Holding on to What I Haven't Got

[out_of_order]

WHO: Cal Kestis and you
WHERE: Calibrations
WHAT: Now Cal-ibrating
WHEN: During event
WARNINGS: Order 66


The room is a familiar one, for any who have paid the young Jedi a visit at the workshop he'd established in Temba's northwestern district, although at the same time it might not be if one hasn't been to the back room beyond the workshop area itself. Given that Temba has become the most recent, longest place he's been, maybe it's not so surprising. It's become as much a home as anywhere he's been, and obvious problems aside, it's a place he's felt welcome.

The decor is sparse, but if one's seen Jedi living quarters then they'd honestly find that Cal's space has more than most. There's a small worktable just by the doorway where a lightsaber sits, closer inspection revealing that the bottom of it looks shorn off, as can be told by the frayed wiring. Not far beside it is Cal's arc welder. A modest, oval rug has been set in the middle of the room, just in front of the narrow pallet that one can assume the Jedi uses as a bed. There's a pair of headphones on the pillow. And of course, there's BD-1, who perches on one of the shelves in the corner, although it's oddly empty of any of the other things that usually occupy its space, otherwise.

Comments

[mutedsuspicions]

Lerith doesn't do much in terms of 'visiting', so the room isn't familiar. Most of what's in the room isn't familiar either, as the elf pulls his scarf over his head on instinct. Like it would protect him from whatever this room might have. But if Gladio's room... er, camp was nice, maybe this place would be as well.

He could only hope.

Yellow eyes look around to take in the decor, trying to figure out who's room this was. Finally he starts moving around slowly, looking this way and that.

[out_of_order]

Perhaps partially hidden by the placement of the worktable, Cal can be found kneeling on the rug in a meditative sort of pose. He lifts his head, eyes opening as he looks up and towards Lerith, blinking in mild surprise before he offers a faint smile.

"Hey," he says by way of greeting, not really sure what's appropriate under the circumstances. He knows it's both his room and not, but there's little he can do about people wandering in.

[mutedsuspicions]

Lerith almost startles seeing Cal on the floor... meditating? It looked interesting. He had seen Solas doing it at times when he had gone to visit the elf in his little cottage in Haven. That cottage was gone now, burned by dragon fire to be little more than clumps of ash from melted snow.

The elf goes over, head tilting before hands move. [Hello. I am Lerith.] Always a greeting with his name to see if the other knew Sign. One day more people would know it. [Your dream strange looking to me.]

[out_of_order]

He vaguely remembers the first time Lerith had signed his name enough to recall what the elf is doing. The rest however isn't so clear, however Cal finds he's able to get a sense of what's meant, if not exactly through the movements themselves, then the sentiment behind it. Maybe it's a dream thing, he thinks.

"I guess it kind of is," he admits as he gets to his feet. "This is different then the last time...we're in a place that looks like the backroom of the workshop I set up here in Temba."

[mutedsuspicions]

It had been some time, but the longer he regarded Cal, the better he remembered. [You gave me the heater. You have little robot friend. BD-1!]

The elf looks around again, relaxing. The dreams couldn't hurt him and Cal (and by association, BD-1) was a good human. [I have not been. I think you... came to me in the hotel. With the heater.] He spies the little droid on the shelf and strides over to it.

[I found him!]

[out_of_order]

Cal smiles, nodding. He's glad to see Lerith at ease, much more so than when they'd first met. "That's right," he says, stepping after him, but only just so. He doesn't want to crowd the elf.

BD-1 beeps happily where he is, dancing in place a bit as he greets Lerith. Cal's glad to have the droid here for company, even if they are just dreaming.

[mutedsuspicions]

Lerith would be grateful for the space once he realized that Cal was allowing him to have it. He was doing far better with people than he had been, but there was still some progress to be made. The happy beeps get his attention, and before the elf can think (or even ask for that matter), he moves to pick up the droid.

It might be the nature of human-like people, but he embraces the droid carefully, making sure not to knock anything out of place or harm him.

[doubled_speed]

Maybe Tommy isn't around as often as he could be, busier than he had wanted to be in town lately, but he knows this space. Knows it enough to smile when he arrives. And of course, he mvoes right to the person he knows best.

"Yo! Beady!" he says, holding his hand out toward the droid, ready for their variety of a fist bump.

[out_of_order]

Cal's there, watching in mild amusement. At least he's relatively certain any memories attached to BD-1 are good ones.

