okay so you played Jedi survivor. What do you think of Zee (the high republic robot) because I love her so so so much and I would play an entire game as her in her prime (and also the mixologist droid from greez’s saloon I love him)
i LOVE HER she's so brilliant and so fun, i love her dynamic with monk (mixologist) too and i love the way he updates her on the Current State of Things lol
“Cal,” Greez breathed, the bottle in his hand shaking a little. “What’re ya doin’ here?”
“I could ask you the same question. You’re supposed to be asleep on the Mantis right now. Are you okay?”
Huffing a sigh, he turned his gaze up to the ceiling. “No. The room’s spinning.”
BD-1 beeped, and Cal chuckled. “No, buddy. He doesn’t mean the room’s actually spinning.” Moving to sit cross-legged beside him, he hesitated before asking, “You wanna talk about it?”
--
Cal quickly scanned the saloon, surprisingly quiet now at this time of night. Hard at work wiping down the bar, Monk twisted his head slightly.
“Ah, Cal! It’s great to see you.”
Despite the fact that the droid said it every single time Cal walked into the saloon, the young man still smiled and stepped up toward the bar. “You too, Monk. Empty night, huh?”
“Most patrons just left,” he replied. “It’s strange. It is not usually this quiet.
“Tell me about it.” Cal glanced around again before returning his gaze to the bartender. “Have you seen Greez? He’s not on the Mantis.”
Monk was silent for a moment, his head spinning to seemingly look away. “He is downstairs.”
Cal’s brows furrowed. “In my room?”
“Yes. He wanted to be left alone, but…” Monk trailed off, and his head spun back around to the front. “Perhaps you should check on him, Cal.”
Despite what many people said about droids, Cal could detect emotion and empathy within Monk’s words. BD-1 beeped questioningly, while Cal simply nodded and stepped away from the bar. “Thanks.”
It was no secret that they were all struggling. Kata was barely eating, Merrin was constantly moving and fidgeting, Greez would cry when he thought no one was looking, and Cal couldn’t sleep. He was putting all of his energy into checking on Kata so that he didn’t have to think about himself, even when Merrin gave him those looks. It just felt so overwhelming.
They’d keep telling Kata that things were going to be okay, but they were just lying to her face. Death never stopped. He wasn’t sure he could count the number of deaths he’d seen on two hands.
Cal shook the thoughts away. It wasn’t the time to wallow. He took everything one step at a time these days, and the next step now was to find Greez.
As he descended the stairs, Cal could hear muffled moaning. He moved a little quicker.
When the door slid open, he saw Greez sitting on the floor beside the window. He was leaning with his head back against the sill, his arms sprawled out with one hand holding a half-empty bottle. Tears trickled down his face, but he didn’t even bother to lift his head upon hearing the door open.
“Whoever it is, Monk, I’m not in the mood,” he mumbled. Cal shook his head, walking over to crouch beside him.
“Not even me?” he asked gently. Clouded eyes slowly roved toward him, blinking once or twice before there seemed to be any recognition.
“Cal,” he breathed, the bottle in his hand shaking a little. “What’re ya doin’ here?”
“I could ask you the same question. You’re supposed to be asleep on the Mantis right now. Are you okay?”
Huffing a sigh, Greez turned his gaze up to the ceiling. “No. The room’s spinning.”
BD-1 beeped, and Cal chuckled. “No, buddy. He doesn’t mean the room’s actually spinning.” Moving to sit cross-legged beside him, he hesitated before asking, “You wanna talk about it?”
Silence fell between them for a moment. Greez sighed so softly it was almost inaudible. “It’s her birthday.”
It suddenly felt like a Star Destroyer had just crashed into him full speed. Cal closed his eyes, trying to shake off his dizziness. “I didn’t know.”
“She wasn’t one to share.” Cal opened his eyes, taking Greez in for a moment before moving to lay down beside him, his hands beneath his head. The ceiling’s fluorescent lights blinked as if they were pitying the two men on the floor. BD-1 hopped to sit in between them while Greez looked to Cal. “You don’t gotta stay here, kid. I’ll be fine.”
“I know.” Moving his head to meet Greez’ cloudy eyes, Cal felt a lump form in his throat. “I want to.”
Greez’ expression twisted into what looked like pain, but Cal recognized it as his ‘trying to hold back tears’ face. “What’d I do to deserve you, kid?”
Cal smiled sadly. “I think Cere would want us to stick together.”
He got a sob in response. It took a second for him to compose himself.
“...I miss her, Cal.”
Cal felt his heart shatter. Seeing Greez like this, merely like a shell of himself, was upsetting in a way he couldn’t explain. He reached over, gently rubbing one of Greez’ arms, trying to fight the burn in his own eyes. “I do, too. And if she were here, she’d hate that we’re just lying here.” He could already hear her voice.
My death was necessary to protect those codes. Keep fighting so it was not in vain.
“It ain’t fair,” Greez moaned, his words slurring a little as he drank more from the bottle. “Just when we felt like there was some hope, she…”
“I know.” For a moment, the familiar rage burned in his chest as he thought of Bode. After all of this, he wasn’t sure he could trust anyone anymore. The darkness hummed around him, and he ignored it. “We’re gonna keep fighting for that hope. For Cere.”
