Finally wrote an actual fic for my New Jedi Order AU! I guess I should link it here.
I'm orbitally bad at trying to convince anyone to read my stuff, so idk, if Cal & Luke interacting is something you wanna see, you might like this. Other than that, well this is a mostly everyone lives kind of story, with lots of redemptions being thrown around, so take that as you will.
This fic specifically will be focusing on the Jedi Survivor plot though, and then we go from there, to collect far too many characters for the New Jedi Order.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
When Reva arrives on Tatooine, seeking to finally achieve her vengeance by murdering Darth Vader's son, she finds naught but ashes and bones.
Someone was much ahead of her. And by the looks of it, it was another Inquisitor. One who saw the spark of potential in the boy, while Obi-Wan was rescuing the Princess.
So a heartbroken Obi-Wan, and a determined Reva set out to find the lost Luke Skywalker. But the Inquisitor, along with Luke, seemingly disappeared before they even made it to the Inquisitorius. With no trail whatsoever, Obi-Wan turns his attention towards Alderaan, to the girl he just saved.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the galaxy, Cal Kestis finds himself a Padawan. Just in time, because the hunt for Tanalorr has begun. And with it, the dawn of the New Jedi Order.
Sooo I posted that silly art of Cal and Maul, but then I ended up writing a little smth for it too. Almost 3k words, but idk if I should put it on AO3 cause it's not that long or polished so I'm just gonna chuck it here.
Cal commits crimes and then murder, accidentally gets the attention of one Maul, who as we know, is always looking for an apprentice.
---
Five years ago, Cal Kestis crashed to Bracca with a dead Master, a very damning lightsaber, and no legal identity to speak of.
After he buried his Master, and withdrew himself from the Force until it hurt, he hid on the streets of Shipbreak City. For about a week, he held out some hope, that the Jedi will come for him.
Then he watched the former Supreme Chancellor declare a new Empire, and the Jedi as traitors to be hunted.
He didn't know if he could feel anymore grief than he already did. So he grew angry. At the Empire, at the Republic, at everyone, for betraying the Jedi when they've given up everything for them.
Scared, bitter, practically half blind without the Force, and so very hungry, it was easy to ignore the small voice repeating the Jedi Code in his head.
So he started stealing.
He used his psychometry to find the right targets. The Force might have been limited to him, but his innate talent wasn't. From then on, with his military training, and still faster than average reflexes, it was far too easy.
Of course people noticed. And by people, he means the local crime syndicates. He ended up being talked into doing some jobs for them. Better than being hunted for stealing on their territory.
Then, some off world guest asked for him specifically. He was looking for something on Bracca, and Cal helped him find it. To steal it. Let's just say Cal impressed him.
Three years ago, he left Bracca with an invitation, a lightsaber he could barely look at, and a fake identity.
Three years in the Crimson Dawn, and he got too comfortable.
---
Cal stares at his too shiny boots. It's just an uniform, but he knows it costs more than any other clothes he ever owned.
There's a resounding clunk as Dryden Vos sets Cal's lightsaber down on his desk.
Dryden Vos, who happens to be the leader of the Crimson Dawn, and... Cal's boss. Not that Cal ever met the man before. He might be 'a valued operative', but he's just another cog in the criminal empire.
When it becomes obvious that Cal won't speak, or even look at him, Dryden Vos speaks.
"You know, a lot of people like you, Cal Kestis. When I asked around, I heard nothing but good things." The man stands up and rounds around his desk. He puts a hand on Cal's shoulder. "That you're so good, you never fail you assignments. That you're nice, always willing to help out your fellows."
Cal lets himself be dragged to the circle of couches in the middle of the office. He is firmly pushed to sit, while Dryden Vos takes a seat across him. He finally looks up when he hears metal meet metal, and notices the two strange knives now sitting on the table between them.
"Of course, even if they like you, they will betray you."
Ah, so that's what happened. Yesterday, he invited a few of his coworkers, to play cards. He thought they were friends. How silly of him. There are no friends inside the Crimson Dawn. Really, it's on him for being too distracted, for having fun, and not noticing someone stealing his lightsaber.
On missions, he always had it on him. Just in case. But back at base, he kept it in a messy box of machinery, trusting the chaos to hide it.
Cal finally steels himself, and looks Dryden Vos in the eyes. The man looks amused, and Cal squashes down the annoyance at that.
"So? What do you want?"
