Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Muddled voices brought Cal Kestis back into an awareness of the world around him. He opened his eyes into a squint to find bright sunlight surrounding him in stark contrast to the dark of space in which he’d drifted off for a quick nap. 

Cal looked over towards Greez Dritus, who sat in his captain’s seat with the same look on his face that he always had when they were preparing to land on a new planet. Eagerness, ambition, and a hint of curiosity. He turned the adventurous expression towards Cal. “Morning, sunshine. We’re at our stop.”

“You sure about this place, Greez?” Cal stretched, the pull of any lingering sleep dissipating as a vast turquoise ocean came into view. He, BD-1, Cere Junda, Greez, and Merrin were traveling to a remote planet Greez had convinced them all would be a safe place to lay low for a while.  They needed a break from constant missions and sneaking around the Empire, a chance to get some credits and reset before launching right back into the middle of it all. Greez had convinced them that this planet would be the perfect place to do that, based on hearsay he’d picked up during their travels. 

“Have I ever steered us wrong? This place is supposed to be so far off the Empire’s radar that the locals don’t even give it a second thought.” Greez’s voice didn’t waver, full of the same confidence it usually had. It set Cal’s mind at ease. 

“Good,” Cal leaned forward in his seat. A large island was coming into view, one that was full of light-colored buildings that surrounded its entire circumference. The closer they got, the larger it looked, though it wasn’t so large it would be impossible to navigate. Below the buildings stretched a white sand beach that led into the sea that surrounded the island. 

As Greez brought the Stinger Mantis into a landing, Cal went towards the center of the ship to prepare for his exit. He quickly obtained any supplies that he wanted to take with him on his excursion, shaking his head as he took them off of the table. He really needed to work on his habit of just laying his stuff around during their downtime. 

BD-1 scurried up to him, beeping in the excited way he only did when he knew they were about to explore somewhere new. He hopped in place until Cal scooped him up into his arms so he could perch on his shoulder. “Yep, we’re about to check out this island, buddy. It’s called…”

“Pabu,” Merrin finished his sentence as she too came to stand by the hatch.  “Shouldn’t be too hard to remember.” 

“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” 

“Okay, like we decided, we’ll take some time to scout then meet back here. No funny business.” Greez hopped out of his seat, wandering over to where Cal, Cere, and Merrin had already convened in their shared space of the Mantis. 

“Funny business? I don’t think any of us are particularly funny.” Merrin stood from where she had been leaning against the back of the couch, moving towards the hatch that had been lowered in anticipation of their exit. 

“Hey, I can be funny! Can’t speak for the rest of you, though!” Greez protested, unable to see the small smirk Merrin offered as she walked down out of the ship.

“We’ll meet back here at sunset,” Cere instructed, pulling the attention of the rest of the crew once they all made it to the ground. “Like Greez said, scope things out but stay out of trouble. We never know where the Empire may be hiding.”

With a nod, Cal turned from their small group and faced away from the ship. The spot in which they landed was certainly unique; this island planet, Pabu, had a large stone clearing made for landing ships situated right at the top of the island. By the space where the Mantis had come to rest was a healthy looking tree, with vines of pink flowers weaving through it. It seemed to be well nourished, despite being rooted in a spot surrounded by stone. Beyond the unique tree was a large, stone building; built like a fortress, it stretched high up towards the sky and looked impenetrable save for the large door at its’ center. 

Cal stepped towards the stately building, looking up to see that it was ornately sculpted just as the stone clearing beneath his feet. It was uniquely shaped, with outcroppings to its sides and well maintained plants surrounding the entrance, which was well embellished itself. As he walked, he felt something stir; not anything visible to him from where he was, but attention grabbing nonetheless. There was a pull in him to approach the place, that same nameless pull that always appeared when he was encountering something that had a rich history to share. 

He made it to the doors of the building, resting his hands upon it and leaning in. He leveled his breathing in preparation of anything that needed to be shared with him through the Force. Nothing in him revolted at the touch, which was a good sign. There seemed to be nothing ominous that he needed to be aware of. 

He took a breath and let his eyes close, giving the monumental building a chance to speak for itself. After a heartbeat, his mind was filled with memories he knew he hadn’t made. Voices of families, tales of times gone by, memories of places he’d never been. Stress and anxieties that only came from those who had to leave everything they knew behind sent his heart into a rush of panicked beats. Palpable relief rose to meet the tense feelings, suggesting that this place must have been a safe haven for many who’d had to flee danger. The feelings all seemed to come from a rich variety of sources, as though he was being granted a history of the galaxy all pooled together in one place. 

After taking some time to simply listen and experience, he pulled his hands away. So much had passed through the contact that he could hardly make sense of it, but it fascinated him nonetheless. He understood one message distinctly: the building he’d just touched was a monument to the people that called the place home. 

He looked to his side and spotted a path carved in the stone that surrounded him, the downward tilt of which suggested it led into the heart of the island. Cal headed in its direction, taking in a deep breath of seabreeze that drifted up all the way to the place where they had landed their ship. The bright blue ocean rose to greet him as he neared the path. 

As Cal began his walk down, he took a moment to pause and admire the vast ocean. It was the clearest water he’d ever seen, much clearer than the water he’d come to know that held swamps and abandoned ships. It made sense to him that the water would be so clean; this place didn’t seem like it was full of waste and grime. Everything he’d been able to spot as they made their landing looked as though it had grown up out of the ground where it sat, as though it was meant to be there. 

The path he was on seemed to go on for miles; his things ached with the downward tread.To his relief, the path eventually leveled out as it was met with flatter, more spacious ground. He’s made it to a street. 

He looked around to see many people milling around, some holding boxes or bags, others holding the hands of loved ones. The laughter of children filled the air as they climbed on low sitting rocks and chased each other around the domed-shaped homes and stores that lined the street. Many of the residents that walked past him offered him welcoming smiles and waves, which he returned. 

This place was different than any he’d ever known. Everything seemed very peaceful, as though there was no iron-fisted Empire, no evil out in the wilds of the galaxy, no real threats of harm. It was as though a blissful dream had come into reality right before his eyes. 

He found himself hoping that this respite could last longer than the ones the crew of the Mantis normally did. Normally, they would take only a few days tops to lay low and recharge. But this place, Pabu, seemed like the kind of planet that travellers wouldn’t be able to resist staying longer, Cal included. 

As he took in his surroundings, aromas of cooking meat and savory seasoning filled the air around him. He felt his stomach gurgle in response to the smells, which led him to quickly attempt to think back to the last thing he ate. Recollection was not coming quickly, solidifying his decision to pursue the food that tempted him.

He continued to move down the crowded street to find a shack nestled between buildings that appeared to have aromatic smoke rising out of it. The good news: his afternoon meal had been located. The bad news: half of the population of this island seemed to have been in the mood for the food as well. The line to get to the counter of the shack stretched so far back that Cal could hardly see the shack itself, but he joined the line just the same. He was on a reprieve from adventuring through the galaxy, he could spend some time waiting for food. Especially if it would be better than whatever Greez typically passed off for food. 

He settled into his spot in the back of the line, being saved from boredom only by his observation of his surroundings. There was still so much to take in; the people of this island all seemed to come from diverse backgrounds, unlike many planets that were characterized by more uniformity. The sight of it explained the kaleidoscope of an answer that responded to his call when he tuned into the building that greeted him and his crew upon their arrival. 

BD-1 crawled down from Cal’s shoulder as he looked around, planting himself next to his human friend with a chirp. He shifted from foot to foot impatiently, asking a question Cal could understand as though he’d spoken it with words.

“Yeah, you can go explore. But don’t wander off too far,” Cal answered, watching as BD scurried off to do some adventuring of his own. 

Beside the food shack he was currently waiting at, there was another, smaller line that protruded from what appeared to be a fruit and vegetable stand. The stand appeared to be quite busy; the workers were exchanging credits for goods with remarkable efficiency. Many of the customers were selecting produce that looked very exotic to Cal; some of it looked especially fresh and appetizing. 

One such customer had selected enough of the fruits and vegetables to fill a whole crate, albeit a small crate. She had a nimble frame, and Cal watched with concern as she placed her produce-filled crate atop boxes she’d set on the ground as she made her selection. With the containers neatly stacked, she scooped them up into her arms before turning to head back the way she came. 

The girl made it only feet from where Cal was standing in his line before her foot hit a small rock in the ground. Her body flew forward, the boxes all going airborne and landing out of her reach. The poor girl landed face first on the stone ground. 

With all thoughts of his upcoming meal abandoned, Cal rushed out of his spot in line and to her side, kneeling next to her. “Are you okay?”

She pushed herself up off of her face-down position and onto her knees, taking a hand gingerly across her left knee. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she answered hastily as she turned her stunned face towards Cal’s, blinking. 

Cal paused before responding to her answer or the situation. She had met his concerned look with big, cinnamon colored eyes that were set in sunkissed tan skin. Streams of blonde hair swept across her forehead and down around her narrow shoulders. 

Cal peered at her, temporarily forgetting why he’d knelt next to her at all. Her appearance was different than he imagined it would be while she was turned away from him, and a small spark of delectation kept his focus on her as she looked up at him. If only this small meeting, this chance encounter, could surprise him and extend beyond however long it was supposed to last, much like he desired for his Pabu visit to do. 

But to his dismay she moved her attention away from him and towards the spilled contents of her boxes with a sigh. “Oh, no..” She immediately set to filling her boxes back with as much speed as she could muster in her frazzled state.  

Her change of focus ended the hold the sight of her seemed to have over him and he moved to gather the things that rolled far away from her. “Oh, let me help you.” 

Her box of fruits had landed the furthest away, so he scurried to where it was and began to fill it as best he could as she did the same with her other two boxes. Before long, their task was complete, and she stacked the two boxes she’d filled again. She met his gaze again, this time with a softened expression, and spoke with the prettiest-sounding voice Cal had ever heard. “Thank you. I’ll try to be more careful on the walk home.”

Cal knit his eyebrows. “You plan to carry all these home by yourself? That seems like it would be difficult.”

She shrugged, but not in a clueless manner; it was quick and defensive like she knew the task could prove to be impossible. “Well, I went out for a supply run by myself today, so I don’t really have another choice.” 

The thought of her trying to haul the load alone was detestable to him. “I can help.” 

“Oh, it’s okay. I can handle it.”

The girl began to reach under the bottom of the box that sat flat on the ground. Seeing the futility of the effort despite her obstinance, Cal removed the top box and replaced it with the much smaller fruit crate. “Please let me help you.” 

She held her eyes on his, lingering for just a couple fleeting seconds, before a small smile pulled towards her round cheeks. “Well, okay.” 

He stood to his full height, lifting his box into the air with only a trace of exertion. He bounced the box in his arms until it was comfortable as the girl stood next to him. He watched as she stood, saw her touch her knee again before bringing her gaze in his direction and giving him a once over, from his feet up to his red hair. It was so fast that Cal couldn’t be completely sure that it had happened at all, but self-consciousness crept into him nonetheless. She was shorter than him, coming up to around his chin, though she carried herself with poise that more than compensated for any height she lacked. 

She offered him that gentle, cute little smile again. “I’m Omega.”

“I’m Cal Kestis.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Cal,” She started off in a direction that veered to the right of where they had met, and he followed by her side. “Are you from Pabu? I haven’t seen you before.” 

“No, I just got here today. I’m visiting.” Cal answered her question as he looked around at their surroundings. They were on a narrow sidewalk, lined with more dome-shaped houses, bountiful trees, and bushes of flowers. 

“Oh, I see. Did you come alone?” She looked over at him around the fruit crate that she balanced on her bottom box.

As if to answer her question, BD scampered up to Cal, beeping insistently so as not to be forgotten. Not that Cal could ever forget his little friend, of course. 

Omega giggled; the sound of it was soft and playful and made Cal smile despite himself. “I guess that answers that! What’s your name?” 

BD-1 trilled a response, and Omega nodded. “Well hello, BD-1. My name’s Omega!”

Cal looked down at BD with affection as the droid matched his pace to that of the two teenagers. “To answer your question, I came here with some friends. BD-1 is one of them. We wanted to lay low for a while.” Her question about his trip to the island was innocent, lacking any motive except to make small talk with him, but his guard rose in response to it nonetheless. No matter where he was, he couldn’t let any stranger get too close. At least not yet. 

“Really? Are you in any sort of danger?” Her tone shifted every so slightly, softened just enough for him to hear concern, and it was as if she could tell that he was holding back information from her. She was perceptive. 

“No, we just needed some…calm in our lives. We’re fine though,” Cal offered a hasty answer. “How long have you lived here?”

“About a year I think,” Omega looked off into the distance, eyes narrowing, before looking back at him. “Yeah, a year. Hard to believe it’s already been that long.”

“What brought you here?” 

“Same thing as you. My brothers and I needed a safe place to live. So, we decided to call this place home. And we haven’t looked back since.” She smiled at another Pabu resident that passed them by, a carefree expression passing over her face as she looked at him.

Cal felt his shoulders relax out of their tense posture as he listened to her story. Her adoration of the island was nothing short of endearing; innocence filled every word. “That’s really great. This seems like the perfect place to do it. Everyone seems so kind.”

“Everyone is!” She confirmed. “I’m sure the longer you stay here, the more you’ll get to see that for yourself, too.”

There it was again, that idea of getting to stay for a long time. The Mantis crew never stayed anywhere for very long, always choosing to move due to a new mission or to evade an adversary. But this place, with its tranquil atmosphere, seemed to be safe away from danger, at least for now. Cal felt unfamiliar thoughts pass through him, as though he was seeing someone else’s daydreams: long summer days spent in the Pabu sun, hikes around the island or walks on the beach, only friendly faces greeting him with smiles instead of sneers and blaster fire heading his way. And now, there was a girl that looked to be his age. A girl that he knew he could be his friend but maybe could be even more. He’d only been there maybe an hour, but he found himself wondering anyway; what if they could stay? What if they never had to leave? 

Cal and Omega’s conversation lulled as they continued to walk up the narrow path. It began to turn around a bend, and as soon as they made it around the curve, Omega cut across it to a different road. Cal continued to follow along. 

“You mentioned having brothers earlier. Do you live with them?” Cal asked.

“Yeah!” She nodded. “I live with my five brothers. They’re all bigger than me.”

“ Five? ” Cal’s mouth hung open. “You guys have a big family then! What about your parents?”

She sheepishly turned her face away from him then, her eager words from earlier being replaced by hesitant ones. “Oh, I don’t have…parents. It’s just me and my brothers.” 

“Oh,” Cal grimaced inside at his lack of consideration. The last thing he wanted to be around her was awkward. “I’m sorry. I don’t have a relationship with my parents either. I haven’t seen them in a long time.” Cal rarely thought about this detail of his life. It was easier just to choose not to, to choose to trust that it was the will of the Force for him to have the Jedi to call a family, and then later Cere, Greez, and Merrin. Nevermind that he had a complete biological family he didn’t know.

To his surprise, her voice lilted with sympathy. “I’m sorry, too. I know that can be hard.” 

Before he could come up with something else to say, Omega led him off of the narrow road they were on and up into a yard. They followed steps that made a path through the center of a yard until they came to a rather large house. The house seemed well taken care of, with full flower beds and some objects scattered around that suggested Omega and her brothers spent a good bit of time outside. 

Once they made it to the step nearest to the door, Omega set her boxes down on the ground. “Thank you so much for helping me. You didn’t have to do that.”

Cal set his box down next to her’s. Upon standing back upon and seeing the gratitude in her expressive eyes, Cal was struck with a sense of familiarity. He knew he didn’t know her, knew their paths had not crossed before. But still, something in her appearance made her not seem foreign to him, as though he’d seen her before. Even the peculiar lilting of her accent sounded like one he’d heard before. But he couldn’t stand there and stare at her until he figured it out, and seeing as how she had not invited him in, he resigned himself to the truth: it was time to say goodbye to the girl. “I was glad to do it. I’ll see you around.” 

“See you.” She offered him a smile and waved daintily. 

As he turned to leave, he hoped she couldn’t see the smile that came upon him that he knew was useless to resist. 

Omega. Indeed, he would be hoping to see her around wherever he went on Pabu. 

“Cal, hurry!” Jaro Tapal’s voice sounded through Cal’s mind in an echoic manner; heavy, inundating, haunting. He was standing to Cal’s left, lightsaber out and flourishing, protecting himself as best he could from the attacking clone troopers. He managed to shoot a quick look in Cal’s direction, just long enough to connect with Cal, just long enough to show him his gray eyes one last time. 

Cal found himself in a small body, a body that he knew like the back of his hand but that he hadn’t inhabited in a long, long time. His little heart pounded in his chest, and everything in him pulled desperately to access the escape pod as his master had demanded. But, he couldn’t move. He was paralyzed; by fear or fate, he couldn’t be sure which. He beckoned his arms to thrash, to move even an inch, but there was no response in his wooden limbs. 

“ Cal, please! ” Master Tapal’s voice arched with desperation just as more clones rushed forward out of a different opening of the bay in which they found themselves. He fought back, both with Force and lightsaber, with all of his might, but Cal knew it could only last for so long. 

Cal tried to scream that he was trying, but even his voice was uncooperative. No sound came out of him, not even a rush of air to demonstrate the effort. He looked back towards Master Tapal from the door controls just in time to see blaster fire cut through him and his weapon. 

The paralysis persisted, forcing Cal to watch as the clones fired endless blaster bolts into his master. Jaro Tapal was helpless to do anything but land on his back, motionless and lifeless, as Cal watched. 

Helplessness drowned out any other thoughts Cal tried to formulate. He could not prevent the death of his master. He could not find some way to avoid this suffering. And this time, he could not escape the clone troopers as they descended upon him. 

They stalked towards him, falling into formation as though he was an army of droids for them to face. The one that made it closest to him let out a sinister laugh, so eerie that it made Cal’s skin crawl. Then, he uttered three words as he aimed his blaster for Cal’s chest. “See you, kid.”

Cal shot bolt upright, panting for breath even as he came out of sleep. He forced his body backwards, the relief he felt at being able to move hardly doing anything to slow the frantic beating of his heart. He glanced to his side, to the little table that sat by his bunk to find his lightsaber, idle and ready for action at a moment’s notice. He reached over, gripping it and preparing to swing it into ignition when a low pair of beeps sounded off nearby.

Cal turned his head in the direction that they came, which was back towards the direction of his legs just as something light and metallic landed upon them. BD-1. Coming to check on him, just as he always did when something was off with Cal. How the droid had developed such empathy with him could never be sure, but he was grateful for it nonetheless. 

“Hey, BD,” Cal wiped at his eyes, blinking as he looked around at his safe and secure room upon the Mantis. “I was just having a dream. A bad one.” Cal had not had a nightmare related to the fall of the Jedi Order in a long time, long enough for him to count the span of time as a blissful reprieve. On Bracca they were a regularity, ripping him out of even the most restful of nights. Odd that one would sneak up on him when he was surrounded by family, on a peaceful island no less.

BD-1 beeped again, gently and thoughtfully, and Cal answered his question. “Yeah, I’m okay. It was just a dream. There’s no danger here. We’re safe.” He said the words out loud, but they were more for himself than the droid. 

BD-1 let out a beep boop in confirmation before skittering up next to Cal and planting himself in a comfortable position by his side, apparently planning to re-enter his rest mode while on the bunk after Cal confirmed that all was well. 

Cal’s heart had begun to slow down back to its regular rhythm, allowing his thoughts to flow more sensibly. He pondered why a nightmare came during a night that was otherwise peaceful. Nothing dangerous had happened, nothing really even that notable. 

