Chapter Fifteen: Who I Am
Tor Vizsla sat in the cockpit of his ship, keeping the lock on Fluttershy's steady. ’You think that you have gotten away from me but I'm not through with you yet, Miss 'Caretaker'!’ Tor thought to himself as he gained speed, yet he knew to keep a good distance until a good time to strike.
Fluttershy flew carefully making sure to keep her senses open as she started to chart her way back to Tython. It was a habit she had gotten into, if anyone was following her she would have to make a few stops. She brought her knees up to rest her chin upon them. She paused as her wings fluttered for a moment before looking at the scanner.
’Hmm, something doesn't add up with her movement. Could she be aware that I am following her?’Tor thought to himself as he began to keep an even safer distance between them. Fluttershy shook her head but decided to be cautious anyways. She let the Force guide her path as she flew, deciding that she wouldn’t meditate until she reached Tython with no incidents. She pulled her hair back as she searched the stars. The planet she was on getting further and further away.
Despite resisting she began to fade in and out of sleep, her guard slowly dropping. Whispers echoed around her, something was alerting her. Someone, a hand reached out shaking her shoulder shouting. “Wake up!”
Her eyes flew open right when her ship shook as if something hit it.
"You let your guard down, Caretaker!" Tor yelled to himself as he began firing upon Fluttershy's ship. Fluttershy panicked as she looked to turn herself away from the Deep Core. She knew she could make it if she focused, but she couldn’t lead Tor to Tython. Instead she tried to find a planet close by while maneuvering out of range. She reached out her hand a flash of binary suns and a desert world entered her mind. Her eyes opened, she knew where she needed to go, getting there was the only issue.
"That's it, you're finished!" Tor fired another barrage of lasers, this time managing to hit one of the engines. Alarms blared with warning lights going off. Fluttershy pressed her hands against the console praying that there was a map to the planet she saw. The galaxy map came up with a line presenting the route she was going to take. Then a green light showed from her as a mysterious force wrapped around both ships. They vanished within seconds. Moments later they reappeared above the planet Fluttershy saw. She was just glad she wasn’t rendered unconscious this time.
Disoriented, Tor lost the lock on Fluttershy as he tried to figure out what just happened. Fluttershy, taking the moment of silence, programmed the ship to land. She had to find out exactly what was damaged and what needed to be replaced. However she knew that money was going to be required both ways. She looked at the spear she had been using knowing that someone would probably pay money for it. There were also the ore and minerals she had collected. She hated to be rid of them but she saw no other choice. Once she landed Fluttershy donned a cloak keeping her wings wrapped around her as she exited with the supplies. She closed up her ship before taking a step back and focusing using her gift to cloak the ship. Turning around, Fluttershy knew she needed to get to a city and fast. Removing the cloak she unfurled her wings and took off hoping to locate where the city was. Pain coursed through her wing despite the treatment for it earlier. She knew she had to be quick as she scanned the terrain around her. Once it was spotted and the directions memorized Fluttershy landed and redawned the cloak. She began her travels glad that the veil was covering her face shielding it from all of the sand.
The journey to the city was taking some time and Fluttershy was doing her best to conserve her water that she had brought with her. That was when she spotted it, a vehicle in the distance trudging along the sand. Her wings twitched before approaching it hoping to at least get some directions and that whoever was inside was not hostile. The small hooded creatures inside were almost impossible to understand. Fluttershy was about to explain that she just needed to find out how close she was to the city while keeping the ores close. She noticed that as they spoke with each other that the use of pheromones was a part of their language.
“Sl-slow down please.” Fluttershy said glad that she was about their height. “I’m just here to do some trading and get some supplies. I just need to know how long and far I have to travel to get to the nearest city.”
The cloaked figures looked at each other before talking and motioning towards the container she had. It seemed like she couldn’t get anything without paying for it. So she decided to show the ores inside of the container. After a bit she began to understand what they were saying.
"More! More!" One of the Jawas spoke in their dialect. Fluttershy blinked in surprise before setting down the container and bringing the other ones out. It wasn’t much but she only brought what she could carry. “I’m sorry it isn’t a lot. I just need money to repair my ship.”
The Jawas spoke to each other before one of them walked up. "Can you do a job for us as well?"
