Please note that all standard disclaimers apply.
Back in the Game
by Lee Davis and Duann Cowart
Email: bud@frontiernet.net
Part Two : The Pad
"But tell me how this Darklighter knows me!" Rancer exclaimed through clenched teeth as he loomed over the
spaceport information kiosk.
Rancer had been able to find out that the fellow who recommended him was named Huff Darklighter. At least, that was
the guy who was listed as Biggs Darklighter's father. He was also able to find out that Huff was somewhat of an
intergalactic trader of just about anything. There was an address given but he didn't really want to go knocking on a door
he hadn't been invited to.
Thinking that was about all the information he was going to get at the kiosk terminal, Rancer slung his new duffle bag of
clothes and amenities over his shoulder and headed for his ship. He wanted to give it a good look over before tomorrow.
As he approached his ship, he noticed a Twi’lek looking it over, and immediately regretted putting his carbine in his
duffle bag. The Twi’lek wore the yellow gold sash and red loin cloth of a Twi’lek warrior, and of course the weapons to
go with it. Rancer loosened his blaster pistol in it’s holster and left his hand on the pommel.
The Twi’lek noticed Rancer long before he got to the ship and waited for him. He stopped about ten feet away as the
Twi’lek met his gaze.
The Twi’lek smiled, exposing his pointy, fang-like teeth. "Helloo, my name iss Bon-Do. You arrre Rrrancerrr?"
Rancer didn't like this. Every one knew him here and he didn't know anybody!
Well, no sense sweating in my new duds, Rancer thought to himself.
"Yea, I'm Rancer. What can I do for ya?"
The Twi’lek grinned even larger and hissed in an unusual accent. "Bon-Do hearsss you have misssion to essscorrrt and
payss welll. You need partnerrr?"
Rancer was already shaking his head. "Sorry Bon-Do. This is a one pilot job - my clients can barley afford to pay my
docking fees as it is. Maybe next time."
The Twi’lek clicked his long black claws against the side of Rancers Y-wing, and let go a brief disappointed hiss, "Tooo
bad they arrre short on cashhh. Spaccce isss very dangerousss thessse daysss".
Bon-Do let his claws scrape down the side of Rancer’s ship as he slowly moved away.
Rancer watched him walk away until he was inside the spaceport. Man, this place is not very nice, Rancer
thought. I'm gonna have to watch out for that guy.
**********
He looked at the new ion engines that were sitting where the rear turret used to be on his Y-wing.
"I hope you guys are worth the credits I put into ya. I may need some speed tomorrow," Rancner said to himself. He had
managed to get a mechanic to rig two old Z-95 ion engines to his ship when he was on Coruscant. It took most of his
profits from the past three months, but so far it had been worth it. The engines didn't run on any internal systems at all -
they were strictly for speed. Y-wings had become out-classed in the past few years. Rancer hoped the boost of speed,
combined with the durability of a Y-wing, would make him a little more formidable. He had replaced the proton torpedo
launchers with concussion missile racks and had eight of the ten racks full.
Rancer was just envisioning a concussion missile zipping through space when he felt a little tug on his pant leg. Half
startled and half surprised to be alive, Rancer looked down into two huge blue orbs on the face of a happily grinning,
little blond, pigtailed girl.
Rancer gauked.
"Ip!" the thing exclaimed. "Ip! Uba, Uba!"
Rancer immediately looked around for some sort of trap. Nothing happened; no stun beams or blaster bolts slammed
into him. This had to be some sort of a trick. Nothing had snuck up on him since he was a kid - especially not a little girl.
Besides, what would a little girl be doing in the middle of a launching pad?
Then he heard the faint yell on the breeze. The sound of terror in the yell was easy to discern - the terror of a mother
who can't find her child. Waves of relief washed over him, and he looked down at the child and smiled.
"C'mon, rug rat, let's go see mommy." He scooped up the giggling little girl and began to make his way to the sounds of
the frantic woman. It was then that he noticed the woman was over by that old space plane he had noticed earlier. It
took Rancer a few minutes to walk all the way to the space plane, but Mother spotted
him and the blond giggle box perched on his shoulder long before he got there. She met him a little less than half way to
the space plane panting and holding her arms out.
