Careful with that thing; it's been though hell

III - Nightmare

Some tension bleeds out of him once Cal is sure the Second Sister is gone. There is a tightness in his chest, one formed when Trilla reminded him of Cere, Greez and Merrin. He takes a shuddering breath, but he's since learned to control it.

But something he can't ignore is the pain that pulses through his body. The initial shock had been like nothing he'd felt before. He has faced the full strength of the sonic stunners used by the Haxion Brood, but this shock collar is on an entirely different calibre. He's aching all over. Every nerve feels like it's been dunked in ice water.

Cal gets the feeling it's activated when he makes use of offensive Force abilities, but the pain deters him from wanting to test this theory out for now. He leans against one of the walls, shivering, trying to get his bearings back.

Maybe it's a moment of weakness or an attempt at strength, but Cal thinks hard about Master Tapal then. He closes his eyes. When he opens them, his Master is standing before him.

He knows it's not him. It can't be him. And yet, seeing Master Tapal in a place like this brings him comfort.

"Padawan," Master Tapal says. He's in the cell with him, his towering figure easily filling the space of the cell. He sits down cross-legged opposite him. "This isn't an ideal situation."

No, Cal thinks. It isn't.

"Do you remember what I said about our paths as members of the Jedi Order?" He asks gently.

Cal's head is pounding. His lips feel dry, cracked. But he opens his mouth and recites the words. "'The obstacles in your path define the path. What stands in the way becomes the way.'"

"Correct." His Master reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder, and Cal can nearly feel his warmth. " My path has reached its end, Cal. Yours, on the other hand, is far from over, however riddled with obstacles it may be."

"I understand, Master." His vision's turning foggy. Master Tapal's figure starts to lose its solidity. "I won't...I won't give in."

His eyelids feel like weights then, and he lets them drop for a second. Surely Master Tapal will forgive his manners, just this once...

When Cal opens his eyes, his Master's gone, and he's all alone again.

He tries to rest afterwards. There's no real position to get comfortable in: his hands are still bound behind his back. The collar keeps his neck straight.

Cal supposes that this is all part of Trilla's scheme to break him, little by little. It's in line with the Empire's methods, at least. Or so he's heard. The thought calls back the Ninth Sister's words, of what she'd said before he'd defeated her.

"Just wait 'til the torture!" She swings as Cal parries wildly. "Isolation! Mutilation! And your friends-"

"I won't let you touch them!"

Renewed strength had taken over him. He didn't have time to consider her words before she was gone, cast out of the Shyyyo bird's nest. Come to think of it, he never really chose to think about what she'd said. What better time to do it than now? He's got all the time Trilla wants to give him to reflect, or whatever.

The idea of torture doesn't scare him, he thinks. But that's always easy to say when you're not suffering.

Isolation...well, he'd mostly been by himself on Bracca for five years.

And mutilation? He chooses not to dwell on that.

With these uneasy conclusions settling in his mind, Cal sinks into a disturbed rest.