About fifteen mier, inside Cire’s room. Nizzal was clothed in a carefully designed modern robe that was actually quite to her liking. It was a rich garment, but it still provided basic defense properties, and it was only a bit restrictive for her movements. Generally speaking, it was a surprisingly suitable garment.
“Is this really what rich people wear nowadays?”
“Only the ones prepared for a business arrao turn into a firefight at any minute.” — Answered Cire.
“, but how am I supposed to defend myself? Since we are actually sure that this one will g soon enough...”
“Well, I just have the ao that.” — ‘She turned around and walked to a cupboard. She took out something that she suddenly threw over her shoulder towards me while saying cheekily.’ — “Catch!”
‘I caught the glinting item, reflexively, only to realize the familiar weight and shape in my hand. It was my own lightsaber hilt.’
“What? How? I thought that… I thought that damn sith stole it from me...”
“You are right about that.” — Cire chuckled. — “Guess what? We stole it from her, too. Just before she could run off...” — The atmosphere turned uedly solemn before Cire added her words. — “One of my friends was killed by her. That is why the boss decided to give me this saber as a pensation. I guess it beloo you, then. It’s only right to give it back, seeing that you are one of us now. What would I do with a lightsaber, anyway? Be careful to not loose it again.” — She wi me, teasingly.
“I am really thankful to you fiving this bae... It means much, much more than I would like to admit. It was created by my master many years ago. I have only modified it sihen to match my ging body height.”
‘I said, while holding the der shaped hilt. Cheg it for any new scratches or bumps.’
“Aren’t jedi supposed to make their own lightsaber? I read about that on the web. I even watched a dotation film about the ritual of creating the lightsaber.”
“Yes, the jedi does that, but I am not a jedi.”
“Oh, sorry. I tend tet about that detail...” — ‘She smiled at me ily.’
‘I sighed... She clearly thinks that I am lying... I ’t really bme her. I was found in a very jedi like manner... Kidnapped by a sith assassin from a battle between republi and separatist armies. I also looked like a child, and I guess, I was teically a child, and that doesn’t give much weight to my words either.’
‘I turowards her. Attempting to expin it one more time.’
“Look, I am really not a jedi.”
“Of course you are not a jedi.” — ‘She smiled at me fly, and that actually felt really nice. Finally, she takes me seriously, I thought, theted my head while saying...’ — “You are clearly just a padawan at this moment.”
‘I was a bit distracted by her sudden f as and actally said something stupid.’
“Yes... I mean... no, I am not!” — ‘I looked up to see her rea... She was giving me a smug, victorious smile.’
“Got you.” — She smirked.
‘I sighed… As I realized that there was no way for me to actually make her see my point anymore. I also felt that she pyed me too easily... Is she really around my age? I have to ask....’
“By the way, how old are you, Cire?”
‘She blinked from the sudden ge of topic, but posed herself quickly.’
“I am twenty-five, and you?”
‘Twenty-five? I mean, she is bigger than me, with about aire head... But her height is still small pared to most of the other weequay girls around...’
“You look surprised. How old did you think I was?”
“I am thirteen... and I thought that you were only a few years older than me...”
‘She ughed at that.’
“Well, I guess, I wasn’t very dignified when I asked you about the for the mannerism of a ten-year-old. Probably my short height didn’t help either... Five me my childish act. I was always fasated by the force, and I never had a ce to witness it until now. It was an otherworldly experieruly.” — She expined.
“It’s okay. I am kind of used to that rea. It’s not as rare as you may think.”
“I am relieved to know that I am not the only one who acts like a fun girl in the presence of jedi. Oh, and take this small shoulder bag. You put your saber into it, and it won’t look out of pce.”
‘I took the bag, pced my saber hilt in it, and hooked it over my shoulder. I looked into a nearby mirror, ohat was clearly out of pce here because of its gold-rimmed frame.’
‘I am wearing mostly minimalistic but well-designed clothes. The upper part is silver-colored with sophisticated flower embroidery. While the lower part air of skin-tight bck britches that were created from fine silk with matg bck boots. It was not the type of rich clothes that I would expect after seeing Hondo’s personal style. These were actually fine clothes that you would imagine someone rich would actually like to wear. It wasn’t ostentatious, but had a uyle and was even practical.’
‘While I was looking at myself through the mirror, Cire grabbed one of my lekkus and attached a silver colr to it. Then she did the same with the other one. I moved my lekku with the already attached accessory in front of me. It was a nice silver accessory, with a white pearl in the middle of it.’
“It even matches my skin color.” — ‘I noted with a sense of amusement before adding teasingly.’ — “Are y to find me a husband, Cire, or what?”
“Heh, would you like that to happen?” — ‘She teased me back right away.’
