AN: Real life hit me. The cat I based Kihroya on was killed and I have only now gotten to the point of being able to write again. I am very sorry for the delay still.

It had been a full day since the shuttle had crashed and Altharya still could not move from her bed. After the chaos had somewhat ceased and all attention off the little side roads, Boba had carried her back into the house. Tehra was tied up at the cantina, the visitors always on the verge of panic and complete chaos. From what Boba and Monts had been saying, the cantina now held others who were now too afraid to take a step outside in fear. Apparently some were refusing to pay as well. Not that it was a problem, but with so many people… it was hard to keep track of everyone and everything.

The market had been called off then, all festivities too. When the Arions had moved in with their investigators the merchants had packed up and left as soon as the clear had been given. Something she had only heard about hours after the rumbles of starships had blown over the house, making it impossible for her to rest. Boba had not slept yet as far as she knew, but he did come to give her updates or just watch her if he thought she was asleep. Not that she could concentrate for too long, exhaustion draining any energy she would have had to ask. Or to just acknowledge his presence. Never would she have thought that this would be this tiring….

Her stomach felt like it was suspended in bacta goo while her head swirled if she moved too abruptly. This was misery, but it was worth it. No one had been hurt from what she had gathered. Made being confined to the bed and a bucket nearby more worth it. Just in case Boba had said after she had thrown up on him that night.

A rumble rocked the house. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought the bile rising back up. The investigation was still going on, all Arion affiliated officers. Monts had been whispering about packing their things, but Boba had cautioned and that nothing had been decided yet. From what she had overheard… whether in the Force or if they were talking right outside the room, she could not really tell. Nothing was known, no culprit, no motive, no method… nothing. If she wasn't feeling like retching every few minutes, she wouldn't be this useless. Curling up in a tighter ball, she pushed her forehead against the blessedly cool metal frame of the headboard.

Even with the Arions turning over every stone here, she knew that Boba was doing his own digging and prodding. Wouldn't be him if he would just sit around. No, those incidents had been too close and not even the Arions were blind enough to not make this connection. Worry gnawed along her skin when her thoughts always circled back to the two searching on their own.

They were capable… but that did not stop the feeling.

She breathed in, forcing the freshly cooled down vented air in. That was when she heard light padding of paws across the floor. Looking to the side, her head suddenly too light at the motion, she saw Kihroya quietly moving to her. Tail high up in the air. Dropping her head back down, she smiled. The ever curious tooka… had she sensed her misery? Animals were strange that way, Struhn used to tell her tales about how far more intuitive they were sometimes. A loud meow and then the mattress dipped as the tooka started sniffing at her face.

"You normally like Boba more," Altharya muttered more to herself, but still scratched behind Kihroya's ears nonetheless. "Has he sent you?"

A stupid question, but Kihroya had occasionally bouts of intelligence that no one could pretend were just a coincidence. She needed to talk though, whether to a tooka or another being, it did not matter. This house was so silent and quiet, sometimes so much the pounding of her heart was all she could hear. Strange to think that two men could move so silently just downstairs.

Useless, she felt utterly useless.

The blanket moved next to her, Kihroya was pawing at it trying to find a comfortable place to settle down on.

"Are they not letting you sleep downstairs?" Altharya cooed at her and Kihroya's ears flapped slightly in acknowledgment.

Or what she thought an acknowledgment from a tooka would look like. Then she found a spot to settle, flicking her tail around to sink her face into the still fluffy fur. Round eyes found her followed by a long yawn that showed all the sharp teeth.

"Alright, I will stop talking," Altharya chuckled, closing her eyes again.

Kihroya sighed and Altharya let herself drift off to a light doze.

It felt like she had just slipped away when her eyes opened again on their own. But the chrono said otherwise. Four hours? Late afternoon by the looks of it. Her stomach felt fine for the moment, so she turned on her side. But then it growled and her throat was so parched that swallowing hurt. Food… yesterday she had not been able to keep any down, so now… she only hoped it was something that would not greet the floor after.

"How are you feeling?" Boba's voice made her look to the door where he was leaning against the door frame.

Arms crossed with stress lines craving into his forehead. A headache was flaring in intense bouts around his head. Wincing in sympathy, she sat up on her elbow.

