The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Teaser for Fragments of the Dark (Chapter One)

A blast whizzed past Celene's head, making her jump, and buried itself in the side of the Millennium Falcon.

"Hey- not my fucking ship," she snapped and had her blaster drawn and aimed before the man knew what was happening. The bolt shot through his forehead. He was dead before he hit the ground.

She gritted her teeth, swearing as the wires in the paneling singed her fingertips. More blaster fire exploded through the landing bay.

"About done?" The Mandalorian's deep voice sounded above her, as he hovered in the air, blasters in hand.

"Almost," she wiped sweat from her face with the back of her wrist. Sparks flew from the wiring and she smiled grimly. "Got it." She slammed the compartment closed. "Let's get the hell off this rock."

A thud in the dirt behind her revealed the Mandalorian now on the ground, blasters holstered. Celene stepped into the dim lighting of the ship, punching the bottom on the wall behind her to close the ramp.

Their bounty lay on his side, unconscious and tied. Celene folded her arms, swearing at him under her breath for attempting to fry the wires of her navigation systems.

"Get us out of here, I'll freeze him in the carbonite." The Mandalorian stalked forward, reaching for their quarry.

Celene strode through the narrow passage and into the cockpit, settling into the familiar leather seat. Her fingers traced the controls like a well-worn book and she effortlessly lifted the ship into the air. They shot through the sky and into the outer atmosphere where the void of space beckoned. Celene felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she peered at the glittering stars. A few moments later the ship rocked as it made the jump into hyperspace. She leaned back, inspecting her singed fingertips.

The cockpit door hissed open and she sensed him soundlessly enter the small space.

"The course is charted for Navarro," she said without turning around. "You should sleep before we get there."

He settled in the copilot's chair to her right. "I'll rest when this bounty is done."

She hummed in disagreement. "You haven't slept in two days. Don't think I don't catch you dozing off standing up."

"And you haven't slept in three."

Her fingers froze over the controls just briefly. "I don't need as much rest as you. I'm not human."

She felt his gaze settled on the base of her skull, where he knew the cybernetic plate rested. "You're mostly human. You still need sleep."

Celene finally spun to face him, irritation spiking. "You mess with my ship and I will eject you into space."

"6 months and you still don't trust me?"

"Do you trust me?"

The silence that followed was heavy.

"That's what I thought." She braced her hands on her thighs, rising to her feet. "There's half a ration packet left in the galley. You can have it, I already ate my share." She didn't wait for his response before leaving the cockpit.

Maybe after they collected this bounty she would finally part ways with the Mandalorian. It had been six months since that first job that brought them together... and she had gotten his ship destroyed in the process. Without any method of transportation and begrudgingly acknowledging she did owe him, their fledgling partnership had begun.

The doors to her quarters hissed open and she shook her head. She couldn't kick him off the ship, he had no where to go and credits were tight these days. As was food. And fuel. At least as partners they could collect bounties twice as fast and efficiently. Even if they did have to split the payment.

Celene slipped off her black jacket, grimacing at the dust and sweat stains. And it wasn't awful having a partner, even if he didn't talk much. She didn't mind. She'd worked alone for so long, the silence suited her. Plus the Falcon generally required at least a two person crew, one to pilot and one for the guns.

Celene dragged a hand through her knotted hair, gathering her extra clothes and towel and retreating to the tiny shared rinse station aboard the ship. The space was barely big enough for her to stand alone and half the time the water ran cold. But at least she could get clean.

Her fingers brushed the smooth metal plate at the base of her skull as she lifted her shirt above her head. Such a tiny piece that had changed and destroyed so much of her. She stepped beneath the cool spray, skin prickling with goosebumps at the shock.

Celene scrubbed the grit and filth from her hair and body and watched it swirl down the drain. Her stomach gave a pang of hunger and she shoved it away. This next bounty would bring them a decent bit of credit. They could get a full meal in addition to fuel.

Celene turned off the water, toweling down quickly and dressing in a loose shirt and pants. Her hair hung down her back, drying in a twisted rope. She tossed her things in her quarters before heading back to the cockpit.

The Mandalorian was where she had left him, helmet hiding his face and every emotion from her. The door hissed her arrival but he said nothing. Celene wordlessly checked the nav chart, making sure they were still on course.

"Shower's open," she said. "Water's cold but..." she gave a shrug. "Rinse off and get some rest."

"I'll rest when this job is done."

Celene resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Three hours max. I need you at the top of your game, Mando."

He swiveled to face her for the first time. "Why? Are you expecting trouble from the employer?"

Celene hesitated. "No. I'm just... uneasy." She felt his gaze on her through the Beskar helmet but didn't question it. He had learned in the first few months of their partnership to trust Celene's gut feelings. It had saved their lives more than once.

"Fine. I'll go to sleep if you finish the ration packet."

Celene spun in the pilot chair to face him, their knees almost touching. "It's your share, I'm not eating it."

His voice came out steady and even. "I know you've been skimping on your own portion to add to mine."

She scowled. "I don't need as much as you. Not human- remember?"

His Beskar clanked as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. A hint of annoyance laced his tone. "You are human enough to require water and food to stay alive. You feel pain and emotions. You feel hunger and dehydration as well. Finish the ration packet and I'll get some sleep."

Celene wished she could knocked the smirk off his face that she knew was hidden beneath his helmet. But all she could see was her own reflection, bronzed skin and white scar splitting her face staring back at her. She leaned back in the chair in defeat. "Fine," she muttered.

There was something self-assured in his walk as he left the cockpit. Celene slumped in her seat, staring out at the stars.

Human but not. Machine but not.

She rubbed her eyes, the scar on her face suddenly aching. A permanent reminder. She gazed out at the stars, the infinite expanse of space and wondered, not for the first time, what it would have been like if she hadn't made it out. If she'd been like the others.

Celene banished the thought as soon as it came.

The past was the past and that was where it would stay.