Well, except one thing. A girl. At a produce stand. A girl who, despite hardly knowing him, opened up to him and offered as warm of a welcome to her island as any of the other residents could have. That’s right, meeting Omega had happened. 

That was very notable indeed. Cal felt his mouth pull into a small smile as he thought back to her and the brief time he got to spend with her. He thought back to his last interaction with her, when she had waved and bid him farewell with a simple see you . 

Cal’s heart then skipped a beat, threatening to run into overdrive again. A much less pleasant memory came to the surface, that of his dream in which a clone trooper said something similar: see you, kid . 

Not only were the words similar, the way in which they were said was, too. The inflections and the accents that formed the words sounded almost exactly alike. But the resemblances didn’t stop there. If the trooper had not had his helmet on, the shape of his eyes would match Omega’s. Their skin would bear the same shade, their faces a nearly identical shape. 

Cal gulped, unease slithering into his veins and robbing him of any sleep that may have returned to him. The similitudes rushed into his mind with lightning speed; he couldn’t keep up with them as they hounded his mind and sent him into a frightened confusion. Omega seemed familiar to him earlier because she was . 

Omega was a clone. 

Chapter Text

Omega peaked her eyes open, her focus resting on the bedding that surrounded her. She slowly let the dawning light of the sun into her perception, slowly let herself realize that it was morning. She couldn’t be sure what time it was, but she knew it wasn't long after dawn; she and Batcher had begun a new routine in which Batcher would make sure she awoke not long after sunrise so that they could head out on a morning walk. This didn’t bother Omega; she liked mornings, and she liked walking with Batcher as well as any of her brothers that wanted to come. 

She sat up, yawning and blinking as she waited for any sound of the Lurca hound. Just as one long yawn caused her to close her eyes tight, she heard Batcher nudge her door open and gallop into her room. She ran around Omega’s bed from side to side just as she usually did, eagerly awaiting Omega’s exit from bed so that they could head out on their adventure. With her tail swaying from side to side and her rhythmic,eager panting, she seemed as though she’d been awake for hours. 

Omega hopped out of bed, the sight of Batcher’s energy causing her to feel a rise in her own. The morning light that shone in her room looked to be that of very early morning still, so she decided to forego morning meal and head out with Batcher. 

After she took the time to throw on some casual clothes and tie her hair up, they exited the house together quietly. The paths that the pair usually took for their walks were second nature to her now; after living on Pabu with her brothers for a year, most of the terrain of the island was to her. Historically, she only had the opportunity to develop such familiarity with the sterile halls of Kamino or the dark ones of Tantiss. She was endlessly grateful that a place that she knew like the back of her hand could actually be considered homey and warm. Before she knew her brothers and moved to Pabu, she’d never known that was something that was missing from her life. But now, she couldn’t imagine life without it. 

 Batcher seemed to be eager for their walk today. She detoured onto a small path surrounded by trees that sat very shortly away from the Batch’s house, very obviously setting course for the beach. Batcher hadn’t taken the time to look back to see if Omega was headed in that direction as well; she’d come to trust that her companion would always stick with her. Sure enough, Omega followed her faithfully. 

They approached the beach, and Omega eagerly let her feet sink into the soft sand that was still cool from its overnight reprieve from the afternoon heat. She closed her eyes as she took a nice, deep breath of the blissful salty air she had come to love. She then opened her eyes towards the sky; the dawning blue of it was similar in color to the ocean below it. Far off towards the horizon, the two seemed to blend into each other. 

She and Batcher started off on their trek, turning to the left and heading down the seashore. Immediately upon beginning their walk and before they had made it any distance at all, Omega saw a familiar sight not too far away: a red haired boy, sitting cross-legged on the sand, eyes closed and head bowed. The fabric of his clothes whipped in the breeze, but no other part of him moved. Though she and Batcher were moving quickly in his direction, he hadn’t yet noticed them, as though he was deep in focus. 

Omega couldn’t help a little gasp. She’d met the boy completely coincidentally the day before. She was grateful for having met him: she really had gone overboard with yesterday’s shopping excursion, and if Cal hadn’t been there she wasn’t sure what would have happened. He’d offered his help and his time and made good, light conversation with her afterwards. He seemed like a good person to her based on the short time she spent with him, and for that she was grateful, too. She’d told her brothers about her encounter and they all were quick to note how thoughtful it was, Omega included. But after that brief conversation, she hadn’t dwelled on it much; she hadn’t thought there’d been a reason to. 

Maybe this was evidence to the contrary. 

Batcher could tell that Omega was approaching him and so trundled after him herself, but Omega called her back. “Wait, Batcher. We don’t want to scare him.”

Batcher returned to her side, and they jogged up to their new friend together. Omega couldn’t help her cheerful greeting. “Good morning, Cal!” 

Cal opened his eyes immediately upon hearing her voice, and Omega was sure she saw him jump as though she startled him. She wouldn’t be surprised if she had; his concentration seemed to be unbreakable. He then stood, turning to look at her but refraining from returning her greeting. He didn’t even do so much as smile at her. In fact, his eyes were wide and he didn’t move, like he was a child that had been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been. 

Omega offered him a smile and hoped it hid her reaction to his off-putting behavior. Perhaps memories of her had slipped his mind. “Cal, it’s Omega from yesterday!” 

“H-Hi, Omega. What are you up to?” He responded, his words quipped and void of the ease with which he spoke to her the day before. 

“I’m taking Batcher here for a walk,” Batcher looked up expectantly at Cal from where she stood by Omega’s side.  

Cal raised his eyebrows upon seeing the animal. “This is your…pet?” He reached out a hand for Batcher to smell. After the Lurca hound gave him a thoughtful sniff, she jumped to rest her front paws on his chest. 

Omega started to chide Batcher, but before she could Cal was chuckling and running his hands over her dark fur, his amusement shining through his chilly exterior. “Hi, Batcher. Nice to meet you.” 

Omega giggled, and her heart warmed as she watched the scene. “I consider her to be my pet. She is mine, after all. She came from an Imperial lab.” 

Cal turned a questioning look to her as Batcher dropped back down to the sand. “An Imperial lab? How did she end up there?”

“Long story,” Omega did not always feel inclined to speak about her Empire days. Her memories from them were dreary and desolate, just like the actual time she spent there. She much preferred for her focus to be on the present. “Anyway, would you like to walk with us?”

Cal hesitated, glancing away from her and towards the spot on the beach where he had been sitting, as though there was something special there in the sand of his chosen sitting location. A couple seconds passed, then he then turned back to her, awkwardly looking at her for a second or two without saying anything before letting out a curt, “Okay.” 

She wanted to be offended, wanted to puzzle out why he hesitated so. The afternoon before, he seemed so relaxed and interested in her. Now, every word was tense, and every move was rigid like he was preparing to flinch away from an attack. She wanted to know what changed, but she knew politeness had to come first when interacting with new acquaintances, so she settled instead on a simple, “How are you?”

“I’m fine. How are you?” He held his hands together in front of himself while he walked, wringing them together rather forcefully.

“I’m good. I’m surprised to see you out here!”

“I’m surprised to see you, too.” He looked over at her then, and though he still withheld all emotion from his voice, he couldn’t fight a little smirk that played across his lips. His eyes caught Omega’s and she suddenly noticed that they were jade green, so unique compared to the brown eyes that filled her daily life. 

They were…pretty. Objectively, of course. Anyone could look at him and be able to tell that. Anyone would find themselves peering back at Cal when he set his eyes on them…wouldn’t they? 

“I’m sorry if I interrupted something when I came up to you. You looked very focused.” A genuine apology was still valid, even if it was late. Omega hoped he agreed.

“Oh, it’s okay. I was just uh…meditating.” He bashfully flicked his pretty green eyes away from her before bringing them right back to hers, as though his gaze was drawn to her like hers apparently was to him. 

“Meditating?” She wondered if she’d heard him right. Rare was it for her to have a conversation about meditation that she herself didn’t bring up, even if she did catch Crosshair engaging in the practice when he thought no one else could see him. “You like meditation?”

He nodded. “It…it helps. When everything is heavy.  I don’t know if that makes sense.” 

“Oh, it does. It clears my head, too.” She liked to meditate most as a way to tune more into her surroundings, especially when they filled her with the awe that natural spaces typically provided her. Hearing Cal talk about using it to lift weight off of his shoulders made perfect sense to her, but she immediately found herself wondering what could make him feel that weight in the first place. She wondered what he carried that he felt he needed to flee from. 

“Where did you learn to meditate?” He asked, turning his focus to the ocean as he awaited her answer. 

My brothers and I were on Kashyyyk one time. A wookie taught me while I was there,” she smiled as she thought back on the memory. “He was very sweet. He taught me about how his people felt a connection to nature while meditating. Ever since then, I’ve taken up doing it myself. What about you?”

“I…learned when I was young.” 

“How young?” Omega found herself wondering if staring at him while talking would draw his gaze back to her; he was behaving as though his expression was a secret she wasn’t allowed to know. Though, while he had his head turned, she had a chance to observe his soft-looking coppery hair. The early morning sun shone upon it, setting it on fire, and she found herself wanting to reach up and run her fingers through it.   

“Not sure,” Cal said, yanking her out of her hair-ruffling daydream. Relief flooded her; if he was looking at her he’d see the redness of her cheeks and then she wouldn’t know what to do. “I think it’s cool you got to learn on Kashyyyk, though. I’ve been there before, too. With my friends that I came here with.” 

“Really?” Omega’s eyes widened as her voice lifted with enthusiasm. Nearby, Batcher headed in the opposite direction of the two teenagers, letting out a clipped bark that only Omega could interpret. Batcher was ready to start heading back towards home, and she was inviting the two of them to join her. Omega turned towards the way they came and Cal followed suit. 

“Yeah, we were helping some people there whose space was being occupied by the Empire. That’s what we do, fight the Empire and help people. I guess you could say we’re…rebels.” 

Now, Omega’s mouth hung open. He was talking about things she’d never heard of but that instantly were intriguing. She wondered how a stranger could stumble into her life and bring so many interesting things to talk about with him. “ Fight the Empire? How can you do that?” 

Cal smirked again, and Omega noted how it was a pleasant expression to see on his face. It lent an interesting slant to his features and made her want to stare for as long as it lasted. She’d never found herself wanting to stare at someone before, and it was unsettling; why did she want that? And why did she feel so excited about it? And why was her heart beating faster as she stared at his smirking face? 

Cal let out the softest of chuckles before looking over towards her and answering her question. “We fight the Empire by using our resources against them. And we do that so that they don’t hurt innocent people, like the wookies on Kashyyyk.”

His answer fueled the thumping of her heart even further: he helped people that he didn’t even know. He looked out for the vulnerable, even if it put himself at risk. He was kind . Her voice bore traces of every emotion she was feeling. “Wow…” 

He chuckled again, his face dusting pink at her awe-struck reaction. “Yeah, we think it’s cool, too. That’s what we’re on a break from. We’re running low on credits and needed some time to regroup.”

“That makes sense. You must be very busy with fighting the Empire if you needed to come here for a break. I had no idea there was that much that could be done against the Empire.” 

“Any little thing counts. That’s what I’ve come to appreciate.” Cal responded, his steady voice full of conviction. 

He was kind…and he was brave. He had to be, if he was off spending his days doing any little thing that would get in the way of the tyrannical government. Brave, kind, and cool. 

“I’m just glad to not have to deal with the Empire at all. My brothers and I lived on the run from it for years.” 

“Was that because you’re all…clones?” Cal asked the question with an undeniable hesitance as the little bit of confidence he showed retreated out of his voice. His hands had gone back to wringing.

Omega looked up at him to see a vulnerable expression. It sounded to her as though he’d had to shove the word clones out of his mouth, like he dreaded even saying it. Self-consciousness whispered in her ear, but she ignored it. Cal was back to his confusing behavior, and she had questions. At least one of which she was ready to ask now. “Yes, a big part of the reason was because we are clones. You could tell that I am?” 

“Yeah. I’ve seen clones before.” His face had gone ashen, as though there was a snake posed to strike before him and there was nowhere for him to go. 

She was compelled to ease the tension that had suddenly risen between them. “Bet you’ve never seen a girl one,” She smiled up at him, leaning her body ever so slightly towards him and wondering what exactly was making her behave this way. 

He slowly looked down at her, down into her brown eyes that she was beckoning him with. His gaze softened as the tension melted only by a fraction. “That’s true, you’re the first girl one I’ve seen,” was all he said. Her efforts were of no use; he had fled back into a nameless fear. She wanted to drag him back out so he could be his confident self again, but she knew only he could set that version of himself free. In time, it would be his gift to her. 

Assuming they saw each other again. 

They had now made it back to the path that Omega had used to make it down to the beach. As they walked, the sun had risen higher and higher into the Pabu sky, and it now set the beach aglow with its morning rays. Omega’s stomach gurgled and she stopped moving, turning to Cal as he also stood still. “Have you had morning meal yet?”

He only shook his head no. 

“Me neither. Would you like to join Batcher and I for breakfast? We can stop and grab a quick pastry.” 

He took a step away from her, turning his gaze towards the part of the beach that stretched on behind Omega. She wondered if he was thinking, and if he was, what it was that he was pondering. She’d offered a simple invitation after all, it wasn’t like she was asking him about the meaning of life. It was easy: yes or no. Or at least, it should have been easy. Omega wanted it to be easy. She felt a strange panic spread through her veins at the idea of him needing time to think, or of him saying no. What did it say about her and her behavior towards him if he said no? Did it say anything at all? Was she pushing him away somehow? And most of all, where were all these questions and concerns coming from? This was just Cal , a complete stranger. A red-haired, green eyed, teenage boy. A handsome teenage boy that was interested in every word she said.

Well, that must have been it, then. He was handsome, and to her, that was becoming one of his most defining and enjoyable features. The little mental confession froze her heart inside of her as she realized the direction in which her thoughts were headed for the first time in her life and, worse yet, her inability to stop them.

But before she could have a full blown meltdown concerning her fear of his refusal to join her or her dawning realization of her feelings, he answered her. “Sure.” 

Cal followed Omega as she led them away from the beach and in the direction of the street that contained the market where she’d met him. He didn’t have much to say; he chose to mainly observe their surroundings. Omega wasn’t sure whether or not she should be concerned by his silence; he was being quiet, but he did say he wanted to come with her. He’d seemed honest about that, and everything before that too, really. 

It didn’t make sense to her, but she chose not to worry. She got to see Cal again, which was amazing in and of itself, and now she was getting even more time with him. They were on their third walk together within twenty four hours, and Omega felt like she was taking each step on a cloud. He was the first boy who’d ever wanted to spend time especially with her, and he wanted to even though he was obviously upset about something. Nothing could be sweeter. 

After several minutes, they made it to the bakery. It was situated near other restaurants, all of which served their food over a counter for patrons to take with them to the tables that sat in the middle of all of the stores and restaurants that sat around them. It was still early, so there were only a few people in front of them. 

“What do you like here?” Cal stood next to her in line. 

“They have a chocolate roll that I love,” a blissful expression spread across her face as she remembered the buttery, chocolatey goodness that was right in front of her. “They can warm them up before they serve them if you ask, and it’s so good!” 

“That does sound good. I think I’ll start with that one.” Cal considered the bakery as they approached it. There was a display case showing an assortment of baked goods for them to choose from. They all looked fresh and delicious, and if Omega hadn’t already suggested one she knew it may be hard for Cal to choose. 

“Good morning, Omega!” A bubbly, dark haired girl at the counter waved as Omega approached with Cal. “Who’s with you today?” 

“ Good morning, Maya! This is my new friend, Cal. He’s visiting Pabu for the first time.” 

“Very nice!” Maya turned her attention to Cal with a friendly smile. “How do you like it so far?” 

“I like it a  lot. It’s really pleasant here. It’s so peaceful.”

She nodded. “Yeah, we love that about it, too. Omega, be sure to take him down to the beach!” 

“That’s where we just came from, actually,” Omega offered her a bashful smile. She was not hiding the fact that the two of them were spending considerable amounts of time together. She knew it wasn’t a secret, it was just innocent fun, but others would be getting ideas. Ideas that were forming in her mind for the first time only now. 

But to her relief, Maya didn’t push the subject. “Oh, I see. You’re both here for morning meal, then. Do you want your regular chocolate roll?”

“Yes please,” she answered politely, then turned to Cal. “What about you?”

“I’ll take a chocolate roll too, please.” Cal answered Omega’s question directly to the bakery girl. 

“Got it,” she disappeared out of their sight for a few seconds before returning with two small boxes that were neatly packed. “Our visitor’s is on the house.” 

Both teenagers let out small gasps, and Cal thanked her as Omega fished through the small bag she’d brought to obtain the credits she needed to buy hers. As soon as she’d put her fingers on them, she brought them out and looked up to see Cal handing credits of his own to Maya.

Omega’s jaw went slack as she froze in place. She turned her surprised eyes to Cal in time to see him thank Maya. He then smirked back at Omega as he pulled the little boxes away from the counter and gave Omega one. 

She took the box in her free hand as she dropped her credits back into her bag. She knew what the concept of a romantic gesture was even though she had never before been a recipient. But that was one, she knew that it was, and she had no idea how to be normal about it. As she took her breakfast from the boy who just purchased it for her, her heart sang inside of her, the lyrics of their song stealing all the words from her mouth. “Th-thank you, Cal.” 

“You’re welcome.” His little smirk from a few seconds before pulled into a real smile, one that demonstrated the kindness that had just led him to buy her pastry. It was hesitant, not a true and proper grin, but it was there nonetheless. He stood there, smiling at her, and Omega was sure she was melting into a puddle. 

What in the galaxy was happening right now?

“Bye, Omega!” Omega heard Maya call behind her. She turned and waved goodbye, just in time to catch a wink from her that sent her into a tailspin. 

As Cal and Omega stepped away from the counter and found a spot to stand that was out of the way, Cal turned to face her. “I think I’m going to take mine back to my ship. Thank you for bringing us here.” 

“Of course! Thank you for joining me.” She wondered if she needed to address what had just occurred, wondered if she needed to shout what she was thinking, even though she was thinking so many things and it would be hard to choose just one thought. She was very confident that she knew why he did that, and it sent shockwaves  through her. Plus, his gesture only added to his attractiveness. He stood there, a benevolent soul who set his fine features upon her while he bought her morning meal and spoke to her with his gentle voice. Did he know? Did he know how handsome he was? Did he know that Omega couldn’t breathe? 

“Well, see you later,” He must not have known, because he was telling her goodbye and turning to go in the opposite direction that Omega was. 

“Wait!” She yelped.

He turned around without coming closer to her, and she hurried to get her words out before her adrenaline stole them away. “What if I want to see you again?”

Now Cal was the one whose mouth hung open. He didn’t respond immediately and Omega couldn't’ blame him, she knew she’d asked him a perplexing and implicating question, depending on how he answered. 

She continued, partly to save him and partly for her own sake. “There’s a restaurant in town that has really good seafood. They have a balcony, too, so you can sit and look at the ocean. I’ll be there tomorrow night, an hour before sunset. It’s at the end of this same row of buildings, up a little hill with a blue sign out front. You can’t miss it. No pressure.” 

Before she could get a response from him, she turned on her heel and booked it towards home. She chose to do so for his sake of course, she didn’t want to pressure him in any way. But she also couldn’t bear it if he said no, so it was better not to assume anything and flee before-

His voice called out an answer. “Okay!” 

Chapter Text

“That is technically cheating.”

