Disclaimer: I don't own Star wars I just wish I do. I only own Zaria.

Chapter 4

Special thanks to Lledra's fan stuffs on Tumblr. For doing my commission for the new cover image. She has some great Star wars fan art and a fan coming about Ahsoka called Star wars Destines. Her fan blog and comic are on Tumblr. Go check them out they are awesome.

Zaria snickered. Sparring with Kanan was a great stress reliever. And thankfully he could hold his own most of the time. It was fun for her to beat the Jedi up.

Kanan had started training Ezra in the three first basic forms. Zaria training him in TrĂ  Kata basics to use his blaster handle optimally.

Zaria was making Kanan and Ezra work on hand to hand combat as well. Ezra nicknamed her the task driver. She had been training all her life, with her father, with her mother, by herself. It had always been a comfort and a constant in her life. Zaria enjoyed sharing her routine again.

They all meditated together in the early mornings.

Zaria could get use to this.

This is a line break.

Zaria leaned away from Vizago.

"So you won't work for me anymore?" Vizago asks in a disappointed tone.

"I will if the rest of my team does." Zaria answered sternly.

"You were such a good enforcer." Visago shook his head.

"Well then." Visago clapped his hands.

"Come, I will buy you a drink, come on."

Zaria sighed.

"Fine, buy me a drink. I hope you don't plan to get me drunk so you can look under my headdress. Because it won't work. I have a very high tolerance to alcohol."

Visago gave her an innocent look. Zaria knew better.

"I would never." Visago held out his arm for Zaria to take.

Zaria took it. They began walking to the cantina.

An imperial officer stopped them.

"What are you two aliens up to?" The fat one sneered at them.

Zaria kept a grip on Visago, she sent him a warning look.

"Going for a drink." Zaria says calmly pulling out some credits. Handing them to the officer.

"A hard working Officer like yourself deserves a drink after your shift. Please accept one from me. All hail the glorious empire, we are so lucky you are here." Zaria put a false cheer into her voice.

The officer looked happily at the money.

"Yes, yes, enjoy your time." He walked off hiding the money in his pockets.

Visago looked impressed.

"You took care of that nicely."

"Imperials on Lothal are easily bought." Zaria winked at him. Most of the time credits worked better then force influencing them.

This is a line break.

Zaria laughed at Cikatro's joke. Visago insisted that since she wasn't on his payroll anymore she call him by his first name.

Cikatro had bought her five drinks. He eyed the sabacc table with interest.

"I wouldn't think it about if I were you." Zaria warns.

"That human is very good, you only end up losing money. And we both know how much you hate to lose money."

Cikatro leaned back in his chair.

"You know me so well, dear." Cikatro frowned at the human.

"And I think that human already cheated me out of some land. You are an angel of the yuta moons."

Zaria slapped him on the shoulder.

"Quite being charming, I'm still not taking off my headdress."

Cikatro acted wounded.

"You always judge me so harshly. Do I need an alternative motive to being nice?"

"Yes." Zaria deadpans.

Cikatro laughed.

"So how is your little pet?"

"Ezra? Fine, he's doing well. I think he likes having a extended family." Zaria sips her drink.

"And do you?" Cikatro asks slyly.

"Yes, I'm very fond of them." Zaria nods.

"I'm going to miss your work. My files will never be as organized without you." Cikatro sighs.

"I'm sure you will get over it." Zaria scoffed.

"Another drink then." Cikatro ordered.

Zeb and Kanan entered the bar.

Kanan gaped at her.

"Zaria? Visago?"

Zaria waved a bit tipsy.

"Hey, Kanan what brings you here?"

"Yeah, Kanan whatcha... doing here?" Cikatro slurred, he was a lot more drunk then Zaria. Cikatro leered at Zaria. Kanan's nostrils flared.

"Visago, you are way too old for Zaria." Kanan stepped in between the two.

Visago looked insulted.

"I'm in my prime, I am not old."

Zaria hugged Kanan.

"You're sweet, but I can beat up Cikatro on my own."

Vizago let out a mutter of protest.

Kanan sighed as Visago fell asleep at the bar. Zaria started to snore her head was limp on his shoulder.

The bartender and owner of the bar, Jho the Ithorian shrugged when Kanan sent him a questioning look.

Kanan shrugged and sighed.

"Come on, Zaria." He put a hand on her slumped covered head. He channeled the force into her, using the simplest force healing he knew. Zaria was so much better at it then he. But from his own experiences with rough hangovers he had figured out how to heal them.

