If Y/n thought she had seen Heaven before, she was sorely mistaken. Nothing could ever be as beautiful as riding on the back of the Shyyyo Bird as it carried her over the sights and trees of Kashyyyk. With her arms tightly locked around Cal, she was able to enjoy the view set in front of her. They were flying high above the clouds that surrounded Kashyyyk's mountains, and were able to see the vast beauty of the forests it held for them. The sky was the most crystal blue, and the sun shone down on them from above.
"There's still so much the Empire hasn't touched!" Cal exclaimed as his green eyes, eyes that matched the trees below, examined the view in awe.
"Look at that..." Y/n whispered when they returned their view to the Origin Tree. It was larger than they even thought at first. The idea that this plant could grow to be so tall and strong, surviving ever war the galaxy has ever seen, was shocking to them. Y/n had never seen such beautiful life before. Seeing it from the vantage point of one of the most ancient and respected animals on Kashyyyk only added to her wonderment.
Wanderlust hit her hard as she gazed into the very soul of the planet. It almost felt like with seeing the very top of this tree, they were seeing the very great wonders and achievements of the Wookiee people. Cal had seen echoes from times past of when Wookiees would climb this sacred tree as a moment of upbringing in their lives. She couldn't imagine climbing as far as she did without the aid of her equipment and the Jedi at her side. She admired the Wookiees in their resilience. She knew it would pay off for them in the end.
The ride wasn't nearly long enough, Y/n finding herself disappointed when the Shyyyo Bird rested upon a large branch high in the Origin Tree. "Let's go. We're so close now. I can feel it," Cal said as he stood from the mighty beast, jumping down to the branch below.
Y/n slid off the side, landing on her feet when she saw BD jump off of Cal's shoulder and run to a... workbench? "What's a workbench doing all the way up here?" Y/n asked as she and Cal approached it, BD hopping up onto it with a joyous trill.
"Cordova must have left it up here when he was studying Kashyyyk," Cal told her, examining the station. "Wait a minute, maybe I can..."
Y/n watched in confusion as he took out his lightsaber and set it on the bench before taking out his welding torch. A few pieces of discarded lightsaber parts were laid freely along the desks, and Cal took each one of them as he sealed them together. When he finished, he looked upon his finished blade, igniting one side, then the other. A double bladed saber. Y/n could do nothing but stand there in awe as he swung it to the side, getting the feel for the new blade.
Cal felt almost complete now. This was his master's blade before the Purge. During their escape, he recalled how the clone troopers had blasted the other end to pieces, leaving Cal with only one half of his master's lightsaber. Now, it was whole again.
He shut off his weapon and looked to Y/n's watching gaze. When they met eyes, she blinked herself back to reality, saying, "Sorry, I just... wow, that's impressive." She settled for a compliment, not really sure how else to speak the rile in her gut.
"Thanks. It's how it's supposed to be now," he spoke back, putting the blade on his belt once again. Grinning, he said, "Maybe I can show you how to work it double-bladed?"
"You were pushing it with the one plasma beam in my hand, Kestis," Y/n told him, wagging her finger at him. "Two would certainly end in disaster."
BD-1 jumped back up to Cal's shoulder, telling them they were nearing the end of the path on Kashyyyk. "BD's right. Cordova awaits," Cal said, and they headed towards the center of the tree.
Through a small tunnel, they found the familiar looking marks of a Zeffo artifact. The large stone in front of them was carved into the face of one of the Zeffo people, while his robes had a small carved out hole in the center. Large enough to fit a small circular object. BD rushed forward, and from his memory bank, another vision of Cordova appeared for Y/n and Cal to watch. He was holding something small in his hand, something they could barely make out before Cordova began speaking.
"At last. I found my quarry," he said, looking at the object in wonderment. "The Astrium. Used by the Zeffo Sages millennia ago. I hold in my hand a piece of galactic history." He reeled back in joy, holding his arms out with a wide grin on his aged face. "Oh, I will never be able to thank Tarfful enough! Do you know what this means, my friend? No need to return to Dathomir." He spat the name of the planet like a poison upon his tongue. "The darkness clouded every attempt at finding the Astrium inside Kujet's Tomb but the Force... The Force has provided a new path!"
