A/N: Apologies for posting the wrong chapter. Here is the chapter which should have been chapter 34. The continuation of the Odds & Sera saga. Odds and Sera are the brainchild of impoeia.
Ando
Chapter 34
Auset insisted on walking Sera all the way to her front door, though the baker assured her friend that she was fine.
"Sure you are," Auset had replied. "So fine, in fact, that you're shivering like a ship in a winter gale."
She hadn't really been able to say anything to do that - because she was shivering and not just from the cold swamp water and mud that was creeping through her protective layers of clothing - so she'd decided it would be best to keep her mouth shut.
Besides, it was nice to have company.
Auset was a delight to be with; she always knew the latest gossip and talked enough, so that Sera's silence was rarely observed. It was soothing to listen to Auset's voice.
Bet Sink feels the same way.
That thought, however, made her remember the one-armed clone they'd passed on their way back to town - the one Auset had called Odds - and her trembling increased. Just the thought of having another man - tall and well-muscled, strong no doubt, despite his missing arm - made her stomach clench into tight knots of anxiety. Lars had been tall and strong and when things had gotten really bad, she'd spent days trying to recover from the damage his strength had inflicted on her.
"Here we are."
Auset's bright voice brought her out of her misery and Sera glanced up, to find herself standing in front of her bakery.
A little "oh" of surprise escaped her.
Auset glanced at her friend worriedly. "You still with me, Sera?" she asked. "You're looking pretty pale."
"I'm alright," she mumbled and hastily searched her pockets for her keys. While Sera trusted that no one in Ando Town would take anything from the bakery - or from her living quarters above the bakery - she still locked up whenever she left, or when she went to bed.
Since the war, outlaws had been a growing problem and while they'd never overtly come to town - things sometimes went missing.
There wasn't much in the apartment that Sera would deem valuable enough to take - aside from sentimental value - but the supplies stored in the bakery were her responsibility and she took that seriously. Locking the doors was the least she could do to justify the trust placed in her, in keeping an eye on those supplies.
She got the front door open after a few tries - her fingers were frozen solid and her hands were shaking a bit - and she stepped gratefully into the warmth of the bakery.
Auset followed her inside, closing the door after her to keep out the wind. Sera looked back at her in surprise.
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your place, Auset?" Then, hastily, so as not to offend her friend, she added, "Practice should be over by now."
Auset leaned against the display counter, glancing surreptitiously at the meager goods, before turning back to Sera. "I won't keep you long; you look like you need a good soak."
Several, was more like, Sera thought, but she wasn't about to chase Auset out just so she could get a warm shower. Her friend obviously had something on her mind, but she did start divesting herself of her muddied coat and the heavy rubber fishing boots.
Auset watched this for a while, tapping one finger against the wooden counter, before saying, "You know, I think he was only joking."
Sera looked at the coat, wondering if it was worth saving. Her sweater was probably, like Auset had said, a lost cause. "Who was?" she asked distractedly.
"Odds," Auset explained and Sera stiffened, "the guy we met."
"Oh, him." She stared at the boots, concentrating on the steadily growing puddle around them, so that she didn't have to remember how his eyes had taken her in, measuring her, determining if she was acceptable.
"Yes, him. Listen, Sera," Auset pushed off from the display case, coming to stand next to her friend. She raised one arm, as if to put it around the other woman's shoulders, but given her muddied state, decided to spare her own clothes the mangling. "You know that Sink and I spend a lot of time together and, well," she grinned, flushing a little in pleasure, "not all of that time is spent in bed. We talk and one thing Sink likes to talk about almost as much as his scout days and plans for the future, is his brothers."
"That's nice," Sera said, noncommittally. She wasn't sure why Auset had started this conversation, but she had the sinking feeling that it wasn't going to end anywhere pleasant.
"It is," Auset said and despite the mud, she put a hand on Sera's shoulder, giving it a companionable squeeze. "And I've learned a lot as a result, including that Odds is a pretty decent man; funny, easy-going, talkative."
