The Pull of the Dark Side

An Old Friend

Kanan stood frozen on the spot, his eyes fixed on the comlink like it was a rare jewel worth a million credits.

"Love?" Hera asked as she clicked the comlink into her belt.


"The plot. It is progressing," he replied, simply. "We must meet with this person."

"Okay, love, if you think it's best," the female Twi'lek replied. Hera called for everyone on the Ghost to meet at the hub, and they all complied, rushing in from all directions. They sat down, silently.

"The owners of this landing platform contacted us and asked us why we landed here. We told them of our hyperdrive issue and then they told us we should meet with them at the bar. Kanan thinks we should go, so I do as well. Does anybody disagree?" Nobody's hands ascended. "Good. We should head out now." Hera lowered the ramp to Cato Neimodia's surface and a hot gust of humid air swept over them and into the Ghost.

"Sorry Chopper, you're going to have to guard the ship again," Hera said to the orange and white droid. The droid gave a few beeps in return that sounded like it was whining.

"I'm sorry, Chopper, I really am. I promise I'll take you on a mission soon," Hera replied. A few more beeps ensued.

"Thank you. Now please guard the ship and wait for our return," she replied and walked away with the crew of the Ghost.

The squad walked for a few minutes until they realised they didn't actually know where the bar was. They promptly stopped a male Ithorian for directions, who guided them straight on, the second left, the first right and the third left. They followed the alien's instructions and were soon outside the fluorescent yellow bar. The group proceeded to enter the premises.

The bar was mostly black in colour, with red streaks lining the walls horizontally, as well as a gleaming white marble counter. The building was crowded with throngs of aliens of all different kinds trying to order drinks for themselves. Kanan led the group over to an inconspicuous looking table in the corner, where all five of them squeezed in.

They waited for a few minutes, chatting idly, before Hera's comlink beeped again.

"Hello?" she asked.

"I have visuals on you. Please make your way out of the bar and walk to the right. You should see a small alleyway to your left. Proceed into the alleyway, and don't look behind you. I have a feeling somebody is following you." The vocoded voice stopped and Hera replaced her comlink on her belt. She gave a "should we do this" look to Kanan and he nodded in reply.

The group exited the bar and followed the voice's instructions until they reached the end of the alleyway they were asked to enter. Kanan felt a force signature several metres behind him after his squad turned left into another narrow alleyway, although he wasn't sure if this was his pursuer or the one who he was supposed to be meeting.

A lightsaber ignited behind them and the whole group spun around, drawing their weapons and waiting quietly around the wall. The scuffle, presumably between the follower and the person they were supposed to be meeting with, took place in the alleyway they had just departed. The noises soon stopped and the lightsaber was sheathed.

"Caleb?" the vocoded voice asked. Caleb Dume was Kanan's name when he was a Jedi, but he had since changed it to protect himself from the Great Jedi Purge. "Caleb, where are you?" the voice asked again.

Kanan responded. "Throw your lightsaber around the corner so I can catch it. I want to know I can trust you." The mysterious figure complied and Kanan caught the lightsaber.

"Master Plo?" Kanan said, awestruck, throwing the figure's lightsaber back.

"Yes, Caleb, it is I." The Kel Dorian walked around the corner and removed his hood with the force, the pitch black of the night shrouding the standoff in darkness.