DEFECTED | cal kestis [1]✔️

ii. not as stupid as you grabbing me while being electrocuted

Arriving on Bogano, TN grabbed a backpack and her electrified batons before sprinting out of the Mantis across the fields of the grassy plains. She jumped down from a ledge and glided across a chasm on a zip line. Cal followed closely behind, but lost her when she disappeared around a corner.

He wondered why Cere and Greez would trust her. She was a Stormtrooper, former or not. TN-0237 was not exactly an individual he could trust easily. The girl was involved with the murders and hunts of Jedi survivors. She is one of the reasons why the Empire has been prosperous and cruel over the planets conquered by them. TN may have said she defected and turned against the Empire, but Cal kept his guard up and only let her know what he wanted.

Cal jumped down from a higher ledge and found a place to meditate. The Force inside him felt off and he felt the need to reconnect for a moment. Closing his eyes, he let the Force flow through him and let the calming feeling flood his senses. For a moment, he felt okay, but then the memories from years ago came rushing back.

Opening his eyes and breathing heavily, he looked down to see a small droid staring up at him. It beeped and trilled to him excitedly.

"Um, hi, BD-1. I'm Cal."

"Beep!" Hi!

"Do you by any chance know where a girl is? She has dark hair with blue highlights? Wears it in a messy bun? Kinda annoying?" Cal asked BD-1 as he stood. BD-1 booped in response and started to lead him to a workshop. They zip lined across a chasm and got to another grassy ledge.

"So, do you live here?" Cal asked as he balanced on a pipe and walked across it. BD beeped to him in response before jumping from the pipe and into the workshop. Immediately, he heard vases breaking and a distress call from the droid. He dropped down and swung into the workshop, seeing a bog rat attacking him. A bogling escaped from the chaos and hid in its burrow.

"Oh! BD!"

The familiar figure of TN-0237 emerged from a small room and rushed forward. She used her electrified batons to kill the bog rat and then scooped up the small droid from being attacked by another. Cal ignited his orange lightsaber and, with one quick swing, killed the disgusting creature. TN ignored him and walked back into the room she came out of. A turbine blocking the way was slowly turning. A device was attached to it, making it turn its slow pace.

"You're welcome?"

"Didn't ask for your help." She replied and looked over the damage to BD's little leg. She sighed, shaking her head as she grabbed a few tools.

"What you did was either brave or stupid."

"Beeop!" You would have done it!

"True, but you should have called for help. I was right here."

"How do you know BD?"

Cal looked curiously between her and the droid as she fixed his leg.

"Cere brought me here after finding me. It was a way of showing trust." TN replied bluntly. There was obviously something else to it, but the girl did not elaborate.

She dropped the conversation and stepped away from BD. He tested out his fixed leg and jumped around, trilling and beeping happily. The small droid's antics made her giggle.

"I'm glad you like it. Unfortunately, your scomp link is damaged so you cannot slice anything. Don't worry though, I'll make sure to find one for you."

TN grabbed her belongings and walked out of the workshop. Cal followed behind her and BD scurried ahead of them. Cal walked into a small, cramped room. Bowls and cooking ware littered the area and old food was rotted in jars. He sensed an Echo and reached out to it, instantly hearing the clanging and clinking of dishes.

This was a kitchen for someone who lived here.

He took one last glance before walking out to find TN and BD-1. The two were on a platform above him and talking to each other. The girl laughed, her nose crinkling and a wide smile on her face. Cal noticed her freckled cheeks dimpled, making him grin as he grabbed a rope and was pulleyed up to them. TN stood up straight, her height slightly intimidating him.

"How old were you when you became a Stormtrooper?" He asked her as they walked into a dark room. He noticed a bed against the wall and a few chests against the wall. Ivy vines grew on one part of the wall and led up to another room above.

"I was eighteen; the same age I am now. Youngest in my platoon." She replied and started to climb the ivy. Cal and BD-1 followed after her.

"Were you always this tall?"

"Yeah. I was one of the very few girls at the academy who grew to be the proper height to be a Stormtrooper."

TN climbed up onto a ledge and walked forward. She noticed the black wires blocking the way out and pulled out her batons. Pressing a button, blades emerged and she approached the blocked way. Cal and BD-1 climbed up and Cal noticed the electrified wired wall.

"TN! Wait!"

He ran forward to grab her but it was too late. She swung and the two were blown back, TN landing on top of Cal and her batons clanging in the room below them. The two groaned in pain as they processed what happened. Cal pushed her off of him and sat up, making TN grumble under her breath because of his roughness.

"Now that was stupid on your part." Cal commented.

"Not as stupid as you grabbing me while being electrocuted."