Chapter Text
There was a common town on Malaticcu. High traffic from travelers and locals alike. The secrets of the galaxy were vast, but no one would suspect that Malaticuu was any different. The sandy, rustic environment of the common town complete opposite of the surrounding sky touching mountains. It was a neutral place. A stop for bounty hunters and scavengers, nomads and thieves to talk and gamble amongst themselves. A place where the First Order was only present in conversation. One of the main stops for travelers was the Tavern. The name sells it short of its lively environment where title and occupation are stripped. Scavengers may not sell findings. Thieves may not steal. Bounty hunters may not collect. Accused of cheating? Reset the round. Once they are out the door, they do as they please. These are the rules of the Tavern.
But who would enforce these rules? Not muscle, nor brute. Seven simple workers.
“So, I was thinking…” Usually whenever a sentence came out of Vosreza’s mouth that started with those words, I was either going to get into some wild event or have to drag her out of something. Yes, as the best friend to the very lively fellow bartender, I knew it was my job to make sure she wasnt getting herself into disaster. As one of the few Twi'lek’s on Malaticuu (has been compared to Alderaan by our travelers), the attention was already all over her so you’d think she’d try to stay out of the limelight but alas.
“No,” I said over the band music and chatter, putting a rag inside of another glass, drying as many as I could before the extensive wave of people to come in the night.
Her jaw slacked, bright red lips shaping into a ring. She laughed, tossing her rag onto the bar and leaning on her hand.
“You didn't even let me finish,”
“I don't have to, Reza. I know when you’re about to get yourself into trouble and this time I'm not dragging you out of it.”
She laughed, as I grabbed the rack of glasses and took it to the back.
“You say that now,”
I scoffed a laugh.
Reza certainly made my life more eventful. Whether it was having to fight off ex-boyfriends or dragging her away from a possible new one, every night was something to look forward to. I hadn’t known her until this job, and thinking back on it, I didn't see a world where our paths would cross if it weren’t for the crummy, rusted, bar.
I walked back to the inner circle of the bar and noticed a few more people came in. Even though the two suns were still illuminating the town, it never stopped anyone from coming and taking a load off.
“Have you found a place yet?” I asked aloud as I refilled a few glasses as requested, taking their peggats and squatting down to the bowl of the Tavern’s earnings. When I got back up, Reza was fixing up several drinks to take to a table.
Her smile brightened and her white teeth were almost blinding, “I was going to surprise you...”
Without hesitation, I hugged her with all that I could and she danced lightly in my embrace, going back to shaking the metal bottle and pouring the purple and blue liquid into several glasses.
After her most recent (and longest-lasting) boyfriend lost everything they had while gambling, she left and tried staying in the most societal parts of town to distance herself from his toxicity. Not to mention his last resort was trying to sell her for all his things back. I offered her to stay with me several times but I always got a range of the same response. “I’ll only be in your way, Lania. I’ve gotta do this on my own,” she’d say. I never knew why she didn't like receiving help, but I could always feel a past I’ll never know about.
She flipped her Lekku off her shoulders, resuming back to her occupation mode and took the tray of colorful drinks into her hands, flipping up a section of the bar to get out.
I watched as the bounty hunters and scavengers, nomads and thieves alike talked and gambled amongst themselves. The sandy, rustic environment almost hugged these people they were so indulged in the moment. I almost tried to imagine a world where the First Order didn't reign in power, tried to wonder if society would be more problematic or free. The Stormtroopers were our law enforcement, while no one agreed with the way they went about things due to their ‘impulsive on command’ behavior, sometimes we really needed them to keep people in check.
Fortunately, for the most part, we didn't need them in our Tavern. If a problem arose, it settled pretty quickly or was taken outside. And being that Malaticuu was fairly solid in terms of societal status, heatheness people were hard to come by.
The sound of glass shattering and commotion following pulled me from my trance and I groaned before throwing a towel I had on my shoulder onto the bar surface. I pushed up the part of the bar to exit and rushed over to a Lannik and his crew redying their weapons on the Humanoid I was sure he was just laughing with moments ago. The Humanoid gripped his blaster tightly, pointing it at each of the members of the Lannik’s crew, ready to shoot any of them, including the Lannik.
I stood in between the two before it could get bloody and even though the music continued, attention still brought our way.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, no. You both know the rules!” I yelled.
The Lannik, no more than a meter and a half with droopy, long ears and orange-reddish tones in his skin, started to go off, pointing at the guy. In his native language named after his species, he told me the Humanoid stole from him and thought he could get away with it. He said while they were gambling, the Humanoid won the first round and then they continued, but when the Lannik won, the Humanoid took some of his winnings before he could grab it all and thought he wasn't going to notice.
