Music greeted Kai's ears as she finally came to, and she cracked her eyes open. They felt heavy and dry, thanks to whatever they had given her. She groaned, stretching as best as she could with the handcuffs behind her back. She shifted her wrists slightly and felt them sting as the metal rubbed harshly against them.
When she was fully conscious, she realized she was propped up against a wall.
"She's awake, boss." The man next to her called out, as he tossed back another drink. He set the glass down, wiping his mouth and smirked at her from his seat. In return she gave him her best glare, but all it did was make him laugh, which led into a grating cough.
The captain walked up to her, her coat making that familiar, horrible soun and crouched down next to her. One look was all she gave, to make sure Kai was fully conscious, then grabbed her by the arm, hauling her up.
Kai worked to fight her, planting her heels on the floor, and jerked away as hard as she could.
"Let go of me!" She protested and without warning, sunk her teeth into the woman's hand as hard as she could until she tasted blood.
To the woman's credit, she didn't more of a sound than a small grunt, but as soon as Kai let go, a slap sent her head reeling and lights flashed in her eyes.
"That is enough, child." She whispered as a threat, and walked to the middle of the floor. She looked up, a large smile overtaking her face, and she gestured to all the people watching, ignoring the blood dripping down her hand.
"Hello everyone! I have a wonderful opportunity for you all. We just came from a lovely village on Felucia, a group of fighters and warriors. Good, strong people."
"That you killed!" Kai snapped, as she was turned in a circle. Laughter pealed through the room, and the captain raised one hand in agreement.
"As you can see, she has spirit. She survived a raid from my crew and stood up to me and my men. She's a good buy, I assure you. She's young and very healthy. Her mother must have taken good care of her."
"Shut up!" Kai yelled, and turned in the captains grip and slammed a fist into the woman's stomach. Sharp lines of pain raced up her hand into her arm, and made her gasp.
The captain grunted, and slapped her again, twice, one after another, so that she couldn't differentiate between them. The crowd roared with laughter again, and the captain laughed as well, though it sounded forced.
As soon as the laughter died down to a tolerable level, a voice called out.
"Didn't know you'd sunk to selling children, Viya." A dark haired man called out, and Viya shrugged and smiled.
"She would have had a place on my crew, but she's proving to be far more difficult than I'd intended, and care to deal with it. I'm doing us all a favor by getting rid of her, to someone that can actually use her."
The man responded but Kai didn't catch it as she looked around her, trying to clear the ringing from her head. She swallowed, her throat aching with how dry it was. Looking behind her she saw the palace's owner, of whom she had only heard stories of.
Jabba sat on his throne, as disgusting as she'd heard. His eyes watched her with what she would place as disinterest, and nothing more. He continued to smoke from the small device next to him, and blew the smoke towards the ceiling.
She could see some Trandoshans in the corner, but they seemed more interested in their conversation than in her.
A pair of golden eyes caught her attention though, and she stared at them with no small amounts of fear, working to fight back the tears.
They belonged to a older man, with dark red skin, his head covered by a dark brown scarf. Kai had read books on many of the galaxy's species and she had to guess that he was a Zeltron, a race known for its beautiful women and extravagant parties. But this man didn't seem to match the description of his people. He wore a matching brown coat, that did little to conceal the gun at his waist, and he carried an overall air of laid back danger.
His face looked worn, probably due to the life he lived, and the harsh environments he chose to live in. Wrinkles lined around his eyes, making him look tired, but that didn't make him look any less a fighter.
He stood up, his sturdy frame moving people aside as he approached the ring, his gun holster and knives shifting with his firm gate.
The chatter ceasing slightly and as he walked over to Viya, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Kai.
Kai was frightened by the man, and swallowed nervously, her throat seeming to catch. What did he want with her? His gaze remained firm and he tilted his head to the side ever so slightly.
"How old are you, child?" He asked quietly, his voice low and rough.
Kai simply stared back at him, her chest starting to ache, her palms sweating. His eyes didn't change, but he seemed like he was ready to simply sit there and wait until she answered him.
Viya shook her by the arm, gripping it so tightly that it started to ache, and hissed in her ear, "Answer him."
Kai looked at the ground, blinking tears out of her eyes and felt her palms begin to sweat. "I'm 11." She said quietly, and she didn't see man's eyes flickered slightly in surprise.
"You look a bit young to be 11." He replied, and she quickly looked up at him, attempting to shove down her nervousness but was met with a small smile in his eyes.
Her head spun with confusion. Why would this man smile at her, if he didn't even know her? Who was he, and was he truly trying to be nice, or did he have some sort of agenda? Well, she had to show him that she wasn't easy bait, that she was strong.
"It's my birthday today." She ground out, a tear slipping down her face, and she fought against Viya's grip to wipe it away. A few saw her tears, and laughed but she ignored them. She focused her gaze on the man in front of her, determined to not break under the weight of her fear.
"How much do you want for her?" The man asked, and Viya stepped closer, muttering a price to him with a small smile.
