“You should let me look at that,” Merrin said as she stepped into the cramped quarters in the back of the Mantis. Cal had his hand pressed into the wound that Darth Vader had given him, stretched out on the uncomfortable cot — pretending to rest. She had sensed his discomfort from the moment he’d left the cockpit. He’d put on a brave face for Cere and Greeze. A convincing one.

“It’s nothing.” He waved his hand, though he returned it to his side seconds after. BD-1 chirped his disapproval, bouncing beside Cal’s head on the cot.

Merrin let out a soft laugh, reaching out to gingerly touch the droid. “I know, men can be terribly stubborn.”

Cal sighed. “It cauterized itself. I applied some bacta. I’ll be good as new once I’ve rested.”

“But can you rest while you’re in pain?”

“It’s not the first time.” Cal shrugged and sat up, propping himself up against the galvanized wall behind him. “I’m used to being a little banged up. Comes with the territory.”

“But it doesn’t have to be that way, does it?” She questioned with a lilt of amusement in her tone. She moved to sit on the edge of his cot, offering him a faint smile.

“Merrin,” Cal started, keeping a hand pressed to his injury as he leaned towards her. “Are you worried about me?”

“You nearly died retrieving the holocron,” She said too quickly. “I would’ve been left here with Greeze to endure his nervous babbling about his gambling debts.” Merrin rolled her eyes, the faint smile her lips had held turning into a frown. “I feared that it would be like Ilyana. That I would be forced to bury you too.”

Cal reached out with his free hand, his fingers curling around her hand gingerly. “You were the last thing I saw. When the darkness started to creep in,” He recalled, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “I thought — Merrin’s here, it’s going to be okay.”

“I appreciate your belief in me.” She mused with a short chuckle, looking away from him then. Merrin carefully pulled her hand out of his hold, moving to get off of the cot. “Is it some Jedi trait to refuse care?”

Cal sighed heavily and the action caused him to hiss out in pain. “I’m fine .” He said unconvincingly as he caught her disapproving glare. “I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. Alright?”

“It’s a simple ritual Cal.” She pressed, her brows rising upwards as she turned to face him. “Just like cloaking the Mantis was.”



“Fine.” Cal admitted defeat and BD-1 beeped in approval, jumping up and down on the cot. “Easy there, BD. I thought you’d side with me.” The droid chirped and Merrin laughed, despite not understanding what it said. “I see how it is.”

“We’re both worried about you.” Merrin sighed and gestured to his shirt. “That needs to come off.”

“Take me to a cantina first.”

“A what?”

Cal shook his head, “I’m guessing Dathomir didn’t have much of a night scene, did it?”

“No, it didn’t.” Merrin pursed her lips as she tried not to watch Cal remove his shirt too carefully. But she did. Her eyes curiously taking in his bared skin, before settling on the injury. “Did Bracca?” She approached him, her palm glowing green as she summoned forth the magic within her.

“Not particularly. But the Scrapper Guild enjoyed their grog.” Cal grimaced as Merrin reached out to touch the smoldering wound. It looked worse than he’d let on — his lightsaber hadn’t gone in terribly deep, no more than a half-inch or so, but the wound hadn’t cauterized as neatly as he’d claimed.

“ Sisters ,” Merrin began, her lashes fluttering as her eyes fell closed and she focused her energy on the wound. “Hear my plea. Let your power flow through me.” The quarters they stood in glowed bright green for a moment as the power flowed from her palm.

Cal reached out to steady himself by gripping at Merrin’s shoulder tightly. Her eyes opened slowly, locking onto his. He swallowed thickly before he spoke, “Thanks.”

“You are welcome.” She said smoothly, before she lifted her hand to touch his cheek. “How did you get these?”

“A blaster during the Purge.” Cal said as he pointed to the one beneath his right ear. “Like I said, it comes with the territory.”

Merrin shook her head disapprovingly, her fingers grazing over the old wound with furrowed brows. “Does it still bother you?”

“You don’t have to heal it too,” Cal said as he ran his hand from her shoulder down her arm until he reached her hand. He shifted closer to her, his gaze dropping to her lips. “Am I misreading this situation?”

Merrin rubbed her lips together thoughtfully before she leaned in and closed the distance between them. Her lips brushed against his hesitantly, her heart racing in her chest. A Jedi and a Nightsister were unlikely bedfellows. It was strange enough that they’d formed a friendly bond at all. But this — this defied the odds.

