Zace would have been relieved for the silent, awkward ride to be over, had she not known what lay at the end. Dav twisted in his seat and prodded the dozing Rana, who straightened so suddenly that Zace was almost convinced she hadn't been sleeping at all.

"Buckets on, you two," he said. His voice was quiet, and Zace wondered why he bothered. The engine noise would cover any normal tones, much less Dav's half-whisper. Ahead of her, Orade's speeder edged to a stop, and she halted her own behind his. Slipping her helmet on, she was suddenly grateful for its sense of enclosure and security. She fumbled with the commlink for a moment before it came on.

"-walk from here," someone was saying. She didn't recognize the voice immediately, but it seemed to be a man, older than Dav. "And Rana, no yelling until I give the word."

"Aww, Jus, you're no fun," Rana's disembodied voice said.

Jus seemed amused. "My job isn't to entertain you, Ran'ika; it's to get it done with the minimum of casualties. And no more arguing or you'll be the first."

Zace thought she could imagine Rana's feigned pout, and smiled. Behind her, Rana slipped Kyram'ika into a holster before selecting a long rifle and slinging its strap over her shoulder. Dav had climbed out of the speeder and was consulting with another blank helmet. Zace shivered. Her nerves, the dim lighting, or a combination of both made even Dav's now-familiar armor look sinister, and she thought she understood one of the reasons why Mando'ade were the best mercenaries in the galaxy. One look at that helmet looming out of the darkness would be extremely demoralizing, even if she didn't know the stories behind it. Dav seemed to finish his conversation, or at least he nodded briskly and strode back to the speeder. After selecting a carbine from the rack behind Zace's seat, he turned to face her. She gazed into the seemingly bottomless eyeslit, and found herself wishing she could see his eyes.

"We're going in quietly. They're mostly asleep or passed out by now, except for a few sentries, but Rana can take care of them." He paused; searching for words? she wondered. "Stay here, keep your commlink open, and shoot anything not wearing beskar'gam."

She nodded, trying to say something, but the words stuck in her throat, and she was suddenly glad for the impassive mask of her borrowed helmet. He paused, and she was almost sure that he was trying to smile reassuringly through his own helmet. The thought made her smile, and loosened the lump in her throat so that she could whisper, "Jate'kara."

She didn't know if he had heard her wish him luck, for the next moment he had turned away and followed Rana out into the night. She took out her pistol and started rubbing it with the bit of rag while keeping half an ear on the commlink. It was mostly quiet, with only a few murmured instructions disturbing the peace. She looked up at the stars and sighed. If it hadn't been for this stupid battle, she thought, I could be enjoying this with Davrel. She was surprised to find that she was enjoying the night. It was lovely weather, warm with just a hint of breeze to stir the long grasses, and the sky was cloudless. Rana's voice on the comm jerked her out of her reverie.

"Got 'im," she said breathlessly. "Clean neck shot." Zace's stomach twisted slightly, but her head didn't quite seem to be connected to it just then.

"Next one's to the south, leaning against that speeder," came a voice which might have been Keb's.

Rana tsked impatiently. "Very sloppy. Sitting on guard duty? What would his mother say." There was a pause. "There. Nice long nap for him, then."

"Good, Ran. Now, remember, I want a nice clean fight from all of you," Jus's voice rumbled. "No… organic trophies."

Rana was irrepressible. "Aww, Jus, Kyram'ika needs a new holster! And you know how hard it is to get real Trando skin."

Jus sounded amused again. "Not this time, Ran'ika. But if you can take out one with an LJ-50, I'll let you keep it this time."

"You'd better! I captured that last conk rifle fair and square."

"It was a piece of junk," Orade's voice cut in. "I've seen better-looking speeder crashes."

"And you'd know all about speeder crashes, wouldn't you?" Rana was probably grinning madly by now. "You drive one!"

Orade began a retort but Jus cut him off. "Almost there. Best cut the chatter now."

Rana muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "But I was just getting started."

"What was that, Ran'ika?" Jus was deceptively mild.

"Oh, nothing," Rana said innocently. Zace snorted. Thank goodness for Rana. There was complete silence for a few minutes, except for the slight rustling of grass and small noises from nocturnal creatures. I wouldn't have come, she thought, if I had known that it was going to be this… She searched for a word. Not boring, but not exactly interesting either. She tried to rest her chin in her hand, but the helmet got in the way. She leaned her head back against the seat instead, which wasn't much more comfortable.

