ILUM

Diane paced up and down the Mantis, as she waited for Cal and BD-1 to come back. After a few minutes, she heard Cal's voice through the speaker in the cockpit.

"Cere, we need to get out of here. They've taken over Ilum."

"The Empire?" Diane whispered, asking Cere who in response nodded.

"Are you alright?" Cere asked.

"No. They spotted me. And that's not all... They're mining kyber crystals."

"Captain, prepare for take-off!" Cere told Greez.

"Diane. Is she okay?"

"I'm here Cal," she replied. "Get back here as soon as you can."

"Will do."

Cere sighed.

"He's blowing up on all Imperial channels. They're sending everything they got at him. I need to tell him."

"What are we going to do?" Diane asked.

It was at that moment that Cere realized, she had a secret weapon. Something the Empire would never suspect.

"I have an idea," she said, looking at the angel.

One moment she was in the cockpit of the Mantis, the next the former Jedi told her to go out there and shift the focus off of him and onto her. Which she did.

Troopers were panicking as they watched one woman turn their colleagues into salt. They were now on orders to watch out for the Jedi but to take down the mystery woman who was popping up everywhere and turning people into salt.

"Cere! We got company! Tell Greez to close the Mantis!" Was the first thing Diane heard when she arrived back at the ship.

"What?! With the Empire on your tail?! Are you crazy, kid?!" Greez exclaimed.

"Trust me!"

"Do as he says!" Diane yelled.

Greez groaned and pressed a button which reeled the ramp back in and shut the door. The angel heard noises from his side and from her point of view, the battle was not looking good.

"I'm going out there."

"Diane!"

At the same time, Cal ran through the doors. BD clutching his left shoulder.

"Go, go, go!"

Greez pressed the same button from before and punched it, causing a shaky departure.

"You did it," Cere said.

"We did it," Cal said. "I wouldn't be here without all of you... I used to sit on Bracca dreaming about storming Coruscant with survivors from the Jedi Council. Instead, the Order's hopes rest on a gambler, a fallen Jedi, a rouge angel, and a failed Padawan. A bunch of screw-ups. No offense Diane."

"You can say that again," Greez piped in.

"None taken," Diane replied. "You only spoke the truth."

"BD's the only reliable one. He let Cordova wipe his memories so he could stay behind and guide us. But all three of you are willing to sacrifice everything; to keep going when it seems impossible."

"Failure's a part of the journey," Cere said.

Cal smiled.

"I get that now." He looked each individual in the eye.

"Thank you. All of you."

"So where to next?" Greez asked.

"Dathomir," Cal said. "It's time I faced him."

Cere smiled. "You're ready to face your past."

"What about you and Trilla?" Cal asked.

"I don't know if I'll ever be ready."

Then, Greez set the ship to enter hyperdrive and away they went.

Diane sat on the couch and Cal sat beside her.

"What about Michael?"

She sighed and thought about the information that was dumped on her earlier.

"Remember what we said? Holocron first, then Heaven."

He nodded his head.

"Earlier you said the Nightbrothers followed Malicos. How'd you know?"

"Remember those 'echos' I told you about weeks ago?"

"Oh yeah," she said, remembering. "I forgot about that."

"Well, I was listening to old memories and kind of pieced it together. They're always going toward him for advice on what to do next. And... It also seemed kind of obvious with the belt."

She laughed.

"Cal," she said. "I'm so sorry."

Confusion was written all over his face. "For what?"

An image of his younger self flashed before her eyes.

Before she could say anything, Greez yelled out, "We're about to drop out of hyperspace. Sit down!"

"Later," she told him, heading toward her seat in the cockpit.

Cal didn't get a chance to respond and watched as she walked away, before following behind her.

DATHOMIR

A few bruises and cuts, as well as a semi-sprained hand later—the trio stood in front of the golden door once more.

"Are you ready?"

Cal nodded his head and extended his hand.

