#tag for my buddy kark

[nightmareentertainment]

literally agonized by the imagery of the sun coming up in the real world as the fight in the digital world ends. they had tomorrow waiting for them. they couldn't die here. and so they didn't, the sun rose, and a new tomorrow began. and all the parents are watching, waiting, unaware of truly how much time had passed for their kids, truly unaware of the agony, but knowing in full what their kids had just done. heroes in the form of little kids disappearing from the sky and the sun rising for a new dawn. ack

[simpingwriter]

Cal Kestis x Kyra Yarmot

'Revenge and Redemption:

In the Name of Love'

Pt.6

___________________

Well, empty room and myself, here we are again. Fascinatingly enough, I had this one ready a day after Chapter 5 and I just forgot it in my Documents 😬

But thankfully I remembered tonight!

And I even got Chapter 7 almost finished for no one to read but me (for about three times to edit) after I stopped using the 'Cal Kestis x Reader' Tag.

But hey, maybe some of you are silently reading along, and for my own sanity I will think of it that way! :D

Enjoy! :)

Word Count: approx. 3.047 Words

___________________

When you heard the Droid's familiar beeps forming Cal's name, a huge wave of relief washed over you, smiling as you stood a bit behind Cal, planning to step next to him just when BD starts beeping with panic.

'Kyra!...she fell. She's dead!'

Could he not see you behind the ginger-

"What? No, BD. She was injured though, she was in a coma for a while, but here…look, just like you remember her. Mostly." He quickly explains, doing the part of stepping aside himself to reveal your anxiously happy frame. You simply couldn't believe your's and Cal's luck that all your work truly paid off in the end…

'KYRA!' His beeps rose in volume, jumping up and down on the workbench, already showing off his still functional liveliness as his ginger friend has to reach out on reflex, helping BD bridge his way over to your own shaky hands.

'I thought we were both…I saw you hit the rocks, but you really survived! You're truly undefeatable!'

You went to doubt that until proven guilty of charge, seeing as you most definitely would've died hadn't it been for Cal and Trilla immediately coming to look for you after you disappeared into the Ravine. Well, mostly Cal. He didn't leave you a second time, just like he had promised.

He didn't leave you to rot in a dark, shut-in place a second time…he wouldn't.

"Because I love you, that's why." He gently informs, strengthening your believe in the three of you, enveloping both you and BD in a finally reunited hug, the small Droid whooping excitedly. "It's been too long for us as well, buddy…I left you as well. Can you even forgive me...?"

BD repeats something akin to a hum as he attempts to tilt his head, the fresh joints still needeing to be used-in better, 'Does the work of the Inquisitors include adventure?' "Ye-" 'Because I am in regardless.'

You karking loved this quirky bucket of cables and electric devices and his ability to keep up with surprising you two every time anew.

"Are you sure…unlike us, you're not programmed with a moral compass, you're basically hardwired to follow Je-"

'You're wrong, Cal. I follow those who I trust with my life. Those that would never abandon me without reason.'

Chuckling warmly at his quick, mature response, you hug him closer to yourself, planting a peck on the top of his cold, metallic head, "You have a better and bigger heart than most of the people that I met during my long time alone before Cal…"

The Inquisitor in front of you could only nod and hum in agreement, holding out his arms once more for BD to jump back into, resuming his old spot withina few seconds of climbing over his buddy. Like nothing ever changed, just the outfits. You three are still you.

"Hey…Kyra... are you hungry?" Where did that question come from? – "My brain?" – But yes you are, the only thing you ate in the last 24 hours were these small empire-issued 'heat-up dogs'...and you doubted they had the same nutrients as that amazing Energy Bar Cal snuck into your hands back in the Infirmary.

"They don't, I can tell you with certainty. I felt like a wet, moldy mop after refusing to leave my quarters during my first week to socialize and eat at the canteen, eating basically nothing but these sausages in various forms." That sounds…horrible, your precious mate deserved good food, the very best food. Why did he hide in his rooms, they clearly accept him on the Base.

