This is a story I wrote and wanted to publish for a while. It's set in the Star Wars universe and you do meet Jedi once, but that is as far as the connection goes. The characters Tina and Mickey are mine, though I acknowledge basing Mickey off a character from a Kelly Armstrong novel.
Star wars does not belong to me (obviously) and I have no claim to the setting of the characters (i.e. technology or planets, though I tried to make the names original).
WARNING: This is a novella that I wrote after breaking up from a long-term abusive relationship, and as such the cast may not always react as expected, mainly because I was not exactly in the best state of mind when I wrote it. I want to publish it now and move on and I would love any comments you would be willing to make, but I would beg you to leave only positive constructive criticisms for now.
"Hey!" a voice called, and I turned. A man was marching across the docks, furious. It took only a glance around to see that I was the target.
"What?" I said, as I went back to looking over my lists. I had settled into the sun by my ship, on a cushion on the ground with all my trade papers and tablets spread in front of me. If he wanted to yell at me, he could do so, but he didn't have to expect that I would listen. I was taking off in twenty minutes after all, and needed to go over the papers.
"I need to talk to you!" he said angrily, striding up to where I was sitting. I didn't look up. I noticed his accent was strange, drawn out like an old-fashioned drawl that you saw in cowboy movies.
"Really? You seem to be doing so already, or is that just me?" I said calmly, which only seemed to anger him further.
"You have my goods on your ship" he snapped through clenched teeth.
"And what goods would that be, then? I have many goods on this ship." I was unconcerned.
There were security cameras in this area; he wouldn't dare lay a finger on me. If he did, I would go to the magistrate.
He didn't answer me, so after a minute I looked up. He was staring at me, like he was trying to figure me out. Then it clicked what goods he thought I had on my ship.
"I'm a legal trader." I snarled. "The magistrate himself signed off on my cargo, its more than my life's worth to transport you goods" I spat the word, and his eyebrows snapped together.
He seemed to be gathering himself up for something, but I turned away again. "Feel free to have a look around" I said, he swore and strode off. Once he was by the ship, I grinned softly, waiting for it.
"Woman!" he called and I ignored him again. "You! I can't get on the ship! Open it up, or I swear I will blast it to pieces" at that I laughed. Standing up, I turned to him, looking at him properly for the first time.
He was dressed simply but elegantly, like a businessman on a holiday. Brown hairs lay tumbled on his head, skin lightly tanned. If I hadn't known he was a drug dealer, I would think he was attractive.
"I said 'look around': not anything about getting on my ship." I challenged, hands on my hips. "And please, do try to shot it- the barracks are just two rooms down the only corridor out of here." He hesitated at that, and then looked around, noting I was right. The place looked like it was a warren, but when you actually got a handle on it, it was remarkably simple. Each landing pod was carved out of the rock off three central passages, and all the rooms on the side were quarters and storage and offices. No back doors here, no sneaking around, and he knew it, and knew that I would have few scruples in calling all the senate soldiers in the barracks.
"Then tell me: do you have my things on your ship?" he asked, as if trying to be nice. I smiled victoriously.
"No." I said, and he threw his hands up in frustration.
"I have grain, rice, fruit and spice onboard" I listed, while he listened carefully. "Some machines I'm transporting to the central market, and a box of personal belongings that the magistrate is paying me to drop at his home planet." This the man zoned in to.
"What's in the box?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I don't look. It's not my business, and that's how I get the good deals: I don't stick my nose in" his eyes narrowed, and I knew he was trying to find a way of getting that box. He stepped up to me, face going from conniving to gracious. I suspected what he was about to do, and I stepped back quickly.
"I don't want you to do that" I said quickly. It would be really bad for my dealings to get enamoured with this man. Connor, my mechanic who I often worked with when I was relaxing, would say I was in a 'hell of a mess' going down that road.
"Really?" the man said his voice smooth and alluring. I tried to tune it out.
"I'm engaged" I gasped, saying the first thing that came to mind. "Please don't try, I'm not the unfaithful type" bullocks I knew, but it might get him to back off. It seemed to work, as he stepped back and looked at me curiously. I refused to be stared at, so I headed back to the papers. Before I sat down, a hand grabbed my shoulder.
