KASHYYYK ⤑⤑⤑ ZEFFO

They couldn't waste any more time since Cere found out about the Empire's discovery of another Zeffo tomb. Greez spoke of a 'high stakes game' which caused Cere to get after him. The words 'gambling' and 'Haxion Brood' were thrown around, but Cal didn't pay attention.

Instead, he found himself sitting down with Diane on the sofa as he tried to work up the courage to ask her something.

"How come..." he paused. "How come the angels didn't help us?"

He'd said the last part so softly that most people would've missed it.

But Diane is not a 'people', so she tilted her head in confusion.

"Help with what?"

Cal bit the inside of his cheek and fidgeted with the string that was hanging from the end of his shirt.

"The Purge."

Diane lowered her head.

"I-I don't know."

His head snapped up.

"My position in Heaven is to just watch and collect data."

"For what?"

"...What do you mean?"

Cal shifted his body so he was facing her.

"You said you watched and collected data. So what were you watching that made you miss the Purge and what does that have to do with the data you collect?"

She could tell there was a sense of urgency and frustration in his voice, but she ignored it for a brief second to ponder on his words.

"I..."

Cal noticed this and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"No it's okay—"

"Diane—"

"It's fine Cal. I just...don't know."

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"You don't know?"

She shook her head.

"Well, I guess when you've done it for so long you forget."

For the first time in her entire life, Diane doubted. She felt as if there was a part of her story that was missing, but couldn't quite grasp it. Cal noticed this and before he could press any further, Greez's voice rang from the front.

"Sit down, kids! It's time to land!"

ZEFFO

They went through the same path they did last time. A dozen or more Stormtroopers were standing guard this time at the various places they'd gone through. But it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. But the difference was, they'd missed something in one of the areas.

Cal used the Force to push back boulders that made up a door that led into the enormous Zeffo statue that they paid no attention to last time. But when they jumped inside all they saw was an Imperial facility and equipment.

"Wasn't expecting this."

They continued their way up through the facility only to find a wire leading from the top to a hill that led to a higher area above where they were.

"So how do you—?" But when he blinked she was gone and instead was standing at the edge waiting for him.

"Alrighty then."

"Cal, the excavation is near a crashed Venator. I've sent the coordinates to BD-1."

"We're on our way," he told Cere, before using BD to get across.

He wasn't expecting that path to take him through a shortcut to the massive double doors from before. He'd taken the liberty of upgrading BD with a few new modifications before they'd actually stepped foot on the planet.

The trio moved through the Imperial Headquarters in a swift manner. Everything was fine.

Until it wasn't.

It started when Cal realized they'd gone in a loop so Diane suggested they step outside. When they did they saw a massive creature that neither of them had encountered as it swept Troopers off of the hangar platform they saw when they first arrived.

"You're gonna fly us up there, aren't you?" Cal stated, rather than asked. (Mainly because he knew the answer.)

She grabbed his waist and smiled.

Luckily for them, she was an angel. So the remaining Troopers and the mysterious creature were there and within a few seconds, were nothing but piles of salt. They were also lucky because the Troopers had forgotten to close the doors on the top that led into the upper part of the headquarters, so infiltrating that floor was much easier.

Cal had decided that any Purge Trooper they encountered were his since they were the ones hunting his kind. And there were a lot of them. Diane respected his decision and only took care of the Stormtroopers as they fought their way inside.

"Any sign of the tombs?" Cere's voice popped in after staying silent for a while.

"No, and the Empire's been stepping up security," Cal replied.

"Keep your focus. Watch out for him, BD. You too Diane."

"I will."

"Of course you will, you're my Protective Angel," he said, with a toothy grin.

"Guardian."

"Huh?"

"It's not 'Protective Angel', it's Guardian Angel."

Cal pouted. "That sounds way cooler."

She laughed as they continued on. Cal saw an opening and used the Force to push away the door. He snickered as he saw a horrified look on Diane's face as she stared at the icy slope in front of them.

"Me or you?" he asked.

The angel sighed before jumping off of the platform and falling on her butt.

"I guess you first," Cal said to no one as he followed suit.

Luckily it was a short ride and Diane felt her lips part as she stared at the sight in front of her.

"This is the crash site?" she asked.

Cal looked below them and saw water surrounding all the other areas.

"Can you swim?" he asked.

Diane knew she could get around easily, but the idea of 'swimming' intrigued her.

"I don't know how. But I'd like to try."

He smiled before jumping off the ledge. She waited until his head popped up from underneath.

"Jump!" he said. "I'll catch you!"

Diane took a deep breath and jumped. Her wings stretched out but she forced them back in. Coldness engulfed her and her eyes shot open. Her arms scrambled to find something to hold onto.

Something gripped her tight and raised her.

Diane inhaled deeply when her head reached the surface.

"Are you okay?" Cal asked. There was a slight hint of concern.

She nodded her head and held onto him as he brought them to shore. Cal grimaced as he looked at his now wet clothes. His shirt was sticking to his chest, his pants felt saggy, and his socks made a squelching sound when he walked.

But when he looked again, it was as if he never entered the water at all.

The redhead glanced at Diane who was in the same situation.

"D-Did you do this?"

"Yes."

Cal scoffed and shook his head muttering, "Wish you could've done that when we were on Kashyyyk."

The ruins of the Imperial Venator starship were scattered everywhere. There were pieces as small as Diane's foot and pieces that looked large enough to where Cal could tell they were an engine. The ships were massive, there was no doubt about that. But now they were covered in mud and water, slowly sinking toward the ground.

Diane loved it all. The angel was fascinated by everything. So much so, that Cal had to constantly drag her away to stay on task.

"What do you think this did?"

"I have no idea Dee, but right now we need to get inside."

Just as they were going to enter, Cal saw a flash of black and he grabbed Diane pinning her against a makeshift wall.

"What's wrong?"

He peeked his head out.

"Probe droid," he told her. "They're watching us."

"Boo woo."

"I know BD."

He allowed himself to glance back at the brunette.

"Stay here."

"Cal."

"I mean it, Dee."

The redhead ignited his blue saber and all Diane heard was the sound of a small explosion.