On a backwater planet salvage site 438842 a shuttle slammed into the hull of a wrecked C.I.S. Providence class dreadnought. Two and a half days later a droid salvaging team cut its way into the shuttle's cargo bay.
"Hello, is anyone left alive please make yourself known we have medical droids sta." The old b1 droid said before being shot by the young guard.
Unknow to the young guard doing so triggered an automated response causing six b2 and two droideka's to activate that then proceeded to the cardo bay of the shuttle. Then using the droideka's as walking shields they quickly found and subdued the young guard and the princess and once the two girls where restrained. The droids carried them over to a small transport inside of a large shield bubble where they were treated for a few cuts and bruises each was fed and watered before a b1 with a large pack of communication equipment on it's back walked over and stood in front of the two before a long mechanical arm folded out to point a eye of a TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droid at the two girls.
"Well well well what do we have here two little girls all on their own and one is very trigger happy." The eye on an arm sighed as it looked over the two girls and then turning to one of the medical droids.
"Where these two the only ones on board alive of dead.?" It asked the droid.
The droid responded a few seconds later strangely slow as if the droid was having trouble with the question that or checking in with an internal transmitter. "As far as we can tell yes they were alone two compartments where compacted in the crash we are still checking them but as far as we can tell currently they were alone. Excluding a destroyed pilot droid most likely scenario the droid malfunctioned and flew off course before crashing hear." The droid then returned to its work before the eye swayed over to the two girls
"Well crud ok look first off you aren't going to be harmed you will be shuttled back to the settlement where my operation is centered. I'll then see if I can't contact whoever you need to arrange your transport home in exchange I'll be keeping what's left of your ship. I will allow you to collect any belongings, but none personal cargo stays with the ship if you fill this is unfair we can discuss this in greater length once your transport issues have been settled. Tell then you will stay hear any question or anything else you need to know before I cut transmission." He asked the eye starting to retract.
"Yeah who are you and why would you go through so much trouble to help us." The young guard asked accusatively.
"Simple I found you can get a lot further off a little good will and kindness then you can get with blood and murder plus I wouldn't be here if some kind heart hadn't fished me out of some random trash heap a few times and I feel obliged to return the favor." He said before the eye shut and the arm retracted and the droid walked off.
The droid dropped of its communication equipment before it returned to work with the other droids that where mechanically stripping old ship wrecks. Some of witch clearly pre dated the clone wars and somewhere as new as the empire capital ships and rebel fighters.
"What's up with this place and all these wrecks I have only seen some of these in history books?" the young guard asked one of the droids.
"Oh well you see this zone of space was at one point in history was host to a massive fleet battle and several smaller ones before the clone wars. At some point the republic started dumping old ships hear most of which was cleaned up from other battles the debris field in space is very hazardous and is where the larger scale salvage and retro fitting operations is held. These planets collect wrecks most don't survive reentry, but they are rich in metals we hear on the planet salvage mine smelt and refine these and ether sell them out right or send them to the operations in orbit." The droid had politely answered. the droid the young guard had asked was a b1 that had pink stripes on its face plate and a pink torso and to the surprise of the young guard the droid sounded female.
"We are about to start removing cargo we would like you to go through the ship and collect any belongings before we depart to my owner's settlement your restraints will be removed. So long as you don't try to run off and please don't try to this place is far from safe and the atmosphere outside the shielded bubbles is toxic that's not counting the acid rain witch even we droids have to be careful about so please don't try to run I'd rather not have to collect your dead body." the droid said sounding almost displeased and sad as droid started to remove the restraints.
