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.
Note: Thoughts are in * and Italics.
Obi-Wan had been listening to the story the whole time, and sighed at the finish. He had known that Callisto had a past, he just didn't know just how dark it had been. He also understood why she trusted so few, having been deceived so many time. But surely she would have known she could trust him? He had been nothing but kind and honest with her. True, they had argued many times, even fought, but still.
He shook his head as he panned across the incoming transmissions coming to the ship, all from information that Erju had proved which he had in turn sent to the Jedi outposts. They would be able to help in the tracking, but to be honest, he wondered how hard they would be trying. Callisto was not their favorite ally. They had tried a number of times, and ever so politely to have her placed somewhere other than Corsucant. They had offered her work and residence on Naboo and Alderaan, all very high class environments, but she had declined. He had seen her eyes, they had lit up and the sight of such extravagant arrangements, but had darkened when she realized the reasons behind the, They wanted her off the planet and her influence as far away as they could throw her. They wanted her away from the Temple, away from Anakin, but most of all, they wanted her away from Obi-Wan. Yoda had even commented to him that she was a corrupting influence and he was best to do away with her.
Of course she would not go. She stayed because she genuinely cared for Obi-Wan, even if she was afraid to open up. That wasn't always so though. Sometimes, she when she forgot herself, she would openly tell him anything, or simply stay with his company, never asking for anything, always quiet and almost serene. It was those moments he loved and those moments he wanted back. He knew Qui-Gon was a little wary of her, but he was more open thinking than certain other Jedi. The two were, in a way, peas from the same pod. Both were considered renegades and not held in the best light by the Council's eyes. He suspected that his former master took some delight when she openly spited the Council by remaining on Corsucant. He also knew, he did wish she would take up residence elsewhere, to make things easier. They could continue a relationship much easier, he had said, away from the Council's judgment. He had said that it was also possible that because of his continuing relations with Callisto was why he had yet to be offered an apprentice of his own. Obi-Wan vehemently denied that reasoning, but in his heart, he did wonder if it was true. He really wasn't sure what to do. He would decide after Callisto was safe. Safe from her enemies, and safe from her own anger. She was capable of a great many things, and not all of them wonderful.
"Qui-Gon, we just received a message. The ship belonging to the bounty hunter was sighted en route to Corsucant."
"Then that is where we must go," Qui-Gon said.
Obi-Wan entered the coordinates to take them in that direction. He hoped they would find this ship in space. He was eager to resolve this matter as soon as possible, before it reached Corsucant, if that was indeed the true destination of this bounty hunter. It would be better to have her safe as soon as possible, not only to save her, but to protect them from the ears of the Jedi Council. If this exploded on Corsucant, it would only make personal things even worse. However, if it happened, it happened. Life was more important than opinions.
Erju sat in the living quarters section of the ship, his feet propped up against the wall. Anakin sat near by on the chair, looking at the computer hacker. He did remember Erju vaguely, but he had really been quite young and had little contact with the man. Still, if he was a friend of Callisto, it was something to see. They were almost as rare as desert flowers.
Qui-Gon stood beside Obi-Wan as he finished setting the autopilot.
"Why Corsucant, Obi-Wan?"
"I believe the Black Sun has their headquarters centered there."
"Terrible, isn't it, that such a dark organization resides deep in the heart of the Republic?"
"It's not that much of a shock these days. They seem to become more and more prominent each day as the Senate grows more and more corrupt."
Qui-Gon chuckled at a thought. "Yes, I would think so since they had elected a Sith Lord as their chancellor."
Obi-Wan gave a half smile. "I am glad that was resolved at least."
"Be careful in that relief, Obi-Wan. I've learned over many years that things are not always that neatly sewn up. Be wary."
"Of course."
"I truly hope that we find this ship before it reached Corsucant. It would be better this was resolved elsewhere."
"I had that same thought, Qui-Gon."
The Jedi master nodded. "I am going to see how our new friend of doing and then I am going to rest. You should do the same."