Fluttershy’s wings twitched as she asked slowly. “What kind of job?”
"There is a local group of Tusken Raiders who always try to sabotage us! Help us get rid of them!" The Jawa spoke up, flailing their arms. Fluttershy nodded her head. “Which direction are they in?”
One of the Jawas pointed in an eastward direction. You could see smoke rising behind one of the larger sand dunes. Fluttershy nodded her head before using her full speed to make it to the top of the dune. It took her longer as she was running on sand but lowered herself down. Exhaustion was setting in, Fluttershy practiced a lot with her Core talents but as she was in the body of a child it did make her tired quicker.
"Caretaker." A familiar voice spoke walking towards Fluttershy. Fluttershy turned her head towards the voice reaching for the spear on her back.
"I take it you're looking for the sand people? Don't bother, I already killed them all after they trashed my ship when I was looking around. I would like to kill you too, but it seems we're in a similar predicament." The voice revealing to be Tor Vizsla said. Fluttershy climbed to her feet saying. “Why?”
"Why what? Why I killed them all in revenge? Why I want to kill you? Why I choose not to given the situation?" Tor questioned repeatedly. Fluttershy stared at him through her veil saying. “Well those are all very good questions. But the first one as well as the third one.”
"Because they're all mindless savages who got what was coming to them. As for your third question, I figured we would form a temporary truce to figure out a way off this blasted rock." Tor answered as he kicked some sand. "Stupid stuff is everywhere."
Fluttershy knelt down and pressed her hand into the sand, she closed her eyes a green glow appearing around it. “Be more respectful to the natives of this planet. They, like the Mandalorians, are warriors who fought in a war and turned a once beautiful world into what you see now. They are now survivors who view us as those who trespass on their world and disrespect it.”
"They're nothing like Mandalorians. An outsider like yourself could never understand, 'Caretaker'." Vizsla mocked looking away. "Tell me, who are you really? And what are you?"
“What do you think I am?” Fluttershy asked looking at him, trying to figure out how to explain who she was.
"If I knew that answer I wouldn't be asking. Whatever, have it your way. What were you doing here looking for the monsters anyway?" Tor asked, sitting down. Fluttershy looked back saying. “A few Jawas asked me to get rid of the Raiders. I prefer a much more peaceful way, after all that is the way I was raised. My species is rather peaceful focusing on forming bonds of friendships that last forever than warring against the different tribes.”
"I doubt the Jawas care as long as the job is done one way or another if I know anything about them." Tor responded as he got up on his feet. Fluttershy climbed to her feet before glancing up at Tor. She honestly didn’t know how she felt about the man so she decided to test him. “You do know that I’m only 9 years old, right?”
"You do know that I don't give a damn, right?" Tor scoffed back at her. "Doesn't change how I feel about you."
Fluttershy’s wings fluffed out before saying rather angrily. “Now listen here you, I don’t mind the fact that you don’t like me, but what gives you the right to go after a child… any children because you don’t like them? I may not agree with your methods but I thought there was an honorable person in there but I was wrong! I never want to see the likes of you after this again! You are a coward and a bully and one day you will end up alone with no one by your side because you pushed them all away with your horrible attitude!”
"What do you know about honor? Like you admitted you are just a child. Truth be told, I had no idea what you were at first and how old you were. Are you saying I should show mercy to our enemies just because they're young?" Tor replied not backing down. "Maybe working with you is a terrible idea and I should just kill you now."
“I learned about honor from our Princesses, they are respected and would not go after anyone out of suspicion.” Fluttershy turned around huffing before her wings sagged. “You won’t be able to find my ship if you kill me and I doubt you have any money to get off this planet for a long time. Otherwise you would have done so by now.”
"You're right about that, I will give you that much Caretaker. Let's just put our differences aside and work together as best we can and you have my word as a Mandalorian that I will leave you be when this is all over. Not like you want to see me again anyway." Tor sighed as he started to walk. Fluttershy headed back to speak with the Jawas to inform them that the task was done. She was feeling exhausted from using her ability to travel the distance and didn’t want to leave Tor behind and up to his own devices.
"Let's just kill them all and take the parts. Oh right. You claim to be 'peaceful' Miss Caretaker." Tor huffed from behind.
