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“Do you know what that is?”
Omega stared hard at the holo on Tech’s datapad, trying to remember the name of the large, furry creature displayed there. “…Ban-fa?”
“Yes, that’s a bantha. Well done, my love.”
Omega glowed beneath Tech’s praise, snuggling deeper into the crook of his arm.
“Can you tell me what letter that bantha would start with?” Tech prompted.
Omega played with a lose thread on the collar of his shirt, trying to envision the letter in her mind. When she couldn’t remember, she tried to get a better look at his datapad, but he caught on quickly.
“Ah, not like that,” he said, placing a hand over her eyes. “Use your mind, not your eyes.”
“I don’ ‘member!” Omega giggled, trying to free herself.
“You know this. What letter comes after Aurek?”
Omega stopped fighting as she thought about it, then shouted, “Besh!”
“There you go.” Tech removed his hand from her face, drawing it across her hair. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Wanna see ‘nother one,” Omega insisted, gesturing to the datapad.
“Very well, just have a little patience…”
Tech continued showing Omega a variety of creatures on his datapad, a routine they had fallen into some time ago. Eventually, one image caught her eye, and she pointed it out. “Wha’s that’un?”
“This one is less pleasant to look at, isn’t it?” Tech enlarged the image, allowing a better look at the subject: a two-legged, winged creature covered in a pale hide, an elongated neck ending in a “face” that had no features save for a large mouth full of teeth. “This is a Khezu, a creature from the far edges of the Outer Rim.”
“Keh-zoo…” Omega stared hard at the overlarge mouth that dominated the end of the creature’s elongated neck. “Where’s its eyes?”
“It doesn’t have any.”
Omega tried to rationalize Tech’s statement. “‘Ow does it see?”
“It doesn’t need to. It has an exceptional sense of smell, and it’s nocturnal, which means…?”
“…Likes dark?” Omega tried after thinking it over.
“Exactly,” Tech said, tapping her nose. “It prefers dark places, where it can hide and hunt prey with an advantage.”
Omega glanced at the hatch in the ceiling that led to the cargo hold. “Wha’bout th’ cargo hole?”
“Yes, that’s a place it would hide.”
Omega’s eyes roved from the picture on the datapad to the hatch, before turning her face against Tech. “Don’ like that’un, daddy. Scary.”
Tech squeezed her and kissed her hair gently. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, my love, but we can look at something different.”
Omega quickly forgot about her apprehensions as Tech moved on to other creatures, and she remained unbothered until several hours later.
“Alright, your five more minutes are up for good,” Crosshair announced across the cabin. “Time to sleep.”
Omega pouted, reluctantly departing from her toys to shuffle towards her bed, only to remember her earlier concerns when she noticed the hatch above. “Wha‘bout th’ Keh-zoo in’a cargo hole?”
Crosshair stared at her blankly. “What?”
“Keh-zoo in’a cargo hole!” Omega repeated, gesticulating wildly to the hatch.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but there’s no such thing.”
“It’s real! It has’a big mouf an’ lots of teef, an’ it might eat me!”
Crosshair scoffed. “You’re just making things up to get out of going to bed, aren’t you?”
“No, Tick told me ‘bout it!” Omega faltered, fear replacing her indignation as she glanced at the hatch in the ceiling. “It’s scary.”
Crosshair’s stern demeanor softened a little. “You’re scared?”
Omega nodded, scooting over to him and putting his legs in between her and the perceived threat.
Crosshair let out a grumbling sigh, running a consoling hand over her hair. “Alright, I’ll go get Tech so we can figure this out.”
Omega did not have to wait long for Crosshair to retrieve Tech, who entered the cabin looking confused. “What is troubling you, my dear?”
“The Keh-zoo in’a cargo hole!” Omega insisted, now clutching Lula for support. “C’oss doesn’t believe me.”
Tech’s expression loosened with something of a fond smile as he shook his head. “I’m afraid you have misinterpreted things.”
Omega frowned. “But you said…”
“I meant that the cargo hold would make an ideal environment for a Khezu, not that there literally was one inside it.” Tech knelt down to her level, taking her by the shoulders. “There are no creatures on this ship, and certainly not any that would bring you harm. The cargo hold was just an example.”
“Good job, genius,” Crosshair remarked.
“It was a simple misunderstanding,” Tech retorted, keeping his attention on Omega. “Think logically, sweet one. Why would there be such a creature on board? There’s no reason for it.”
“I ‘unno,” Omega mumbled into Lula’s ears.
Crosshair snorted. “I thought we already learned that logic doesn’t apply to her.”
“Yes. That’s true.” Tech pulled her into his arms. “Why don’t I check the hold? Would that make you feel better?”
Omega nodded, but pointed at Crosshair. “Wan’ C’oss to do it.”
Crosshair looked unamused. “Why me? Tech just offered, and this is his fault.”
“‘Cause y’have shiny eyes to see in’a dark.”
“Torches exist for a reason.”
“Crosshair, she’s scared,” Tech argued, “and you can remedy that.”
Omega gave Crosshair a doleful look, and he finally cracked beneath the pressure. “Fine, I’ll do what the princess commands.”
Though Omega was encouraged by his cooperation, she watched carefully as he pushed a crate over, stepping up on it and reaching for the hatch. He shifted the hatch aside, and without hesitation, he hoisted himself up into the dark space, seating himself on the edge and letting his legs dangle.
“There’s nothing up here,” he called to Omega below, “just like I said.”
Omega ventured out of Tech’s embrace, craning her neck to see him. “Y’sure?”
Crosshair sighed. “Can’t you take my word for it?”
“Sometimes, visual reinforcement is helpful,” Tech said. Before Omega could react, he plucked her from the floor, passing her up to Crosshair. She squawked in protest as she was lifted into the cargo hold and settled in Crosshair’s lap, wrapping her arms around him for safety.
“Now you can see for yourself,” Crosshair said. “There’s nothing but equipment and dust.”
Omega looked around at dimly lit hold, taking in the silhouettes of crates and spare ship parts. Everything was just as he had said.
“You feel better?”
Finding no threats, Omega nodded. “Mm-hm.”
“Good.” Crosshair passed her back to Tech before sliding out of the hold in one fluid motion.
“I am sorry for showing you something that frightened you,” Tech murmured, holding her close. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“But I still wanna see th’ ami-nals!” Omega exclaimed.
“Even after being afraid?” Tech asked, and Omega nodded emphatically.
“‘M not scared now!”
“Well, I suppose I’ll just be a bit more careful…”
Crosshair finished closing the hatch, sauntering up to them. “Of course she’s not scared, because there’s only one animal on this ship.”
For all her claims of bravery, Omega regarded him with wide eyes. “Wha’ ami-nal?”
“You, bog leech,” Crosshair said with a smirk.
Omega scowled, sensing that she had been made fun of. “‘M not’a ami-nal, ‘m a girl!”
“Yes, and it’s bedtime for animals and girls.”
Tech released Omega from his hold as she set up a round of complaints, but Crosshair herded her away without much trouble. A few minutes later, she slid into bed with his help.
“Nothing will hurt you, especially not whatever Tech showed you on his datapad,” Crosshair said as he arranged the blankets to her liking. “You’re completely safe here, you know that, right?”
“Yeah,” Omega said without hesitation. “‘Cause daddy will shoot th’ bad fings.”
“Exactly.” Crosshair gave her the rare, soft smile that was only for her, and as he leaned in to kiss her goodnight, he murmured, “Next time, make one of the others climb into the cargo hold.”