─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.✮ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝ 01 , come back to me ❞

The trees towered high above Lili as she navigated through the town square. Her bag felt empty without the holocron that she had stolen but she knew that it being gone meant that she was another day closer to freedom. Another moment closer to the day that meant that she could be safe, away from him. Her and Hedi would both be safe, finally.

The whole world seemed to be peaceful. The chaotic hum of every day life had simmered into quiet contentment. For the first time in weeks, Lili felt weightless and the crushing thoughts of the whole world humming had dulled.

Now all she had to do was get back to the ship and make sure that Hedi had listened. Knowing Hedi, she hadn't listened but Lili wanted to hope that for once, she had decided that maybe Lili actually knew what she was talking about.

But as Lili walked through the town square, shoes clicking against the stone tiles, she spotted a familiar dark-skinned girl talking to one of the market vendors. It wasn't hard to connect the dots and realise that it was in fact Hedi talking to the vendor. Plus the familiar violet hue seemed to encapsulates Lili's mind which only ever indicated one person.

The braids that Lili had done the previous night were clear and the ribbon that ran through them made Hedi easy to spot in a crowd. It also meant that she wasn't all that conspicuous, Lili had tried to argue against the ribbon but Hedi had been set on it so now she stood out like a sore thumb in the capital of Naboo.

Lili rushed across the market square as Hedi negotiated for a pastry of some sort. There was a smirk on Hedi's lips as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her jaw was set, her eyes determined as they negotiated back and forth over a fair price in credits. Lili couldn't say that she was surprised and she watched from a few steps away as Hedi handed over two credits and got a box of pastries in return. Lili held back her scoff and she felt the victorious feeling rolling off Hedi in waves.

"I told you to stay at the ship," Lili said as she stood behind Hedi, arms crossed. Hedi was much shorter than Lili and younger by at least six years. He had never really been all that clear about how old the two of them were so that was their best guess. But age didn't change much. Hedi was small yet fierce. Her age didn't stop her from holding herself like a battle-hardened adult.

"I was hungry," Hedi said as she turned around with the box of pastries. Lili smiled apologetically at the Naboo citizen who seemed disgruntled after being put through the wringer by Hedi and Lili ushered Hedi away as she began to munch on a pastry, "You were taking forever," Hedi complained as they began to walk, heading towards the ship.

The ship was in one of the busiest hangars in the capital. It meant they were disguised among the ever-changing clientele and it kept both of them safe.

"You really couldn't have waited an hour?" Lili asked as they followed the crowds, weaving between all manner of species. Hedi scoffed.

"I wasn't gonna have rations again. They're disgusting," She stated. Lili sighed. A second before a man came bolting around the corner, Lili tugged Hedi in front of her. The harsh movement nearly made Hedi drop her pastries and a huff escaped her lips but the two continued to walk, as if nothing had happened. As if Lili hadn't just predicted the path a man was going to take before he had even turned the corner.

"And I understand that they are disgusting but it is dangerous for you to be out here alone," Lili reinforced as they finally made it to the hangar. It was only a matter of minutes before they had reached the ship and Lili pressed her hand against the belly of the ship. A blue light flashed along her hand, scanning it before a staircase opened up beside her. Hedi headed up the steps first before Lili followed behind.

She gave the hangar one last look over before she slipped inside. The lights had automatically switched back on and Hedi had already made herself comfortable on the chairs, the box of pastry rested against her stomach as she continued to eat.

"Hedi," Lili's tone had shifted from playful annoyance to serious. Hedi let out a huff again and she turned to look at Lili.

"What?" Hedi was deadpan. She sounded almost annoyed by Lili's concern but it was nothing that she wasn't used to. Lili stepped over and she took the pastry box from Hedi, placing it on the table before she knelt down in front of the girl.

"Listen to me, for literally just a minute, okay?" Lili requested. Hedi pursed her lips but reluctantly gave in. She shuffled so that she was looking at Lili properly and Lili moved her hands to rest against the side of Hedi's face, "I am not doing this to hurt you or annoy you or restrict you. We aren't safe yet. You know that, we both know that-"

Hedi was quick to cut her off; "He doesn't work this far out. You know that." Lili sighed and she bowed her head for a moment before she lifted it again. The confused frustration screamed in Lili's head, Hedi's emotions feeling like her own.

"You're right but he has been after us for months. This isn't going to stop him, okay? I want you to be safe. I want both of us to be safe and free from him. I didn't-" Lili stopped for a moment, swallowing the lump that had began to form in her throat, "I didn't work so hard to get us both out for him to find us. I need you to promise that you will listen to me, just for a few more weeks. Just a few more weeks then we'll both be free and you will never have to listen to me again, okay?" Lili's tone had moved from serious to pleading and Hedi's face morphed into a frown. She rested one hand over Lili's and leant forward so their foreheads touched.

