Hello everybody.

Pidge is busy, helping Acxa and the kids, when one of the children started to show interest in the Galra. But she oviously had drawn the attention from her savior. And he doesn't seems to be happy to have met her. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this chapter.

Grammar mistakes in the lines of the little child were done by me on purpose, the rest of them are due to my laguage issues, so sorry for that :-)

Heavy Load

Acxa did a deep breath and welcomed the clean oxygen. Pidge had brought her to a decontamination shower, had given her a new suit and had placed her behind her pilot seat, after the acid was off from her. She had given her an respiration mask and extra oxygen, to make breathing easier. The young paladin has returned to the teenager to check them, if they needed any further help. After some deep breaths the Galra pushed herself back on her feet. Whatever the stranger had given her, it was still fighting successfully her pains and so she decided to try to help Pidge. They weren't out of danger until they were back on the Atlas. She shambled back to the hangar, where the kids were about to find a save seat for the flight.

Big eyes were scanning the surrounding with great astonishment but also with a little fear. Pidge was busy with belting a boy, who looked like five or six. Two of the big girls, both between twelve and fourteen were helping the other boy and girl to take seat as well. The boy must have been ten, the girl nine or eight. Acxa wasn't sure. She had recognized, that she seemed to have an good eye for guessing the right age of a child or a person, but she still completely trusted her ability when it comes to humans.

"'ou, are outchy?"

Acxa winced at these words. She looked down with surprise and watched in the green eyes of a little girl, about two or three years of age. The guessing eyes of her were warm and friendly. She pointed at the wounded leg. The girl must have noticed, that Acxa was shambling. The acid and the cold has damaged her skin, but she was sure that no scars would remain, when she had received full medical service at the Atlas. Not like the poor girl. A heavy scar was almost all over the little face from her chin up to her left eyebrow. She seemed to noticed Acxa's scanning look, cause she pointed on her own scar.

"Me outchy, too. Many outchies."

Acxa couldn't suppress her tears from floating her eyes. What has war done to those kids. The child suddenly took her hand and pulled carefully at her to convince her to got down on her knees. It was complicated with her hurt leg but she obeyed this gesture. The child took a step to her and Acxa's eyes widened in total surprise, as the girl started to rub gently her horns with one hand, while she was still holding Acxas hand.

"Outchy better?"

Acxa's look was full of questions and surprise. She recognized the others in the hangar, who had all stopped, what they had done before and were now observing Acxa and the girl. Pidge was crying silently. But also the other kids were touched by this gesture. But it was also obvious, that they were also reminded of their own scars as well, by this little dialogue. The little child kept on soothingly rubbing the base of her horns, where her skin ended and her horns began.

"She had seen Ronan doing this with Freyda and Tjaàl."

"Pat…!"

The angry hissing of the oldest girl let the boy shut his mouth, instantly. He looked embarrassed to the ground, while the girl checked the belts of the boy with an angry face. She avoided the questioning look from Acxa. So the woman closed her eyes and let the soothing tickle warm her for a moment. So the name of her savior was Ronan. She also realized, why the moves of the tall woman and the name, Ronan had spoken in his com were so familiar for her. She must be also a Galra. And the child, the woman had carried must be Tjaàl. But what about these children. Acxa opened her eyes again and gave the little kid a warm and thankful smile.

"Yes, better."

She hesitated a moment, but then she gently rubbed with her thumb over the forehead of the child, taking care, that her claws didn't scratch the soft skin of the child.

"I'm Acxa."

A beaming smile was the reward for this gesture and the kid ran with a chuckling laughter over to the big girls. Their faces were a mixture of worries and mistrust. How does this all fits together?

Pidge must have had the same question. She walked over to the little girl and helped her on a seat.

"Are Ronan and Freyda your mommy and daddy?"

