Fluffy

Summary & warnings:

Kallus really wishes Zeb was more careful about what he says to people, particularly grateful Kaminoan scientists.

So, a kid ficlet, more precisely a baby lasat-human hybrid ficlet. I'm not entirely certain what inspired me to write this. Set sometime between New Hope and Empire Strikes back on base that is decidedly not Hoth.

Also I've made quite a bit of stuff up.

Kalluzeb.


The young Kaminoan geneticist, Kniwta Sa, had been so enthusiastic that she was finally able to show her gratitude to Kallus and Zeb for rescuing her from the Empire. She was disappointed that Zeb was away on a mission, but that hadn't dampened her spirits. Kniwta had handed Kallus the tiny bundle and had her droid assistant bring a large number of items she said should help Kallus and Zeb take care of their baby girl.

Kallus had stood there, feeling quite numb, holding the infant, as the almost unnaturally cheerful Kaminoan bid her farewell and that she would be available for check-ups anytime the baby needed them. All he could think of was that he had warned Zeb that Kaminoans didn't really have a sense of humor and tended to take things a little more literally than most species, but all Zeb had done was laugh, wrap an arm around Kallus' shoulder and tell him to lighten up. Now Zeb's glib request for a baby for "me and m'sweetheart" when Kniwta had asked if there was anything she could do to for them had landed squarely in Kallus' lap.

And the covert mission Zeb was on wasn't due back for six standard weeks.

Finally he sat down on the modestly large bed unique to the quarters he shared with Zeb, and carefully unswaddled the baby.

She was really quite a remarkable little thing now that he had the chance to really look her over, more lasat-looking than human. (Kniwta had explained the only way to make a viable hybrid was to have 61 percent lasat genes and 39 percent human genes and she really hoped Kallus didn't mind.) Her fur far softer than Zeb's, and far fluffier, but that might just be a baby lasat thing; striking too, with bold dark purple stripes already developing against pale red gold fur. Her eyes, not quite fully open yet, were blue at the moment and Kallus wasn't certain whether that was because of human genes that had come from him and that they would turn brown or green as she grow older (did that happen with lasats too?), or whether the color was a compromise between his brown eyes and Zeb's green. The ears were definitely lasat; soft little points that hadn't quite unfurled completely yet. Having five digits on each hand did seem slightly off, but then who knew what other differences would manifest as the human/lasat child grew older?

Kallus carefully wrapped her back up in her blankets, and tucked her against his side as he called up information on how to take care of a 'newborn' infant. There was more than enough, frequently contradictory, information on how to take care of a human child, but very little on how to care of a lasat infant. He wasn't entirely certain, despite her perky confidence, that Kniwta knew what a lasat-human hybrid would need in order to thrive.

Kallus shifted the baby until she was cradled in both arms against his chest, and lay back on the bed, legs still bent over the side. He really wanted to scream and curled up in a ball, since he was ambivalent at best on the subject of children and specifically the idea of trying to raise one himself.

"Well, little one," he said softly, as he patted her back gently, "I will endeavor to do my best, but Garazeb is going to get an earful when he returns."

Her ears twitched.

"Hmm, do you already know your, your father's name? Garazeb?" another twitch, "do you know mine?" he asked forlornly, "Kallus?"

He was rewarded with a soft coo and sigh.

"And what should I call you? Zeb really should have a say," Kallus carefully rolled himself up to sitting again, "but I can't keep calling you little one, and people are going to ask, since I can't stay in our quarters until he's back."

The baby snuffled, wriggled and worked one little hand out, placing it over Kallus' heart, the tiniest claws Kallus had ever seen snag onto his shirt. He raised an eyebrow, then narrowed his eyes.

Karabast she's tiny.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you did that deliberately," he stroked back of the little hand with the tip of his index finger, careful not to go against the way her fur lay, "Zeb would be proud, and possibly jealous; between you and me, little one, Zeb can't act his way out of a flimsi container."

There was a chime from the door.

"Ah yes, that would be Wedge," he explained with a smirk, standing up, "whenever your father has to leave me behind somewhere, he always asks someone to keep an eye on me to make sure I'm eating, I'm not overworking myself, or generally making a hermit of myself."

He smiled mischievously at the baby.

"Let's go cause trouble."

And he opened the door.


The Ghost returned to the Rebel base late at night, a full week and a half later than originally scheduled. Liberating some additional and rather unexpected political prisoners in addition to the original mission of sneaking a system ruler's very extensive family off an Imperial held planet as part of sealing an alliance with that system ruler and an unexpected encounter with Thrawn had made their journey back a touch more difficult than anticipated.

The debriefing was going to be a nightmare.

It was late enough, and everyone tired enough, that it was decided the debriefing could wait until the next morning to avoid people falling asleep in the middle of answering a question. Nonetheless, General Draven stepped in front of Zeb, and bluntly said:

"You need to watch what you say. Take care of them."

