CHAPTER V: A Slow Day

-==O==-

The sun shone from high above, rays of light peering through the clouds that flew so high above.

Once bare trees were sprouting leaves, and flowers found themselves budding ever so slightly. Even some birds had begun to return from the migration southwards.

It was unusual for winter to have ended this early, but the warm climate had been a welcome surprise to all who lived here.

Slowly, she crept up behind her brother, her ability to sneak increasing every day.

With a mighty pounce, she hopped onto his back.

"Boo!"

He let out a startled cry as he began to fall forward, having been spooked by his sister. Before he fell to the ground, she managed to let go and land perfectly on her feet.

"Not funny!" He laid on his stomach, smacking the ground upset with her antics.

"Was too!" She smiled, stepping on the tip of her toes half prancing around her brother who was getting back to his feet. "I'm going to see Papa, wanna come with?"

"Nuh-uh!" He shook his head. "Mom said if she caught us outside, we'll be in big trouble!"

Of course, their mother did not want her or her brother to be out and about. After all, the last time they did something fun, one of them had ended up in the chicken coup covered in feathers and mud.

"If we get caught." She climbed up a counter and peeked out a window. "I'll tell Papa you said hello!"

"No wait don't go!" He called out, but it was too late as she went through.

As she feel, she loved every second the wind breezed through her hair on the way down. It did not take long for her to land softly onto the hay left in the cart outside, sinking slightly into the unbaled hay.

Once she oriented herself from the fall, she quickly shook her head whilst running her hands through it, trying to get rid of as much hay as she could. Then hopping off the cart with a wide smile practically ear to ear across her face, she ran off, ignoring the cries of her brother as she got further away.

She ran, many of the townsfolk greeting her as she went farther and farther from home. Her face was known in the town, and many enjoyed the company of the excitable young lady.

However, none stopped her as she ran through the busy streets, her eyes telling everyone she was focused on getting where she wanted to be. Eventually, she reached where she wished to be, sneaking herself into a shrub next to the training grounds.

"You think you can protect the Countess with that kind of fighting!" A gruff voice shouted over the sounds of clashing metal.

The voice was a familiar one, coming from a familiar set of armor. It was her father, standing in his full plate, the one mother had given him during the war. His helmet had a plume on it and a sash with a variety of words sewn into it. She could only read some of it, but less than her brother.

He stood there, his posture immaculate and his rapier never off center, facing down three guards of the town.

Steel clashed on steel as the three tried to get a single hit on him, but he was always seemingly a step ahead of them, dodging and parrying whatever swings came his way.

"You have to feel where the enemy is going to be, strike where he is least defended."

Throwing one of them to the ground, and side-stepping another, his eyes held disapproval.

"You keep throwing the expected at me, do something I can't foresee."

One of the guards attempted to charge him, only for the duelists' fancy footwork to throw him off balance.

"Is that all you got? A liquored-up drunkard with a club foot could easily beat you!"

Papa is so cool! She thought as she looked around for a stick that was worthy of being called her weapon. Eventually, she found that perfect piece of wood and now looked for her adversary.

It did not take her long to find a stump that she could easily imagine as a monster.

"Take this and that!" She swung the branch around, unsteady and uneven hits striking it true.

She was unsure how long she was playing with her imagination, but eventually, a gruff voice startled her from being.

"Ah my little girl, fighting a dastardly bandit today?" Turning around, she could see her father, with a bushy beard and hazel eyes.

"Uh hi, Papa!" She gave him a hug. "I'm fighting a tree monster!"

"So an Ent! But…" He put his chin up slightly as he stroked his beard. "Didn't mama tell you not to come out today?"

"Well… yeah…" She put her hands behind her back and shifted in place. "But I wanted to tell you big brother said hello!"

He put his hands on his hips, a grin stretching on his face.

"Well isn't that mighty kind of you, however, you shouldn't use your brother as an excuse." He crouched down to her height, clearly knowing that she snuck out now. "Did mama catch you leaving?"

"Nope!" She cheerfully told him. "Jumped out a window this time!"

His expression was unchanging, and his eyes met hers. "From how high?"

"From the kitchen window!" She jumped up excitedly. "I made sure to land in the hay cart."

"That's my little girl, as keen as an owl and nimble as a cat." His hand ruffled her hair, causing her to giggle. "Still if Mama finds out you did that, you'll be in trouble."

"I know but Brother knows I'm here." Her excitement faded now, realizing she was about to be in trouble. "Probably gonna tell ma I'm here."

"Don't worry, I'll handle mama bear when she gets here." Picking her up, the two of them moved towards the clearing. "You want me to teach you a thing or two?"

"Yes please!" She exclaimed, eager to hold a sword.

"Alright." Picking out a wooden sword, he stood next to her. "Give me a moment, I'll get you a training sword and I'll teach you a thing or two.

"Ok!" She gave a little hop of excitement as she waited.

As he disappeared from sight, the world got progressively darker.

Then a few drops of rain began to fall around her.

A rustle in the bush caught her attention.

"Papa?"

Slowly, she slowly crept towards the source of the sound, twigs firmly grasped in both hands.

"This… This isn't funny!"

The rain got heavier and she found it more difficult to walk forward as the mud she trotted through impeded her movement, and the smell of iron permeated grew stronger and stronger with every pace forward.

Looking back to her hands, she could see them caked in blood and the twig had now turned into a rapier, half of it shattered and rusted.

Eyes widening, she could hear more footsteps rustling in the distance… and sadistic laughter from afar.

Finally, the golden eyes of those creatures stared directly at her.

She tried to run but the mud prevented her, finding herself tackled to the ground.

Soon enough, she was surrounded on all sides, these silhouettes all cackling at their prey.

Looking around, she could feel her heartbeat thrashing in her ribcage as she hyperventilated. Tears formed at the edge of her eyes, she could not help but see the desiccated and desecrated heads of the three adventurers she'd partied up with that night.

"GOBRARAGH!" The creature laughed at her as it lifted a dagger up, before stabbing down.

ooo-/*\-ooo

Jolting up out of bed, she felt around her abdomen to find that she had not been stabbed at all.

With a sigh of relief, she looked around and saw a young lady in the process of entering

"Ah! You're finally awake!" A quiet voice spoke.