“Well, nht now, maybe in forty years...” — ‘I said with absolute seriousness in light of my extended lifespan. As, Cire didn’t know about that, and burst into ughter hearing my answer.’
“Ah-h-h… You are such a child, you will be a grandma at that time, silly!” — ‘She chastised me. As, our time , it seemed, as she gave me my republiunicator devid poiowards the door.’
“Anyway, honey, you are done, and you look very pretty.” — ‘She pinched my cheek pyfully.’ — “Time to go to the hangar. We will use a cargo transporter ship for this job. This one we normally used to smuggle items with. It is a simple ship that resembles a brick, but it is a reliable o least. For now, it is time to go. Oh, and don’t fet, I am one of your bodyguards from now on.”
‘I rolled my eyes, while als towards Cire.’
“But, of course, how could I possibly fet such detail? Do you think I am as clumsy as your typical scum wandering around the stars? Quickly! Prepare my ship. I wish to see the merdise.”
“Look at that, you are naturally good at this girl, but don’t overdue it yet. I have already begun to feel the urge to shoot you down, rex. I would only use a paralyzing shot for now...” — She joked.
The door opened slightly, and Jack looked ihe room.
“Before you begin shooting at each other,” — He stated slowly. — “I suggest fog your efforts on the mission at hand.”
“Sigh, we are ing...” — ‘Both of us stated at the same time.’
~oOo~
‘A few mier, we ehe smaller transporter ship that would directly take us toal.’
‘I took my seat on the bridge with Jad another weequay man that I didn’t reize sitting before the trol panels.’
‘The spacecraft soon igs engine, and we left the hangar, entering into raw space. It was this time, when I finally saw the pce where I had stayed until now.’
‘It was a very old medical space station. Half of it ractically missing, destroyed in a fierce spabat, no doubt.’
‘The pirates found it and most likely mao repair the part that was not that damaged. It was surprising that they actually succeeded in doing this. The only thing that was more surprising was the fact it was still w, and useable...’
‘The base of the station is a... There are new parts and even whole ses that were obviously added to it ter. The thing doesn’t even have its own ehere is another ship attached to it, and that is the ohey used to tow it away when they want to ge location.’
‘It’s pretty intuitive, even if it isn’t practical. Si clearly ’t travel in hyperspace. Most likely, they didn’t really use this method to travel long distances, maybe just to avoid crashing into anything actally.’
‘Well, the whole thing looks like a pile of scrap that is held together by glue. Yet, I have to agree, it has its own special charm after you mao get used to the stale air. The stant alcohol and cigarette smell and smoke. Oh, did I mention the guy that always tries to sell you death sticks at the door of the tina?’
‘It is amusing to see that the drug dealers of each era still mao cook up more and more siing types of fucked up shit in their boratories. What is more amusing, though, is the fact that they didn’t even try to hide what they sell anymore.’
‘They call it a fug death stick... People still buy it, and they die after about half a year of active use. I saw some of these guys go out iter on Ryloth. They basically shit and vomit themselves to a bloody death.’
‘This is a highly addictive drug. It usually makes you addicted after about 10 doses. Without a high priced medical treatment that ses the material from your body, it would cause intense pain if you don’t get your dose in a day. Most people who use such a kind of psychoactive drug don’t have the mental fortitude or wealth to fall ba.’
‘Therefore, they will buy another death stick, which is a cheap drug, si es in a case that holds about 10 doses of it. It is a death trap, you see. Each dose will rex your pain, but with each dose, the time before you o use another dose of it shortens, and the pain that you will have to endure, if you fail to e it, will only grow. Until that moment when you will have to e it every hour, eventually leading you to overdose, or you run out of money and the intense side effects kill you.’
“Yeah, it is quite charming.” — ‘I mumbled to myself.’
“What is charming, sweety? Are y to relive my little reward for beating me in that silly game?”
‘I looked up as the red-skiwi’lek woman walked into the room. She was in the same type of clothes that I am. I saw in the background that awi’lek was following her. It was the gray-skinned man I saw ba the space-station. He was also clothed in the same type of noble clothes. What is the meaning of this?’
“Why are you clothed in the same way as I am? Oh, and you should be ashamed of kissing someo of nowhere just to... run away a few seds ter...”
‘She looked over my body with a humorous expression.’
“If I didn’t know as a fact that you are a little whelp, I would think that you expected something more?”
‘Oh shit, I felt as my face began to turn red... My leks were on fire, goddamn it.’
‘She smirked at my expression.’
“Kids nowadays grow up quickly. It seems the jedi are no exception.”
‘I could hear a few rude smirks ing from the other pirates standing or sitting nearby.’
“Sh-sh-shut up!” — ‘I squeaked out thanks to my increasing embarrassment.’
