Our ship cut through Yavin 4's thick atmosphere, sunlight streaking across the viewport as I felt the familiar pull of actual gravity return while I guided the ship toward our landing pad. After spending weeks amongst the cold durasteel corridors and then boarding a ghost ship where droids wanted to kill us, returning home where it was this green felt like stepping into another world entirely. As usual, the air was warm and humid as I read the data coming from the sensors, the moon entering something akin to summer on a regular planet. In the distance, the towering Massassi temples loomed on the horizon, amongst them the Jedi Temple, the academy for us, something that was now more my home than where I was actually born.
Taking a final lap around the Temple, our ship finally touched down on the landing pad; Master wasted no time. He took the ancient droid head, tucked it safely inside a containment case, and turned to me with a firm nod.
"I am going to bring this to my Father first, then to the Masters. They'll want a full report on what happened aboard the Venator anyway, so be ready for a meeting later on."
"Yes." I nodded as I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled. "You think they'll let me sit in on the debrief? Or will they only call me in after it ends?"
"You will probably only be summoned after we come to a decision," Ben said with a small smile. "Don't worry, you did well, Kael. Get some rest—you earned it." With that, he strode off toward the Temple, leaving me standing at the foot of the shuttle ramp, rolling my shoulders. It was good to be back.
Not five seconds later, barely leaving the ramp behind me, a familiar voice rang through the humid jungle air.
"Took you long enough!"
I scarcely had time to turn before Vila collided with me, her arms wrapping around my shoulders in a fierce hug. I only saw a blur of purple before she was already on me, bringing the scent of warm spice and ozone with her... likely from her saber training. Why am I not surprised? Knowing her, that routine had probably been relentlessly followed even when she was on a mission. Caught off guard, I let out a surprised laugh before returning the friendly hug. It had been over a year since I had last seen her, and yet, the second she was there, it felt like no time had passed at all.
"Huh..." She pulled back, eyes scanning me with scrutiny, measuring me from top to bottom. "You got taller." She muttered, only reaching up to my chest.
"So did you," I shot back, only to realize just how much she, too, had changed. Vila had always been athletic, but now, she carried herself with a visible confidence that hadn't been there before. Her lekku, longer than I remembered, rested over her bare shoulders; their natural markings were now darker and striking against her vibrant purple skin. Her eyes still held the same fire that I was used to, but there was an additional sharpness to them while she fixed up her training top and shorts around her slim, athletic frame.
"You smell of battle. Did something happen?" She grinned, flashing sharp canines at me. "You need to tell me about who was stupid enough to go after you and Master Skywalker. Was it some Sith? I knew you were too stubborn to die before you asked if I was worried or not!"
"Me smelling of battle?" I smirked. "That's funny; I was just about to say the same about you. Who were you bullying now to train with you? Jalo?"
"No, he is not back yet." Vila's expression softened slightly, something flickering in her gaze. "I was fighting against training droids... you know, they are not the same... I missed our duels."
"Heh..." I felt warmth spread through my chest, patting her shoulders. "Yeah. Me too."
"Come!" She said, pulling on my hand, "Tell me what happened!"
"Sure, sure," I nodded as we fell into step together as we walked toward the training grounds. That's it for going to rest, huh? I should have guessed.
For a brief moment, the jungle sounds filled the silence between us, but it wasn't awkward—just comfortable. I listened to how the birds chirped in the canopy above us, and the distant roar of a Massassi predator echoed through the trees. Maybe I was way too silent... So, finally, Vila nudged me with her elbow.
"So? You gonna tell me what you've been up to, or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?"
"Sorry. I got lost in nostalgia," I chuckled, shaking my head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Oh, please," she scoffed. "I've been training with my Master all year. You barely know half of it! Try me."
"Ghosts."
"What?" She flinched, stopping, almost stumbling as she looked at me with widening eyes, her mouth falling open. "G-g-g-ghost?!"
"Kinda." I laughed, making her pout, realizing it wasn't actual ghosts.
So, I told her about the derelict Venator star destroyer, the droids aboard it, and the mysterious head unit that I recovered. I also told her about the eerie sense of wrongness aboard the ship and how I had barely made it out before the entire vessel crashed into a moon. Vila listened intently, her eyes narrowing in thought.
"So… you're telling me you brought back the head of some thousand-year-old assassin droid that remote-controls other droids like a parasite?"
"I don't know if it is that old. Those memories I scanned may be glitches in its damaged systems."
"Or you found an actual Sith relic." She warned me.
"When you put it like that, it sounds bad."
"It is bad."
"Better to have it here than out in the open," I muttered, making her cross her arms and nod.
"True."
"And what is this Sith fixation?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you run into some?"
