A/N: Hello my beautiful readers! I literally just finished watching chapter 13 and hooooo boy. Hoo boy. No spoilers here but … boy
Would love to hear your thoughts both on the chapter and well, the chapter.
Chapter 20 – Back on Track
When Din woke the next morning, it took a couple of seconds for his brain to reboot and a couple more for sensation to return to his body. It had always been like this when he slept in his armor, but he didn't remember it feeling like he had gone three rounds with a Mudhorn when he was younger.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, and a breeze blew in through the partially opened door that smelled of resin and clean earth. Somewhere, a bird was chirping.
His eyes landed on Sinead kneeling before the cold fireplace where the remaining wood had been arranged in a precarious pyramid. A thin wisp of smoke curled into the air as she tried to light it with his firestarter, her stare so intense that it looked like she was trying to light it with concentration alone. Her hair hung loosely down her back in the same soft waves as the night before, and she had rolled up the sleeves of her shirt, revealing toned forearms.
The flame caught for a second before winking out.
With a huff, she looked up at the ceiling before getting to her feet. "Who needs fire anyway," she said in a whisper.
For one staggering moment, Din thought she was talking to him. Did she know he was watching her?
Before he could respond, there came a cooing from the end of the bed, and Din finally noticed the child sitting in a beam of sunlight, watching Sinead just as intently as Din was.
"That's right." She turned and rifled through the pack, where she pulled out some bantha jerky and two ration bars. The kid held his hands out in a grabbing motion, and she gave him the jerky, which he wasted no time ripping through. "You're hungry, huh?" She smiled down at him.
The mattress barely dipped as the child crawled up toward Din's head, trilling what almost sounded like a melody.
"Oh no, you don't," Sinead said as she grabbed the kid and pulled him away. "Your old man needs all the rest he can get."
Old man?
His stomach clenched with guilt, doubt, regret, every emotion that came to him when he had a moment alone. The look Sinead had given him when she heard of his plan to leave the child had shaken him more than he wanted to admit.
Holding the kid with one arm, Sinead leaned over the bed and waved a hand in front of his helmeted face, an unreadable look in her eyes. Din almost laughed out loud when suddenly she moved closer until she was all he could see, staring into his helmet with narrowed eyes. His mouth went dry, and his muscles flexed as if he was gearing up to run.
With a slight shake of the head she stood, and Din let himself relax. She placed one of the ration bars on the musty bed and left the cabin, leaving the door ajar behind her.
When he was sure she wouldn't come back, Din sat up in the bed and winced as his back cramped. Slipping off his helmet, he allowed himself a moment to feel the fresh air on his face.
The wood Sinead had left in the fireplace had been stacked in such a way that ensured it would never catch fire.
He quickly ate the ration bar and slipped the helmet back on, gearing up to stand. When he finally moved, his tendons twanged with discomfort. He couldn't wait until all this was over and they were back in the Crest.
Grabbing the pack, he went outside. Faint wisps of mist still clung to the shadow, but otherwise, there were no signs of the rain from the day before. The little clearing was awash with sunlight.
Sinead and the child were in sight of the hut, standing beside a scummy pond Din had missed in the darkness and rain the day before. The child moved through the tall grass that lined the pond while Sinead watched him with an amused look on her face. She turned her head when he neared. "Sleep well?"
Din shrugged and kept his eyes on the kid. "Fine." Even if he tried, he couldn't look directly at her.
"The bed wasn't half bad. You should get one for the ship, you know, instead of a bunk that would be too short for an Ugnaught."
He ignored her. "You're ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," she said and stretched her arms above her head. "How long to the settlement?"
"About five hours. If it keeps dry."
"I'm really starting to regret this excursion. I should've just stayed in the ship with the kid."
"Told you." Din stopped the child just moments before he stumbled into the pond, gathering him into his arms.
Sinead rolled her eyes, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a smile. "You did."
The cabin had only just disappeared when they found a path leading in the direction of the settlement. It was narrow and barely noticeable between tufts of coarse grass and anthills, but it was too direct to be made by animals, and as they walked, Din noticed small signs of sentient life; a burnt-out torch tossed to the side, a cairn where the path divided.
"What do we do," Sinead said, shifting the kid to her other arm, "if we get to the settlement and there's no mechanic? Or if there is one who knows shit-all about starships?"
"Hm." Din looked up at the blue sky visible between the leaves. "Go to the next place, I guess."
"And how far is that?"
"About five days."
Sinead sighed theatrically.
"Not a fan of hiking?"
"Let's just say I get why my parents never took me camping."
"With any luck we'll be on our way soon."
"Yeah."
He glanced at her, unsure of what to say. An unreadable emotion flitted across her face before she cleared her throat. "What kind of freak weather phenomenon do you think is gonna happen today? I'm thinking giant waterspout."
"There isn't a big enough body of water near here."
She flashed him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sure it'll find a way."
… … … … …
Sinead was just about ready to give up and lie down flat on her face when the first house finally came into view. Her body ached after the walk through the wilderness, and the thought of a hot meal – not ration bars or flavorless jerky – was the only thing propelling her forward.
