Chapter 1

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"You must be ready at any moment, to sacrifice what you are, for what you will become..." - Eric Thomas

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(Planet Jakku)

I sat there, lounging across the beam of a market tent. A barely tangible breeze drifted across its fabrics, making it flap under its caress. One of my legs dangled as I watched the villagers below move about with their daily activities. The small village was awash with various people of mixed races, both human and non-human. There were those that bought and those who traded. It was the way of the world here, survival at its highest peak. The bright golden sands of Jakku were vast and empty with little signs of life beyond the small town. Though it was a peaceful place, it was also a dangerous place to live alone, unprotected and young. I learned that the hard way.

Grit and dust blew up into my face, but the cowl wrapped around my face and hair protected me. Not far away, I caught sight of a familiar lone figure. A woman with dark hair tied back behind her head. Tattered pale cloth adorned her shape. Though young and slender in size, she lugged a heavy net of shrapnel across the area and headed straight for the exchange counter.

"Rey." I whispered the name.

My eyes followed her movements as I stood and began to make my way across the beams towards her location. The twin blades at my hips swung against me, hidden, but there. My legs were steady as I leap my way across the marketplace. Unseen. Unnoticed. A ghost amongst the crowd.

A huge Crolute stood behind the counter and spoke to Rey. Unkar Plutt, junk boss of Jakku, was a beast of male to deal with. Though I knew his tricks well, others were not so lucky. Thuggish, unfair and lawless, he took from the desperate and paid little in return. His grotesque personality matched his equally grotesque appearance.

I paused above the container that was his trading block and listened closer, peering down at the girl and brute with interest.

" What you've brought me today is worth," came his raspy gruff voice that set my teeth on edge, "hmm... One quarter portion."

I snorted and shook my head. Old habits never died with Unkar, it seemed. The idiot that he was. From my position, I could see Rey's expression, twisted with turmoil and struggle.

I sprung and twisted, leaping with the agility of a cat to the sandy ground directly between Rey and booth. I rose up from my crouch and turned to glare at the Crolute.

" Bollocks, Unkar." I pulled down my cowl to reveal my face as I glared up at the mangled-fleshed waste of space behind the counter. The blistering hot air drifted across my scalp, ruffling my short hair. Both the woman and Unkar turned to look at me with surprise at my sudden appearance. I couldn't help it, a grin drifted across my lips.

"Freya?" Rey whispered, taken aback. Her young suntanned face frowned before she nodded to me in greeting.

I grinned back her, before turning to Unkar once again and leaning a hip casually against his workspace. I peered up through the bars up at him. Despite his gigantic height, I was not intimidated. Far from it.

" Are you really gonna do this again?" I asked him, giving him my most dazzling smile. " Come on, you know it's worth more than that."

"You again!" He grunted. "I'm sick of seeing your face around here. Always mingling in business that has nothing to do with you."

I sighed dramatically and shook my head at him like a mother would a disobedient child. "Now, now, blobby-" he gave a deep growl as I called him by his favourite nickname. "I saw you take less than half of what this lass is offering you for half a portion earlier. A bit unfair, don't you think? Where's your integrity?"

A meaty fist slammed down hard upon the counter, fury flashed across his hideous features.

"What would you know about integrity? You dirty thieving scum!"

"Ouch, careful blobby, you may just hurt my feelings." I gave a sardonic laugh, "I guess that makes both of us then, huh? You take from the poor for little payment. That sounds like theft too in my book. And I steal from people who are greedy, lazy bastards-" I gestured a hand towards him nonchalantly, "-like yourself."

I barely had time to finish my sentence before a thick, heavy hand thrust between the bars and wrapped itself into the front of my jerkin. My whole body weight lifted with alarming strength until I was inches away from Unkar's sneering face.

Perfect... Set the bait. Lure them in. Distract, And then swipe the goods.

Blobby was breathing hard against my face, practically glaring daggers. Oh, if looks could kill. But it was perfect. His focus was entirely on me. His anger was in full control of his senses. He did not notice the sly smile that crept across my mouth. He didn't notice my hand slide across the package of portion and drag it into my pocket.

He'd fallen for it again. What a moron. I couldn't help but appreciate the rush of satisfaction that flooded through me.

