It took them a while before they lifted off. By then she was watching with half open eyes as Boba worked on the console. Might as well catch some sleep, if she could not get out of this. It didn't come though, the constant moving of his arms and beeping noises kept her from fully dozing off. If he didn't watch himself though, that bacta patch will fall off. Not that she didn't want it to fall off. Idiot, if he bleeds out now how would she get out? No Force, cuffed to the chair, she'd die of dehydration. Or if she did more bounty hunters would be after her too.

What really worried her was Boba's ragged breathing. The blood loss setting in. Hopefully that patch will stop the worst of the bleeding. It should at least. Boba winced when he made a sharp movement to grasp the controls. She frowned. This was not good. So not good. How had he survived up until now? Hematoma ruptures setting in already? Surgery would be needed. If he'd let her touch him that was.

She kept her mouth shut. The irritation was radiating from every single pore from that man and she did not need the Force to see that. She definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of a highly irritated bounty hunter. Even if she was wanted alive.

At least the bacta had healed her head wound. Though, she'd be surprised if it didn't scar

The ship came alive, the engines humming steadily underneath her. She nearly jumped. So that was it? They were leaving already? The walls around them started spinning and she had to bite back a shriek. A rotating cockpit? She looked out of the window and saw that they were lifting off while Boba strapped himself in.

As they broke through the trees, she could not help but wonder at the sight in front of her. The town she had grown up in had been on a cliff. Sometimes she had spent evenings watching the sunset go down over the jungle underneath her. But this? This was a so new and familiar all at once. It was beautiful. If it wasn't the last sight she'd ever see. Sighing she looked over to Boba again. His hands were steady and his breathing calm. Some improvement, but she didn't trust it. It could any number of reasons. Adrenalin for one.

The monastery came into her field of vision now. Was that the bridge where Soren died? Squinting she tried to see. Nothing. Not even a speck of colour. They were rising too fast. She closed her eyes briefly. What had she honestly expected? To have a final farewell of sorts?

A screen on the console beeped, her eyes snapping to it immediately. What was it showing? She looked to Boba. His lips were pinched and he was frowning deeply. Trouble. Damn. What kind of trouble? Outside of the window she saw how another ship…. It was the same ship that had fired on them back on that platform! That meant they'd try and finally kill them, right? She clenched the armrest tightly. An air battle. Great! Not!

They swerved to the left, away from the approaching ship. Her waist dug painfully into the armrest and she clung to it with the one arm that wasn't chained to the other armrest. This was going to be painful. That much she could already tell. Was she strapped in?

No. But she was fighting against the centripetal force holding where she currently was at the moment and was not winning. She really needed to get stronger. Well… too late now. That should have happened before!

The ship was gone from her view, but given how frequent the console in front of her was beeping now it was growing closer. Please, Boba, get us out of this safely!

Were they flying in a circle? There was no change in direction that she could feel, still being pressed painfully hard into the armrest. She looked over to Boba. Sweat was running from his temples now, the frown had deepened. His hands clutched the controls tightly as he held them in one direction. Were they being circled? She had no clue what was going on and why. If she had only paid attention when the kind engineer had answered Soren's enquiries!

The ship shook suddenly, making her stomach drop. More beeping started to drill into her ears and she had to prevent herself from flinging her arms up to cover them.

"Kriff," a muttered curse erupted next to her. What was wrong?! More jolting and she nearly fell off the seat. Thank the Force that didn't happen. Her stomach clenched. Boba Fett was the best around, wasn't he? They were safe? Right?! Her hands fumbled for the seat straps, shaking while the buckle slid into place. How did she know this was going to be rough? The ship lurched and she felt her weight being pressed against the straps. She'd have been flung around the cockpit if she hadn't done that. Wide eyed she stared out of the window, the tail end of the other ship vanishing in the right corner while Boba jerked the controls around again. This time she was pressed hard into the back of her seat and her stomach lurched up when he turned the ship around.

She stared at the other ship head on and green and red bolts flew past each other. Her eye were squeezed shut tightly again. Nothing to see! Slowly she peeked again. The other ship was getting closer. Too close! Was the madman trying to ram them? Her mouth was open now. To scream? No sound had come out. Then they were past it, turning again. Her left hand was clasped over her mouth now as the same happened again. This time she saw smoke trailing from the other ship, just behind one of its wings. Good or bad? If she only knew!

Another barrage headed their way, some dissipating in front of them. Shields? Though this time she saw the flickering of an energy field in front of the other ship. Was that their shield? Quickly she glanced over to Boba. A small smug smirk had snuck on his face as he pressed the fire button. She didn't need to look back out to know that the other ship would be gone any moment. All she could see was Boba's expression. Somehow she could not decide what it was. Self-defense or murder. The lines were blurred and she sorely wished they weren't. It'd make hating him easier.

