Hunt Log: Side Notes and Journals
Sighting: Odessen

Three months of wedded bliss together, cravings and mood swings notwithstanding. It was weird at first when Torian came to Odessen as the Mandalorian liaison. We'd been apart for so long that we kept tripping over one another. Eventually, we got it sorted out. It's been good since. If this time together has taught me anything, it's that I'm not letting that man out of my sight again.

Sadio's world splintered into white light; her pulse buzzed in her ears. Torian's thrusts jolted up her spine. He was still moving when Sadio returned from the throes of bliss, the fingers of one hand digging into the meaty part of her hip while the others did...that.

"Holy shit," Sadio breathed, dropping onto her elbows when her arms began to shake. Torian chuckled, pulling himself upright to grind playfully against her ass. Sadio's body craved his. Not in that, we're in love and can't keep our hands off one another, but in the sense that she honestly couldn't get enough. She was so fucking horny all the time lately.

"Want another?" Torian asked, smug satisfaction lacing every word.

Glaring over her shoulder, Sadio's eyes narrowed with a warning that they both knew was out of her ability to execute. "Shut up." She was huge, now, more planet shaped than some of the rocks she'd flown missions to. It was as if their child knew Torian was home and had decided to relax all at once. The kid weighed so much that Sadio no longer cared if anyone noticed her waddle. He'd fall out soon if she wasn't careful.

Torian bent down to kiss along Sadio's spine. A wave of exhaustion followed on the heels of her adrenaline. "Nah, I'm good," she decided.

"For now," Torian snorted at the same time that Sadio yawned. She was about to offer her middle finger in response, but his sudden movement threw her off balance. Another glance back showed the arrogant smile of a man who knew what he was doing, and it looked good on him.

It didn't take long for Torian to join Sadio in boneless euphoria, and he flopped onto his side with a contented sigh. "Sure am glad Shae accepted my request to join the Alliance." Sadio chuckled at the sentiment he breathed every time they fell into bed together. She rolled gracelessly onto her side to join him, and Torian's arm slid around her waist to cup their child. "This would be more difficult in my tent."

Sadio blew air through her lips in mock horror. "You wouldn't be getting any if we were stuck in your tent."

"I find that hard to believe," the man laughed, then grunted when her elbow found his ribs.

Sadio had just begun to doze when she felt a flutter across her stomach, followed by tightness in her chest. Before she had a chance to contemplate it, a heavy thump reminded her that this body no longer bent to her will. She growled and pushed into a sitting position.

"Everything okay," Torian asked through the slur of half sleep.

"Your child is bouncing on my bladder again." Sadio felt the embarrassing dampness on her thighs and marveled at how strong the kid had gotten in recent weeks. As she stood, something popped deep within, and she swore a string of oaths so long that Torian was fully awake and off the bed before she reached the end of her tirade.

To make matters worse, the normally sure-footed Mandalorian slipped in the puddle Sadio found herself standing in, landing on his ass two feet in front of her. She gestured at the mess. "I guess this is what Felix was talking about when he said a flood cometh." She made a mental note to kick him with her boots when they fit again.

Torian blinked, his face registering the horror of what it meant at the same time as Sadio. "Oh shit." She looked down, toes pulling away from the floor while she tried to remember what to do next. "No, no, no, no…"

"Wait there, I'll get a towel." Torian scrambled to his feet, returning to pat Sadio's legs dry when the first contraction hit.

Sadio had experienced minor ones over the last two months, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. Her torso locked up with a force that felt like it would crack every bone inside her body. Her breath stopped, eyes closed while the world greyed around the edges. Then, it passed as quickly as it had come on, and she gulped in lungfuls of air while Torian's muffled voice asked where she'd stowed the bag of supplies.

"There," Sadio gasped, finally able to stand straight again. She felt light-headed, but her clammy skin warmed with the relief that it was over. The contraction hadn't been so bad, really, just taken her by surprise. She'd be ready next time.

The next came as Sadio and Torian were walking out the door. Despite her assurances, Sadio wasn't ready. It hurt so badly that she couldn't even curse.