Stupid armor, she thought crossly, and then jumped as suddenly the night erupted with a terrific noise and the brilliant red of blaster bolts. Rana's triumphant yell echoed across both the plain and the commlink. "Gotcha, chakaar!" she whooped, as an explosion rocked the camp. "I'll take that!"

"Trando on your six, Or!" Dav's voice cut in. "Got 'im."

Zace blinked, realizing that she was sitting bolt upright and clutching her seat tightly. They'll be fine. They've done this a hundred times-

Someone yelped and swore, and there was another explosion. Zace squinted into the darkness, trying to see, but all she could make out were shadows, silhouetted against the fires and blaster bolts. The noise was horrendous, even from this far. It suddenly occurred to her to see what Ruusaan had packed in the medkit, and she opened it clumsily with shaking hands, grateful for something to do beside just sitting and listening. She tried to take deep breaths as she sorted through the kit, blessing Ruusaan's organizational skills. Syringes and tubes of paste had been nestled carefully between bandages. She sorted through everything, trying not to listen to the commlink, and willing her fingers to stop trembling.

"Zace!"

At the sound of her name on the comm, her head jerked up. "Here!" she said, hoping that her voice wasn't shaking as much as the rest of her.

"A few slipped past us, so keep an eye and your blaster out." She was relieved to recognize Dav's voice. He paused, then continued. "We're nearly finished, but be careful."

"I will," she said. She flipped the kit's lid shut and grasped her blaster pistol. "How- how many wounded?" she asked, suddenly desperate to keep in contact with him.

"A few scratches and a shot grazed Ijaat's arm. Nothing major. Oh, and Keb's braid got singed. She's not happy." He sounded as if he was smiling.

"No, I don't suppose she would be." Zace grinned. Keb's long blonde hair was her special vanity, but she would let her braid hang out of her helmet.

"Keep your eyes open. Jus is calling me." The link clicked faintly, and she realized that he'd patched in a private channel. She was oddly touched, and wondered why he had. Deciding to ask him once they were all back home, she sat back in the pilot's seat, clutching the pistol and squinting into the night once more. It seemed darker now, but that might just have been because the fires were dying down. Grass rustled to her left, and she whipped her pistol around nervously to face that direction. She couldn't see anything, but that didn't mean anything. She slid lower in the seat, half-kneeling in the floor so that she could just see over the side, and listened. The soft animal noises had stopped, and for a moment all she could hear was the wind in the grass. Oh, shades! Where is it?

Crunch, rustle.

Zace froze. Cold sweat prickled her forehead and between her shoulder blades. Definitely footsteps, and large heavy ones at that. She peered intently into the darkness, and could just make out a slightly deeper patch of shadow. What now? It must be one of them, it couldn't be one of us or it wouldn't be sneaking around like that. She made a split-second decision.

"Hey!" she yelled, standing up. The figure froze, then reached for its blaster. Zace dropped to her knees, closed her eyes, and fired several times, feeling her opponent's bolt fly just above her head. There was a horrible gurgling yell, and then silence. She opened her eyes, the ozone from her discharged weapon making her sneeze. The patch of shadow seemed to be crumpled in a heap. She looked around frantically for anything else, but all she heard was a sudden burst of song from where the slavers' camp used to be. Two figures, arms linked, were belting out a drinking song in what might have been two-part harmony, followed by several others. Zace switched on the speeder's headlamps with one shaking hand, and Rana and Keb's voices faltered as they shielded their eyes.

"Zas'ika? Thank you!" Orade's voice crackled over the comm. Rana dropped back, slipping her arm from Keb's, and punched him. Zace noticed that Rana now had an exceptionally large and dangerous-looking blaster slung over her shoulder.

"Kih'parjai," Zace answered shakily. "Be careful, I think I just shot someone."

"What? You shot-" Dav broke into a jog, Rana, Orade, and Keb following.

