16.   Scarlett.

 

Attentively, I listen to Ele’s story of her commerce filled night.  I’m happy to hear that our bill has been paid and the meals have been arranged for.  I’m worried, however, about some of the things she says and even more about things she doesn’t say.  Ele obviously needs some rest!  When she suggests that I do some sightseeing on my own, I agree immediately and wander out into the city.  Though it’s only morning, the light breeze is uncomfortably hot.  The streets are filled with creatures of all possible sorts; most seem to be higher life forms.  Many creatures are in chains.  I walk for hours around the strange city.  Not once do I see anyone even vaguely female that is not fettered.  As I walk, during several instances I feel like I’m being followed.  Perhaps it’s my adventure clothes, I think.  I knew I should’ve changed.  It might be somewhat uncommon to see a young woman, such as I, here on Tatuine, walking free.  I’m a somewhat buxom, twenty-year old, athletic girl who stands 5-feet-7-inches in height and weighs about 130 pounds. I’ve blue eyes and bright red, shoulder length hair.  However, it’s even more likely that it’s my attire that’s causing attention.  I’m wearing my usual travelling clothes – black, tight fitting leather leggings tucked into reddish-brown calf-high boots, and a loose crimson tunic covered by a silver chain mail.  I’m right-handed, so I’m wearing my saber with its jeweled hilt on my left hip.  Rather incongruous on a world with a spaceport.

 

By the time I’m back to the spaceport’s vicinity, I’m sure I’m being followed.  I’m also sure that I’m hot, and hungry.  I decide to take a meal across the street from the inn, per arrangements made by my cousin.  I walk in and take a seat at a corner table.  The ‘fat and ugly’ nods, obviously recognizing me from seeing me in the room the night before.  I’m brought a bowl of strange tasting stew and some really foul water, which makes me wonder where our good stuff went.  I’m only halfway through my meal when two – males, I think – enter the bar.  One of them is encased entirely in a silver suit lined with various hoses and devices.  His face is not visible.  The other one – it’s not pretty – he looks like a giant rat.  Their stares make me nervous and I decide to leave, but as I walk toward the exit the rat-face moves past and behind me.  Suddenly the silver one steps in front of me, pulling out what’s apparently some sort of an energy projector weapon, and pointing at me while the rat-face puts his hands on my shoulders from behind.

 

In a flash, my saber’s in my hand.  It slashes quickly, quietly, surely through the silver-suited one’s wrist, and he drops the weapon unused.  It also slashes through one of the hoses running from tubes on his back  to his head covering.  For some strange reason he starts worrying about the hose instead of me.  My left hand, formed into a fist, flashes upward and backwards catching the rat-face on the nose.  He lands on the floor sprawled on his back.  I wheel and, just as he recovers and is reaching for his energy projector weapon, the tip of my saber touches his chest, where a human heart would be.  The rat-face drops the weapon, and holds his prehensile paws above his head, open.  I pick up both weapons and walk quickly out of the bar.

 

Back on the street, I sheath my saber, giggling, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.  My, I bet Uncle Bleys would be proud of me now.  Then I realize that I’ve brought unwanted attention to Ele and Leta, and wonder if Bubba the Gut will hear of this.  I giggle again.  I love the adventure that I’ve begun.  I walk back into our room, careful not to disturb my sleeping cousin. I sit on the bed’s edge and quietly drink some of our good water.  I think there’ll be more adventure soon!

BACK               HOME               TABLE OF CONTENTS            NEXT