"We can't go straight into the village," Sera says as the Mandalorian steers the speeder bike toward a thick, grove of trees on the outskirts of the village. Currently, her skirt is gathered around her lap while she sits astride the bike behind the bounty hunter. There isn't much room on the seat for both of them and for the past hour, the metal of the bike has been vibrating uncomfortably right at her backside. She's ready to stretch her legs. "They'll see you coming and you'll be lucky to find a single rat that isn't in hiding."
The helmet on the bounty hunter's head shifts to the side and she wonders how he can even see out of the thing. The T-shape in the visor wouldn't offer much of a view, but he easily guides the bike into a thick patch of trees far enough away from the village. Once the engine is off, Sera breathes a sigh of relief and points toward the trees.
"There's a path through the forest that snakes around behind the Codnor compound. I think you can surprise them that way."
"How do you know all this?" The bounty hunter asks, twisting on the seat to look back at her. The metal of his armor digs into her thigh and she slides back on the bike. Any further and she'll slip off of it completely.
With a shrug, she glances toward the edge of the village that peeks out from around the grove of trees. She can see the old blacksmith's place and discarded crates scattered around the dusty streets. Nothing had changed in the years since she'd been here. Everything was just as backward and outdated as it ever was.
She sighs and turns her gaze back to the visor on his helmet. "Let's just say I'm familiar with the area."
He doesn't respond and she's thankful for his silence and the fact that he stands from the bike, giving her room to slide down onto the seat. It isn't much better, but at least the metal isn't digging into the flesh of her backside. She smooths her skirts back around her legs and crosses her arms over her chest.
Despite the heat of the last few months of the harvest season, the nights are notoriously cold and she hopes this won't take too long. She didn't exactly prepare to be out after dark. And the sooner she could get out of here and off this planet, the better. Being so close to her home village again was making her stomach twist into knots.
The feeling of someone staring at her pulls her attention to the Mandalorian and seeing the helmet pointed at her makes her sit up straight. "What?"
"You seem tense," his voice is quiet, but a bit too full of accusations. He suspects her of having ulterior motives. She can't fault him for it. She wouldn't exactly trust a stranger she'd met on the streets either.
"I don't like it here." It's all she wants to offer him, but he doesn't look away, respond or move an inch and it's clear he's still suspicious. Sera sighs and blows a loose strand of hair from her face. "This is the village where I was born, okay? I don't like them and they don't like me."
"Why?"
Were all Mandalorians this curious, or was she just lucky enough to get stuck with the one that was? She lets out another sigh and shrugs. "Do I have to get into it right now?"
"If I'm putting my trust in you, then I'd like to know why you're so jumpy."
"I'm not jumpy," She says with a roll of her eyes. "If you must know, these people-" she gestures toward the village with a flick of her hand-"are hicks. They live here, they die here, and to leave the way that I did is like a betrayal that they don't forget. There's a footpath in the trees and it'll lead you to the compound." After a moment's thought, she adds, "and watch out for the traps."
"Traps?" Sera winces at his tone and flashes an apologetic smile. "What kind of traps?"
"Just animal traps." Truthfully, she'd forgotten about the fact that the Codnor's were fur and meat trappers and had been for the past several generations. They may have been inbred hicks, but they were good at what they did and the village relied on them for food and winter clothing. "I doubt they'll have any on the trail, but if you have to get off of it, keep an eye out."
His growl is muffled behind his helmet and as he turns to face the trees, she purses her lips to keep the smile from her face. She's not sure why, but it's quite fun getting on his nerves. Of course, doing it too much might land her back where she was before; no way off of a desolate planet and forced to sell her body for credits.
"How many do you suppose there are?" He asks, glancing over his shoulder to her.
"Traps?"
"Codnors."
"Oh," she shrugs again and tries to recall from her memory. There were dozens of them when she was a child and with nothing else to do in their compound, she's sure they've been reproducing like animals. "Two dozen? Give or take a few."
"All of this information would have been nice to know earlier," he growls before stalking toward the line of trees. Once he's far enough in that Sera can no longer see him, she breathes a sigh and leans back on the bike. The sun is slipping further past the horizon and soon, it'll be dark.
As she reclines back onto her elbows, a thought pops into her head and she looks warily toward the trees. Should she have mentioned the pack of guard barghests that the Codnor family keeps for security?
