The sunset on Pabu was like nothing Saedii had ever seen.
Pinks and oranges frosted the lacy clouds along the horizon. The colors crept up – all the way up above their heads, like ink bleeding into dry paper. Beneath, they reflected on the water in a shimmering haze of neon light, dappling around the white specks of sleeping birds bobbing in the gentle waves. Little veins of lavender and navy were just beginning to edge in as the night fought for control.
Phee's villa had a perfect view of the water. It was nestled towards the top of the island – one of the first homes built, she'd told them as she'd shown them around earlier. Made entirely of sun-bleached sandstone, it was one of the larger homes on Pabu, built right on the edge of the bluffs. Two stories tall and with a wide balcony along the second floor, it felt more like a miniature palace than a house.
Saedii and the Batch sat at Phee's table on the balcony. Overhead, small lights crisscrossed like little bits of silk, each as bright as a star. Before them, spread out along the long table, was a massive feast.
Wrecker had nearly cried at the sight. So had Saedii, though she'd never admit it.
Bowls of steaming vegetables smothered in butter. Baskets of ripe fruit. Mountains of rice and potatoes, flavored with rich spices – some that Saedii had never smelled before. Miniature cakes and whipped puddings. Boxes of little candies.
And fish.
Tons and tons of fish. Raw, cooked, fried, rolled in rice – each looking more delicious than the rest.
Somehow, it made all the food on Teth look like stale ration bars.
Across the table, Wrecker gave a delighted burp. "This is the best food I've ever had."
"I'm glad you like it." Phee took a very haughty sip from her glass. Inside, wine the shade of daeka plums was giving off a sweet, spicy scent.
Saedii had tried to snag a glass earlier, but Echo had caught her and poured her water instead. Which was so not fair, considering all the others (minus Omega) were also drinking the wine.
"Where do you get all this food?" Omega asked as she tried a piece of a bright orange fish dripping with a lemony sauce.
"We grow everything ourselves," Phee said proudly.
Echo swirled his glass of wine. "I would think it's hard to grow anything here."
As Phee opened her mouth to answer, Tech suddenly blurted, "An analysis of the soil has revealed it to be volcanic, which means it is rich in nutrients. Paired with the moist island air, the environment is a prime candidate for vegetation growth."
"Right you are, Brown Eyes." Phee's voice grew warm.
Tech flushed at the sound.
Crosshair made a face.
"Come on, Crosshair. You can't still be mad, can you?" Phee asked. She gestured to the lovely patio around them. "Not after you've seen this."
"I'm not mad. I'm nauseous," Crosshair muttered. "Can't you keep your heated gazes away from my brother?"
"Not when he looks that delicious."
That blush on Tech's face grew nearly as bright as the sunset. Saedii and Omega caught each other's eye and giggled.
Hunter watched the exchange with an upturn to his lips. Enjoying the sight of Tech floundering under Phee's attention. Of his brothers exchanging some brotherly banter.
The tension around Phee was still there, but far less suffocating than it had been earlier. Somehow, seeing this place and the villagers had eased some of the anger the Batch had held towards Phee for lying. If Saedii was being honest, a part of her even respected Phee for her commitment to her people. She'd do anything for them.
Saedii knew the feeling.
"Did you all enjoy the tour today?" Phee looked around as she took another sip of her wine.
Shep had taken the whole group around the island. It had been interesting to see how all the islanders had adapted to life here. There had been all different kinds of paintings on the sides of houses, each reminiscent of a distant civilization. Shops and temples dedicated to alien cultures had lined the market, each more interesting than the last. And the people themselves were interesting – open and friendly, despite the scars some of them carried.
Saedii would have enjoyed it if it hadn't been for Aren.
The boy stared at her the entire tour. No matter how many hostile looks Saedii sent his way, he watched her like she was some kind of mystical being. It had been uncomfortable to say the least. She'd been glad when the tour had ended and they'd gone their separate ways.
"It was amazing!" Omega enthused.
"The people here are certainly adaptable," Tech agreed.
Echo gestured to the grand house behind them. "You've got a nice setup. How long have you been here?"
"Fifteen years now. I was one of the first that came over with Shep. Helped him build the island," Phee boasted. Her eyes brightened as she looked at her house. "Where I grew up, I never would have had a place like this. Coming here was the best thing for me."
"Seems like a lot of the villagers feel that way." Hunter's tone was cordial, but there was a hint of something Saedii couldn't place.
Phee inclined her head. "It's safe and stable. After a lifetime of war, it's exactly what we needed."
He leaned back. Contemplative.
Crosshair poured himself another glass of wine. He was the only one of the Batch who had yet to take off his armor, though the fact he was drinking showed he had at least a little trust for Phee. His sharp eyes tracked her every movement as he relaxed back into his seat.
"Lyana showed me a cool new animal. It's called a moon-yo." Omega popped a piece of candy into her mouth. Her eyes were wide and reflected the lights back like stars.
Hunter gave a little smile at that. Echo pointed out, "You and Lyana seemed to get along well."
"I like her. She promised to take me out on her boat."
"That's great." The smile that crossed Echo's face was one Saedii hadn't seen in a while.