Torian's abs tightened in sympathy, and he stopped breathing every time Sadio whispered a curse. She was on an uncomfortable bed with all manner of machinery attached. The doctor had promised something to ease the pain, but had yet to deliver. Torian would need to find him soon, or Sadio would go after the man herself.

With a long groan, Sadio flopped back onto the bed. "I'm over this." Her chest rose and fell at an unnatural speed. Soon, she would be grappling with the wires and blankets in an attempt to leave...again. Torian set aside his datapad and prepared to intervene.

"Let's just go home," Sadio panted, eyes screwed shut. "I don't want to do this anymore. I changed my mind."

Biting back a smile, Torian smoothed the hair from Sadio's face and kissed her forehead. She was sticky with sweat and paler than he liked. "Can't do that, cyar'ika. We've passed the point of no return." She growled and shoved him away. Torian let the momentum carry him back to his chair without malice. If he could take the pain from her, he would. Unfortunately, all he could manage was support in whatever way she needed, even if it meant going against her wishes.

Sadio opened her mouth, no doubt to call Torian all manner of foul names, then snapped it shut when the door opened. A team of physicians entered with the promise of pain free labor for the rest of her visit. The tightness in Sadio's face released as she gazed upon that massive needle with a fondness that she hadn't looked at him with for hours.

After the procedure was complete, and Sadio settled into blissful numbness, Torian shook himself and tried not to think back on the process. He'd take the agony of delivery over having that thing shoved into his spine any day, though he kept that thought to himself. Torian had just found a comfortable position in the too hard chair when alarms blared through the base.

Sadio winced and clapped her hands over her ears. "What the fuck?"

Torian's comm chirped with a text-only warning that made his blood run cold. He looked at Sadio, and she must have read the horror in his expression. "It's her, isn't it?"

"She found us." Torian stood, his voice calmer than he expected. "I'm being called to protect the base."

Sadio snorted. "Don't they know we're busy?" When Torian didn't agree, a shadow fell over her face. "Don't even think about it, your place is right here, Cadera." Sadio jabbed one finger into the sheets to make her point.

Torian wanted to stay, but he was in charge of the Mandalorian forces that Shae had sent. If he didn't fight, there was no guarantee that they would. Not in any organized fashion, at least. Without that aid, there was a chance that Vaylin's forces could reach the base where his wife labored to bring their child into the world. Torian swallowed. "I have to."

"No." Sadio gripped Torian's arm, her nails biting into his skin. "Damn it, Torian. If you leave, I'll never forgive you."

Torian kissed his wife's forehead, then her lips. He knew she'd be angry for years if he died tonight, but the risk was too great. Eventually, Sadio would understand his actions and tell their son of his father's heroic death. "I'll be back," Torian promised, though to whom, he couldn't say. He forced the smile Sadio had never been able to resist. "Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur." Today is a good day for someone else to die.

"Don't you spout that shit at me," Sadio growled, tightening her hold. She'd never learned Mando'a, but the woman had always possessed an intuition for the tone of words. She understood enough.

Placing his hand on Sadio's stomach, Torian felt the muscles tighten and saw the proof of another contraction on the monitors. His son would arrive before sunrise, and Torian set that as a benchmark for his return. He murmured encouragement to the child, then pulled away.

Sadio's nails left tracks in Torian's forearm. He ignored the pain and started towards the door while she hurled threats at his back through angry tears. With each step, Torian's chest constricted. He had to fight, or else, he might lose everything.

Sadio's mood swung between rage and terror. Torian had left her, in the middle of giving birth, to die an honorable death. "Bastard," she muttered, angrily swiping at the tears that leaked from her eyes. It was mad crying, she wasn't sad or hurt, just furious. "Fuck him."

Then, Sadio thought about what she'd tell their son about his father. How he should have been there, but wasn't. A ray of sanity pierced her betrayal and reminded Sadio that Torian would always do what he thought was right, that he had a reason for walking away. It was probably a good one, but that didn't help at the moment.

