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Sorgan.

Athri had heard of it once before she went under. If her memory served, that planet had only a very sparse population and not a single landmark or village to show for it. How much time had she lost to the carbonite? Long enough for Sorgan to be developed, otherwise they wouldn't be going there. Satisfied, she moved to the next order of business: Food. Her stomach was so empty that she must not have eaten in days.

"Mando? I'm coming up!" She called up the ladder, hoping the sound carried. Being unable to see impeded her exploratory nature. She was sure this way went up to the bridge where the bounty hunter was. This ship was heavily reminiscent of the pre-Empire gunships she was used to. She felt her way up the ladder, careful not to miss a single step as she knew she couldn't save herself if she fell. Her balance has felt off since she was let out of the carbonite, almost tumbling over when she meets solid ground. "Whoa. Hey, uh, Mando. I was just downstairs looking around at, well, nothing, and I thought, you know, I could really go for some grub right now."

Silence met her. Was he even in the room? She could be standing in a closet talking to herself right now.

Shifting leather sounded his presence. "Yeah, so I came to see you because, um," she draws out the word, feeling nervous. She fears that her blindness has cowed her, and made her meek, even more than her years of abuse under the hand of her past captors. "Because you would know where the food is. And I'm sorry for what I did to you earlier, so please feed me." Athri made sure her eyes were down and her stance was submissive, not wanting to risk his ire. As mortifying as it was, Athri was unable to take care of herself. She had no choice but to rely on this stranger and pray that he broke the cycle of abuse she had suffered.

His chair squeaked, followed by his heavy footsteps. Athri flinches back, fearful of retaliation. Alphas were quick to anger, in her experience, and slow to calm. She may have already overstayed her welcome.

"If you think you could do anything to me without my consent, you're wrong. I'll get you grub when we touch down planetside." Soft leather touching her upper arm made her jump, a whimper leaving her throat without her intention. She braced herself, but his other hand didn't come down to strike her and he didn't push her against the wall to have his way with her either. He simply tugged her along and gently pushed her down into a seat she couldn't see. She felt him strapping her down and heard the soft clicks the belt made as it latched. "This is something I need to know. So I'm going to ask you again, why was there a bounty on your head?"

"I'm an omega." She didn't know what he wasn't getting. He scoffed. He must have smelled her, must have known that her scent branded her as lesser. She couldn't go anywhere freely, not while Imperial forces stalked the galaxy. She would be killed, or worse. "I am property of the Empire. A slave. Are you going to hand in my bounty?"

He laughed. "The Empire isn't in charge anymore, the New Republic is. There's no bounty to collect." His seatbelt clicked again, signaling his return to his seat. It seemed too good to be true. The great and fearsome Empire had been brought to its knees.

But not all wounds would heal with time. Some wretched marks scar and twist the skin and somehow mar the soul. "I'm branded. I'll be on the run until the day I die. As long as there are pockets of Imperial forces out there, I will never be free." His armor creaks, leather bending against itself when he turns to look at her.

"I understand, more so than you might think." His leather flight suit creaked again. "Stop touching things."

"I'm not touching-" Athri is cut off by the sudden rumbling of the ship, grabbing the armrests to keep herself in place. It soon ends, and a child-like squeal interrupts her thoughts.

She almost jumped out of her seat but couldn't, the safety belt holding her in place. "What is that?" She shouted, panicking internally at the unknown presence.

"He's just a child. Don't let your emotions get the better of you," he soothed, sweetly sounding like a stereotypical alpha. But something he said caught her interest.

"A baby?" It sounded like a baby to her. "Are you his...?" She wasn't sure how she was going to phrase that politely. Thankfully she didn't have to finish the question.

"No. He's a foundling." He toyed with the dashboard, flicking open covers and pressing buttons that Athri couldn't see."We're landing. Hold on."

And she did, gripping the chair until her knuckles turned pinkish white. A baby may sound to others like a burden, but to Athri it was a gift. A gift she thought she would never have the chance to receive.

Athri was barren. No matter how much they tried, the Imps at the brothel couldn't breed her. Their seed never took. That was why she was being sent to the Repopulation Center. The Imperials wanted to enslave the populations of these planets by cloning the children who became the best soldiers and sneaking into their societies. Their heinous plan had started with Jango Fett, the source of their human clones. She wasn't the kind of soldier they wanted, so instead they planned to breed her with their best soldiers and clone the child.

She lost her grip when the ship hit the soil. She was held in place only by the straps that crossed her chest and hips. Once stable, she undid them and stretched her petite limbs.

"You're going to watch him while I'm gone." Into her hands, Mando thrusts a small, warm bundle. It was wrapped in burlap and its body was covered in peach fuzz. Wrinkles line its forehead and drool dribbles from the corner of its mouth. It wets her hand, making it feel cool as she feels out his features. He's a beta, judging from his smell. "Now listen, I'm just going to go out there and take a look around, shouldn't take too long."

