Author's Notes: I know it's short, but I had a mental breakthrough with the block I had been having and ran with it. I have the next piece outlined and ready to be written. I just gotta sleep first!
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.
About three hours later, Callisto opened her eyes to once more, a darkened cell.
"Better lighting. You know, I have but one small request, and that is to have a cell with some fricken lights in it. You think with all this money and all these resources, they could at least have that much!" She smacked her hand against the floor, pulling it back up again throbbing.
"That was stupid."
She kicked the wall.
"That was even more stupid."
Throwing a tantrum wasn't going to help her any. Now that she was planet side, she had to think of a way out.
She lay back down on the floor and gazed up through the tiny window, gathering her thoughts as she looked at the stars.
"Who set me up?" she whispered to the air.
Something about this smelled funny. The fact that somehow she had ended up captures in itself was only a minor factor in the feeling. There was an aspect of the whole thing that just didn't feel right. There was a reason Callisto shared very little with anyone, even Obi-Wan. She was too used to betrayal and secrets leaking out.
No, someone said something, but who?
A sudden shiver went through her. Callisto shook as a result. Where had that come from? Was it fear?
Yes, it had to be. She was afraid. She was afraid she wouldn't escape this, that she wouldn't be able to escape and find Obi-wan. It was stupid of her to run off the way she had, the way she always had. There were people she could trust, and why didn't she? They were Jedi, for goodness sake. They wouldn't hurt her, even if most of them didn't care for her personally.
Unexpectedly, she felt a fresh batch of rage rise up. It just wasn't fair. She couldn't help what she was.
"And complaining won't change it," she said aloud.
No, she had to accept what she was. Denying and pretending wouldn't make a difference. She was what she was. Now, she had to survive long enough to figure out what that was.
But the after effect of the shiver was still there. What the hell had caused it. No,it wasn't fear. She may not like the lot fate had dealt her, but she had gotten used to it.
It was something else, unconnected to her, but it had touched her nonetheless. It was as if something was watching her.
She shook again. Paranoia was not going to help either. She had to focus on the there and now. If she lived there would be time enough to sort it all out
First, she had to escape and deal with this...mess.
Slowly, she narrowed down the list in her mind while the rest of her prepared for escape.
"The same ship was seen departing Corsucant, Master," Anakin reported, sitting back away from the computer console he had been operating for the past two hours.
Qui-Gon folded his arms, looking from Anakin to the computer screen with some dismay.
"Are you sure, Anakin?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Are they sure?"
"Positive. They say it's a hard ship to miss. Rarely does anything that battered come into Corsucant without being noticed."
Qui-Gon let out a small, labored breath.
"Is something wrong?" Anakin asked.
"I think there may be. Tell me, my young apprentice, what do you sense?"
Anakin blinked for a moment, the looked away, his eyes someone distant, away from that moment.
"I sense the usual amount of ripples in the Force, but something else."
"What is it?"
"I don't know. It feels... separate. It's a part of everything else, but gathered to the side, like whatever it is is watching, waiting."
"I sense it to, Anakin. What do you think it is?"
"I don't know."
Qui-Gon sat down besides Anakin. "I don't know what it is either...and that bothers me."
Anakin held his right hand in his left as he often did when he was nervous. He looked to Qui-Gon. Clearly there was something on his mind.
"There's something else, isn't there?"
Qui-Gon smiled sadly. "I'm afraid so. I get the feeling, all of a sudden, that we are being led here. That this is part of something much larger and that we are being used."
"How?"
"That's an interesting question. I wish I had a clear answer, but I do not. Be careful, Anakin. There are things going on here that are out of our control and that could prove dangerous."
"I will be careful."
"Have you informed Obi-Wan of what you have learned?"
"Yes, I told him first. He had the right to know right away."
"That he did. You can go, now Anakin. I have something I must do."
Anakin nodded once and stood up to leave.
"Anakin," Qui-Gon said without turning to face his apprentice. He heard Anakin's feet stop near the door. "Have I told you how well you are doing lately?"
"No, Master."
Qui-Gon smiled. "Then I will tell you...once we have survived this new crisis."
Without looking, he could feel the smile on the boy's face. Nothing else had to be said, they both knew how the other felt and now had an official reason to survive until the next day.
After he heard the door slide shut behind him, Qui-Gon turned back to the computer.
He was in the mood to look into their new friend.
She hadn't managed to live to be twenty-five by luck. No, Callisto had learned through experience how to survive and this had not been the first time she had been captured. She had been taken many times and had come out each time a little stronger and a little wiser each time.
The trick was to use one's environment to their advantage.
Here, in this cell, there wasn't much to use, but whatever was there had to make due.
She stood up and walked over to the iron bed, the only piece of furniture in the room. Kneeling down beside it, she picked a small metal rod out of her boot. The bounty hunter had stripped her of weaponry naturally, but not of her resources. She had a creative mind and was now about to use it.
With much effort, she unscrewed the bottom post until it gave way. She held up the bed and slowly lowered it to avoid a thump that might arouse attention. She didn't want any of that. Stealth was the key here.
No doubt she was being watched through a video eye of some sort, so she had to act quickly. Callisto reached into her now empty blaster holster and pried of a small piece of leather. Underneath there was a small chip. She had acquired it a few years ago during a game of cards. Now she going to find out if it had been worth the rather substantial amount of credits that her opponent hadn't had on him.
Picking up the thick, metal bed post, she walked to the door. She knocked on it in three different places. When she heard the echo she wanted, she places the ship on he direct center of what she hoped was the lock console. Then she tapped on the corner of the chip and backed off.
To her delight, there was a click and a hiss as the door slid open. She heard a cry of surprise.
Quickly, she moved towards the sound, temporarily blinded by the brighter lighting of the hall. Swinging the metal rod while using her instincts, she heard a crack and then a thud. Her vision cleared and she looked down at the still form of a guard. It wouldn't be too long before he had conscious company so she had to move.
She picked up his weapon and ran.
Anakin walked out of his quarters to the cockpit in as the ship began to dock. He hadn't been well rested, but he would have to make do with what he did have. The next few hours were going to be difficult and he would have to be prepared for them.
An unsettling feeling passed through him. He stopped at Obi-Wan's door and peered in.
The Jedi looked up at the young padawan.
"I'm losing her," Obi-Wan said quietly.