The resulting explosion rocked their cockpit, while Boba pressed several new buttons while shifting the control again. They shifted into a straight position again, when he pushed down a throttle and they accelerated towards the atmosphere's edge.

They broke atmosphere with no difficulty. There hadn't been a lot of jerking around? Boba hadn't seemed to be nervous about it. Should mean it was good? Almost as if he was relieved to be off-planet too. That stomach wound still made her insides itch. It was bad enough that he just slapped a bacta patch on it. That patch wasn't big enough. Bacta didn't regenerate blood cells fast enough to counteract any blood loss. Hopefully he had surgery tools around. If worst came to be, she'd have to do it the old way. Intervene surgically and that won't be pretty.

He winced again, a hand holding the injured spot, eyebrows furrowed in pain. Bad. This was bad. It shouldn't be bad…yet! She jerked in her seat instinctively, trying to… what exactly? See his wound? That was behind his armour still? Stupid.

"I can.."

"Stuff it," he growled and she snapped her mouth shut immediately. Difficult patients, remember? Let them come to you, the doctor had said. Guess she had to wait. Even if it was difficult.

She looked out of the window again. Everything was black except the occasional twinkling of far stars. Leaning her head back she stared ahead into the nothingness. Could she just vanish into it? The galaxy was a big place. Surely there was a space or a nook for her to crawl into and vanish again? Though, how would she shake off any bounty hunter coming after her? Running away was foolish at this point. She released a shaky breath. Was she going to greet death screaming and begging or like it was nothing? After all, wasn't it 'There is no death, only the Force'?

The console near her started beeping again. Just like when the ship from before had come after them. Again? She nearly groaned. Nearly. The death glare that Boba threw the console made her bite her lips to suppress it. More trouble was coming. His hands flew over to buttons, controls, she had to flinch at how his hands were subtly shaking. Hers weren't any different.

How she had not seen the ships at first was beyond her. It had looked like tiny stars growing bigger but now….Black as the surrounding universe and how she wished she could unsee it. Star fighters. All steering towards them. Boba had abandoned the controls he had been punching commands in and jerked the controls again. They swerved away. Out of the corner she saw red bolts racing past them. Why was everyone shooting at them?!

"Kriffin' imps," he muttered under his breath and she had to bite down a gasp.

Bounty hunters, the Rebels and now the Imperials! The galaxy had gone mad! Wasn't Boba doing a job for them? She was confused. All she really needed to do was bash her head somewhere until everything just fell into its logical order in her head.

"Imperials?" Her voice squeaked in the midst of the maddening beeping. Boba did not react. Not even a flinch, as he avoided more fire coming from the fighters on their tail.

She braced herself. There had been so many which had materialized in front of them. Was escape even possible at this point? They were still facing away from the planet, it already gone from her vision. More red bolts zipped past the outer edges of the window. She found herself praying to the Force that none of them hit. Dying from an exploding starship was not how she wanted to die.

Her mouth fell open when the stars suddenly became long lines and her entire body was suddenly pressed hard into the seat. The ship shook slightly before the force of being pushed back lessened and she could slump again. They were in hyperspace. Gutsy move. A hiss next to her made her turn her eyes back to Boba.

"So you see who wants you dead?" He snapped at her through gritted teeth. Oh was this all her fault now?! Narrowing her eyes at the infuriating bounty hunter in front of her, she wished she had the Force right now to whack something over his head. Hard. Painfully. So he'd pass out until they got out of hyperspace. Stupid force suppression collar.

"I thought the Empire wanted me alive?" She shrieked back, a snarl forming on her face.

"Ohhh. Darth Vader wants you alive," he replied re-adjusting his sitting position so his injured side did not touch the armrest.

"Then why were there Imperials trying to kill us?" She demanded, trying to control her breathing. When was the last time she had been that angry?

"How would I know?" He shrugged, checking a console to his right. This arrogant… smug… son of a bitch!

So they stewed in silence. For hours. Until it was time to drop off hyperspace. They were… nowhere? No planets that she could see. Only the vast blackness of space.

"Where are we?" she asked, curiosity taking over now.

"Somewhere they cannot track us down," was his only answer as his activated a device on the console. A holo-communicator? Was he going to contact Darth Vader?

It took several beeps before Darth Vader answered. Her heart clenched while her stomach dropped to her knees as his image pixelated in front of them.

"Boba Fett," a mechanical rasp stated, more demanded.

"Got your bounty," Boba answered firmly while making a hand gesture pointing to her.

