What was lost, can be found. (Arrbi Betna)

[Arrbi Betna]

"Yeah?" Betna said as he revved the engine and started out. "Well they'll learn to steer clear of me."

He kicked the bike into high gear and let the buildings around zip by until they were replaced by sand and dunes. Most would wait until morning instead of braving the night on a bike, but Betna knew that in order to catch his quarry they would have to move quickly and set up an ambush in the night. He aimed the bike in the direction he'd tracked them heading towards and maxed out the speed.

"Do you know any landmarks up ahead overlooking Sunshadow Pass?" he asked, using his helmet to amplify his voice. "The raiders I'm tracking are heading in that direction. I need a discreet place to overlook that area."

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq was only partially aware of the Mandalorian that had approached the bar and occupied the attention of the waitress. Or barkeep. Whatever role she filled in this filthy establishment, Larraq cared little for either. Growing up on Mandalore, he was all to familiar with Beskar'gam and didn't find the man worthy of drawing his attention. What did have his attention, however, was the filthy creature across from him that refused to accept his offer.

The singular and only reason that Rygel Larraq would waist his time on the dirt and grime that resided on this planet was to obtain a cheep and reliable source of labor for his company. And yet, no matter how much Larraq offered this vile creature, it continued to ask for more. It was beginning to look like this entire trip was going to be wasted when a novel idea occurred to him.

The Mandalorian and the female barkeep had left the building and a protocol droid had assumed a station at the bar. Signaling the droid with a simple hand gesture, Larraq ordered another drink and stared down the small creature opposite of him. “I'm growing impatient with your greediness. Either you accept my last offer or I'll find someone who will. The single and only reason that your clan is moderately more valuable to me than a shipment of slaves is your familiarity with basic mechanics.” he said to the creature as he accepted the drink brought over by the protocol droid.

After a moment, the diminutive creature chattered at Larraq in its language. The protocol droid Larraq had purchased for this exchange spoke up in translation for the creature. “My people are not slaves to do with as you please. We will not accept your offer.”

Sighing slightly, Rygle Larraq palmed his face with one hand and motioned for the creature to leave with the other. Taking its drink into its tinky, clawed hand, the Jawa hopped down from the table and left the bar. Larraq couldn't believe that he had failed in a business agreement with an overgrown rodent. Despite their status as sentient humanoids, the people of Tantooine treated them as little more than pests and, occasionally, as migrant tradesmen. And yet they were as stubborn and greedy as any businessmen Larraq had dealt with.

Drumming his fingers on the tabletop, Larraq gripped his temples with his left hand and stared at the drink on the table. He had to find a way to turn this business trip into a profitable expense, and that foul creature was Larraq's last option before he had to resort to dealing with the Hutts.

“Well, that settles it them.” Larraq admitted reluctantly to himself before knocking back his drink and standing up. It was time to deal with the Hutts.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Arla could hear him "yes veer left go up it will give you a high point advantage" the sand was kicking up Arla had been out this way earlier she knew this pass well. "Careful sometimes they hide in the crags "

She learned the hard way how they hid catching her off guard. She peered around him making sure he didn't miss the turn point.

 

[Arrbi Betna]

Betna turned where indicated and pushed the bike to its limits.

"I know," he called back. "They pulled that on me before. This time, though, I know where they're coming and they aren't going to be here till mid morning."

He slowed slightly as he found a rocky outcropping - a pillar, really - in the way. He pulled the bike sideways and came to a stop, but left the engine running.

"This it?" was all he asked.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Arla looked around "yes this is it," She could feel the vibrations of the bike she had hung on for dear life and made it. "Is that who we are waiting for?"

She knew they were violent the raiders often taking lives without reason. "So. Why did you do it? Her timing not the best but asking might not come later

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"Why did I do what?" he asked as he unpacked what he'd need. Once done, he stowed the bike away underneath an outcropping of rock, cut the engine, and covered the vehicle with a camouflage tarp pulled from a saddlebag.

He tidied up, securing the tarp to the ground, and started heading up the rock. Thankfully there seemed to be a bit of a footpath heading up, otherwise this would be far more of a pain in the shebs.