Dryden Vos smiles, despite Cal's clipped words.
"I understand, this is a difficult situation for you." Cal clenches his jaw. Understand? "But you don't need to worry, we are no friends of the Empire, I'm sure you know that."
Yes, Cal always did take the assignments that involved robbing the Empire. But still, harboring a Jedi may bring worse consequences than troopers or the ISB. Vader cannot be bribed.
At Cal's nod, the man continues.
"So there is no reason for us not to continue working together. You were already one of our most skilled operatives, despite your age." Cal doesn't like the glint in his eyes. "But you could be better."
Cal shifts in his seat, uneasy.
"I've already been doing the best I could… sir." He mostly shut himself off of the Force years ago. He can still feel it, and the world around him, but no throwing things around, or even levitating a peddle. It's safer that way.
But he can still sense things, he can still use his psychometry. Because even if you tied up one your limbs, unable to move it, you would still be able to feel it.
And even that minimal power over the Force, it allowed him to quickly raise through the ranks of the Crimson Dawn, over the three years he's been here. Not that anyone knows that. And Call will keep it that way.
"Well yes, because you had to hide your abilities, I presume." Does Cal want to explain the inner workings of the Force to this man? Not really. "But I heard what the your people can do. Reading minds, controlling minds, and killing without even lifting a finger."
Cal stiffens. Oh, so this is how it's going to be.
"You are confusing us with the Sith."
"I don't care what you call yourself, Cal Kestis. I care what you can do, for us."
For me.
An ugly sort of anger starts to bubble up somewhere in Cal. The Republic used the Jedi and then killed them. He will not let that happen again.
"I will not use the Force on your command."
Dryden Vos sighs, disappointed.
"I hoped you were loyal enough to this organization that you would agree. It really would be a great deal for you. You could be my lieutenant, and I would protect you."
"No."
"Shame. Then, the other options is that I alert the Inquisitorius, and hand you over, tied in a nice bow."
Cal stares. He cannot be that stupid. Vader and his dogs are far too unpredictable, they might just kill Vos along with Cal.
No. Cal refuses. He will not be a puppet to either Dryden Vos, or Darth Vader. Better dead like his Master.
The crime lord must have noticed the shift in Cal's attitude. He's already reaching for his knives as Cal vaults over the couch, towards the desk.
He might not be able to use the Force to call his weapon to him, but he is still faster than the average human.
The familiar blue glow of his Master's saber solidifies his resolve even further. He will not die here today. He cannot let Master Tapal's sacrifice go to waste, not when his Master must already be so disappointed in him.
Cal catches the knives, now glowing red, with his blade. He's not surprised when they remain intact. There must have been a reason Vos was so confident leaving the lightsaber in the room.
The man is certainly a good fighter. And Cal is rusty.
"I knew you must have been only a Padawan, but it really does show." Vos laughs as he blocks a swing from Cal.
Cal doesn't let the taunt bother him, but keeping his composure doesn't help in the end. He has one blade, and his opponent has two.
Cal bites down a scream as Vos embeds the knife in his saber hand. With the lightsaber dropped to the ground, deactivated, Vos kicks him the chest and Cal collides with one of the artifact pedestals. The obsidian slab that was on it hits the floor, and shatters right next to Cal's head.
He definitely also hit his head.
Cal struggles to push himself up on his elbows, his sight blurry as blood from his forehead pours into his eyes. His hand, the one that was already stabbed through clean, lands on an obsidian shard, and Cal hisses in pain.
"I thought you were smarter than this Cal." Oh great, first name basis now. "But you don't need to feel too much shame for being defeated, after all, I was trained to fight Force users."
His mind struggles to comprehend just what that could mean. His head hurts. His hand hurts.
Cal knows Vos is standing above him. He knows he is still talking. But the man's voice faded to the background, muted, and all Cal can hear are whispers.
He doesn't know the language. But he knows what they are saying.
Kill him.
…How?
The Force.
He can't, he's too weak…
But then he feels it. The source of it. In his hand, that small obsidian crystal.
The Force!
It's not a glow. It's not bright. It feels cold, and so very powerful.
Cal just needs to imitate that feeling, resonate with it, and the Force will come to him again.
He doesn't hear the room breaking apart around him, and he doesn't see Dryden Vos being slammed against a wall, one of his knives in his own chest.
Cal breathes out, hands shaking, and there is nothing but silence around him.
