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"Maker, the humidity is killing me today," Mira stated as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "At least you get to work in the shade."
"We're on Kashyyyk, what do you expect?" Y/N peeked out from under the Y-wing they were currently working on. "You're too used to Coruscant."
"You're from Alderaan," Mira shot back at the jab towards her homeworld.
"Yes, but Alderaan has a variety of climates," Y/N grinned before dissappearing back under the ship.
"Do you think Gerara is ever going to give us something to do that isn't repairs or fighting off bug bites?" Mira apparently decided against furthering their argument.
"We joined to help out, this is technically helping."
"We just had to mention we were the best mechanics at the academy..." Mira huffed, making Y/N shake her head knowingly.
While Y/N never particularly liked to look back on her time at the Empires Academy she was grateful for the friend she had made there. Mira befriended her instantly, and was more than happy to show her around Coruscant.
They both excelled in every class and were heading for higher ranking positions than their classmates. They were sixteen when they entered the academy and eighteen when they escaped. Now at twenty they were apart of the effort to overthrow the very thing that had brought them together.
"You've had your fair share of action," Y/N replied finally as she wiped her grease stained hands on a rag.
"Yes, but the majority of the last two years have been spent right here, on this Force forsaken planet."
"I doubt the Wookies would like hearing you say that," Y/N mumbled with amusement.
"There's got to be a better place to set up a base..." Mira sighed, grabbing Y/N's attention once more as she looked up to see her friend blowing a limp strand of hair out of her eyes, her curly hair frizzing from the humidity.
"Quit complaining and hand me a new power converter," Y/N grinned just as the air around her grew wild, which could only mean one thing, a ship was coming in.
"Isn't that the Mantis?" Mira grinned almost mischievously.
"By the looks of it it is..." Y/N took the power converter from her friend as she disappeared under the ship once more, glancing towards the Mantis.
"Don't you want to go see them?" Mira slid to the ground, not letting Y/N escape. "How long has it been, a week?"
"Something like that..."
"I heard it was a dangerous mission."
"Supposedly..."
"Didn't Cal tell you about it before he left?"
"I'm waiting on the point Mira," Y/N finally looked at the amused expression of her friend.
"Nothing, I just thought you two were friends," she shrugged. "You do go on a lot of missions together."
"We get paired up alot, I'm the best shooter we have."
"You know, him being a Jedi and all, he can probably request for you to go..."
"Why would he do that?" Y/N raised a brow at the other woman who merely shrugged again.
"I don't know... maybe you should give him another 'customary Alderaanian greeting'."
"Shh," Y/N hissed glancing around quickly. "I thought we agreed not to talk about that."
"I just can't believe he bought it."
"Of course he bought it, he's never been to Alderaan," Mira grinned at that before relenting, moving to help Y/N with the power converter.
Y/N pretended to focus on her work but her mind drifted to a mission almost a month ago that the Mantis crew had taken on. It was supposed to be a simple mission, no more than two days, but somehow those two days turned into a week without word.
Y/N could barely concentrate on her own assignments, she was worried to the point of concern, so much so that Mira had taken on her work as well. When word spread that the Mantis was entering the atmosphere Y/N was flooded with relief.
So much so that when Cal stepped off of the Mantis she couldn't contain herself and nearly tackled him with a hug. Realization soon came over her and she quickly explained it away as some Alderaanian custom for greeting after a long journey, he bought it.
Unfortunately the more she thought about it the more she chalked any awkward action towards him as some custom. Cooking him his favorite food after a long stint in a bacta tank, patching a blaster hole in his shirt, sitting with him once when his was delirious with a fever after recklessly getting sick.
She was a shame to her people.
"You know you're allowed to care about other people who aren't me," Mira commented as she replaced the ships paneling. "Or lie when you show you do."
"The Mantis probably needs repairs, we should see if Greez needs anything when we finish here," Y/N ignored her friend.
It wasn't that she had a problem with caring about other people, she cared about a lot of things, but with Cal it was... different. She liked working with him, talking to him, being with him. And perhaps she liked it too much, enough to make excuses for her actions and feelings.
"Okay, so you don't want to talk about it... moving on," Mira sighed as she looked towards the Mantis crew. "What's the deal with the Nightsister?"
"Who Merrin?" Y/N looked to see the woman in question speaking with a Wookie. "What deal?"
"She's kind of... creepy," Mira shivered slightly. "I mean we've been here for two years and I can count on my hand how many times we've spoken."
"She's a recluse," Y/N smiled in amusement, being around Cal meant being around the Mantis crew, and over time she'd grown found of Merrin. "She's nice... in her own way."
"Whatever you say-... eyes up," Mira suddenly grabbed her attention, and she realized why, Saw Gerara was heading their way.
"How are the repairs on the ship?" Saw asked as he stood in his usual military pose, studying the paint chipped ship.
"She's good to go, just finishing up now," Y/N replied, putting away her tools.
"Excellent timing," he gave them a quick nod. "I have an assignment for you both."
"Both?" Mira perked up at that.
"Yes, and Kestis, mission briefing is in ten," with that Saw turned and headed for the makeshift command center of the Empire base they had taken over.
"You know what this means right?" Mira brightened significantly.
"I'm going to have to listen to you talk about Cal?"
"No, air conditioning."
* ) * ( *
"I've heard several rumors going around that some people have grow restless with the conditions here," Saw began, eyes darting to his left where Mira stood at the round holotable. "With new volunteers coming in its time we expanded."
Saw pressed a button and the holotable came to life displaying image of a ship Y/N hadn't seen since the Clone Wars. Her eyes wondered to Cal who stared at the ship intently.
"This Lucrehulk was abandoned for unknown reasons before the end of the war," Gerara continued. "We believe it may contain information on secret Separatists bases that may serve our cause."
"Why was it abandoned?" Cal spoke up, Beedee beeping his own curiosity from his shoulder.
"Unknown."
"How do we know it hasn't been ransacked by pirates?" Y/N asked as she stared at the large craft.
"It's rumored the ship is haunted, pirates are superstitious enough to stay away," Gerara said it simply enough, but it made Y/N feel faint.
She was a tough soldier, she followed orders and she fought courageously, yet things like ghost and spirits made her blood go cold. Mira glanced her way, more than likely noticing her pale expression, Y/N had shared with her the ghost stories her mother used to tell her on Alderaan. Haunting tales that left her hiding under her blankets, she supposed none of it was true, but they still made her uneasy.
"The Mantis needs repairs so you'll be taking a smaller craft, Sindulla will be your pilot," Saw looked to Mira who had to contain her excitement at getting to fly. "While you two find the information terminal and the data we need, understood?"
Y/N only nodded with the rest, she wasn't going to let her superstitions be known. If it got around the base that she was scared of ghosts she would never hear the end of it.
"What happened to the Mantis?" Mira questioned as they left for the landing pad, and their assigned ship.
"Ran into a meteor belt," Cal grimaced at the memory. "It's going to need a lot of repairs."
"Sounds like Greez is going to need our help when we get back, right Y/N?" Mira smiled back at her, Greez was by far her favorite member of the Mantis crew.
"Hmm?... Oh yeah, definitely," Y/N nodded in agreement quickly, she had been lost in her memories.
"Is something wrong?" Call asked, brows drawn in concern as he studied her, she was usually pleased to go on a mission.
"No, no, it's nothing," Y/N assured brushing past the both of them, including Mira's knowing look. "We better take off."
"Whatever you say..." Mira commented, shrugging at Cal's curious look.
* ) * ( *
"So...you ever been on a Lucrehulk before?" Mira interrupted the awkward silence that had formed since they entered hyper-space.
"No, but I saw plenty of them during the Clone Wars, my Master said it was too dangerous for me at the time," Cal replied, he had been side eyeing Y/N discretely for most of the trip as she silently cleaned her blasters. Beedee had hopped on the back of her seat to watch.
"Y/N, you?" Mira knew for a fact she hadn't but she was sick of the silence.
"I've never even seen one outside of holovids," Y/N spoke, making sure her blasters were pristine.