Looking around, she found herself not in a bed in the guild's inn, but rather in the Temple of the Earth Mother in the Frontier Town. The last thing she remembered was walking into town, and the rest is a blur.

Fencer Squire remembered entering the town in a carriage, before dismounting.

The feeling of how her legs burned and how her sword arm could scarcely move without feeling as if it was set aflame.

She recalled how she had been enduring the fatigue and exhaustion with all her might before reaching the Temple of the Earth Mother.

Then everything had gone black.

"Ugh…" She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Did I pass out when I got to town?"

"Right in front of the Temple of the Earth Mother." The demure voice spoke again. "Mother Superior told me you had passed out from exhaustion.

Looking at her clothing, she was wearing now wearing a white nightgown instead of a black onesie. The bandages had been changed and she did not smell of sweat and blood, but rather a tint of citrus.

"Where did you put my clothes?" She immediately asked, her eyes already noting where her weapon had gone.

"The strange black outfit?" The girl timidly turned away, her hand gesturing to the pile of clothes. In this pile was the onesie folded in a neat pile. Atop it was her boots and gloves, now cleaned from the stains of blood and mud.

"Thanks." She rubbed the grogginess from her eyes.

"Um… How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I suppose..." She groaned, rubbing the side of her head. "Is it bad?"

"You all looked pretty bad." She heard her say, soon feeling the cold towel removed from her head. From the corner of her eye, she saw a young priestess of the temple. "But under the watchful eye of the Earth Mother, you and the poor souls brought in pulled through."

"Talking about this." She pointed to the now undone bandaging on the side of her head and chuckled as the young woman's expression changed, looking mildly flustered.

"Oh… uh…" She tilted her head as if she was trying to word it delicately. "It has its… charm?"

"Can you pass me that mirror?" She leaned forward, stretching her arm out to point towards it. Once in her hand, she used it to look at the damage. Aside from the amount of hair that the javelin had removed from the left side of her head, the area around the wound was relatively fine, but she could tell that the lighter scar would be easily visible with her sun-kissed complexion and upon touching it lightly, the scar still relatively sensitive to touch.

"I'm lucky Republic Commando was a skilled healer, might have lost my beauty." A weak smirk formed on the corner of her lips.

"Republic Commando?" The Priestess asked, looking at her with a confused look. "Did he come in with you?"

"Ah, no." Fencer Squire put the mirror on the nightstand next to her. Now looking at the younger girl, she spoke again. "I haven't asked yet, but who may I be speaking with?"

"Oh! My apologies for not telling you sooner." She gave a bow. "I am Priestess, a follower of the Earth Mother." A frail-looking and delicate girl looked at her, a cheery smile spread across her face, long and beautiful hair complemented by her blue eyes, and she wore the standard vestments of those affiliated with the Earth Mother. "And you?"

"Fencer Squire." She responded, pulling out her Steel Rank tag, and handing it to her junior.

"You're an adventurer?" She looked interested now, eyes locked on the steel tag. "Wow!" The awed Priestess looked at her tag, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Um, if you don't mind me asking…"

"How's being an adventurer? When I'm not on the brink of death?" The Priestess looked up at her and nodded. "It's neat, see the sights, meet new people, fight dangerous… monsters…" She trailed off as she thought of the previous quest.

The excited faces and the dreams that her temporary companions had flashed before her eyes.

The prospective futures they dreamed of reaching.

And finally, the expiration of their lives much like an open flame in a downpour.

"Um.. are you ok?" The Priestess asked, concern in her voice.

Jolting, she looked to the Priestess, whose eyes had worried.

"Yeah… yeah!" She played off her moment of grief and sadness by putting on a smile, before redirecting the conversation back to her. "You want to be an adventurer?"

"Yes!" She gave a resolute nod. "In the coming months when I come of age, I want to help those on The Frontier, whoever might need it!"

"Ah, a commendable endeavor, you just got to be ready for whatever happens out there." The pep returning to her voice soon put her hand out for a shake. "Nice to meet you."

The Priestess returned the gesture albeit with a limp handshake. Her hand was uncalloused and smooth, and quite frankly small, but she could feel the warmth from it.

Moving her legs off the edge of the cot, she looked towards the window outside. It was cloudy, so it was difficult to tell what time of day it was, but from the number of people wandering about, it couldn't have been too late yet in the morning.

"How long have I been out?"

"Um, a day?" She softly told her. "Just about?"

"A day!" She exclaimed, surprised that she had been sleeping in for that long again. Putting her legs over the edge of the bed, she began to reach for her clothes there were on a nearby shelf not too far from here. "I gotta report to the guild!"

"Really?" The blue eyes of the timid priestess had an interest in them. "What for?"

"For the job." Once Fencer Squire had sat up properly, she squirmed out of the nightgown, throwing said piece of clothing towards the priestess, covering the priestess's face. She halted while changing as her hazel eyes landed on the Priestess. "Uh…A little privacy if you don't mind."

As soon as the nightgown was off her face, it became clear the Priestess grew red in the face, causing her to cover her face once again, her ears clearly red with embarrassment. "Oh! My apologies. I'll wait outside the room." The blond covered her eyes and quickly made herself scarce.

Mid-change, she noticed a mirror and took a look at herself. Her body was modestly figured and her abdomen was toned, but light scars could be seen from her many forays with danger in her time as an adventurer.

Turning her back to the mirror and looking over her shoulder, she could see two scars, fresher than the rest. One was on her lower back, while the other one was closer to the shoulder.

So the knight wasn't lying when he said I did have two arrows in my back... Her hand gently rubbed over one and although the scar was there, it was clear that whatever the knight had done was helpful.

She initially had some issues putting on the onesie, due to its foreign nature, however, after some messing around she got it put on.

Slipping on her boots, she noticed that her half-plate was off to the side, she noticed that the leather bands that had been on her half-plate were now stapled together with some type of metal rings. When did he do that?

Once it was on, she buckled her weapon to her belt, she put her hand on the pommel of the finely crafted rapier.

Exiting the room, she peeked out to see the Priestess patiently waiting outside. "Alright, lead the way!"

With a nod, she began to walk through the halls, followed close by her new acquaintance. Fencer Squire noticed how the Priestess bowed to other members of the temple, possibly due to their standing within the temple. She had never been inside the temple before, but it was much larger than it seemed.