He sits up, and tries to wipe the blood out of his eyes with his uninjured hand. He's mostly successful. The first thing he sees is his right hand, bleeding from a gaping wound, and in the middle of it sits a black crystal.
A kyber crystal.
---
Cal eventually manages to find a med kit in the office. He's sure his face is still covered in blood, but he managed to extract the obsidian shards that landed in his forehead. Of course, he wrapped up his hand, and took a pill for the headache.
During all that, he was honestly expecting some guards to burst in, but the room must have some excellent sound proofing, and no alarms.
Now Cal sits on the couch, every other piece of furniture upturned around him, and stares at what used to be his boss.
What the hell is he supposed to do now?
If this gets out, he will definitely be hunted, even if the fact that he is a Jedi remains hidden. But besides that, something keeps repeating in Cal's head.
'I was trained to fight Force users.'
By who? And why? Ordinarily, there would be absolutely no reason for the boss of the Crimson Dawn to be fighting Jedi or Sith.
Cal can find out. That's one of his better skills.
He approaches the corpse. Isn't a corpse an object? But he's fairly sure that's something he's not supposed to do…
Before he can could decide if he wants to break even more rules of the Order than he already has, Cal notices a rather obvious ring on Vos' finger.
It's simple. Just the symbol of the Crimson Dawn. But it's way too big, and Cal can tell that it's not gold. He carefully takes it off the dead man. It's lighter than a purely metal object would be. Hollow inside? No, not hollow. Machinery.
He turns his back to the corpse. Something tells him it's the ring he needs.
As he sits back down the couch, he notices the only other thing that wasn't destroyed. The table before him, and the holoprojector in the middle of it.
Of course, the ring is a key. But to who?
He brushes his fingers across the projector. The echo manifests as voices. One of Vos, the other unknown to Cal.
...
Vos wasn't the true leader? With the way he liked to peacock around so much, Cal is very surprised about that revelation. But he was obviously wary of the voice on the other side, and obeyed without question.
This honestly doesn't help Cal that much. In fact, it just made his situation harder. Because the guy will probably not be happy with Cal for killing his puppet.
So why is the Force telling him to stay right where he is?
His question is soon answered, when the holoprojector flickers to life.
And if Cal could pale any further, he would.
Because of course he knows who Darth Maul is. During the war, he was on the unofficial list of 'flee on sight heavily recommended' the army had.
He's alive? And he's here?
"I thought I sensed it right."
The projection is life sized, towering over Cal, and even if he didn't know the man was a Sith, Cal would still be intimidated.
The zabrak's mouth slips into a decidedly not nice smile, revealing sharp teeth, as he locks eyes with Cal.
"A little Jedi killed my underling."
Fuck… he just put his lightsaber back on his belt. In plain sight.
"You're Darth Maul."
At that, the Sith's face twitches in annoyance, but still continues to look far too happy with the situation.
"No, Jedi, just Maul."
Okay, Maul. Maybe with the Jedi dead, he resigned from his position of Jedi killer, and is now running a kriffing crime syndicate. Why not.
Cal stands up, but even like that the holo still looms over him. He schools his expression into a neutral one, but his heart beats fast in his chest, and the black crystal is like a piece of ice in his pocket.
"I asked Vos this same thing. What do you want? Kill me? Throw me to the Empire?"
"Oh no. You would be no challenge to fight, and I'm not in the habit of doing favors for the Empire." Maul's intense gaze never leaves Cal's face. "You never finished your apprenticeship, did you?"
"What?" Cal blurts out.
"You're barely a Jedi right now. Don't you want to be more than that? Do more than scrape by?" Maul leans forward, and even through the holo, Cal can see an almost manic light in his eyes. "I can give you that. Become my Apprentice."
Cal goes cold and he almost spits out an instinctive no. He won't replace Vos as a puppet, and he won't become what the Inquisitors are to Vader.
But… is that really what Maul is offering?
"And, what would that entail exactly?" Cal bites the inside of his cheek, hard, but refuses to look away from Maul's burning eyes.
"You get the Crimson Dawn." Maul glances down at the golden plate at the neck of Cal's uniform. "By your rank, you must have some experience with how things work around here. You can do whatever you want with it, as long as we achieve vengeance against Sidious."
"I don't want revenge." No, he wants the Empire gone because that's what's right, for the people, and not just for Cal.
Maul laughs, low and condescending.