It's far too late to call him back now. She doesn't want to risk alerting anyone about his presence...not to mention, the bounty hunter would for sure refuse to keep up his end of the deal if she got him ambushed. So instead, she stays quiet and hopes he can handle things.
She keeps an eye on the edge of the village ahead of her, hopeful that the Mandalorian had parked the bike far enough away to not be seen. The last thing she wants is a reunion with her father and siblings. It was doubtful that even if they did see her, they would speak to her. She fully expected to be spat out by everyone in the village and that was fine.
Soon, she will be off this desolate, backward rock, and finally able to start the life she's always wanted to have.
.
.
Nearly an hour later, the Mandalorian drops a heavy sack onto the hovercart being pulled behind the speeder bike, and the bundle groans, making Sera whirl around in surprise. Her eyes go wide and she looks from the large lump on the cart up to the heavily armored man opposite of the bike from them. He lets out a deep breath, faces her, and his helmet tilts to the side.
"You didn't think I should know about the barghests?"
She winces apologetically and shrugs, hoping he doesn't hold it against her. "By the time I remembered," she offers the Mandalorian. "You were already too far away. But you handled it well!"
He's looking down at the rip in the fabric between his plates of armor and Sera winces at the sight of his injury. It isn't too bad, but there is blood and might require first aid spray which they will easily find back in the market.
"I can fix your sleeve. I'm good at sewing." It's one of the few things she remembered learning from her mother as a child.
"It's fine," he says with a huff, tossing his cloak over his shoulder before turning to the bike. Riding into the podunk village on the bike, wedged in tightly behind the bounty hunter was difficult enough-doing it while wearing a skirt is just uncomfortable and Sera doesn't look forward to making the trek again.
She takes a deep breath and glances toward the man she assumes is Leo Codnor wrapped up in a burlap sack. She points down to the bag and eyes the bounty hunter as he swings his leg over the bike and sits astride it. "This him?"
He glances over his shoulder and reaches back to the cart. In a flash, the top of the sack is wrenched away and Sera blinks down at the familiar face she had seen on the bounty puck. It takes a moment for Leo's eyes to adjust but it's not long before he looks up at her. The space between his eyes is far apart-a result of his inbreeding-and Sera can't help but stare at a fresh bruise in the spot.
He must have put up a bit of a fight against the Mandalorian, but its no surprise that he couldn't match skills. Leo sniffs and looks up at her with his lip curled in disgust.
"You," he spits. "I thought you done runned off like your whore momma."
Sera sighs and looks at the bounty hunter. Despite the helmet covering every inch of his head, she can almost feel the look of curiosity he's giving her. She rolls her eyes and reaches for the sack. The scratchy fabric covers Leo's head once more, but it doesn't stop him from throwing a string of curses at her.
She slides a leg over the back of the seat behind the bounty hunter and takes a moment to adjust her skirt around her lap. She keeps her knees behind his and hopes he doesn't take offense to her being so close. Sera has heard enough about the Mandalorians to know they have strict rules and codes they follow, but surely he wouldn't be offended by her bare legs.
Then again, if he was anything like the stuffy, boring jerks she had grown up with, he very well might be.
Before she's ready, the engine of the bike flares to life, and the bounty hunter twists the throttle, propelling them forward. The hovercart whips around behind them and Sera looks back to see the lumpy sack bouncing along.
Good.
She hopes he feels every bump.
The ride back doesn't take as long-or at least doesn't feel like it does-and Sera slides off the seat of the bike once they're back in the small market area. She spins around and holds up a finger to the Mandalorian. "I can be quick. I don't have much to bring with me anyway."
He offers her only a slight tilt of his helmet before he takes off toward the shipyard. He had given her half an hour to gather her things and say goodbye, though she had no one to say goodbye to.
Half the people she spoke to on a daily basis are the men she lures in and the other half is the old man who sets up his shop near her corner. And there was no telling where he went during the night. They never discuss things like that.
The only home she had known for the past several months is a small room above the cantina. It's noisy and smelly and she often couldn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, but the price is cheap and she has no other option. Until now, of course. There are several rooms that are rented out to travelers and other vagabonds that have no home.
If she disappears, no one will think twice about it and the room will have a new occupant by tomorrow.
