A note about this fanfiction from the author: At some point, this fanfic will be merged with the other Chapters of my Omera Surviving the Empire fanfic. Also, Omega changed her name to Arla when she turned 18.

It was a warm winter day on Concord Dawn as Arla and Hera recovered from the crash landing. The sun beamed into the craft. The sparking electrics echoed, and the scent of electricity and metal wafted as Arla ran a diagnostic on the craft to assess the damage from her soft seat.

"Hera, can you please check the perimeter for trouble while I check the damage to this ship?" Arla called.

"I'll check it out," Hera replied, grabbing the binoculars and heading out of the craft to scan their surroundings.

Arla ran several diagnostic scans, and after several minutes, she sighed.

"The craft's wrecked. There's too much damage to be repaired," Arla called to Hera, disappointed.

"I guess we'll have to find a settlement to get a replacement," Hera replied, continuing to scan.

"Hold on, we've got incoming," Hera called, and Arla left the cockpit to join Hera out of the craft.

"What's going on?" Arla asked as the craft landed nearby.

"It's a Mandalorian fighter," Arla whispered to Hera, who nodded. Her heart beat slightly faster as she smiled knowingly. Arla's ability to instantly recognise craft was something she liked about Arla, and she respected Tech for teaching her.

A light-skinned, human male with blue eyes and red hair stepped out of the craft. He was wearing Mandalorian armour minus the helmet. He immediately recognised Arla as a Clone Commando and was immediately guarded. Arla also became guarded, knowing that many Mandalorians were on the side of the Empire.

"Who are you?" Arla asked.

"The name's Fenn Rau. Who are you?" Fenn asked.

Arla glanced at Hera to silently suggest a codename for her. Hera gave a quick sign back using her right hand. Arla nodded, then replied, "My name is Arla. And this is my co-pilot, Cora. We were attacked by pirates and crash-landed here,"

"That's rough," Fenn replied, "I can guide you two towards a nearby settlement until we can organise a way for you two to get off-world,"

"That would be appreciated," Arla smiled, reassuring Fenn slightly.

"Give me a moment, then follow me," Fenn replied as he returned to his craft.

"Can we trust him?" Hera asked.

"Trust him to sell us out to the Empire the first chance he gets? Yes. Trust him to do what we've asked? Not as far as I could throw him," Arla replied, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Then why don't we just kill him and steal his ship?" Hera asked. Arla looked bemused at Hera and replied, "No. That ship has only enough room for one seat. We need another ship with two seats,"

"But if he sells us out?" Hera asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But don't burn our luck, alright?" Arla suggested, smirking at Hera.

Hera chuckled and rested a hand on Arla's shoulder, "Alright. I trust your judgement,"

Meanwhile, Fenn Rau

Fenn Rau realised he needed backup to handle two people, including a Clone Commando.

'Hey, guys, I need backup. Meet me at the settlement and set up spy equipment to see who they are and what they're planning," Fenn Rau radioed to the other Mandalorians.

"Affirmative," came the voice through the communicator.

"Just be careful. One of the two is dressed like a Commando," Fenn stated. He felt a note of concern through his communication.

"Just don't cause trouble, alright?" Fenn hissed before cutting the communication.

Back to Arla and Hera

Arla and Hera were already guarded about the arrival of Fenn Rau. The fact he had asked for backup in the form of a second Mandalorian only made them more guarded.

"We have a settlement nearby. We have no qualms with you. I didn't expect there to be two of you. That's why I called Tarlo in," Fenn returned to the duo and introduced the other Mandalorian, whose armour was blue and red.

"Stay on guard," Arla told Hera, who nodded as they followed the two Mandalorians towards the settlement.

The settlement was a mishmash of various-sized buildings. The various buildings are dark blue and look like houses. The ground underneath was rough but solid, and Arla noticed the stone wall around the settlement. It had warmed noticeably, and the sound of people working and sparring echoed. The sun beat down on them, and the scent of metal and dirt wafted.

"You all live a relatively simple life, it seems," Hera commented as they entered the settlement.

"It is. Most of us are Bounty Hunters, so we often move around. It's good to have a home base," Fenn replied.

Arla and Hera kept watch while Arla listened for trouble. And quickly, a Mandalorian was charging at Arla.

The Mandalorian took a swing, and Arla immediately pushed Hera out of the way and blocked the fist. The Mandalorian swung another fist, another block from Arla. Arla then used her surprising strength to shove him back.

The Mandalorian then sent a stream of flames at Arla, forcing her to pull back. Arla fired a cable around him, pulled him in, and then smacked him in the face with her bow.

The Mandalorian cuts himself free and tries to trip Arla, but she jumps over the leg, allowing the Mandalorian to get back to his feet.