The droid beeps cheerfully in response to Tommy, raising a foot to reciprocate.

Open air, no buildings to be seen, just cliffs, stone and grass dotted here and there with clear pools. It's actually a pleasant atmosphere, but it doesn't seem to be enough to help Cal as he startles out of an attempt to meditate with a gasp. He finds he's not alone though.

A little droid stands in front of him, beeping a greeting. Not the strangest thing to happen to him, Cal figures. At least he's not rusty on Binary. "Hey, BD-1. I'm Cal," he replies, still feeling a little distracted. He looks back at the droid as it beeps a query.

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay. I'm just... I'm looking for someone." He wishes Cere had given him more to go on. BD-1 beeps again. "No, not you. I'm searching for, uh, a Jedi...I think," he says, shrugging a little as he can't help but feel a little silly for how ill-prepared he sounds. The response he gets from the droid is however a surprising one as BD-1 starts to beep excitedly, bouncing back before starting to dash off.

"Hold on, y-you know the Jedi?" Cal blurts, pushing to his feet. "What do you know? Wait, hold on!" BD-1 only rushes ahead, making it clear Cal should follow.

[doubled_speed]

Well this wasn't what Tommy was expecting, but he didn't mind it anyway. It was nice, to see how his Calienty and Beady met. And hey, they were looking for a space monk.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he followed the memory, smiling. "Dude, is there going to be some sorta epic quest?"

[out_of_order]

The little droid hops up onto an old access terminal of sorts, inserting his foot with the scomp unit, turning the mechanism and accessing the ancient yet still functioning systems within. Off to the side a platform extends, bridging between the ledge and a vine-covered cliff-face.

"Did you just slice that? Thanks," Cal says as he watches BD-1 jet up and off ahead. The padawan follows, climbing up and onto the next outcropping where there's a clear glimpse of a tall spirelike structure in the distance. "That's the vault Cere mentioned. Whoever I'm supposed to find must be waiting there." At least BD-1 proves to know the area, and he continues to go ahead of Cal to help guide him.

Bogano is pleasant enough an atmosphere, but most of the place is made up of cliffs. It's work going across from one to another, putting Cal's strength and stamina to the test as he ends up climbing more often than not, or jumping across when there's no convenient bridge provided by BD-1's access. The little droid eventually leads them to some kind of pipeline that extends across a particularly large gap from one cliff and towards a cave of sorts, just wide enough for Cal to walk along, his arms outstretched for balance. "Just like back at the scrapyard," he mutters. He can only walk along it so far as the top of the cave blocks him from going any farther, leaving him only the option to drop and hang from the pipe as he uses it to cross further in before he can have a safe place to put his feet down.

Even before then he hears a squeal, catching a glimpse of some strange creature attempting to make a meal out of one of the smaller, cute ones he'd seen over by where Greez had landed the ship. BD-1's already rushing forward, beeping furiously as he jumps on the thing's head.

"Hold on, BD-1! I'm coming!" Cal shouts, swinging down to land as he sees the creature grab the droid.

[doubled_speed]

Awwww, little droid has a soft spot.

"The guy is a little hero. I appreciate him."

And he's definitely still trailing along, following them with ease. Is this what it's like to be a ghost?

[out_of_order]

The beast proves to be bigger than he'd anticipated as it rears up on its hind legs and nearly matches him in height, but Cal makes short work of it with a few strokes of his lightsaber. He takes care of another before they're in the clear and he can finally get a better look around the place, a room littered with old pottery and artifacts, a large spinning fan at the back. There's a room beyond it, and through the Force Cal manages to slow the fan's blades long enough to slip past them to find BD-1.

"Hey, that was pretty brave," he says, crouching down. "You okay?" The little guy walks with an obvious limp, sparks coming out of his scomp-leg even as he turns, insistent in continuing with his task. "Wait. I can help you with that," Cal says. "Will you let me?"

BD-1 turns about again, looking down at his leg before he hops back over towards Cal, almost eagerly. "Oh! Okay," the padawan laughs then as BD-1 leaps up for him to catch. He gets a better look at the damage as he walks over to what looks like a suitable workbench. "Hm, well... the scomp link is busted but...this should help you get moving for now." He slips out his arc welder and sets to work, a quick repair job that has the droid up and on his feet again with a happy beep.

"He is a hero," Cal agrees as the memory tapers off, a fond start to the path he'd found himself placed on. "We've been through a lot since then."

