The next day Jax woke up and laid on his bed, wanting nothing to do except talk to Alema. He got out of bed, tidied his hair to look as neat as he could, and then walked out and headed to Alema's A-wing, where, as he guessed, she was standing by it.

"Hey, soldier." She said.

"Alema, I'm so, so sorry," Jax said. "I didn't mean to shut you out like that or get mad. And I just don't want to make you feel upset, and I just—" He was cut off as Alema punched his chest and Jax yelped.

"It's okay." She said, a smirk on her face. "It's part of who you are, and I'm like that too. I got upset, and I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. But you deserved that.

"I did," Jax admitted. "Thanks, though. By the way, Kanan and Ezra are going and investigating a ship that went missing and we haven't been able to contact. And Sabine, Zeb, and Hera are in the Ghost, but I don't know what they're doing."

"So Kanan isn't spending all day meditating anymore?" Alema asked.

"No," Jax said. "I think he realized that Ezra needs him, as well as the rest of them. He can't spend the rest of his life doing nothing because he's blind."

"Yeah," Alema agreed. "Kanan needs to help Ezra, and I think that's part of the reason Ezra has gotten so reckless and angry, I guess."

"Everyone should have someone to keep them in line," Jax said. "You and I are both proofs of that."

"And I think Ezra and Kanan realized it," Alema said.

"Yes," Jax said. "What are you working on?"

"Just some touch-ups," Alema said. "Honestly, I need a better ship, but this is the best I could do. Well, the only ship I could get that would be useful in battle."

"Ah," Jax said. He thought for a second. "I've got a ship. Well, it's not mine, but it's close enough."

"You have a ship?" Alema asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Jax said. "Follow me." he walked around Alema's A-wing and led her to his mom's Mandalorian ship. It hadn't been used since the mission where he met two of his mom's friends, Trace, and Rafa. He hadn't seen them since then, though. Jax guessed that they had either been really busy or were in another Rebel cell.

"This is your ship?" she asked, dumbfounded. "I always wondered who's it was."

"Well, it's my mom's," Jax said. "But after she... you know, I asked Rex about it, and he said that I could have it. I haven't used it since then, though."

"Why?" Alema asked. "How did she even get a Mandalorian ship anyway?"

"You know what I told you about her helping out the people on Mandalore?" Jax asked, and Alema nodded. "Well, they gave her a ship, assuming that she would come back, and my mom said that she actually thought about living on Mandalore after Maul was captured. It would be a place where she had friends and would be accepted. And they kept it, and then right before we went to Malachor, we went to Mandalore and got the ship back."

"That's so cool," Alema said.

"Want to take it out for a spin?" Jax asked. "I assume that you could fly it?"

"I can fly anything," Alema said. "Are we even allowed to?"

"Let's ask," Jax said. "We can say that if you can fly it, it can become your ship and you can use it as a benefit to the Rebellion. Simple as that."

"You don't have to give it to me," Alema said. "Really."

"Well, I am, so shut up about it," Jax said.

"Fine, then," Alema said.

"Commander Sato!" Jax called.

"Jackson Tano, good to see you." Commander Sato said.

"I wanted to ask you if Alema and I could go and take a ship of mine out for a spin," Jax said.

"What ship?" Sato asked.

"A ship of my mom's," Jax said. "It's a Mandalorian ship, and if Alema can fly it, I was thinking that it would be useful for us."

"A Mandalorian ship would benefit the Rebellion quite a bit," Sato said thoughtfully. "I approve."

"Thank you, Commander," Jax said, And he took Alema's hand and raced back to the ship. Jax stopped when the ship towered in front of them.

"This is your mom's ship?" Alema said, marveling at it. "It's amazing."

"It is," Jax agreed. "She got it right before we went to Malachor, so we didn't use it much. It's probably good to be put to work."

Alema grinned. "Jax, you're amazing."

"Thanks," Jax said. "Let's take her out for a spin."

Alema nodded and boarded the ship. Jax followed her, and Alema sat down in the pilot's seat, Jax in the co-pilot's seat.

"Jax, this is great," Alema said. "I can't believe that you're letting me fly this."

"It's yours now," Jax said. "It's not like Rex and I are going to use it." He paused, looking down. "And it's not like my mom will either."

Alema put a hand on Jax's shoulder. Jax looked up, and they locked eyes. "Jax, I know you miss your mom. I'm sure she was a wonderful person, but as hard as a lesson this is, and it took years for me to learn it, is that death is part of life. You can't change anything, and you can't blame yourself for what's happened in the past. You can change the future, and make it the way you want it. Don't think about the past. Think about doing good. We're in a Rebellion, right? We're defeating evil. And we have to make sure that we are able to help and so everything that we can to help others. And we need hope."

Jax sighed, and he looked away from Alema. "I know." He said. "But how were you able to do it? Get over losing so many people?"

"I'm not," Alema replied. "I'm not over it. I just have my priorities, and I have my duty. To protect the people I love that are still alive."

Jax smiled. A sad smile, but one that Alema said that she liked. An honest smile. "Thank you." He said. "For everything."

"I'm just doing what needs to be done," Alema replied. She fired up the engines, and they lifted off. "But Jax, you're the one who's helped me. You've given me a family. And I'm not going to let this one go."

"I'm not either," Jax said. "Now, let's test this ship. It can be of good use in the future."

——

The two of them tested the ship, and Alema was a natural at it. She was a great pilot, and she loved having a new ship.

They landed the ship and Alema climbed out, grinning from ear to ear. "Jax, that was amazing."

Jax smiled. "Glad you like it."

"You're the best," Alema said.

Jax grinned smugly. "So I've been told."

Alema punched Jax lightly. "You're such an idiot."

Jax sighed. "So I've been told." He repeated.

"So what do you want to do now?" Alema asked.

"I dunno," Jax replied. "Sato may want to know how our test run went."

Alema nodded. She grinned. "Race you!" She took off towards the briefing table.

"Hey!" Jax said, running after her. "That's not fair. You got a head start!"

"Stop complaining!" Alema said.

Jax ran faster, and then quickly caught up to Alema, wrapping his arms around her.

"Haha," Jax growled. "I win." He let go of Alema.

"Technically I got here first," Alema said.

"But I got here faster than you did." Jax shot back.

"But not first," Alema said.

"Fine," Jax said. "You win."

"Haha," Alema said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"You big jerk," Jax said. He crossed his arms and walked to the briefing table, where

Commander Sato was, and Rex was standing a few feet back, watching Sato.

"Captain," Sato said. "Alema. How did your test run go?"

"It went great," Jax said, grinning at Alema. "Alema's a great pilot."

"It was nothing," Alema said, her face turning red. "The ship was so easy to fly. It's an amazing ship."

Sato nodded. "It will be useful in the future."

"It will." Jax agreed. "We just came to tell you that it can be used. It doesn't have a scratch on it."

"It's in perfect condition," Alema added.

"It won't be for long," Sato said with a chuckle. "Also, we have lost contact with one of the command ships that was traveling, and the Ghost."

Jax felt his heart drop. "Let me try and sense them," He said. He closed his eyes, concentrating into the Force. There was a disturbance, and Jax gasped.

"What is it?" Rex asked.

"I'm not sure this is true," Jax said, opening his eyes. "But I think Maul is back."