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Bode yawned and stretched, the comm chair on the Mantis was surprisingly comfortable if a little cramped for someone his size but it looked like that was everything, just run the compiler and it should work.
"You have forgotten the third variable of the last loop." BD commented hopping up beside him. He plugged in and the code scrolled past at droid speed.
"Help yourself." Bode offered sardonically as he slid over to make space for the droid.
"Your coding is adequate." BD beeped disconnecting.
"Only adequate, eh little chaos bot." Bode grumbled as he rose from the chair.
"Jedi Cere's is better, but yours is adequate to the task." BD hopped off the console. "Jedi Cal has finished preparations. You are directed to follow."
"Where the girls?" Bode asked as he followed in the little bot's wake across the lounge, towards the quarters in the back. Bode made private bet with himself as to which set Cal would've chosen in spite of one clearly being larger.
"Initiate Vic and Initiate Kata are with Jedi Cal." BD answered waiting impatiently in the doorway past the kitchen.
"And your progeny?" Bode smiled as BD bounced from foot to foot uncertainly. Too easy, I almost feel bad about this. One day you going to have to get used to being a dad, BD.
"BD-2 has been directed to stay with his primary mission objective." BD's ears flipped back-and-forth, they were likely some form of disguise scanner right now searching for his troublesome progeny.
Bode gathered up the sensor reflector, and the case containing the rest of the equipment along with several thick blankets. He had left everything on the couch before going to the comm to begin programming the Shadow software. Good thing, Quinn had insisted we carry a set even if the plan had only been a week. Picking up new skills boss, eh?
BD whistled impatiently.
"On my way little bot, on my way." He chuckled.
He won his bet when BD turned left. The door slid open and there was something relaxing about a Jedi Master's quarters even if it's not your master. Cal was settled on the bottom bunk with the thick blanket over his legs and the data pad in hand, of course. The girls were sleeping on his lap with Kata surprisingly draped over top of Vic. Kata was tense but not quite shivering in the cold. He carefully set down last of the equipment a picking up one of the thicker blankets, he carefully refolded it. Tucking it around both girls he was rewarded with Kata fully relaxing.
He smiled at Cal. As the scarpper put a finger to his lips.
Nodding he began to arrange everything on Cere's desk. Still flipping switches and running through final checks he asked over her shoulder in a low voice. "What'cha reading scrapper?"
Cal jumped and blushed. "Just something for the girls." He answered evasively, BD hopped up on to the bed and tweeted his own curious question. "Yes." Cal answered reluctantly. "It is the newest book."
"Sounds like a favourite, what's with the blush hmm, scrapper?" The lights finally showed all green and he turned back to a fidgeting Cal. Or as least as much as he could without disturbing the girls.
"It's just." He looked anywhere but at Bode's eyes.
"Just what scrapper?" He sat down beside Cal, slipping his legs under the blanket next to Cal's. "Lean forward, a sec." He unfolded the last blanket he brought over and wrapped it around both of them a making sure to drape some of it over the girls as well. Then feet tucked in, Cal against his chest wrapping one arm around his scrapper and letting the other rest on Kata's head. "Well, scrapper?"
Cal blushed again and simply turn the data pad towards Bode.
"A light in the dark, first adventures, I didn't think that was still in print with the." He snapped the rest of that sentence off before.
But Cal and Vic still winced.
Cal turned his attention to her. "Shh, it's okay. Go back to sleep." He stroked her hair trying to project safety and security to the room. "You're safe. You're safe, it's okay, go back to sleep." He continued to repeat softly.
She really was safe. In fact that the series had survived at all was a testament to the resilience and strength of those ideas regardless of the current circumstances. Children were growing up safe. He deliberately shifted closer, rubbing the smaller head. He didn't have Cal's strength in command of the force but he could still do this. "You know my favourite books were always when the master and apprentice were cool and solve the plot together. Each getting a chance to display their strengths, even better when the 'normal people' featured as part of the solution."
Cal smiled and didn't call him on his paper thin distraction. "I would never figured you for a sappy ending type." Cal teased as he cuddled closer.
"Hey, sometimes it's nice for all the problems to actually be solved." Bode smirked and ruffled Cal's hair.
Cal blew out a sigh. "I wonder how long we're going to have to hide from the Ties."
