ANGEL'S MORTALITY

ix

SWINDLER'S WASH
*MILES FROM PLYOON'S SALOON*
A FEW HOURS LATER

"Is this it?" Diane asked, staring up at the off-white building. It had the marking of the Jedi Order, but unfortunately, took damage from the years it sat unused. Most of it was the paint peeling off or what appeared to be chunks being blown off of the large pillars.

"This is it, alright," Cal replied, staring at the dead Stormtroopers that were scattered around.

'Must've been the Raiders,' he thought.

He noticed a small golden circular design in the middle of the door and took out the device that Zee had given him. His thumb found a button and pushed it.

The design moved, and the door slid upward.

"Here we go," Cal muttered to himself.

"Bee-op!" BD chirped excitedly.

Diane chuckled at the droid's enthusiasm.

The three entered and were instantly met with vines and other luscious greenery.

"Whoa," Diane whispered.

"The Array should be out here somewhere," Cal told them as he trekked ahead.

The angel ran to catch up with the duo. Cal stopped her as he noticed a dozen small droids flying from their position.

"We're not alone out here," he told her.

Once they were gone, the trio continued forward.

"So, what's the deal with Michael?"

"Well," Diane started.

LEDASKIIC

FOUR {MORTAL} YEARS AGO

Diane flung herself behind a pile of crates.

The angel saw a glimpse of Stormtroopers and, for once, wished it was them who were chasing her. But behind the Troopers was a group of Heaven's soldiers.

"Karabast," the angel muttered under their breath.

"Need some help?"

Diane held their breath as the Archangel Michael appeared beside them.

"What are you doing?! You're gonna get me caught!"

But as the soldiers got closer, they walked right past the hiding duo. Diane gave Michael a confused look.

"Let me explain," he whispered.

As soon as they left, the two found themselves sitting in a catina.

"I left Heaven."

"Why?"

He sighed. "Look, the work we've been putting in the last two years has done a significant amount - but it's not enough. I've gathered enough intel, and I think that our best way to combat them is to no longer have someone on the inside. Since you left, their plans have been almost the same. Heaven has no idea what they're doing, and right now that they're scrambling for resolutions, I think this is the time to use their knowledge against them."

Diane pondered on his words. Daniel may have been a soldier, but Michael was the one who led them into battle. If this was going to work, she needed not only his intel but his skills to defeat both Heaven and Hell.

"Alright," she said. "When do you plan on leaving?"

Michael smiled and stuck a hand in his pocket to pull out a square-like object.