. “He’ll probably fit on the sofa.”

Jaro couldn’t help but smile as the tiny alien trotted back into his ship, muttering about oversized people and their need to take up too much space. He followed Cere onto the ship and sat down on the sofa he was pointed to.

“Jaro, this is Captain Greez Dritus,” Cere said as she sat down beside the pilot. She took one of his hands. “Greez, Cal remembers precious little about the future.”

Greez looked horrified for several seconds then a profound amount of relief settled on his features. “Good.”

“But he knows enough to recognize us, and he prevented Order 66. The biochips controlling the clones are being destroyed. All of the ones on this ship are free of the technology and the new chancellor has declared the contingency orders illegal due to how they were created.”

“Better,” Greez said. “I went to Coruscant when I heard about the kidnapping. The news footage was upsetting, but at least I knew he’d been recovered. I’ve been monitoring military chatter with an illegal scanner that I’m not going to part with.” He shot Jaro a hard look. “I need it. Regardless, I knew he was going to be on this ship because the troopers kept talking about the little commander coming back to the ship. I knew, from talks with Cal, that the troopers on Albedo Brave called him that.”

“So, you followed us from Coruscant?” Jaro questioned.

“Yes, it was easy to do since you used heavily trafficked shipping lanes for it. I just tucked in behind you and rode your wake all the way here.” Greez shrugged like what he’d done was both normal and easy to do. “Saved myself a lot of fuel.” He folded all four harms over his torso and focused entirely on Cere. “Is he safe on this ship?”

“He’s currently never been safer,” Cere assured. “He dreams about the future, but the Force is clearly keeping details and some things outright secret from him. We’ve agreed between us,” she said with a glance toward Jaro, “to not speak of the time travel with him. He was devastated when he first woke up, Greez, and had a Force event that woke Jaro up from his own sleep. We’ve also agreed not to speak of her or what she did. It would be dangerous for most anyone to know that she was capable of compelling the Force to facilitate time travel, Greez. Certain people would seek her ardently—even amongst her own kind. The ritual she did required an immense amount of power and influence over the Force.”

“Yeah, I realized that as soon as I woke up,” Greez said. “I wanted it to work, but I wasn’t sure it would. I just didn’t want to hurt them with my doubts. I’m glad that you remember as well. I went to Bogano, but BD-1 wasn’t there. I’m worried about that silly little droid since Cal loved him so much.”

“He’s here,” Cere said, and Greez huffed. “He was still traveling with Eno Cordova, who is also on board. But now BD-1 has declared he belongs to Cal. Eno had a few dreams about the future, but nothing like I did.” She paused. “And you.”

“I dreamt every single time I went to sleep for two weeks,” Greez said. “Then they stopped so I figured that Force lady told me everything she wanted me to know in dreams. But she keeps nudging and pushing me around, Cere. Can you talk to her about it?”

Cere’s eyes widened, and she laughed a little. “Are you accusing the Force of bullying you, Greez?”

Greez nodded and waved all four hands. “She even had an opinion about my weapons upgrade, Cere. I was going to get one thing and she kept pushing me around until I got another. I guess you can’t do anything about it, but she’s real bossy.”

“Perhaps her definition of a better friend is different than yours,” Cere said wryly.

And Greez’s face softened. “Maybe so. She helped me win an immense amount of credits gambling so I could upgrade the Mantis for Cal. This old girl might as well be fresh off the factory floor. It’s got a .5 hyperspace engine and target-locking proton torpedoes.”

“You’ve got proton torpedoes?” Jaro asked, flabbergasted. “In this luxury craft?”

“Style and function,” Greez said cheerfully. “I’ve got 200 stocked and another 200 loaded with a mech-assisted loading system in the belly. It wasn’t really my idea, but who am I to argue with the Force? I told you guys, she won’t leave me alone.” He focused on Cere. “Can I see him? I won’t say anything about the time travel. Do you know if she’s okay? Is she why you’re here?”

“Dathomir has asked to join the Republic,” Jaro interjected, and Greez focused on him. “And the Luminary of Dathomir has requested that Cal be present at the meeting. He says he’s dreamt of the Luminary, though he only ever calls her the pretty girl. Cere hasn’t said her name. Keeping her true relationship with Cal a secret is very important, Captain Dritus.”

“Call me Greez, General,” Greez said and nodded. “She’s very powerful. I’d hate for her to get hurt or misused by someone because of the sacrifice she made with Cal.” He grew pensive. “They love each other very much. I know that’s not exactly the Jedi way, General, to have such a deep personal investment. I hope you can let him go when the time comes because he shouldn’t have to give her up.”

“I have a feeling the code will bend to accommodate Cal Kestis,” Jaro said wryly, and Cere laughed a little. “The Jedi Council will not wish to part with him in the future due to his gifts and his status. They will rapidly see the entire Jedi Order change to prevent his departure. Master Yoda sees the future of the Jedi in the Righteous One.”

“The Righteous One,” Greez repeated and nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s better than what the Empire started calling him near the end.”

“Which was?” Jaro asked curiously.

“Most often Jedi Bastard,” Greez said fondly. “He made them so unhappy.”

“I couldn’t be prouder,” Jaro confessed, and Greez laughed. “And yes, of course, you can see him. You’ve spoken about the sacrifices others made, but you’ve made one as well, Greez. I won’t forget it. Nor will I forget the friendship and care you gave my padawan after I was gone.”

Greez nodded, then glared briefly. “You’re not going to get yourself killed again, right? It broke his heart.”

“I plan to live to a very old age,” Jaro said and then stood. “I’ll call Cal down and take him duty so he can stay on this ship as long as he’d like this afternoon. I must insist he sleep in his assigned quarters, and you can leave the Mantis as well. There are secure areas of the ship that only authorized personnel can enter, and we do have a senator on board, so please be careful around her so as to not appear to be a threat.” He paused and focused on Greez. “You can depart, of course, at any time that you’d like, but Cal will not be going with you. You may believe that is his decision, but you knew him as an adult. He’s just thirteen years old, Greez, and still very much a boy no matter what façade he might present.”

Greez nodded. “I’m not interested in being charged with kidnapping by the Republic. Plus, I know how Lasats react to their children being taken from them. I’d rather you didn’t hunt me down like a criminal. I saw security footage of those two guys you killed, by the way.” He shuddered. “Anyone stupid enough to try to take that kid from you unwillingly should think long and hard about the fact that a Lasat can rip their limbs off just like a Wookie.”

“There may come a time when I make a different decision,” Jaro said. “If I ever tell you to take him and run—then you are to do exactly that. Even if he protests.”

“Okay,” Greez said quietly. “I understand, General Tapal. We should make a few plans and have more than one location set up to retreat to.”

“Yes, we should,” Jaro said with a nod. “It is a relief to have you as a partner on this matter, Greez. And please call me Jaro.”

* * * *

The ramp to the Mantis was opened, and it looked so familiar that it made his heart ache. He rubbed his chest as he stared at the ship. Cal only briefly wondered if he should’ve gone to his quarters to change clothes before visiting Greez. BD-1 hopped off his shoulder and darted up the ramp, so Cal found himself following the droid.

“Kid! Look at you,” Greez said cheerfully and came forward with all four arms extended. “Come here.”

Cal laughed and bent down to accept a hug. “Greez, the Mantis looks great. Did you get new laser canons?”

“Yep,” Greez said and patted his shoulder. “You gotta tell the Force to stop bossing me around, kid. Cere says she can’t do it.”

Cal laughed as he stepped back. “I don’t think I can either.”

“Ha!” Greez said huffily. “Come on, I’m making dinner. Do you have a curfew?”

“I have to be back in my quarters for meditation at 2100 hours. The ship runs on a twenty-four-hour military clock. I’ve set a reminder on my chronometer,” Cal said. “It’s currently 1505 hours.”

Greez stared for a moment and nodded. “Cere, look at his uniform! He’s adorable.”

Cal huffed and touched his rank insignia to make sure it was still straight. “That’s just mean.”

“You are pretty adorable,” Cere said with a grin and took a sip of caff when Cal made a face at her. She patted the stool next to her. “Come on up and get comfortable.”

Cal followed Greez into the galley area of the ship and slid up onto a stool beside her. “The Mantis does look great. You’ve done a lot of upgrades.”

“The Force takes promises very seriously,” Greez muttered, and Cere hummed under her breath. “How are you after the kidnapping?”

“I’m fine, Greez. Better than I probably would if I hadn’t had dream after dream of killing…stormtroopers and other Imperials.” Cal stared at the cup set down in front of him, then smiled. “I couldn’t remember the name of this tea. Thanks, Greez.”

BD-1 hopped up onto the table and scanned it, made a positive beep, then left again.

“Where are you going, BD?” Cal questioned.

“Investigating,” BD-1 said in response.

Cal shook his head and focused on Greez, who was cooking something in a pot. “I hope that’s umberhash. I’ve missed it.”

“Of course, kid,” Greez said. “I got all the ingredients when I was waiting on upgrades.”

“How are you on credits?” Cere asked. “I have some tucked away.”

“Oh, I never have to work again,” Greez said casually. “As I said, the Force helped me win a lot of credits. I could buy three new ships and still live very well until I die.”

Cal exchanged a wide-eyed look with Cere. “The Force helped you gamble?”

Greez shrugged. “I guess she wanted you to have a safe ship to travel on, and the Mantis is yours the day you turn seventeen, kid. My gift to you.”

“I just can’t take—”

“You can and you will,” Greez said interjected. “I won’t have any arguments about it. Of course, I’ll be around to be your pilot whenever you need.” He sat down at the bar. “Got an hour on the food. Tell me what you’ve got planned now that you’ve saved the clone troopers from that control technology. When I heard that Palpatine was assassinated, I realized that all of my dreams were definitely true.”

“I’m sorry you dreamt about that terrible future,” Cal said quietly.

“I don’t regret any of it,” Greez said and took a sip of his own tea. “I mean it, Cal. We gave the galaxy another chance to get it right, and it will save the lives of millions. Plus, it freed the clones from slavery. The Senate hearings have been amazing to watch.”

“I’m really proud of that,” Cal admitted. “I hate how that situation worked out in my dream—how they became slaves to a tyrant. In some ways, we were all slaves to that monster. It feels weird that he’s dead. I worry that maybe he isn’t, even though I witnessed it, and the Force tells me he’s dead. She tells me that she’s taken care of his plans, and he can’t come back. I don’t know what that means.”

“He was a planner,” Cere said thoughtfully. “He spent decades planning to take over the galaxy and create the Empire. We shouldn’t think that he didn’t have plans related to his survival. If the Force has taken care of that for us, then all the better.”

“I feel sorry for whoever she bullied into doing her bidding,” Greez said with a sigh. “There are other issues that need taking care of. Some stuff on Kobah.”

“I have a plan for that,” Cere said, and Greez nodded.

“Do I need to worry about it?” Cal questioned.

“No,” Cere said. “You concentrate on Dathomir. Count Dooku is going to send forces here sooner rather than later. There are thousands of people on that planet, Cal.”