With each word, Sera hunched in a little further on herself. "Auset," she said and closed her eyes, her face pained, "please don't start."
"No," Auset said slowly. "Not that I don't think it wouldn't do you some good to get out more, but I know you're not ready." She smiled at Sera, who gave her a grateful - and sad - smile in return. Auset hadn't given up hope yet, but Sera had; she'd never be ready for another relationship.
"My point is," Auset went on, "is that by all accounts, Odds seems to be a good-hearted person, if a flirt. Which makes me think that he wasn't serious about what he said to you; it was just…" she waved her hand about for the right word, "reflex."
"I may have..." Sera said and bundled up her coat, deciding to give it a wash and a good airing out; it was a good coat and worth the effort of saving, ".. overreacted."
Auset frowned. "That's not exactly what I meant, Sera…" she began, but Sera cut her off with an apologetic smile.
"It's fine, Auset. I do need to shower." And she shivered demonstratively.
Auset nodded, though her eyes revealed that she was not convinced. "Alright. You go get cleaned up and I'll take care of this." The spark of triumph returned as she held up the bean they'd spent so many hours searching for.
After Sera's precipitous fall, they'd discovered an entire field of the precious beans, almost a kilometer wide. If there were more fields of such size close to the other nearby ice swamps, then their flour shortage might be taken care of, with a bit of careful management.
A thoughtful look crossed Auset's face as she studied the bean, which was as long as her middle finger, up to the second knuckle.
"You know, I think tomorrow, we should have a talk with Razor."
Sera, in the act of disappearing behind the counter and into the bakery kitchen, froze. "Wh-what? Why do you say that?"
While Razor fell into the same category as Sink - namely men whom Sera could talk to without breaking down into a stammering wreck - he was definitely not Sink. There was an intensity about Razor, even a sort of disdain, at times, that made her feel like a squall on the receiving end of a predator's gaze.
Auset, still concentrated on the bean, didn't notice that her friend had gone pale again. "Because we need to figure out how to harvest these little buggers. We can't just spend our slugging through ice swamps, pulling every bean out by hand and he's the inventor; just look at those mech chairs he had Tek and Gears build and the rig he's building for himself out of that old speeder bike. If anyone can come up with an idea, it'll be Razor."
She couldn't argue with that and didn't try to, but just the idea of a prolonged conversation with Razor exhausted her. Sera closed her eyes, leaning against the kitchen's door frame before nodding. "Alright."
I'll do it for the town. It's what we need.
Sera mumbled a goodbye to Auset before she dragged herself through the bakery kitchen, into the cramped hallway and up the stairs.
Once in her bedroom, she shed clothing with numb fingers. The cold had by now seeped into her bones and Sera could feel some of them begin to ache as old breaks were aggravated.
She steeled herself against the pain and the memories, and flicked on the light in the 'fresher, letting her ruined clothes lie in a big pile in the middle of the bedroom. Lars would have screamed at her for being so untidy; would have, no doubt, used his fists and worse to teach her the necessity of cleanliness, but she was too numbed to think about that. Lars was dead and she was too tired to pick up after herself right now. She turned on the shower, waiting until the 'fresher was nice and steamy before stepping beneath the spray of water.
The water was so wonderfully warm. It slid over her skin soothingly and Sera hung her head, letting it wash the mud out of her hair. She rolled her neck and reached for the body soap, determinately scrubbing herself clean of the swamp smell.
# # #
Auset had made good on her threat and she was on Sera's doorstep bright and early.
"You ready?" she wanted to know.
"I guess so," Sera said hesitantly and closed the door behind her.
Auset gave her a good once-over, a look of dismay crossing her beautiful face. "Another sweater, Sera? Really?"
"It's cold," Sera defended, while the two made their way to Auset's speeder. Fuel, like pom flour and sugar, was rationed but Auset had received a higher share to take Sink where he needed to go.
"This is Ando; it's always cold. That doesn't mean you always have to run around dressed like a fisherman, shrunk to half his size in his last bath and too lazy to have his clothes adjusted."
