The Escapade (Callé’s Side)
RP story written with @kaidin-ryscandor-ace-pilot
Callé pulled her hood tighter around her. She had been sent by Padmé to go and find food for her and the other handmaidens. Well, really she had volunteered. She needed to get out of that stuffy Senate building. She had seen enough of it in the previous weeks since the battle on Naboo, so when Padmé asked if someone would get lunch, Callé was more than willing to go and stretch her legs. It would also give her time away from Padmé. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her best friend, because she did. However, ever since the incident with Obi-Wan on Naboo, her friend had been... smothering. Callé knew that her friend cared about her, but she just needed time.
Callé was near the store that she had found when she searched for nearby grocers when she heard a whistle behind her. She tried to ignore them, but the catcalls just kept multiplying. Their shadows surrounded her.
“Oh come on, sweetheart,” One of the harassers called out to her, “Come have a drink with us.”
Callé tried her best to keep going, trying to push through them. “ I really can’t do that. I’m on a deadline.”
“Deadlines can be extended,” this particularly creepy man said as he towered over her. Callé fumbled around with her robes in vain for her blaster.
“Hey,” a voice said, “I’d recommend that you leave her alone. Otherwise those officers over there?” He said, pointing to the Coruscant law enforcement across the way, “Will find out you’re harassing a minor.”
“You sure about that, kid?” Another guy said, shoving the man. The man just brushed off the dirt.
Callé knew the boy meant well, but she couldn’t stand to see someone get hurt at her expense, so she stepped in front of her would-be protector.
“Hey! Leave him alone,”Callé said, finally finding her blaster in her skirts. “I can use this if I have to,” she threatened, but she knew it was a bluff. She’d forgotten to reload since she left Naboo, so she had enough for one shot, maybe two.
“I got this,” the boy said, getting back in front of her with his own blaster. “I say you all chill out and look over there. Seriously.”
Callé looked at the boy incredulously. That was his plan? Look over there?
It worked.
The boy grabbed Callé’s hand and ran through the streets, dragging her behind. The men followed, but the duo were faster. The boy pulled them into an alley with an abandoned speeder.
“That was close,” he said.
“Is this your speeder? Because I don’t know if my lady would condone stealing,” Callé smirked before peeking out into the streets. “They’re still a ways away, but they’ll find us eventually. What now?”
“We drive,” the boy said, helping her into the passenger’s side. Callé couldn’t ignore the fact that he had glazed over her first question, especially as she watched him hotwire the speeder.
She gave him a concerned look. He barely looked her age. Did he know what he was doing?
“I’m a fantastic driver,” he grinned.
Callé looked at her sideways. She was in no position to complain since the boy had just gotten her out of a jam.
“Do you have any idea where you’re going?” she asked, watching the scenery whizz by. So much for getting better acquainted with the world at her own pace.
“Yeah,” the boy replied, weaving through traffic. “The name’s Kaidin Ryscandor. You got a name?”
“Callé,” she replied, “I’d shake your hand, but I’d feel better if you kept both hands on the controls!”
“Understandable,” Kaidin replied, pulling off into an area with stores. They had shaken their thugs and were safe. Callé took his hand as she stepped out of the speeder.
“Do you make it a habit of swooping in and rescuing people?” She asked as her feet hit the ground. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting any of your day plans.”
“Plans? Nah, I don’t have any plans,” Kaidin shrugged. “And, nah, I don’t make a habit of it.” He smiled, Callé caught a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Just protecting royalty.”
Callé chuckled at the boy’s presumptions. She looked down at her outfit, taking in the relative plainness of her robes today. “Oh, you’re a little mistaken. I’m not royalty.”
She was flattered, though, that anyone could think otherwise. “Well, if you don’t have any plans, maybe you could help me find some food? I was on a mission to secure lunch for my lady and those creeps just happened to derail that.”
“Well, I think you could be a princess,” He said, smiling at her with dazzlingly white teeth. “Not to worry, I know a place where you can get food.”
