On a backwater planet salvage site 438842 a shuttle slammed into the hull of a wrecked C.I.S. Providence class dreadnought. Two and a half days later a droid salvaging team cut its way into the shuttle’s cargo bay.
“Hello, is anyone left alive please make yourself known we have medical droids sta.” The old b1 droid said before being shot by the young guard.
Unknow to the young guard doing so triggered an automated response causing six b2 and two droideka’s to activate that then proceeded to the cardo bay of the shuttle. Then using the droideka’s as walking shields they quickly found and subdued the young guard and the princess and once the two girls where restrained. The droids carried them over to a small transport inside of a large shield bubble where they were treated for a few cuts and bruises each was fed and watered before a b1 with a large pack of communication equipment on it’s back walked over and stood in front of the two before a long mechanical arm folded out to point a eye of a TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droid at the two girls.
“Well well well what do we have here two little girls all on their own and one is very trigger happy.” The eye on an arm sighed as it looked over the two girls and then turning to one of the medical droids.
“Where these two the only ones on board alive of dead.?” It asked the droid.
The droid responded a few seconds later strangely slow as if the droid was having trouble with the question that or checking in with an internal transmitter. “As far as we can tell yes they were alone two compartments where compacted in the crash we are still checking them but as far as we can tell currently they were alone. Excluding a destroyed pilot droid most likely scenario the droid malfunctioned and flew off course before crashing hear.” The droid then returned to its work before the eye swayed over to the two girls
“Well crud ok look first off you aren’t going to be harmed you will be shuttled back to the settlement where my operation is centered. I’ll then see if I can’t contact whoever you need to arrange your transport home in exchange I’ll be keeping what’s left of your ship. I will allow you to collect any belongings, but none personal cargo stays with the ship if you fill this is unfair we can discuss this in greater length once your transport issues have been settled. Tell then you will stay hear any question or anything else you need to know before I cut transmission.” He asked the eye starting to retract.
“Yeah who are you and why would you go through so much trouble to help us.” The young guard asked accusatively.
“Simple I found you can get a lot further off a little good will and kindness then you can get with blood and murder plus I wouldn’t be here if some kind heart hadn’t fished me out of some random trash heap a few times and I feel obliged to return the favor.” He said before the eye shut and the arm retracted and the droid walked off.
The droid dropped of its communication equipment before it returned to work with the other droids that where mechanically stripping old ship wrecks. Some of witch clearly pre dated the clone wars and somewhere as new as the empire capital ships and rebel fighters.
“What’s up with this place and all these wrecks I have only seen some of these in history books?” the young guard asked one of the droids.
“Oh well you see this zone of space was at one point in history was host to a massive fleet battle and several smaller ones before the clone wars. At some point the republic started dumping old ships hear most of which was cleaned up from other battles the debris field in space is very hazardous and is where the larger scale salvage and retro fitting operations is held. These planets collect wrecks most don’t survive reentry, but they are rich in metals we hear on the planet salvage mine smelt and refine these and ether sell them out right or send them to the operations in orbit.” The droid had politely answered. the droid the young guard had asked was a b1 that had pink stripes on its face plate and a pink torso and to the surprise of the young guard the droid sounded female.
“We are about to start removing cargo we would like you to go through the ship and collect any belongings before we depart to my owner’s settlement your restraints will be removed. So long as you don’t try to run off and please don’t try to this place is far from safe and the atmosphere outside the shielded bubbles is toxic that’s not counting the acid rain witch even we droids have to be careful about so please don’t try to run I’d rather not have to collect your dead body.” the droid said sounding almost displeased and sad as droid started to remove the restraints.
The young guard just rubbed her wrist and watched the droid she noticed its movement was stiff but more natural them most droids. It strangely reminded her of an old servant in the palace who had a hard time getting around in her old age. She smiled fondly at the memory as the droid led them to what had been at one point a boarding clamp three of these had been set up to connect the small shelter to the wrecked C.I.S. Providence class dreadnought where the shuttle was wrecked. The young guard only took a small bladed weapon and her blaster the young princess took a box of clothes and the guard set aside three crates to be negotiated for later. After that the three of them left the ship and where loaded into a MTT that had its troop racks removed and converted to carry cargo it and three others along with a small guard of nr-n99’s a single juggernaut and two ig227 hailfire droids. Unfortunately, as the transport wasn’t very fast it took several hours to reach the small settlement the settlement was like a above ground gungan city it was one big bubble that had a small desert like town on the inside wile on the outside there was endless fields of mud scrap and acid rain.
“This planet is a dump.” The young guard said looking out of the dome at the surrounding landscape.
“It wasn’t always according to my records this planet used to be mostly covered with jungle but when the ship wrecks started to fall from the sky full of fuel and chemicals the wreckage decimated the forest and sparked fires that burned fuel and forest burning hotter and longer then was natural. It wasn’t long before the forest where burned away and the atmosphere was polluted by burnt fuel chemicals and all the smoke from the forests then the acid rain killed off everything else tell there was nothing but mud and wrecks.” there droid escort said sounding sad.
As she said that several large turrets powered up and started to shoot at severely fireballs of reentry space junk zoomed towards the settlement a powerful shield powered up and blocked the junk from hitting the settlement.
“What the farkled was that!?!” The young guard said in shock as her heart was pounding in her chest.
“Language young lady as for what that was it was a chunk of space junk falling from space its common around here.” The droid said as more fireballs fell from the sky.
Occasionally the turrets turned to shoot but the shield remained on though nothing hit the shield but as quickly as it had started it ended with chunks of flaming metal burned around the settlement.
