Disclaimer: I own neither Star Wars nor Goblin Slayer, but if I did I would delete all other love interests in the latter and declare Priestess as 'Best Girl'.


Deathtrooper

Chapter 8

Homecoming


The world seemed to slowly come back to Governess, as if she had been wrenched from the waiting jaws of death. How she did not know, but the reason soon came to her in the form of a hard, but not unkind, voice.

"You know, one of these days we won't be able to save you two." Governess, who was laying on the ground, turned her head up, craning her neck to see the speaker. Though looking at her upside down, Governess could clearly see her unbelievable beauty, a sight that near took her breath away and filled her not with jealousy, but deep respect. She blinked those bizarre thoughts away and rolled over, rising unsteadily to her feet, she was wearing a bizarre, green robe.

Finally on her feet, and surprising able to breathe properly without the sting of coal dust in her chest making a mess of things, Governess regarded her surroundings.

She seemed to be in a place of endless light green, as far as the eye could see. Even the ground, which was warm beneath her naked feet, glowed this light green color. Finding no answers here, Governess instead turned her attention towards her host.

The woman was taller than her, if just barely, with a head of long brown curls, all of it seemingly falling naturally yet perfectly. There was no sting of jealousy from Governess, surprisingly, as she was still yet to find the hairdresser that helped the many women of Frontier Town. Perhaps it was because the woman seemed so…

Surreal…

"Pardon my rudeness," Governess, ever tactful, started, "But may I ask to whom am I speaking to?" The woman's slight smile grew, an eyebrow rising alongside it.

"Dear me, you are far more polite than your comrade. I believe one of the first things he said to my sister was a threat." The woman giggled, covering her mouth as she did so like a pristine lady. Governess took a moment to take the rest of the woman in. She was adorned in a green, white, and brown dress that feel nearly at her feet. It seemed to hug her every curve until her hips, where it plumed out like some sort of wedding dress.

"I am Earth Mother, the goddess of the…" The woman paused for a second before looking a little bashful, "Well, of the Earth."

Governess raised an incredulous eyebrow at that, not exactly believing this woman's claims of being a goddess. Of course, she had seen some rather bizarre things in her time on this planet, from supposed Demons to battle bikinis, so she was willing to be open minded.

"A goddess? Of dirt?" Governess asked slowly, earning an agitated huff from the, seemingly, ageless woman.

"Not of dirt, you troglodyte," Governess had no idea what a troglodyte was, but assumed it to be an insult of some form and took offense accordingly, "Of this planet, Earth!"

"Ah," Governess said noncommittally, not entirely sure how one was to respond. Who names their planet after dirt?

"Anyways, what was I talking about…" This woman's credibility as a 'goddess' dropped by the second, "Right, you're near-death-experience."

"Near death? I don't know, I felt pretty dead in the end there," Governess stated, remembering the sharp pain in her lungs and the world fading around her as she passed in unconsciousness, likely for the last time.

"Nearly dead. Had it not been for one of my Priestesses, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation. She called upon me to heal you, and heal you I shall."

"Ah- Wait a minute, you said your sister talked to Deathtrooper, right?" Governess asked, suddenly remembering what the woman had just said before.

"Hmm? Yes, and he was rather rude to her. Not that I blame him, my sister was always a bit of a-" Suddenly seeming to realize who she was talking to, the woman cleared her throat, "As I was saying. It had been an unlucky cast of the dice during your perception check that you saw the blade and fired at it. Naturally, Deathtrooper easily passed the check and saved both himself and you. From there it was simple for him to cut his way through the lot. Of course, you were supposed to die, but due to Priestess no longer being beholden to the game, we did not account for her being there."

Whoa, okay, a lot to unpack there.

Of course, she had played tabletop games before in clandestine meetings with her friends, and they were exceptionally boring. Ones like Prisons & Krayts were especially boring, but how this woman described all that had happened…

"Wait…" Governess said slowly, looking and meeting the woman's eyes as her face displayed both realization and anger, "Is this a game to you?!"

The woman looked taken aback for a moment, and partially ashamed for another before her face was schooled into an expression of calm indifference.

"Of course not," The woman defended weakly, but Governess was in no mood to hear any of it.

"No, piss off with that! Are you telling me all these people dying are amusing to you?" Governess demanded.

"No, of course-"

"That's repulsive. You treat your followers like, what, pawns?! Lambs for the slaughter, or should I say your own perverse amusement?"

"If you would just let me-"

"By the creator, if I had contact with my father, you would have a Star Destroyer shoved so far up your-"

"Enough!" Roared the woman, her own patience snapping as she stared down Governess. The soft greens, which had slowly been growing duller the more Governess got into her tirade, but it suddenly redoubled in its intensity when the supposed goddess snapped. Governess, despite her clear anger, fell silent. There was something about the aura this woman gave off that commanded if only a little respect.