Zaria stirred and blinked up at him.

She ducked her head, Zaria didn't know what possessed her to drink with Vizago but. This would be her only intake of liquor for a while. Zeb had joined the sabacc game in the corner of the bar.

"Right. Like I'd let a Droid tell me how to play Sabacc." Zeb sneered. Chopper banged his helm against the table.

Kanan turned back to Jho.

"Got any jobs, Jho? It doesn't need to be big, I'll take almost anything."

Jho cleaned a mug.

"Sorry Kanan, I got nothing. But go try that off worlder over there. He's playing Zeb in Sabacc. Said he's looking for a crew to help move some cargo. I'll even pay you fifty credits to get him out of my bar. You wouldn't believe the amount of fights this guy has caused. Won every game of Sabacc he's played. I suspect he is cheating but he's a sneaky one." Jho slid a tall mug over to Zaria. The water fuzzed with a pill to help with hangovers. Zaria took it gratefully. She lifted her headdress enough to pour the liquid into her mouth.

"Will you call someone to pick Vizago up?" Zaria cleared her throat. As she opened Vizago's wallet to grab the credits they owed Jho.

He took them with a nod.

Zeb smirked as Zaria and Kanan made their way over to him. Kanan sent Zaria a disapproving look as her normally graceful stride was was thrown off by her stumbling.

"How much did you have to drink?" Kanan folded his arms. His tone reminded Zaria of her mother's scolding tone. Zaria swallowed down the lump that formed in her throat at the thought of her mother.

She mused silently. Maybe scolding younglings was a class taught at before the fall of the jedi.

"I may have got a bit carried away, when Vizago claimed I was a light weight. I can meditate it off later." Zaria waved a hand.

Kanan didn't lighten up on his practised Jedi stare.

"Don't tell me you never wanted to numb yourself after the fall. That you've never used alcohol to pause the pain left behind by broken bonds. I rarely drink after all." Zaria's gold eyes harden.

Kanan sighs, he relents.

"Just be careful, I don't trust Vizago."

Zaria smiled under her headdress.

She sends her thanks to Kanan through the slow forming force bond.

Kanan smiled at her. They had both missed force bonds. And Kanan knew how it felt to deal with the broken force bonds of murdered family. The Jedi had been his family as much as her parents had been hers. Kanan put a hand on her shoulder.

Zaria narrowed her eyes at the dark skinned human playing Zeb. The human was confident and smooth in the force. He had won a lot of money this last week.

Zeb had a very good hand, but Zaria sensed the human was going to win.

She lost interest in the game. She didn't bother warning Zeb. Some Things needed to be learnt the hard way.

"Looks like I'm all out of creds." Zeb rubs the back of his head. He looked ready to do the sensible thing and pull out. Chopper made a mocking beep.

Zeb snarled at the astromech.

"So I'll bet my Droid!" Zeb winced as Chopper zapped him.

'Hera wasn't going to like this.' Zaria was darkly amused.

"Whoa Zeb! You can't just bet Chopper, he's-" Kanan stopped as Zeb shoved his cards into Kanan's face. Kanan whistled at the cards.

"See? Can't lose, you know we need the credits. Besides if I lose, is it really that big of a loss?" Zeb glared down at Chopper.

Chopper banged against Zeb's chair knocking him down.

"I was joking . . . . mostly." Zeb complained rubbing his back.

Kanan grinned.

"Do it."

His years of ignoring his jedi culture ingrained in Kanan willingness to gamble.

It entertained Zaria to see this side of the jedi.

"I'll make sure you both are buried with your weapons after Hera's done with you." Zaria rolled her eyes. Kanan wasn't heeding the warning the force was giving out. She supposed Kanan needed more practice.

"So? You gonna take the bet?" Zeb leaned back into his chair.

"I will take the bet." The man chuckled. Zaria knew that kind of laugh.

It was the laugh of a man who had already won.

Zeb proudly threw his cards down.

"Sabacc! I win." Zeb gleefully started to gather up the numerous credits.

The man held up a hand to stop him.

"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast." His mysterious smile set Zaria on edge. He let his cards flutter down to the table.

"It appears that I have an idiot's array. Which I guess that makes you-" He was cut off from finishing the insult from

Zeb's growl.

"And what does that make you? You selmo!"

Zaria snorted.

"My, my, you are a lucky human. That's what? You're seventh Idiot array this month in Sabacc."

The man merely grinned.