"No, Dav, it's fine, I think-" Zace's protests were cut short by a shot. Where had it come from? Nobody seemed to be holding a blaster- She suddenly realized that Dav wasn't running toward her anymore. Her mouth opened, but she couldn't scream. Rana was yelling, opening fire, and she realized in horror that she hadn't killed- The figure was now partly illuminated by the speeder's lights, and Zace quickly looked away. Rana was a much better and more efficient shot than she was. Dav! Zace snatched the medkit and vaulted over the side, sprinting to where Keb was kneeling in the long grass.

"Dav! Dav, are you all right? Talk to me, Dav!" Zace babbled, almost hysterical. Keb had removed his helmet, and in the poor light from the speeder, he looked- not good.

"Right side, between the plate and the belt," Keb said breathlessly. She had her vibroblade out and was cutting away the leather and cloth. Zace opened the medkit, grabbing a handful of supplies. She tried to calm herself, tried to remember everything Ruusaan had said that day, but her mind was racing and all she could think of was that he was going to die and she had never told him- Keb had a syringe full of painkiller, which she injected above the wound. Zace stripped the packaging from a sterile pad and carefully swabbed it, picking loose fibers from his bodysuit out before slathering it with bacta and wrapping it tightly with a bandage.

"A stretcher- we need to carry him-"

Keb nodded once and sprinted off toward one of the other speeders. Zace knelt by Dav's head, cradling it, unconsciously reverting to Basic. "Dav? Can you hear me?"

His eyelids fluttered open. "Zas?" he breathed.

"Yes, that's right," she said, hoping her fear didn't show.

"Ni kartayli gar-"

"Yes, that's right, it's me, Zace, you really shouldn't be talking, we'll get you to Ruusaan-"

"-darasuum-"

"She'll take care of you- What?" Zace's stomach somersaulted. "Dav? Dav! No, Dav, wake up, say it again!" She realized she was sobbing, clutching his unresponsive hand, and couldn't stop.

Rana was talking, but Zace couldn't make sense of the words. Dav was dying! Why wasn't Rana more worried? Couldn't she see he had been bleeding all over the place? A rough hand grasped her shoulder, shaking her. "Zas'ika! Zace!"

She looked up, blinking and hiccuping, into Rana's familiar helmet. Someone had found a plastoid bodyboard, and Keb was helping Orade ease Dav onto it. "What?" she croaked.

"Stop this right now," Rana snapped in Mando'a. "He's not going to die. He passed out because he's lost blood and that painkiller Ruusaan packed knocks you out."

Zace sniffed, wiping her face with the heel of her hand and leaving a smear of blood across one cheek. "But he was shot. All the blood-"

Rana pulled her up and slapped her on the back. "When have I ever lied to you, Zas'ika? You stopped the bleeding and Ruusaan can finish the job. Now come on. The sooner we get him to Ruusaan, the smaller the scar you'll have to admire on your wedding night."

Zace blushed. "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean," she said stiffly, attempting to gather what little dignity she had left.

Rana raised an eyebrow, turning to walk toward the speeder. "I'm sure you do, but I won't press the issue. I'll drive, so you can sit in the back with him and do whatever you faithful sweetheart nurses do."

"I am not a faithful sweetheart nurse," Zace muttered, following her. "I am- I'm-" She paused, smiling. "I'm a cyar'ika bar'uur."

Dav awoke in a room filled with sunlight. He blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting, and raised a hand to rub his face. He tried to sit up, but swore as pain suddenly blazed across his side. Zace, who had been dozing, her head cradled in her arms on the tabletop, jerked awake and rushed across the room, kneeling beside the bed and seizing his hand.

"Oh, Dav, thank goodness you're awake! Ruusaan said she didn't know how long you'd sleep, since she didn't know how much painkiller Keb gave you, but I've been up all night waiting and now-" She broke off, and he was surprised to see tears glistening in her eyes. "But you're all right now." She sniffed and pressed his hand to her cheek.

He lifted his other arm and gently patted her head. "I'll be fine, Zas. But what exactly did happen? I remember you said you shot someone, and then I ran off like an idiot without thinking that whoever you shot might not be dead, and…" He shrugged, wincing slightly. "I'm guessing he wasn't."

"No, but Rana took care of that." She gave a shaky laugh. "And then Keb helped me mop you up, and…" She paused. "You don't remember any of this?"

"No, not really."

