Star Wars does not belong to me. Just Skylar & Co.

Big thanks to ZabuzasGirl, Delta808th, emjalen, Janizary, and Kelana-ti for reviewing!

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Zephyr looked up into the gentle brown eyes of the man who'd just rescued her from Cales. Rescued? Yeah, right. More like he wants me for himself. The Wroonian girl was not once convinced by the soothing note in the one-armed man's voice. Cales used to be the same way, at first. Now, thanks to that rotten piece of trash, I'm almost three months pregnant. This guy's just the same. He'll use me, then throw me away like Cales was promising to do.

Zephyr was well aware that it had looked like the Tholothian was making amorous advances, but that had been far from the truth. He'd noticed a few days ago that she was beginning to get slightly plump in the middle and, even in his continual drunken state, had managed to put two and two together. He'd been threatening her since. The night before, he'd given her an ultimatum. Get an abortion, or he'd kill her. Tonight, she was supposed to have come in... well, a little thinner.

And, typically, she'd made her own decision. And to anyone who knew how to look for it, her so-called silvery 'uniform' showcased that she was very clearly almost at the end of her first trimester.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that her 'savior' had moved closer until the black-haired human gently touched her upper arm causing her to try to cringe away from him. The wall blocked her escape on either side.

"Oh, sorry," he said, backing away and giving her room to move out of the corner that Cales had backed her into. That threw her for a loop. Most of the men who approached her, almost always Cales, would never give up that kind of power. This guy was apparently new at this.

What he did next completely surprised her. He shrugged out of the jacket that he was wearing and offered it to her, "Here, you've got to be freezing. I'm used to space, but even I'm cold in all of this," he finished, motioning to the pants and long-sleeved shirt that he was wearing.

In truth, Zephyr was cold. She was always cold here. Her boss seemed to think that keeping the place at a temperature found only in a conservator would encourage the girls working for him to 'get closer' to the customers. She flinched at the disgusting memories of what she'd been forced to do. She'd only stayed on because Gaon Quile had offered his employees 'protection'. That protection only went for their lives unfortunately. Not their bodies.

Which is why I'm now pregnant. And this guy doesn't seem to notice that. She continued holding the jacket loosely in her hand, not even daring to put it on. Part of her was expecting him to overwhelm her when her hands were busy and carry her off to some place she didn't know to have his way with her. Zephyr just kept her wide yellow eyes on him, getting ready to make a run for it.

But he just stepped further back, "I won't touch you again, ner vod, I promise." Seemingly true to his word, he backed up another pace, holding his remaining hand loosely at his side. Where she could see it. And completely ignoring the other 'customers' watching him suspiciously. All of the people here were regulars with similar 'tastes' to Cales. The fact that the other scum didn't recognize this guy managed to put her mind at ease. But only a little. There was still a fifty per cent chance that he could be worse than the men who'd already violated her.

"Nair vowd?" she asked, trying to keep him busy as she quickly shoved her arms into the jacket. He chuckled at her question and she froze in the act of rolling up one of the too long sleeves. This is it.

But he just stayed where he was. And that was when she saw that Gaon was coming their way, his face bright red with fury.

"What do ya t'ink you doing?" Quile practically yelled. "If you gonna harass my workers on da job, you leave now, ya hear?"

"Harass?" If anything, the younger man looked shocked. "I just stopped that hut'uun. He was about to rape her." Okay, maybe he is a good guy, after all. Zephyr gave him a defiant glare. Just go. Please. If you keep this up, he'll fire me for sure. Or worse. Just go!

"Oh-ho. You t'ink you self-righteous, eh Mando?" Mando? As in Mandalorian? That might explain why he's missing half an arm. Her savior tensed as the overweight human mocked him. Don't, buddy. If it comes to a fight, everyone here will side with Gaon. They'll kill you. Just walk away. Walk away.

"I don't think I'm self-righteous, you shabuir. I just know that women should be treated with respect. And if you can't do that for her," he jabbed his chin toward Zephyr roughly, but his eyes were kind as they met hers, "then I'm sure my family won't object to taking her in." He turned to her halfway, still keeping his eyes on Quile. "That is, if you don't mind, Miss...?"

"Zephyr? You gonna take Zephyr away from me? One o' my best gals?" Gaon glowered at him. "I don't t'ink so, boy."

And before Zephyr even knew what happened, Quile's fat butt was rolling on the floor as he moaned in pain, a blaster wound on the right side of his chest. The one-armed man was now holding a smoking blaster pistol, and she hadn't even noticed him draw it, "Anyone else want to join those di'kute on the floor?"

The others simply turned away from him, focusing back on whatever they'd been doing before the brown-eyed man had decked Cales.

"Didn't think so," he said quietly. He turned back to Zephyr and she actually found the courage to swing at him.


Kot dodged the hit, "Hey! I just saved your life and this is how you thank me?"

The fear was still evident in the Wroonian girl's eyes, but there was a sort of determination in her face that he instantly respected. If she wasn't trying to smack him one, of course. "Save my life? You didn't save my life, you crazy Mando! You made me lose my job! Where the heck am I gonna find work now, huh?"

"I'm sure my sister can help you with that," he offered, dodging yet another flimsy hit.

"Your partner in crime?" she questioned, obviously trying to sound threatening, but the question came out as a squeak as she backed away from him again. She finally seemed to realize that she wasn't capable of hitting him.

