57

Saedii knew things were bad when she woke to the inside of a cell.

She jolted up from the thin mattress that cradled her body. Dark stone walls surrounded her, indominable and ominous, while a wall of red light glowed in place of a door. In the wall at her back, a tiny window let in a sliver of grey pre-dawn light and a cool breeze laced with faint smells of salt and wet stone.

Visible through the red light, a long empty hallway stretched in both directions. Made of the same dark stone as her cell. Water glistened along the walls, dripping from the ceiling. The air smelled damp.

This place was unknown to her. Not that that mattered. She knew she wasn't anywhere good.

She was a prisoner.

Gingerly, she sat up. There was faint pain in her leg, but dulled. When she brushed her hand along her head, a neat row of stitches pricked at her fingers beneath a bacta patch, and that tender spot on her temple was gone. Her breaths came easy and unimpeded.

Someone had healed her.

The robes she'd been wearing were gone, replaced with plain black clothes. A long-sleeved shirt and pants. It bore an eerie resemblance to a prison uniform. Loose but unflattering. The thin material was poor protection against the cool, damp air of the cell.

Something hard rested beneath her shirt against her chest. When she reached in, her hands met something small and smooth. She slipped it out.

Omega's necklace. The one she'd given Saedii before Eriadu.

Saedii gripped it tightly in her fist. Why had she been allowed to keep this when everything else, including her robes and her lightsabers, had been taken?

"You'll need to keep that hidden."

In the hall outside her door, Kalth stepped into view, melting from the shadows. He was still in the all-black leather and armor of the Inquisitors, but there was something different about him. His helmet was gone and the expression on his face was not cruel, but tight with tension.

She stared at him. At the boy who had been her friend. At the man who was supposed to kill her – but had spared her life instead.

He stepped a little closer, as if she hadn't heard him. "You need to hide your necklace. If anyone else sees, they'll take it."

"Why do I still have it?" Saedii asked. Her throat felt dry. Too dry.

"I took it from your things before they could get rid of it."

Her mouth parted in shock. After all the talk of killing her, of torturing her – he'd shown a small kindness.

But why?

"Why, Kalth?"

At his name, he flinched but didn't correct her. Instead, his hand drifted down to his own wrist, where he began to play with something between his fingers. "You need something in here to keep you grounded. Otherwise, you'll lose your mind."

The object between his fingers was only just visible beneath his sleeve. A thin twined piece of worn leather. Rich brown in color, nearly as dark as his armor.

Saedii couldn't believe it. It was the bracelet she'd given him.

"This bracelet is how I stay sane. It's important to me," he explained.

She swallowed against the dry feeling of her throat. "It should be. I gave it to you."

His eyes widened. He dropped the bracelet, tucking it back under his sleeve.

Outside the window, waves crashed against stone. Salty air sprayed through the small sliver of her window, bringing with it the heavy scent of the sea. Far away, thunder rumbled, deep and ominous.

The ocean was the only sound. There was no city, no people. No civilization.

A pit opened in Saedii's stomach. "Where are we?"

"You must be thirsty," he said hastily. He pointed to a jug near her bed. "There's water there –"

"Kalth, where did you take me?"

His expression hardened at the steel in her tone. He looked at her unflinchingly. "We are at Fortress Inquisitorious. The headquarters of the Inquisitors."

No.

She was a prisoner of the Inquisitors. At the mercy of individuals like Pong Krell and the mysterious Darth Vader.

There wouldn't be any chance of escape. No possibility of rescue. Even if Hunter and the others knew where she was, they would never risk invading the Inquisitors' headquarters.

Unconsciously, Saedii reached for the necklace at her throat. Gripped the stone so hard that the leather groaned.

It was worse than death. They would torture her. Hurt her. Make her reveal secrets of the Rebellion. Hunter and the others would never know what happened to her. The thought made her dizzy and she collapsed down onto her knees.

Kalth's hand twitched up, like he wanted to help her. But the door remained firmly in place.

"Why did you take me?" Saedii's voice was a whisper.

"I had no choice," he said, and for the first time since she'd seen him in Inquisitor black, he sounded his age. "It was either kill you or bring you here."

"Bring me here for what?"

His silence was answer enough.

She shook her head. "No. No, I won't join you. I'll never be an Inquisitor."

"You will," he insisted. "You won't have a choice."

Saedii glared at him. "I'd rather die."

"And I won't let that happen." His eyes hardened. Two chips of ice with little warmth.

Kalth's vehemence was almost as dizzying as the knowledge that he'd brought her here. Only weeks before, he'd been bragging about her death. Boasting about all the terrible and gruesome ways that he would kill her. But now he wanted her alive.

