Cain left the meeting hall with the others trailing behind him, the echoes of voices and shifting robes fading into the half-repaired corridors of the ancient Tython temple. The air here always carried a powerful smell, old stone warmed by sunlight and fresh air from the outside coming in to the temple.
It should have felt peaceful, but Cain's nerves were still on fire. The wounds and scars from the fight haven't healed. The void and the voice still cling to the back of his mind. Not to mention his eye. He was blind and not blind at the same time. But it still throbbed like hell.
Cain was halfway down the corridor when he heard someone call out. "Excuse me, are you Cain?"
He didn't recognize the voice at first. Then he felt a presence slip into his new blind spot, left side, too close, and too sudden. Cain's body reacted automatically. His shoulders tightened, his feet and waist shifted, his right hand twitching toward his saber would be if he weren't trying to not cut down a civilian unknowingly.
Cain turned sharply, and there stood a young Twi'lek man stood there, his hands raised slightly in apology. He had light orange skin. Lekku tucked behind him. A simple dress robe, clean and pressed, but Cain could tell this guy had a hidden weapon on him. But after searching his intentions he could feel the boy meant him no harm.
The Twi'lek's eyes widened when he saw Cain's reaction. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to surprise you like that."
Cain exhaled, tension easing out of his body. "No your fine. That's… on me. I'm dealing with this new thing." His fingers gestured towards his eyepatch briefly. " So don't worry about it, how can I help you?"
Cain studied the young boy more closely. He looked… young. Not much older than Cain, if older at all. He looked familiar, if this was who Cain thought it was then, this is Cham Syndulla. That means Hera is probably an infant… Why didn't Josa say anything, if she knew?
Cain straightened, offering a small, respectful nod. "You must be Cham Syndulla."
Cham blinked, surprised Cain knew his name. "Yes. So you are Cain. Nice to meet you."
Cham shifted his stance, more serious now. "The elders said some Jedi wanted to speak with me. They said it was urgent. Something about migration… about my people possibly relocating to Tython, with our own land as long as we abide by the Jedi rules." His lekku twitched faintly.
"I came as fast as I could. But… why me? Why talk to me, and not them?"
Cain's expression softened, and he gestured to Cham. "Follow me."
He led Cham down a side corridor that opened into one of the temple's newly reclaimed gardens. It had once been overgrown ruins. Now there was order and life returning to the area. Fresh soil, carefully planted tree's, a zen garden, and a small pond fed by a narrow stream that wound down from the hills.
Younglings and padawans sat in clusters beneath shade, practicing meditation while a Jedi Knight watched quietly, with gentle words guiding them through the lesson. Cham took everything in with cautious awe, eyes moving from the pond's shimmering surface to the ancient stone walls around them.
Cain stopped near the water, just far enough from the meditating students that their voices wouldn't carry. "First," Cain said, "we're not the Jedi you know."
Cham frowned. "What does that mean?"
Cain looked out over the pond, watching sunlight flicker between leaves. "The separated from old Order, we are currently going to change in the coming years. We have have to evolve, we can't just be Jedi of old. We cannot just be mystical monks, warriors, or leaders, and we cannot be tools for others. We have to become something more. Something closer to what the Jedi were meant to be."
Cham's brow furrowed deeper. "And what does that have to do with my people?"
Cain turned to him, his hands folded behind his back, his voice calm but his presence . "The Twi'leks have never had it easy. Never completely having a place to yourselves, before, slavers like the Sith of old or now Hutts, among others exploit you. The corruption, and the Republic looking away. Even the Jedi… doing what they could, but never enough if you could call it that." He paused. "And still, your people endure. You persevere. You survive the things that would break others."
Cham's eyes hardened at the truth of it. "We don't have a choice."
"Sometimes," Cain said quietly, "not having a choice is what forges you into something stronger than the galaxy expects, and for what we are building, we can use people like that."
Cham didn't speak. He just watched Cain closely. Cain inhaled slowly. "The Force showed me visions. Not a grand prophecy, or something dramatic. More like giving me a direction towards you."
Cham blinked. "The Force showed you… me?"
"Yes," Cain answered simply. "It showed me that you will become a great leader of your people. That you'll lead them through hard times that are coming to the galaxy and your people."
Cham let out a breath that sounded half laugh, half disbelief. "Me? I'm not anyone special."
Cain stepped closer and placed a steady hand on Cham's shoulder. "Not everyone is born special. Some people answer the call, and become special because they stand up when others won't."
Cham's eyes flickered, something shifting in them—fear, responsibility, and hope all tangled together.
Cain withdrew his hand. "I'm not saying you have to bring your people here now. Tython is an option. Not a future refuge, but a place where Twi'leks can build without chains around their throats. Make it your own, and know your neighbors will help protect you, and you protect them. Keep your culture and share it, just know we plan on settling on many planets. So you will have options in the future."
Cham swallowed. "What do you want from me, then?"
Cain's mouth curved into a small smile, but his eye stayed serious. "Soon, we'll be forming a new government, with many of the planets from the outer and inner rim. And we'll be establishing a military as well. Something that will protect the people when the time calls."
Cham stiffened. "A new government. A new military." His voice sharpened with alarm. "That invites trouble from the entire galaxy, especially from the Republic."
Cain's fingers drifted to his eyepatch again, rubbing the edge of his scare as his mind flashed back to the void. The cold eerie voice, and the flashes of visions, and what Mother Talzin told him. And that whispering presence promising love like a threat.
