Chapter Text
They make their way slowly through the crowded street. The suns are nearing their apex in the sky when the three of them finally duck into a small shop tucked in a small alley leading off the vendor street. Rey and BB-8 hang back as Ru goes up to the droid behind the counter. He has three arms, two of them currently preoccupied with shining some brass cups.
Rey finds herself nearly dropping a low-humming ball that shocks her when she tries to pry one of the panels open. She quickly drops it back into the gravity base it was sitting above before moving towards some of the stuff that lays on a table near Ru and the seller.
“-can’t offer much more than that.”
“But it’s in perfect condition, surely-”
“Sorry, Ru. You know I’d offer more if I could. Things’ve been slow. There’s some people out north who are buying left and right. If you still have it in three weeks I could probably double it.”
Ru sighs, leaning against the counter for a second before nodding and wrapping the sensor jammer back up and into her bag.
“Thanks, Sovie. I’ll try to come back up sometime.” Ru turns back to Rey, motioning towards the door.
“Are you selling the droid?” Sovie calls out before they reach the door.
“The droid is not for sale.” Rey calls back, making sure BB-8 rolls out the door in front of her.
“Well, that went terribly.” Ru sighs again. They stand for a moment outside, the sounds of the crowds and vendors calling out fill the silence between them.
A loud bang and several screams fill the air and suddenly Rey is pulling Ru into the doorway of the shop they just left. Rey moves Ru behind her before peeking out, a hand going to where her lightsaber has been concealed. BB-8 peeks out moments later as two men go by on speeders.
There’s a small commotion as the crowd starts to recover from what had happened. The three of them slowly make their way out from the doorway and over to one of the vendors who is picking up some of the fruit that had fallen as the speeders went by.
“What happened?” Rey doesn’t hesitate to ask. Her and Ru help him pick up the rest of his things. He dabs at some sweat with a cloth before answering.
“Prob’ly another one of those brothermen causing trouble. They keep comin’ down from Espa, terrorizin’. Last week, they took my small stash o’ parts for my droids. Threaten’d to take my droids too if I didn’ give them my rotators and manuals.” He huffs as he sits down on the stool behind the table. He brushes off some dirt from his tattered pants before grumbling a bit.
“They took your manuals?” Ru frowns, setting down a few fruits on one of the stall’s tables.
“Not jus’ any manuals. They’s given to me thirty years ago. Guy who gave ‘em to me said they were used for the ol’ Death Star. Didn’t look like no instructions for a Death Star.” He shakes his head, continuing. “Looked more like codes to me.”
“How’d you get them, if you don’t mind me asking.” Rey sets down a few more things before turning to him. He seems to hesitate for a moment. He squints, looking her up and down before he must make up his mind. He stands up and motions for them to follow him. He leads them back into what must be his shop before dabbing his forehead again.
“You’ve heard of the Rebel Alliance?” He asks, watching them carefully.
“Yes.” Rey nods, “We were with the Resistance.”
BB-8 beeps in agreement from below and Rey misses the surprised look Ru gives to the both of them.
This information seems to ease the vendor. He sits down on one of the stools before he presses a button hidden by a panel of the counter. There’s a low rumbling sound of gears moving before the counter seems to part and reveal a hidden space. Inside is a trunk that he pulls out and sets on his lap before pressing the button again. He opens up the trunk after placing it back on the closed counter and pulls out some loose papers. He pushes the pile of papers towards rey before closing the trunk and tucking it down below his feet.
“A woman came to me, gave me these papers. Said they’d be safe here. Told me not to give ‘em to anyone unless it was someone who travels wit’ a droid. Even then, only if I though’ they’d be safer with ‘em.” He dabs his brow again. “Gave those thieves a counterfeit I made years ago. They’ll be back, sooner or later. Was wond’ring what I was goin’ to do then here you are.”
Rey leans over and examines the papers. She can’t make out much of what it says, but she knows a code when she sees one. There’s some writing in the margins but it’s written in code as well. She flips the stack over and written on the back page is a few words that she can understand.
“We need a book to decipher this.” She already knows which book-- it’s one that she had used to prop open a vent back on the Falcon about two weeks ago.
“Take it. The less I know the be’er.” He dabs at his brow again.
Ru offers Rey her bag to put it in, and it’s a few minutes later that they find themselves back outside in the growing heat.
“You’re with the Resistance?” Ru asks as they start to make their way back in the direction of the speeder.
“Was. Not really much to resist now.” Rey shrugs and smiles. BB-8 chirps from behind them.
“BB-8 was involved longer than I was.” Rey admits, “We’re going to have to find a speeder quick to get back to our ship.”
Rey knows they’re going to have to work even faster now that they have some codes that a local gang is undoubtedly looking for. She has so many questions and not enough answers.
“This way.” Ru says, leading them down a different street. “Mangu usually sells his speeders cheap because he buys them cheap. But every now and then he has a gem.”
“Miss Ru!” A squat little alien greets them as they approach the lot of speeders tucked neatly behind some backstreets. “You’ve come to sell that beautiful speeder finally?”
“No, sorry, Mangu. We’re actually looking to buy.” Ru motions to Rey and BB-8 before introducing them.
“Take a look around. I have a few new ones in. In fact, this beauty came in a few hours ago.” He leads them around a large pile of junk speeders and parts, revealing the stolen speeder that BB-8 had recognized earlier as it was dragged away.
“That’s ours! It was stolen this morning!” Rey exclaims, rushing up to look it over. She goes around and examines it, noting that there’s no new dents on the outside, but the passenger seat is missing.
“You have proof of that?” Mangu asks, raising an eyebrow.
“No, it was borrowed.”
“How much?” Ru turns to Mangu, “It’s missing a seat.”
“Fifty peggats.”
Rey’s eyes go comically wide before she comes around the car to stand in front of Mangu. He steps back, his hands coming up in defense.
“You’ve got to be joking. Fifty peggats?” Rey holds her own hands out but doesn’t step back.
“It’s nearly brand new. With some exceptions.” He says, sniffing as he takes in the missing passenger seat. “You won’t find a cheaper racer within 100 kilometers.”
Rey takes a moment to calm herself. BB-8 chirps from somewhere within the junkpiles. Ru leans against the speeder, running a hand across her face.
“You’ll sell it to us for 20 peggats.”
“I’ll sell it to you for 20 peggats.”
Ru frowns, watching the exchange. The energy has shifted but before she can say a word, Rey has given Mangu a small sack of peggats and he hands her the key.
“BB-8, let’s go.” Rey calls out. There’s a small series of beeps before BB-8 flies out from behind a pile of junk. Rey winces as the sound of metal falling can be heard. She lifts BB-8 into the back before pulling off her tattered poncho for Ru to sit on in place of the missing seat.
She puts the speeder in gear before they leave Mangu still standing there with the bag in hand.
“You’re a Jedi Knight.” Ru finally says as they pull into the main street and head back towards where they had parked Ru’s speeder.
“That’s up for argument.” Rey smiles, glancing over at Ru for a moment. “Actually, it’s probably being discussed right now.”
She briefly thinks about what she had left behind on Coruscant. Which reminds her of what she left back in Mos Eisley. Which reminds her that they need to find a way out to the Jundland Wastes before the day is done.