A/N:

Wow I didn't expect this story to take off so quickly, then again, I put a lot of effort in Ahkei, and I would probably be depressed if people didn't enjoy her as a character. Now time for me to answer some questions!

Ayy Kaim; in this chapter you get to know who her parents are, so to keep myself from spoiling it, I'm going to stop talking about it lol. You will also learn some interesting things about Ahkei, and her mother, and just because I know most people haven't read 'just as I am' you wouldn't know that Lance is a returning character, one whom I loved so much, I couldn't kill him off XD. As for Ahkei's appearance, she looks mostly like her father, dark skinned, but with a bit more red in her skin tone then a normal human, she has smaller white marks that have been placed on her forehead, and cheeks, a reference to the Mithra race in final fantasy XI. She has short hair, and short head tails, as they grow at a slower rate than full blooded Togruta's.

Thank you for reading, and I'm so glad you liked Ahkei 3

AaylaKit; thank you for pointing out that fatal mistake XD. I noticed that I was wrong, but I forgot to edit that first chapter when I was transferring it over from figment. Every time Ahkei was to call herself a Mandalorian she was to say "Mando" but now I know something knew, and I shall use it ^^

Avocet; you don't need to wait any longer, for I have brought a new chapter. This story goes through Ahkei's life, and since this is basically the beginning, we still have a long ways to go before this fic is over…probably my longest fic if I do what I plan to….hmm, from early childhood, to struggling teen, down to after the empire ends…and sometime into the new republic era. Yes, we have a very long time. Also references to another fic I'm working on for my swtor guild. I hope you enjoy this fic, and stay with us to the end.

Much love to you all

~Fire~

Chapter 2: Training starts today.

Ahkei was half asleep, her head resting snuggly in the crook of Lance's neck. He had carried her on his back all the way back to her house.

Her mother was seen pacing through the main window. Her topaz eyes lighting up as she sensed her child's presence in the force.

"Ahkei!" she cried out running out of the house towards Lance and Ahkei.

Lance stared at the woman for moment. He was at a loss of words, but remembered the child in his arms and cleared his throat. "Ma'am, your daughter needs some rest, she had a rough day," Lance said turning around so that she could take Ahkei.

"Guards from the school came today; they told me she didn't show and I was worried."

"She was attacked earlier today by honorless boys," Lance explained. "She has been with me since then," his tone hinting that he had more to share.

Ahkei's mother's eyes grew wide, she held her daughter closer to her, thoughts of what might have happened ran through her mind.

"Please come in, I sense that there is more to this story," she said softly, turning around to lead the Mando back to her humble home.

Lance sat down on the floor of living room, legs crossed; he had been in a semi deep meditation when Ahkei's mother walked in. He smiled slightly as the young mother stood next to him.

"Lance, I thought Vader killed you," she said, her shoulders relaxing.

Lance looked up at her and smiled warmly. "Ahsla, if the republic's finest couldn't catch me, what makes you think those lousy imps would?" he asked sarcastically standing up and giving the Togurta a quick bow.

Ahsla suppressed a smile, and offered the mando a seat on the sofa. Lance took a seat and waited for Ahsla to sit with him.

"I'm training your daughter," he said cutting to the chase.

Ahsla shook her head. "No, we have to hide, we can't she'll…"

"She'll attract unwanted attention, I know, but if I could train her….she won't have to worry about being found." He started taking Ahsla's hand. He sighed deeply rubbing his fingers soothingly between her knuckles as he continued. "I will teach her control, but only control, her studies with me will be fighting, she will learn everything there is to know about being a Mandalorian."

Ahsla looked away from him; it wasn't that she didn't trust him. He was, after all, the one who saved her back on Coruscant. It was just that she knew he was a self-claimed sith, or at least the stories she had heard about him claimed so.

"Lance I…"

"She is a mando'ad and father or not, she needs to learn, because one day neither of us will be able to protect her," Lance said sincerely.

He did worry about Ahkei; he wanted to make her strong. He could feel Ahsla's worry in the force. He chose to ignore the worry he felt in the force, as a way to show that he meant what he said.

"How old is she?" He asked softly.

"Eight years," Ahsla replied.

"Then there is no time to waste, you don't know this, but when she is thirteen she will participate in verd'goten, and if you want her to live through it, I have to start her training tomorrow."