Knowing the nature of the Lannik and how he frequented the Tavern to bribe and cheat, I wouldn’t be surprised that someone was going to steal. A rule of the Tavern was to leave your status at the door. If a hunter found someone here with a bounty on their head, they would have to wait until they left to initiate. They at least deserved to finish the drink or food they paid for before they were taken in or killed.
I looked into the dark brown eyes of the man with his finger tight on the trigger and when he focused on me, he slowly took his finger off the trigger.
“I was only getting back what he stole from me in the first game!”
At that, the Lannik and his crew all rioted in objection.
“Hey!” I yelled, getting their attention, “The both of you will play one more game putting everything previously bet on the table,” I said looking between the combined seven including the Humanoid. “If the stakes go higher, so be it, but nothing less. The winner will take, and the loser will admit defeat.”
The Lannik was starting to object and I looked sharply at him, “There are plenty of stormtroopers with nothing to do just walking the alleyways. If you want to keep them company with less than you came in with then be my guest.”
He stood his ground and looked up at me in anger. I raised an eyebrow and looked at the entrance as the sound of a Stoormtrooper asking passersbyers for identification could be heard in between notes of the bands music and the Lannik’s eyes followed to the entrance. When I looked back at him, he sat in the booth and turned to lock eyes with the Humanoid who nodded at me and followed suit with his opponent.
I looked around at the people in the Tavern as they all resumed their normal doings and then I made my way back to the bar. Standing in between two near explosive beings took a lot more energy out of a person than you’d think.
Reza was refilling a few glasses and shook her head with a smile, “I don't know how you’re so good at that. I’ve worked here longer and I would’ve been blasted in that showdown.”
I shrugged, “Lucky word choice?”
“It’s like Jedi mind tricks,” she said amusingly, wiggling her leafy green fingers at me, making me laugh.
According to legend, or myth (depending who you’re speaking to), the Jedi were all destroyed when the Old Republic fell, leading the Sith to rise as they had nothing to stop them. Both beings had the ability to mend and infuse themselves with something called the “force” but I couldn’t tell you what it was. Something they used to make people do things or manifest energy.
“If I was a Jedi, I'd be dead or living like a king. Not this,”
She laughed, “You just gestured to all of you. I like the way you are but I don’t knowww. It's a nice thought,” she sang as she walked behind me to the other side of the bar. “Maybe it does. And it seems to always be the same hot humanoid too.” she nudged.
I rolled my eyes as I laughed with her and resumed working until the night came and until tables and booths were empty.
As I was wiping a table down, I saw a figure moving from the corner of my eye that wasn’t Reza and sighed as I knew exactly who it was. “Why do you always gamble with guys like him, Dameron?” When I stood up straight and draped the towel on my shoulder, the guy from earlier chuckled.
“ Someone like him is exactly why I do it. And its Poe. God, I feel like my dad when you call me by my last name.”
I nodded, going back to removing glassware and wiping down tables. “By that statement, I assume you won… Poe. ”
I heard a jangling of metals and other goods and looked up from the table to see him holding a bag double the size of my head in his hand. I pursed my lips, impressed with his earnings, and resumed.
“Yeah, now I have to get back and gloat about it,” He chuckled as he put it in his bag.
“Ah, to the top-secret location with the top-secret occupation,” I said amusingly. I picked up the few glasses that were on the next table and furrowed my eyebrows, pointing at the man. “Are you sure you’re not a trooper?”
He laughed as he adjusted the straps of his bag, “You think if I were a stormtrooper i’d be down here gambling with some dude with anger issues?”
I shrugged, smiling, “Maybe it gets boring up there on that ship.”
He chuckled, “Yeah, no. I’m too good-looking to be some scumbag in useless white armor.” For a few moments, we were silent.
I laughed to myself before we were quiet for a few moments. He came and went like the seasons and while he didn't come consistently to be a true regular, if he was on the planet, this is where he’d be. I glanced over at Poe as he moved over to the bar and tapped his fingers on the countertop of it, seemingly out of it.
Before I could say anything, he cleared his throat, pushing out his words. “I, uh, I think I’m gonna be gone for some time now.”
I stopped wiping the last table and stood there, watching him.
“I make another stop before I get back to my,” he let out a chuckle, “ secret location , and it uh, might go south pretty quick…” he sighed a laugh, glancing at me before he walked over to me in a quick moment. “I just, I wanted to say thank you for helping us out when we met… You’ve been a great friend-”
“Poe...”