"Could be better," she joked. "Gut is killing me still."

He deepened his frown and pushed himself off. "Sure you do not want some medication now?"

"Don't think they'd help," she replied, already feeling the sharp stabs in her stomach and head starting again. "Honestly, I just need to sleep it off some more."

"I find it curious that it took so much out of you," Boba finally spoke hesitantly.

She huffed. Strange? Moving objects was far harder than illusions! Though, she regarded him through her eyelashes, he did not know that. Stars, they had actively avoided that conversation for months now! He did not even know what she was capable of! That she had been trying to grow stronger in secret. Seemed like he deemed this a good time to approach this… issue.

"I was never good at moving… things," she explained, shifting over so he could sit down next to her.

"Tehra?" He asked quietly, sitting down near her waist. "You must have been at it… for a while? No way you haven't…"

"There is something else," she shuffled backwards to sit against the headboards.

"We have been avoiding this for too long," Boba sighed, rubbing his face in open tiredness. "I know very little…."

"We have," Altharya agreed, drawing a long breath through her nose. "I don't know if I can explain this appropriately…"

She paused, grappling for words that were not springing to her mind. In his confusion, Boba tilted his head.

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"I have seen stranger things," he shrugged, a small smile tugged briefly on his mouth.

"I can make things appear?" She quietly said, folding her hands in her lap so her fingers were not obviously shaking.

A blink, disbelief worn openly as he opened his mouth and closed it again. Stunned he sat there, unmoving until a spark of curiosity sparkled. "I admit… I have never heard of that."

A laugh bubbled up and she had to press a hand in front of her mouth. At that he gave her a long side look while smirking as well. He leaned back, putting an arm on the other side of her hip to fully face her.

"So," he looked away then. "You could show me?"

Her laugh vanished and she regarded him looking anywhere but at her for now. This was unknown territory for both of them. Her directly been asked to show and for him to approach the Force without openly worn hatred. Carefully, she summoned the feel of fur to her mind and then… Kihroya sat on her chest. Her weight pressing down, the little ear flicks were all too familiar. Stunned silence sunk over him when he looked to where the illusion now lifted its paw to lick at it. A moment long, nothing moved. All wonder on his part, a finger hovering in the air close to touching.

It ended with her strength fleeing and she had to dispel it. Head lolled to the side, she had to force her breaths in and out slowly. Stars, this was… she should have just made a bird.

He looked into her eyes, searching for… something. Lips pursed with worry dancing along his finger tips that brushed her hair line that was still soaked in cold sweat. A little relief that seeped in from them, until his hand cupped her cheek pushing her head back up.

"I… see," he murmured. "Suppose… Tehra is teaching you this?"

"As best as she can," Altharya wheezed. "Without being sensitive to the Force," she grimaced. "But she has some advice."

"Suppose her time with this Jedi has some uses still," he laughed. "But moving objects is difficult."

She nodded, rubbing her now aching temples. Sighing, he reached out, rubbing circles to release the tension there.

"Monts has dinner ready for the three of us. Do you feel like you can make the walk down?"

"Where is Kertan?" She frowned.

"With friends," he explained. "Was invited to hang out for a sleepover."

"So soon?"

"You do not grow up in a bounty hunter village and not learn to move on from these things fast. Especially if no one of ours died."

"Did you?" She asked, curious now.

Surely he had grown up in one of such village too? He stilled, shoulders tense and licked his lips off balance. Then he shook his head. "It was different."

She swallowed. Asking would be pointless, he would not answer. This part of his past was under tight wraps. Even Monts only dared to make vague suggestions or references.

"I can try?" She said instead, slowly pushing her legs to the edge of the bed. "No guarantees though."

His demeanor shifted, like a ripple on water. Gently he wound an arm around her shoulder, lifting her into a sitting position.

"You need to eat," he stood in front of her, hands out for her to grasp.

"Not that I have kept it down before," she remarked drily, grasping them.

"I could carry you down?" He offered with a serious tone.

Now she laughed. "Like in the beginning?"

He snorted at the joke. "Just like then. I might feel up for flying us down."

