A siren split the air in two. The heaving, chattering base suddenly fell silent. There was a pause, just a second or so, when everyone on Yavin 4 held their breath. Then, all at once, they unfroze. Everyone knew that the piercing siren meant something big was happening, something bad, but only a select few knew what it really meant.

General Draven burst through the door of the control room. He'd been about to eat his lunch when the siren began its rise and fall. His first proper meal in two days lay abandoned in the ref. He'd managed to hold onto his caf though, nothing could possibly come between him and the thin cup scalding his palm. Ensign Preev was the first to spot him. She didn't salute like regulation demanded but Draven couldn't care less at that moment.

"Sir, we have an incoming distress call." Preev's hands flew across the controls laid out before her. When she first enlisted, she was intimidated by the number of lights at her fingertips, now she could navigate the system with her eyes shut.

Draven met Mon Mothma's eyes from across the room. Her jaw was tight, her face drawn in worry. He'd never seen her look so afraid. Draven thanked Ensign Preev before he rounded the central console, trying not to look as frightened as he felt.

"Who is it?" He kept his voice low as he approached Mothma. "Everyone knows not to contact us here, we're too exposed. Unless…"

"Unless it's an emergency," Mon Mothma said quietly, confirming his worst fears.

Draven looked over his shoulder and saw Ensign Preev and the others watching them. They were frightened too. "Who is it?" He'd never seen Mothma hesitate before.

"The Empire. They've relocated the Death Star. There's nothing we can do."

"Who is it?"

It was a warm spring evening when the Death Star appeared in the sky of Aldera. Helenia Verbanti was one of the first to see it arrive from the window of the Royal Palace. It was big enough to block out the moon. Someone rose the alarm. Soon enough, the whole planet was awake. Panicked requests for aid were cast out among the stars, they needed evacuation ships and more time. But help never came. Those who did hear their screams assumed the Death Star was only a show of force. They were wrong, and Alderaan's fate was sealed.

Amongst all the panic and the fear, Helenia Verbanti did not abandon her post. She found the Queen and Bail on their balcony, holding each other close. She wanted to say something to Bail and Breha, to thank them, to say goodbye. But she never got the chance. The Death Star was fully armed.

At first, there was just a pinprick of light off in the distance, then the night sky was on fire. All they could see was searing green light. When the powerful superlaser hit the planet, its shields could not withstand the incredible force and Alderaan was destroyed within milliseconds. Helenia's last thoughts were of her daughter, wherever she was. She hoped she was safe, far, far away from here before the planet crumbled away beneath her feet.

Mara lurched into consciousness, sitting bolt upright with a long, hoarse gasp. She sat there, almost bent double, her mouth open wide as she tried to catch her breath. She'd had the most terrible nightmare, but the more she tried to grasp it, the easier it slipped through her fingers. Something awful had happened. She felt it like a knife in her chest, heavy, painful. It felt so real.

Mara leaned her elbows against her thighs, pushing her face into her open hands as she came to terms with consciousness. She felt her dreams drain away until she was left, cold and alone, in the now. Mara rubbed her hands down her face, pushing her fingers into the corners of her eyes to rub stubborn sleep away. It took her a few moments to realise that she didn't feel any pain. Her hands fell to press gently against the right side of her ribcage. When she felt nothing, she pushed harder but she didn't feel a thing. Mara pulled up the front of her new shirt and found the bacta patch still stuck to her skin. The cloud of bruises had almost faded away too. She peeled off the patch, turning it over in her hands a few times before tucking it into her pocket to dispose of later.

Mara got to her feet, moving carefully at first, but she soon found there was no need. The pain in her chest had vanished. Even her head felt better. Mara reached up and found another bacta patch plastered to her forehead, running back into her hair. She hit her head in the escape pod and again when they crashed onto Boz Pity but ignored the pain in favour of her ribs, the more pressing matter at the time. The bleeding had stopped by the time they left the planet; if it weren't for her splitting headache, she would've forgotten all about it. But Bodhi remembered.

She turned and saw that the door to the loading bay was still open. She could see into the cockpit but couldn't see her pilot. Mara found her jacket had been folded carefully before it was propped under her head. A feeling she couldn't name squeezed in her chest, Bodhi had taken good care of her uniform for her. She bundled it up in her arms as she made her way through to the cockpit, making sure to grab his jacket from the bed too. The moment she ducked under the doorframe, Bodhi turned around in his seat. He'd been leaning over the console, checking one of the many dials set in the newly refurbished display, which was why she hadn't seen him from the hold.

"Good evening, Captain." He grinned at her. Before they met, no one had ever teased Mara before. At least, not in the friendly, cheeky way that Bodhi always did. She still wasn't used to it. Behind his smile, she could see that he was tired. His dark eyes were dull, his shoulders low and slumped.

"Hi." Mara's voice was husky from lack of use, which seemed to amuse Bodhi. He didn't say anything, though. He knew when enough was enough. She dropped his jacket onto his lap as she carefully rounded the gap between their seats, and he tried his best to look away as her hips brushed close by him. Her tentativeness was clear. Though her pain was gone, she still kept a hand on her ribs. It had become a habit over the past few days.

