Hello everyone!

Phew, I'm glad we were able to get this out today. Both me and one of my editors are sick and we barely got it edited last night. Luckily, this chapter didn't need much. In fact, it was mostly me deleting things.

OneLittleSpark18: I've been caught lol! I hope people enjoy it. Thank you!

RubenAssassinRose: I wouldn't know anything about thaaaaaat… and thank you very much!

Venomizer: It delights me! I like Boba too. He's just grumpy and doesn't want to deal with other people but he's secretly a good guy. Definitely SOMEONE has hired Bane…

Imaginationflies: I actually believe that Omega and Boba WILL meet at some point and she will have an effect on him. This is based off of a single scene in the Book of Boba Fett, where as Boba is protecting the Sand People from the Pykes, Omega's theme plays in the music. We'll see, but I'm excited to see if they ever get to have any relationship. And let me deliver on one of those! I'm very excited! Enjoy the chapter!

Quick note: I am considering a short hiatus. Unlike for a majority of the time I've been posting, I'm at a point where I'm writing the chapters in between the updates. My backlog of chapters is spent. I'd rather take a short hiatus to build up some of my writing rather than just surprise saying 'oops no chapter this week!' Or having to sacrifice writing quality for speed. I'm not going on one immediately (that would likely kill the people reading Guilty/Absolved), but it may happen in the near future.

Onto the chapter!

Mando'a translations at the end!

"What was Jango like?"

Boba looked over to Omega's curious gaze. He sighed. He shouldn't have expected to be left alone for this entire flight. Now that they were in hyperspace, he didn't have the excuse of needing to concentrate. At least Tech and Hunter had wandered into the cockpit too. Maybe they'd talk to each other instead.

"Aren't you one of the clone leaders?" Boba replied shortly. "You spend all your time around them. They knew him too. Ask them."

Omega tilted her head.

"They didn't know him like you did." She said.

That was certainly true. Boba clenched his jaw.

"Make your best guess." He muttered, looking away.

It was quiet for a moment. Boba thought he'd finally deterred her when-

"He must have cared very much." She said. "Because every clone I've met has."

Hunter snorted.

"We met him once or twice, Omega." He said. "He wasn't the caring type."

"He did care!" Boba snapped.

"Not about us." Hunter said with a shrug.

Boba wasn't entirely sure that Jango didn't care. Sometimes Jango would come home from training the ARCs and just hold Boba very tightly. Sometimes Boba would look into his father's face as they walked Tipoca City and see regret there. Sometimes Boba would wake up in the middle of the night and find his father wide awake, staring at nothing.

"Well," Omega said after a moment. "He cared about you, right?"

Boba thought of his father, how he'd taught Boba everything and had claimed him proudly as his son. He thought of the tight embraces Jango gave him every time he returned, desperate, bone cracking hugs.

Boba gave a tight nod.

"Yeah." He said. "He did."

Once again, he thought that would be it. He was once again wrong.

"What's bounty hunting like?"

Boba looked at Hunter.

"Does she normally talk this much?" He asked.

Hunter gave Boba a glare.

"Yes." He said. "And it often helps if you actually answer."

Boba scowled and was met with a steely gaze.

"I find and retrieve bounties." He finally said. "End of story."

"Do you work with other bounty hunters?" Omega asked. "We've met a couple, back when we were running from the Kaminoans. Have you ever met Fennec Shand?"

"No." Boba said shortly, though he had heard of the up and coming hunter. "And if I have to. Don't like to after-"

He paused, thinking of Aurra Sing. She'd contacted him a while ago, filled with fake apologies and crooning promises. He'd told her to kriff herself. She'd pushed him to places that he hadn't wanted to go, to things that he hadn't wanted to do.

"After what?" Omega asked.

"Nothing." Boba said.

"Who's your favorite bounty hunter you've worked with?" Omega asked.

Boba stared at the ceiling of the ship.

"Let me let you in on a secret." Hunter said. "She stops sooner if you answer."

"I do not know why you complain." Tech said. "I quite enjoy answering her questions."

Omega beamed at him while Hunter rolled his eyes.

"You just like showing off." He told Tech.

Boba glanced at Omega, who grinned.

"He's right." She said.

Boba closed his eyes.

"Bossk." He said. "And Embo."

"Why?"

Boba grit his teeth.

"Decent men." He said. "Good fighters. Won't stab me in the back."

