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It had been a long day for the crew of the Mantis. It had been almost a week since their narrow escape from the sith lord, and life had become difficult. The empire still had them on the run, making fuel and food difficult to find and dodging star destroyers a daily task.
This particular day had been made even more incredibly dangerous by a star destroyer emerging from hyperspace almost directly in front of them. Only Cal’s Jedi premonitions and Merrin’s magic had saved them from a brutal end caused by point-blank turbo-laser fire.
They were in hyperspace now, and fairly safe. Cal had seated himself by the holo-table, and was looking at the data files on their next destination, when he felt the cushion sink slightly beside him.
“Hey, BD-1.”
“I am not BD-1.” Merrin stated.
“Oh. Well, hello anyways.”
“What are you looking at?” She asked, scooting herself closer.
“Well, I’m looking up the planets we might be able to stop at. We’re headed towards Nar Shaddaa, but i imagine Greez is going to redirect us toward Tatooine. They’re both fascinating planets- Nar Shaddaa is actually a city world built by the Hutts, and Tatooine is a desert world-”
He stopped.
Merrin had gone from sitting unnecessarily close to him to full-on leaning against him, laying her head on his shoulder.
His brain instantly began reconsidering the “attachment” part of the Jedi code.
“Continue.”
He went on, voice lower, until he realized that the Nightsister was sound asleep. He went back to scrolling though the star maps, not noticing his own eyelids getting heavier.
*****************************************************
Cal Kestus awoke to the distinct impression that someone was poking him in the face with a stick.
A sharp stick.
Several sharp sticks. One of which was really digging into the corner of his eye.
Which didn’t make sense, because the rest of him was perfectly warm and cozy.
He awoke the rest of the way with a start, nearly knocking off the blanket someone had carefully tucked around him.
Merrin stirred, put a hand on his shoulder, and went back to sleep.He turned to look at her, and realised something important. Very important.
She was a Dathomerian Nightsister. Dathomerians are a species of Zabrak.
Peeking through the dark grey hair that had previously hid them from view were three very small, but sharp, horns.
Cal knew this was a decision point, but he’d already made his decision.
He pulled the blanket back up to his shoulder as best he could, leaned his head back over avoiding the horns as best he could, and went back to sleep.