A/N: Thanks again for the reviews and follows. Those notifciations make my day. So on we go. Please remember I'm just having some fun with this as we have no idea what is in store for us in Season 2 (do we really have to wait until October?). Hope you enjoy!

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Aka: Thanks!

Random: Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it.

Paris: Just what kind of angst would you want me to put the man through? :)

Redhouse: Yup, a Jedi and a Mando. Thanks!

Luck was not in their favor.

Another bounty hunter found them when they dropped out of light speed to make an adjustment to their course.

"How did they find us?" she asked, ungracefully landing in her seat as the first shots ricocheted off the side of the ship. "They couldn't have tracked us through hyperspace." Din reached over and flipped the switch to activate the ship's shields.

"A lucky chance. They must have been close enough when we dropped out of light speed for a tracking fob to activate."

Another flurry of blaster fire hit them and Alés snapped her mouth closed, sitting back in her seat to allow him to concentrate. The Child hopped up in her lap though he didn't appear to be fazed by how the ship was rocking back and forth. A hard hit on their left side caused a small gasp to slip through her lips. Several lights began flashing on the control panels.

"Don't worry. The Crest can take it."

"Are you sure?"

"She hasn't let me down yet."

"That isn't very reassuring."

There was a mutter of something from inside his helmet but she couldn't make out what he said and decided she really didn't need to know anyway. Flipping a few switches stopped the alarm lights flashing and he jerked the controls hard to the right. She centered herself so the shaking of the ship didn't shake her nerves. A nudge from the Force pulled her focus from her bubbling fear.

"He's going to come around from the left. You'll be able to get a couple shots on him before he moves out of range again. It may be our only chance."

"How do you know that?" Din asked with a quick glance over his shoulder.

Alés just raised an eyebrow. She could almost see the frown that surely was on his face at her response but he activated his cannons anyway.

Another couple of hard hits on their left side and then the ship appeared just as she'd said it would. Two quickly fired shots hit their attacker dead center and the resulting explosion filled the sky in front of them. As she let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding another, much more prominent, light began flashing.

"Put the Child down and come here," he ordered. She did as she was told and he was already on his feet when she turned towards him.

"Take the controls." He pressed her down into the pilot's chair and slid down the ladder. She kept a weary eye on the screens in front of her, hoping another ship didn't pop up as she wasn't sure what to do if they were being shot at. More buttons began flashing in front of her a moment later.

"Din! There's a lot of things flashing red at me!"

He didn't answer and the lights stopped blinking almost as quickly as they'd started.

"We'll have to land and get repairs. The hyperdrive won't last long," he said as he came back up the ladder.

"Where?"

He scanned the navigation computer quickly. "Eriadu. We should be able to find what we need in the spaceport in Phelar."

After landing in one of the docking bays Din was able to find someone rather quickly that said they could fix the hyperdrive in the time frame he requested though it would, of course, cost extra. A promise of extra credits if the work was done in even less time caused the mechanic's eyes to light up and his steps to quicken. Apparently satisfied with the arrangements the Mando returned to where she was waiting just inside the loading ramp.

"We should be underway before morning."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Looks like I will have to be." He gave the inside of the ship a quick glance. "The Crest is running low on supplies."

"Then you should go get them. I will stay here with the Child and keep an eye on the repairs. I would be of no help in town." His visor swiveled towards the little guy. "Do not worry. You won't be gone long and nothing will happen to him while I'm here."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Because I won't let it. Besides, how safe would he be if you carried him with you into town? Most will not give a lone Mandalorian a second look."

She could sense his uncertainty. Seeming to make a decision he pressed a button opening a compartment filled with weapons. Picking a small blaster out he handed it to her along with a comlink. "I won't be gone long. If anything happens call me."

Once he had left she watched the mechanic and his two droids for a few minutes then retreated to the interior of the Crest. It would take some time for her to grow accustomed to being around others again. Despite her early years her life had been quite isolated. Now she had to learn all that again while being in close company with a stranger she'd only met a few days earlier. She wasn't uncomfortable around the Child; his presence was … familiar. Din on the other hand … Force user she might be but it was still difficult to get to know someone that was obviously resolute in his notion of privacy. He had shown some hints of humanity and humor and she was surprised to find she was quite curious to discover more. It would be hard to not be curious about someone who never shows his face.