Cal drew back, laughing softly. “Hey BD, could you give us a minute?”

BD-1 beeped excitedly, jumping off the cot and bumping into Cal’s leg. The droid lingered for a moment, before it scurried out of the quarters.

“Presumptuous, aren’t we?” Merrin teased lightly as she watched the droid go. “I have heard that there are some redeeming qualities for reunion —”

Cal’s cheeks flushed pink, a blush that spread from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. “Yes! I have heard the same.” He scratched at the back of his head, glancing down at their feet. “I was rather isolated on Bracca.”

“ Ah .” Merrin nodded her head slowly, “Yes, I recall something about spending a lot of time alone.”

“Yeah.” Cal laughed nervously. “I haven’t… You know .”

Merrin smirked at him, biting down on her bottom lip before a genuine grin spread across her features. “I won’t judge you, Cal.” She remarked, leaning in to close the distance with yet another kiss. Back on Dathomir, none of the Nightbrothers had ever caught her attention. Her only experience had been the simple connection she’d shared with Ilyana, which was gone far too soon.

Cal seemed to physically relax then, his shoulders sagging and his expression softening. “And we can take it slow.” He suggested as his hand slipped downwards to rest at her hip.

“As slow as you want,” She agreed as they moved to sit on the edge of his cot. “With the holocron destroyed, we have time . No Malicos. No Inquisitor.” Merrin’s own shoulders sagged in relief. “Tell me about your other scars.”

“Oh!” Cal lifted his hand and ran a finger over the vertical scar that bisected his eyebrow. “Scrapping accident on Bracca. I underestimated how attached a piece of rigging cable was, it snapped and struck me in the face.”

“You get injured often.” She observed, drawing her legs beneath herself as she sat cross-legged beside him. “And the one on your lip?”

“A fight on Bracca.” He shrugged. “It’s the life I’ve lived.” Cal glanced sideways at her. “And you don’t have any scars?”

“No,” Merrin shook her head. “I know how to properly heal myself.” She quipped, her gaze flickering to his lips to study the scar there. “The only marks on my body are those that were intentionally placed her.” She gestured to the tattoos on her face. “Each mark symbolizes a new mastery.”

“Each scar is like that, you know.” Cal remarked, dropping his hand to the place where she’d heal his injury from Vader.

Merrin frowned. “I didn’t see it that way. Odd, I suppose. But not dissimilar. It doesn’t diminish the fact that you survived facing the Inquisitor and Darth Vader.”

Cal scooted back on the cot and leaned against the wall. “I’m glad you healed it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t find any rest anytime soon.”

“Should I leave you to sleep?”

“No! Stay?”

Merrin considered it. She looked between Cal and the door with an arched brow. “Your cot is small.”

“It’s just a nap. Until we reach Kashyyyk.” Cal insisted with a hopeful sort of smile. He could be rather endearing, Merrin noted.

“Alright.” She shrugged a little, watching him as he laid back down on the cot and she moved to stretch out beside him. It was a cramped fit, her back pressed against his chest in an effort not to fall off the edge of the cot. But it wasn’t an unwelcome nearness. He was warm, she could feel the heat radiating off of him.

Merrin hadn’t realized how exhausted she had been until she came awake to the strangely comforting sensation of Cal’s arm wrapped around her waist and her body molded into the bend of his body. She covered his hand with her own, sliding her fingers in between his.

Cal shifted behind her, his breath dancing over the curve of her neck. He was still very much asleep, but Merrin was distinctly aware of the fact that one part of his anatomy was evidently awake .

Merrin shifted her hips carefully, pressing back against his cock. “ Cal .” She whispered, grinding back against him and he groaned in response, tightening his grip on her waist. That sound, so close to her ear, sparked heat in her veins — desire pooling low in her belly.

“Have we landed?” Cal questioned groggily, brushing his lips against the back of her neck as he spoke. The subtle rattling of the Mantis as it made its way through space seemed to be the answer to his question. “ Good .”

“Good?” Merrin echoed with a teasing lilt to her tone. Her fingers tightened on his hand and she guided it downwards, urging him to touch her through her leggings. He fumbled with uncertain strokes and she was quick to guide him.

Cal swallowed thickly before he spoke, “Can I touch you?”

Merrin nodded her head slowly, biting down on her bottom lip as she released her hold on Cal’s hand so he could slip his fingers beneath the waistband of her leggings. She tensed at first, his rough, callus-worn touch so unfamiliar in comparison to what she was used to. “Right there.” She gasped as he brushed a finger over her clit and she squirmed when he focused his attention on that little bundle of nerves.