The young guard just rubbed her wrist and watched the droid she noticed its movement was stiff but more natural them most droids. It strangely reminded her of an old servant in the palace who had a hard time getting around in her old age. She smiled fondly at the memory as the droid led them to what had been at one point a boarding clamp three of these had been set up to connect the small shelter to the wrecked C.I.S. Providence class dreadnought where the shuttle was wrecked. The young guard only took a small bladed weapon and her blaster the young princess took a box of clothes and the guard set aside three crates to be negotiated for later. After that the three of them left the ship and where loaded into a MTT that had its troop racks removed and converted to carry cargo it and three others along with a small guard of nr-n99's a single juggernaut and two ig227 hailfire droids. Unfortunately, as the transport wasn't very fast it took several hours to reach the small settlement the settlement was like a above ground gungan city it was one big bubble that had a small desert like town on the inside wile on the outside there was endless fields of mud scrap and acid rain.
"This planet is a dump." The young guard said looking out of the dome at the surrounding landscape.
"It wasn't always according to my records this planet used to be mostly covered with jungle but when the ship wrecks started to fall from the sky full of fuel and chemicals the wreckage decimated the forest and sparked fires that burned fuel and forest burning hotter and longer then was natural. It wasn't long before the forest where burned away and the atmosphere was polluted by burnt fuel chemicals and all the smoke from the forests then the acid rain killed off everything else tell there was nothing but mud and wrecks." there droid escort said sounding sad.
As she said that several large turrets powered up and started to shoot at severely fireballs of reentry space junk zoomed towards the settlement a powerful shield powered up and blocked the junk from hitting the settlement.
"What the farkled was that!?" The young guard said in shock as her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Language young lady as for what that was it was a chunk of space junk falling from space its common around here." The droid said as more fireballs fell from the sky.
Occasionally the turrets turned to shoot but the shield remained on though nothing hit the shield but as quickly as it had started it ended with chunks of flaming metal burned around the settlement.
"Come on this way you can get a proper meal at the cantina." The droid said before leading them into the settlement.
The buildings of the settlement weren't much a mix of prefab and stone one building was big and sprawling and took up a quarter of the settlement. That building turned out to be the cantina and the home of a mixed race family headed by a abnormally fat and large blarina who ran the cantina.
"Who and what is this and don't tell me he's found another sob story I already have to many mouths to feed I'm not taking in anymore." The blarina said looking the girls over unable to help but notice the treated scrapes and bruises and thin state of the two girls with some concern.
"Do not worry we will be working to establish transit for them as soon as is possible all we need is temporary housing for them tell it can be arranged." The droid said simply before starting to walk off to return to work.
The blarina sighed then said. "Ok you two hears a set of ground rules one no picking on the droids. Their boss really hates that, and I don't want to hear it from him because one of you's gets the dumb idea to play a prank on one of them buckets of bolts. Two there's a junkshop in this little settlement you can go in but don't go in the back I don't own it and it's not a playground. Theirs a few kids running around here somewhere so you can play with them instead. Now lastly when the light dims if you don't come in you don't eat and have to sleep outside that's all now go shoe." He said simply before returning to his own work as he did the two girls nodded before walking off to talk to each other.
"So what do we do now?" The princess asked.
"Not sure but first thing we need to do is find somewhere we can talk in private I'm not sure why, but I have a bad feeling even though they let me keep my weapons. But that could just mean they don't think I'm a threat which is probable as they have a lot of old combat droids around hear so that's a problem, but they got other people hear so they aren't worried about hostages for some reason. I just don't know well whatever let's just find some place safer to talk." She said before taking the princess hand and leading her out of the canteen they searched around for a bit before picking a small field of leafy plants that they guessed was being farmed. Though as neither knew much about plants they had no idea what they were or what they were used for, but it gave a clear wide view of their surroundings.
"Ok hear should be good just keep your voice down." The young guard said looking around.
"So, what do we do if there telling the truth and they let us call home the capital will be in ruin they will be too busy with relief and repairs to come get us?" The princess asked sounding scared.
"well I had them set out three pieces of cargo one has enough credits in it to buy a cheap ship so surely we can pay someone with a ship to take us home so ether way we get home." The young guard said hoping she was right but something she couldn't quite explain told her it wouldn't be so easy.
