xxvi

It's been a week since our daring rescue, and a damn good one at that. Let me fill you in.

Ma wasn't as angry as we thought she'd be, and not for long, either. She had her Osak back, and everyone else was in mediocre health (we've been better, but also much worse), so she didn't have much to complain about besides my recklessness and stupidity. Which, let's be honest, I've had those all my life. She's used to me by now.

Osak, though not back to full health yet, is making a slow but sure recovery. Aola fusses about him non-stop, but I can't really blame her. I've been Din's full-time nurse, too.

Speaking of, Din is nearly back to himself again, and the child is absolutely thrilled. He also met Detre, and although he won't admit it out loud, I can tell he adores her nearly as much as I do.

Emil is still my little brother and one of my best friends. Iggy and I are far more distant with each other, and it's been really awkward, but we're looking at each other again, which is a start, I suppose. Din isn't complaining about our distance, obviously.

Daechi and Kago are their usual happy selves, even more so this past week since they decided to finally have their wedding while I'm here.

They wanted it to be fast and simple, and it was. Daechi picked me to be the Maid of Honor and Osak was the Best Man, although the two titles didn't mean much. Everyone was included; it's not like we could invite anyone else, but they were both fine with a small group. Detre was their little flower girl, which I found adorable. And of course, the child was somewhat of a ring bearer, although he has too short of an attention span for that, so they let Din carry him.

As complicated as it sounds, it wasn't fancy or anything, but Daechi wanted us to get a little dressed up anyway. It was the only day I didn't complain about it, because it was my best friend's wedding.

She insisted on doing mostly everyone's makeup, with the exception of Din. He was wearing different clothes and he even ditched the armor, which was incredibly weird.

She wore a simple flowy dress that reached all the way to the floor, complete with see-through, gauzy sleeves and no shoulders. She looked so comfortable and happy in it as she got married to Kago that I nearly cried- and I hardly ever cry.

Me, I didn't get too fancy, and it wasn't all that tight or anything, which was nice. It was just a modest yellow dress with tiny sleeves that didn't go past my shoulders and hung slightly off of them. There were little flowers all over it, barely visible, but it was easy to move in and I didn't really hate it. We found most of the outfits in the back of the closet, by the way, but they weren't bad for a last-minute wedding.

Long story short, we all had a blast. Daechi and Kago are officially married now (Ma did the honors), though they both say it felt like they were married for much longer. Detre didn't exactly understand what was happening, since her parents are already the perfect couple so I'm sure it seemed like they were married, but she was excited for a party regardless.

That was last night. We're leaving today; we've already been here too long, and since people are looking for us, I don't want to put my squad in danger.

But that's not until tonight. For now, everyone is helping us get ready, and I'm double-checking the ship to make sure everything is as functional as it can be.

As I'm making sure all of the controls work, my arm accidentally hits a button to access the comm logs. I notice one that's been dismissed and never viewed, from an anonymous sender. It was sent nearly four hours ago.

Upon pulling it up to view, I'm shocked to find that it's from a certain Greef Karga, one I'd assumed was dead. It pains me to see him, but I watch the comm anyways.

"My friend, if you are receiving this transmission, that means you are alive. You might be surprised to hear this, but I am alive too. I guess we can call it even.

"A lot has happened since we last saw each other. The man who hired you is still here, and his ranks of ex-Imperial guards have grown. They have imposed despotic rule over my city, which has impeded the livelihood of the Guild. We consider him an enemy but cannot get close enough to take him out. If you would consider one last commission, I will very much make it worth your while. You have been successful so far in staving off their hunters, but they will not stop until they have their prizes.

"So, here is my proposition. Return to Nevarro. Bring the child and the girl as bait. I will arrange an exchange, and provide loyal Guild members as protection. Once we get near the client, you kill him, and we both get what we want. If you succeed, you keep the child and the girl, and I will have your names cleared with the Guild, for a man of honor should not be forced to live in exile. I await your arrival with optimism."

I sit back once the transmission has played through, soaking in his speech.

To be honest, it sounds like a load of bullshit. There's no way this isn't a trap in every sense of the word. But he does drive a hard bargain, and surviving would mean we would get to stop running and live free.

But then, would it be worth it to put the child in so much risk?

I rush out of the cockpit and back into the building, stopping only at my room. Din is sitting on the bed, the child on his lap. He looks up when I enter.