She twisted against him, turning herself so she could kiss him. It lacked finesse, much like the unskilled strokes of his fingers — but it was enough. “ Yes .” Merrin panted against his lips and she trembled as his fingertips ghosted over her slick entrance. Instinct seemed to take control as he pressed one and then two fingers into her. It was so unlike what she was familiar with and yet, it was just as deliriously delicious.

“Is that right?” Cal whispered against her lips, nipping lightly on her bottom lip as he kept dragging those two fingers in and out of her. His thumb grazed over her clit, teasing it in tandem with the thrusts of his fingers.

Merrin’s lips parted with a soundless attempt at words and she nodded her head, body arching against his. She could feel the steady climb towards the peak, her body wound tight as it lingered in the precipice of something . All it took was his fingers curving just right within her, brushing some spot within her that made her body snap.

Cal kissed her quick to silence her moans as her body clenched around his fingers. “You should see your face in that moment.” He remarked as he peppered kisses along her jaw as he drew his fingers from her, lazily dragging them between her slick folds before pulling his hand out of her leggings entirely.

Merrin rolled onto her side to face him. The fire in his eyes sparked fresh heat within her. “I thought Jedis didn’t form attachments.” She mused as she traced her fingers over the lines of his chest.

“It’s a new world,” Cal responded easily as his fingers started to work at the belt fastening of her wrap on her, making quick work of it. Merrin moved off the cot, pulling her grey shirt over her head, before she shimmied out of her leggings and small cloths.

Merrin wasn’t embarrassed to stand before him bare. She was proud of every inch of her skin. And that ravenous look in his eyes only fueled her pride. “You’re far too dressed, Cal.” She remarked as her gaze dropped to his pants.

Cal was undeterred. He rose off of the cot, shoving them down his hips and leaving them to the pile of already discarded clothes

Merrin swallowed thickly as Cal removed the last scrap of fabric and she took in the sight of his cock. “ Oh .”

“Is that a good or a bad oh ?” Cal questioned with an edge to his voice and he looked down at his cock and then to her face with a look of concern.

“Your member is different than those of the Nightbrothers.” Merrin remarked, licking her lips as she approached him. “They were my only frame of reference.” Gingerly she reached downwards and curled her fingers around his length. She stroked him slowly, her eyes glued to his face to judge his reaction.

“Good or bad different?” He asked, leaning in to brush his lips against hers.

“ Good .” Merrin said with no clarification. She released her grip on him, guiding him back to the cot. As he sat down, she moved to straddle him.

“Fuck.” Cal swore under his breath and his hands moved to grasp at her hips. “Are you sure?”

“Are you ?” She arched a brow as she rocked her hips, dragging her slick folds against his cock. He nodded his head emphatically. Merrin rose up on her knees, reaching down between them to hold him steady.

Cal’s grip on her hips tightened to the point that she knew she’d be bruised tomorrow. That pain distracted her from the discomfort she felt as she lowered herself onto him. She had never — not with a man. Her body stretched in ways she’d never been stretched, but the friction was enough to make her moan.

“You’re gorgeous.” He murmured against her throat as he released her hip and lifted his hand to fondle her breast. Merrin’s movements were slow at first, gradually lifting up before sliding back down the length of him — an awkward pace. But he grew more bold, rolling his hips instinctively beneath her, meeting her halfway.

“Yes. Yes. Yes .” She panted out as they finally found a pace together. Merrin clung to his shoulders, fingers winding through his hair, lips seeking out his. Cal gripped her hips and played with her breasts, mapping out every inch of skin he could reach. That connection between them only seemed to burn brighter.

Nightsisters and Jedis didn’t do this — they didn’t fall into bed together. They didn’t kiss one another desperately, swallowing up sounds of pleasure as they came apart together. They didn’t cling to one another in a tangle of limbs, on too-small cots, as they came down together.

“Come on kid, I need you in the cockpit for landing.” Greeze called back to Cal. "Almost to Kashyyyk."

“I think I’m gonna stay in here.” He called back as Merrin rested her head on his shoulder.

Cere stepped out of the cockpit and looked at the pair of them, seated near the galaxy map, with a smile. “I think I’ve got it handled, Greeze. Let him rest.”

Cal looked to Cere with a quiet smile and nodded his head. The world was different now.