Darth Vader's helmet rotated and a shiver ran down her spine. This Sith was probably parsecs away but it felt like he was already in front of her. The chill, the way his hologram dominated the window screen. How would she even survive his mere presence?

"I can see."

"Confirm drop off," Boba continued, tone cold. A professional.

"My master has discovered my plans to make her my apprentice," Darth Vader drawled, making her slap a hand over her mouth. Apprentice? Her? "The drop off needs to wait."

"You know my rates for laying low with a bounty," Boba stated in tone that meant there was no negotiating the price.

"The amount will be transferred to your account," Darth Vader answered flatly, cutting the transmission leaving them in silence drifting in space. She would not be made an inquisitor. An apprentice? His master, the emperor, did not want that? Her life was a mess.

"Lay low?" She croaked. What did that even mean? Boba raised his eyebrows at her. At least he indulged her with an answer.

"It means you and me get to hide somewhere for a few months until the situation has cooled down."

A few months? That should give her plenty of time to run again.

"Where?" She automatically asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He bit back sarcastically immediately. She rolled her eyes.

"So you are not telling," she remarked. Of course he wouldn't. Why would he?

"What made you think that?" He retorted and she shut her mouth. No use arguing with him. She'd only be met with snark. He was working on a console, typing in something. Their new destination probably. Heaving a sigh she slumped back onto the seat.

The jump into hyperspace wasn't as jolting as last time, but the tremours the ship made underneath her were worrying. Boba's face was creased as well, focusing on something. Then he snapped his attention back to her. She immediately averted her eyes. The rustling of the cloth between his armour plates could be heard as he stood up and walked towards her.

She did flinch when he unclasped the cuff chaining her to the arm rest. Was she to move somewhere else? Looking up she saw him indicating for her to stand up. Her eyes though immediately locked onto the bloody patch on his side. At least it wasn't growing anymore. That didn't mean much. It could mean the bacta patch had only stopped the blood loss and only sealed the superficial site. Sometimes she wished people would stop slapping bacta patches onto everything. Bowel infections were not fun to operate on. Standing up she saw where he wanted her to go. One of the bunk beds. Upper or lower?

"Which one?"

"Upper."

Sighing she stepped over and heaved herself onto it. Then Boba was leaning all across her as the cuff clicked into place somewhere near the wall. He was gone as quickly as he had pressed his weight on top of her. Great. Chained to a bunk bed for how long? Days? Hopefully she could get some leg stretches in before they'd leave the ship. Blood clots were a bitch especially if they got broken up in the lung.

With a grunt Boba lowered himself on the bottom bunk.

"I suggest you sleep, it has been a long day," Boba commented while he rustled with the sheets down below. Was he serious? Sleep? Was he seriously thinking of sleeping? Him? He needed to treat his stomach wound.

"Are you going to finally treat that wound?" She asked. The rustling stopped.

"You are not letting up, are you?" He sounded almost bewildered. Or she could be reading too much into his tone.

"I am a medic," she said. It was true though. A medic did not discriminate who their patients were. Or they shouldn't at least. He sighed.

"How many times do I need to call you naïve?"

"Take it as you want. But I will not forsake my duties as a medic," she bit out. How can anyone ask a medic not to treat them? That was just… wrong?

She could hear clasps clicking. A box? Hopefully a med-kit. If she could just see what was in it, she might know what she could potentially work with? Stupid, he'd never let her anywhere near it. How would he know she wouldn't try and stab him with a scalpel? With a huff she settled her head against the small pillow. More rustling from down below and metallic clasps were coming undone. So he was getting rid of the armour. All she could hope for was that he knew how to contain the worst of it.

Why was she even having any concern as to what happened to him? She pinched the bridge of her nose. Ridiculous thoughts. It was true though? She did not truly want him dead. Yep, she was screwed.

Sleep claimed her soon after, all the while listening to the sound of Boba trying to patch himself up again.

Hours later she woke up to the low humming of the engines. Soft breathing down below told her Boba was asleep still. Tiredly she wiped her eyes, awkwardly with her left as it was chained a bit above her head. Her stomach growled and she desperately needed water. She'd have to wait. A groan made her flinch involuntarily. He was still in pain?

She tried to turn towards the edge of the bunk bed. Not possible. Damn. Right… pain, stomach wound, a bacta patch. Yeah. He needed surgery. To think he called her a fool. The medic! Stretching out her other fingers brushed past two plastic containers. Had he…? He had deposited food and water on her bunk. When had that happened? Was she so fast asleep that she had noticed nothing? As she finally soothed her sore throat with cool water, she tried to listen for anything more worrying from Boba's bunk. Only the soft, steady breathing. Steady for now. Sighing she bit into the ration bar and grimaced. It was as dry and tasted like paper as she remembered. Bah.

