Author's Note: I'm sorry my updaties have slowed down; I'm working full time now and the previous two weeks have been crazy. I'm a Girl Scout mom, and cookie season just ended. Hopefully, I'll have more time to write now.

Thanks for the reviews; I always appreciate feedback. I apologize that I haven't answered any reviews lately - I'll try to be better, honest! But it does seem that given the choice between me answering reviews, or me writing more of the story, almost everyone would say keep writing. So I'm doing my best.

I'd had a stray thought that Canderous and Jennet are behaving somewhat like an old married couple; understandable with their Mate bond, but only about two weeks have gone by since they met. I think things have progressed more or less logically, but forgive me if a couple of chapters (past and/or future) slow down somewhat; you can't spend all your time running after kidnapped Mates and revenge-driven ex-Exchange officers.

I've thought about where this story will end (sometimes I wonder if it ever will...) and I've more or less come to the conclusion that we'll see the wedding, (not trying to give spoilers here, come on, did anyone really think I'd be cruel enough not to let them get married in the end?) and a short epilogue, just to give us a glimpse of the future, and set up a possible spin-off story. Now if our intrepid couple can just stay out of trouble long enough to finish the Trials...

Thanks again, everyone, for the reviews and letters. Please keep them coming!

- LJ

Jennet

I need a vacation, I thought to myself as I went in to the galley in search of something to eat. Maybe Canderous will agree to a nice long honeymoon, somewhere safe and boring.

The Mandalorians were in the garage with Canderous, so the ship, for the moment, felt almost normal. Visas had retreated to the dorms, Disciple was in the med bay, pouring over Falken Rikes's journals. Atton of course was in the cockpit, Ladria with him. Bao Dur was presumably keeping our newest guests company, and Mira was in the common room, looking over the light saber I had given her. Somewhere along her travels, she had acquired 'saber parts; the blade of the dead Dark Jedi was now a deep violet. Atton had done the same, and his blade was now blue. I'd seen them during the fight at Rikes's complex; they both were very good with their 'sabers.

Mira looked up at me when I came in, a sandwich in one hand and glass of water in the other, and smiled. "How you doing?"

"Tired," I said, and groaned a little as I sat.

"I can imagine," Mira said sympathetically. "Being tortured even second hand has got to be a bitch. I could see tracking Canderous was pretty draining too."

"The tracking wasn't, really; it was the long-distance healing that wore me out," I said, taking a bite out of my sandwich. I chewed, and swallowed. "I think I'm on overload. To think two weeks ago the only worry I had was the Exchange or the Hutt finding me." I gave a sarcastic grin, and finished eating my sandwich.

"Things do seem to happen around people like us," Mira observed. "Half the shit I find myself in I had nothing to do with starting."

"No nice, safe, boring life for us," I agreed.

"Thank the Gods," Mira said feverently. "I'd throw myself into a supernova in a week."

"Me too," I said, smiling. "So, what's the deal with Dax?"

Mira started at the change of subject, and amazingly, came as close to blushing as she ever did. "He's nice," she said, and examined her light saber as if it were the most interesting object in the universe.

I snorted. "He's Mandalorian. 'Nice' isn't in their vocabulary. It's not my business, I know, but you're my friend. I just want to know you're happy, that's all."

"So far," she said with a small smile. "It's nothing like you and Canderous have."

"Be grateful," I said, smiling. "That's no piece of cake either. But I wouldn't change it," I added, smiling dreamily. I sat back, hands behind my head, feet propped on a nearby chair.

"Can I ask you something?" Mira looked at me seriously, and I sat up.

"Sure."

"Was there ever anything between you and Dax?"

It shouldn't have, but the question took me by surprise. I looked at her blankly for a second and shrugged.

"Is there anyone on board that doesn't think I slept with Dax?" I asked rhetorically.

"Megari," Mira said instantly, then smiled. "Actually, I don't think anyone does, really. I know you didn't."

