A/N: Some mild language within this chapter. 'Nes is a smuggler, she doesn't do propriety very well, ok?

Viidu's people are good slicers, but not great ones. Three days have passed since I returned with Trymbo's chemicals and I'm still waiting for the location of Skavak. I'm twitchy, nervous, and, most of all, slipping back into my previous mental state. It's very easy to forget everything that happened over the past month when I'm focused on staying alive and finding some object or another, but in the emptiness of the past days, I've become tired, listless and depressed. My morning cup of caf is as much to wake me up as it is to remind me where I am and what I am. The worst part is that no one can know. I have to keep up the persona of Captain Valis every second I'm stuck on Ord Mantell. It means every night, when Riggs turns out the light and tucks in next to me, I have to wait until I can hear the sound of his soft snores before I can stop acting like someone I'm not. It means I sleep a lot more than necessary, simply because I can't get out of the bed. It means that I have to force my face into increasingly obviously fake smiles. It means that I'm getting closer and closer to a breaking point. I avoid everyone in the building, just because I'm not sure who is going to ask an uncomfortable question. Viidu was on to my "something is off"-ness days ago, and now it's becoming clearer that Riggs is catching on to my emotional state.
I sit in a far corner of the warehouse and bounce a ball off the wall. Throw. Thunk. Bounce. Catch. Throw. Thunk. Bounce. Catch. I try to think about anything except the emptiness in my being. The harder I try not to think about it, the more it seems to occupy my thoughts.

"Hey, Captain."

Speak of a Sith Lord, and one will appear, I think when Riggs' head shows around the edge of a crate. "Unless it's about the location of Skavak and my ship, I ain't in much of a mood for talk, Riggs," I say. Throw. Thunk. "I've been noticing." He shrugs. "What's wrong?"

Bounce. Catch. "Even if I told you, there's nothing that you can do about it." Throw. Thunk. Bounce. He reaches out and catches the ball in front of my hands. "Riggs! Give it back."

"Captain, talking about it can make it better. Is this about how you're missing your ship?" he asks.

"Give me the damn ball," I growl.

He tosses the ball towards the wall. Thunk. Bounce. I catch. "I get it, I really do. I know what it's like to lose everything."

"Really?" I say angrily. "You really think you know what it's like to lose everything?" I'm just short of screaming at him when I realize he does know. "Sorry," I say more calmly. "Viidu told me about your family. You do know something about loss."

"Yeah, I do. And I know that sulking doesn't help. There's a lot of good people here, we'd all be willing to lend an ear anytime you want."

I consider the offer."Can you stay a sec, Riggs?" I ask.

"I think the staff can manage without me for a bit." He sits on the floor next to me. "What's on your mind?"

My parents. My uncle. My cousin. My ship. The empty void in my heart. "I don't know where to begin," I manage after a long pause.

"Start anywhere you like, Captain."

Captain. The word echoes in my mind, a reminder of who I'm supposed to be. "That ship," I begin, "it was more than a ship, y'know?" Riggs nods. "The Shadow was my life, my livelihood, my freedom, and my home. I don't know what to do with out her. There's no engine to fix, no computer to run, nothing I can do. And I miss her." I know what I actually miss will never be on the ship again, but I don't bother saying that. No one needs to know the whole story, and for Captain Valis, that's all of the story there is. Period. "I miss the hum of the engine, and the squeak in the pilot's chair that I've never fixed, and the glitchy way the computer buzzes, and my big bunk." When I was little, I was so small, and the bunk so low I could jump on the bed without hitting the ceiling; it's still so low that I can stand on it and not even come close to scraping my head, but the jumping days are passed. "The sheets here don't smell right, not that I don't appreciate them, and there's nothing to do but wait. I'm not a patient person, Riggs."

"I never would have gathered that," he says with a smirk. "Sounds like you need some activity."

"I could go for something loud, and rowdy. Maybe even risky," I say.

"Got just the thing." He stands and extends a hand. "How 'bout it, Captain?"

"What are we doing?"

"You'll see. Are you coming or not?"

I put my hand in his and he helps pull me to my feet. "Guess so."