In that instant I reacted, grabbing his hand and flinging him over my hip to land on the ground. He was quick enough on his feet to roll and jump up before I could jump on him. He tried to kick my legs out from under me and I struck out, going for his nose. He moved back and in that instant I shot my other arm out and grabbed his outstretched foot, yanking as hard as I could. He landed on the ground with me on his chest, knees on his elbows, and my arm to his throat.
Cold metal tickled the back of my neck, and I turned my head slightly. There was another stranger behind me, gun to my skull. I backed off.
"Well, that was entertaining" the man commented, dusting himself off as he stood, eyes on me kneeling on the ground, gun still in my neck.
I spat on the floor. He raised an eyebrow.
"Now, is that any way to treat a friend?" he asked, and I snorted.
"No, but I don't see any friends, so I act any way I want to" I retorted, trying to move my mind from the blind panic at the idea of having my head blown off.
"Ah, but I want to be your friend" he drawled in a happy way crouching down to me. "You see, I'm always on the lookout for good people. Even if that means being tossed into the dirt" I averted my eyes, knowing that this was where my life hung in the balance.
"I'm a legal trader" I said, not looking up. I felt the gun tickling the back of my neck, and panic started to rise in my throat like bile. "Legal. I transport goods and trade. I don't stick my nose where it don't belong" I waited for the shot and for death, but instead felt his fingers pull my face up.
I knew now there was no way to hide the fear in me.
"Shh" he said softly, and then passed a hand in front of me. I knew I should know that gesture, but a moment later, my mind seemed to disconnect and I simply stared blankly at him.
"Now, what is your name?" he asked.
"Tina Lingon" I said
"So, Tina, do you have any of my drugs on your ship?" he continued, and I shook my head. A small part of me was still able to think and was screaming, trying to wrest control back.
"The box from the magistrate has other things" my voice said.
"What things?"
"Things that is bad if people know them. He trades with unrefined malachite. Its illegal, so he has me move it in teddy bears for his children" the man whistled slightly. Unrefined malachite was highly valuable but also something that was automatically the senate's possession. You could get into big trouble if you traded it.
"Do you have any family, Tina?" he asked suddenly, and again I shook my head. The little voice in my mind begged me to say nothing, but of course my mouth opened.
"I was sold to the orphanage on Mede six. I have a friend who calls me her little sister. She lives in a colony." The man's face expression didn't change, so I guessed that in his profession it was not uncommon to have no family. Only those that had no one that could be blackmailed dared to defy the law in a way that could get you executed out here on the outer rim.
"Are you really engaged?" he asked, now a slight smile twisting his face.
"No, I said that to make to stay away" my voice replied tonelessly. If I had control of my body I would have buried my face in my hands.
"And why do you want me to stay away?"
"Because it's a bad idea to fall for a drug dealer"
"Do you have a lover, Tina?"
"No."
"Would you like one?" his voice had turned soft.
"Yes" I replied and in that instant the pull of embarrassment was strong enough for me to break his hold. I flung my hands up to shield my face. "I cannot believe I told you all that" I said, muffled my sleeve.
I head him laugh, and he took my hand, pulling me to my feet.
"Don't worry, no one but us heard it." he assured me, and I made a face at him.
"Yeah, just you and me and the guy with a gun to my back" the man laughed again.
"Oh don't worry about Milligan, he's alright."
"Then can I know to whom I just spilled my guts?" I said sarcastically.
"Mickey" he said, smiling.
"Mickey what?" I asked. "To have a crony, you must have some status." Mickey raised an eyebrow.
"Milligan isn't a crony, he's my second."
"No." I said decisively. "Only drug lords have second's" I turned to look at Milligan, who was standing a few feet away going through my papers.
"Hey! Those are my things!" I called as he took one sheaf and folded it, tucking it into his jacket.
"Don't worry, I'll have one of my men get your things together" Mickey said easily.
"And another to take care of the security feed that's taping all this, drug lord?" I said sarcastically, and he looked at me sharply.
"Where is the camera?" he asked, and I pointed at an alcove. There was a slight red light. He nodded, pulled out a communicator and ordered someone to delete the feed.