After that the two girls started to walk around exploring the settlement there wasn't much above ground. Half the buildings didn't have entrances and at one point the two girls nearly fell into a hole that led to a hatch in the ground thankfully the hatch itself was closed. The few buildings where accessible where workshops where droids of all types where working on other droid's ship part's and on several machines. The only two buildings that where any different where the large cantina and a small building that was the only way through a wall that halved the settlement. In curiosity the two walked in to the small building but to their surprise there was a loud ding when each girl entered. The building was a small shop full of junk and parts. As they started to leave a door behind the counter opened and a blue skinned togruta boy who was a year or so older then the young guard and was wearing an oil stained mechanic outfit and notably though he was blue skinned and had the traditional white markings his head tails hue shifted from blue at the base to green at its tip .
"Oh hay you're the new salvage kids aren't you well aren't you one of the lucky ones." He said looking them over his eyes stopping on the weapons the young guard wore.
"Salvage kids what are those?" The young guard asked sounding mad and placing a hand on her blade
"A salvage kid is a kid that is pulled from the wrecks I'm one and so is just about everyone hear is one and your one of the lucky ones. As you have a home to go back to and made it hear unharmed well more or less a lot aren't as lucky as you." He said pulling up his pants leg revealing it was artificial as he noticed their shocked expressions.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that." The young guard said apologetically.
"So, I'm guessing your hear to use the transmitter then I'm sorry to say it's in use we only get a few hours a day window to use the orbital relay and our time for the day is running out. Tomorrow you will be able to call your home tell then just sit tight I'll get you when its free." He said simply as a small mettle ball rolled out from behind the counter being chased by a pit droid.
"Crud mind helping me catch these two they don't get along on the best of times and right now there fighting." He said with a sigh before starting after them the young guard grabbed the pit droid as the boy fearlessly picked up a buzz droid he closed it into a ball.
"Poke it in the eye that will shut him down tell they can cool off, so um did you need anything else?" he asked once the young guard had shut the pit droid down.
"Um not really just trying to find whoever it is in charge hear so we can discuss the cargo of our ship." The young guard said simply as she looked around the shop.
"Oh yeah you want my dad um well he's not my real dad he's my adopted father. Most of the kids hear are essentially raised by the old blarina but I live hear with my dad. He um he doesn't really breathe the same air as us. So, you would need a suit to meet him face to face but I can call him on the intercom for you." The young boy offered.
"Ok let's do that." The young guard said simply as the boy walked behind the counter and hit a button a few seconds later another TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper eye lower down from the ceiling and turned to the counter not noticing the girls.
"Hello what's up sun why did you call me." The eye asked.
"The girls you pulled out of the wrecks want to talk to you." He said pointing over to the girls the eye swung around to point at the two girls.
"Yes, what did you want to ask me?" the eye asked.
"Um yes well we set three boxes aside one contains my belonging another contains the belongings of my um sisters and the last one holds our traveling funds we will be happy to give you everything else but those three we especially need the one that has our traveling fund." She said pleadingly.
"Fine they will be moved to your rooms at the earliest convenience." He said with a sigh.
"Thank you, sir, we are very grateful for all you have done for us." She said with a little bow before they left.
"So, what do you think they are hiding." The boy asked the eye.
"Not sure just yet other then there not sisters their connected in some form I think it some rank thing and they are clearly afraid of something there in trouble. So that's why I let them keep their weapons and money they are in more need of them then I am." the eye said as the light outside started to dim
"I guess but we could still use it you know I swear if you actually had a heart it would never stop bleeding. Your to kind for your own good you know that." The boy said with a resigned sigh.
"If it wasn't for that kindness you wouldn't be here would you ." the eye teased.
"You're never going to let that go are you." The boy said with a sigh knowing he had already lost.
"No no I will not." The eye said before retracting.
The girls noticing the change in light and as they remembered the blarinas warning decided to head back to the cantina. Meanwhile at the salvaging sight some one looks at the crashed shuttle through electrobinoculars and as another transport started to leave. They decided to follow it back to the settlement before using their vehicles communicator.