After a few minutes of fierce back and forth debate, a shake of the man's head, and a small, but clearly triumphant smile on Viya's face, the man tossed the requisite amount credits in her hand.
"You rob me, Ozan." Viya joked as the credits landed in her hand with a small clink.
"Consider it my gift to you, to relieve you of your burden." He replied quietly, walking over, grabbed Kai's cuffs firmly but gently.
He started walking away without any other conversation. He didn't seem like a man that talked much, Kai thought as she was walked outside. The nervous feeling in her stomach was building up again, and she took a deep breath, trying to be brave.
His large steps kicked up dust as they walked outside, making for a small alleyway to their left.
She followed him without speaking as he walked up to a booth at the very end of the market that came into view. She didn't see what he bought or the credits that left his hand, but they walked away soon after, and he carried a small bundle under his arm.
His strides made her run to keep up, but as they neared a landing platform by the building she had entered, her eyes immediately went to the ship in front of them, the ship that Ozan was controlling to lower the cargo bay ramp.
Despite herself, her situation, and her nervousness, she felt a small spark of excitement. This was no speeder, this was something much better. This was a Class 720 Freighter, from Ghtroc Industries, a well known manufacturer in the Outer Rim. She had never seen one in real life before, but she had seen pictures as she and her dad had discussed different weapons systems and shield placements.
The memory of her father made her eyes sting again, and she blinked them back as the ramp settled against the ground.
She busied herself for a small moment and admired the cleanliness of the ships shell. No scoring on the wings or back, and it seemed relatively free of sand. This man took care of his ship, that much was clear.
Ozan placed a hand on her shoulder, and steered her up the ramp, and she dug in her feet, which caused her to slide up a few inches before stopping. He paused for a moment, and sighed slightly, before picking her up around the waist, and continued walking.
Kai began to kick frantically and flail her fists around, occasionally catching the man in his side, but he didn't respond, merely pressing the button in the cargo hold to close the door. And as the door closed Kai saw that her struggling hadn't turned a single eye.
Ozan called out once the door was closed, his voice filling the bay.
"A6, let's get out of here. Program the coordinates." Kai heard some high pitches whistles and beeps respond, as the droid complained of the long wait, and she felt the ship lift off. She grabbed onto the side of the wall, willing her muscles not to shake, but failing miserably.
What is happening, she asked herself as she felt her head spin and her chest tighten. Her mother was dead, and she had gone from a ring to be sold in, to this man's ship in less than 48 hours. Her head was beginning to hurt and she felt like she was going to throw up.
She sunk to her knees, tear starting to well in her eyes and slip down her cheeks. She could hear Ozan walking around the bay, and giving some final instructions to what she concluded was the droid up in the pilot's seat. In the back of her mind she was grateful that her father had taught her how to understand astromech droids.
She barely felt the ship seem to slow and pull, then release, remotely aware that they had most likely engaged the hyperdrive.
She had been wanting to see that her whole life. Her father had told her all about it, before he lost his job, promising one day, that he would take her on a trade trip, so she could see more of the universe. And this was how that wish of hers chose to be fulfilled. She swallowed the bile in her throat, and wiped the tears with her hand.
Her head fell onto her knees, and she tucked them close to her face, trying to close herself off from the world around her.
She heard a deep, male sigh and knew he had come back, but she wanted him to leave her alone. She wanted the entire galaxy to leave her alone.
Through her knees, she saw him kneel down on one knee and he put a hand on her shoulder, very gently, like he was trying not to scare her. She felt anger bloom in her chest, and fill her entire body. How dare he be kind.
She threw her fists out in retaliation, and caught him in the jaw, and she pushed with her legs until she was up against the wall. He caught her hands when they came close again, and held them in a gentle, yet solid grip, as he looked her in the eyes.
"Stop fighting, and look at me." He instructed her and she shook her head, continuing to shake, her breaths shorter and shorter. She felt like she was about to pass out, each breath forcing its way in.
"Let me go!" She snapped, and fought against him and he simply held onto her hands, waiting for her to tire. When she realized her fighting was getting her nowhere, she stopped, her arms burning and her small frame heaving as she took shallow, shaking breaths.
"I am not your enemy, little one. Please, trust me." He spoke quietly, and sat down on the floor across from her, his legs crossed. She took notice that he still held her hands. She relaxed her arms and hands in his grasp, and he gave her a long look before taking his own hands away.
He tilted his head to look at her, his amber colored eyes watching her closely. He reached up and unwound the scarf from his head, revealing dark blue hair, his temples dusted with gray. He folded the scarf and tossed it on top of a nearby crate.
He tilted his head towards the pilot door, his eyes squinted. "Are we still on course A6?" he called out, and a series of answering whistles came as an affirmative response.
"What do you want from me?" Kai asked, her voice quiet as she tried to get closer to the wall. He leaned up against a crate and looked over at her, stretching his legs out as he took a moment to answer.