Cal perked up at the words Cordova spoke, listing them deep in his mind. "Kujet's Tomb," he repeated the words, and began heading out of the Zeffo region in a hurry.
Y/n let out a tiny breath of irritation. "I was hoping we could avoid Dathomir. I heard nothing good happened there during the Clone Wars," she stated.
"The planet's completely deserted, last I heard," Cal told her as they headed up the branch, spotting the Shyyyo Bird returning to their aid. "Once the Nightsisters were wiped out by Grievous, Dathomir became a ghost."
"Even so..." Y/n began, a shiver running down her spine at just the thought of the planet.
They jumped into a large nest, one they assumed was created by the Shyyyo Bird who sat waiting for them on the edge. It bowed its head to them in greeting before Cal led Y/n to the side. "You go first," he said, gesturing for her to jump. "I'll give you a boost."
Y/n nodded, putting her foot on his joined hands while grabbing for the easiest to reach feathers. He lifted her with ease, pushing her up until she had a firm grip on the bird's feathers above. "Come on, Kestis. Greez probably cooked up a meal for when we get back," she said down to him.
"Can't say no to that," he grinned.
Just as he was about to jump, a sudden blast crashed down beside the Shyyyo Bird. Cal watched in horror as the Shyyyo Bird lost its grip and fell down the Origin Tree, taking Y/n with it. "NO!!" he cried out, catching Y/n's eyes for a moment before she disappeared beneath the tree. They were filled with nothing but pure terror as she fell. "Y/n!!"
He tried to run to the edge of the nest, but the ship from which the bolts came from, the Ninth Sister's ship, appeared and started raining fire on him. He had to run away from the edge, no matter how much he didn't want to, and dodge the sudden appearance of the Ninth Sister from behind him. He ignited both ends of his blade while she lit up her crimson weapon. "Found you again," she sneered, but Cal could hardly listen to her.
"You're done hurting this world," he growled at her, nothing but fury taking ahold of his chest. Y/n was lost. Y/n was gone. And it's the Ninth Sister's fault.
"Aww, are you mad I killed your girlfriend? Her mother will thank me for that," the Sister laughed, grinning and showing her sharp teeth. "I don't know what's got Second Sister thinking you're so important. She likes her souvenirs but..." she took a hissing breath between her teeth, "I'm not in it for the memories and honestly, you're not worth my time. So let's make this quick."
She killed her.
Cal had to remind himself that he shouldn't let his anger dictate this fight, but every time he looked at the Ninth Sister, he felt himself leaning over the edge. Fighting the Ninth Sister was nothing like fighting the Second. While Trilla's movements were calculated, cold, and precise, the Ninth Sister's movements were brutish, unfocused, and filled with nothing but power. There was no thought to her attacks, only the fight. Although, he had to admit, her swings were devastating him. He blocked her as well as he could, but she kept knocking him off of his feet.
Every once and a while, thanks to his more planned and practiced movements, he was able to get a swing at her that would knock her back. His training at the Temple was filling his head, returning to him. However, when he would look into the red visor of the Ninth Sister, the memory of Y/n falling with the Shyyyo Bird would return. He would shake his head, caught off guard by the rage in his throat, but push it back into control. This kept giving the Ninth exactly what she needed to trap him in another rage attack.
He managed to slice at her helmet, the both of them pushing each other across the nest. She touched the injury with her claw-like hand, looking back to him with her teeth bared. "Not bad for trash," she snarled at him, stalking across the nest.
Cal held his arm in his hand. He felt pain each time he moved, but he knew he couldn't stop. The pain only reminded him of...
Taking a stim from BD and injecting it in his chest, he felt better almost instantly. Glaring down the Ninth Sister, he snapped back, "What about for a Jedi?"
"Is there a difference?" the Ninth growled lowly, her voice going deeper in fury. Igniting the second half of her blade, she sneered, "You should've seen the look on your face when she fell. Priceless."
Cal knew what she was doing, but he wasn't going to give in to it. He could mourn Y/n later, knowing that if he used that pain right now, it would only lead him exactly where the Inquisitors wanted him. "I won't fall for your games," he spoke, and she laughed at his words, charging at him full force.