"So, how did you find yourself as a member of this covenant?" Fencer Squire got beside her, figuring that would be a good topic of conversation.

"My parents died when I was young." The Priestess told her, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Mother Superior was there to take me in."

"Oh." The Fencer Squire paused, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment, somewhat regretting even asking now. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. They're with the Earth Mother now." She gave a nervous smile. "If I'm not prying, why did you decide to become an adventurer?"

"My father was first an adventurer before he became one of the many wandering bannerets during the times when the Demon Lord's Armies were around, and the tales of honor and glory had me wanting to stake a claim on my own name."

"And you want to be like him?" The Priestess asked, her head tilted.

"One day, very much so." She smiled, thinking about her home. "I'll make him proud hopefully."

Passing the main worship altar, they soon found themselves at the entrance of the temple.

"You're free to tag along if you wish." She smiled at her junior, and for a moment it seemed like she was considering it.

"Priestess!" A voice called from down the hallway. "Mother Superior has been looking for you!"

"Oh!" She turned to the Fencer Squire. "My apologies Fencer Squire, but I must part for now."

"It's not a problem, just don't be a stranger."

She gave a respectful bow before she ran off.

Turning to the door, she took a deep breath as she opened it and returned to the harsh reality of life.

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 ⏣ 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

[15:4:24 ArS]

The clouds were dark, yet the forest was tranquil at this moment, small trickles of rain falling from the fat and heavy plumes from above.

Not as heavy as it was a couple of days ago. He was not concerned about the elements, the Tipoca City Military Complex had large spaces in which they trained in simulated harsh environments of all kinds, and the rain from Kamino itself was its own storm in its own right. But if this keeps up, I'll lose my mark.

Crouching to the ground, he could see the splayed-toe tracks of the animal he was following. The tracks were slightly different than the deer he had hunted a week prior, the main toes being wider and the dew claws being more pointed.

He remembered his trainer having described a porcine species known as a 'roba' having tracks similar to this, but he was uncertain if this planet had such creatures. After all, there were animals that had been long extinct on Coruscant, yet many of these had been brought back via cloning and released into the wilds of beautiful planets such as Alderaan and Naboo.

Maybe these animals ended up here much like how he ended up here?

This is no time to be entertaining theories. He shook his head as he checked the DC-15 he was carrying.

Instead, his thoughts wandered to another strange thing that happened earlier this week. He had made first contact a few days ago, with both the native population and a seemingly hostile native fauna known to the locals as 'goblins'.

It was a stupid decision to intervene, but he would not regret eliminating every single goblin he had encountered in that cave. After learning the fate that befell those who were captured by these barbaric creatures, it would be a great sin to allow any of those creatures to live.

Also, he recalled the earful he had gotten from the IM-6 droid.

"Sergeant, I thought I told you that you needed rest?"

Speaking of the devil, he simply closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

"We are running low on food." 05 kept his tone level. "I've been through worse."

"You came back bordering critical condition." The droid continued its chastising over those minor wounds. "If it were not for the insulation that the armor weave provided, you could have had permeant ailments or suffered death due to aftereffects of suffering a lightning injury."

The droid spoke to the clone about death as if he wasn't born to fight and die, yet it did make a fair point pertaining to the permanent injuries. True he knew how to lessen the worst of an injury without a proper medical facility, yet without access to one, if he was to suffer one it was likely it could worsen quickly.

"I will admit, mistakes were made." He did not argue with the droid. "I'll do my best to make sure it won't happen again."

"That is good to hear, your health and safety are my primary directive." The droid sounded placated at first before it continued speaking again. "However, it does not change the fact that you snuck a wounded patient out while I was recharging to engage in an ill-advised mission." Despite its preprogrammed tone, it somehow managed to sound annoyed. "As the leading medical official here, it would be prudent to not take such a risk again, not without notifying me beforehand."

"… I understand." 05 sighed, before ending the communication line.

As he continued to follow the tracks, he remembered the patient the droid was referring to.

'Fencer Squire' had been what she called herself, strange this planet naming customs.

05 could not help but remember how strange she looked despite being another member of the same species. Many clones he'd met talked about their first impressions of meeting a woman either out in the field or in a professional environment, and for once, he was on the other side of that coin.

It was not like he hadn't met other members of his species, it just was that he hadn't met a woman that wasn't an active insurgent. And unlike those insurgents, she seemed like a relatively nice individual.

Still, it didn't change the fact that this Fencer Squire was completely alien and foreign to him, like seeing a nerf or a bantha for the first time. There was a strange curiosity with wanting a closer look, but knowing that doing so might cause a heap of trouble.

Granted, his only other experience with females of the same species was with his Cuy'val Dar trainer.

05 couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine at the thought of Reau'ramikad.

That was something that struck him as alien too.

Fencer Squire had a face that was much more different and he supposed more approachable than his training Sergeant did, and while she did have a bit of a fiery spirit, she lacked that aura that screamed 'death wish'. Although he was certain he did find Fencer Squire in what was likely one of her weakest moments.

Reau'ramikad was well known for being a few credits short of a chip, but she radiated this aura of nigh invulnerability and inspired it into everyone she was around. It was like she truly believed that she was blaster-proof, and she rarely lost any battle when she wasn't outnumbered four-to-one.

While both of them had a similar complexion and overall build, he noted that both their hair color and eye colors were different. Also, their… physiques were also different, although he was fairly certain that Reau'ramikad has not once taken off her armor no matter the circumstance.

Shaking his head, he needed to refocus.

Hunt first, think later.

Crouching down, he noticed how the tracks were getting harder to see due to the muddying of the ground.

If the rain gets heavier, then I might lose my prey.

Speeding up his pace slightly, his prowl quickly became a trot as he followed the direction in which the porcine tracks.

Visor hummed as it removed the droplets from his visor, he could see his query around fifteen meters off in the distance.

Shouldering the DC-15a, his helmet adjusted the targeting reticule to the blaster as he slowly moved closer and closer to the tusked animal.

Ten meters now, it not noticing him most likely due to the rain masking both his scent and his movement.

