Zace was having the most idyllic time of her entire life. Her life in general wasn't that different from the weeks preceding the battle, but she had Dav, and that made all the difference. Rana, of course, never missed an opportunity to tease the two of them, but Zace didn't mind so much anymore, and Dav had finally just decided to ignore her and attempt to change the subject whenever she started. Whatever her shortcomings, Rana was a good teacher, and with Dav out of commission, she had taken over Zace's beskad lessons. Zace was finding these practice sessions easier and easier, and Rana announced one day that she could probably beat Orade now, assuming she was having a good day and he was having a bad one.

"Your confidence in me is truly inspiring," Zace said dryly.

"My pleasure," Rana answered breezily. "Now, try it again, like you mean it! Pretend I'm a Weequay who just insulted Dav."

Zace laughed. "Well, that's hardly a fair fight! Prepare to be trounced."

"Talk's cheap, vod'ika. Ready?"

In answer, Zace stepped back into a guard position. Rana nodded once, then lunged. Shocked, Zace parried automatically, then grinned. All right, let's play rough. She struck quickly, taking the split-second opening in Rana's guard, but Rana parried with the skill and speed of long practice. Zace found herself moving faster than she thought she could, with Rana's own manic grin tugging at her lips. She suddenly thrust and twisted, and Rana's kad flew glimmering across the ring to thud into the dust at the opposite end.

Rana slipped off her helmet so Zace could see her expression of surprise and pride. "Kandosii, Zas'ika! Didn't know you knew that one."

Zace, panting and grinning, removed her own helmet. "Like an old teacher of mine once said, it's not bragging if you can do it."

Rana, recognizing her own words, laughed. "Well said, vod'ika, well said." She strode across the ring and tossed her saber into the air with her boot, deftly catching it hilt-first. "Well, I'll be! Look who escaped."

Zace turned to see Dav walking slowly toward them, grinning broadly. "Dav!" she squeaked, dashing toward him and throwing her arms around his neck. "I can't believe Ruusaan's letting you wear your armor so soon- It's patched!" she exclaimed, letting go and examining the neatly stitched cut made by Keb's blade.

He patted her back awkwardly. "Nice to see you again too. Yeah, apparently Keb can fight and sew. Oh, and Ruusaan says lunch is ready, and if we don't hurry she'll invite Ijaat."

Rana reached them, grinning proudly and slapping Dav's back. "Did you see what your cyar'ika just did to me? She's a quick learner."

Dav arched an eyebrow. "With no help from you, I'd guess." He ducked as she took a swing at him, holding up his hands defensively. "Hey, don't hit the wounded!"

Rana snorted. "Wounded, nothing! Ruusaan wouldn't let you out of the house if you weren't perfectly well. Remember that time when I fell off the speeder bike and busted that rib? I thought I'd go crazy before she let me do anything fun again."

Dav nodded. "And the time you nearly dislocated your shoulder trying to shoot Keb's buir's grenade launcher? I thought he and Ruusaan might have to fight over who was going to get to kill you!"

Rana waved an airy hand. "How was I supposed to know the recoil was that bad? He let Orade shoot it."

"Orade was older and much heavier than you," Dav pointed out. "Good stars, Ran, you were only twelve! How did you even lift it?"

"I'm stronger than I look," Rana said smugly. "And I could beat Orade in anything then. And I'm not the only guilty one! What about the time you borrowed Ruusaan's kad and nearly cut your finger off?"

"It was your idea," Dav shot back. "And I seem to recall that you borrowed your mother's, too."

"Well, what about that time when we went hunting for mythosaurs and you got us lost?"

"Again, your idea. And is that what we were doing? We were only, what, five? I can't remember."

"You were five, I was four. But I'm pretty sure that business with the missing sniper rifle that mysteriously turned up under my bunk was all your fault."

Dav smiled wryly. "Forgot about that. Orade helped, though. I couldn't reach it, and he was the only one tall enough."