"I will, I'm sorry," Hedi mumbled. Lili smiled and she rubbed Hedi's cheek before she let her hands drop into her own lap.

"Do you want to go anywhere before we leave?" Lili asked as she broke away from the younger girl. Hedi thought about it for a moment before she shook her head, "Okay, we'll head to Karlinus to get rations and fresh produce before we're heading to the Core Worlds." Hedi's face fell at the mention of the Core Worlds.

"Coruscant?" Hedi asked. Lili nodded and pulled her ponytail out of her hair. Her wavy locks fell around her shoulders as she smiled at Hedi, "Is that safe?" Lili nodded, again.

"Of course it's safe. I've got a few jobs lined up in the lower sectors. It won't take long, I promise. Do you wanna stay out here?" Lili asked as she headed towards the cockpit. Hedi was quick to get to her feet and follow after the brunette.

"No, I'll stay with you," Hedi mumbled. Lili smiled and she ushered Hedi in first before she followed after. Then, she dropped into the pilot's seat. She pulled up the navicomputer and pulled up the coordinates for Karlinus. It wouldn't take long to reach the planet, a few hours at most but the journey to the Core World would take at least a few days. It depended on what lanes were open but Lili just hoped that she got lucky.

"Strap in," Lili instructed as she pulled her belt over her lap. Hedi followed her instructions and Lili clicked the coordinates in for the navicomputer before she returned to the controls. She flicked a few switches, turning on the repulsor-lift and activating the anti-grav capabilities before the sub-light engine switched on. Then, she grabbed the controls and pulled forward. The ship pulled off the ground and they were off, heading towards the atmosphere of Naboo.

It was a quick conversation with the control towers before they were granted passage out of the atmosphere and they were back in space. Lights of a thousand galaxies shone across them as Lili pilotted them towards the nearest hyper-space jump point and then they were gone. Naboo was left behind in a stream of light.

***

Lili let out a ragged breath as she slipped her belt on. Her viroblade went into one holster while her blaster took another. It was all she needed and she grabbed the jacket, pulling it over her shoulders and disguising the weapons from view. Coruscant pretended to care about crime but it didn't. However, Lili didn't want to take the risk.

There was a reason that he had never come out this far before and she was not going to take any chances especially if she was going to get everything that she needed to.

Hedi was sitting on the couch across from Lili as Lili checked over her outfit. Hedi had her thumb in her mouth, chewing the edge of it as she watched her sister move. Lili grabbed her loose curls and threw them up into a bun, keeping them out of her face.

"I promise, this is the last job," Lili said as she pulled her jacket over her front. Hedi rolled her eyes and continued to gnaw on her thumb, "I promise. Once this is done, we're safe. We're free." Hedi let her hand fall to her lap as she met her sister's gaze.

"You're being too risky," Hedi stated. Lili shook her head and she grabbed her holopad, checking the location for the meeting with her client before she slipped it away.

"I'm not," Lili retorted. They both knew that she was being risky. Her last job had been too risky. It put them right in the eyes of the Republic but Lili was desperate and she had gotten away with it. It meant that they could be free and the pay-out was the only reason they were about to be free of him. It was good.

"You know you are. Dad would never come here. He knew that it was too risky and too dangerous," Hedi responded from where she was curled up on the couch. Lili let out a scoff and shook her head, turning to look down at Hedi.

"He is not our Dad. Don't call him that," Lili snapped before she brushed down her outfit and sat down next to Hedi on the couch.

"Sorry," Hedi muttered. Lili tugged Hedi closer, wrapping her arms around her. Hedi's head rested against Lili's chest and she ran her fingers across Hedi's braided hair.

"Nek didn't know anything. He pretended that he did but he didn't. I'm safe, you're safe and we're about to be free of him. Just trust me, okay? I promise that everything will be okay," Lili muttered against Hedi's head. The tension in Hedi's shoulders seemed to lessen a little and she settled against Lili for a moment before she pushed away, a frown on her lips.

"Just promise you'll come back to me?" Hedi asked. Lili nodded her head and cupped Hedi's cheeks, letting a smile overtake her face.

"I will always come back to you. Always," Lili insisted. Hedi grinned and Lili pressed a kiss to her forehead. But then she got up from the couch, "Stay here, stay inside, I'll comm you when I'm done with this meeting, okay?" Hedi nodded, trying not to let her anxiety show though Lili could see right through her. Lili gave Hedi's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she headed out of the ship. She knew that she had to be careful. Coruscant was teeming with Jedi and Republic Officers and considering what she had done, they would both be searching for her.

But she was smart and they hopefully shouldn't recognise her. In all honesty, she was praying for a miracle. Hedi never had to know that though. So, Lili forged on.

***