Flicking the blaster's safety, going straight to the blaster bolt setting, as in most normal hunting circumstances, he'd used the stun setting to incapacitate the prey so that he'd be able to simply walk up to it and slit its throat, maximizing its freshness. However, without a waterproof casing added to the blaster, heavy rains tends to disrupt the ring of electric discharge that comes from the stun setting.

The normal blaster setting still works just fine so long as the blaster isn't completely submerged.

Five meters now, its head perked up for a moment, causing him to halt.

A number of seconds passed before it continued to dig into the ground.

Steadying his aim properly, he let a blaster bolt fly.

-==O==-

Fencer Squire limped her way to the Guild Hall.

The sky itself was grey and getting darker with every step forward.

She had not realized it when she got up, but she was still in a great deal of pain all around.

True, her wounds had been healed up and her life was no longer under immediate threat, however, it became quite evident once she left the Temple of the Earth Mother that she was sore all over.

Still, it didn't change her current goal as she got closer to the largest building in this town.

Once reaching the building, she let out a breath of relief.

Fencer Squire would be able to report the success of the quest, inform the guild of the... loss of its members, and then get paid. Once that occurs, she was unsure what she'd do next.

Shaking her head, she still needed to enter.

With great effort, the large oak doors of the guild hall opened, and Fencer Squire could see all the adventurers that frequented this Guildhall. Though she was a relative newcomer to this town, having actually signed on with the adventurer's guild in another town, she got along pretty well with the Guild's staff.

A few people looked at her weirdly and others looked at her with less-than-savory gazes. Her outfit was strange, a black one-piece attire, and while it could be considered more modest than running around half-naked, it didn't leave much to the imagination. Perhaps they thought her crazy for wearing so little despite the temperatures dropping with every passing day?

Now that she thought about it, this outfit she was wearing kept the elements out perfectly, and everything below the neck was as warm as a day in the month of Rain's Hand.

Regardless she continued up to the counter, and here she could see the lady behind that barrier, her eyes showing a degree of surprise. Fencer Squire didn't doubt that she'd probably heard that the quest was completed, and if someone was sent to scout it out, she couldn't blame her if she believed she was dead.

"Good morning!" The receptionist gave a wide smile as got up to the counter. "How may I help you today?"

"I'm here to collect the quest reward." Fencer Squire spoke barely above a whisper as she put down the three tags.

"Yes, we had heard from the quest poster that the issue had been dealt with." The Guild Girl's smile did not waiver as she spoke. "I apologize for the loss of your compatriots."

Fencer Squire didn't reply but gave a nod.

"I am relieved to see that you are still with us." She gave her a bow, before pulling out a sheet and readied a quill. "Now can you please tell me the details of the quest?"

So she did. She told everything from the moment she left to the travel time, their assault at midnight, and their initial success.

However, she grew quiet when it came to talking about the misfortunes that befell her and the party she accompanied.

How Dwarf Berserker met an untimely end drowning in the greenskin horde.

How Half-Elf Rogue was impaled twice.

How Rhea Sorcerer got separated and likely used a spell to take out her attackers and herself.

"It is unfortunate, but it is the fate of some adventurers." The golden-haired receptionist stated sympathetically as she scribed down their deaths. "Anything else?"

"A stranger in silver armor saved me from the goblins."

"A stranger you say?" The receptionist quickly scribed it down. "Were they an adventurer?"

"They were not, though they did not know the Adventurers Guild had existed." She shook her head as she explained. "This stranger called himself 'Republic Commando', and claimed to be far from home, looking to find out where he was."

"I see…" After scribing that down, the feather rubbed against the receptionist's chin. "Would you happen to know the whereabouts of this stranger?"

"I think he lives in the area..." She vaguely recalled how the stranger took her to his dwelling. "He patched me up after finding me in… less than favorable condition."

"Well, if you see this stranger again, please bring them in or ask them to stop by." The receptionist noticed how she tensed at that, and she immediately lifted her hands in a placating manner. "Not for anything bad I assure you! I just wish to receive an explanation of the events from his perspective to file a more accurate report." Once the adventurer had relaxed slightly, the receptionist continued. "Also… the Guild is always looking for capable and reliable individuals who can deal with the hardships of adventures."

Fencer Squire didn't say anything, just waited for the receptionist to finish her writing.

"Well, aside from the latter half of the quest, everything seems to be in order, and seeing that the quest had been completed, I can issue you the reward for completion… after a deduction due to the previous party's debts."

Fencer Squire winced at the word 'deduction'. It's not unheard of for the Guild to offer items on 'credit' once the party's rank has risen, but it was uncommon for adventurers on the frontier to spend money they didn't have.

After removing ten gold pieces, she handed the twenty other pieces to her, which were neatly placed in a pouch. The tray holding it extended towards her and all she could find herself doing at this moment were staring at it.

It was a lot of coin for the death of goblins, twenty gold coins were more than an excellent amount for a job like this, but for what she had experienced… was it worth it?

"Excuse me miss?" The receptionist's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Is that everything?"

"Health and Stamina potions," She spoke while putting down six gold coins on the desk. "Three of each."

"Oh! Right away!" She opened a drawer and with a practiced hand, six potions were placed on the table.

"Thank you." She put the three health potions in a pouch on the left side of her hip, and the three stamina potions on the right. "The Guild thanks you for your hard work!"

The Steel Ranked Adventurer now moved towards the main dining hall

Fencer Squire was in no shape to go on any adventures at this moment, and most of her gear had been tended to.

Sitting at the table alone, she could not do much but look at the pouch of gold.

Putting her hand up to the side of her head, she could feel the bandages.

Continuing to bring her hands past her ears to her hair, she could feel the mess that it was now, her mane unceremoniously cut short by a javelin going for her head.

A loud grumble brought her back to reality.

Her body was healing at this moment, so food should probably be her first step.

"Padfoot Waitress!" She raised her hand and called out for the lupine Padfoot.

"Coming!" A friendly voice called out before approaching the table she was at. "What can I getcha?"

"What's on the menu?"

"Caster's Stew is today's special, made with fresh venison, root veggies, and mashed potatoes!" The Padfoots tail wagged excitedly as she spoke with a singsong voice. "I must admit it turned out better than I hoped!"

"I'll take that and a bottle of cider… leave the bottle here."

"Rough adventure?" The waitress asked while scribbling down the order, her ears perking upwards hoping to hear if she'd reply in earnest.