She quickly grabs a canvas bag from the table beside the bed and she stuffs what little belongings she has in it. A few scarves, an extra skirt, and before there is no more room in the bag, she kneels to the floor and reaches beneath the mattress. Wedged between it and the frame of the bed is a small pouch she's kept her wupiupi.
The coins rattle in the pouch and she takes a quick peek inside. It isn't much, but she hopes its enough to get her somewhere new.
Throwing the strap over her shoulder, she stuffs the pouch down into her bag and hurries back out into the street. The stall where she had stood for the past several months is empty for the night and she reached out to touch the tabletop. Would her only friend wonder where she is when he shows up tomorrow and she's gone?
It's strange how she didn't even know his name and she's feeling remorse over being unable to say goodbye. Maybe it was better this way-like ripping a bandage off.
Sera turns on her heel and hurries toward the shipyard with her heart hammering in her chest. Her thoughts are scattered between excitement, worry, doubt, and relief. She doesn't know which one to settle on, which one is stronger. She just hopes that the Bounty Hunter hasn't left her behind.
He doesn't owe her anything, but she hoped he would at least hold up his end of their bargain the way she had. Then again, she had neglected to tell him about the barghests. Would he hold that against her?
Her heels dig into the dust of the street as she finds the shipyard. She's seen it before, several times. It isn't a rare occasion for the men she attracts to bring her back to their ships for the night. But she's a bit taken aback by the size of the ship sitting toward the back by itself.
It isn't the measly little transport vehicles meant for close planetary travel. The gangway is lowered and the lights are on, illuminating the gravel and dirt of the shipyard. Sera takes a slow step toward it and pinches the inside of her lip between her teeth. For a brief moment, she sees herself outside of her body, as if she's watching a hologram version of herself.
It doesn't seem real that she's actually this close to leaving Cress. She reaches across herself and pinches the inside of her other arm, just to make sure she hasn't been dreaming this whole time. When she doesn't wake up in her sad, little rented room above the cantina, she lets out a shaking breath and closes the distance between her and the bounty hunter's ship.
She can hear his boots stepping on the metal floor up the ramp and she stands awkwardly beneath the ship, staring up into the lights. Toward the right, she can see a mesh curtain blocking off a cargo area and on the other side of the opening, a strip of dark fabric catches her eye. The Mandalorian steps off a ladder and seems surprised to see her standing at the bottom of the ramp.
For a brief moment, he stares down at her and looks around, as if he's waiting for someone else. She does the same and clears her throat. "The deal is still on, isn't it?"
"You're going to need to change clothes."
Sera blinks in surprise. "What? Why?"
The Mandalorian doesn't answer her and turns on his heel, disappearing further into the parts of his ship she can't see. Frowning, Sera crosses her arms over her chest and glances around the shipyard. A man is snoring, propped up against the landing gear of his own vehicle and aside from him, there's no one else.
Pursing her lips, she stomps up the ramp and ducks inside the ship. The lights are dim, but she's able to see enough and finds the bounty hunter standing in front of a small area wedged into the corner of the cargo space. His back is to her and he doesn't turn to look at her as she moves further inside.
There's a strange smell to the ship-fuel and stale water-and Sera wrinkles her nose. She quickly wipes any disgust from her face as the bounty hunter turns around with a small bundle in his hands. In two steps he's in front of her and she has to stop herself from taking a small step away from him. In the narrow width of his ship, he seems taller, more intimidating.
Is it safe to trust a man she's only known for two hours?
She looks around and wonders where he was keeping his bounty. The last thing she wanted was to spend an indeterminate amount of time hearing someone like Leo Codnor calling her every derogative name under the sky.
The Mandalorian holds out the bundle for her and she stares down at the grey, canvas fabric. Slowly, she takes it and looks up at the T-shape of his visor. "What is this?"
"A flight suit. It'll be big, but it's better than nothing."
He turns away from her and heads toward the ladder. Instead of climbing in, he punches his finger into a panel beside it, and the mechanics of the ramp hiss loudly. Sera jumps in surprise and her hands tighten around the clothes he's handed her. She looks from it back to him and frowns.
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
"Space is cold," he says simply, casting a single glance over his shoulder before he steps onto the ladder. He disappears a moment later and she blinks.
She wonders if he's giving her privacy to dress and she shakes her head, looking around her surroundings. There's a small table with two chairs wedged into the corner and she drops her bag onto it before glancing once more up into the hole he disappeared. She can hear him moving around, clicking and flipping switches. There's a faint lull of the engines and she sets the flight suit he gave her down onto the table.