[noch]

Merrin knows this place and its contents well—so much so that she could've almost mistaken this workshop for the real thing, if it wasn't for the fact that things are just a little bit off. BD-1's strange little collection of stuff is missing, for one thing...

So she doesn't really take any time to look around a space that's already familiar to her—instead, she turns to BD-1. "Hello, Beedee. Where is Cal?" There must be no quicker way to find Cal than through his droid—well, unless she had her magick. Which she doesn't. Which she isn't still irked about at all.

[out_of_order]

The little droid tilts his head, beeping a greeting at her before he whistles something vaguely inquisitive, implying that Cal's just right there.

...which he is, when Merrin turns towards the rest of the room. Cal is in a familiar sitting position there on the rug by the bed, and when she looks towards him he'll raise his head and give her that smile of his in greeting. "Hey," he says as he rises to his feet.

[noch]

Was he there the whole time? A look of relief crosses her face, usually her kneejerk reaction to seeing him safe in situations like these, then is immediately replaced by indignation—she doesn't like being caught off guard. It never would've happened if their powers weren't taken away.

But she can't stay in a bad mood when he's smiling at her like that. It's impossible. "Your workshop appears even your dreams. Maybe you spend too much time here," she says in lieu of a greeting. They literally just saw each other before falling asleep, after all.

[out_of_order]

Cal laughs. "Considering that this is the second longest place I've stayed since Bracca, it only makes sense. I'd pick here over that place any time," he says. In a way it's probably a bit sad to think about, but he'd have to admit that here on Temba is where he's actually been able to enjoy life a bit, and be happy, comfortable with people he's come to know.

He steps over, reaching a hand up to brush the side of her cheek and the curtain of hair falling just beside it. "I think the last time this happened, it was in my quarters aboard our Venator. Guess things have changed a lot since."

[noch]

It surprises her a little to hear him say that, at least initially—but the more she thinks about it, the more it does make sense. Whatever its faults, he seems to have found in Temba a place where he can relax, forge connections, find some happiness. She can see it. What does it say about his life after the Jedi Purge that this place is the best shot he's had at a home?

On instinct, she leans into his touch, letting that sober thought melt away. Her hands reach for him, drawing him closer. "Your Venator?" Asking her to identify ships and their names is still a monumental task. Something seems to click in her mind a moment later, though. "When you were a child?"

[out_of_order]

Given their stay here won't be permanent, Cal's decided to make the most of it. He knows at least some things he can look forward to, whenever they might be returned to the places they come from, a small comfort, but he'd regret not doing what he can here, while he's able to.

At Merrin's questions he nods. "Yeah..." he says, his eyes flickering towards the lightsaber on the worktable where it rests. "The last place I'd spent a lot of time on, before, well..."

[only_an_echo]

A lightsaber was recognizable.

Echo had seen lightsabers resting at the sides of the Generals and Commanders who wielded them. He had also seen them in action against endless waves of battle droids - a bright light that effortlessly deflected blaster fire with deft movements. It served as a beacon of hope and a morale booster among the clone troopers following their lead, inspiring and perhaps showy depending on the Jedi charging headlong into the fray.

This one, however, was broken. Intentionally cut into, if he had to guess.

But why would it be?

Where the clone should have known better, he carefully picked it up, turning it in his hand to take in the design, trying to closely inspect the bottom half of it to see what was missing.

[out_of_order]

Not particularly cut so much as shorn off by blaster fire. The cut wasn't clean at all, the metal gnarled and raw, uneven as the bits of wire that protruded from it. And suddenly the room around Echo vanished, to be replaced with one that was probably more familiar in aesthetic for the fact that it was aboard a Venator-class starship.

A younger Cal Kestis had just finished a training run through one of Master Jaro Tapal's more challenging courses. Now he stands before his tall Lasat, their clone commander standing just off to the side.

"We begin with physical preparation. First though, we have our orders. Bracca is secure. We move out for Mygeeto shortly," Tapal informs, and eager as a young padawan can be, Cal gives an ecstatic hop. "Yes!"

His master resumes, allowing the boy brief celebration. "You must..." he begins before trailing off, heavy brow furrowing as he sways a bit on his feet. He lifts a hand to his head.

"Master? Are you okay?" Cal asks, suddenly concerned as he steps towards the Lasat. Tapal shakes his head, troubled as he murmurs, "Something is...wrong..."

It's then that Cal sees the commander behind them begin to raise his blaster. At Tapal.

