Survivor: A Star Wars Story

Chapter XXVIII

By the time the cloud-swathed globe of Mandalore materialised into space, Reina was ready to smash the glass and jump out the transport herself.  Her leg bounced on the other, the repetitive motion masking the gentle tremble that ricocheted through her hands and fingertips.  Whether it was the lack of sleep or the two searches they had avoided by the skin of their teeth, willpower was starting to fail as a tool to keep her nerves at bay; they had had enough and they were letting her know.  The kind of live electric buzz that hits one at the brink of exhaustion was starting to throw itself through her bloodstream now, her body itself becoming insomniatic.

Although Kenobi had held his own reservations about disembarking at Mandalore, he seemed relieved to see the sight of the planet too.  The shuttle eased into the planet's atmosphere with hardly a bump and below the cloud-swathed folds of its ozone.  Underneath, a miserable drizzle faded out the horizon, but what wasn't hidden by the silver rain was hardly that of a spectacle to look at either.  Mostly because the planet was barren.  Not even in the sense that Jabiim, or Tattooine was barren.  No, Mandalore was a planet one good plasma strike away from being glassed.  Kenobi had warned her prior to arrival of the brutal wars that had destroyed any semblance of life outside of monitored and controlled citadel domes.  And yet his descriptions paled in comparison to the utter lifelessness that the planet drowned in.  Not a single plant, animal or even remarkable land feature punctuated the empty, beige canvas that stretched outward as far as the eye could see.  Reina shuddered to think of the damage to the deeper ecosystem if even rain couldn't rejuvenate any spark of life.

Dead ahead lay their destination and the only indication that this planet was habitable at all.  A bulbous, black bulb spurted upwards like some unsightly wart, reflecting soft light dully.  Parts of it caved away to reveal landing platforms that, despite the general inhospitability of the environment, teamed with people, most wearing a blue-grey variant of similar outfits.  Before the shuttle had even fully landed, Reina was up and out of her seat, eager to get off the ship and preferably never look back.  

Their stunt on Garqi had not gone unnoticed.  Within the hour of them managing to leave the planet, the travel line they were on was placed on high alert for terrorist activity.  With most shuttles being turned around on the spot, they had switched lines three times, backtracked once and almost been subject to two searches, only saved by Kenobi's quick thinking or use of a mind trick.  They had already been unbelievably lucky to be approached by people weak-minded enough to not immediately call the authorities on them.  Mandalore was their closest hope of escape from immediate pursuit.  After a good few hours to stew on the events of the Separatist world, Reina had assumed (wrongly) that she would have her affairs more in order.  But no matter how hard she thought, how much she tried to imagine someone could change, a vast disparity between the Qui-Drogmar she knew and the person who had slashed her with a blade still clung to her memory like a tumour.

Silently, the two Jedi slipped from the shuttle once it had touched down.  They needn't exchange words as neither quite knew what to say.  Though Reina wondered where they were going from here.  Neither had a long distance communicator with them: that had been the purpose of the shuttle they had left on Nar Shaddaa.  But with purpose, Kenobi strode over to a nearby official and got his attention.  He quietly said something into the man's ear and the official craned down to get a good look under his hood before looking alarmed and rushing off somewhere.  

Reina frowned as she watched him scurry away.  "What did you say to scare him off so badly?"

"Something that I'm probably going to regret." The older man sighed.

He didn't offer much explanation on that so instead she waited with him for... something.  Kenobi seemed to be looking out for something, prompting Reina to copy though she had no idea what to look for.  However, shortly after a small shuttle swept onto the platform - only a standing shuttle though, not the ship kind.  More notably, several heavily armed guards were posted onto it, all with ornate designs entailing their armour and decorative tail-like detailing on their helmets.  The helmets had a mask and visor, with only a slit for their eyes; along with the vaguely blue-grey colouration, it reminded her a little of a stormy ocean.   Kenobi didn't wait to be invited aboard and stepped on, shepherding Reina alongside.  She shifted uncomfortably on the spot until she got a disciplinary look from Kenobi, after which she forced herself to stand still.  He also looked to have gone a more ashen tone.  It didn't improve her confidence in their situation.  As her master had gone and shown his face willingly to the official, she could only assume they were going to see someone friendly, but everything indicated to the despite.