"Goblins. I was… lucky."

The waitress halted writing for a moment before she quickly regained her pep as he finished writing.

"You poor thing." She said, her voice sounding completely understanding and supportive, although Fencer Squire felt that she didn't understand fully. "I'll be sure to throw in an extra helping of meat for you."

"Thank you." She pulled out a gold coin and handed it to her.

"Just stay right there, it'll be out in just a bit!"

The waitress deftly weaved around more adventurers moving about and disappeared into the kitchen, and only after a couple of minutes at most, returned holding a plate with a bowl, a mug, and bottle on top.

A bowl of stew and a bottle of cider were placed before her.

"Enjoy!"

With a nod, the Padfoot Waitress's ears perked up as she ran off to the next adventurer with an order.

Fencer Squire poured herself a mug, the golden liquid moving out of the bottle and into the mug, topped off with a white froth as it settled into its new vessel.

The froth had no time to dissipate as she began to down the drink.

She had been through a stressful event.

Gulp.

Death was a normal part of their profession.

Gulp.

She should enjoy herself while she could.

Gulp.

With an exhale, she put the mug down as she felt her nerves even out as the earthly flavor grounded her.

Looking at the hearty stew now, she began to chow down, ravenously consuming the absolutely tender meat chunks and spiced mashed potatoes with all the haste afforded to her by the spoon. It was all washed down by the rich and flavorful broth.

She needed rest, she knew that much, however…

"A bottle of wine!" She raised her hand. "To go!"

"Coming!" The Padfoot Waitress had many plates and bowls piled up, soon adding her now empty bowl and mug to the top, quite an impressive feat how she moved around quickly with such an unstable tower of dishes.

She took out another gold piece and once the change had been counted out, she picked it up and got up. Moving towards the door, her legs were feeling much better, so long as she didn't try to run or move about quickly.

The doors of the large Guild Hall were pushed open to the outside world, a light drizzle beginning.

But that did not matter.

She still had an agreement to honor.

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 ⏣ 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

The clone commando continued his march through the rain, the boar being carried back to the shuttle atop the repulsorlift stretcher.

05 had tried to lift it up and carry it, but once the pain of his cracked ribs began to act up, he decided it'd be best to use the technology he had to make the work easier.

As he entered the shuttle, he was greeted by the IM-6 droid.

"Welcome back RC-02/105." The soothing voice sounded happy. "I have completed the task you had given to me."

"Perfect." The clone nodded, bringing the boar in. "At least it'll be easy to clean up any mess I make."

"Indeed." The droid followed close behind. "I notice that this porcine has a lethal blaster wound rather than a slit throat."

"The rain risked a stun not working." He explained as they walked through the main passenger cabin towards the storage rooms. "A blaster bolt was likely to guarantee a kill."

"Ah of course." The droid seemed to nod as if it hadn't realized the stun bolt wouldn't have worked in the rain. "Still, it looks like a masterful shot."

"Thank you." He took the compliment.

As of late, the droid had been developing a few quirks here and there. He'd heard rumors of droids doing such a thing when they were not routinely memory wiped, and he'd considered doing a memory wipe within the last month but decided against it if only to see where it'd go.

"You are welcome." The droid chirped as it opened the door to the large room. "Would you like me to help with the skinning?"

"If you want to." The clone simply told the droid. "If you have any other things to do, then do them first."

"I have completed all other tasks." The droid began to list out the tasks done. "I have cleaned all the tools, cataloged all the gear, checked the quality of the goods secured from that cave, prepared the tools needed for preparing meat, and dissected a goblin."

Stopping in front of the hunting game hoist that was attached to the ceiling.

"Anything interesting about this goblin?" As he grabbed the legs of the boar, he found that the droid quickly moved to the side to help him.

"From my initial analysis, they share a number of organs that humans and other humanoids have." The droid began while listing out all its findings. "They do have a second eyelid and a tapetum lucidum which does augment their ability to see in the dark."

"Good to know." With its legs secured to the hoist, the commando first put a bucket underneath its head as he slit the throat, the blood draining into a said bucket. Then he began to skin one side of the boar while the droid started on the other. "You cleaned your hands before this right?"

"It is a standard procedure that I disinfect my being before interacting with biological specimens." The droid almost sounded offended that the thought of not following protocol. "Though I do appreciate the concern of maintaining proper hygiene."

"Mhm."

"Continuing with the autopsy of the creature, they have thick layers of subcutaneous fats which are highly oiled and then to rapidly thicken with exposure of oxygen." The droid continued to precisely separate the boar hide from the meat. "There are lesser levels of fat floating around in the blood, although I'll need a fresher sample to make an accurate analysis." The droid finished its side, slowly inching towards his side. "From their tribal tactics that you had relayed to me, I can only hypothesize that this is an evolutionary trait that causes an enemy's weapons to be made ineffective by coating a foe's blade with fat, dulling the blade altogether."

"That is interesting." He finished his side, rolling up the pelt and putting it to the side. "Any other insights?"

The droid continued to talk about a number of other details which others might consider minute or inconsequential, but knowing your enemy inside and out was important to defeating them.

"… finally, if you truly wish to look more into these 'goblins', I have the information logged in a datapad placed in the… medical room."

"Alright." 05 saw that the blood had stopped pouring and was only trickling. He supposed that this was a perfect time for him to begin butchering the creature.

As he began, the commando's eyes wandered over the droid as its arms were moving. He was surprised to see that the IM-6 droid had begun to butcher the animal without instruction from him.

"I see that you know how to butcher an animal." The clone complimented the droid, clearly feigning a tone of impressed. "Did that come prepackaged in survival programming?"

"Negative." The droid remained focused on the task, either not recognizing or caring for his sarcasm. "Cybot Galactica IM-6 Battlefield Medical Droids come standard with an advanced heuristic processor."

"A learning computer?" The clone's interest was piqued since he had heard about heuristic processors. Droids often didn't have them due to their creators not wishing them to think and learn on their own. "So, you picked up how to butcher by watching me?"

"Correct." The droid continued to mirror his precise movements in order to get the 'optimal' amount of meat. "I have cataloged how to butcher a variety of animals and other important survival tips from you." The droid then looked at him. "Were those flash-trained into you?"