"Oh stars no!" She groaned and he pulled her to her wobbly feet.

One hand grabbed her elbow and he guided her to the door. Almost like the times she had to do the same to patients who needed assistance walking after waking from sedatives. Or ones who had lost limbs and needed to get used to their prosthetics.

"Monts made soup," he spoke when they reached the stairs, slowing down to make sure her knees wouldn't shake too much.

"What kind of soup?"

"Lots of spices, some gizka meat…" He thought for a moment. "Oh and some vegetables whose names I forgot."

"Sounds tasty," she commented.

They had walked down half the stairs.

"Sounds?" Monts mock-outraged called out. "It is!"

"I know that!" Boba shouted back. "She doesn't though!"

"Where's Kih?" She asked.

"Outside," Boba nodded his way to the door. "Found a nice patch of dust she hasn't rolled in yet."

Of course…, chuckling she leaned more on his shoulder to get down the last step. That was when the smell hit her, making her stomach growl loudly. Twisting painfully at how empty it was, screaming to regain some strength. She slumped into a chair Monts had pulled out.

"Feeling any better?" Monts asked, walking around the table to his seat.

"Had been worse," she tried to wave it off, but she already had the spoon in hand and could not tear her eyes from the pot.

"Understatement," Boba teased, sitting down next to her. "By the way, we found something you might want to hear."

"Found?" She frowned looking to Boba, missing Monts pouring out a bowl for her.

"Hence why I sent Kertan to his friends, so we can talk freely," Monts explained. "Anyhow, Boba and I had a walk."

"Were thinking of building a fence," Boba shrugged. "That was when some news came in."

"Surprising, not 'possible' news," Monts added darkly.

"It has to do with the incidents?" She asked before pushing a full spoon into her mouth.

"An arrest," Boba pressed forth, mouth a thin line now. "A Brent agent."

"A…," she swallowed quickly despite how hot it was. "That feels…"

"Rushed?" Monts supplied.

"Yes," she agreed.

"Our thoughts exactly," Boba continued holding out a piece of bread to her. "The guy was definitely an agent from the Brents, but this smells too much of a set-up. And we have no evidence."

"Yet, an agent was uncovered," she emphasized.

"True," Boba concede. "Kih found something though."

That must have happened when she must have dozed off for hours.

"This forest is deceptively large and we found a make-shift storage," Monts quietly said.

"Storage for what?"

"Weapons, armour… heavy ordance," Boba listed off. "Far too many for a single person…."

"But enough for a small team to handle," Monts muttered. "War is brewing. We found the preparation of a small invasion. There are more agents here."

"So…"

"We need to find them, but the connection between them, the shuttle crash and the murders is too shaky."

"We do know the connection to the Brents," Altharya pointed out. "Maybe they knew about the agents here?"

"It would make sense," Monts pulled a grimace. "Get rid of the ones who know and be safe."

"But why then the shuttle?" Altharya muttered. "I sense the connection…."

"We have several questions. Why would they need a shuttle to crash into the village? Guaranteeing more than half if not most of us dying? Terror? To get rid of us to be undisturbed? Or just vulnerable to be easily overrun later?"

"What we have now is a village potentially crawling with Brents and we have no clue," Boba growled, frustration plain to hear.

"Yes, but still… why was one of theirs so quickly discovered?"

"Betrayal," Boba immediately shot back. "There was a leak to stuff, someone who was wavering who knows or they sacrificed one to give us the illusion of safety."

"Would make sense anywhere else, but not here. We breathe betrayal," Monts snorted. "I'd bet on a double agent."

"Either way" – Boba hissed – "we don't know and we need to fast. Time is running and we have no real footing while everything is too loosely connected."

Altharya remained silent, shoving more food into her mouth. Trying to appease her gut that still felt too queasy. What else was there for her to say? That she sensed the danger? That soon it would fall over them? That she could sense the chilly wind and claws of it on her neck? That she saw the fires and the panic from that night in the Jedi temple again?

Nothing, she said nothing. Only ate the food in silence while Boba and Monts theorized. Frustrated at not coming to any conclusions, there were far too many questions than answer.

And she would rather be anywhere but here.

Next chapter will be longer, more actiony.