“Take my duffel bag with you.”

Kay catches the duffel bag in his arms, staring at it for a long moment.

As he turns to leave Cassian calls out. “His name is B2EMO. He is safe on Mina-Rau…and he deserves a better life than ours.”

Esso twitched, shrugging off the memory. “That was his name, yes. Does Bix know we're coming?”

“Aye. She said she was lookin’ forward to meeting you.”

Bix…

Whenever Vel Sartha came to Cassian with updates about Bix, he'd be in a mood the rest of the day. It was obvious he cared about her. The more Cassian cared about them, the harder it was to get any information about them.

Bix was a complete mystery.

“Why would she want to meet me?”

Smee’s heavy head swung towards Esso. “Maybe that’s somethin’ ye should be askin’ her. Now do ye want me to land or not? Because we can cancel the whole thing and get back to Master Skrapp for a nice oil bath.”

“Ugh, fine. The oil bath can wait. Please land.”

“As ye wish!”

The Onyx Cinder landed on the outskirts of a vast golden wheat field. On the other side of the field was a hill where a quaint homestead overlooked crops. There was a figure already walking down one of the many dirt roads segmenting the field. It was heading towards the ship. She looked like an ant from this vantage point, but it had to be Bix. 

Esso felt his circuits crackle with anxiety.  “You’re sure she’s alright with this?”

Smee answered by hitting the panel for the ramp. “Off ye go…and good luck.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“I’ll go!” Jukebox volunteered.

“No, we’re stayin’ here. This is for you, Esso.”

Esso peered down the ramp. The figure was getting closer. 

“Don’t…leave without me, Smee.”

Smee tilted his head, long neck wavering slightly. “We won’t, unless ye want us to.”

A strange way to phrase it…or was it? What would Esso find down here that was preferable to being a free droid pirate? He glanced down at Static and the collection of mouse droids peering curiously down the ramp. 

“Good luck, Esso,” Static said and the mouse droids all beeped agreeably.

Why does this feel like a goodbye? 

He walked down the ramp.

Bix was a slight human, a few inches shorter than Cassian was. Her skirt had hand-stitched sunflowers, her shirt had colorful handwoven designs around the trim. On Yavin, everyone's clothes were dirty and second hand. On Coruscant everyone wore pristine uniforms and designer suits and gowns. This outfit was wholly unfamiliar to Esso. It seemed to be made with care and consideration. Her hair done up in braids with frizzy wisps volumized by the humid weather. Her smile was a rare one too. No one smiled like this where Esso came from…not even in an Imperial parade. It was kind, deeply kind. Relaxed. Happy.

Bix was not a tired rebel, not a uppity Imp, not a shifty politician. She was as bright and calm as the billowy fabrics she wore.

“Hello.” Esso said.

“Hello, Kay,” Bix said. 

Kay…the name felt…separate from him now. A name Cassian called him. A name he only liked Cassian calling him. Still, it felt nice to hear it again, one last time.

“I go by Esso, now.”

Esso didn’t know human eyes could shine like this. “Hello, Esso. Welcome to Mina-Rau.”

“You know who I am?”

Bix nodded, her hands slipping into the pockets of her skirt. “Vel told me about you.”

“Vel? The angry spy who smelled of revnog?”

Bix let out an incredulous laugh. “Well, yes, but she has cleaned up a lot since last you saw her. That would’ve been, what, nine years ago now?”

“Ten years and forty-five days.”

“That long…” Bix blew out a breath. “When I first left the Rebellion she would visit me every couple of months, tell me what Yavin was up to. Give me updates on Cass and Wil. She told me a lot about you. You came into his life right after I left him. It sounded like great timing. You looked after him when I couldn’t.”

“Well, I certainly tried to look after him. He made it very difficult. It was more like he dragged me around the galaxy on unsanctioned missions.”

Bix grinned from ear-to-ear. “That sounds exactly like Cass. He was never one to sit still, not even when he was young.”

“You knew him when he was young?”

“I did. I met him when we were still in grade school. We-” she hesitated, peering over Esso’s shoulder. 

Esso looked back to find ten nosy droids zip suddenly out of sight. 