"If I'm being completely honest, child, two things." He spoke slowly, trying not to spook her any more than she already was. He wasn't very good with children, no matter what Hirani had thought when they had first married. He glanced down at his ring, and rubbed it affectionately, for just for a moment before looking back up.
He watched the girl in front of him wipe her face, smearing a little more of the dirt, and she leveled her blue eyes to look at him. She may do well with him, because underneath the fear, he could see a small spark of fire. She was strong, even if she didn't feel she was right now.
"What?" She asked, as she lifted her chin to look him in the face.
He held up a finger and as he talked, he lifted another.
"First. You are small and will be for another year most likely. There are often times in my job where I need someone who can get into small spaces. That is where you come in." He saw her head lift up, in hesitant curiosity more than fear this time, and he figured that was as good as anything. "Second. I wasn't going to leave you there all by yourself. I went in there to buy some new parts for my ship. Didn't expect them to be selling a child. You are going to learn to defend yourself so you won't end up in that situation again. Not if I can help it."
"And what makes you think I want to?" She asked, with a challenge in her voice and he chuckled at her words. She was stubborn. That was good.
His eyes leveled in her direction and he raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to defend yourself, child?" He asked, and she scowled, her cheeks turning pink. She had spoken too brashly and she stuffed down her embarrassment.
"Kai." She whispered, and he tilted his head, and narrowed his eyes at her.
She took a small breath, then lifted her head and looked him square in the eye.
"My name's Kai. Not child." She muttered, and averted her eyes. She missed seeing his lips turn up in amusement, as she shifted uncomfortably.
"Why did you buy me so fast? I would have been fine." She crossed her arms and stared at the man who sat across from her and his lips pulled down in a frown.
"Trust me. I saved your life. You don't know what those kind of people are like, how they live." He warned and sat up, pulling his jacket off, and threw it on top of the crate that had his scarf on it.
"And you just want me to steal for you., so I'd say that's not much of an improvement." She shot back and moving faster than she could track, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her up onto her feet as he stood. He stared down at her, his golden eyes seeming to glow with anger.
"It doesn't matter if I had you steal for me or not, Kai." He ground out, his voice hard. "Those people that wanted to buy you, the ones that were already counting out credits, would have subjected you to a life that no person should ever have to live. I was not going to leave a child with them." He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Kai was staring at him, her eyes wide, but there wasn't a hint of tears this time. Good.
"You're not the only one to lose someone to pirates, little one." He said gruffly and her eyes widened as she understood his meaning. He had lost someone close to him, a wife or child perhaps. There was no mistaking the pain in his eyes, because Kai knew that pain.
He let go of her arm and leaned down to the floor and picked up the bundle. He placed it in her arms and motioned to the ladder. "Follow me." He instructed and started to climb. He waited until he heard the sound of smaller feet ascending the ladder, and he nodded to himself as he neared the top. He got up on his feet and waited as Kai's head appeared at the landing.
A6 rolled down the hallway and gave a curious beep as he came to a stop.
Kai got to her feet and her gaze immediately went to the droid, and her mouth opened in the closest thing to a smile he'd seen.
"Hi." She waved slightly and he saw A6 look her over before extending one of his tool arms and wave back in the same motion.
"This is A6, my droid, and the copilot of this ship. Don't try to tell him what to do. He doesn't like it." He seemed to chuckle to himself, then turned to the red painted droid. "A6, this is Kai. She'll be staying with us for a while."
Ozan stifled a yawn and looked down at Kai. He pointed to the last door of the three in the hallway.
"That's your room. There's a refresher that connects to the room." He pointed to the door at the beginning of the hall, the one closest to where they were standing. "That's mine, and the next one is the supply closet. Go get cleaned up and change your clothes. The kitchen is down at the landing bay. Come down if you like. If not, I'll see you when we land."
He walked back to the ladder, and looked back at Kai, and she shifted on her feet. That fear was back in her eyes.
However, she nodded and walked down the hall to her door, and pressed the button to open the door and it closed behind her with a hiss, her hands beginning to shake.
She placed the bundle down on the bed, and wiped a tear away as it fell. She undid the wrapping and a set of clothes of clothes was revealed, including a set of boots.
So that's why we stopped at the market, she thought offhandedly as she pulled her own shoes off.
She wandered over to the refresher and took a deep breath as she saw the sonic shower. Everything was so unfamiliar, so uncertain. But this was her new life. She had get used to it.
Yet, that evening she didn't stop crying, and she didn't try to stop either, because she was in the most intense emotional pain she'd ever been in her life.
She didn't care if Ozan heard her, or the entire galaxy. But as she sat down on her bed, she knew she had decided something. It was simple.
She loved her mom. Viya had taken the one last good thing out of her life, which was her fatal mistake. Because she didn't understand. She didn't understand the consequences of such an action.
Kai would avenge her mother, no matter what it took.
*refresher – bathroom for personal care
Author's Note: Sorry this one seemed kind of long. Thanks for being patient, and thanks for the support!