"It's a gift. The name's Calrissian, Lando Calrissian." The man introduced himself with the sharp eyes of a conman.

He stood up and examined Chopper. Zaria quirked an eyebrow stalk.

Kanan and Zeb both paled as it stunk in that Hera was going to be furious with them. Lando turned to Zaria. He bowed with a showy flick at the waist.

He grabbed her dark red hand. He kissed it. Zaria gave a huff of disgust.

"You think you're a real charmer don't you?"

Calrissian sent her a smile that word have had most women's hearts flutter. Zaria's heart didn't skip a beat.

She squeezed his hand, and was reluctantly impressed when he didn't show any pain.

Kanan glared at Calrissian.

"What will it take to get back Chopper?" Zaria tore her hand away.

Calrissian's eyes glittered as he tapped his finger to his chin thoughtfully.

"I did just win the Droid, I haven't seen if I want to keep it or not."

Zeb grimaced.

"Jho said you needed a ship to smuggle something into Lothal." Zaria speaks up.

"That's right I do." Calrissian concedes.

"We have a ship that can make it past the imperial blockage. You need us if you want to succeed, smuggler." Zaria states.

"Smuggler? Why would you think that?" He tries to play innocent. She could feel his surprise through the force.

"You cheated Vizago, the head of the crime on Lothal out of some fuel and land. Of course I, could smooth Vizago's temper. If you give us back Chopper, two thousand credits, and four tanks of fuel." Zaria offers.

Calrissian gaze lingered over the sleeping Vizago. Zaria felt a stab of satisfaction at Calrissian's nod.

"Nine hundred credits, one tank of fuel and I give you back your droid."

Zaria glared.

"Two tanks of fuel, nine hundred credits and Chopper once the job is complete."

Calrissian stroked his chin.

"You do know how to bargain."

Zaria cut him off, his insincere flattery was beginning to irritate her.

"Our ship is the only one who can get you through the blockage alive. Unless you want to take your chances like the last unsuccessful pair of smugglers. Who were publicly executed on the holonet."

Calrissian looked annoyed.

He wasn't used to not calling the shots.

"Very well, we have a deal."

This is a line break.

It served Zeb right as the large Lasat cowered. Chopper with anger trilled shrilly.

"I can explain, don't kill me." Zeb fled past Hera into the ship.

She looked after him with a confused look.

"Explain what?"

"Hera, Sabine, Ezra, this is Lando Calrissian." Kanan began trying to let go his apprehension to the force.

"He's hired us to smuggle some goods into Lothal. Past the imperial blockage."

"Yes, it's strange how such a backwater outer rim planet has such a strong Imperial present." Lando says pointedly. He must have heard the rumors about them. He might suspect what they were. The blockage was there because of them after all. The crew exchanged glances.

"Are you sure you can get this vessel past the Imps?" Lando gestured to the ship they were standing in.

"Captain Hera was it?" He folded his arms behind his back.

"My ship the Ghost, can both mask it's signature and signal." Hera folded her arms across her chest, her head tails twitched with irritation at Lando's doubt.

"We can get you past the Imps. What's the cargo?" Lando waved a hand to Zaria.

"I was told no questions asked."

Hera sent her a look that meant Zaria had some explaining to do.

"That's fine, it just costs more." Hera rubbed her fingers together.

"Zaria and I have already settle on a price, but I assume as captain it needs your approval." Lando looked ready to jump at the chance to renegotiate the price.

"She doesn't." The look on Hera's face said otherwise.

Zaria cut in.

"Nine hundred credits, two tanks of fuel, and we get Chopper back. Zeb and Kanan lost him in a game of Sabacc to this guy." Zaria jerked her thumb at the human.

Zaria pulled Lando off to the side as the green twi'lek began to chew Kanan and Zeb out.

Ezra hopped down from his crate he had been sitting on.

"Hera's upset." He whispered to his sister.

Zaria nodded. Hera's anger and hurt flowed into the force. Ezra had grown in his contention to the force if he could sense it.

"You should know better, Chopper is a member of this crew! You can't bet just bet Chopper! We don't own Chopper, Chopper owns himself!" Hera fumed, her green eyes accusing.

Lando quickly intervened.

"Whoa, we should go, I need to pick up my goods and I don't want to keep my supplier waiting. Besides if all goes well there won't be anything for you good people to fight about." Lando successful calms Hera's tirade.

Kanan was letting his guilt leak into both his force bonds. Two force sensitives shrugged at him unsympathetic.