"Thann...thank...thank you," she said, gasping for air. "She wanted... to see... the ship". Rancer was shocked when Mom
turned out to have flame red hair. In fact he was shocked to see anybody this respectable looking around here. The
young lady looked to be in her late twenties and was dressed like the female version of Pate Forn. On a hunch Rancer
checked the launching pad number of the old space plane. Sure enough, it was pad #17.
The young lady smiled at Rancer, blinking emerald eyes in the harsh sun light, "Thank you so much. I've been looking
every where for her."
Rancer smiled, "Not a problem ma'am. You should be more careful, though. This is not a very safe place for little girls."
Red hair flashed in front of Rancer’s face like a flaming sword and green eyes locked onto him, screaming like an R2 unit
with a missile lock.
Uh oh, wrong thing to say, Rancer thought, just too late.
"I am aware of my environment, sir. And this little girl can take care of herself just fine. Thank you for your help
and good day!"
Rancer grimaced as the red head turned with a swoosh of hair and hustled the little girl toward the space plane. He
caught a glimpse of a hold-out blaster strapped to her leg through the slit in her skirt.
Man, she was not kidding, he thought.
"Hey!" Rancer yelled. "Wait a minute!"
The red hair whooshed again, framing those green eyes like a portrait.
"I didn't mean you," Rancer said, as he noticed her hand drift dangerously close to where he thought he had seen the
hold-out blaster. He had done it again - open mouth, insert foot. Time to back peddle. The green eyes were still glaring
at him.
"My name is Rancer Muldoon. I'm gonna be escorting you folks to Churba."
Confusion flittered across the young lady's face for just a split second. She swooped down to snatch up the little girl who
had begun to wander again.
That’s a lot of hair, Rancer thought.
A little softer this time, the young lady replied, "My name is Kateri and this is Rita. Pate said he was going to hire a
fighter pilot to escort us there. Do you think there will be any trouble?"
Rancer, relieved to be out from under the glare of those turbolaser eyes replied, "I doubt it. But it's always good to play
it safe just in case."
Kateri, not sure what more to say smiled, "Thanks again for helping me to find Rita."
"Sure, no problem. I didn't mean to insult you with the ‘little girl’ comment. I'm sure you can take care of yourself and
then some."
Kateri thought about the last raid from the Sand People and the gaffi wound her older brother had taken before she could
get to her laser rifle. "Well, life in the Jundland wastes is not easy. We all can't wait to get off this sand heap."
Rancer was not good at small talk and his repetoir was beginning to run out. "Well I'll try and get you to Churba in one
piece," he said with a confident smile. Kateri picked up on the closing tone in Rancer’s voice and answered with a smile.
"We'll see you in the morning, Mr. Muldoon. Say bye-bye, Rita." Rita hid in the folds of Kateri’s skirt and smiled with a
blush. Seeing Rita was not going to speak, Kateri ushered her towards the space plane and gave a polite wave to Rancer.
Well, I don't think she hates me, Rancer thought. I almost pissed her off real good, though. Man! Why do I
say such stupid things!
Walking back to his ship, Rancer thought about turning around and asking Kateri if she knew anything about Huff
Darklighter, but figured he had better leave it alone. He had caused enough trouble for one day.
**********
Kateri was admonishing herself as she walked back to the space plane.
“He was just trying to be nice," she said to herself. "And here you go snapping at him. This place must really be getting
to me."
Kateri brushed her hand against the hold-out blaster under her skirt that she had worn ever since that Tusken Raider had
nearly killed her brother in the last raid. She stoped for just a second and looked back at the casual looking pilot. She
thought about inviting Mr.Muldoon to their farewell party to take some of the sting out of her words, but then she
thought, with a smile creeping onto her face, He looks like he can take care of himself. Besides, Pate would
have invited him if it was appropriate.
Kateri was turning back towards the space liner when another ship lifted off from a nearby launch pad, catching her
attention. Looks like every one is trying to get out of here, she thought.
**********
Rancer watched as the Imperial shuttle thrummed it’s way toward space, wishing he had a ship that size. At least he
could hang a hammock in it. "Speaking of hammocks," Rancer said to himself. "I need some sleep!"
Continue . . .
Back to the Fanfic Index
