| Chapter 1: The Meeting Continued |
| Seemingly at the touch of the old man, the pilot regained consciousness, startling both himself and the old man holding him. "Who are you?" the pilot asked, staring into the old man's eyes. "My name is Rejean," the old man replied, "I am here to help you." The pilot just nodded in acknowledgement, and then faded back into unconsciousness. Rejean lifted the pilot one more time, this time removing him from the ship. Once the pilot was lowered to the ground, Rejean began examining him for anything that could cause complications in transportation. The middle-aged pilot was in prime condition, except for a broken leg sustained during the crash. Rejean finished his examination of the pilot when he noticed the small astromech droid standing near its master. "Don't worry my little friend," Rejean told the droid, "other than a broken leg, you master is fine. Now we got to get him out of here though, up to my cottage on the other side of that ridge, I may need your help little one." The astromech droid just beeped in acknowledgement and it started to waddle towards Rejean. Rejean began collection different materials for a splint and anything else that could help him transport the pilot. Within minutes, Rejean had a little cot that he could drag, with the help of the little droid, over the ridge to his little house. The cot was crudely constructed out of scraps of broken sticks and pieces of metal from the downed spacecraft. The pieces were all bound together by vines broken off from nearby trees. The old man slides the unconscious pilot onto the small cot. "Come here my little friend," Rejean said to the small astromech droid, "I am old, and I will require you assistance to move your master." The droid beeps in acknowledgement and walks to the front of the recently constructed cot, where Rejean was standing. When the droid reaches Rejean's position, Rejean bent down and tied one side of the cot to the droid's tube-shaped body. Picking up the other side of the cot, Rejean says to the droid, "We need to be on our way little one, it is almost dark, and it is not safe out here after dark." Again the droid beeps in acknowledgement, and a smile crosses the old man's face. Together the two drag the unconscious pilot up the ridge; towards the cottage that Rejean had made his home. It took a little time, a lot of hard work, and the strength of both the old man and the little droid to get over the ridge, but they eventually made it. At the top of the ridge, the old man stops, lowering his side of the cot. "Sorry my little friend, but I am old and I need a minute to rest. Don't worry, it is down hill the rest of the way, that will make it easier on us both." The droid waddle and beeps at the old man, an understanding tone coming through the beeps. Again Rejean smiles at the droid. After a few minutes of old man sitting, and the astromech droid's endless beeps and whistles, Rejean climbs back to his feet, groaning as he struggles to get up. "Well," he says to the astromech droid, "I guess we should be on our way." Rejean picks up his side of the cot once again and the two resume the walk towards the cottage. As Rejean and the droid drag the pilot towards the small building, the pilot begins to enter in and out of consciousness. One minute the pilot would regain consciousness, and start babbling about a man chasing him, and then he would fade back into unconsciousness. This went on with the pilot for the rest of the trip to cottage. Finally they came into view of the little house, "There it is," Rejean said, looking at the droid. The little droid let out a few beeps and whistles at the old man. "I know," Rejean said, "it is small, but it is shelter, and it will keep you and your master out of danger." Again the little droid emits a series of beeps and whistles. Rejean and the little droid then drag the cot the rest of the way, up to the cottage's entrance. At the entrance, Rejean sets down his side of the cot, and them proceeds to untie the droid from the other side of the cot. "Go on in little on, make yourself at home," Rejean tells the little droid. The little astromech droid doesn't hesitate, and it charges into the cottage, letting out some beeps as it goes. Rejean bends down and picks up the injured pilot, straining under the man's weight, and enters behind the droid. The inside of the cottage is bigger than it appears from the outside. It is practically bear, except for a bed in the corner, and a small chair and couch, with a little table sitting in front of them. There is also a few shelves on the walls filled with various books, and a little room of to the side of the cottage were there is a wood stove used for heat and cooking. Everything in the cottage is obviously home made, except for the stove. All the items are hand carved to perfection, and tinted dark brown with some form of paint. Even the cushions on chair, couch, and bed are home made, but they are soft to the touch. There are only two windows in the little house, one over the couch, and another over the bed. The old man enters his home and walks to the bed, where he sets the injured pilot down. The droid was rolling across the floor, it was seemingly happy that is was on a smooth surface again. Rejean turns from the bed and walks over to the chair where he takes a seat. "We will let your master rest little one," Rejean tells the droid, "he will need that rest to regain his strength." Rejean sits back in his chair and closes his eyes. He was exhausted from the trip to and from the wreckage, especially after having to drag the wounded pilot all that way. "I am getting too old for this," Rejean says to himself. From the other side of the room he hears the little droid let off a reassuring whistle. Rejean smiles and drifts off to sleep. |