Tech was studying the playing cards that Wrecker had excitedly laid down before them all on the table. By the smug look on his face, it could be assumed that Wrecker believed himself to be winning their morning card game. But, to Wrecker’s impending dismay, Tech was always eager to keep everything in line with exactly how the game was supposed to be, or as Wrecker liked to say, “spoil the fun”. 

“Wha- no it’s not! I drew that card then decided to play it! It came right from the stack.” Wrecker crossed his arms, staring at Tech obstinately while awaiting a response from the rulekeeper. 

“Remember Wrecker, you can’t draw and play on the same turn when we play this game. That’s only in the one we just finished.” Echo was quick to jump in and explain the problem in his firm but gentle way, saving Tech from going off on one of his rule rants, as they had come to be known. 

“Oh, right,” Wrecker scooped his cards, including the one he drew, back up into his hands before turning to Hunter. “Your turn.” 

Hunter sipped at his earthy caf that still steamed in his mug. He’d been waiting patiently for his brothers to finish their disagreement before he even thought about his next move. He set his mug down as he took a swallow of the warm drink, considering his cards. 

The Batch had taken to spending their mornings playing cards at their kitchen table as they shared caf, tea, morning meal, or whatever helped them start their day. Today’s meal of choice was caf and spice cake, baked with love by Echo himself. Omega often joined them, but today she apparently was still on her walk with Batcher, which was odd. Usually she came back in time to play. Hunter reasoned that the pair must have taken an extra long walk this morning. 

After taking his time to study his cards, Hunter finally placed one in the discard pile that sat in the center of the table and smirked. Next turn, he’d be winning, that he was sure of. 

It was Crosshair’s turn next. He was smirking as well, which Hunter knew was a bad sign; Cross only did that when a win was imminent for him. “Better luck next time, boys.” He set his cards down for all to see. Indeed, he’d made a perfect run from the hand that he held. He’d wordlessly gathered his cards the entire game, knowing he could win but choosing not to say anything. 

Everyone at the table groaned, excluding Cross of course. Hunter’s annoyance morphed into a chuckle; he always got a kick out of Crosshair’s ability to remain completely neutral in preparation of wiping the floor with them all when they least expected it. He wished he could remain that stoic. 

Hunter collected the cards up to shuffle them together when they all heard their front door open open and then slam shut. He turned just in time to see Omega practically skip in towards them. She carried with her a little brown box, indicative of stopping by Pabu’s bakery, and a rather sunny expression. He held an arm out to the side that she immediately came into for a hug. “Good morning, Ad’ika. You look happy today.” 

“Morning! I am happy!” She squeezed Hunter, then moved to hug each of the others one by one as Batcher received ample pets from all of them, especially Crosshair.

“How come?” Wrecker asked as Omega retrieved the little box that contained her morning meal. 

Omega opened her box that Hunter knew contained a chocolate roll, her favorite. Once the box was open she looked down at the baked good, smiling as she did so. Hunter found this peculiar; usually Omega would dig into her chocolate roll without much hesitation. But today, she looked down into the box like it had treasure inside. Her chocolate roll was special enough to her, but not so much so that she would choose to stare at it like it was shimmering in the box. 

“Batcher and I went for our walk this morning on the beach. While we were there, we ran into Cal Kestis again!” Omega grinned then, like seeing Cal was the most wonderful thing that could have happened. She removed her morning meal from its container, turning a sentimental expression towards it before taking a bite.

“Oh…Cal, the boy that helped you out yesterday?” Hunter sought clarification while he analyzed her behavior. She’d brought Cal back up like he was a family friend, not a stranger they barely knew. His eyebrows knit together; he could not hide his puzzlement from his expression.

“Yeah! Cal was sitting in the sand and we bumped into him! So, I invited him to walk with us!” Omega explained through bites, wiping at the chocolate that had ended up on her chin. Normally Omega wasn’t a messy eater, but she was talking and grinning so much that she was getting more crumbs on herself and the floor than usual. 

Hunter stalled. Omega and Batcher’s walks were a privileged thing to be a part of. Sometimes Hunter and the others would come along, but it wasn’t like Omega ever made a special occasion out of them in which others were invited. It was a family thing. Surely Omega just invited him to be polite. But then, if that had been the case, why did she seem so excited that Cal did choose to join them? 

Hunter’s heartbeat quickened.

“Cal went on your walk with you?” Wrecker asked. The other four members of the Batch had now turned and looked at Omega, their expressions matching the perplexed one of Hunter. Their attention was so drawn to her that even their caf and cake had been neglected. 

Omega nodded, bouncing from foot to foot. “Mmhm! Then we stopped by the bakery together! And he bought my roll for me!”

Hunter’s face fell, not that he wanted it to. It wasn’t like he had any control over his facial expression at the moment. Icy dread pulled at every part of him. Of course, he knew Omega would eventually catch a boy’s eye. But surely not yet. And surely not someone none of the rest of them had met yet. And surely not without any warning that the time was coming. That couldn’t be right. Nothing about that was right. 

“Well, wasn’t that thoughtful ,” Crosshair’s venomous tone contradicted his supportive words, and unfortunately for Omega, they were the only sound that could now be heard in their house. The sentiment coming from his brother was nothing short of comforting for Hunter to hear. 

The boundless grin that had spread across Omega’s face suddenly vanished, replaced by a deep redness that rose in her cheeks. “Yeah…it was,” she giggled, a desperate sound that Hunter knew she was employing to try to ease the tension in the room. He would have felt more sympathy for her if his head hadn’t been dizzy from spinning.

“It was for sure. He sounds like a gentleman.” Echo leaned forward in his seat, offering Omega a little smile. His eyes flicked to Hunter’s, and Hunter saw in them all the warning that he knew Echo was intentionally conveying, if only for a millisecond.  

Omega perked up at the mercy of her brother. “Yes, yes he is. He’s so polite. And he cares about others, too. He told me that he and his companions spend their time protecting others from the Empire. They’re on Pabu because they needed a rest.” 

“Oh?” Now Tech joined the conversation. His posture was rigid; hands resting on the table, back straight in his chair, eyes directly on those of his sister. He did not seem as tensed as Hunter felt, but uncertainty was in his demeanor nonetheless. “They oppose the Empire on a regular basis?”

“They do,” Discarding her empty box onto the nearby counter, Omega took her seat at the table with the others. “He says they look out for others who can’t protect themselves. They’ve even been to Kashyyyk before, too! Isn’t that cool?”

Hunter wasn’t sure if the girl was telling them about her new friend or trying to sell them a product. Her cheery tone and antsy behavior displayed all the enthusiasm she had for their current topic of conversation, and she latched onto every hint of encouragement the rest of them sent her way. She was in uncharted waters and dragging the rest of them in with her. Hunter could only hope they wouldn’t all drown. 

“That is rather cool,” Tech offered. “And an interesting coincidence, if I might add.” 

“Yeah,” Hunter had to agree. “Not every day you meet someone who's been to Kashyyyk and Pabu.”

Before Omega could say anything more, Wrecker added, “Cal can’t be such a bad guy if he and his friends fight the Empire. Gotta respect people who do that!” 

“Yes!” Omega nodded in agreement with Wrecker, grinning once again. “While we’re on the subject of Cal, there’s one more…thing…that I want you all to know.”

Hunter leaned towards her as his muscles began to tense without conscious thought. She was making a big deal out of whatever it was she wanted to say next, and Hunter was both figuratively and literally on the edge of his seat. 

“Well, before Cal and I went our separate ways today, I asked him if he wanted to meet me for dinner tomorrow night. At Jack’s. Just the two of us.” The blush in her cheeks seemed to cover her whole face now. Her big brown eyes darted between Hunter and the others so much that Hunter didn’t believe she was able to get an accurate read on any of them.

But Hunter could pick up on everything Omega didn’t have to say. He could feel her heart beating so fast that her blood was practically sloshing through her. Her breathing had quickened, sweat had begun to bead everywhere it could, the electrical impulses in her brain nearly felt as though they were playing tag with each other. 

Omega was wired .

Hunter was horrified .

Silence was the only response to Omega’s words for a very long, excruciating pause for everyone present. Hunter wanted to speak, but paralysis had overcome him. Only by sheer willpower was he able to push through it and bark out the first word he thought of. “Why?” 

Omega subtly drew into herself at his question.”Well…because I…wanted to see him again. That’s all, Hunter. I just wanted to see him again. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

“There isn’t.” Tech spoke up. His posture seemed to have relaxed some, and the look on his face was one of what Hunter could only describe as bemusement. “It’s only natural that you’d want to spend more time with him. He is your age, and you are interested in the things the two of you talk about. I believe it would only be a matter of time before-”

“Tech, enough. No one here wants to hear whatever you were about to say.” Crosshair snarled at his brother, a sullen expression on his face as he leaned back in his chair. 

Tech was quick with a rebuttal. “You cannot assume that. Perhaps Omega wants to-”

“Omega doesn’t,” their sister interjected before Tech could finish. “I just wanted you all to know my plans. I guess it’s only fair to open the floor for any of your refusals.” Omega offered her brothers the opportunity to undermine her plans like the thoughtful soul she was, but not without glaringly obvious signs that she dreaded that actually happening. She was slouched in her seat, a sheepish expression dulling her features. 

As soon as her offer was out of her mouth Hunter drew a breath, but before he could speak he felt a sharp, metallic knock against his shin. 

Echo. Saving their sister from a lifetime of spinsterhood. “Go have fun with him, Omega. I’m sure the two of you will have a great time.”

A smile as bright as the sun came upon Omega as she perked up like a blossoming flower. “Really?”

“Really,” Tech, ever a complicator of situations, spoke before Hunter, Crosshair, or Wrecker could have a chance. “There is nothing wrong with you having dinner with Cal.” 

Omega bounced out of her seat, springing quick hugs on Echo and Tech. “Thank you all so much!” After offering her hugs, she raced down the hall towards her room, calling over her shoulder, “I’m so excited!”

Her door slammed shut, and Hunter immediately dropped his head into his hands. “A date. She barely knows him and she asked him out on a date .” 

“She hardly even gave us a chance to say no,” Wrecker’s tone lacked its usual mirth. 

“Yeah, thanks to some di’kuts who told her yes before we could even discuss it,” Crosshair’s steely glare was shared evenly between Tech and Echo. 

“I did not see any point in discussing it,” Tech objected to Crosshair’s sourness. “There is nothing inherently dangerous about romance. I am the only one at this table who has experienced it, after all. I can attest.” 

“Exactly,” Echo crossed his arms as he sat back in his chair. “She’s a teenage girl going on a date. What’s the harm in that?” 

“What’s the harm? Are you really asking that?” Hunter jerked his face out of his hands. “What if he puts something in her drink when she isn’t looking? Or just wants a free meal? What if everything he’s told her is a lie and all he really wants is to rob her or use her body or just play with her feelings because it’s all just a game to him? We haven’t even met this kid. What if his name isn’t even Cal?” 

“Stars, Sarge,” the low rumble of Wrecker’s voice attempted to soothe Hunter’s paranoia. “I don’t like it either, but you sure are overthinkin’ it.”

“Yes, you are overthinking it.” Tech concurred with Wrecker, which only pulled at Hunter’s nerves more. “And, you are underestimating Omega. She’s been around unsavory individuals many times before. She is not naive or ignorant of the dangers that lurk in the galaxy.”

Hunter sighed. Tech’s words were much more akin to reality than Hunter’s; he knew that. The anxiety that was crawling around him like a spreading disease didn’t make Tech’s words easy to believe, but he knew they were true. The girl had solved problems that no one should have to deal with, much less alone. She was capable of taking care of herself, she’d unfortunately had to prove that to them multiple times during their days evading the Empire. She could handle a first date. 

But Hunter wasn’t so sure he could. 

“So, how can we make extra sure she’ll be alright? Make all that stuff you’re worried about less likely?” Wrecker’s question was directed towards Hunter, but Hunter didn’t have an answer. He felt as if Pabu itself was crushing him to death, making it nearly impossible to breathe, much less plan for how to help Omega.

“Someone needs to spy on them. Sit up where they can see Jack’s and watch for trouble. Any takers?” Crosshair suggested before waiting on a volunteer. 

Instead of any words being spoken, all eyes simply turned to the suggester in order to answer his question. 

“Really?” Crosshair pouted. “Even though I’m the most likely to shoot him if he does anything wrong?” 

“You have been endowed with the best vision out of the five of us,” Tech answered matter of factly, but there was a playfulness in his expression and tone, a kind of enjoyment a brother only felt when he was making a sibling’s life difficult. “Lucky you.” 

Cross scoffed but said nothing more, which was suitable; Hunter liked Crosshair’s idea very much and finally had the words to say so. “Yeah, Tech’s right. You can watch them like a Shriek Hawk. And they’ll never know. It’s perfect.” 

“That last part’s real important,” Wrecker added. “This whole thing’s a big step for ‘Mega. We don’t wanna ruin it completely for her. She’d be so upset.” 

A bit of tension evaporated out of Hunter’s face as he looked at Wrecker. He could see ache and uncertainty in his brother’s eyes; emotions he knew they all felt from their current topic of conversation. It went without saying how protective Wrecker was of their sister. Wrecker would stand against a hurricane for her, yet he would also drop all of that brute strength to hug her and help her and be a comfort to her when she needed it the most. He was the only one among them who’d regularly and obligingly relinquished use of what made him a member of the Bad Batch, just for her. So to see the look that was currently in Wrecker’s eyes was not a surprise. Neither was Wrecker’s willingness to set aside a bit of his protectiveness for the sake of Omega’s desires. It inspired Hunter to do the same, if only barely. 

“That’s a good point, Wrecker,” Hunter conceded. “We don’t want Cal hurting her, but us hurting her over him wouldn’t be great either,” Hunter sighed again before continuing. “How can she already be so emotionally wrapped up in him, anyway? She just met him.” 

“It tends to happen rather fast.” Tech said as the hint of a dreamy look crossed his face. “Once I realized I had interest in Phee, things sort of…went out of my control and against my expectation. I imagine that the same is happening to Omega.” 

“Unfortunately,” rasped Crosshair.

“It’s natural, Hunter,” Echo looked at Hunter with comfort in his eyes. “She likes a boy. Of course she’s excited about him right now. Of course she wants to spend time with him. For her, right now that’s more important than us and what we think, whether we like it or not.” 

And that was what Hunter might’ve hated the most. Omega was a proud member of Clone Force 99. She was their vod’ika, their shadow. Of course she loved others in her life, like Lyana and Phee, but at her core, she was a Batcher. The thing was, she’d never felt what she was feeling for Cal for anyone before. Interest in Cal was likely to consume her like a wildfire. And once it did, if nothing got in its way, bursting out of the ashes like a phoenix would be love. Love that was strong, and would bond her to him for a lifetime, taking away all the primary fidelity she felt to her brothers. She’d go off with Cal and form a life with him. And there was nothing Hunter could do to stop her. 

Except maybe have Crosshair shoot Cal, like mentioned earlier. Or let Wrecker see how far he could throw him from Pabu’s highest cliff. 

Realistically though, there was nothing for him to do. Nothing but watch his sweet little Omega grow up. 

To his surprise, his eyes had begun burning in response to his musing; he blinked and cleared his throat before the others could notice. “Yeah, I know. She’s gotta grow up sometime. Just wish it didn’t have to be so soon.” 

A moment of silence descended upon them then, in observance of the sentiment Hunter had expressed. Truth could be hard to accept sometimes. Especially when it hurt your heart in such a personal way.  

“So we are in agreement, then? Crosshair will descreetly observe the date tomorrow evening?” Tech broke the silence. 

The others nodded in sync, and Hunter added, “We’ll find out what time she's going. You can leave here a little after, Cross. You good with that?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t miss it.” Crosshair answered, a bitter tone shaping his voice.  

Omega hadn’t done much after her encounter with her brothers earlier in the morning. She’d practically floated to her room, taking some much needed time to collect herself after seeing Cal. Her room was her safe space; a sanctuary for when she needed to process or lament or celebrate. Today, her bedroom had been more like a ballroom; she’d taken some time to tidy things up all while dancing around like there was music in the air around her. There might as well have been, for how elated she was. After she’d completed her tasks in her room, she made some time for gardening. The Batch had flower beds at their home, and gardening tended to be a group effort for the most part. Omega had found some flowers while she was out shopping and met Cal, and after the morning’s events she was ready to tuck them into the soil with her usual care. The flowers were a soft green color, very similar to the color of Cal’s eyes, and Omega couldn’t help her grin as she caressed their petals once they were in the ground. 

Now, it was late afternoon. Her brothers had gone off to their places of employment, and Omega had done the same. Pabu had a day school for the local children, and she had been hired to help run the after school program. It was her job to help the children complete any assignments they had left over from the day, feed them snacks, or, most commonly, entertain them until their parents could fetch them. 

Today, the children were playing outside on their wooden playground that overlooked the ocean. There were only half a dozen or so left, and they all chased each other rambunctiously as Omega watched. She loved spending her afternoons with them, even if they didn’t specifically ask her to play with them. To see them just be kids, sweaty and sandy and jovial, was enough to make her day. It was a blessing that the kids never had to know a life of sterile formality as Omega had, and a blessing that she got to watch them live life to the fullest. 

“Look out, Omega!” Lyana Hazard’s clear voice rang out, pulling Omega out of her thoughts of gratitude. She turned towards her best friend’s voice quickly enough to notice a ball hurling itself her way. She reached up out of reflex, catching the ball and lowering it back down just as one of the young boys in her care ran up in search of it. 

Lyana was not far behind the child. Running up with a look of relief on her face, she chided him gently, “Hey, be careful when you’re throwing the ball, okay? We don’t want to smack Omega in the head!” 

Both Omega and the child giggled, and he ran off with the ball in tow and a quick nod to Lyana. Lyana smiled at Omega. “That was a close one.” 

Omega nodded. Another part she loved about her job was that Lyana worked with her. Lyana began working as an after school caretaker before Omega did; in fact, it was her idea that Omega join the program. “Yeah, I’m just glad they didn’t send the ball down over the cliff over there.” 

Lyana laughed then, looking over towards the cliff in question. “Yeah, we can’t have that again! The kids took up almost all of their time outside that day trying to get it back!”

Omega nodded, laughing right along with her friend. “We all got our exercise that day!” 

The girls turned back to face the playground, and Lyana asked, “So, today’s the last day of school for the week. Do you have any big plans coming up?” 

Warmth grew in Omega’s cheeks, and she knew there was no point in trying to turn and hide the sheepish look on her face. Lyana knew her too well to miss it. The only thing saving her this time was that she wasn’t having to tell her five vigilant brothers about her newest acquaintance. “Well, I do, actually. The other day, I went out shopping. And while I was out, I had stacked all my boxes too high, and I couldn’t see where I was going, so I tripped. And the second I sat up to get my bearings, a boy was there-” 

“Wait, hold up,” Lyana interrupted, her energetic tone indicating that excitement was to blame. “A boy ? He just showed up out of nowhere?”

Her hero, coming to save the day. “Yep.”

“Who was he?” 

“His name is Cal Kestis. He’s new here. He helped me carry my boxes back home. I didn’t even ask him to! We split up after that, but I saw him again this morning while I was taking Batcher for a walk on the beach! We talked a little, just getting to know each other. He and his friends travel around to fight the Empire! Isn’t that cool?” 

“It’s very cool,” Lyana nodded slowly as an impish gleam came to her eyes. “What’s he look like?”