"You know this place is abandoned, I doubt you'll be needing those," Y/N chose to ignore her as she held the weapon up for Beedee's inspection.
"You think we might come across a fight?" Cal questioned.
"If ghosts can fight..." Mira grinned slightly, feeling Y/N's glare at her back.
"Ghosts?" Cal raised an eyebrow at that.
"Y/N's superstitious," Mira explained.
"I'm not superstitious," Y/N defended.
"She is, her mother used to tell her ghost stories as a kid and-"
"Mira," her tone was enough to silence her.
"But ghosts aren't real," Cal said it gently enough, not wanting to offend her.
"I just don't like the idea of getting on that ship, if no one else has boarded it since the Clone Wars, there's no telling what we might find," Y/N replied, holstering her blasters.
"Exactly... like ghosts," the other woman replied.
"Mira."
"Coming out of hyper-space," Mira quickly saved herself as the rushing galaxy around them came to an abrupt halt.
Their eyes widened at the sight before them, the large Lucrehulk dominating their vision. Y/N stood from her seat to join Mira and Cal at the pilots chairs, Beedee on her shoulder.
"It's..." Y/N didn't even know what to say.
"Huge," Mira finished for her.
"Just like I remember..." Cal said quietly, Y/N could see his face contort with the remembrance of a time that had long since passed.
"Let's hope the boarding codes still work," Mira stated nervously, this was the biggest ship she and Y/N had ever been on.
Y/N watched as Mira tapped away at the controls, her eyes moving upwards as the large docking door in front of them began to open slowly. Beedee hopped closer to the glass to get a better look as Mira urged them forward.
"No turning back..." Mira grinned slightly, to Y/N it sounded ominous as they flew into the darkened ships landing bay. "No lights."
"It's been abandoned for so long, it more than likely shut down itself to conserve energy," Cal explained, standing from his set to see the ship better.
"How long did Gerara say this place has been abandoned?" Y/N looked to her friend.
"Ten years I think," she replied.
"But the Clone Wars ended eight years ago," Mira's eyes flashed towards her, the realization hitting her then as well.
"Why would they abandon a perfectly good ship?" Mira questioned, both women looking to the Jedi for answers.
"I don't know," Cal replied, wondering the same thing himself.
"Thanks Y/N, now you're creeping me out too..." Mira mumbled for Y/N's ears only as she started to bring them in for a landing.
The ship touched down softly, thanks to Mira's skills, Y/N and Cal straightened after hunching forward to look through the glass. But suddenly the ship shifted, as if the Lucrehulk was surprised by the sudden weight.
Y/N grabbed Cal's arm as he stumbled into the side of his seat. They all froze, Y/N's grip on him only tightening as they all feared they were about to be swallowed by the other ship.
"I think we're fine," Cal finally stated as the ship remained level.
"Speak for yourself..." Mira shot back, her knuckles were white from gripping the controls.
Beedee was the first to move, sensing no danger as the climbed onto Cal's shoulder. It took Y/N a great deal of effort to release him, she needed to get a grip.
"Mira, you stay with the ship," Cal glanced at Y/N quickly before avoiding her eyes. "Y/N and I will comm if anything happens."
"Don't worry, wasn't planning on leaving," Mira smiled sarcastically before she grew serious. "Wait, what do you mean 'if anything happens'?"
Cal didn't reply as he headed out of the cockpit, brushing against Y/N has he passed. Mira looked at her friend with concern in the dim light of the ship.
"You don't think there's any danger-"
"Everything's been powered down for years," Y/N assured. "The only thing alive on this ship is us."
"What about unalive?"
"Mira."
Sorry."
"Just keep the ship running."
"Stay safe Y/N," Mira clasped her hand as they always did when saying goodbye. "Although I don't know why I'm telling you to be safe when I'm going to be here alone and you're with the hot Jedi."
"Mira."
"Comm if you need anything."
Y/N only shook her head as she exited the cockpit, noticing Cal ahead at the end of the boarding ramp. His eyes where trained at the ground and it took Y/N a second to realize that he was staring at a crumpled B-1 Battledroid.
"We'll probably see plenty of these old relics," Y/N stated as she gave its head a light kick, making it roll slightly away from it's body.
"Beedee, want to give us some light buddy?" Cal looked to his companion who beeped in agreement before illuminating the way ahead of them.
"No turning back now," Y/N smiled weakly as they headed for the nearest door.
* ) * ( *
Y/N couldn't imagine how anyone could remember their way on such a ship, every hallway was the same gray durasteel, more than once she thought they might have been turned around. Cal even seemed unsure at times, which was a puzzlement to her considering his connection to the Force, but she supposed even Jedi could get lost.
But the thought of a few wrong turns didn't bother her, the silence did. On a ship like this chatter should be heard from every direction, yet all Y/N found were droids. Some where still standing, some were seated against the wall, a variety of models Y/N hadn't seen in years.
She felt transported back to a time when she was safe on her homeworld, watching holovids of a war that seemed so far away. For Cal it had to be the opposite, he looked at the droids as if they were ghosts of his past. Ghosts seemed to be everywhere.
"What is it?" Y/N asked as Cal stopped abruptly, crouching down to touch the droid at his feet.
"Something bad happened here," Cal stated, his eyes were closed, brows drawn, but he could gain nothing more.
Y/N watched him for a moment, she had seen him do this before. He could sense past echoes in the Force, a skill not many Jedi had, she didn't fully understand it but she believed him.
"What do you mean bad?"
"I... don't know," Cal frowned as he stood, pointing to the blaster hole in the droids armor. "I heard a Neimoidian, he sounded scared."
"Great," Y/N offered weakly, assuring herself that whatever had happened had long since past. "Do you have any idea where we're going?"
"Up ahead should give us some idea," Y/N looked up to see the hallway coming to an end in the dim light produced by Beedee.
"After you," Y/N gestured for him to lead, which he did with an amused shake of his head.
Y/N followed him closely, nearly brushing against him as she stepped over a Super Battledroid. One of her hands rested on the blaster at her hip, perhaps she was a little nervous.
"Beedee, want to help?" Y/N looked to the droid as the reached the end, the hallway splitting off in both directions. Beedee switched off their only light to project the blue map before them. "Looks like we're supposed to go right."
Y/N looked up at Cal to see him staring down the left path. There was something distant and thoughtful about his expression, sensing something she couldn't.
"Cal?... I said we're supposed to go right," Y/N paused, waiting for a response. "Cal?"
"You go on ahead Y/N," he stated suddenly, meeting her eyes.
"What?" She was shocked by that. "You want us to split up?"
"Somethings pulling me this way."
"Fine, then I'll go with you," Y/N took a step to the left but Cal caught her wrist.
"No, we need the information," Cal glanced at his droid companion. "Take Beedee with you, he'll have to do the data transfer anyways."
"What if one of us needs something?" Y/N felt slightly better as Beedee skipped over to her shoulder, but she didn't like the idea of leaving Cal behind.
"We'll comm each other," he assured, squeezing her wrist before letting her go.
"Cal, what is it?"
"I don't know, but the Force wants me to see," Cal ignited his saber suddenly to give himself some light. "I'll find you, I promise."
"Just try not to get lost," Y/N sighed weakly, Beedee beeping his own warning.
"Take care of her buddy," Cal smiled slightly as he turned away, Y/N watched the blue glow of his saber until he turned a corner.
"I guess it's just you and me Beedee," Y/N stated, grateful for the droids company as she turned right, realizing once again that the ship was deathly quiet. "At least you won't tease me about ghosts..."
Beedee made a noise that was suspiciously close to a snicker, making Y/N eye him with mild annoyance. Instead of worrying about improbable spirits Y/N allowed her mind to wonder back to the Jedi.
She wished he had just let her go with him, but when it came to Jedi business Y/N knew it was best to let him do what he had to. She was just happy to have him around again, he was someone she could talk to, and she was someone he confided in.
Something he had been doing more and more, there were some growing tensions between the Mantis crew. Merrin was whispering of exploring the galaxy on her own, Cere was feeling the Force tugging her in a different direction, and Greez was growing tired of flying and wanted to settle in somewhere.
