It would have been a truly remarkable scenery, had there not been the accentuated intrusion from the holo-table. Which instantly caught the asserted presence of both.
They ignored the message at first until the hearing of
"Luminara Unduli is alive. She's been imprisoned unlawfully somewhere in the Stygeon system. As citizens, we demand the Emperor projuice Master Unduli, and grant her a fair trial until the..."
"Master Unduli?" Barriss gasped.
"She...She's alive?"
"That's what it looks like. There's not a lot of us left so we must save her. I have to save her."
"Of course, Padawan Offee."
"You know Caleb, I'm actually a Knight now. However, I'd much prefer you to call me by name."
"Yes Barriss, so what's the plan?"
"We'll have to – AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Barriss?" He exclaimed, clutching her shoulders for support.
"Barriss are you all right? What happened?" He cooed.
"I...it was...it was Master Unduli. She's...she's alive but being tortured. We need to go now! Can you think of a plan?"
"Well uhhh...I'll get the map."
"Yeah you do that. I'll see if I can reach her through the force."
"Pad...Mast...Barriss I think I have an idea."
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I'm thinking of sneaking onto this landing platform."
"Mmm mmm, platform has a heavy trooper presence and reinforced blast doors. Impossible to get in or out that way."
"What about here? There's only room for a couple guards. We take them down, make our way to the upper level isolation cells, free Luminara, and come back out the way we came in."
"Yeah. You'd have to be crazy to try out that lousy plan."
"Let's hope the Empire thinks that, too." He giggled.
"Well, I guess you're right. It does seem like the only chance we've got. Good work, kid."
"Caleb."
"Right. Caleb. You're nothing like a kid now, are you?"
Then there they were, headed towards the atrocity of the pernicious empire guards. With Caleb going through the plan again and again. Almost conceit in showcasing his talents for being able to plan.
"Remember the plan? We gotta..."
"All right Caleb, you've told me 20 times. So I'm pretty sure I've understood."
"Right, and your job is..."
"To sense my Master and get us to the right cell."
"Correct."
"And to take care of you."
"Hey, I don't need a babysitter."
"Well, I can't say I don't trust you, but in terms of experience, you may need a bit more." She giggled.
"Very funny, Master Offee. I mean...Barriss."
"Oh, is that why you want me to call you Barriss?" He remarked, one which was forebodingly answered with the tantalising wink from Barriss Offee. A wink of which resonated with glee and an astonishing shade of dark blue. As he returned her gaze with one that highlighted the extravagant red that had puffed the sides of his flustered cheeks.
Their eyes met, eyes which gloomed with conviction, as well as the acute perception of the inkling, "Am I falling in love?"
Am I making them fall in love? Oh heck yeah. Baralebs coming right at ya.
That being said I do know how stupid the title of this book is. "Barriss x Caleb one-shots'? What kind of creep has an interest in that right? Well, you do have a point. But since I've been called 'weird' several times I kinda coped with it.
But I'm just saying: don't be afraid to be unique. For a long time I've waited for a story featuring Barriss and Caleb. Another where I wanted Anakin and Barriss. So make your dreams come true. Just sit down for a couple hours and write whatever you'd like.
Create your stories. Own them, be proud of them. Our children aren't always perfect, but we love them nonetheless (in our own ways).
In the words of the big muscular Austrian crime fighting body builder
I'll be back.