"How do you feel?" Mara dropped into the seat beside him, giving him a bit of a look as she settled down. "Stupid question." Bodhi nodded, turning his gaze out to the stars. "How're your ribs, at least?"

"Better, I think." Mara ran her hand down her side, testing herself for any injuries she might not have noticed before. By some miracle, she appeared to be all in one piece. No, not a miracle. It was Bodhi she had to thank. "Yes, a lot better," Mara said quietly.

Bodhi glanced between her and the steering console a few times, put off by her taciturn reply. It wasn't like Mara to be so quiet. "Good," he said. "I didn't wanna have to carry you when we got to Alderaan." Bodhi looked her way but paused when he saw her face fall.

Alderaan. It seemed like a far-off dream when she began. Now she was almost home. Mara had waited so long and fought so hard but for some reason, the thought of going home made her heart sink. It wasn't because she feared being dismissed. It wasn't because she couldn't bear the thought of facing Bail and Breha. Mara felt her heartbeat quicken as it slowly dawned on her that she didn't want this to end, being here in this ridiculous, rundown little shuttle, exploring planets she could only have dreamed of, getting into trouble, laughing freely, being with Bodhi.

She remembered how she felt yesterday when she saw that their comms had been fixed. At the time, she couldn't work out why it had made her so despondent. Now she knew it was because it meant her little adventure was coming to an end. A tiny, insubordinate part of her didn't want to go home. The thought made her feel sick, it was practically treasonous. She'd made an oath to protect the Royal Family until the day she died. But that was before she'd seen what the galaxy had to offer.

"Are you alright?"

Mara looked up and found Bodhi watching her, his brow furrowed with concern. She nodded faintly, not trusting her voice but also not wanting Bodhi to ask her any more questions. He seemed to get the hint.

They sat in silence for a few moments until Bodhi spoke again. "We should name it."

"What?" Mara turned her gaze away from the viewport, her troubled mind already beginning to settle.

"The shuttle. I've been thinking about it. Don't you think we should name it?" Bodhi was often alone whilst he hauled cargo across the galaxy for the Empire. It was very rare to have a co-pilot, he was only driving shipments from one place to another. He was used to be being alone with his thoughts but since he defected, he'd come to like having someone to talk to on these long journeys. Whilst Mara slept, he felt strangely lonely so to distract himself, he tried to come up with a good name for their little shuttle. "All noble ships deserve a name."

Mara scoffed, shaking her head. "I wouldn't say this rust-bucket is particularly noble." Bodhi pretended to be hurt, his mouth falling open and his eyes wide. Mara had to force down yet another laugh but allowed herself the tiniest of smiles. "Fine, name it."

Bodhi was quite surprised that he'd won her round. Mara wasn't nearly as bad-tempered as she led people to believe. His fingers drummed against the steering console as he thought. Despite her swimming head, Mara waited patiently to hear what he came up with.

"The Endeavour," he said at last, drawing out the name with far more veneration than their humble ship deserved. Mara shook her head.

"No."

"Victory?" Mara gave a derisive snort. Bodhi had to admit he was pushing it a bit with that one. Although, despite all odds, the little shuttle had more than proved its mettle. It certainly wasn't the most fashionable or smart or modern ship, in fact, it was a stretch to call it "a ship" at all. Still, Bodhi had grown strangely fond of their temporary home. It was an unlikely hero. Just like someone else he knew. "K-2SO," Bodhi murmured. Mara looked up from a large bruise she'd been inspecting just above her elbow.

"What?"

"The droid I told you about, that I met on Jedha? Its name is K-2SO." Bodhi didn't really expect her to remember but to his surprise, Mara nodded.

She waited for him to explain further before realising he was finished. "You want to name our ship after a droid?"

Bodhi would've been amused by her incredulity if he hadn't been so distracted by her calling it 'our ship'. Of course, he thought of it as theirs, he could hardly believe that Mara did too. The woman who sat beside him was not the same person who held him at scalpel-point and forced him to traverse a desert. She was different now, she wanted to speak to him, she didn't appear uncomfortable when their eyes met. Even her posture was more relaxed, although that could be because she no longer had the awful, restrictive brace holding her together.

"Alright, suit yourself." Mara raised her hands in surrender, she wouldn't argue with him. "'The K-2 Two'?"

"Just 'SO Two', I think." Bodhi gave her a wry smile and Mara almost returned it.

"Sotoo," she said, trying to name out for the first time. It was a strange name for a strange pair with a strange ship. It would do perfectly. "We named the shuttle." Mara shook her head slightly. "This has been the most bizarre week of my entire life."

Bodhi started to laugh but it turned into a yawn the second he opened his mouth. He hadn't slept since they left Boz Pity. This wasn't unusual, sometimes he could go a whole week without sleeping properly. The nightmares bit at his heels. He'd long since given up trying to fight them and would lie awake and stare at the ceiling until sunrise.

Mara didn't know about that. Well, he hadn't told her, but she had this way of seeing right through him. For someone who claimed they didn't have any friends, she was remarkably good at reading people. He didn't have to tell her, she already knew. Just like he hadn't told her that he watched over her while she slept, but she seemed to know anyway.