Ahsla stood up anger flashed across her face. "NO!" she protested.

"Is she or is she not a Mandalorian?" He demanded his Voice rising slightly as his own mando blood screamed in rage.

"By blood yes," Ahsla said bitterly. "but that shouldn't matter…"

"She lives on Mandalore, and she was born of Mandalorian blood," Lance listed, he looked dow at Ahsla "Who was the father?"

She looked up at Lance, shock in her eyes. She could see Lance's growing anger in his golden eyes, eyes rimmed with red.

"Boba," she said quietly.

"That Jedi hater of a Fett?" he asked his anger diminishing as he tried to stifle a laugh.

Ahsla opened her mouth to defend herself, but Lance spoke before her.

"That is a story you will have to share with me some other day, but not today," he laughed. "I'll be back first thing in the morning, pull her out of that shabbla imperial academy and. Before she fights, tell her, her last name," Lance instructed as he walked out of the living room, turning briefly to meet Ahsla's eyes.

"It was nice seeing you again."

"It was nice seeing you too," Ahsla smiled half-heartedly.

She watched the mando walk away, not knowing where he was going but knew in her heart that he would return.

When she could no longer see Lance's silhouette, Ahsla quickly retreated to the warmth of her house. The night air was a little too much for the Togrutan. She sat back down in her couch, closing her eyes as she tried to push aside unwanted memories. No matter how hard she tried though, the memories flooded in.

"Master, what's wrong?" A young Togurta padawan asked.

"Run Ahsla, run!" her master yelled running towards the sounds of blaster fire in an attempt to distract their coming attackers.

Ahsla obeyed, running out through the back of the Jedi temple, she could hear heavy boot steps follow after her. Troopers were waiting for her, five or six of them, standing blasters at the ready. Ahsla backed up, her back hitting the wall behind her.

"Open fire!" the squad leader yelled, but there was no response from his men.

Ahsla's eyes were wide with terror, the reflection of a glowing red blade danced within those topaz orbs.

"Now, now, that's no way to treat a lady," a sweet and playful voice chimed in.

"What! Who are you?" the clone demanded.

The man behind him slid the red blade close to the trooper's neck before he had the chance to turn around. The blade was not close enough to kill but enough to burn his flesh. A wicked grin spread across the man's lips as he opened his eyes, a sinister yellow rimmed with a bloody red.

"You can call me Dark Lord of the Sith," he smirked as he slit the troopers neck. "But Lance works as well."

Ahsla didn't know what to do; her hands trembled and it was getting hard for her to stand. This man, he claimed to be sith, yet he saved her.

'He just wasn't the glory of killing a Jedi,' she thought.

"Calm down and follow me," Lance said turning his back to her.

"Wh-what?"

"Oh, so you meant to be cornered and shot at?" Lance asked. "Then by all means go back and get shot, sorry for getting in your way."

"No!" she yelled. "Like hell I wanted this!" her gaze turned to the dead on the cold floor. They may have been trying to kill her, but she still mourned for them, they never asked for this, and she had been fighting with them for years now, some of them she called friend. "I didn't want this, why would they…"

"They were programed to do this," Lance said coldly.

He felt Ahsla's sadness grow in the force, and with a heavy sigh he turned around and held out his hand to the young Jedi.

"I'm going to save you," he said softly.

The cries of Ahsla's daughter had brought her back from her flashback. Ahsla took a few seconds to compose herself, Ahkei would ask questions if she felt her mother's sadness, and the other emotions that ran through her during that flashback.

The young mother ran into Ahkei's room, flipping on the lights so she may see her crying child. Ahkei was sitting up in her bed, tears stained her dark face. Ahsla walked to her, pulling the little half breed into a comforting embrace.

"There there, it's alright, momma's here, shhh," she said softly as she rubbed Ahkei's back.

Ahkei wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and sobbed into the crook of her neck.

"What's wrong?" Ahsla asked.

"I saw Imperials, they took you from me," she cried.

Ahsla patted Ahkei's head and rocked her back and forth.

"Don't cry, they won't ever take me from you, I promise," she reassured. "Get some sleep love, tomorrow you begin your training."

Ahkei's eyes lit up with joy when she heard that she was finally receive training. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her night gown and smiled up at her mother.

"Really?"

"Yes, Lance had said he would first thing in the morning."