He huffed and focused on his tea. “That’s a lot to think about, Cere. I don’t know how to keep from failing them.”

“Well, you aren’t alone,” Cere reminded. “I’m just telling you that you don’t need to worry about anything but Dathomir and what’s happening on the planet. If you have a dream about something that you don’t want to share with the Jedi Council, then you can tell me and Greez. We’ll take care of whatever needs to be taken care of.”

“I don’t want to mislead Master Tapal,” Cal said. “It’s important that he never lose faith or trust in me. I think I need to let him decide if there is information the Council doesn’t need.”

“Okay,” Cere said with a smile. “I think that’s a very good idea.”

“I do trust you with everything,” Cal said. “But he’s important to me, Cere, and I don’t want to hurt him.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “I understand, Cal. I have a master of my own, if you’d remember. I’d do a lot to not hurt Eno in any way. He dedicated twelve years of his life to training me, and I became the Jedi I am under his very gentle hand.”

“Okay.” He focused on his tea. “I dreamt that Bode Akuna killed Master Tapal.”

“When?” Cere questioned.

“The day before the kidnapping,” Cal clarified. “It was weird, and I didn’t understand the implications until after everything had happened. Most of my dreams are very explicit in detail. But this one wasn’t built on future memories.”

“Future memories,” she repeated.

Cal grinned. “Come on now, Cere. Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out?”

“We hoped, sincerely, that you wouldn’t,” Cere said. “Have you told Master Tapal?”

“I will,” Cal said. “We’ve had a hectic schedule, and it’s going to be a long conversation. I don’t know the details of how and why it happened, as I said, but it’s clear that my dreams are memories. At any rate, the dream about Bode Akuna was speculation, I suppose, by the Force since he was so dark she couldn’t really discern his intentions. In the dream, we were in the temple, and Bode broke into our apartment. He killed Master Tapal and tried to kill me, but you stopped him.”

“And you thought it was just a nightmare,” Cere said. “Because seeing Bode had upset you.”

“Yes,” Cal said. “And also, because I’ve dreamt about him killing Master Cordova several times. It was so ugly and cruel. There was no need for it. His selfishness made me sick, Cere.” He took a deep breath. “Then, when I realized who had kidnapped me—I knew I had to kill him before Master Tapal found us. None of us really thought Bode was a threat currently and I know Master Tapal didn’t consider him much of a Jedi. But Bode had a lot of power due to the dark side. He was very adept at hiding what he was.”

“I never noticed a bit of Force ability about him in the other future,” Cere said. “It bothers me a lot that I didn’t know he was once a Jedi. But there are over 10,000 Jedi currently recognized by the Order and close to a thousand who lived long enough to retire from service. I wouldn’t be able to recognize the majority of them on sight. It’s discomforting that, in some ways, we’re very isolated from society and from each other as well.”

“It made it easy to destroy us,” Cal said. “We must do something different going forward. I think, maybe, we need to consider a homeworld of sorts. A world that the Jedi can retreat to as a whole.”

“You mean Tanalorr,” Greez said.

“No, I don’t think we should try to find that world again. I’ve had one dream about Tanalorr,” Cal said. “And I hated it.”

“Cere and Eno’s funeral,” Greez guessed, and Cal nodded.

“It’s a beautiful and peaceful world,” Cere said. “It was lovely to be taken there—even in death. You handled Bode’s betrayal in the future and in the past as well as you could. His actions were not your fault.”

“Kata will never be born now,” Cal said quietly.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t remember her,” Greez admitted. “When I saw that Bode was already dead—the ramifications were clear.”

“It’s hard to forget the child that I woke darkness in,” Cal said frankly.

“That wasn’t you,” Cere said firmly. “It was Bode. It was all Bode, Cal. Every bit of dark side that found purchase in his daughter’s heart was due to his actions. He exposed her to the inner workings of the Empire during her formative years. Then he tried to steal the hope and safety of thousands in an immense act of selfishness that she understood perfectly well.”

“She understood why he died, too,” Greez said. “She told me that she didn’t blame you, Cal.”

“She didn’t,” Cere said. “At least at that age, but the resentment would’ve built and by the time she was an adult—all of it would’ve been Cal’s fault. The dark side would’ve made certain.”

“I didn’t remove her from Tanalorr fast enough,” Cal said. “I knew Bode would linger there as long as she was on the planet. I could feel his presence in the temple, and he lingered around her when I wasn’t around.”

“I thought the dark Force users couldn’t join the Force when they died,” Greez said in confusion.

“They can’t, but they often linger in the place where they died in a specter form,” Cere explained, and Greez made a horrified face. “And he did haunt his child. She couldn’t always ignore him, no matter how much she tried.”

“I didn’t notice until the damage was more than done,” Cal said roughly. “I was too wrapped up in my own grief and guilt.”

“If Kata Akuna is meant to exist, then she will,” Cere murmured. “She’ll have a different father, of course, and perhaps even a different mother. The Force is the source of life.”

“The beginning and the end,” Cal said. “It’s a comfort of a sort.”

“Is it, though?” Greez questioned with a frown. “Because the Force is so bossy.”

Cal laughed.

* * * *

Cal held out his hand, and dark green Force energy flowed around it. In the shadows, he felt more than heard Merrin moving around in the dream world he was entirely positive she’d created.

“Is this your magick?”

“It is Dathomir’s magick.”

“Is it?” Cal questioned. “I’ve memories of you using this magick on other worlds, Merrin.”

“Memories?” Merrin questioned.

“My dreams seem like memories. Not all of them, but some of them feel so real they must have happened,” Cal said, and she hummed.

Smokey green magick swirled around in the dark. The sensation was so comforting and warm that Cal resisted the urge to simply curl into it. He’d never expected it to feel so sweet and welcoming. In the dreams, her magick had always been used defensively. It had felt protective and aggressive but never dark.

“Do you dream of things that haven’t happened yet?”

“Yes,” Merrin admitted. “Sometimes I see my world destroyed. I see my sisters and mothers dead, but not dead in the same instant. I don’t want my world to die, Cal.”

“Is that why you’ve asked to meet with a representative from the Republic?” Cal questioned. “You’re the Luminary, right?”

She came out of the shadows then, dressed in a gauzy white dress that flowed around her like a cloud. “Yes. I started to manifest true visions and there was a great deal of upheaval amongst the clans because of it. I was born a Nightsister.” She bit down on her lip. “Is that upsetting? I’m not a dark Force user if you’re worried.”

“I’m not worried,” Cal said and held out a hand. Her fingers slipped against his as she took his hand. “I want to know you exactly as you are.”

Her pale cheeks flushed, and she smiled. “Okay.”

“Did things get violent during the upheaval?”

“It was headed in that direction, and I forced them to stop arguing over me by demonstrating a magickal power that should be beyond my physical age and education. It startled them so much that they stopped fighting over who was going to control me and started to worry about how they’d possibly be able to ever contain me. In truth, they can’t do either, and I made that clear.”

“What does it mean to be the Luminary?” Cal questioned as she tugged him gently toward a path. “Is it a political or religious position?”

“It is a position of spiritual leadership, created for a witch on our world in times of change and strife,” Merrin said. “On Dathomir, the strongest and most powerful female leads.”

“And that’s you,” Cal said with a wide-eyed look glance in her direction.

“Yes,” Merrin admitted and made a face. “It’s awful.” He laughed, and she huffed. “I made each clan provide a representative to form a leadership council so that we could review the requirements for joining the Republic. It’s been a difficult road for the Great Mothers, who have been displaced by a child. They respect my power but also resent me for it.”

“Are you safe?”

“Yes, for now,” Merrin assured. “One of the former Great Mothers tried to kill me weeks ago, and she was viciously cut down by our clan for her transgression. It revealed an issue I must discuss with you and those you trust most in private.”

“Okay,” Cal said with a nod. “We’ll do our best to arrange it. Will your people allow you to have a private discussion with us? You’ll have personal security, right?”

“I’ve set up circ*mstances and started to speak of my destiny,” Merrin explained. “As part of Dathomir’s path into the Republic, I’m going to request that a member of the Jedi Order teach me to use the Force in the Jedi way. I need you to contact Cere Junda and bring her here. I wasn’t sure if I should say her name or request her specifically after asking for you. I had to make a choice, and it could only be you.”

“Cere is here with me already,” Cal said, and she closed her eyes briefly. “You dreamt of her death?”

Merrin nodded. “And Master Cordova. Have you found him?”

“Yes, he’s on the ship, too. Greez arrived yesterday.”

Merrin burst into tears and threw herself against him. Cal caught her and held her tight, startled but also relieved that she was willing to seek comfort from him. He took a deep breath against her hair, taking in the soft, sweet and familiar scent of her. Cal knew her in a way that he’d never known anyone in his life, and it was relieving.

“Everything is going to be fine, Merrin,” Cal whispered against her hair. “I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Jedi.”

“I swear I’ll do everything I possibly can to keep your world from being destroyed, Spacewitch,” he whispered, and her hands tightened in his clothes. “Even if I have to hire someone to go kill Dooku. I promise that I will never let him touch you.”

“It’s Dooku that I need to speak with the Republic about,” Merrin said and stepped back. “And Maul.”

“Maul?” Cal questioned. “Who is Maul?”

“The son of Talzin, the former Clan Mother of the Nightsisters. She’s the one who tried to kill me and the reason I’m no longer a Nightsister. I left the clan in response to her actions, despite the fact that the Nightsisters that witnessed it tore her to pieces.” She shuddered.

“I’m sorry that you witnessed something like that,” Cal said quietly. “So, her son is after you?”

“He’s a Sith, Cal,” Merrin whispered. “He was believed to be dead by many off-world, but his mother healed him. He was the apprentice of Darth Sidious until his supposed death. After the deaths of his former master and his mother, he joined Count Dooku as his apprentice. His brother, Savage Opress, was also killed during their mother’s attempt to murder me.”

“You killed him,” Cal surmised, and she nodded quickly. “I’m sorry for that, Merrin. It’s not wrong to defend yourself, but you know that already.”

“I do, yes, but I wanted peace for my world, Cal.” She took a deep breath and moved away from him. “And every day brings us closer to destruction.”

Cal nodded. “You did tell your former sisters that they’re gonna have to stop…hmmm…using the Nightbrothers as a harem, right?”

Merrin blushed brightly and huffed. “Cal Kestis!”

“I’m just saying, Merrin, that no matter how much everyone appears to enjoy those circ*mstances here on Dathomir, the Republic isn’t on board with sex slavery, not even for reproductive purposes.”

She laughed, but it was clearly a reluctant action on her part. “Shut up.” Then she frowned and looked up at the night sky above them. Merrin flicked a bit of magick at him. “Wake up, Jedi. Something is coming.”

Cal sat straight up in the bed, stumbled out of the bed, and hurriedly started to dress. “BD, go wake Master Tapal. Tell him something is about to happen.”