"Why? Why didn't you just kill me?" she challenged.

His jaw ground and one of his hands balled into a fist. He turned a sharpened look towards the ground. "I don't know."

"It was a waste of time bringing me here. I'll never serve the Empire," Saedii insisted. "You should have just killed me."

That was the wrong thing to say. His expression grew so cold that any trace of the boy she'd known disappeared, replaced by the mantle of the Inquisitor. When he looked at her, he was no longer a friend but an enemy.

"The Grand Inquisitor is on his way. I suggest you cooperate with his demands. He will not tolerate disobedience," Kalth said with little emotion.

The Grand Inquisitor.

Krell.

It took everything Saedii had to keep her fear far below the surface. To keep the neutral expression on her face even as panic tightened around her chest.

She must not have done a good job. Kalth's eyes traced her face, taking in the rush of emotion that she couldn't hide. His lips thinned at the sight and he looked away.

Low under his breath, he added, "Krell wants you dead. Don't provoke him. I won't be able to protect you again."

He thought he was protecting her? By bringing her here?

This was not compassion. It was a fate worse than death. When she refused Krell, he would find some terrible way to end her life. To make her suffer. Kalth could have ended it with a quick strike of his lightsaber.

The hiss of an opening door made both Saedii and Kalth freeze. Slowly, Kalth turned to his left, sliding into a sharp salute as stomping footsteps scraped along the stone floor.

"Hello, little Padawan," a deep grating voice said.

Pong Krell appeared in the doorway. Somehow, he was even bigger than he'd been in her nightmares, standing there in his Inquisitor blacks. At his belt, his two double-bladed lightsabers hung like a threat. Saedii remembered only too well just how sharp their bite could be.

At the sight of his face, Saedii's carefully composed expression nearly slipped. A gruesome white scar split through his left eye, cutting down his eyebrow and into his cheek. His yellow eye had become an inhuman shade of silver – similar to Wolffe's.

Crosshair's shot. He'd blinded him.

A sudden surge of pride filled her. Crosshair – a Clone, someone that Krell looked down on – had landed a devastating blow to the Grand Inquisitor. Had scarred him.

"It's Jedi Knight now," Saedii replied, getting to her feet. She met his gaze. "I promoted myself."

"Did you?"

"Yes. To celebrate my victory on Kamino."

A blistering smile split Krell's face. "Victory, huh?" he asked, looking pointedly at her metal arm.

Throughout this exchange, Kalth's expression remained blank. He kept a respectful distance, standing several steps behind Krell. His gaze on Saedii was burning – a silent reminder to behave.

"I have to admit – you've surprised me. Not only did you cheat death on Kamino, but on Serenno and Hareth as well. Two of my best Inquisitors couldn't bring you down," Krell said thoughtfully.

Saedii gave a mocking little smile. "Maybe your Inquisitors aren't as good as you think they are."

"That is a thought shared by my master as well."

At the mention of Darth Vader, something cold skipped down her spine. It was all she could do not to shiver. Not to show emotion.

"For some reason, my master has decided you will join us. He has personally selected you to join our ranks, at the behest of our Sixth Brother." Krell's voice grew bitter at the last part. The look he turned in Kalth's direction was dark.

For his part, Kalth kept his gaze purposefully forward.

"Apparently, your fortunate victories have convinced him that you have skills that we need. A sentiment that I do not share, but will abide," Krell finished.

"I won't join you," Saedii said at once.

"Your refusal will mean death."

"Then so be it."

Kalth closed his eyes and gave a little shake of his head.

Krell smiled – a sight that turned Saedii's stomach. "My apologies. Perhaps I should have specified. Your refusal will mean death...but not your own."

Every muscle locked into place. Only her eyes moved as she watched Krell reach onto his belt, pulling out a holopad. With a few quick taps, he turned the screen in her direction, showing another small jail cell.

Any small control that Saedii had on her emotions crumbled.

In the cell was Omega.

She was sitting on a little bed beneath a window. From the way the sun was positioned, she had to be in a different time zone – or a different planet if the greenish light filtering across her bed was any indication. Plain grey clothes replaced the ones she'd last been wearing and a faint purple bruise discolored the ridge of her cheek.

No. No, the Batch got away. She'd heard them. How had they been able to capture Omega?

And where were the rest of the Batch? They weren't...they couldn't be...

"Surprised?" Krell asked lightly. "Turns out you don't have as many friends as you believe. The Empire was alerted to your Clone friends on Ord Mantell by an old Republic contact by the name of Ciddarin Scaleback."

Cid.

She'd sold them out.

"With help from Dr. Hemlock, your young Clone friend was apprehended and taken to a place far, far from here. A place that is heavily guarded and manned by a loyal Inquisitor, who will oversee the Clone's every move."