"No." She shrugged. "I hoped I would, but no, we didn't. There were some rumors of 'Dark Jedi' emerging from their hidden hidey-hole that Master and I tried to track down, but there is nothing concrete yet."
"I asked Master about it." I sighed a little. "He only told me that they know the general location where they are, in which sector of the Galaxy, but... Nothing more."
"Maybe the droid head will give us answers!" She guessed, making me think about it.
"Who knows!" I shrugged, shaking my head, "Well, Master is handling it now, so I guess we'll find out soon enough if it's a disaster or a useful asset."
"Fighting old battle droids..." Vila crossed her arms. "Tsk... I would've had your back. Too bad we weren't even in the vicinity to drop in."
"I know you would have enjoyed that fight," I said jokingly while she tilted her head to the right.
"Most likely," She said as she studied me for a moment before shaking her head and grinning. "Well, if you're still standing, I suppose that means you haven't gotten soft. How about we find out?"
"I knew it..." I moaned, looking around the training field, which was filled with a new batch of Padawans whom I had missed meeting when they were brought here. "You're not going to just let me head to my room and rest, are you?"
"Obviously." She nodded, sticking her tongue out.
"Figures," I smirked and gestured to the training area ahead. "Alright. Just don't cry when I win."
"That is some prideful bravado!" Vila laughed happily, "Oh, you're in for it, Kael."
The dueling ring she brought me to was empty, and the usual sounds of Padawans sparring were absent as everyone stopped training, probably looking at us. Shutting any external noise and distraction out, I ignited my lightsaber, its slightly pinkish-blue glow illuminating the space around me. Vila drew hers at the exact same time, a deep orange blade humming with powerful energy, just like she was.
We circled each other for a few moments, the air thick with anticipation as we began feeling the other out, registering the slightest twitch in our muscles. The duel was already on, and just as two predators, we were waiting for the other's opening move to counter it. Honestly, I expected her to launch into her usual aggressive Ataru form from the get-go, leaping and flipping with relentless speed to dictate the flow of our battle. But instead, she did something unexpected.
She ignited a second, slightly shorter, orange lightsaber.
"Oh?" I blinked my eyes, slightly surprised. "You're dual-wielding now?"
"I am still training with it." Vila's smirk widened. "This will be my first actual test using it."
And then she finally attacked.
Her movements were faster than before—fluid, even more unpredictable. However, where before she had relied on powerful, singular strikes, now she weaved between offense and defense effortlessly, her two sabers working in tandem to pressure me. I barely managed to deflect her rapid slashes, stepping back as she forced me onto the defensive, my lone blade having to work twice as hard to keep her from getting through my form.
"You've been training hard," I admitted, shifting my stance multiple times to counter her new style and keep up with her increased speed.
"Of course," Vila said between strikes. "You think I was just gonna wait around for you to catch up? I am aiming to lap you, Kael!"
Hearing her say that, I smirked and went on the offensive when I finally got her rythm down. My now advanced Makashi form gave me exceptional precision as I maneuvered through her whirlwind of attacks. I sidestepped a particularly aggressive lunge from her, twisting my saber in a quick counterstrike—but Vila's instincts were ready for it. Without looking, she parried smoothly and flipped over me, landing gracefully at my back before coming at me again.
Of course, it wasn't just she who was letting her body be guided by the Force because I was already countering her before she had a chance to win our duel.
The match was fast, intense, and exhilarating. It's so different from blocking blaster bolts. Maybe I feel like it because I am using Makashi, but... I never found using my lightsaber either necessary or exciting when I was traveling with Ben. Only when I was dueling against her... Only now did I feel I really improved and became better! Master already told me that it is best if our lightsabers remain on our belts and that... That I should be careful about what I wish for. Fighting another lightsaber user is not the same as training.
Still, this was... Enjoyable. Pushing my Master's warnings away, though, I refocused on my current duel. Neither of us was holding back, but neither of us was gaining the upper hand at all. Vila's new form was a challenge, but I had improved, too, and my control and footwork were sharper than before.
Just as I was about to test a new feint, a voice cut through the sparring.
"Kael!"
Both Vila and I froze mid-motion, turning to see Ben standing at the edge of the ring. His expression was surprisingly serious.
"Yes?" I asked as I lowered my saber. "Master?"
"..." Ben's gaze flickered to Vila, apologizing for interrupting us, then back to me. "We need to talk. Now."
"Haaah..." Vila huffed, deactivating her sabers. "Figures."
"Sorry," I sighed, too, glancing at her. "We'll finish this later?"
"Heh!" She smirked. "Count on it."
With a nod, wiping the sweat from my forehead, I followed Ben out of the training grounds, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was coming next… was not planned. Not by my Master, anyway.