Bonded

Chapter 30: Coming Together

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Rey makes a new friend.

The crolute sits at the bar, swaying to the music and slapping a fat hand against his thigh. He barely fits in the chair, folds of flesh straining in threadbare pants. Every so often, he looks at Rey beside him, a long, lingering look.

Rey keeps her eyes forward, fixed on rows of bottles lining the back of bar. He's tried to talk to her a couple of times, but she just pretends not to understand.

So now he's staring.

She grips her half empty drink, cursing whatever cruel twist of fate made her a magnet for the leering eyes of crolutes. And she thought those days were behind her...

She shifts, turning away from the bar to face the room.

The cantina is vibrant, a living thing unto itself— dark corners and crowded booths, laughter and chatter set to the swinging beat of the band, three massive Kitonaks swaying clumsily on a platform, bellies bumping as they play their instruments. A towering Yarkora stands in front of them, arms in the air, waving wildly as he yells nonsensical praise. A couple of hooded Dressellians sit close by, bobbing and tapping their feet in exact unison. Even a service droid rocks its snout-shaped head as it rolls by with a trey of drinks.

Rey takes in the scene, a smile twinging on her lips.

She should try to enjoy this while she can. It's not often she gets to hear live music, and these fellows aren't bad. The atmosphere is warm, most of the patrons in good humor. There hasn't been a single fight since she arrived, a miracle given the roughneck crowd.

She turns back to the bar.

Yes, she should just sit back and soak it all in— the music, the gaiety. But even as she thinks this, she's reaching into her pouch to pull out a chrono. She glances at it, then slips the device back in her pouch.

Daja's late, but not terribly. It could be a good thing, really. After all, Rey's meeting was quite short and look how that turned out.

Not that she blames Yana for her decision. The woman has a business to run, thousands in her employ, people with mouths to feed. If she were to volunteer her warehouses to hide runaway slaves, she could become a target, especially given the kinds of slaves she'd be hiding.

Rey's team is going after the big fish now, slavers who operate across multiple systems, the kind who chase down missing property for no reason other than to make an example of them. They've got vast resources, veritable armies at their beck and call, and a network of businesses under their thumb.

But Rey's building her own network. She and Daja are one of a dozen pairs going from system to system, seeking powerful locals to volunteer a haven for runaway slaves. The goal is to create a path of safe houses to usher the rescues to permanent freedom, a place for them to lay low while the slavers are in pursuit. The only problem is that so many are terrified of what could happen if they get caught. These big-name crime lords are merciless in revenge— cutting off access to trade routes, sending robbers and vandals to destroy businesses, even destroying homes. It's quite a risk, what Rey's asking. She can hardly begrudge those who turn her down.

Hopefully, Daja will have better luck. If the Daughters of Q'anah are half of what people say, then they fear no one. They're pirates, after all. They already steal property from the galaxy's most vicious crime lords. Surely, they'd be open to smuggling a different kind of property, the kind that lives and breathes, that shouldn't be considered property at all. Surely...

Rey drums her fingers on the bar.

There's no reason to worry. Daja's only late because the Daughters said yes, and they're working out the details. Or maybe they're putting Daja to the test, making sure they can trust her.