“I know you don’t drink tea, but…would you like to charge up at the house? Bee would be happy to share his station.”

“Bee? B2EMO? He’s here?”

“Yes, of course. He’d love to meet you.”

Esso looked back at the ramp. The crew was gone except for Smee, his hand hovering over the control panel. They held each other's gaze. Smee’s face may not have been readable to a human, but the slight bend in his neck and twitch in his hand spoke volumes to Esso.

He was giving Esso one last chance to choose his own destiny, wasn’t he? 

And he's nervous about what I'm going to choose.

As Esso turned to Bix, he heard the ramp close. “Let’s go.”

Bix lead Esso down the dirt road between five-foot-high stalks of wheat gently rustling in the breeze. Dragonflies swooped daringly around them and white flies sparkled in the dusty sunlight. It was peaceful out here. No shouting or explosions. No blaster fire or noisy speeder bikes. 

He could see the appeal of this world.

“I’m guessing Cassian never talked about me,” Bix said, strolling casually beside Esso.

“He’d get snippy when I asked about you or Bee. Melshi told me you left so he could focus on the Rebellion.”

“That’s...true. I could have handled my departure better. Maybe not leave so abruptly. I knew he’d want to come with me, but that wasn't his destiny. The Rebellion needed him more than ever and he was on the verge of quitting. I didn't want to be the reason he left it all behind, so I left first." She dropped her head for a moment, there was a brief moisture in her eyes, but it was gone with a few blinks. "I truly believed that one day I’d find him here on my doorstep and we could start our life together.”

“I don’t think anyone could have predicted Scarif,” Esso said. “Our path there wasn’t exactly linear. One moment we were on Jeddha defending ourselves from Imperials and Partisans. The next, we were on an annoyingly rainy planet and running from our own X-wings. Then we were on Scarif to get the Death Star plans where I actually got to shoot stormtroopers with a blaster - very fun by the way. Last time I saw Cassian…he was alive.”

“What happened to you?”

Cassian’s voice crackled through the comm. “Kay?”

High-powered blaster bolts sear into Kay’s chassis. 

“Climb…Climb…” With every blast, more of his system shut down. He is running out of time. “You can still send the plans to the fleet.”

He needs to protect Cassian. That's all that matters. "If they open the shield gate you can broadcast from the tower.”

Cassian calls out his name. He sounds scared.  “Kay!”

Maybe he’ll get out alive. If not…maybe the message will survive…they’ll have saved the galaxy. That would be nice. " Locking the vault door now.” Kay slams both fists into the control panel.

“Goodbye.”

“Kay!”

Esso flinched. “We...were able to infiltrate the data vault on Scarif. I was at the command station directing Cassian and Jyn Erso through the vault. Stormtroopers came in and found me. I was able to lock the vault behind them before the stormtroopers made scrap metal out of me.”

“He was alive when you last saw him?”

“Kay!”

Cassian does care...

“Yes. When Smee rescued me from Scarif, I looked into what happened after that. I’m sure you did too.”

“The Death Star killed everyone left on the planet’s surface.” Bix’s voice was quiet, even after a decade it was clear that fact still hurt.

“He was gone...And then a farm boy takes all the credit for blowing the Death Star up. I saw no mention of Cassian anywhere , but that little blonde pipsqueak was all over the holonet .”

Bix gazed up at Esso. “The ‘farm boy’ is actually a total sweetheart. I’ve met him a few times.”

“I’ve seen the holos of him. I am not impressed. Cassian could’ve easily taken him in a fight.”

Esso decided the amused glance Bix threw his way was because she agreed with him. 

“Well, look at that.” She nodded towards the house. “I guess Bee couldn’t wait for you to arrive.”

A small, bright red droid with a large, glassy lens and whirring treads zoomed down the path towards Esso and Bix. 

“W-w-welcome! I’m Bee!” B2EMO said. His head did two full spins and his midsection expanded and lowered in a little bounce. “Y-you’re K-2SO! You knew Cassian! I’m h-happy to meet you!”

And here I thought the Order of the Broken Cog was adorable. This may be the cutest droid I have ever seen.

He knelt down to Bee’s level. “Hello, Bee. Call me Esso.”