Cal, to say the least, wasn't exactly happy with the way things were going. But he was doing his best to try and keep the crew together, Y/N knew it was hard for him. Many times he would seek her out during the night while she was working in the cool weather the darkness offered.
He'd sit and talk with her for hours, smiling at her stories from home and offering some of his own when he was still a youngling at the Jedi Temple. Y/N liked the sound of his voice, it was calm and steady, it could hold her in place until the moon was high in the sky.
"Beedee, do you really think the Mantis crew will break up?" Y/N finally spoke into the silence that had dragged on for several minutes.
Beedee gave a sad beep in return, telling her what she already suspected. She knew how hard it would be on Cal if they all left, Y/N couldn't even imagine Mira leaving her.
"He's not going to take it very well is he?" Y/N looked to the droid who shook his little head. "Well... he still has us, ri-"
Y/N froze, she thought she heard something creaking underneath them. Beedee nearly blinded her with his light when her eyes met his photoreceptors.
"Did you hear that?"
Beedee barely had a chance to reply, just as Y/N took a cautionary step forward the floor beneath them suddenly gave way.
"Beedee!"
Y/N managed to grab the droid and wrap him in her arms as they suddenly went plummeting, her body banging into pipes and support beams as she fell. She hit the ground moments later, the impact knocking the air out of her lungs, she managed a desperate gasp for air before the world around her faded to black.
* ) * ( *
Cal was regretting the fact that he had let Y/N go by herself, even with Beedee, he knew she was uncomfortable here. Yet there was something pulling him deeper, lower, into the ship.
He had already made it to lower level, by this time Y/N had surely made it to the command center. This wondering off was more than likely pointless, but the Force told him otherwise.
His saber cast a blue glow around him as he stepped over the relics from his past. His Master had kept him away from many dangers of the war, but he had still taken out his share of Battledroids. The war and fight were unavoidable for him.
He would often glaze those things over when he was with Y/N. She enjoyed his stories from the Temple, when he was merely a youngling, but the war was something dark. He had lost his Master, his friends, the clones he thought he could trust betrayed him. He had lost his life, at least in a metaphorical sense.
Now Merrin, Cere, and Greez were talking about leaving, they were leaving, and it was happening all over again. Y/N was the only person he had confided that in... she was the only person he confided a lot of things in.
He knew Y/N suspected something was wrong the first night he sat with her by the X-Wing she was repairing. Yet she didn't question him, she allowed him to speak of his problems when he was ready, and she cared about them.
Those nights out under the cool moon where something Cal thought of often when he was away on a mission. He'd listen to Y/N talk of Alderaan while he helped her with repairs, just the two of them.
It reminded him of another memory that would come to him often, the time the Mantis crew had returned after a mission that had gone entirely wrong. A two day mission turned into a week with damaged comms, when they returned Cal suspected everyone had more than likely assumed them gone or dead.
When they finally returned he had barely made it off of the landing ramp when Y/N very nearly ran him over, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her, relieved and surprised, and for that brief moment something came over him that never had before.
Suddenly he was hyper aware of her, the floral smell of her hair mixed with the grease from whatever ship she had been working on. The warmth of her body that had been heated by the sun. Her breath that had tickled his neck and sent a shiver down his spin.
And then it was over, she pulled away embarrassed, saying something about an Alderaanian tradition of welcome to those who had been on a long journey. It didn't matter if it was true or not, that moment would return to him in the darkness of his room, leaving him with mixed emotions.
"Y/N?" Cal spoke suddenly as his thoughts returned to the present and to the familiar shadow that had ducked around a corner up ahead. "Y/N, is that you?"
He looked at his surroundings, nothing had changed, but there was a pungent smell in the air. Cal couldn't help but cough as the bitter smell invaded his nose, making him lean against the gray wall for support.
A moment later he grew used to the smell enough to at least keep his coughing to a minimum. Something running through one of the many pipes in the walls must have burst, it was the only explanation.
"Y/N?" Cal called out as he moved towards the end of the hall, he was certain he had seen something.
And he was correct, when he reached the juncture his eyes turned to the left to see the dark outline of someone at the end. The figure had their back to him and for a moment he swore it was Y/N, but moving closer the figure began to change.
Cal was close enough to see it's long black cape and the outline of a sleek black helmet. His lips parted to speak but before he could the distinct sound of a saber igniting reached his ears as red light filled his vision.
An Inquisitor.
The faceless figure turned to face him and Cal reacted instantly, swinging his saber with a heavy strike. But all he hit was the wall, leaving behind a large hot slash.
Cal blinked eyes darting around the corridor, but there was no one there, he was alone. He didn't even feel a dark presence in the Force.
"Y/N?" Cal raised his communicator attached at his wrist. "Y/N, are you there?... Y/N?"
* ) * ( *
Y/N groaned as her eyes opened slowly, she heard Beedee beeping and chirping anxiously, his little legs jump up and down on her chest. It took her a moment for her eye's to come back into focus and see the little droid.
"I'm okay," Y/N coughed as she sat up, a bitter smell hitting her nose and forcing her to cough harder. "Maker, what's that smell?"
Beedee simply beeped in confusion as he cocked his head. Of course he couldn't smell it, he's a droid.
"Forget it," Y/N regained herself as she tilted her head back to examine where she had fell. "Looks like we fell through two floors Beedee, we're going to have to find a way back up there."
Beedee sounded pleased as he projected the map, happy to be of use.
"Great, looks like there's a service ladder nearby, shouldn't take us long," Y/N smiled with relief. "I better tell Cal what hap-"
Her smile soon disappeared as she looked down at the crushed communicator on her wrist. It must have been destroyed in the fall.
"Great... we better hurry before Cal or Mira start worrying about us," Y/N offered the droid her shoulder before she stood. "Let's get a move on."
Y/N crinkled her nose at the stench in the air but managed to grow tolerant of it. Something must have eroded down here years ago.
"The map said left up ahead, right?" Y/N questioned, watching the light ahead of her bob up and down as Beedee nodded yes. "You know, we could just keep that fall between the two of us..."
Beedee beeped teasingly, letting Y/N know he was going to do anything but. Mira was going to love hearing that one.
"Can I catch any breaks today-" Y/N's foot caught on something, making her stumble.
She regained herself quickly, raising a hand to her shoulder to steady Beedee. She looked back, noticing a dark figure on the ground leaning against the wall, those damn droids were everywhere.
"What was... that," Y/N's eyes widened in mild horror as Beedee turned the light on the figure. "Is that a skeleton?"
Beedee beeped in reply, hopping to the ground to scan it quickly.
"Neimoidian?" She received a confirming beep as she crouched down, there was an obvious blaster hole in its tattered robes. "What do you think happened?"
Beedee only tilted his head, apparently analyzing his own data. It couldn't have been the Battledroids Y/N ruled out quickly, they were definitely stupid, but not stupid enough to kill a superior. Then again there was that droid Cal had noticed with the blaster hole...
"Y/N!"
Her head shot up, blood running cold. That voice, it couldn't be, she must have hit her head harder than she thought.
"Did you-," she began to ask Beedee.
"Y/N!"
There it was again, she hadn't heard it since she deserted the academy, but she could recognize her mother's voice anywhere. She shot to her feet, startling Beedee in the process, something was wrong she sounded in pain.
"Y/N!"
The voice echoed down the corridor louder this time, Y/N didn't even think, she began to run. Beedee was calling to her but she didn't listen.
"Mom!" Her eyes darted as she came to junction, she was running blindly into darkness.
"Y/N!"
That wasn't her mother... it sounded like Mira.
"Y/N!"
Her mother was on her left, Mira was on her right. How was she supposed to choose?
"Y/N they're coming!" Mira screamed.
She had no choice, she went right. She could hear Beedee scurrying behind her to catch up. Something was deathly wrong, her head was spinning her eyes were forced to blink away a dazed fog. She felt like she was running but getting nowhere.