Cal discovered her large stature made her movements slow and sloppy, allowing him to quickly spin around her and attack her from behind. He used this trick to gain the upper hand in the battle, wearing the Ninth Sister down as he kept himself up with his stims. BD knew exactly when he needed one, almost reading Cal's mind.
It was becoming tiresome and the fight continued, sweat dripping down his face and neck. Meanwhile, the Ninth Sister looked like she hadn't even lost her breath. Cal needed to bring this battle to a close or else he was either going to die, or do something he regretted in his anger.
When the two clashing sabers were brought down upon each other in a stalemate, Cal waited until the Sister was fully leaning into her blade to knock the weapon aside. He kicked in the air, spinning and swinging his lightsaber around to her wrist. The Ninth Sister's hand fell from her body as she knelt to her knee and held her arm, Cal landing swiftly on his feet. He kept his guard up as the Sister finally took deep breaths. "It's over," he stated.
When she looked up, he didn't expect to see a grin on her face. His grip tightening on his lightsaber, he watched as she stood and said, "Being an Inquisitor taught me no set-back is too great. When you've already lost yourself... a limb's easy. You know, I was a Jedi." Cal stood stiffer when she straightened herself up to her full height. "It'd be fun to bring you in. Watch you crack like the rest of us!!"
Cal heard the lightsaber behind him ignite, realizing the Sister was using the Force to lift it without his knowledge. He hit against it with his own blade, ducking as she brought it back to her good hand. Seeing his expression as she once again readied herself for combat, she cackled, "Angers you. Just wait till the isolation!"
She brought her saber down.
"Torture!"
Again.
"Mutilation!!"
And again.
"And your friends..."
And again.
Cal grappled against her blade, once again feeling the strength of her body against the struggle of his own. "I won't let you touch them!" Cal managed to grit out, his teeth clenching hard in his mouth.
"I've already gotten one, haven't I?" she snarled, her voice now booming in his ears. "You can't stop the Empire!"
"I can stop you," Cal spoke, and pushed her blade aside. He hit against it once more to knock her focus off, before jumping over her to land as his hand pushed out, knocking her off of the nest. He didn't know where she had fallen to, but now he was certain she wasn't coming back.
Beep boop beep? BD asked him while he stood in shock of himself.
"Yeah... We just took down an Inquisitor," Cal said to the droid, but a sudden wave of anguish fell over him. "But, Y/n... she's-"
A cry over him filled his ears, causing him to look up in shock of the sound. The shadow of a bird passed over him, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was she...
"Cal!"
Cal's heart jumped out of his chest when he saw the Shyyyo Bird landing in front of him, Y/n safe and sound on its back. He couldn't believe it. She was alive. And she was here... running at him... Wait-
He could feel her arms around him before he took in the reality. A smile started to grow on his lips, and he could hear BD's unearthly loud beeps of glee at the sight that Y/n was alive and okay. Cal realized her arms were tight around his torso, so his came even tighter around hers. He buried his head in her shoulder, just reveling in the feel of her as her hand rested behind his back, so close to his copper hair. "You're alive..." he whispered, and he could hear her light laugh. Nothing ever sounded like music until that laugh.
"I managed to hold on after the Shyyyo Bird fell, and it brought me to safety," Y/n told him, and he couldn't help but bring her even closer to him with his head obscured beneath her neck and shoulder. "I couldn't leave you behind, Cal. I had to come back with the Shyyyo."
"Force, I'm just glad you're alive. I saw you fall and I..." Cal couldn't comprehend his emotions right now. Nothing Master Tapal or Master Yoda told him could ever have prepared him for this.
"I'm okay. It's okay," Y/n soothed him, finally bringing a hand to his hair. She ran her fingers through it a few times, the action bringing Cal to the edge of insanity. He loved it. He craved it. "By the light, Cal, I was so worried about you. I saw the Inquisitor's ship, and I knew she found you, and I just... I'm glad you're okay. And hey," she gently pulled him back, much to his objection, "now you can say you defeated an Inquisitor."
"I don't care. You're alive. That's what matters to me," Cal told her with his voice merely a whisper, his hands resting on her waist. Y/n blinked at his words, feeling her stomach flutter. Instead of acting on impulse like her heart wanted her to, she brought him back in for another embrace. She heard him sigh out gently, both his arms around her before she gently pulled him away from their moment and back to the Shyyyo Bird. "Thank you," he said to the animal, which bellowed with what looked like a welcoming nod. "Glad you're okay," he spoke again, patting its neck and jumping up onto a nearby branch so they could get onto the Shyyyo Bird once more.