I looked at her in surprise. "You do?" I tried to think back on when the subject had ever come up; both times I'd spoken of Dax in those terms, it had been to Canderous, and we'd been alone.

Her amber eyes were direct. "I asked Dax about it. I also overheard the conversation between you two before he left Telos, at least part of it. So I know you never did."

"Wow, asking directly. Smart idea," I said, only a little sarcastically. I could only imagine the world of frustration I would be living in if I didn't have the mental communication with Canderous. I am direct, and so is he, but not always at the same time.

Mira was still looking at me thoughtfully. I smiled reassuringly, and told her the same thing I'd said to Canderous by Cressa's grave; the only thing between Dax and me had been the ghost of a possibility. Mira nodded, obviously this was what she had expected to hear from me. But her eyes were a little troubled.

"What's this really about?" I asked.

"I don't know, really," she said honestly. "It's just that…well, he talks about you, and he's your Champion. And he insisted on going with you to Rikes's front gate. He admires you and Canderous almost to the point of hero worship. I know he wouldn't try anything…" her voice trailed off a moment. Then she looked straight at me, her hawk's eyes gleaming a bit. "I just won't be anyone's second choice, no matter how much I care. If I am, it's certainly not your fault."

"You're not," I said firmly. "He asked about you, just before he left Telos, when he was giving me a hug goodbye. I told him you could kick his ass in ways I never thought of, and he approved."

"He did?" Her face brightened.

"Yes," I answered. "Look, let me explain a little about the Mandalorian mindset. Dax and I were partners, and yes, at the time we considered taking that a step further. But he didn't pursue when I turned him down. Then a couple months later, I seem to abandon him to the tender mercies of a Hutt. He manages to escape, and spends four years looking for me out of revenge. Upon meeting up with me unexpectedly, he immediately tries to kill me. When All Is Explained, he becomes my Champion."

"There's a point in there, somewhere, right?" Mira asked.

"Yes. Mandalorians don't tend to do things by half. He put himself in the mindset of partner and friend, and he was very good to me as both. He expected the same loyalty and respect in return of what he gave me. When I seemed to betray that, he wasn't going to be satisfied until I was dead. And when it turned out I hadn't abandoned and betrayed him after all, he set out to make up for his own disloyalty of thinking I had." I paused, and Mira was nodding slowly.

"So you're saying that he's not pining away, not just because he wouldn't betray Canderous by making a play for you. That talking about and trying to protect you is simply because he takes your friendship and being your Champion seriously?"

"Exactly. And remember, I didn't appoint him Champion; Canderous did. Dax would do anything for the Mandalore." I smiled, and looked at her. "If he's with you, it's because he wants to be, and you're important to him. I've seen him look at you; I'm not even a blip on the nav chart."

She looked happy at that, and the conversation turned to other things. Canderous came in, kissed me briefly, and wandered into the galley to get something to eat. He was even more tired than I was. Shortly afterwards, Visas joined us, and she and Mira decided to make dinner for everyone. We still had a couple of hours before we hit Dxun, and while I really wanted to sleep, I was too keyed up to crash yet. The galley was too small to try and help with dinner, so I stayed where I was, Canderous comfortably beside me, finishing the sandwich he'd made himself.

Dax, Jarxel, and Kex made an appearance, and were told dinner would be ready soon. They looked happy at that. Jarxel and Kex went back to the garage, but Dax remained, talking easily to Canderous and watching Mira when he thought no one was looking. Oh, he was far gone, and I smiled to myself.

I heard Dax ask Canderous a question, and I sat straighter, alert.

"The bounty hunter Travik was with; do you think he's going to be a threat?" Dax looked concerned.

"I doubt it," Canderous answered, and I echoed the thought.

"For most bounty hunters, it's just a job," I said. "He took the commission, caught Canderous, got paid. Nothing personal."

"Rikes paid him as soon as I was brought in, and he left," Canderous said gruffly. "Too bad, though, his ship would have come in handy," he added pragmatically.

"Did you ever find out if Regar Dunne was his real name?" I asked curiously.