"Mira!" She called desperately. "Mira where are you?!"
She stumbled to a crossroads, darkness surrounded here, she looked at each hallway hopelessly. She was standing blindly, she could run down either one but the blackness would swallow her up.
"Mira!" She tried again.
"Y/N! How could you leave me?!" Her mother to the left.
"Y/N! It's the Empire! They're coming for us!" Mira to her right.
"Y/N! I can't stop them alone!" Straight ahead Cal's voice echoed to her.
Suddenly they all came, bouncing off the walls, pleading for her to help them. Her body spun towards each hallway but she couldn't decide.
She fell to her knees, the voices were screaming at her so loudly she felt them in her skull, overwhelming her. She clasped her hands over her ears to drown out their pleas. How could she choose?
She curled in on herself, that smell, it was growing unbearable, she felt like she was going to be sick. The voices were only growing louder.
Suddenly she felt a sharp jab to her side, her eyes flew to the culprit automatically. Beedee stood at her side, clutching something in one of his little metal feet.
"Beedee?" Her voice sounded far away, but she managed to focus on him.
Beedee dragged the item to her, suddenly she realized what it was, an oxygen mask. She wanted to curl in on herself again as the voices screamed louder but Beedee stomped his feet urgently.
She reached for the clear mask, it was obviously meant for a Neimoidian but it fit her well enough. At the first few breaths of clean air her mind began to clear slightly.
The screaming was becoming mere echoes in the distance.
"What?..." was all she could manage.
Luckily Beedee understood, it took her a moment to grasp what the projection was he suddenly produced. But she soon realized it was a scan of the atmosphere.
"Unknown breathable toxin?" Y/N read weakly. "A bio-weapon?"
Beedee nodded, skipping onto her lap as she moved to sit against the nearest wall. The fog in her brain was clearing, whatever that smell was it certainly wasn't good.
"Did you hear them, the voices?" Y/N asked quietly.
Beedee made a sad sympathetic whine, telling her no. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the desperate cries of the people she loved.
"Were there more of these masks?" Beedee nodded. "Good, then we better find Cal."
* ) * ( *
Cal felt as though his mind had separated from his body, a haze had clouded his thoughts leaving him to wonder aimlessly. He stumbled along, tripping over droids and coughing now and again.
Something was terrible wrong, he needed to find Y/N, they needed to get out of here. He didn't understand why she hadn't picked up on her comm.
The thought of the black figure crossed his mind as he placed his hand against the nearest wall, steadying himself. He still wasn't quite sure what he had seen, if he had seen anything at all...
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes, trying to organize his thoughts and push through the fog in his mind. Maker that smell, it was only growing stronger.
"Cal..."
His eyes flew open at the distance echo of his name, it sounded so far away yet he knew it was Y/N. He held his saber up to illuminate the corridor it came from.
Slowly he began to follow it, refocused once more as he realized Y/N had to be close as his name drifted to him once more, closer.
"Cal?" He jumped in shock at the sound of Mira's voice from his communicator. "Cal you there?"
"I'm here."
"Thank the Force... why hasn't Y/N answered me?"
"I don't know..." Cal didn't like the sound of that, but he could still hear Y/N calling for him. "We split up."
"Split up?! Why would you do a stupid thing like that for?!"
"Mira-" Cal began but there was something urgent in Y/N's voice, he didn't understand how Mira couldn't hear her.
"Cal?... Cal you there?..."
He wasn't listening to Mira anymore, he had to find Y/N.
"Cal!" Her voice broke the sudden silence around him, it was a desperate scream, filled with fear.
"Y/N!"
He broke into a run. Her pleas echoed around him at every turn, pulling him further into the ship. He felt the adrenaline coursing through every nerve in his body as he ran, boots thudding against the cold metal.
"Cal!"
He was so close, she was so close. His grip on his saber tightened, preparing for whatever he may find as he called for her.
"Cal!"
She was just around the corner.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he finally saw her, kneeling only feet away. Behind her stood the dark figure, it's red saber casting them in foreboding light.
"Cal... please," Y/N whispered, he had never before seen her so afraid. "Don't let him..."
"Y/N..." his eyes darted between her and the cloaked figure.
How was he supposed to do this?
"You'll never be able to save them all..." the figure hissed, it was dark and mechanical, it sent a chill straight through to his bones. "You can't even save her..."
"No!" He darted forward as the figure raised his saber, Cal brought his saber up to block the strike but his opponents blade went straight through.
Cal barely had time to register what happened when he looked down to blade burning through Y/N's chest. Her eyes met his for the briefest moment before the life left them.
"Y/N..." he whispered he reached for her as she fell to the side but his hand moved through her as if she were simply apart of the air around them.
Cal fell to his knees with her, saber hitting the ground and rolling away. He stared at the spot where she laid, until he realized he was staring at nothing but the floor.
She was gone.
The dark figure was gone.
And he was alone.
* ) * ( *
Y/N's mind had cleared completely, the clean air the mask provided had filtered the toxins in the air. Just what those toxins were was the question.
But her curiosity on the matter could wait, she needed to find Cal and quickly. The upper levels were clear of the hallucinogenic smell, but the lower levels were obviously contaminated.
Beedee reminded her he was still perched on her shoulder as he gave a sad beep.
"I know, I'm worried about him too," Y/N tried to comfort him. "But there's no proof that whatever this is is deadly."
The Neimoidians on board must have shot each other due to the hallucinations. It was obvious something had gone terrible wrong on this ship, enough to leave it abandoned.
"Y/N!" Her name echoed to her suddenly, stopping her in her tracks.
"You heard that right?" She looked to her droid companion, who nodded, she wasn't imagining it this time. "That sounded like Cal."
He was close.
"Which way Beedee?"
The little droid was silent, his sensors working double time. Finally his head darted to the right, his foot tapping her shoulder urgently.
She followed Beedee's directions as she hurried through the hallways. He was obviously picking up on something she wasn't.
Finally she caught a glimpse of someone at the end of the corridor she had turned into. At first a pang of fear hit her as she realized they were crouched down, a dark unknown mass.
Buy the fear passed as she recognized the person she had seen crouched next to her on missions. Kneeling with her as she made repairs on the landing platform.
"Cal!"
He froze hand extended as his saber flew from somewhere on the ground to his hand. He ignited the blade as he turned to stand, he looked at her as if he were seeing a ghost.
"Y/N?..."
He sounded so unsure that she lowered her mask, the pungent smell hit her nose again but she guessed the effects took awhile to come to fruition. She met his eyes, eyes that looked so uncertain, the next thing she knew Beedee had hopped off her shoulder to run to him and Y/N broke into a run as well.
Cal took a few cautionary steps forward, saber falling weakly from his hands just before Y/N reached him. Her body crashing into his as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Cal patted at her back, as if testing that she was real, before wrapping her in an embrace so tight she couldn't breathe.
He let go of her a moment later, surprising her as he cupped her cheeks looking at her wildly as if to make sure it was really her. Y/N was so overwhelmed with relief at finding him that she cupped his face as well, pulling him in.
Her lips brushed against the corner of his mouth, not a full kiss, but definitely not something one could brush away. Oh how she wished she could though when she pulled away and saw his shocked expression.
Cal blinked harshly as if trying to clear his jumbled mind.
"I-"
"Alderaanian tradition?" Cal offered for her.
"Something like that... here," Y/N quickly slipped the mask over his face, surprising him again before relief seemed to flood him. "It helps."
"What is it?" Cal asked as he took a deep breath, watching her slip her own mask on again.
"Beedee?" Y/N looked down at the droid who had been observing the whole seen.
The little droid tilted his head before beeping teasingly.
"Beedee."
He relented as he projected his discovery for them to see. Cal studied the information carefully, before meeting her eyes again, the fog that had once clouded his receding.
"There's something in the air," he finally stated. "Bio-weapon?"
"That's what I was thinking," Y/N nodded. "My guess is something went terrible wrong and they abandon the project and the ship."
"We need to find out what it is."