Zaria had her suspicion as to why Hera reacted so strongly. The beautiful circle tattoos on Hera's lekku, had to have been painful. The head tails on twi'lek were so sensitive to touch. Most Twi'lek didn't get tattoos unless they were criminals, or they had been slaves. Zaria couldn't see Hera as a criminal. Her over emotional outburst at of Chopper being sold, meant it was far more likely she had been a slave.

Hera snarled at Kanan, her rarely seen feral twi'lek side came out. She punch Kanan and stormed out to the start the ship in the cockpit.

Kanan slumped.

This is a line break.

Zaria had been sent out of the cockpit as she struggled not to force choke or stabbing the flowery fake smuggler.

'You can't kill him.' Kanan communicated through the force bond.

Kanan fought his own ire at Lando complementing Hera's piloting skills. Zaria slunk out throwing the Smuggler a glower.

She hoped Kanan didn't send the grating Lando out after her.

The man could have even tested jedi

masters of their patience.

She joined Ezra and Zeb in the rec and dining room. She sat down and relaxed as she enjoyed the Lando free zone.

Her mood fell as Chopper brought Lando into the room claiming that it was giving Lando a tour.

"J'us zioplys doroti dabar nu zinot kia akid tave!"* She cursed at Chopper.

Usually she found the Droid's antics amusing but not today.

"Meistras dary malsini tu'saen nudien zudimas kash nustia nuo firma."* TZ-34 reprimands Zaria.

"Gretusa kash sis skystas zmones z'kaina kia mrias iv tu'iea raka?"* TZ-34 cheers her up.

"Fine, right as always TZ-34." Zaria calmed herself. She wouldn't let this human affect her anymore. She hoped the Sith spawned Droid liked servitude as Chopper served Lando a drink. Then again Chopper could have put anything in to it.

"I can't believe that little sycophantic bucket of bolts is actually playing nice to that guy." Zeb shook his head grumbling.

"I can't believe you lost Chopper." Ezra was reclined on his chair, his feet on the table and his hands behind his head.

"Good thing I wasn't there you would have bet me."

Zeb waved dismissively.

"You wouldn't have covered the pot."

"But Chopper did?" Ezra laughed.

Zaria tugged on Zeb's ear. Her eyes dark as she burned holes with her stare.

"Ezra is priceless and you had better hope you never try to bet my Brolin." Zaria let's her unspoken threat hang in the air.

Zeb pales.

Ezra rolled his eyes.

"Stop being so overprotective, I swear between you, Hera, and Kanan. You will come up with something stupid to protect me. Like a force field bubble."

Zaria tilted her head.

"The idea had merit, Ezra." She smiled under her headdress.

Ezra's eyes widened in horror.

"What have I done?"

"She's just kidding kid. . . I think. I was too." Zeb looks at Zaria. She punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Anyway I think Lando cheated." Zeb continued in a lower tone.

"Really? You just figured that out? Guess the force was trying to send you a message with the idiot array." Zaria snickered. Zeb scowled at Zaria.

"You're just a sore loser, Zeb. Lando seems nice." Ezra ducked Zaria's flick to his head. Zaria pouted. Now that Ezra was training in the force he could dodge much better.

"Remind me to tell Kanan he needs to teach you how to read people through the force." Zaria mutters.

Lando was examining Sabine's art on the wall.

"At least Zaria has some sense." Zeb growls as Lando starts chatting with Sabine who just entered the room.

"Sabine, I understand this is your work." He gestured to the orange symbol of Sabine's Mandalorian clan.

"It reminds me of Janyor's protest paints on Bith."

Sabine's eyes lit up. No one else in the crew had much interest in art like she did. Although Ezra had been sketching in the art book Sabine had given him lately.

"Well, your work is even more stunning in its simplicity."

Ezra's jealousy was feeding the force as he stiffened and fell out of his chair.

"Hey! I told you your art was amazing months ago! Zeb and Zaria did too." He protested.

"Yeah, but you guys didn't know why." Sabine scoffed.

"Oh that's hardly fair." Lando clicked his tongue.

"He's just a child with no experience of the galaxy."

Zaria restrained Ezra.

"I don't suppose you'd like to see more of my art?" Sabine asks uncharacteristically shy.

"I happen to be an impressionistic connoisseur." Lando held out an arm. Zaria shrugged, she couldn't sense any lies from the human. And if Sabine was willing to take one for the team and spend time distracting the smuggler. Zaria was okay with that. Besides it would do Sabine some good to have someone to talk art with.