Sadio glared at the wall chrono. Only two hours had passed, and without a distraction, she didn't know what to do. The battle raged far enough away that she couldn't hear it within the shelter of her room. All Sadio could do was listen to the chatter on the radio that Torian had sent. Felix had dropped it off with an apologetic smile, claiming that Torian had wanted her to know what was going on, but didn't trust himself to come back to her room. She'd had a few choice things to say about that, too.

The monitor beeped. Sadio glanced up, watching the spike that she couldn't feel. At least there was that: she'd die of boredom before pain. She felt pressure on her bladder and grunted, then it passed. Minutes later, a nurse entered to check her. The woman was a Twi'lek, built with heavy hips and bust that could support numerous toddlers. She smiled from the end of the bed. "I think it's time to call the doctor in."

Fear spilled into Sadio's veins. This was it, she really had to bring this child into the world...out of her body. "Holy shit."

The nurse chuckled and patted her thigh. "It's easier than it sounds. Your body knows what to do." That wasn't the problem. Sadio didn't know what to do after. How did she feed it, or calm it—or keep it alive? She'd never been able to keep a houseplant longer than a few months.

While the nurse made changes to the machines connected to Sadio's body, the radio cracked. "Getting hammered down here. Could use some backup." It was Torian's voice, and Sadio's stomach shrank with something other than labor. Vette's high-pitched shout followed on his heels with the same plea for help.

Sadio snatched the radio from the table by her bed and stared at it while those involved discussed the various options available. "Just get there, damn it," she growled while they talked.

The nurse looked up, brow lined at Sadio's outburst, then her eyes widened when she realized what Sadio was holding. The doctor swept in at that moment with a large smile. "Are you ready to meet your—" He stopped when Sadio didn't acknowledge him. She was too busy willing someone, anyone, to get to Torian before the Skytroopers did.

Sadio ignored the murmur of conversation at the foot of her bed. Someone had agreed to go to Torian's aid, the Cathar sniper from Havoc Squad, but he'd have to run. There was a chance he wouldn't make it, but no one else was closer. Sadio's knuckles turned white with the force of her grasp. She barely registered that someone was attempting to pull it away until her fingers gave and the device vanished.

"What the—" Sadio snarled at the doctor, who handed her radio, her only link to Torian, to a nurse.

When he turned back, there was that stupid smile again. Sadio wanted to slap it off his face. "Let's focus on the task at hand, okay?"

Sadio cursed him, the nurse, and anyone within earshot while they levered her into position. Even with her legs splayed between the two women holding them and the doctor's head between, Sadio swore. Tears streamed down her cheeks with every push, and she reached for the radio in between.

A Togruta female rushed into the room, her face moist and eyes red. She whispered something to the doctor, who pressed his lips together with a nod. Sadio couldn't hear it all, only the words hostage, Vaylin, and a choked-off sound that painted enough of the picture for Sadio to figure out the rest. Someone wailed, and everyone looked at Sadio.

"One more," the doctor encouraged, though his voice sounded tight.

Sadio's denial couldn't stop the process. In minutes she'd hold Torian's son, and she didn't know what to do about it. Would she be angry? It wasn't the baby's fault, but she was a terrible person, a selfish woman fully capable of holding a grudge no matter the innocence. The room rumbled with the force of a blast unlike she'd ever felt. Pressure on her pelvis, then the sweet relief of emptiness.

Everything after that moment was a blur. A baby cried in the distance while medical professionals bustled around Sadio's room. Her legs were set gently on the bed and a warm blanket laid over her. Moments later, someone placed a wrapped bundle in her arms and she blinked into the confused blue eyes of a brand new human. He had no hair, or rather, a fine layer of fuzz so pale that it didn't count. The round face studied her with an unfocus that Sadio felt in her soul.

Cheering brought her attention to the hallway beyond the cracked door. Someone, a patient judging by their dress, poked his head in. "Vaylin's dead. We won." His gaze settled on the baby and his smile grew. "Congratulations. It's a great day to be born." Sadio continued to stare at the door for another minute after the stranger vanished. Where was Torian?