"No! No!" he shouts, still disbelieving what he sees. It's over almost instaneously as Tapal ignites his lightsaber, and in two swipes the clone falls to the ground. He's still breathing hard, but his stance is steadier though he still looks wary.

Cal looks anxiously between his master and the fallen commander. "What's happening? Why did the commander just..."

"Something terrible is happening," Tapal replies, still trying to catch his breath. "The clones have betrayed us. There are no answers to your questions, not yet," he forestalls, raising a hand. "We need to get off this ship. Quickly." He starts leading Cal out of the command center. "Get to the escape pods. Use the maintenance halls." He pauses, stooping in front of Cal as he places a hand on the padawan's shoulder. "We trained for this, do you remember?"

The padawan normally dwarfed by the Jedi at his full height still seems so small even when it's halved. He's trying to be brave, trying not to sound so uncertain, trying not to let fear grip him. "Yes, Master," he says, because it's expected of him. "W-what about you?"

Tapal nods at him. "I will create a distraction and meet you. If I am not there when you arrive, depart without me. I will find you on Bracca. Do you understand?" The boy nods back, still meeting his gaze. "Yes, Master."

The two start at the sound of approaching troops. Tapal rises swiftly. "They're coming. I will seal the blast doors but if any cross your path, do not hesitate."

Cal looks back towards the doors, uncertainty threatening to sink its claws in again.

"Go," Tapal says. "And may the Force be with you." His tone takes more urgency as he moves to punch the panel to open it, jerking his head towards the narrow corridor beyond. "Go!"

I chose pain

[only_an_echo]

If it was shot, then that meant-

Echo gasped. He knew these walls, knew what a Venator-class ship looked like on the inside, and everything looked like how it should have been - how it once did before its metal panels degraded and rusted in a planet-wide scrapyard.

But that wasn't the only thing he noticed. The familiar sight of a Jedi and his Padawan with a clone commander standing to one side was nostalgic. Melancholic.

He realized this was Cal. But the boy was small. Obviously small next to a full-grown adult Lasat, too small to be excited to move away from Bracca to participate in fighting for the Republic. Echo's former commander started off small, too, but she grew. He was trained well, but he still needed time to grow.

Time was something they didn't have. The concern the former ARC Trooper felt in his gut suddenly twisted into one of dread the when Tapal swayed, clenching the second the clone commander raised the blaster at his General. But a quick death was averted; he wasn't fond of seeing the clone dispatched with the same lightsaber he was holding onto moments ago, but he immediately understood it was necessary for their survival.

"The clones have betrayed us."

The General's words stung, ringing in his ears as he continued to watch, eyes narrowing as he also picked up on the sounds of approach. Their uncertainty was similar to the Bad Batch's when things took a turn, but they couldn't waste time here. The familiar phrase held confidence Echo knew most jedi to show in desperate times, and this was no different.

Escape was imminent, and now he followed after Cal.

*Insert Temple of the Forebidden Eye Music as you go down the haunted path*

[out_of_order]

"This doesn't make any sense, what is going on?" Cal asks questions that no one has the answers to, making his way through the shaft. He slows as he comes to an overlook above more clones.

"Do we have eyes on the Jedi?" one asks. "No sign of the little one," the other reports.

"Search everywhere. He can't have gone far."

Cal can't go any farther just yet, a large fan impeding his path, but he reaches out with the Force to slow it down enough for him to slip between the blades safely.

"Air's off again..." he can hear the clone commenting. "Wait, what's that noise? Hold this room. I'll search the area."

The padawan hurries as quietly as he can, continuing onwards. It still feels like a bad nightmare. He passes by more troopers, catching their words as he moves.

"Reporting casualties! Tapal has taken out multiple squads! Shoot on sight!"

"Copy that."

It's still chilling to hear them. He slows again, trying to minimize the noise he makes but it's difficult. "I don't understand. What changed?" Talking to himself only helps a tiny bit in alleviating his anxiety. He focuses and pushes a panel open.

"What's that?" The trooper's question has his hair stand on end, and he freezes.

"Someone's in the maintenance halls!"

Cal doesn't hesitate any longer, pressing on. "I think I'm near the turbolift. Not much further after that."

Cables bar his path, but he makes quick work of them with his lightsaber. As he climbs up onto a platform, he's spotted.