"There's something you need to see," I say breathlessly, beckoning him to follow me. Daechi gives me a strange look as I run out with Din on my heels, but I pay her no mind.

As soon as the transmission ends, I look to Din to gauge his reaction. He's silent, probably thinking. I see his helmet tilt down towards the child and know he's thinking about the thousands of ways this could end badly for all of us.

"It's not a choice," he finally says. "We have to go."

I nod. "I know."

"He'll be expecting us by the end of the rotation."

"I know."

"I don't trust him."

"Hardly anyone does. You saying we need backup?" He nods once, looking out of the window to the building where the rest of my crew is. "Not them. It's been a long week, and they deserve a break."

His gaze finds mine again. "We could ask Cara."

"Deal. When are we leaving? I want to get this over with as quick as possible."

He shrugs. "As soon as we say goodbye."

>>>>><<<<<

Our goodbyes were tough, to say the least. Detre was crying, and Daechi and Emil were close to tears. I promised I'd be back to visit, and even gave Iggy a hug. Ma gave me a stern handshake and told me to stay safe, which is the most I could've asked from her. Osak and Aola both trapped me in hugs strong enough to suffocate me and told me they'd miss their little sister, which was nearly enough to make me cry.

But I didn't cry, and soon we were boarding the ship. The child coo'd sadly in my arms, waving his little hands around and reaching out for the people we were leaving behind.

Now, he's asleep in the little cradle I tried my best to construct. It's not the highest quality, but it'll do for now. We can get a better one if we manage to pull this off.

"You realize this is almost certainly a trap?" I ask into the silence, voicing my concerns.

"Of course it is," he agrees. "He's always wanted you dead, and he doesn't sympathize with targets."

I sigh. We have to be on our guard, then. Now that I have confirmation, I realize he'll most likely kill Din and maybe even me, and he'll send the child off for testing or money or whatever the hell they wanted him for. That can't happen. I won't let it.

"Hey," Din turns his chair to look at me, reaching a hand out and waiting for my fingers to interlock with his. When they do, he assures me, "We'll be fine. He's nothing we can't handle, okay?"

I nod silently, still overthinking it. At least we'll have Cara to back us up. I might've felt a bit more comfortable with someone on my squad, but Cara is an amazing soldier and a good friend. Besides, they needed a rest. I don't want to put anyone at more risk after the crazy time we had.

Speaking of crazy... my mind wanders to Iggy. I never told Din what happened, and since we're already well into hyperspace, I should tell him while I have the chance.

"Din?" I call softly. He grunts, facing me again. "I have to tell you something." He nods, motioning for me to continue. I feel the guilt weighing on my chest as I speak. "Iggy... he, um, kissed me." I trail off, not knowing what else to say. He stiffens in his chair as he processes it.

"When?" he demands, his voice low. As hard as I'm trying, it's incredibly difficult to read him right now.

"The day we decided to come after you and Osak. He told me he's been in love with me, for the past six years." My words are hardly more than a mumble.

Din scoffs. "And what did you do?"

"I didn't kiss him back. I told him I was with you-"

"But you let him kiss you?" he growls out, not yelling for fear of waking the child.

"I didn't let him do anything. It surprised me, and he forced himself on me. You know I don't do well in those situations." He looks away from me, silent, but I can tell now that he's pissed off. "Din, I'm sorry. It meant nothing to me, okay?"

He shakes his head. "Then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

I can see his insecurities gnawing at him, and it hurts me to see him so upset. The guilt in my chest is only worsening, becoming heavier with every word.

"Everyone was happy. I didn't want you to start a fight, because you would've."

"Damn straight. If I ever see that bastard again-" By now he's on his feet, and I don't hesitate to rise to mine, too.

"Din, please." I look into his visor, hoping I'm meeting his eyes. My hands have drifted to his chest before I know it. "Look, I understand that you're mad, and you have every right to be. But you don't need to worry about Iggy, okay?"

He shakes his head again. "Why shouldn't I? Six years is a hell of a competition."

My response is immediate. "No, it's not. I'm with you, okay? It's you and only you."

He sighs, his hands moving to wrap around mine. He leans his head down to rest against my forehead gently.

"I'm sorry. But if we see him again, I'm still going to beat his ass for touching my girl."

That sends my heart beating madly, a blush creeping across my cheeks. He chuckles at my reaction, the previous anger mostly washed away by my reassurance.