“The task is complete.” Fluttershy said looking at the Jawa, she glanced up at Tor. “He took care of the Raiders.” Tor looked at the Jawas with a stern look as he folded his arms.
"A deals a deal!" One of the Jawas spoke as it ordered the other Jawas to collect the ore and deliver the parts. Fluttershy thought for a moment before asking. “Do you have anything I can use for navigation or protection….”
She gave a sideways glance at Tor before turning her attention back to the Jawas. “I travel alone most of the time.”
One of the Jawas pointed towards a couple droids and said. "All we have right now is just some old junk and a scrap heap."
The two droids looked at each other, one was taller with a long neck and narrow head. It didn’t say anything as the other droid whistle and chirped angrily at the Jawas.
“How much?” Fluttershy asked, a feeling stirring within her as if she was to take them with her. She turned her attention back to the Jawas in front of her.
"Consider it extra as our thanks!" One of the Jawas said happily. Fluttershy smiled as she went to examine the droids a bit more closely. She ran her fingers along the side of the smaller droid finding a serial number. “T7-08?” she asked in confusion before shaking her head. “We should head back to the ship now. T7-08 chirped and whistled, getting ready to move as the other droid looked around.
"See, I told you that the little womp rats wouldn't care about how the job is done. To them, business is business so welcome to the real world kid." Tor scoffed when he took an interest in the droids. "There's something ancient about this pair, and familiar somehow."
Fluttershy pouted under her veil before she turned and started heading back to the ship. T7-08 moved passed Tor saying. “She + sale= New master. New master = Better than Jawas.”
"Just get a move on you pile of bolts!" Tor ordered as he gave T7 a kick. Fluttershy whirled around her veil had moved to reveal her eye as she used the Stare ordering. “Don’t you dare kick T7-08 again!”
Tor gritted his teeth, his hand on his blaster when he said. "I would kill you here and now if I didn't need you!" For some reason though, he felt fear inside himself. He shook his head and pressed on. Fluttershy thanked the Jawas again before leading the way back to her ship. She stopped in the area she landed hearing the chirps of T7-08 as it scanned the area. She lifted her hands focusing as the perception filter dropped revealing her ship. She opened the door so she could begin the repairs glad to have taken some lessons from Sans. Though she was ready for any form of attack knowing that she might have to use her lightsaber.
Tor walked around the ship eyeing the damage. "Can't believe I am assisting in repairing something that I was trying to destroy!"
“Well we wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t attacked my ship.” Fluttershy pointed out as T7-08 sat there. “Hmmm, why isn’t T7-08 moving?”
She moved over to examine the droid trying to figure out what was wrong. The other droid began to point at something on the surface of T7-08 and to itself.
"Your droids, your problem." Tor remarked as he started making repairs to the ship. Fluttershy frowned before realizing that the bolt was the issue it seemed. Tilting her head to the side Fluttershy couldn’t figure out how to remove it. So she decided to try something out, shrugging off the cloak Fluttershy reached out with one of her wings. She brushed it as her wings glowed with the same green aura and the bolt went flying off. T7-08 chirped happily as Fluttershy went to work on the other droid. T7-08 went to help out with the other repairs. Tor eyed them now and then just rolling his eyes.
“I know you are just helping for your own reasons, but thank you.” Fluttershy said as the other bolt went flying off. She went to work as well, the progress going quicker with the extra hands. Tor just scoffed as he began to buff out some dents. The power turned on around them as the other droid just wandered around making sure everything was in place before T7-08 came through to install them. Fluttershy was silent as she finished up what she was doing.
Tor found himself sitting down taking a break laying his back on the side of the ship. The suns were setting at this point in time, and he looked at the horizon deep in thought. Fluttershy brought out a cup of water to him saying. “We are almost done in there…. Here, drink up.”
"You're far too nice for your own good." Tor said as he grabbed the drink and took a sip. Fluttershy smiled. “I know, I’ve been called a pushover, doormat, I’ve been told that I’ve held my friends back, that I don’t take risks, that I need to assert myself more… but I already know my faults. My friends accept me for who I am and I love my friends for who they are.”
Tor just shook his head and took another sip. "We'll never see eye to eye."
“I know, but who does?” Fluttershy asked looking at Tor, she climbed to her feet saying. “Fluttershy, my name is Fluttershy. That is who I am.”