A short gurgle near her feet pulled her from her thoughts and she smiled down at the Child. He was sitting on a short box playing with some netting he'd found from someplace and appeared to be watching her closely. She wondered just how knowledgable he was about the Force. From what Din had mentioned he was certainly aware of it and had used it. Where had he learned to do that? Deciding now was as good a time as any to try to investigate she seated herself cross-legged in front of the Child. Alés didn't know where he came from or where he'd been all this time – she certainly didn't remember seeing him at the Temple but that didn't really mean he hadn't been there – but that he was Force sensitive was clear. Perhaps it was something that ran in the species though until now she'd only known Master Yoda and known of Master Yaddle.

"Let's see if I can figure out where you come from, little one, and what you might know," she said softly. He just tilted his head as he looked at her. Closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths she began stretching out with the Force, hoping that some answers would be forthcoming. She was quickly able to feel his Force signature, very strong and bright, but no matter how much she tried to reach beyond that she was unable to see anything further. It was as if there was a wall blocking the information she sought. All she was being allowed to know was that he was strong in the Force and … a hint at some purpose in his future. That was a bit odd. In all her lessons and mediations she'd never come across something that suggested the Force would hide things … though she supposed it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. If anything could conceal that which it didn't want found it would be the Force. Why it would do such a thing was a question she knew she would not find an answer for easily if at all.

She patted him on the head. "I guess your secrets will remain just that for a while longer." He just cooed at her.

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Alés knew someone was coming and this time it wasn't someone she'd want to know. Scooping the sleeping Child up she stashed him in a small storage space against the hull of the ship and closed its sliding door, effectively locking him into a safe room. Then, making sure the safety was off on the blaster, she made her way down the open ramp. The mechanic and droids had ceased their work and were eying an Aqualish that was cautiously approaching the ship.

"Stop right there, girl." With a raised eyebrow she came to a halt. "Hand it over."

"Hand what over?"

"The bounty you have. There's so many looking for it and I'm the lucky one that found you first. Now, hand it over."

"Do I look like a bounty hunter to you?"

The question seemed to surprise him. "No."

"Then why do you think I would have a bounty on my ship?"

"The fob says its here. Now we can do this the nice and easy way where you just hand it over or I can just shoot you and take it anyway. It's your choice." He raised his blaster but she refrained from reacting though she could hear the workers on the other side of the ship scrambling for cover. Wondering why they would suddenly be afraid she realized someone else had joined them. Spotting Din in the shadows she knew there wasn't much time to defuse the situation. It wouldn't take long for him to start shooting. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves.

"What you seek is not here." The Aqualish eyed her speculatively. "Your bounty is on Ord Janon," she said quickly, picking a planet as far from their destination as possible and hoping her memory of the star charts she'd studied was still correct.

He didn't move.

"The tracker - "

A nonchalant move of her hand as she met his eyes. "Your prey is on Ord Janon. You will give me the tracker, leave here, and forget you ever saw or spoke to anyone."

"I'll leave here since I didn't see or speak to anyone." He held out the tracking fob which she took quickly. Alés held her breath until he had disappeared through the far doorway then dropped the fob into the dirt and slammed her heel down onto it.

"What was that?"

She gave the Mando a grin. "The Force has a strong influence on the weak minded. I suggest we conclude our business, however, and be one our way before we have any more visitors."

"You're … you're a Jedi," the mechanic said in a slightly awed voice coming to their side. All she did was nod. "My grandfather used to tell us stories about the Jedi, about what they could do, how they tried to keep the galaxy safe. I had always hoped to meet one. Then one day my father said they were all gone."

"I am glad to know there are some that remember the Jedi fondly."

He smiled. "And I am glad to know there are still some Jedi in the galaxy." He looked at the Mando. "The ship is ready just as you asked and ahead of time."

"A deal is a deal." The credits were exchanged and after quickly checking the work that was done Din had them in the air speeding from the planet. After making sure the Child was still asleep she joined him in the cockpit. The jump to hyperspace was made as soon as she'd sat down and this time it didn't make her stomach feel strange.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Keeping your word. Keeping him safe."

"When I give my word I keep it."

He didn't answer but she didn't really need one. The same thing plagued him as it did her: trust. Because of his path in life he couldn't trust anyone. Because of what she'd been forced to hide from she couldn't fully trust anyone either. Even with her Force abilities knowing whether to trust another could be hard. She had taken a big step in leaving her planet with him. He'd just taken one by leaving her to protect the Child on Eriadu. Maybe that was part of the reason the Force brought them together. Maybe together they would be able to learn to trust again.