Rana grinned. "They didn't know which one of us to believe, did they? Orade still swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it."

Zace giggled. "Sounds like you're lucky to have survived this long!"

Dav raised his eyebrows. "Oh, you have no idea. A Trando slaver has nothing on an angry Ruusaan."

Rana nodded. "I remember thinking during my first battle, this is it? I was more scared when Ruusaan wanted to know where that huge bruise on my shoulder came from. Just wait. Little Jhas'ika and Dav'ika are going to be first-class verde, with her as their ba'buir."

Zace rolled her eyes. "Stop it, Rana."

"Oh, but of course you couldn't help but name one of them after dear Aunt Rana," she said, grinning madly and dancing out of Dav's reach. "Firstborn would be nice, but if Ruusaan gets a namesake too, she can go first. Age before beauty and all that."

"In which case you are last either way, Rana," came Ruusaan's crisp voice. Rana's eyes widened, and she mouthed a silent uh-oh to Zace, who tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.

"Sorry, Ruusaan. Rana's a bit out of sorts today," Dav said seriously, winking at Zace. "She was just beaten by her student."

Ruusaan nodded firmly. "Good for you, Jhas'ika. Now, come inside. We have something for you."

Rana looked up, surprised. "Today? I thought-"

Ruusaan shook her head. "Change of plans. Just in case."

Rana frowned. "What plans? Not-"

Dav cut her off. "Later, Ran. Come on, Zas'ika. You'll like this."

Zace wasn't entirely sure what to expect as she closed her eyes and let Dav and Rana lead her into Ruusaan's house. She stood nervously in the middle of the room, listening to the small noises of the three of them moving around as the cool of the floor seeped through her socks. Something smooth and heavy was placed in her arms, and Rana's voice announced, "Open your eyes, vod'ika!"

Zace obeyed to find that she held a shining new buy'ce, the burnished beskar a deep bluish gray. Rana, grinning, said, "Zas'ika, your face is a picture. I take it you like it?"

Unable to speak, Zace nodded. "Good. I think you'll like the rest of it even more," Rana continued, as Dav stepped out from in front of the table to reveal the rest of the armor. Zace's jaw dropped and she put a hand over her mouth, sitting down hard in the middle of the floor.

Rana grabbed her wrist, dragging her to her feet again. "Come on, try it on! Dav was working on it before he got himself shot, and I've been finishing it. He had a terrible time trying to find time to work on it without you finding out about it somehow. It was Ruusaan's idea, and she said to leave it plain so you could paint it yourself." Rana had taken the helmet from Zace's arms and set it on the table, and was bent on removing the rest of Zace's borrowed beskar'gam. "Arms up."

Zace obeyed, her mind still catching up to the last few moments. "Paint?" she asked. "It's beautiful-"

"I'm just glad to have my spare set back," Rana smirked. "Ruusaan says gold isn't your color anyway." She tossed the last piece of the old set onto the table and took the new chestplates from Dav. "What do you think you'll put on it, or will you leave it plain for a while until you do something noteworthy?"

"Can't I just try it on myself?" Zace protested weakly. "I think I can manage-"

"'Course you can't," Rana interrupted. "You couldn't tell me your own name right now. Shock, they call it, right, Ruusaan?" She tightened a strap, and Zace grunted. "Pretty good fit. I'll adjust it later." Zace opened her mouth to protest again, but Dav stepped forward and slid the new helmet over her head.

"There! Beautiful. Where's that mirror, Ruusaan?"

"Where it has always been, Davrel, not that you have ever used it."

Rana clapped both hands on Zace's shoulders and steered her over to in front of the mirror, grinning delightedly over her shoulder at their reflection. "Zas'ika, you are a picture. Who'd have thought the skinny little aruetii would have grown into a real daughter of Mandalore?"

"Me, apparently," Dav remarked, raising a good-humored eyebrow. "Zas, we saved the bad news for last."