He was shoving his feet into boots when his master appeared in the doorway of his bedroom, already dressed. “I don’t know what it is, sir.”

“The Force woke me before your droid could,” Master Tapal said roughly.

Cal followed him out to their quarters and into the lift that would take them to the command bridge. It was very early in the morning, but Commander Meza was already on the bridge. He checked his chronometer as he went to the holotable to retrieve his comm and one for his master.

“Something wrong, sirs?” Commander Meza questioned as he approached.

“I’d ask you the same, Commander,” Master Tapal said as he accepted the comm. “You’re on duty two hours early.”

“I have two hours of identity counseling scheduled for today, so I came on duty early,” Meza explained. “And I’m signing my official officer commission for the Grand Army. I’ve been assigned the rank of Marshall Commander in the regular officer corps.”

“Congratulations,” Cal said as he focused on the table. “Something is coming. Let’s extend the long-range sensors. And I think I need to speak with General Kenobi.”

“I’ll have him contacted in his quarters,” Commander Meza said as he walked down into one of the command bays.

“You had another dream,” Master Tapal murmured as he joined him.

“Yes.”

His master nodded and walked away, and Cal was left to ruminate on the content of the dream. Merrin’s worry was contagious, in a way, because he needed her and her world to be safe. He checked the time as sensor data started to filter into the holotable.

“There are six ships in hyperspace heading this way, General Tapal,” Cal reported. “Based on established data, the probability that they’re Confederacy ships is ninety-eight percent.”

“Get us combat ready, Commander Kestis,” Master Tapal ordered.

Cal woke the ship with a flick of his fingers and activated the battle station alarms. He watched the turrets come online as each one was manned and the flight bays lit as well as pilots checked into their battle stations. Within two minutes, they were ready to launch all the starcraft on board the Albedo Brave.

“We’re battle ready, sir,” Cal reported as his master walked past him and moved out onto the main part of the command deck.

General Kenobi entered the bridge and came to stand with him at the holotable. “Commander Meza said you that you needed me.”

“I need to ask you a question,” Cal said and focused on the older Jedi. “Who is Maul?”

“Maul?” General Kenobi repeatedly, eyes wide with shock. “Where did you hear that name?”

“In my dream last night,” Cal admitted. “Who is he?”

“He was a Sith,” General Kenobi said, his voice low and subdued. “He murdered my master, Qui-Gon Jinn, twelve years ago. And I killed him. It happened on Naboo.”

Cal took a deep breath. “He’s not dead and has joined Dooku as his apprentice.”

“I don’t…. That’s impossible, Cal, I cut Darth Maul in half,” General Kenobi said. “Not even a Zabrak could’ve survived that.”

“His mother healed him,” Cal said, his gaze drifting over the reports being generated by the sensors. “He’s very much alive. His mother was a powerful Dathomiri witch named Talzin, who was deeply invested in the feral magick of Dathomir, and she led the Nightsisters on the planet until recently.”

“What happened?” Master Tapal asked. “The last information we had on Talzin was that she and Chancellor Palpatine were at odds.”

“She tried to murder the Luminary, and her own clan tore her to pieces,” Cal murmured and looked up to focus on his master. “Literally.”

Master Tapal took a deep breath. “How old is the Luminary, Cal?”

“She’s my age or maybe a bit older,” Cal said. “But smaller than me—I’m easily five inches taller and twenty pounds heavier. But Zabraks tend to be small at my age, right?” He focused on General Kenobi. “How big of a threat is Darth Maul?”

“An immense one,” General Kenobi said quietly. “If he’s going to target the Luminary for the death of his mother, then we need to get her off that planet. But I don’t know what her people will tolerate. Do you know what her role is?”

“She’s in charge,” Cal said as he sent more troopers to the turrets to allow for fatigue and support. “The clans have created a leadership council under her, at her demand, but the leader of their world is determined by power.”

“And she’s the most powerful of them? Even as a child?” General Kenobi questioned.

“Yes,” Cal said. “They structure their society around their spiritual worship of the magick on Dathomir. It makes sense that the one who commands the most influence over that magick would be their leader.”

“We have fifteen minutes before the ships arrive,” Master Tapal said. “Commander Meza, who is the hot seat on the flight bridge?”

“Lt. Wick,” Meza said as he came to stand next to him.

“Cal, do you think Maul is on one of the ships?” General Kenobi questioned.

“If he’s heard about the deaths of his mother and brother, then yes,” Cal said.

“Brother?” General Kenobi questioned. “Which one? He had two.”

“The Luminary was forced to kill Savage Opress in self-defense,” Cal reported. “And I find that very concerning. She clearly doesn’t have as much security as she should. Or at least, she didn’t. Shouldn’t the leader of a whole planet have a lot of security?”

“You’d think,” Master Tapal muttered, clearly annoyed by the information.

“The smallest of the ships has entered the system, but the other five are lingering just short of the hyperspace lane outside of the system. If they assume they’re outside of our sensor range, then they don’t know who or what is in orbit,” Cal said, and Jaro nodded from his place on the opposite side of the holotable.

“Lank Denvik has been arrested,” Jaro said as he read through the communications he’d received. “He was allowed to send the faked data to his contact. They followed that transmission to an off-world contact and confirmed it was destined for Count Dooku.”

Cal accepted that information in silence.

“Ship stats?” Jaro prodded.

“X2 Gunship,” Cal reported. “Maximum occupancy of four, no droid support, standard laser canon, and two unmanned turrets. The other ships are similar in design and use, if slightly larger. The biggest of them is a Raider-class corvette with dual heavy laser cannons, concussion missiles, and turbolasers.” He took a deep breath. “Why put turbolasers on a corvette-class?”

“Think it through,” Jaro instructed.

“It’s smaller than a capital ship; it’ll run hot, increased fuel usage, but in the short-range, it’s going to be a heavy hitter.” Cal frowned. “It’ll be a little clunky in the atmosphere, but planetary bombardment would be in its wheelhouse.”

“Then that’s the ship that Darth Maul is on,” Obi-Wan speculated, and Jaro nodded.

“And it’s our first hard target. We have to assume that he’s coming to make them pay for the death of his mother,” Cal said. “Or he was. The question becomes—is his desire for revenge so ardent that it will cloud his judgment?” He focused on Obi-Wan. “You know him best.”

Obi-Wan grimaced. “He’s arrogant, confident of his abilities, malicious, dark, and hyper-focused. I doubt he loves anyone or anything. The dark side doesn’t allow for it.”

Cal made a face.

“You don’t agree,” Jaro surmised.

“I think that’s wishful thinking,” Cal said with a shrug. “If there is fury and hatred in the dark side then there is love, too. Unhealthy, obsessional, selfish—all words that can describe love just as easily as they can describe hatred. There are plenty of people who cannot love for one reason or another. I don’t think the dark side has anything to do with that.” He shrugged. “But I’m just thirteen.”

“You’re not just anything,” Senator Amidala said dryly. “And I agree. I think there is room for a bevy of emotions in the dark side. It stands to reason that a corrupt sort of love could exist as well. Does Darth Maul love his mother? Who’s to know? But the lack of love doesn’t preclude the desire for revenge. Plenty of things can motivate revenge.”

“Greed, fury, love, hate,” Cal said with a nod. “Selfishness. His mother was useful to him in a variety of ways. Now she’s in several pieces, which isn’t going to be useful if he doesn’t have the ability to put her back together like she did for him.”

Jaro sighed as his padawan shrugged. “Could be a problem. I doubt he brought a small fleet to retrieve a body.”

“Well, if he just wants her parts, we could get a crate….” Cal trailed off when Senator Amidala made a soft noise. “My apologies, Senator Amidala.”

“You have no right being that funny,” she said wryly and walked down into the command bay.

“We’re being scanned,” Cal said. “The ship is running a random ident code and a scrambler. Funnily enough, I think he believes that we haven’t noticed him.”

“Keep it that way unless he appears to be approaching the planet. No one is going to land on Dathomir without my permission until we’ve had a very long discussion with the Luminary and her council.” Jaro waited for Cal to nod his agreement before he turned his attention to Cere Junda, who had just come onto the bridge. “Has Captain Dritus agreed to be our transportation down to the planet?”

“Yes,” Cere said. “He also agrees that his ship will be far more friendly looking than any of the shuttles or starships you have on board.”

“What?” Obi-Wan questioned. “Who are you talking about?”

Jaro realized then that he should’ve discussed his plan with Obi-Wan Kenobi in advance. He wasn’t used to answering to anyone on his own ship, but he couldn’t discount the man’s authority where it concerned the protection of Senator Amidala.

“We’ll speak in private as soon as this scout ship situation is resolved, General Kenobi.”

Anakin Skywalker glared at him briefly but then went down into the command bay to stand with Senator Amidala.

“Put us in geosynchronous orbit above the meeting coordinates, Commander Kestis,” Jaro ordered.

“Lt. Strike,” Cal began as he submitted the new coordinates through the holotable. “Course set.”

“Coordinates received, Commander,” Lt. Strike said from the navigation terminal. “Course change on your mark.”

“Mark,” Cal said and smiled briefly when Ahsoka looked his way. “Ten minutes, sir.”

“Ten minutes,” Jaro acknowledged. “Status on the scout ship?”

Cal checked the sensors. “It’s changing course.” He paused. “Hyperspace engine ignition. He’s bugging out, sir.”

* * * *

“You’ve allowed a f*cking civilian that you know next to nothing about to stay on this ship and didn’t tell us?” Anakin Skywalker demanded.

Jaro raised an eyebrow, and the younger man flushed. “With all due respect, Jedi Knight Skywalker, this is my ship, and all decisions are mine to make unless General Kenobi would like to assume command.” He sat down in the chair at the head of the conference table that had to be purchased especially for him. “In this situation, you tell me—who has more to protect?”

Skywalker flushed, and his gaze flicked briefly toward Cal, who’d sat in his place on Jaro’s left without a word. “General Kenobi and I are responsible for the safety of Senator Amidala.”

“Your personal investment must make decisions very difficult, Master Skywalker,” Cal said evenly and they all three focused on him.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Padawan.”

“Commander Kestis,” Cal corrected. “In these circ*mstances, and I must insist.”

Jaro swallowed a laugh as Anakin Skywalker stared at his padawan.

“Captain Dritus is my guest,” Cal continued and folded his hands in front of him on the table. “I’m grateful, of course, that General Tapal trusts me as much as he trusts in the Force that guides me.” His gaze narrowed. “You should sit.”

“Should I?” Skywalker snapped.

“Yes, you should,” Cal said. “The commanding officer of this ship and his executive officer have taken seats. So, you and Master Kenobi, as our guests, should sit as a matter of protocol since you don’t have any authority on this ship unless orders get drastically changed. General Tapal shouldn’t have to ask you for your respect on his own ship.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi cleared his throat and sat with flushed cheeks. “Yes, of course. My apologies. I forgot myself.”

Jaro inclined his head and watched Anakin Skywalker sit as well.