He didn't mention his bond with Bossk, how Bossk had protected him when they were in prison. Not that Boba needed much protecting, but it had been nice to have someone at his back.

"And the worst?" Omega asked. "And why?"

"You." Boba snapped. "Because you won't stop asking kriffing questions."

Instead of looking hurt, Boba would have sworn Omega had an amused glint in her eye. Meanwhile, Hunter looked annoyed.

"That is not a sufficient answer." Tech said. "She clearly stated the worst bounty hunter. We are not bounty hunters."

"Aurra Sing." Boba finally said. "And Cad Bane. She's a manipulative bitch and he's an emotionless bastard."

Hunter and Tech immediately glared at Boba.

"We do not wish for people to use coarse language around Omega." Tech said. "Please refrain from continuing to do so."

"I've sworn in front of her before." Boba said, confused.

"Yes." Tech said. "It has reached the point that we wish you to stop."

"I don't mind it." Omega said. "But Hunter especially thinks it's not 'appropriate.'"

"I'd rather you not turn into Crosshair," Hunter said. "Who thinks that swearing is the solution to everything."

"He does not believe that." Tech said with a frown. "Perhaps his communication skills are hampered by his preference for profanity, but he does not-"

He paused as Hunter raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ah. Hyperbole." He said.

"Hunter started making everyone pay five credits when they swore." Omega said.

Boba almost laughed. He thought of the first time he'd sworn in front of his dad. Jango's eyes had widened and, looking back, he'd been trying not to laugh as he asked Boba where he learned it.

"It's a good rule." Boba found himself saying. "Professionals don't swear. It's probably more true in your line of work."

He'd learned that from Jango. His dad had taught him that people's perception of him as a professional was key and a crude tongue took away from that.

The trainers on Kamino, on the other hand, were far looser with their tongues. Boba thought of the riches Jango'd have if he had enforced a fine for profanity. Kal Skirata would have gone broke.

Omega beamed at him and he regretted saying anything unprompted.

"Yeah, I think Fives got into trouble for swearing at parties and stuff." She said. "Echo wants to, I think. But he's got practice from Hunter's rule."

Boba would have paid credits to see the frail looking clone let loose a string of colorful language at the pretentious senators. He didn't envy the clone senators' position. If they were like Boba himself, they'd prefer straightforward interactions instead of the political dance the others performed.

He'd have to dance it too, if he became Mandalor. Likely to a far lesser extent, but he wasn't looking forward to it.

He glanced at the girl. He wondered if she liked being a senator. He nearly asked her. He stopped himself before he could. He wanted them at arm's length and he would keep them that way, no matter how hard Omega tried.

Phee Genoa leaned against Cid's bar with a sigh.

"What's up with you?" Cid asked.

She grabbed a bottle of Corellian whiskey and poured Phee a glass.

"I'm glad the war's over, don't get me wrong," Phee said as she took the offering. "But kriff if it isn't less exciting."

"Didn't you get in a shootout last week?" Cid asked.

"First one in a month." Phee said, playing with her glass. "A lot less opportunities too, with the wartime looting over."

"You could expand your sights, instead of wishing things were like they were." Cid said. "I have a few jobs that need doing."

"No thanks." Phee said. "I like knowing what I'm getting into."

She saw Cid roll her eyes. Cid had never understood.

Phee took a sip of the whiskey, appreciating the burn on the way down. From a moral standpoint she glad that less heirlooms were being stolen, but it had been fun. Yeah, Phee did this for the people whose treasures were stolen, but she wouldn't lie and say that the thrill wasn't a big part of it. She had Pabu for peace and quiet, when she wanted it. Problem was, she didn't want it all the time.

Phee sighed again. As if she could find anything. She was getting to the point where she'd be willing to call Hondo and see if he had any tips.

Both Phee and Cid looked up at the sound of the door opening and muttering voices. Phee felt herself tense as she recognized clone voices. She wasn't currently wanted, at least not by the Republic, but she had learned to stay away from authority. Cid grumbled something about the Jedi and scowled as the clones came into view

They were not the white armored, uniform figures that Phee was used to. Kriff, these guys weren't even the same height.

Phee's eyes were drawn first to the clone with long hair, a crusty bandana, and a tattoo that covered half of his kriffing face. And the other-

Oh, damn.