It was a obvious question, and Acxa was sure, that Pidge had no intention to cut in open wounds, but the result was shocking for her. Big tears started to grew in the child's eyes and the kid started to cry desperately. The oldest girl sprinted over to the child and took her into her arms, while Pidge shambled back with shock and sadness in her face. The burning anger in the eyes of the girl made her tears falling as well.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to…"

Pidge earned only a second angry look for her stammered apologize. The girl switched her focus back on the crying child, who had buried her face on the neck and shoulder of the girl.

"Hey, Kathy… It's gonna be alright."

Pidge and Acxa watched the girl rubbing the back of the child. Her cries tortured both. It didn't seemed, that anyone could help her in her desperation. But suddenly the Galra took a deep breath and walked over to the child. The kid hadn't any horns, because she was human, but Acxa carefully placed her fingers at the head of the crying child, where she would assume the horns of a Galran kid and started to rub small circles. She felt the extreme pensive observation of the girl, who was holding Kathy. The cries of the child eased instantly. So Acxa started to hum a soothing melody as well. It was a quite tone, but her humming filled the hangar with this warm and soothing sound. She hadn't thought about it, the melody came naturally to her. It was a melody, she had nearly forgotten. The cries of the kid got better with every warming tone of the melody.

Suddenly a second female voice joined the humming. The kid looked up and also the rest turned to the door of the hangar. A high grown person with a little child on her arms was at the end of the ramp and came closer. The kid stopped crying, finally. The girl, who had hold her, placed Kathy on the ground and the child ran towards the person, who got down on her knees and hugged the kid. The oldest girl came to her as well and the person handed her the little child.

"Thank you, Jessy. Please, help Tjaàl out of the suit, I take care of Kathy."

It was a dark but gentle female voice. Jessy nodded at her and opened the little helmet. The face of an older baby approached under the helmet. The skin of the child had a slight purple color and Acxa and Pidge noticed the first signs, where the horns would grow some day. The baby was cooing toward the teenager. The woman put her hands on her helmet and pulled it off as well. The scared face of a young Galran woman approached. Fine lines were to be seen on the deep purple skin of her forehead and on her right cheek. Her long lilac hair was in a braid, which was curled up to a knot on the back of her head. Her golden-yellow eyes scanned the hangar with a warm look for all of the kids. Then she took up Kathy and walked over to Pidge. The Paladin was still shocked and embarrassed about her mistake. It seemed, that the Galra had listened what had happened not even a minute before. Her golden eyes fixed the Paladin like a burning ray, but Pidge withstood the soul-piercing look. But she felt obviously sorry and uncomfortable. The corners of her eyes were still glittering with tears.

The Gara woman turned her look to Kathy and watched the kid deep in the eyes. Also the kid kept focused on the woman. It was a warm and gently look, but yet not less strong. Suddenly the kid turned to Pidge and the Galra got down on her knees to close the gap between Kathy and Pidge.

Pidge didn't know what to do. Both, the woman and Kathy seemed to expect a reaction. She got nervous, but suddenly she understood, that no words were needed right now. With shaking hands she reached out for the head of the child and placed carefully her fingers at the same point, Acxa had placed them before. Then she started to rub small circles as well. A little smile rushed over the face of the kid and Pidge released a gasp, she hadn't knew, that she had hold before. She got her voice back and smiled back as well.

"I'm sorry, Kathy. Better now?"

Kathy nodded at her and the Galra got up again.

"Ronan is almost finished with the funereal ceremony. And Amrasu is also back."

It was more addressed to the kids, but it was also an information for Acxa and Pidge.

"Enemy forces are also on their way. All of you, get a save seat, It'll be a rocky ride."

The other girls took seat as well and the Galra handed Kathy over to Acxa. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she gave the woman a totally baffled look.

"It'll be safer for you, to have her support."

Pidge hadn't recognized it, because she was busy with preparation for take off, but Acxa. This quote was for her and not for Kathy. She frowned at the serious look, she got from the woman.

"Sorry, this was all a little hasty. I'm Pidge, you must be Freyda, right?"

The Galra turned to her and nodded. The emotionless reaction left the Paladin with a slight uncomfortable feeling, but she continued with her questions.

"Okay, nice to meet you too. I have one question. Who is Amrasu?"

