Mygeeto

Year: 19 BBY

Location: Mygeeto

Mygeeto is a frigid Outer Rim world, aligned with the InterGalactic Banking Clan, which the Republic's Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine absorbed into his administration after a series of shakeups in the Banking Clan's leadership. Now, the Confederacy has set its sights on Mygeeto with General Grievous bringing a group of the Separatist Droid Army to the world. 

Jedi Master Billaba has been tasked with dealing with this problem. Caleb accompanies his Master and her battalion to the war-torn Mygeeto. They land in LAAT/i gunships to clear the Southern Mesas of Separatist battle droids. Caleb has acquired a set of Clone armour, which he has adapted to fit his size. He was even gifted with one of their helmets. He is not as tall as the clones, but is tall for his age. 

[Picture]

Master Billaba thought it was amusing and allowed it. The armour is not standard Jedi equipment, but it is alright. She also understands that Caleb has gotten rather close with the men under her, and that's something she believes is a good development. Billaba knew that he was rather isolated and only spoke with Ahsoka Tano or Master Baas, and no one else. The young Gungi only became his friend a few months ago. 

"General Billaba, I've taken the liberty of deploying most of the battalion. Remo, Soot, Big-Mouth, Mixx and Kaylon are all leading squads. The new addition allows us to spread further and take on the Separatist forces from more sides," Commander Grey says. 

"Good work, Commander Grey," Billaba praises. 

"I'll take the rest of these men with me. Captain Styles can accompany you and the kids," he says. 

"Kids?!" 

"Heh, c'mon, kid, don't get mad at Grey. Besides, the armour suits you. Nice touch!"

"Thanks. I thought it would fit. Glad you like it," Caleb says. 

"Very well, let's get to work," Billaba says. 

She, Caleb, Captain Styles and the CT-1157, now named Stance, walk forward to clear the mesa in front of them. Even with the increase of their numbers, the Republic forces are drastically outnumbered. They face B1 battle droids and NR-N99 Persuader-class droid enforcers. Seeing them approach, both Depa Billaba and Caleb charge forward, going into the offensive. They move through the fire, dodging and cutting apart the droids. Caleb's learning curve is steep, and he is experiencing growth at a faster rate than ever before. As challenges arise, he pushes through them. 

Billaba deflects a blaster shot and attacks the battle droid. She jumps over it, dropping her robe on top of it and blocking its sight. She lands behind it and swings her lightsaber through it, destroying it. Seeing this, Caleb is confused. 

"Was that necessary, Master? Your robes...?"

"Sacrificed for the greater good," Billaba says. 

"Well, as far as sacrifices go..."

"Indeed, my young Padawan. But remember, Padawan, not all sacrifice is as easy to dismiss as this."

"I understand, Master."

"Do you? There will be loss - inevitable loss, painful loss. But that must not prevent the true Jedi from taking risks... from surrendering oneself to a higher purpose," Billaba touches Caleb's shoulder lightly. 

Right after Master Billaba says that, the Force reveals a vision to Caleb. A flash, an image, a single moment. But as fast as it arrived, it is gone again. Caleb touches his chest in pain, great pain. He doesn't quite understand what he saw, despite his mind having captured it perfectly. He sees his Master, shouting at him and a clone behind her. And all he has is the pain. Billaba touches his shoulder and looks at him in concern. 

"Is everything alright, Caleb?" she asks. 

"I think... I just had a vision. I'm not sure about what, but I think it is about that loss you just told me about."

"Calm yourself, Caleb. You need to learn to let go of attachments. Even if I should die, which one day will happen, you must remember my words. Remember what I told you."

"I will, Master."

Once again, Caleb senses the attack coming. 

"Incoming!" he shouts. 

*BOOOM*

Two rockets impact the bridge they are walking on and blow much of it away, leaving Billaba, Caleb, Styles, and Stance stranded on top of a pillar. 

"We're cut off!" Stance says. 

"Yeah, well, unfortunately, that ain't the real problem, kid," Captain Styles says, looking down the pillar. 

Thousands of battle droids are climbing up the pillar, looking like ants. Master Billaba realises how much trouble and danger they are in and takes out her commlink. 

"Billaba to Commander Grey. We need extraction. Fast," she says. 

[Roger that. Locked on your signal, General. E.T.A. Four minutes.]

Caleb's mentality of a perfect warrior with the unyielding willpower to tackle any challenge, no matter how impossible, has set in right away. He doesn't concern himself with whether they can make it through the four minutes, as that's inconsequential right now. All that matters is the moment. 

"Four quadrants, now!" Billaba orders. "Don't let any achieve the summit! Not one!"

Billaba uses the Force to push the rapidly climbing battle droids off, while both Captain Styles and Stance fire their blasters. Caleb does the same, for a moment. He uses the Force and sends dozens of droids flying into the air. But instead of allowing them to fall, he grabs them and holds them in the air. He has his lightsaber secured at his waist and uses his second hand to push off more droids. He has already seen the best way to get through this. 

Grabbing hold of the additional 20 droids, Caleb starts to move them around the pillar on which they are standing. He has the droids crash into those who are climbing higher and adds them to the pile, which he controls. After a few seconds, he has completed a full rotation and repeats the process. He feels how the task is heavy on his mind, but doesn't care. He repeats the process again, increasing the speed at which the droids rotate. 

