DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Still not well rested, Obi-Wan sat in the sitting room of his quarters with his arms folded across his chest. He was feeling quite irritable. After his walk earlier, he had not managed to fall back asleep again., Instead, he had tossed and turned for most of the four hours he had until he had to wake again.
The fact that he had yet to hear from Callisto did not help any.
The computer in front of him beeped. There was an incoming transmission. Immediately, he jumped forward.
He was happy to see Qui-Gon's face appear before him in holographic form, but couldn't hide the disappointment that it was not her.
"Hello, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "I trust you had a good night' rest?"
"No, I'm afraid I did not, but I hope you did."
the look of concern that Obi-Wan had seen so many times before on his mentor's face in the past washed over his features again as Qui-Gon folded his arms in front of him. "I did rest quite well. what troubles you old friend?"
"Nothing, master."
Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow at him. "I know you too well to believe that. Has something happened?"
Obi-Wan sighed, but he also smiled. He could never hide anything from Qui-Gon, not in all his years as an apprentice and even now as a fellow knight.
"Callisto has decided to vanish again in the middle of the night," Obi-Wan answered.
Qui-Gon frowned his disapproval, but there was no look of surprise. "She has done this before, Obi-Wan. It troubles me as well, this behavior of your woman, but every time she has returned unharmed."
"Except for the time she had a blaster burn on her hip."
"Yes, but the point is she did come back."
"I wish she would not do this. If she would only tell me what..."
"She doesn't tell you because she knows you will either stop her, or help her, a thing she seems to despise."
"She has her pride, I'll agree to that."
"Callisto does come back."
"I fear this time she may not."
"There is something else you are not..." Suddenly Anakin's image appeared on the holoprojector.
"Hi Obi-Wan!" Anakin said as he was pulled away by an unseen hand. Shmi's voice could be head in the background, Qui-Gon looking off in what Obi-Wan guessed was her direction.
"Anakin, Qui-Gion is talking," Shmi could be heard chiding gently.
Obi-Wan saw the warm smile on Qui-Gon's face.
"How is your wife?" Obi-Wan said, grinning.
"She is fine, Obi-Wan. Don't try to change the subject. What else is going on?"
Obi-Wan's face quickly sobered. "I had the same flashback dream three nights in a row. I dreamt of the night we slew the Sith. The imagery is disturbing enough, but the thing that bothers me more is the fact that this did not start until I realized that Callisto was not with me any longer."
Qui-Gon pressed his lips together in a thin line. "I don't believe in coincidences."
"Neither do I, but somehow I keep trying to tell myself that this is all it is, a coincidence."
"It might be a good idea to look for her, to be on the safe side. I will be able to join you shortly. I nearly have things wrapped up here."
"Master..."
"No buts, I will join you. I'm beginning to catch your uneasy feeling and I wish to resolve this matter as quickly as possible."
Qui-Gon's image vanished. Obi-Wan began to wonder how they would meet again, but then he began to smile. Whenever he was needed, Qui-Gon could always be found. He found some comfort in that thought.
Callisto stepped out into the early evening crowds on Rodia. She didn't want to be there much, but it was necessary. Even with all her years of dealing with assassins, gamblers, hustlers, and any other type of unsavory being there could be, people still made her nervous. she refused to let the comfort of the Jedi or the Naboo weaken her edge. If she got soft any where, her enemies would pounce and exploit it until she was no more.
She would not let that happen. She hadn't made it this far to die so easy.
She moved through the sea of people with ease. Even though she was on of only a few humans out that night, she seems to blend in well with the others. Few noticed her and for that she was quite grateful. She had invisibility down to an artform through practice, only drawing attention to herself when it served her needs.
She looked up to see a red smear on a wall of an federal building. She quickly maneuvered herself in that direction, into the back alley behind it.
"I was hoping you were going to get her soon. Any longer an a droid would have had that thing painted over," a masculine voice said.
"We wouldn't want that," Callisto said, smoothly.
Erju Hetyel stepped out of the shadows. He was much taller than her, but did not have a very imposing presence. His life had been much like her own, built in the shadows. His shaven head glistened in the scant light, all except for the long black ponytail which made up the hair he did have.
"No, that would be a bad thing. In our case a very bad thing... Well, that's not entirely true, since few people know about me."
"Yeah, what with you hiding behind a computer screen for the duration of your life."
"Hey," he said, throwing his arms open for a moment. "I do what I gotta do to stay alive."
"Me too. The difference is that I shoot."
Erju smiled. "I missed you, Cal. You really need to stop by more often, or does that Jedi got..."
"Hey, hey," she said, punching her old friend lightly on the shoulder. "No teasing, or I may have to kill you."
"Well then, I think I'll shut up now rather than keep going."
"Smart man." Her face hardened some. So, you mind telling me why you got me up in the middle on the night to drag me half way across the fricken galaxy?"
"Number one, I forgot about the time differences and I'm sorry about that. Second thing is, I'm not to sure about how secure your channel was. I don't like taking chances."
"Your forgiven on the first count and I understand the second and you know that. So what is it?"
"Well, you know that the Hutts have a few hits out on you."
"That's old news. They've been trying to off me and slave me again since before I can even remember."
"Well you should know there is some new guy out there, A Mandalorian, I think, but no one is really sure if that's what he is. The son of a bitch is good from what I here. might even be able to get to you on Corsucant so watch it, for the gods' sake."
"You could have told me that on any channel."
"That's not all. Remember a few years ago how I found some... files...those rather interesting ones?"
"I remember. I also remember what happened when the Black Sun found out that we knew?"
"It rings a bell." she pressed her lips together in thin line, feeling the anger bubbling up inside of her, boiling higher and higher, but never peaking.
"I think we may have the opportunity we have been looking for...that is, if you're still interested."
You're damn right, I'm interested," Callisto snapped. The suddenly she laughed, irony sounding through. "Kind of ironic, don't you think? And kind of appropriate. Seven years, seven..."
"Seven losses," Erju said, hangin his head.
"They didn't think us too important enough to go hunt us down after. That was a mistake."
"Should we give them a chance to realize it?"
"Eh, if they do, they do. No overconfidence, it can kill and it has and will again."
Erju nodded. "So what's the first step?"
"I'm not sure, but I have a few ideas. not here, though? Black Sun has their hands in everything and I don't want anything to be overheard. I haven't been keeping good track of what they have been up to lately, but I have a feeling you have."
"Naturally."
"Good man. Now, let's go disappear."
They began walking deeper into the shadows, their forms slowing disappearing.
Erju spoke one more time. "Hey, your boyfriend isn't going to show up and play hero?"
Callisto lowered her head. "I hope not."
This was one thing she wanted to keep Obi-Wan out of. It would just complicate things. It has better that he didn't know a thing about it. Yes, it was much safer that way.
But then why did she feel so guilty?