Omega looked to Hunter. "I can go, right?"
He looked pleased by the question. "Of course you can."
Overhead, a bird flew by, trilling a song as he flaunted the fish in his beak. Saedii watched as he arced down towards the rocks below Phee's balcony, where he began to swallow the fish whole.
Wrecker shoved another roll of fish into his mouth before letting out a loud moan.
"What's wrong with you?" Crosshair demanded.
"I'll full." Wrecker laid both of his wide hands on his stomach. "I'm never full."
Tech immediately pulled out his holo-pad. "I will note the date and time to commemorate such a momentous occasion."
Phee dropped a casual arm across the back of Tech's chair. "We've got plenty of food," she said, just as casually, "in case you're planning to stay for a while."
"We'll only be here for a few days. Just until the comms die down," Saedii said. "Right, Hunter?"
"Right." Hunter's voice sounded strange. He cleared his throat. "Are you sure you want us to stay at your place with you?"
"Of course. I've got plenty of room, and I've never really had guests before."
"Shocking," Crosshair mumbled into his glass of wine. "Considering your sparkling personality."
Despite the obvious sarcasm, Phee raised her glass to him. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Down below, there was a loud squeal of protesting metal. The sound made Phee brighten as Saedii glanced over the balcony, catching sight of a shadowy figure walking in through the front gate. Saedii's hand went for her lightsaber just as a voice called from below, "Hi, Phee! I didn't realize you were up there!"
"Hi, Aren," Phee called back.
Aren? What the hell was he doing here?
At the look that crossed Saedii's face, something coy slid across Phee's face. "You want to come up?"
Saedii frowned as he called back, "I guess I could for a bit!"
"Why did you invite him up here?" Saedii demanded. In her head, she went back over the very painful tour and the hours of uncomfortable staring.
"Just being neighborly."
A moment later, Aren waltzed through the double doors leading out to the balcony. He smiled brightly at all of them, gaze lingering for too long on Saedii, sitting in the corner. "Hello, everyone. Nice night, isn't it?"
"It sure is." Phee looked amused as she leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of wine. "Just passing by?"
"I was out for a walk." His voice was just a little too casual. Saedii didn't miss the way his eyes flicked in her direction.
Neither did Echo. "Were you now?"
Aren turned to Saedii and a look of feigned surprise crossed his face. "Oh, hello, Saedii. I didn't see you there."
Saedii cocked a brow. They'd already made eye contact twice. What did he mean he didn't see her?
"Are you enjoying your dinner?"
"Sure."
If he noticed the edge to her voice, he gave no indication. "Speaking of dinner, you wouldn't happen to have plans tomorrow night, would you?"
Echo and Crosshair were suddenly fighting smiles. Saedii frowned at them. What was so funny? She certainly didn't think this was funny. "I don't know," she answered slowly.
"If you're free, I'd love to take you out."
"Take me out where?"
"To the festival. Just the two of us."
"Why?"
Across the table, Hunter gave her a look that said Be nice. Wrecker was whispering in Crosshair's ear, who was grinning outright now.
Aren rubbed at the back of his neck. "I figured since you're new here, someone should show you around."
"Your dad already gave me a tour," she pointed out.
He flushed. "Right. Well, you haven't been to the festival. You need someone to show you the good stalls."
"I'm sure I can figure that out."
Now, Crosshair and Wrecker were both chuckling under their breath. There was a flash of gold as credits exchanged hands. Saedii scowled at the two of them.
"Oh..." Aren was deflating a bit. "Well...I would love to hear about your time as a Jedi. I think that would be fun."
Saedii turned to Tech next to her, but he seemed just as baffled as she was. Why did Aren want her to go to the festival so bad?
"She'd love to go, Aren," Phee answered for her.
The look Saedii shot her was boiling, but Aren didn't see. "Really?" he asked, thrilled.
"Absolutely. Pick her up here at seven tomorrow."
"I'll be here! See you then, Saedii!"
Saedii said nothing. Just stared at Phee in a state of semi-horror, mouth parted but no sound coming out. Next to her, Omega was giggling at her expression.
Once Aren was gone, Saedii finally found her voice. "Why did you say yes?"
"Why didn't you say no? You can speak for yourself, can't you?"
A little frown worked its way onto Saedii's face. "I didn't know what to say. I don't know why he wanted me to go to the festival with him. I don't even know why he was here."
"Oh, boy," Echo muttered.
Phee put her wine down. "What did they teach you in that Temple of yours? Did you seriously not know he was asking you on a date?"
A date?
She'd never been on a date before. Being in the middle of a war didn't exactly give her time, and there were never any kids around her age to go out with. A few of her Clone Troopers had talked about dates that they'd been on while on leave, but Saedii had never thought they'd sounded particularly fun.
"He asked me on a date?" Saedii asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Wrecker actually guffawed. But Tech looked puzzled, too, so Saedii was glad she wasn't the only one confused.
By the look Phee gave her, she thought Saedii was either an idiot or completely oblivious. "Because he thinks you're pretty and he wants to spend time with you."