"No." The retort in such a polite tone caught him slightly off guard, an exhale of amusement escaping his nose. "Learned from ear of the word, and then by practical experience."

"Interesting." The droid carefully moved the finely cut pieces to the side. "Do you know how to cook food?"

"Relatively." 05 knew how to make raw ingredients edible, but if it truly constituted as food was yet to be seen. "Did we get something interesting in the haul from that cave?"

"Assorted spices and other items which could make a meal taste good."

"Nice." He could feel his mouth watering now. "I haven't had any spices on food since before the mission in Corellia."

"I can finish up here." The droid insisted, looking at him. "You told me that you wished to work on the damaged speeder bike the other day."

Closing his eyes, he did recall stating something like that.

"Thank you for the reminder IM." He began to wipe down his armor and gloves of blood and other greases that accumulated while butchering the boar. "You plan on recharging once you're done?"

"I'm currently at around sixty-two percent." The droid informed. "I will recharge when I reach the twenty-five percent mark, in roughly sixteen hours."

"That's efficient." Walking to the door, he opened it. "I'll be in the loading area with the BARC Speeder."

"Understood. Good luck with your repairs!"

With a nod, he closed the door and began to move toward the main storage bay.

Upon entering, he saw everything was how he last left it.

One of the speeder bikes was hovering in the middle of the room, having managed to fix its repulsorlift coils in the last week, whereas the more damaged of the two BARC Speeders and the badly damaged STAP were in another corner, their plating removed to salvage what he could.

Hopefully, I can get this speeder operable within the next week.

The benefits of having a fully operational speeder that does not rely on fuel would be most beneficial, as they would making scouting operations much easier. It would cut the time it took to travel to the edge of that town from seven hours to a single hour.

And seeing that he'd left what he believed to be a positive impression on one of the residents of said town, it wouldn't take long for them to know of his existence here.

It's always better to be the one introducing oneself on someone's doorstep rather than it being the other way around.

Grabbing a set of tools, he set to work, repairing and replacing damaged components where he could.

Hard at work, time passed, and before he knew it, he was receiving a message from the commlink he gave out.

Blinking a number of times, it accepted the command and put the comm through.

"Republic Commando?" He heard the voice of the native, the pitter-patter of rain in the background. "Is this thing working?"

"It is, Fencer Squire." He replied, continuing his work. "Is everything well?"

"Yes, I've… rested enough." She informed him, clearly on the move. "Um… are you doing something?"

"Fixing something." The fusion cutter was clearly a foreign sound to her. "Is it a bother?"

"No, just a strange sound…" Her voice seemed a bit on edge but she continued. "Is what you're doing important?"

"Relatively speaking." The commando grunted as he scooted from underneath the speeder bike. "Is something the matter?"

"No!" She quickly responded. "I apologize if I made it seem like that, but I simply wish to fulfill my side of the agreement."

"Ah." The commando immediately recalled her promise to provide him with information. "I see."

"So I wish to speak with you, preferably somewhere not raining…" The gentle sound of raindrops was being picked up by the commlink. "Also… somewhere not dark…"

Looking at the holographic chrono which appeared on his wrist, he could see that it was nearing this planet's sundown. If the sun was still out, then it wouldn't be too bright for too much longer.

"Ok." The clone put down the equipment which he had been using off to the side. "Keep moving towards where we last met. I'll meet you somewhere along the road."

Fencer Squire let out what he believed to be an exhale of relief.

"I guess I'll see you soon?"

"Yes." Looking around, he picked up the fur cloak which he had put together in his spare time. "Soon."

"Great! Um…" It was followed by an awkward silence. "I'm just going to stop talking."

"Copy."

With that he popped his head into the main storage, where he could see the IM-6 droid finishing up.

"I'm heading out."

"I believe I had recommended rest?" The droid's head turned a full one-eighty degree to look at him. "Must I sedate you so that you rest?"

"The young lady you treated requested a meeting." 05 simply stated. "I'm going to meet her halfway so she arrives safely."

"Then perhaps I should go in your stead." The droid turned back to continue moving dirtied tools around. "It would be safer and quicker."

"You have little defense capability." The commando gestured with his hand. "I'll maintain communication with you and take no unnecessary risks."

"Very well then." The droid turned to him and gave him a final scan. "If you do not, then I will be forced to be more… vigorous in how I enforce compliance."

"Understood." The commando nodded. "It shouldn't be too long."

Without waiting for a proper response, the droid went back to its previous task, cleaning the space around the storage compartment.

With that being done, he began to walk through the passenger cabin and to the boarding ramp.

It was a bit of distance, but he was certain they'd meet before the sun truly went down.

-==O==-

In hindsight, it was stupid to leave the Guildhall without having acquired a cloak.

The clouds were dark and a light drizzle had begun to sprinkle from above.

One should've expected the rainfall to get heavier as it did.

Fencer Squire's hair was very wet and was only in the process of drying due to using her half-plate as a makeshift umbrella, preventing her hair and face from being pelted by the elements.

Something she'd also noticed was how the outfit she wore was perfect at keeping her dry, everything below her head was as dry as a piece of paper in a library, as the water would land atop the fabric-like onesie, and simply slide off to the side.

It managed to keep her completely insulated from both the cold and the elements, she wondered if it'd keep her insulated from the snow or sand. It truly was such an innovative piece of outerwear, no wonder why the Republic Commando wore it under his armor.

With the light of day quickly fading, she quickened her pace, hoping that she'd be able to meet the silver-clad warrior before it got too dark.

"Stop moving." The white and black cylinder attached to her belt was ordered, and she did just that.

Confused, she moved to the cover of a tree, before lowering the half-plate, half resting it on her shoulders and bringing the communication device known as a 'commlink' to her face.

"Hello?" She spoke into the device. "I've stopped moving."

"I noticed."

"You noticed?" She began to look around, trying to find the glowing visor. "How can you tell?"

"Your commlink has a type of identifier." He informed her. "My helmet is directing me to it."

"Another one of your armors enchantments?"

"Yes."

"Ah. Ok."

With no further responses, she put the device on her belt loop and quickly put the pieces of armor back on.