The Mandalorian swings at Arla, which she dodges, and counters with a sharp jab to the ribs. Arla followed up with a hard kick, and rugby tackled him to the ground, knocking him out.

"Are you OK?" Hera asked.

"Fine," Arla replied, turning to face Fenn Rau.

"Where's our accommodation?" Arla asked.

"This way," Fenn Rau guided Arla and Hera to a nearby box of metal that Arla recognised as a medium-sized house. Fenn Rau led Arla and Hera into the house. Inside was a small but roomy house. There are dark blue, squishy chairs, a table, a TV, and a big table in the middle.

"There's a Kitchen/Diner, a refresher, and a bedroom. Take care of yourselves, and sorry about earlier," Fenn said as Arla and Hera looked around the place.

"Thank you," Hera replied. When Fenn closed the door, Arla turned to Hera.

"I spied a communication tower across the map. If we can get there, I can hack in and get a signal out to my brothers/fathers," Arla said.

"That sounds dangerous. I like it," Hera smirked, although Arla could sense her nervousness.

"As I've done before, I'll protect you with my life," Arla placed her hands on Hera's shoulders.

"I don't want to lose you," Hera sighed.

"That's why I've got the armour. I'll be your shield. Alright?" Arla replied, patting Hera's back with her hands. After a minute, Hera calmed.

"What do we do?" Hera asked.

"We use the backstreets to navigate there," Arla replied.

"Maybe we should wait a bit before we go," Hera suggested. Arla thought about this momentarily, then nodded.

"Sure. Let's take a moment to relax and strategise, and then we'll head for the control tower," Arla replied as she sat on the sofa, with Hera following momentarily.

Meanwhile, Fenn Rau

It was mild inside the building that monitored the settlement. Artificial light floods the hologram area. The hum of the hologram echoed, and the scent of electricity and metal wafted as Fenn Rau walked on the hard floor.

"That was Arla Fett. But who is she with?" came the voice of another Mandalorian standing opposite.

"Whoever she is, Arla is protective of her," Fenn Rau replied.

"I noticed. Zoroko was unwise to attack a fully trained Clone Commando," the Mandalorian replied, shaking his head.

"He'll be OK," Fenn Rau replied, "What we need to do now is figure out who Arla's Twi'lek friend is,"

"I have an idea of who it is, but I'm unsure if it's the mother or daughter," another Mandalorian piped up, this one female.

"Who is it, Jarola?" Fenn asked.

The female Mandalorian thought momentarily, "She could be a Syndulla. But I'm unsure if she's Hera or Eleni,"

"Maybe we should get our resident artist to recreate sketches of what Hera and Eleni look like?" asked the male Mandalorian.

"Sounds like a plan," Fenn Rau replied before he departed.

Back to Arla and Hera

After Arla and Hera had treated their injuries from the crash, thanks to Arla's piloting and letting go of the controls just before impact, Arla's and Hera's injuries were easily treated. It had warmed marginally as Arla and Hera checked their surroundings to ensure they were alone.

"Is the coast clear?" Hera asked.

"It is immediately around us, at least," Arla replied, although she could sense there was at least one other Mandalorian in the area.

"Alright," Hera nervously replied as they departed out the back.

Arla used the skills she learned from Hunter to avoid detection by other Mandalorians. They had to hide behind a nearby house to circumvent a Mandalorian patrol.

Once the patrol had passed, Arla continued to track their way towards the large communication array at the other end of the settlement.

"Another Mandalorian approaches," Arla said, pulling Hera behind a large tree.

This would happen several more times, and Arla quickly realised that the settlement was a maze of buildings. Many buildings appeared to house one Mandalorian, with only a handful having enough room for two. Combining that with the fact that every building looked similar meant Arla and Hera quickly got lost in the maze of buildings.

"This is the first time my tracking skills have failed me. This place is incredibly similar, so even though I can roughly tell the direction we're meant to go, this settlement is a maze, and there are too many mixed scents to tell where to go. I know Hunter would get a plan," Arla sighed.

Resting a hand on Arla's shoulder, Hera said, "You can't always be perfect, Arla. That is especially true when you're in a new place. And honestly, I think even your dad would struggle here. It doesn't make you any less of a person. You're still incredible. We'll find a way,"

Arla smiled, took Hera's hands, and replied, "Thank you, Hera. You always know how to cheer someone up,"

Blushing, Hera replied, "Thank you,"

"Now, let's figure out a way to get there," Arla replied, reorienting herself before they started towards the array.

Meanwhile, Fenn Rau.

After about half an hour, Fenn Rau checks on the other Mandalorians around the hologram. It was marginally warmer inside the room, and as Fenn Rau entered, he noticed the two Mandalorians talking.