High cheekbones and a lean, but strong build. And those eyes. They were brown, a color Phee had seen a thousand times, but there was something about this brown that caught her attention. It was gorgeous. Even looking down at his datapad, there was an intensity there that Phee didn't see often. He wore goggles, as if he knew the effect those eyes had on people and wanted to keep things professional.

She was so caught up in those eyes that she nearly missed the other two members of the group. A Mandalorian lurking near the back, and- a kid. A girl with blonde hair, flanked by the other two like they were guarding the Queen of Naboo.

The girl stepped forward.

"You must be Cid." She said politely. "General Plo Koon sent us. He said you might be able to help."

Cid narrowed her eyes.

"The Jedi sure are asking a lot, now that the Republic's shut down half my business." She said. "I might have been an informant during the war, but things are different now."

The long haired clone adopted a stubborn sort of look Phee had seen in other clones. Browneyes, on the other hand, merely glanced up with a furrowed brow.

"The intelligence we are seeking is of the utmost importance." He said. "The Republic is on the brink of war once more and this information could prevent it."

Well, it seemed he had a brain too. Though Phee had learned that an intelligent tongue didn't always mean that the mind was as sharp.

"War is good for business." Cid said, folding her arms. "You'll find that folks around here wouldn't mind it. Right, Phee?"

Phee could've murdered Cid. This wasn't a conversation that she particularly wanted to engage in.

The plus side was that Browneyes was now looking at Phee with a very intense gaze.

"I wouldn't say that." Phee said slowly. She lifted her glass and swirled the liquid. "Maybe we should be expanding our sights, instead of wishing things were like they were."

Cid shot her a death glare.

"You just said-"

"I was complaining that it was boring now." Phee said. "Not that I'd want people to start killing each other again."

Cid opened her mouth again, but the Mandalorian in the back stepped forward.

"We're looking for Cad Bane." He said in a voice not unlike the others'. Kriff, was he a clone too? "We can pay you well for any information you can give us."

Phee didn't recognize the Mandalorian, but Cid certainly seemed to. Her eyes went wide and Phee could see her swallow. For once, the bar owner didn't seem to have anything to say.

"Cad Bane." The Mandalorian repeated. "Do you know anything or not?"

"I'll- I'll have to check." Cid finally said.

She practically stumbled into her office, muttering. Phee raised an eyebrow as she heard Cid hiss 'kriffing Boba Fett, here of all places!'

Boba Fett. Huh. Phee had heard of the bounty hunter. Young, but one of the most feared hunters out there and not just because of his father's legacy. She eyed the kid. She'd heard he was staying out of politics, but that had been a few years ago. Not much about him since, though. But it wasn't a surprise that Cid was scared by his presence. She didn't like dealing with big time names like his.

The group of clones was silent, all staring at where Cid had disappeared.

"You can sit, you know." Phee said. "It might be a while."

Cid would likely need a good ten minutes of ranting to herself before she actually looked anything up.

Browneyes looked at her.

"Are you merely attempting to distract us while Cid flees?" He asked.

So he was blunt. That was fine. Games got tiring after a while.

"I doubt it." Phee said. "She talks a big game, but Cid doesn't want to risk annoying the Republic and your friend over there."

Boba Fett had gone to stand closer to Cid's office, watching carefully.

"Boba Fett is not our friend." Browneyes said. "We merely share DNA and a goal in this endeavor."

Ouch. Phee thought.

"Tech!" The girl said. "Don't talk about him that way!"

"I am merely stating facts, Omega." Browneyes, or Tech as he was apparently called, said. "Boba Fett has made it clear that he does not want any association with the other clones of Jango Fett."

Omega frowned and glanced at Fett's figure.

"So," Phee said. "You normally bring your kid to meet informants?"

"Sister." Tech corrected Phee. "She is safest with us."

Tattoo narrowed his eyes at Phee.

"You don't pay attention to politics much, do you?" He said.

"Not in my line of work." Phee said.

"What do you do?" Omega asked.

"I'm a liberator of ancient wonders." Phee said with a wink.

Omega's eyes widened and Phee repressed a laugh.

"Sounds like a fancy name for a pirate." Tattoo said.

Phee rolled her eyes. That's what they all assumed.

"It's a little more complicated than that." She said.

"How so?" Tech asked. "Hunter is correct. That title implies the seizure of items that are not legally yours."

"They're not the legal property of the people who I liberate them from." Phee said.

Tech raised an eyebrow.