"Beedee, you think you can find the source?" Y/N questioned, smiling slightly as the little droid beeped in determination at the challenge. "My guess is it's on the floor below us-"
"Cal Kestis! Answer your kriffing comm or I'm kicking your Force sensitive ass for losing my best friend!"
"Mira?" Y/N reached for Cal's comm before he even had a chance, her hand holding his arm between them.
"Thank the Maker... I thought you were dead!"
"Not quite..." Y/N smiled apologetically to Cal who winced at Mira's outbursts.
"What's going on in there? You should already be back by now."
"There's been a... change of plans."
"What?"
"We think there may be a breathable bio-weapon on the ship," Cal explained.
"Oh... that's all... get back to the damn ship we're leaving!"
"Mira, we have to find out what's going on, you're perfectly safe on the ship," Y/N assured. "The air on board is purified."
"I'm not the one I'm worried about... you're Jedi buddy made you split up on an abandoned ship that has a bio-weapon on board!"
"Well... in his defense he didn't know about the bio-weapon," Y/N defended.
"I still-"
"Don't you two think we should hurry this along so we can get off of this ship?" Cal spoke up awkwardly, by this time Beedee had climbed onto his shoulder and was watching the whole discussion.
"Fine... but don't you dare let her out of your sight again Kestis."
"Wasn't planning on it..." Cal mumbled.
"Goodbye Mira," Y/N shut down their end of the conversation with a push of a button. "She can be..."
"Protective?" Cal offered.
"Yeah, we'll call it that," Y/N could see his soft smile through his mask as she released his arm.
"Come on, I think it's time we figured out what's really going on here," Cal nodded for Beedee to take the lead, which the droid did as he skipped to the ground once more.
Y/N fell into step with Cal, relieved to be with him again. Her eyes moved to him subconsciously, noticing the way his hand brushed against the spot where she had held him.
* ) * ( *
Beedee moved swiftly down the twisting maze of identical hallways, scanning the atmosphere as he went. They shouldn't be far from the source, by the rooms and doors they passed they appeared to be in the lab area.
"Feeling better?" Y/N questioned, breaking the silence that had fell between her and Cal.
"Much... my heads a lot clearer now," he nodded.
"Did you..." Y/N paused, unsure if she should ask before deciding to anyways. "See anything?"
"Yes," Cal looked to Beedee up ahead. "Did you?"
"No, but I heard voices..." she could still hear them echoing in her memories. "My mother... Mira... you. There was so much pain, and I couldn't do anything."
"I know what you mean..." Cal replied, brows knitting together as he grimaced.
"Was it bad?" Y/N asked quietly.
Cal stopped suddenly, turning to face her as Beedee continued ahead, taking the light with him. Yet she could still make him out in their close proximity, her mind wondered back to her lips brushing against his.
She watched as Cal opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He simply stared at her in the dark, looking relieved to have her there.
"Yeah... it was bad," he finally spoke.
Y/N frowned in sympathy, she reached a hand out towards him slowly. Her fingers had barely brushed the back of his hand when Beedee called loudly up ahead. Her hand snapped back instantly and Cal seemed to shake his head as if to clear it once more.
"Coming buddy," Cal replied as they hurried after the little droid.
"Are you sure this is it?" Y/N questioned, looking from Beedee, who nodded vehemently, to the cold metal doors in front of them. "Then I guess there's only one thing left to do... give me a hand?"
Cal nodded as he slipped his fingers between the small crack in the door, Y/N doing the same on the other side. With several harsh pulls the door began to open before finally sliding apart with ease.
A strange green mist rolled out of the room, gathering at their feet before fading away into the air around them. Y/N had been so distracted by the mist that she hadn't even noticed the vines until Cal tapped her shoulder.
The pale green tentacles covered everything in the lab, Beedee hopped on them cautiously as Cal ignited his saber, just to be safe. Y/N drew a blaster as she followed him inside, sticking to him closely.
"What is this stuff?" Cal looked at her curiously, but Beedee had the answer.
He directed his light to the middle of the room were the vines seemed to lead back to. There were several large unnaturally yellow flowers, petals streaked with red.
"What-" before Y/N could even finish her question one of the flowers began to shake, drawing it's petals in before bursting open again with a puff of green mist.
"This is what's been behind all of this?" Cal lowered his saber as Beedee scanned one of the flowers. "How is it still alive? It's had to have been here for years."
"Uh Cal," Y/N tapped his shoulder as she pointed to several skeletons, that appeared to be Neimoidian, wrapped in the vines. "That's how."
"Don't get to close Beedee," Cal warned as he raised his saber again.
Beedee skipped back to them, showing them both his findings.
"Species unknown," Y/N read, looking to the large flowers and noticing the isolation tank they were sitting on top of, the glass that had held it in gone. "That explains it."
"It does?" Cal cocked a brow.
"They were working on an breathable bio-weapon, it would have been a game changer in the war," Y/N explained. "It would only affect the clones, Battledroids would have been fine."
"But they abandoned it because something obviously happened here," Cal kicked a Battledroid head free from the vines it had been tangled in. "Chances are one of these broke the isolation tank."
"It affected the Neimoidians on board, a few probably escaped but the rest were trapped down here," Y/N continued. "They just gave up, it must have been close to the end of the war... Cal?"
"Hmm?"
"You know what we have to do?"
"Do?"
"If we found this place it won't be long before the Empire does as well, we have to destroy it before they can get their hands on it."
"How are we going to do that?" Cal looked at the vines littering every corner of the lab.
"In the control room we should be able to set the ship to self destruct."
"You want to blow it up?"
"You have a better idea?"
"You think you can override the codes?" Cal looked down at Beedee.
The little droid beeped in indignation that he even had to ask. He quickly scurried up his companions leg, tapping his shoulder to get a move on.
"Well, I guess we're blowing up a ship..." Cal smiled weakly, but Y/N could see the eager glint in his eyes.
* ) * ( *
"Well," Y/N grunted as she and Cal fought to open the door to the control room. "We finally got here."
"If we can get inside," Cal tugged one last time in vain before nodding for her to stand back. "Here, let me try something different."
Y/N looked at him curiously as she stepped away. Cal raised his hand and swiped it to the side quickly, the door mirrored the action, sliding open with a whoosh.
"You could have done that the whole time?" Y/N looked at him expectantly.
"Didn't come to mind?" Cal offered weakly, making Y/N shake her head with amusement as she stepped inside.
"Turn it on Beedee," Y/N nodded to the central control panel, the little droid hopping immediately into action.
It was only a moment before the room came to life, the bright lights forced Y/N to squint her eyes, Cal doing the same. Her eyes scanned the room as they adjusted, noticing a Battledroid still at its station, sitting lifelessly.
"You sure you two want to go through with this?" Mira's voice came over Cal's comm suddenly.
"Y/N's right, whatever this thing is it needs to be destroyed before the Empire can get their hands on it," Cal replied as he raised his arm between himself and Y/N to hear her better.
"You're both crazy... just make sure you leave enough time to get back to the ship."
"Don't worry Mira, I'm not planning on blowing myself up," Y/N smiled slightly. "Besides, Beedee knows what he's doing."
"Just make sure we're ready to take off," Cal added.
"I've been ready to take off since we got here, the time you two are taking I'm surprised there's any fuel left."
"how much longer Beedee," Y/N shook her head with amusement as Beedee beeped absently in reply. "We're close."
"Great because-..." Mira suddenly went silent.
"Mira?" Y/N spoke after a brief pause her eyes meeting Cal's curiously.
"Uh, Y/N?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are the Battledroids coming to life down here?"
"What?" Cal and Y/N demanded.
"They're moving."
"Beedee..." Y/N looked slowly to the little droid. "When I said 'turn it on' you didn't turn everything on did you?"
As if in reply the Battledroid that had previously been sitting at once of the control stations came to life.
"You're not supposed to be h-" was all it managed to say before Y/N sent a blaster bolt straight through it.
"Beedee shut it down!" Cal demanded, but it was too late, Beedee had already set the self destruct sequence into action. "How long do we have?"
