A Beacon for Drifters

Chapter 5

The light pitter-patter of small feet causes me to look up. I've been sitting in this alley for about ten minutes, trying to blend in with the odd mix of crates and baskets. Rising from the crate I'd been anxiously perched on, I squint at the alley entrance, trying to peer through the dusk.

"Long live Zade?" I quietly ask the darkening dusty haze.

A knee-high bundle of white fur and ears pops out of the darkness, "Hi! I'm Kriki! You must be Holly!"

"Yeah, that's me. Rust bucket here's Thirteen-hundred otherwise known as Boo," I gesture behind me where Boo is sitting, burning smiley faces into crates. I asked why a few minutes ago and her response was why not. Why did I make her as sarcastic as I am?

"Awesome! There are a few things we need to pick up, then we can head back to the base!"

"Um, okay, but I don't exactly fit in," I gesture to my dark leggings, gray shirt and green flight jacket.

"Oh! Right! Vi said to give this to you!" the little Chadra-Fan rummages in her bag and pulls out a green wrap like the ones I've seen the locals wearing, "Just put it around your shoulders! Here."

Kriki helps me arrange the wrap- I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Then I pick up my bag and follow her into the marketplace.

It turns out that "a few things to pick up" means caf and meat.

Kriki notices the face I make when we're waiting for the meat, "Vegetarian?"

"Yep."

"Zade's gonna love you," she collects the meat packages with a grateful smile for the vendor before leading me out of the outpost and into a forest.

"Zade's a person?" Why would they use someone name as a passcode? It's not exactly secure.

"Yeah. He programmed the passcode 'long live Zade'- no one's sure how he did it."

"I can imagine."

"Believe me, Zade is unimaginable," Kriki smiles widely before turning so suddenly it scares me, "The Captain wanted me to ask if you had any relevant talents because apparently I'm 'approachable and less blunt than Pook', " at my confuse look she adds, "Relevant talents, like flying or the Force or being really good at numbers!"

"Uh... I'm good at making things and fixing things. I made Boo-Boo. I can fly too, if I have to. I know ships and stuff too. Like I can see the designs once and remember them and how they work. And how to make them stop working too, I guess."

"Really? Holly that's awesome! Another person who's good with machines! Maybe Vi will let you work at the Tech Bay with me!"

"Tech Bay?"

"Repairing stuff that comes in, mostly."

"Sounds pretty fun."

A comfortable silence settles over us as we walk through the dark forest. The only sounds are the whirring of Boo's circuits,  our faint footsteps on the springy ground and the quiet noises of the wildlife. It's peaceful.

Suddenly Kriki stops and reaches for the bag slung over her shoulder, "Oh! Right! Um..." she rummages in her bag again and pulls out a small pin, "Pin this onto your jacket or something. It's for the perimeter alarm."

A/N: KRIKI!! I love her so much she's so sweet and smart and awesome!!!!

I can't wait to write more scenes with these two!!!