 

[Arla Ordo]

She made a face, "one minute it's like you're ready to go, then you're asking me to help do this. Why?" Arla moved around unslinging the weapon she bleeped down looking over.

Different view when holding a weapon. She still wasn't sure who or what they were after. Is thus what all mandalorians did?

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"I needed a spotter and a guide," he said with a shrug. "You're a local, so that easily makes you a guide. You work at an osik bar in the middle of nowhere and you haven't lost your mind yet, so that makes you capable. Resilient, at least."

He stepped from one ledge to another. Strangely enough, it seemed like the ledges made a spiral pattern around the rock. This bothered Betna a bit as that wasn't a natural occurrence, but he shoved the feeling away. He'd worry about it after the job.

"Besides, you looked bored," he finished with another shrug. The Mandalorian looked down and saw they were already a good distance above the sand. He figured a little longer and they'd find a nice little nook to wait for the Tuskens.

"Your boss doesn't like me," he said bluntly and randomly. He felt like changing the subject a bit and her boss glaring at him had come to mind while searching for a conversation topic.

 

[Arla Ordo]

She rose up and followed him down the winding staircase of outcroppings she had never gone off the ridge before down here she was afraid of where anything and everything could hide. She remembered what he said about using ammo sparingly so shooting at a ghost, not a good idea.

"I'm a bartender, that sure must just shout spotter and guide" She arched a brow, sarcasm was her forte.

"My boss hears you giving me information, it puts it into his head that you could be my reason to leave." She smiled, what would she do. She would be able to have a bed, maybe one with a mattress! She smiled again at the thought. Then the smile faded, he would never let her leave he'd kill her first she knew it. Even though she didn't bear a slave mark, she knew he thought of her as his property.

"What do I call you?" She changed the subject now that her thoughts had grown dark.

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"Name's Arrbi of clan Betna," he responded in a monotone voice.

They neared the top, but that wasn't where Arrbi wanted to be. Up top you'd be silhouetted against the sky. Sitting ducks for counter snipers or enemy fire in general. He doubted there were skilled snipers with the Tuskens, but each was a marksman in their own right, which meant he didn't want to take the risk. He began looking for a space large enough to lie down for two people. Failing that, someplace big enough for two people to sit.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked suddenly.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Leave, did she want to leave. She stopped the thought was there to go, "yes and no. Yes because there has to be more than this. No because I'd be alone and there's no one out there for me to rely on, here I got a room with a door." Even if she didn't have a bed or the finery that others had it was still something.

She looked down, she had to be insane why would she not just jump up and say YES GOD I WANT TO LEAVE!!

"Besides, he'll never let me leave. ever." She spoke deadpan, emotionless as if having hope would crush her. What was she thinking, she didn't need anyone she could do it all by herself. Could she? Possibly truth was she was scared.

 

[Arrbi Betna]

Betna said nothing for a bit, instead deciding to focus on finding a niche to overlook the pass. After another minute or two of looking, he found a small nook where the both of them could lie down without issues. He carefully brushed the sand out and to the front of the ledge with his boot to clear more area for gear and equipment. Once done, he set down a bag and opened it. He placed a small ammo canister on the rock closer to where Arla would lay and stacked a few stripper clips for his rifle on a rag near the mouth of the nook where he would be lying. As he did so, he glanced at the woman with him through his HUD.

"You never asked what the pay was," he stated.

 

[Arla Ordo]

He was right she had not, "whatever it is it will go to the guy who doesn't like you" She looked back at her own reflection in his helmet, she knew why he wore it. Would her mother have worn hers for the same reasons, or was everything she had concocted about the armor all wrong.

Maybe her parents killed someone to get the armor, maybe it was all a lie and she was not anything like she thought she was, and she was wasting his time. it was so FRUSTRATING. The not knowing, or understanding. She shook her head trying to clear it forcing the thoughts to the back of her mind.

"So out of curiosity, what is the pay?" She hoped she wouldn't regret it.

@[member="Arrbi Betna"]

 

[Arrbi Betna]

Betna said nothing at first and instead turned his attention to getting situated. He set out an ammo can and laid a blanket down where he would lay. He tossed a second blanket and a small spotter's scope and tripod to Arla. He laid down and got himself comfortable, making sure he could see the pass from his spot before finally settling in.