"I will in a little while. I just want to sit here awhile, and think."
"As you wish." He patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder and moved off.
Obi-Wan leaned back in the chair, folding his arms and resting his feet up on the controls. He felt uneasy and he knew it was showing, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He was just grateful that he was alone now. He could think and meditate on this now in private.
He looked out through the window at the stars, racing towards them and then disappearing past them.
This thoughts slowly drifted to Erju's story...
Seven years ago, I was living on Tatooine. So was Callisto, but I wouldn't exactly call it living. She was still a slave then, owned by that junk dealer with the kid and his mother. some of this might seem a little familiar to Anakin, but a lot of it won't.
She had been a slave most of her life. She told me she didn't really know what freedom felt like until about a year after she busted loose. And all of this happened in the consecutive time following her escape.
I didn't know who she was at the time, but I had seen her a lot. Since she was older and tougher, Watto would send her out to deal with the Jawas and any other kind of traders. She could smell a foul deal and most people were afraid of her, which served his needs. As a result of the fear, no one would think of buying her. I think Jabba tried once when she was 15, but after she wasted about seven Tusken Raiders unarmed, he decided she was too big a risk. Probably why when she escaped, Watto didn't try to reclaim her. She was pretty much written off as a business liability. Too dangerous. But I'm getting off track.
The day she escaped was when everything started. That day she had to deal with some hustler types sent by the Black Sun. What happened hadn't been connected to what was going on now, but it started her resentment towards them. They hadn't been there on business with Watto, they had come because they had a busted engine and needed it fixed. So Watto offered Callisto to fix it. She hadn't wanted to, and I don't blame her for it. The guys she was sent to work for were the run of the mill thug types, and she was a pretty looking kid. It was a very ugly set up and only a fool wouldn't see trouble starting as a result.
Callisto went, repaired their engine. All the while, she told me that they had been harassing her and taunting her, which is pretty damn dangerous to do to her, especially then when she didn't have too much self control. She kept herself in line and got the job done.
Afterwards, when Watto was getting paid, one of the more surly of the group, a fellow by the name of Ritel decided he wanted to buy her. Money was exchanged, but then Callisto overheard and whacked the sucker upside the head with a wrench. Callisto made a break for it. Now she knew running away was dangerous. If she didn't come back she would get blown up. I don't know how she did it, but she was able to locate that transmitter inside her body and cut it out with a rusty knife she found. Now since she did it herself, she started bleeding and couldn't stop it, so she collapsed out there on the desert.
She probably would have died, too, until Rekeme showed up.
Callisto has half asleep as she partially laid on the floor. She was a trained light sleeper and was constantly alert, listening for any changes as the journey progressed.
Her kidnapper did not move. She wondered if he too was sleeping. It didn't make a difference. Until the laser wall was lowered there was very little she could do. All she could really do was plan out scenarios and prepare to act.
"Who set me up," she whispered.
Someone had to have, that much was obvious. It had been a well laid trap. It had to have taken a lot of people to pull this off and she wanted to know who each and every one of them were. She planned to find out. People did not cross her and escape unscathed. What she wanted to know the most was who the mastermind had been. She suspected she was being taken to meet that individual was. The question then became, would she be able to act on it?
She hoped so. She had the taste for blood now, and blood she would have.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan came into her thoughts. He would not approve of this. Revenge was poison, he had told her.
She sighed. She knew that it was true. Revenge had got this all started. There was a problem with that. Once Callisto started something, she saw it through straight to the end, no matter the cost. But what would the cost be this time? Obi-Wan, her own life? It was a thing that made her have to rethink her priorities, her oath.
She looked at the scar which still blazed a deep red on her shoulder. The wound that had been there seven year ago had nearly killed her. Fortunately, she had been saved. However, when the time came to rescue her savior, she had failed. After it had ended, she had sworn a blood oath to avenge the deaths of those who had given her everything.
Callisto looked at the blank wall and wondered that if in avenging, she would lose all that she had been given.