"We should get back quickly. I can't imagine how worried Cere and Greez are right now," Y/n commented, hopping up to the Shyyyo Bird's neck and lifting her legs over. She found a comfortable position, but was surprised when Cal hopped on behind her. "You don't want sit in front?" she questioned.
"I figured you should have it this time around. Besides, someone has to make sure you don't fall off," Cal told her with a cheeky grin, although inside he was serious. He wanted to hold on to her and make sure she was secure with him on the Shyyyo Bird.
The flight down was just as beautiful as the first time, but as the Shyyyo Bird dropped them off at the base of the Origin Tree, Y/n couldn't help but feel sad. It was odd, considering she knew she disliked most the flora and fauna of this planet, but there was something so incredibly gorgeous about all of it that now Y/n found herself falling in love with Kashyyyk. So as they approached the familiar path back to the Empire's refinery, Y/n looked up at Cal and said, "Is it weird I don't want to leave Kashyyyk yet?"
He turned to her with raised brows, and even BD tilted his head at her words. "You don't want to leave?" Cal repeated her words with humor. "Were the Shadowlands not enough?"
"After seeing the Origin Tree, I just have a new appreciation for Kashyyyk," Y/n commented easily, walking past him towards the zipline that led to the refinery. "But, we have places to be and planets to see, so BD, if you wouldn't mind?"
The droid was happy to oblige, quickly zipping them all back to the refinery. As soon as they landed, Rocket Troopers noticed them, but Cal was able to quickly dispose of them with his double-bladed lightsaber. Returning to the main building of the refinery was easy, although there were plenty of different Troopers along the way to hinder their ability to return home. BD discovered a small shortcut that allowed them to reach the top floors without having to double back to the overgrown pass.
The way back was easy, now that they had been through it almost four times. Cal found the sap spinners once more, the way blocked only temporarily by a few stormtroopers. This time, he stood back a moment while Y/n handled a good amount of troopers. He loved watching her fight. It was like a dance. Well, as graceful as fighting from the slum of Coruscant can possibly get. But somehow, she made it look incredible. Especially when she almost knocked the helmet off of a Scout Trooper with the force of her swing.
They took the lift back to the ship, easily entering the landing pad with no troubles. Although Cal was lightly disappointed to find it was lacking both Partisans and Wookiees. The only sign of life was the Mantis parked right in the center. "Well, we did it," Cal breathed as they approached the ramp.
"Now we gotta break the news to Greez that we need to take a visit to Dathomir," Y/n commented, Cal laughing at the statement.
When they got indoors, BD hopped from Cal's shoulder, the two teenagers noticing that both Greez and Cere were in the kitchen with plates of food ready for them. Facing Cere again after such a trial was like a slap in the face from reality. Y/n stood for a moment, wondering what he would do. Instead of small talk, he quickly walked into the kitchen while saying, "Cordova believed the key to the Vault is on Dathomir."
"You find your Wookiee?" Greez questioned, setting down his plates of food while BD pranced on the table.
"We did," Y/n nodded, taking her seat beside Greez and Cal, the latter sitting at the end of the table.
"Things are bad down there," Cal mentioned offhandedly, not looking at any of them. "Empire is everywhere."
"Inquisitors?" Cere asked, and Y/n was noticing she refused to meet Cal's eyes as well.
"Well, Trilla..." Cal paused, finally looking at Cere as Y/n gently rolled her eyes behind her spork. When Cere gave the proper uncomfortable response for Cal, he continued. "The Second Sister... is gone for now but she's still chasing us." He took a casual sip of water before dropping, "I defeated the Ninth Sister." Greez looked impressed as Cere smiled, the Latero taking his salt and starting to shake it over his food. Y/n gave Cal a wink, the boy responding with a light grin before starting to dig into his food.
