B E G I N N I N G

Roya and Toro stood at the agreed location with two speeder bikes, ready and raring to go. Toro was still wearing the same clothes, while Roya had changed and was now wearing tight black jeans with the same top as Toro. It was also to be honest something from his wardrobe.

"Where the hell is he?" Toro muttered impatiently. Roya knew he was nervous and could hardly wait.

Before Roya could answer, the Mandalorian appeared, followed by a woman with a green creature in her arms, which had to be a baby. Toro eyed this briefly before turning to the Mandalorian.

"There you are," Toro greeted him joyfully as he stood up from one of the speeder.
The sun was leaning towards setting and Roya was actually completely tired from the day, besides the fact that she couldn't fall asleep because of nightmares.

Roya looked at the baby, who lifted his hand and made sweet noises as he looked at her. A soft giggle escaped Roya, causing the Mandalorian to be momentarily distracted. His eyes scanned her body and he watched as she gently stroked the child's head while talking to Peli.

Then Toro appeared in front of him and immediately his attention was back on the important things.

"Not too shabby, huh."

Mando said nothing, but looked more closely at the two older speeder. It was the best Toro could acquire in less time, so neither Mando nor Roya had anything to say about it.

"That's settled then," Toro sighed before turning to Roya. "You ride with me, sister."

Nodding, Roya walked towards her brother and sat down on a bike already. Mando did the same and took a seat on the other, his head pointing briefly in Roya's direction. She looked at him as well. Roya had the feeling that he was looking directly at her and although she was only looking into his visor, she could swear she felt his gaze on her. With a strange feeling she turned away and looked into the vastness of the desert.

Toro now sat down on the bike as well, which allowed Roya to lean over and wrap her arms around her brother's waist, safe and secure. Her cheek pressed against his back and then closed her eyes as the two men took off as well.

They were getting faster and faster and Roya had little desire for sand in her eyes, so she pressed her face further into the fabric of Toro's jacket. He himself wore glasses and a mouth covering with the cloth Roya got from a friend on Sorgan at the time and then gave it to her brother.

The wind, which completely messed up Roya's hair, was at the same time very pleasant on her hot skin and was getting cooler.

She thought the three of them would continue at this speed until Mando stopped and Toro followed suit. The Mandalorian got off his speeder and Toro did the same, as did Roya. She stretched extensively and wiped away the stuck sand on her face.

"What's going on?" Toro asked, looking in the direction Mando was facing.

"Look. Up ahead," he replied montonically, nodding his helmet in the direction he was looking.

Roya walked a little ahead and put her hands on her hips in exhaustion. "Tusken Raiders," she pointed. "I heard the locals talking about this filth," Toro finished her sentence.

The Tusken Raiders noticed the three of them and started to walk over to them, so Roya took a few steps back to stand next to Mando. This was unintentional, but nevertheless he gave her a quick glance, which she once again could not see because of his helmet. Mando, on the other side, could see concern in her eyes for a moment before that spark also disappeared.

"Whatever they call themselves, they best keep their distance," Toro muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
Roya laughed and squinted her eyes a little because of the sun. "Yeah? Why don't you tell them yourself?"

Toro looked at her puzzled, knowing full well he wouldn't understand a word and was scared shitless of the creatures, but Roya couldn't help laughing when her younger brother flinched away in fright when he spotted the two Tusken raiders beside him.

Mando rolled his eyes under his helmet and watched Roya hold her stomach as she laughed. Her laugh was...different. Different from the laughter of other people he had ever met and something animated him to briefly lift the corners of his mouth under his helmet, barely noticeably. But he then let it go and took a step forward.

"Relax," Mando snorted and started gesticulating with his hands, which the tusken raiders must have understood because they made loud noises. Roya could not take her eyes off Mando. She had heard and definitely read a lot about Mandalorians, but she had never met one. Mando was more than just a warrior, she knew that immediately.

"What are you doing?" Toro wanted to know.

"He's negotiating, " Roya answered for Mando, who just nodded and continued to negotiate before stopping short and looking at Toro, who was becoming so nervous and anxious. Roya felt a little sorry that her brother didn't inherit their father's strong side and was unfortunately just as timid a person as their mother. Confident in his appearance, but when it came to the important stuff, a scared person.

"What's going on?"

His sister was also starting to get curious and raised her eyes questioningly to look at Mando. "We need passage across their land."

The tusken raiders continued to speak and Roya secretly wished she knew what the creatures were saying. It would be an advantage to speak several languages and it impressed her more that Mando could. Could he speak Mando'a too? Roya started learning the language as a younger girl then, but stopped when her mother forbade her. Toro had never been interested in such things as a child. He just played with his friends all day.

"Let me see the binocs," Mando demanded and after a brief protest from Toro, he got it.

Before Toro could say anything, Mando threw the binocs to the tusken raiders, who caught them and muttered contentedly.

"Hey! Those were brand new!" Toro protested loudly.

Mando shrugged and climbed back onto his speeder. "Yeah? There were." He started the engine and glanced at Roya, who was looking at him with amusement. "Let's go."