"Gone?" She took several steps in his direction. She hissed, "You can't just leave us here. A blind omega and a baby in the middle of nowhere with no protection? I can't even aim a blaster right-" Her step didn't land right, her foot going through where the ground disappeared. Mando snatched her before she dropped, grunting in effort.

"Alright, you made your point. You need someone to make sure you don't fall through a hole in the floor."

"Oh my." Athri's face was even more red than usual, bowing. "Thank you."

He led her safely down the ladder and they departed, the child clinging to her collarbone and soaking up her scent. In return, she sniffed him and let his vanilla chai fragrance pour into her nostrils, bringing her the peace of his presence. Already, she feels that she would die for this child. Whether or not it was because of her nature, she couldn't care less.

It smelled different, outside the ship, like green foliage and fresh soil. She hadn't been out in nature for a long time. "Hey, Mando?" Though he said nothing in reply, she knew he was listening. Athri kept her knees high as she walked, not wanting to trip and fall on a root or some such obstacle. "What year is it? How long has it been since I was frozen in carbonite?"

"The year is 9ABY. You were encased in 3BBY. The difference is twelve years."

"Sixteen!? I was..." She thought about the memories that had returned to her, and nowhere could she figure out what those acronyms meant. "What is this "BBY" and "ABY?" I've never heard of it."

"Before and After the Battle of Yavin. It was a very decisive victory in the rebellion against the Empire."

"I... don't know what to say." Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't realize she was falling until it was too late. She curled her arms around the child, thinking of his safety first. She was stopped in freefall by an arm securing her waist. Holding her close to his side, she felt her body pressed against cool steel plates.

The imprint of his armor gives her a sense of his width. Although he may not be particularly tall, he is a large man. His bulk overshadowed her greatly, making her feel small in his arms. Her face warmed with what she thought was a blush.

"Thank you, again." His breath became heavy under his helmet, and she felt him hunch over her slightly. "Um, you can let me go now," she whispered as though he was a wild animal.

"Right. Just hold on and don't trip." His hands fell away from her, one of them sticking to her free hand, the one not holding the child, and grasping it in his larger one. Dazedly, she fell in step with the alpha and followed his lead.

He didn't know why he couldn't let her go. He held her hand into town and the tavern. Din only dropped it once they sat down safely. His eyes are locked on her moving the child into his seat, pulling it close to her, and putting her arm around him. Something deep in his chest yearned for this, the image of the pretty little omega caring for his offspring. It feels good to see her wrapped up in his cloak, feeding his child, all while smelling like him.

Din wasn't blind. She was drop-dead gorgeous, any man would be lucky to have her warming their bed at night. But that isn't his life anymore, he's long past his prime and there's no way to bring it back. He's probably too old for her, and most women just aren't cut out for the life he lives. An omega tagging along with a bounty hunter and his child sounds like the start of a dirty joke, not a true story. The logical part of his brain tells him it's better to cut ties, but his alpha doesn't want to accept it. No matter what, he's going to protect her, he'd already decided that.

Someone else had their eyes on her, too. An alpha. One buff female with dark hair and an arm tattoo eyed him and his companion. Her visage just screamed, "Dangerous."

A curly-haired beta approached the table, but he raised his hackles regardless. He'd been tricked by all of the secondary genders. Din wasn't one to underestimate anybody, but right now all his senses were tuned into the dark-haired alpha in the darkest edge of the dining room.

"Welcome travelers. Can I interest you in anything?" She wipes her hands on her apron.

He didn't intend to beat around the bush, so he moved it along without small talk. "Bone broth for the two of them."

"Oh, well you're in luck. I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty. Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

"Just the two."

"Very well." She made to turn around but before she took a step, he asked her about the other alpha.

"That one over there." He nods to the corner where the dark-haired woman pretends to not notice him. "When did she arrive?"

"I've..." She shakes her head, trailing off. "I've seen her here the last week or so."

"What's her business here?" He shoots back.

"Business? Oh, well, there's not much business in Sorgan so I can't say..." He tossed a few tens of credits on the table. "She doesn't strike me as a logrunner. Well, thank you, sir! I will get that broth to you as soon as possible and I'll throw in two flagons of spotchka for you adults, just for good measure. I will be right back with that."

When she moved, Din saw the other alpha's table was empty. Making a beeline to the entrance, he flipped another ten credits into the matron's hands. "Keep an eye on them."

His quarry wasn't waiting outside for him, so he turned on his augmented vision. Her footprints stuck out in red to him with it on. He traced her steps, but then they just stopped. That was how it seemed until he looked up.

The stocky alpha hung from a horizontal iron bar. She got the drop on him, literally, and kicked him with both feet. He was off-balance and unable to defend against her first punch, but he dodged her second. Her fist impacted the wood behind him, giving him the opening he needed to attack her side and push her off of him. She disrupted his grip on her collar and slipped past him, making him stumble into the other wall. He hit her twice in the chin when she approached. She responded with two heavy hits, but only one was on target. The other, he blocked and returned with a punch to her gut.