What did Cal look like? Omega’s face continued to warm, partly in response to her current interests being put in the spotlight and partly due to bashfulness over her eagerness to describe him. When she spoke, her voice took on an airy tone. “He’s got these beautiful green eyes, and this red hair, it practically glows when the sun catches it. And freckles! He has freckles all along his nose and cheeks, and he’s tall and strong and-” 

“Ha! I knew it! You have a crush on him!” Lyana interrupted again, this time with a triumphant declaration and no trace of subtlety in her playfully accusatory behavior. 

“A-huh? A crush?” Her friend was thinking much further ahead than she was. Sure, she thought Cal was handsome, and maybe she felt extra excited and happy when she was around him. Or talked about him. Or thought about him. But a crush? Was Lyana serious?

“You like him, Omega! You’re giddy right now just talking about him!” Lyana looked as excited as she claimed that Omega was. 

A crush was not what Omega initially had in mind. But, Lyana mentioning the word caused Omega to remember Tech, particularly the state that he was often in one year ago. The Batch had settled on Pabu, giving Tech and Phee a chance to get closer. And before long, some things about Tech changed, if only temporarily. He smiled more, particularly when Phee was around. He talked about Phee a lot. And, he spent as much time with her as he could. He was the most expressive Omega had ever seen him be, and she definitely knew he had a crush. Was this the same thing? 

“Oh…I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Omega admitted, glancing away in thought. “I…guess I do have a crush. On Cal Kestis.” The confession filled her with a pleasant lightheadedness.

“Yeah, you do! That’s so sweet, Meg!” Lyana clapped her hands together with glee. “I want to hear the rest of your story! Sorry if I cut you off.” 

“No problem,” Omega offered amicably before continuing with the tale, a small smile coming upon her and causing her to speak in a singsong manner. “After our walk, we went and got chocolate rolls together. And guess what? He bought mine for me!”

“Ooh!” Lyana beamed. “That’s so nice of him! Maybe he likes you too!”

“I…I think he might. He bought my roll, and he just looked at me in this admiring way, like he was so happy to be there with me and to do that. Guys don’t just randomly buy you things for no reason, you know? And then for him to just look at me like that…”

“It’s a no brainer.” Lyana confirmed, nodding with a thoughtful look on her face. Lyana always had a wise way of thinking about situations. Omega was grateful for it, especially when she did not feel she could think straight. 

“Right.” Omega confirmed, and a rush passed through her. In this small conversation with her best friend, the two of them had established two colossal things. First, that she had a crush blossoming in her heart, and second, that the object of her affection likely felt the same way about her. It was almost too thrilling for her. 

Emphasis on almost . 

“So, after he bought my meal and looked at me like that and made me feel all mushy inside, he said he wanted to take his roll back home and started to leave. But before he could, I invited him to meet me at Jack’s tomorrow night so we could have dinner together. And he said yes!”

Lyana hopped in place, once again clapping her hands with jubilance. “A first date! That’s so exciting!”

“I know!”

“Wow, okay, tomorrow night. Are you ready? What time will you meet him there? And what are you going to wear? Are you nervous?”

Omega inhaled. These were all important questions, and Omega had not yet taken the time to consider them. She’d been too busy reeling over the morning’s events and fondly thinking about the sight of Cal illuminated by the Pabu sunrise. “Am I ready? As ready as I’m going to be, I guess. We’re meeting there at sunset. I’m not sure what I’ll wear yet, probably just one of my dresses. And am I nervous?” Her stomach flopped inside of her, providing her answer. “Yeah, I think I’m nervous. I hardly even thought about it before I asked him! Why did I do that?” 

“Because you like him, silly,” Lyana answered her question with such casualness that Omega’s nervousness was somewhat disarmed. If Lyana was this calm about it, surely it didn’t need to be something that freaked Omega out too much. But then Lyana asked another question, one that stoked Omega’s nerves with a hot iron. “What about your brothers?” 

The lightheadedness that had overcome Omega began to shift into an unenjoyable dizziness. “Oh, they know. I told them about Cal, and about what we talked about at the beach, and that we were going to dinner tomorrow night.”

“And?”

Omega knit her fingers together. “They weren’t exactly happy about it. They were quiet at first. Hunter wanted to know why I was going out with Cal,” Omega hid her face in her hands. “What was I supposed to say to that? Crosshair made his comments, usual Crosshair, you know. Even Wrecker looked worried.” Omega loathed putting her brothers through any sort of discontentment. They’d spent so many years protecting her and trying to keep her happy. She’d seen the five of them stressed and worried, and she didn’t want to give them any reasons to feel that way. But, on the other hand, this was not anything like the things they all used to deal with. This was just a small date. With a boy who seemed very kind and genuine. She was sixteen, plenty old enough to date. This was a normal part of life. It didn’t need to be justified, but here she was justifying it nonetheless. She knew her brothers didn’t want her to feel responsible for their happiness, but somehow she did anyway. They were her little brothers, after all. 

“What about Echo and Tech?” Lyana interrupted Omega’s rumination. 

At the mention of her two other more agreeable brothers, Omega lifted her head and turned her gaze back towards her friend. “They were actually more okay with it than the other three. Tech seemed to think it was okay because of his experiences with Phee. And Echo actually told me to have a good time!” 

“See? They’ll all come around in their own time. Especially since Cal’s such a gentleman.” Lyana offered Omega a gentle pat on her shoulder. 

Omega received the touch with gratitude. Thinking back on how her brothers responded to her declaration was disconcerting, and she began to realize that she did not particularly want to deal with it again after the date. Not without backup, anyway. “You know, when I’m done eating with Cal, I’ll have to go back home. And I doubt I’ll even be able to make it in the door before they’re asking me questions. It’s going to be so awkward …” 

A smirk crossed Lyana’s face, and she raised an eyebrow. “Just ask me.”

“Would you like to spend the night tomorrow night?”

“Of course I would! Thanks for inviting me!” Lyana answered Omega with enthusiasm, and both girls burst out laughing. Lyana’s wisdom meant she always knew what Omega needed, sometimes even before Omega did. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a sleepover, anyway. I’ll come over an hour or so after sunset.” 

Omega sighed, the exhale sending out her concern and making room for relief. “Thank you, Lyana! And you’re right, it will be nice to spend time with you. And the boys will be happy to see you.” 

“Exactly. We’ll handle this together,” Lyana reached out her arms in invitation.

Omega let Lyana pull her into her embrace, wrapping her arms snuggly around her friend in return. “Always.”

Chapter Text

Cal was sure he’d lost his mind. 

He’d awoken early in the morning after his fitful night of sleep. Everything had been fine before his nightmare, but after it, he could only lay awake and think of that fateful day four years prior, when everything he knew was ripped from him by those that he thought he knew so well. Often, he could shake those bad dreams out of his head and get more rest when a nightmare came to call, but this most recent night was different. It had been so visceral: the sights, the sounds, and the terror all felt like his reality rather than a dream. He would have spent the night staring blankly out towards the interior of the ship had it not been for the comforting presence of BD. 

And then on top of the realness of the dream was the revelation that came when he awoke. Sweet Omega, who’d been so kind and welcoming to him, whose wholesome demeanor had put him at ease and helped him to feel right at home on the new planet…she too was a clone. The first female clone he’d ever met. He didn’t even know there were any female clones at all. But the truth had revealed itself: behind her kindness was an identity that unnerved him like nothing had in a long, long time. Even the polite words she spoke to him before his departure morphed into echoes that filled him with terror. The sweet dream that was the afternoon he’d met her had adopted a nightmarish nature of its own.

So, when morning finally came and gave him a reprieve, he decided to head out in search of any serenity he could find. With no hesitation, he headed down to the beach: to its calm, soothing breeze and rhythmic waves. It was early when he made it there, not long after dawn, so he rested assured that he would be surrounded in solitude. He found a pleasant place to sit in the sand and began meditating. Meditation had become a very useful resource for him since going on his first adventure with the Mantis crew; through the activity, he’d learned a lot about himself and his connection to the Force. When he entered a meditative state, he was able to free himself from whatever weighed on his heart and mind and find solace. He could be one with the Force, as his master would suggest that he try to be. 

But then, she was there again, just as unexpectedly as thoughts of her had been when he’d awoken the night before. Omega had found him on the beach, greeted him in her friendly way and invited him to join her on her walk. If he was honest, she’d disturbed him and the peace that the Force offered him. It was peace he was desperate for. Her scarily familiar voice and appearance jerked him out of the calm he’d found, and pure fear seized him in its place.  

But, as undeniable as the fear the sight of her caused him was the elation he could see on her face. She was happy to see him, and there wasn’t a trace of anything but that happiness in her demeanor when she approached him. And, like a kind soul showing compassion to someone in need, that happiness beckoned out of Cal all the feelings he’d experienced upon first meeting her. Interest, eagerness, and happiness permeated the distress that her being there with him had filled him with. They helped him to see her not as a clone and all the heaviness that resided within that identity, but as a sweet girl on a serene island planet. They freed him to remember that he actually sort of liked this girl. A lot. 

Unfortunately for Cal, it was only a partial freedom. Any talk even remotely related to her clone status or his Jedi identity caused his budding affection for her to retreat behind the more protective feelings that had served to keep him safe for the past four years. He could not let her get too close. 

But, still, he’d managed to go for a walk with her and have a conversation with her. A good conversation, he had to admit. And, as they talked, he noticed that she seemed very interested in him, just as he was in her. She smiled at him, and peered up at him with curious, inquisitive eyes. She invited him to eat morning meal with her.  

This interest that she showed through her behavior hinted to Cal that she may have had motivation other than just friendliness for the enthusiastic conversations and invitations she offered him. She seemed like she might be starting to like him, too, and by the time Cal realized that, he was already feeling that same magnetic pull to her that he had been the day before. Like a victim of the tug of seawater as it receded from shore, he felt drawn to everything about her, everything she let him see and hear and know. Though instincts could only be quelled so much and hesitance was undeniably present as well, he could not stay away from her. Even if the scared child in him told him that mere interaction with her was dangerous. Even if her finding out the truth about him would lead to disaster. Even if he was cursed with a silent fear that at any moment could pull out a blaster and put it against him, he couldn’t deny the draw that kept him with her. So when she invited him to get food with her, of course he couldn’t say no. 

Now, as Cal sat in the shared space of the Mantis to eat his chocolate roll, which was delicious , he realized that that unspoken, unyielding draw must have been why he agreed to go out and have dinner with her tomorrow night. He certainly couldn’t think of any other reason he’d willingly agreed to meet with the clone girl again. Yet, those protective instincts inside of him did not let go of their hold over him. While he sat to eat his food, they hounded him right along with the pleasant swirling in his stomach that came as a result of his decision. 

Cal was going out on a date with a clone . 

The sweetest, prettiest, most fun clone there was. No contest. 

“Where did you get that?”

An inquisitive voice jerked him out of the romantic reverie in which he found himself. He jumped, twisting his body around to see none other than Merrin. He hadn’t even heard her coming from whichever part of the ship it was that she came from. She looked down at him, a neutral expression on her inscrutable face. Even though he didn’t quite catch her question he knew he had to say something fast or she would only have more questions for him.

“I got it this morning.” 

“Yes, where?”

“Oh. There’s a bakery in town where the restaurants and shops are. Try some,” he pulled off the opposite end of the roll from the one he was eating and held it out to her. 

She took the piece from him, taking her time with chewing and swallowing it before offering her verdict. “I like this. How did you find the bakery?”

Cal now had two options. He could lie to her, but he didn’t feel inclined to do so. He didn’t like to lie to Merrin, and she always knew when he did, anyway. That only left the second option: complete truth. “I met a girl in town yesterday. Coincidentally, I ran into her again this morning, and she took me.” He stood then, shoving what remained of the chocolate roll in his mouth and stepping around Merrin to head to his room in an urgent effort to escape her snooping questions. 

“Coincidentally…” he could hear the pensive tone in Merrin’s voice, and he bristled. She’d repeated the word just loud enough for him to hear, but certainly not loud enough to continue their conversation. That effort came with her next question. “What sort of girl?” 

He paused his march away from her, offering over his shoulder, “Just an island girl. She was nice.” 

“What’s her name?”

Cal had never known Merrin to be so nosy, and he definitely didn’t want her to be in the middle of his budding potential relationship. There wasn’t a reason for her to know everything, anyway. “Don’t worry about it.” 

An otherworldly whooshing sound came into his perception then, the tone of which he knew he could only attribute to one thing: Nightsister magic. Cal had already restarted his trek to his room, but upon hearing the infernal sound, he tensed. In the context in which they were in, the sound was unfortunately forboding. A second of silence passed, not even long enough for him to have another thought, and Merrin suddenly appeared right before his eyes in a burst of green sparks. “What is the island girl’s name? Or should I just refer to her as island girl?” 

“I should have run back to my room.”

Merrin rested her hands on her hips, tapping a foot and refusing to give a reply.

Cal sighed, crossing his arms and making sure she could see the irritation in his eyes. “It’s Omega. Happy?”

Merrin shrugged as an infuriating smirk showed up on her face. “ You are. You were smiling while eating. That pastry did not taste good enough to make you smile like that.” 

He turned on his heel and began walking again so she wouldn’t see the pink creeping onto his cheeks. “LIke I said, don’t worry about it, okay?”  

“I’m not worried at all. Are you?” 

Cal sighed again. He wasn't sure whether or not Merrin could tell that something was on his mind. But, if he didn’t at least share the bare minimum, he knew that she would catch on eventually regardless. Plus, talking to someone not directly impacted by the situation could provide him with some relief. He turned back around to face her. “Honestly, yeah. I’m a little worried. I spent a good amount of time with Omega this morning. And the longer I stayed with her, the more it made me want to stay. I…I like her.” A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, ruining the cool exterior he was trying to maintain while standing in front of Merrin. He pulled his gaze away from her, savoring the words he’d just spoken and giving himself a chance to digest that he’d just admitted them to one of his closest friends. 

There was a lull in their conversation, just long enough to send a surge of panic through Cal. Then, Merrin spoke, her tone surprisingly clement. “What about this worries you?” 

This he could not answer with the entire truth. Even if it was easy to talk about, which it wasn’t, nothing in him wanted to bring it up just yet. So, he shared the easier part for him to talk about. It, too, made him nervous, though much less so than Omega’s identity. “Well, I was sort of swept up in the moment during the time we were spending together, so I bought her chocolate roll. Then, before I left to bring mine here to eat, she invited me out for dinner. Tomorrow night. And I said yes.” 

Merrin crossed her arms, a pensive expression coming upon her as she looked at Cal. If his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him, he was fairly certain he could see a small smile forming as well. She studied him, letting her thoughts all come together, before speaking. “We’ve only been on this island one day, and you already have a girlfriend.”

“Cal has a girlfriend?”

Merrin and Cal whirled around to find Greez and Cere entering the shared space of the ship and in Greez’s case, Merrin and Cal’s conversation, at the most unfortunate of times. Cal felt the need to set the record straight before the rumor took flight and he lost control of it. “No!” 

But just as he answered Greez’s question, Merrin’s voice spoke alongside his, offering the opposite answer. “Yes.” 

Their shipmates stared at them with looks Cal could only describe as shocked and bewildered. Cere’s wide-eyed stare eventually gave way to a grin she couldn’t fight, while Greez voiced his meddlesome thoughts. “When did you get a girlfriend ? Were you just never going to tell us?”

“No, no, I don’t have a girlfriend,” Cal knew his face had to have been the color of his hair. “Merrin’s wrong about that-”

“I am?” Merrin interjected, side-eyeing Cal in a manner that suggested she would not so easily concede. “Why don’t you tell them your story, and see what they think?”

Cal grimaced, but he knew Merrin was right. He didn’t particularly want to keep this a secret, and he was too excited to put much effort into doing that, anyway. “I met a girl out in town yesterday. She needed help carrying things home, so I helped her. Then, I saw her again this morning on the beach. We went for a walk, then we got breakfast together. Then, she asked me to go out to dinner with her tomorrow night.” He shrugged, though he spoke through a smile that betrayed his insistence that Omega was not his girlfriend. 

“Hmm,” Cere tilted her head to the side, just enough to show that she was thinking. “So maybe not quite a girlfriend yet. But she could be. That’s the important thing.”

“She could, I guess.” Cal continued to smile, looking away in thought. He barely knew the girl, so to ponder the idea of her as his girlfriend was overwhelming. Especially since he wasn’t completely comfortable around her. He didn’t like the thought of feeling unsafe around a girlfriend, even if it wasn’t her fault; it didn’t feel fair to either of them. “Anyway, the point is she isn’t yet. But…I’m still going out with her.” 

Greez laughed then, setting an expression on Cal that he chose to believe was full of admiration and nothing else. “Well, the Jedi’s got game after all! How’d you get her to go out with you so quickly, huh? You more of a charmer than you’ve been letting on?” 

“Greez,” Cere chided, sparing Cal from having to respond to any of his embarrassing questions, “let’s not make Cal more uncomfortable than we already have,” she then turned her attention to Cal, who was relieved to hear her next question. “How are you feeling? I’m sure you’re excited.”

Cal nodded, though his stomach twisted in a way that reminded him of all the other emotions he was experiencing right along with the excitement. This wasn’t exactly the fairytale that his companions were making it out to be. “I’m excited. But I’m…nervous, too. What if I go and then mess everything up?” Cal knew this was a normal thing to worry about on a first date; most people wanted to make sure they left a good impression when they were first getting to know someone. But in Cal’s case, he wasn’t just worried about making a fool of himself. The sight of lovely Omega looking at him with the same eyes that haunted his nightmares was nothing short of disconcerting, if not altogether frightening. If she looked at him in just the wrong way, or her voice bore a cadence that seemed harrowingly familiar, he didn’t know what would happen. His walk with her earlier in the day felt very similar to the way it felt to trod on glass, and the only thing that enabled him to persevere was the unrelenting pull of his heart towards her. Would that be enough to get him through this night, as well?

Cere stepped forward then, her gaze softening as she rested a hand on him. “Cal, it’s normal to worry about that. You’re thoughtful and kind. You must know that Omega can see that, too. If you go and just be yourself, no pretense, you’ll enjoy yourself more. And, she’ll get to know you for who you truly are.”

Now, that was something that definitely couldn’t happen. If Omega had been anyone else, sure, that would be great advice. But Omega could not know about the thing that made him who he was, the thing that served as his motivator throughout the ups and downs of his life. The more panicked part of his mind told him that that would be like dangling meat in front of a wild, starving animal. But Cere was being genuine, and for that Cal was appreciative. “Thanks for the encouragement. It’s nice to know that you don’t think I’d botch it.” 

“Of course you won’t, you’re Cal. Who wouldn’t love you?” Greez offered his own encouragement.

“Thanks, Greez.” Greez’s support soothed Cal’s confused heart, as well. It was good to have such supportive friends, friends that believed in him through every situation he faced. 

“So, that only leaves one question,” Merrin’s gaze turned thoughtful once again, though not to the degree that Cal couldn’t see any compassion in her eyes. “Are you prepared? Do you need anything before you go?”

Cal shrugged; physical needs were the last thing he’d considered. “Not sure. I think where we’re going is sort of fancy. She mentioned that we could sit on a balcony that would overlook the ocean. She sounded excited about that.”  

“That sounds romantic,” Merrin crossed her arms. “She is likely to dress nicely. Do you have any nice clothes?” 

“Nice clothes? The last time I thought about that, I was a kid wearing Jedi robes.” 

“You do want to impress her, don’t you?”

“Alright, alright,” Cere once again stepped in to aid Cal. “What I think Merrin is saying is that your normal travel wear isn’t quite the right thing to wear on a nice outing. You’ll need to look presentable.” 