>>>>><<<<<

We touch down in a clearing in the thick forests of Sorgan, and once again I'm left to marvel at the beauty of it. All of the greenery is astounding, but we don't have much time for a nature stroll right now. We've got to find Cara.

"You think she'd be in the village?" I ask, trying to figure out where that would be.

He shakes his head. "Not likely. She's probably at the tavern where we met. Doesn't seem to me like she'd stay put in the village for long."

I consider this, and realize he's probably right. "Alright, let's go get some spotchka." He shoots me a look. "What? It's good."

He shakes his head, making his way down the ramp. I set the child down on the ground to walk beside us as we follow Din. And I do still admire the forest and the crystal-clear sky, just not as slowly as last time.

I hear her familiar voice the moment we enter the tavern. "That's mine, thank you. Alright, thank you," she says, slightly out of breath, and I see her in the center of a small crowd. She's collecting credits, and she looks happy.

We wait for the people to pay her and clear out before approaching her. "Looking for some work?" Din asks.

She chuckles softly, and we all move to a table. I cast a glance back to the child, seeing him trying his best to catch up to us. As spotchka is poured and their conversation begins, I lift the child onto my lap and accept a cup. Din takes it upon himself to explain the job.

"It seems like a straightforward operation. They're providing the plan and firepower. I'm the snare."

She glances to me and the child in my lap. "With the kid?"

"That's why we're coming to you."

She tilts her head, considering. "I don't know. I've been advised to lay low. If anybody runs my chain code, I'll rot in a cell for the rest of my life."

I can hear the confusion in Din's tone. "I thought you were a veteran."

As he speaks, an angry Zabraki man slaps some credits on the table as he passes. I notice he's wearing a belt similar to Cara's, and put two and two together as she encourages him to come again- she was bar fighting. But it makes her money, so I don't judge it.

As the two talk, I notice the child reaching toward the Zabraki's credits and nudge them across the table towards Cara, instead offering him a small ball of light as entertainment.

I tune back into the conversation as Cara tries to deny our offer. "I'm not in the mood to play soldier anymore, especially against some local warlord."

"He's not a local warlord," I explain, knowing just how to convince her. "He's Imperial."

She goes quiet for a moment, but I can see that she's already made her mind up. "I'm in," she agrees as she takes a sip of her spotchka. I grin, drinking my own.

"How's the village?" I ask after a moment of silence.

She shrugs. "They were doing great the last time I was there. But I left a few weeks after you guys did, and I've stayed in this area since."

I nod. "Bar fighting?"

"Yeah, it makes a decent amount of credits."

"Well, when this job is done, maybe we'll come watch, just for the hell of it." She grins at that.

Din rises from his spot, drawing our attention. "We should get going."

I dip my chin and Cara and I stand, myself keeping the child on my hip so he doesn't get left behind. In no time, we're back in the empty expanse of stars.

The first thing Cara asks about once we're in the ship is our relationship. "So, what's with you two? Finally together?"

I smirk smugly. "Yup. I did it."

Din swivels in his chair. "Um, excuse me, mesh'la, I'm pretty sure I admitted it first."

"Oh, you may have," I say with an arched brow, pointing a finger at him, "but I initiated the relationship, and I made the move. Don't you forget it, loverboy."

Cara snorts as Din turns back around, probably with an eye-roll.

We sit in comfortable silence for a while longer, before she seems to think of something. "Does your contact need to vet me?"

Din flips a couple switches as he speaks. "Doesn't know you're coming."

"Really?" She leans on the back of an unoccupied chair. "That could be a problem."

I shake my head. "He's leading us into a trap. We're allowed backup."

"And if it is," he adds, standing up and beckoning us to follow, "that's his problem."

He takes us downstairs to look at his unnecessarily large assortment of weapons and tells Cara to pick one. She takes a few out to look at as they talk, turning them over in her hands and testing the feel of them. She asks if the child is alright alone in the cockpit, but Din just brushes it off as if he hasn't tried to take the ship for a joyride before.

"You trust the contact?" she asks, raising a bomb to her ear and setting it down again.

He crosses his arms. "Not particularly." She takes a smaller blaster pistol out, twisting the barrel. "We had a run-in the last time we were there on some Guild business."

She sets the small weapon down and picks up a bigger blaster. "So then why are we going?"

"We don't have a choice. You saw what happened on Sorgan. They'll keep sending hunters. The kid'll never be safe until the Imp is dead."

She nods, cocking the blaster and looking through the scope. "And you're okay with bringing him back there."