Zaria was more into fighting, space dramas, and force training and helping Chopper fix the ship.

Lando turned condensing to Ezra.

"That means-"

"I know what it means!" Ezra looked away.

Landa and Sabine left.

As soon as Lando was out of earshot Ezra turned to Zaria and Zeb.

"Hey, what does that mean?"

Zeb snorted.

"A lot less than he thinks it does."

Zaria agreed.

"I don't like that guy." Ezra folded his arms over his chest, his mood darkened.

"Join the club." Zaria pulled Ezra to her and ruffled his hair.

She lifted her headdress so Ezra could see her sharp toothed grin.

This is a line break.

The ghost locked onto the other ship. Zaria, Hera and Kanan followed Lando into the other ship.

"Now just play along to what I say to my Supplier." Lando muttered before the guards reached them.

The three looked at each other uneasily.

"What does that mean?" Kanan hissed grabbing Lando's shoulder.

"I hope you have a backup plan in case anything goes wrong." Hera says sharply.

"No fear Captain, if a comet hits the ship, it has great escape pods." Lando winks at them.

"That's not the exactly the kind of back up plan I had in mind." Hera scowls.

They were lead into a large room.

"Good to see you again Azmorigan." Lando greets.

Zaria recognizing the name. Cikatro had always complained about him trying to move in on Lothal. Thankfully Vizago never had Zaria deal with the little salmon colored monster.

She watched Azmorigan eat with disgust. How did flecks of food reach her all the way over here? She brushed the pulp of fruit from her shoulder.

"I have what you ordered." Azmorigan rasped through his mouthful of food. He wiped drool from his mouth.

"What do you have to offer in return?"

"Her name is Hera!" Lando shoved the shocked twi'lek forward.

Zaria felt her dark side rising with her fury.

"Kait rixik sis zmones dary sis tym valia alga."*

Kanan looked alarmed at the swirl darkness Zaria had summoned in the force.

'Calm down Zaria.' Kanan gripped her shoulder.

'There are too many guards. You are affecting me.' Kanan was struggling to keep his own temper and urge to shoot Lando under control.

He turned back to Lando.

"You can't do this!" He finger his blaster.

"Trust me." Lando whispered.

"Hera!" Kanan pleas.

"A deal is a deal Kanan." Hera says through gritted teeth.

Zaria swayed on her feet and Hera's emotions and feelings hit her.

She gripped Kanan's arm.

Zaria hadn't thought she could form a bond with a non-sensitive. But she had with Hera, with Zeb, with Sabine. Hera's old fears of a slave master. Overwhelmed Zaria leaned on Kanan to keep her feet. Her eyes unseen as she caught glimpses of the past. Hera's past.

A fat imperial officer, a woman caressed and cooed how pretty Hera looked with her new Tattoos. The pain still echoing into the present as Hera's head tails twitched.

Zaria breathed in deeply.

Then it all stopped, Hera had reigned in her emotions and dropped her attitude into a perfected mask of servitude.

Zaria and Kanan both reeled back at the change in the force.

Hera's green eyes glimered dangerously at Calrissian. She bowed to Azmorigan.

His beady little eyes lit up with greed and a different hunger as he took in Hera's beauty. "Her clothes are preposterous for a slave girl. But, the deal is acceptable." Azmorigan went back to eating.

Zaria wanted nothing more than to cleave his fat head from his small body.

Azmorigan shivered when he looked up to find the burning gold eyes of the the figure in the head.

"Go, leave! Collect your end of the deal and get off my ship." He nearly shrieked in terror as Zaria was about to lunge.

Kanan caught her. Her dark aura threatening to crush the fat pink thing. Hera sent them both a warning glance.

The crime lord shuttered.

Hera bowed to Lando.

"Thank you master Calrissian for delivering me to my new master."

Calrissian reaches out to give Hera something. Hera slaps the hand away.

"I must find a way to repay you." She growled.

Azmorigan waved to his guards to take them off his ship.

"A pleasure as always, pleasure doing business with you Azmorigan." Lando called over his shoulder.

Sabine was waiting for them as they reentered the ghost.

"Where's Hera?" She looked at them searchingly.

Kanan snarled and turned on Lando. He grabbed Lando's collar and shoved him up against the wall.

"What the Sith was that!?"

"Where's Hera?" Sabine asked again.

"Tell her about Hera, Lando." Kanan's voice was cold.

