Desert Rose - A Reylo Fan Fiction

The Droid

Author's Note: Just a friendly reminder that I uploaded two chapters back to back so make sure you read the previous chapter before this one. As usual, votes and comments are highly encouraged! I love hearing from my readers. Hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. ♡

*artwork used does not belong to me*

Rey was exhausted. But she had to get up early. She had to properly fix her speeder. The makeshift repair she made two nights ago would not hold out for much longer. It needed the proper parts or else she would end up causing more damage, and then she wouldn't have a speeder at all.

She yawned and stretched before getting up from her small cot. She poured a small bowl of water and dipped in a worn towel to wash herself off. Once she had dressed for the day, she put her hair up in her signature three bun look. She turned her head side to side, admiring herself for a minute in the broken shard of glass she used as a mirror. Before she grabbed her quarter staff, she quickly etched another line into the wall of her shelter, blowing the metal shavings away gently.

The sun was exceptionally hot today, a usual occurrence following a sandstorm. She pulled her sand goggles over her eyes and pulled a linen wrap over her face and headed out on foot towards the Sinking Fields, dragging her sled with her.

She knew of a couple of crashed racing ships out this way. It was dangerous territory, but she knew her way around. She walked along the hills of the sand, making sure to pace herself and breathe steady underneath her coverings.

She walked for what seemed like ages before the dome of a downed yacht loomed in the distance. She picked up her pace and made her way to the ship. A flock of Steelpeckers squawked at her from their perch on the nose of the yacht. One flew down and angrily flapped its wings at her. She quickly shooed it away as she pulled on the rusty door of the ship.

Once inside, she lit the light on the side of her mask, barely bringing any light into the vessel. She moved carefully throughout the yacht. One wrong step and the ship could begin to sink backwards into the sand, bringing her with it. She came across a hole in the floor of the yacht and peered down into it. She could tell from the way the hole was corroded around the edges it was the habitat of a Nightwatcher worm. She carefully took a large step over the hole, careful not to disturb any potential creatures inside.

In the back of the ship just above the wing, Rey brought out a Harris wench from her pocket and unlatched a large side panel. The yacht lightly groaned the motion and Rey quickly held her breath. She slowly set the panel down before reaching up and inside to grab the needed parts. One after one she removed sockets and wires. She stuffed them hastily in her bag before replacing the panel back into place. Leaving it exposed was a rookie scavenger move. Should a rival scavenger come across the yacht, they would clear it out in one setting, leaving nothing to go back to when needed.

She emerged back out into the sun light to see the Steelpeckers had moved from their perch on the yacht. They were now eyeing a group of Luggabeasts and Teedo that were clustered around the hill opposite the yacht.

Rey could overhear a bit of their conversation as she kept low to the ground on the other side of the hill. They were squabbling about some missing droid. Everyone was looking for it. Unkar would pay handsomely for it. They had to find it!

Rey frowned to herself. First she had heard of it. She had been so busy with Ergel's, she hadn't seen Unkar since the other day.

Rey kept her head down low as she chose to walk the long way home in order to avoid the Teedo. She pulled her sled behind her, her satchel of parts tied down on top. When her thirst became unbearable, she paused to take off her coverings and unhooked the tin canister of water from her hip. She raised it to her lips, careful not to over drink her supply. As she screwed on the top, an odd beep echoed on the winds. She attached the canister back to her hip and looked around. She didn't see anyone, or anything else. She continued, careful on her descent down one of the many slopes of the sinking fields.