"Not really," Din says.

"No." I agree firmly. "But that's why we're bringing you."

She smirks, but before she can say anything, the ship begins to shake and jerk wildly, tossing us all around. Cara falls against the wall with a grunt and Din is thrown back, but I move swiftly to the ladder and climb up two rungs at a time. Din isn't far behind me, and Cara behind him.

When I get to the cockpit, I see the child holding on to the joystick for dear life as he shrieks happily, alarms blaring and screens flashing around him. I reach him, nearly tripping face-first into the console, and lift him off of it quickly. I hand him over to Din and lurch into the pilot's seat, steadying the ship with a practiced ease. The alarms stop in under a minute and I sit back with a sigh, shooting my best stern look to the child. It doesn't work; he's too adorable to stay mad at.

"We need someone to watch that thing," Cara breathes. Din and I agree, and her next question is, "You got anyone you can trust?"

We both think for a moment. I reflect on our time together. We can't go back to Orvia where my squad is; I promised myself I wouldn't drag them into this. Ran's group is definitely out, and we didn't trust them anyways. Toro is also a no-go. But there is one other place along this insane journey that I felt safe.

I snap my fingers as it comes to me. "Kuiil!"

Cara furrows her brows. "What?"

"He's a moisture farmer. Helped us find the child. That's not a bad idea, actually," he explains.

I smirk. "I know, thanks."

Before he can shoot back a sarcastic comment, we hear a thud from downstairs. I'm the first to the ladder, jumping down with a knife ready in my hand before my feet even touch the ground. But instead of finding a hostile, I see someone familiar crouched in the center of the ship, looking like a child who just got caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

"Emil?" I ask, stunned and lowering my knife. The other two come down behind me, armed with blasters, but I hold a hand out. "What are you doing here?"

He sighs, standing up straight. Cara whispers a question to Din, wanting to know who he is, but Din says nothing, equally shocked.

"I... I heard what was happening and I wanted to help. And I didn't want you to leave..." he trails off at the end, his voice no more than a whisper.

I shake myself out of the shock, rushing forward to grasp his shoulders tightly. "Maker, you're an idiot. I mean, I love you and all, but you shouldn't be here. Oh, Ma's gonna kill me. Do you even know what this mission is? Kriff, we're already risking our lives, I didn't want to risk yours too!" I ramble, probably too fast for him to understand.

Din steps forward, a hand on my shoulder to pull me off of the poor kid. As I step back, he fidgets with his hands, looking anywhere but my eyes. "That's why I came. I knew you wouldn't let me, but I can't sit at home while you risk your life over and over without even asking us, your family, for help-"

I sigh, trying my best to stay calm and pinching the bridge of my nose. Clearly, he didn't think this through. He's a good kid, but using your heart instead of your head in this galaxy can kill you. "Emil, that's a part of this life. And did you even think of the consequences? You're putting yourself in danger. It's bad enough already having to watch out for the people we're bringing, and what if something were to happen to you? I-"

"I'm tired of being treated like a child! I'm not twelve anymore, and you forget what I can do. I am not helpless, Nova," he says firmly, looking at me this time.

Quickly, I shake my head. "I know, and I know what you can do. But you're not invincible, and this mission is more dangerous than any one you've been on. We can drop you off back home-"

"No!" he interrupts me immediately, not bothering to keep his voice down. Then, calmer, "No, I'm coming with you. I had a bad feeling, and a nightmare the night before you left. You're not taking me home."

"I figured. Well, if there's nothing I can do to stop you, at least promise me you'll be careful. I'd hate myself if anything happened to you," I plead, and he agrees with a dip of his chin. Then I turn around to Cara, who stands with a puzzled look on her features. "Cara, this is Emil, a very good friend of mine. Emil, this is Cara Dune, she'll be helping on the mission."

Before they can even exchange greetings, a beeping noise sounds from upstairs. "We're here," Din speaks, making his way back up to the cockpit. Cara follows, but before Emil can, I point a finger at him.

"I'm serious. You're gonna be the most careful you've ever been on this mission, got it?"

He grabs my hand securely. "I promise, Nova. It'll be fine." And with that, we make our way back up the ladder.

>>>>><<<<<

The ship blows up a cloud of dust as it lands on the rocky, familiar terrain of Arvala-7, right in front of Kuiil's moisture farm. I see a blurrg bellowing and smile at the animal as Kuiil does his best to calm it. It's good to be back.