“Okay,” Cal took a deep breath. “I have clean pants that I wear pretty much anywhere. I think I could dress them up. As for a shirt…you guys have seen the stuff I wear. It’s not anything overly nice, but it’s not bad.” 

“You mean, the shirts that get covered in dirt and sweat all the time? Not appropriate for an ocean view date.” Merrin rejected the idea. “And you definitely cannot choose an option from your poncho collection, either-”

“Fine Merrin, I get it. Maybe I’m clueless when it comes to this sort of thing,” Cal’s answer sounded defensive, but he couldn’t help chuckling at her brazenly honest opinion of his wardrobe.

Merrin chuckled as well, barely loud enough for Cal to hear, “I am only helping.”  

“How about a shopping trip?” Greez suggested. “You can get a nice shirt or two, make sure you have something ready.” 

Cal nodded. Shopping wasn’t his favorite activity, but it was definitely necessary today. He didn’t want to let Omega down. “Yeah. I can do that. I’ll pick something out I think she’ll like.”

“Would you like me to accompany you?” Merrin offered, looking up at him as though she expected him to agree. 

She knew Cal well; he didn’t particularly like the idea of buying clothes for himself, and a second opinion would be welcome. “Yeah, sure. Are you ready to go now?” 

After ensuring that they had everything they needed for a trip into town, Cal and Merrin headed out. It was mid-afternoon by the time they departed the Mantis, and sweltering heat hung in the air around them. If it weren’t for the seabreeze that wafted off of the immense ocean, the calescent climate of the island would have left the two of them saturated in sweat. 

“Have you done any exploring yet?” Cal asked Merrin as he peered out at the ocean that swayed below them. 

“Yes, some. I found a bookshop yesterday. They have many interesting things. I think I will go back there when I have more free time.”

“That sounds perfect for you.” 

“It is,” Merrin nodded. “I’m not sure that I am much of an island girl myself, though,” she grimaced, wiping a hand across her hairline. “It’s very hot here.”

Cal chuckled; her reaction to their temporary home was very different from his. But, that’s what made their friendship interesting: in some ways they were opposites, and yet they still found things to bond over. “Yeah, I think that’s because it’s their warmest season right now. If we were here in winter, we’d be shopping for coats, not shirts made for summertime dates.” 

“That would be preferable,” Merrin answered, following Cal’s gaze to the sea. 

They made their way down the slopes of the paths that led around the island. Cal felt more familiar with the trek now than he had the day before, enabling him to spend more time enjoying the trip than trying to figure out where he was heading. Merrin may have found the climate unsavory, but Cal liked tropical places, especially ones where he was able to make new friends. 

Before long, they were back on the street where he’d found himself the day before. It seemed like there were less people out in the market this time, possibly because it was later in the day and not particularly around a typical meal time. He looked around at their surroundings, the sight of some familiar ones giving him pause. He could see the produce stand where he’d first met Omega; those who ran it were still selling what was left of the fruits that she had selected the day before. He could also see the bakery not far from it; the place where he’d first hinted to Omega what he thought of her. He smiled, unashamed of how weird it might look for him to be smiling at nothing in particular. Somehow, those were already precious memories to him; he’d met a very special girl, and he’d made her happy. Even if he wasn’t yet completely comfortable around her, it had definitely been enjoyable to do those things. The past day surely had been unforgettable. 

“Cal? Did you hear me?” Merrin’s voice ripped his focus away from his blissful memories. She was looking at him intently, awaiting his answer to a question he hadn’t heard.

“Sorry, what?” With effort, he managed to pull his attention away from the bakery.

“I asked if you knew where a clothing shop is.” 

“I don’t,” Cal answered. “Maybe if we walk down this street some, we’ll find one.” 

Merrin nodded, and the pair continued on their walk. Once they made it to where the bakery was, Cal pointed towards it, eager for Merrin to share in his reminiscing. “That’s where Omega and I got our food from this morning. That’s where she asked me to join her for dinner.” Cal explained, honey in his voice. 

“How sweet,” Merrin offered, stopping to consider the bakery with Cal. “Now I’ll know where to come if I want another one of those pastries.”

Cal nodded, and they took a moment to watch the activity that was taking place there. Several patrons had formed a decently sized line at the place, and it looked as though everyone was buying something different. He resolved to come back later and pick out something new to try, probably more than once. 

Cal and Merrin then continued down past the bakery. After another minute or two of walking, Merrin pointed to a small, dome-shaped building on another side street not far from where they were. “There, the sign on that shop says something about clothing. Why don’t we look in there?”

“Sure.” Cal followed her as she cut across the street and into the entrance of the shop. Once inside, the two of them took a look around. Inside, there were a handful of people milling around, mostly shoppers with two or three store shopkeepers in the mix. The store seemed to be as full of clothes as it could be, and there appeared to be men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing in a variety of styles and colors. 

As they were still getting their bearings, a young man who looked only slightly older than them and wore what appeared to be a shop uniform came up to them to welcome them. “Hello, can I help the two of you find something?”

“Yes,” Cal answered. “I’m going out tomorrow night. To dinner, a nice dinner. And I need something nice to wear. Not too fancy, but nice enough to…”

“To impress a girl,” Merrin finished for him, making him wish he could hide under one of the racks of shirts nearby.

“Ah,” the shopkeeper smiled knowingly, but fortunately didn’t push the subject. “You have a date coming up. Sure, follow me.” 

They followed him as he led them all the way through the shop to a back wall tucked away from most of the busyness of the store. He pointed to some shirts that were hanging where they could reach them. “This is our more dressy men’s wear. There’s some things here that are more extravagant, but also some more casual pieces, too. Let me know if you need help with anything else.”

“Thank you,” Cal nodded to him as he wandered off before turning to Merrin and questioning her through a whisper, “Why did you tell him I was trying to impress a girl?” 

Merrin shrugged as she began rifling through the shirts. “Because, you are. It is not complicated.” 

“Easy for you to say,” Cal retorted, moving towards the shirts to survey them. As he touched the silky fabric that comprised his current selection, he was sure he’d made the wrong choice in where to start. Between the layers and ruffles that adorned them, these shirts looked like they belonged at a gala, not on a first date between kids who hardly knew each other. He hoped Merrin was having better luck.

“Here, what do you think of these?” As if she could read his thoughts, Merrin’s voice pulled Cal’s attention away from the clothing he was investigating. Cal turned towards her to see her holding two shirts: one the same shade of red as the sun of Dathomir itself, and the other a deep, royal blue. Both were made of cottony fabric, though they seemed light enough to be breathable.

“I like them,” Cal answered. He took the blue one from her, holding it out to take a good look at it. The collar was cut in a V shape, not low cut by any means, but just enough to be stylish. The sleeves were long, but suitable for warm weather due to not being made of thick material. 

“If you like it, try it on.” Merrin suggested. 

Cal glanced around, surveying the walls of the shop before finally finding a space with narrow stalls covered by curtains; a place meant for trying on the shop’s wares. There was one empty one, and he headed towards it with Merrin in tow. Once inside, he slipped off the shirt that he was wearing and replaced it with the newer one, glancing in a little mirror in the stall once he was done. 

The shirt fit him nicely; Merrin had successfully picked out the right size for him on her first try. It hung loosely enough around his torso to be comfortable, but was snug enough to hug his body in a flattering manner. The low sitting collar only revealed the very top of his chest, and the sleeves flowed right down evenly to his wrists. 

It seemed perfect to him, but he needed a second opinion from the person who seemed to have a much more level head about the whole situation than he did. He eased the curtain open to see Merrin standing right outside, waiting patiently as though she knew what he needed. She nodded upon seeing how the shirt fit him. “It looks nice on you. I think it is a good choice,” she smirked and paused for a beat before adding, “Omega will like it.” 

Cal burst into a grin that he couldn’t help; his thoughts of how the shirt fit him all came second place to what he imagined Omega’s opinion would be. “I think so, too. Let me change again, and I’ll go buy it.”

Once he was back in the shirt that he came to the shop in, he and Merrin made their way to the counter where purchases were made. The shopkeeper who assisted them before was not long after them. “Found one you like already?”

“Yeah. It’s perfect. Thank you,” Cal answered, sliding the indicated amount of credits due to the man along with the shirt.

“Of course,” he folded the shirt nicely up and placed it into a bag, handing it to Cal. “Good luck on your date!”

“Thanks,” Cal offered him a bashful smile as he and Merrin headed towards the exit. Once they made it outside, he looked down at the bag that contained his new attire while addressing Merrin, “Well, that was the only thing I needed. I think it’s safe to say I’m ready now.”

“You are ready,” she agreed. “Now all you have to do is believe that you are.” 

Chapter Text

Omega stood before the narrow mirror that leaned against her bedroom wall. Her eyes roved over her outfit of choice: her green dress, a few shades lighter than the color of the leaves of Pabu’s trees during summertime. Lacy, cream colored shoes were upon her feet, and a white ribbon tied her hair up into a ponytail. 

It was a nice outfit. It hadn’t taken her long to choose a dress to wear to Jack’s; she wasn’t indecisive. She usually liked to wear pants or shorts, as they made it easier for her to run around the island with her brothers or run after the children in her care while she was working. But, dresses were good for nice outings. And besides, it was fun to dress up sometimes. Especially for dates with cute boys.

Omega’s mind drifted to Cal, to what he might be up to at that moment. It was not long until Omega would need to leave home, and she knew the same was likely true for Cal. Or, maybe he’d already started off on the journey. She began to wonder what was going on in his mind: was he as nervous as she was? Or was he born ready for evenings like this? What would he be wearing? Would he like her dress?

She smiled dreamily to herself, swaying where she stood and watching her skirt flow around her legs. She imagined what it would be like for Cal to see her, to look at her in her dress and maybe, if she was lucky, admire the sight. If she was extra lucky, he’d not only admire her but tell her that he did. Now, that would be a dream come true. 

A girl could only hope. 

The time had come. She was ready, she knew that she was, and now it was time to head out. She cracked her door open, exiting her room and heading into the space she shared with her brothers. 

Her brothers who, coincidentally, were all sitting or standing around, pretending to be casually hanging out with each other. Tech was sitting on their couch, engrossed in his datapad of course, Hunter and Wrecker looked to be preparing a meal together, and Echo and Crosshair were playing cards once again. They may have seemed to be killing time together, but she knew the truth. She saw it in their eyes as she walked among them. 

Echo stood from the table, making it to her first. “Are you ready, Omega? You must be so excited.”

“Yeah, I’m ready! And yeah, I’m excited…nervous too,” she giggled, her shoulders creeping up into an unassuming shrug. 

“I’m sure you are. But guess what? He is, too.” Echo pulled her into a hug that she gratefully accepted, wrapping her arms around his thin frame as they both laughed. 

Tech was by her side as soon as the hug she shared with Echo had ended. “I am sure that Cal will have a rather enjoyable time with you. How could he not? You are an exceptional girl.” 

“Aww, Tech, thank you!” Omega knew Tech wasn’t usually one to give out hugs, but he also wasn’t usually one to give out thoughtful compliments as he just had. He’d earned a hug, so she gently gave him a modest one. He put an arm around her in return. 

Wrecker appeared by the two of them, and she immediately looked up into his big brown eyes. They were wide with an emotion she’d never seen in them before and couldn’t quite place. He spoke before she could ponder the expression any further. “Hope you have a good time, ‘Mega.”

“Thanks, Wrecker.” She offered him a warm smile. 

“And…we’ll all be thinkin’ about you. And hopin’ for the best, of course. And ready to hear all about it when you come home.” That same unfamiliar expression stayed on his face, and if Omega’s own eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, she was fairly certain she saw his chin quiver. 

She opened her arms towards him and he scooped her up into the air with ease, swaying with her in his arms. Her giggles danced in the air between them. “Thank you, Wrecker. I’ll be home before you know it, promise!” 

He set her down gently. She turned around to begin to head towards the door and nearly bumped into Crosshair. He stood as straight as a board, eyes boring into hers. “You are ready.” 

It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway. “I am.”

“I know. Omega, just…don’t trust him yet. You hardly know him. He hasn’t earned your trust. Make him earn it.”

Crosshair’s advice was cryptic and, if Omega was being honest, untimely. It was her first ever date. She should be excited for it, not suspicious of the encounter. His words were off-putting, but she knew that among her five brothers, only Crosshair would be willing to offer them. She always knew that no one looked after her quite the way that Crosshair did. So, she nodded affirmatively. “Okay, Cross. I’ll make him work like a lurca hound for it.” 

A surprised chuckle escaped Crosshair, and he squeezed her tight in a protective hug of his own, patting her back before releasing her and responding, “Good.”

Last but not least, Hunter made it to where she stood. He wasted no time in sharing his thoughts with her. “You have your comm with you?”

Omega nodded. “It’s in my bag.”

“And the little blaster, just in case.”

The little blaster, of course. One of two that Crosshair insisted they purchase and that Omega train with. She nodded again, though she was admittedly tempted to roll her eyes. “Yes, also in the bag.” 

Hunter offered a nod of his own. “Good. Be sure to take Batcher along.” 

“I will,” Omega answered as Batcher stood and stretched upon hearing her name. “Anything else?” 

“Negative,” He took a slow, pensive inhale, studying her as he did so. “You look beautiful. You really are a lovely young lady, ad’ika. I know Cal will see that, too.”

Omega threw her arms around Hunter, and relaxed into his embrace as he drew her into his sturdy arms. There was something so paternal about the way he interacted with her, something so caring, gentle, and adoring. His voice sounded like safety, and his embraces felt like home. “Thank you, Hunter. That means so much.”

“I love you, Omega.”

“I love you, too.” 

The goodbyes and well wishes from her brothers filled her with a renewed confidence. She finally started her trek towards the door with Batcher at her heels, pausing only to grab her small bag off of where it hung on the wall. Upon making it to the door and reaching for the doorknob, she glanced over her shoulder one last time at her brothers. They all waved, some just enough for it to count as a wave and others more encouragingly. 

She offered her own wave in return, smiling wide before opening the door and exiting the house. 

Cal fidgeted with his sleeves, walking slowly along the paths that would lead him to the restaurant where he was to meet Omega. He’d taken his time with getting ready, making sure that he chose pants that matched his shirt the best (Cere and Merrin helped) and even taking the time to brush his hair. He was jittery during the entire getting ready process; every decision was called into question as he thought about what Omega might like. Eventually, he’d done all the preparing he could; it was time to leave to meet her. 

From his back, he heard BD-1 chirp in a questioning tone, and he answered. “Yeah, buddy. I’m still nervous. And I think I get more and more nervous the closer I get. Are you?”

BD trilled, hopping in place on Cal’s back to emphasize his answer. The droid had insisted that he go with Cal, and Cal would not refuse him. It was nice to have company, and he knew BD would go and entertain himself during the dinner, anyway. Plus, Omega seemed to like him, and he didn’t want to prevent her from seeing him. 

Cal had to chuckle in response to BD’s answer to his question. “You’re excited? Well, I am too. Don’t want you to think that my nerves are the only thing I can feel. I’m actually…sort of… really excited.” He smiled; he could only admit such things to his droid companion. Yes, he was nervous to go on a date with her, and nervous for the impending reminders of his past. But he’d get to see her smile again, and hear her lovely voice. He’d get to be on the receiving end of her most favored attention. Those things all made it worth it. 

He now found himself in the market again, right outside of the bakery where he went with her the day before. “Alright buddy, she said if we follow this path of shops, we’ll see it. It has a blue sign. Don’t let me miss it.”

BD chirped again in response, and they started on their way. The restaurants that were in this section of the market were beginning to serve dinner as well, and the tempting smells all flowed together as they wafted into the air. They never failed to awaken hunger in Cal, and tonight, he was grateful for that. His nerves stymied any hunger he would have felt otherwise. 

They made it past the restaurants, then some shops, including the one where he got his new shirt, before Cal saw it. A blue sign, light enough to swing in the breeze that pulled the scent of the ocean into the air. 

“Jack’s.” Cal spoke the name of the restaurant out loud. As he got closer, he could see that the sign sat outside of another dome-shaped building, this one larger than most of the others around it. Colorful flower beds sat outside near the sign, and torches lit the way to the entrance. 

BD-1 scurried to the ground and began to walk next to Cal, preparing to head off on his own once Cal made it in. This wouldn’t be too much longer; Cal was now only feet away from the entrance. He felt the need to give BD direction, anyway. “Wait until we see Omega, okay?”

BD did as Cal asked, and as they entered the front yard of the restaurant, he stopped in his tracks. 

Omega was right there, feet from him. 

She had her hair tied back from her shoulders in a ribbon, pulled away from her face so that her features shined bright. She wore a green dress, one that flowed around her in a graceful and gainly way. Even her shoes, delicate looking as they were, suited her and added to her charming appearance. She looked as though she’d blossomed from one of the bushes of flowers that graced the paths Cal used to make it to her. 

She was so…so pretty . 

He was captivated by her, unable to speak or move or be the charmer that Greez insisted he was. His thoughts had all left his head, and he was only able to watch her as her eyes finally noticed him and lifted to his. They widened, lacking any emotion for a brief pause that would have frozen Cal for a different reason had it been any longer. Then, she smiled, and those brown eyes joined in along with the rest of her face. 

“Hi, Cal!” 

Cal melted .

Words, Kestis. Use your words, idiot. “H-hi, Omega! It’s good to see you.”

“You, too,” she purred the words as she took a few fleeting seconds to survey his appearance, no doubt noting how different it was from how she’d seen him before. Then, dainty steps brought her to where he was standing a few feet away from her.  She tipped her face up towards his. 

She held her gaze on his, offering no words for the moment. She simply chose to peer up at him. And though there was no off-putting intent in her focus on him, instead only what seemed to be benevolent engrossment, the hairs on the back of Cal’s neck stood on end. This was too close for comfort.

But before he could figure out how to handle it, a man called from the host’s stand that sat behind the two of them. “Omega? Your table is ready.”

Omega jumped, just enough for Cal to notice and surely no one else, before whirring around on her heel. “Oh, great!”

Cal followed along with Omega as the host took them around the side of the building, past the main entrance. Cal took a moment to admire it as they passed it. It was surrounded by luscious plants: some in the flower beds that sat right outside of the building, some in pots that led up to the door, some in hanging baskets. A fountain sat nearby, streams of water flowing peacefully into the bowl that sat at its base. Some seating areas were present as well; Cal assumed they were for both decoration and those who were waiting for their table. 

The side of the building wasn’t much to look at. It was well kept, but the pass was short enough that decorative items weren’t necessarily needed. After quickly moving through it, they made it to the back of the restaurant. 

Cal caught his breath. The entire back of the restaurant appeared to be the balcony Omega had been referring to. It sat jutted out away from the building, lined on its edges by the same homey torches that greeted him when he arrived at the place. Strings of golden lights swayed above the tables, offering what would soon be much needed illumination. 

The host took them all the way to the edge of the balcony, to an empty table set with a white table cloth, petite candle, and small blue bouquet, all of which was theirs for the night. Cal couldn’t help but stare at their view of the beach once they had reached it; they were as close to it as was possible. Right before where they’d be sitting, the ocean greeted them with all its vastness; there was nothing but turquoise water bathed in the tangerine hue of the sunset as far as his eyes could see. Clearly visible now were the rock formations that edged around the sand in the distance. Above them, the sky shone in honeyed swaths of oranges and coral pinks that characterized this time of day. 

Breathtaking was an understatement. 

He heard the host and Omega conversing, but didn’t pay any mind to what was being said. He was too busy surveying the paradise that surrounded them. But after several seconds, the sound of a chair scraping the ground wrestled his attention away from the scene and back to Omega, who was taking her seat.

