Ask Jakku The Mechanic and the Mandalorian

[Song Wren]

Song hated Jakku.

This was her third tour on the planet, and she wasn’t sure why she kept coming back. It was a desert wasteland, covered in the wreckage of past battles, ruled by competing scavenger crews and harmless pirates. Out of all her visits, none of them went the way they should have. The Mandalorian had crash-landed in the sun-dried dunes, been shot at by starved salvagers, chased after and beaten.

If she were being honest, she didn’t expect much from her visit now.

Song had come looking for a bounty, a sleazy gangster by the name of Ralousa. He had hosted several illegal races across the galaxy, and according to the Guild, they wanted him in. As a bounty hunter, she’d do her job. However, she had absolutely no idea if Ralousa was even at the current pod-race. What she really needed was some information. A set of clues, or a trail to follow. Anything.

It was a little before the race that Song stalked the wayward outpost, looking for the right stranger to ask (or interrogate), when her eyes fell on an ongoing scuffle ahead.

A pair of greasy-looking aliens seemed to surround a tanned young woman, throwing a number of obscenities that might put even Song’s worst day to shame. Whatever was going on, she hadn’t a single idea, but if things took a turn for the worst, she wouldn’t hesitate to step in. Then again, that wasn’t to say the woman couldn’t handle herself.

Far from it, in fact.

@Killa Ree

 

[Myrna Vel]

She wasn't certain herself how it all happened. One second, she was mindin' her own, fixin' up her swoop and giving it a good ol' backwater polish, when Geelo and Meelo, the two genius wonder-twins of slimy backside Jakku, decided to start doin' the usual catcallin'. Typically, Myr didn't mind; hey, it was a free galaxy, and thirsty guys could pay a tab, yeah? But these two slimers in particular were the type that made her question if the galaxy ever had a concept of keeping sleemos like these two around.

She wanted ta race, dammit! And these two slimeballs were gettin' in her way.

"I jus' wanna talk to 'im," she snarled, arms crossed. Geelo, a tall male Rodian, slowly crossed his arms. She could already feel herself wantin' to shoot him a couple new breathin' holes as his large, oily-lookin' eyes scanned her head to heels. If she could read expressions, she coulda' swore he was smirkin'.

Meelo, of some near-Human design, stepped closer.

"Girlie, no offense, but you ain't exactly his type to be spottin' on the races, yeah? But if ya play nice, I might let ya take my spot..."

He grabbed her arm, and she yelped, smacking it away. That only made Geelo laugh, and step closer, and Meelo too. "I ain't givin' out free party favors to some scum," she fired back, fists up in the air. "Have at me then, ya low life--"

She didn't even get to finish that sentence when Meelo swung out first, aiming towards her head. She yelped and ducked, stumbling back as Geelo attempted a swing at her knees, skittering back. "Change yer tune if ya wan' yer creds, kid," taunted Meelo, definitely smirking. She pulled out her blaster, hands shaking, and both gangsters' eyes narrowed. "Don'tcha come closer boyos, my pops mayn'ta taught me much, but he taught me to shoot a varmint when I see one."

Geelo laughed, and stepped closer. "You can't shoot even if ya had ta hit the broad side of'a--"

He didn't even get to finish that sentence when she fired, and he howled, clenching what was left of his hand as he rolled back into the sand. Meelo's ugly face darkened, and he pulled his leg back, about to land a vicious kick to her side if uninterrupted.

"Why, you sneaky lil'--"

@Feng Mian

 

[Song Wren]

Song watched the scuffle ahead with a touch of amusement. From what she picked up, it looked like the young woman wanted a word with whoever was hosting the race. A chance to participate, only to come face-to-face with a brick wall. Or two, seeing the male Rodian and near-human surround her as predators might to prey. It was only moments later before one of them struck. A hook to the girl’s temple.

The Mandalorian took a step closer. Thankfully, the woman staggered away in time, narrowly avoiding the punch.