Seeing this, Billaba understands that her little strategist might have found the best way to achieve victory... again. He uses her left hand and starts to help Caleb in his endeavour, increasing the speed and adding more broken droids to the pile. The number of droids which make it on the platform starts to decrease drastically, and after a full two minutes, none make it anymore. 

"Commander Grey?"

[Two minutes]

Billaba turns off her lightsaber and places it on her waist as well, using her full attention to support her Padawan. Combined, the Master and apprentice increase the speed of the metal ball further, turning it into a ring, of sorts, through sheer speed. This creates an impenetrable wall that the droids are incapable of bypassing. As it turns out, they don't need to hold out an additional two minutes because the Jedi and clones are aided by the Mandalorian Protector Fenn Rau and his Skull Squadron.

[Skull Squadron to General Billaba, allow us to aid you.]

The Mandalorian starfighters take out the remaining battle droids who are still climbing and end the assault for them. 

"The assistance is much appreciated, Skull Leader," Billaba says into her comms. 

[Name's Fenn Rau, General. And Skull Squadron is happy to demonstrate that not all Mandalorians have forgotten their honour and obligations.]

After they completed their support, the Skull Squadron shoots off again. Caleb takes a deep breath after he lets go of the large pile of droids he has been moving around. He pulls a few of them close to him and touches a B1 battle droid's head. He has learned about many different Force abilities and techniques by studying under Master Baas and exploring the Tredyn Holocron. That's why he knows about the ability called "mechu-deru." 

Mechu-deru is a Dark Side Force power that grants the user an intuitive understanding of mechanical systems. It was invented by the Sith and allows its practitioners to exert their influence over inanimate and robotic constructs. Through mechu-deru, mechanical structures can be bound to the will of the user and imbued with the power of the Force itself. Some Sith could also turn those mechanical constructs alive, but that is going too far, in Caleb's mind. He does ask himself whether it would be possible to deactivate the battle droids by connecting to the Central Command Signal and shutting them all off. 

"Caleb, come."

"Yes, Master."

Caleb drops the droid after trying to connect with it. He boards the gunship. 

"That was impressive, young Padawan. You stayed calm and used the Force to guide you. I'm impressed," Billaba praises. 

"Thank you, Master."

"Although it seemed like they were ready for us," Styles says. 

"Indeed, the attack was surprisingly elaborate. It bears further study," Billaba says pensively. 

They land at the base camp and exit the gunship. For the second time today, Caleb's senses scream at him. He reacts instinctively and pulls the clones away from the gunship, which explodes a second later. The blast sends Caleb flying through the air, since he used the moment to push the others away. He hits the ground, but rolls off the ground and manages to stand again. 

"Stance, watch out!" he shouts, seeing the attack. 

"Don't worry, Caleb, I go- AAAAHHH!" Stance shouts in pain as he is shot from behind. 

"STANCE!" Caleb shouts and rushes forward, catching the clone before he falls to the ground. 

"Stance..."

"He's dead. And you're next, Jedi."

Caleb looks up and sees a Kage warrior looming above him, holding an electro sword in one hand and a flamethrower in the other. 

"Stay your hand, Kage Warrior. If you wish to face a Jedi-" Billaba is interrupted by a voice she knows well and which she didn't want to hear again so soon. 

{Leave them be, Billaba. You have problems of your own.}

The raspy voice of General Grievous sounds through the air as he ignites his four lightsabers and towers over Billaba. Caleb, however, is looking at Stance and experiences something he hasn't yet—the feeling of loss and failure. He pushed them out of the blast zone, only to be too far away when he was killed. It is not logical for him to think this, and he knows that, but he still experiences great pain and sadness. But not only that... also anger. 

"Now, young Jedi. Prepare for your execution," the Kage Warrior declares. 

Caleb turns to look at the man. A dense fog rolls over Mygeeto, as a dark haze of anger manifests in the form of dread for the Kage Warrior. The Essence of the Warrior enables Caleb to function correctly, regardless of the pain, and that includes emotional pain. But he is furious right now. He charges forward, his lightsaber ignited and attacks the Kage Warrior. 

The warrior reacts quickly and aims the flamethrower at Caleb, shooting fire at him. Caleb dodges the fire and twirls in the air, slashing his lightsaber through the electro sword of the Kage Warrior. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the warrior and knows how to go about this fight. He feels the anger connect to the darkness, which tries to cloud his mind and make him act impulsively and sinisterly. But the whispers are shut off in the very instance they emerge, since Caleb is far too strong mentally and spiritually for such a thing. 

He uses the Force to block a wave of fire and then grabs hold of the Kage Warrior, pulling him towards him. Realising what is happening, the warrior aims his flamethrower at the young Padawan, who reacts right away. He charges forward, using Force Speed and slashes through the air, cutting off the man's arm, which holds the flamethrower. 

"ARRGH!"

Caleb takes a deep breath and calms his mind. He understands that he must have made first contact, or at least seen the edge of the Dark Side of the Force. This is not a moment for him to experiment, so he calms himself. He didn't give in and kill the warrior. 

"I offer you mercy, Kage Warrior," Caleb says, pointing his lightsaber at the man. 

"Urgh... my name... for the record... is Coburn Sear... of Quarzite... I am a-"

Caleb lifts a piece of metal with the Force and knocks the man out before he can commit suicide. He turns around and sees his Master Billaba engaged in a fierce battle against General Grievous.