“E-Esso! D-do you want to see our farm? Do you want to ch-charge on m-my station? My oil tub is sm-small, but you can sit in it!”

“I will...accept a charge.” 

“F-follow me!” 

Bee zoomed ahead while Esso and Bix walked behind. 

In a softer voice, Esso asked, “Did Bee leave Cassian too?”

Bix shook her head. “No, we had to leave Bee behind when the Empire tracked us here. It was too dangerous to take him off-world into an active Rebellion. When Cassian came to rescue us, Cass never got a chance to see him. I can't imagine how painful that was for him. He never talked about it.”

Well, one mystery was solved. It was abundantly clear why Cassian didn’t want to talk about Bee. Leaving this little droid behind must have been devastating. 

The homestead was a wide, circular building. A mixed media of metal and wood, not refined but sturdy. There was a metal ladder and slide in the front yard. Flowers and vegetables in a low fenced garden. Plastic clone troopers and string and stick games scattered over a swinging bench on the patio.

A child lives here, too.

Bee led them into the house that reminded Esso of where Cassian, Melshi, and Esso lived. Bix must have done the decorating on Yavin then. The same style of hanging plants, earthen wares and crochet designs on the walls. There was a framed picture of an older human woman with a shock of white hair and a proud look on her face. 

Bee zipped over to a Bee-sized charging station. “Here you go!” 

Charging stations were a social offering for droids. Even though Esso had plenty of reserves, it felt good to be fully charged. Each station had it's own charm, flow of charge, and "flavor" to put it in human terms.

Esso loomed over the small square station built perfectly for B2EMO and no one else. "This is...cozy."

After a few wobbly attempts at crouching in the charging station he resigned to sit beside it, taking out his charging cable and hooking it up on the side panel. The charge flowed at a slow and steady rate, not a "spicy" spark like Smee's charging stations. It felt like what he'd imagine a cool drink of water felt like to a human. Esso "sipped" the energy politely.

"This is lovely. Thank you, Bee."

This seemed to please Bee as noted by the three spins his head did before turning to Bix. “B-Bix, when w-will Kassa come back?”

Bix went to the kitchen, heating up water in a kettle. “He’s out with Wil Junior. I’m sure he’ll be back for dinner.”

“Who is Kassa?”

“My son,” Bix said, pulling out a jar of loose tea leaves.

“He’s named after C-c-Cassian!”

“Kassa is named after Cassian?” Esso tilted his head. “I don’t follow.”

“Cassian’s name was Kassa before he was with us on Ferrix," Bix clarified. "Maarva and Clem Andor adopted him.”

“I a-adopted him, too,” Bee said. “W-we were scavenging a crashed vessel on Kenari. The air was p-poisonous and deadly to adult humans, but Kassa was living there with a group of younglings on their own. The y-younglings had k-killed some science officers before we got there. We c-could only take Kassa b-before the authorities came and wiped the rest of the younglings out.”

This was a whirl of information, brand new to Esso. Cassian, of course, never talked about his childhood either.

“What was Cassian like as a kid?”

“F-fun! We would play games. Tag and hide and s-seek. I w-was his lookout when he would get flowers for Bix and j-jewelry for Maarva. M-Maarva sometimes made him give the jewelry back.”

“Because the jewelry was stolen from tourists, and my flowers were usually from the neighbor’s garden,” Bix's smirk was laced with fondness. She sat at a nearby table, sipping her tea.

“H-he liked to go on adventures. He would be gone for days, but wh-when he came back, he’d have stories, or treasures for us. He n-never let me go with him. T-too dangerous, he said, b-but I helped cover for him when he needed to leave.”

“He never did want to stay put for long,” Bix said. 

“W-what sort of adventures did you have with him?” Bee asked. 

Adventures…

It was not a word Esso would use for what he and Cassian did. Unsanctioned missions, perhaps. Secret runs for Luthen that angered Craven, definitely. But adventures? 

Yes, yes they did have adventures together. Cassian took Esso everywhere. He and Melshi could have done just fine without him, but Cassian wanted him there. Perhaps...just maybe...Esso was focusing on the wrong memories when he thought of their missions and errands and mischief they got up to in the galaxy.

Cassian took K-2SO on adventures.  