“You let your emotions get the best of you often, Master Skywalker,” Cal said casually and spun slowly to the left and right in his seat, much like the child he was but often pretended he wasn’t.

“And you don’t?” Anakin asked.

“I have,” Cal agreed. “I will again. I’ve dreamt of things that broke my heart.” He paused when Jaro winced. “You don’t know much about my dreams, right?”

“Just what you’ve shared with me. I respect your right to decide who you take into your confidence,” Anakin Skywalker said neutrally. “I will listen to whatever you wish to tell me, Commander Kestis.”

“I’ve dreamt twice so far of my master’s murder,” Cal said frankly, and Anakin Skywalker grew pale. “I think I’ve done what I can to circumvent both circ*mstances. The Force is pleased with what I’ve accomplished so far. She’s a taskmaster, though, and doesn’t hesitate to get pushy when I don’t make the right connections. I still haven’t had any visions, and for that, I’m grateful.”

“I’ve had nightmares as well,” Anakin admitted.

“Yes, I know, the Force told me. But your nightmares weren’t normal or natural. You’ve been keeping secrets, which is why you reacted so negatively to General Tapal’s decision regarding the Stinger Mantis and Captain Dritus.” Cal stared for a moment. “Your secret is potentially very dangerous and you’re starting to see anything that appears to be a secret as dangerous as a result. In short, Master Skywalker, you’re getting paranoid, and we both know that’s dangerous.”

“Do you know my secret?” Anakin asked curiously, tone neutral. But his fingers tapped gently on the table, and Jaro shifted in his seat. “Has the Force told you? Did the Force tell you about my mother’s murder? It’s not something many know about.”

“The Force did tell me about your mother’s murder. But I don’t know your secret,” Cal said. “I do know you’re making a mistake. You’ve put your faith in the wrong person more than once, Master Skywalker, and that is to your detriment. Yet, there is a person in your life who loves you like a brother. He’d die for you, and you deny him the most basic truth about yourself.”

Anakin’s mouth dropped open.

“You don’t want that experience, Master Skywalker. I lived it in a dream. Watching Master Tapal die for me was agonizing, and I sat by the fire I used to burn his body for two days to make sure no one disturbed his merger with the Force. You don’t want that kind of grief, and that’s the road you’re on.”

Cal stood. “Now, the rest of this conversation is certainly above my pay grade and probably far too adult for me. I have to go figure out what to wear to meet my dream girl in person. I don’t think I should wear a uniform or anything that looks distinctly Jedi, considering the history Dathomir has with the Jedi Order.” He paused and stared pointedly at Anakin Skywalker. “Do not ever be rude to Master Tapal again, and watch your mouth. He doesn’t like coarse language.”

Jaro said nothing until the door closed on Cal’s back. “I do look forward to seeing the man he becomes.”

Obi-Wan nodded his agreement.

Anakin cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “My apologies for the language. I was out of line.” He looked down at his hands, which were now both on the table. “I’m worried sick about her.”

Jaro watched Obi-Wan stand and move down the table to sit with his former student. Part of him wanted to leave them to it, but he knew that he couldn’t afford to do it. Cal wouldn’t have highlighted the problem if it wasn’t something that could be detrimental to their mission.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan murmured and put a hand on his shoulder. “What does Cal Kestis see in you that worries him so much? Please, let me help you.”

“I….” Anakin’s hands trembled, and he shook his head. “If I say it—I’ll have to make a choice between the two of you, and I don’t know how to do that, Obi-Wan. I never want to do it.”

“There is precious little you could say to me that would make me turn you away,” Obi-Wan said. “Tell me, please.”

“I’m…I….” Anakin Skywalker closed his eyes. “I married her.”

“You….” Obi-Wan took a deep breath, and Jaro watched the man’s fingers tighten on Anakin Skywalker’s robe. Obi-Wan pulled him close and pressed an urgent kiss against his hair. “I want to punch Qui-Gon Jinn in the face. Look at the mess he left me with.”

Anakin laughed sharply but turned into his master then buried his face against Obi-Wan’s neck briefly before straightening away. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Nothing,” Jaro said, and they both focused on him. “Now is certainly not the time for you to leave the Jedi Order, and you’d have to since it’s clear that you’re deeply invested in her. You certainly aren’t in a position to put duty before her. But we have a war to fight. You have to trust her to take care of herself, and you must dedicate yourself to finding your faith and trust in the Force. If you can’t, then you need to mitigate your responsibilities, so you aren’t forced to choose between her and your duty as a Jedi.”

“I do trust the Force,” Anakin protested.

“No, you don’t,” Jaro said gently. “If you did, you wouldn’t be in danger of being kicked out of the Order for getting married, which isn’t a violation of foundational tenets, no matter what Yoda would like everyone to believe.”

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan said. “How can you trust the Force when you don’t trust yourself or me?”

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin protested. “I….”

“Also, I can’t believe you got married without me,” Obi-Wan muttered. “How dare you, Anakin!”

Anakin took a deep breath and shrugged a little. “Sorry.”

“Also? Also, when did this happen?” Obi-Wan questioned. “Were you still a padawan?”

Anakin opened his mouth then closed it then huffed. “I was an adult.”

“Barely!” Obi-Wan exclaimed, and Jaro laughed, calling attention to himself.

“Wait until that sweet-faced boy of yours brings home a secret wife!” Obi-Wan said crossly. “See how you feel. The Council is going to lose their minds and kick him out. We both know they’re just looking for an excuse, and they’ll see this as a mistake.” He waved both hands. “I’ll get the biggest possible lecture for this. The Chosen One got…seduced on my watch!”

“Just wait this out,” Jaro suggested. “Because that sweet-faced boy of mine has been engaging in a subversive campaign to change the very foundation of the Jedi Order out from underneath the Council for weeks. I expect him to tell them within the year that it’s his destiny to marry that pretty little girl he dreams about. Then they’ll scramble to keep him and her.”

“I love being a Jedi,” Anakin said. “I’ve had the worst nightmares for months now.” He paused. “But they stopped recently. Is it because I disappointed the Force? Is that why Cal Kestis is dreaming now? She turned away from me and focused on him? I’d have never wished such a thing on him.”

“His circ*mstances have precious little to do with you, Anakin,” Jaro said firmly, and the young man nodded slowly. “Do you remember what he told you on Coruscant?”

“He said if I fell to the dark side, I would destroy all that I value and love,” Anakin said. “It felt like the truest thing anyone had ever said to me, and it hurt so much to hear it.”

“So, what will you do?” Jaro questioned.

“Do everything I can to stay in the light,” Anakin said. “I’ll let go of the grief I’ve hoarded in my heart since my mother was murdered. I’ll trust my wife.” He paused and smiled. “Also, I can’t believe your padawan told me to watch my mouth.”

“Cal is easygoing,” Jaro said. “But he also finds comfort in order and protocol. Additionally, he takes his role as my executive officer very seriously.”

“I noticed,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ve rarely seen a padawan his age actually function that effectively at the command level. I think the troopers on this ship would follow his orders without hesitation if you were to be injured and removed from duty.”

“They’d help him hunt down and kill whoever injured him,” Anakin muttered. “Joyfully and with full vigor.”

Jaro laughed and shrugged.

“As to my plan, which I did intend to share with you once he agreed, is to use the private ship to go down to the surface. It’s loaded for battle, so it could handle a fight if one took place, but it looks much less like a threat than any Republic ship we have on board. Captain Dritus is a very talented pilot in his own right, so I’m not concerned about his abilities.”

“This is about the Luminary,” Obi-Wan said. “The little girl that has been declared the most powerful Dathomiri witch alive by her entire society. She must know what Cal’s circ*mstances are both as your apprentice and as an actual officer in the Grand Army of the Republic.”

“Yes, but he wants their first meeting to be as burden-free as possible,” Jaro said. “The weight of her world is pressing on them both, Obi-Wan. Cal has dreamt of genocide on Dathomir. If Count Dooku can’t control them—then he will seek to destroy them. If she’s in any way as gifted as Cal is, then she knows this as well. It’s why she asked for him, why she’s seeking the Republic’s attention.”

“We can’t allow a genocide,” Obi-Wan said quietly. “The mass extinction of an entire group of Force users would…it would wound the Force, Jaro. I’m not saying it would be a death blow, but I can’t see how it wouldn’t damage all of the aspects for generations. I’ve heard that most of the people born on Dathomir are Force-positive to some degree. Certainly, a ramification of being born in the midst of a very powerful Force vergence.”

“It would be especially damaging if it were to be paired with the murders of thousands of Jedi,” Jaro said evenly, and Anakin glanced between them. “Which we know is a goal for Count Dooku. If we bring Dathomir into the Republic, then he will double his efforts to take us out.”

“We need to find him and kill him,” Anakin muttered and frowned when Obi-Wan sent him a warning look. “He needs it!”

“He does,” Jaro agreed, and they both focused on him. “And his time will come. If he tries to take Cal from me—I’ll spread his parts from here to Coruscant to make sure no one can put him back together behind our backs.”

“That’s not something I ever thought I’d have to worry about,” Obi-Wan muttered. “I’ve rarely been so irritated in my whole life, and I was trained by Qui-Gon Jinn.”

Jaro sighed. “Let’s just resolve to burn his corpse this time around.”

“I should be able to depend on the fact that cutting someone in half will kill them!” Obi-Wan glared at them both when they laughed. “It’s not too much to ask!”

It made him want to verify that Sheev Palpatine’s remains had actually been cremated as it had been reported.

“You should take your wife aside and tell her that you’ve told us about your circ*mstances, Anakin,” Jaro said quietly, and the young man groaned. “I’ve never had one, but I’m left to assume that keeping secrets from your legally wedded partner is the road to misery.”

“Boy is it,” Anakin muttered and stood. “Obi-Wan?”

“Oh, we’re going to have a very long talk,” Obi-Wan said. “But please trust in the fact that I have your back, and I never want to know a day when I can’t walk the path with you.”

Anakin exhaled slowly and left the room with a nod.

“Sex and love aren’t strictly forbidden, as you know,” Jaro said. “Yoda’s influence over the Order has made it seem so in the last few hundred years, but it’s not. We’re just not allowed to let such relationships negatively impact us as it would open the door to the dark side.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “I spoke with Mace about…a lot of things. Just sort of cleared out my head.”

“Did it help?” Jaro questioned.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan admitted, then smiled. “And the sex was great.”

Jaro sighed. “One day, I’m going to sit Mace down and tell him that a few hours in his bed isn’t therapeutic, no matter how talented a lover he is.”

“I think you underestimate just how stress relieving it was,” Obi-Wan admitted. “Of course, now it’s all ruined because Padmé Amidala couldn’t keep her hands to herself.”

Jaro laughed. “It’s not hard to seduce the very willing, Obi-Wan.”

* * * *

The ships had left, heading unknown, and Cal felt like they’d put a target on the Albedo Brave just by being in orbit above Dathomir. Part of him hoped so because redirecting Dooku away from Merrin and her people was a goal. Let them wonder what the ship was up to and why the Republic had sent a capital ship to a Mid-Rim planet that wasn’t and never had been part of the Republic.