With that said Ahsla tucked Ahkei in bed, kissed her forehead and left the little girl in her bed. She turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving it open a crack to let in some light from the hallway.

"Momma?" Ahkei piped.

"Yes Ahkei?"

"Can you close the door all the way?"

Ahsla waited in shock, this was the first time Ahkei had asked for something like that.

"Since I'm going to train like a mando, I might as well sleep like one, in the dark," Ahkei explained.

"Are you sure Ahkei?" Ahsla asked.

"Yup!"

With that said Ahsla closed the door all the way. Ahkei was scared for a moment, but she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She chased away her fear with the thought of being a strong mando, like the ones she heard about in stories.

When morning came Ahkei was up, and out of bed early. She was in the kitchen attempting to get something to eat when Lance came to the house. She opened the cupboard where the bowls were being kept, but it was too high for her to reach. She lifted herself up on her tiptoes, but her fingers could only brush against the cupboard door. Frustrated the small girl glared at the cupboard.

"It's not going to move on its own sweetheart," Lance smiled as he took a seat at the table.

Ahkei jumped, startled by the man's sudden appearance.

"I know that!" she snapped. "I'm thinking," she continued as she turned her attention back to the bowls.

Eyes narrowed Ahkei lifted her hands up towards the bowls. Lance smiled intrigued by the young half breed's motions. Ahkei took a deep breath and focused on trying to get the bowl. Within the cupboard a bowl wiggled back and forth, and did so for a few more minutes until it finally lifted out of the other bowls.

Ahkei smiled brightly, she could almost taste victory. The bowl hovered in the cupboard, and slowly made its way to the waiting girl below. Her concentration was strong, she showed potential. Lance realized then why Ahsla worried so much about Ahkei. She already showed great skill with the force, with the proper training she may just be a force to be feared. Lance shook his head of the thought; he had made a promise to Ahsla to only teach Ahkei how to be a Mandalorian.

"Hey Lance, I told you I could get it," she said.

Lance smiled down at her, he wondered if she knew the danger of what she had just done, or if she was planning on something else.

"The force is a powerful ally," he said quietly.

"You must be too, if momma is already allowing you in the house," Came her quick reply.

Lance stared at her with shock then muffled a chuckle. "Confidence, I'll give you that little'un."

Ahkei smiled proudly as she spun on her heals and dug into the fridge looking for something pre-made, so she could get it on her own.

"Where is your mother?" Lance asked, relaxing in his chair.

"She is still sleeping," Ahkei replied as she climbed into her chair.

"Then I'll be back," Lance smiled as she pushed himself out of his chair.

"Don't be waking up momma mister, She's a violent person if she's forced awake."

Lance nodded his head, taking her warning into consideration as he walked down the narrow hallway to the master bedroom. The door was shut, but lucky for Lance, it was an old fashioned door. With a twist of the metal handle and a slight push the door was open.

Ahsla was still asleep, lying on her side, her back turned to the door. Lance tiptoed into the room, closing the door behind him. Spotting a chair he quietly pulled it to the side of Ahsla's bed and sat down.

"It's been so long little'un, how have you been?" Lance whispered, enjoying the moment he had, just watching over the Togurta.

"You're late."

Lance blinked twice, and then looked down at Ahsla. She had one eye open and a small smirk on her face. Lance was surprised that she was awake but it was what she had said that hurt the most.

"I'm sorry, I ran into some trouble, I promise I won't be late again."

Ahsla sat up in her bed; she ran her long fingers through Lance's medium dirty blond hair. She smiled sweetly at him.

"Just don't let Ahkei fall," she said, her words drifting out of her mouth like a leaf in a calm lake.

Lance took Ahsla's hands and kissed them. "I won't let her fall, I promise."

"Then get started, she's expecting you," Ahsla smiled, her eyes shining with the rays of the morning sun.

Lance nodded his head, kissing Ahsla's hands once more before he left her room. He returned to Ahkei, just in time to see her getting dressed for what Lance believed was training.

"You're really excited about this huh?" he asked.

"I want to learn to fight, I want to be strong like my father," Ahkei started as she laced up her boots. "I want to be better than my father, better than any Mandalorian out there."

"And how will you know you're the best?" Lance asked.

Ahkei looked up at him, her caramel eyes glowing with a kind of joy Lance had only seen once. "When I am Mand'alor."