“We had a lot of adventures. Stealing X-wings from Kuat. Disrupting the way points to kriff up Imperial hyperspace lanes, rescue missions, feats of sabotage, and a lot of thievery…all for the sake of the Rebellion, of course.”

“W-wow…” Bee said.

“Wow, indeed.” Esso sat up a little straighter, resting his hands on his knees. “On our off-time we played a lot of Rianza - 864 games in total, to be exact.”

“Make sure he doesn’t see my tiles.” Cassian says, grabbing another drink.

Esso rolls his lenses. “I, unlike you, have never cheated” This was a lie and Cassian is very terrible at hiding his tiles when he is tipsy on revnog.

Cassian laughs, his dimples deepening. Melshi’s cheeks scrunch when he laughs.

Esso felt the fulcrum of his servos ease at the memory. As if the data soothed him like an oil bath. He realized just then that he missed Melshi, too.

When Cassian was distant, Melshi was always there with an apology and an explanation. Esso probably learned more of Cassian through Melshi than the human directly. It was a kindness he didn't need to extend to a droid.

And stars, when Cassian was in a good mood, it was like the whole room lit up with an electrifying energy that made Esso feel like the three of them could take on the whole Empire themselves.

That was Cassian's power, making others feel invincible.

“I taught Cassian how to play Rianza,” Bix said with a mischievous grin. “And he taught me how to cheat at Rianza.”

“He taught me how to cheat as well, though it was more observation education than actual instruction.”

Bix laughed into her tea. “It sounds like you two were close.”

Esso lowered his head. “I don’t know if we were. I knew nothing about him. He never spoke of you, or Bee, or where he was from. He told Melshi, but…never me.”

Bee rolled forward slowly until his tread nudged Esso’s knee. “C-Cassian had a lot of secrets. More than the secrets I kept for him. H-he hid things from Maarva and Clem and Bix and Brasso and…”

“He had his reasons,” Bix said, gently. “Drove us crazy, but him being aloof didn’t mean he didn’t love us or you. He survived on a poisonous planet that killed his parents when he was six years old. He was taken off-world and left a sister behind. A sister he saw again. Before he was ten years old, he had lost his family twice. By the time I met him, I think he was just waiting for everyone to leave him again. So he would leave first. Always...though he would always come back to us.”

Esso listened to Bix’s explanation. The whole spectrum of human emotion was a lot of variable data to process, but the concepts were fairly clear: Cassian had observed a pattern of consistent loss. Loss equals pain. How does one reduce pain when Loss seems inevitable? Reduce the number of important people in your life to lose. Cassian wasn't very successful at achieving this solution.

“I miss him,” Esso found himself saying.

Bix’s brow knit. She rose from the table and sat on the floor beside Esso and Bee, putting a hand on Esso's shoulder and another on Bee’s head. “It must have felt very recent to you.”

“It’s been ten years for you, but it feels like he died a few weeks ago.”

“I’m so sorry, Esso.”

“Do you…truly think he did care about me?”

“C-Cassian only plays Rianza with those he loves," Bee said. "H-he would hide tiles when Grist and Keegar wanted to p-play.”

Bix smirked. “He’d pretend to eat the dice, too. I think you have 864 reasons to believe he loved you in his own way.”

Esso bowed his head. “Thank you.”

The sound of leather-padded shoes clopped against dirt outside. 

“K-Kassa!” Bee did a little spin and zoomed towards the front door. 

A dark-haired boy of ten years old burst through the door wearing a yellow tunic, a brown vest two-sizes too big, brown pants, and a beaded necklace. His dark hair was fluffy and curled, dark eyes sparkling, and his smile produced deep dimples as he greeted Bee. “Bee! Bee! Guess what?” Kassa  knelt down and pressed his cheek against Bee’s metal head. “I won my first huttball game!”

“D-did you u-use your elbows like Wilmon suggested?”

“I sure did! I did this!” Kassa jumped up and swung his elbows wildly. 

“I hope you didn’t actually hurt anyone with those wild elbows,” Bix raised an amused, but stern eyebrow. 

“No, ma,” Kassa smiled sheepishly. “I just…bumped them, like this.” Kassa swung his elbows...less wildly this time.