"I understand your anger, as misdirected as it is. This isn't a game, at least, not to most of us. We are gods beholden to the power of chance, we merely direct, dare I say, the pieces to each action. It was chance that saved you, against the roll of the dice, you survived. Why? Because another girl who was supposed to die survived and saved you! We do what can to help because, unsurprisingly, we don't want to be gods of a dead world," The woman took a deep, calming breath after her rant, her voice shaking with unspoken anger, "Contrary to what my dear sister told you companion, the fact that you and Deathtrooper are alive was complete chance, chance we didn't have any say in. Imagine it, if you will, that this is one of your fantasy tabletop games, and you introduced a tank. You and Deathtrooper are starting to gain some attention from the other gods, after all, he did something that very few have done before, alone no less; he killed a demon. I hate to say this, Governess, but you are going to be way out of your league soon. If you aren't already, that is."

Governess narrowed her eyes at the insinuation that she would be incapable of helping her friend, voicing as much.

"I am more than capable of handling myself."

"Really?" Asked the supposed Goddess sarcastically, "You? The one who nearly died because she fired blindly at some glinting light she saw in the darkness of a mineshaft?" Shame and embarrassment flooded Governess, but that didn't stop her from glaring balefully at 'Earth Mother'.

"He has gained the notice of the gods, meaning that they will want to throw increasingly greater odds at him. Too many of them, this is a game. He is their new, obscenely powerful toy. You are nothing more than a plus one in their minds, and while he may survive the crucible they intend to put him through, will you?" The woman let the question float in the air for a moment as Governess lowered her gaze. It was true, during her first real mission she was nothing more than deadweight from Deathtrooper, he had to carry her through most of the mineshaft and all the way back to town.

"You aren't ready now, perhaps you won't ever be. In time, however, you may become skilled enough to stand at his side as an equal, but for now," The woman's heated glare softened somewhat, "You are the only thing that keeps his humanity intact. You are the lifeline that keeps Deathtrooper from answering every situation with 'acceptable casualties'. I don't have to see the future to know that, had you not somehow made him more human, he would have just collapsed the entire mineshaft, declaring that the women weren't worth wasting limited resources to save. If you were to die…"

Governess nodded slowly, understanding now. There was a connection between them now, an understanding. While she couldn't really explain it, it was much like how she supposed loved ones looked out for each other. They may argue and insult one another, but when it came down to it they would defend the other to their dying breath.

It felt bizarre to not only care so much for someone but have those feelings returned. Being raised in the cold, emotionless environment of a Governor's palace is hardly ideal for learning how to be properly compassionate.

"I'll let you think on what to do next on your own, until then, awake, my child." The world went black, and for a moment Governess was deeply confused. That is until she felt something… soft against her back, like a bed. She soon realized she was lying down, and an itch was quickly growing in her chest.

She forced open her eyes, staring blearily up at the pale ceiling over her head. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her eyes of the blurriness that made it so difficult to see. With a groan, she turned her head to look off to one side. There stood, or kneeling in two of their cases, three people.

The first was an older woman who she didn't recognize, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. The second was a young woman, perhaps around her age, that looked vaguely familiar.

Of course, blue and white robes along with thigh-high boots weren't exactly bizarre compared to some of the dress fashion one might find in Frontier Town.

Though Governess failed to see the tactical value of exposing one's thighs.

The young woman had a roundish face with bright, blue eyes, contrasting nicely with her long, flowing blond hair. A familiar pang of jealousy was lost as she regarded the last of the trio.

Deathtrooper was kneeled at her bedside as well, next to the familiar young woman. He, however, looked a stark contrast to the usually severe and professional self. His face was stained in equal parts coal dust a tear tracks, the latter of which looked relatively fresh. His eyes, which were puffy and red likely part in thanks to his tears, displayed a collection of emotions. The first she noted was a concoction of anger, sadness, and self-loathing, but once she turned to fully look at him those emotions were dwarfed by two new ones; surprise and joy.

She cracked a wry smile, which suddenly felt as if it had taken all of her remaining energy.

"You lot look like a funeral procession, who died?"


Her voice was low and rugged, punctuated by a cough that spewed black dust everywhere. DT-227 was, however, unaffected by that, merely staring wide-eyed at the young woman he had been so certain was dead mere moments before.

He barely had time to register what he was doing before he basically leaped across the distance that separates them, embracing her tightly to his cold, dust-covered chest. She let out a yelp of surprise, followed by heavier coughing that expelled even more dust.

He shook, fearful that she would vanish and that was all some delusion his brain made for him to cope, but as a couple of minutes passed, he found she was still there. Confused and only slightly amused, but there nonetheless.

He hesitantly released her, falling back onto his rear and just staring at her in disbelief.

"Miss me?" She asked, her voice sounding less rugged but much more tired as if she had just run a marathon.

"You're alive," A master of observation he was not, "You're…" Words escaped him, his brain barely even able to comprehend what he was seeing. DT-227 knew magic existed in this world, it had saved his own life apparently, but to see it work, so see it rip someone from the grip of death.

It was surreal.

"What, think I was going to die on you? I'm stung by the assumption." She deadpanned, though a smirk betrayed her true emotions. DT-227 shook his head, new tears threatening to spill. These were not sad ones, though. It was tears of joy that were threatening to break him once more.

"I thought you were going to die…" He stated, lowering his gaze and staring, absently at the floor, "I thought I had lost you…"

"Oi," Governess snapped, and when DT-227 didn't look up, "Look at me!"