The Galra simply turned her head to the ramp. At this moment a spider-like robot came up the ramp. The machine had the size of a really big desk. The eight legs of the robot, were equipped with various weapon systems. The big round body of the machine was over and over covered with bumps, dimples and scratches in the dark brushed metal. A combined sensor unit was on the top of the body. Pidge eyes started to glow in great excitement.

"Oh. My. Gosh. I get it. This is an Advanced Medical Rescue And Support Unit. It was an highly experimental robot system to support all kind of colonies and exploration teams on deep space missions. Only three units were build of these ones and the they got all lost. I have never expected to see one of these babies with my own eyes."

She rushed over to the machine, which has stopped in the middle of the hangar. The camera and sensor unit turned toward Pidge. The Paladin bowed down before one leg, mesmerized by the design. She focused on the legs of the robot, which were made of many similar movable subunits. This construction gave the robot legs an extraordinary flexibility.

"These legs were designed to handle heavy terrain, but also to use all different kind of tools and for interactions. The body has room to stock different kind of tools, so that the unit can alternate between different equipment in field. But what makes these units so unique is the high advanced artificial neuron system."

She gave Acxa a beaming smile, the half-Galra only returned with a face, that showed a lack of understanding. But Kathy smiled warm at Pidge's obviously shown excitement.

"Artificial intelligence."

A tired male voice made everyone turn around. Ronan has also entered the hangar, followed by two chain-wheeled containers. Pidge also welcomed him with a beaming smile. She was still stuck in her curiosity for the machine.

"Exactly. These machines were designed to learn and to make own decisions, if necessary in order to support people. But this one is highly customized. I have never heard of, that they were build to carry weapon systems as well."

Ronan put off his helmet as well and released a sarcastic snort. Acxa noticed, that the bionic eye was definitely Galran, but also customized. His face was scared and parts of his blond hair on his left was missing. Some nearly vanished burning marks on his left side told her the reasons for his missing eye and hair. Pidge shared astonished looks with the man and the robot, which had taken guarding position before the kids. Ronan had walked over to Freyda and both gave each other a kiss and the Galra rested her forehead against his. The Paladin was about to ask further questions, when some hits shook the lion.

"Sorry, it seems, party is over. All of you, get a seat, we have to start now."

Pidge closed her visor and sprinted back to her pilot seat. Acxa shambled with Kathy to another seat. She passed by Ronan, who had taken Tjaàl from Jessy. His look was colder than the planet, but it softened as Kathy smiled at him. The little girl had laid her arm around Acxas neck and to her surprise she leaned her head on her cheek.

"It seems, that Kathy likes you."

His voice was emotionless. Acxa shared a look with Kathy, who smiled warm at her. Then she turned back to Ronan, who was holding Tjaàl.

"I do agree with your interpretation."

He nodded cold at her.

"Then you're in luck. I only know one person, who is more picky with trust." He faced her with a dangerous look. "Me."

Then he passed her and took seat beside Freyda. Acxa had to shiver. For a second, there was a burning hate in his eye for her. Kathy also followed his way with her eyes. Acxa winced a little as she recognized the tiny fingers at her horns again. The kid seemed to have recognized the tension between Ronan and her and the way, his look was worrying her. So she had started the soothing rubbing again.

Like Freyda had suggested, it became a rough ride back to the Atlas, but Acxa didn't recognized much of it. The gentle soothing rubs of the child was all she focused on until the movements of the child slowly stopped. It took Acxa a while, until she recognized, that Kathys hand rested limp on her head and that the child got heavier. She took a look at her and her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't realized, that she had also started to rub and stroke the head of the child again and so the girl has fallen asleep in her arms. She felt the pensive looks of Ronan and Freyda on her and she looked up to face their eyes. Again the former seen bitterness approached in Ronans face and the man turned away, but the Galra kept looking at her. And then she nodded an approval to her. Acxa took a look at the sleeping kid and then back to Freyda and a little smile came to her face. She nodded back.

Thankfully.