"You want off this dustball?" was all Betna said as he peered through the rifle scope, starting to gauge the range to the pass.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Off the dustball, some place new. "I would but I don't know how I would survive" She took the blanket and laid down next to him, and then adjusted to make room for the scope. She inched herself over away from Betna to be able to see below.

"And without a clan, I'm pretty much dar'manda, am I not?" She did not look at him, just in case he said yes. Hope was slipping away from her, what would she do. Live her life out as a slave. Or be bold and venture forth on her own, to.............where?

@[member="Arrbi Betna"]

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"You're Mandalorian," Betna said as if it were fact and unquestionable. He'd seen her tattoo earlier and assumed as much as he talked to her earlier. Had she just been some tough act trying to pass as a Mando, he'd have reacted more... forcefully over the fact. "You'll survive."

He gauged the range and set the distance in his helmet as he waited for Arla to do the same with her spotter's scope. Satisfied so far, he pulled the clip from the rifle and worked the bolt, ensuring a smooth action. He then reloaded the rifle and chambered a round.

"Dar'manda isn't a state of having a clan or not," he explained after a moment. "It's whether you live up to our code or not. Our Resol'nare. You don't have a clan? No problem. You'll start one some day. Either through spouses and children, or through friends and comrades. Or both."

Betna sat up and started rummaging absently in a nearby pack.

"Us Mandos believe family is more than blood. More than genetics."

 

[Arla Ordo]

"More than blood" She questioned this alright, more than blood. Arla got down and put her eyes to the spotters scope, "what are you wanting to shoot?" She'd have to know the target in order to get the range.

"And if Mandalorians believe in family, why would mine dump me here with no one?" She was a bit bitter, and angry but she'd live through that. She could live with anything if she knew the reason. At least she wasn't an outcast that was a relief. Start a clan, marriage, children, friends.....those thoughts were so far away. She couldn't handle herself right now, or even fend for a meal how would she ever have a family.

@[member="Arrbi Betna"]

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"No clue," Betna said honestly. "So I can't help you there."

Betna pulled a pair of ration packs from the gear and tossed one to Arla. The things were field rations, but they were far from dried food typical grunts gnawed on in the field. He pulled the package apart and mixed the chemicals to start the heat packet up. He then put the rapidly heating packet inside package and let the food start warming up.

"As for what I'm shooting, I'm waiting for a Tusken raiding party," he said with a shrug. "Local Hutt wanted them gone. I guess his caravans and such were getting hit too often and costing him money. I don't like Hutts, but I wrangled a decent deal from him. A hundred creds per Tusken fighting stick. Not bad, honestly."

@[member="Arla Balor"]

 

[Arla Ordo]

She caught the ration bar, she wasn't sure what this was but watching him with his she wasn't sure she wanted to eat it either. She looked down at the sides, Cadillac company, was't that a maker of pet foods? Oh she did not want to think of that.

"Tuskens, everyone says their mindless animals, but I've watched them. People are wrong" She settled in, watching down the canyon, waiting. "No one likes Hutts, hell Hutts don't like Hutts." Tuskens were silent unless being harassed. "100 credits, that's good money" She assumed he was only shooting the raiding parties not everyone.

She wished she knew what the deal was with her parents, it was like a gaping hold in her. "Are you going to take me with you?" That was where she thought the conversation was going.

@[member="Arrbi Betna"]

 

[Arrbi Betna]

"You're right, Tuskens are more than mindless," he said as he checked his food. It was warm, but not quite hot yet. "They're excellent trackers, marksmen, and warriors. They have a clan system very different from Mandalorians, but similar enough that I can see in them qualities of honor and law. They're people of the land and the desert, putting their planet and homes and families above all else."

He leaned back against the rock wall and popped his helmet. Setting the headgear down in the floor, he checked his meal once more. Just a minute more and it would be ready, he felt.

"I can understand the Tuskens and I can see why they do what they do, but they're harassing somebody's trade lines and disrupting their commerce which means someone wants them removed," Betna said with a shrug. "So they offered me a good wage to remove them and I took the job. It's nothing personal, just business. And for taking you with me, that's up to you. I can pay you credits or I can bring you with me to my next stop, which is home for me."

@[member="Arla Balor"]