"Hera is following the plan, which is what all of you should be doing. If we want to get her back." Lando pushed his cargo into the hallway with his foot.

Zeb opened a door to let Lando through.

"Where Hera?" He looked around.

"What plan is she following?" Kanan glared down at the other man.

"The escape pods, she going to escape with a pod." Zaria leaned against the wall recovering her strength. She paid no attention to Kanan and Lando her attention was on Hera using the force.

Hera wasn't dead at least.

"See? Zaria knows the plan." Lando points to Zaria.

"You're lucky I just don't throw out of the ship for what you pulled." Kanan rubbed his temples with one hand. He drops Lando.

"Hera will be fine. She strikes me as very capable. We are lucky to have her as a captain." Lando pushes his way past Zeb and pushes his cargo into the hull of the ship.

Kanan was incredulous.

"We? There is no we!"

"First you bet Chopper, and now you lost Hera?!" Sabine glared.

Zaria pushed past the two and joined Lando, Zeb and Ezra in the hull.

Ezra hopped down from the hoverbike Zeb was attempting to fix.

"What's in the crate?" Ezra's curiosity overruled his distaste for Lando.

The crate rattled ominously.

Lando's white teeth flashed. He leaned on the crate.

"Very good question Ezra. This is mining equipment, it going to make me rich."

Zaria caught a flash of insight from the force.

"You're going to try to mine for Kyber crystals. And then sell them on the black market."

Lando looked uneasy.

"You have keen senses, Zaria."

Zaria looked away.

The crate made a snorting sound.

"Organic to fool the imperial sensors." Zaria observed the box.

Landa started to climb the ladder up to the upper deck of the ship.

"Don't open it, and keep it calm."

Zaria followed him up.

"Do as he says Ezra, Zeb."

This is a line break.

"See there is the pod as discussed.

You should really have more faith in our captain." Lando ignored Kanan's nostrils flaring.

"I told you she was capable."

Sabine was quick to intervene.

"Come on Lando let's go prep the airlock." Sabine led Lando away.

"Kanan, I . . . . ." Zaria frowns.

"Kanan! Hera is aboard. Azmorigan's ship is right on top of us! Make the jump to lightspeed !" Sabine's voice crackled on the com.

The ship was jolted into Hyperspace.

The crew met Hera. Kanan wrapped his arms around her and whispered to her.

Lando bowed.

"You played that perfectly."

Hera stepped away from Kanan's arms.

"Oh you're welcome!" Hera smiled sharply.

She gripped Lando's shoulder and punched him hard. Hera's normally controlled emotions were a raging storm.

Lando wheezed.

"I deserve that. But can we get back at the job at hand?"

"You're lucky, I have to fly us through the imperial blockage." Hera stomped to her cockpit.

Hera came back off-kilter from Azmorigan's ship. Zaria sat next to her in the copilot chair. Kanan usually sat there but he was out keeping a close eye on Lando.

"Those tattoos when forced on you when you when you were a slave." Zaria says softly.

Hera tensed.

"The force?" She guessed rightly about how Zaria had found out.

Zaria nodded.

"I'm sorry, Hera."

Hera trembled.

"This situation has just shaken me. Brought back old scars. I'll be fine once I sort myself out."

Hera didn't know who she was reassuring.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Zaria offers.

Hera shook her head.

"Thank you Zaria, but I would rather not at this time."

"I understand." Zaria looked out into the hyperspace route taking them back to Lothal.

"Zaria flip on our second signature." Hera orders. Zaria flipped the switch. The blockage was in front of them.

"Grab that puffer pig!" Lando shouted.

Zaria looked back to see Zeb and Ezra chasing a puffer pig. Zeb jumped in front of the pig.

"Come here piggy!" The pig squealed in fright.

The pig blew up like a blimp.

Zeb bounced on the control panel.

The signature flared then puttered out.

"Sith Spit!" Zaria swore.

"You scared her." Lando's voice was muffled by the pig.

Imperial tie fighters screamed towards them.

"What in the force is going-" Kanan sighed.

"I don't even want to know."

Kanan put a hand to the shaking animal.

He calmed it through the force.

Slowly the pig shrunk back down.

Lando blinked.

"You are very good with animals. I've never seen anyone calm a puffer pig so fast."

Hera called back to Kanan.

"Give the pig to Ezra! I need you and Sabine on Guns. Take out those tie fighters!"