"We have news about the Twi'lek," Fenn Rau said.

"What is it?" the female Mandalorian turned to face him.

"We've narrowed her down to two candidates. We can confirm she is a Syndulla. But we're unsure if it's Eleni or Hera," Fenn Rau replied.

"We also have another problem," the male Mandalorian added, "The Syndulla and the Commando are moving around the settlement,"

"Why?" Fenn was surprised to hear this development.

"I think they're seeking rescue. They might have been separated from their squad," the female Mandalorian replied as the hologram showed the duo moving around the settlement.

"I'll go into a ship and try to identify the Twi'lek," Fenn suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. Be careful. If the Commando is who I think it is, she might be capable of shooting you out of the sky," the male Mandalorian replied.

"I'll be careful," Fenn replied before departing.

When Fenn Rau departed, the two Mandalorians started talking again.

"What are you thinking?" the male Mandalorian asked.

"I'm thinking of intercepting them at the communication array. And maybe summon the Empire first. Could you imagine how much we could get if we hand them over to the Empire?" the female Mandalorian replied.

"We have to be careful, though," the male Mandalorian stated, "There's as many on the Imperial kill list as capture list. We don't know if the Empire wants to capture or kill these two,"

"Right. I'll ask Fenn what we should do and then go from there. How does that sound?" the female Mandalorian asked.

"I guess we can go with that," the male Mandalorian replied. The female Mandalorian nodded and departed.

Meanwhile Fenn Rau

Fenn Rau reaches the hanger bay with a group of one-person ships. The air was still, and he could hear other Mandalorians working on the craft. The scent of metal and Beskar wafted as the sun lit the hangar.

Suddenly, he got a message from the female Mandalorian.

"What's up?" Fenn asked.

"We were wondering if you're OK with us sending a message to the Empire about the two arrivals," the female Mandalorian asked.

"If something happens to me during this scout, do it. Otherwise, not until I get back," Fenn ordered.

"Fine," the female Mandalorian replied before cutting the communication. Fenn climbs onto his craft and flies off to scout the location of Arla and Hera.

Back to Arla and Hera

Arla hears the hum of the craft before she sees it. Turning around, she spots a craft flying towards them.

"I knew Fenn couldn't be trusted," Hera said as Arla pulled her under a tree.

"What type of craft is it?" Hera asked. Arla watched as the craft took a second flight past them.

"Seriously?" Arla asked disbelievingly.

"What? What is it?" Hera asked urgently, seeing the shock on Arla's face.

"It's an Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter. Those things don't tend to have shields. I can shoot one out of the sky with my sniper rifle. Why didn't he use a shielded craft knowing I'm a Commando?" Arla replied.

"Maybe he's looking for a trigger to call the Empire?" Hera suggested.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Arla admitted as the V-Wing did a third flyby, "Although all he needs to do is identify you to call the Empire,"

"What do you suggest?" Hera asked.

"I'll damage the craft, and then we capture him. How does that sound?" Arla suggested.

"It's worth a shot," Hera replied, smiling warmly at Arla.

Meanwhile, Fenn Rau

As Fenn Rau flew past for a final photo to confirm that the Twi'lek was Hera Syndulla, his V-Wing was suddenly shot.

"What the?" Fenn Rau asked as he struggled to control his craft. He took a moment to look and realised that Arla had shot his craft with a sniper rifle.

"Where did she hide a sniper rifle?" Fenn thought as his craft came down just outside the settlement.

Back to Arla and Hera

Arla and Hera immediately ran for the settlement's outskirts, following the crashed craft run by Fenn Rau. As they approached, Arla had to respect that Fenn Rau had managed to land without too much damage.

Arla and Hera reached Fenn as he climbed out of his crashed craft, blasters drawn.

"Why did you shoot me down?" Fenn asked, glaring at Arla.

"You were flying too close to us and taking photos of Hera. Anyway, if I wanted to shoot you down, you would be dead. However, you lead this clan of Mandalorians, so I decided to bring your craft down without you getting too badly hurt,"

"I can call my entire clan over. You, Arla, might survive. But can you protect Hera?" Fenn asked, unintimidated.

"How about I bring Saw Gerrerra over and reduce your little habitat to ashes? And Onderon is only a few systems over from Concord Dawn. He could be here within a few hours," Arla retorted.

It worked. Fenn's pupils shrunk in shock. Hera looked puzzled at Arla, knowing that she hated him.

"What do you want me to do?' Fenn asked.

"Take Hera and I to the communicator. I'll contact our squad, and we'll leave without further conflict. And we also won't contact Saw Gerrerra," Arla suggested. After a moment, Fenn sighed and nodded.

