DATHOMIR

BD-1 had hopped over to Diane, who had no idea how she'd fit into the equation. Cal and Malicos had been fighting for a while, and both mortals were growing weaker. Diane could see it.

"Diane."

She turned and saw Merrin had formed next to her.

"I have a plan."

"Okay."

"But I need a distraction."

Diane looked at BD, who was raring to go. Good timing too, because Malicos had gotten the upper hand and used the Force to stiffen as he was being raised from the ground.

"I was wrong to think you could stand with me!"

Diane looked at her hand and back at the lightsabers. She knew that angels could change appearance whenever they liked in the mortal world and something told her they could do something else.

"HEY!"

Malicos turned and was struck by something. When he finally got a grasp of what was happening he saw Diane holding a small silver sword.

Cal was dropped and Malicos reached for one of the walls. The rocky boulder came together and just before it hit her, it exploded. Green magick surrounded the angel.

"You have no right to Dathomir!" Merrin said appearing above Diane on another stone pillar. "No right to our magick!"

Malicos pulled out a chunk of the pillar causing it to fall. The Nightsister fell beside Diane in a graceful manner.

"Get up Cal Kestis, you are not dead yet."

Diane rushed over to her friend and helped him up.

"Nice sword," he winced.

She twirled it in her left hand.

"Warrior angels wield it, but I think this is a special case where I can use it."

The three (four, including BD) fought. Malicos was surprised at how each time his lightsaber hit Diane's blade it never cut in half nor looked damaged. And it always felt like she was using a lightsaber herself whenever they clashed.

Cal and Diane were persistent in trying to weaken Malicos. Cal had taken a few hits and when Diane saw that he was getting slower, she decided to pull one last stop.

She held out her hand and when her hand glowed Malicos looked straight into it. He screamed in agony causing him to stumble. Merrin took this chance and stiffed his body using her magick to bring him to his knees.

"What is this?!"

"It's like you said Malicos," she crushed her fist, "Dathmoir will be your grave!"

Diane watched as spikes formed around him and as the Earth swallowed him whole before everything disappeared and nothing but green mist formed above the now flattened surface.

Diane watched as Cal looked at the ground in disbelief and did her best to contain her laughter, especially considering the situation they were in.

"Let him lie in the darkness with his secrets. Until death takes him."

"Why'd you help us?" Diane asked.

"...To rid Dathomir of that parasite."

She turned to look at them.

"What are you really doing here Cal Kestis, Diane?"

"The ones who build this tomb," Cal said, "the Zeffo, they created an object called the Astrium. It opens a vault on a distant planet. Inside is a list of Force-sensitive children across the galaxy. But the Empire is looking for it too."

"What empire?"

"THE Empire," Cal said, in disbelief. "The one hell-bent on exterminating Force-sensitives so no one can stand against it?"

"I know, I was confused too at first," Diane told the Nightsister.

She nodded her head. "Then it will come for Dathomir before long, as the war did. I will help you both find this Astrium."

She turned and once more created a bridge to one of the biggest openings Diane had ever seen in her life. There was an orange hue spewing from it.

When she was finished, Merrin turned to look at the two.

"It is nice to have an ally."

Diane smiled.

"Ally. I like the sound of that."

The trio walked toward the opening, leaving the Nightsister behind.

Cal looked around wearily.

"This place is...," he whispered.

"Horrifying. I'm assuming you felt something was off too?" she whispered back.

"Yeah."

When they passed through they were greeted with ancient carvings on the wall in the same bronze-colored walls that they'd seen at the entrance. When they walked closer, they heard a clicking sound.

Diane looked up and watched as something blue fell within the wall and into the center of a sphere-like carving. Cal walked over toward the end and picked it up.

"We found it," he said. "We finally found it."

"Beeeeep boo woo."

"It is real."

Diane turned and saw the Nightsister looking at the small object.

The Astrium was itself a smaller sphere with a thick golden band wrapped around it and blue markings in a language Diane did not understand.

"Guys," Cal said, approaching them, "this could be the key to the next generation of Jedi."

He held it out for them to see and Merrin was the first to hold it.

"I am happy for you. And your Jedi." She gave it back to him. "But nothing can bring back my people."

She began walking away.

"You know," Cal started, "after the Purge, I was alone. For a long time. In hiding because... I was scared that they'd find out who I was or...what I was."

"What changed?"

A sad smile graced his face.

"A very good friend of mine told me to go out and find my place in the galaxy."

"And you listened."

"Well, no, then an angel fell from Heaven and ended up getting us into trouble."

Diane turned her head and gave him a look.

"I was not the one who got us into trouble, and second of all you're the one who fell first."

"Well, technically, you did first and after this, we have to pick up where you left off on your battle which may I remind you has apparently been going on longer than I was born... probably."

A small smile crept on Merrin's lips as he clenched his eyes shut in annoyance as Diane retorted. From a distance, it looked like two friends who were doing their usual banter.

"Okay look, the point is," Cal said, getting back on track, "life has this funny way of forcing you on the path forward anyway. And now, here we are. Where I least expected."

"A path forward," Merrin echoed. Diane could see the hesitation in her eyes. She saw that within her soul, there was a spark.

The Nightsister stood in front of the trio, standing upright as if she'd been called to serve.

"I will join you," she said.

"You will?" Cal said, surprised. Diane nudged his side.

"I've spent years waiting for a chance to avenge my sisters. I'm finished waiting. I wish to fight by your side. Nightsisters and Jedi do not travel together but...survivors. We adapt."

And for the first time, Diane watched as Merrin flashed them a genuine smile.

"Yeah," Cal said. "I guess we do."

He looked over at Diane.

She nodded her head. "What do you think BD?"

"Woop!"

"I agree," she said.

Cal's eyes widened and BD's small pads tapped in excitement as he realized that the angel was finally able to understand him.

Merrin held out her hand and Cal shook it. When she went to shake Diane's hand, Cal couldn't help himself.

"Be careful, she's a kisser."

"Cal! It was one time! ONE TIME."

A wave of confusion washed over Merrin, but nevertheless, she shook the angel's hand.

"My crew though, they might take a little bit of convincing," Cal told the Nightsister.

"Then we'll convince them."

The Nightsister walked ahead.

"Beep-beep trill!"

"I like her," Diane said. Cal turned as he watched the angel walk away from him with BD on her shoulder.

"I will meet you at your ship."

Green magick appeared and then, the Nightsister was gone.

"Easy way back?"

He sighed.

"Yeah, sure."