"Well, now. But back then I was 'the suspicious newbie'? Jedi willingly joining the Empire and especially the Inquisitorius is basically a fairytale to them, so be ready to keep getting these odd glares for a while…" You left the small closet, shutting the door behind you for now as Cal yawned and stretched his long limbs from the stuffy room, now clearly unbothered by the former way they looked at him. The distrust they must've shown in him, expecting him to turn on them because they never turned his brain into mashed veggies like they usually had to.

But knowing your Cal, he surely proved his loyalty in a way that was incredibly difficult to disprove afterwards. What if he stood out positively in a mission, helped in a way that a potential loss turned into a positive outcome?

"I helped them locate a potential, unfortunately now debunked Rebel Leader and Informant and at first…I felt bad for selling him out, I...once knew him." From Bracca? Or from his time with Cere, like that guy from the planet he ran into you? The one you nearly got killed for force-throwing his blaster away?

"I…I actually mean exactly him...he is still here, getting his mind turned inside out since months."

You felt the discomfort in his words, but as quick as they surfaced he had fully erased them once more, he felt no remorse or regret any longer. And you knew you couldn't in your new position.

"I killed him with this very lightsaber, my first confirmed kill as an Inquisitor…" He touched the unique lightsaber hanging off his belt as his thoughts told you everything you needed to know, Cal didn't feel any remorse because he reminded himself of one thing the whole time: That man had worked with the Rebellion. The very Organization…well, group, trying to revive and rebuild the actual Organization behind your suffering. Behind the hidden suffering of many, overshadowed by the apparent good they did.

"Exactly. By extension…it eased some of the real anger I have for the now fallen Order." Yet not for long, the death of a simple low ranked Informant wouldn't shake up the Rebellion as potentially one of their actual leading figures.

To the higher forces up at the top of every group or organization, that lowly Informant, the soldiers…you…you were all replaceable. Such a loss was nothing to them at the end of the day…

"But imagine taking out a whole Rebel Base." You suddenly add, with such ease in your words, it was hard to believe you once had been somewhat of a rebel yourself, almost not even registering that you had blindly followed Cal out of your Quarters and into the monotone gray Hallway. He obviously knew by now where to go, so you kept doing that as the conversation went on. Though you never expected such a subject between the two of you, such a dark one.

"It would harm them much more, yes. But I think you know without me having to tell you how the Inquisitors' missions get planned and set." So much more useless stuff would be done instead, got it boss.

Holding each other's gloved hand, like the cliché couple you had wished to finally be, you reach the upper floor that, from Cal's words, also held the Canteen. Just one Canteen for such a huge base seemed a bit... inefficient in the long run though, was there even enough spots for every person and staff? What about these Troopers just on their way through that got hungry?

"You think about way too much...way too deeply, dragonfly. As long as we get something to eat and somewhere to sit, there is nothing to worry about." Your loud, grumbling stomach audibly made you agree as you gasp at the sight in front of you as you wondered even more how Cal was able to avoid this place for a whole week.

The initial question of how they fit everyone on here into one canteen was also wiped away on the spot when you saw the sheer size of it. It was even multi-layered with huge windows to show the surrounding Ocean you're all under. Let's hope nobody on Nur had a karking Phobia of the Ocean.

Or that the material could slowly lose quality under the water's constant pressure on it-

"Grand, isn't it? Come, I'll show you where we can order food over the course of the day. The menu changes everyday but let me tell you ahead of time, the choices are going to be nothing extraordinary usually." Who cares if it was extraordinary or not, you simply hoped it's more filling than those stupid, suspiciously pink sausages!

Cal pulls you to the sides, away from the middle area that was clearly reserved for eating, some just regular benches and tables while some instead were more akin to small separate and more private lounging areas with a square table at each. The canteen had probably the most personality of everything on Nur till now, like someone totally different designed this area than the rest. Alone the mesmerizing view from the overhead window view kept you looking up while walking, bumping into your taller lover as he stopped suddenly. Only when you looked back down to see why he stopped, did you realize that you're standing in a line now. There were multiple across the canteen's two sides, but this one was significantly shorter.