His voice lowered. "Danger will always going to come. Whether we invite it or not." He looked Cham dead in the eye. "I just want to be ready when it tries to kick my door down… so I can protect the ones I love."
Cham stared for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "That's… an admirable goal."
Cain's smile softened. "I want you to be part of the first batch of officer candidates, for the military. Training in how to lead and protect others."
Cham's eyes widened. "Officer training… me?"
"You," Cain said firmly. "You have the spine and will for it, and you have the heart. That combination is rare."
Cham looked away, jaw tight. "I'll tell my people. But I need time to think on this. This is… a lot."
"Of course," Cain said. "Take your time. We won't be truly ready to start for at least a year or two."
Cham turned back, and the two clasped hands.
Later, Cain walked into the medbay. Anakin sat back in a chair, posture stiff but trying to look relaxed, his right sleeve rolled and bandaged where the new arm would attach. His eyes tracked every movement of the person working in front of him.
Josa sat on a stool, round goggles over her eyes, tongue slightly out in concentration as she tinkered away at the prosthetic laid open on her work surface.
For once, she wasn't talking. That alone told Cain how serious the job was.
Anakin noticed Cain first. "Welcome back."
Cain's mouth lifted slightly. "How's it going?"
Anakin shrugged with one shoulder. "You missed Mom earlier. She came by crying and worrying like crazy. She gave me a real earful" His expression tightened. " But I don't want to do that to her again. Obi-wan was right."
Cain's smile faded into something steadier. "Then well get a lot stronger and wiser. So we come back in one piece. That way your mom won't have anything to worry about."
Anakin nodded once, slow. "Agreed."
Cain glanced at the half-finished arm.
Anakin asked. "How'd the talk go?
Cain stood over Josa as she worked. "Fine. Cham will let his people know." He leaned his hip against the wall. "Now we just keep track of everyone coming to the planet. And we need an orbital watch station eventually."
Anakin's eyebrows rose. "That sounds expensive."
Cain nodded. "And it'll take years."
Josa suddenly sat upright, pushing her goggles up onto her forehead with a dramatic flourish.
"Ta-daa!" she announced.
Then she looked up and froze, spotting Cain. "Oh—little Sephi boy! When did you get here?"
Cain smirked. "Just now."
Josa gestured proudly to the arm.
It was sleek, practical, design with a black-and-gold finish, joint seams hidden cleanly, with subtle reinforced ridges along the forearm and bicep like armor plating without bulk.
Anakin stared like a kid seeing a new starship for the first time.
"It looks… incredible."
Josa puffed her cheeks with pride. "Of course it does, I designed it. I used a small mixture of phrik and high-grade cortosis. I Balanced the weight so it doesn't feel like you're dragging a durasteel pipe around when you use a lightsaber. And the finish?" She tapped the plating. "Black and gold. Stylish, but I can put on some synthetic skin it you want. But with this baby Now no Jedi or Sith is cutting this baby off, with those little laser swords." Josa said as she was making lightsaber sounds.
Anakin's eyes widened. "Cortosis and phrik? That's...."
"...expensive," Cain finished dryly, as he sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Josa pointed a tool at him. "Don't start sephi boy. You agreed to my prices and my materials. By the way he will need adjustments throughout the years as he grows, so either bring me some materials or pay for me to buy it." Josa said with a wide smile.
Anakin flexed his shoulder slightly, nervous. "So… what now?"
Josa looked to Cain. "Mind helping me implant it?"
Cain nodded. "Yeah."
For the next thirty minutes, the medbay was filled with precise work, sterile instruments, a low hum of medical tech, the careful calibration of nerve interfaces.
Anakin gritted his teeth through the connection process, jaw locked as the arm's internal systems synced.
Josa worked like a woman possessed, hands steady. He lekku behind her back, her movements sharp, eyes blazing with focus behind her goggles. Finally, she leaned back, wiping sweat off her brow with the back of her wrist.
"All done. Ths Twi'lek girl can use a drink," she declared. "Please tell me that town nearby has a cantina."
Cain nodded. "First drink's on me. I also need to talk to you about some other projects, I want to hire you for."
Josa's grin turned sly. "Hey, as long as you got the credits, I'm your lady, builder, I mean." She wagged a finger at Cain. "Turn twenty-one, then we can talk about other stuff." She said with a wink at Cain.
Anakin made a gagging noise. "Please don't."
Cain rolled his one visible eye. "Moving on."
Elsewhere in the temple, Seris sat with a book in hand. She was reading the physical version of God Emperor of Dune. The pages were pristine, the ink smelled filled her nose. Her posture was composed, she felt serene, as if she hadn't smacked two boys in the head earlier.
Then her ears twitched, and she a had a strange feeling come over her. She looked up slowly.
"I feel a disturbance," she murmured.
Back in the medbay corridor, Cain sighed with a faint smile as he stepped out with Anakin and Josa.
"Fine," Cain said. "Let's get your drink." Anakin lifted an eyebrow. "Mind if I join?"
Josa waved him in. "Come on. The more the better."
The three of them walked down the corridor together. Cain and Anakin limping slightly, Anakin adjusting to the weight and feel of his new arm, Josa already talking about what she'd charge them for future "miracles."
Behind them, unseen by all three. A small spy droid remained perched near the window treeline view, its photoreceptor glowing faintly as it recorded every step.
On the other side Palpatine watched with his hands together. As he was smiling, as a planed began to form. "Good. It seems Dooku taught them a very good lesson. But now how much more can they lose before I break them.