He, hesitantly, looked up to meet her eyes, and though she looked exhausted there was a certain fire in them.

"I don't intend to die any time soon, soldier, so cut the tear-jerking rancor shit. You're no fun like this, emotional doesn't suit you." Despite his depleted relief, the man cracked a wry smile.

"Good, I loathe to admit it, but having to fight while lugging you around was a right pain in the ass." DT-227 countered, earning a glare from Governess.

"Are you insinuating something about my weight?"

"Insinuate? Me?" He sounded aghast, though his smile betrayed him. Governess rolled her eyes and instead turned her attention upon the other occupants of the room.

"Are you going to introduce me to our goods hosts?" Governess asked, propping her head up on one arm while looking to DT-227's right. Confused, the man turned and remembered that the old woman and girl were still here, the former watching on with amusement as the latter did so with shock.

He darted forwards, bringing the young woman into an embrace before he had a chance to compose himself. She let out a squeak, a far softer, cuter sound than whatever Governess had made with her mutilated throat.

"Thank you, I owe you a great debt for saving her." He stated as she, with on delicate hand, patted him lightly on the back.

"I-It's okay, I was merely doing my job," Her voice was high and slightly musical in a sense, very delicate compared to Governesses more cultured tone.

DT-227 released her and dropped to a knee, bowing his head.

"Call upon me at any time, I will repay my debt even if it kills me." She made a slightly embarrassed sound and was only further driven to blushing as Governess agreed.

"Likewise on my part, sans the dying. I don't want mister big-bad special forces here to become a blubbering mess."

"Piss off."

"No, you." Governess retorted, laying her head back down. DT-227 hummed for a second before turning and regarding her again.

"Real mature," He deadpanned, turning his intense gaze back upon the flustered young lady.

"Aren't I?"

"I-I- Y-You don't owe me anything!" The young woman squeaked again. DT-227 found it rather impressive that she could argue with them as such, given that she seemed to barely be able to talk to them. DT-227 would not relent, however, looking up at her face.

The young woman, whose porcelain features had been turned red in her embarrassment, was now coated in a thin layer of black where she had touched his armor.

"On my honor as a Deathtrooper-"

"What honor-"

"Shut up, I swear that I will serve any purpose you require of me. Be it a dungeon, or fighting another demon, I will do it. You saved her, and that's worth my life and then some." Perhaps it was his tone or the hard look in his eyes, but the young woman merely nodded rapidly, trying to look anywhere by at her face.

She was spared any more embarrassment by the opening of the room's door. DT-227 regarded the man who stepped through with a critical eye, not intentionally it was just something he had learned to do naturally.

The man was tall, not as much as he was but still over six foot. He was dressed, much like DT-227 himself, head-to-toe in armor. It was a dark, metallic grey with a number of scratches along its already filthy frame. The helmet, which had the most bizarre visor he had ever seen given that it couldn't move, completely his face from view. There was little style or color to is, bar a rather battered red plume coming out from the back, and the lining of fur around certain parts of the armor.

As for weapons, he was running a little light. DT-227 lived by the Imperial doctrine of "There is no such thing as too much firepower". This man, however, was armed with a small, circular shield, to what its name was DT-227 didn't know, a short sword and an assortment of throwing knives.

"Are the goblins in the mineshaft dead?" DT-227 blinked, it had been so long since he was subjected to the brusque, no-nonsense tone of a soldier, not since he had arrived. He easily fell in line, rising and wiping his face clean of any emotion.

"In the mineshaft, guaranteed. Many may have escaped the carnage inside," It was a cool, direct response. The man gave a small, barely noticeable nod before abruptly turning and making to walk away.

"Wait," DT-227 said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder, "I started this job, I'm going to finish it." The newcomer turned, regarding the Deathtrooper from behind his visor for a moment.

"Very well," The man responded, waiting as Deathtrooper looked back at Governess. The young woman raised one coal-stained eyebrow.

"I'm in no position to help, get out of here and finish those little green bastards off." He responded with a smile and a nod, taking his helmet and the shorter of the two rifles. It likely didn't have much left in terms of ammo, but it would suffice in case any real problems arose. He pulled his helmet on, listening to the familiar hiss of the seal as the HUD came back to life. It quickly did some readings, complaining about the fact that the suit was filthy, before confirming he was of acceptable health.

"Let's go," DT-227 said, flicking a switch on the side of his blaster. It whined to life, drawing confused looks from the old woman and girl, but the man merely nodded. Without a word, he turned to walk out the door, DT-227 right behind him, when he stopped.

"No," He turned, not speaking to DT-227 but to the girl behind him, "You stay here, watch her."

"But-" Started the girl, but it seemed that whatever look the man gave her from behind his visor properly silenced her. With a small nod, the man led DT-227 out of the house and past the young woman whom he had just saved a few short hours ago. She smiled slightly and dipped her head in thanks, a nod he returned slightly as the pair stepped out onto the dark street.

Still silent, the man led DT-227 through the town and in the direction of the mineshaft he had just left not too long ago. The only sound, at least according to the audio receptors on his helmet, was the crunch beneath their feet and the fair sound of an owl in the distance.