Despite herself, Sera giggled at the image Auset had painted. Her friend brightened in response; it wasn't often that one got to see Sera's more lighthearted side. Then her expression turned more serious, and she gently bumped Sera's hip with her own. "I'm serious, though, Sera. You must have something else in that closet of yours. I know; I helped you choose some of it."
"Those things aren't appropriate for today," Sera put in weakly, sliding into the passenger seat.
Auset humphed. "And when are they appropriate?"
"Things we rarely have, and when we do, you don't go." Auset pointed out and started the speeder.
Sera slumped a little in her seat. "I could," she whispered, her voice so low it was almost inaudible over the hum of the speeder's repulsors.
Auset risked a quick glance at her friend and tried to hide her relieved smile; there'd been just that tiny note of wistfulness in her friend's voice. "Yes," she said, almost as quietly, "you could."
It didn't take them long to reach Tiruna's house. Auset had called ahead last night, warning Tiruna that she'd have visitors and the elderly woman was already on her stoop, waiting for them.
She smiled warmly at the two women and Sera managed a shy smile in return.
Tiruna had been a frequent visitor to the bakery for the past two months. She'd been appalled at the state Razor had been in and had made it her mission to "feed the boy up to something proper". This self-appointed mission had included almost daily visits to Sera's bakery, where Tiruna would browse the display counter, before settling on a bite-sized something that Razor had not tried yet.
It had turned into a kind of game for Sera, with the goal to create new treats for Tiruna to buy and surprise Razor with, with the limited supplies she had at her disposal.
"Sera. Auset. It's so good to see you. Come in, come in," and Tiruna gestured them inside the house. "Razor's been up already for hours. He's in the living room, pouring over his datapad again.
Sera stopped next to Tiruna, fishing out a small plasticlear container from one pocket, before divesting herself of her coat - a different coat, as the other was still recovering from its close encounter with an ice swamp.
"I brought this for you and Killtric and… Razor." She half mumbled the name, but Tiruna didn't seem to mind.
Her broad face lit up and she took the container thankfully. "But I didn't order anything," she said, half in protest and half in puzzlement. "Oh!" Inside the container was a small cake, about a handspan in width - it was as big as Sera dared to go, considering their dwindling supplies, but she didn't think anyone would begrudge this small kindness. She'd laced the dark batter with some of last year's nuts and honey and the rich scent drifted up out of the container in a thick cloud.
"Oh, Sera, this is wonderful. Razor will be delighted. How much…"
Sera quickly cut her off. "It's a gift," she put in, so fast that the words blurred together a little. "J-just a thank you," she added, blushing and stuttering in embarrassment, "for Razor's help."
Tiruna raised an eyebrow. "Well, he hasn't helped you yet, but this," and she took a whiff of the tiny cake in its container, "should be adequate incentive. I'll get started on some caf."
Tiruna bustled ahead of them, Auset and Sera following obediently. Auset playfully elbowed Sera.
"You didn't bake me a cake for my help," she whispered, in mock-hurt.
Sera smiled at her friend and elbowed her back. "What help? If I remember correctly, you let me fall face-first into an ice swamp."
Auset snickered, which caused Razor to look up from where he'd been half-reclining on his biobed.
The smile remained on Sera's face - she did like Razor - but she nonetheless edged a little behind Auset for cover.
"Hello," Razor greeted them politely, but his eyes were already darting to the small container in Tiruna's hands. "How are you?" The question was polite, but both women could see that he was thoroughly distracted by the tantalizing scent of the cake.
All three smiled, Tiruna and Auset - intimately familiar with a clone's sweet tooth - shared an indulgent look.
"Later," Tiruna told him, pointing at the cake. "Work first, then the reward."
"Right." Razor smiled sheepishly, but couldn't quite hide his disappointment as he glanced back at Sera and Auset. From his expression, it was clear that he'd rather follow Tiruna to the kitchen than stay here with them.