"I don't think it's bad news," Rana interjected.

"You're just desperate for the chance to go bonk some more heads." Dav gave her an exasperated look. "Anyway, that dinii'la Tarash Hrachek has decided to move on Manda'yaim itself, and Mand'alor has called all of us to come defend it."

Zace frowned, puzzled. "Who?"

"Oh you know, the mad rogue Jedi or whatever he is, gathering an army to take over the galaxy, cleverly decides to conquer us and make us his indefatigable shock troops?"

Zace shook her head as Rana raised an eyebrow. "There you go with the big words again, Dav'ika… And this Hrachek isn't that bright, is he? I mean, if he's too cheap to just pay for us, what makes him think his so-called army has even the slightest chance of beating us in the first place?"

"The key word would be 'mad', Ran. People like him generally are more lucky than smart, and their luck runs out eventually."

Rana's grin was positively predatory. "Then let's make sure his luck runs out soon, shall we?"

Dav rolled his eyes and continued. "We're packing up today and moving out tomorrow, so Zace can help Ruusaan load up. I don't have much, so I'll be along soon to move everything into the Parjai."

Zace frowned. "The which?"

"Ruusaan's ship, from her wild younger days before she had to settle down and raise Dav'ika," Rana answered, dodging out of Ruusaan's reach. "That ancient Corellian freighter. Now, if you won't be needing me…"

"Yes, Ran, leave before you get into more trouble." Dav flashed Zace a quick grin. "I'll be back later."

It was lucky that Zace didn't have very much to pack, because even with both of them working, it took a very long time indeed to get everything packed to Ruusaan's exacting satisfaction. All her medical equipment had to be carefully padded and then labeled and stored in the right box, which had to be labeled too. When Zace dared complain, Ruusaan merely turned an inscrutable look on her. "Very well then, Jhas'ika, throw them all in however you like. But when you're bleeding to death and I cannot find the bandages, know that your own impatience is to blame."

Zace turned pink and muttered something that might have been an apology, and the rest of the packing went smoothly enough. Zace was just about to go look for Dav when he appeared at the door in his speeder. "Already loaded all my stuff. There's not quite room to take everything in one trip," he said, surveying the pile of boxes on the floor with something approaching dismay. "We'll make two trips, and load all the important stuff last."

Rana reappeared halfway through loading the speeder the second time, and soon the cargo bay of the overhauled freighter, which was not as old as Rana's words had led Zace to fear, was looking rather smaller than it had with nothing in it. "Anyone else need any help, Ran?" Dav asked.

"No, I think Ruusaan's the last. Jus wants a word with you before we leave in the morning, by the way. He knew I'd probably see you before he did."

Dav nodded. "Right." He muttered something that seemed to contain the words "Bet I know why", but didn't seem inclined to elaborate. Zace glanced at him, curious, and decided to ask him what Jus had wanted in the morning.

Zace and Ruusaan slept on board the ship that night, and upon awakening, Zace had a slight surge of panic before she remembered where she was. The cabin she was in was much smaller than Ruusaan's house, and she had gotten used to sunlight in her face when she awoke. The dim glow from the blank vidscreen on the wall was not, she decided, an acceptable substitute. Not knowing how late she'd slept, she dressed quickly and hurried outside the ship to meet Rana returning, bringing her a fruit-studded ration bar.

"Good morning!" Rana said brightly, dressed in her sandy gold armor and entirely too cheerful for the hour of the morning it appeared to be. Zace shivered slightly in the light tunic she'd selected at random and mustered a halfhearted "Mmmf" as she chewed on the bar.

"Took you long enough to wake up," Rana continued, apparently oblivious to Zace's lack of enthusiasm. "I'm riding with you and Dav, and Ruusaan's with my buire. We've already loaded my stuff, and I'm sharing that cabin with you. Dav's got his own, of course. Once we get into hyperspace and Dav doesn't need to pilot any more, we're going to teach you to play cheg!"