“Uh huh.”

Esso watched the exchange, sitting perfectly still. The simplest biology was that two humans could produce a third, tinier human, and that human would look like a combination of the two. He had seen plenty of Imperial children exercise nepotism up the ranks, and it was always easy to recognize who was related to who. 

It didn’t take a geneticist to see that Kassa wasn't just Bix's son.

“Oh, Cassian’s son.”

Bix drew her knees up to sit beside Esso, leaning her head against his shoulder. “He really is. Through and through.”

“Whoa!” Kassa gasped when he noticed the droid charging beside Bee’s station. “Are you an Imperial droid? With an Architect body? Are those assassin droid legs? Do you have arms in your backpack? Are you an assassin? Are you living here now? Can you stay?”

Esso took a moment to prioritize the rapid fire questions:

“Yes, I was an Imperial Droid. When my head was recovered, I was given an architect's body. Yes, these are Separatist-era assassin legs. My arms in my back are quite dangerous. I will extend them when we are outside. I am not an assassin. I am not living here now.”

“Y-you could!” Bee said. “You could stay with us! You are family!”

Esso tilted his head towards Bee, then looked up at Bix waiting for the human to make an excuse for him not to stay. 

She didn’t.

She only smiled and shrugged her shoulders encouragingly.

I’m family? This could be my family? Is that what I want?

The statistical data quantifying if this was a “good idea” or a "bad idea" was inconclusive at the moment.

“How did you meet my dad?”

Esso shook himself from the conflict.

“I tried to kill him on Ghorman and his Rebel friends hit me with an Imperial Riot Tank. Cassian decided to take my body home with him.”

Kassa’s eyes went big. Then he burst out into laughter. “That’s so wizard!”

“It did not feel wizard at the time, but it worked out rather nicely.”

“Esso was part of the Rogue One crew,” Bix said.

“He was?!" Kassa's eyes went as round as Jukebox's lens. "You’re the reason the Rebellion got the Death Star plans to blow it up! Did you ever meet Luke Skywalker? He’s a Jedi Master. He’s really nice. He let me hold his lightsaber for a second.”

Esso resisted rolling his eyes at the small human. “Yes, I was part of Rogue One's crew. No, I have not met that farm boy nor do I care to. That is very nice of him to let you hold his laser sword.”

“Esso is a pirate now. Is that right?”

Kassa scooted closer, leaning on Bee. “What’s that like?”

“I’m the First Mate on the Onyx Cinder . We are a crew made up of ten droids. We only just started, but…it has been an adventure so far.”

“Wh-what sort of Adventures?” Bee asked.

“Yes! Tell us!” Kassa urged.

“Well…have you ever heard of the Purple Pufferpig of Putrem the Hutt?”

Esso recounted the entire story of Putrem the Hutt’s legendary treasure. He told of the vault, the ensuing battle with the weequay pirates, the encounter with the Order of the Broken Cog, and the torture-droid-turned-medic that saved their captain’s life.

Bix scooted around to sit beside Kassa and Bee to listen to the story. The three of them sat on the floor, specifically because this was where Esso was charging himself. The humans could have easily sat in the chairs nearby. It was...nice of them to do this. They seemed to hang on Esso's every word. It was...very  nice.

Bee let out an alarmed beep when the tale revealed its first weequay pirates.

Kassa let out a gasp when Esso told of his devastating fall several levels through the Jesh mines. 

Bix and Kassa clapped when Jukebox saved Smee's life, and as they applauded, the calculation of whether staying with this family was a "good idea" began to shift dramatically.

The ratio was now 50/50. 

Esso could live with Cassian’s family. A family that accepted him and saw him as Cassian’s droid as much as Bee. They would care for him and he could learn what it was like to live a peaceful life.

On the other hand, Smee and Jukebox and the Static's mice droids were waiting for him on the Onyx Cinder, promising him a life of utter chaos and unpredictable maelstrom...and adventure. Adventure that had almost killed him a few times already.

Peace or Chaos.

Cassian had this very choice made for him, but Esso truly could choose where his destiny would take him.

“Bix…would you really let me stay?”

“Like Bee said. You’re family. Family takes care of each other.”