"Ah." He said. "You return items to their proper owners? A bounty hunter for stolen items."

Phee grinned.

"Something like that."

He was sharp. She definitely liked that in a man.

"That's amazing!" Omega said. Then her brow furrowed. "But if these people are stealing and you know who it is, why don't you just call the authorities?"

"If only it were that easy." Phee said with a sigh. Tech had gone back to his datapad, but he kept glancing up at her. "The thieves are usually pretty powerful and the people in charge don't want to upset them."

Omega frowned.

"Sounds like corrupt politicians." She said. "You should go to Chancellor Amidala. She'd do something."

Phee leaned back in her seat. Omega spoke as if Chancellor Amidala was a friend. And 'sounds like corrupt politicians?' What twelve year old said that? Who was this kid?

"Chancellor Amidala isn't exactly the type of person you just go to." Phee said.

"Phee Genoa." Tech suddenly said.

Phee looked at him, confused.

"Accused of stealing several centuries old kalikori from the Corellian Museum of History." Tech went on. "The case was dismissed due to lack of substantial evidence."

Oh, he was good.

"One of my sloppier performances." Phee said. "And before the war made my job easier."

"Those kalikori were in the possession of the museum for over a century." Tech said. "The original owners are likely dead."

"Doesn't mean they weren't stolen." Phee replied.

Tech seemed to consider this for a moment.

"A valid point." He said. "So you seek to return artifacts and heirlooms to their original cultures?"

Phee raised her glass to Tech.

"Don't tell Cid." She said.

"Omega is correct." Tech said. "Chancellor Amidala would like to know of your efforts."

Phee laughed.

"You just learned that I steal from the rich and powerful and you want me to go to the Chancellor of the Republic?"

"Chancellor Amidala is really fair!" Omega said. "She'd understand!"

"Maybe we should wait for the threat of war to pass before pestering the Chancellor with something like this." Hunter said.

Phee had nearly forgotten he was there.

"He makes a good point." Phee said. "But I'll think about it."

"You can contact us first." Omega said. "And we can get you in to meet her."

"And how can you do that?" Phee asked.

Tech adjusted his goggles.

"Omega is a Senator." He said. "Hand picked by Chancellor Amidala herself."

Oh. Phee was starting to think she needed to tune into a few more Senate sessions. She had a lot of questions, such as why the hell they were letting the underage Senator wander into the thieves' den that was this part of town.

Through her shock and questions, Phee noted the overwhelming pride hidden in Tech's voice. She even thought she saw a hint of smile as he looked down at Omega.

"Well, hot damn." Phee said.

"Tech." Hunter said in a warning tone.

"Ah." Tech said. "Perhaps this was not the ideal setting to reveal that information. Please do not repeat that to anyone."

"My lips are sealed." Phee said.

Just then Hunter perked up and looked to Cid's office door. Fett followed suit. So he was paying attention. Phee had assumed the bounty hunter had tuned everyone out.

Cid came out, her spines upright with nervousness.

"You're lucky." She grumbled. "Finding Bane is usually like trying to find a skud in a krill pond."

Fett stepped forward, arms crossed.

"What do you have?" He asked, though it felt more like a command.

Cid lowered her eyes.

"He's been looking around for a droid modifier called Tynar Rem." She said. "One of the best in the business."

Tech's brow furrowed.

"He is attempting to rewrite the data on the memory chip." He said.

Fett and Hunter nodded slowly.

"Where is Rem?" Fett asked.

"Rumors are that he's hiding out on Daiyu." Cid said. "That's about it. This guy's harder to track than even Bane."

Phee winced. She knew Daiyu. It was a dianoga den of the worst kind. And damn near impossible to find anyone there. The last time Phee had been there, it had taken five hours to find her contact even with coordinates. And they'd wanted her to find them.

Fett seemed to know this as well.

"Har'chaak." He muttered. "I'd hoped to never have to go to Daiyu again. At least Bane won't have an advantage."

"And there'll be more of us!" Omega said.

Everyone looked at her.

"Please tell me that you're not planning on taking that darling little girl with you." Phee said.

"Like hell I am." Fett said at the same time Hunter said, "She's not going."

"Hunter, you said we could help-" Omega started.

"I said that we could help find the informant and get the information." Hunter said in a long suffering tone. "And that's it."

"Hunter is correct, Omega." Tech said. "Daiyu is far more dangerous than Ord Mantell. It would be foolhardy to bring you there."