The tears started again, dripping onto the plump cheeks of her son, and she held him closer. There was comfort in that small embrace as Sadio pressed her forehead to his. He smelled new, like ambition and renewal. She'd need to call him something, but she and Torian hadn't discussed names. He claimed that you couldn't tell who a child would become until you looked them in the eye. Sadio looked; came up blank.

When the door opened again, Sadio shut her eyes. She didn't want visitors. She wanted to be left alone to grieve and wallow in sorrow before they made her go back to real life. She wanted to— "He's so small."

Sadio's eyes popped open to find Torian standing in the door, frozen mid-step as he stared at their son. His blond hair stood out at odd angles, matted and soaked with sweat. Smoke and char marks covered his armor to the point she could barely see the original color. Sadio couldn't speak. She'd been so sure—

The baby sneezed when Sadio's short hair tickled his nose. Torian's brows rose, then a stupid grin lit his face. He crossed the room to her bed and Sadio hit him. It wasn't hard enough to hurt from her awkward position, so she hit him again. Torian laughed and cradled her face for a kiss. It was enough for Sadio to finally take that first, real breath since everything had started. When she released it, her eyes narrowed. "You're a fucking idiot, Cadera."

"I love you too," Torian replied, and the warmth in those bright, blue eyes made Sadio melt.

-Epilogue-

"Haar'chak." Torian whistled in appreciation while Sadio fought with her bra. He stepped behind her, hindering her attempts to dress further by kneading the copious amounts of flesh that she was trying to contain. "I could get used to this."

"Shut up," Sadio growled, bucking her hips back and not at all surprised to find Torian hard against her ass. He loved the effects motherhood had on her body. Each time she nursed Atin, Torian ogled her. The man had become a nuisance and was counting down the days until Sadio was released for more carnal pleasures.

Patting her ass, Torian returned to his datapad, then snorted. "Coronation has a date. Iresso will become emperor next month."

Having succeeded in wrestling her bra into place, Sadio laughed. "We should throw him a special party, invitation only." Torian's grin turned devious and he began tapping on the screen.

A squall from the next room announced that Atin had completed his mandatory thirty-minute nap and now demanded sustenance. Sadio sighed at the bra she'd finally mastered. At least she was still shirtless.

"I'll get him." Torian strode toward the nursery, fatherhood having settled on his shoulders with natural ease. Meanwhile, Sadio still had to consult her datapad to remember the proper bathing temperature for newborns.

Throwing herself into the chair, Sadio vowed to get one of those ugly nursing bras that the Barsen'thor swore by. She was ready when Torian appeared with their son tucked in the crook of one arm. "With Zakuul defeated and under new rulership, Shae is dispelling the clans." He handed the babe to Sadio and watched her maneuver him into place. For once, his expression was serious. "We can go anywhere, now."

Sadio had been thinking about that. She didn't want to go back to Rishi. The planet had suffered a lot of damage, and she didn't fancy raising Atin among the pirates who'd stayed behind. Now that her son was real, Sadio found herself hesitant to do a lot of things. She didn't want to stay on Odessen. It was still a target for the Empire and Republic, and she and Torian didn't plan to return to either of those. Freedom felt heavy, now. Sadio hadn't chosen her path in so long that she didn't know which way to go.

"What about the Medallion?" It was the only place Sadio knew of that was theirs. She looked up to find the same acceptance on Torian's face. That had always been their home, the go-to when they could find time to be together.

Lowering himself to one knee beside Sadio's chair, Torian brushed his fingers through the still transparent fuzz on Atin's head. "Yeah, the Medallion. We'll see where it takes us from there." His hand paused, lips pulling back in a grimace. "Do we have to keep Phil?"

Sadio threw her head back and laughed loud enough to startle Atin into a crying fit. She soothed her son while stifling giggles that would disrupt his meal. "Yes," she managed, pressing a kiss to Torian's pout. "He was my first love, after all."

Thank you everyone who's followed along on this voyage and I appreciate the patience of those of you who've been around since the beginning. For the longest time I wasn't sure how to end this story, then I realized that it should end with a new beginning. It's been a joy to read all of you comments and thanks again for all the kudos!