DEFECTED | cal kestis [1]✔️

xiii. kriff off...

Finding the Imperial excavation which could lead to the Zeffo tomb, TN and Cal walked through the winding corridors and zipped across ziplines. The two had not spoken much since their interaction on the crashed venator. TN knew the memories and echoes in the Force made Cal a bit shaken up and haunted, but what made it upsetting for her was the fact she was trained to be a Purge Trooper before she was made into a Stormtrooper. She was going to be made into an individual who would kill his class of people or bring them in to be made into Inquisitors. After all, that was how the girl met the Second Sister.

"I've noticed how you fight." Cal spoke up after the two took down a Purge Trooper. He sheathed his lightsaber and gestured for her to follow him.

"Okay?" She replied unsurely to his comment.

"You're way more skilled than any Stormtrooper we have come across and you have this agility which I've grown familiar with. You fight like a Purge Trooper: unrelenting and heartless."

TN tensed at his words, her eyes looking to the ground. Cal stared at her, not knowing how to feel toward her. He did not want to believe what he concluded, but the way she fought and kept her ground during fights made it believable.

"You were trained to be a Purge Trooper, weren't you?" His tone was cold and the glare on his face made the girl look away.

She stopped in front of the elevator doors, her grip on a fallen Purge Trooper's staff tightening. TN did not want to reveal this about herself. It reminded her of when she met Cere and Greez. The former Jedi woman disliked the teenager for this aspect while Greez did not exactly have an opinion on her. He tolerated her as much as he tolerated BD-1.

Then she met Cal, and she wanted to keep this aspect of her hidden from him. Or at least wait until she got to know him more.

"Yes, I was. But that's in the past, Cal. I'm not like them."

"How come you didn't tell me?"

"The reaction I'm receiving is why I didn't. I was waiting for the right time and moment tell you."

BD-1 beeped rapidly, telling them to stop fighting. The two did not listen as Cal continued.

"You know, if you told me beforehand, I would trust you more. Because you keep secrets, you make it hard for anyone, including me, to trust what you say or do!"

In anger, TN grabbed the front of his poncho and shoved him toward the edge of the bridge they stood on. Below was a chasm that seemed bottomless. Her grip on his poncho was tight and Cal clutched her arm in fear she would let go of him.

"I don't know what else to do, Cal! I let people in and I'm instantly judged! Stop being a bitch about me being a stormtrooper and actually give a shit about my wellbeing. For once in your life, care about how I feel!"

She pulled him back to her and stormed over to the elevator. Cal followed her, BD-1 scolding him in Binary as he followed her.

"Beep! Beeop!" Why aren't you nice to her?

"BD, please don't." Cal sighed as he stood beside her. TN was glaring the ground, her arms crossed. Seeing her upset and angry with him made the redhead feel guilty. Why can't he trust her? She trusted him enough to let him save her or help in fights. Why was it so hard to let her in?

The elevator came to a stop and the two came face to face with the Second Sister. TN held her staff and twirled it. Cal drew his lightsaber as she walked forward.

"Cal Kestis." The Inquisitor sneered and eyed the girl beside him. "And TN-0237."

"Stay from him." She growled, her eyes narrowed in a glare.

"How adorable. The lost little Stormtrooper attempts to find someone to be her friend and protects them."

Before Cal could say anything, TN ran forward and attacked the Second Sister, her staff crackling against the red saber the Inquisitor possessed. She swung again and used fighting techniques the Inquisitors specifically taught her. The Second Sister had a challenging time since the girl was just as skilled as her.

Cal ran forward to get the attention off of TN. The two used their own fighting patterns and moved they had come up with on the go. The Second Sister shoved her lightsaber back at TN, but she deflected it easily and rolled out of the way.

"You would have made an exceptional Purge Trooper, TN-0237. It's a shame Moff Tarkin did not see the potential you had." The Inquisitor said to her as Cal stepped back to catch his breath and watch the two.

She ran at her again but the Second Sister used the Force to choke the trooper. TN stopped mid-step and began to gasp for air. She could not be beaten this easily. She was trained to be a Purger. She would not lose.

"TN!" Cal shouted and ran at the Inquisitor. The Second Sister used the Force to stop him in midair and threw him through a metal grate. She grabbed TN and threw her toward him, the pressure on her neck lifting and letting her breathe.

Before the Second Sister could attack, BD-1 activated a barrier to appear between them. TN gasped as oxygen filled her lungs and she stumbled to her feet.

"Kriff off, you...you..." TN rasped angrily and flipped her off. Cal pulled her away and glared at the Second Sister.

"Why are you so interested in us?" Cal questioned.

"The reason why is because of your new friend, Cere Junda. Do you really think you can trust her?"

"You don't know her."

"Really?"

TN held onto Cal to support herself as the Second Sister paced in front of the barrier.

"You think you know Cere so well?" She inquired with a sneer.

"I trust her." Cal replied coldly.

"And that's what I thought once."

The Second Sister took off her helmet, revealing golden and blue eyes, dark hair, and tanned skin. TN instantly recognized her.

"Trilla Suduri. You were Cere's padawan."