The next morning came far too quick for the young guard and the princess but as the blarina warned them that they wouldn't be fed if they didn't get up they had no choice but to do so or go hungry tell later that night. After eating the two girls where led into a back room of the junk shop that had a com terminal and a droid to help them the young guard started to list off the needed call codes that she was now thankful that her father had made her memorize the codes but the call wouldn't go through the droid tried a few other call codes. The third of which was to the castle and though it connected but no one responded after that the young guard asked the droid if it would continue to try and contact them and to let her know if the droid got a response. After leaving the junk shop they were met with the pink painted droid who greeted them
"Oh, hello did you manage to reach um whoever it was you were trying to reach." The pink droid asked.
"No not yet I'm actually getting worried I mean it's been days I don't know what could be wrong?" She said putting her hand on her blade nervously she wasn't intending to use it, but she felt safer with it in her hand
"I'm sorry to hear that you can't get in touch with who you need to but don't worry we will keep trying tell we do you and your sister are welcome to stay hear. I know it's not much but it's at least safe and friendly I used to be a protocol droid and I can tell you there's a lot worse places to be lost in." The pink droid said.
"You used to be a protocol droid what happen why are you in a battle droid body now." The young guard asked.
"Oh well I used to work in a palace long before the clone wars, but I got to old and they traded up to a newer model. So, I was sold to a farmer who kept me tell his great grand sun went off and became a smuggler. I was then used mainly as a maid and interpreter tell he was shot down by pirates. They didn't want me, so they chucked me in the nearest junk heap that just so happened to be where my current master happened to be salvaging at that time. He found me but my body was badly damaged in the crash, but my data was in tacked so he found me this body and loaded me into it and I have served him like this ever sense." The droid said sounding happy.
"And you like it here?" The young guard asked.
"Yes, my master treats us droids very well we are all well maintained and well treated he even allows us a small amount of free time to use as we see fit. I have had many masters, but none has treated me as well as my current one. Oh, and I do hope I can continue to serve him for years to come." the pink droid said sounding proud.
"Well he sounds like a good guy my father once told me an easy way to tell the character of someone is to look at how he treats his droids or those who work under him." She said with a smile.
"Hmm my master once said something similar to me once before he was right then so I can't see how he'd be wrong now. Oh oh no what ok I'll securer her sir" she said clearly responding to some transmission before turning to the guard.
"We have to go raiders have been spotted I need to get you to th." but that was all she could say as shots started to hit the dome the shield held but the main gate was a different story it barely survived the first salvo and it definitely wasn't going to survive the second thankfully no one needed to tell the droids this as combat droids popped out of hidden hatches in the ground and along with barricades For cover and turrets.
"wow over kill much you think raiders wouldn't be much of a problem with those perimeter defenses." the young guard said as she tried to keep up with the pink droid.
"We actually don't have any perimeter defenses except for a few patrolling automated vehicles the cannons retract whenever a threat is detected they are to valuable to lose in the attack. As they are needed to shoot down debris that falls down from the sky." The pink droid said reaching a hatch unfortunately right then the gate was blown open and the security system locked the hatch.
"No no no the junk shop run for the junk shop we can take cover there now go." She shouted sounding worried the young guard ran as fast as she could but as she did the first shots started to ring out. She reached the door, but it was already locked she slammed her fist on the door.
"Hay let me in please let me in." She cried as the door opened so she could bolt in before it shut and locked behind her.
"Are you ok your lucky I was still above ground now we need to hurry into the tunnels." But right after the togruta boy said that the wall exploded nearly buried the young guard in junk and rubble.
"Hay you ok?" The togruta boy said as he tried to shift the door off him.
"Yeah I think so but I'm stuck I don't think I can get free" the young guard said as she attempted to do just that. the togruta boy ran over trying to shift the rubble but in the end it took the boys buzz droid cutting through a metal rod before she could get free.
