Chapter Text
The sun was just coming up as Nari and Nira walked towards the small market in Ecrin. They would have taken one of their family's many speeders but the market was so close to their home and the speeders were so run down that walking was the best way to go. The two of them reached the market just as the shops were starting to open up. One of the oldest shopkeepers smiled as they walked up. Everyone in town always instantly recognized them with both of them having two-tone fur which was extremely rare for a Lepi. Not only that, both of their fur was the same two colors gray-blue and forest green with Nari’s being gray-blue with forest green patches and Nira’s being forest green with gray-blue patches.
“Frith above, slow down you two. I just barely got this place set up,” Shilva said as Nari and Nira rushed up to her stand.
“Sorry Shilva,” Nari and Nira both said in unison.
“We're just excited for the festival tomorrow,” Nari said, her bright green eyes practically sparkling with joy.
“Yes and with the stone work in the plaza finally being complete I’m sure this year's Festival of Stories will be the best anyone has seen in a long time. I’m guessing you two have a story you'd like to tell,” Shilva said knowingly.
“No, the only stories we have to tell would get us in trouble,” Nira said sheepishly.
“That’s okay your two are only 7. I didn’t have any good stories of my own till I was at least 8,” Shilva happily said with a mischievous glint in her eye.
“What happened when you were 8,” Nari and Nira both asked excitedly.
“You’ll have to wait till tomorrow for that I’m afraid. Now what did you come her get” Shilva asked.
“One of your large containers of caf please,” Nari asked, putting a handful of credits down.
“Here you go,” Shilva said, handing her the container ,“You two be careful now I heard that some pirates might be coming here soon and I don’t want you or any of your family getting hurt.”
“Really,” Nari and Nira both asked nervously.
While pirates tended to show up semi-regularly on Coachelle Prime they almost never showed up in Ecrin. In fact the only time pirates had even shown up in Ecrin that anyone knew of was when it was founded with those pirates being the ones who founded it.
“Yes, I know you run along. I'm sure your parents are waiting for you,” Shilva said as a large boom could be heard.
Sudently the normally noisy market became dead still. Knowing the direction the noise came from Nira and Nari were filled with dread. They started running back north in the direction of their home and the explosion. When they got to their home it was chaos. The main entrance was pretty much completely destroyed as fire started to creep toward it and just looking around Nari could tell that most of the tunnels that made up their families home were probably blocked.
While Nira sat there frantically looking around trying to see if anyone had made it out, Nari suddenly rushed forward, endearing the crumbling entrance. There was another explosion and one of the stones making up the arch fell on Nari who let out a sharp short yelp. Rushing over Nira dug her out of the rubble and dragged her back onto the grass. She was completely limp and covered in blood but refusing to believe the sister she was closest to was dead Nira leaned in to try to hear her heartbeat. When she didn’t hear it Nira finally broke down and started to cry realizing her entire family was most likely gone.
Nira did not know how long she stayed there with her sister but the sun was high in the sky when she felt someone softly touch her shoulder. Looking up to see who it was she was surprised the person had on a beautiful set of orange and yellow amour and after a while she realized what exactly this person was, a mandolorian. Panicking she tried to move away but even though she wanted to she shouldn't. Cursing herself Nira realized she had worked herself up to the point of tharn. Believing her death to be soon upon her she silently prayed to Frith for a quick one.
“I am not going to hurt you kid,” the mandalorian said softly sitting down next to her..
“Who are you,” Nira said quietly in disbelief, suddenly finding she could speak.
“My names Jon,” the mandalorian said quietly after a few seconds.
“My names Nari,” Nari said, still unsure but wanting to be polite.
“Is that your sister,” Jon asked sadly.
“Yes,” Nari said as she started to cry puzzled as to why he seemed just as sad about Nira as she was.
“It’s okay. I know how hard it is to lose a sibling,” Jon said, also starting to cry.
Not thinking, Nari let go of her sister's body and hugged Jon. Who was just as shocked at it as she was.
“I’m sorry,” Nari said quietly.
“Do you have any other family you can go to,” Jon asked tentatively.
“No, no one made it out of the warren,” Nari barely choked out, staring out across the charred grass.
“If you want you could come with me,” Jon said after a few seconds.
"Are you sure," Nari said, slightly confused.
"Yes I'm not leaving you here with no one to take care of you. That wouldn't be right," Jon said his voice filled with concern.
"I guess you're right. My family is with In'le and I'm still here," Nari said, trying to dry her tears.
"My ships just on the top of that cliff over there," Jon said pointing.
"Okay," Nari said, slowly standing up.
"Are you positive you can make it up there," Jon said, also standing up.
"I can, me and my sister used to climb up there all the time," Nari said cheerfully with a twinge of sadness as they headed toward the cliff.
“You probably know a better way to get up than me," Jon said.
"Yeah, the paths a little hard to see but it is the easiest way to get up it," Nari said happily.
When they got up the cliff and Jon turned off the cloaking of his ship Nari was shocked. From what she heard about mandalorians which wasn't much she had expected his ship to be as amazing as his armor and while his ship was the same beautiful orange and yellow as his armor the ship itself was rather boxy and a bit of an eyesore.
"I know my ships probably not as nice as you were expecting but I assure you this ship is the best one I've ever had," Jon said, noticing Nari's puzzled expression as they entered the ship.
“Okay,” Nari said tiredly.
“If you're tired there's bed in the room to your right,” Jon said, getting ready to take off.
Looking over at him Nari saw he had taken off his helmet. He was not a Lepi like she had originally thought but a human. It probably shouldn’t be too much of a shock but not many humans ever visited such a middle of nowhere town and the ones that did always seemed to always be in a hurry to leave. She was too tired to think too hard about anything though and just headed into the bed and went to sleep as the ship took off.