“Come on this way you can get a proper meal at the cantina.” The droid said before leading them into the settlement.
The buildings of the settlement weren’t much a mix of prefab and stone one building was big and sprawling and took up a quarter of the settlement. That building turned out to be the cantina and the home of a mixed race family headed by a abnormally fat and large blarina who ran the cantina.
“Who and what is this and don’t tell me he’s found another sob story I already have to many mouths to feed I’m not taking in anymore.” The blarina said looking the girls over unable to help but notice the treated scrapes and bruises and thin state of the two girls with some concern.
“Do not worry we will be working to establish transit for them as soon as is possible all we need is temporary housing for them tell it can be arranged.” The droid said simply before starting to walk off to return to work.
The blarina sighed then said. “Ok you two hears a set of ground rules one no picking on the droids. Their boss really hates that, and I don’t want to hear it from him because one of you’s gets the dumb idea to play a prank on one of them buckets of bolts. Two there’s a junkshop in this little settlement you can go in but don’t go in the back I don’t own it and it’s not a playground. Theirs a few kids running around here somewhere so you can play with them instead. Now lastly when the light dims if you don’t come in you don’t eat and have to sleep outside that’s all now go shoe.” He said simply before returning to his own work as he did the two girls nodded before walking off to talk to each other.
“So what do we do now?” The princess asked.
“Not sure but first thing we need to do is find somewhere we can talk in private I’m not sure why, but I have a bad feeling even though they let me keep my weapons. But that could just mean they don’t think I’m a threat which is probable as they have a lot of old combat droids around hear so that’s a problem, but they got other people hear so they aren’t worried about hostages for some reason. I just don’t know well whatever let’s just find some place safer to talk.” She said before taking the princess hand and leading her out of the canteen they searched around for a bit before picking a small field of leafy plants that they guessed was being farmed. Though as neither knew much about plants they had no idea what they were or what they were used for, but it gave a clear wide view of their surroundings.
“Ok hear should be good just keep your voice down.” The young guard said looking around.
“So, what do we do if there telling the truth and they let us call home the capital will be in ruin they will be too busy with relief and repairs to come get us?” The princess asked sounding scared.
“well I had them set out three pieces of cargo one has enough credits in it to buy a cheap ship so surely we can pay someone with a ship to take us home so ether way we get home.” The young guard said hoping she was right but something she couldn’t quite explain told her it wouldn’t be so easy.
After that the two girls started to walk around exploring the settlement there wasn’t much above ground. Half the buildings didn’t have entrances and at one point the two girls nearly fell into a hole that led to a hatch in the ground thankfully the hatch itself was closed. The few buildings where accessible where workshops where droids of all types where working on other droid’s ship part’s and on several machines. The only two buildings that where any different where the large cantina and a small building that was the only way through a wall that halved the settlement. In curiosity the two walked in to the small building but to their surprise there was a loud ding when each girl entered. The building was a small shop full of junk and parts. As they started to leave a door behind the counter opened and a blue skinned togruta boy who was a year or so older then the young guard and was wearing an oil stained mechanic outfit and notably though he was blue skinned and had the traditional white markings his head tails hue shifted from blue at the base to green at its tip .
“Oh hay you’re the new salvage kids aren’t you well aren’t you one of the lucky ones.” He said looking them over his eyes stopping on the weapons the young guard wore.
“Salvage kids what are those?” The young guard asked sounding mad and placing a hand on her blade
“A salvage kid is a kid that is pulled from the wrecks I’m one and so is just about everyone hear is one and your one of the lucky ones. As you have a home to go back to and made it hear unharmed well more or less a lot aren’t as lucky as you.” He said pulling up his pants leg revealing it was artificial as he noticed their shocked expressions.
“Oh I’m sorry to hear that.” The young guard said apologetically.
“So, I’m guessing your hear to use the transmitter then I’m sorry to say it’s in use we only get a few hours a day window to use the orbital relay and our time for the day is running out. Tomorrow you will be able to call your home tell then just sit tight I’ll get you when its free.” He said simply as a small mettle ball rolled out from behind the counter being chased by a pit droid.
“Crud mind helping me catch these two they don’t get along on the best of times and right now there fighting.” He said with a sigh before starting after them the young guard grabbed the pit droid as the boy fearlessly picked up a buzz droid he closed it into a ball.
“Poke it in the eye that will shut him down tell they can cool off, so um did you need anything else?” he asked once the young guard had shut the pit droid down.
“Um not really just trying to find whoever it is in charge hear so we can discuss the cargo of our ship.” The young guard said simply as she looked around the shop.
“Oh yeah you want my dad um well he’s not my real dad he’s my adopted father. Most of the kids hear are essentially raised by the old blarina but I live hear with my dad. He um he doesn’t really breathe the same air as us. So, you would need a suit to meet him face to face but I can call him on the intercom for you.” The young boy offered.
“Ok let’s do that.” The young guard said simply as the boy walked behind the counter and hit a button a few seconds later another TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper eye lower down from the ceiling and turned to the counter not noticing the girls.
“Hello what’s up sun why did you call me.” The eye asked.
“The girls you pulled out of the wrecks want to talk to you.” He said pointing over to the girls the eye swung around to point at the two girls.
“Yes, what did you want to ask me?” the eye asked.
“Um yes well we set three boxes aside one contains my belonging another contains the belongings of my um sisters and the last one holds our traveling funds we will be happy to give you everything else but those three we especially need the one that has our traveling fund.” She said pleadingly.
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