The moisture vaporator screams in Cobb's ears like a Sarlacc that has gone hungry for too long. No vaporator should be making that kind of devastating noise, and he knows his ears will be ringing long after he silences it which is exactly what Cobb is trying to do now. He turned the whole system off but something is still making that--Ah! There.

Cobb pulls his arm out of the vapor spire, clutching three different colored wires. Well, damn. Add those to the list of replacements he needs.

"Did you fix it?" Someone shouts from behind him. Cobb cringes and turns to see Jo and Weequay standing a few feet behind him with their ears covered.

Cobb holds up the wires and gives them an award-winning smile. They drop their hands and come over.

"That doesn't look like you fixed it."

"That's because I didn't."

"What does this mean now?" Weequay asks, concern covering his features.

Cobb sighs. "It means I have to ride into Mos Espa for some new parts. Condenser and tank filters included."

Weequay whistles lowly. "We're gonna be short on water."

"Won't be cheap either," Jo adds.

"We don't really got much of a choice. The condenser is shot, the filters are black, and I just yanked out some important lookin' wires to make it stop it's groanin'."

The noise started in the middle of the night, waking up the entire small town of Mos Pelgo. It is well after sunrise now, with some pretty angry patrons waiting to get some more rest. Cobb can't pretend to relate. He was sitting on his roof, wide awake like most nights, and trying to will his memory to cooperate. He was more than happy to volunteer his services of fixing it when their local farmers couldn't make it stop. It's his duty as the marshal of town to help his people.

Or so he is told.

Cobb doesn't remember much. He had an accident in Mos Eisley that tore his memory from him. He remembers his life here, that he is the marshal of the town, but starting 8 months ago he can't remember anything from the few years prior.

The doctor he consulted said it could be permanent. Cobb refuses to believe it. How can he lose so much of his life from a speeder accident of all things?

He barely remembers waking in the medbay. He knows there were others with him, Weequay and Jo probably, but something feels off about the memory, but whenever he tries to remember more clearly his head throbs. That's where his head was last night, and he made no advances on remembering what he can't.

Not to mention he has this gaping hole in his chest that he can't explain. It's like he is missing something, a part of him, and it makes him feel like he has the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders all the time. Sometimes it makes it hard for him to breathe.

And he can't remember why.

On the rare occasions that he can sleep, he will wake with wet cheeks and eyelashes with no recollection of why. Those nights are the hardest for him. The hurt is there, but he doesn't understand it.

It's still early so Cobb does his rounds in the town before setting off for Mos Espa. It's a day's trip at least, he will have to find lodgings in the area but luckily he knows the local inn-keep there.

Just as he was about to leave, Weequay hands him a small bag of rations and two pouches of water. Cobb recognizes the look on his face and sighs.

"What is it this time?"

"It might be dangerous. Anything could happen—"

"Stop playin' mother hen. I appreciate your concern but nothin' is gonna happen."

Weequay stares at him like he knows something Cobb doesn't. He starts to speak but stops. A look of resolution passes over his face, and then he says, "you never know. Just be careful."

Cobb gives him a tight but genuine smile. "It was one time. I can handle myself."

"That's what you said that time."

Cobb huffs. "Yeah, well, I don't remember that so it don't count."

Weequay gives him a pointed look and Cobb laughs. "Relax. I'll see you tomorrow. Hey, keep these people in line while I'm away." It's a teasing jest that Cobb drops a wink with. The people of Mos Pelgo are good, kind, and hard-working. Cobb has never had to deal with any real trouble between anyone unless it is some drunken comment gone wrong. Cobb trusts his people to keep the town going while he is away, and he trusts Jo and Weequay to settle any disputes in his stead if need be. However, he doubts it will be necessary.

With a nod of his head, Cobb turns his speeder on and drives into the horizon.

--

The ride is uneventful. Cobb reaches Mos Espa at the second sunset and the city is bustling as he drives through at a slowed pace. The inn is on the far side of town so it's completely dark when he is checked into a room, it doesn't leave him much time to find the parts he needs, so he decides to set out in the early morning when more of the vendors will be available.

Finding a cantina is easy enough. Having bar food for dinner isn't appealing but it's better than rehydrating bread and sitting in his room alone with his thoughts.

The bar is packed but Cobb finds a corner at the bar top and orders a snort of spotchka and a bowl of soup from one of the bartenders. The woman returns with both items and leans over the counter suggestively. "Anything else I can do for you, handsome?"

Cobb tries not to cringe. It's not that she's not cute, because she is. She's on the younger side with long red hair tied in braids away from her face, she's curvy and wears tunics that accents them in all the right places, and her features are soft in all the right places.

If Cobb was into women, he might flirt back.

"This is fine. Thank you."

She nods, taking the hint, and leaves him be.

He throws back his spotchka first and then stares at his soup, stirring it absently with the spoon. He doesn't recall why he feels so hellbent on not flirting with women. He wonders if it would be different if a man came onto him—and then dismisses the thought with a weird feeling in his stomach. He—he's not asexual. Cobb knows that for certain, and there was a time he dated women and a time when he realized men are preferred. He remembers he was single for a while before his accident and that he planned on his next love encounter to be for the long haul.