Now they just needed a mechanic who knew their way around a starship, and they were good to go.
Back on the trail of Kyen the Pirate.
There was no real defining boundary between the forest and the village; gradually, houses started popping up between the trees, getting closer and closer together until the path became a dirt road that led to the heart of the settlement. The houses themselves were squat and thatched with dark straw, making them look like overgrown mushrooms. The inhabitants, a mix of different species, stopped in their tracks and stared as Sinead and Mando walked by.
"You'd think they'd never seen an outsider before," Sinead whispered to Mando.
"Stay on guard."
She gave him a look. "Relax. I doubt these people know how to hold a blaster, much less shoot one."
Mando grunted a reply, keeping his eyes on a group of men standing around a workbench that was piled high with bits of wood.
As they walked, a flock of villagers gathered to trail behind at a safe distance, murmuring amongst themselves. Mando kept looking back at their impromptu tail, hand inching closer to his blaster every time.
Sinead smiled at a young Zabrak child sitting on the curb in front of a house. "Just remember I'll never forgive you if you get us thrown out before the ship's repaired."
"At least you'll be alive to hold a grudge."
"Look, I'm all for healthy paranoia, but this is weird, not dangerous."
He made a noise and scanned the gathering crowd, but at least he didn't draw his blaster.
The center of the settlement turned out to be a small square with a well in the center. It seemed like the entire village was there, pushing each other to get a better view of the strangers. Worry crept up Sinead's spine as it became clear just how outnumbered they were.
"What now?" Mando said tightly.
She took a deep breath and addressed the crowd. "Our ship crashed a day's travel from here. We're looking for a capable mechanic or someone willing to haul it to one. Pay's in New Republic credits."
An ancient Ithorian shuffled through the crowd, leaning heavily on a walking stick, and the onlookers moved out of the way for him. The Ithorian had a translator fixed over both mouths, and when he warbled in Ithorese, there was a slight delay before the translator garbled in a scratchy voice: "Welcome, strangers, to our village. It is not often we see new faces here."
That was obvious.
Sinead stepped forward. "We're honored by such a warm welcome." Strange welcome, anyway. "As I said, our ship is in need of repair. It's about a day's travel north of here."
"Do not tell me you were caught in the storm last night." The Ithorian stopped his slow shuffle and peered at them. Even bent low with age, he was a head taller than Sinead.
"We managed not to be swept away."
"Not everyone can say that. Fand-Dala storms are not to be trifled with." It was hard to gauge on such an alien face, but if she were to guess, he was being friendly.
"Well, yeah. Barely managed," said Sinead. "I don't suppose there's a mechanic 'round here who can fix the ship? It doesn't look like you have much need for starships."
The Ithorian made a noise that sounded like it came from deep in his chest, and it took a moment for Sinead to realize that he was laughing. "We have one of those, yes. She mostly works on hovercarts now, but I am sure she can repair your ship."
Sinead and Mando exchanged a glance; hovercarts and starships were very different when it came to the finer workings, and just because she could fix one didn't mean she could fix the other.
"Follow me, please." The Ithorian led them through the parted crowd and down a winding street, his steps slow and careful. Sinead walked beside him while Mando took up the rear.
The Ithorian told them his name that sounded like a deep trilling moan spoken with both his mouths which the translator didn't even bother trying to parse. He laughed when he saw Sinead's frozen smile. "But you can call me Dibs."
"Pleased to meet you, Dibs. I'm Jesha, and this is ..." she looked back at Mando. "Uh, the Mandalorian."
"Yes, I can see that. What are you doing all the way out here? This system seldom sees a lot of travelers."
"We were on our way to Neth when the ship started to die. It was lucky we made it to the planet, or else we'd still be floating in space."
"Lucky indeed. Let us hope that Zlii can get you up and away before the next storm hits."
Dibs stopped outside a small house close to the edge of the settlement. Loud music came from the other side. "She must be in her workshop, then." He led them down a dirt path between two houses and into the backyard, where the music was much louder, bouncing between the walls until it was an unintelligible wail. A shack stood against the back of the house, not much more than some branches and a tarp to keep the rain out. One side was open, and Sinead saw a workbench overflowing with mechanical parts, tools, and schematics. Open crates spilled their content across the ground. If Peli Motto's workshop had been chaotic, this was an outright calamity.
A hovercart stood on supports in the middle of the courtyard, and two legs stuck out beneath it, clad in a dark jumpsuit. Dibs walked over and prodded them with his cane. There was no point in trying to talk over the music.
Green hands shot out from under the hovercart, and a small, angry-looking Rodian emerged, oil smeared across her hands and face. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Sinead and Mando.
Knocking the walking stick to the side, she got up and leaned into the hovercart to shut off the music. A deafening silence followed.
"All right," the mechanic said, her constellation eyes cold. "What'd you want?" She stared unblinkingly at Mando.
Dibs didn't seem perturbed in the least, but maybe Ithorians just showed it differently. "They are strangers-"
"You don't say. And here I thought we'd always had a Mandalorian."