So she laid there. Waiting for Boba to wake or to change condition. Whatever would happen first. Chewing on her lip, she looked over to the consoles. If she just knew how to use them! Then leaving him to die... What was she even thinking? For fuck's sake, if she abandoned someone in need now, her stomach turned at the thought and she had to swallow hard for nothing to come back up, what would she be? A murderer? Wasn't she one already though? She had killed two people! Self-defense! Was that even valid anymore? She could have chosen not to shoot or… why had the Force made her do it? Why had the Force decided Boba needed to live?

He was going to deliver her to Darth Vader and killed more people than her. She killed people because of him. What had she become? It was self-defense like when he saved her from the rebels and… she squeezed her eyes shut as a sharp pain tugged in her chest, Soren. She defended him once compared to how many times he has saved her life? Was that fair? Towards whom? Her or him? To leave him to die? Was she any better than him if she let him die and crashed somewhere because she did not know how to pilot a ship? Were those deaths on Teth for nothing then? Didn't they all die so she could live?

Why couldn't it be a cut and dry decision? Yes or no. There wasn't supposed to be any grey area. Either he died or survived. Either way she was going to either die or be apprenticed by Darth Vader. What was worse she could not tell anymore.

The only thing she could do was wait.

And she waited, slept, ate, drank and was escorted to relieve herself. During this time when Boba was up, she could only worry at his state. Neither better nor worse. Still pale, but now there was a limp in his step now.

Every time she offered. "I can help you."

His answer was always, "Stuff it."

They were both on their bunk beds again, her listening to his now ragged breathing. It made her itchy all over that moment. Something wasn't right with it. Gut instinct? She couldn't quite place it even when it started to develop into a slight pounding underneath her temples. Great. For the fourth time in like an hour, she had to pinch the bridge of her nose.

Men. Were. Ridiculous. Or bounty hunters were.

He choked suddenly and she jerked against her cuffs. Not good. So not good. Choking, he had trouble breathing. Straining her shoulder joint she shifted her back towards the edge of the bunk.

Something clanked against the ceiling and she looked up, only to be smacked right on top of the bridge of her nose. Her eyes snapped shut on instinct. Ow. What? It had felt like a metal object. Metal... object? She grabbed it and and opened an eye to look at it. A key? Bewildered she held in front of her eyes. A key. Was he delirious?

Scratch that. He was delirious!

Her hand with the key flew to the cuff, jamming it into the keyhole. Come on. Open! With a soft click, the cuff came undone and she withdrew her hand from it. Her legs were already off the bunk, when she realized what she was doing.

For Force's sake. Was she seriously rehashing this again? Panicking was not going to help her now.

Slowly she slid off, rubbing her left wrist while turning around to assess the emergency. Boba was passed out, one hand over his stomach where the wound was. She'd have to move it out of the way. Where was this medkit?

Hang on. Was she considering to actually help him? He killed Soren! Soren had been about to kill her! Didn't that count as saving her? He did not deserve any of her mercy! She squeezed her eyes shut when her heart seized painfully. Should she really judge who should get mercy?

He was a sentient, feeling person! She had to help!

Her feet froze in their spot as she spotted the small box tucked in the corner of his bunk. Think again. There was someone in need of her probably on death's doorstep and she was doing nothing. Had she sunk so low that she'd forsake her principles?

He did kidnap her. Killed her friend. Killed anyone who tried to kill her… Well this was going nowhere. After all he did to protect her would she now turn her back on him? He did it only because of the bounty. Still! It did not change the fact he saved her from death more than once. If she repaid him… Was there anything to repay though? He kidnapped her so he was the one who had to repay her. Right? It all felt so wrong.

Her back straightened as the thought jumped to the forefront of her mind. He gave her the choice. Leave him to die and fend for herself. Or. Help him and lay low with him for who knew how long. Was this what she thought this might be?

No she was overthinking this. There was no way he'd offer her a chance to slip away after this much trouble. Even for a chance to live.

Who was she to decide on life and death?

A medic. They could. And she was one. Even if not certified yet. Duty dictated that she'd treat him. Should she? If he died, she'd be alone in this ship with no idea how to navigate it. She'd be as good as dead with him if he did.

Since when was she trembling? This should not be a hard choice!

Help him! Who was she if she kicked everything she stood for to the gutter and turned the cold shoulder? No better than any of them who had come after her.

What was she to do?

Oh Force. She had known all along what needed to be done.

And so she did.

AN: Hey! Thanks for the reviews and follows! Hope you do enjoy this one, especially with the moral dilemma Altharya is grappling with. As always, please leave some feedback or just that you enjoyed/didn't enjoy it.