She noticed his enraptured staring, but chose to pass no judgement. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Cal took his seat as well, sitting down and turning to face her directly as his heart skipped a beat. It was just the two of them, no one else. He had her all to himself. “I can see why you wanted to bring me here.”

“Yeah, I don’t come here with my brothers very often. But when we do, we like to sit out here and take it all in.”

Cal nodded, but before he could say anything more, a young woman whose fair hair was tied up in a loose bun walked up to the side of their table. “Hey guys, I’m Kari. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with some drinks?”

It was only now that Cal realized that their host had dropped them off at their table with menus that the wind was fortunately not blowing hard enough to remove. He desperately tried to find where the drinks were listed on the menu as he heard Omega speak up. “Two moon peach lemonades, please.”

“Got it,” Kari answered. “I’ll be right back with those and some bread.”

She hurried off, and Cal turned a questioning look to Omega. “Moon peach lemonade?”

“Sorry if that was presumptive,” she offered him a bashful look, one that nearly melted him again. He feared he’d never feel all the way normal while on this date. “It’s just so good . There are native island peach trees here, they grow all over the place. They’re called moon peaches because they only sprout the morning after a full moon on a clear night. I was actually buying some when we met.” A sheepish smile graced her features as she awaited Cal’s response.

He found himself smiling at the mere mention of the event. He’d talked about it briefly with his Mantis family, but now he had the opportunity to review it with the girl who shared the sweet memory with him. “Oh, I see. I’m sure they’re delicious. You know…it’s interesting that we bumped into each other then. Such a coincidence.”

Omega nodded and leaned forwards until her arms rested on the table and her body was as far towards him as it could go. Her smile had spread even wider, and her voice bore a dreamy tone. “Yeah, it was. I’m glad you were there to save me. My brothers tell me I’m not always great at asking for help.”

Upon feeling the edge of the table against his chest, Cal realized he’d leaned towards her as well. Her magnetism was unending. “Well, I’m glad I could give it. Though, I hope you know I’d never wish such misfortune on you. I don’t think you deserved to fall and bruise yourself and your fruit.”

Omega laughed then, the clear, airy sound ringing out and serenading him. “Well, that’s good to know.” 

Kari then appeared again at the side of the table, drinks in one hand and a woven basket in the other. “Okay, here we go, two moon peach lemonades and some fresh bread,” She set the items down on the table as the teenagers offered their thanks before heading into her next question. “Do you guys know what you want to eat?”

“I do!” Omega answered eagerly. “I’d like the fish rolls, please,” she then turned her attention to Cal. “Do you know what you want?”

“Hmm,” he turned his attention to his menu again, yet again hastily trying to make a decision. Haste wasn’t exactly the word that matched the mood of the evening, but he’d spent all the time of Kari’s absence focusing on Omega only. He’d forgotten all about food. He stalled Kari with some slow, distracted requests for time as he scanned the menu. Eventually, his eyes found a section labeled “soup” and a certain item in the section stood out to him. “Can I have the creamy crab soup, please?”

“Sure thing,” Kari answered, reaching for the menus that Cal had read as fast as he could and that Omega hadn’t even had to look at. “I’ll bring those out as soon as I can.”

They offered her their thanks again before she left once more. Omega turned towards Cal as soon as she was gone. “You’re going to love that. My brother Echo practically drinks it from the bowl when he gets it.”

“I can’t wait, then. And you got the…fish rolls? Cal turned his attention to the basket that was brought to the table. Inside, a few warm, steamy bread rolls sat nestled in a white cloth. He slid the basket towards Omega so that she could reach too before removing a roll for himself. 

She nodded enthusiastically in response to his question, taking a roll of her own and setting it on the small plate that sat before her. “They are basically pieces of raw fish that are wrapped in cooked grains and served cold. I know that may sound gross, but it’s actually really good. Especially since they catch the fish right in that ocean!” She gestured to the sea that stretched out before them.

Cal shook his head. “That doesn’t sound gross at all. Fresh fish sounds amazing. Honestly, I’m starting to think everything about this island is. It’s beautiful, the people are so nice, there’s so many cool things to try.”

Omega nodded again, a happy sigh escaping her. She turned her attention to the ocean, as if she too wanted to take in the scenery while she spoke. “You’re right. It’s paradise. And every day, when I take Batcher for her walk, or go exploring with my brothers or friends, I think about how fortunate my brothers and I are. Because, we really have known hardships for most of the time we’ve been together.”

Cal raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?” 

“My brothers are defective clones. They were an experimental unit designed with enhancements. But because of this, they never exactly fit in with other clones. They didn’t follow the mold they were meant to. They were far too unique to be shaped into whatever the Empire had in store for them.” 

Enhanced clones, Imperial conditioning…words that sent a shiver down Cal’s spine. In a split second, Omega had gone from basking in the beauty that surrounded them to reminding Cal of who she truly was. The part of her that he so feared. His hands wrung together under the table. Undeniable curiosity was as present as the fear though, and since she was at arms length, he knew he was safe to ask his next question. “Defective clones? What does that mean?”

“Because they were made to be different, they didn’t comply with the strict obedience expected by the Empire. They did things their own way. Even the Empire’s best efforts couldn’t control them, like they could our other brothers,” her voice trailed off and her gaze turned downcast, like a cloud was passing over the sun above her. “For example, my brother, Crosshair…the Empire tortured him. They tried to take control of his mind, take away everything that made him who he is. But they couldn’t do it. They scarred him, but they didn’t break him,” she lifted her eyes to Cal’s. “I’m pretty sure he’s unbreakable.” 

This didn’t make sense to Cal. Clones didn’t have things that truly made them unique, as those that were not clones did. Maybe they had some such traits, but they could be snatched away in an instant, as Cal had seen before and would never unsee. That was what made them what they were, at least in his eyes. He did not understand how Omega could be so distraught over something that seemed to him like common knowledge. Perhaps she’d somehow been protected from seeing that side of her brothers…and herself. 

May she always remain so innocent. 

Her words were confusing, but the melancholy in them grabbed Cal’s heart and twisted, so he gently and honestly replied, “I’m sorry, Omega. That sounds frightening for all of you.” 

She nodded. “It was. And because of all of that, they ended up on their own at the time of the Empire’s creation. Well, that was partially their choice, too. They had to protect me.” 

“From what?”

“The Empire. They were…pursuing me. Just as they were my brothers,” she turned her face from him, choosing not to add anymore details. 

Cal almost felt bad for pushing the subject. She seemed like she may have drawn into herself some at her last sentence. Cal knew he had to change the situation fast; awkwardness would ruin the entire experience for both of them. The brief lull in conversation allowed him to turn his attention to the taste of the bread in his mouth. “These rolls are great. It tastes like they just pulled them out of the oven.” 

Omega nodded, perking up at the change of subject. “I’m sure that they were. Everything they serve here is like this. So fresh.” She glanced at her glass of moon peach lemonade, taking it in her hands. “I haven’t had any of mine yet. And you haven’t either, have you?”

“I haven’t,” the realization brought on an enthusiasm in Cal, and he lifted his glass as well. “Maybe we should have a toast!”

Omega nodded, lifting and tilting her glass towards his, “To…to…”

“First dates?” Cal chanced, holding his breath. 

Omega tapped her glass against his, her lips pulling into a timorous little smirk that made Cal’s stomach flip. “Yeah, to first dates!” 

Cal sipped the drink. The sweet nectar of the peach juice, the freshest he’d ever known, coated his tongue. Just before he swallowed, the sourness of the lemonade mingled with the peach, creating a perfect fusion of the fruits. 

He took another sip, this one longer and fuller, and contentedly exhaled before speaking. “This is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”

“I know,” Omega smiled, taking another drink of hers as well. “I love it. And, it’s in season, too. The Moon Peaches just began to bloom. My brothers and I like to pick them. Speaking of my brothers, I guess I should tell you a little about them, if you’re interested.” 

Interested was not the word he’d choose to describe how he felt about her brothers, the five enhanced clones that she lived with. They weren’t just regular clones, he was dismayed to find out during Omega’s explanation of her feelings about them. They were supercharged with whatever the Kaminoans decided needed to make them even deadlier. But, Omega wanted to share about them, and it would be rude of him to say no. He could tell that she cared about them. So, he gave an obliging answer. “Sure.”

“Like I mentioned earlier, my brothers are considered to be defective, I already explained why. But, they are that way because of the enhancements woven into their DNA. Hunter was their sergeant during the war. He led them…and still does a lot of the time. He is called Hunter because his five senses are enhanced, to the point he can even detect things like electromagnetic waves. Then there’s Wrecker, and he’s exactly what he sounds like he is. He’s big, and strong, and he loves to make things explode,” she giggled before continuing. “He knows all about the chemistry and physics needed to detonate and disarm bombs. Next is Tech. Tech is a genius. His brain is like lightning, it moves very fast. He flew our ship, and he’s great with technology, which is how he got his name. Echo is our newest member. He used to be a member of the 501st legion, but he joined our squad after the Empire held him captive and turned him into a cyborg for their use. That’s a long story. Then finally, there’s Crosshair. Crosshair was separated from us for a while…he thought he wanted to be a part of the Empire. But he’s since changed his mind, and loves it here on Pabu as much as any of the rest of us do. He got his name from being a sniper- he has great eyesight and sharpshooting skills. Hopefully that wasn’t too much information!” 

“No…no it’s not too much at all,” Cal’s quivering hands snuck back under the table, away from where Omega would be able to see them. She did not need to know about the fear that was now spilling into him as though it was pouring from the fountain they’d passed on their way in. The fear that compounded with every word that she spoke. At least he knew the truth now. Her set of brothers consisted of a walking thermal scanner, a man who could outsmart anyone, a tank, a former imperial who still had all of their technology implanted into him, and an assassin. If this wasn’t harrowing enough, Omega’s eyes had filled with mirth and love as she spoke of them. These weren’t just fellow clones to her. These really were her brothers. And she expected him to understand and relate to all that she was now feeling about them. 

So of course, he couldn’t help but wonder- what would she do if she knew the truth? If she knew that he couldn’t feel what she felt?

These were important questions, but they had to be saved for another time. Cal was on a date with her, not some sort of interrogation mission. She was waiting for him to respond. So, he inhaled, forcing himself to focus on the lovely girl that sat before him, not on the unneeded and distracting fear her words filled him with. “So, your brothers’ names are Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, Echo, and Crosshair? Was that right?” 

Omega clapped her hands together with glee, as though Cal had just given a performance. “Yes! I’m so impressed you remembered all of their names! Most people need more time than that.”

“We’ll see if my memory holds up over time. Next time you ask me, I might not be able to remember a single one.” Cal laughed in spite of himself, and Omega joined in. Her laughter was like the most pleasant music to his ears, and the sound of it ushered in all the feelings that he was enjoying about this evening: happiness, excitement, and contentment. Feelings that responded to the island girl’s laughter as though it was a siren song. 

Once she was done giggling at his words, her tone became curious. “I’ve told you a lot about me, but you haven’t had a turn to talk about yourself. You mentioned having friends that are here on the island with you?”

“Yes, we all came together,” getting to talk about his little family put him at ease. They really were his safe place. “Like I was telling you about the other day, we like to fight back against the Empire. Greez Dritus is our pilot. He’s a latero; you’d like him, he’s funny. Then there’s Merrin. She’s a Nightsister from Dathomir-”

“A Nightsister? I’ve met one of those before!” Omega interjected, eyes aglow with interest. 

Cal paused, momentarily forgetting what he was telling her about. “You have? When did you get to do that?”

“Oh,” she hesitated, seeming to regret her choice of words all of a sudden. “It was a while ago. Before we had officially settled.”

“Oh, okay,” Cal continued. “Well, Merrin and I met on Dathomir, and she was a little unsure of me at first. But, we’ve become close, and now she’s one of my best friends. Plus she’s pretty dangerous on our missions.” 

Omega smiled. “That’s so sweet. And cool!”

“If you think me explaining it makes her sound cool, you should see her when she’s out doing her thing. Then, there’s Cere Junda. She’s really taken me under her wing since they found me. She and I are…we’re good with things like stealth and combat.”

“Oh,” Omega drew the word out, her amber eyes widening with interest. “ You all are pretty well balanced, then! Where did they find you? Were you alone?” 

Somehow, she’d managed to ask questions seemingly unrelated to his identity, yet too close to home all the same. He cleared his throat, feeling as though he was having to dance through a minefield to choose his words. “I used to be a scrapper on Brakka. Before they came along, it seemed like the only purpose I had in life. But, they helped me to see who I could really be. I am who I am today because of them.”

A knowing look passed through Omega’s face. “That’s a wonderful feeling, Cal. That’s how I felt when my brothers took me in. I used to be a lab assistant on Kamino…when I wasn’t being experimented on myself. But my brothers taught me about the galaxy, about taking care of myself and really getting to know those around me. Sometimes it just takes a special bond with someone else to help us become who we are supposed to be.” 

Cal nodded. He’d come to learn that well. Her words caused a curiosity of his own to well up in him. “So, you must have been pretty special to the Kaminoans back then. When you said that your brothers had to protect you from the Empire…was that why?”

Omega swallowed, nodding as her face fell just slightly. “Yes, but I wasn’t special to them because of my time working in the lab. I was special to them because they were interested in my blood tests. There was a chemical in my blood samples they wanted to know more about. They wanted to use me for certain projects. My brothers put everything on the line to save me from them.”

Cal drew a breath. Her carefree demeanor seemed to come so naturally to her. He did not want to imagine a version of her in which she was treated as a lab rat by the Empire itself. “Omega…I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you, Cal. The important thing is we were able to escape them. And now, we’re living the life we always dreamed of.” 

Before Cal could respond, a high pitched woop sounded off nearby them, followed immediately by BD-1 skittering up to their table with Batcher right behind him. He bounced in place per usual, focusing all his attention on Cal. 

“Hey, buddy!” Cal waved, “You found us! Look who I’ve been spending time with,” he nodded in Omega’ direction. 

BD looked over at Omega before trilling once again and hopping up onto the arm of her chair, getting as close to her as possible like she was a long lost friend. 

“Hi, BD! It’s so good to see you again!” She giggled, focusing her gaze on the droid and listening to all that he was trying to convey to her. She nodded along, giving BD a chance to share, and Cal couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. That was his little guy, chatting away with his girl like they were pals, too. It was one of the sweetest things he’d ever seen.

He felt something firm and furry come against his hand where it sat on the arm of his chair. He looked over to see Batcher, the large canine that Omega had claimed as a pet, nudging him for…pets? This behavior certainly could only mean that she wanted pets.

He ruffled the fur along her jaw, greeting her with warmth that mirrored that with which Omega used to speak to BD-1. “Hey, Batcher. How’s it going, girl? Having a good time out here?” 

Batcher huffed out excited breaths, her face forming into a smile all her own. She sat before Cal expectantly. 

“She likes you,” Omega smiled from where she and BD sat together. Her gaze was soft, and it turned from Batcher to Cal and back. “She’s so at ease with you.”

Cal smiled down at Batcher before offering the same expression towards Omega and BD-1. “He likes you, too. What’s he been telling you about?”

“He says that he and Batcher have been wandering around outside the restaurant some. They looked at the shops. But they stayed close, of course.” 

Cal had to admit that he was proud of his little droid for that. He knew that BD was always right there when he needed him, even at times when Cal didn’t realize he needed him. But it was good to know that he would do so well even when Cal was completely focused on another person, when he was taking time out of his day to just spend time with someone in a calm setting somewhere other than on the Mantis. It was BD’s first time on a date, too, and he was handling it even better than Cal was. “Good to know they’re both faithful.” 

Omega nodded. “Right. Batcher’s always been my girl. Even when we hardly knew each other.” 

“Hey guys,” Kari’s voice suddenly cut into their conversation as she emerged from the tables that surrounded them. Batcher stepped out of her way as came up to them, a tray with two dishes sitting on it in her hands. “Here we have the creamy crab soup,” she handed the steamy bowl to Cal. “And the fish rolls,” Omega took her plate as it was lowered to her. “Are we missing anything?”

“No, that’s perfect. Thank you.” Cal answered, nodding to her just before she nodded in return and walked away to leave them by themselves again. 

Cal looked down at his bowl. The broth was a light orange color, and he could tell how thick it was just by the sight of it. He could also see the white crab meat emerging from the broth, and green herbs setting atop the soup itself. And the smell …rich, savory, and just a little sweet, it had his mouth watering after just one inhale of its inviting scent.

He glanced over his bowl to see Omega’s meal. Her plate was full of small, grain covered rolls, all arranged neatly together. To the side of them sat a brown, watery dipping sauce, and a light colored vegetable. Cal had never seen such food before. “That looks really interesting.” 

“Do you want to try one?” She held her plate towards him. Without hesitation, he slid his fork underneath one of the rolls before lifting it up and into his mouth.

Interesting was definitely a good word to use to describe her meal. The fish, light and flavorful, tasted as if it had been fetched from the ocean just before being prepared. There was a sauce inside the roll as well, and though Cal couldn’t exactly place the flavor of it, it complimented the fish like a perfect harmony. The grains that coated the outside of the roll were light enough to not give off an overwhelming flavor, but dense enough to also compliment the fish well. 

Forgetting his manners, Cal spoke before swallowing the last tiny bit that remained in his mouth. “Wow, these are so good!” 

“I know!” Omega nodded excitedly. “We had them on our first day in Pabu, though not from here. I think I fell in love with them that day.” She laughed, picking out one of the rolls to eat for herself. 

“Do you want to try my soup?” Cal knew it wasn’t fair for him to try her food without returning the favor. 

Omega looked at his bowl for a second or two before returning her gaze to him. “Oh no, Cal, you can have it, it’s okay.”

Cal didn’t miss how her eyes lingered on the bowl, and he thought back to how enthused she was when she’d heard him order it. He lifted the bowl up towards her. “It’s okay. Go ahead.” 

Omega took her spoon from the table, dipping into his bowl without a trace of hesitation. “Thank you.” 

She tried her spoonful just as he set the bowl down and took a spoonful of his own. The moment he tasted it, a quiet sigh escaped him. It tasted just how it smelled: creamy, hearty, just sweet enough to really make the taste unique. He’d never had anything like it in all his days. “Mmm, Omega…” 

She nodded, slouching back in her seat. “Oh, I know. It’s amazing .”

They descended into quiet for some time, both enjoying their food wordlessly and contentedly. The date was indeed going well, which all at once put Cal’s mind at ease and piqued his appetite. Omega didn’t look up at him much as she ate, which gave him permission to do the same. BD-1 and Batcher had decided to sit peacefully underneath the table, enjoying some relaxation after their adventure together. 

“Oh, Cal. Look!” After a time, Omega grabbed his attention. He looked up at her to see her sitting alertly in her seat, pointing to a spot over his shoulder. “There’s something special that happens at this time of day. Turn around!”

“Okay,” Cal did as she asked, setting his spoon down and twisting his body around in his seat so he was looking behind himself. In the distance, he could see various structures all dotting the slopes of the island. Most of them were homes, but he knew there were various shops and other restaurants as well. 

“Don’t blink,” Omega said.

Then, like little candle flames one by one, small lights illuminated the edges of the water. They worked their way up, lights and lanterns spreading a warm glow all around the island in preparation for the evening that was nearly upon them. Seeing the island be slowly bathed in the twinkling lights was like watching fireflies dance above them; they spread all the way up to the very top of Pabu.

Cal watched with awe as the scene unfolded before them. It was so exquisite yet so peaceful, like watching the pages of a fairytale come to life. Never had he seen anything like it.