Dibs laughed and looked at Sinead. "Do not be discouraged by her words, she means well. I am sure she can help you on your way."
She narrowed her eyes. "Help with what, exactly?"
Sinead stifled a sigh. This was going to be an ordeal. "Our ship crashed in the forest north of here."
"Too bad."
"Zlii ..." Dibs said. "I told them you can help. Let it not be known that we do not extend our assistance when needed. And they will pay." He shot a look at Sinead, who nodded.
Zlii sighed with her whole body. "What makes you think I can help?"
Dibs leaned on his walking stick. "Did you not work in a spaceport? I am sure you will enjoy the challenge."
"Starting to regret telling you that," she mumbled.
Mando cleared his throat impatiently, and Sinead stepped in before Zlii had a chance to respond. "Will you give it a look? That's all I'm asking."
"How many credits d'you got?"
Mango pulled out a pouch. "600 to look at it, 200 more to fix it."
Zlii took a moment to consider. "Exactly how crashed is it?"
"The energy cycler and cooling unit are fried," Mando said.
"Okay." Zlii pushed off the hovercraft. "Seems pretty straightforward." She went into the shack where there was a loud bang as she shifted through the piles of junk.
"Guess that means she'll help." Sinead looked at Mando, who shrugged.
"Zlii has always been a prickly one," Dibs said, his translator pronouncing every word slow and clear. "She came to us not many cycles ago. She is a capable mechanic, but I am afraid her skills are not being put to their full use."
The young Rodian in question came out of the makeshift workshop carrying a large pack overflowing with tools and spare parts. "I can hear you, you know." She glanced at the kid and made an unimpressed harumph. "Well, are we going then? You better find a speeder bike that can take us because I'm not walking a day lugging this."
"I believe I can help you with that," said Dibs.
… … … … …
The trip back to the ship only took a couple of hours thanks to an old human and his landspeeder that could move through the forest quickly, levitating above every hole or treacherous root. It would have been a pleasant ride if it hadn't been for Zlii's sullen silence and Mando's short and reluctant answers to even the most mundane questions. In the end, Sinead had sat back and stewed in silence while the shadows grew longer. If Zlii was as good as Dibs had implied, they wouldn't be stuck on the planet for much longer.
The kid sat beside Mando, and the settlement was barely out of sight before he crawled up onto the rim of the landspeeder, ears flapping in the wind. The only thing keeping him from flying out was the death grip Mando had on the back of the kid's robe. He giggled whenever the landspeeder swerved between the trees.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Sinead saw Zlii watch the kid with something akin to interest; She could see the question forming on the Rodian's lips before Zlii noticed Sinead watching and her face fell into the usual scowl.
At last, they made it to the ship, and everyone got out. The Razor Crest sat where they'd left it, dark and out of place in the middle of the forest. A bird had started building a nest in the crook of one of the turbines.
"This it?" Zlii jumped down, throwing the big pack over her shoulder. "You sure it's worth it? Could probably get more selling it for scrap."
"Just see what you can do." Mando pushed a button, and the ship came to life, the cargo door opening with a hiss.
Sinead stayed in the landspeeder while Zlii worked, and Mando watched her silently. Her legs were still sore from all the walking, and the kid had found his way into her lap, where he dozed on and off, sometimes awoken by Zlii's snippy questions or Mando's curt answers. Their driver had reclined in the front seat and pulled his hat down over his eyes, effectively shutting out the entire circus.
Zlii went back and forth between her pack where she pulled out more and more complicated tools that Sinead didn't know the names of. When she wasn't busy snarking at Mando, she was muttering to herself and banging on various parts of the ship, listening to the sound with concentration.
The sun had gone down when Zlii stepped back, wiping a hand across her forehead that left a streak of oil. "Done all I can for her. She just needed a bit of convincing, is all,"
"And we won't fall out of the sky again?" Sinead struggled to her feet.
"Not right away. The energy cycler is back on, but the cooling unit needs replacing as soon as possible. For whatever shit you put her through, she runs pretty well." That was the first positive thing Sinead had heard her say.
Mando handed over the rest of the credits, and Zlii carefully counted them, glaring at Mando now and then. "It's all here." She sounded disappointed.
"You think we'd cheat you?" Sinead said.
"Wouldn't be the first to try. Hey, Onaas!"
The driver lurched into a sitting position and lifted his hat off with a finger. "Yeh?"
"We're leaving." The pack landed heavily on the speeder, and Zlii soon followed.
"What if it breaks down again?" Sinead leaned against the speeder.
"Guess that means you'll suffocate in space," Zlii spat.
"Is that really any way to talk to your customers?"She didn't know why she was needling her, just that it had been a long day, and Zlii seemed like someone easy to needle.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, princess. Next time feel free to choose any of the other mechanics."
Sinead opened her mouth, but Mando broke in before she had the chance to reply. "Thank you for coming all the way out here."
"If it means getting you off the planet." Zlii leaned back in her seat. "Ready to go?"
Onaas grunted and touched his hat in a brief goodbye before the landspeeder came to life and sped off into the darkness, leaving Mando and Sinead to board the ship.
Back on Kyen's trail.