Darker the Night (A Star Wars Rebels AU)

Chapter Eleven

Two months have passed since the Republic's loss at Felucia, and Caleb Dume has just returned to Coruscant for a much-needed but ultimately short-lived rest.

"Caleb. Wake up!" Sammo poked him hard in the ribs.

He opened his eyes immediately- despite the fact that he had just returned to Coruscant after several weeks of sleep deprivation on the war-ravaged planet of Mygeeto, someone waking you up either meant that you were about to be under attack, or something terrible had happened- it was the new normal. He lifted his head off the pillow and mumbled, "What?"

"They want you in the Council Chamber."

Caleb was in no mood to have a bunch of Jedi Masters staring at him, but he had no choice. He jumped off his bunk and quickly tried to make himself presentable, and then he was off- headed toward the Temple's central spire, at the top of which was the Jedi High Council Chamber.

He waited in the antechamber until he was called, and when he was, he strode to the center of the room with a confidence he did not feel. Very few of the Masters were present, and none were available via holo- he had never seen the room so empty. He stood facing Master Yoda and Master Windu. Master Ki-Adi-Mundi sat behind him. Master Billaba was absent.

As expected, the Masters sat staring at him for several minutes before anyone spoke. Finally, Master Windu said, "Caleb, we know that you just returned from Mygeeto. But we need you to travel to Belkadan in the Outer Rim to collect intel about a possible Separatist factory being built there. You will meet with their Council of Elders to discuss any concerns they might have."

"Concerns?" Caleb asked.

"Go you will, Young Dume, to Belkadan to investigate under the guise of diplomacy," Master Yoda said.

"Yes, Master Yoda. Does Master Billaba already know?"

"She will not be accompanying you on this trip," Master Windu said. "She has other matters to attend to, and we believe you are capable of gathering the intel yourself. But let me be clear: you are only to meet with the Elders and gather intel. You are not to engage with any Separatists."

"Yes, Master."

"The Allegiant II will be conveying you to Belkadan. It is undergoing preparations in the Temple hangar."

"Is that really necessary? I can fly-"

"Yes, it is," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi interrupted. "It is far less suspicious if you travel in the proper manner, aboard a diplomatic vessel, rather than a starfighter. Make ready. Your ship leaves in an hour."

Forty minutes later, Caleb made his way up the boarding ramp and into the Consular- class space cruiser Allegiant II , which was painted red to signify that it was a diplomatic ship. The corridor was empty; presumably, the crew was going over the flight plan on the bridge. He made his way there, hoping to be underway quickly.

The door to the bridge stood open, and Caleb heard typical Republic Navy chatter from within as he got closer- the crew was doing last-minute checks on the fuel, hyperdrive, and thrusters. He entered...and stopped dead in his tracks.

Hera Syndulla stood less than a meter away, wearing a crisp, dark blue Navy uniform. She held a datapad in one hand as she scrolled with the other.

"Hera!" he blurted in surprise. She looked up. For a few moments, they both stood motionless, staring at each other. She didn't seem surprised to see him- she must have been told ahead of time which Jedi the ship would be transporting. For his part, the flimsy mental walls he'd tried to build between himself and this woman disintegrated the second he saw her face.