Looking at the assorted women even through the signs of abuse and malnutritionment they are all beautiful to a standard that wouldn't be possible back home.
"Y-you really aren't going to keep us as your pets?" A reddish-pink skinned woman with vibrant lilac colored hair and eyes with a very curvy body asks.
"Nope, not going to keep you…not that you aren't all very beautiful women any man would be happy to have of course. I'm just not with the whole keeping people as property thing." My response seems to put the rest of the women at ease well except for one Zabrak woman who is hate fucking me with her eyes right now.
"It's hard to believe a "man" who doesn't even show his face."
"If I said it was against my religion to remove my helmet in the presence of others who I'm not intimately connected to. Would mean that I've dishonored not only myself and my creed but have marked myself as a pariah amongst my people, and would become excommunicated if I did…so is that something you really want?" The Zabrak woman stares at me with her mouth left hanging open.
"N-no…didn't know that you were one of the Children of the Watch." The Zabrak woman turns her head away from me and I can't help but raise an eyebrow at that.
'What Mando'a do I remember from the Commando books?' I try to dig up old memories of the best in my opinion of the written star wars media besides the Boba Fett series that chronicles his growth from orphaned child to young adult bounty hunter.
"Su-Cuy Gar?" I call out to the Zabrak woman who perks right up, the words roughly translate to "So you're still alive?"
The Zabrak woman expresses self-consciousness at first before she marches over to me and knocks her head against my helmeted one.
"Ni'ni oyacyi!" The Zabrak woman answers back to me and takes a step back her body language conveying a wary at easeness.
Reaching up I take off my helmet there are more than a few gasps. 'I guess I just gave them all lady boners.'
"I'm not a child of the watch…I just didn't feel like having a bunch of beautiful women drooling over me…you know because I'm so handsome. Also it's easier to talk to someone you're less likely to associate with your abusers." The Zabrak woman snorts at my mock cockiness/playful attitude, and punches my armored bicep.
"I know it's insensitive to ask but…"
"Darius was surprisingly charming…and he spiked my drink. By the time I realized what happened I was stripped and collared on my own ship."
"The lancer in your's then?" The disappointment I feel at the prospect of losing such a ship leaks into my voice.
"No, the ship like my life now belongs to you…by the old laws of our people, I owe you a life debt and I will repay it." I know Mandalorian's tend to be prideful and take certain vows very seriously so I don't bother trying to dissuade her.
"Okay then…I will gladly employ your services, if you tell me your name."
"I'm Xena of the Caraxes clan."
"It's my pleasure to meet you Xena, of clan Caraxes. I am known as Starkiller, and am one of the clanless. Did the ast'ehut schutta, sell your Beskar'gam after enslaving you?"
"Starkiller…the clanless." Xena mutters rolling the name around on her tongue.
"No Darius didn't try to sell it…probably too afraid of drawing the attention of my clan when Mandalorian armor with our signet hits the black market." Xena explains and I nod my head to show my understanding, on Xena's armor is a dragon's head, that is spewing flames.
My droids return carrying crates, one is filled with various currencies, another has an assortment of blasters and power cells and the other contains Xena's Beskar'gam and weapons.
"This everything of value beyond the ships and deactivated droids?" I ask the Phase 3 Dark Troopers all four of them nod yes.
"Good work, boys…please remove the body in the Captain's Quarters of the Lancer Pursuit Craft. Once finished with that you four are assigned to protecting these organics." My wave towards the assembled women makes my droids nod, is mostly for show as I highlight the women and the building then select defend.
"So I hate to say this but I'm going to ask that you ladies to remain here while I go procure some clothing…a medical droid and someone who knows how to get those collars off of all of you. Like you have all heard I'm leaving my droids here to protect all of you."
"Xena, I believe the contents of that crate belong to you." I motion towards the crate containing her armor, to which the Zabrak woman offers me a grateful expression and moves to start getting dressed.
Realizing that most of these women may prefer to leave rather than stay here even if my intentions are good…it is a place that holds a lot of pain for them.
"If any of you think you're better off on your own you can take a fistful or two of money and go. I won't stop any of you, you are free to go, just don't take advantage of me." At my words all but two of the women except the Megan look-alike and Xena run over to the crate of money, grab as much as they can carry and then run.
"I guess I should have expected that…I hope they don't end up in worse ways than they already were." I glance over at the Megan look-alike and get cut off by a very fast sandy blonde haired girl rocketing into the spaceport.
Followed by my droid that I left to protect her. "You're okay!" Anakin runs over to me and hugs me. Kneeling down resting my hands on her shoulders.
Gently pushing her away from me but still holding onto her shoulders, I put a very serious expression on my face.
"Anakin, though I'm not your parent or guardian, I gave you an order for a reason. One I could have been dead down here, as unlikely as that sounds. And there were bad people down here who wouldn't care that you're just a child. Second and though you've probably seen quite a bit of things I didn't want you to see what I was capable of if I did come out victorious." Anakin looks down and to the right, her bottom lip trembling
With that said I pull the young girl into a hug, and pet her hair. "You also could have gotten seriously hurt with that little stunt you pulled, young lady."