“I’m... I’m not saying goodbye. It’s just- things are getting tense pretty quick and it might be a long while before I come back… like, a long while,”
I was at a loss for words. When he came around we never hung out outside these walls. He’d stay after his visit and we’d sit at one of the booths and talk about all his adventures and my lack of them and after, he’d just wave goodbye and he was gone. Now that I realize it, other than Reza, he was my closest friend.
He placed his hand softly on my cheek and craned his neck a little to catch my eye. “Maybe when I get back, I can tell you about my super-secret occupation ,” He smiled.
I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around him.
In an instant, I saw explosions from red-colored blasts, a village in flames and I quickly pulled myself from him. The look on his face didn't show that he was concerned about the movement or that he really noticed it. He smiled again before leaning in to place his lips on my cheek and moving past me to leave.
I turned around to not have my back to the entrance and called out to him. “Bring your droid next time. Your BB unit’s one to be around.”
He turned around and gave me a smile, “I will. He misses you too.”
And he left as quickly as he came.
“I didn't know you two were so close…” I heard Reza’s voice say from behind me.
I turned back around and walked to the bar where she was standing with her cowl in her hands and bag on her shoulder. “Not as close as you’re thinking.”
She hummed as I took the glasses to the washroom to finish up.
“Alright... Well, maybe you could introduce me next time. I’d love to get my hands on that dirt-covered pale skin of his,” She smiled, closing her eyes and letting the hairs on her body stand up from the electrifying thoughts she had of him.
I laughed as I ran the water in the glasses, cleaning each one. “You say these things yet you said Humanoid isn’t your type.”
“That's because you all look alike. At least the ones around here do. You all have the same colored hair, eyes, and skin, but, that man wears it like a god.” She leaned on the frame of the entrance to the washroom and watched me finish up as she spoke in wonder.
My jaw slacked in offense and she laughed. “We do not all look alike. My eyes are more whiskey than dark like others and some of them have had sandy-colored hair and some have darker skin.”
She shrugged, “Eh, I suppose you don't all look alike.”
“You just wanted to emphasize his looks,” I laughed, drying my hands and stacking the glasses on the back wall. “What’d you come back for anyway?” I asked.
As if I just reminded her, she quickly walked back to the inner circle of the bar and reached for the tin jar from our tips, dumping it all on the counter surface and separating it into two piles. She pursed her lips, “Not bad.”
Together we walked out of the Tavern, the torn sheets of the entrance being the only thing securing the place from the outside world. I watched as Reza walked off, blending in with the light crowd in the alley and as soon as I couldn;t see her anymore, I rounded the Tavern to the back and removed the cloth covering my speeder. I rolled up the camouflage cloth, putting it on top of the wooden crates surrounding it before straddling the bike and riding the backways out of town and into the forest.
The unofficial walkway to the entrance of my home was covered in mud and grass, perfect for deceiving anyone who were to wander up here. Despite many people living in the mountains, I was pretty secluded. It was a long walk before I reached someone else's home and while it may seem lonely, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
The earth was mended to accommodate a home as the entrance was nothing more than a hole and the “window” was another hole, the only thing separating the world from the inside was cloths, the same as the Tavern and the majority of the other places on the planet.
I unwrapped the scarf I had draped around my neck and placed it on the table by the entrance and groaned at all the scattered papers and cups I told myself I would take care of when I got home. I walked to the kitchen and reached to the very top of a shelf to grab the glass container filled with yellow and dull metal peggats. When I got it down, I twisted it open and sighed, putting in my tips of the day into it.
What could go so “south” that Poe felt the need to say a partial goodbye? Maybe he was a soldier in the first orders army. That would explain the wild adventures. No, he didn't seem like the type to follow orders. Maybe he was a spy, sent across galaxies to retrieve super-secret intel on the next hit.
I stopped.
“Hey, you know the rules. “Status and occupation stay at the door,” Poe laughed before he took a sip of his drink.
I laughed, “Touche.”
The BB droid whistled and beeped beside him and looked between Poe and me.
“Oh, super-secret big boy stuff, huh,” I looked to Poe who looked like he wanted to smack the droid upside the head.
“You understand him?” He asked, keeping a gaze at the droid before looking over at me.
I leaned on the table as if I were telling a secret even though we were the only ones left in the place. “I work in a tavern, Dameron. You don't need to “travel the universe” to learn a few things,” I laughed.
“Touche,”
Putting things away and organizing everything so it didn't look like a storm had gone through the house didn't take long to do and afterward, I got ready to lay on my bed. But when I did, for the first time in a long time, I found my eyes not closing as soon as I hit the semi-soft surface.
I sighed and stared at the roots hanging from the dirt ceiling, mentally preparing myself to gradually see the first sun come up.