Greez rolled over, pressing his face into Cal’s shoulder as he cried. Cal’s arm came up to hold him, letting him let it out as he stared up at the blinking lights, listening to BD-1’s sad boops and wondering if the pain would ever stop.
Would he someday lose Greez, too? Merrin and Kata? Why was he still alive when everyone he cared about always ended up dead?
The darkness around him hummed louder this time. Whispered voices spoke to him in unknown languages. When he closed his eyes, he could see Dagan. He could see Bode. He saw Cere and Trilla, who beckoned him closer.
Before he could do anything, Merrin appeared behind his closed eyelids. Her voice echoed. I can’t lose you, too. His eyes shot open. He focused on Greez’ warmth, on the way his chest heaved. Greez needed him now. It wasn’t the time to feel sorry for himself.
He held him for a while until Greez slowly pulled away, wiping at his eyes sloppily. “Sorry, kid. You shouldn’t’ve had to see that.”
“It’s okay.” And he meant it. BD-1 nuzzled its head against Greez’ hand, and he gently pat the droid while Cal took the bottle from him.
Clearing his throat, perhaps trying to regain some composure, Greez looked tiredly up at the ceiling. “Next time I see Vader, I’m gonna kill him.”
Cal smiled, a little more genuine this time. “I’m sure you will, Greez.” Suddenly, the door slid open, and Merrin and Kata stood at the foot of the stairs. Merrin’s eyes were wide, perhaps scanning for danger until falling on the two men on the floor. For a second, no one spoke, until Cal lifted a hand in a half-hearted wave. “Hey.”
Kata rushed over, kneeling in between Cal and Greez. “Are you okay? Why are you here?”
“Oh, I just needed some peace and quiet, Kata. But you know Cal. He won’t leave ya alone,” Greez answered gently, seemingly sobering up the second she got close. She smiled slightly.
Merrin, meanwhile, let out a relieved sigh, shaking her head. “I woke up and you were both gone - I thought something happened…”
Cal sat up slowly, the bones along his back cracking painfully. “I’m sorry…I couldn’t sleep, and I had to go looking for Greez. I didn’t want to wake you up.”
She gave him a look. He knew she could help with the dreams - in fact, she often did - but he couldn’t ask that of her every single night. They’d had this conversation a lot. They decided not to continue it in front of Greez and Kata.
“I am glad you are both alright,” she said instead, looking at Greez now, clearly knowing that ‘alright’ was not quite the word that she should use in this situation as her gaze flicked toward the bottle Cal had placed on the floor.
“Of course I am. Nothin’ can get the best pilot in the galaxy down,” Greez replied, either a really good actor or genuinely feeling better just with Kata by his side. Cal couldn’t tell. “But layin’ on the floor ain’t so bad.”
Kata scrunched her face up. After looking at him skeptically, she lay down between Cal and Greez, her small frame fitting in the space perfectly. BD-1 happily hopped onto her chest as she looked up at the blinking lights, smiling. “It’s not as bright in here as it was at home.”
Cal hated that Nova Garon was ever considered home for her, but he didn’t voice it. Instead, he nodded, always trying to keep things light when she was around. “Yeah, it’s pretty great. Greez made this whole room for me. It’s nice to get off the Mantis sometimes.”
“I like going to new places,” Kata agreed, looking up at Merrin, who smiled back. The smile faded slightly as her eyes drifted toward Greez. Cal followed her gaze.
His eyes were closed, his two left arms resting on his chest that rose and fell with even breaths. All that crying had tired him out. Maybe the alcohol had a hand in it. Kata lifted her head to see, too, her lips parting in surprise.
“Is he asleep?” she whispered, her head swiveling to look at the other two. Merrin smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip, then stood up, walking toward the small alcove where the bed was. She grabbed one of the rolled-up blankets, shook it out, and walked it back over. After shaking it out, she gently placed it over Greez, who mumbled something under his breath, and knelt down beside him. “We’re not gonna leave him alone, right?”
Cal, while trying to fight the burn in his eyes, exchanged a look with Merrin. Despite everything, Kata was so kind. He remembered Cere’s voice, urging him to guide her. He turned, gently ruffling her hair. “No, of course not. He’d want us here tonight.”
Pleased by that answer, Kata smiled and lay down between them again. Cal shrugged and lay down as well, raising his brows at Merrin, who sighed softly before joining them. He placed an arm around her. She lay her head on his chest. Things were quiet besides Greez’ soft breathing.
It was late, so it didn’t take long for Kata to join him. While she slept, she grabbed Cal’s free arm, happily snuggling it in place of her Mookie doll, while BD-1 nuzzled up next to his neck. For what felt like the millionth time, he held back tears as he stared up at the ceiling, a mix of sadness and gratitude surging him all at once.
Merrin lifted her head to look at him, gently sweeping hair from his eyes. He leaned into the touch, feeling his eyelids grow heavy by the moment as she took his hand in her own. “Sleep,” she said softly. “We are safe. I promise.”
Strangely enough, he felt too tired to argue. “Thank you,” he mumbled, weakly squeezing her hand before allowing his eyes to close.
On that floor, surrounded by his family, he had the best sleep he’d had in weeks.
