A Life Without Meaning

𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕪 (𝕀𝕍)

When the sun rose the next morning, the three of them found themselves standing in front of the older villagers yet again.

"You've got two problems here." the Mandalorian was explaining, "You got the bandits, and you got the mech. We'll handle the AT-ST, but you gotta protect us when they come outta the woods. And I don't have to tell you how dangerous they are."

Ellia nodded, tilting her head up slightly towards the woman standing next to her,

"Cara Dune here was a veteran. She was a drop soldier for the Rebellion, and she's gonna lay out a plan for you. So listen carefully." she instructed.

The ex-shock trooper nodded her thanks before turning to face the villagers herself.

"Now, there's nothing on this planet that can damage the legs on this thing. So we're gonna build a trap. We're gonna need to dig real deep, right here" she said, gesturing to the outermost krill pool that they were standing at the edge of. "So that when it steps in, it drops. Two of us will hit their camp, provoke them. That'll bring the fight out of the woods and down here for us."

"I'm gonna need you to cut down trees and build barricades along these edges." the Mandalorian chimed in, "I need it high enough so that they can't get over, and strong enough that it can't break through."

The villagers all nodded their understanding and, as Ellia noted, with a bit of excitement.

"Okay-" she said, drawing their attention back to her. "Who knows how to shoot?" she asked.

None of the villagers raised their hand, spare for one. Omera, who was still standing at the front of the crowd lifted her arm up reluctantly. When she realized no one else had done so, she quickly dropped it back down to her side.

Next, they divided up their tasks. They had some villagers digging the water trap, some building the outer defenses, and the rest helped the Mandalorian unpack the arsenal he had brought out. Passing out weapons to each other.

Cara took half of the group willing to fight to train them with melee weapons, which were really just large sticks that they had shaved into spears. Her commanding shouts could be heard from all around the village.

Ellia and the Mandalorian took the other half, who they would train to use the blasters.

"You can't just unload haphazardly" Ellia said as she walked down the line of the small group. "You have to always be looking at your target. You take your eyes even a millimeter off of it, you'll miss." she said.

She would be damned if these people didn't shoot better than the average stormtrooper by the time she was done with them.

The group fired at the mock range that they had set up for them, made out of hanging pots and pans. Most of them missed on their first time around, bolts of energy spraying into the field beyond the fence. But Omera, who had some of the steadiest hands Ellia had seen, hit her target in the dead center without fail.

From the woman's side, Ellia watched the Mandalorian nod in approval. And once again she felt that odd warmth in her chest.

. . .

When the sun finally was beginning to set, Ellia met up with Cara where she standing at the edge of the newly-built defenses.

"You sure I can't go with you guys?" she asked lowly, "What if you need backup?"

Cara shook her head,

"It will be easier if there are just two of us going in. And, no offense, we're the two least likely to die trying." she explained as gently as she could, "As for backup, well that's what the whole village is for. And with you leading them, it shouldn't be a problem."