Pretty? She'd never had anyone say that about her before. Had never even thought about it – whether she was pretty or not. It hadn't seemed to matter in the grand scheme of things.
But...there was a part of her that couldn't help but be excited. It was a nice feeling – to know someone thought she was pretty. Unconsciously, she reached up and wound the end of her braid around a finger but dropped it at the snicker that left Crosshair's mouth.
"Um..." She glanced uneasily at the Batch, specifically Crosshair and Wrecker. They were going to tease her for this, but she had to know. "What are we supposed to do on a date?"
Crosshair started to snicker again, but Echo's elbow in his ribs cut him off.
"You're not serious." Phee was aghast.
Saedii flushed.
Tech tapped on his holopad and answered, "According to my files, casual romantic arrangements for your age range typically consist of a meal, an evening stroll, and osculation – more commonly known as kissing."
"You're going to kiss him?" Omega asked in glee.
"No, she's not." Crosshair wasn't laughing now. In fact, he'd grown suddenly very serious. The look on his face made the sting in Saedii's cheeks grow ever hotter.
Especially when Phee argued, "She can if she wants to."
"I don't want to." Saedii couldn't meet any of their eyes. It was too embarrassing. Out of the corner of her eye, she could still see the stupid grin stretched across Wrecker's face. "And I don't want to go on a date."
"Why not? Everyone your age goes on dates," Phee argued. "Right, fellas?"
Suddenly, that air of humor that was hanging over the table vanished. Saedii glanced up in time to see all the guys quickly look away. Hunter was scratching at his jaw, eyes locked firmly on the table before him, while Echo was suddenly very engrossed with the horizon.
Now, it was Saedii's turn to pick. "You guys have never been on dates before either, have you?"
"We were grown in a lab, aged at an accelerated rate, and then put onto a battlefield," Crosshair said drily. "When do you think we had time to date?"
"Wolffe and some of the 104th went on dates," Saedii pointed out.
"We are not regular Clones," Tech said.
"So what? That means you can't go on dates?"
Phee rubbed the spot between her eyes. "Alright, you lot are clearly not good role models in this situation. But believe me, kid – everyone your age goes on dates. They're fun. You need to go and enjoy yourself, and do something normal for a change."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Saedii looked to Hunter and the others. "I'm normal."
"You're a child soldier who doesn't know what a date is. Does that sound normal to you?"
Saedii crossed her arms defensively. Just because she'd been raised as a Jedi and fought in the Clone Wars, Phee was making her sound like there was something wrong with her.
The guys were no help. They all looked thunderstruck, too. Especially Tech, who was frowning like he didn't understand why this was all such a big deal in the first place. The only one who seemed truly interested in all this was Omega, who was staring around with a giddy sort of interest.
"I thought we weren't planning to stay long," Saedii started.
"No! I want to stay for a few more days! Lyana promised to take me on her boat," Omega said at once.
"But we need to leave soon –"
Phee gave Saedii a look. "What's the rush? You guys just got here. Stay for a little while."
The rush was that Saedii wanted to go back to Teth. She wanted to train with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan and Anakin, and bug Rex for any news on Wolffe and the rest of the 104th. She wanted to do something that mattered, not go to dinner.
But she couldn't exactly tell Phee that. No one could know about the Rebellion quietly growing on Teth. Not even Phee, who'd turned out to be more trustworthy than Saedii had expected.
"Go on the date," Phee urged. "Let him treat you to dinner. Stay out too late and get in trouble. Do something that doesn't have to do with war or fighting. After, if you don't enjoy it, you don't have to do it ever again."
Omega was watching her expectantly. And Saedii realized that this wasn't just a learning moment for her, but for her young friend, too. Omega – who had never had an ounce of normalcy, who hadn't experienced anything of the world except for what she saw in Nala Se's lab – was looking to her to see what she would do.
The thought of Omega one day getting to grow up and experience things like dates was the only reason that Saedii finally grumbled, "Fine. I'll go."
Phee flashed a triumphant grin.
Next to her, Tech was watching the whole thing like he was studying a strange new creature. His eyes tracked Phee's every move, cataloging everything. And a sudden wicked idea came to Saedii then.
She didn't have to be the only one suffering.
"On one condition though: you have to take Tech out tomorrow, too."
Wrecker let out a raucous laugh, and Crosshair leaned back with a pleased expression. Even Echo and Hunter looked bemused.
Tech, on the other hand, did not. His face went entirely blank and he stuttered, "I-I do not see how that solves –"
"Deal." The look Phee turned to him was a mix between predatory and soft. A look that suddenly made Tech go scarlet in the face.
"Five credits says the date is ruined in the first ten minutes." Crosshair turned to Saedii, eyebrows raised in challenge. "For both of them."
Wrecker laughed. "You're on!"
Saedii glared at them. Tech sputtered.
Echo gave a little chuckle. "Glad to see we're all settling in."
Hunter seemed to agree. There was a warm kind of look on his face as he glanced between Tech and Saedii – both of whom were blushing furiously – before looking over the rest of them. And he didn't even attempt to hide the satisfaction as he watched his team have a moment to be happy, safe – and normal.