Kaidin adjusted his jacket and offered her his arm, “My lady.”
Callé rolled her eyes, but slipped her arm through his. “Lead the way, flyboy.”
She looked around at the buildings, finding that they extended impossibly high in bot directions. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Coruscant,” she murmured.
“It’s a confusing place, Princess,” he replied. “But, I’ve lived here all my life. It’s rather dull.”
They walked up to a food store and Callé was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of options. She took a basket and began to rifle through the shelves, pulling off odds and ends to make a nice lunch spread for her friends.
“Have you ever wanted to go off-world?” She asked out of curiosity. She stood on the tips of her toes trying to reach a box of Nabootian crackers, but her diminutive height kept her from barely making the shelf. She felt a body behind her as Kaidin swooped in and took the item off the shelf with ease, placing it in her basket.
“Always. I want to be a great pilot and go across the galaxy,” He said with slight blush. “A stupid dream, but a dream nonetheless.”
“I don’t think dreams are stupid,” she replied with a gentle smile. “I think the galaxy is such a place where anyone can do anything should they set their mind to it.” She paused and looked back at the top shelf, “We are our own limitations.”
“Very wise,” he responded with a smile, “But, enough about me. What about you? Who is this lady you keep mentioning?”
“Ah, my best friend,” Callé nodded, “Queen Padmé Amidala from Naboo. We’re visiting the Senate to discuss some issues with the Trade Federation. We defeated them in battle and now she needs to sort out some treaty business.”
“Oh, Queen Amidala?” He asked, showing a hint of recognition, “Ah, you’re a handmaiden, then. Maybe you should be the queen.”
Callé gave him an unamused look as she paid for her wares. “I’m perfectly happy with where I am now. I’m not the best at negotiations. Nor do I enjoy having to put on a show all the time. I admire Padmé and what she does, don’t get me wrong, but I could never be the person Naboo would need me to be.”
“If you say so,” Kaidin answered, running a hand through his hair. “I wouldn’t amount to much either.”
Callé found that hard to believe. “Nonsense. After that stunt you just pulled, you could be the hero of the galaxy,” she said, winking at him before exiting the store. “You know, we’re always looking for pilots on Naboo,” she added.
They walked a little ways towards the speeder. “Hero of the galaxy?” he asked, with a devilish smirk, “You mean the hero of you?”
“Oh, you wish,” she replied, playfully smacking his arm, trying to deflect. She carefully placed her basket on the speeder bike, turning to face him, “Do Coruscant women usually swoon when you tell them you’ll be their hero?”
“No. Do I look like the type to make ladies swoon?” He shot back, “I’m like 16, Coruscant women aren’t usually around my age.”
Callé took in his scruffy appearance, appraising him. He was attractive with his boyish charm. She just wanted to reach out and push the hair out of his eyes. “You never know,” she teased, “So, hotshot, my mission’s accomplished, but I have some time to spare. What’s fun around here?”
“Nothing,” Kaidin replied, “But I am.” With a wink, he helped her onto the speeder. “Where to? I often go near that weird temple thing. They don’t know I’m there though.”
“The Jedi Temple?” Callé asked awkwardly. She wasn’t too keen on seeing Obi-Wan again so soon. Her heart couldn’t take it. “Are you sure that’s such a good idea?”
“What can they do to us? They’re peaceful aren’t they?” he said, narrowing his eyes at her, “Unless there’s someone there you don’t want to see?”
Callé had to play it cool. “Oh, no reason. I just don’t think my lady would like it much if I get in trouble,” she shrugged. “I have no business being there really.”
“I do annoy Kenobi a lot, though,” he grinned.
Callé tried to respond nonchalantly, “I’m sure that’s not hard, from what I’ve heard.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind my presence,” Kaidin said.
Callé laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ear, letting her hood fall back, “Yeah? And how do you figure that?”
“Because he would have said otherwise,” he laughed.
Cal came to the conclusion that as the passenger of this vehicle, she didn’t have much of a say in where they ended up. She hit some form of acceptance. “How often do you go there?”
