Force of Nature: Book 2 - Apprentices of the Abyss | A Star Wars Story

Fortune (.1)

"I need a ship fixed."

"Well, hello there, Miss!"

"I don't have time for pleasantries."

To say Melinoe was on edge was an understatement. She had just spent the last couple of days being chased down by Darth Heiss' goons and just managed to lose them. To top it all off, her new ship wasn't in flying condition. Some bounty hunters managed to get in one too many lucky shots.

"Slow down there, Miss," the vendor said.

"Did he just not hear that I don't have time for this?" Melinoe thought to herself.

"Let's see what the damage is," The man said while pointing for two pit droids to start working.

Melinoe moved to sit on a nearby crate and waited for the droids to finish their work. About half an hour later, the same man from before approached.

"So, how did you come by this ship?" he asked.

"I don't believe that's any of your concern," Melinoe replied.

The vendor held up his hands in defence. "Now, now, no need to get testy."

"Just fix my ship, so you can get your money," Melinoe said, internally debating the pros and cons of warping this man's mind to make him shut his trap.

"I was just wondering why a lady like yourself would be travelling around in a banged-up ship like that?"

"You won't ask me where I got this ship again," Melinoe said firmly.

"I won't ask you where you got this ship again." The vendor repeated with a hazy look in his eyes.

"Get back to work."

The vendor returned to the ship to give some more instructions to the pit droids. Melinoe watched as they worked their way through the repairs while nervously tapping her fingers against the crate.

She watched as the pit droids got to work. Milling about as they repaired the blown-out engines and fusing the blaster-damaged sides of the ship. Every now and again, the vendor looked back at Melinoe with a curious expression.

This was the first time Melinoe had gotten a good look at the ship since she acquired it from a group of Mandalorians. It was a fairly compact ship with a grey, yellow and forest green paint job. The Sith had never learnt the name of the ship. That may have been something she would have to do eventually. All though it wasn't high on her priority list at that moment.

A few hours later, everything was finished. The ship had been adequately patched up. No more gaping holes in the sides or ominous sparks threatening self-destruction. Melinoe and the vendor were discussing payment, and towards the end, he made a strange offer.

"I'll even throw a half-price astromech droid for you."

"What's the catch?"

"Why would you think there's a catch?"

Melinoe gave him an angry look that said, 'I will break you, little man', as if she were the vendor and he was an annoying customer that just wouldn't go away.

"Okay, okay, well, you see. I've got this astromech that's been around this place for as long as I can remember. He's a smart old thing and is wasted here," the man went on. "Nobody wants to take him on account of the fact that he's an old unit."

"So, you're trying to bump it off on me?" Melinoe asked incredulously.

"More or less," he said while rubbing the back of his head. "Listen, I think you and I both know that you're not gonna get far without help."