She turned the tables by grabbing his throat with such strength he thought it might collapse, and then he hit the ground with the force of her next strike. He rolled over, igniting his flamethrower, but she knocked it away and pinned his arm with her foot. She grabbed his throat again, strangling him. He needed to lessen the pressure, so he pulled her leg out from under her, rolling her over so he was on top. He reeled back for a right hook, but instead, he was thrown over her head. They rolled in the dirt before pulling their blasters simultaneously. They had reached an impasse.

'Slrrrp'

They both looked at the noise, finding his two companions standing above them. The child grips Athri's cloak. pulling her along and revealing her exposed thigh. He hadn't realized how beat-up that flight suit was when he handed it to her, forgetting all about the leg he cut off giving himself first aid.

"Want some soup?" He offered the other alpha, hoping to calm tensions.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room on this planet for his little gang of three. Cara Dune, the alpha shock trooper, had made that obvious. Though she was friendly enough and easy to get along with, she very clearly staked her claim.

It was a long walk back to the Razor Crest, especially with two tired, full-bellied aliens following him. He'd eat later when they were both asleep. Athri was cleaning up in the refresher. Din looked up at the many stars above, thinking back on how many he had crossed. The galaxy was a big place, but his world was small, just his ship and his two companions. Besides the covert, all that mattered was one little green alien and now, a slightly bigger pink alien.

Enough. Back to work.

He returned to the task at hand, shining his headlamp back toward the ship's circuit board. Running with a ship this old takes a lot of maintenance, and he spent most of the afternoon here while Athri kept the kid entertained. He smelled the intruders coming from a mile away. Two betas, riding a droid-driven cart come into the clearing. Maybe they'll go away if I ignore them.

"Excuse me."

"Excuse me, sir?"

Din sighed, knowing they wouldn't give up now that they'd seen him. "Is there something I can help you with?" One is taller, though he slouches, with pale skin and long hair. The other, the one that called him sir, wore a blue cap and had darker skin.

"Uh, yeah!" The smaller one answered, coming around to Din's shoulder as Din continued working on the wing's circuit. "Raiders."

The taller one insisted, "We have money.".

Of course. They saw the armor and they knew what it meant. "So you think I'm some kind of mercenary?"

"You are a Mandalorian, right?"

"Or at least wearing Mandalorian armor." The little one did a double take, making sure his eyes didn't trick him. "That is Mandalorian armor, right?"

"It is."

"See? I told him." They were at Din's heels as he walked around the wing to the side closer to the door. "Sir, I've read a lot about your people- er, uh tribe. If half of what I've read is true-"

The tall one cut off his partner and insisted once more, "We have money."

"How much?" He didn't turn to face them.

"It's everything we have, sir," begged the dark-skinned beta. "Our whole harvest was stolen."

The taller one crossed his arms, supplying, "Krill. We're krill farmers."

"We brew spotchka. Our whole village chipped in."

"It's not enough," Din said, finally separating from his maintenance job and walking over to the door panel.

"Are you sure? You don't even know what the job is."

"I know it's not enough. Good luck."

"This is everything we have. We'll get you more after the next harvest."

The cargo door started to lower without him pressing the button, meaning it was opening from the inside. The betas stumble back, Din standing calmly on the opposite side of the lowering ramp.

"Athri," Din said, concerned at her arrival. He eyed the strangers warily. All genders have problems holding themselves back around omegas. It's usually fine out in a public place with tens of other scents filling the space, but these two are desperate and they're alone out here. Who knew what they might do? "Get back on the ship." Having an omega around put him on edge, always waiting for someone to try and take her.

She rubbed her eyes with the long sleeves of his oversized shirt. "Why? What's going on?"

The dark-skinned farmer started backing away, sensing Din's discomfort. "Come on. Let's head back." Din hurried up the steps to be next to the blind damsel.

The pale one followed drearily. "Took us the whole day to get here," he complained, his expression sour. "Now we have to ride back with no protection, to the middle of nowhere."

Now that sounded promising. The middle of nowhere, and it was a day's ride from here. Far enough to not bother Cara Dune if they stay on the planet.

"Where do you live?" His voice stopped them in their tracks, and both of them turned around, confused.

"On a farm. Weren't you listening?" The tall one spread his arms and shrugged like it was obvious. "We're farmers."

"In the middle of nowhere?" Din prompted.

"Yes?" The tall one, perplexed, looked at his partner for help.

"You have lodging?" He asked. "Enough space for three?"

"Y-yeah, absolutely."

"Alright then. Come up and help." While the men hurried up the ramp, he turned to the omega at his side. "Stay here. I'll get the child and lead you down to the cart."