“You look nice,” Cere said.

Cal nodded and fought the urge to adjust his clothes. He’d chosen a pair of cargo trousers in black with a matching vest and a grey shirt. They were going down in the late afternoon in the landing zone, so he’d worn long sleeves as the nights seemed cool in his dreams.

“Thanks.” He flushed when she grinned at him. “I’m nervous, which is weird since I know her.”

“How do you know her?” Senator Amidala questioned as she joined them on the sofa of the Mantis. “Because of your dreams?”

“I just know her,” Cal said. “In a way that I’ve never ever known anyone else. It’s like I knew her soul energy before we were born.” He averted his gaze when her mouth dropped open briefly. “Was that weird to say?”

“No, it was lovely,” Senator Amidala said. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

Cal watched his master come on board the ship. There was something surreal about seeing him on the Mantis and he didn’t want to explain that to anyone. He noted that Master Skywalker was less on edge, but Senator Amidala looked a little…chastened. He wondered if they were having an affair and figured they were.

It wasn’t against the rules on the surface as long as Master Skywalker could put his duty to the Jedi Order first. Unfortunately, Cal was entirely positive that the man couldn’t. It was probably a situation just like it that made the Council heavily discourage romantic attachments and long-term sexual relationships. He also wondered if Yoda had empathy and understood that others had needs that he apparently didn’t. Another thing he probably wouldn’t ever say aloud.

“On the planet, Senator Amidala will disembark with Generals Kenobi and Skywalker,” Master Tapal said. “They will explain that the Righteous One is on the ship without ever speaking his name.” He paused until all three nodded their agreement. “And you will explain that he can’t leave this ship without me and his two security escorts. If they’re going to have a problem with five fully trained Jedi on their planet, then we should know that now.”

Cal took a deep breath, and his master focused on him.

“Cal?” Master Tapal questioned.

“I just forgot to tell you something about my dream last night. The ships distracted me. I apologize for that.” He flushed as they all focused on him. “The Luminary wants to be trained by a Jedi Master.” He focused on Cere. “A female one. I don’t know what that means for Dathomir, and I know it’s not how the Order actually works. I don’t think she wants to be a Jedi. She just wants to learn about our ways.”

“Chancellor Organa wants Dathomir to join the Republic,” Master Tapal said. “Which means the Jedi Council will probably be asked to make an exception for the Luminary.” He focused on Greez then. “Captain Dritus, this is Senator Padmé Amidala from Naboo, General Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Anakin Skywalker. Senator Amidala has arranged funds to pay for your services.”

Cal watched Greez consider arguing but then nod his agreement.

“Can I ask how Captain Dritus knows your padawan, General Tapal?” Senator Amidala questioned.

Jaro cleared his throat. “With apologies, Senator Amidala, that is not information the Jedi Order is prepared to share with the Galactic Senate.” She blinked in surprise. “As I cannot provide an honest answer, I’d rather offer no answer at all.”

“Yes, of course,” she said quietly and focused on Cal. “But you trust him?”

“With my life,” Cal said, and her eyes widened slightly.

BD-1 trotted back into the room and sat down on the sofa with him at that point. “Greez is a very good friend.” He wiggled his feet happily, and Cal couldn’t help but smile at him.

“That is the cutest droid I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” Senator Amidala said with a grin.

“He’s mine,” Cal said quickly, and all of the adults laughed.

Greez shook his head and walked toward the co*ckpit. “Come up here, kid. You can have the co-pilot seat.”

Cal grinned and shot up. He trotted to the front of the ship and climbed into the seat. BD-1 joined them a few moments later. “Cool. Can I fly the ship later?”

“If your master agrees,” Greez said and glanced over his shoulder as Master Tapal joined them. “Might as well learn to fly it sooner rather than later.”

“Flight simulator first,” Master Tapal said, and Cal nodded. “We’ll download a trainer for this ship specifically and have it programmed to match the upgrades. The Mantis is nothing like the fighter craft you’ve piloted in the simulator so far.”

“Yes, sir,” Cal said and wiggled in his seat before he could help himself.

The trip down passed in a blur, and the moment the ship landed, Cal felt a shift in the Force around him. He left the co-pilot’s seat with a look in Greez’s direction. He got a firm nod.

“You got this, kid.”

“Do I?” Cal questioned.

“Yeah, of course,” Greez said. “It’ll all be fine. You’ve already done the hard stuff.”

Cal sighed because that didn’t seem true at all, but he had a feeling that Greez knew more about the future than he’d been allowed to learn so far. He walked back through the ship and paused briefly at the holotable and ran a hand along the edge of it. It was nothing like the one he used on the Albedo Brave, but it was familiar all the same.

He sat down on the sofa with Masters Junda and Cordova as Senator Amidala left the ship with Masters Kenobi and Skywalker following along behind her. He wondered how she’d gotten them to agree with that. Cal didn’t know how long a wait was even reasonable, so he didn’t bother to ask for an estimate. In truth, he didn’t know how the political aspects of the situation would shake themselves out as there were a great many challenges in getting a planet like Dathomir into the Republic.

Master Kenobi came back onto the ship very quickly and focused on Master Tapal.

“She agreed to your terms and seemed offended that his security detail is so small,” Master Kenobi said.

Cal blew air out between his lips and shrugged when his master looked at him. “We didn’t discuss that part. But I think she’s…a very blunt person.”

“Yes, quite,” Master Kenobi said. “She rendered Senator Amidala speechless twice in the space of just a few minutes, and she has the current record for speaking non-stop on the Senate floor in response to a proposed law she found especially egregious.”

“I enjoyed that speech immensely—all fifty-two hours of it,” Master Cordova said. “I listened to it while I dug around in a tomb on Zeffo over the course of several days.”

BD-1 nodded. “It was a good speech. Very thorough.”

Cal offered the droid his hand as he stood and popped him up onto his shoulder. “Let’s go meet the Luminary, BD, before she gets impatient and comes on board.”

“Would she?” Master Tapal asked.

“Yes,” Cal said. “She would.”

His first step onto Dathomir felt so commonplace that he actually stopped to consider the emotion. Cal inhaled gently as his master cupped his shoulder and guided him toward a large pavilion draped in gauzy white material not far from a large body of water. The air wasn’t completely still, so the material was moving gently. Not so much that he could see inside, but enough to prove it a flimsy decoration rather than part of the structure.

Merrin was seated in the center of the pavilion at a low table when they entered. Five people, two Zabrak females, two Human females, and one Zabrak male, stood behind her in a semi-circle. He stared for a moment, then frowned.

“Sit, Jedi.” She pointed to the pillow in front of her.

“As you say, Spacewitch,” Cal retorted and sat despite the startled gasps of both of their entourages. “I’ve heard you expressed dissatisfaction with my security detail. Which is odd since you appear to have none except for your advisory council.”

“I’m not the one that landed on an alien world. You are severely outnumbered,” Merrin said, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“The Republic has a capital ship in orbit above this planet,” Cal said. BD shifted on his shoulder and beeped. “This is BD-1.”

Merrin stared for a moment. “Hello, droid.”

BD-1 responded by crawling down off Cal and sitting on the table with a cheerful noise. “Hello, Spacewitch. “

“Are you going to introduce your council?”

“Not yet. I didn’t even want them to come here,” she admitted with a scowl and tossed her braid over her shoulder. “Being in charge means very little, as it turns out. I still get treated like a small child.”

“Well, in their defense, you are quite small,” Cal said dryly. “How far are we from that green valley you showed me?”

“It’s several hundred kilometers away,” Merrin explained. “I wanted to stay there, but my council insisted that we have the meeting here since it’s apparently still considered the capitol of the planet. I personally think wherever I choose to live should be the capitol.”

“This is Nightsister territory, correct?”

“Yes,” Merrin said. “And for generations, the three Great Mothers came exclusively from that clan under the assumption they were the seat of power. But, in practice it is rare for a very powerful Dathomiri to emerge from the Nightsisters without ritual interference. I am the most powerful to be born in nearly 900 years across all of the clans. It is the destiny of most on this world to be savagely average within their influence of Dathomir’s magick.”

“You’re not wearing a clan color,” Cal said. “Is that on purpose?”

“It’s not appropriate for me to have a clan allegiance,” Merrin said and looked over his shoulder briefly. “Half of the Nightsisters are furiously insulted by my choice, and the other half are just furious.”

“It’s impossible to please everyone. So, please no one but yourself,” Cal suggested.

Senator Amidala made a sound of outright dismay, and Cal barely refrained from shrugging. Merrin smiled, and she was so pretty at that moment that he was at a loss for words.

“Can I see your lightsaber?” Merrin questioned.

The question caused all five Jedi Masters behind him to make soft, shocked noises. Cal unhooked it from his belt and put it on the table between them. “It’s currently set at the highest power setting so be careful with it. It’s the second one I’ve built.”

“You built your own?” she asked and leaned forward to stare at it. “Why?”

“A Jedi bonds with the kyber crystal in their lightsaber. It becomes part of their movement in the Force,” Cal explained. “I built my first lightsaber when I left the crèche and went to the Jedi Academy at seven. Last year, I left the academy and became a padawan. I used my crystal to build a new lightsaber—a fully powered one.”

Merrin nodded. “How does it work? Can you show me the inside?”

“Not now, but later, of course.”

“I understand,” Merrin said and pulled out a short dagger. “This is my weapon.” She put it down on the table, and it turned into a staff taller than her. It glowed gently with green magick as it settled against his lightsaber. “I made it with magick.”

“It’s too long for you,” Cal pointed out.

“I’ll grow into it,” Merrin declared, but with a wave of her hand, it shortened to an appropriate size for her height. “Or at least the magick has determined that I will. What do you think?”

“It’s dangerous,” Cal said. “Wearing a weapon means that some people will consider you a threat.”

“They should,” Merrin retorted. “Are you considered a threat?”

“By many,” Cal said. “Not everyone understands the Jedi Order or our mission within the Republic. We’re meant to be peacekeepers, but our role in the war has made people question that perception. Why does Dathomir wish to join the Republic?”

Merrin trailed her fingers along the edge of her staff weapon. “On the whole, my people want no part of the Republic. Our political history does not speak to an easy or even rewarding relationship going forward. So, we must decide, you and I, how we will proceed.”

“The Republic sent Senator Amidala here to guide you through this process,” Cal said.

“I didn’t ask for her. I asked for you,” Merrin said, and the silence around them was deafening. “I don’t want or need another politician telling me what is best for my people.”

“Senator Amidala was the elected queen of her world when she was fourteen standard years old. Her experience is very valuable in these circ*mstances.” Cal paused. “How old are you?”

“Fourteen standard years,” Merrin said. “You?”

“Thirteen.” Cal stared for a moment. “What do you need from an alliance with the Republic?”