She kicks her sandals off, glances a final time toward the ladder to make sure he isn't sneaking a peek and reaches back to untie the strings of her shirt. It's a flimsy piece of fabric, barely enough to cover her breasts, and it falls away easily. Next comes her skirt and she sighs as she stuffs it into her bag.
Not even on his ship for ten minutes and she's already naked.
Sera rolls her eyes at herself and shakes the flight suit out. It's bigger in the length than anything else and she wiggles it up her hips before zipping it up to her chest. She pulls her hair free and bends down to roll the pants legs up to her ankles so she isn't tripping on them.
Without giving her a warning, the Mandalorian is making his way back down the ladder, his steps clanging loudly on the metal rungs. She stands and shakes the hair from her face as he turns and brushes past her.
Sera blinks and crosses her arms over her chest. It's a good thing she didn't wait to change clothes. She can tell he isn't used to having anyone else in his ship and she wonders just how often he even spoke to another person. Judging by his manners, it can't be too often.
"Um," she starts, turning to where he's securing a cabinet shut with a twist of the lock. When he steps back, he doesn't look at her. "So..."
He finally stops and turns his head toward her. It's strange how awkward he looks as if he has no idea how to deal with her and she can't help but laugh. He shifts on his feet and faces her with his body and she purses her lips to stop her giggles.
"Do you need help with anything?"
"No." He steps away from her and she swallows, hoping she hasn't offended him by laughing. She hurries up behind him as he moves toward the ladder.
"I'm not laughing at you. I just don't want to be useless."
"You'll need to strap in." And with that, he takes to the ladder once more and she's left behind to stare up at him. From beneath his cloak, she catches herself watching his backside and she blinks her attention away. Once he's on the top floor again, he looks down at her. "Up here."
"Oh."
She doesn't know why she's surprised, but she takes hold of the ladder anyway. The rungs are cold beneath her feet and she wonders if she should bring something to cover herself with if space is as cold as he says. She decides against it and follows him up into a narrow opening that leads to the cockpit.
There isn't much space and he's already sitting in the pilot's chair in the center of the area. To the left and right are two seats with straps and Sera assumes this is where she's supposed to strap in. She moves quietly to the left and takes a seat on the red cushion.
As he works, she remains silent and just watches him. He moves as if this is second nature to him. The switches flip, toggles are moved, and inside the bowels of the ship, the engines and thrusters come to life. The entire thing rattles and Sera grips the edge of her seat so tightly, her knuckles turn white.
She isn't used to this kind of noise, or the vibrations rumbling through the seat. Her throat is tight, clenched around the words she feels the need to say. Wait, stop, let me get off the ship! She thinks them but refuses to say them out loud.
There's security and safety in never venturing too far from where she's comfortable. Even spending the past few years wandering around from one village to the next, she never felt as if she were too far out of her comfort zone. But this...
The Mandalorian reaches above him and pushes three fingers into a series of buttons and used his other hand to push a lever forward. The ship rattles once more and out of the front window, Sera sees the ground start to fall away. Beneath them, there's a groan of metal and a deep thump from somewhere inside the ship.
The words press harder into her throat and she reaches up to slap her hands over her mouth to keep them down. This is what she wanted. This is what she's been waiting for for the past three years. Even though she's terrified of what the future will bring, she knows it has to be better than the past.
As the ship is steered upward and there's nothing but the whisp of clouds and dark, violet sky stretching in front of them, Sera lets out a quick, shriek of laughter from behind her hands. It doesn't feel real and she's shaking.
Up and up, the ship climbs and with each breath she takes, she lets go of another part of her life. No more shame, no more lonely nights, no more luring men into her room to service them for a handful of coins. This is the start of her life and no matter how terrified she is, she's ready for it.
They break through the atmosphere, with the clouds parting around the nose of the ship and then nothing but black stretches into infinity. Sera's eyes are wide and she holds her breath, waiting for something though she isn't sure what.
In the corner of her eye, she can see the bounty hunter pressing more switches but she can't look away from the expanse of the galaxy in the window. When he speaks, she starts and blinks at the back of his helmet.
"We'll be jumping into hyperdrive in a few minutes."