Diane watched as his eyes changed and she felt he'd been transported somewhere else, judging by the way he grabbed his lightsaber.

She let out a soft gasp.

It was both his Master's and Cere's combined. One end from the past and the other from the present. It represented who Cal was and the person he had become. In all honesty, Diane was proud of how far Cal Kestis had come.

The door opened and Cal was brought back to the present.

"After you," he said.

"Are you using me as a shield?" she asked, as he stepped behind her.

"...No."

She sighed and walked forward as BD let out (what she believed to be) a laugh.

As they walked further inside, Cal felt a shift in the Force. He took out his lightsaber and ignited it. Diane's eyes widened as two blue blades appeared.

"You returned," a familiar voice said.

The duo turned to see the Nightsister form in front of them.

"Brave, but not wise."

"Maybe," Cal said. He shut the lightsaber off. "Merrin, right? I'm Cal Kestis."

He spared a glance at Diane and nudged her arm.

"I-I'm Diane."

"What you were told about the Jedi was not true."

"So you say...Cal. Malicos said many things too."

"Taron Malicos might have been part of my Order, but what he is now I... I have no idea."

He held up his lightsaber.

"What I do know is having a lightsaber isn't what makes you a Jedi."

He tossed it to her, which she caught with ease.

The lightsaber felt unfamiliar in the Nightsister's hand.

"Then what does?"

Pain flashed beneath his green orbs.

"We were peacekeepers. We were betrayed by those we protected. Hunted down by the Empire. And I... I might be one of the last of my kind."

Merrin looked down at the lightsaber and ignited it, holding it up as the blue light emitted around her face.

"I was only a child when they attacked," she started. "An armored warrior brandishing this. Descended upon us; and cut down my people. My sisters. Until I was left alone. With the dead. Then Malicos came. And promised me revenge if I shared our secrets with him in return."

"Whoo-whoooo."

"I know what it's like to lose everything," Cal told her. "And Malicos was wrong to use that against you. We don't have to be enemies."

Merrin cautiously glanced between the two and shut the lightsaber off, before tossing it back to him.

"You will need this."

Then, she disappeared.

"There she goes again," Cal sighed.

"Boop woooo bop!"

"I'll be watching." Merrin's voice echoed.

"As will I," Diane replied in a sharp tone.

Nothing was said back. BD and Cal looked at each other.

"Let's just go," Cal cut in.

"Malicos lies ahead," Merrin said. "You could turn back."

"We can't. I can't. Lives are at stake."

"Whose lives?"

"Innocents. Force-sensitive children who'll be hunted down and murdered."

"As we were."

In the center of the room was a flat stone arena that was cut off from all exits. Cal, Diane, and BD walked together on the bridge that was newly formed by green magick. When they arrived on the other side, it fell.

"Cal Kestis," Taron said, before glancing at Diane. "You're a mystery, you are. You never—"

"My name is Diane," she said.

"Malicos," Cal said, trying to change the subject.

He turned back to him.

"What in these ruins tempts you so much to risk death?"

At the same time, Merrin appeared behind him on the highest stone pillar.

"I could ask you the same thing," Cal replied.

"There is power there, beyond Jedi understanding. Power I control... I would offer you the same thing."

"Don't you understand? I'm not interested in power. I want to restore the Order."

"Restore the Jedi Order? Oh, you poor fool. It's over! Jedi fell long before the Purge. Stifled by tradition."

Diane saw Cal wince at his words.

"Deafened by our past glories. Blinded by endless war!"

"Maybe," Cal spoke up. "But it's never over Malicos. We stand here now for a chance to learn. To rebuild from our mistakes."

"Jedi learn? There's no future for them. How can you not see that? It's time for something new. You and me. We could build something different. Something better."

"No." Cal shook his head.

Malicos did not like that, Diane thought.

"The Dathomir will be your grave!"

He ignited his lightsabers. They were red.

Two more lightsabers were ignited. They were blue.

And then, they clashed.