"Fine, then whatever you want to call it that makes your little Jedi heart feel better. But you do want to destroy the Empire, don't you? For that, you need power and influence, if you want to achieve anything. I can give you both."
Cal clenches his fists, the wound on his right protesting against the movement. For so long, all he's being doing is surviving. Would it be so bad to finally do something, and not be alone in it?
"And what of the… apprenticeship? You are Sith, are you not? I refuse to become like the other fallen Jedi, those under the heel of Darth Vader and the Emperor."
Maul snarls, but Cal remains resolute in the face of the hatred he can feel even through holo.
"The Inquisitors are weak, and Vader is pathetic. No, I am not a Sith like Sidious." He leans forward, expression twisting into a sardonic smile. "I too refuse to be like them."
"If you refuse my teachings, then so be it, remain weak in the face of true power. But, you could be so much more than Vader's dogs. More than Sith or Jedi." Power, it seems, is all that matters to Maul. "For now, all that I require of you is to travel to Malachor with me, where you will help me reveal the secrets of the Sith."
Malachor? Cal knows that name. No sane person wants to go there, not with the unstable gravity around the planet. Jedi specifically have been warned away from that place. So much death happened there.
But... Cal is in fact the best at revealing secrets.
"I will be there in twenty six standard hours. The guards won't bother you. If you accept, stay on base. If you don't, well, you can try to escape." He says that final part with a smile full of sharp teeth, like a part of him wants Cal to attempt it.
After the holo flickers out, Cal continues to sit in the demolished room, on the uncomfortable sofa, his head in his hands.
Is he really going to do this? Even if he refuses to call the man his Master, which he would, he is still working a Sith.
He has already put aside the Jedi Code in the name of survival. Can he really call himself a Jedi anymore? Today, he went even further, and he used the Dark Side, to survive. To win.
So what is one more step? If he can do more than survive, if he can really defeat the Empire, if he can still help people, what does it matter that he works with a Sith?
The Order is gone, and there is only Cal and the Force.
Unfortunately Cal's quick Force reconnect tutorial was given by an evil rock from an evil sith temple. Which, in case you're curious, Dryden Vos did in fact own a piece of obsidian from a sith temple, and apparently obsidian from 'dark side shrines' can become natural dark sided kyber crystals. Tbf that whole thing doesn't appear in any canon material but in like galaxy's edge??? Idk but it's cool and convenient so.
If you think Maul is being too chill to Cal, well he is fully expecting him to eventually cave in to the lure of power, especially when they manage to unlock the Malachor Temple. Although, I don't feel like I have a good grasp on the way Maul speaks, so it might be a little off.
It occurred to me that maybe I should post my fic to tumblr. So here it is. If you're into time travel, Cal Kestis, and some very competent shenanigans, then maybe you'll like it.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Cal Kestis has a strange ability. He can't seem to die.
Whenever he dies, the Force itself brings him back hours or minutes before it happened. It has come handy in the fight against the Empire. But Cal himself has mixed feelings about it, considering he never seems to be able to change anything else than his own death.
A mutual obsession with Darth Vader however puts him in a strange position, and the next thing he knows, he is falling back through time to his childhood. Now Cal is mere days away from the very start of the Clone Wars. He's not sure how Vader managed to break the barriers between times, but Cal is going to use this chance to destroy the Empire before it even began.
Meanwhile everyone else is horrified by Anakin Skywalker's newly acquired padawan, who just seems to know the battlefield a bit too well.
I also occasionally also do art for it! (and other aus)
Hey I'm Nim! Just a casual Star Wars fan making art, writing AUs, and playing SWTOR.
A mix of Legends and Canon included. But I do dislike the sequels, sorry. And to be real, it's mostly JFO/JS at the moment.
Main blog is @nimeska and so is my AO3.
Feel free to send me SW related art requests/ideas, though no promises on actually fulfilling them.
My Fics:
More than a Fighter: Cal to Clone Wars time travel, with game mechanics that have been translated into lot of lore. Cal & Anakin focused.
New Jedi Order AU: Cal saves Luke from an Inquisitor after he was taken while Obi-Wan was rescuing Leia. It really snowballs from there. Cal & Luke focused, main plot is rebuilding the Jedi Order.
My AU Masterlist
SWTOR OCs:
(Only my main one. Not really into swtor at the moment.)
Aita Kallig. Former Padawan of Satele Shan, former member of the Dark Council, and current Eternal Commander. Theronmancer.