"Tiruna mentioned last night that you two wanted to talk to me?" He frowned. "Something about building something?"
"Yes and yes," Auset said, easily taking the lead. The two settled around a small table set close to Razor's biobed. The surface was covered with flimsi, datapads and writing implements, slightly modified so that Razor's weakened hands could manage them.
Auset pulled up a single plate - the few spare crumbs indicating it might be the sole survivor of Razor's breakfast - and took out a small specimen jar from a pocket. She took the bean out of the jar and dropped it onto the plate.
"We need your help with this," she said.
Razor looked at the bean, then back up at them; his furrowed brow and lowered eyebrows hinting at disappointment and a slight impatience. "I'm not exactly an expert on growing things," he told them then nodded at Auset. "I believe that's your specialty."
"We don't need you to grow it." Auset waved that off impatiently. "They grow plentiful enough on their own. What we need you for is harvesting."
This time, the eyebrows traveled upwards and his brown eyes narrowed. He scrutinized them both, as if trying to figure out if they were making fun of him. "Can't say I'd be much help in that, either," he said and nodded sharply at his injured body, rendered more or less totally immobile from mid-chest down.
Auset blew out a breath. "You're not making this easy, Razor," she admonished. "Now listen up and let me explain."
She did, explaining to him all about their pom flour shortage, how important it was for the town to find an alternative, because they could not do without. At the mention of a serious food shortage, Razor's slightly bored look melted into one of genuine concern and he listened with growing intensity as Auset went on about their Andoan bean and how it might solve at least one of their problems.
Sera was, thankfully, not required to do more than nod at the appropriate places. While she'd grown somewhat used to Razor and the other paraplegics, that did not mean that being in their presence was all that easy. At times, when she studied his face through the curtain of her red curls, she felt a shudder go through her; not because of his injuries, but because he was a man and within easy striking distance. At regular intervals, she had to remind herself that Razor wasn't physically able to strike her, even if he wanted to.
It shamed her to think it, because it somehow belittled the man's accomplishments, but it helped calm her nerves somewhat.
"So," Auset asked eagerly at the end of her explanation. "Do you think you could come up with something?"
Razor peered down at the bean lying all by its lonesome on a plate in the middle of the table. The former pilot sniffed.
"You want me to design something that can harvest that?" He sounded skeptical, but not at all unwilling.
Sera, wanting to contribute something useful, tried to speak up, but all that came out was an incoherent mumbled, which caused her face to flush and drew Razor's attention.
"Could you repeat that?" he asked her, his somewhat stern face taking on a kinder cast. All the paralyzed clones knew about Sera's dreadful shyness and treated her with care and consideration. It warmed her heart, even as it confused her. Sera was no longer used to a man being considerate of her feelings.
She tried to repeat what she'd said, but already her tongue felt heavy and tied into a dozen different knots; her shyness hard at work. Sera glanced at Auset, seeking her help; she could always rely on Auset to help her.
Which reminded her of yesterday and the way she'd cowered behind her friend after the trooper - Odds - had tried to come on to her. The memory did nothing settle her agitated nerves and Sera could feel the last bit of her self-assurance falter and die.
Luckily, Auset jumped in before the silence could grow into awkwardness; as Sera knew she would.
"The important thing," Auset said, "is that we need to harvest these little buggers in bulk and in a timely fashion. The ground around the ice swamps freezes up fast and the window of opportunity is relatively small, unless you want to dig through a layer of deep-frozen ground. But the harvesting has to be done gently enough so as not to harm the other plants. Those frozen swamps have a delicate ecosystem, you know."
"No, I didn't know," he admitted. He reached out to touch the bean, managing the gesture with credible grace. "You do understand that I know absolutely nothing about farm equipment. I'm a pilot."
"And a first-class inventor," Tiruna added, as she bustled into the living room with a tray of drinks. She'd remained out of sight and out of the way for the length of Auset's explanation, giving them some privacy to discuss matters. Now she set her tray down and Sera's nose twitched at the scent of caf. Her morning's cup had been a while ago.