"You did it…"
"Do as I say, not as I do. That's the rules for kids. Even if they see an adult doing something dumb, they should know that they themselves aren't allowed to do it." I'm not sure why but I feel two very intense gazes on me and Anakin, looking up and around the looks on the faces of Xena and the Megan look-alike are heated and not in an angry way.
'I guess seeing Papa Starkiller is a turn on…' Feeling amused I release Anakin from my hug, stand up and put my helmet back on.
"I'll be gone for a short while. Anakin and I, here." I motions towards Anakin and continue to speak. "Go sort some things out with a local scrap dealer."
"We'll be here waiting for you two to get back." I'm rather surprised that it's the Megan look-alike who speaks up first. While Xena nods her head up and down as she puts on a figure hugging black body glove.
"My life belongs to you, I will protect your belongings alongside your droid forces." Xena exclaims with a noble pride of an honorable warrior.
I feel an unhappy glare coming from a pint sized object, so upon looking down I see a rather angry faced Ana. With her arms crossed over her chest, who is glaring up at my helmeted head.
Her mouth start to open no doubt to angrily start saying mean with a level of hostility that only a young girl could meet.
"It's not a slavery thing Anakin, it's a Mandalorian and other warrior-like races have similar beliefs. Where if you save someone's life they feel they owe a life debt to you. And will spend as much time as needed in your service until they save your life or die trying. I have no intention of turning Xena into a slave nor does she intend to be one. Just like I have no intention to keep you or your mother as property. I will ask that you and she stay with me or allow me to get you both off planet and to someplace that doesn't allow slavery and enforces the Republic's anti-slavery laws. If you and your mum decide you don't wish to stay with me." After my explanation Ana's face burns red with shame and she looks down at the ground nervously trying to dig her toes past the layer of metal in the ground after getting past the thin layer of sand covering it.
Resting my right hand on her shoulders. "I understand why you jumped to the conclusion that you did Ana. You're not used to being around decently moraled intelligent species except for a rare few like your mother. There's an old saying from my home world when you assume something, you make an ass out of you and me. So always reserve your opinions until you have all the facts so you never have to feel ashamed of yourself again." I try to keep my voice as soothing as possible. I'm not mad at Ana, not in the least but I want her to remember that her actions have consequences seen and unseen. That doesn't include her being beaten by some scumbag who views her as property.
Ana looks up at me with her bottom lip trembling as tears run down her cheeks.
"Y-you aren't mad at me, you're still gonna help my mom and me?"
"Of course I am, it's my job as the adult to teach kids like you what I can. And it's your job to challenge what I teach and absorb as much as you think will be useful to you. Only to learn when you're older and I'm long dead and gone that you should have paid more attention to me, when I was here."
"I don't want you to die!" Ana shouts very passionately and hugs my waist very tightly, leaving me stunned.
"Ana, I don't want to die either. But life and death are just the way the system works. When I die here my soul will move on to a new world or universe. Just as it does for everyone else…nothing is permanent Ana. Not the planets, not the stars and especially not us tiny little things made of water and an assortment of other elements. Someday after I have died you will die leaving behind people that love you. Who knows maybe we'll end up in another universe together and can be friends all over again." Ana looks up at me with watery eyes and a fragile smile.
"You really believe that, Starkiller?" Ana asks with an earnest almost desperate look in her eyes.
"I do little Anakin, so always hold the hope in your heart that you will be reunited with those that you love in the next life. Regardless of the beliefs of others, and don't force your beliefs on others either. You can share your views with the people you care about and they can share theirs with you even if it differs greatly. Accept their beliefs and move on while holding the hope and love you have for everyone in your heart and immortal soul. No let's go talk to this Watto insect grab however much you think you and your mom are worth to him then add a bit extra because I'm sure he's a greedy slimo and you undervalue yourself." Ana nods her head and though she stops hugging me she holds my hand very tightly as she walks over to the chest still filled with money.
The former enslaved women barely made a dent in the wealth that the White Skulls had assembled and generously donated to me upon their deaths.
Ana looks at me with an arched eyebrow. "What was that saying you were just talking about?" Anakin asks me with a little smile on her face, which makes me reach over and ruffle her hair.
"See you're already learning." I try to make it sound like it was my intention to test her all along which seems to draw soft laughs out of both Xena and the look-alike, I really should get her name.
While Ana pouts rather adorably. "You can be really mean." Anakin grumbles but starts to grab Hutt currency out of the chest only to frown.
"How are we going to?" Ana gets cut off as Xena walks over and hands her a soft purple velvet looking bag.
'Wonder if the Star Wars universe has a Crown Royal equivalent?' But I'm quickly pulled out of my thoughts by Ana tugging on my hand.
"Hey, are you okay?" Ana asks, her voice sounding very concerned. That's when I notice Ana has already filled the bag and is looking at me expectantly.
"Hmm, yeah sure…my mind just drifted for a moment…you think you have enough there in that bag?" At my question Ana bobs her head up and down for yes.