As it turns out, dirt-born farm kids do have some idea of rowdy, loud, and risky. We return from Savrip Island giddy, with armor a little worse for the wear, and a nice deposit into my bank account. I'm feeling alive for the first time in over a month, though the giddy feeling probably has a little to do with the shots of whiskey I insisted we celebrate with immediately upon our return to Fort Garnik. The alcohol has lightly flushed his face, and in the moment, he's pretty darn handsome. The sober part of me tries to squelch the thought, but the tipsy part just wants to bask in it. But it's not like you have time to do anything about it, the sober part says.

Shut up, the giddy part retorts.

"Did you see me get that big one? It fell down right in front of me!"

"Yeah, got you soaked!"

"Speak for yourself, your hair's gonna make a puddle on the floor!"

"No it ain't!"

Syreena interrupts and stops our just-a-little-too-loud banter. "Viidu wants to see you, Captain."

"Is it about my-"

"Yes."

I grab Riggs' hand without a second thought, and run towards the office. Syreena follows.

"I've got good news and great news, Captain. We cracked the separatist computer files and found Skavak," the boss says before I've even made it through the door.

"Viidu, you promised you would get so excited. It isn't good for your heart," Syreena interjects.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but this is going to be great. Skavak won't even see us coming! Hah!"

I'm getting more impatient by the second. "Does Skavak still have my ship? Is she alright?"

Viidu's smile threatens to split his face. "Your ship and the blasters. Great, huh? We'll get everything he stole all at once. He's taking the blasters to the Separatist base. Those wackos built their headquarters into a old volcano. Crazy, huh?"

Riggs tenses behind me. "What else do you expect from a bunch of foaming at the mouth murderers? I wish that volcano would blow its top."

"Not with my ship in it, I hope."

"Skavak's delivering the blasters to a psycho named Dareg at the base tomorrow. You need to beat him there. When he shows up, you can ambush him, grab your ship and fly back here. Easy, huh?"

"Will do, Viidu, sir. Send the holonews, because you're going to see a real hero in action!" Yeah, those double shot of whiskey are definitely making everything seem a little funnier right now.

"Make it two heroes. Take Corso with you, Captain. The kid knows more about blasters and vibroblades than anybody I've ever met."

"I owe Skavak payback for Torchy, anyway. That was lower than low." His hands curl into fists.

"No more missing the fun, right?" He laughs with me.

"Then it's a deal. You two head for the Separatist base, kill Dareg and ambush Skavak when he shows up. I've got a bottle of Chandrilan brandy to open when you get back."

I grin. That's some good stuff. "Consider me signed on."

"I'd wish you two 'good luck', but I don't want to jinx anything. Just come back in one piece."

"Yes, sir!" I say. "Oh, and Viidu. Thanks for all the help. It really does mean a lot." I extend my hand.

"You're welcome, Captain." The larger man shakes it warmly.

While life seems to have recently dealt me a sabacc hand totalling 27, this afternoon has been something else. I can feel where the little corner of the emptiness fills. I can almost taste the Corellian rum and feel the vibration of the hyperdrive. My little excursion earlier with Riggs, followed by the celebratory shots, healed a little corner of my heart. Maybe it doesn't score a full +23, but it certainly comes in at +20, which just might win the game.

"You are guilty of crimes against the oppressed people of Ord Mantell. The sentence is death. Memorize our faces well, you criminal filth, for we are your righteous executioners. Do you have any last words, degenerate swine?"

"Save yourself the trouble, friend. Just surrender now."

"Hah! Let justice be served!"

The ensuing firefight is barely even worth the name, or the Tibanna gas used. The moment the conversation ends, I roll to cover, throwing a small det, and taking out one of Dareg's pesronal goons. A couple of quick rounds from Flashy and the other goes down, too. Riggs fires his rifle at point-blank range, taking out Dareg before the meaty man can even pull out and charge is weapon. The last separatist throws his hands up in a well-known, universal gesture.

"I surrender, I surrender! Please, I don't want to die. I know why you're here, and you're wasting your time."

"I'm here for Skavak and my starship. Now, where are they?" I'm not quite growling, but I'm not playing polite.

"Skavak is long gone. He left here hours ago." Kriffing...kriff, kriff, I'm gonna kill that kriffing bastard twice! "Dareg was stupid to fight you. He got everyone killed when he should've just told you the truth. Skavak showed up a few hours ago to deliver the guns, but it was all a trick. He pretended to be on our side so he could steal some rusty, antique droid from Dareg."

