A Steel Aside

"No, Vaaro," she said adamantly. "You can't keep it."

They were standing in one of the many landing bays for rent around Mos Espa, Maya's home away from home for ten years now. She was standing next to her Rodian partner, looking up at his fortuitous find out in the desert. The ship, an old model from back before the end of the Rebellion, was still covered in sand and looked like a derelict.

On any other day, it would be salvage and easily Vaaro's property. The only troubles with the green opportunist's claim were Maya's conscience and the still-living condition of the vessel's owner. As long as those two obstacles remained, the Rodian would not be getting his puckered hands on the wind-ravaged fighter.

"I'm sorry, V. Now get it cleaned up and see what you can do about repairs, all right?"

The Rodian made a rude noise, one only possible from a mouth with no real lips. He caught a withering look from the barkeeper for his troub;e, one that made him flinch. he'd seen too many people go down with a nasty case of skillet-to-the-face rash after a look like that. Nodding his agreement, Vaaro turned back to the fighter and sighed. No salvage for him...

Maya relented a bit after seeing how dejected her friend was becoming. "I tell you what. You fix that thing up as best you possibly can and we'll turn this quarter's profits into a refitted A-wing for you. There's one down at Vaxxer's lot I know you've been eyeballing."

That changed everything. Disappointment became instant enthusiasm. He turned with a gleeful look and nodded emphatically. In a rush of words, he asked if he could get the shield generator for the A-wing too. Trust a Rodian to both look a gift horse in the mouth and ask for a saddle at the same time.

She laughed as she left the bay. "Impress me with the repairs and yes, you can." Over one shoulder, she was carrying a long satchel full of things from the derelict's small cargo compartment.

As the dock's steel blast plating closed, Vaaro put one hand on the old fighter. If his new ship depended on how good a job he did fixing this old hunk of space debris, Maya was in for an expensive ride. There wasn't a better mechanic in all of Espa than Vaaro when he put his mind to it.

With an eager grin, he reached for his tools. This was going to be epic....