"That's what Rikes called him." Canderous said. "Anybody's guess if it really is, though."

"Would you know him if you saw him again?" Dax asked.

"Oh yes," Canderous said grimly. I shivered, but agreed wholeheartedly with the sentiment. I wasn't going to try and hunt Dunne down, but Gods help him if we're ever in the same room together.

"With Falken Rikes dead, it's unlikely Dunne will have reason to cross our path again," I said, a little hopefully. "Unless someone else puts a bounty on you." It was half a question, and Canderous nodded.

"It could happen, Wildcat," he said seriously. "I haven't made many friends, and there's a hell of a lot of people that have reason to hate me. I don't expect there's too many left alive that know my name, though, or could afford a bounty. But I traveled in some pretty dangerous circles for quite some time. The Exchange has let me go, and while I don't entirely trust that organization's word, they aren't likely to pursue revenge; I helped them, after all. The only thing I did against them was with this crew, so if they want revenge, it would be against all of us."

"And they wanted Ladria and her party to fix the rip in the Force, so they're off the hook too," I said thoughtfully.

"Right. I'm not saying I won't be cautious, but I doubt there's much reason to worry."

"I guess not," I said as optimistically as I could.

He kissed me hard, and set me gently away from him. "You worry too much."

"Someone has to," I retorted, but without heat.

Dinner was ready then, and I volunteered to take food in to Bao Dur and our two guests. Visas loaded a tray with four plates, glasses, and flatware, and I carefully took it into the cargo hold. As I left, I saw Mira and Dax taking similarly loaded trays toward the garage. Disciple, Atton and Ladria joined the rest of the crew just as I got to the hallway.

I elbowed the door mechanism, and entered the cargo hold. I almost dropped the tray when I saw the scene before me. Bao Dur and Megari were standing very close together; I could see Danni asleep on the mattress the Iridonian had brought in. Megari was looking at him with a mixture of trust and fear, and he said something too low for me to hear. She went limp, and he gently caught her, laying her down on the mattress next to her daughter.

I set the tray on to a nearby barrel and he looked up, startled. Seeing it was me, he gestured and I went over, bewildered as to what was going on.

"I'm going to try and fix Megari's throat," he said quietly. "I could use your help."

"I wondered about that," I answered. "I was going to offer to try myself, when she got used to me. What did you do?" I waved at the sleeping woman and child, a question in my eyes.

He looked a little uncomfortable. "My language is very complex; I just told her to sleep, that's all."

"I see. Well, what do you need me to do?" I didn't pursue the questions I had, it felt was intrusive.

"Could you keep Danni away for a bit? Just hold her while I tend Megari. She isn't likely to wake up, but I don't want to take the chance." The gentle concern flowing off the big Iridonian was a low electric current in the air.

"Sure," I said simply, and carefully went over to pick the sleeping child up. She was so small, and hardly weighed more than my armor. I cuddled her in my lap a short distance from Bao Dur. She sighed in her sleep, and snuggled. My heart turned over, and suddenly I felt close to tears.

The Zabrak gently arranged Megari so she was flat on her back. He straightened her head, propping it between a couple of rolled pillows so her neck was perfectly straight. Then he took a deep breath, placed a large hand around her throat, and squeezed firmly.

I was tuning in, ready to help if needed. I felt the damaged vocal cords crush again, immediately followed by healing warmth from Bao Dur. Megari's breathing stopped for a heartbeat or two, and I held my breath as well. The healing took, though, and she was breathing again, relaxed and without wheezing. I saw Bao Dur's shoulders slump, and he took his hand away.

"Nice work," I said approvingly. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Thanks," he said, not looking at me, but at the woman on the mattress. I smiled. Unless I missed my guess, Bao Dur had found someone to adore besides his General. I wished him luck.

I got up, and lay Danni next to her mother, covering her with a blanket. I patted Bao Dur on the back as I passed, took my dinner off the tray, and quietly left him there, watching the sleeping family.