"I'll have your guts for decorations if you don't clear out," he grumbled. "I'm warning you now."

I lifted my hands in an innocent gesture, trying to look as placid and appeasing as possible.

" Alright, Alright, I give up. You win." My feet were slowly lowered to the floor again. The hand holding me loosened and disappeared. "Don't shit your knickers," I mumbled under my breath before stepping to the side.

"Go," Unkar grumbled, "Don't let me see you around here again."

I shrugged, "Ok, fine. Hurry up and give her the payment and we will get out of your hair."

"What?" An ugly snarl twisted across his thick protruding lips.

Rey glanced between us, confusion shining through her bright eyes. I winked at her, gesturing with a lift of my brow for her to follow my lead.

"I want my payment," she finally said after a brief pause.

Unkar slammed a fist down in anger once again, "I just gave you it!"

Rey shook her head, her face still as stone. "No, you didn't."

"Come on, blobby, don't be playing games with us now." I joined in, giving him a stern look. "Don't forget to pay your clients, otherwise it will look bad of your reputation."

We watched him struggle for a moment. His flabby cheeks puffing angrily as he looked around his container.

"Fine!" I heard his draw open and close with a solid bang. His thick-fingered hand slammed down upon the counter, revealing another sachet of portion.

"Half a portion for the goods. Now get out of here!"

We didn't need telling twice. With a brief nod, Rey and I turned and walked away towards her chunky red speeder.

" One day Freya, he's going to catch you doing that and have your head on a pike," Rey said.

I chuckled at her. My boots crunched across the sand, kicking up dust with each step. I reached for my belt and untied a canteen of fresh water. I took long, much-needed swallow before passing it to her.

"Maybe," I wipe at my mouth with the back of my sleeve, "but his ass is too fat to be able to catch me. So I highly doubt it."

There was a moment's pause between us. A short time in which we simply stood there looking at one another. Rey looked drawn, tired. There was a shadow within her eyes. Something that echoed back to me, something I recognised, but could not name.

"It's good to see you, Freya." She said finally, "It's been a while. Where have you been?"

I shrugged at her, "I've been here and there. Keeping alive."

Rey took a heavy swig of the cool water and sighed before handing it back to me with thanks.

I pushed it back to her. "Keep it, you're gonna need it." I pulled the stolen portion from my pockets and threw it to her. "Take this too."

She caught it easily and looked at me with uncertainty. "But, what about you?"

"I have extra. Take it."

The hidden message behind my words was loud and clear between us as though I had spoken them aloud. I stole what I wanted. I wasn't an honest working person. If I wanted it, I took it.

"Thank you," was her reply. So deeply sincere and heavy with appreciation. Something inside my chest twinged in response.

I shuttered my expression and buried those unwanted feelings deep. Hiding them from myself and the rest of the world. I bid her a brief goodbye and began to wander back into town.

I pulled my cowl back up around my head. Troubled thoughts rolling through my mind like turbulent waves.

Thinking back, I could not recall at which point Rey and I had become known to each other, even friends of sorts. Over the years we had become aware of one another. I knew little about her, yet I knew she was like me. A woman, alone, struggling to survive. But I never loitered. I never got involved or close to others, no matter how much I connected with them. I would not face that pain again, not like before. The pains of the past were too much to bear. So like a lone wildcat, I travelled from place to place. Never settling or belonging anywhere. I stole what I needed. I lived a life of unscrupulous means. A life drowning in uncertainty, blood, sweat and loneliness. There was no such thing as home for me, or family, or friendship. It was how things have always been. It was survival, it was life.

In a world of uncertainty, fear and war; I was a warrior.

I stood there looking around with emptiness at the empty sands around me. The sun beat down on me without me without mercy. The ancient sands beneath my feet offered no comfort to the longing in my heart.

I wish, silently, but for a brief moment, that things could have been different...

I wanted more from life.

...

...

The following few days went by in a whirl. The baking heat made me lethargic. I found myself snoozing most of the time, sometimes watching villagers go about their daily lives. I laid across the roof of one of the vegetable stalls, staring up at the bright sky. Boredom clawed at my insides, making me restless. I found myself daydreaming about a beautiful sunset across a vast and open sea of water. I imagined cool grass beneath my bare feet, instead of burning sand. To be in another time, in another world, another place, sounded heavenly.

