Hostile || Cal Kestis

06 | A Delicate Affair

"faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." – J. R. R. Tolkien

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He ran down the gray corridors, steps pounding against the floor as his eyes searched desperately for her. His thoughts switching between giving her space and needing to know she was okay. He couldn't even begin to imagine what she was feeling, and to then push all his feelings onto her – it would've been overwhelming.

"Cal?"

He turned, seeing Merrin standing with an apprehensive look, BD-1 standing beside her feet.

"Cal, what's going on – "

"Have you seen her?" He interrupted quickly. "Trilla? Have you seen her?"

"No." Then, as if she had digested his question, she looked surprised. "Is she awake?"

He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "Yeah. I, I messed up and I don't know what to do."

"We'll find her," Merrin said reassuringly. It wasn't enough to calm him.

BD-1 hopped and beeped.

"Ostara," Cal repeated after BD-1. How did he not think of that? He looked back to Merrin, who seemed the most concerned.

She nodded. "We will be right behind you."

But before he did, BD-1 beeped again before shooting out a Stim for Trilla. Just in case.

"Thanks buddy."

He took off again, now searching for the physician. Only it didn't take long as she was walking down the perpendicular corridor with another Polis Massan. He was unsure if they were in discussion, though that wouldn't have made a difference in his rushed state.

"Have you seen Trilla?"

"She is walking again? She's stronger than we predicted." And after a beat, "I have not seen her. Perhaps she is in the canteen?"

His voice was panic-stricken. "No, she's not there."

"You know her best Cal Kestis. Where would she go?"

He looked at her dumbfoundedly, expecting something more than that. Couldn't she inform the rest of the facility to be on the lookout? Or help him find her?

But as his heart thundered in his ears from all his running, his thoughts clung to her words. He thought about it, trying to put himself in her position. If he needed to get away, where would he go?

She was abandoning it all. Just like he had after Order sixty-six – after he had lost his Master. And her best bet to get off this planet was a ship.

The Mantis.

○

"Greez...?" He asked while running up the platform into the ship, trailing off at the sight of her.

She was sitting in the lounge area, speaking to Greez. At his interruption they stopped, staring at him. She didn't seem angry or hurt when he locked eyes with her, a mask of calm settled over her features. He turned his confused gaze over to Greez who looked apprehensive – whether it was the way Cal had entered or because Trilla was talking to him he was unsure.

"You alright kid?"

"Yeah," he answered breathlessly as his focus returned to Trilla.

Greez looked between them slowly before deciding to stand up. "I'll give you some privacy."

He looked at Trilla and nodded, to which her shoulders relaxed. He stepped outside, closing the ship door behind them.

Cal didn't know what to say. It took a few seconds before he remembered the Stim, he had been gripping onto.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, sounding a little pathetic. And to clarify further he added, "Your wound, I mean."

"I'll take the Stim, if that's what you're asking." Her voice was as cool as a dead star.

He felt self-conscious as he walked over to her and watched as she took it from his grasp, her hand never touching his. With ease she reached around and injected near her wound, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

He nodded, his feet shuffling awkwardly in the silence. And before he could debate against it, he opened his mouth and let it out.

"Why did you kiss me?" His tone had come off much gentler than he realized.

She stared at him, perhaps surprised by how openly he had said it. As though the acknowledgment of what had happened made it more real. He waited for an answer, but her hesitation lasted far too long, and it flowed into silence. He tried to keep the hurt from being displayed on his face as he nodded slowly.

So she had regretted it. It had likely been the heat of the moment for her, from her injuries and the coma-like state she had been in. But most of all, it had been a mistake.