"Aren't you nervous?"

"Should I be?"

"You've never driven a swoop bike before."

Mal pauses, Pazaak card hovering over the floor. Mission stares expectantly. There's equal parts wonder and skepticism in her eyes. She's still trying to figure out if Mal is all talk or action.

"I'm sure it's just like riding a speeder. What's the worst that could happen?"

Mission laughs. "You could crash and explode. I've seen it happen plenty of times. It's a real mess for the cleanup guys."

"Then I won't crash. Problem solved." Mal places her card and grins. "Sweet of you to care."

"Of course I care! If you die, Big Z's gonna make a big fuss about not fulfilling his life-debt. So until that happens I've got to do my part in keeping you alive."

"Sure." Mal stares at the cards in her hands, but the numbers fail to convey any meaning. Instead, her eyes drift down to the thin black ring on her finger for the fifth time that night. A memory from another life stirs. Cruel eyes, a bloody smile, fingers locked tight around her wrist. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're a surprisingly good person."

Mission slaps a card down looking offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means life dealt you a shit hand. A lot of people in your situation would be cruel, but you've chosen to be kind."

"You don't know my situation."

Mal looks at her. She's been avoiding it, afraid of what she'll see, but now she really looks for the first time since they've met. The scrappy young Twi'lek doesn't falter under the intensity. The walls of the room seem to shrink down around her. Darkness creeps in to the point of suffocation, but Mission remains upright. There's a soft glisten to her cheeks that could be mistaken for tears. The blue of her skin absorbs what little light is available, almost glowing in peaceful defiance. Mal smiles.

"You remind me of someone I knew. Street kid, like you." Mission winds up to protest, but Mal cuts her off. "Sorry, not a kid. But they were alone for a long time. Had to make a lot of sacrifices to survive."

"Were they a good person too?"

Mal shakes her head with no intention to elaborate. They play in silence for a few rounds. Mission wins each one.

"Hope you race better than you play," she mutters cheekily.

"I'm just warming up. You're about to be in big trouble."

"We'll see about that." She deals a new hand with practiced ease, but it's apparent her mind is somewhere else. "You know, I haven't really been alone. After my brother left, I still had Gadon and the Hidden Beks. Then Big Z. My life might look sad to someone who doesn't know any better, but there's a lot of good moments. And it won't be like this forever. One of these days I'll see my brother again and we'll be able to live proper, the three of us." Her voice grows softer. "If I've learned anything on Taris, it's that you can find beauty in the little things. Like those people in Undercity. I never liked spending time there before because of how sad they looked. They don't have a lot, but they have each other and now they have faith in a better world. Is that so bad?"

"It's not bad as long as optimism doesn't lead to gullibility. I worry you'll be taken advantage of."

"Hey, just because I'm nice doesn't mean I'm a pushover," Mission snaps. "I know how to handle myself."

"I know you do. But when we were in the Vulkar base earlier, you almost let them talk you into betraying your friends."

"You're the one who wanted to hear what he had to say!"

"Mission, I'm going to tell you something very important." Mal leans forward with a hard stare. "When you're in the thick of things, you listen to every offer on the table. Even if you've got no intention of taking it, you let them talk because you'll either learn something new or you'll see exactly what type of person they are. But you never, ever, let them make you doubt yourself."

"I didn't mean to, but the way he talked… everything made sense in the moment." Mission bites her lip and looks away. "I must've looked like a real idiot, huh?"

Mal sighs. "You're a lot of things Mission Vao, but you're no idiot." She stretches her fingers, lets the ring bite into her skin one last time before slipping it off. "Here." She drops it in Mission's palm. "Use it as a reminder. Next time someone tries to get in your head, remember who you are and what you're about. Then you'll know the right thing to do."

Mission looks taken aback, the warmth in her eyes tugging at Mal's heart. The ring is too big for her slender fingers. She slips it onto her right thumb instead. "That was surprisingly good advice. Got any more?"

"First one's free. Next time you pay for business secrets. Now watch it, I think I'm actually winning for once."

Mission glances between her and the cards. "You do understand the rules, right?"

"Of course. I'm a Pazaak prodigy."

The game helps the hours pass. Mal's never been a fan of cards, but she's grateful for the company and the distraction. She wonders if Carth shares her restlessness, then remembers his frightening ability to sleep on command. At least one of them will be fresh for whatever the day brings. Ideally it should be Mal, but she's never been good at sleeping the night before a big job. Their fate is hinged on her performance tomorrow. Bastila's name has become synonymous with freedom. Who knew one Jedi could cause so much trouble?

She finally manages a win but knows it's due to Mission's eyes drooping closed every five seconds and not any genius on her part. She watches as the Twi'lek nods off for a final time. Soon her gentle snores fill the quiet room. Mal lifts her into the bed and covers her with a blanket.

"You're a good person Mal," she mumbles sleepily before snuggling into the pillow.

Mal watches her a moment, the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Then she lays on the hard, metallic floor and places a hand over her own heart. It's been beating madly all night. Barely audible during conversation but here in the quiet it's loud as a drum. She feels the phantom touch around her ring finger and rubs it against her thumb. It's the ghost of a promise to do better, to be better than she was before.

You're a good person Mal.

"No, I'm not."

But she'd like to be.