"Skavak came here for a droid?!" I've lost the last vestige of polite. I've had it with this planet, with my missing ship, and most of all, with Skavak. I'm shouting loud enough for half the base to hear me.

"Some worthless pile of scrap that'd been in Dareg's family for generations. It was ancient—practically useless—but Skavak grabbed it like some big treasure and blasted his way out. He left in your ship. I don't know where he went, but I can guess who does. Skavak has a girl at Fort Garnik named Syreena."

And that would be the sound of the other boot dropping. I exchange a glance with Riggs. "Are you joshing me?" I never would have believed that the whatever it was that I didn't like about her was something as ridiculous as this.

"It's true! Dareg talked to her on the holo all the time with messages for Skavak. She was our main contact. It was Syreena who warned us you were coming. If you want to find out where Skavak went, Syreena's the one who knows." The Separatist holds his right shoulder tightly, but I don't see blood. "Please, just let me go. I have a family back on the mainland. Please!"

Riggs moves from behind me, ice and fire in his eyes and voice. "Separatist scum killed my family, and I promised myself I'd bury every last one of you." He raises his blaster pistol to the man's head.

"I-I've only been here a few months. I didn't kill anyone's family. I only ever followed orders." The man voice is high-pitched, and pleading.

"Then I order you to die." The ice in his voice is chilling me through to my bones. He pulls the trigger back and-

"Riggs, no!" I shout.

"Captain, this isn't up to you."

I lay my hand on top of his pistol, trying to force the barrel downward. I look him straight in the eye, trying not to flinch. "Look at him. He's terrified and scared. He probably wasn't even doing this for the cause, he was doing it for his family. He needed a job, and this was one that paid."

"That has nothing to do with it. Every one of these motherless scum deserves death. I can't just let him go home and pretend like nothing ever happened!" He's shouting back at me, and his eyes meet mine steadily, still burning.

"Then get him to work for the Republic. He's got knowledge, and he's got sense. Please, let him go." I'm the one pleading now. "Is this really who you want to be?"

"Please. I swear to you I'll never serve a man like Dareg again. I'll just go home and take care of my family."

"Get out of here before I change my mind," Riggs snaps.

"Thank you," the man says, looking at me.

"You heard the man. Go!" I can't take this any longer. Everything is going sideways and upside down and the tears are stinging at my eyes. At least they're tears of rage. Rage, I figure, is better than the numbness. Rage, in fact, is good. I will focus on this rage until I get my ship back. My rage will make me strong enough to get through this.

"C'mon, Captain. We need to have a little heart-to-heart with Syreena."

We pick up a rented speeder at the 'Pub base outside the volcano. Riggs is tighter than an strung bow when I climb on behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. "Ready?" he asks over the hum of the repulsorlifts. I nod since my throat is tight with rage and unshed tears. Then we're off.

The landscape flies by in a blur. The wind stings at my face, so I bury it against the neck of my driver. I couple of tears leak out of my eyes and dampen his collar. If it weren't for Rogun, part of me would be saying that I should just settle here and start a new life, like Jol did. Ord isn't horrible in and of itself, Viidu's a nice guy, his people are good. And warm. At least one of 'em is, anyway. And that one is also good at helping the universe right itself. Syreena's a skank, but we'll take care of that in a moment. I've lost everything I have ever held dear, so I might as well start anew.

Of course that idea is irrelevant, and that line of thinking will only make me feel worse. I run next to Riggs all the way up to the second-floor office. That's when we hear it: Syreena's voice, followed by another voice that I hate even more. I don't even bother to do the polite thing and wait outside the door. I waltz right in.

"Too bad I missed the party," I say as Syreena flicks the holocom off.

"Captain... I didn't see you come in. It's wonderful to see you're still alive."

"Skip the crap, Syreena. I heard everything."

"No use in pretending then. Look, I know things that can help you. Skavak used me just like he did everyone else—that man could charm the armor off a Mandalorian." I doubt it. "Rogun the Butcher's bounty hunters are on their way right now. We don't want to be here when they arrive.

"Skavak took your ship and the guns to Coruscant. If you go now, he won't know you're coming for him," she continues.