Zace swallowed a bite, slightly overwhelmed by the barrage of information. "Play- what?"

"Cheg! Fun game. I think you'll like it." Rana flashed her a brilliant grin and turned to squint into the early morning mist that turned everything into different-colored smudges. "Speaking of, here comes Dav with the table now. Jus must be through with him. It's probably about time to leave."

"Oh-"

"Rana! Come help carry your table." Dav's voice was unmistakable, and so was his emerald armor, even through fog.

"Complain a bit louder, why don't you?" Rana called back, but took the other end of the folded round table. Zace, finishing her breakfast, trailed after them, and was coerced into helping Rana find exactly the right place to set the table up after Dav had to go coordinate flight plans with the rest of the fleet in the cockpit. Rana was finally satisfied at the table's position and the two of them went forward to join Dav. He looked up from the complicated-looking array of lights and controls as Rana collapsed into the co-pilot's seat beside him.

"Strap in, we're about to lift off. Next stop, Manda'yaim."

Zace buckled herself into the seat behind Rana and took a deep breath, willing her stomach to keep still. Dav glanced back at her. "Don't worry, Zas. This flight will be a lot smoother than your last one."

She giggled nervously. "I hope so!"

Rana smirked, reclining the seat. "Of course it will be! Would Ruusaan let Dav'ika anywhere near the controls of her precious ship if he wasn't more than competent?"

Dav raised a warning eyebrow. "That's twice in less than a day, Ran. Remember what I said last time…"

Rana rolled her eyes, spinning the chair around. "Call you little Dav three times in 26 hours again and you'll- How did you phrase it exactly? It was very good. Something about my fingers, right?"

"I believe it was 'snap off your trigger finger and make you eat it'," he said, as the hum of the engines suddenly deepened.

"That was it!" Rana sat up suddenly, grinning. "I'll have to remember that. Really, Dav, you might think you've been taking lessons from me sometimes."

Dav rolled his eyes. "Who'd want to take lessons from you?"

"All right, you two," Zace said, smiling. "Just because Ruusaan isn't here doesn't mean you two get to be at each other's throats the whole time." Her stomach gave a slight lurch as the ground quickly fell away beneath them.

"Aww, you're no fun either," Rana said, twisting the chair around to stare out the window. "Hey look, I can see my house from here! And the circle, and Ruusaan's house-" Zace swallowed hard and stared determinedly at the wall.

The rest of the journey went smoothly enough. Cheg was fairly easy to learn, although Rana won every game she played, and Zace's knuckles were soon sore from hitting the puck back and forth. She had tried to ask Dav what Jus had wanted, but he was strangely evasive, and went back to the cockpit for a while, to "calibrate the fuel conservation" or something like that. She frowned after him, fairly certain he was just making excuses to avoid the question. Rana retrieved the puck from where she'd knocked it under a rack full of blasters and tossed it back onto the table.

"Want another game?" When Zace merely shrugged, Rana punched her shoulder lightly. "Come on. He'll be fine. Jus probably just wanted to know if you two wanted to hurry up and get married before we have to fight." She laughed at Zace's slightly scandalized expression. "Ah, Zas'ika, I forget how much you haven't learned yet. Mando weddings are much simpler than aruetyc ones. Just a promise between the two of you, four short lines, and-" She shrugged, waving a hand. "That's it. And you never know what hut'uun's blaster might have your name on it."

Zace shivered, still unable to entirely adopt the pragmatic Mandalorian attitude toward death. "He hasn't said anything- and I- Marriage?" She didn't know if she was ready for such a huge commitment.

Rana was looking relatively serious. "Why not? You two are perfect together. Even Jus noticed."

Zace frowned and made a noncommittal noise. Rana, unusually sensitive to Zace's mood for once, smiled and punched her shoulder again. "Have another game of cheg. You didn't lose quite as badly last time."