Two days later...
"Ouch, fucking piece of shit droid". Burnt my damn hand and there goes the soldering iron. Looking at my burnt throbbing right hand, I'm gonna need bacta spray aren't I ? Alright droid let's see if your worth the trouble after all.
Flicking the power supply on, it begins humming to life. As the droid performs its startup checks I inspect it one more time. Red copper colored metal with red rectangular optics for eyes. Mostly straight and angular shapes for the head and torso. The limbs are smooth like most protocol droid currently available.
The droid finally boots up and stands before facing me. "STATEMENT: I don't recognize you, however it seems you are my new designated master". Huh, his speak pattern is unique I haven't ever seen a droid do that. "While you were deactivated I had some fun poking through your programming, it was complex especially your personality matrix but modifying who you serve was easy enough". He keeps looking around the shop, I guess it's a he. The voice modulator is male after all.
"QUERY: Is this your shop master ?"
"Mine and dads, but that's not important right now. I need you as a bodyguard while I negotiate a deal to get off this planet"
"STATEMENT: O good I do love getting the chance to eviscerate meatbags for my master."
"Meatbags ? Are you referring to people ? Damn I knew your personality matrix was wired ball of pure confusion but seriously ?"
"STATEMENT: It's not my fault master I was programed to believe all organics are inferior, except my master of course."
Alright I'm reprogramming him later but it's not important right now. Grabbing a blaster from the hidden hole in the floor I toss it to the droid.
"You're going to need that. . . um what do you call yourself ?"
"STATEMENT: CC-51 master, it stands for Copy Cat."
"Right Copy Cat, well I'm just going to call you CC if it's all the same to you."
"STATEMENT: I have no objections master."
Turning around I face the entrance of the shop, a simplistic steel sliding door. Walking to the keypad I enter 5415, dad's code not mine. The doors hiss and we leave the shop to a brightly lit sky upon a dirt road. This place really is more of a village than a town, although I guess all Outer Rim planets are poor.
As we walk down the main street of the town I keep getting stares at CC, well a droid armed with a blaster is rare. Especially protocol droids, which CC isn't but he is built to look like one despite being an assassination droid. Several minutes later and we reach the cantina, alright the contact should be here. I turn to face CC before we enter.
"I'm here to pay for a ride off this planet for me and my dad, but if the this whole thing goes tits up I want you to get me out of there. Kill only if necessary." Emphasis on the necessary I don't want a pointless bloodbath. "STATEMENT: If it pleases you master I do know restraint, assassin droid not war droid after all." Nodding at CC I enter the cantina, the only one in this town. Immediately the smell of alcohol mixed with vomit assaults my nostrils, it's nauseating, I know there's no competitors in this town if you want to get a drink but would it kill to clean this place.
Passed out people at the bar combined with faulty lights that flicker or just outright don't work. Yeah a real charmer of a bar, as I scan the place I finally spot the contact. A human male sitting in the corner of the place in a booth section, as CC and I walk over he looks up glancing at CC's blaster before promptly switching back to me as I sit down. CC stays standing, I can only assume to intimidate the contact
"You Reece ? The transporter ?" I hope I don't appear too anxious, he was the only contact who was willing to do this job despite Kyaris coming this way. "Yeah I'm Reece and there's only two things I need to know. Where are you headin and how much are you offering ? Before that though let me get a drink" He waves down a waitress to come over while I merely wait in silence.
"What can I get you gentlemen for this evening ?" Surprisingly nice waitress considering the dumpster fire of a cantina this place is. " I'll try the local and for my friend here." Gesturing at me with his hand "The same please." She responds tactfully "Alright two sap burns coming up."
"Sap burns huh, nice name." Well isn't he quite laidback, "I didn't come here to drink, I came to make a deal off this planet. I want passage for three people to the Expansion Region." this time my voice is firm, if he wants to drink then I'll toast with him after a deal is made. "Easy, why the rush kid the galaxy ain't going anywhere ?" Kid ? I'm 19 old timer. "My reasons are my own, now will you do it or not ?" I stare him down waiting on his answer. "Sheesh so angry looking but I'll do it for 1000 credits per person. No exceptions."
Damn that's daylight robbery but he knows Kyaris will be here and he's my only ride out of here before then. "Half now and half later when we reach our destination, deal ?" Just take it you greedy bastard. "Deal half now, half later and we'll be leaving before the week is over. So pack your stuff cause your leaving Morak but first a toast to business kid." visibly sighing I relax a bit just in time for the waitress to make her way back. That was surprisingly easy even if he's greedy.
"Sorry about the wait our ale tap didn't want to cooperate." After she places the drinks and leaves we each grab our respective drinks and clink them before jugging down. They don't call it Sap burn for no reason either, made from the trees on Morak for the miners during the Empire days. It burns, chars, and stings all the way down but it's cheap. Putting our drinks down I also put the 1500 credits down that are due and prepare to leave.
"Just a sec kid, you didn't give me your name. For the charter I don't run an illegal operation here." Right I forgot about that got too excited to share the good news. "Valerian, but most people just call me Val."
"Alright Val, I'll hit you with a holo message when it's time to leave, and not that you asked but as for me I'm gonna stay here and see if anyone else wants to do business."
"Fine by me Let's go CC "
As we leave the cantina I can't help but feel excited, finally we get to leave this place. Towards the center of the galaxy where the Republic actually has reach, security, where it's safe. My happiness does diminish when I see some small children playing with a ball on the dirt road. My gut tightens knowing what's coming for everyone living here. As if almost sensing my emotions CC pipes in.
"STATEMENT: You can't help these people master, you do not possess the power or wealth to get them off world. Focus on your self."
"Yeah, but this is just one town of hundreds. Repeated on dozens of planets in just the Outer Rim alone. It isn't right."
"STATEMENT: In my experience master the universe is rarely kind."
"Maybe, come on lets go."