She released his hand, looking crestfallen. "Oh. Well, it doesn't really matter. You were- talking to me, before the drugs kicked in. And then we brought you back home, and Ijaat's fine, by the way, and Ruusaan finished on you. She said you were really lucky. It didn't hit any major organs, but you're on bed rest until she says you're not."

"And then you stayed up all night in case I woke up unexpectedly?"

She nodded, blushing slightly, then flinched as Rana poked her head through the door. "Welcome back to the land of the living, ner vod!" she cried, kicking off her boots and stepping inside. "When's the big day?"

Dav frowned. "What big day?"

Rana grinned madly as Zace cringed. "Your wedding day, of course. Unless you just intend to blame that 'I love you' on the drugs and break your poor cyar'ika's heart?"

"Wha-"

"Oh yes, it was very dramatic." Rana leaned casually against a cabinet, smirking. "Full points on style, especially the pause before darasuum." Zace looked as if she wished Ruusaan's spotless floor would open and swallow her.

Dav, feeling his ears grow warm, coughed slightly. "Ah, Rana, can we have a moment?" Snickering, Rana slipped out. "And close the door!" he called. Rana's laughter drifted in as the door snicked shut.

"Um, Zas…. Well, this is not the way I would have chosen to tell you, but…" All he could see was the top of her head and the tip of her nose. "Can you, I mean, would you mind looking at me?"

She slowly raised her eyes, her cheeks flaming. "Oh, Dav!" she squeaked, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Gently- OW!"

She hurriedly backed off. "Oh, Dav, I'm so sorry, I forgot-"

"No, it's all right, you just-"

A loud knock interrupted them. "Am I to be allowed back into my own house now?" Ruusaan's voice called.

Zace, still pink, leapt to her feet and threw open the door. "Sorry, Ruusaan. Yes."

Ruusaan thrust a plate of pastries into her arms. "Good. These are for you and Davrel, and then you will go and get the sleep you missed last night."

Dav smiled, recognizing Ruusaan's cure-all breakfast on the platter as Zace protested. "Oh, I'm really not ti- tired-" She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

Ruusaan shook her head, taking Zace's shoulders and guiding her to the chair beside Dav's bed. "Sit, eat. No more talking. One of you to nurse is too many already." She suddenly rounded on Dav. "And you!" He froze, mouth full of pastry. "What were you thinking? Were you thinking? Make sure they're dead." She shook her head.

Dav swallowed hard. "Sorry, Ruusaan. I wasn't thinking about myself."

Ruusaan clapped a hand to her forehead. "That is obvious. What will I do with two of you? Now eat. I will be back, and Jhase will sleep." She swept out, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Zace stared wide-eyed at Dav for a moment before dissolving into giggles. When she could breathe, she selected a pastry of her own and said, "Does everyone know now?"

Dav shrugged. "Probably. Rana must have told Keb and Ruusaan, and if Keb knows, then everyone knows."

Zace grinned crookedly. "That's one thing I'm still getting used to. Here, everyone's known you since you were born, and grew up with your parents or your grandparents. I'm not used to people caring about me yet."

Dav arched an eyebrow. "We'll have to fix that, won't we?"

She laughed and swatted his wrist. "Shame on you, Davrel! Seducing a poor helpless aruet'ika with your devilish good looks and silver tongue, and I was being serious."

He grinned. "You have never been poor or helpless. Have you forgotten that you tried to hit me when I was rescuing you?"

"Did I really?"

He nodded. "I thought you were out, and I was trying to clean the blood off your face when you opened your eyes and took a swing at me."

She swallowed, smiling. "And let me guess, it was at that very moment you lost your heart."

"Of course! I could tell right off you had the right stuff. And when you demanded to be taught to use a kad on your first day, well, that just confirmed my suspicions."

Zace beamed and reached for the last pastry just as Ruusaan reentered, bearing a large box.

"Jhase will go to sleep now, and Davrel, another nap will keep you from under my feet. I will wake both of you for supper."

Zace's shoulders slumped slightly, but she stood obediently, swooping to give Dav a quick kiss on the cheek before stuffing the entire pastry in her mouth and retreating into the bedroom, cheeks pink from her daring. Dav, when he noticed Ruusaan's satisfied smile, quickly wiped the silly grin from his own face and shut his eyes. His last thought before slipping from feigned sleep into the real thing was that she thought he was joking about the attempted punch.