Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 2

The sounds of static laughter filled Y/n's ears as she sat in the common area of the Mantis. Her hands picked at the caf table in front of her, eyes focused on the blue hologram shining on top of it. In the hologram was a little girl of five and a man with an aged, yet joyful, face. Little dolls surrounded the two as the girl beamed up at the man, who ruffled her hair with his hand and took one of the dolls in his other.

"Papa, we have to get her ready for the ball!"

"And so we will, in the most beautiful dress the galaxy has ever seen."

Y/n watched as the man took out a homemade doll dress from his pocket, the little girl squealing in joy at the sight of it. She looked at the man's right hand, seeing the ring on his pinkie glinting in the artificial light of the hologram. Twirling the ring on her own index finger, she let out a sigh as she watched the two. The man looked at the little girl with more love in his eyes than any man would dare to admit. But not him. He told this little girl he loved her every single day.

The sound of a door opening in the hologram caused the man to turn his head with a light frown. "Vosso?" a female voice called, the little girl innocently oblivious to the man's drop in demeanor.

"Coming, Ivaah," he replied back, giving the girl a kiss on her head and telling her they would finish the ball later. The hologram shut off right after.

"I haven't seen that in a long time," Y/n heard a voice say beside her. Casting her eyes to the side, she saw Cere walking over to her, setting down her seven-string hallikset before sitting down on the couch. "Any reason you brought it out again?"

"I don't know," Y/n responded with a small shake of her head. Taking a breath, she continued. "I guess seeing someone like him," she gestured her head back to the direction of the engine room, "brings me back to that time. When there was peace."

"I understand," Cere solemnly nodded. "Given your mother, and her dedication to the Order-"

"She was dedicated to her job, not the Order," Y/n cut her off, finally looking Cere in the eye. "She was the best medical specialist in the Jedi Temple. Now, she's the best in the Empire."

Cere looked over the young girl. "We all do what we have to in order to survive."

"Some worse than most," Y/n stated while twisting the ring on her finger. Standing, she took the hologram off the table and set it in her pocket.

"Hey, anybody checked in on the kid yet?" Greez said as he walked into the common room.

"He's asleep," Y/n answered, looking over one of the flowers planted on the wall of the ship. Her fingers danced lightly over the red petals.

"No touchy," Greez commented as he passed her, batting at her hand with an arm. She quirked her lip slightly in amusement of his wording until he let out a sigh. "I think I hear him back there. Let me go see." Y/n and Cere watched as he left, meeting eyes until Cere walked out to retire to her own room. Y/n migrated to the holotable, checking over their destination.

In the back of the ship, Greez found the Jedi with his arms wrapped tightly around himself, mumbling in his sleep. Cal's brows furrowed, until he gasped awake to find the Latero watching over him. "You were talkin' in your sleep," Greez mentioned, a careless façade washing over him as he scoffed. "Weirdo."

Cal blinked as Greez walked away, thinking the comment unnecessary. Prauf's voice echoed in his head as he sat up and rubbed a hand over his face to wake up. He didn't know how long he had been asleep, but it felt longer than he'd gotten in years.

Standing, he explored back down to the main gallery of the ship, finding his way back into the common area. No one was around, except for the young doctor near the holotable. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, his presence unknown to her, until he looked down to find an instrument sitting by the table in the common area.