"If they are following standard search procedure, they'll grid the entire belt. Before taking individual scans of the larger objects. Probably at minimum of 4 to 6 hours give or take how thorough these pilots are." Bode recited hugging Cal. "Nothing to worry about scrapper."
He was still tense though. "I know with the ship on minimum power, and the sensor reflector's plus the metal in the asteroid along with the other minerals there's no reason they should detect us. I just feel like we should be doing something more." He looked worriedly down at the girls.
Sighing himself, Bode settled more comfortably against the bulkhead. "What part were you reading to the girls?"
Cal raised an eyebrow but tapped the pad on.
Bode blushed himself. "Will you read it?" He asked the air.
"Bode?" Cal's voice was worried.
"It's…" He hesitated and drew a breath. Holding it and letting it out slowly. Honesty is the only choice I only wish it were easier. He looked down at Cal, is pretty green eyes were wide with worry. Bode smiled at him and leaned down to kiss him. "I'm sorry scrapper, I like hearing you read especially when it's to the girls." Pausing he took another breath as Cal waited patiently for the rest of his words. "It's just a little embarrassing, I'm not used to be able to talk about stuff like that." He shrugged with his free arm quietly hoping his blush wasn't visible against his skin.
"It is." Cal smiled up at him and reached up for his own kiss. "But I think it's cute."
"Gee thanks scrapper. I'm supposed to be a big tough merc, cute doesn't work with that description."
Cal smothered a giggle.
"Because you're not completely made out of sugar, eh?" Was Vic's commentary.
Kata giggled. "Yeah, Papa thinks he's really super tough and never gives in on anything." She commented exaggerating her words.
"Hush you two, you're supposed to be sleeping." He tried for stern but the smile playing on his lips wouldn't let it work.
Vic yawned. "You guys are too loud, how is anyone supposed to sleep?" She stretched and cuddled closer to Cal.
Kata slipped off Vic's back and settled next to her friend. "When you guys are all being super sappy it's really loud." She mocked glared at her father emphasizing the last word.
"Sorry girls, how about we read to you for a bit then?" Bode smiled at both of them as he adjusted the blanket to better cover both of them.
"Sure Papa." Kata's voice was sleepy as she settled down.
Vic nodded yawning and the bright green and purple tooka appeared as she shifted it to be a better pillow for both of them.
"Cal, could you?" Bode asked his voice still soft as he cuddled his family closer.
Cal's voice began to fill the room, really bringing light to the dark.
----
Bode yawned and rubbed his eyes, he was still in Cere's quarters. It was silent and he was warm and comfortable. Cal was softly snoring into his shoulder and the girls even breathing under their own blanket was its own comfort.
It was really tempting to just close his eyes and go back to sleep. There was a slight green glow under the blankets near the girls and close to Cal. Putting his hand under the blanket there you felt something hard, warm and metal. BD-2 whistled its soft annoyance at being disturbed.
BD-1 trotted into the room, his head turning in the direction of his progeny's light. "The organics have achieved a adequate rest cycle for once."
"Adequate is your new favourite word huh little chaos bot." Bode commented still rubbing his eyes.
"Does that mean they should be awoken?" BD-2 tweeted from under the blanket.
Toddler bot strikes again. So many questions.
"No." Was BD's answer.
Stretching out his senses with his arm, Bode rose as the bot's full sentence hit him. "Adequate rest cycle what does that mean chaos bot?"
BD-1 had hopped up onto the bed and was digging under the blanket over Cal's lap. He froze in place and slowly turned back to Bode with the blanket half covering his head. "The most recent organic rest cycle was adequate for a full recharge."
"BD." Bode began warningly.
"Cycle duration was eight hours." He burrowed further under the blanket. "Ties have been cleared of sensors for approximately two standard solar hours."
And he didn't see fit to wake us, after the first hour. Chaos bot. "Well, I guess it's time to move than." He reached down and gently stroked Cal's hair. "Rise and shine scrapper. Time to continue on our way." He continued as those pretty green eyes blinked up at him.
"Bode?" Cal rubbed sleep from his eyes, adorably. "Ties, gone?"
"Yup." Bode slipped out from under the blankets and stood up.
"Good then let's get going." Cal sat the rest of the way up. "BD start warming up the engines. I can't wait to get out of this belt." He carefully slipped his legs out from under the girls and gently patted their heads.
Bode smiled and followed him back out to the cockpit.