𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐨𝐧𝐞

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

DUST SWIRLED AROUND Sevara as she kicked her scuffed boot into the sand, a huff of frustration escaping her chapped lips. She had been trying to get the blasted vaporator to cooperate with her since dawn, but the mechanism seemed to have fizzled out, now refusing to even turn on.

Sevara sighed, placing her hands on her hips as she gaze out to the barren landscape surrounding the moisture farm. It was around midday, and the sweltering rays of the sun beamed down to the rocky horizon before her, the vaporators glinting as they caught the light.

Too worn out to keep aiding the lost cause, Sevara collected her toolkit and exited the dome structure built to house the machines, making her way to the rickety structure of her home. Built with tarp and sheets of metal, the house seemed likely to blow away in a dust storm but due to a close call, Sevara and Kuiil, the kind Ugnaught who provided her a home when she had lost all dear to her, had reinforced it with hooks hammered down into the dark orange rocks.

Kuiil was in the kitchen, a cramped room with the bare necessities, hunched over the rickety table as he rounded up the gear he would need to take the blurrg's out for a ride. Sevara ducked her head to get through the too short entryway, watching as Kuiil worked away. He turned, meeting her eyes with his vibrant green ones and Sevara noticed that the pink hue of his skin was subdued to more of an orange in the dim light of their home.

Kuill gestured to his reins, "I am going out. Would you like to come?"

Sevara nodded, eager to get away from the vaporators. "Yeah, just give me a second."

She travelled to the hooks on the walls, pulling off the large set of reins. Sevara ran a finger over the pliable leather, watching as Kuill went out to the farm and shortly followed suit.

After pulling the reins over the blurrg's and making sure they were secure, Sevara rode behind Kuiil, savouring how the wind fanned across her skin in soft waves, ruffling her dark cropped hair and sending it every direction possible. She didn't mind though, for her slow-paced life was something she longed for, far away and out of trouble.

Kuiil halted, extending an arm out for Sevara to steady her blurrg as well. He turned to her, lifting his upturned nose into the air as he scanned their rocky surroundings, asking, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

A cry alerted them, springing Sevara into action. She beckoned for Kuiil to follow her as she rode down the uneven terrain and rocky slopes. Her grip was tight on the reins and she bounced with every step her creature took, racing towards the yelling and shouting. Across the rocks, an armoured figure being thrashed around by a rogue blurrg came into view. Sevara steadied her creature as she turned to Kuiil, who was still a few paces behind.

"Give me your gun!" Sevara called, extending out her hands to catch the large weapon he kept strapped to his back. With the heavy metal in her grasp, she raised the gun and aimed for the blurrg, watching as the shot released a spectacle of blue electricity as it took the creature down. The armoured figure raised their head as if to see where the shot came from, just as a second blurrg charged ahead, one that Sevara hadn't seen. Without hesitation, she raised the gun a second time and pulled the trigger.

As the second blurrg came down, she surveyed the situation for anymore creatures that could emerge at any moment. When the coast was deemed clear, Sevara pushed ahead and rode towards the figure, noting their damaged armour and pristine helmet, that held a narrow streak of black among the silver, as they pulled their arm free from the jaws of the blurrg.

"Whoa," she said, steadying her creature as she looked to the figure,"easy there, buckaroo. You okay?"

They grunted, groaning as they sat upright. He nodded, saying, "... Thank you."

His voice was deep no doubt and a little rough around the edges, but it still sent Sevara's heart hammering. A flush coated her cheeks as briefly shook her head, reprimanding herself for her juvenile actions.

"You are a bounty hunter," observed Kuiil, tilting his head at the sight.

"Yes," the man breathed, lowering his gaze to his wrist as he straightened his armour.

Kuiil took a moment, glancing to Sevara before he settled his gaze back on the man, stating, "We will help you."

"We will?" Sevara asked, raising a brow. It wasn't the first time Kuiil had offered their services to someone, though every time they sent someone on their way, they never seemed to return.

Kuiil readied his blurrg, lifting the reins and kicking it's side, saying, "I have spoken."

Taking off for the farm, Kuiil left Sevara and the man alone in the rocks. She cocked her head to her Blurrg, asking, "Need a ride?"

The man waved her off, "I can walk."

"You sure? Because I just saw you almost get eaten alive, so."

"I've been through worse."

Sevara sighed, "Alright, suit yourself," she inclined her head towards Kuiil's retreating figure. "Just follow my lead to get to the farm, then we can start discussing things."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

THEY RECEDED BACK in silence, passing the steep slopes and sandy hills as they travelled to the farm. With only her thoughts to accompany her, Sevara found herself wondering about the armour the man wore, certain she had seen it somewhere before or at least something similar, and what he was doing all the way out in Arvala-7.

Sure, Kuiil noted he was a bounty hunter, but what exactly could he be hunting in such a barren landscape? Sevara wouldn't lie, the rocky planet had had its fair share of criminals and mercenaries pass through, so perhaps he was just another person trying to make easy money in the galaxy.

As the farm came into view, Sevara directed the man to their homestead as she went to return the Blurrg back to its pen, joining Kuiil and the man in the kitchen not long after. She caught the ends of Kuiil's words, stating, "... yes. They died."

"Then I don't know if I want your help," the man replied, raising his head as Sevara entered, taking a seat beside him. He shifted slightly, returning his gaze back to Kuiil, who tinkered with something at the stovetop.

"You do. I can show you to the encampment."

"What's your cut?"

"Half."

"Half the bounty to guide? Seems steep," said the man.

Sevara shook her head, saying, "He doesn't mean the bounty, he's talking about one of the blurrg's you helped us capture."

The man turned to her, tilting his head as he glanced back to Kuill. "The blurrg? You can keep them both."

"No," Kuill said, taking a seat across from them and behind the compact, round table. "You will need one. To ride. The way is impossible to pass without a blurrg mount."

"I don't know how to ride blurrg."

Sevara turned to the man, her lips tugging up at the corners as she said, "Luckily for you, I know someone who can teach you."

"Who?" The man asked.

"Me."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

sorry for the slow start, but the pace will definitely quicken as the story goes along!

how are you all liking it so far? i'd love to know how you guys feel about sevara, and also if mando seems in character? please don't hesitate to tell me, all support is greatly appreciated!!