BD-1 chirped as he rested on the shoulder of Cal Kestis, watching him snipping and reconnecting wires that belonged to the Mantis' main outrigger engine. The crew had only planned on being on Lothal for a day or two, to search the old Jedi Temple, however, the couple-day trip had become a week-long one when the ship had refused to take off.
"No Beedee," Cal told the droid. "I am not almost finished; I just took over for Greez. We'll be out here for at least a few more hours. You can go back on the ship and shutdown if you want, though."
The exploration droid trilled in protest. Ever since Cal and his droid had been imprisoned by bounty hunters, BD-1 hadn't left Cal's side.
This droid is so clingy, he thought.
"Then be patient," Cal scolded. "How can a droid even be impatient?"
The droid beeped angrily.
"Yes Beedee," Cal retorted. "I know that you're just full of personality."
"Talking to a machine, are you?" Asked a voice that came from behind Cal.
The Jedi Knight turned around to see the gray-skinned Nightsister, Merrin, approaching him. She wore her hood over her head.
"At least I'm not talking to myself," Cal said in response.
As if I don't do that too, he thought as he watched her approach.
"I suppose," the Nightsister said, crouching down next to Cal to watch what he was doing.
"What brings you out here?" Cal questioned, still focused on his work.
"Wanted to get fresh air," she told him. "Though it is much colder than I expected."
"That's all?" He asked further. "Just the fresh, unusually cold air?"
"I also thought you might want some company, other than your droid," Merrin told him. "And the others are asleep."
"I see," Cal said. "Well, you're welcome to stay out here."
"That's what I planned to do."
"Do you know anything about fixing S-161 luxury yachts?" The Jedi asked.
"I cannot say that I do," the witch told him. "Never did I come across many of them on Dathomir."
Cal chortled at her joke. "Of course, you don't. Neither do I really, I'm just applying what I know about repairing other ships similar to it. Care to learn?"
"I suppose it could be a useful skill to learn," she said. "If I am to stay a part of the crew."
"Well watch what I'm doing then," he told her. "You see this black wire? Somehow, it snapped and got tangled up with this red one. So, what I have to do" – Cal snipped the red wire – "is cut it, untangle the black wire from it, and then reconnect both wires to their other sides."
Cal twisted the black wire to its other side, then did the same to the red wire.
"Repairing a ship is that easy?" Merrin asked.
"Hardly," Cal answered. "That's just one of many problems. Greez has been so caught up with the ship's interior maintenance that he's neglected the engines."
After a few moments of silence and watching Cal work on the engine, Merrin spoke.
"The Clone Wars…" she said. "You fought in them, no?"
"I don't know if fought would be a good word," he told her. "But yes, I witnessed them as a Padawan. Why do you ask?"
"During the Clone Wars, there was… lots of violence," she said. "Have you ever lost someone you loved?"
"Yes…" Cal said, exhaling heavily. "My master, Jaro Tapal. He was the closest thing I had to a father. When the clones turned on us, he…" – Cal took a deep breath – "He sacrificed himself so I could escape. It's not a fond memory."
"I apologize for bringing it up," Merrin murmured, her eyes now glued to the ground.
Cal looked at her, he could sense her immense sadness. "Don't worry about it."
"I know how you feel," Merrin said, still looking at the ground. "After the massacre… I had to bury so many. My mothers, my friends… Ilyana."
"Ilyana?" Cal asked.
"She was a close friend." The Nightsister said, now looking at the Jedi. "We spent almost all of our time together. There were many nights we'd sneak out and make potions together at the swamps. I'd always imagined when I was younger that we'd end up together in the future, but then there I was. Closing her eyes and burying her."
"So, she was like a girlfriend?" Cal inquired.
"I suppose."
"Well, as a Jedi, we were never allowed to form connections like that," Cal said. ""But if it's anything like losing any other loved one… Well, all I can say is I wish that it was possible to move past it."
"You do not believe it is?" Merrin asked.
"No," Cal sighed. "I think the best that we can do is slowly just accept that it happened. Then from there, it just becomes easier to bear."
There was more silence, the two of them sitting there and looking at the ground.
"It may sound strange," Merrin said, now looking at Cal, "But it feels better, knowing I am not alone in feeling this way. As you said, it makes it all… Easier to bear. And you know, Cal, I'm hopeful."
"Hopeful?" Cal asked, turning to make eye contact with his friend. Their faces were just inches apart, noses nearly touching.
"Yes," she told him. "I am hopeful that I will make more connections, like the ones I once had on Dathomir. Like the one I had with Ilyana…"
Cal studied her eyes, though they were dark they sparkled. His heart was racing, was she implying what he thought she was?
Just seconds after, she confirmed his suspicions. She kissed him tenderly, cupping his cheek with her gray hand. Her lips were softer than he'd expected, almost like pillows. After a moment, she pulled away; keeping eye contact.
"Merrin, I—"
"Goodnight, Jedi," Merrin said, standing from her crouching position. She had a small smile on her face. "Finish fixing this ship, there's more of the galaxy I want to see."
BD-1 made a sound for the first time since Merrin had come out.
"Yeah, buddy she scares me too," Cal told his droid. "But in the best way possible…"