"Got it, let's go Sabine. Ezra it's just like the Loth cats." Kanan gently handed Ezra the pig with a pointed look.

Ezra nodded.

He took the pig and petted it. Ezra made sure to keep the pig sedated with the force.

Ezra smiled down at the pig.

"It's actually really cute."

Zeb laughed from down the hall.

"We are not getting one as a pet."

"Awe, but think out the possibilities! You shout at it and we can bowl over the imperials with it."

Lando sent Ezra a stern look.

"That's is my sophisticated mining equipment. It's not a toy."

"It's a pig." Ezra rolled his eyes. The pig nuzzled it's snout on Ezra's shoulder.

This is a line break.

Lando exited the Ghost in the lead.

"Isn't this Vizago's land?" Ezra cradled the puffer pig. Zaria had caught him cooing at it. "Yes, I won it in a game of Sabacc." Lando waves his hand at the stretch of land.

"Was this game also won by an Idiot's array?" Zaria smirked.

Lando scowled at her.

Kanan cut to the chase.

"We did our job and we're done here. Pay us so we can go."

"Calrissian has other debts to pay." Azmorigan's nasally voice broke the peaceful night air.

Azmorigan waddled out his blaster trained on Lando. His guards popped up, blasters at the ready.

Zaria unsheathed her sith vibro sword.

"Azmorigan?" Lando looked surprised.

"Did you forget who introduced you to Vizago?" The pink fat thing jeered.

"I knew where you were headed."

"But your ship? You couldn't have hidden it anywhere close by? Did you walk here? You don't walk anywhere." Lando was amused looking at Azmorigan's heaving, sweating form.

"Well I do what's necessary to claim my property. You owe me Calrissian!" His bat like ears flapped.

"What do you want?" Hera gripped her blaster.

"My demands are simple! I want my pig back and I want you." Azmorigan beady eyes landed on Hera.

"Plus this ship and it's crew for compensation for my sore feet. But first, first I want to bury Calrissian."

"How about I just kill you quickly instead?" Zaria snarls.

Azmorigan jumps.

"Yeah, yeah, I understand the feeling." Hera says dryly. She threw up an arm in front of Lando.

"But the answer is no."

Kanan stepped up.

"Now wait a sec let's consider that last demand." Kanan enjoyed Lando worried look.

Azmorigan stood there grumbling.

He looked up.

"I've run out of patience! Get them." He ordered his men.

The barge of enemy fire began.

Zaria moved swiftly. She slice off an arm on one of Azmorgian's guards. Cut off the legs of another. Ezra gleefully tested out his dual weapon shooting a blue pulsing energy at a guard.

Kanan shoot his head.

"Got say kid, that weapon is a work of genius. Good job."

Ezra just grinned proudly.

Lando had pulled out his own blaster.

He shot a guard behind Zeb and Sabine.

"Thanks!" The Mandalorian hollered to him. She elbowed another guard brought the handle of her blaster against the head.

"Don't mention it!" The smuggler grinned then he was pushed back behind the crate he and Hera were taking cover behind. The puffer pig squealed and jumped out of Lando's arms. The pig ran towards Sabine and Zeb.

"Scare the pig Zeb!" Hera orders taking aim at a guard.

Zeb was perplexed.

"I'm not that scary am I?"

"Just do it!" Hera yelled.

Zeb shrugged. He roared at the pig. The pig inflated.

With a laugh Sabine kicked the pig into three of the guards.

Zeb stood up suddenly drawing everyone's attention. The huffing pink thing had a blaster dug into Zeb's back. The Lasat held his hands above his head. He looked annoyed. His ears flattened against his head.

"New terms! Hand over Calrissian and this one lives."

"Fine with me." Ezra shrugged

"Deal." Kanan nodded.

"It temping but the answer is still no." Hera's voice brooked no argument.

Ezra and Kanan sighed in disappointment.

Azmorigan growled.

The Ghost's Guns fired up.

Zaria took cover as Chopper shot at Azmorigan.

The blast knocked Zeb and Azmorigan off their feet.

Zeb sprang up, he snatched the blaster off the ground before Azmorigan could reach it. Hera stood over the crime lord who was shuttering pathetically.

"New terms, you walk away now. And I let you live." Hera put her blaster in between Azmorigan's eyes.

"Or test me and find out what happens." Hera concludes darkly.

Azmorigan wavered.

His arms and legs struggled in the air as he tried to get up off the ground to retreat.

He finally managed it and shouted at his men to come carry him.

This is a line break.