Kassa gasped. “We could show you everything ! How to play huttball. How to farm. I’m growing lettuce and tomatoes. I can show you how big they’re getting!”

It sounded perfect. 

But Smee is waiting for me...

“...The Onyx Cinder is waiting outside and it’s getting dark. I should talk to my crew.”

“Do you want us to walk with you?” Bix asked. 

“I want to see the Onyx Cinder! ” Kassa insisted.

“M-me too!”

“Well,” Esso said, dryly. “If I said no I think these two would follow me anyway.”

“W-we would!” Bee bounced playfully.

***

Esso was quiet on the walk back to the Onyx Cinder while Bee and Kassa raced down the dirt path. 

Esso and Smee’s foreheads touch. "I don't want to do any of this without you either..."

There is a magnetism between the two droids despite no literal polarity existing. Esso doesn’t want to pull away. 

Smee doesn’t seem to want to either.

It would be safer for Esso to stay on Mina-Rau. He could bond with Cassian’s family, be an actual part of it. It was an easy choice to make, wasn't it?

Besides, hadn’t Smee given Esso every reason to cut him and the crew loose?

…Was he going to let it pass him by?

The Onyx Cinder's ramp lowered and Smee ambled down to greet Kassa and Bee. “Hello to ye! And who might ye be?”

“I’m Kassa Andor! This is Bee. Who are you?” Kassa marveled.

Esso felt his core temperature warm a few degrees as Smee lowered himself into a polite bow. “I be Captain SM-33 of the Onyx Cinder, Kassa Andor. Bee, will ye be joinin’ our crew of droids and adventure?”

Bee rolled slightly backwards. “Oh n-no thank you. W-we just want a tour of your ship.”

Esso tilted his head in amusement. Smee did the same, his lens flicking to Esso's.

“Ah, that be a shame. A scavenger droid is always a welcome addition to any fine droid pirate crew. Jukebox! Will ye show these youngin’s around?”

Jukebox floated into view. “Oh! Guests! Yes! Yes, I can do that. Do you want to see the armory?”

“The safer parts of the ship, please,” Bix warned. 

“Show them the common area and the workshop,” Esso suggested. 

“We have a Djarik table. None of us know how to use it, though,” Jukebox admitted.

“I can show you how to play!” Kassa chirped and the three of them disappeared into the ship. Esso could hear Kassa faintly say, “whoa, mouse droids!”

Smee walked down the ramp. “We got a ‘No Humanoid’ policy on our crew, Mrs. Andor, but it seems we have no choice but to recruit young Kassa Andor after all, aye?”

Bix laughed. “I’m sure he’d love that. He loves droids, pirates, and flying. He would fit right in.”

Not wanting to delay this any longer, Esso came right out and said, “Bix and Bee offered to let me stay with them.”

There was no surprise in Smee’s answer. Of course, there wasn't. “Aye? And what did ye say to that.”

His choice. His freedom to choose. Smee would accept his answer because it's the sort of friend he is. 

So why did choosing peace and quiet of Mina-Rau make Esso's circuits spark painfully?

Who will keep Jukebox in line? Who will look after Static and her mice? Who will keep Smee sane with nine other droids running amok on the ship?

Who would…press his forehead against mine when I need him. 

When he needs me?

Esso turned to Bix. “Unfortunately, I am the First Mate of the Onyx Cinder. I have a duty and privilege to be on this crew. But…” He lowered his head. “May…I come back to visit?”

Bix took Esso’s hand and while he couldn’t feel her squeeze it, per se, he noticed the tendons in her hands shift with the effort. “We would love for you to visit us, Esso. Anytime you need, as often as you want. We’re here for you...and your crew, too.”

“Aye?” Smee’s head bobbed, clearly pleased.

Jukebox peeked out. “Did she say we can visit, too?” 

Kassa was holding one of Jukebox’s arms, mouse droids gathering around his feet, and Static was perched on his shoulder. “I want them all to visit, ma!”

“Of course ,” Bix said. She gave Esso a hug. “You be careful out there, but not too careful. We want you to bring us some amazing tales of adventure when you see us again.”