"Ten minutes," Y/N replied weakly as the room started flashing red, sirens wailing in warning of the coming explosion.
"Y/N?" Mira's voice came through again, this time strained with anxiety.
"Mira get that ship in the air!" Y/N shouted over the sirens as Beedee detached from the control station, hopping onto Cal's shoulder. "We're coming!"
She and Cal made a break for it, bursting out of the control room and past droids coming back to life after years of deactivation. Y/N gripped her blasters tightly as she urged her body forward, guided by Cal who seemed to have the place memorized.
"Up ahead!" Cal shouted as he drew his saber blocking the blasterfire of the operational droids ahead as Y/N fired over his shoulder, hitting them dead on.
They only had a brief moment to meet each other's eyes, even with the high stakes Y/N had to appreciate how well they worked together. Cal seemed to do the same before blaster bolts whizzed past then from behind.
"This way!" Cal urged over the noise, grabbing her elbow as he pulled them down another hallway.
* ) * ( *
Mira should have known this mission was too good to be true. Sure she was finally out of Kashyyyk's humidity, the down side was she was hovering over several dozen droids who were out for her blood.
The ships shields were only doing so much, forcing her to man the guns, firing at the landing bay below. She knew they were running on borrowed time, the flashing red lights that surrounded her told her that. This place was going to blow, and soon.
And if Y/N never showed up Mira fully intended to blow up with it, she'd never leave her behind. If that damn Jedi hadn't wondered off none of this would have happened, she knew she was reaching and she knew what they were doing was right, but Y/N was her best friend.
Luckily just as she was starting to lose all hope she caught sight of Cal's saber on the far side of the landing bay. A second later Y/N appeared, firing with such precision it reminded Mira why she was top in their class at the academy.
The pair moved with such ease together Mira was mesmerized for a moment, they flowed like water, Cal would block with his saber and Y/N would fire. She couldn't understand why Y/N would deny it, they fit together too perfectly.
"Mira!" Cal's voice snapped her back into focus. "Lower the ramp!"
"How are you going to get inside?" Mira demanded as she did what he said. "I can't land in this mess!"
"Don't worry about it!" Cal assured, not assuring her any.
Mira did the only thing she could, angling the open ramp in their direction, which meant she had to turn her back on Y/N. And she didn't like that one bit, especially since there wasn't a sound on the comms.
She looked to the opening behind her, lips parting to speak once again when suddenly Y/N jumped into the ship. Her body landing in a roll, it took Mira only a moment to realize Cal must have used the Force because he came in a moment later, landing next to her.
Beedee scampered off of Cal's back quickly to the control panel on the wall, hitting a button to seal the ship once more.
"Mira punch it!" Y/N shouted, ripping a breathing mask from her face.
Mira did just that, putting everything she had into the thrusters as she blew through the ships docking field. Taking them as far as she could into space, the blast coming a moment later, sending them into a tail spin.
Mira gripped the controls, trying to fight the momentum of the ship. She glanced back in a panic at the two other occupants that weren't straped in.
They had just made it to their feet when the blast hit, the Force would have sent them both flying. But to Mira's surprise she saw Cal dart for Y/N, sandwiching her body to the wall of the ship, using the Force to hold them in place.
"Hold on!" Mira shouted as she pulled hard on the controls, the ship whining in warning but she ignored it, she knew what she was doing.
A moment later they came to an abrupt stop, shocking them all as Cal and Y/N stumbled away from the wall. Mira wasn't too shaken up to miss the way Cal held her best friend longer than necessary, or the way Y/N allowed it.
"Look," Y/N stated suddenly as she stumbled her way to the front of the ship, out of breath from their run.
Mira looked forward as Cal joined them, debris floated aimlessly around them, the place where a ship had once been was now empty space. It was a shocking sight to say the least, Mira was just happy to be where she was and not in a million pieces like the junk floating around them.
She was just about to remark as much when she looked to her companions. But her voice fell flat when she noticed that Cal wasn't looking at the debris, he was looking at Y/N.
And for once she chose to stay silent.
* ) * ( *
The moon was high when Cal finally stepped out onto the landing platform. For the past several hours since their return he had been stuck in a meeting with Gerara over the info they had gathered. Mira and Y/N had managed to get out of the ordeal when one of Gerara's people came in complaining about their Y-wing malfunctioning.
It was a relief to finally be free after such a long day. He allowed himself a brief moment to appreciate the cool breeze that ruffled his clothes and hair, a stark contrast to the hot days on the planet.
A metallic bang finally snapped Cal out of his reverie, his head turning to see the silhouette of a woman working under the Mantis. A bit of hope filled him at the thought of spending an hour or so talking to Y/N, but he soon realized it was Mira banging away on a mangled piece of durasteel.
"Gerara finally run out of things to say?" Mira questioned when she finally noticed him.
"He said we'd discuss it more tomorrow, with you and Y/N present."
"Figures..." Mira sighed tiredly as she straightened the bent piece of metal. "Where's your little friend?"
"Beedee?" Cal looked up at the silent ship. "He needed a good charge after today."
"Don't we all," Mira huffed out a laugh. "I told Y/N to go to her quarters before she worked herself into exhaustion."
"What are you still doing out here?"
"Well, I spent most of my day in an air-conditioned cockpit," Mira began as she paused a moment to enjoy the breeze. "Thought I might as well take advantage of the cool weather."
"I guess I should let you get back to work..."
"Where are you going?"
"Maybe a walk... not really tired," Mira huffed out another laugh at that, a moment of silence passed between making Cal believe they were through as he turned to leave.
"Cal..." Mira spoke suddenly, making him look back as she fiddled hesitantly with her tools. "You don't actually believe all that stuff she says about Alderaan do you?"
"I-" Cal froze, he never expected anyone to bringing it up, not Y/N and especially not Mira. "I wasn't sure..."
"And you didn't ask," Mira nodded knowingly as she began putting away her tools. "You want to know something funny Cal?"
"What?" He asked hesitantly, Y/N always talked about Mira's ability to read a person, he just never expected to be the one under her examination.
"I was talking to Xa'li Crane while I was working on his Y-wing... apparently Gerara had original assigned him to the mission we went on today," Mira began, snapping her tool box shut.
"Plans change," Cal shrugged.
"Mm-hmm, but you see the thing is someone, you..." Mira pointed an accusing finger at him. "Requested for Y/N instead."
"We make a good team," he defended quickly under Mira's studious gaze.
"That you do... but are you sure that's all there is to it?" With that Mira picked up her tool box and headed for the other side of the landing platform.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cal called, making Mira look back with a slight smirk.
"You're smart, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
Cal was left in utter confusion as he watched her leave, he didn't know how Y/N was able to keep up with her. It was just his luck the one person he wanted to talk to was nowhere to be found, and the person he did find left him with more questions than answers.
Maybe some of it she was right about... he knew Y/N had been lying about the traditions of her home planet. And he never said anything because he didn't mind as long as he could spend time with her.
Like the time he was finally cleared after a brief stint in a bacta tank Y/N had showed up with his favorite meal he had told her about from when he was a youngling. He was surprised she even remembered, he had told her so long ago.
Another time she had found him struggling to patch a blaster hole in his shirt. She didn't even ask him if he needed help, she simply took it from him with a shake of her head and called him stubborn for not asking for help.
And as recently as a few months ago he had grown ill with a fever, Y/N had told him he would with how reckless he could be. But he ignored her well given warning, landing him in bed, the inactivity being torturous. Until Y/N appeared in his quarters, talking with him easily, her voice soothing him.
He wished he could figure out why she needed an excuse for these things. He had always been welcome to any time spent with her... maybe a little too welcome.
The thought of the chasting kiss she had given him flashed through his mind, making him shake his head quickly. The same thing had happened several times in his meeting with Gerara, overwhelming him to the point he wished he could just leave and find Y/N.
Why he wanted to find her he was unsure... he just needed to see her.
His eyes darted to the left, to the doors that lead to the sleeping quarters, and then straight ahead to the path that headed for the forest. He knew the safest decision would be to put the matter behind him, let the wilderness calm his thoughts.