Mara watched him try to hide another yawn with amusement. "You should sleep."

There was no softness to her voice, it was more like an order. Bodhi had never liked being told what to do but for once, he conceded. "We both should," he said, getting up out of his seat slowly. He'd been sat in the same position for hours and one of his legs had gone to sleep. As he ducked out of the cockpit, he flicked on the autopilot.

"I just woke up."

Mara sounded like she was protesting but when Bodhi turned around, she'd followed him into the hold. He was relieved, he really didn't have the strength to argue with her. "I heard you tossing and turning." Bodhi bundled his jacket up into a pillow. "You hardly slept at all." He set it down at the head of the blankets and then tried to get comfortable. It wasn't exactly warm in the shuttle, he'd tried to reroute some power to the vents but they only breathed out cold air and he couldn't figure out how to reverse it.

They decided to take one of the scratchy blankets and sleep under it instead, but the floor of the ship was hard and cold, even with two blankets beneath them. Bodhi joked he was happy to brave an aching back if it meant they were warm, but Mara was a soldier and had experienced more than her fair share of rough nights. She folded the blanket on the floor in two so that at least their upper halves would be more comfortable, although it meant they had to sleep almost curled up into a ball. Mara was glad her ribs had healed, otherwise she'd still have to lie flat on her back.

Bodhi lay down first, eager to get under the covers. He'd pulled off his shirt and could finally feel the cold properly. Mara was a little more hesitant. There was something different about tonight. Sleeping in the same bed as someone she hardly knew had been relatively easy; there was something far more intimate about sleeping under the same covers as someone she did know. As Bodhi kicked off his boots, Mara slipped under the blanket, pulling the material right up to her chin. Once Bodhi was settled, an odd silence filled the ship. After all the clamour and shouting of Onderon, it felt strange for everything to be so still, even with the constant whir of the engine and the autopilot's quiet rhythmic reminder tone.

Bodhi lay on his back, looking up at the grimy ceiling. Gantoon had missed a spot. Then again, they couldn't complain, it's not like they paid him. Bodhi remembered the bewildered look on Mara's face as he ran to the ship. He wished he had a holoprojector, anything to capture that hilarious expression forever. He had to press his lips together hard to stop himself smiling. He wanted to ask Mara about it, just to see if he could get a smile out of her, but then he heard her sigh.

Bodhi turned his head to see she was lying facing him. Her eyes were down, her gaze resting on the dingy blanket beneath them, one hand propped under her jacket to make herself more comfortable. She looked sad, world-weary. When they first met, Mara was so determined and strong, trying to stand in her way was like trying to stop the planet turning. Now, five days into their arduous journey, she was tired. If it hadn't been for the strength she'd shown already, he'd say she was on the brink of giving up. Bodhi didn't think Mara knew how to give up, but no one could stay strong forever.

"Just a few more hours and you'll be home," he said, making Mara look up. Her gaze was slow moving, it trailed across the blanket, then over his shoulder to meet his eyes. The corner of her lip quirked, just a flash of recognition.

She knew he was trying to make her feel better (an entirely new experience for her) but Mara was all too aware of how much work there was ahead of her. "Getting home was only half the problem. Darth Vader still has the princess." Her voice lost strength at the mention of Leia. Bodhi's eyes, so dark and kind in the low light, reflected the same worry that festered in her head. Mara lost her nerve and looked back down at the blanket.

"Don't worry," Bodhi whispered. He was close enough so that she could feel his breath on her elbow. His words alighted on her skin and lay there. "You'll find her." Mara still wasn't used to kind words, for a second she couldn't believe he was speaking in earnest. The only encouragements she ever got were in the form of harsh criticisms, meant to make her stronger, tougher. Bodhi never talked to her like that. Her gaze met his again and he gave her a small smile. The corners of his eyes crinkled. Bodhi believed in her, even when she wasn't sure of herself. "Night."

He turned over so that he had his back to her, hoping that Mara would be more comfortable if she had some privacy.

"Night," she echoed, a little more sure of herself now than the last time they wished each other goodnight. She still wasn't used to being in the same bed as another person. Mara didn't think she'd ever get used to it, so it was fortunate that she didn't need to. After tomorrow, she'd probably never lie next to someone again. Mara heard Bodhi's breathing start to level out, slow and quiet. Yes, it was still strange, but never uncomfortable, even with the hard floor and scratchy blankets. She hadn't got used to it but as Mara lay there, curled up and exhausted, she could feel Bodhi's warmth beside her, and almost wished she could.

She fell into sleep easily, one moment her eyes were open and the next, Mara was at the mercy of her bad dreams again. She ran through more endless hallways, chasing after the princess but never quite catching sight of her. Except now, instead of finding Leia gasping for breath, it was Bodhi that Darth Vader had in his tight grip. Mara bellowed at the towering figure, ordering him to let Bodhi go, but Vader raised his arm, lifting her pilot off the ground, his legs dangling uselessly beneath him. A silent scream ripped from her throat, the sharp snap of Bodhi's bones all she could hear.

