Against the Odds

Chapter 14: The Truth

The odd trio trekked forward in contentment. Vella and Lara had both needed to talk, and both of them could tell they were better for it, and after the kid had eaten that frog, they'd had a much needed laugh to ease any leftover tension. The baby had only looked at them wondering what was so funny.

Lara seemed better off than Vella, answers had given her a clarity she hadn't had before when questions about her fathers death wracked her brain. She was sad, knowing he'd hurt, but now she was finally free to heal and she was optimistic about her ability to do so.

Vella was too, to an extent. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that she'd told Lara and was able to express how she felt. That day had been cold and dark but today was turning out to be a lot brighter. Maybe they could both heal.

Eventually they found what they were sent to find, a hole in the wall weapons shop. Somewhere that hopefully wouldn't draw too much attention to themselves. Vella gave the child to Lara who begrudgingly took him, and told her to stay put outside while she dealt with the salesman.

"Hello," she greeted as she walked into the shop. Her eyes flicked around the room. Weapons in glass cases stood behind ray shields, the counter was tall and only accessible by a locked blast door. The place screamed sketchy business but she wasn't about to question someone's life choices that didn't directly affect her.

The man behind the counter was a red Nikto, tough and muscular. He looked like a shifty creature, his black eyes were sharp and attentive as he took in his newest customer. "What can I do for you?" He asked as sweetly as his gravelly voice could.

"I need a few items," she said, pulling the data pad out of her satchel and dropping it on the counter. She watched him carefully as he picked it up and examined it. He had horns coming out of the sides of his jaw though a few had been broken off or cut.

"This is a tall order," he said, his dark eyes turning from the screen to her, "you have the credits for it?"

She cocked a brow at him.

He eyed her a moment before turning into the back to get her what Mando ordered. "It's been a while since a nice creature like you stumbled into my shop," he said to her as he searched through his shelves. Vella was becoming increasingly aware of the reason for that. She'd seen plenty of other places like this, and they could sometimes be traffickers who took advantage of travelers and fugitives.

"Here's what you wanted." The Nikto dropped each item onto the counter as she retrieved the data pad and made sure he'd gotten everything.

She could feel his eyes looking at her but he seemed to have everything in order. As long as he didn't do anything stupid this transaction would be seamless. But of course, as she reached into her pouch to give him the credits she heard a loud thud come from behind her. Vella whirled around to see that the blast doors had been shut and locked. She could hear Lara banging her fist against the metal and yelling from outside.

The door to the back unlatched as he stomped through. "Sorry, you stumbled into the wrong shop," the Nikto said, a sneer spreading on his face.

She turned and raised an eyebrow at him, her head tilting slightly. "You don't know who you're attempting to kidnap," Vella said coolly.

He was buff but she could tell he was more of a grunt worker than anything. All brawn, little brain. Her feet shifted on the dirt floor leaving a puff of dust in the air by her boots. Vella stood quite relaxed, watching carefully for when he would make his move.

He leaped towards her and she quickly dodged to his side. In an instant, she was grabbing his wrist as he passed her and kicking his leg in from behind. He fell to his knees and she held his arm tightly against his back.