Bail Bonded | DinxOC

Chapter 2

Sorgan.

Athri had heard of it once before she went under. If her memory served, that planet had only a very sparse population and not a single landmark or village to show for it. How much time had she lost to the carbonite? Long enough for Sorgan to be developed, otherwise they wouldn't be going there. Satisfied, she moved to the next order of business: Food. Her stomach was so empty that she must not have eaten in days.

"Mando? I'm coming up!" She called up the ladder, hoping the sound carried. Being unable to see impeded her exploratory nature. She was sure this way went up to the bridge where the bounty hunter was. This ship was heavily reminiscent of the pre-Empire gunships she was used to. She felt her way up the ladder, careful not to miss a single step as she knew she couldn't save herself if she fell. Her balance has felt off since she was let out of the carbonite, almost tumbling over when she meets solid ground. "Whoa. Hey, uh, Mando. I was just downstairs looking around at, well, nothing, and I thought, you know, I could really go for some grub right now."

Silence met her. Was he even in the room? She could be standing in a closet talking to herself right now.

Shifting leather sounded his presence. "Yeah, so I came to see you because, um," she draws out the word, feeling nervous. She fears that her blindness has cowed her, and made her meek, even more than her years of abuse under the hand of her past captors. "Because you would know where the food is. And I'm sorry for what I did to you earlier, so please feed me." Athri made sure her eyes were down and her stance was submissive, not wanting to risk his ire. As mortifying as it was, Athri was unable to take care of herself. She had no choice but to rely on this stranger and pray that he broke the cycle of abuse she had suffered.

His chair squeaked, followed by his heavy footsteps. Athri flinches back, fearful of retaliation. Alphas were quick to anger, in her experience, and slow to calm. She may have already overstayed her welcome.

"If you think you could do anything to me without my consent, you're wrong. I'll get you grub when we touch down planetside." Soft leather touching her upper arm made her jump, a whimper leaving her throat without her intention. She braced herself, but his other hand didn't come down to strike her and he didn't push her against the wall to have his way with her either. He simply tugged her along and gently pushed her down into a seat she couldn't see. She felt him strapping her down and heard the soft clicks the belt made as it latched. "This is something I need to know. So I'm going to ask you again, why was there a bounty on your head?"

"I'm an omega." She didn't know what he wasn't getting. He scoffed. He must have smelled her, must have known that her scent branded her as lesser. She couldn't go anywhere freely, not while Imperial forces stalked the galaxy. She would be killed, or worse. "I am property of the Empire. A slave. Are you going to hand in my bounty?"

He laughed. "The Empire isn't in charge anymore, the New Republic is. There's no bounty to collect." His seatbelt clicked again, signaling his return to his seat. It seemed too good to be true. The great and fearsome Empire had been brought to its knees.

But not all wounds would heal with time. Some wretched marks scar and twist the skin and somehow mar the soul. "I'm branded. I'll be on the run until the day I die. As long as there are pockets of Imperial forces out there, I will never be free." His armor creaks, leather bending against itself when he turns to look at her.

"I understand, more so than you might think." His leather flight suit creaked again. "Stop touching things."

"I'm not touching-" Athri is cut off by the sudden rumbling of the ship, grabbing the armrests to keep herself in place. It soon ends, and a child-like squeal interrupts her thoughts.