Mara opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She'd never been so relieved to see the inside of the shuttle. She focused on her breathing, forcing herself to inhale for five seconds and again as she exhaled until her heart resumed a regular pace. As her nightmare eased away like a wave retreating into the ocean, Mara realised what had woken her up. She lay still as she listened to Bodhi shake beside her. He was mumbling under his breath, she couldn't understand any of it but he sounded upset. Mara wondered if she should wake him but she thought she remembered someone once telling her that you should never wake someone if they're dreaming. Her heart jumped as his voice suddenly rose in volume. Bodhi was telling someone to run, to get out of the way, then with a gasp, he jolted awake.

Mara held her breath. She didn't move a muscle. Bodhi panted, loud and ragged, like he'd just run a mile. He stayed very still as he caught his breath, then she felt him move and thought he must be checking to see if he'd woken her. Mara kept her eyes closed until she heard Bodhi get up, his feet padding across the cold metal floor towards the cockpit. She waited until she heard the pilot's chair squeak to open her eyes.

Mara turned her head and saw that he'd taken his jacket with him. This wasn't the first time he'd had a nightmare during their journey. She'd always been a light sleeper, so when Bodhi started tossing and turning on Boz Pity, Mara was immediately awake. That time, he just turned over and went back to sleep. This one must have been worse. Mara propped herself up on her elbow and leaned across the bed so that she could see into the cockpit. Bodhi hadn't turned the light on but she could just see the edge of his shoulder, his elbow leaning on the armrest, his head in his hand.

Mara waited in the dark, wondering if he would come back. There was an ache in her chest that just wouldn't settle. She wished she could think of a way to make Bodhi feel better. She knew how debilitating bad dreams could be. The worst ones grabbed you with fists of iron and pressed you between their palms until you couldn't breathe. Your every coherent thought vanished and all that rushed in to fill the gap was memories, snatches of loneliness and pain and agonising fear. Mara had learned how to take back control but ever since the princess was taken, all her anxieties had come flooding back, just as vicious and spiteful as when she was a child.

Mara turned over and tried to get back to sleep, but fear of what tomorrow might bring kept her from sleeping soundly. She listened to Bodhi getting comfortable in the cockpit to keep her mind from wandering. She hoped he would be able to get some sleep. She hoped his nightmares were finished with him for now. Most of all, she hoped he'd come back to the hold, because although she wasn't used to sharing, Mara could perhaps admit, if only to herself, that their small, improvised bed felt much larger and colder without Bodhi in it.

"Mara!"

A loud 'shunk' as the cargo hold door slid open made Mara jump awake. She hissed and shut her eyes again, covering her face with her hands as light burst into the hold. She took back what she'd thought about missing this life of travelling, she was tired of rude awakenings.

"Mara!"

She heard feet clatter across the floor towards her. Mara dragged her hands down her face, groaning in protest. She felt like she'd hardly slept at all, it was a brave move to disturb her. She opened her eyes and found Bodhi leaning over her. Even upside down, she couldn't miss the excited look on his face.

"You have to come see this!"

Then he disappeared from view and scrambled out the door again. Mara lay there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling as her eyes adjusted. She didn't want to get up. She was surprisingly comfortable considering the circumstances, and the thought of going outside right at that moment was- Wait, outside? They shouldn't have landed yet. Mara turned over onto her side, muttering a string of curses under her breath.

With some effort, she left the bed and stumbled towards the door, pulling on her boots as she went. She rounded the corner and found the loading bay door was wide open. It was dark outside. The sky, a swirl of ink blue and lavender, was clear and bright. They'd landed at the foot of a grassy hill. Mara could see bright yellow flowers speckling the ground like stars. They couldn't be on Alderaan already. Bodhi stood at the bottom of the ramp. He'd put his jacket back on and his goggles were sat on top of his head. He bounced on his heels, fingers restlessly curling at his sides.

"What's going on?" When he saw her, Bodhi hurried back up the ramp and took her arm.

"Follow me!" He was still grinning enthusiastically, Mara didn't know whether that was a good or bad sign. They obviously weren't in any danger but if Bodhi was excited about something, she was probably about to be pulled into a situation she wouldn't enjoy. Mara was so puzzled she didn't even mind that Bodhi had grabbed her arm and was pulling her towards the hill. The last man who grabbed her had ended up in the medcentre, but she trusted Bodhi and let him guide her up the hill to whatever he was so excited about.

It had been raining, the ground was slippery and mud caked their shoes, but neither of them cared. They reached the top of the hill and Bodhi let go of Mara's arm but stayed close to her side. There were a few other people dotted about, all seated and all gazing at the same horizon. Laid out before them was a shining golden city just teeming with life. Ancient towers reached so high they seemed to brush the sky. The streets were made of scarlet stone, a network of veins dividing up the city. Tiny pinpricks of light speckled the houses, Mara thought if she could look through the windows, she'd be able to see people settling down for their evening meal, families, lovers, friends. She looked at Bodhi and found he was still grinning. Mara took a few steps forward so that she could get a closer look and saw people walking the streets, so far below that they looked more like ants.

Bodhi glanced between the view and Mara, eager to impress her. He was relieved to see that she appeared to like her new surroundings.