"This line is reserved for us, Inquisitors, and the higher ranked Purge Troopers…but I can't really tell you if our food is any different, never truly felt inclined to try from the other lines." Just as he said those words, you noticed a familiar hairstyle a few Troopers ahead of you two. Trilla.

Your compassionate side, the one that tried befriending people to make your life easier, wanted to talk to her, to maybe ask if she wanted to eat together, try to warm up to her and give her the chance to do the same with you. But you quickly shook that thought away again, returning to focus on the warm feeling of Cal's hand, having to remember that it probably didn't work that way on Nur. Or anywhere else within the Empire. Or most places in the Galaxy...

Would you find any other friends besides Cal and BD-1 on this watery Rock?

"We can talk with Trilla once you're allowed to train with the rest. I remember her very clearly challenging you anyways, she takes those…way too serious, such promises." Cal told you, also shortly eyeing Trilla now from behind, BD copying the both of you as he tried to look over his friend's shoulder without slipping by accident, still getting used to the new legs. 'Is she really our friend?' BD asks the real questions sometimes, leaving Cal without an answer shortly before he sighs, "I don't know myself to be honest. Sometimes I think she is, the next day she's such a karking prick again."

Did anyone ever tell Cal that some rare types of friends show their affection through playfully rude gestures, that not just you specifically function that way? Trilla probably doesn't even know anymore how to be nice, it's not like she came here willingly like you two, she was mentally broken and basically forcfullu reshaped to take the Empire's Orders.

"You got a real grim way of looking at this." But are you wrong about your way? You highly doubted many of the Inquisitors still even knew what a good joke was. And yet it was wrong to think of them all like that, having only met Trilla, of them all, personally – and that a mere handful of times, two still as enemies as well – so who are you to judge them by the things you heard about them. Told to you by people supporting the Rebellion, to add on top of everything.

Every opinion of every thing was to be taken with a grain of salt. In the end, you had to make your own experiences with people and other things to paint a good, well-rounded picture for yourself.

Absolutely everything depended on one's personal point of view – no matter if it is morally wrong, good or in the various gray areas – which sometimes was easier and sometimes harder to find.

"Okay, riddle me this, what kind of karking meat do you want, Philosophicus?" Well, at least your drifting thoughts were probably educational in some way, unlike other's thoughts that spun around nothing but drooling over today's menu choice and…you. The thoughts about 'you' did make you blush though…

"I can't understand how you aren't drooling, are you okay? Are your stomach and brain separate entitie-" He stops himself before you do it yourself, side-eyeing him worried. Was the human brain and stomach…physically connected? You thought the stomach can only control emotions.

"Stop thinking about it, Please. I see my mistake, okay?" He chuckles embarrassed, hiding his face between your shoulder and head as you pat his head, messing up his red locks in the same moment, a smile creeping on your face at the sight, "Happens to the best of us…"

The food was, just like he warned you, not exactly special in the overall taste. But it tasted much more healthy than whatever 'heat-up dogs' are karking made of – "I hope it's less than three Meat Types.". And an actually cooked, hearty meal made your conversations flow much deeper now than those during quick snacks between tinkering, basically ending up in the side-quest/challenge of 'Who can chuck down this cylindrical, floppy fabricated mess and mass of mystery meat quicker'. Thanks to your…totally natural advantage…you usually won that.

"Just say that you wouldn't even have a gag-reflex to save your life!" Cal jokes before gently bumping your shoulder for your attention, nodding over the comfy wall of the lounge you sat in, "See them over there?"

He means the group of regular Troopers over there, from the way his thoughts spun. You knew that the Clones were allowed to take their helmets off while on break or when there was no significant conflict at the horizon, so seeing the Troopers also do the same didn't surprise you as much, shortly watching them chat and munch on their sandwiches before lowering yourself back onto your spot on the more comfy looking bench. "Yeah what about them?"

What he did next, you really hadn't expected from Cal, the ever behaving, calm one of your trio. He took one of the plastic straws issued to your soft drinks and…a salt pea.

"Watch me."

And you did, like a mischievous moth to a flame, anticipating the outcome as he quietly blew through the straw and the pea hit its target on the spot. The back of one of the Troopers Heads.

