Secrecy

Chapter XVII

The wagon traveled along with one of the many paths of Sorgan, trees hanging over it as it moved with the stars still visible within the sky above, and the child sitting silently as he admired the twinkling lights.

Esso was leaned against the back of the wagon with her arms crossed over her chest in a resting position, legs stretched out in front of her, and visor pointed towards the two people in front of her. Mando had decided to use some of the credits the villagers had given them to hire Cara to help them and, surprisingly, she accepted.

"So, is the kid adopted or...?" Cara questions, filling the silence that had fallen over them.

"No," they both answer in monotone voices through their helmets as they shake their heads, making a bewildered expression fall over her face.

"Oh," Cara spits out in surprise. "He's yours then?" She questions again, glancing between the two Mandalorians. It made them both sharply turn their heads towards her, having no idea why she would suggest such a thing, as they hadn't even known each other for more than a week or so.

"Not at all," Esso speaks swiftly as she vigorously shakes her head in an effort to shoot down the woman's thoughts. "He is, in no way, a child of mine nor his," she states as she and Mando, unknowingly, glimpse at each other awkwardly. Neither of them had expected such questions.

One of the crates next to Esso flips over with a crash, making all three of them turn to look over to it, spotting H-1 standing behind it. The droid was silent as he looked up to Esso before quickly turning his cone-shaped face towards the other two. Seeing that they were judging him as he was clumsy and didn't always have good control over his circuits. Yet, somehow, he was still alive.

"Damn droid," Mando mumbles to himself in annoyance. His words were just loud enough for Esso to hear him, making her shake her head and undoubtedly roll her eyes beneath her visor.

"What's with the droid?" Cara asks as she keeps her gaze on him, making him wheel himself back behind the fallen crate in an attempted to hide away. He wasn't much for people other than Esso.

"He's with me," Esso explains to the woman in front of her. "Stowed away on the ship. It was too late to take him back," she shrugs before leaning against the back of the speeder, turning her gaze towards the hiding droid, finding that his head was peeking out from behind the crate.

"We should have sold it in town," Mando speaks up as he crosses his arms over his chest with his visor on the droid. Even though she couldn't see his face, it wasn't hard to tell that his eyes were squinted into slits and forming a glare that matched the frown of his visor.

"Not a chance," Esso scoffs as she shakes her head again. "I already told you, he's more than just a bunch of metal and wires," she states, defending her clumsy and fearful friend of a droid.

"That's all it is," Mando fights back with simple words. "What could it possibly have that's so important-"

"I am H-1," the small droid suddenly speaks as he wheels himself out with newfound confidence seemingly overtaking him and his tiny self.

"Uh, hi?" Cara asks more so then says as he looks up to her, unsure how to respond to him.

"Yes," H-1 lowers his head into something of a nod, making all three of them stare at him in confusion. If there was one thing Esso knew, it was that this was going to be an interesting long ride.

✶✶✶

Esso jumps awake as the wagon comes to a stop and the sound of laughter fills the air. The sight of fourteen or so children meets her shaded visor, all of them smiling as they come rushing over to the wagon, the small green child taking up their attention as they come to a stop in front of him. All of this was much to the child's delight as he smiles and tilts his head, clearly happy to meet other children, even if they weren't of his species.