Ok, everyone, this is a part of my ATWOFT AU, and takes place about a year after he first became a Bounty Hunter! He is hired by some Iridonian Zabraks to help out in defeating another village that was trying to take their lands… but what happens when he meets a young woman who has fire in her eyes and an aura of safety around her?

DISCLAIMERS!

The author doesn't own Star Wars, or any characters from the series; I only own the OCs and the AU.

"Courage isn't having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don't have strength."

― Napoléon Bonaparte

"The bravest thing I have ever done was continuing to live when I wanted to die."

~ Juliette Lewis

The Kyuzo walked out of his ship, soon finding himself in a crowd of Zabrak warriors.

"Good, good, you came!" The tribe leader said, grinning. Embo stared at him, unamused.

"Of course I came; it would be dishonorable not to follow through with a deal already agreed upon," the Kyuzo said flatly, no emotion in his voice. This seemed to unsettle the natives… except for a purple-haired woman a few yards away. She only seemed to become interested in him, her brown eyes seeming to try to look past his emotionless front to how he was feeling.

"Of course it would, Bounty Hunter," the tribe leader said, bringing Embo's attention away from the young woman. "Now, we must plan our attack on our enemies."

As the plan was laid out, Embo listened carefully, not saying a word the entire time. Then, somehow, the purple-haired Zabrak woman was standing right next to him, and he could see that her tattoos looked like they had only been drawn into her skin a few days ago. Somehow… standing next to this young woman… he felt… safe.

He couldn't recall the last time he had felt like that, but now, standing next to a person he didn't even know, he felt like nothing could hurt him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her studying him, like he was a puzzle she wanted to figure out.

When the plan was laid out, the attack group dispersed to prepare for battle.

"Your name is Embo, right?"

Embo looked over, and saw that the young woman was following him.

"Yes," he said flatly, his tone still emotionless. However, it did not deter her.

"I'm Sugi," she said, and he felt like she wanted something from him. However, it was obvious that she didn't know much Kyuzoni.

He didn't answer.

She didn't seem to care.

Embo leaned heavily against a thick-trunked tree, favoring his broken right leg, while pressing a hand against a large gash in his chest and left side .

The attack had been a partial success; they had driven the enemy from the lands of the tribe, but they had suffered heavy losses. And Embo had been separated from the group.

Apparently, the opposing tribe had thought him enough of a threat as to get between him and his allies, then descended upon him like a starving pack of anoobas. He had managed to take most of them out, the few survivors fleeing, but he had been badly injured.

With a pained groan, he slid down the tree he had been leaning on, now sitting slumped against the trunk, darkness biting at the edges of his vision.

Maybe… maybe this wouldn't be so bad… maybe it was his time now…

Suddenly, the young woman from earlier, Sugi, came into his line of sight, kneeling down next to him.

"Embo… you ok?" She asked, something akin to worry in her voice.

That was weird. Why would anyone worry for him? He was nobody; a failure, worse than nothing. Nobody really worried for him.

Then, to his surprise, the young woman went closer to him, gently prying his hand away from his wounds so she could have a better look at them. Embo was too tired and hurting to try to stop her; besides, she made him feel safe. He somehow knew that she wouldn't hurt him.

"This is bad," she whispered, gently prodding at the long, deep gash that stretched from Embo's right shoulder to his lower left side. It was bleeding profusely, a small pool of dark red blood already forming under the Kyuzo.

Embo knew that his chances were slim… but something about this woman made him feel the need to continue living; to not give up.

Then, a trio of Zabrak men came into the small clearing, and, after seeing the Kyuzo's condition, carefully picked up the Bounty Hunter, trying not to cause him more pain…

Embo soon blacked out, pain and exhaustion overwhelming him...

And that's it for chapter one! Let me know what you all thought of it, and I'll see you again soon!