AN. Hi! This is my first work on FF, I hope you like it! Reviews make me happy, and please fell free to leave constructive criticism. I promise you won't hurt me feelings. ;-)
It had been an accident. Hera, Sabine, and Kanan had been checking out the ruins of a burnt down market. Here thought she saw something move in the rubble, and when she walked over, a blaster shot had gone off. It had hit Hera's thigh, barely grazing her. But she still went down. Sabine went to find the attacker while Kanan rushed to Hera's side. She was still conscious, and gripped Kanan's hand while she hissed in pain. Kanan called for Zeb to pick them up, putting pressure on Hera's leg.
Sabine cautiously approached the broken piece of stall the attacker was hiding behind. She heard a tiny whimper, and lowered her blaster a fraction of an inch. Shaking her head, she turned the corner and aimed her gun at...a...youngling? Yes, a light blue Twi'Lek youngling was cowering, a blaster in her shaky hands. "Woah, I'm not gonna hurt you." Sabine held her hands up. "How about you put that down and come with me?" The youngling shook her head, trying to look defensive. Her stomach growled loudly, and she winced. "We have lots of food." Sabine offered. She had never been all that great with kids. "Sabine, let's go!" Kanan yelled, Hera in his arms. In one move, Sabine had snatched the blaster from the kid and scooped her up, running for the Ghost.
Zeb gave her an odd look, but she ignored him, carrying the squirming youngling into the kitchen and dumping her on the counter. "Stay." She warned, before grabbing a ration bar and pouring a glass of blue milk. The Twi'Lek's honey eyes lit up at the sight of food, and she grabbed the bar out of Sabine's hand and stuffed it in her mouth. It was clear she hadn't eaten in some time. Sabine handed her the glass, wanting to check on Hera. She couldn't leave the kid by herself though. "You have a name?" Sabine asked. The youngling looked up, her brow creasing. She shook her head and continued to sip her milk. "Sabine!" She heard Ezra call for her. "Hurry up." The kid downed the rest of the milk and handed the glass over, sliding off the counter with a soft thump. She hugged her bag to her chest and followed Sabine down the halls, until they came to the Med-Bay door. Ezra stared at the youngling. "She's the one who hit Hera. Apparently doesn't have a name, hasn't said anything." Sabine shrugged and went in the room to see Kanan settling Hera in one of the beds, tucking a blanket around her prone figure. "Did you find who did this" Kanan asked. Sabine jerked a thumb towards the door. "Having a staring contest with Ezra." She said. Kanan's eyes widened. "You brought them on the ship?" He asked incredulously. "It's a kid. Hera probably spooked her or something. I'm sure she didn't mean it." Kanan cast a glance outside, Ezra and the youngling were indeed staring at one another. Ezra suddenly shook his head, and the youngling turned her head to see Hera. Her head cocked, and she went in the room and peered over the side of the bed. Her short lekku swayed as she tried to get a better look at the older Twi'Lek. "Get away from her." Kanan tried to shoo her away. She simply gave him a look and went around to the other side of the bed to stand beside Sabine. The Mandalorian gave Hera one last look and left.
Where Hera came too, the first thing she saw was Kanan. He was reading something off a datapad. He quickly put it down when he saw she was awake. "How are you feeling?" He asked, moving the thin blanket aside to check on the would. Hera lifted a shoulder. "Been better. What hit me?" Kanan sighed and nudged the Twi'Lek that had been sitting on the floor beside him. She stood up, and looked over at Hera. "She did." Hera's green eyes widened. "Hello." She said to the youngling, who gave her a little smile. "She hasn't left your side." Kanan informed her. Hera sat up, and patted the space next to her. Without hesitation, the tiny Twi'Lek climbed up. "She's young." Hera marvelled, one hand reaching out to gently stroke the younglings lekku. "And most likely doesn't have a family." "How can you tell?" Kanan asked, settling back in the chair he had pulled up. "Her lekku are bare. They should have been painted by now." The youngling was clearly enjoying the attention, when Hera took her hand away she grabbed it right back and placed it back on her head. Hera chuckled, getting the message and resuming her stroking. "What's your name?" Hera asked in Ryl. "Calix." The youngling answered. "Where did you come from?" Calix's brow furrowed, and she shrugged. Digging in her worn backpack she pulled out a data-pad and a tooka doll. The latter she hugged to her chest, and handed the datapad to Hera. The pilot scanned it over, shaking her head. "What does it say?' Kanan asked, he couldn't read it since it was in Ryl. "No parents. She had been abandoned by her foster group, and picked up by another." Hera sighed. "She's only six standard years old." Kanan cast a glance toward the kid, who was playing with her doll and making little noises to go with it. "We can't keep her Hera." Kanan said. "Why not? She doesn't have anywhere else to go." "We cannot keep a child on the Phantom. Hera, we are basically terrorists." Calix showed her doll to Hera, who smiled and said something that made the girl laugh and hug the stuffed tooka. Kanan sighed. "I don't want to just kick her out the airlock, but the first orphanage or refugee centre we find…" He warned. Hera ignored him in favour of snuggling Calix close.