Song was as quick to take a step back as she was forward, however, when the lady pulled a blaster out. By the way she held it, hands trembling, the Mando doubted she’d actually take the shot. But the look in her eyes, the sound of her heavily accented voice, told Song she would. Now, she took several more steps forward, her senses fully engaged in the unfolding situation. To them, she was nothing more than a mirage in her approach.

The shot came seconds later. The Rodian shrieked, a nasty-looking hole in his left hand.

As the near-human man brought his foot down on the woman, the Mandalorian intervened. Out of nowhere, her boot slammed into the man’s leg from the side. She could hear a soft crack inside, followed by the man’s cry and stumble backwards. He landed into the sand and clutched his leg, his eyes moving furiously from the woman to Song.

The second he saw the armor, whatever frenzy he was on immediately lost its drive. The anger behind his eyes turned into uncertainty.

“Move along,” said Song, coldly. “Before I make you.”

The Rodian, cradling his hand like it were a toy, took the other man by his arm and hauled him off the ground. Together, they scrambled away from the blaster and the Mandalorian. Probably off to warn the race’s host, but she didn’t care. Let them.

Her attention fell back to the young woman, and she stretched out an open hand to her. “You okay?”

@Killa Ree

 

[Myrna Vel]

Damn, damn, damn.

There went her only chance to get some cred, intervened by some T-visor type that probably felt like such a hero. Probably a guy... but she couldn't tell. She gaped openly at the hand before her, and she grasped it almost by instinct, letting herself be hauled up. "Yeh. Nothin' broken, yanno," she replied, sighing.

Her brown eyes gazed over to where tha two shifter brains had shambled, lips pulled into a moue of disappointment. "There go my only chance o' gettin' a slot in..." she sighed, shoulders dropping. "Tell me, tall, dark 'n helmeted, kno' any places where a dams'l like me can score a good amount o' creds?" She gave the... person... a weak smile, holstering her blaster and crossing her arms.

"I'm kriffin' starving and thirsty," she sighed, fanning a hand over her face. "Was promised decent cred but no-one offered up ta deet it was a shitehole, ya catch my drift?" She tilted her head at the person, long red hair escaping the sloppy ponytail. Maybe if she played the flirty card she'd be guaranteed something, but truth told she was too karkin' hot, and losing the will to play up whatever few charms she could scrounge up.

@Feng Mian

 

[Song Wren]

The Mandalorian heard countless accents in her lifetime. From the crowd-infested streets of Nar Shaddaa, or aboard way-stations wedged between hyperspace routes. Being someone raised in Mando’a first, and Galactic Basic second, dialect was never anything easy, but she learned. Though if she were being honest, Song wasn’t sure if she even heard an accent like the girl’s before. Not that it was hard to pick up. Just fascinating.

“A damsel like you?” she repeated back to the young woman, but this time the words were laced with disbelief. “You just shot a man’s hand off. If you’re looking to score some credits, you’re not going to find any here.”

She glanced around the Jakku outpost. Dunes as far as the eye could see, stretched out under the blazing sun. The distant silhouette of a Star Destroyer, stripped to the bone after years of salvaging operations. A shaded, makeshift bar. Tarps and stalls everywhere, full of scavengers cleaning and selling parts, or mechanics greased up to the elbows fixing up their swoop bikes and speeders. The pod-race would start pretty soon.

Her eyes gravitated back to the young woman, who was looking at her in a way that raised a few questions. And maybe a scowl. Was she trying to flirt with her for cash?

“No,” said the Mandalorian. “I don’t catch your drift. But if you can tell me a little more about this race, and whoever’s in charge around here, I can buy you a drink. Some food. Might earn you some decent credits if what you have is worthwhile.”

Song supposed she could have intimidated the woman for answers, but after watching the whole display between her and the two men? She seriously doubted that would work. Nothing like money and drink to get a mouth moving, though.

