Never Talk to Strangers...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Star Wars universe. I don't even really own my own characters; it's sort of the other way around. I make no money from this.

Chapter 2

Fett woke with a start from a dream he could not remember. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. He was lying on a soft bed in an unfamiliar room. The sheets smelled faintly of lavender and sweet herbs. He tried to sit up and felt a throbbing pain in his left leg.

The memories flooded back. The pursuit. Messina. The crash, and the girl. The girl.

She was asleep in a chair next to the bed. When he stirred, she opened her eyes and even in the darkness he could see her smile.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“My house,” she moved over to the edge of the bed and helped him to sit up. “You’ll be safe here. Here,” she handed him a cup of some hot liquid. “Drink this. It will help fight off fever.”

He snorted. Safe, he thought sardonically. Poor child didn’t have a clue. He sniffed the cup. More herbs. These people were truly still in the dark ages. He wondered how long it would take the Empire to find this planet.

He took a sip. Somewhat spicy, but not entirely unpleasant.

“Will I walk again?”

“Eventually. It’s just going to take time, and you have to stay off the leg.”

“For how long?”

“Two months at least. Even then, you should be using a stick, to keep the weight off.”

He sank back into the bed. Two months. With Messina hot on his trail, and nowhere on this planet to get parts for his ship... he couldn’t even get a decent bone meld!

“It’s not that bad. I mean, it could be a lot worse.”

The girl was irritatingly optimistic. “Yes. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful. I’m just...very concerned about the situation.”

“As long as we can keep you from developing a fever, you'll be fine. My herb cabinet’s actually well stocked for once. Though I’m more used to taking care of horses. Dosing will be tricky...” she trailed off.

He groaned and tried to play it off as a sound of pain. Of all the backwater shithole planets he could have crashed on. He sipped the tea and tried to look like he was deep in thought.

“Are you hungry? Bill’s just cleaning up from dinner. I can make you a plate.”

He was about to politely refuse when his stomach growled audibly.

She laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes, thank you,” and she turned to leave.

“Wait,” he stopped her. “I need you to... if anyone comes asking for me, it’s better if you haven’t seen me. Safer. For you and your friend.”

She paused at the door. “Why?”

“I’ll explain it all, when I can. Tell your friend.”

“I’ll tell him,” she agreed and left the room.

Boba Fett was left with his own thoughts. His leg ached. He had felt pain in his life, but this was different. He assumed she had used up his last doses of pain killer getting him back here. Thankfully he couldn’t remember more than the torturous beginning of the journey.

He needed to get off this planet. Messina was not a forgiving soul, and if she found him here, in this helpless condition with these people, she would kill all of them to get to him, burn their home to the ground and salt the land before she left. He vowed silently to make killing that bitch his first task when he got back on his feet.

He heard a tap on the door, the door opened, and the girl came back into the room carrying a plate. She set it on the table next to the bed and picked up some pillows from the end of the bed. She helped him sit up, propping the pillows behind him. “Potatoes, snap beans, and fresh eggs. I would have made beef but it’s a pain to use it dried unless you’re making a lot of it.” She handed him the plate. “I cooked it. Bill’s a great guy, but he’s a horrible cook. He’s of the opinion that if you don’t have to kill it with the fork, it qualifies as food.”

“Reminds me of some bars I’ve eaten at,” he said, attacking the food like he hadn’t eaten in a month.

She waited until he finished, then took the plate from him. “I’ve got to go wash the dishes. I told Bill I’d do that if he’d take care of the rest. If you need anything before I get back, just holler. One of us will hear you.”

She shut the door.

He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain. He was asleep long before she returned.

~ ~

Bill MacPhail paced the kitchen nervously. He needed an explanation for what had happened today. And Ash wouldn’t tear herself away from the stranger’s side long enough to give him one.

Bill was a simple man. He understood horses, cattle and crops, and didn’t care for much else. He knew how to read the weather, when to plant corn and when to pick beans. He didn’t know anything about ships falling from th stars, or any of the trash Jimmy Johnson had been spilling the last time he was at the ranch.

He didn’t trust this stranger in his steel suit. He didn’t want Aislynn alone with the man, but the girl was stubborn. Like her father.

Michael, he thought, how I wish you were here now. You could tell me what to do. How to explain the danger to her...

No. Bill knew she was right. His old friend would have faced down the devil and all the demons of the seven hells just to save a soul. He certainly would have helped this dark man from the stars.

Hell, Michael probably would have taken it as a sign from God.

Bill heard Aislynn come into the kitchen.

He forced a grin to his face and asked lightly, “Hey, girl, how’s your star man doing?”

“His name is Boba Fett and I think he’s in some kind of trouble. He said if anyone comes looking not to let them know he’s here. Under any circumstances. He was extremely serious, Bill.

Bill nodded. He had expected as much. “What do we tell the men?”

“You mean if any of them actually come back this time?” she snapped, her eyes flashing angrily. “Don’t tell them anything. He won’t be leaving the house for a good two months. Just tell them the damn thing crashed and we found it like it is and that’s the end of it.”

“So we just leave it where it is?”

“You have any idea how to move it?”

He conceded that point. “You want me to sit with him so you can get some sleep?”

“No. I’ll handle it. If he needs anything, come get me.” She moved over to the sink and started doing the dishes. Bill stood by the door watching her for a few moments, then he went to bed. Star men aside, there was business to be handled in the morning.