"How do I get all the way to Coruscant when you helped him steal my ship?" I'm growling again, and I don't care.

"You don't need your own starship to leave Ord Mantell—not anymore. The separatists are retreating from this island, thanks to you, and the Republic just reopened the shuttle port. I'll give you a shuttle pass to Coruscant if you let me disappear. Do we have a deal?" her voice is full of that same overly smooth sweet quality that made me distrust her from the first.

"No. I need something for my efforts. You owe me, you little bitch. I'm of half a mind to kill you," I snap. I should just kill her. It would make things easier, but I'm so emotionally exhausted I'm not sure I could aim straight.

"Glad I always have some cash on hand." She hands me a small packet. "That should help cover things."

"Good enough. You really should get your ass out of here before I change my mind about killing you."

"Right. Then, I'll be on my way." She walks away quickly.

"Glad that ended peacefully," Riggs says. "I'm not one to hurt women."

The tension leaves my body and I collapse into a seat at the table. "It's not like I get a kick out of hurting people."

"Only the really bad ones do, Captain. I'm not letting her off for killing Viidu, though. Every employer in the galaxy is going to know about her. Poor guy. I wish he could hear what we did—would've put a smile on his face." He stands next to me and rests an hand on my shoulder. "I wish I could give you time, but it's not healthy for us to stick around. I believed what Syreena said about bounty hunters coming, and we don't know how long Skavak will stay on Coruscant, either. Let's hop a shuttle and catch him while we can."

"Wait a second, 'we'? You're planning on tagging along?" I can't keep the little bit of happiness out of my voice.

"I'm not bailing on you now, Captain. Besides, my Torchy still needs rescuing. Viidu left me some stuff. I expect he'd want me to share it with you."

I remember the rush I'd left in after Pa died. No use making the same mistakes twice."Alright then, grab it. Grab whatever rations and credits you can find. You got some luggage anywhere?"

He nods and we head to the back room, stopping for a sealing crate with handles. I throw whatever is in the room, and looks useful, into the crate. Riggs returns with some stuff from his locker, mostly weapons cases, though I see a couple of spare outfits and a box of protein bars mixed in. He stores the weapons and I load up the crate. "Credits?"

"Right here, Captain." He pats his front pockets. "There's also a bag of credsticks in...well, one of the cases."

We're out the door of the warehouse in a flash, but we pause outside about a block away and look at the building one last time. I see the emotion in his eyes and reach for his shoulder. "Riggs, we'll be ok. Trust me."

"It ain't that, it's just...there goes everything again."

"Not everything," I say and meet his chocolate colored eyes. "We've got each other."

He chuckles dryly. "Guess that's true."

And it is true. Just about all we've got in the entire upside-down galaxy is each other. For the moment, just Corso Riggs is good enough for me; maybe I'll smile a little bit more and cry a little bit less."C'mon."

Of course, there are bounty hunters waiting for us in the spaceport, and neither of them appreciate my humor when I tell them that I only fly first class, with little drinks with paper umbrellas and stewards in tight uniforms. The Mon Cal falls quickly, but before I can wonder if this is the best Rogun can send after us, the Kel Dor fires a shot that hits my blaster hand. I can't hold back the scream of pain and drop Flashy. Riggs let's loose a battlecry, and fires madly at my attacker. While he's distracted, I grab for the pistol and aim a strong kick into his more sensitive reasons. I sprint sideways, tossing a det and firing as best I can with my left hand. I aim towards the floor so that I minimize the chance Riggs'll get hit by a stray bolt. He finishes the Kel Dor off with a well-aimed shot to the back of his head.

He's next to me in a split second, helping my fumble-fingered left hand open the medpac and finds the kolto. "Look at you, dropping Flashy. What if she'd gotten beat up?" He smiles at me while pressing the adhesive edges of the bandage in place. "You gotta take better care of her, Captain." He closes the medpac and gives me a hand up. My right hand is going to be useless for a while.

The next shuttle is already boarding, so we waltz right up to the loading ramp.

Credits, check. Whatever supplies we could wrangle, check. Shuttle off planet, check. "Let's go, Captain." He reaches his hand towards me and I take it.

The one person in the universe who helps keep it from tipping? Check.