GALAXY'S HEAVEN

twenty-three

ILUM

Diane paced up and down the Mantis, as she waited for Cal and BD-1 to come back. After a few minutes, she heard Cal's voice through the speaker in the cockpit.

"Cere, we need to get out of here. They've taken over Ilum."

"The Empire?" Diane whispered, asking Cere who in response nodded.

"Are you alright?" Cere asked.

"No. They spotted me. And that's not all... They're mining kyber crystals."

"Captain, prepare for take-off!" Cere told Greez.

"Diane. Is she okay?"

"I'm here Cal," she replied. "Get back here as soon as you can."

"Will do."

Cere sighed.

"He's blowing up on all Imperial channels. They're sending everything they got at him. I need to tell him."

"What are we going to do?" Diane asked.

It was at that moment that Cere realized, she had a secret weapon. Something the Empire would never suspect.

"I have an idea," she said, looking at the angel.

One moment she was in the cockpit of the Mantis, the next the former Jedi told her to go out there and shift the focus off of him and onto her. Which she did.

Troopers were panicking as they watched one woman turn their colleagues into salt. They were now on orders to watch out for the Jedi but to take down the mystery woman who was popping up everywhere and turning people into salt.

"Cere! We got company! Tell Greez to close the Mantis!" Was the first thing Diane heard when she arrived back at the ship.

"What?! With the Empire on your tail?! Are you crazy, kid?!" Greez exclaimed.

"Trust me!"

"Do as he says!" Diane yelled.

Greez groaned and pressed a button which reeled the ramp back in and shut the door. The angel heard noises from his side and from her point of view, the battle was not looking good.

"I'm going out there."

"Diane!"

At the same time, Cal ran through the doors. BD clutching his left shoulder.

"Go, go, go!"

Greez pressed the same button from before and punched it, causing a shaky departure.

"You did it," Cere said.

"We did it," Cal said. "I wouldn't be here without all of you... I used to sit on Bracca dreaming about storming Coruscant with survivors from the Jedi Council. Instead, the Order's hopes rest on a gambler, a fallen Jedi, a rouge angel, and a failed Padawan. A bunch of screw-ups. No offense Diane."

"You can say that again," Greez piped in.

"None taken," Diane replied. "You only spoke the truth."

"BD's the only reliable one. He let Cordova wipe his memories so he could stay behind and guide us. But all three of you are willing to sacrifice everything; to keep going when it seems impossible."

"Failure's a part of the journey," Cere said.

Cal smiled.

"I get that now." He looked each individual in the eye.

"Thank you. All of you."

"So where to next?" Greez asked.

"Dathomir," Cal said. "It's time I faced him."