"I've been here before." The view was familiar but it had taken Mara a moment to remember why. Years and years ago, when she was around fifteen, the Royal Family visited the capital city to see the planet's vast agricultural process first-hand and to discuss new trade deals. "This is... This is Taanab." Mara couldn't remember much about the visit other than that it had been terribly dull, especially for Leia who was only nine at the time, but Taanab was a beautiful world, located in the Inner Rim and, most importantly, on the Perlemian Trade Route. The food harvested and produced here fed half the galaxy, stretching out as far as the Mid and Outer Rims.

"Gantoon fixed the engine but we left before we could refuel."

Mara turned to find Bodhi had made himself comfortable. There were benches dotted all over the hill so that visitors could enjoy the view but they were all taken. There was, however, a durasteel platform that covered an entrance to the city's water supply, like a raised manhole cover, just in front of a winding path that led into the forests behind them. Bodhi had taken off his jacket and used it to wipe away the rainwater that had collected on the platform, and now he sat on top of it to make the seat more comfortable.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It only should've taken a few minutes. I wasn't going to wake you but-"

The other people sat on the hill suddenly all began to chatter excitedly. They all appeared to be locals, their dark skin and fair, almost white hair told her that. Mara saw Bodhi peer around her and turned to see that all the tiny lights in the distance were starting to blink out one by one. Soon, the entire city had gone dark.

"Today marks the end of the harvest, they celebrate it every year." Bodhi was back to looking excited. "We're really lucky, they set off the fireworks at midnight exactly. Another few minutes either way and we would've missed it."

"Fireworks..." Mara hadn't seen fireworks in a very long time. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time. It must've been on a similar celebration day on Alderaan, Taanab shared many of same traditions as the other planets in the Core. As Mara got older and her duties increased, she was stationed far from the windows in dark corners to keep an eye on the princess, or she patrolled the grounds, coordinating others. They were close enough to Alderaan that she felt as if she could reach out and touch it; her mother and the Queen and Bail just a matter of hours away. But for the first time since their journey began, Mara didn't mind delaying for a little while, she didn't mind at all.

She turned away from the view and began to pull off her jacket to sit on when she saw that the platform was still quite wet, not to mention filthy. She paused with her jacket hanging from her elbows, the cool evening air settling on her bare arms. Mara pulled her uniform back on, tugging the collar into place as she sat down.

"Why do you care so much about that thing?" Bodhi was surprised by how well her jacket had survived the ordeal Mara had been through, even better than Mara herself. Now he knew it was because she would rather wipe the rainwater away with her hand and sit down rather than dirty her uniform.

"Because I worked very hard to earn it," Mara said quietly, trying to get comfortable on the hard platform.

"Fair enough." Bodhi watched her shift and fidget, wondering how long it would take for her to admit that she was uncomfortable. In the end, he couldn't stand to watch her squirm any longer, so Bodhi stood up and gestured for her to do the same. "You know," He flattened his jacket out as far as it would go, pulling it further into the centre of the platform. "There's no shame in asking for help sometimes."

He flashed her a cheeky grin and Mara shook her head slightly, looking down at her feet to hide the smile she was trying to force back. Bodhi patted the jacket to let her know he was finished. Mara hesitantly sat down, still wary of other people's kindness. Ordinarily, it didn't come without a price, but as usual, Bodhi surprised her. He looked over his shoulder then held up one finger.

"Hang on."

Before Mara could ask where he was going, Bodhi hurried off across the flank of the hill. She watched him fade away into the darkness, suddenly feeling incredibly lonely. She looked around her and saw that the other people on the hillside were all in pairs or groups. A couple a few feet away were huddled close together. One of them rested their head on the other's shoulder. They were holding hands.

Mara looked away and tried to spot Bodhi but couldn't see him. She felt a stab of nerves but tried not to let it get the better of her. Bodhi wouldn't leave you. Bodhi wouldn't leave you. Bodhi wouldn't leave you. Except that he would. After tomorrow, she'd never see him again. But that was fine, they hardly knew each other. He was just a means of getting home, a glorified taxi service. But if that's all they were, then why did she care so much? And why was how much she would miss him all that she could think about?

"Your majesty."

Mara looked up and found Bodhi standing in front of her. She hadn't heard him approach. Again. In one hand, he held two tall glasses, in the other, a plate piled with food. Bodhi held out the glasses to her and Mara took them while he sat down. She passed him one once he was comfortable, trying to ignore how close they were now that they both had to squeeze onto one jacket.

"Did you steal these too?" Bodhi's face fell, just for a second, but Mara saw his slip. She regretted her words the moment she said them. Bodhi didn't look at her for a moment as he settled the plate he'd bought on his knees. Mara recognised a lot of it. Endwa, fried Corellian meat on a skewer served with orange gravy, flatbreads, Nerf sausages, ruica, mounder potato rice, and a number of brightly coloured fruits. She realised with a pang of guilt that none of this food was available in the Outer Rims, Bodhi had probably never seen any of it before but had chosen them to make her feel more at home.

"It bothers you, doesn't it? What I did on Onderon." They were not his proudest moments, but they needed new clothes and they never would've left Onderon if they hadn't tricked Gantoon. Bodhi didn't like stealing. He only took what he desperately needed and only ever in the most dire situations; food for his family, money to help friends, medicine for his mother. Seeing Mara, bloody and bruised and barely able to breathe, he knew that it was one of those times.