"We don't have a choice." Omega said with her arms folded. "We came with Boba. And he needs to get to Daiyu as fast as he can. He doesn't have time to drop us off."

"We are going to take a passenger transport back to Coruscant." Tech said.

"Hunter says I'm not allowed to take public transportation." Omega said.

"I could give you a ride." Phee said.

As much as she enjoyed watching this feisty little girl try to outmaneuver her brothers, someone needed to step in before Hunter had an aneurysm.

Phee received one grateful look, a helmeted nod, and a suspicious glance.

"We appreciate the offer," Hunter said. "But I'd like a bit more of a guarantee when it comes to transportation."

"Ask Browneyes over here if I've ever been even accused of kidnapping." Phee said.

She nearly grinned at Tech's confused blink.

"Ah- she has not." Tech said. "Hunter, I believe this would be a safer option than public transportation."

Hunter sighed and dragged a hand down his face.

"Fine." He said. He then looked to Fett. "Good luck. There's a lot riding on you."

Fett gave a short nod.

"I'll wire you your fee if I find out the information's good." He said to Cid.

Cid, for once in her life, did not complain.

"You, uh, mind not telling any of your bounty hunter friends about me?" She asked.

"That depends," Fett said as he turned and left.

Phee glanced at her three new passengers. She tilted her head towards the exit.

"Shall we?" She asked.

Hunter sighed, Omega smiled, and Tech nodded.

Phee grinned. She was looking forward to the trip.

"Boba!"

Boba swore under his breath as he heard Omega's voice. He turned reluctantly to see her hurrying from Cid's bar.

"What do you want?" Boba said.

He didn't even try to keep the irritation from his voice.

Omega stopped in front of him and studied him with a solemn eye. Boba was surprised that the guard massiff she called a brother had let her wander so far. Still, Boba could see Hunter hovering at the door of Cid's bar.

"I'm not stupid." Omega finally said. "I know that you don't want to be around us."

"Could've fooled me with the way you kept pestering me with questions." Boba growled. "You do realize we've got time restraints, right? We don't have time for this."

"It's because I want to get to know you, Boba." Omega said, and then paused. "And maybe because I was annoyed that you were being rude. But- you're lonely. I know what it's like to be separated from my family too. But you have-"

"Don't say it." Boba said. "You aren't my family."

Omega sighed.

"Maybe not." She said. "At least, not now. But don't push us away, Boba. We could be family, if you need it. Only if you want to."

Boba stared at the earnest child in front of him. He'd seen a similar look in the eyes of his father. And a spark of something glinted in his chest.

"I'll keep that in mind, kid." Boba finally said.

Omega smiled.

"I'm not that much younger than you." She said.

Boba smirked in reply.

"Good luck." Omega said. "And thank you."

Boba nodded.

"Keep up the good work." He found himself saying.

Omega blinked and then smiled again.

"Right!" She said. "When you're Mandalor, we'll be able to be political allies!"

Boba gave a surprised laugh. Kriff, it would be good to have a few friendly faces in the political landscape if he ever got the title.

"Omega!" Hunter called.

"Coming!" Omega yelled back. She looked at Boba. "Be careful!"

She trotted away and Boba watched with a tight feeling in his chest as Hunter put a hand on her shoulder when she grew close. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to be a brother to them. There was pain there, seeing his father in every face.

But maybe Omega was right. Maybe there could be something there, if he needed or wanted it.

He turned away and took a deep breath. He shrugged away the emotions and became Boba Fett, feared bounty hunter.

He had a job to do.

Mando'a:

Har'chaak: Damn it

Omega just wants to get to know her brother. Boba just wants to be literally anywhere else. Though Omega knows what she's doing. Boba's rudeness gets constant questions in turn.

Bossk has a Canon reason why Boba likes him. Embo is there because I like him.

I like the idea that Jango tried to be a true professional and spoke accordingly. (I'm not COMPLETELY familiar with his Canon story, but I'm pretty sure this aligns)

Phee is SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE. Especially her thinking Tech is great because Tech IS great.

Boba gets to warm up a little to Omega. Like Boba thinks, I don't think they'd ever be REALLY close. But I think there could be a friendly relationship there.

Now that all of my self indulgence is gone, time to get back to the actual plot!

Huh, I thought I'd have more to say, but this chapter is really self explanatory.

Anyway, stay safe, remember to review, and have a great week!