A heavy silence fell over the table, only interrupted by Greez's salt shaker until Cere turned to Cal and spoke. "Cal, when I was captured by the Empire... I resisted. I swore an oath to myself that I would die before I would talk." Cal put his spork down, already tired of her explanation. "But then this... dark shadow came. And he was worse than any... nightmare I could've imagined. And I still fought." As she continued, he leaned back in his chair and pushed his food away carelessly. Y/n looked between them with conflict, Greez still shaking salt over his food. "But in the end I came apart. And I gave them Trilla. And I know there's nothing I can do to make that right. But Cal, there's still a chance we can save the others on the holocron-"
"Okay, look," Cal cut her off. He was done listening now. He had been looking out into the ship, but finally turned to the woman. "The Ninth Sister said something about becoming an Inquisitor, like... like it's inevitable. But you went through the same thing she did. And you didn't join them."
"Cal..."
"It's okay, Cere," Cal exclaimed, although his tone didn't match his words. It was harsh, like he just wanted her to stop talking. "We'll find Cordova's holocron."
Y/n watched regretfully as he stood and walked back to his cot, looking down at the steak on her plate. Greez had finally stopped using the salt, but she wasn't even sure if she was hungry anymore after the conversation she just heard. BD-1 tried scanning Greez's meal, only for the man to wave his arms at the droid and say, "Hey! Get your lasers off my lunch!" When Y/n put her spork down and stood to follow Cal, Greez let out a scoff. "Does no one eat on this ship anymore??"
"Greez," Y/n called as she leaned back into the room for a moment to get his attention, "set a course for Dathomir, if you would."
"You got it. A course to Da- Wait, you wanna go to Dathomir?" Greez called back, but she had already disappeared into the hallway. "Can I finish my lunch first??"
Y/n ran down the corridor to the medical cot, seeing Cal trying his hardest to fall asleep. When he heard her enter, he turned in his bed to face her, his exhaustion clear on his face. He was only in his undershirt and pants to sleep. "I already told Greez to make for Dathomir, so we're on our way," she told him.
"Thanks. I just... couldn't take it anymore," Cal said quietly, breathing out a heavy tone. His arm was set over his eyes.
Y/n hesitated a moment. She was going to talk with him about the Cere issue, but clearly neither of them were in the right state of mind for such a sensitive topic. Y/n was still pissed beyond hell at Cere's lie, but she was coming to understand it. Telling someone your former Padawan was dead was certainly easier than telling them she was now a Jedi hunting Inquisitor working for the Empire. She approached Cal's side and gently touched his arm, moving it from his eyes to smile down at him. "Come on, ginger," she motioned for him to follow her.
"What are you doing, Y/n?" Cal tiredly asked, doing his best to resist a yawn.
"You're going to sleep somewhere comfortable for once," she replied, making his raise an eyebrow. He got up from his seat, following her into... her room? He had only been in here once before. The time she told him he was kissed by fire. He believed that now more than ever.
She led him towards her bed, moving aside a couple of books she had laying over the covers and stacking them on her desk. "Y/n, wait a minute," Cal began, but she shushed him.
"You have been sleeping on that cot ever since you arrived on this ship. If anyone deserves a good night's rest on a real bed, it's you," Y/n stated with wide and firm eyes.
"Where are you going to sleep?" he questioned her.
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time we've shared a bed, would it?"
The comment caught him off guard. She was willing to share her bed with him? Cal wasn't entirely sure how to respond to such a bold offer. His heart wasn't doing him any favors, and neither was his mind. "I... I don't want to intrude," he settled for.
"I'm offering it to you of my own free will, Cal," Y/n told him, bringing him closer to the edge of the bed. "Kashyyyk took it all out of you. You need real rest. Doctor's orders. Now lay down and scoot over."
He followed her orders, finding himself stiff as he turned so that he faced the wall. Sharing a bed was such an intimate thing, he tried his hardest not to take up too much space. He was tall and the bed wasn't the largest, so he scooted into the wall while Y/n curled up into her covers. He did have to admit, it was comfortable here. The soft bedding and the cool covers. Much better than the blank and stiff cot he normally slept on. "Good night, Y/n, and... thank you," he said, and turned on his back to look at her.
She turned her head gently with a smile, saying, "What are doctors for?"
He watched as she closed her eyes with a deep breath, finding sleep taking her over. He followed her example, his eyes gently shutting as he felt the sweet sense of slumber wash over his mind and give him peace. Their hands met in the center of the bed as they slept, unaware of the touch as they rested.