He stole a glance back at Omega, catching his breath the moment he saw her. The setting sun casted its soft radiance upon her skin, wrapping her in its golden light. Her blonde hair looked like it was glowing, and the lights that now kissed the seawater around them made her eyes glisten. She was smiling, looking around at their surroundings as though she’d never seen them before. 

She was as gorgeous as the view that she had been waiting for. Cal’s whisper made it out of him before he even knew the words had been on his tongue at all. “You’re beautiful.” 

Omega’s eyes fell on his, and a startled expression came upon her. But before Cal could react to her surprise, the expression softened, and she smiled slowly as glee shone in her eyes. She leaned towards him, resting her chin in one hand and looking up into his eyes. “Thank you.” 

Cal kept his eyes on hers, all thoughts of food and lights abandoned. He could see something in her countenance that he wasn’t used to, something he knew was only present when someone admired another as though they themselves were a picturesque sunset. Seeing it in her made him wonder if she was able to see it in him, too. Could she see the look in his eyes, the one he’d only ever had for her? Could she hear it in his honest words when he spoke to her? 

Cal knew they were both being beautifully, vulnerably honest now. And in so doing, they were inviting magic into their evening. 

“Hey, guys,” a hushed whisper came from their side, and they both whirled around towards who it came from: Kari. There to break the spell that had befallen both of them, and she knew it. “Sorry if I’m interrupting. I just wanted to know if you guys were interested in dessert. And to get your dishes, if you’re done.”

“Are you done, Omega?” Cal asked as he lifted his bowl towards their server. 

“Yeah, I’m done,” she lifted her plate towards Kari, who swapped it with her for a dessert menu. 

Omega took the small menu, setting it down to where Cal could look as well. “Does any of this look good to you?”

“Hmm,” Cal looked over the menu, even though his stomach was still full from his delicious soup. He wasn’t sure that he had room for anything else, but if she wanted something he was happy to share. “Maybe we could split something. What do you like?”

“I’ve never had one of their desserts. But…they have chocolate cake. Maybe we could split a slice?” 

“That sounds good to me!”

“Alright guys, I’ll have that out as soon as possible!” With their dishes in hand, Kari scurried off back towards the inside of the restaurant. 

“Man, dinner was all so good.” Cal breathed, sitting back. I don’t usually get to eat like that.” 

Omega raised an eyebrow. “Because you’re always flying around the galaxy on missions?”

Cal nodded. “Yeah. And we’re never asked to go on any fancy undercover missions, unfortunately.”

Omega chuckled. “Yeah, I know how it is. When we used to have to live that way, we ate a lot of ration bars or split quick things. Wrecker and Echo have enjoyed having a kitchen now. Mainly because Wrecker likes to eat, and Echo likes to feed the rest of us.”

Cal smirked, oddly not feeling put off by her mention of her brothers now as she talked about them. Perhaps this was because his mood could not possibly be better than it was currently. “That’s how Greez is, too. He’s not always the best at cooking, but sometimes he surprises us.”  

“Do you like cooking?”

Cal shrugged. “It’s not my favorite thing. When Greez wants to cook for us, he usually does it when I’m busy doing something else and I can’t help him. I make soup sometimes, that sort of thing. What about you?”

“I never really had much of an opportunity to cook before we landed here. Sometimes I’ll help Wrecker or Echo. But if I’m hungry, or they figure out that I am, they make me food with or without my help.”

“That’s very thoughtful.” Cal answered, just as Kari appeared at their side again. She lowered a plate onto their table for them to see a decadent slice of chocolate cake, complete with smooth chocolate frosting and berry slices on top. To the side of the slice of the cake sat two forks. 

“Ooh,” Omega peered down at the dessert. “This looks so good! Thank you, Kari.”

“Of course! And, it is good. It’s my favorite thing here. You guys enjoy, and just head to the checkout counter whenever you’re ready.” Kari responded with a smirk before heading off again. 

“Thank you,” The pair responded together, turning towards their shared dessert with eagerness. Cal’s heart skipped a beat before he even began trying to eat it. One plate. Two forks. A dessert for one, shared by two: himself, and the picture of grace before him. 

She took one of the forks in her hand, leaning into the table so she could take some cake on her fork and speaking to Cal as she did so. “Hey, since neither of us have had this, why don’t we try it together?”

“I like that idea,” Cal took some cake on his fork as well, waiting until he saw Omega take her bite to take his. The cake was rich and moist; it melted in his mouth upon touching his tongue. The frosting was a perfect addition, very chocolatey and not too sweet, and the berry slice he managed to grab was the perfect compliment to the cake itself. 

Cal sighed, sitting back in his chair. “Man, this stuff…this might be the best cake in the galaxy.”

Omega nodded, her face full of contentment. “I know! I can’t believe I’ve never tried it before!” 

It did not take them long to finish off the slice; they each ate rather greedily and without much concern for how the other perceived them. Somehow, they both had plenty of room for the dessert, despite feeling full after eating their main course. 

Cal let Omega have the last bite, setting his fork down and watching her take advantage of what was left of their dessert. She took it gratefully, setting her fork down as well and facing him with gratitude in her eyes. 

Cal glanced over at the darkening sky beside them. Sunset was fading into dusk all of a sudden, leaving them very little time left in their day. “Wow. It’s almost night already. I guess we were too busy losing it over some cake to notice.”

Omega burst into giggles, nodding unashamedly. “Best cake I’ve ever had, for sure. Are you ready to go?”

“If you are,” Cal answered slowly. He would have been happy to sit with her for the whole rest of the night, enjoying their enchanting surroundings. But Omega was right; they’d spent some time enjoying each other, but it couldn’t last forever. All dates had to come to an end at some point. 

They stood together, pushing in their chairs and making their way through the back door of the restaurant to find the counter at which they were intended to pay for their meal. Omega led the way for them, giving Cal a chance to examine the inside of the restaurant. It was cozy, somehow a perfect mix between homey and tropical. Lanterns and candles lit the tables and walls, and artwork inspired by the planet itself hung around them. The tables were set nicely inside just as they were outside, with candles and little bouquets in vases sitting atop white tablecloths. Cal was surprised to see how many people were sitting inside; the balcony seemed to be calmer and less crowded despite the delightful views it offered. 

Eventually, they made it steps away from the counter, and Cal came up next to Omega. “Hey, I can take care of this.”

Omega shook her head. “Oh, Cal, you don’t have to do that, really.”

Despite Omega’s insistence, Cal couldn’t concede. It was the girl’s first date, she deserved to be treated like a princess. Plus, right now, there was nothing he’d rather do than spoil her. “I want to. It’s okay.”

She paused for only a brief moment before a slow and slightly flustered smile came upon her. “Okay, if you insist.” 

Cal quickly exchanged the credits due for the food and drinks they ordered with the person at the counter as Omega looked around at the inside of the restaurant. Once he had paid, he thanked the restaurant employee, then he and Omega ventured out of the restaurant and back to the area in which they’d met earlier in the evening. The sky was a purplish blue now, and the outside sitting area was aglow with the strings of fairy lights above them and lanterns around them. The next best thing to a sunset over the beach. 

“Well, Cal. This was so much fun. It was good to see you,” Omega turned to face him, offering him another sweet smile. She gazed up at him with eyes full of admiration.

He smiled down at her, feeling butterflies swirling in his stomach as he watched her step closer to him. “This was fun. Thanks for inviting me. It was all so…beautiful.”

She smiled then, mirth in her eyes as she let her gaze linger on him. It was as if everything else faded out around them; all that they knew was each other and the perfect summer evening they’d just shared. Everything was right in their world. 

As they stood, Omega lifted a hand. Slowly, gingerly, she lifted her hand away from her body and out towards his arm, which hung defenselessly at his side. 

Against his will, Cal’s heart stopped for only a second before launching into a flurry. His eyes cut down to her hand, which, though moving slowly, was only inches from his arm. She wanted to get even closer to him. She wanted to feel him. She wanted to touch him. 

Something in him revolted at the primal fear within him that held Omega at arm’s length. But, the part of him responsible for self-protection, the part that could only look at Omega and see yet another clone who wanted nothing more than to coil her hands around him, was even stronger and more obstinate. 

He stepped back, pulling his body away from her and out of her reach. His hands knit together, fingers squeezing each other tightly. He couldn’t look at her. 

There was suffocating silence then, unforgiving for him and punishing for her. He knew it was cowardly, his refusal to look at her after rejecting her advances. He knew he didn’t deserve to have another chance after his behavior, and he dreaded whatever would come next in this ill-fated interaction that they were now having. 

But, like a light shining in the dreariest darkness, she spoke to him. She startled him with the patience in her voice, though he knew it shouldn’t have been that much of a shock on account of her goodhearted nature. “See you around sometime?”

Her graciousness towards him enabled him to lift his eyes to hers. Fortunately, he did not see any tears, but a surfeit of confusion awaited him regardless. He nodded, speaking through the most timid whisper, “Please.” 

She nodded as well, offering a smile so small he could hardly tell it was there at all, could hardly know if it was genuine. Then, without a second thought, she turned on her heel, calling her companion. “Come on, Batcher!”

Batcher bounded to her side, matching pace to her as she made her way back home. 

Cal stood alone, watching her walk ever further away from him. 

He found that he had to hold his breath to keep from screaming. 

Crosshair set his wooden, folding chair on the path, close to the outer edge of it so that he did not block the way of those who were passing by. The chair was a part of a set that Wrecker insisted they buy once while they were out shopping; it had ended up being one of their most useful purchases since moving to the island. Their favorite use for the set was to have them out during their bonfires, but they’d also used them for beach trips and other activities as well. 

Tonight, it was to be his lookout post. 

Omega had informed them earlier in the day that she was heading out to meet Cal at sunset. This gave Crosshair plenty of time to prepare for his own outing. He picked some of his darker, unassuming clothes to wear, had grabbed the chair while Omega wasn’t looking, and had even cleaned up the second of the pair of little blasters he’d purchased since moving to Pabu. Just in case Cal got any bad ideas. 

What Crosshair hated the most about this new little fixation of Omega’s was that he didn’t know the first thing about him. He didn’t know if Cal was a goodhearted young man, or just a punk that had cozied up to his little sister. Omega had never been romantically involved with anyone, so she wouldn’t know how to tell if Cal was up to no good. She was taking a serious gamble with this guy, but she didn’t know it, because she was too elated by the idea of being around him. 

It was awful.

If Crosshair had had the chance, he would have shut this down immediately. There was no way it was fine with him for her to go off with a stranger like she was doing. But, Echo and Tech gave permission before he could even think of what to say in opposition to her idea, so there was nothing he could do. He just had to hope for the best. And watch out for the worst. 

He’d taken the time he needed to settle into a comfortable sitting position, resting his back against the chair and propping his legs up on the little wall that blocked the edge of the path. His mind had commenced wandering in the meantime between arriving at his lookout spot and Omega arriving at her date location, but it didn’t have to do so for long. 

His eyes were trained on the restaurant, so he didn’t actually notice her until she made it to the host’s stand there. But sure enough, she practically pranced up to the host, speaking with him briefly before wandering off to the side. She chose not to sit on any of the available seating for waiting patrons. Crosshair knew this was most likely due to her uneasy nerves. 

She was lovely always, but especially tonight. She had elected to wear her favorite dress, a green one that suited her nicely and that she always said was very comfortable. Her hair was daintily tied in a bow, up and out of her face. She had taken the time to prepare herself for whatever romance awaited her this evening.

His vod’ika…the girl who saw good in him even when he didn’t see it himself. Who shined bright in the dark dungeons of Tantiss, always helping him to push through when he couldn’t alone. Maybe the Empire wasn’t able to break him, but that wasn’t enough to give him a purpose after surviving their torture disguised as experimentation. No, Omega had done that. Omega had inspired him to keep on going, even when all odds were against him.

No boy could possibly understand that about her. Understand her remarkable ability to inspire hopefulness and change in even the most stubborn and lost people. Hopefully, she’d never be with a boy that would need that from her. She didn’t need to be throwing her lot in with questionable guys, no matter how charming they were. She certainly deserved better. Really, no boy could possibly deserve her, no matter who he was. 

An uncertain amount of time passed; Crosshair had been lost in thought once again and not paying attention. But before he knew it, a boy that looked to be Omega’s age appeared at the entrance to the restaurant. Omega wasn’t standing far from him, and when she saw him, her face lit up like a firework display. 

So, this was Cal. 

He had fair skin that was covered in freckles like stars that dotted the night sky. A  mop of bright red hair was laid back on his head neatly, as though he had brushed it right before he came to meet Omega. He wore a dark blue shirt that looked borderline elegant on him; his tan colored pants matched it well and helped to create a suitable outfit for their evening. 

When he’d arrived at the restaurant, his expression was curious and uncertain; he kept looking around, in search of his date no doubt. But when he saw Omega, it changed. His eyes softened, his mouth gaped just enough to show that he lacked the knowledge of exactly what to say. He looked at her like he’d never seen anything like her. 

Omega picked up on his captivated behavior as well. She sauntered up to him, offering him a look that Crosshair definitely didn’t approve of. She looked like she’d already be happy to kiss him if he asked. 

Crosshair felt the muscles in his back tighten. This was going to be a difficult night, indeed. 

Fortunately, the host easily gained Omega’s attention, and the kids followed him to the back of the restaurant without hesitance. Crosshair was sitting at an angle that allowed him to see the vast majority of the restaurant’s perimeter. He was granted the splendid opportunity to see the nightmare that took place at the front of the building as well as any more that awaited him at the back of it. Joy.

Omega and Cal settled into a table right on the edge of the balcony. They had a perfect view of the sunset; he knew they were basking in all the corals and oranges that coated the sky like auroras. He couldn’t blame them; one of his new favorite activities was to sit outside in the calm and cool and watch the sunsets as well. His vision gave him unlimited access to exactly how rich and wonderful they were; he never liked to take his eyes off of them for fear of missing the perfect shades of the colors high above. 

Omega was certainly a talented date planner. 

The date continued on as he hoped that it would. If the date had to occur at all, he at least didn’t want it to turn out to be a bad memory for Omega. He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he wanted it to be enjoyable, but he could say he didn’t want it to be arduous. Boring or bland would be completely fine by him, though. 

Some relief had creeped into Crosshair’s awareness by this point in the evening. He was watching them eat their rolls and drink fruity drinks that matched the color of the sky, and he wasn’t repulsed by Cal’s appearance or behavior. Cal had dressed nicely, just as Omega had. He did not make her wait for his arrival for very long at all, and did not stand her up. His demeanor was gentle and respectful. He kept his attention on her the entire time. Every once in a while he’d wring his hands, or nervousness would pass through his eyes, but overall he was holding up okay.

Not bad, kid.

And Omega…she looked like she was in a dream. She laughed, she listened to Cal as he shared, and every once in a while she took a moment to just…gaze at him. Crosshair had never seen her look at anyone that way. 

Eventually, the sun dipped close enough to the horizon that the lights of the Pabu township flickered to life. This was a wonderful tradition; even Tech spoke highly of it, though that might have had to do with him sharing his first experience of it with Phee. He took a second to close his eyes, rubbing them gently and giving them a small break so they could adjust to the dimming sunlight and brightening glow of the lanterns. 

When he opened his eyes and trained them back on his sister and her suitor, he swallowed. Omega was leaning her body forward, face resting in one hand, looking at Cal adoringly from where she sat. She looked at him as though he was as beautiful as any of the scenery around them. And Cal was returning the same look back to her, green eyes lost in hers and full of infatuation. 

When Crosshair was feeling particularly pleased with himself, he tended to appreciate his remarkable eyesight the most out of all of his characteristics. But right now, as his remarkable eyesight showed him his sister falling for a stranger, he was quite certain he’d be okay with being blind. 

But…while it was difficult for him to watch it play out, it was also a very special moment for Omega. She was having a very romantic date, and she was so very happy. Slowly, a realization came to Crosshair: he was the only one of her brothers who was getting to see this. 

His musings from earlier in the evening once again came to greet him. The life he’d chosen to live prior to the last year was not conducive to what was happening now. He hadn’t done anything to deserve to watch his sister grow up. He’d been a traitor to his family; he’d been the scoundrel that he feared Cal would be. He could have easily chosen to remain in that way of life, to close his heart off from those that suffered around him. He could have decided it was fine with him to sit out of Omega’s life while a young man who could very well prove that he deserved to be in it took his place and made the most of her warm welcome. He’d come dangerously close to missing this milestone, to missing Omega actually getting the chance to live her life. 

So, yes, it was hard to watch Omega fawn over this boy. But it would have been so much harder to miss it. 

The kids were getting to the end of their date now. A slice of chocolate cake had been shared as dessert, the meal had been paid for (by Cal, Crosshair was happy to note: he could see him tucking some leftover credits in his pocket as they walked out), and the two of them were headed towards the exit. Crosshair breathed a sigh of relief; Omega had done it. She’d survived her first date. She’d taken care of herself and enjoyed herself and would surely head home to tell all the rest of them about it. 

They were now saying their final goodbyes. Omega had moved to stand rather close to Cal, just as she had when he arrived. They were gazing and smiling like there was nothing else around them in the world. Then, Omega gingerly lifted a hand, moving it towards Cal. 

Crosshair braced for impact. Her touch could surely lead the young man to do the same to her, or more; he may hug her, or take her in his arms, or swing her off of her feet. They may kiss right there where Crosshair could see, and he’d have to fight the urge to fling himself off of the little wall that sat before him. 

Her hand was now a mere inch from Cal’s arm, as far as Crosshair could tell. Cal watched it closely, not reacting in any certain way. 

Then, a heartbeat later,and just before Omega’s fingers could graze the fabric of his shirt, he moved. He stepped away from her, turning his face away as well. 

Crosshair lurched forward in his seat, eyes narrowing and mouth gaping open. His feet fell to the ground below him, his body leaned forward over the edge of the wall before him, his hands balled into fists. 

What in the galaxy was that ?

Omega’s hand fell limply to her side, and she studied the boy even while he refused to look back at her. She waited patiently, her innocent eyes searching him for clues just as Crosshair’s were. Cal finally had the decency to look at her before they both murmured something to each other. Omega then turned from him and exited, pure confusion etched in her face, while Cal stayed still as a statue. 

Crosshair gripped the stone under his hands. This couldn’t be right. He saw the boy’s face the whole time, saw how interested he was in her. He saw the way they shared food, laughed at each other’s jokes, and met each other’s companions. 

He saw everything . He always did, even when he didn’t want to. 

But somehow, he didn’t see this coming. Cal had been too convincing in his portrayals of interest. He’d duped both Omega and Crosshair. Of course, it may have been the case that Cal was nervous, and he wasn’t ready for Omega to touch him. But Crosshair was nothing if not a cynic; Cal knew her hand was coming towards him, the brat watched every move she made while they were standing there. He let Omega get her hopes up just before ripping them away from her. He risked ruining their evening, then wouldn’t even look at her. 

In the time that Crosshair spent seething, both the kids had disappeared from his sight. He knew he had to book it back to their home or he’d show up late and flustered and the others would know something had gone wrong. He couldn’t do that; she needed to be the one to tell them. He wouldn’t be like Cal and steal her most precious moments away from her. 

He folded his chair up, tucking it under his arm and breaking into a jog that would take him home. He needed to burn off of steam lest his temper get the better of him. 

As his feet pounded against the stone beneath them, he thought back to the words he’d offered his vod’ika just before she left, realizing only now how much he’d needed them, too. 

