Worth: A Star Wars Story

38. The Desert Legion

I didn't know much about the Tuskens on a good day, but I never would have imagined just how little I did know until we spent those few long days living with them. If the Pykes and Shebmulla knew where we were, they weren't showing up, and for the downtime we could muster up, all of us took turns in finding things to do with the tribe. Talani took it upon herself to begin negotiations with the Chieftain with Tal as her translator, and I could see her hanging on every word that Talen told her as he watched and replied to the Chief's many gestures. The rest of us decided to try and help out with patrols and watches. The warriors of Krayt Clan seemed wary of us at best and distrustful at worst, but considering what Shebmulla had done to them, I suppose I couldn't really say that I was surprised.

I took up sharpening sticks as a hobby. Strange, I know, but sitting there with a vibroknife and hacking away at the dry desert wood gave my hands something to do between patrols. I looked up and caught sight of several of the young Tusken children peeking out at me from behind the metal poles of their huts, the yes of their masks watching me from their little hiding places as I couldn't help but smile their way, prompting some of them to shrink away and hide. I looked up and saw for the first time one of the warriors. He was watching me and standing as still as a statue.

"I'm not gonna hurt them," I tried to proffer, but the tall Tusken stood still and silent before turning and giving one barking command to the children, who all scattered at the rough noise. He turned back to me and tossed up the gaffi stick he held slightly before walking away in long purposeful strides. "Charming guy," I muttered as I turned my attention back to whittling away at the dry wood in my hand. 

I stopped to look around an saw Red and Akashem nearby. I had to admit, they made an odd pair, but Red seemed more engaged in what she was doing that he was in a lot of things for an extended period of time. She seemed to be showing him how to care for the tack for her Bantha, and he was completely absorbed in it. I shook my head as a fond smile came to my lips and my attention went back once again to my stick. I felt eyes on me once again and looked up to see a little Tusken who had snuck back to watch me. A little girl. She sat down in front of the tent and tucked her legs up to her chest, mask turned directly at me. One thing I learned as a Clone was how to tell when someone had their eyes locked on you even behind masks or helmets, and I could feel her gaze trained on me from the few meters away where she sat. I chose to not make a fuss about it and just kept on peeling my stick as I tried to sort m y thoughts on how we were supposed to get out of here in the first place. Though being honest, the life with the Tuskens had been relatively simple, and away from the hustle and bustle of any major city or town,  could hear myself think for what felt like the first time in an eternity.

"Where to?" I heard Ryder's voice and looked up to see one Tusken boy mounted soundly on his shoulders, directing him where to go with taps to his helmet and shoulder guards. 

I smiled again, and soon found Talen sitting down next to me. In spite of everything, even he seemed to be in good spirits, too. "Good news," he began with a stretch, "is that the Chief is open to negotiations if we assist him in some capacity with the Pykes and has sent out a messenger to Reqte Plateau to try and get in contact with Knight Rath. He'll have a way to get us out of here."

"And how are we supposed to help with the Pykes?" I asked as I sat back, lowering my stick and vibroknife as I did. 

"Well, maybe not us, but I know that Knight Rath has been trying to find a way to liberate this particular Tribe from their influence for a while. If anyone can do it, he can," Talen nodded and sat back against the stone wall behind us.

The Expeditionary Battalions and Legions were always picked from the Clones with an aptitude for the extreme. If you scored well on your survival test and had some more of Jango's more enterprising genetics in you, that was usually where you got placed. It was a wild bunch, and if they were anything like their commander, then Rath had to have been one hell of a Jedi... perhaps a little more enterprising than some and a lot more daring than most. "You really look up to him, don't you?" I asked with a chuckle as I watched Talen's eyes light up when he nodded.