Rage like nothing Saedii had ever felt filled her core. She glared at Krell. "If you hurt her –"

"That, little Padawan, depends on you." Without looking, Krell handed the holopad behind him to Kalth.

Kalth accepted it in silence. He wouldn't meet Saedii's eye as he clipped it onto his own belt.

"Darth Vader has determined you will serve as an Inquisitor, but has put your training and obedience in my hands," Krell explained gleefully. Reveling in the hatred that glittered in Saedii's eyes. "I have been given leave to use whatever means necessary to bring you to heel."

Whatever means necessary.

Saedii's mind went dark, imagining all kinds of terrible things once again. Torture and pain and disfigurement. Only this time, these things weren't happening to her, but to Omega.

She would do anything to make sure that didn't happen.

"Any disobedience on your part will result in punishment for your young friend. Severe punishment," Krell said. "Your failure will be her pain."

"No," Saedii begged, but he ignored her.

"And your death will result in her death."

The strength she'd found to stand face-to-face with him disappeared. She sank to her knees, feeling helpless.

Omega was at the Empire's mercy. And if Saedii didn't cooperate – or worse, if she died – then Omega would face the consequences.

It was worse than Saedii ever could have imagined. If it had just been her own fate, she could have resisted. Accepted death in the face of serving the Empire. But she would not gamble with Omega's life.

The smile that curled Krell's face was vicious. He leaned in closer, gloating down on her. "I will be serving as your new Master. You will answer to me. Obey me. And in return, I will train you to take up your new mantel...if you pass initiation, that is."

Saedii didn't dare speak. Hardly breathed. She was afraid that any word in rebellion would result in Omega being harmed.

"And make no mistake," Krell said, voice dropping dangerously low. "I will be doing everything in my power to ensure you fail."

Of course he would. He'd seen how close Omega and Saedii were. Had seen both of them risk their lives for each other on Kamino. By holding Omega over her, he knew he had virtually unlimited power over Saedii. There wasn't anything Saedii wouldn't do to keep her safe.

This was their plan then. To make Saedii serve the Empire through force. To make her break every vow she'd taken as a Jedi. To go against the very code she had devoted her life to uphold.

This would destroy her, body and soul.

Krell knew this, too. He smiled at the look of defeat that crept into Saedii's eyes. "You have the rest of the night to gather your strength. Tomorrow, your training begins."

Kalth's head whipped up. "Lord Vader said –"

"Lord Vader isn't here, and she's under my control now. I decide when she's ready to train."

"But she's still injured."

Satisfaction glittered in his yellow eye. "Then she'd better be careful. She wouldn't want to fail now, would she?"

The threat was there, carefully veiled. Even her injury would not excuse her failure. Omega would suffer the consequences either way.

Saedii lowered her head in defeat.

Krell was grinning as he left. His cruel glee billowed into the Force like smoke, smothering her. Choking her.

Once the harsh sound of the slamming door filled the hallway, Saedii let out a little sound as tears stung her cheeks. Knowing that Omega's fate rested on her shoulders was worse than being a prisoner. She'd have to be perfect. Obedient.

Beyond the door, Kalth was a statue. Saedii refused to look at him, but she could feel his gaze on her. Feel the weight of his eyes.

Quietly, he divulged, "The other Clones escaped. Your friends are still alive."

That wasn't enough to get Saedii to look at him. They were in this mess because of him. If he'd just killed her on Eriadu, none of this would have happened. Omega and the Batch would be safe.

She would never forgive him.

"My contacts tell me they escaped Ord Mantell and have gone into hiding –"

"Leave."

Kalth paused. Frowned.

Saedii glowered up at him, tears glistening on her cheeks. "Leave. I don't want to look at you."

His face contorted with anger – and regret. And perhaps something else, too.

Guilt.

"I just thought you'd want to know." Kalth took a step back. Another.

Then, without another word, he turned and followed Krell down the hallway.

As soon as he was gone, Saedii folded in on herself, hugging her arms around her chest. Trying to hold herself together just as she felt like she was splintering apart.

She was a prisoner – trapped in an Empire stronghold at the mercy of enemies. The Batch couldn't help her. And she couldn't help herself – not if she didn't want Omega to be hurt.

Under duress, she'd take up the mantel of the Empire. Become the thing she hated most in order to save one of the only people left that she loved.

Saedii felt as a part of her cracked and died. Withering away under the dread of what she'd be forced to become. Of what she'd be forced to do.

Anakin and the others had been wrong. Order 66, losing her arm – it all paled in comparison to this.

Her greatest trial was yet to come.