Star Wars Jedi: The Haunting

Chapter 9

Cal scowled at Locker. "What do you want?" he asked.

Locker did not respond, instead giving Cal a soul-sucking smile as he walked towards him. He raised his helmet, as if he were about to hit Cal in the face again. Cal instinctively recoiled.

"What do you want?" he repeated.

Locker laughed. "You really didn't think this through."

Cal looked at him, angry. "You don't understand. I had to do it. I couldn't let her tell Merrin. If she did, then our relationship that I worked so hard to build would have been ruined."

Locker shook his head.

"You don't understand," said Cal. "No-one can know that I have this ability. No-one. It must remain a secret. They wouldn't look at me the same way if they found out. I had no choice."

Locker simply shook his head again.

"Cal, you are not as kind-hearted as you think you are," he said, slowly.

Cal's temper flared, and he reared back to punch Locker, but suddenly found himself unable to swing. He wanted to unload all his anger on Locker but he just... couldn't. Something was stopping him from doing so.

The fact that Locker was right. He was right.

Cal knew it. He wasn't as kind as he liked to believe.

"You are impulsive. You make decisions based on instinct. And then clumsily try to tidy up the mess afterwards. Only this time," Locker paused, and began to laugh. "you went too far. I'd like to see you clean this up."

Cal shook his head. "Listen –"

"No, you're the one who needs to listen, Cal," said Locker. "I want you to listen up, and listen well."

Cal shook his head. "You only mean me harm."

"You only mean Merrin harm," Locker said.

Cal growled and threw the punch at Locker, but Locker caught his fist and held it, smiling.

"Why else would you keep such an important ability a secret from her? I thought that lovers were supposed to be truthful with each other."

"I never lied to her," Cal protested.

"Yes, you did," Locker said. "You refused to tell her that you were the one that wiped Kata's memory. Why?"

"If I did, our relationship-"

"There we go. It's all about the relationship. I couldn't do this because of what might happen to our relationship. I couldn't do that because of our relationship. Our relationship. You keep bringing it up to defend your poor choices, and I'm starting to get sick of it," Locker said.

"Of course I want the relationship," Cal said. "I love Merrin."

"Romantically, or obsessively?" Locker asked inquisitively.

Cal kept his mouth tightly shut and wrenched his hand free of Locker's grip.

"I'm asking you a question, Cal. Wouldn't it be polite to give me an honest answer? Isn't that what Merrin would also want?"

Cal gripped Locker by the shoulder.

"What are you-" Locker began to say, but Cal was not in the mood to listen.

Cal grappled Locker and pushed him backwards, making him fall. He then gave him a hard kick in the balls, which stunned him. Whilst Locker was stunned, Cal bent over him and forcefully yanked the helmet out of his hand. He then smacked Locker's face with it several times. Locker didn't complain or whine, but that only made Cal angrier. He wanted to hear his prey cry.