"Is that why you two were stalking around?" Fenn asked.

"Yep," Arla replied.

"Fine. I'll guide you there," Fenn replied, checking that he wasn't seriously hurt. Fenn then led Arla and Hera towards the settlement.

Meanwhile, the female Mandalorian

The female Mandalorian is running towards the communication relay, having figured out who Hera Syndulla is. That Arla had shot Fenn down only made her more determined to contact the Empire. She saw that Fenn was OK, which she was glad for.

When the female Mandalorian arrives, she quickly sends a coded transmission to a nearby Imperial taskforce. She saw Fenn Rau, Arla, and Hera approach and had to use the secret backdoor exit to avoid encountering them.

Back to Fenn Rau, Arla and Hera

"Oh no. Someone's already activated the communicator," Fenn Rau stated as they reached the communication array.

"What does that mean?" Arla asked.

"It means that someone recognised Hera and has probably called The Empire," Fenn bitterly replied.

"What do we do?" Arla asked, anger flaring in her face.

"I'll have to take you two to a hangar and get a two-person craft for you. Hurry," Fenn Rau replied, aware that Arla still had her blaster pointed at him.

Soon, the trio reached the hangar. Arla and Hera were in an ARC 170 and flying for the skies. Suddenly, an Imperial Quasar-Class Carrier materialised from Hyperspace and sent waves of TIE Fighters at the ARC 170 and other Mandalorian fighters who had been called for escort duty. The ARC 170 was already taking fire as the fighters swarmed. A dogfight had broken out. Fenn Rau watched as the forces engaged. Fenn considered if he should join the fight.

With Arla and Hera

The first TIE Fighter appears through the clouds as Arla and Hera head for orbit. Arla quickly shoots the Fighter down.

"Arla, look," Hera called, and Arla turned and saw a Quasar-Class Carrier flying in from orbit, swarming TIE Fighters towards them.

"Hold on, Hera. And ready the rear turret for fire," Arla called, and Hera immediately activated the rear gun as she pulled the ARC 170 into a steep dive to force the TIE Fighters, now swarming them to change tactics. A barrage of laser fire from both the Fighters and the Quasar carrier narrowly missed.

"We need to get away from that carrier if we are to have any chance of escape," Hera called to Arla, who nodded.

"Understood, I'll fly under and behind it. That should get us distance, then we can handle the TIE Fighters," Arla replied, pulling a Tech Turn to charge almost directly below the Quasar, taking several shots from both the carrier and the Fighters as Arla pulled the maneuver. Hera continued to shoot aggressively at the TIE Fighters, taking two out and forcing the rest to scatter.

Two more TIE Fighters sprung from either side, firing missiles. Arla grabbed a switch on the dashboard, and twenty flares shot from the back, neutralising two of the four missiles. A third missed and hit another TEI Fighter, but the fourth hit and damaged both the engines and shields.

With Fenn Rau

"Mayday, mayday, we're hit," Arla's voice came through the communicator.

"You will die today, Syndulla," came a male Lieutenant's voice through another communicator.

"What? I thought the Empire wanted to capture them. Not kill them," Fenn growled before he made a split-second decision.

"Talpa, Mariko, let's get into an ARC 170 and back them up," Fenn ordered to two technician Mandalorians nearby, who nodded in agreement. Soon, they're in the sky, fighting the TIE Fighters now swarming on the damaged ARC 170. Other Mandalorian starfighters were joining the fray, and the TIE Fighters were being picked off one after another.

A Mandalorian's V-Wing got hit by a TIE Fighter's laser fire during the dogfight, but the pilot ejected before the craft crashed.

Fenn Rau charged at two TIE Fighters bearing down on the damaged ARC 170. Fenn Rau fired on the two Fighters and destroyed one, forcing the other to fly hard right to avoid his fire.

"Thanks for the save," Arla called. Fenn banked his craft to turn towards the remaining TIE Fighter and shot it from the sky.

The last two TIE Fighters then started bearing down on Fenn Rau. A missile was shot, but countermeasures neutralised it. Several laser shots flew past his canopy, and then Arla and Hera, their ARC 170 repaired, blasted the last two TIE Fighters down in a hail of laser fire.

"Thanks for the save," Fenn called.

"No problem," Arla replied as she shot the ARC 170 towards orbit. The Quasar attempted to fire on Arla's craft but missed.

"May the force be with you," Fenn Rau called as he landed back at the hangar bay.

"May the force be with you," Arla replied as she pulled the craft into Hyperspace. The Quasar turned around and followed the ARC 170 into Hyperspace.

"Will they be OK?" one of the female Mandalorians asked.

"If they can avoid the Quasar, they'll be fine," Fenn Rau replied, smiling at their narrow escape.