The calm and serene rainfall would be a nice ambiance to simply sit back and take in, but she could not find in it to sit back and relax, her eyes constantly looking about. Despite her somewhat relaxed-looking posture of leaning back against a tree, she could not help but feel tense. Her right arm was feeling tense too, her hand resting on the pommel of her weapon, ready to draw at a moment's notice.

A rustle in the tree line caused her to completely turn to the source, her heartbeat increasing rapidly as she prepared herself for a fight.

Once she had eyes on the source, she saw that it was simply a squirrel, chewing away at an acorn it had found.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she sheathed her half-drawn blade.

"Nice reaction time."

Jolting up and with a silent shriek she drew her blade and pointed it towards the source of the voice. Turning fully around, she could see a figure wearing a hooded fur cloak closing the distance. Her blade remained drawn, as the figure drew in closer.

"Fencer Squire."

Putting the hood back, she saw the familiar 'T' shaped blue glow emitting from the visor of the helmet.

"By the Supreme God and all her Saints…" Rapier in hand, she didn't even sheathe it as she brought her right hand up to her chest-plate. "You shouldn't sneak up on me like that."

"I didn't think I was particularly stealthy." The man in a fur cloak tilted his head. "I thought you'd be on the lookout for me."

"I was, but the forest can be… dangerous."

"True." The man got up to her and looked her up and down. "Are you ready?"

"To get going? Yes please, anything to get out of this rain." She sighed as she looked up at the sky. "Somewhere preferably warm too."

"We'll return to my… dwelling." The man turned and began to walk. "Follow."

Quickly jogging up to his side to catch up, a bit of pain flaring up as she was reminded of the soreness in her legs, she couldn't see his armor, but she could hear it clink and clack as he moved.

The next thing she did was keep an eye out, remembering how dangerous this forest had been days earlier. How those vermin had killed good folk and nearly killed her. It made her tremble slightly at the thought of being ambushed in the constantly darkening forest.

She did not want to be caught completely off guard again as she did before.

"So… Sir Commando…" She began, eyes keeping a watch. "How have things been since we last spoke?"

"All the goblins are dead." Republic Commando simply stated as if one was reporting to a guild associate. "Only threats around here are local fauna."

"And… how are you doing?" She asked, turning to him. "I remember seeing that singe mark on your armor… not many people walk away from a lightning bolt unscathed."

"I didn't walk away unscathed." He casually told her. "A broken rib, two more cracked, heavy bruising on the impact site, and minor burns in the surrounding area."

"That sounds rough…" She knew that one of her father's friends had been hit by a lightning spell, and from his tale, it did not seem like a pleasant injury. "You did take a health potion… right?"

"Health potion?" The Republic Commando's voice seemed inquisitive. "Is that a local brew?"

"Very funny." Letting an amused exhale, she shook her head. "Red liquid, in a small vial?"

"No."

Eyes widening, she turned to him.

"You don't know what a health potion is?"

"I know of bacta." His head tilted. "It's more of a salve for light wounds and one bathe in it for more severe wounds."

"And you treated yourself… right?"

"Only for the broken rib." He continued to look forward, not noticing that she had stopped walking. "The rest were minor wounds."

"Minor wounds!?" Fencer Squire questioned, clearly concerned for the warrior ahead of her. "Aren't you in pain?"

"Yes." He stopped now, and turned to her, seeming unbothered by the injuries. "It's manageable though."

"Manageable or not, you should be resting." Looking down she quickly unclasped her belt pouch and grabbed a health potion. "Here, drink this."

She approached him and handed him a vial with a shimmering red.

"What is it?" He took it, bringing it up to his visor. "It shimmers."

"It's a health potion, you drink it and before you know it bone and skin are back together."

"Just like that?"

"Not instantly, but quick enough when you're in a pinch."

"I'll keep that in mind." The potion disappeared underneath his cloak, but she did not hear him drink it. "I'll drink it later."

"Aren't you going to take it?"

"Right now we still have a distance to go." He looked at her. "I've suffered worse both in training and in the field."

"Worse?" Looking him up and down, she wondered what could be worse than being hit by a lightning bolt. "What could be worse than taking one of the more powerful spells head-on?"

He did not elaborate further, leaving the rest of the walk rather quiet.

ooo-/*\-ooo

The two of them reached the edge of the clearing, rain easing up.

Looking into the clearing, this was the first time she'd actually got a look at the Republic Commando's home, and it was surprisingly large. It was smaller than the size of most of the buildings in the town but was much wider than the building of the Adventurers Guild.

It was made of a sheen grey, the rain clicking on the surface indicating it was a kind of metal.

Much like before, the ramp lowered over the span of a few seconds, light shining down onto them and the sounds of air being forcibly pushed out.

Once it was down, the knight began to walk up it, and she followed soon after, still taking it slow due to her own uncertainty about its stability.

Upon entering, she could see all the chairs still in that one room, for what reason she did not know, but perhaps this was some type of meeting place for other members of this knight's order.

"Sergeant, you have returned with your guest." A feminine voice rang out in the empty cabin, level and welcoming. "I trust the journey back was no problem?"

Looking at the source, she expected to see a woman, but what she was met with was not a woman but a strange being.

It was around the size of a dwarf or rhea, had a stocky body and thin arms, but no legs at all, choosing to float towards the man. Instead of traditional eyes, it had a number of lenses much like a telescope or spyglass, and a rectangle on its face that lit up every time it spoke.

"No problem at all." Republic Commando looked at the thing and back to her. "Fencer Squire, this is the Medical Droid."

"Salutations Fencer Squire, I am Cybot Galactica IM-6 Series Battlefield Medical Droid." The strange creature floated up to her and looked her up and down, a light emitting from one of the many lenses, shining up onto her.

It seemed that this droid had a type of analysis magic to identify ailments and other things.

"Nice to meet you?"

"A pleasure." Putting its hand out, the smaller hand had quite a grip but clearly trying not to grasp too hard. "If I could, I would express much joy to see that you survived your ordeal."

"Thanks?" Fencer Squire was still trying to gauge the entity.

It acted very much alive, yet she could tell that it wasn't living.

"Pleasantries aside, it seems that you are doing well, your wounds healing quite rapidly and your blood levels stabilized."

"My blood levels?" Fencer Squire raised a brow, seeming confused. She looked at it, trying to figure out which of the lenses were its eyes. Putting her hand out, she greeted back. "Is that good?"

