Getting out of space was fun. We all slept for what felt like forever, only to awake at this low beeping. Out in front of the main window was yet another new planet. "Is that it?" I asked my husband. "That's it. Looks like we made it. Get ready for landing," oh goodies, my favourite part of space travel- insert eyeroll here. Mando pressed a button, and then hit the desk in frustration. "Dank farrik! The landing array isn't responding. Without the guidance system, it'll be a manual re-entry. Might get a little choppy. Once we're though the atmosphere, there should be enough fuel to slow us down….. If we don't burn to a crisp."
I don't even want to describe landing- it was a nightmare. This poor ship has been through so much. Both frog lady and I had to help him pull gears and hold levers in place. By the time we stopped falling, I was on the verge of swearing never to step foot on a flight craft again. And of course, to matters worse we landed in the sea right beside the dock. Man, I'm beginning to hate flying.
Some big crane device had to fish us out of the water and put the ship actually on the dock. The three of us exited looking dejected. An unsympathetic dock keeper came over with a clipboard in his hands. "So, how can I help you?" He inquired to Mando. "Can you fix it?" He, in turn, sounded one hundred and ten precent done with everything. The man looked at our vessel, seemingly not optimistic. "Fix it? Nah. But I can make it fly." "Do what you can," just wanting to be done with it all, Mando handed him the money. Then we started walking tiredly away, leaving him to it. "I'll fuel it up; if it still holds fuel," with that, he got to work.
Frog lady called out for her husband, whom she found a few moments later. I had to admit, despite being exhausted as all hell, it was a touching reunion between the two; it was super sweet to watch. They were obviously very happy to see each other. Mando and I observed from the side, with me grinned and resting the side of my head onto his arm; I wrapped both my arms around his. I don't think he found the scene as romantic as I did.
Frog lady and man were wrapped up with each other. I gave my husband's arm an affectionate squeeze before my stomach unwilfully rumbled loudly. Mando's head turned to face me; he still had this aura of "done with everything" about him. "I know you're hungry. We'll get you something to eat." "Oh, don't worry about me; I'll be fine," I countered gently; I actually was pretty hungry now that I thought about it. He sighed and let frog man shake his hand when he walked over to us. Boy, did he act grateful.
"You're welcome. I was told you could lead me to others of my kind," he's not beating around the bush, is he? Frog man nodded and pointed to a building not too far in the distance. "The inn, over there?" Mando asked. Then his helmet turned to somewhere; I didn't know what he was looking at. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been that important since we began to walk away with the frog couple a second later.
They brought us into this dingy little inn tavern joint; why does it always seem like we end up in taverns? It was full of fish-looking people, none of whom seemed particularly interested in our arrival. Frog man pointed to another fish man who waved at us. "Thank you," I flashed a smile to frog lady. Her hand reached out to give my arm a squeeze. Fish man- as he'll be referred to until further notice- motioned to a table. "Have a seat over there," he instructed. Mando and I followed suit, taking a seat at the round two-person table.
"What can I get you?" He came over to serve us- fast service here. "Nothing for me. A bowl of chowder for my wife," Mando motioned to me with his helmet. "Your wife?" He sounded surprised. "That's right," my husband affirmed, making me blush a little. I know, I know; we've been married for some time now, but still. Fish man was not happy with this order, however. "These seats are scarce, buddy. Everyone seated needs to eat," he pushed. Ha, as if the Mandalorian would be pushed around. "I can buy something else: information," Mando put some money on the table near the server. Fish man glanced at him, then took the money. That was a good sign.
"Have you seen others who look like me?" Fish man first checked to see if anyone was listening. He pulled down this long thin tube thing and filled up a bowl with this gross slimy brown sludge. I frowned in disgust when he pushed it my way. It smelt worse than it looked, but if I wanted to eat now was not the time to be picky. Reluctantly, I thanked him and picked up a wooden spoon. Then fish man turned back to Mando.
"Others with beskar have been through here." "Who can take me to them?" Mando asked. "I know someone who might help," he went to talk to this weirdo octopus guy at another table. We waited patiently for someone to rejoin us, with me cautiously picking at the chowder. Yeah, I wasn't in any rush to gobble this swill up. Octopus guy sat down at our table opposite Mando; he did not look friendly.
"You seek others of your kind?" "Have you seen them?" "Aye, yeah. I can bring you to them." "Where?" Mando's voice was a bit more hopeful. "Only a few hours sail. It'll cost you." As so, I said goodbye to frog lady and Mando and I followed this strange new man aboard his ship. From the very moment I set eyes on it, I got a bad feeling. A bad feeling I just couldn't shake.