Warrior ◊ Star Wars

chapter two; cute

"A quarter ration? You do realize I'm not skinny because I try, but because I starve? You do understand if I die of hunger, you will never see my pretty self again? You will never look upon my gorgeous face once more."

Mara was trying to get into a fight with the hideous dealer Unkar, as per usual. Ever since she'd met the slimy, smelling, repulsive thing, she'd had just felt a bad taste in her mouth. Maybe it was his looks, or maybe because Unkar treated both her and Rey little to zero respect. Hell, he seemed to take a liking more to the crap they sold to him then the sellers themselves.

Mara hated the entire establishment as soon as she had gotten there. Rey had noticed this almost immediately. The first time she'd shown Mara the Niima outpost, she helped scrubbing their goods, then quickly positioned herself in a corner of the wall as soon, right next to an available exit if she needed to run. While Rey did the daily trading and such, Mara watched every small move anyone or anything made.

Each day for the first few of her arrival weeks, this became a continual routine; them both cleaning off anything they had found, then Rey getting their food and Mara's gaze lingering from afar. Rey initially thought the woman just didn't like crowds, or perhaps the non-human inhabitants of the dingy place. She didn't mind the blonde's weirder behavior, until one day Mara just came up in line with her to get the daily rations. Despite the foul company and less than polite traders, she seemed to get along with them just fine.

It took a few days for Rey to figure out, but Mara wasn't specieist towards the common folk of Jakku or anxious around crowds, but had merely watched every single passerby very closely for the first few weeks after Rey finding her, perhaps wary or maybe just curious. Mara soon knew all their names, habits, the junk they brought in, their friends, fighting techniques, their enemies, even picking up bits of the native language.

So, of course, Mara had watched how Unkar the Ogre(her designated nickname for him) treated Rey in comparison to the other scavengers, and took a disliking to the man. Sure, she realized he was quite bigger than her, but Mara never picked fights when she wasn't confident she could win.

"Shut up Correllian." Unkar grumbled, about to take back the portions before Rey snatched them, anticipating his move.

"I will if I get more food. It might be junk, but last month it was worth more. It's probably worth a full portion if the person behind was carrying it." Mara practically spit, matching the slimy native's sneer.

"Listen here you scruffy-" Unkar started, but Rey had already pushed the angered blonde back. Mara went back a few steps, but never broke her glare with the fickle trader.

"Let's go." Her companion whispered fiercely into her ear as she began to drag her away by the wrist. Mara finally broke away from the scene, heading towards the rusted speeder parked just outside of the Niima outpost. Rey finally let go of her as she began to re-tie the net she had been dragging onto their transportation.

Mara helped lift it up to its proper place, beginning to thread knots, still pretty pissed, "He still thinks I'm Correllian. I don't even have the accent!"

Rey shot her a warning look, the kind a disapproving mother gives an obnoxious child, "You were doing more harm than good. He was going to take away the scrap he gave us. Unkar isn't reasonable, I've already told you. You've been here long enough to know that."

Mara finished her tie, leaning against the speeder, determined to make her dying case, "Everyone can be influenced. Who knows, maybe he'll get so tired of me running my mouth he'll give us half the stock."

Rolling her eyes, Rey stuffed her staff back into the net before starting to rewrapping her head, "I highly doubt it. People like that only change their minds when presented a better offer."

The blonde hopped onto the vehicle, her turn to drive, "Fine, I'll lay off him for one day, but it'll spoil my perfect plan. Consistency is key."

Rey got on back, poking her in the ribs, "Let's just get home."

Mara pulled up her goggles from around her neck, then starting up the speeder. Swinging it around swiftly as the rickety machine came to life, they sped off, hoping to make it home by sunset.

They made it back with a good half hour to spare before nightfall, their ride only giving out once. A few start-ups and knocks on the front later, it sputtered back and allowed them to reach the AT-AT before dying again.

Now, Rey was sitting on the ground, emptying the thousands of grains of sand out her boots, much to Mara's amusement. Rey would crane her neck up to glare at the blonde, who was sitting atop the walker's overturned leg, alternating between eating, polishing her batons, and sewing up her makeshift poncho in a feeble attempt to save the tattered cloth.

A year ago, neither of them would be comfortable with the arrangement. Rey wouldn't even begin to fathom to let Mara have a needle and two batons out of her sight, and Mara wouldn't even begin to feel settled when the planet native had her staff close by. The two had grown considerably closer the last twelve months, due to Mara earning her keep and saving Rey's life on several occasions. And the only reason Mara even began to trust Rey was due to her extensive knowledge of Jakku and willingness to share it with her when the woman proved herself.

Now, the two were almost inseparable. It was actually weird to think about, both very used to being on their own, used to being loners. Perhaps that's why they were so close, because they were just plain tired of being so alone.

And Mara just needed someone to ramble to.

As both women continued to consume the last of their rations, distant sounds were carried by the wind. At first, the blonde thought nothing of it, accustomed to unusual sounds night brought. That was until the noises became louder and more recognizable; it was a droid. Mara shot up, putting her torn poncho on quickly and grabbed her batons. Rey followed the fashion, running to grab her staff as Mara jumped down.