She gestured the woman over to the shaded bar. If she accepted, good. Song would lead the way. If not, then she supposed it was time to move on.

@Killa Ree

 

[Myrna Vel]

She shrugged at the Mando stating she shot the man, arms crossing and a faint grin on her lips. "Yanno," she answered, shufflin' a foot. "It sure stopped 'im from gettin' too close or doin' real damage, din' it?" She could feel heat flush her cheeks, though, when the person seemed bemused at her actions. She weren't tryin' ta flirt with them yet, did they swallow a couple sours before landin' on here?

Though then again, tha' armor hadta be plenty hot, an' they no doubt had business. "Thank ya kindly for yer rescuin'," she said honestly, givin' them her best bright smile. "I'da been in plenty poodoo as it were." She let out a whoop when they mentioned creds though, one fist pumped in the air. "You got a deal, kid!" she cheered, trotting after them.

She would wait until they were in the not-so-much cooler shade, swiping sweat off with one hand and leaving a trail of black grease on there. She waited until there was a drink in her hands before she finally spoke, arms crossing beneath her bust. "Local gangster, promised me decent cred if I could fix up a droid or two by side," she commented, then her voice lowered. "Guy tossed me an' said ferget it, my ol' junker wan' gon' make it in his dust-buster race, so I decided his two morons were the closest ta gettin' a slot in. Things're thin, yanno."

She glanced about, and then she chewed her bottom lip. "Goes by Ral. He in trouble?" She glanced sideways... and her lips slowly turned into a wide smile. "If so, I wanna help git 'em. Guy owes me a solid fer all ta trouble I went through."

@Feng Mian

 

[Song Wren]

The Mandalorian blinked. Did she just call her “kid?”

Song said nothing in reply though, leading the young woman into the canopy shade of an outdoor bar. In her armor, the heat was sweltering, and she was glad to be momentarily free of the Jakku sun. Not that she paid much mind to it. She had suffered through sub-zero snowstorms, air that corrode throats in a single breath, rain that could melt duraplast in under a minute. A little heat was nothing to her.

Then again, it did make her rather impatient. Anxious for answers.

Under the shade, Song signaled the bar for two waters, along with whatever the girl wanted (that a small handful of credits could buy). Once she got what she needed, so would the Mandalorian, who listened intently to what she had to say. Local gangster, host of the race. But the name? Ral? That caught her attention, and the bounty hunter leaned in closer.

“Ral as in Ralousa?” she said, interest piqued. “Yeah, he’s wanted in a couple systems. I’m here to turn him in. If you can tell me where he is, I can give you a split of the reward.”

Song didn’t exactly respond directly to the girl’s idea of joining alongside her. The Mandalorian often worked alone, and though half the reward for some information was a lot to give, she didn’t care for credits. She needed the rep. A good status meant good contacts, and good contacts? A better chance of finding her brother’s killer.

@Killa Ree

 

[Myrna Vel]

Water weren't somethin' cheap on a place like Jakku; she speculatively eyed the Mando as she took a swig of the sweet, cooler liquid, sighing happily and slumping into the bar. She was curious, though, how they were gonna manage drinkin' without pullin' off their helmet. A plate of chips made from some root vegetable were placed on the bar, and she happily munched away, eyes sparkling when they mentioned the very same person that was giving her grief was the same person that was probably being hunted.

Karma and luck might finally be lettin' kisses down on her, because Myr suddenly felt like a mil' cred. "Best way ta reach him would be in tha' race, if I'mma be honest." She used her other hand to scratch at the base of her neck, head tilted slightly. "I ken do that, keep 'em with their eyes on that while ya--" she mimicked punching and kicking, even letting out a small 'hya!' voice effect on the end.

"--kick his arse to tha curb. I'll jump on tha' grenade for ya." She gave them her widest, most sweet smile. "Half tha' cred ain't a bad sort o' deal neither, if'n you like my thinkin'."

@Feng Mian