"Take him out! Then we go after Tapal," a clone shouts, and an eruption of blasterfire follows. Cal does his best to deflect the bolts but one catches his lightsaber, knocking it clear from his hand. The boy dives for it but it rolls off the edge of the platform and down into the unknown depths of the Venator. More shots rain around him, one striking him, distracting him from attempting to retrieve his weapon. He's effectively pinned down until Tapal's double-headed lightsaber come up behind the troopers, the Jedi master not far behind as he dispatches of them.

"Padawan! Your lightsaber!" he scolds. Cal gets up, wincing. "I'm sorry, Master!" But there's no time for lessons, nor further reprimand. The Jedi gestures. "Keep climbing! I'll meet you up ahead."

[only_an_echo]

The perspective shifts on Echo. Not only is he seeing everything unfold - he's reliving every second of Cal's memory. The Padawan's questions resonate in his skull as his chest tightens, anxious as his gaze drifts down to see the clone troopers scouring the halls below, fervently hunting the Jedi they have on the run.

Just like Kaller. Different from Kaller.

Muscles tense with every choice Cal makes in his escape, whenever the clones report the status of their current mission objective. He realizes the former is difficult to do without someone being suspicious of the changes; he shouldn't be surprised by how sharp the clones can be when they're on high alert - this is what they're trained for.

The turbolift is a blessing and a curse. Little cover and higher entry points make him wince the moment blasters open fire on the boy, the flashes of light disorienting until the lightsaber is lost. Tapal's timely reappearance allows him time to breathe, flinching as the master scolds his apprentice.

With Tapal's urging, Echo thinks the same. Climb.

[out_of_order]

And climb, Cal does, until he reaches another ventilation shaft. Below through the grating he can see his master engage more clone troopers. He overhears troopers preparing to overtake the Jedi master, waiting behind locked doors. In order to help Tapal, he makes his way to the control room on his side to open the doors, but it doesn't get any easier to watch as the troopers are struck down by his master on the other side of the viewport.

Cal runs to meet him at the escape pods, saved once again by Tapal as he encounters another pair of troopers behind the door. More reinforcements begin to arrive, and Tapal fends off against the barrage of blasterfire.

"The door controls!" he shouts. "Cal, hurry!"

It shouldn't be so difficult, but the padawan's fingers are hardly steady, the controls suddenly a puzzle. He can't be calm, not when he hears the report of the troopers' blasters, the buzz of his master's dual-headed lightsaber as it spins and strikes.
A few blasts find their mark, one damaging an end of Tapal's lightsaber, another hitting him in the chest. Cal, alarmed, turns away from the control panel.

"Master!"

The boy cowers as more blasterfire comes his way. Useless, absolutely useless and afraid. Tapal sees his padawan faltering and moves to protect him despite his injuries, using the Force to slam clones into the ceiling before he's shot at again. The big Lasat falls to his knees, and Cal moves in front of him in desperation, crying out.

"NO!" Heat sears the side of his face as a bolt streaks by him, but he stands his ground. In a tumult of emotions he cries out, throwing his hands outwards and gripping the clone troopers through the Force, slowing their movement. It won't last long, but he takes the opportunity to get himself and his master into the escape pod, launching it free of the Venator.

...Tapal lies on the floor, grasping his damaged lightsaber to his chest as he calls for his shaken padawan. Cal stumbles over, still in shock as things hurry to catch up in his mind. A heavy hand drops upon his shoulder, grasping it.

"Cal. Cal..." the Lasat struggles to speak, his breath labored. "I overloaded the ship's reactors. The explosion will mask our escape." He grimaces. "This...war is not over, my Padawan."

Cal looks on the verge of tears, hanging onto Tapal's every word.

"Hold the line. Wait for the Jedi Council's signal," Tapal continues. Grunting with effort, Tapal brings his other hand and lightsaber around, pressing it into Cal's small hands.

"Remember..." His voice is so soft, so unlike the strong, authoritative voice the Jedi Master is so inclined to speak with. "...trust only...in the Force..."

It's difficult to respond, but Cal knows he must. He feels his eyes burn, but he speaks dutifully, even if his voice betrays his feelings. "Yes, Master.."

Tapal's hands drop away as his eyes close. Cal looks down at the lightsaber in his hands and the tears come. A shudder rocks the escape pod as behind them the Albedo Brave begins to explode, prompting him to scramble towards a seat to brace for the rough ride ahead, but it's nothing compared to the inner turmoil as he grasps his master's lightsaber and yells out his frustration, his anguish.

Alone.