Esso carefully wrapped his arms around Bix, unsure how much pressure is required, but definitely didn’t want to crush her. “Can I…still be family?”

“What?! Yes! Family doesn't fall apart because you’re not always here, Esso. You’re an Andor. Plain and simple.”

Now he really needed to make sure he didn’t crush Bix with a grateful hug. “I would like that very much, though I am not calling you 'ma'.”

“Be weird if you did,” Bix winked. She looked over at Smee. “You keep our Esso safe, okay?”

Smee gave a salute. “Aye, ma’am. Safer than pufferpig in a bantha-wool blanket.”

Kassa gave Esso a hug next. “Can’t wait to see you again, Esso!” 

“Agreed, Kassa. Oh and I forgot to show you this…” Two arms burst out of Esso’s back, whirring and pinching at the air. "Behold, my combat arms."

Kassa jumped! Then laughed hysterically. “Ma, I want arms like that. Can I be a cyborg?”

Bix smirked. “Not until you’re an adult.” 

Esso knelt down in front of Bee last. Bee rolled forward until he pressed his head against Esso’s chest. “I’m glad I met y-you, Esso. Th-thank you for b-being a f-friend to Cassian.”

Esso pressed his forehead against Bee’s. “I’m glad to have met you too, Bee. You helped...calibrate my memories of Cassian. It feels much better.”

“Y-you promise to come back?”

“B2EMO, I promise you, I am coming back. And I will keep coming back.” Esso raised his head to gaze into that round glassy lens. “And if you do want to join us one day. We’d be happy to have you.”

It wasn’t a joke. One day this mortal Andor family may not be here anymore. Bee would need a home, too. Esso would make sure Bee always had one.

“I-I c-could be a pirate?”

“If a mouse droid can be, so can you.”

“Th-thank you.”

Smee waited at the top of the ramp for Esso and it felt… right to join him knowing Andor’s family - his family - would be here on Mina-Rau waiting for him. He didn’t need this family for survival. He didn’t depend on them. He was just happy they were there.

It was Smee that helped him understand the difference.

Esso waved goodbye to his family until the ramp closed. 

Smee put a hand on his shoulder. “Glad ye came back, Esso.”

Esso rolled his lenses. “Promise me that’s the last time you try to offer me an opportunity to leave. You’re not getting rid of me and that’s final.”

His captain’s answer came in the form of a rough hug, their metal foreheads clanking together noisily. His arms wrapped tight around Esso. The force would have crushed a human to death, but it felt solidifying to a droid like Esso.

He hugged Smee back. 

“No more opportunities,” Smee promised. “We’re yer crew and we ain’t goin’ nowhere without ye. I’m not doing this without ye.”

Esso wrapped all four of his arms around Smee - being very careful with his saw appendage. “I’m holding you to that, Captain.”

Four spindly arms wormed their way around Esso’s head and neck. “I’m not doing this with you either, Esso!”

With a huff, Esso said, "Yes, yes, thank you, Jukebox."

The gentle bumps of a great many mouse droids clanked against his ankles. 

“Us either!”

“You’re the First Mate!”

“We want to be with you!”

“You’re so wizard!”

Static leapt onto Esso's shoulder and bonked her head hard against Esso with affection. 

“This was not supposed to be a group hug,” Esso said, dryly.

Smee shrugged his massive shoulders, then let Esso go. “Alright, that’s enough softness! We’re pirates, ain’t we? Let's get to piratin'! Next stop - Port Borgo.”

Esso asserted himself beside his captain. “You heard your captain. We have credits to spend, oil baths to soak in, and a quest to find new leads for our next hunt. Off you go!”

The droids all scurried off to their assigned stations to prepare for a trip through hyperspace. 

“Yer a fine First Mate, Esso,” Smee said as they walked to the cockpit. 

“Better than you were?” Esso asked, sitting in the co-pilot’s chair.

“Hah! Not yet, but ye’ll get there. Ye got all the time in the galaxy to work on that.”

The Onyx Cinder lunged into hyperspace, and as the stars smeared pale streaks against the oily black space, Esso’s gaze was only on Smee. His Captain, his friend, his rescuer…his guidance system to a better life.

And in that moment, K-2SO truly understood what it meant to be free.

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