"I already told you, I'm not going to hurt you... Zephyr, was it?" She just kept glaring and Kot couldn't help but think that she would be quite threatening if she wasn't shaking so hard. He took a few steps closer, making sure to take it slowly. She watched him carefully as he holstered the gun, but she didn't try to move away. "My sister's my sergeant," he whispered so that only she could hear. "I'm a Republic soldier, ma'am. My name's Kot and I'm here to help you."

He could tell that she wanted to believe him. But she'd obviously been abused for far too long. That made him angry, but Kot was careful to keep that from showing. He didn't realize until right then that he was acting in much the same manner that Sky had when she'd talked him down from suicide.

Zephyr tried to fold her arms defiantly, but the effect was marred by her insecure posture, "You're not the first person to say something like that. Cales promised me much the same thing. And you saw what he just tried to do to me," she finished, nodding toward the still conked out Tholothian male. "What he did to me," she finished in a whisper as her hand drifted down to rest on the slight pooch of her belly. And Kot was instantly even angrier. He found himself wishing that he'd killed the Tholothian instead of knocking him out. She's pregnant. That... thing raped her before. Kot knew that babies were a sign of hope, but he could see that Zephyr seemed ashamed of her child and that confused him. Yes, it's father was a criminal, but it wasn't the baby's fault. I'll have to talk with Sky about it later.

"I should have noticed what was happening sooner, Zephyr. I'm sorry." Not that it would have changed anything. But still...

The girl shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. He could tell that she was still scared out of her mind. "I'm used to it, Kot. If that's your real name."

Osik! How in the manda am I going to get this girl to believe me? "It is. And my number's RC-9075-3213. I'm a member of Beta Squad under Jedi Master Arligan Zey, General of the Special Operations Brigade," he rattled off, hoping that the ease with which he gave her the information would help her believe.

She raised an eyebrow, "Okay..." Her gaze jumped around the room. They were still getting looks and Kot realized that those looks were getting more hostile. If they stayed much longer, the ease with which he'd taken down Zephyr's boss wouldn't deter any of them.

Zephyr came to the same conclusion as he did. Kot motioned for her to move ahead of him and he followed her. Walking backward with his blaster back in his hand. This would be so much easier with my buy'ce on. Now he understood why Skylar was so adamant that they'd learn to fight without their armor. He'd never thought he'd need it until now.

But the people in the bar were even more hut'uunla than he'd thought. Not one followed them out of the place. Turning around, Kot continued to let Zephyr go ahead of him, using his broad back as a shield for her in the case that one of the customers might have changed his mind. He guided her with a few spoken directions until they'd reached the speeder bike he'd borrowed from Arca Barracks. And then she froze on him.

"Are you kidding me?! There is no way in Corellia's nine hells that I'm getting on that! There isn't even a proper safety belt! What's to keep me from falling off when we're airborne?"

Force give me strength. "That's what your knees are for, Miss. And you can hold on to me if you like. I've been piloting these things since I was the equivalent of a five year old, so I doubt I'd fall off anytime soon."

She narrowed her eyes at him, having already taken a few steps back when he'd offered to let her hold on to him. She doesn't trust me enough to touch me yet. He sighed, "Look, it's either stay here and get raped every day for the rest of your life, or come with me to my home. You and your baby will be safe there, I promise."

"How the heck did you know that?!" Clearly she didn't think he'd realize that she was pregnant from what she'd said just moments ago. He would have been offended that she thought so little of his intelligence if he wasn't too busy fighting back the re-surging urge to go back and finish her tormentors off for good. What that Tholothian did to her... He shuddered as both of her hands instantly came up to rest protectively on her belly.

But he figured that she didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he gave her another explanation, "My sister's pregnant too." With that, he swung onto the bike and started it up. "Now are you coming or what?" He really wasn't going to leave her, even if it took all night to convince her that he was on her side, but she didn't need to know that. If she thought there was still a possibility of him leaving her to her fate, it wouldn't take her long to swing up behind him.

"Fine, but give me the blaster."

"Why?" But he conceded anyway. Whatever it takes to get her onto this bike. Come on, woman, I haven't got all night. Sky, Gabe and Dee are bound to be wondering where I am already.

Zephyr handled the weapon ineptly, keeping her fingers well away from the trigger. Kot knew that she wouldn't be able to hit the broadside of the barn, but he kept in mind that even the most inexperienced could manage a deadly point blank shot. And she seemed to know that, "If you try anything, I will shoot you when we land."

Kot nodded his head as she slipped the gun into the waistband of her skirt and swung up behind him. Once he was sure that she couldn't see his expression, he smirked, barely able to keep in a laugh. She really hasn't thought this through. If she threatens to shoot me when we land, then why should I land? He wasn't going to be that cruel to her, he just found the thought funny for some unexplained reason.

Her arms snaked around his waist, gripping him almost tight enough to squeeze the life out of him. And, once they were airborne, he felt her press her face into his back, right between his shoulders. At first he thought that she was finally beginning to trust him, but realized that wasn't the case when he banked and her grip tightened even further. She must really not like heights. And she knows that my hand is busy. It was a little more difficult for him to control the bike with one hand than it would have been with two, but he wasn't going to tell Zephyr that. She's scared enough as it is. I don't need her completely loosing her mind to terror.

He almost groaned as another thought came to him. His squad would be back from the Barracks by the time he got back to the apartment. Which meant that Doz would see him bringing a girl home... I'm never gonna hear the end of it!


ner = my

vod = friend (Usually interpreted to mean 'sibling'. But works for friend too.)

hut'uun = coward

shabuir = bastard

di'kute = idiots

osik = crap

manda = heaven

buy'ce = helmet

hut'uunla = cowardly

Please R&R.