Tiruna patted Razor affectionately on the shoulder, her smile proud and confident. "I'm sure you'll come up with whatever is needed."
Razor smiled at her affectionately. Sera, glancing from one to the other, had to smile herself. They look just like mother and son, she thought and felt her heart lift for Tiruna and Killtric. The couple had been unable to have children of their own and though, to Sera's knowledge, this had not strained or broken their marriage as it might have done to others, the absence of any children in their lives had been a real regret. Razor was the balm to their pain and she was happy for all three of them.
And at the same time, she had to wonder what it would be like to have children of her own and share with them what Killtric and Tiruna had with Razor.
And if they turned out just like Lars? that constantly fearful, fretting voice in her head asked; the one that had developed during the bad time with her husband. She shuddered.
"Sera?" Auset's hand touched her forehead and Sera jerked back to reality, looking at her friend in startlement. Auset was frowning. "Are you alright? You're not coming down with a chill after your mudbath, are you?"
"Wha….? Oh, no, not at all. I…" She glanced around the table, realizing all eyes were on her. Her face turned as bright crimson as her hair. "I was just thinking."
"About what?" Tiruna asked curiously.
About lost opportunities and the bitter sting of fear. But that wasn't something she could say to Tiruna. She was a kind, elderly woman, but she didn't know.
"I was just...thinking about the time factor," she hastily blurted out. "The beans…."
"Andonian soja pom," Auset put in with a self-satisfied mien.
Razor and Tiruna looked nonplussed. "Say again?" Razor asked.
"That's what we're calling the plant," Auset explained, tossing her dark hair jauntily back. "So it's not a bean."
Sera ducked her head to hide a smile and began again. "The Andonian soja pom will be ready for harvesting in two months, when the summer thaws melt the ice covering most of the swamps and it streams into the ocean."
Razor grimaced and looked down at the datapad and stylus he always carried around with him. "I'm good," he told them, "but I'm not that good. Designing something like this will take more than just two months. Aside from coming up with a brand-new design in the first place, I'll need to run the specs past Shayla. And then we'll have to get or make parts, which I doubt will be easy."
He rubbed his jaw with unconscious smoothness, completely missing the triumphant and pleased look on Tiruna's face. Though the usage of his hands was limited, Razor could achieve normal small gestures, so long as he didn't consciously think about them. Auset threw a look Sera's way. She'd told Sera the same thing about Sink.
"It'll take time," Razor continued, unaware of the silent exchange going on between the three women. "And if the harvest is this close…" He shrugged, indicating his helplessness in the face of passing time.
"Then we'll harvest them by hand," Auset said firmly, thunking the table with her fist. Then she winked at Razor. "After all, we have all these strong backs and hands to help us poor womenfolk out now."
Razor snickered. "I'd love to be there when you tell Catcher and Travis. A hundred armored clones, wading through the swamp, trying to pick a backpack's worth of beans." He thought about this image for a moment, then his smile broadened. "Shab, sometimes being paralyzed almost has its upsides."
"We'll be sure to take holos," Auset assured him.
Tiruna clapped her hands together. "Now that that's settled, how about we all enjoy some refreshments. Ando Town doesn't need to be saved in a day."
Razor and Auset agreed loudly and even Sera murmured her quiet agreement. They weren't over the worst of it yet. Far from it, in fact. Ando still had a long way to go before it could heal from the damage inflicted on it by the war, but the future at least was looking a bit brighter.
Among friends, Sera forced herself to relax a little and smile more openly at the people about her, remembering the plaintive twinge that had gone through her at the thought of those clothes, unworn in her closet, and all the occasions she'd skipped out on to which she could have worn them.
Like the festivities that had gone on to celebrate the return of the men. She could have been there, laughing and smiling with the others, sharing in their joy, instead of sitting at home, listening to faint sounds of music coming in through her bedroom window.
But this is nice, too, and I'm here, so I can enjoy this; I can share in their hope for a better future.
That was enough for her.
# # #