The Ugnaught invites us into his low-roofed home upon arrival, and I'm the only one who can stand up straight as we pass through the entrance. He offers me a kind smile in greeting, and I return it.

He then inspects the child. "It hasn't grown much," he observes.

Din agrees. "I think it might be a Strand-Cast."

The child reaches out to Kuiil as he speaks. "I don't think it was engineered. I've worked in the gene farms. This one looks evolved. Too ugly."

"Hey," I speak up playfully, and he turns to where me and Cara are seated.

"These two, on the other hand, look like they were farmed in the Ctyocaves of Nora." Cara gives him a grin, and I laugh lightheartedly.

Din gestures to our two newest companions. "This is Emil and Cara Dune. She was a shock trooper; they're friends of ours."

The Ugnaught perks up at that. "You were a Dropper?"

She glances at the tattoos on her arm. "Did you serve?"

"On the other side, I'm afraid. But I'm proud to say that I paid out my clan's debt, and now I serve no one but myself." He takes a seat in front of us. Now Din is the only one standing, though he does lean slightly on my shoulders.

However, we all bolt to our feet as soon as an all-too familiar droid steps through the door. Everyone has a weapon out at the sight of the bounty droid IG-11, but I'm the first to lower mine when I see him carrying a tray full of drinks. He doesn't look as dangerous as he used to, almost like something about him is off. I'm mostly just confused, but just to be safe I step in front of the child's makeshift pod.

"Would anyone care for some tea?" the droid's familiar automated voice fills my ears, and I stiffen. He still sounds like the same droid that tried to kill my child.

The Ugnaught turns to us quickly, a hand up. "Please, lower your blasters. He will not harm you."

Din speaks harshly, his voice taken over by a protective tone. "That thing is programmed to kill the baby."

"Not anymore."

At Kuiil's words, I look between our little defensive group, Kuiil, and the baby watching the scene play out with large, curious eyes. Finally, I look back to the droid, still standing with its tray of tea and making no move towards the child. It sets the tray full of cups and a bottle of tea on the table in the middle of the room, and I hesitate. What does Kuiil mean by 'not anymore'?

The short alien begins to describe how he found, reconstructed, and reprogrammed IG-11 completely. He speaks of the droid almost in a fatherly tone, and I find myself lowering my guard once more. I'm the first to sit down, grabbing Din's arm lightly as a way of telling him to calm down.

"Is it still a hunter?" Din asks instead after a simple glance in my direction that I can't read.

"No, but it will protect."

Din stares at the droid for a few moments longer, and I know he's remembering the last time we saw it. How he shot it to spare the child's life. Finally, he takes his spot behind me again, though I can still feel the tenseness in his frame as he leans gently on me.

"Tea?" IG-11 holds up the bottle of steaming liquid, and Cara and I both request a cup. Emil doesn't care for tea and Din can't drink it right now, but I sip on mine as we talk, feeling somewhat content despite our upcoming mission.

After a while of chatter, Kuiil excuses himself, saying that he needs to check on and feed his blurrg. The droid stays silent, observing all of us. Cara and Emil talk a little bit among themselves, and I feel Din shift.

"I'm going to go talk to him about the mission. Keep an eye on the child; I don't trust that droid." He mutters in my ear before following the Ugnaught out. I'd wanted to point out to him that its practically Kuiil's kid and there's not much to be worried about, but he's gone too fast for me to say anything.

I spend my time observing the droid. It doesn't seem so bad, really. And I trust Kuiil and his mechanic skills, so what reason do I have not to trust this droid? Sure, it tried to kill the child months ago, but it was programmed for that, and it isn't anymore. It might as well be a brand new droid.

Din and Kuiil are back in minutes, and from the set of Din's shoulders, he's not overjoyed. "So?" I whisper as he offers a hand to help me up.

"He's bringing his blurrgs, and the droid." He practically spits the last part.

I rest my hand on his arm. "Oh, calm down. The droid's okay; Kuiil's probably the best mechanic I know, and he's the one that reprogrammed him."

He sighs, his gaze on his feet. "I know. I just... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous. If anything happened-"

"Hey, look at me." He does. "We're gonna be okay."

As the others leave the house, either to prepare or make their way to the ship, he presses the forehead of his helmet to mine. "I know."

{word count: 2,138}

a/n: y'all im so sorry if i use a gif of her twice i really can't remember for the life of me which ones i've used