But when was he ever known for making the safest decisions?
* ) * ( *
Y/N cleaned her blasters with a military level of precision, something the academy had taught her and one of the few things she valued from the experience. Growing up on a peaceful planet such as Alderaan she had rarely ever even seen a blaster before, now she slept with them next to her bed.
Her hands moved deftly and for awhile her work managed to occupy her thoughts. But soon they would wonder, back to the kiss she had given him.
Kiss... it wasn't really a kiss, she had barely touched his lips. It was a reckless and desperate action that happened due to heightened emotions, it was all very simple.
But then she would think about the terror that had flooded her when the explosion erupted and their ship was sent into a tail spin. And how Cal had held her safely against the ship wall, his body warm and comforting.
She blinked suddenly, realizing she had stopped cleaning her blaster and was instead staring off into space. She quickly got back to work, Gerara would probably want to see her first thing in the morning.
Maybe she should ask for a mission... get away from base for a few days. Get away from Cal until she could sort out some pesky feelings that were cropping up.
A sudden knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced at her clock, it was past eleven, Mira was more than likely coming by to wish her goodnight.
"Coming," Y/N called as she cleaned her hands, moving to the doors control panel. "Did you finish up on the Mantis-... Cal?"
"Am I interrupting something?" He asked softly as he stood in the deserted hallway.
"No, no, I thought you were Mira," Y/N explained, waiting for his own explanation for why he was there before deciding the polite thing to do would be to let him in. "Come in, nothing too exciting is happening."
Cal stepped inside and the door slid shut behind him. She watched him from the corner of her eye as she resembled her blaster, waiting for him to speak. But it was apparent by his hesitant look Cal wasn't entirely sure why he was here either.
"Did the medics clear you?" He finally asked casually.
"Yep, I'm clean of any remaining toxin effects," Y/N replied with relief. "You?"
"They told me the same before I left the meeting with Gerara."
"So that's where you've been, I'm guessing he wants to see the three of us again tomorrow?"
"Right as usual."
"Well, at least it's an excuse to get out of the heat," Y/N smiled before becoming blaringly aware that she was striped down to her tank top after breaking a sweat helping Mira test the thrusters on a Y-wing.
She played off her sudden nerves easily but she could have sworn she saw Cal's eyes wonder before snapping back to her own. The thought making another sweat break out over her skin, this time a nervous one.
"So what are you still doing wandering around at this time of night?" Y/N finally asked after an elongated pause, hands fidgeting at her side.
"Wasn't really tired... and I ran into Mira, she can give you a lot to think about," Cal replied as his eyes wondered around her quarters.
"What did she give you to think about?" Y/N pressed with amusement.
"You," he replied simply, trapping her with his gaze as her humor was soon replaced with panic.
What did she say?
"Me?" Y/N smiled weakly. "What could she possibly have said to make you think about me?"
"Plenty," Cal huffed out a laugh, shaking his head at the thought of her best friend. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"What?"
"I know the truth Y/N, about all of these 'Alderaanian traditions'..."
"Did Mira-"
"No, I've known for awhile... she just made me finally admit it."
Y/N sighed deeply as she buried her face in her hands, this day was never ending. She had no idea if he was upset, if he was here to cut off their friendship, what she did know is that she was going to murder Mira.
"I'm not mad," Cal assured her quickly, taking a step forward when he noticed her distress. "I just wanted to know why? Have I made you uncomfortable?"
"No, it's not that," Y/N smiled weakly at his attempt to comfort her, her hands rubbing her face in exasperation before she finally met his eyes. "You want to know the truth?"
"Of course."
"The truth is I don't know why I did it... it just came out of my mouth one day and then it kept coming out," she replied honestly, studying his face. "It's just, when it comes to you, things are... different."
"Different how?" His brows were drawn together in confusion as he stared down at her.
Maker he was really going to make her confront this.
"Cal I like you, I really do, outside of Mira your the only person who I've ever fully trusted in years," Y/N folded her arms nervously as she leaned against the table behind her. "And maybe I like you more than I should."
She watched Cal's expression go from confused, to conflicted, before softening in surprise. His lips parted to speak but he wavered, she could have sworn they quirked upwards in a smile before returning to neutral.
"What's wrong with that?" He finally asked gently.
"Cal, you and I both know the answer to that..." Y/N sighed. "And if you hadn't of brought it up I wouldn't have either."
"The Code..." Cal nodded slowly, pain clouded his thoughts as he remembered his promises and the toxin induced visions he had seen. It may not have been real, but it's words were, he couldn't save them all... he couldn't have it all.
Or could he?
"Yeah that..." Y/N smiled sadly, before holding her head high and lying directly to his face. "It will pass Cal, I'll get over it."
"I-" he didn't know what to do, for the first time he wanted something outside of the Order, and that thing was her.
He should have realized sooner, the nights spent thinking about her. The happy rush that would fill him when the Mantis crew returned to base, knowing it would be only a matter of seconds before he would see her.
"I understand if you want to avoid me for awhile," she said it evenly but a part of her she never really realized was dying inside.
She moved for the door, intending to set him free of this mess. But Cal panicked, going with instinct as he always did in crisis. His hand caught her arm as he pulled her back, his other hand cupping the back of her head as his lips suddenly met hers.
This. This was a kiss. Y/N realized it as her hands gripped the front of his shirt, clinging to him. At her reciprocation Cal kissed her desperately, shocking her with his eagerness.
"Cal you can't," Y/N broke away suddenly, his lips a breath away.
"I can," he replied as he kissed her again.
The Order was gone, but she was real, she was here in his hands clinging to him desperately. He wanted her, he wanted her more than life itself.
She couldn't believe what was happening, she thought if this moment had ever come she would be the one convincing him about disregarding the Codes. Instead she found herself struggling to stay upright as Cal's eagerness had her backed against a table.
"What's gotten into you?" Y/N let out a surprised laugh as he lifted her onto the table, his hands resting on either side of her.
"I don't want to waste whatever time I have..." Cal replied, looking into her eyes as he remembered watching her limp body fall in front of him. "I don't want to regret never doing this."
"Cal, what did you see?" She asked it gently, it was as if she could see right through him, something had to have happened to have brought on this much of a change in him.
"It was nothing..."
"We both know that's not true..."
"Fine... I saw you... die, and I couldn't stop it," Cal said it painfully, hanging his head slightly. "I can't stop all of it, I can't save everyone."
She frowned at that, knowing the feeling all too well, she could still hear those voices screaming in her head. Her mother who she hadn't seen since she left the Academy, Mira who was loyal to a fault, Cal... the person who gave her hope.
She knew the weight that he carried, but he didn't have to do it alone.
"I don't need you to save me Cal," Y/N stated softly, cupping his cheeks as she made him meet her eyes. "I don't want to be someone's burden, I want to be your partner, because we take care of each other."
"I just feel so lost sometimes..." Cal admitted, raising his hand to caress her cheek with his thumb. "Nothing is ever enough."
"Forget about everything else..." Y/N placed her hand on top of his, guiding it to the strap of her tank top, using his hand to slip it off of her shoulder. "Just be here with me, that can be enough right now."
Cal's eyes drifted to her bare shoulder, his thumb caressing the soft skin there. Slowly he raised his hands until he was holding her face between them. He searched her eyes for any signs of doubt before capturing her lips again.
He kissed her slowly, her hands ran up his body until her fingers could tangle themselves in his hair. She pulled him closer with her legs, until her body was sandwiched against his.
Cal was shockingly the first to reach for the hem of her shirt, he looked at her curiously, unsure. But Y/N only learned back, allowing him to slip it over her head.
She didn't even think twice when she reached behind her to unclasp her bra. There was something about Cal that filled her with comfort, she didn't try to hide herself when she slipped her bra from her shoulders as she had done with others before. Cal looked utterly mesmerized by her.
"Sorry," Cal shook his head quickly after realizing he had been staring, it only made Y/N smile.
"Don't be," she whispered against his ear after pulling him closer. "I don't mind you staring."