“We have no spaceships, no real planetary defense to speak of to repel an invading army,” Merrin said. “We’d be destroyed if Dooku sent his droid army here, and I’ve dreamt of him doing exactly that repeatedly over the last few weeks. Most believe it is one reason why my power manifested the way it did. I also have had waking visions of a terrible and disgusting future full of nothing but death and destruction.”

“So, you want protection?”

“We want defensive support,” Merrin said. “And we offer material resources in return. The Republic is struggling financially, and the InterGalactic Banking Clan is playing both sides. Count Dooku wants control of Dathomir for more than one reason—we have rich mineral and ore resources, and he sees us as a source for Force-positive soldiers as he participated in the theft of more than one child from this world.

“The individual you know as Darth Maul was taken here as an infant and corrupted by the dark side. His own mother used him to seal an alliance with the Sith. Now Dooku appears to be the Sith Lord, and he’s once more drawn Maul into the role of apprentice.”

“Do you believe Maul can be saved from his circ*mstances?”

“No, he is irredeemable and must be destroyed as soon as possible,” Merrin said. “A lifetime of damage and overt darkness cannot be overcome without a willing heart, and trying would be a waste of time.”

“What kind of resources does Dathomir have?”

“Gold, silver, doonium, and pyronium on this world. Similar materials appear on our two moons,” Merrin said. “We could establish mines on Dathomir for these metals within the month using magick. I’m told we have so much of it that we could break the Republic’s dependence on the IGBC and help create circ*mstances where the planets currently in the Confederacy might come to regret their choices regarding succession.”

Cal nodded. “This is above my pay grade.”

“The details are for others to work out,” Merrin said dismissively. “It’s not as if they’ll let me crawl around in mines and do fun things. I’m not even allowed to play in the dirt now. I tried to weed the planter outside of my home yesterday, and I practically got carted away and put on a lounge chair.”

“You probably need to work on establishing very firm boundaries with people,” Cal said thoughtfully. “They only do what you let them get away with. Don’t be afraid to toss someone across the room if they try to put you somewhere you don’t want to be. Your body belongs to you, and no one should be putting their hands on you without permission, no matter who you are.”

“A few people are precariously close to getting tossed in the lake,” Merrin muttered, and Cal laughed. “Do you think the Republic would be interested in the resources we have to offer?”

“Certainly, but you’ll need someone very well-versed in law and politics to ensure that you and your people aren’t taken advantage of. I believe Chancellor Organa to be a good man, but many people work for him, and they’ll see opportunities here on Dathomir to further themselves at the expense of anyone who might get in their way. I think if there is any universal condition that all sapient species share, it is greed. We don’t want your planet taken over and strip-mined for resources.”

“That’s exactly what Dooku would do given the chance,” Merrin said. “So, I hope that the Republic can be counted on to not act like a Sith Lord. But the Force told me I could count on you to tell me the truth.”

“Yes, of course,” Cal said. “Does the Force talk to you often?”

“At first, when my power started to manifest, it was very often, but I’ve learned to mitigate the contact so it isn’t overwhelming or exhausting. I no longer feel like I’m being bombarded by information. As I told you in our dream, I need a Jedi Master to teach me about the Force. I don’t believe myself suited to Jedi service, but the Force is focused on me. I need to know how it works and how I should move within that power.” Merrin picked up a small crystal ball with both hands and held it out to him. “This is a Witches’ Orb.”

“Is it a weapon?” Cal questioned and took it carefully. It started to glow as it rested on his palm, and several members of Merrin’s council were very clearly startled and interested by that.

“It is a magickal focus,” Merrin said. “I’ve only had it for a few days. I found the crystal in the forest valley I showed you in our dream. Sometimes, such crystals are taken into forests or swamps after they’re shaped and left there to gather the magick of our world until they’re called upon to serve one of us.”

“And this one will serve you?”

“It seems so, yes. I think I’m the first to ever use it,” Merrin said. “Some crystal balls can be used to show the future, but that doesn’t seem to be within my abilities outside of visions that I don’t have any control over.”

“There are exercises and techniques within the teachings of the Force that can be used to control how and when visions come to you,” Cal said. “I brought the female Jedi Master that you requested.”

Merrin’s gaze flicked briefly behind him, and she nodded. “I will wish to speak with her later.” She focused on the crystal ball. “Do you feel the magick of Dathomir in the crystal?”

“I feel the Force,” Cal said, and he pushed gently against the surface of the ball. It started to glow blue with Force energy. “It’s interesting to see the Force manifest in this form. How do your spells work?”

“They’re a mixture of intent and the empowered use of the magickal ichor that infuses Dathomir,” Merrin said. “That ichor is deeply invested in all organic matter on my planet, including our bodies.”

“The Jedi identify ichor as midi-chlorians,” Cal said. “Which are microscopic life forms that live in most organic cells in the galaxy. Many believe that midi-chlorians are the source of all life.”

“What do you think?” Merrin questioned as he passed the ball back to her. The light shifted from blue to green.

“I think life is complicated and perhaps creation doesn’t boil down to one single factor at all,” Cal said and watched green magick swirl around the ball and sink into her skin.

She smiled and focused on the magick move as it moved around in the perfect sphere in her hand. “Very well, Cal Kestis, I will speak with this former child queen and listen to her advice regarding the Republic. But you will attend all of our meetings, and I expect you to be explicitly honest with me when I ask you a question.”

“Of course,” Cal agreed. “I’d never lie to you, Merrin, daughter of Nomi.”

The fact that the two children knew each other’s names shouldn’t have been as jarring as it was to Jaro. They’d fully admitted to sharing dreams. He’d rarely asked Cal about the content of what he considered to be private dreams, leaving the boy to tell him whatever he wanted to know, and Jaro wondered if that was a mistake. He watched everyone around them adjust to the pact the children had just made and found that no one was overtly angry over it.

He’d have expected her council to be slightly put off by the idea that she was trusting an off-worlder more than she appeared to trust them, as none of them had even introduced or acknowledged since they’d entered the pavilion. Jaro watched the Luminary put the Witches’ Orb on a wooden pedestal on her low table. She was an elegant child with bright whiskey-brown eyes and long, shining gray hair that was a near match to her pale skin, which she currently wore in a simple braid.

Jaro relaxed when his padawan picked up his lightsaber and put it back on his belt. He wondered if the Luminary knew what it meant to a Jedi to offer another their weapon, and he had a feeling she did. It had been an overt request of trust that she’d returned in kind with no seeming hesitation. He was glad that Cal had not picked up the Dathomiri staff weapon as he was unsure how it would’ve behaved in his hand.

“This is General Jaro Tapal, my Jedi Master,” Cal said as he led Merrin across the pavilion by the hand.

Jaro took a knee as they approached as she was much smaller than his own padawan and he didn’t want to loom over her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Luminary.”

“Please call me Merrin.” She smiled. “You’re a Lasat.” Merrin leaned forward but didn’t touch him. “You’re very tall.”

“Yes, but quite average for my species,” Jaro said.

She stared for a moment, then resolutely offered him her weapon. Cal shifted on his feet but said nothing as Jaro carefully took the dagger, which was small in his hand.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jaro said quietly. “Is the conjuring permanent?”

“Yes,” Merrin said. “The first one I manifested was temporary. It appeared in my hand when Savage Opress attacked me.” She took a deep breath. “And it stayed in his chest for several hours before it simply faded away.”

“I’m sorry you were forced to defend yourself in such a way,” Jaro said neutrally as he turned the dagger over in his hands. “How does it become a staff?”

“It responds only to my intent,” Merrin said and reached out to touch the dagger.

It lengthened slowly in his hand, far more slowly than it had on the table, and Jaro realized she’d been controlling that, too. Though she hadn’t been touching the weapon at that time.

“This metal is unknown to me,” Jaro admitted. “Did you manifest in on purpose?”

“It’s ichor,” Merrin said. “In solid form.”

“So, it’s made of midi-chlorians,” Jaro said quietly. “But they’re…alive.”

“So is my weapon,” Merrin said with a sweet smile, and Jaro nodded before he exchanged a look with Eno Cordova, who appeared to be a mixture of startled and fascinated. “Much like the kyber crystals used in Jedi weapons, correct? They’re part of the Living Force.”

“Yes,” Jaro said quietly as the weapon slowly returned to its dagger form. He offered it to her, hilt first and she took it then slipped it back into the folds of her dress. “I am honored by your trust.”

He stood as Cal guided her toward the rest of their party and introduced her one by one. Merrin proved to be quite formal with them, except for Cere Junda. He should’ve seen it coming but found himself just as surprised as everyone else when Merrin threw herself into Cere Junda’s arms as soon as the woman knelt.

Cere, for her part, held the child close and whispered against her hair. He couldn’t make out the words, but it proved to be exactly what the girl needed to hear because she stepped back with a beautiful smile. None of the Luminary’s Council had moved from their places opposite them, and his gaze settled on the only male. The face was unfamiliar, but he’d known Eeth Koth for decades, so Jaro knew he was looking at his love. The Force bond swelled between them as Eeth inclined his head just briefly and refocused his attention on the Luminary.

He shifted on his feet as his padawan was led across the pavilion to the council members.

“Cal, these are my advisors. They are formally known as the Council of Dathomir. Mother Kagan represents the Nightsisters, and all members of that clan wear red. They’re ninety percent Zabrak, with the rest of the clan either being Human or half-Human. Mother Naima represents the Blue Coral Divers, and her clan favors shades of blue, much like the oceans they prefer to live near. The Blue Coral Divers is made up of Humans, Toydarians, and Zabraks. Mother Elif represents the Howling Crag and their clan wears shades of brown so they can blend into the cliffs they prefer to live in. Their clan is entirely Human and the central focus of the light side of the Force on this world. Mother Maja represents the Singing Mountain, and her clan consists of Humans and Zabraks. Their clan colors are shades of green. Finally, our newest member is Father Aaren. He represents the Nightbrothers who are a mixture of Zabrak and Human as well. They still affiliate with the Nightsisters and kept the color red to indicate this. But I did tell them they could choose a color of their own or not adhere to the traditional system at all.

Mother Naima, a Zabrak, stepped forward slightly and reached out for Cal. Before Jaro could say a word, Merrin moved in front of Cal and slapped the woman’s hand.

“Do not ever dare!” Merrin shouted, and green ichor spread out around her.

Naima backed up, clearly chastened, and her pale grey cheeks flushed. “I’ve never touched a Jedi. I was just curious.”

“Be curious with someone else,” Merrin hissed and pulled Cal away from her council with a furious glare.

“Luminary,” Kagan said with a sly smile. “You realize, of course, that males who are compatible with our magick will be valued greatly for mating purposes. One can’t blame Naima for her curiosity, considering the way he handled the orb. He’ll be sought ardently once he’s the age of majority.”

Cal huffed and turned to Merrin. “I thought you were going to put a stop to that whole harem situation!”

Jaro exhaled slowly even as Aaren started to laugh long and loud. He was relieved that his old friend’s new identity hadn’t soured his sense of humor.