Mara was bad at apologising. She was bad at most forms of communication but apologising more than anything. It wasn't just pride, it was something more, a vulnerability that she just could not and did not want to get used to. But tonight, right here, right now, she knew that it didn't matter what she wanted.

"What we did," she corrected him, making Bodhi look up. Mara's lip twitched and he knew she was trying to smile. He appreciated the effort. "It doesn't bother me. I think it'd be very hypocritical of me if it did... I shouldn't have said that." She couldn't meet his eyes. It felt like there was a heavy weight strung from each of her eyelids, stopping her from looking up. Mara wasn't sure what it was but Bodhi knew.

"It's alright," he said quietly, then as some kind of peace offering, he passed her a fork.

Mara took it hesitantly, not sure she deserved his kindness. But then her stomach rumbled and she remembered neither of them had eaten in days. She stabbed at the ruica, making Bodhi laugh with her enthusiasm. Mara was right, he didn't know what any of it was, but she seemed to be enjoying it so he started with what looked most familiar, some of the rice and a piece of flatbread. Corellian food was known for being incredibly greasy but the Taanabian fruits and Alderaanian ruica were wonderful. They ate in silence, occasionally catching each other's eye and immediately switching to look at the horizon instead, pretending that they were looking out for fireworks.

"Can you see Jedha?" Mara pointed upwards. Now that the city lights had turned off, the sky was filled with stars that had been invisible until now.

Just to see if it might be possible, Bodhi looked in the general direction of his homeworld but as he suspected, he couldn't see it. "Ah, it's too far off. You'd need a telescope."

"What about Alderaan?"

"Er, yeah." Bodhi tilted his head back, his dark eyes darting between the stars. "You should be able to see it from here."

Mara wanted to follow his gaze but for some reason, she found herself following the line of his jaw, angled wonderfully as he arched back, then down the length of his neck, lingering on his Adam's apple. Then he made a sound deep in his throat, a confused sort of 'hmm' that made Mara meet his eyes again, worried that she'd been caught staring. But Bodhi still had his eyes on the stars.

"What is it?"

He scrunched up his face, his nose wrinkling, and Mara found it incredibly endearing despite herself. "Must be cloudy or something, I can't see it." Bodhi wanted to believe that was the case but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Alderaan was so close, it should appear as a large star somewhere off to their left, but he couldn't see it. Mara snorted scornfully and took one of the meat skewers from the plate.

"Or maybe your star-mapping skills aren't as good as you think they are, pilot." To her surprise, Bodhi suddenly laughed, honest to Maker laughed. She almost dropped her skewer. He laughed with his whole body. He threw back his head, his eyes squeezed shut, his shoulders shaking. Mara found herself smiling just watching him. Bodhi laughed with his eyes shut. Bodhi was laughing because of her. She made him happy.

"Watch it, Captain."

Mara's stomach did a little somersault, she didn't know why, but she rather liked when he called her that. She watched him shake his head, wiping a hand down his face as he quieted down, but he was still smiling. Because of her. A breeze picked up, making the trees behind them sway and whisper.

Bodhi crossed his arms, feeling the chill through his thin shirt. "Are you cold?" He didn't wait for an answer, assuming Mara would say no even if she was freezing. "Hang on." He disappeared again, though in the opposite direction this time.

He was back seconds later with their blankets from the shuttle. Mara held out her hand but instead of just passing her one, Bodhi threw one blanket over his shoulder so that he had both hands free then lifted the other up high above Mara's head so that it fell behind her, settling on her back. He pulled the corners around her shoulders, pushing them gently into her hands. Mara felt the cold of his metal fingers brush hers and felt her face grow hot. Bodhi sat down beside her again, pulling the other blanket around him before he tucked into more food. Mara watched him for a moment, looking between the blanket curled between her fists and the man who'd given it to her.

"Bodhi?" He looked up, and whatever coherent thoughts she had abruptly vanished. Mara had always found it hard to meet people's eyes. It was something she had to force herself to do. It was usually no different with Bodhi, but his dark eyes were soft and full of starlight. For once, she found herself unable to look away. "I know I've been difficult." Mara saw him smirk and felt her face grow hot again. 'Difficult' was a gross understatement but he was kind enough not to say anything. "I wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for me."

"You going soft?" Bodhi raised his eyebrows, passing her the plate. Mara thanked him quietly with a wry smile.

"Not quite." She dabbed a piece of flatbread into the orange gravy, grateful for the distraction. It gave her some time to think about what she really wanted to say. There was something in her chest, squeezing hard, and she didn't know what it meant but it had something to do with Bodhi and the fact that soon, she would be saying goodbye to him. And then there was the small voice in her head telling her that she rather liked this life, cruising between planets and getting into trouble. In the end, Mara decided it would be best to just be honest. "I've never really... I'm not very good at being emotionally communicative."

Bodhi barely held back a derisive snort. "I've noticed." Mara gave him a look but she was still smiling. He didn't think he'd ever seen her smile this much. It was usually because he'd said something funny or because she was teasing him, now it seemed she was actually just... Happy.