As they approached the mine, DT-227 stopped.

"Wait," He said, the man also stopping and turning to face him. Wordlessly, DT-227 detached an orb from his belt and, upon hitting a few buttons, threw it into the air.

"Doing a scan of the local area," He explained to the still silent man, "It'll tell us where the goblins are."

"I see," Responded the man simply, showing no sign of confusion or disbelief. It was relaxing as much as it was infuriating, after all, most people were stunned by his technology and weapons and asked numerous questions about how they worked and where he found them.

After a few minutes, the orb fell back to the ground, relaying all that it had seen to DT-227's HUD as it did so.

"There are five remnant groups of goblins, follow me," DT-227 stated in short order, taking the lead. The man merely followed silently, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword while the other swung at his side.

They walked for a few moments before DT-227 spotted the goblins through the dim. His old combat protocols took over, he put up a fist and knelt down. The man followed suit after a moment, likely watching in confusion as DT-227 signed several orders silently. A moment of silence followed before he remembered this man had no idea what any of that meant.

"Sorry, six goblins ahead, two armed with ranged weapons and the rest with a mix of spears and blades. Hold there," DT-227 indicated a few feet from where the wooded area let out into the small clearing around the cavern opening, "I'll put down the ranged and as many of the rest as I can, but when they reach you you're free to attack." It didn't occur to DT-227 that he had, basically, demanded a stranger follow his every order. Thankfully, the man merely obeyed as slunk forwards, hiding behind a tree and nodding to DT-227.

The Deathtrooper raised his blaster, bringing the first goblin into his sights. With a breath, he fired. A crimson bolt sailed across the woods, but before it was even halfway, a second one followed it.

The first goblin toppled backward, its face now a mess of seared flesh. The other didn't even have time to turn before the second bolt made it a twin of its fallen comrade. DT-227 managed one more shot before the goblins quickly cleared the distance between them. The goblin fell with a cry of agony, its chest smoking from the super-heated bolt.

The other three made it to the tree line, but they made it no further. The events that followed made DT-227 wonder if he was, perhaps, treating the goblins as too little a threat.

The man darted from the tree was hiding from, bashing the first goblin away with his shield. As it shouted in surprise and agony, the man speared the next through the head with his sword. The third shrieked, leaping at the man before being cut down by his blade. Its body flew past him, streaming blood as it tumbled along the ground. The final one rose, looking split between retreating and attacking, but DT-227 didn't give it a choice.

Having approached during the carnage, he positioned himself behind the goblin and, with the help of a fiber wire, choked the life out of it in a brutal fashion. Holding it up off the ground by a few feet, he watched emotionlessly as the goblin clawed at the wire and screamed with its pitiful, inhuman voice.

After a few moments, the many small razors embedded in the wire itself killed the goblin.

"Two," Stated the man as he flicked some of the blood off of his sword before sheathing it. DT-227, wondering if the man lacked the ability to count, checked his HUD again.

"The next group it this way, on me," He ordered, raising his blaster and walking back into the woods. The man merely grunted in response, following at a cautious pace. They walked in total silence before, eventually, reaching the next set of goblins.

There were five this time around, only one with a bow. DT-227 fell to a knee, once again signaling for the man to do the same.

"Same deal, there," He indicated to a large bush nearby with a hand, his blaster trained on the goblin armed with a bow. The man obeyed instantly, slinking over to the aforementioned tree and kneeling down, awaiting the signal. DT-227 brought the scope back to his eyes, and after a moment of pause, fired. The bolt put the archer down instantly, but when he tried to fire again, it was to no avail. The blaster hissed, empty.

"Damn…" He uttered, watching the four remaining goblins charge his position with furious howls. The man broke cover, cleanly decapitating the first as it ran over. Following his twist with a spin, he avoided a spear and ran that goblin through with his bloodied sword. DT-227 quickly ran to join his temporary comrade in arms, unsheathing the Elven blade on his hip. It glowed in the darkness, drawing the attention of the remaining two beady-eyed goblins. Instead of reacting in anger like their kin in the mineshaft, they screamed in terror and tried to retreat.

An interesting reaction, but DT-227 wasn't so inclined to allow them a chance to escape. Closing the distance in but a few bounds, his gleaming blade cleaving its way through the goblins' frail necks their last expression and thoughts likely that of terror.

DT-227 rose as their bodies toppled to the ground. He turned towards the man, cleaning his blade of the blood as he did so.

"Come, we've got a few more to hit." The man merely nodded, sheathing his own blade once again.

The duo made their way to the next two collections of goblins, finding nothing out of the ordinary and dispatching those collected with practiced ease. DT-227 grew more impressed with his temporary comrade, his skill with the blade and the creative ways in which he dispatched goblins was something to be admired.

They arrived at the final group, this one being the largest. A dozen regular goblins and the far larger 'Hob'. The 'Hob' sat, leaning against a wall and enjoying the succulent flesh of an animal DT-227 couldn't quite place. The others were gathered in small pockets

"Figure you could take the normal goblins?" DT-227 asked. He didn't doubt the man's abilities, but even the weakest foe in large numbers could be a threat to the most skilled of warriors, evidenced by the Clone Wars.