“I’ll do more than slap your hand, Kagan,” Merrin said and flicked magick across the space toward the woman. “Do not ever touch Cal Kestis—your profound investment in the darker elements of our magick could very well injure him. There are a multitude of reasons he is called the Righteous One that you have no right to know about.”

Kagan just inclined her head and brushed off the magickal rebuke, leaving no doubts about her own power. “As to the subject of harems, the Luminary has made it clear that we could not keep the Nightbrothers in subservience and be accepted by the Republic as a full member.” She glanced toward Aaren, who had positioned himself on the opposite side of the little half-circle they’d formed. “So, they’ve been liberated from their previous circ*mstances as evidenced by Father Aaren’s placement on this Council. A circ*mstance I still question since he is not from our world.”

“As was already explained,” Merrin began with a glare, “the Nightbrothers chose their representative just as much as the Nightsisters chose theirs. It’s not my problem if you are unhappy with the fact that they didn’t pick someone you could run roughshod over due to previous subjugation.”

Cal shook his head. “Females are so complicated.” Merrin glared at him. “Not that I mind.” BD-1 peeked over his shoulder and beeped softly.

“That cute droid isn’t going to get you out of trouble often,” Merrin muttered and took a deep breath. “Mother Maja, I’m ready for the convocation to begin. Show our guests to the penetralia.”

Jaro noted, with some amusem*nt, that Merrin kept Cal’s hand and put herself between him and her council as they left the pavilion. His padawan naturally drifted in his direction, and Merrin came with him. Three of the five council members led the way while the last two walked behind the group. Jaro was relieved that one of them was Aaren, whom he looked forward to having a conversation with.

The penetralia was a large, airy meeting room with open but curtained windows in the biggest structure in the village they’d landed near. Since Merrin put Cal in a seat on her right as she assumed the head of the table, Jaro had gotten comfortable on the bench next to his padawan without a word.

The table was suited to the size of the group that had actually taken seats, so it didn’t appear overtly formal or stifling. Of the council, only Mother Elif and Mother Maja had sat at the table. The others had retreated to points of sentry much the same way that Obi-Wan and Anakin had done. Cere had taken a standing position behind Cal, and Eno had sat down at the table, leaving the end for Senator Amidala.

Senator Amidala folded her hands in front of her on the table. “Bail Organa, Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, asked me to represent him and the Galactic Senate because of my history in a role similar to yours.” She paused briefly. “I governed Naboo for two terms—which equals four standard years. But my position was an elected one, and after my service to the royal house was finished, I was asked to become the senator for my homeworld.”

“So, you sought political power?” Merrin questioned.

“I was…encouraged by my circ*mstances and family to seek political office. I was trained from early childhood for the role, and I was honored to be elected. I didn’t seek power for the sake of it. I only wanted to serve my world and protect my people. I did the best I could to do that every minute I served. In an interesting parallel, a droid army like the one you fear will come here was used to attack Naboo. We were targeted by the Trade Federation, and I believe that event laid the groundwork for the conflict we face today with the Separatists. The conflict started with a disagreement over taxes.”

Merrin nodded. “Greed.”

“Greed,” Senator Amidala agreed. “Your population is small, far below the number the Republic would normally consider for membership. But war and circ*mstances often leave room for exceptions. Many in the Senate may protest your inclusion because your population is roughly half of the bare minimum.”

“You have a solution.”

“I do,” Senator Amidala said. “The Jedi Order currently numbers 14,395, counting active duty masters, knights, padawans, initiates, and younglings. There are many thousands who have retired from the service as well and well over 6,000 in the Jedi Service Corps. They are citizens of the Republic because they are members of the Jedi Order, but they have no homeworld. They have temples on various worlds where they are honored guests.

“Some of them retain citizenship of the world they were born on, but many of those worlds aren’t part of the Republic. General Skywalker, for instance, was born on Tatooine. He’s only considered a citizen of the Republic because of his service as a Jedi. General Kenobi was born on Stewjon, a Deep Core planet that is a founding member of the Republic. But he was taken from there as a very young child, and his official citizenship lies within the Order itself.”

Merrin stared for a moment and turned to Cal. “Are you the same? Without a true homeworld?”

“I was born on Coruscant,” Cal said. “So, I’m considered a natural-born citizen of the core world. Most consider it to be a citizenship record to brag about. But….”

“But what?”

“Coruscant is a city-world. Every single tree I’d seen before leaving Coruscant was in a planter. The grass in the temple courtyard is real, but it’s planted and manicured by droids to the point that it looks artificial. The first time I saw a natural environment, it was astonishing. I’m fortunate to have been taken to Kashyyyk when I was in the crèche at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant because my first trip as an initiate was to Illum, which was an ice planet. In some cases, that’s the first natural world many Jedi remember seeing.”

“Why?” Merrin asked as her eyes darkened.

“Force-sensitive children are often abandoned in our temples,” Cal said, and her eyes widened in shock. “Either out of fear or because we’re seen as an unreasonable burden. I don’t remember my parents at all. They left me at the temple on Coruscant before I could walk. Other children are identified by Jedi who wander in search of them due to the Force’s influence. Most often, their parents give them up without much thought because they’ve been taught that Jedi children are a burden, and they’re brought to the temple when they’re very small as well. At the Jedi Academy, I only knew of three students who regularly left the temple to visit their families of origin.”

Merrin nodded and focused on the senator. “You wish me to open my world up to the Jedi? Are you aware of the deeply fractious history between the Dathomiri and the Jedi Order?”

“Yes,” Senator Amidala said. “I’ve already received a very long lecture on the subject.” She quirked an eyebrow. “But I’ve always believed that a leader should be defined by what they do versus what was done before them.”

“What would you consider to be your defining moment as the queen of your world?” Merrin questioned.

“I….” Senator Amidala hesitated, then nodded. “I was denied immediate support by the Republic due to bureaucracy and I returned to my world unsure as to what I could do to protect my people from the Trade Federation. Naboo is a shared planet—the Humans on my world were colonists from Alderaan originally. There is a native amphibian species on Naboo called the Gungan. We did not mix, did not defend each other, and while we were not in conflict, our relationship was tense. I needed their help to prevent our world from being overrun. I gladly got down on both knees and begged for their help.”

“Did they give it?”

“Yes, and with their help, we were able to repel the Trade Federation and save many thousands of lives on my home world. There came a time when my actions became known, and many of my advisors were appalled that I begged the Gungans, whom they believed to be inferior, for their help.”

“How did you respond?”

“I replaced every single advisor who disagreed with my choice due to speciesism. The ones who were merely upset that I got down on my knees because I was a queen got sent back to politics classes for further education. A leader must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect their people.”

Jaro was gratified that Merrin seemed to take that advice seriously. Though, he wasn’t certain how the Jedi Council would feel about Padmé Amidala’s political maneuverings.

“Additionally, once you’re a member of the Republic, you can offer citizenship to a limited number of clones.”

“Why a limited number?” Merrin questioned.

“Genetic diversity,” Senator Amidala said. “The clones are currently identical genetically, though we’re investigating techniques to change that for reproductive purposes as it would be unhealthy circ*mstance for 3,000,000 genetically identical clones to reproduce and create children that would essentially be half-siblings. Some will, of course, not want children. But on a world like Dathomir, I would assume that the genetically perfect clones might be attractive for breeding purposes. Thus, we couldn’t allow for more than 500 of them to settle here to prevent genetic mutations until your population is much larger.”

“Zabraks breed true,” Merrin said in amusem*nt, and Senator Amidala blinked.

“What does that mean?” Cal questioned.

“Even our half-Human children remain upwards of ninety percent Zabrak genetically,” Naima interjected. “Thus, breeding with Human males has never been much of an issue for my mothers and sisters.” Her gaze flicked over Obi-Wan, and Jaro barely swallowed a laugh. “I’ve a half-sister whose father was a Lasat. She’s only slightly taller than average for our species.”

Jaro cleared his throat, and Cal laughed. He nudged his padawan gently and the boy laughed some more. “Such genetic strength would likely prevent breeding issues with the clones, but family lines would need to be monitored carefully to avoid siblings breeding together in the future.”

Senator Amidala nodded. “Then perhaps even 1,000 clones could be offered citizenship on your world in the future. It’ll be a voluntary process, of course, as we’re seeking to give them options for the future, not further restrictions.”

Merrin made a face. “We’ll take the clones.” She paused. “And I guess the Jedi as well.”

Cal huffed. “Rude, Spacewitch.”

“You’ll have to repair that big temple on your own for your use,” Merrin retorted. “And if the Jedi are going to be my citizens, I would like to see the main Jedi Temple on this world instead of Coruscant within the next five years. They’ll have to prove they trust us, and that means most of their children will be raised and educated here. We will help you build a new Jedi Academy provided that the especially gifted children amongst our clans are allowed to attend.”

She held up a hand when the senator started to speak. “We understand the Jedi’s devotion to the light side of the Force, and we respect it. As long as they do the same for those on this world who are invested differently, then we can live in peace and provide the balance the Force desperately wants from us. It needs to be said that the only Sith that have come from Dathomir were the ones that were stolen as children and corrupted by outsiders.”

“What about Mother Talzin?” Cal questioned.

“She was dark, certainly,” Merrin said. “And evil about it as well, which was unfortunate. But her base motives were not rooted in Sith ideology. She was power hungry and greedy, Cal.” She paused. “I had her parts cremated in separate fires a kilometer apart just to make sure she stayed dead.”

“Reasonable, considering,” Cal said with a nod. “Is it time to talk about Maul? General Kenobi should join the conversation if that is the case. He’s already killed him once and, honestly, he’s really irritated by the fact that he didn’t stay dead.”

“Understandable,” Merrin said and focused on Obi-Wan. “General Kenobi, please join us.”

Jaro stood from the bench with a nod and gently patted Cal’s shoulder before moving to stand with Cere so that Obi-Wan could have his seat.

Merrin turned to Naima. “We need a larger table and chairs in this room in the future. We should be prepared to host a variety of species easily and without awkwardness.” She paused. “Except for Hutts. No Hutts ever.”

Cal shuddered, and Jaro wondered if he’d made a mistake telling his padawan that Hutts ate Humans.

“We’d never allow you to be in a room with a Hutt, Luminary,” Elif, a Zabrak, interjected stiffly. “They eat us, and they’re especially fond of eating our young.”

Merrin made a face. “They should be forced to stay on their homeworld if they’re going to go around eating other sapient species.”

“It’s certainly something I’ll lobby for,” Senator Amidala said and rubbed her mouth. She looked horrified as she turned to her husband. “Did you know this, Anakin?”

“Yes, Jabba the Hutt lives on Tatooine,” Anakin Skywalker said. “My former owner liked to threaten me sometimes with…well.” He shrugged and glanced toward Cal and Merrin. “He wasn’t kind and found me frustrating.”

Jaro could just imagine the conversation that was going to lead to and was glad the senator had enough self-control not to say everything she was thinking and feeling in that moment.