Zaria stalked over Lando while the crew was taking the three fuel tanks to the Ghost. Her headdress made her look like an avenging assassin. Which suited Zaria fine, she and the scoundrel needed to have a chat about his stunts.

Lando was standing behind some very tall crates. Zaria swiftly jump at the human and gripped him by the neck and slammed him against the crates hard.

Lando looked alarmed.

Good! Zaria thought viciously. He should be after that dangerous deception he pulled on Hera. Zaria was going to make sure the selmo would never try to do it again.

"Listen up Clarissan." Zaria hissed into his ear as she tightened her grip on his neck and lifted him up higher scraping his back painfully against the crates.

Lando shivered in fear as Zaria let a tiny bit of her dark side shine through her eyes. Her darkness in her aura was brimming below the surface. She made sure to project it on Calrissian. The effect was immediate. Lando's pupils had dilated and he was overwhelmed by his fear of Zaria.

"Hera is too nice to make you pay. Kanan is too noble, Ezra is too young, Sabine suspects what you did, but isn't sure. And Zeb is too oblivious to notice." Zaria's voice is pressing down on Lando, the disgust in her voice clear.

"But I know what you did to Hera. And let me make something very clear. Hera is now my family, and usually I rip people's heads off for even thinking about what you did. I, unlike my morality tied down friends will kill and harm those who try to hurt my family."

Lando could feel his fear rising to unnatural heights, his heart was pumping so fast he thought it might give out. His lungs were struggled to breath. Lando could see his life flash before his eyes. Would he die here? Zaria let him go, Lando fell to the ground. He was shaking terribly, and his mind was a mess with terror.

"Luckily for you, I sense you are useful in the future. So I won't kill you." Zaria sneered down at him. It was a shame that the force cried out to her not to kill him. She would chose to heed the warning this time. She was sorely tempted not to, not like she hadn't done so before. Besides the crew would know if she killed him.

"So I will let you off with a warning. If I ever find out about you even pretending or even thinking about putting someone in a situation again where they take the unknown risk of slavery. I will hunt you down." Zaria promises him, she pulled out his wallet pulling out the credits they agreed on. Then like a shadow Zaria sprinted for the ghost's ramp.

Lando nearly cried with relief. He

Lando would never do what he did to Hera to anyone ever again. And perhaps he thought that was the point of Zaria's intimidation tactic. The girl had missed her true calling as a frakking demon. Never before had Lando felt such panic, such fear. And to be fair she had a point and had promised not to kill him. But what had she meant by important to the future?

"That is one female I do not want for an enemy." Lando whispered hoarsely.

Hera marched up to Lando.

"The job is done. I would say it's been a pleasure but it hasn't been." Hera gave Lando a disgusted look. Lando didn't dare look at Zaria.

Lando's grin was strained.

He pulled out more of his credits making sure to add more then what was agreed upon. Hera took it.

The ghost crew loaded up.

Lando watched their backs as they single file went up the ramp of the ghost.

Zaria turned back to him. She pointed two fingers at her inferno eyes and then at Lando.

I'm watching you. She mouthed.

Lando shivered.

This is a line break.

Hera pulled Zaria off to the side after dinner. "I heard what you said to Lando."

Zaria tensed. Was Hera angry at how Zaria had used the dark side? That Zaria had lost her balance?

Hera hugged her.

"Thank you."

Zaria relaxed into the hold.

"I wasn't all right, but knowing you stopped Calrissian from ever attempting that again has made me feel better." Hera let go of Zaria.

"While I don't like your methods. I am grateful you care."

Hera lead Zaria over to the empty table.

"I'm ready to share if you're willing to listen to me."

Zaria pulled off her headdress.

"I'm would be honored."

Hera began to speak.

Author's note.

I love Lando I do, but really felt he needed to have a repercussion for what he pulled on Hera. Because let's be honest it was a dick move. And now he has incentive to never do so again. He will be wary of Zaria now. But he gets why she did it, so no true hard feelings.

And we get to see Zaria really show her Sith pureblood roots. And that unlike the rest of the crew she will kill if it is needed.

She is way more lightside than most if the Canon Sith purebloods but she can't always shove that part of her down. But she is by no means going to become a Sith lord anytime soon.

Sith translations

* You stupid droid! Now I have to resist the urge of killing this fool!

* Master, do behave yourself today. Killing clients is bad for business.

* Besides is this pathetic lifeform is

worthy to die by your hand?"

* How dare this human do this! He will pay!