watcher in the sky ; cal kestis

𝟎𝟎𝟕

The bodies of Stormtroopers and several Scout Troopers were soon scattered across the village, leaving only Cal and Meissa standing. As he extinguished his lightsaber blade, Meissa tucked her blaster back into its holster, and she began to nudge the bodies over.

"What do you think? Leave 'em for the Scazz or toss them over the cliff and leave no evidence behind?" she asked.

"... Don't take this the wrong way, but what's wrong with you?" Cal asked, turning slowly to look at her. She merely shrugged and nudged one lifeless body over the edge.

"We've been killing Stormtroopers left and right, and you just killed half of these guys, yet you have the gall to ask what's wrong with me?"

"One key difference, if they catch me, it's kill on sight. No offense, but a smuggler has very little to lose against these guys."

"You don't know what I've lost to them," she said coldly, hoisting up the body of a Scout Trooper and throwing him over the cliff. "Insult me again, and that'll be you soaring over the cliff."

Cal turned away from her and walked towards one of the housing units in the village, glancing at BD-1 as he beeped and hopped down from his shoulder. Cal watched as the droid scanned a slip of paper on the door, then relayed the information back to him.

"Looks like an eviction notice. The villagers were sent off to labor camps, or worse. But it was all under the guise of a lie. The Empire just wanted this land," he said, shaking his head.

"Kestis! I found a cave, and it looks pretty deep. Maybe we ought to take a closer look," Meissa called. Sure enough, when Cal looked over, she was standing at the mouth of a cavern, her hands on her hips and the wind blowing through her hair. He helped BD-1 onto his back once more, and he made his way up to her, pulling out his lightsaber.

"Good thing we've got a light source. Come on," he said, walking in ahead of her.

"My hero," she mumbled, rolling her eyes before following him. Inside the cave, the floor was a combination of metal landings and natural rock, and despite the glow of the lightsaber, it was still difficult to see.

"There has to be some kind of lighting system in here. The metal groundwork implies excavation, and they wouldn't be digging into these caves without proper lighting," she said, looking around as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"You're probably right. Wait here, and I'll go see if I can find a switch or something. And if you feel anything grab you, just yell."

Before she could answer, Cal was off, and she could just make out the faint blue glow of his lightsaber, and the sounds of his footsteps on the metal. His lightsaber's glow vanished for a brief moment, then came back on before she could assume the worst.

"If you could not die, that would be great!" she called.

"Trying my best!" he replied. "I think I found something!"

In the distance, she heard a buzz, then a whir, and overheard, lights flickered to life. Cal tucked his lightsaber away again and he waved to Meissa.

"Come to me! There's an opening to the other side of the caves here!" he called.

"Fine. Give me a second." Taking a deep breath, she began to make her way up to Cal, walking slowly along pipes connecting broken bridges and carefully climbing up broken and elevated platforms. Once she was close enough, he held out his hand, and she grabbed his wrist, allowing him to pull her over. He then let go of her, and they exited the cave, rounding the corner and watching as a Scazz popped up from a burrow hole and knocked a Scout Trooper over the edge of the cliff. It then crawled back into its hole, and it didn't come back out.