Quickly he forcefully pushed you both back down, heads ducked down and chuckling into your gloves as the shot Trooper grunted in annoyance, noisily dropling his cutlery. "Who was that?! Show yourself if you got any balls!"

Wide eyed, you continue to giggle to yourselves as BD jumps on the table, looking at the yellow vegetables Cal just used for his childish ammunition, 'This can't hurt them?' He asked perplexed, instantly having gone to scanning them – proving also that Cal did in fact manage to fix that as well – as you shook your head, still working on the fact that Cal did the same thing you did as a Padawan once upon a better, calmer time.

"Want to try too?" There is no try, there is only do. So you took the straw confidently from his open palm as he held it out to you, sucking some salt peas up yourself, BD watching once more in high interest, using Cal to look over the benches as well when you spied your own targets on a different side of the lounge.

Some researchers, poor bastards wouldn't even know what hit them...

One by one, you blow back through the straw, barely seeing the peas fly as they were too quick when yours also hit their mark perfectly. Now someone bald had five mushy, yellow spots on his dome, his fellow Co-Workers quickly looking around for the culprit.

But in the meanwhile, you're already too busy keeping your cackling to the silent type with your mate, holding onto each other and the table for stability as Cal replayed the peas' impact, both of you repeatedly starting to laugh again until you had managed to calm down. "Kark, I love being able to act like a kid again, Cal. Had I done this anywhere else I had been in these last four years, I wouldn’t have made it out of that town or settlement without a mob at my tail…

Though you doubted you would stay unpunished here either if you were unlucky and found out as the pea-sharpshooters, so you had to stay as quiet and careful about these little funny moments as possible.

You finished your tablets of food in a more civilized manner after that, occasionally still having to chuckle a bit at what happened beforehand but ultimately it was a calming lunch. Even if it was in a canteen, you kinda liked it more than when you had to eat on the Mantis. Probably because despite the food here being served rather heartlessly in presentation and all, it still tasted a lot better than whatever Greez cooked up to three times a day. Which isn't that hard, Cal immediately thought when he heard yours, but still. You had been at many Canteens, just like Libraries basically, and usually it was always the same problem: The cooks didn't know what seasoning is, probably can't spell it either, or that some meats just taste like shoe leather if cooked all the way through.

"Well yeah okay, they season the food well here though, don't they?" Cal asks in regards to your thoughts, carrying his dark gray tablet to one of the carts as you follow close behind with yours before you make your way to the exit again, the same way you came before, having a hard time ignoring the less suspicious but more...surprised stares, mostly at your non-human features.

"I like eating spicy, you already know that. So yeah, this Firebean Rice was really good for example!" How are you two still able to talk about food with basically being about to be rolled out of here from the mountain of food Cal ordered onto your tablets?

But he quickly took you away from food related thoughts when he mentally bumped you for your attention before looking where he had been looking moments before. Trilla, again.

She was eyeing the small Droid on Cal's Shoulder, but it was hard, no, near impossible to read her emotions from the mixed signals she was sending in general. Was she intrigued why he was suddenly back in working order, angry, confused? Would she tell the Grand Inquisitor about BD? And if she did, what would they do with the small Droid then?

"Come, we shouldn't linger. We can ask her tomorrow, you just got the okay for your Training Restrictions being lifted, look." He was too good at changing the subject when he showed you his small HoloPad, a mail by the Infirmary, specifically Dr. Puloria, explaining the next steps addressed at you and how much you're allowed to do while training again.

It's been about time you could let out some anger physically again, you hadn't trained right since months! The news excited you enough to get steered out of the Canteen by Cal, away from Trilla's odd, unreadable stare until you finally reached the Elevators.

"Will you train with me tomorrow then?" "Of course I will, Dragonfly, someone has to make sure you don't overdo yourself again immediately." While that was his official answer, which he was okay with others hearing, his thoughts were a slight bit different.

He wanted to see how you would fare against the other Inquisitors, against him. He wanted to see just how strong you could be if there was nothing to hold you back, actually.

While you couldn't use your wings yet to for example dodge through the air, fly up to do aerial attacks and so on, you're still far more equipped to do good damage even without a new lightsaber yet.