"Look it's not safe hear we need to get to the cantina I have the code to get the door open look we need to run and stay low try to stay out of sight best you can and keep moving." The togruta boy said taking the young guard's hand before darting out into what could only be described as chaos. Raiders and modified vehicles pored through the gate some ran in wiled and crazed where most came through like well trained soldier but the droids weren't giving an inch. On top of that every time that a droid was damaged or destroyed two or three more pored out of some hidden hatch or door but that's not to say the droids where in effective. On the contrary they were not only holding their own but actually pushing the raiders back that was tell a makeshift tank charged through the gate. It clearly wasn't what blew open the gate as it had a shield projector where the tank turret would have been. This gave the raiders a safe place to shoot from unfortunately this happened as the two kids' maid there run for it. They didn't make it five steps before having to dive behind the junk shop.
"What is going on hear there raiders they shouldn't even have this many numbers let alone this level of teck and fire power and where is command they charge us for protection. They should at least hold up there end none of this makes any since." he said shocked.
Meanwhile in a room beneath what was left of the junk shop an aged droid powered on for the first time in years as he preferred to spend his time in a massive core computer looking at the many worlds through the eyes of his fellow droids. He stood up pulling cables out of himself before heading over to a wall of mechanical arms that set to work readying him for combat as alarms blared. "Warning the raiders have deployed armored vehicles with in the settlement security level 2 is now in effect."
At that point commando droids along with droideka's took to the battle as the b1's retreated. As the last b1 vanished down a hatch in the ground several dwarf spider droids started to rise up from under the sands, but it seemed like no matter what they threw at it the shield held that was tell he joined the fray. Out of nowhere the wall of the junk shop exploded outwards as a droid unlike any other walked out it was a patchwork made up of modified stock droid parts.
Going bottom to top its waist and legs where from a ig 100 magnaguard. It was painted a blueish green with white trim, but the paint was chipped and in the corners was small flecks of something red but its left leg from the knee down didn't have any paint on it making it look like a replacement. on its right hip was a small red painted box that was clearly maid of welded pieces of scrap metal. This housed a small detachable turret that had a small twin barrel blaster and a grapple launcher. On his left hip was a holster for tools and a mandalorian iron sword. The chest was a b1 chest that had several holes cut in it to run wires through that had later been patch welded over to seal the housing and on the up right near the center of the chest on both the front and back was a patch welded hole as if something had burned a hole straight through it on top of the torso was a support frame that had been welded onto the body. On top of that was a poncho like armor that had been made of pieces of scrap that had been welded then later melted by blaster fire then patched repeatedly. The biggest pieces of which was a blue painted piece of metal that was salvaged from some form of racer. It still bore the racers marking though now it was nearly illegible except for a large upside down number 11. On its left shoulder was a collapsible long range blaster equipped with long range multi scan optic. On the right shoulder was a more advanced multi scan optic set in a small transparent rotatable dome that set on a small yellow box that was bolted on the armor this housed a holoprojector and high power light. On his back was a large pack containing a micro missiles pod launcher a long range extendable transmitter and receiver and a small heavily armored reactor and a shield generator. And attached to the pack was three weapons racks along with several storage compartments the three weapons racks were positioned so one was on each side and one on the bottom. The right one held two E-5 blaster rifles the left held two staff weapons and the bottom one had a modified Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Also, on his back was a collapsible arm that was actually mounted on the back of the droid its self but was ran through a hole in the pack. The arm had a claw hand and custom made multi tool. The right arm as on a extendable bolt shoulder the arm was a cluster of b1 arm parts and a twin barrel wrist blasters a welder and grappler launcher. The left was a b2 arm with wrist blasters on the upper arm was a extendable combat armored shield. Lastly was the head it was a b1 head but the face plate around the right optic had been blasted off and replaced with a dark grey piece of metal and the right synthannoied was replaced with a black ball like mechanical eye that had a plus shaped track that the synthannoied moved on. The eye itself could rotate 360 degrees also several cables snaked from the head down to the body.