“Often enough. Master Yoda knows I do, but he doesn’t say much about it,” he replied. “Maybe they’re keeping an eye on my to be a pilot for them? Oh I hope I get assigned to Kenobi.”
Cal smiled a sad smile. “I don’t know if he’ll be leaving the temple for a while. He just lost his Master and got a new Padawan,” Cal commented before quickly adding, “or so I’ve heard.”
“Ah. Well, I won’t bother him then. I could go give him a hug, but he wouldn’t appreciate it.”
“Do you know all the Master Jedi?” Cal asked curiously.
“Not by name,” he replied, “Only Yoda and Obi-Wan. We should tell them bout the rescue, maybe then they’ll let me be a pilot for them!”
“Is there a reason you want to go to the temple so badly?” Cal asked with a raised brow.
“I’m forced to live day by day as a hustler. Gambling to steal from wealthy mobsters to survive,” Kaidin told her, “It’s nice to have stability.”
“Understandable,” Cal sighed. “I have to be back at the Senate building by two, though.”
“This won’t take long,” he told her.
She quickly found herself at the temple, with some help from Kaidin’s apparent lack of respect for speed limits. Once there, they saw Obi-Wan surprisingly by himself, staring out at the sunset.
Cal sat back in the speeder, waving Kaidin ahead, “You run along, I’ll wait here.”
“If you’re sure,” Kaidin replied before setting off towards the Jedi.
Cal casually picked through what she had bought at the store, trying to seem disinterested. She pulled the hood over her head. She gently got out of the speeder and looked out over the city. They were higher up than she’d expected to be. She could barely make out the Senate building on the horizon. She took in a deep breath before heading over to Kaidin, hood pulled over her head, hiding her face in the shadow. “Kaidin, we should probably get going. I’m expected back soon.”
“Right. Of course, course, Princess,” he told her, before looking back at Obi-Wan and adding, “Bye, dad.”
Kaidin took Cal’s hand and led her back to the speeder. She held his hand like it was her lifeline, afraid that if she let go, she would render herself immobile. She wanted to turn around and run back to Obi-Wan, but she knew better.
“Did you do what you needed to, flyboy?” She asked softly, but the teasing didn’t have the same bite that she wanted it to.
“I did, Princess,” Kaidin said. “Oh, since we’re friends you can call me Kai instead of Kaidin.”
“Alright, Kai,” Cal said, trying his name out on her tongue. “My friends cal me Cal.” She let a silence sit for a moment before asking, “Is he okay?”
“He puts up a good act,” Kai told her, “But his eyes tell his true feelings. He’s sad, of course, scared of failing in teaching Anakin... He’s got a lot on his mind right now.”
“I feel for him,” Cal sighed. “He needs to give himself more credit, though. I’m sure Anakin will turn out fine.”
“Same here,” Kai replied. “Let’s get you to the Senate, Cal.”
They sped off to the Senate building, pulling up to where they parked the speeders. She gingerly looked over at him, not wanting to leave, yet. “Will I see you again?” Cal asked.
“Of course,” He replied, casually taking her holopad and typing on it. “I added my contact in here. So just holovid me if you’re ever free, and we’ll go do something.”
“Why do I feel like you’ll be trouble?” Cal asked with a smile as she took her holopad back, placing it in the basket.
“Well, excuuuuuuuse me, Princess!” he replied, eyes alight with mock offense. “Trouble? Me?”
Cal rolled her eyes. “Yes, you. All the trouble,” she chuckled. “Don’t make me regret meeting you, Kai.”
“Oh, Princess, I think you already do,” he winked before kissing her on the cheek.
Cal blinked at the sudden kiss, feeling her face get hot. “I...um... I should head inside,” Cal blabbered as she gathered her things and walked towards the entrance. She caught Kai waving at her before getting on the speeder again. She let the doors fall closed behind her and made her way back up to the others.
“What took you so long?” Padmé asked when she returned.
“Something...unexpected came up,” Cal replied with a knowing smile.