Mara looked down at the flatbread in her hands. She picked at its edges, suddenly very aware of three things: one, she wanted to tell Bodhi something she'd never told anyone and she wasn't sure why; two, she was suddenly feeling all sorts of things that she'd never felt before and it was confusing beyond belief, but she knew it must've been because of number three, she and Bodhi, squeezed onto the same jacket, were so close that his entire left side was pressed against her right, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, knee to knee.

"You were right... When you said it was hard... For me, growing up." Mara knew her sentences were coming out all muddled but she was so nervous, she couldn't stop. She never spoke about her feelings, her mother didn't encourage it. What she felt was not as important as her actions. "And sometimes I can't find the right words to say what I..." Bodhi made a soft noise as if to say he understood and Mara was grateful because she really was struggling to explain. "Anyway, I think I, erm… I like you." There was a brief pause. When Bodhi didn't say anything, Mara suddenly felt the urge to repeatedly stab herself in the eye with one of the skewers. Then at last, he spoke.

"You think?"

She looked up and found he was smiling. It was a really nice smile. "I do, I like you," Mara said, much more confidently. "Which is a big thing. For me."

"I like you too." Bodhi's smile grew and for some reason unknown to Mara, it made her heart speed up a little. She considered this for a moment, looking down at the ground with her forehead creased in concentration. Then she looked back at Bodhi, her eyes narrowed.

"So we're... We're friends?"

"Yes. Is that alright?"

"I just wasn't... Are you sure this isn't some kind of Stockholm Syndrome or something?"

"What's a Stockholm?"

"I kidnapped you."

"Technically," Bodhi said, rolling his eyes a little to make Mara laugh, which she did, much to his relief. She looked so nervous, he could hardly bear it. Bodhi had always been far too understanding for his own good, that's what his mother used to tell him with a fond smile. It wasn't that he tried to see the best in everyone, far from it, some people were beyond empathy. But Mara had picked him up in a moment of desperation and she hadn't hurt him despite her threats. She just wanted to get home, to find the person she'd sworn to protect. He hadn't forgiven her, to him, there wasn't anything to forgive. "I like you. I want to help you. And we are friends." He wished he could understand why Mara looked so surprised. She was staring at him with her mouth hanging open a little, like she couldn't believe what he was saying. Then Bodhi remembered what she admitted back on the Boz Pity and how lonely she looked. Mara had never had a friend before.

She looked away, pressing her lips together. Although the people around them still chattered excitedly in a thousand different languages, the silence that fell over them was all-enveloping. Soon it felt as if they were the only ones on the hillside. Off in the distance, a countdown had begun, lighting up the side of the tallest building. Golden Taanabian digits dissolved into each other, counting down to the fireworks. With only three seconds to go, Mara finally looked round at him. For the first time since they met, there was no anger in her face, no fear, no anxiety, just gentle, tired honesty.

"My mother used to tell me that the galaxy is a terrible, cruel place. And that no one is ever going to help you, so you have to learn to help yourself." The countdown ended with a huge crescendo of cheers. The Taanabians around them jumped from their seats, the hillside erupting with colour and noise as fireworks arced across the night sky. "I'm really glad she was wrong."

Mara slept uneasily again that night. This time she dreamt she was sitting on a raft made out of sticks bound together by thin twine. At first, she bobbed along gently but then the sky darkened and the sea grew rough. The raft rose and fell as the ocean swelled. Soon she was pulled up onto the back of a wave taller than any building she'd ever seen, then thrust back down again. She hit the ocean so hard that her raft fell to pieces beneath her and she sank into the depths, screaming out for help but no one was around to hear her.

Mara opened her eyes. Her heart was thudding so hard she could feel its echoes throughout her whole body. She lay there for a few moments while she caught her breath, reassuring herself that it was only a dream. She turned her head and found the other side of the bed empty. Mara didn't have to sit up, she knew where Bodhi would be. With a heavy sigh, she pulled off the blankets and padded across the cargo hold and opened the door to the loading bay. Bodhi had been staring emptily out of the viewport but when he heard the door slide shut again, he looked up.

"Did I wake you?" His voice was hoarse. He sounded so tired. Mara shook her head and a shadow of relief passed over his face. "We're almost there. Not long now."

She fell into the co-pilot's seat, propping her bare feet up against the console despite Bodhi's quiet grunt of disapproval. They watched a few asteroids sail slowly by, turning endlessly over and over. They missed five more floating by on the other side of the ship. They were only small, completely innocuous, so Bodhi didn't have to worry about carefully navigating around them. It didn't occur to him to wonder where they might've come from.

He reached forward and flipped the autopilot on. He'd stripped down to his vest to sleep and was too tired to attempt putting his shirt back on when he couldn't, so Mara was able to see his cybernetic right arm in full. It reached up to the middle of his upper arm, the metal seamlessly meeting his skin. The prosthetic was surprisingly elegant for a Rebel medcentre in the middle of a war; sleek, pitch black and pliable it ended in a flat palm with long segmented fingers. She wondered why it had been left bare, most external replacements were covered by synthflesh. Not that she minded. Actually, she rather liked the way it looked. It suited him, plus the way it melded with his surprisingly muscly upper arm was rather-

"Are you alright?"

