the Cause. the Creed. the Code.

6 Conflict

The Rebel Alliance guests were served a hearty breakfast, worthy to fuel the warriors of Clan Wren for the day. Kestis graciously thanked the Countess as their host before enthusiastically retreating into a private wing of the mansion with Alrich. Tristan then gave her and Kallus a tour of the mansion, showcasing both Sabine and her father's works. Including the mural of Ursa Wren in the great room, as regal and elegant as the woman herself. She wondered for a moment what Sabine was painting, she had the whole of Lothal as her canvas now.

"I think Sabine likes to use so much colour in her work because this environment," Alrich's voice suddenly spoke up from behind Hera, slightly startling her. Alrich gave a warm laugh in apology and continued, "Krownest has a snowy climate, it's a blank canvas: the possibilities are endless!"

"Where is Agent Kestis?" Hera asked cautiously. She wasn't aware how long their session would go on, or where the fallen Jedi was.

Alrich gestured out the windows with a smirk to a figure standing by a snowbank. Kestis was watching as BD-1 excitedly tried to scan each snowflake as they came down.

"He'll freeze out there," Tristan exclaimed.

"He can regulate his body temperature with the Force to some degree," Kallus explained, but his eyes grew serious as he tried to examine Kestis closer. Kestis held a lit cigarra between his fingers. "What happened? He smokes when he's too stressed for meditation," Kallus asked, concerned.

"Cal needed a bit of a break," Alrich said. "I know he was enthusiastic to start a session but I'm afraid we may have struck a nerve somehow. But he is determined to continue, he reminds me of some stubborn Mandalorians that way," Alrich sighed, though his tone was as light and airy as the snowflakes outside. "What are some things he likes to do to relax? What would you recommend?"

"Well usually if something triggers him, he resorts to violence," Hera sneered.

Kallus cleared his throat at her blunt assessment. "He sometimes lets out his frustrations physically. Usually through sparring," Kallus explained.

"Well, good thing there's lots of Mandalorians he could spar with," Tristan joked.

"He did mention that," Alrich concurred, "practising with a lightsaber is as much as a form of mediation to him as it is a form of combat. I've heard enough about him in the Imperial bulletins, I'd be interested in seeing it in person," he mused. "But we'd have to give him his lightsaber. I'm unsure if the Countess Wren would return it so soon. And Cal himself is a bit self conscious about others seeing him like that."

Hera fought a twitch in his lips, if Kestis truly cared about his reputation, he wouldn't act so boldly in the face of the Empire. For the Cause or for the Rebellion, she felt it was reckless.

"He could join us in the tour of the artworks," Kallus suggested with some uncertainty, "he likes archeology. Are those two similar enough to help him relax?"

"Come to think of it, there's an ancient Mandalorian citadel in the mountains. It's not far from here, we can get there on speeder bike," Alrich explained, "I studied some of the murals there before, there may be some artefacts to examine. Would that help him?"

Kallus' eyes lit up at the suggestion, "I think he'd enjoy that very much, he thrives in that kind of environment. What happened yesterday should be less of an issue in that kind of setting."

Alrich smiled brightly at the information, understanding something about Kestis that Hera didn't, and said, "guess I'll get him a warm coat then. We'll be back in a few hours."

Hera watched with crossed arms as Alrich trudged into the snow, wearing a parka and offered one to Kestis as well. BD-1 practically danced onto his shoulders at the prospect of exploring some old, ancient place, and then they were off, somewhere in the mountains. Some part of her had forgotten Kestis was an archeologist; the Jedi terrorist in the Imperial bulletins was known for massacring whole battalions of Stormtroopers. She knew that wasn't just propaganda. How could Kestis also care for and study delicate artefacts? Ezra told her he had found him in an old Jedi temple, handling ancient trinkets and pottery with the utmost care. That felt so long ago.

"What happened yesterday?" Hera asked Kallus as he tried to occupy his time with a holobook.

"What do you mean?" She couldn't tell if Kallus was acting coy.

"When Kestis touched the teacup," Hera started, "was that from some sort of Force ability he has?"

"All I can say is yes, but I'm not sure you have the security clearance to know more than that," Kallus admitted.

"I deserve to know if it could put him or Alrich in danger," she said, "he almost had another episode, didn't he? Are you sure it's safe to let him go alone and touch even more things at that citadel?"

"I know him well enough to believe he will be safe in that environment," Kallus dismissed her with a shrug. "Each Jedi have a variety of abilities and experience their connection to the Force in different ways—"

"I know what the Jedi are," Hera declared, her fists at her hips shook as she clenched them tight. Kallus sighed and turned off his holobook to face her.

"Agent Kestis has a unique Force ability that can be used in service to Rebel Intelligence. That's all I can say," Kallus explained, "I respect you as a General, Syndulla, and it's an honour to know you personally. You and Zeb and the rest of the Ghost crew are dear friends to me, but I feel similarly for Kestis."

Chopper gave a harsh whistle.

Hera opened her mouth to say something but Kallus spoke up again, "whatever you and Kestis do, you're doing it for the Cause, for the Rebel Alliance. Can't you see that?"

"Is that what you really believe?" She challenged, "half the time it feels like he doesn't even want to be a part of the Rebellion."

"Yes! I do believe he wants to fight for the Rebellion, just as much as I do. You and Kanan gave me a chance," Kallus retorted.

"That's different—"

"Yes, for once we agree. I defected from the Empire for the Cause. Cal Kestis had been fighting alongside the Partisans for it for all these years. How can you give me a chance but not offer that same courtesy to Kestis?"

"I got him here, isn't that enough?"

"Then let him be! He's not a danger to you."

Hera whirled around to avoid Kallus' gaze. Every action Cal Kestis had taken to this point boiled up to the forefront of her mind. Using Dathomirian magick in a fight against Kanan. Getting into a physical altercation with Clone Force 99, Kallus, even Cearn Adan. Breaking protocol even under Cassian Andor's command. Using the Dark Side in front of Ezra despite Kanan asking him specifically not to. Then to the times when she was learning to fly and fighting for Ryloth with her father who'd point to a wanted sign of a Jedi with hair as fiery as his spirit and say: people are fighting against the Empire and the Jedi are not yet lost, there is hope.

"You may think that what Cal Kestis fights for is the same Cause we both do but I'm not so convinced," she hissed through her teeth. Though Gerrera was gone, she felt his shadow still loomed over the Galaxy, in some small part through Kestis.

"Then that's your personal opinion, Syndulla. I don't need to remind you that professionally, you're not in his Chain of Command. If you want to know about Cal's abilities you can make an appeal with General Draven or ask Agent Kestis himself."

Chopper whirred and rattled at Kallus' defiance as Hera tried her best to keep him quiet in the large grey rooms of the Wren Stronghold. She retreated to her room and holocalled Zeb and Jacen until they were called to dinner. Cal Kestis and Alrich joined them at the table, both looking tired from their expedition but were bright-eyed and satisfied from their activity-filled day. Kallus and Fen Rau asked Kestis what they'd done at the citadel and Kestis excitedly explained about the statues and murals and artefacts they'd explored. Tristan and Kestis exchanged factoids about Mandalorian wars and Jedi history and Hera was left floating between the conversations: was this the real Cal Kestis? The one Kanan knew from the library? The one that Merrin gets to know? Alrich had complimented Kestis' delicate hand and eye for detail, as Alrich had taught him to paint during their session. Hera finally noticed that some of the plates and cups were painted in a variety of colours beyond just steel and gold. She couldn't wait until dinner was over.