Her breath leaves her in a sudden rush and she darts her eyes back to the window. Sera's heart pounds and she lowers her hands to her chest, pressing against her flesh to feel the beat. "Is it...dangerous?"
The metal helmet catches the lights from the panel over his head and Sera shifts her gaze to meet the strip across his visor where she assumes his eyes are. For a moment, they stare at one another and she isn't sure if he heard her or not. He turns back around before she can repeat herself and moves his hand toward the panel in front of him.
"Hold on," he says, his tone carrying a bit of humor to it. Sera does as he says and drops her hands back to the seat beneath her, holding on tightly. He pushes a lever forward and for a moment, for just a single beat of her heart, she waits.
The ship's engines and drives rumble deeper and then the stars melt into a kaleidoscope of white light. She's forced back into the seat from the jump and she can hardly breathe as she watches the galaxy warp around the ship. Everything turns blue in an instant and tunnels around the ship like a never-ending cloud.
She's stunned into silence, which doesn't happen often for her and she can only stare in wide-eyed wonder. Faintly, she's aware that the Mandalorian is flipping switches and is unfastening the belt around his waist, but she can't look away from the window. Until she realizes she can have a better view from where he sits.
Her hands move to the belt in a flash and she unbuckles it, standing to her feet at the same time he does. She doesn't notice him tense at her sudden movement and she reaches for the back of his seat, pressing her stomach against it. "I've never seen anything like this," she whispers, craning her head back to look up through the top-most portion of the window.
Blue, black, and white surrounds the ship and flies past so quickly she can't make out anything-if there's anything to make out. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips and she can't hold back the laughter bubbling through her throat. It's a strange reaction, but she has to get the excitement and wonder out of her somehow. There's hardly any room left within her.
"I'm sorry," she says, whirling around to face the heavily armored man beside her. He's still facing her, still just as tense and silent as ever, and she pushes a shaky hand over the braids in her hair. "You must think I'm such a backwater hick-" before he can respond, she shakes her head. "-But I'm not. I just...I never thought it could be this beautiful."
With that, she turns back to face the window and places her hands back on the curve of the pilot's seat. She can't get enough of the beauty and she wonders how long he will let her stand here, staring and watching the galaxy race past them. As she keeps her gaze on the window, she can feel his starting to pierce through her and it makes the hair on the back of her arms stand up.
Slowly, Sera turns to look at him from over her shoulder and he's in the same spot, still staring at her as if he has no idea what to do with her. Warmth creeps up her face and she ducks her head with a soft chuckle.
Before she can apologize for being as simple and ignorant as the people on Cress she despises, the Mandalorian tilts his helmet to the side. "It's going to take a while before we get to Nevarro. You can rest in the cargo area."
"Is that where you're dropping me? Nevarro?"
He doesn't respond right away and she turns to face him fully. "It's as good a place as any other. You can find work."
Sera's eyebrows raise and she wants to ask him if he means she can find work as a whore, but she keeps quiet. She isn't ashamed of the things she's done to stay safe and alive in a world that sees her as something less than a human. But she'd be lying if she said she wanted something more.
With a nod, she sniffs and gestures to the opening in the floor leading down into the cargo area. "Well, if you need me, I'll be down below." She steps around him and turns to face him before she descends the ladder. "But, can I ask one small favor?"
"Another favor, you mean."
"It isn't a favor if I'm paying you, and I will pay you." He doesn't respond, which isn't surprising and Sera rolls her eyes before continuing. "Can I watch when we come out of hyperdrive?"
He stares at her and she knows it's a ridiculous request. Something as mundane as that shouldn't impress her so much, but she wants to experience everything she can and once she gets to Nevarro, it might be just as difficult getting off that planet as it was getting away from Cress.
With a small sigh, barely heard outside of his helmet, the bounty hunter nods and turns his back to her, reaching for a small tray and computer panel built into the wall. Whether he was actually doing something or just avoiding her, she wasn't sure, but the corner of her lips lift into a smile anyway as she steps onto the ladder and climbs down.
She lands on her bare feet and looks up above, listening for any sound that he's moving around or doing something. When there's nothing but silence, she purses her lips to keep from giggling and finds her way to the table where her bag is still sitting.
What a strange person this Mandalorian is...and while she knows there's no way of ever knowing, she suspects that he's quite cute beneath that helmet and endless layers of armor.