"Yes," The man, as usual, responded simply. DT-227 nodded, drawing his sword and slinking off to the left, still covered by the forest.

"Draw their attention," DT-227 ordered, "I'll take care of the big guy."

Not waiting for a response, he continued to slink, stepping carefully and as silently as he could manage. None of the goblins seemed to be paying attention much, more focused on their lingering coughs and eating.

DT-227 paused when he drew close to the 'Hob', which also was far too focused on its meal to be looking out for an attack. DT-227 didn't have to wait for long, mere moments after he stopped, the man stepped from his cover.

He moved fast, faster than DT-227 would have expected someone of his build and wearing that armor would be capable of. His sword, old and covered in gore, gracefully slashed apart the two nearest goblins, killing them before they even realized they were under attack.

The rest of the goblins were roused, realizing almost too late that their kin had just fallen. With a collection of shrieks that DT-227 could only assume to be warcries, they dove at the man. He cleaved through them, butchering them like animals with practiced ease and skill.

The 'Hob' had risen as well, grabbing the large club at its side and leering at the man carving its smaller kin apart. DT-227 didn't give it the chance to join the fray, dashing over to its and plunging his sword into its chest.

It roared in anger and pain as the blade, presumably, pierced its heart.

When it didn't die, DT-227 realized he may have been a little off the mark.

It backhanded him away, DT-227 managing to land in such a manner that he could roll back to his feet. The 'Hob' tried to pull the blade in its chest out, and it was the that DT-227 realized there was some sort of steam rolling out of the wound. When it grabbed the sword with its offhand, it hissed as the flesh was burnt by some unseen force.

DT-227 didn't waste those precious moments just observing, however. He closed the distance, jumping into the air and landing a vicious punch to its jaw. The unexpected attack combined with DT-227's physical prowess sent the 'Hob' tumbling backward into the wall it had just been sitting up against. It caught itself, but this did little to improve its situation.

DT-227's leg kicked into the back of its left leg, driving it down to one knee as his other leg swung higher, nailing it in the face. The force of the hit sent it falling backward, landing on its back with a loud thud. DT-227 straddled it, landing a flurry of brutal punches to its already maimed face. To finish his show of strength and violence, DT-227 freed his sword from its chest and drive it into the 'Hob's face. Its struggles were immediately silenced, allowing DT-227 to rise and take a step back from its body.

He turned towards the man, who had seemingly killed all his goblins and took to watching the display.

"Impressive," His tone of voice didn't change, but somehow DT-227 felt the man was being earnest.

"Thanks," DT-227 responded in kind, walking over to the mouth of the cave. The man met him there, peering in.

"There may be more goblins inside," Was all he offered before attempting to crawl into the hole. DT-227, however, had a better idea. He grabbed the man's shoulder and pulled him back, freeing one of his Thermal Detonators from its latch on his belt.

"I've got a better idea," DT-227 stated with a smirk, something that likely didn't translate well to his emotionless helmet and slightly distorted voice. When the man didn't respond, DT-227 activated the Detonator and threw it in.

"Now run." And so they did.

The duo didn't make it more than five meters when a deafening explosion shook the very ground beneath them, nearly toppling them. Fire erupted from the opening of the cavern, frying the corpses of the goblins. This likely occurred at all the other openings, thus killing any poor fool still trapped inside.

What could he say, coal dust mixed with semi-large explosives made a really big boom.

"There," DT-227 stated, offering a hand to the man after getting up himself, "Problem solved."

The man merely hummed in response, accepting DT-227's hand and allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. They took a moment to admire their work, the fire had already died down due to a lack of fuel and had, thankfully, not reached the wooded area.

"We should probably check to ensure none of the other entrances set the forest on fire." The man nodded. They set out, quickly checking each area. Only one had the starting of a fire, but some dirt, their boots, and a fire-retardant grenade solved that problem.

Finally finished with their task, DT-227 and the man made their way back to town, their only light being the moon high in the sky. After some time passed in absolute silence, DT-227 initiated a conversation.

"I'm DT- Deathtrooper, by the way," DT-227 stated, speaking over his shoulder as he walked. The man seemed to pause a bit on that before responding.

"Goblin Slayer." DT-227 had a double-take at that, studying the man behind him with a more critical eye. Goblin Slayer was, after all, infamous at the Guild for the fact that he only ever took goblin quests and wore rather trashy armor. He could understand many of their gripes, apparently gaining 'silver ranking' was a challenge and he got it from just killing a sizable sum of goblins.

When Governess had asked Guild Girl what 'sizable sum' meant, the woman bashfully admitted they had stopped counting after four-hundred.

"Goblin Slayer, eh? I've heard a lot about you around the guild."

"I see," And the silence returned at that. Somehow, it felt right.


They reached the home, finding the old woman seated in the living room with the girl's head laying on her lap. They seemed to have been talking before DT-227 and Goblin Slayer entered.

"Ah, Sirs Deathtrooper and Goblin Slayer, I assume the goblins are dead." The old woman asked, evidently having learned their names from the duo's companions in the other room.

"Yes," Responded both of them, immediately and simultaneously. It was rather jarring, but neither seemed inclined to acknowledge what had transpired. The old woman looked between them, bemused for a moment before shaking her head.