Don’t trust him yet. You hardly know him. He hasn’t earned your trust. Make him earn it.

Chapter Text

Lyana knew how to get to Omega’s house as well as she knew how to get to her own. 

Really, it had become like a second home to her. She’d spent so many nights there with Omega, laughing at holo movies, playing cards, or hanging out with Omega’s brothers, who were basically her own brothers at this point. She was right at home there. 

Which was good, because she was about to cash in on all the goodwill she’d earned over the months she’d spent getting to know the clone family. 

She traipsed up to their front door, attempting to school her demeanor into a calm and casual one and prevent the excitement she felt from seeping out of her and into the Batch’s awareness. With no hesitation or need for it, she tapped at the door. 

The door was flung open mere seconds after she knocked with such force that it made Lyana jump. Hunter appeared before her, eyes wide, hand gripping the door like he may need to pull it right from its hinges. 

His eyes met Lyana’s, and for a moment, she saw in them the look Omega must have seen a thousand times. The look that told her Hunter was feeling particularly concerned for her well-being. If she was honest, it was a look she’d only ever earned from her own father, on account of her tendency to pursue adventures of her own. 

Before Lyana could respond to the look, it morphed into knit eyebrows and slouched shoulders. “Lyana? Is everything okay? Do you need something?”

Truly, it was like they were her own guardians. She had no shortage of father figures, despite her own father showing her more than enough care and concern. “Yeah, I’m fine. Omega asked me to spend the night with her tonight. Can I come in?”

“Oh…of course,” Hunter stepped back and held the door open for her. 

She made her way inside, heading right past him and towards her friend’s bedroom. As she made her way through the house, she caught curious looks from the other members of Clone Force 99. Their curiosity was quickly replaced with welcoming glances; none of them had ever or would ever make her feel unwelcome. Wrecker acted as the voice of all of them upon seeing her. “Hi, Lyana!”

“Hi, Wrecker!” Lyana waved in return. Wrecker was what she most imagined an older brother to be like: equal parts protective and rowdy and thoughtful. 

Tech spoke up from his perch in their shared space, eyes returning to his datapad. “I assume that our sister asked you to come spend the night with her.”

“Yeah, she wanted me here after her date,” Lyana drawled the word date out in a playful manner, entertained by how the men reacted to it. Tech’s facial features immediately tensed, though in such a subtle manner she hardly noticed it at all. Wrecker slouched in his seat, and Echo immediately glanced at their door. 

Lyana fought the urge to giggle. If they frequently acted as her older brothers, then of course she had to act as their little sister as well. 

She made it past them and entered Omega’s bedroom. Upon turning on the light, she noticed several things at once: multiple pieces of clothing strewn across Omega’s bed, as well as several bows lying on her dresser. Her bed was made up as usual; her snowy white bedding sat neatly  beneath colorful pillows that stood out pleasantly against the blanket. A lit candle sat safely away from the bows on her dresser, filling the room with a tranquil scent. 

Lyana set her bag down at the foot of the bed, noting how wise Omega had been to light the candle. Her nerves must have been completely on edge all day, on account of the handsome stranger that had wandered into her midst. Lyana found her own nerves beginning to awaken inside of her as well, strictly on account of her thoughts of her friend’s grand adventure. 

She turned out the light and returned to the main area of the house. Wrecker and Tech were sitting on the couch, smirking at jokes that were emitting from the holo movie they were watching.

Wrecker turned his attention to Lyana. “You seen this one?”

Lyana shook her head, plopping down on the couch next to Echo, who offered her a kind smile. “Nope, but I don’t have anything else to do,” 

Within minutes, she was absorbed into the holo movie, despite its ridiculous plot and only mildly entertaining jokes. Wrecker laughed loudly at each of them from where he sat next to her, which Lyana attributed to enjoyment over there being jokes at all. Time then began to pass very much without her awareness. 

As the movie transitioned into a more serious scene, the front door of Clone Force 99’s home was thrown open and then slammed shut. Lyana jumped, jerking her face towards the entry to find Crosshair stalking in, a surlier expression than usual on his face. 

Lyana knew Crosshair to be grouchy, that could be chalked up simply to his demeanor. But what she was observing now was different. A deep scowl narrowed his features, and he didn’t look at anyone in the house in particular. A folded chair was tucked underneath his arm. Upon making it into the common space of the house he opened a closet door and threw it inside, slamming that door shut, too. 

Lyana turned in her seat to watch the scene as Wrecker paused their movie. Hunter came up behind Crosshair, touching his shoulder gently. “Crosshair, what’s wrong? What happened?”

Crosshair just shook his head, pushing past Hunter and stalking towards the direction of his bedroom. “I don’t want to talk about it. She can tell you about it.”

Hunter’s face fell, and Lyana was confident that the sinking feeling that was now forming in her stomach was forming in his as well. The whole atmosphere of the house was changing. Even though Lyana wasn’t sure exactly what Crosshair was referring to, she had a vague guess. Still, not wanting to be left out, she turned an innocently curious expression to Hunter. “What’s he talking about?”

Hunter turned to her, hands balling into fists. “Crosshair…he observed Omega and Cal’s date.”

“What?” Lyana shot off of the couch, coming around it to face her older brother figure. “Why would he do that?”

“Because, Lyana,” Hunter’s tone was stormy now, and not just because of Lyana’s sudden interrogation. “We know nothing about Cal. We didn’t want her to be harmed in some way by him and none of us know. We didn’t like the idea of her spending time with a strange young man she doesn’t know. Do you?”

Lyana’s form slouched where she stood. While Crosshair’s action was uncouth indeed, it did make sense to her. Omega knew how to take care of herself. But there had been times in the past in which she’d been whisked far away from her brothers, harmed without any way for them to protect her. Her brothers had spent the last year finding the right balance between allowing her freedom and keeping her safe.

Still, Lyana couldn’t let off the spying too easily. Omega was her best friend, after all. She offered only a sigh and a softened expression in response. 

Hunter’s gaze softened as well; the small match was over. “You know we’d do the same thing for you if Shep asked.” 

“Well. lucky for Shep, I know this island and its population like the back of my hand.” 

“Well, that doesn’t include Cal. If it did, none of this would be a concern.”

Tech spoke, effectively ending the conversation between Lyana and Hunter. “Omega is likely to be arriving home soon. We must not accost her with questions regarding Crosshair’s demeanor."

“Right,” agreed Wrecker. “This is the only chance we’ll get to know how she really likes him.”

The guys all seemed to speak at once then. Hunter was scowling, and Lyana knew the muscles in his face were tense even though he was covering them with a hand. Tech and Echo appeared pensive as they quietly passed possibilities about the dinner back and forth. Wrecker jumped in with remarks of his own, focusing mainly on what they could say to Omega when she came home in the event that she was upset.

Lyana moved away from them and made her way around their home, pacing. The steady movement gave her a chance to think.

She had encouraged Omega about the date, and Cal, and the whole experience. Cal seemed as though he was eager to spend time with her, according to what Omega had to say. She’d been appropriately eager and thoughtful about her experiences with him so far. It seemed that there was plenty of evidence that the date should have gone smoothly.

But what if it hadn’t? What if Cal was not a good person, but was good at acting like one? What if Cal was only trouble, and had used the opportunity of being on a date with Omega to do something to hurt her?

Lyana shook her head; none of that could be right. Omega was not naive, she knew how to read people and protect herself. She’d had no choice but to learn those things. And even if Cal did something she didn’t expect, surely her brothers prepared her for any unsavory actions he could take; Batcher was nowhere to be seen after all. And, Crosshair didn’t reveal himself and his presence to Omega, so no crisis happened that he didn’t need to intervene in. 

Lyana sighed. It was a first date. It was probably great in a lot of ways, but awkward in others. That was normal. Omega’s first date was most likely normal. 

She refused to think anything different. 

The sound of the door creaking open stopped her in her tracks and she jumped, turning in its direction. 

Omega!

Lyana started towards the door, but she knew better than to expect to reach it before the rest of the Batch.Still, she followed closely behind, almost as curious about the guys’ reactions to Omega as she was to Omega.

“Omega, ad’ika,” Hunter spoke breathlessly, drawing Omega into his arms. Lyana watched as Omega pulled Hunter into a hug as well. “How was it?”

“Was he respectful?” Echo’s question quickly followed Hunter’s.

“What did you guys do?” Wrecker pondered quickly after Echo.

“Once Hunter lets me go, I’ll answer,” Omega’s voice was muffled in the fabric of her ori’vod’s shirt. 

Hunter relinquished his grip, and the four of them all backed off to give the girl some space. She straightened her dress as she looked around at her welcoming party. There was a smile on her face, but Lyana noted that it was mostly evident in her eyes; only when her eyes landed on Lyana did a true grin make its way to her countenance. Her movements seemed light and airy, as they often did when she was in a good mood. Though, there was some tension around her eyes; her mind was hard at work. 

“Well?” Echo prodded.

The phantom tension Lyana had noticed evaporated only a second after Echo’s urging. She beamed, a dreamy expression coming upon her face as she swayed. It looked as though she was gazing at a memory as she spoke. “It was amazing! He’s kind and respectful. He paid for our food! He got to meet Batcher, and I met his droid. We ate at Jack’s, and that was pretty much all we did, but we did get to watch the sunset, too. He seemed very happy. He’s…he’s careful.” Omega nodded in confirmation of her own assessment.

Hunter’s shoulders relaxed, and his features melted into relief, but nothing more. “Well, good. We were…well, we were thinking about you.” Hunter spoke as though he was trying to perfectly recite a long-forgotten secret code.

“Some of us more than others,” Tech quipped, earning a wicked glare from Hunter and a laugh from both Omega and Lyana.

Lyana’s laughter caught Omega’s attention. After hugging her brothers, Omega pulled Lyana in close. “Hi!”

“Hey, Omega! Glad you had fun!”

“Me too!” Omega stepped back, admiring her friend. “Hope you didn’t get too bored here without me.”

“Oh, no, me and Wrecker were watching something together. I didn’t get here too long ago.”

Omega nodded contentedly. She began to look around the shared space of their home, quirking an eyebrow as she did so. Someone was missing. “Where’s Crosshair?” 

“He’s in his room.” Hunter answered, careful not to provide any more details than what was necessary. 

Lyana wanted to jump with an explanation of her own, but what was there to explain? Crosshair had come home from spying on his sister; that was enough to damage the apparently pleasant feelings Omega was genuinely expressing about her date. If she saw Crosshair in a bad mood, she would want to know what was wrong. And, even if he didn’t want to tell her, she was smart enough to figure it out. Omega could figure out most things if she was given enough time. 

Lyana knew that Omega’s concern for Crosshair nearly rivaled Crosshair’s for her, so she was not surprised when she tilted her gaze towards the hallway and said, “Is he okay?”

“Got some stuff on his mind, that’s all.” Wrecker offered a hasty answer, an answer that he had been cooking up since Omega first noticed his absence. 

Omega furrowed her eyebrows. “‘I’ll go check on him. Want to come, Lyana?”

Lyana nodded, certain that Omega invited her chiefly because she knew that Lyana would invite herself if she didn’t. The two of them set down towards the rows of rooms that constituted the hallway of Clone Force 99’s home. Within seconds, they were before his door, and Omega was knocking gently.

Crosshair jerked the door open, schooling his scowling expression into a neutral one only seconds too late. Lyana saw, and Lyana knew Crosshair would face the challenge of a lifetime in trying to hide his emotions from his vod’ika. He was second worst at doing that in this family, right behind Wrecker.

“You’re home,” his attention was only on Omega, with none to spare for Lyana.

“Yes,” Omega nodded once, offering him a starry-eyed gaze leftover from her initial explanation of her date.

Crosshair’s expression changed then. His keen eyes narrowed, roving over his sister’s face with a slow intensity and lingering over every twitch of a muscle or movement of her eyes. He gave a new definition to studying someone. “Was he good to you?”

Omega’s eyes flicked to the side for only a second, though surely long enough to catch Crosshair’s attention. Before answering, she lifted her chin. “Yes, he was good. He was…careful,” she answered. “As he should be, right?”

Lyana swallowed. Surely Omega had no idea that Crosshair had been watching her. She would have burst into their home with ample frustration if she had. But, a suspicion had snuck into her demeanor. She knew that Crosshair was displeased with something, and even though she didn’t know what it was, she knew that Cal was on the list of possible culprits. She knew that even if Crosshair wasn’t directly upset about the date, he was surely not entirely happy about it. She wanted to know what he was upset about, but she also wanted to know if she had anything to do with it.

Lyana waited on baited breath. Few things were as intriguing as watching Crosshair and Omega test each other.

He hesitated only a few seconds before rasping out his response. Though it was simple, it was pointed. “Depends.”

“On?”

“How stupid he is.”

Omega’s expression shifted into a gloomily pensive one as she took her eyes away from Crosshair’s once again. She refused to give him any more of a chance to read her expression than was necessary, quickly snapping back into a concentration on her brother that rivaled his on her. “Cal isn’t stupid. I just said he was careful, that's all. Careful, and kind. Anyway, I came back here to see how you’re doing. Why are you hiding in your room?”

Crosshair only shook his head, leaning forward and pulling Omega into a quick hug. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Omega returned the short hug, smiling genuinely upon pulling away. “I’m better than okay.”

Crosshair nodded, and if Lyana’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, she was sure she saw a small smile of his own on his face. “Good. You and Lyana have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” He shut his door more gently than he opened it, leaving Omega and Lyana in the darkened hallway that was only illuminated by the lights from the shared space of the house. 

Omega drew a breath, turning a sideways glance to Lyana as she started back down the hallway towards her room.

Lyana walked at her side. “I haven’t seen him be so stubborn in quite a while.”

Omega offered a curt nod. “Yeah, at least we know what’s bothering him. He doesn’t like the idea of me and Cal. Which isn’t very fair, he doesn’t even know Cal.”  

“I don’t either, you know. And I’m not your older brother. So you don’t have to worry about me reading too much into any details.” Lyana gave Omega a playful nudge as they entered Omega’s bedroom. 

A sound like windchimes came out of Omega as she giggled, moving to retrieve pajamas from her dresser. “Let’s get ready for bed, then I’ll tell you everything!” 

The girls took all the time they needed in preparing for sleep, which really wasn’t very much. They took turns in the refresher, and Omega stepped out to where the rest of her brothers lounged together to tell them goodnight. When she returned, Batcher was following close behind, more than willing to sleep on her own bed on the floor rather than on the bed with Omega.

With all the bedtime preparations done, the two girls piled into Omega’s bed. They snuggled in close, pulling the fluffy bedding over themselves and nestling in side by side. Whenever they had sleepovers, Lyana was always reminded of the first time they’d ever done so. Omega was comfortable with sharing a bed with Lyana, but she wasn’t used to it; she laid down in the bed as gently as possible, careful not to move too much for fear of being disruptive. But as time went on, Omega became more and more at ease, happily sharing a bed with her friend and even seeming almost eager to do so when they spent nights together. 

Lyana was happy about it, too. She did not have siblings, and she’d always wondered what having a sister was like. In Omega, she found her answer. A sister was a girl who was always by your side, who would listen and knew that she would be listened to, as well. A sister was a girl who was always ready to have fun. A sister was a best friend. 

“Sooo?” Lyana drawled the word out, eager to hear every detail Omega had to share.

As soon as Omega finished yawning, she began to smile and speak at the same time. “Lyana, he’s so…so handsome. He was wearing a really nice, blue shirt, and it fit him really well. And whenever he smiles, his eyes light up and he looks so happy. Being out there with him, seeing him in the sunset and watching him take everything in was just…it was just…”

“Magical?” Lyana found herself smiling as well. Omega truly deserved a guy who made her feel this happy.

“Yeah! So magical. He really enjoyed himself. He got the crab soup, and I got the fish rolls. And we shared some cake, too! And he paid for my food again,” Omega giggled, glee in her voice.

“He really is such a gentleman. What did you guys talk about?”

“Well, I told him about being on Kamino, and described my brothers to him. And he told me about his friends and how they stand up to the Empire. We talked about how we liked the view and the food, of course. And I saw his droid again, and he met Batcher. So, overall, basic stuff. But…” 

The smile in her words beckoned Lyana to keep asking questions. “But?”

“But, I could have gone on talking to him forever.” Her words ended in a contented sigh. 

Lyana smiled then, too, a carefree ease filling her. She had never gotten close to a guy as Omega now was. But watching her best friend develop her first possible romantic relationship was just as much fun as having her own. “That’s awesome, Meg. This is all making me want to meet him!”

Omega smirked, tilting her gaze away from Lyana. “Maybe…he’d probably like to make a few friends here.”

“Yeah! We can show him all the most fun things about Pabu.”

“Well, he’s pretty adventurous, so I’m sure he’d like that.” Omega concurred.

Lyana always enjoyed making new friends. So many people came to the island from all different places, it was always so interesting for her to get to know them. Bonus points if they were her age and she got to know them more personally. That’s how she got to know Omega, after all.

“Actually Lyana, there’s one more detail I haven’t talked about yet.” When Omega began speaking again, her words were slow. Hesitance laced her voice.

“Oh?” Lyana was not fond of the hesitance. It was rare for Omega to be a hesitant person, so when she was, there was always good reason.

“We got to the end of our date, and I…well, I wanted to touch him. Just stroke his arm, you know? Just to…well, I’m not sure why.”

“Because you like him! That’s all the reason you need!” Lyana urged, unsure of what the issue was with what Omega was describing. 

Omega let out a couple quipped giggles before continuing. “Yeah. Well, when I went to touch him, he stepped away from me. It was like he didn’t want me to touch him. And after that, he looked so sad, Lyana. He even apologized for it. But it was like I did something wrong, or I pushed his limits.” Omega had turned onto her side to face Lyana as she explained the issue.

Lyana ran the issue through her mind as she turned to face Omega as well. A perfect night, a perfect date, and then a refusal to let Omega touch him. Lyana wasn’t an expert on boys, but she knew that they usually did not refrain when physical affection was offered. Odd behavior, indeed. She knew she couldn’t spend the whole night thinking without responding, so she offered the only interpretation she could think of. “Well, if he seemed sad about not letting you touch him, that has to mean he actually wanted you to.” 

Omega’s eyes widened for a split second before moving back into a quizzical expression. “Then why did he pull away?”

“Maybe he just wasn’t ready. Not everyone is ready for that sort of thing at the same time.”

“I guess…but everything else was going fine. He seemed very happy. He even…he called me beautiful,” Omega’s cheeks dusted pink as she spoke, a little smile re-appearing even despite her confusion over Cal’s behavior.

Lyana felt her stomach flip inside of her, as though she had been the one receiving the compliment. “Well, that’s very sweet. He had to have meant it. I think we won’t be able to figure out exactly what happened while we’re just lying here speculating,” Lyana offered Omega a nudge and a playful expression. “You’ll have to see him again to pick up more clues.”

Both girls laughed then, and Lyana was glad to hear the sound. She never liked to see Omega upset, even if she knew that her friend would be okay. For her, it was much better to hear her laugh, even if just to remind her the vast majority of issues she had faced or would face were solvable.

“Not a bad idea at all. I guess my only option is to make absolutely certain that Cal Kestis does not go back to being a stranger,” an enthusiastic glint shown in Omega’s eyes. “For research purposes.”

“Oh yeah, always for research. No other reason.” Lyana teased as the two of them continued laughing. Omega’s laughter quickly turned into a yawn, which led Lyana to have her own as well.

Omega turned back onto her back. “Well, thanks for that. I think I”m ready to get some sleep.”

“Me too, goodnight Meg.”

“Goodnight Lyana.”