Mara averted her gaze the moment she heard Bodhi's voice. She could feel her cheeks heating up again, embarrassed to be caught staring. "Where did you..?" She gestured vaguely towards his arm as if she'd been staring at his prosthetic and not at him. Which you were, she reminded herself, at first.

Bodhi lowered his gaze to the display console. "Scarif." The dead planet's name left a sharp taste in his mouth, a tang of iron. He grimaced. "A shoretrooper threw a grenade into our ship. I ran but got caught in the blast. I was lucky to get away with just this." Talking about Scarif had not got any easier but thinking about it was far worse. He was trapped inside his own head where all he could feel and hear and see was death and devastation. Some days, he could hardly remember any of it, as if his own mind was trying to protect him from what he'd seen. Some days it was all he could think about. During his time on Yavin 4, he'd found that talking about it did help, especially if it was with people who'd been through similar experiences. He thought Mara might understand too but she looked confused.

"Scarif?" He said the name as if it should explain everything, but she'd never heard of such a place.

Bodhi leaned back against the headrest, letting out a long, quiet sigh. His eyes felt scratchy and heavy, but he knew he'd never get back to sleep now. "You really don't know much about the war, do you?" He smiled softly. So Mara wasn't exaggerating, she really didn't pick sides, she just did her job. He found it almost funny that this woman could be at the centre of the Rebellion and not even know it.

Mara shrugged slightly. "I have no interest in politics. My job is to protect Leia. That's all I care about." Bodhi gave a light huff of laughter, turning his head to look out the viewport. "What?" Mara felt her exhaustion beginning to seep away and that nice, new feeling of contentment begin to take its place, a feeling she'd only just started to know. "Why are you laughing?"

"That can't be all you care about." Bodhi raised his head from the seat, waving his hands about uselessly. "You haven't got any hobbies? Gardening? Knitting?" To his great delight, this made Mara laugh, properly and loudly. "What about your family?"

"I don't really have much family. It's just me and my mother."

"No potential suitors?" Bodhi raised his eyebrows and Mara scoffed, shaking her head.

"Royal Guards don't have suitors." When Bodhi frowned, she realised she'd have to explain. "We're not allowed to marry." The smile that had brightened up his tired face slowly began to slip away. Mara watched his expression change, from playful to confused, but above all, and bizarrely to her, suddenly incredibly sad.

"What?"

Mara's heart jolted at his hushed voice. She didn't think it was that absurd but Bodhi was looking at her like she'd just admitted a great, awful secret. "Love is a distraction. Our only focus is the Royal Family. Relationships get in the way."

"But your mother, she was a Royal Guard."

"My father died before I was born. My mother didn't know she was pregnant when she was assigned." Mara lowered her gaze. "They made an exception." She waited for Bodhi to ask her more questions but he didn't. On Alderaan, it was common knowledge that Royal Guards were to remain celibate until they retired. Mara had become so used to the idea, it had been a fact of her life since the moment she was born. She supposed it might be a little strange to others but Bodhi didn't look surprised, he looked downright stunned.

"So you... You've never..." He was staring at her, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"What?" Mara shook her head again, trying and failing to figure out what he was talking about.

Bodhi jumped when an alert suddenly chirped from the steering console, a proximity warning. There were more asteroids now, growing larger and larger as they flew towards Alderaan. He flipped off the autopilot and carefully guided them out of the way of the biggest rocks, not wanting their shuttle to get too beaten up now that it had been brought back from the brink. "You know… Been in love?" he said quietly, hardly able to meet her eyes, he was so embarrassed. Mara burst out laughing and he was glad it was so dark, otherwise she'd be able to see that he was bright red.

"What kind of question is that?"

Bodhi heaved an exasperated sigh, completely mortified but determined not to let her see it. He didn't think it was that funny but Mara was still laughing at him. "You're telling me no one has..?" He gestured ineffectually again, flapping his hands in her general direction.

He couldn't believe that no one had ever approached her, not even to ask her out for a drink. No one had ever brought her flowers or so much as expressed a single word of admiration. The thought was baffling to him. Bodhi let his gaze travel over her face, from her dark eyes and wild hair, over her dirt-smudged cheeks and down to her crooked smile, the left side of her mouth just that little bit higher than the right. Mara had serious issues, that much was obvious, but she was so clever and funny one second and strong enough to take on a whole army the next. She was incredible.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

His gaze immediately met hers again but his sweet half smile stayed. "I'm just surprised!"

"Why?"

"Because you're so..."

"What?"

Bodhi opened his mouth to respond but all that came out was an awkward choking sound.

Mara's smile slowly faded. She felt her heart do that stupid tumbling trick in her chest again, then that ridiculous fluttering in her stomach. What was he about to say before his mind caught up with his mouth? Bodhi was still stumbling through garbled syllables, his gaze switching between her, his hands, the viewport, the ceiling, his feet and then back to her again. She started to question him again when another alarm sounded from the console, louder this time and more insistent. It was different to the last one. Bodhi seemed surprised to hear it.

"What's that?"

He stared at the tiny flashing green light on the console beside the comms. "An approaching ship."