Reno followed Ensign Ulgo down the crowded corridors of the Endar Spire, elbowing his way through the rabble commuting between stations. He glanced at the faces of those he shouldered past and what he saw made his stomach churn. Blankness. A complete lack of emotion or self determination that ran counter to everything his previous life had stood for.
A year in the Manaan lockup had broken Reno down, left him soft and lethargic. His instincts were dulled, his body ached, a far cry from the hardened criminal that the Selkath had jailed, tortured and nearly executed. Before Manaan, he was just another happy nameless scoundrel with a fat credit account, capable of disappearing into a crowd and plying his trade elsewhere at a moment's notice. The size of that account had saved his life but his freedom had dried up along with the account and now he was reduced to playing the role of a toothless stooge in the employ of the Republic's military, just like the poor suckers that surrounded him. His considerable skill set to be wasted in the name of self preservation for the so called glory of the Republic. That notion left a bad taste in his mouth.
Reno pondered whether he was better off rotting with the fish back on Manaan. At least he would have gone out as he was. A bastard, but his kind of bastard. The free kind. In complete control of his own destiny, even if he didn't know what to do with it.
"This is you."
The Ensign showed him into the barracks. It was devoid of life, littered with made bunks. Reno plopped his bag down on the nearest one.
"This'll do fine."
"I imagine it will," Ulgo interjected from the doorway. "Selkath aren't known for hospitality toward foreigners caught stealing their most valuable export."
Reno ambled back toward the door, positioning himself opposite the Ensign.
"Don't get righteous with me," Reno spat as he leaned back against the doorway, folded his arms in front of him. "Not all of us are born into nobility like yourself. Some of us have to make our own way."
The Ensign cocked his head to one side.
"Nobility?"
"Ensigns aren't requisitioned fancy letter openers like that." Reno gestured toward the sword hanging from Ulgo's belt. "They especially don't have the family name engraved on the hilt."
"It's an heirloom."
"I'm sure it is, Trask. Probably got you this post too. Something cushy to make your bones on."
Ulgo straightened his posture again, held his head a little higher.
"Friends use my given name. Call me Ensign Ulgo. Or just Ulgo if you must be informal."
"I'll keep that in mind… Trask."
And then, over the Ensign's shoulder, he saw her. An eye catcher, no doubt. Lithe, gifted with a generous length of bone, deep in discussion with a hulking man who towered over her and everyone else around them. Her face was so familiar but he couldn't place where he knew her from. His dreams maybe? No, he didn't believe in that superstitious garbage.
Her outfit was less than modest and Reno couldn't help as a flood of salacious images flashed through his mind. She jerked her head in his direction and her eyes narrowed in on him, as if she could read his mind. Disgust was apparent on her face.
Reno chuckled.
"Who knew Jedi were telepathic?"
"She wouldn't need to read minds to know what was on yours," Ulgo mumbled.
"Shove it, Trask. I bet there isn't a trooper on this ship that hasn't thought about it."