‘That only served as fuel for the ughter.’
“Ugh... Damn you... Who are you anyway? You didn’t even tell me your na-... ueh?”
‘She caught my face again in much the same manner as before...’
“What a bad child. Is that any way to talk to your mother?” — ‘My eyes widened in fusion. What the hell was she talking about? But I shook my head, trying to get free from her grasp as quickly as possible. Everyone seemed to be a lunatic around here...’ — “Now, that’s better. I five you this time.” — ‘She said while releasih a smile...’
“For the time of this mission, you will call me mother.” — ‘She stated once again, making me froze on the spot.’
“Eh?”
“Oh yes, and you will call this gray bastard standing behind me, father, too. Is that clear?” — ‘She added, while eying me expetly. A feard seds passed before I asked her tentatively.’
“.... Did you… overdose oh sticks or what?”
‘I am not even surprised anymore. I bet if I stayed with these idiots for a few more weeks, I myself would think that the sky is red and the space is pink... is this the time when the Believers of a Ft Universe mar and begin a seance?’
‘Ups, I guess I should have shut my mouth... She looks kind of angry...’
“Bad girl, for the sake of the mission, I will overlook your rudeness o time. If you tio talk back, I will teach you a lesson about respeg your parents. So what do you say?” — ‘She demanded, and I decided to py along with it.’
“.... Sorry?”
“Sorry mother.” — She corrected.
“Sorry mother?”
“Much better.” — The woman added, satisfied with the oute.
‘Now, she etting my head.... Okay, maybe this wasn’t the best idea after all. Irospect, I should have tried to run away while I had the ce...’
“e on dear, let the girl off the hook... She is fused.” — ‘Oh, dad came to join the party... Is he another lunatic? I guess I will figure it out soon.’
“Dear... she has to learn her pce. It is a must for the mission to go well.” — ‘Mother stated calmly.’
“Of course, but you fot to tell her that we will only act as suake it more believable. After all, who would send their little daughter to buy spid sves alone?” — ‘The man expined, and I finally caught on.’
“Oh, did I fet to mention su insignifit detail? He-he... I am so clumsy...” — ‘The woman stated, clearly enjoying my reas.’
‘I rexed with relief, realising that they were only pulling my leg. I turo her with a frown and said sarcastically.’
“Yes, you have…” — She raised her fihreateningly, and I added with an eye-roll. — “…mother.”
‘The man seemed to catch my angered ghat I sent towards them. As a rea, he caressed the woman’s lekku while saying this, almost purring into her ear protrusion.’
“Maybe we should turn this opportunity into a more educational type of lecture. We should show our little kitten what happens to particurly bad girls.”
‘I had enough of these two idiots teasing me. I took out my lightsaber from my shoulder bag, pying with it carelessly in front of their watchful eyes, then I pced it bato my bag. I watched their faces turn a few shades paler, but they hid it almost immediately. I guess they got the message, anyway.’
“My dear,” — ‘Began the gray-skinned man.’ — “I guess we took that joke a little too far.”
“Indeed.” — ‘Said the red woman, giving me an i, almost childish smile.’
‘I owards them.’
“Apology accepted.” — ‘I told them solemnly.’
That was the moment when Hondo appeared on the holo unicator built into the trol panel of the ship.
“Oh, I see that you have already met. What a wonderful sight. You look like the perfect family. Even your skin atches. Nizzal, these two are called Seldibo, and Ayelfita. I ordered them to act as your parents for the mission, be a good kid and listen to them. After all, it is not every day you get adopted.”
“Not for you maybe...” — ‘I mumbled silently, remembering my ret tumble with the jedi.’
‘To that, Hondo raised one of his brows in fusion, before choosing to ighe remark altogether.’
“Anyway, send a message once you verify that they indeed brought the goods. We will un attack immediately.”
“Okay, boss.” — Said the pair of weirdo twi’leks.
‘Well, I guess it is time for revenge. I walked behind the man, who was called Seldibo? Yeah, that was it. I grabbed onto his right arm with both of my hands. I felt as he froze for a moment and looked at his arm, more specifically, at the thing that was attached to it. His face seemed to be genuinely surprised by this oute.’
‘Our eyes met. I suppressed my evil smile and said it with the most childish voice I could create.’
“Daddy!”
‘I felt as the man’s arm shook momentarily. His face was ging hard. Meanwhile, in the force, there was a sense of surprise, panic, horror, embarrassment and awkwardness appearing in this exact order.’
‘The woman called Ayelfita also turowards us, hearing my sudden childish excmation. She seemed to quickly realize what was going on, and she began to ugh at Seldibo’s current expression.’
‘This was how I joihe lunatic duo, uionally making it into a trio. ‘