Cal's hands gripped her waist suddenly, the warmth of him a shock to her cool skin. His lips brushed her cheek before moving to her jaw, her neck. Y/N tilted her head, giving him better access as his thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts.
"You sure you've never done this before?" Y/N asked breathlessly as he grew bold enough to cup her breasts, lightly kneading the soft flesh.
Cal chuckled into her neck at that, his body rocking slightly into her. She could feel him through his pants, as her legs wrapped around him. Cal groaned slightly at the sensation of her rubbing against him.
She reached for his shirt then, pulling on it desperately, Cal leaned back enough to slip it over his head before tossing it haphazardly. Y/N took this moment to fully appreciate the sight of him.
He was firm and toned after all the hours of training and missions, she had often noticed his strength when he was helping move supplies around the base. Her hands ran along his pale skin, gripping his arms and feeling the strong muscle there before trailing her hands down his chest. His skin was peppered with freckles and scars, she wanted nothing more than to be able to trace them with her fingers.
But right now she wanted more, he wanted more, and it was made evident by the painful bulge pressed against her thigh. She hooked her fingers through his belt loops and pulled him closer, scooting herself to the edge of the table.
"You sure you're comfortable?" Y/N asked him, lips brushing his as she spoke.
"Very..." Cal replied as he cupped her cheek, kissing her once more.
Y/N's hands moved to his belt buckle, freeing it easily before undoing the button of his pants. She could feel his hand flexing in anticipation as she slid his zipper down.
Her legs hooked around him securely when she finally slipped her hand inside his pants. Her fingers brushing against his erection before finally wrapping around him.
Cal groaned against her mouth, hips rocking into her hand encouragingly. She stroked him slowly, allowing him to get used to the sensation. She could feel her own desire pooling between her legs as Cal bucked into her hand.
"Y/N..." he moaned her name softly as he broke the kiss, his head falling to her shoulder.
It wasn't until he noticed her awkward shifting on the table that he finally reached for her wrist, stilling her hand. His lust blown eyes met hers as he took a deep breath.
"This isn't exactly fair to you Y/N," he spoke evenly, showing unbelievable self control as she felt the tension in his body. "I want you to feel good too."
"Then take off your clothes," Y/N nodded to her bed behind him, surprising him slightly with her boldness. "And go lay on the bed."
Y/N slipped her hands from his pants before hopping off of the table, her legs having an unsure wobbly the she did her best to disguise. She watched Cal as he shed the rest of his layers, doing the same herself. His eyes were practically glued to her as she urged him towards the bed once more.
She threw her sheets to the side before giving him a light shove, his back hitting the bed before he pulled the rest of himself on it as well. Y/N stood there a brief second, the realization dawning on her that she had Cal naked in her bed, a thought that had on more than one occasion invaded her lonely dreams.
She straddled him, the surprise evident on Cal's face, but he wasn't near disappointed. If anything he looked up at her with amazement.
"You're sure you want this Cal?" Y/N asked quietly as her hands ran along his chest and stomach.
"I know I do," he assured hands gripping her knees as he watched her with hooded eyes.
That was all the assurance Y/N needed as she raised herself up, taking him in her hand before lining him up with her entrance. She lowered herself down on him slowly, eyes closing as she basked in the feeling of him inside her.
Cal's head fell back, groaning deeply as he bucked his hips up slightly. Y/N's breath caught as she realized he was larger than she was used to, but soon she reached his base.
"Fuck," Cal groaned, the sound of him cussing shocked her but also made her ache to her core.
Her hands splayed across his chest, planting them there for leverage as she slowly began to move. Raising her hips up slightly before bringing them back down.
Cal looked up at her mesmerized by the realization that this was happening, and it was happening with her. Never before had he experienced such pleasure.
Y/N grew more confident moving up and down him further as she allowed quiet moans to escape her. She always liked being on top, being in control, watching the other person unravel beneath her.
He moaned and groaned her name religiously, hands gripping her knees in a way she knew would bruise. But she didn't care, he could mark her all he liked, it would just remind her of this moment between them now.
Suddenly his hands left her knees and flew to her hips, guiding her up and down with a new urgent pace. His own hips raising slightly to met her.
"Cal-... Maker," she choked out as she threw her head back, nails digging into his chest.
"You feel so good," Cal groaned fighting his oncoming release.
"Fuck," Y/N moaned this time as she moved her hand to her clit, circling it urgently.
She was so close, so very close.
His fingers dug into her hips as he met her thruster for thruster, both desperately chasing their high. She could feel exhaustion overtaking her body after the long day but she refused to stop, she'd stay here with him forever.
"Y/N-" Cal gritted out, the strain evident in his voice.
"Me too," Y/N moaned breathlessly, so desperately close.
Suddenly her release hit her like a tidal wave nearly making her collapse as she clenched around him. Sending Cal over the edge with her finally as he gave a few last shaky thrusts.
Y/N collapsed on top of him as soon as she began to come down from her high, Cal's arms immediately wrapping around her. They were both exhausted, emotionally and physically. She could easily fall asleep on him then and there, listening to the fast beat of his heart as he tried to steady himself.
But reluctantly she slid to his side, nuzzling herself there as she threw her blankets over the both of them. Se felt like she could sleep for a week, wrapped in his arms and secure at his side.
"I wished we had talked sooner," Cal spoke finally, pulling her closer, her head resting at his shoulder.
"Any particular reason?" Y/N teased as she smiled to herself.
"Maybe," Cal smiled at the ceiling in satisfaction. "But also because we wasted so much time."
"That just means we have something to make up for."
"Y/N?"
"Hmm?"
"I want you to join the Mantis crew, you and Mira," Cal surprised her then.
"What?"
"Merrin's leaving in a few weeks, Cere too, Greez wants to take off and settle in somewhere," Cal explained, she could hear in his voice how much it pained him. "He wants to leaned me the Mantis since he won't be needing it..."
"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Y/N questioned, raising up on an elbow to see him better.
"I didn't want to believe it was happening..." he admitted, his hand coming to rest on the arm she still had draped around him, his thumb caressing her skin. "I didn't know what I was going to do..."
"But now you do?" Y/N asked gently.
"I'll need a pilot, a crew," Cal began as he met her eyes. "After today I realized the three of us work good together, it's a start, something good for us all... what do you think?"
"I think this is the wildest day of my life," Y/N laughed slightly before giving him a smile. "But it sounds like you've got yourself the makings of a crew."
"You're sure?"
"It's not exactly a hard decision to make between flying the galaxy with you and sweating my life away here with Gerara," Y/N continued to beam as she added. "Besides, Mira will love the idea of flying the Mantis."
"You sure Gerara won't mind?"
"I doubt he'll enjoy loosing two of his best mechanics, but I made it clear a long time ago Mira and I go where we please," Y/N brushed away the wild strands of hair from his forehead. "And you've won me over."
Cal smiled at that, pulling her down to capture her lips, kissing her tenderly as he held her. He never expected something like this in his life, but now as he held her he knew he was right where he was supposed to be.
"Y/N good news I managed to repair the broken-" Cal and Y/N broke apart as their heads turned together at the sound of her door opening, greeted with the sight of Mira.
A wave of emotions washed over Mira's face, shock, surprise, disbelief, and finally landing on realization. Her mouth falling open yet no words coming out as her eyes lit up with excitement.
"Mira, is there something you need?" Y/N asked finally after clearing her thought.
"It can wait," Mira assured as she backed out of the room, pointing to the door panel as she went. "I'll uh... lock it this time."
Silence fell over Y/N and Cal as soon as the door closed. Both unsure of exactly what to say after being caught red handed.
"At least we won't have to worry about telling her," Cal offered, cutting the tension as Y/N couldn't help but to smother her laughter in his shoulder.
"I'm too tired for this," Y/N replied weakly with a grin as she laid her head on his shoulder once more. "I hope you know what you're signing up for."
"It's definitely going to be interesting..." Cal admitted with amusement, pulling her closer as things finally began falling into place.
This was a life he could definitely live with.