And then Draven stomped off.

A little further on he encountered Antilles and Skywalker, returning from patrol, and both looked at Zeb, gave him nervous smiles and shook their heads.

The few others he encountered had similar reactions. The wookie, Chewbacca, laughed at the sight of him.

"...everyone acting weird..." Zeb grumbled under his breath, as he tapped the keypad to his shared quarters. The door slid open.

Zeb took a step back.

He closed his eyes, leaned in and took a good sniff.

His eyes opened and he stalked into the room. Zeb unconsciously let out a low growl.

Their quarters hadn't changed that much; it looked Kallus had brought in an extra table, and there was a cradle beside the bed on Kallus' side.

At the moment, the cradle was empty.

Its occupant currently was curled up against Kallus' chest under his half-unbuttoned shirt as he half-way reclined on the bed, a reading bolster supporting his back, data pad in one hand. He was watching Zeb, his face carefully blank. His only movement the minutest shifting of the arm curled around the baby.

Zeb prowled around the room, sniffing and growling, until he was standing over Kallus. He loomed over the human and the lasat-human baby as he leaned down and inhaled. The growl evolved into a deep, deep purr-like sound. He pulled in another deep breath before touching his forehead to Kallus'.

Then he licked Kallus' face from chin to forehead. He angled his head lower and gently did the same to baby, who let out an indignant little squawk. After that Zeb turned tail and ran from their quarters like the entire empire was after him.

Kallus stared after him, vaguely stunned. Then the baby started fussing, and his attention turned towards her.


Hera Syndulla had had made strange and unusual conversations in her life but Mart Mattin sitting down across from her in the mess before she'd had her first cafe of the day and start talking about "the baby" and maybe she should take custody of her because while he thought Kallus was doing a good job, and Zeb would adore her, but it was just a matter of time before they screwed up and Keeva was such a cute little thing who deserved better.

Hera blinked slowly, then she placed a hand over Mart's mouth.

"Mart, what baby? Who's Keeva?"

"Wow, I would have thought Zeb would have…" he was interrupted when Kallus sat down at the table. With a sleeping lasat baby in a sling against his chest.

"Good morning Hera," Kallus said setting his tray and café down. He looked at Mart. Mart made himself scarce. Kallus took a sip of cafe, "I don't suppose you know where Zeb is?"

Hera's lekku twitched for a moment as she stared at the child.

"No, I would have thought he'd be with you and?"

"Keeva," Kallus sighed, "Zeb's and my child. Before you ask 'how?' do you remember when we rescued Kniwta Sa and Commander Cody?"

"Oh. Oh no," Hera facepalmed, "you did warn him."

"Yes, I did," Kallus said drily, looking fondly down at the sleeping ball of fluff, "I'll tell you more, but I would really like to talk to Zeb first."

"I haven't seen him since we got back. He said he was going to your quarters."

"And he did; he came in growling and sniffing, then he licked my face, licked Keeva's face, then ran out like Tarkin's ghost was chasing him," Kallus toyed with some of the food on his tray, "I would have followed him, but Keeva started fussing, and I didn't want to leave her, nor did I want to go wandering around the base with her at night."

"Did he now?" Hera looked decidedly dangerous.


The small officer's lounge was all but deserted, except for Kallus.

"Uhm?"

Kallus looked up from the datapad Hera had given him. It had surprised him when he received word that command did not want him present for the debriefing of the three Imperial political prisoners that the Ghost had brought back but now he was fairly certain he knew why. Jahan Cross he could have dealt with, the former Imperial Intelligence Officer was smart and reasonable…and devastated at the destruction of his home planet. But Yogar Lyste and Tarrant Jovan? He detected the irritating hand of General Draven. The man was unpleasant and made no bones about disliking Kallus (a mutual feeling) but he also seemed to adore Keeva from a distance. But Kallus had found most of Rebel Command seemed to come undone in the presence of the baby – most curious. He was going to have to ask Zeb about it. But Zeb was going to have explain himself first.

Kallus looked at Zeb with a raised eyebrow and decidedly unamused expression.

"Uh?"

"I know you're more articulate than that Garazeb," Kallus said caustically, but softened it by reaching his hand out to Zeb.

Zeb took Kallus' hand and sat down next to him on the couch.

They stared at one another for a few moments.

"A baby? How? I didn't think you could have a baby? But there she is and…." Zeb started to babble.

"Most human men can't" Kallus said, "and I am not one that can. Besides, I'm not certain if a natural human lasat pregnancy could occur even if I was. Zeb, you…"

"But she smells as much like you as she does me," Zeb interrupted, hand stopping just short of touching the tan baby sling, "she's even got your coloring, well, mostly."

Kallus set the datapad down and took Zeb hand with both of his.

"Zeb, do you remember when we rescued that Kaminoan scientist? What you said when she asked if there was any way she could show her gratitude for getting her and Cody out safely? Do you remember what you said?"

