Chapter 22 – A Much More Appropriate Conclusion

[AN – So remember how Corso imagined that a hero's reward should include a passionate kiss and a declaration of love? … Yeah.]

With the repulsors still running, Corso waited until he felt the bobble that meant the twi'lek had stepped to the ground. Looking over his shoulder to double-check, he smiled at her, then cut the engines and stepped down as well. "Well, here we are." He took his commlink and held it out to her.

She took it, but her brows pulled together uncertainly. "Um… thank you?"

Shrugging, he grinned a bit. "Well I figure they weren't too keen on you keeping yours. This way you can get in touch with anyone who might be worried about you."

Her eyes widened just a touch, and she nodded slowly, but she said nothing as she stared at the device in her hand.

Corso's smile faded. "Oh," he said softly. Silence stretched well past the border of 'awkward' and almost to the point of 'painful' before he finally blurted out, "My family… they were killed. I was on my own for a while. So I know it isn't easy." He looked down at the tops of his boots. "But… we can get you set up with a place to stay, maybe a job around here…" Noticing that she seemed to be withdrawing more and more, he paused.

Finally she looked up, her eyes bright. "Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her voice thick. "What do you want?"

He nodded over toward the guardhouse. "C'mon – let's step inside for a few minutes and get things figured out," he said. "We can sit down, and we'll be out of the sun." He headed in that direction with her following behind. After a few moments' conversation with one of the guards, they stepped inside. Corso sat down on one of the benches and gestured at another one. "Might as well get comfortable."

The lethan sat down slowly, knees together, feet tucked underneath the bench, shoulders hunched forward.

He sat there in silence for awhile, and then let out a sigh. "It seems like you could use some help. So – if I canhelp, I'm gonna. Ain't any more to it than that." He shrugged, his mouth quirking up in a half-smile. "So… you got a name, or do I just call you ma'am?"

"Ahl'kyla," she said, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Yeeeah. I hope you'll forgive me if I say that wrong," he replied. When she looked up again and smiled tentatively, he found himself smiling back at her even without meaning to. "See? It's gonna be all right. Now, you need a safe place to go, right? You okay with stayin' around here for a bit?"

She nodded slowly. "You can call me Kyla. But I – I have no money."

Corso shook his head. "Don't worry about that just yet. We'll get you set up with a job, too, so's you can get started. Eventually, once you save up some money, you can go anywhere y'like. What kinda skills you got?"

For the first time, he saw the faintest glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I – I can repair things," she said. "Armor. And… and weapons. Vehicles, some, but I'm not as good at that."

"Really?!" He found himself smiling brilliantly. "Me too! Well, weapons, anyhow. I ain't as good with other stuff. Got this jetpack from a bounty hunter an' it's been givin' me no end of…" With a laugh, he shook his head, his cheeks warm. "Sorry, I'm runnin' my mouth. C'mon, let's get you set up with a place of your own. How's that sound?"

And this time, her smile absolutely transformed her face. "Just lovely," she said, standing to follow him out.

After talking with some of the soldiers who were coming and going from the outpost, Corso was able to get the names of a few nearby homesteaders who took in tenants from time to time. They got rough coordinates and headed out on the speeder.

Leaving the vehicle at the edge of the property, they approached on foot. Corso glanced over at Kyla as they stepped up onto the doorstep. "Missus Skidder seems respectable enough, based on what Lieutenant Tzan said. But if you feel the least bit uncomfortable about staying here, let me know and we'll head on. All right?"

She nodded, and he knocked on the door.

It wasn't long before the door swung open and a tiny woman with cloud-white hair pulled into a long braid peered up at them, her eyes sharp and bright in her dark, weathered face. "Aye? Wotcher want?"

Corso ducked his head respectfully. "Ma'am, we're the ones that contacted you a bit ago. You said you still have a room available? This young lady's the sister of a good friend of mine." He took a shaky breath and tried his best smile. "He's been called into action, and I told him I'd make sure and find her a good place."

Her eyes narrowed, her lips tightening into a thin line. "Sonny," she said a moment later. "Yer a rotten liar." With a snort, she looked up at Kyla instead. "But you seem like a right nice girl, so I s'pose you'll do all right. C'mon in." She held the door for them, snipping at Corso in particular to be sure not to track in any sand in them big clunky boots of his, she'd just finished sweepin' out the floors.

They followed her through the house and up the stairs, while she told them all about what she expected of her guests and what was offered along with the room. She pulled out a metal rod that had some odd knobs and spikes at the end, slid it into a hole in the door and twisted, and then pushed the door open.

Corso let Kyla walk in first, and then turned to Missus Skidder. "We'll be down in a few minutes. Thank you, ma'am."

She snorted rather ungraciously, clearly still not fond of such an untrustworthy fellow, but shuffled off down the hallway and down the stairs.

He turned to Kyla with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Nearly mucked everything up but good just then." He leaned against the doorframe, watching her meander slowly around the room. "So… I don't mean to pry, but in order to get you set up safe… If you ain't got a place, and you ain't got family… sounds like maybe you're on the run from somebody?"

For a long while she just stood there, staring at the cabinet that was placed in the far corner of the room. "I learned about fixing things from an engineer in Mos Anek." She fell silent again, her hands clenched into tight fists. "He… he bought me, when I was very young."

Corso stepped toward her, then paused. There's nothing I can do – or say – that will make any of it better. "I'm sorry." Well, that was stupid. He took a slow breath. "But it doesn't have to stay that way. If – if you want, I might be able to see about, uh… revising your identity."

Slowly, she turned to face him again. "So no one could make me go back?"

He shook his head. "Not ever," he said, trying to hold back the anger in his voice. She stood there, staring at him silently for several seconds. When he saw her lower lip trembling, he walked over to her. "I'm sorry I can't do more," he whispered.

As the tears brimmed over and streamed down her face, she smiled up at him. "You've done more than I ever dreamed," she replied softly.

And when she pressed against him and kissed him deeply, he could taste the salt on her lips.