"I just realized I never saw you fight with your own Lightsaber…I only saw it shortly before I left." And before that, the only way he had been able to see you fight enemies was with your claws, teeth and horns. Theoretically you didn't need one, but he knew and felt the bitterness of losing it again eating at your mind. Now to Cere, of all possible people.

But the training halls had "stock Lightsabers" for training anyways. They remembered him from his and probably your time at the Temple, the lightsabers weren't able to hurt your opponent lethally, just bruise and slightly burn them. Pair that with the Inquisitors' and Purge Troopers protective gear, it wouldn't be more than a tingle. Enough to learn new techniques and to spar against another.

"I won't need one anyways tomorrow. I had to fight without one many times and my long-ago ancestors didn't even have them."

So tomorrow...you would show the honor for what they gave you for being a proud Kaluk. You had to show what they were capable of!

[gothwarlocks]

Follower Meme

Tagged by: @a-muirehen and @raven-of-domain-kwaad, thank you both very much!! I might do this for one of my Sith babes next...

Tagging: @clonethoughts @kyber-heart​ @mimabeann @palepinkycat @thedinalixlegacy @twilekku​ and anyone who wants to, as always. I have totally lost track of who’s done this already and for how many characters, so pls don’t feel pressured and feel free to skip. 🤠

How would your character act if they were an In-Game Follower?

LEV’RANI

Class: Scoundrel (Scrapper/Ruffian)

Weapons: Blaster Pistol, Shotgun (offhand)

Selection Line:

“Ready.”

“What’s up?”

“You rang?”

“Wanna cause some problems?”

Battle Lines:

“This should be fun.”

“YEEHAW!”

*hollering with laughter*

“Let’s go!!”

“Wanna grab lunch after this?”

Exiting Battle:

“Kriffin’ idiots.”

“I was just getting warmed up!”

“So, about lunch...”

“I do love bustin’ skulls.”

“You alright?”

Healing the PC:

“I’ve got your back, buddy.”

“Here--take this!”

“Feel better?”

“Hang on!!”

KO’d/Low Health:

“KARK!!”

“Don’t think I can make it alone over here...”

“Come on! Not like this!”

“Guess I had it coming...”

Resurrected:

*coyly* “You didn’t see that~”

“Owe you one!”

“I need a drink...”

“Round 2!”

Misc. Click Lines:

“What’s goin’ on?”

“I got a buddy that works a diner on Mek-Sha. We should really visit them sometime.”

“Me? Sober? Less likely than you think.”

“Back on Coruscant, I knew all the best venues on the lower levels. Sometimes I miss that special kind of grime they had...”

*humming a tune...maybe a song reference lol*

“Need a stim?”

Gifts:

Love: Underworld Good, Courting (if romanced)

*loud and cheerful* “Haha! I could kiss ya!!”

*genuinely humbled* “Dude...”

Favorite: Weapon, Military Gear

“And here I am, empty-handed...”

*shocked and grateful* “I... Thank you.”

Like: Courting, Technology, Delicacies

*excitedly* “Don’t mind if I do!”

Indifferent:

“Uh, thanks.”

“I mean, I won’t refuse...”

Likes: helping those in need, flirting, risky behavior, violence, anti-Empire sentiments

Dislikes: slavery, prejudice, authority figures, military powers, the Empire

Where the PC meets/recruits him:

Lev would be a companion you pick up on Nar Shaddaa during a vanilla class campaign. I would love to think of him as being holed up somewhere unsavory and in dire need of someone to bail him out of a sticky situation involving some of the local gangs (and his history of undermining them lol). He’d be more willing to ally with Force-blind characters or those playing classes that aren’t considered Force-users, and would offer his services as an infiltrator, hired gun/muscle, and halfway decent medic. His personal conversations would range from wanted to take the PC out for a night on the town, political discussions, and talking about his past. His (very short) missions would involve providing aid of varying degrees to his comrades on a couple planets. One could involve something like helping a local community attain better access to medical supplies or other basic survival needs. Another mission could involve ruffing up a friend’s shitty ex. Fun stuff!