“It crosses my mind,” Merrin said, “that the Republic should do more to end slavery and other unethical circ*mstances across the galaxy. I realize it would be an expensive and possibly hostile endeavor to force our ideals on other worlds.”

“It never goes well,” Senator Amidala said. “On some worlds, neither justice nor fairness have any value.”

“Then perhaps the Senate should figure out what does have value to those worlds and entice them into wanting to join the Republic. For some, even a stable economy with a valuable and consistent currency would be enough—another factor against the IGBC. They play games with the financial security of many worlds and produce currency that is often seen as essentially worthless. A digital and physical credit backed by the Republic independently from the bank would be a very attractive incentive to a world like Tatooine.”

“You are very interesting,” Senator Amidala said. “And that’s a fascinating concept. Would you be willing to travel to Coruscant to meet with Chancellor Organa?”

Merrin settled back in her seat and turned to look at Aaren. “Father Aaren, your opinion?”

“Why ask him?” Kagan questioned.

“Because I already know what the four of you think,” Merrin said tartly. “You’d wrap me up in a blanket and tuck me away somewhere forever like some doll you’ve collected. So, Father Aaren, I’d like to know your opinion about my travel to Coruscant.”

“It would benefit Dathomir for you to meet with Chancellor Organa,” Aaren said. “He’s well-known to be sympathetic and sensitive to the plight of children, which would work in your favor. It would be dangerous, but if we are going to offer the Jedi a home on our world then we must be prepared to trust them.” He focused on Cere. “Master Junda, if you would be willing to formally accept the Luminary as your apprentice then I would personally be comfortable with entrusting you with her security.”

“Why her?” Naima questioned.

“She is part of the Righteous One’s security entourage, and I know very well how protective a Lasat male can be regarding the children in their care. General Tapal’s trust in Master Junda is exceptionally telling in these circ*mstances since we know that one attempt has already been made to take his padawan from him.”

“Yes, for reasons unknown,” Kagan interjected.

Merrin focused on Cal. “Why were you kidnapped?”

“The person who facilitated my kidnapping worked for Count Dooku,” Cal said. “He believed I could be a threat to his cover due to my dreams. He kept demanding I tell him about my dreams, and he wanted to know what I’d told the Jedi Council and if it had anything to do with Chancellor Palpatine’s assassination. I had to kill him to escape. Count Dooku will consider you and me both attractive targets due to our power within the Force.”

“So, he might seek one or both of us to replace Maul, who is mentally unstable,” Merrin said. “Well, that would be unfortunate for him.”

Cal nodded. “It would certainly be a mistake for him to be in the same room with me. Because while I realize it’s considered dark, given an opportunity, I’d probably Force-choke Count Dooku to death.”

“You and me both, kid,” Anakin Skywalker muttered and earned himself a bright smile from Merrin.

“I have a padawan who will complete her training within the standard month,” Cere Junda said, and everyone focused on her. “At that time, I will accept the Luminary as my apprentice, and I agree that her path is not one of a Jedi. That being said, I will teach her all that I know about the Force and seek out instruction from anyone I can to help her gain control of her visionary abilities.” She paused. “As her Jedi Master, I will be granted legal custody of the Luminary as a guardian within Republic law. If that is a concern for either of her birth parents, I can meet with them and discuss their rules and preferences regarding their daughter’s education and circ*mstances.”

“Both of my biological parents are dead,” Merrin said. “I grew up in the communal crèche of the Nightsisters. I have blood relatives in several clans and several biological brothers and sisters due to my father’s…service to the Nightsisters. I’m not close to any of them, though many have reached out to me recently to seek a closer relationship. It’s an offensive situation as they said nothing and did nothing when Talzin ordered my mother to submit to a sacrificial ritual—leaving me with nothing and no one.” Her gaze flicked toward Kagan. “Not even her sister.”

“Is Mother Kagan your aunt?” Cal asked.

“Kagan and my mother, Nomi, had the same father,” Merrin said. “They were not raised as siblings, and she did not make any effort to bring me into her own family when my mother was murdered to give Talzin more power.”

“How did the ritual give her more power?” Cal questioned in clear confusion.

“There is an ancient and very dark ritual that the Nightsisters once practiced regularly that allowed them to transfer our influence over the ichor from one person to another,” Merrin said. “Talzin did it several times throughout her lifetime, and it allowed her to eventually double her magickal power. I’ve outlawed the practice, which I believe is one of the reasons why she tried to kill me. Fortunately, she took the secret of the ritual with her. In order to solidify her power over the Nightsisters, she destroyed all the written instructions regarding the ritual so no one else could do it. I suppose she meant to pass it along to a successor near her death.”

“I’m glad she’s gone then,” Cal said with a frown. “Master Kenobi, you had questions about Darth Maul?”

“Yes,” Master Kenobi said quietly. “I’m not entirely certain where to start. I believed him dead until Cal told me otherwise. I’ve heard no rumors that he survived our fight on Naboo, and I cut the man in half. Then he fell down a shaft that in itself equaled a terminal fall. With no offense meant, even a Zabrak should’ve been quite permanently dead.”

“There are rituals,” Elif said when the rest of the Council seemed to want to withdraw from the conversation. “They are dangerous and sacrificial in nature. It’s not something I’d wish to discuss in front of the children.” She cleared her throat. “But it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she gave Maul the life energy of more than one person to save him. I was told, but cannot confirm, that she gave him a portion of her life energy as well. It would’ve shortened her lifespan by a decade or more.”

“Savage Opress brought his brother’s remains back to Dathomir,” Aaren said. “The other Nightbrothers tell the story as a lesson of loyalty and brotherhood. The youngest of Talzin’s children, Feral, is still alive and living here on Dathomir. He wants nothing to do with Maul or his mother’s legacy.”

“Are you certain?” Obi-Wan questioned.

“I interrogated him thoroughly after the assassination attempt,” Aaren said shortly. “I gave him no quarter, Master Kenobi. If I thought for a second that he was a threat to the Luminary, he’d be dead.”

“While Talzin favored Maul, she saw no real value in her sons,” Elif said. “Feral suffered the most in that regard as he was her last attempt at gaining a daughter. We’re fortunate that she did not see Merrin’s potential. I can’t say if she’d adopted her or sacrificed her for power. Maybe, honestly, both eventually.”

Jaro wanted to take his padawan off Dathomir in the worst way, but he knew it was the wrong call.

“You said that Maul is mentally unstable,” Obi-Wan said and focused on Merrin. “Can you explain how you know that, Luminary? And what does that mean to you?”

“Maul is a savage,” Merrin said quietly. “I’ve had visions of him—disjointed and chaotic visions that make me ill afterward. At first, I didn’t understand, but after I’d had visions of other people and other circ*mstances, I came to understand that his insanity was impacting how my visions manifest.”

“Can you give me an example?” Obi-Wan questioned. “Of another person?”

“My visions of you are calm, thoughtful, and ultimately very sweet.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi, High Jedi General of the Grand Army of the Republic, gaped in surprise. “You think I’m sweet?”

Anakin coughed roughly into his hand.

Merrin nodded and folded her hands together in front of her on the table. “Your compassion for others is lovely.”

“Thank you, I’m honored that you think so highly of me,” Obi-Wan said carefully. “What visions have you had of me?”

“The first one was awful,” Merrin admitted. “You were on a dark, hot world, and your heart was broken. I was relieved when that one started to fade and get wispy for me. My magick tells me that my faded visions won’t happen. The second one was of you teaching a pair of Human children to build lightsabers.”

“Is that why you asked to see Cal’s?” Obi-Wan questioned, and Jaro shifted because he was curious about that as well.

“No,” Merrin said. “I had a dream—most of it was terrible, and I was alone for a long time. Then Cal came to Dathomir, and we argued. He handed me his lightsaber as a gesture of…goodwill, I suppose.” She turned to Cal. “Do you know what you said to me?”

“I said that having a lightsaber wasn’t what made me a Jedi,” Cal said quietly, and Merrin nodded.

“How old were you in that dream?” Obi-Wan questioned.

“Eighteen,” Cal said and cleared his throat. “I’d been on my own for a long time, too. The dreams are often very disturbing, but that one has faded for me as well. Others are still vivid in their own way as if there are parts that I still must be concerned with.”

“I’d just turned nineteen,” Merrin said.

“What was our world like in your dream, Cal Kestis?” Maja questioned from her place of sentry not far from Merrin on the left.

“Dathomir was…a graveyard,” Cal admitted, and the silence grew thick around them. “The Nightbrothers had been ravaged by an invasive force and were being manipulated by an outside influence, though there weren’t many of them left. Merrin was the only female I encountered on the entire planet. I didn’t understand the dream at first, but I came to realize the Force was showing me the aftermath of a genocide on Dathomir. It’s why I told the Jedi Council that we needed to do something about Dooku before he came here.”

“Is Darth Maul going to come here?” Obi-Wan questioned. “We observed six ships in hyperspace heading this way. One craft entered the system but left without trying to land. Then they all retreated.”

“I imagine your ship in orbit was a sufficient deterrent,” Merrin said and focused on Senator Amidala. “What do I have to do to keep that ship in orbit above my world until Dooku is neutralized as a threat?”

“Nothing,” Senator Amidala said. “We were going to ask your permission to station General Tapal’s ship in this system until you’ve planetary defenses in place. A longer assignment may be required if the Separatists begin to focus their attention here. Right now, they’re focused on securing Bracca. We’ve doubled our defenses for that planet to prevent them from gaining those shipyards.”

Merrin focused on Cal. “Can I trust this?”

“Yes.” Cal offered her his hand, and she took it. “You have nothing to fear from the ship in orbit, and the Albedo Brave will do everything possible to defend this world as long as the Republic allows us to stay in orbit.”

Jaro watched Force energy twist gently around their fingers. He noted that he wasn’t the only one to observe the interaction.

“I wish to see the ship,” Merrin decided. “Father Aaren will accompany me as my security.” She turned to him. “Is that all right, General Tapal?”

“Do you trust him to act appropriately during such a visit?”

“He is far more civilized than his adopted brethren,” Merrin said wryly, and Aaren laughed. “And is well-versed in off-world social norms. So, yes, I believe he is the best suited to accompany me for a tour.” She released Cal’s hand and stood. “I should change out of this silly dress.” Everyone at the table stood with her. “As to your question about Darth Maul, General Kenobi. Yes, I believe he will come here, and he will seek his mother’s remains. Not because he loved her but because in giving him her life energy, she created a weakness within him that became evident in the moment of her death. Her gift was more of a tether than it was a sacrifice, you see.”

“You think she used him to secure a path for her own resurrection,” Cal surmised.

“Yes, unfortunately for her, she underestimated his loyalty,” Merrin said. “Maul’s goal will be to destroy his connection with his mother’s life force, but in cremating her parts, we’ve made that impossible. His fury will intoxicate him and make him weak in any fight he seeks.” She focused on Obi-Wan. “And when you kill him this time, General Kenobi, we will make sure there isn’t enough of him left to be put back together.”

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