"Very well, your girls are in the other room. They've been washed up, and I must ask you to do the same." Her voice, though kindly, made it clear she would accept no excuses. DT-227 dipped his head in understanding, he merely wanted to check in on Governess before going and finding a well to clean his armor.

They walked past the woman and the girl, entering the room where Governess and Priestess were.

The latter, who spun around with a small squeak, was dressed in black shorts and a matching blouse. Likely what she wore under her now stained robes, something DT-227 was apologetic for. In the bed, which looked to have had its bedding changed, was Governess. Her eyes were closed and gave no sign that she had heard them enter or was even awake.

"Are the goblins dead?" Priestess asked while ringing her fingers, clearly worried about the well-being of her partner.

"Yes," Answered Goblin Slayer simply, who was setting down his weapon and shield.

"Then it's safe to assume that the explosion was your work?" Governess suddenly spoke up, neither opening her eyes nor moving. Priestess rounded on her, stemming her fists into her hips and puffing up her cheeks.

"You're supposed to be asleep!"

"'Supposed to be' and 'am' are two vastly different statements," Governess responded, rolling over and propping up her head with one hand.

"To answer your question, yes. The mineshaft has been dealt with, though I doubt there's much left," DT-227 elaborated, setting down his blaster. Governess gave a solemn nod before letting out a large yawn.

"M'kay. Well, I'm going to get some sleep, g'night." She rolled over again, now facing the wall and putting her back to them. Priestess unrolled a sleeping bag, furrowing into it with a sigh of contentment.

"I'm going to wash up," DT-227 announced to Goblin Slayer, who gave a small nod. DT-227 left him, standing there in the middle of the room. The old woman and girl were still talking as he reappeared, falling silent as he walked by and stepped outside.

It was a short trek to the nearest well. DT-227 knocked the bucket it, letting it fill with water before raising it back up.

It was a challenge, clearing his armor of all the grime and coal as he couldn't bloody see any of it. So long as the water kept coming back as black, though, he would assume his job wasn't finished.

As he worked, DT-227 regarded what he had thus far seen from Goblin Slayer.

He was male and young, that much was clear just from his size and his voice, but he still held the skill and viciousness of a much older man. The way in which he killed goblins spoke volumes on how he felt about goblins. There was anger in his swings, each one far too vicious for something as weak and simple as a goblin. It was less him trying to ensure the goblin was dead and more him wanting to do as much damage, cause as much pain as he could before it died.

DT-227 couldn't pretend he could understand the man's anger, based on what he had seen thus far, goblins were detestable creatures that should be exterminated. Had it been someone he loved that suffered beneath their machinations? He would, likely, never know nor was it any of his business. This man evidently believed goblins to be the scum of this planet, and DT-227 wasn't hesitant to agree with him.

With his armor now clean, DT-227 set to work on his face and mesh. His min moved from Goblin Slayer to the girl, Priestess if memory served. She looked the same as she had when they first met in the forest so long ago, though seemingly less fearful. She had cowered before him when they first met, and while she seemed wary of him there was less terror in her gaze. Perhaps it was spending time with a man named 'Goblin Slayer' that jaded her to the intimidation factor other people held?

She seemed to care about him, though if those affections were merely as friends or something more DT-227 would likely never truly know. He still couldn't read people's affections all that well.

Those feelings, whatever they were, were not returned in any way that DT-227 could tell. Of course, the man's stoic nature and emotionless voice tended to make it hard to tell what he was thinking. At least while fighting DT-227 could read what he felt.


"No," DT-227 groaned inwardly as he tried to argue with the hard-headed woman before him for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Ma'am, we are already being paid by the Guild, you letting us stay here was not necessary-" DT-227 tried, once again, to argue, but it was to no avail. She had offered them food, but DT-227 refused. It was, after all, bad taste to continue abusing her hospitality as such. She put her foot down when he offered to pay her on top of that.

"I don't know what paltry amount the Guild is paying you, but whatever it is isn't worth the life of my Granddaughter! Letting you four stay here is the very least I can do."

"Ma'am-"

"Don't you 'ma'am' me, young man. Your intimidating suit and startling height may have other people agreeing with you without argument, but I'm putting my foot down! You're lucky I'm letting you out without food. Now, off, shoo." She waved him off towards the door, the Deathtrooper equal parts annoyed and amused as he complied.

The rest of his small band were waiting outside, properly washed and cleaned of the coal he and Governess had spread. Bar Priestess, whose robes would require far more intensive care than whatever could be offered in this town. She was instead wearing a nondescript grey cloak that was pulled tightly around her form.

She had been talking rather amicably with Governess when he approached.

"Come on, our cart is waiting for us," He said, pulling his helmet back on and letting the HUD reactivate. The group only respond with nods, trailing behind him as DT-227 led the way.

Much of the town approached to say their goodbyes, many looking up at DT-227 with reverence and only a slight amount of fear. The women he had saved did approach him, either offering a small bow or some outright hugging him. DT-227 grimaced under his helmet, it didn't help his image if people were so comfortable around him. The point of their armor was to be as unsettling as possible.

