reborn § cal kestis

5

  The woman moved to the side as Cal entered, but blocked the entrance when Sadira approached. "And you are?"

  Sadira gazed up at the woman, her cheeks growing hot again. She pulled her mask down and lifted her goggles, hoping that revealing her face would gain her some form of trust. "My name is Sadira Carrino. I..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

  "She's with me, Cere," Cal confirmed from behind the woman.

  Cere sighed, already growing used to Cal picking up new crew-members, then extended her arm. "Cere Junda." Sadira took her hand and shook it, grateful for being allowed on. Cere moved to let her pass.

  Inside, Sadira was met with two other crew members. One was a short Latero male with four arms, and the other was a Dathomirian woman, her grey skin adorned with markings and her white hair bunched up into a low bun. Upon spotting Sadira, they raised their eyebrows at each other, then looked to Cal for answers.

  Cal's eyes were barely open as he rested on a long, curved couch. He could barely even feel relief at seeing BD-1 bound up to him, but managed to lift a hand up to stroke his metal head. The droid beeped and nuzzled up to his side.

  The group stood in awkward silence until Cere spoke. "What happened out there, Cal?"

  Cal sat up, groaning. "Some stormtroopers ambushed me in the temple. Sadira killed them and saved me but, uh...captured me for Sorc Tormo-"

  "Hold on a second," the Lateron interrupted. "You're telling me that this girl is a Bounty Hunter? A Bounty Hunter that works for Sorc Tormo?"

  Sadira cringed. She knew she had to step in and defend herself. "No, you don't understand," she countered. "Yes, I worked for him and yes, I captured Cal for him but for some reason Tormo turned against me, and me and Cal fought our way out together."

  "How do we know you're not lying? This could all be a plot by Tormo to trick us," Cere reiterated. She gestured to the Lateron. "Greez hasn't had the best history with Tormo, which gives him more incentive to get back at us."

  Greez crossed two of his arms over his chest. "Yeah, and don't think we don't know about the large bounty on our heads."

  "And she's a Bounty Hunter," the Dathomirian commented. Sadira noticed the slight accent that weaved through her words.

  Cal wanted to defend Sadira. He felt obliged to—after all, she had helped him, and seemed genuinely distressed by Tormo's betrayal. Alas, he didn't know what to say. His friends had good points, and they were his friends, so he reasoned that he should trust them rather than a Bounty Hunter who could've gotten him killed.

  Similarly, Sadira was rendered speechless. She didn't know what she could possibly say to gain their trust and save her life. Maybe they're right, she wondered. Maybe I'm the bad guy in this situation.

  "Well, that decides it then," Greez said. "We'll drop her off at the nearest planet." He moved passed her, towards a small kitchen. "Good luck surviving out there, kid."

  "No, wait," Sadira blurted out, racking her brain for something else to say. "I..." She paused, and then found it. Something in her mind had been blocking it out before, denying that she did it. But it happened, and she couldn't ignore it anymore. "I killed Sorc Tormo." 

  Cere's eyes widened. She looked at Cal. "Is this true?"

  He nodded.

  Greez made a face. "He's dead?" Sadira nodded. "And you killed him?" She nodded again. Baffled, Greez turned to Cere and the Dathomirian. "If she can kill Sorc Tormo..." He trailed off, chuckled and shuffled towards the ship's cockpit. Nothing more was said.

  The Dathomirian turned nodded towards Sadira. "Why did you kill this man?"

  "He sent me into the arena to get me killed because I lied to him."

  "Lied about what?"

  Sadira hesitated. "I...I said that one of my targets escaped against my will when I actually let them go."

  The Dathomirian hummed in approval, then turned to Cere. "I think that seems trustworthy."

  "She will still have to prove herself, just as you did," she concluded. "Cal, follow me."

  Cal, having regained most of his energy, walked with Cere to the cockpit, carrying a now contented BD-1 on his back. Sadira felt the ship rise, and saw through the front viewports that they were beginning to take off. She sat on the couch, then began to analyse her wounds. Most of them were scratches and bruises, but a laser had managed to penetrate her jacket and scald the skin of her shoulder, and a rash was forming on her shins from the spider's venom.

  The Dathomirian sat beside her. "Those look bad. They could get infected if you're not careful enough," she cautioned.

"It's fine, I'm used to it."

  "No, let me help."

  Before Sadira could react, green flames appeared from her palms, and she began to chant. Sadira could do nothing but watch in amazement as the green mist swirled around her. And then it disappeared, and she gestured to Sadira. "Check your wounds." Sadira did and, to her surprise, they were partially healed.

  "I'm Merrin," she introduced herself.

  "Sadira. What was that?"

  "I'm a Nightsister," she continued. "My magick is ancient and powerful, but the healing needs more work."

  Sadira smiled. "Thanks, anyway."

  "Cal brought me to this ship after he visited Dathomir. Cere and Greez took a little while to trust me, but they did eventually." She leaned closer, and Sadira swallowed. "If you try anything funny, we will not hesitate to throw you off the ship, no matter where we are."

  "Noted."

  "But," Merrin said, her tone changing from dark to bubbly and light—well, as bubbly and light as a Nightsister could be. "I trust that you will stay true to us. Like me, you seem to have been betrayed by someone you trusted, and now, you want a fresh start."

  "Yeah," Sadira agreed. "I guess you could say that." She had never thought of it that way. Originally, getting the crew to trust her was a result of survival instincts; she was now the hunted rather than the hunter, and she needed all the help she could get. But maybe, she thought. Maybe this could be a fresh start for me.