So, him feeling uncomfortable at the prospect of flirting is surprising.

By the time Cobb comes out of his thoughts his soup has gone cold. He consumes it without tasting it but still feels better that it's not out of a package.

He leaves credits on the counter and heads out. The bar has only become busier as the night went on. More and more people congregating at the bar and socializing around tables. Cobb was one of them once upon a time, now he is content to watch out for his small town with a population less than the number of people in this bar.

Outside is no better, and now Cobb is feeling a bit claustrophobic... Or maybe something doesn't feel quite right.

Walking down the street it becomes less crowded but he still feels on edge... kind of like—

Cobb ducks at the sound of a blaster going off and hears it crash into a vendors stand. People start to scream and run around. Cobb takes cover around a nearby cart, staying crouched and hidden in the sea of people running about. When he peaks around the corner, there are two men in dark clothing, both with blasters, and one with a remote-looking thing and a red flashing light.

Cobbs head throbs at that moment. He knows what that is, why does he know?

A shooting pain goes through his head and he curls in on himself, trying hard to remain quiet. Images flash before his eyes. He sees that remote, flashing red just the same, and he sees it attached to someone's belted waist. There's armor around this person's torso and legs, it's metallic silver but Cobb doesn't see anything else. He latches onto the image like a vice. He hears a voice but he doesn't recognize it. It sounds muffled like his brain is prying the--the memory from underwater, and then it comes out clear as day—

Run.

Cobb's eyes blink open just in time to dodge a blaster shot. Shit.

Cobb runs. He hasn't felt this kind of fear in a long time. He thinks of when the miners first came to Mos Pelgo and he bolted from town, but that doesn't feel exactly the same. However, he is too busy trying not to die to think too hard about it.

These men are here for him, and he doesn't understand why. He runs a town that pays no one else any mind and is barely on the radar. Why would anyone want to kill him?

How did they even find him?

That remote, his mind supplies from somewhere.

Cobb turns around a tight corner and ducks down. If these people are finding him from that thing, then they will know where he is hiding no matter what. He needs to come up with a different plan.

The plan doesn't happen, in fact, Cobb seems to act. One of the men comes from around the corner, arm stretched out with the blaster in hand. Cobb grabs his wrist and elbows him in the face. The blaster falls before Cobb can grab it. He lets the man go and kicks him in the chest just as the other man comes around the corner. His partner stumbles as the first man falls into him. It's enough time for Cobb to pick up the blaster and shoot them both within seconds.

They're motionless on the ground.

Dank Ferrik, Cobb thinks, what the kriff just happened?

The remote is still flashing, fallen beside its owners in the sand. Cobb doesn't hesitate to smash it with the heel of his boot.

He can feel his blood pulsing through his veins. Cobb knows how to fight, sure, and he's had to kill people in the past, but they are very far and few between. He's not one to ask questions first then shoot, but he's starting to feel like that is what he should've done. It's not guilt telling him this, it's him, almost like it goes against who he is.

Which is also weird.

Cobb goes back to his room, he makes sure no one is following him and does a few laps around the premises before entering and keeping to the shadows. Inside, he nods to the inn-keeper and doesn't see anyone else, not even in the hallway. His room is empty and thank the Force for that, but he still double bolts the sliding door and slides the dresser in front of it for good measure. He double-checks the windows are locked and closes the drapes. The only light in the room is from the lamp which is dim as is. He quadruple checks that no one is hiding in the room before he lets himself sit down with a sigh. He pulls out his comlink and calls Weequay immediately.

"Cobb? What's happened?"

"I—" Cobb almost doesn't recognize his own voice. "I'm not too sure."

Weequay is silent. "Start at the beginning."

Cobb does. Once he is finished, Weequay lets out a hearty sigh. "You should come back home."

Cobb frowns. "Come back home? Those remotes were trackin' me, those men were shootin' to kill and you want me to bring that back to Mos Pelgo?"

"You are safest here, Cobb. The town can hold its own."

Cobb shakes his head to himself. "I still need the parts. There won't be a town left if I don't get that vaporator fixed."

"We can send someone else for the parts."

Cobb pauses. "What aren't you tellin' me?"

Silence.

"Does this have to do with the accident?"

"I don't know." The first shred of honesty Cobbs heard from him all night. "Maybe."

"You know more than you're tellin' me."

"Cobb, this is for the best."

"For the best? People are tryin' to kill me and I don't even know why!"

"Are you someplace safe now?"

"I'm boarded up at the inn. No one will get the jump on me in here."

"That's not exactly comforting."

"No, but it's what I've got to work with."

"Well, alright. Be safe and I will see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

The line disconnects.

Cobb lets out a heavy sigh and falls back on the bed. His hands are shaking when he rubs them across his face and through his hair. He crosses his arms over his chest so he doesn't have to acknowledge it.

He has a blaster on his leg, if anyone tries to come in, he will know and blast them before they know what's coming.

That's how Cobb falls asleep, with the lamp still on, and thoughts of all the different ways someone could get in and which places Cobb will maneuver to get the upper hand.

His last thought before sleep takes him is wondering who the man in metal is.