"Governess, can you show these two to the cart?" DT-227 suddenly remembered something as he spied the 'guardhouse'.

"Sure, why?" The young woman asked as DT-227 broke off from the group.

"I need to talk with the captain of the guard." Governess merely hummed in response before leading the other two further down the road.

DT-227 walked up to the door, knocking on it before entering. The interior was as he remembered it to be, down to the guard that was still fast asleep in the room.

Hell, he was still in the same position.

DT-227 spotted the captain of the guard waiting at his desk, looking up at the disturbance with a grim expression. DT-227 approached him, kicking the leg of the sleeping man's bed as he passed and waking the heavy sleeper. Despite his rather serious demeanor, the captain of the guard cracked a slight smile as the bewildered guard looked around.

"I assume the goblins have been completely dealt with, then?" The captain asked as DT-227 stopped at his desk, looking up at the empty helmet.

"They are, your guard was dead, though. Seemed the goblins got the jump on him. I left his body up near the entrance." The captain sighed at DT-227's words, dropping his head for a moment.

"Poor bastard… Thank you regardless for your service. I haven't anything to pay you with, but I assume the Guild has a reward for you…?" At DT-227's nod, he continued, "Alright. Thank you, you have done this town a great service."

DT-227 offered the man a small bow, leaving without another word.

He found the others already aboard the cart, awaiting his arrival.

"All's well, sir Deathtrooper?" The driver asked, sitting cross-legged in his seat and eyeing DT-227 as the man approached.

"As it can be, when you're ready."

"Aye, sir." DT-227 clambered up into the protected cart, sitting down next to Governess and opposite Priestess.

"What did you need to talk to the Guard Captain for?" Governess asked as the cart lurched, setting off back to Frontier Town.

"I just told him were his guard was," DT-227 explained, removing his helmet and setting it off to one side. It felt slightly… strange, seeing as Priestess and Goblin Slayer were complete strangers and he rarely took his helmet off in the first place. However, a gut feeling told him they were trustworthy, and he tended to believe in his gut.

"Oh…" Governess's seemingly good mood was squashed as she remembered the dead guard in front of the mineshaft. Silence reigned for a few moments as the group sat, lost in their own thoughts.

Right when it started to get awkward, Priestess spoke, her face slightly flushed from embarrassment and her eyes averted from DT-227's.

"U-Um… Deathtrooper, m-may I ask you a question?" He raised an eyebrow but waved a hand signaling that it was, indeed, alright. She swallowed nervously before continuing, "A-Around the Guild, what people call you seems to change between D-Deathtrooper and… Demon Slayer."

DT-227 cringed inwardly at the monicker many had given him as if his already bizarre looks didn't attract enough attention as is.

"That they do," He could see her question bubbling up, but he wasn't exactly for giving her an answer without a question. He wouldn't outright lie to or refuse to answer her question, but not before she asked.

She seemed to think about asking him for a few minutes before blurting out her question when her curiosity grew too much.

"Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you kill a… a D-Demon." Even Goblin Slayer seemed to pay attention at this, peering over at DT-227 with an unreadable expression.

Quite literally, he was wearing a helmet, after all.

DT-227 mulled over the question for a moment, making it look as if he were deep in thought.

"I guess you could say I-"

"If you count suicidally throwing oneself at the blades of a massive demon in a vain attempt to suicide bomb it," Governess completely blindsided him, "Then yes, he did."

Despite her slight embarrassment and fear over asking such a question, Priestess couldn't stop the snort that rose up at Governess's rather blunt delivery. Goblin Slayer didn't react, however, bar tilting his head ever so slightly to one side.

"I wasn't trying to suicide bomb myself," DT-227, his earlier fearsomeness and prestige ruined, defended weakly, "I merely tried to close the distance, as my blaster had no effect, and place a Detonator beneath its armor."

"Which led to you nearly being split in half, good plan," Governess mocked good-naturedly, her smile only growing as DT-227 scowled down at her. Before she could comment, however, a low rumble came from the young woman across from DT-227. All eyes fell on Priestess, who covered her stomach and began blushing anew.

"I forgot, none of us have eaten anything today," DT-227 stated, putting up a finger. He reached into one of the bandolier compartments, freeing four ration bars. Governess cringed, a feeling DT-227 more than agreed with given his own dealings with these thrice-damned bars. No matter how many he used, there always seemed to be an abundance of them. The more of real food he ate, the more horrid they seemed to taste in comparison. They, unlike the local foods, held a large number of proteins and nutrients to assist him until the evening meal.

The problem with the local foods, as his helmet spared no time lamenting, was its lake of nutritional value. The food, much like the culture, seemed thoroughly trapped in some sort of prehistoric period. What to do about this, DT-227 did not know… Perhaps time would give him a solution in due time?

The bars were handed out and opened, Priestess studying the dull, tan bar with curiosity as Governess and DT-227 scowled down at them. With a shared glance of deep sadness, they bit down. Both shuddered as the brittle bar shattered between their teeth. Priestess, much like anyone who first tried the bars, choked and nearly dropped hers.

"W-What is this?!" She sputtered, forcing herself to swallow the small bit she had taken. DT-227 offered a lopsided smile, lifting one of the wrappers.