Rey had the lead as they trekked through the sand, speeding up to a light jog when the noises of the robot got louder. As they came up over the dune, they looked upon the regular scavenger Teedo, his metal beast fighting against an astromech. The droid was tangled in a net.

Rey started talking in Teedo's native language, a tongue Mara only knew certain words of. As her friend continued to yell at the scrapper, Mara went to free the droid. The metal contraption continued to fight against the droid's attempts to free itself, while she worked to untie him.

"It's okay little buddy," She told it reassuringly," We'll get ya free."

As Rey finished arguing with Teedo, the rope which held the astromech to his rude was cut, and the scavenger went off grumbling. Mara finished undoing the astromech's restraints. She stood up, the realization not fully hitting her at first. But as the blonde studied it, her mouth almost fell open in shock.

It was BB-8. Same orange and white coloring, same ball like structure, same chirpy beeps. One of its kind.

It was his droid.

The astromech seemed to recognize her too, little beeps and sounds singing from its body as it rolled around her. She smiled at its absolute adorableness, but thoughts surfaced in her mind.

If little BB was here, was he?

She had always wondered what had happened to him(more than wondered, actually thought hard on the subject). Now, here was the ever familiar droid, bringing back forgotten questions that used to plague her. Mara continued to stare at the BB-8 unit as Rey bent down to be at it's level.

"That's Teedo," she explained to the astromech," Wants you for parts. He doesn't have any respect for anybody."

The droid purred and beeped, Mara still somewhat in shock of the familiar sound. Rey didn't seem to notice, focused on BB-8.

"Your antenna is bent." She plucked it from it's place, the droid bowing to let her. She bent it back into its original form, placing it back on BB-8.

"Where do you come from?" Rey asked, standing back up next to Mara, still not noticing the blonde was still completely transfixed but the astromech.

BB-8 sputtered out little beeps, Classified.

"Classified, eh? Okay." Rey pointed towards the trading post," Niima outpost is that way. Stay away from Kelvin Reach. Keep away from the sinking fields to the North, you'll drown in the sand."

She turned away from the droid, and that was when Mara realized that Rey wasn't going to take BB-8. She caught up to her friend, grabbing her arm," What? But it's adorable!"

Mara knew she couldn't just leave the astromech, she had to take care of it. The droid was one of his prized possessions, besides his X-wing of course. Keeping BB-8 for him the least she could do for Dameron.

Rey scoffed, shaking her head, "Why?"

Mara didn't completely have the urge to fully explain why she wanted the unit. Her and Rey trusted each other with their lives, but neither really ever disclosed their history. It never came up, and it seemed as if it was an unspoken agreement not pry into the other's past. So Mara would convince Rey otherwise.

Before she could speak, the droid tried to sneak it's way up to them. Rey looked back at it," Don't follow us. Town is that way."

BB-8 continued to move forward, sand churning underneath it's exterior, wanting to come with them despite what it was being told.

Mara faced Rey, pleading her case," C'mon, look at it. Why don't we keep it for a little while?"

The scavenger looked at her friend and the astromech, addressing both," No!"

Mara continued to persist, her efforts hoping to pay off. The sun was dipping behind Jakku, and she knew the woman would take off anyway due to the night coming. She'd have to convince her soon, "Why not? It can keep good company. I mean, you wouldn't just have to listen to me talk on and on."

Rey still wore an unconvinced expression," No, what use is it? What purpose would serve?"

And she gave Mara just what she needed by saying those words.

"That's exactly what you said about me two years ago." Mara replied simply, playing her cards well. This caught her companion off guard, but Rey's face remained stoic.

The blonde continued, seeing her angle was working," It's an astromech. Whatever parts we salvage, it could help repair so it's worth more. It had the tools and capabilities to maybe even fix a ship. Besides, if you don't want it for anything else, Unkar will pay tens of portions for it."

This made Rey think a minute. As her forehead crinkled and she started to chew on her lip, Mata knew she had pretty much won, she smiled back at BB-8, who beeped in delight.

Rey finally muttered something under her breath, shooting an obviously annoyed face at her friend, who hid her smile as she began to walk on home. Detaching and beginning to play with her batons, Mara glanced back to see Rey and the droid matching her stride.

"One night." The woman warned, walking forward fast to return to the AT-AT before the cold set in, "Just one."

Mara nodded, turning back to see the droid rolling happily in the Jakku sand. She admired it's unusual ball-like frame, unique and quite characterizing, "You're cute. Be glad My negotiation skills came into play. You can thank my silver tongue for that."

"Like you have one." Rey called from in front of them, the blonde rolling her eyes at the fellow scavenger.

Of course I'm cute, the astromech relayed through chatter.

"Yeah, I like you. You have spunk. Not many droids do. Most of the ones on this godforsaken planet are boring." Mara told it, earning more astromech talk.

It relayed something along the lines of bragging it's own wit, seemingly liking Mara's praise.

The blonde patted BB-8's head, turning to face the descending sun. Though nightfall was coming fast and sleep was needed, she knew she wouldn't get much. Too many questions plaguing her mind.

Where was Dameron?