"Very much so. Blood makes sure oxygen reaches every cell in your body." The seemingly made of metal golem floated around her as if looking for something. "Without the emergency transfusion, you would have most likely been in a comatose state or have died."

"Well, thank you for the transfusion." She thanked the droid.

"I simply facilitated it." The Medical Droid looked to the knight. "I did set up the small table in the medical space much as you asked."

"Thank you." The man took off his cloak and handed it off to the droid. "Please take this to the armory and place it next to the armor."

"Anything else?"

"Please take this as well." The knight handed off the health potion that she had given him. "Do a Krill-Two Senth-Aurek-Cresh on it?"

"Copy that Sergeant." A third arm sprouted out of the entity's back as it reached over and took the health potion. "Any other preliminary measures you wish to observe?"

"Always begin with a standard Senth-Aurek-Senth, and then move on to the Krill-Two Senth-Aurek-Cresh, and then you have free reign, though it might be prudent to run a Resh-Senth." The Republic Commando instructed, her unable to make heads or tails of the jargon he was saying and whatever he was referencing. "And be careful, it would technically fall under One-Cresh Grek-Senth package and should be treated in accordance to Senatorial-Representee code Seven-Three-Four-Two, under Title Five due to my rank in the GAR."

"Surprising value and importance to such a small item." The 'Medical Droid' sprouted a second arm, using both to carry it with care. "I'll do my best, and excuse me, miss."

The whimsical thing circled around and left their sight.

"What was that thing?"

"A Medical Droid." The commando stated. "It saved your life."

"That's the doctor that saved me?" She seemed baffled. "You let a golem operate on me?"

"Its primary function is just that." Republic Commando nodded. "There's not a more capable surgeon in this part of the world."

She wanted to argue about the Clerics of the Supreme God and other faith healers, yet something in his voice told her that he was completely certain of that fact.

"Ok…" She looked over to where it had disappeared. "So do you want to talk here?"

"No, I had the Medical Droid prepare a room."

"Lead the way."

Republic Commando began to walk towards the hallway and took a right into a doorway.

She recalled this pathway as the way to the room which she had been put in when she was nearly dead.

Upon the door opening, the room had been changed altogether, from the strange beeping machine gone and the sterile smell only faintly looming.

Now there was a table which she assumed was once the rest she had been put on, and two boxes which she assumed to be where they'd be talking.

Republic Commando took the lead once more as he walked into the room and took the seat with the wall to his back, taking off his backpack and setting it off to the side. With his right hand, he gestured to the seat and after a second, she nodded and quickly moved over there, taking a seat as well.

"So, you wished to talk?"

"Yes… as you know, I did agree to tell you more about these lands you are unfamiliar with." Fencer Squire now put her bag off to the side. "But first, do you want a drink?"

"None for me."

The man in armor was looking at her, and although she could not see his face, she could tell that his gaze was one of caution and suspicion.

That was fair given that she was still a relative stranger, a relative unknown.

As he had stated before, he had only rescued her because she was a local who was likely to be friendly.

Although that might be the case, there was no reason for her to not try to befriend such a unique individual.

"First I have brought wine, not yet uncorked." She pulled out a bottle of wine that had come from the Frontier Vineyard. "Sealed and approved by the local nunnery."

"Nuns make wine?"

"Some of the Earth Mother do, sales supplement the noble donations from time to time, plus it's sanctified." She informed as she checked again, only to realize that she forgot to bring mugs. "You wouldn't happen to have something to drink out of?"

The man put his hand up to the helmet's side, and a couple of minutes later, she heard the door open from behind and she could see the Medical Droid fly in.

"Here you go." The Medical Droid not only put the goblet down, which was most likely acquired from one of the crates in the cave but also uncorked the bottle as well. "Do drink in moderation and remained hydrated."

The Republic Commando nodded at the recommendation, which seemingly prompted the automata to leave.

She poured the red wine pouring into the goblet brought to her.

Swirling the wine, she first took a whiff.

It was a rather rosy, a pleasant aromatic scent that made her feel at home.

Then took a sip.

It was not as tart as most wines that individuals of high society tend to flaunt as the pinnacle of the vintner craft, rather it was sweeter and softer than most wines she'd had in her life.

Letting an exhale she looked at the untouched wine goblet across the table.

"It's delicious." She let out a chuckle, taking another sip. "Now, how much do you want to know."

"For starters, perhaps start with this 'Adventurers Guild'." The Republic Commando asked. "Then move on to other things which might be considered essential knowledge that most locals should know."

"Sheesh, that's a lot to cover." She continued to sip away at the wine. "But I did agree to do this, so let's not waste any more time shall we."

So she talked with this Commando of a Republic she'd never heard of, falling into the pattern of what she knew and elaborations on it, and an occasional follow-up question. These questions varied from mundane topics such as the races and monsters of this world to more obscure topics such as magic, although she personally was not well versed in it.

As suggested, she told him of the 'Adventurers Guild', and he seemed to be the most interested in that, asking questions such as its relation to the state and if she was legally a state official due to her affiliation.

She of course had told him nope, due to the Adventurers Guild being a state-funded institution whose members were not bound by it, but oftentimes their interests aligned with said state's. Perhaps he was considering whether or not he'd be breaking any oaths he had made to this 'Republic' that he had mentioned once before, it's sigil emblazoned on the very onesie she wore now.

These passing seconds became minutes, and these passing minutes became hours, the bottle getting closer and closer to emptying with every couple of questions answered. Truly, the more she answered the more she herself was curious about this 'Republic' that this knight served and come from.

But by the time she was finished answering those questions, she could only lay back, and dream of what it might be like if warriors like him were from it.


Chapter Five!

More establishment of Fencer Squire and RC is just doing what he does!

Took a bit longer than I expected, primarily because of DND sessions and my overzealous nature in working on that project I mentioned and sunk a lot of time into it. Once I got back on track, I was able to finish this chapter with relative ease!

Just as the title suggests, this chapter is slower and I guess this does mark the end of the First Arc.

I'll get the next chapter out when I get to it, maybe sooner, maybe later!

Also this work is cross-posted on Spacebattles under the same name, link should be in my profile,, so if you can't review here you can reply to that thread.

Happy Valentines Day by the way! Hope your days go well!