"Ration Bars, enough to power the average person for the better part of a day and the worst tasting thing this side of the planet," DT-227 explained, setting it back down and looking to Goblin Slayer.

His mind suddenly pulled a blank as he witnessed the man had already gone through half his bar, which was slipped sideways through his helmet. DT-227 blinked a few times as the man ate the bar without some much as a shudder.

"Could be worse," Was all he offered as a comment, biting into it once more. DT-227 and Governess slowly turned to give Priestess questioning looks, who seemed both embarrassed and dolefully accepting.

"You get used to it."


"Ah, Goblin Slayer, Priestess… Oh, and Sir Deathtrooper, Lady Governess, I see you have all met!" Guild Girl, with her usual enthusiasm, greeted the quartet with a smile and twinkling eyes.

Goblin Slayer merely hummed in response as Priestess bowed respectfully to the older woman. DT-227, on the other hand, stepped up to the counter. With his helmet on, he looked every part the intimidating 'Demon Slayer' he was supposed to be.

"We finished the job," He stated, setting the contract down on the counter and pushing it towards her. The young woman accepted it, giving the paper a once over before smiling once again and setting it somewhere beneath her counter. She came back up with a small bag of coin, handing it over to the soldier.

"Here you are, Sir Deathtrooper, your payment." The man nodded his thanks, opening the bag and flinching at how little was inside. It would cover a day or two at the hotel, but no more. They would need to take another job soon…

He turned to speak to the trio only to find Goblin Slayer and Priestess walking away.

"Ah- Wait!" He walked over to the duo, who had turned back around to face him. He dumped roughly half of the coin into one hand and offered it to the duo.

"You're cut," DT-227 explained when neither made any move to take it.

"You took the job-"

"It's your-"

They both immediately tried to rebuff him, but DT-227 was having none of it. He pressed the coins closer, wishing his expression could get his point across. It was still, alas, trapped beneath his helmet.

"No, you two earned this. Governess wouldn't be alive if it hadn't been for you," He nodded to the flustered Priestess before turning his attention back to Goblin Slayer, "And I doubt I could have taken all those goblins on my own."

A lie, of course, even without a blaster he was so far out of those Goblins' league he was back on Coruscant. In an enclosed cavern they may hold an advantage, but in an open area with nowhere to hide? They didn't stand a chance.

Finally, Goblin Slayer relented, accepting the coins in one hand and splitting them even further with Priestess. DT-227 didn't mention the fact that Goblin Slayer subtly slipped Priestess more than he took for himself.

"Thank you," The words seemed to stun not only Priestess but everyone around them. A smile came to DT-227's face as he dipped his head to the other man.

"My pleasure. Until next we meet." With that, DT-227 returned to Governess.

"Come on, I want to do some maintenance on the blasters-" DT-227 stated as he passed her, headed for the door.

"Wait, DT…" DT-227 froze, turning to look over his shoulder at her. The young woman looked deeply uncomfortable and ashamed, not meeting his eyes.

"DT?" He repeated, sounding slightly amused.

"It's easier to say than 'Deathtrooper' all the time." She defended, a small pout on her face as she stated as much.

"That it is, as you were saying."

'Right, DT… I…" She fell silent, looking angry with herself for a few more moments before speaking, "I think you should go on the jobs without me, if only for now." The last part was added quickly at the end. DT-227 was surprised, whatever it was he had been expecting it wasn't this. She, who had been so gung-ho about tagging along with him, giving in?

"What?" He said before he could stop himself, sounding both like he was accusing her and sounding dumbfounded. She flinched but pressed on.

"I realized, after Priestess brought me back, that I had been nothing more than a hindrance during that entire operation. I was out of my depth, and I should have realized that. I shouldn't have forced you to bring me, to waste this last month training me, if anything had happened to you while protecting me down there-" She stopped, sucking it a breath and finally meeting his eyes with her tear-filled, but resolute, ones, "It sounds pathetic, but I'm not ashamed to admit it. DT, you're all I've got in this galaxy, my one friend and confidante. Like the cool uncle I never had, and far less perverted…" She paused at that before shaking her head. She met his eyes again, awaiting his response. DT-227 was, again, floored. She mirrored his own sentiment, bar the uncle thing. So lost in this thought, he responded by trying to defend her.

"You weren't a hindrance, Governess-"

"Yes, I was!" She snapped, louder than she was, evidently, intending as she flinched, "You were limited to one arm bulk of the tunnel, slowly destroying your lungs and yet you still moped the floor with them. You are so far out of my league, you may as well be back on Coruscant!"

"I… Are you sure about this?" He asked, softly this time. She sucked in a breath and nodded, her posture making it clear how resolute she was about this face. DT-227 sighed, kneeling down to her level.

"Well… Okay, if that's what you want. Do you want to stop the training, then?"

"No," She responded immediately, "Maybe in a few years, if we're here that long, I can be of use, but for now I'll train as I can."

A few years, that was a jarring thought.

"What will you do in the meantime, when I'm off working, that is?" Governess looked over at Guild Girl with a growing smirk, the woman in question looking both surprised and slightly worried at the look.

"Oh, I have a few ideas."