Chapter Twenty The Dust Bowl
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Dust Bowl
Tatooine was no one’s vacation destination.
First off, the sand went everywhere.
I had learned to wear a shawl over my uniform on the planet because if not I’d have to run my clothes through the wash three times just to get all the dirt off, not to mention all the crevices where the sand hid on me.
I still sometimes felt the grit between my teeth from the one time Dad got us lost in a sandstorm coming back from a moisture farm, and I rued that day.
Ever since then, when we had to stop on Tatooine, we kept the tour short, to a market day in Mos Espa and then a taxi out to a nearby moisture farm, where Dad would tell the story of young Luke Skywalker and his exploits in blowing up the first Death Star and trying to bring back the Jedi Order—a story most everyone knew.
Most of the guests signed up for the excursion, except for a family who found Mos Espa to be a little too dangerous (though perhaps that was because the family was wanted by one of the factions ruling the city—I didn’t judge).
Because there was never a good place to drift in orbit and Dad had a friend down in Mos Espa’s spaceport who gave him a good docking spot, the Starfarer broke through the atmosphere and landed on the same dusty landing pad we had for the past ten years, and the same mechanics came out to refuel the ship.
The boarding ramp lowered with a clank, and guests wandered out into the port.
Maeve stayed behind with Telly, because they’d rather watch a fathier race, while Daaric and Kotti split off to find a good deal on a new long-range communicator for the lander.
From what I gathered, Dad was still intent on leaving it here until we came back around in a few weeks, when Dad put Tatooine on the itinerary again.
Kotti inclined her head. “Wanna come with?”
“Eh, I think I’m going to stay back,” I lied, folding my shawl around my shoulders. I had a stowaway to see off.
Kotti hesitated. “Are you sure? You’ve been really distant lately. Ever since Coruscant.”
I bumped my shoulder against hers. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind.”
“Want to talk about it later? A girls’ night after dinner?” she asked.
“I would love that,” I replied, because a moment of normalcy sounded intoxicating.
“Good. I’ll see you when we get back!” She set off with Daaric toward the markets, counting off on her fingers the list of things she wanted to find.
I was so caught up with Kotti, I almost didn’t notice Val slipping off in the opposite direction.
Where was he going? After last night, I didn’t trust him—but evidently he sure didn’t trust me, either.
I needed to make sure he stayed away long enough for me to get Sian off the ship.
I caught VB-35 by the arm as the droid shuffled back up the ramp with N2-0. “Can you two do something for me?”
The droid turned to me, white eyes flickering apprehensively. “Depends.”
“Could you follow my brother?”
“Oh, does he need help shopping—”
“No, quietly.”
Veebee caught on quickly. Her eyes flickered again. “You know I am not a sneaky droid.”
“You don’t have to sneak. You can just…follow, right? I would,” I added, a little quieter, “but I have to see a man about a stowaway.”
“Captain Quay does not like Entoo and me to leave the ship on Tatooine. Plenty of droids have gone missing here, and as you know, I am a prized possession—”
“I’ll get you whatever ingredient you want. Name it.”
Vee didn’t even have to think. “Dried woodoo gizzard.”
I stared at her.
“You said whatever.”
I huffed. “Fine.”
“Great. Come on, Entoo,” she said, turning around to go back down the ramp. N2-0 blooped unsurely. “We’ll be fine. I need to get some spices anyway, after someone knocked them all over.”
The droids ambled off in Val’s direction. They’d be fine, and if anything happened, I was sure Val would be close enough to help them. He would help them. He was still Val.
As I waited for everyone else to leave the port, I found myself picking at my cuticles.
Why was I so nervous? It was nonsense. Everything was fine.
I would smuggle him out, and no one would be any wiser.
So once everyone was gone, I went to the back of the ship, where a crate had been loaded out for new supplies, and pulled the tarp off a short box. It chirped as I pulled open the lid.
Noola jumped out first, and Sian pulled himself up out of the empty crate. “That was much preferable to those pickled whatever-they-weres,” he said. “So I take it you’re my farewell party?”
“Sorry, stowaways don’t get that add-on.”
He laughed and climbed out of the crate.
He’d taken one last shower, and his hair was pushed back from his face and still damp from the wash, smelling sweet from the ship’s complimentary shampoo.
His clothes were freshly laundered and gently pressed, though his gray jacket was still regrettably torn. I hadn’t gotten the chance to darn it.
It didn’t matter now.
I saw him out of the docking port and into the busy streets of Mos Espa. We lingered there for a moment, standing side by side. Then I reached into my pocket and brought out the lightsaber. I’d wrapped it in brown cloth, like a gift.
“Here,” I offered. “As promised.”
Strangely, he hesitated a moment, as if he didn’t want it back, but then he closed the distance between us and gently accepted the relic.
He bent toward me. My heart leapt into my throat.
His lips brushed against my cheek, light and feathery—barely a touch at all, but a kiss nonetheless.
“Thanks, Starlight,” he rumbled, and then eased away from me again, and my stomach burned with the space he created between us.
He put the saber in his pocket, looking as though it was more a burden than anything else.
“Where are you going to go now?” I asked, trying to keep my head on straight.
He gave another one of his infuriating shrugs, though he was grinning as he did.
“I dunno. Guess I’ll have to figure it out.
” He brushed his thumb across my cheek and tucked my hair behind my ear.
“You’re very pretty when you blush.” Then he turned away from me and raised his hand in goodbye. “Be safe.”
By the time I found my tongue to reply, I blurted, “Be safe!” but he was already far enough away that I doubted he’d heard me, and then in a blink he was swallowed by the crowded city, and suddenly my stowaway was gone.