"One half portion." I heard a familiar gruff voice sound from not far away below me.

I let my head loll to the side and found the rather deja vu sight of Rey standing before the exchange counter. I frowned. What was she doing here again? I knew her schedule, like many others who came here. I knew her habits. I watched people closely, ever observant. It wasn't like her to come twice in the same week.

"Last week these were half a portion each." I heard Rey argue, followed by a strange beeping noise that made me sit up to attention. I leaned forward, peering down at the situation unfolding beneath me.

Sure enough, Rey was there arguing with Unkar again, but beside her was a very strange little bot. A droid of sorts. It was like a sphere, rolling around animatedly, making noises like it was actually having a conversation.

"What about the droid?" Unkar retorted, I could hear the slyness in his voice. The treacherous snake that he was.

"What about him?" Rey responded. She cast a steady look down upon the little ball-shaped machine by her legs.

"I'll pay for him. Sixty portions." He slammed the packages across the counter and even I felt my eyes bulge at the generous offer.

Holy shit balls, sixty portions was a lot! Even for a droid, it was enough to feed a single person a good month or two. I watched Rey curiously, interested to know what she'd do.

" Actually... the droid isn't for sale."

Was she nuts? I shook my head slowly. I would have gladly sold that bundle of metal for that amount of food. I had never seen it with her before, so I couldn't understand what value it must have had to her.

Rey walked away, the droid rolling in tow behind her. I could hear Unkar's frustrated grumbling. His large shadow moving beyond the bars of his container. His voice reached me from across the short space.

"Follow the girl, and get me that droid!"

Shit. This wasn't good. A heavy sensation drop like a rock into the pit of my stomach. I leaped up from my spot and began to follow Rey. I stalk her, vaulting quietly from one roof to another. All the while keeping a distance, ever vigilant.

Something was going to happen. I could feel it. She was in danger.

It didn't take long for me to figure out what. I saw them coming straight away, approaching from the side with a purpose in their step, heading directly for Rey and the droid.

Unkar's thugs...

I picked up my pace, leaping across the space with ease. Years of experience and practice gave me the advantage and speed that I needed. I reached them quickly. One thug attacked, grabbing for Rey as the other tried to throw a blanket across the droid. Rey kicked and fought against them.

I sprung into action dropping down amongst them with my twin blades drawn and activated. They surged with a heady electric pulse, glowing a dangerous blue. One of the thugs whirled towards me, surprised by my sudden appearance. I twisted, leaping into a spin, my leg swung out connecting soundly against the imbeciles skull with such force that I heard his neck crack. I pivoted on my feet, my arm swinging out. The blade in my hand flew from my fingers, spinning dangerously, before lodging itself deep in the throat of the attacker who held Rey.

Both bodies fell to the floor with a thud. Silence filled the atmosphere as my adrenaline began to fade away into calmness.

"Freya." Rey sighed in relief, pulling herself to a stand.

"Are you ok?" I strode to her, grabbing her arm gently to look her over for injuries. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm alright. I was just taken by sur-"

The droid chimed into action, beeping animatedly. We both turned to it with confusion. It seemed to be trying to tell us something. And while Rey seemed to have some idea of what it was saying, I, however, was completely clueless.

"What's up with him?" I asked, sliding my blades back into their holders.

They both ignored me, deep in conversation with one another. A panicked expression fell across Rey's face and they were both looking in the direction of one of the tents.

"Who?" Rey asked, looking directly at a lone figure watching them from the shadows. "Him?"

A frowned at the person in question. A dark-skinned guy stood there, observing us. He wore a lot of clothing, including a tanned leather jacket; he clearly was not a local around these parts. A foreigner? From a distance, he looked tall and athletic, but there was something strange about him. Suspicious even. He shuffled uneasily, looking directly at us before spinning around and darting in the opposite direction.

What a weird guy...

I barely had time to process what had happened before Rey was up and running after him, disappearing amongst the crowd.

What the fu-

"Woah, Rey. Wait!"

My legs sprung into action and I began to follow them.