It was always fascinating watching the blood drain from Zeb's face. The short dense fur on his face seemed to suddenly shade closer to grey.

"But I was kidding!"

Kallus pulled Zeb's hand so he could feel the baby's warmth through the fabric of the carrier.

"And I told you that Kaminoans aren't known for their ability to understand humor," Kallus murmured drily, "So I woke up the morning after you left with Kniwta Sa at our door with a tiny little lasat-human hybrid."

"Karabast!"

"Yes, and I've said that frequently in the last seven and a half weeks," Kallus sat back tiredly, absently curling an arm around the carrier, "What happened last night, Zeb?"

"Err," Zeb's ear swivel up, and then down and flattened, "well, everyone I met as I was headed to you was acting weird, and then the door opened and I smelled, well, smelled her," he nodded to the baby, "and I don't know, I was tired and there was a strange lasat smell that smelled a bit like you in our quarters, and it took me a while parse together that it smelled like me too."

"You thought?" Kallus puffed up a bit, mild anger stinging.

"I told ya I was tired," Zeb growled a bit.

Kallus huffed, but settled again.

"Anyway, when I finally smelled the both of you together," his ears twitched, "I knew what I was smelling and I panicked. I mean let me at the bucketheads all day, but, well, I thought, the one time I really should have been with you, I was gone."

He saw Kallus' skeptical expression.

"You got a long body, you coulda been hiding a bitty girl like this in you for a while," he said defensively, as Kallus scoffed. Zeb continued, "and then you know it hit me, a baby. Really a baby. How the boggans could I raise a baby? A kid? I just kinda fled," his ears drooped in shame.

Kallus waited, eyebrow raised.

"Hera's read me the riot act," Zeb admitted, "and I think sour old Draven was ready to skin me alive."

"Yes, he has been acting weird," Kallus muttered.

"Yeah, a lot o' others let me know what they thought of me bolting like that, while I was looking for you."

"I only told Hera," Kallus' brows knitted together, "although I suppose that I turned up at the morning briefing without you, might have been a bit obvious something was off."

"Yeah, well, I knew Princess Leia was scary, but have you ever seen Skywalker mad? I mean really mad?" Zeb shuddered, he paused finally having built the courage to make the request, "uhm, can I? Can I hold her?"

For a split-second Kallus actually shrank back, then a self-disgusted look flickered across his face, and he carefully removed Keeva from the carrier across his chest.


Keeva did not like it at all; it was time to sleep, so why was she being taken out of her nice warm pouch? Away from her person's scent? No, she had to protest, had to let the world that this was just not acceptable, and she let out the loudest of her protest cries.

"Aw, now don't be like that," a deep rumbling voice that was not her person's soothing baritone said as she was handed over to a set of large hands that were both scary and soft, "I'm yer, I'm yer Arga?"

"That is the Lasat term?" her person chuckled, as she was being shifted to rest against the interloper's chest "karabast, she's back to looking really tiny."

Keeva snuffled. All right, so the interloper smelled... good? Familiar? Certainly not the acrid scent anyone else who had held her that wasn't her person.

And he was warmer than her person although she still preferred to be in her sleeping pouch.

Still, this was acceptable. Perhaps this one could be her other person.

Her mewing squeaks tapered off and she drifted back to sleep.


"Well, I'm going to take that as good sign," Kallus murmured, as he leaned into Zeb's side, "she doesn't stop crying if I let anyone else hold her."

"Baby lasats don't like anyone but their parents holding them," Zeb said off-hand as he marveled at just how weightless their little fluffy girl seemed, "they're very vocal about it."

"Ah, that would have been good to know," Kallus sighed, vexed, curiously his eyes were being to sting, "Zeb, you're going to have to tell me everything you know about lasat baby. I can find enough information on human children, but Keeva is mostly lasat," he stopped, touched his face and felt tears; how strange, "and I've spent the last seven and a half weeks terrified I was doing something wrong," and he knew he was being unfair, "and Icouldn't run away."

"Karabast," Zeb's shoulders slumped, "we've never talked about this."

"To be fair, I don't think either of us thought 'this' would ever happen," Kallus gave a tired laugh. Why was he feeling so exhausted all of a sudden? He snuggled closer into Zeb's side.

"That's not what I meant," Zeb said, but was distracted by something else, "Keeva?"

"Hmm, yes, an ancient Stewjonian warrior goddess," Kallus said softly, beginning to feel more relaxed then he had since, well, since Kniwta Sa had handed him his daughter, "it actually means 'Gentle One'. I couldn't keep calling her 'little one,' Zeb, and everyone kept asking."

"Huh."

Zeb felt Kallus nod against his side. He contemplated their daughter and then looked at Kallus and found both were sounds asleep. They still had a lot to talk about.

Zeb snorted.

It could wait.

He wrapped an arm around Kallus' shoulders, and then let himself drift off as well