I walked towards my ship, and almost casually Milligan walked up beside me as I went to the door. He held my papers and the pillow I had been sitting on.
"You're not getting in" I said defiantly.
"Yes, we are." Mickey said, easily at my other side. "You get to do your first charter: fly us home" he said easily.
"And I thought my life used to be messed up" I muttered, placing a hand on the hull.
"101311" I intoned and the small green light blinked three times, analyzing my voice, and then opened the door.
"Voice analysis, fingerprint and palm analysis, on top of code recognition" Milligan said dryly. "This kind of technology hasn't reached the outer rim yet." I ignored him and walked onto my ship. The two lagged behind, looking around. There was a slight mess on the table, but they probably wouldn't notice.
The ship was my pet. It was the only home in the universe that I had, and I lavished on it. The inside was luxurious, with thick beige carpet and light walls. The furniture was all actual leather or wood, well cobbled and smooth. The table was solid, with four chairs by it, and only one used pulled out slightly. The sofa had pillows on either side showing where the one person who lived on this vessel watched movies. I saw that my last movie was still paused on the screen. I glanced at the far wall, where a fresco was half finished. I had outlined and painted a good deal, so the warm landscape was clearly discernible. I passed through the door on the left side of the room to a small cockpit with space for two people. It was full of panels and buttons, showing some more technology that had yet to reach the outer rim, and some more that was custom made and not really ready to reach even the inner circles for a long time.
I sat into the chair, going through the flight checks and reporting the takeoff. There was a note from the magistrate about the box mentioning the teddies, and I assured him he children would get their teddies by that evening, well in time for their birthdays. I ignored the fact that these children seemed to have several birthdays a year.
I was granted takeoff, and lifted off, setting a straight course to the magistrate's home, only four hours away. Then the two on board could wait another day or so, while I finished my business. I hit a switch, and observed on a little screen as the pulse knocked them both unconscious. Putting the coordinates into the computer and calculating the right light jumps, I leaned back. This was going to get interesting.
Standing up when we were nearing the planet for the drop, I left the cockpit, locking it behind me. The two were unconscious still. I paused to pull them up onto the sofa before getting the box and sending it off. It had a little pod of its own that flew it down to his house. His wife was expecting it, and would take the pod back to her husband when she visited him next.
I set off to my next point, and then settled in to make dinner. They might wake up around dinner time, so I cheerfully made more than one could eat.
I was standing frying up the vegetables when an arm slipped around my throat, closing off my air supply.
"You really shouldn't have done that" Mickey growled into my ear.
"Hungry?" I asked simply, not bothering to use the air I had on explanations. "We will be a market tomorrow, and you can leave there." The pressure on my throat lessened, and he stepped back. I breathed in.
"How long have we been out?" he asked. His voice was cold.
"Oh, maybe five hours?" I said easily. "There's a panel over to the right where you can contact your people. Don't bother trying to get them to trace it" Mickey turned and headed for the panel. He tapped in a sequence and started to talk. I listened with one ear as I added the rice to the vegetables in the pan.
He was excusing his silence, saying he had a 'sensitive' deal he had going, and that he would be back tomorrow. He even had the cheek to say that he 'had something on the magistrate' that would be useful. I knew I could kiss goodbye to free docking on that planet.
Dumping the food onto three plates, I cleared the table by the simple expedience of pushing the things on it out of the way. Mickey was watching me again, with the same evaluating stare, but that Milligan person wasn't to be seen.
"Where's your second?" I asked lightly, settling myself and beginning to eat.
"Having a look around." Mickey replied, not breaking his stare. I shrugged, knowing he wouldn't break the lock on my bedroom. It might be paranoid to lock your bedroom in a ship that couldn't be blown open, but I really didn't want people in there. Not unless I invited them in, but that was another matter.
Milligan didn't appear, and Mickey still didn't move.
"Eat! You get hungry from that pulse, it's no good letting your blood sugar level drop" I said easily
"That's not the only sugar on this ship" said another voice. It was Milligan, and I saw he was standing in the doorway. The doorway that Mickey had been blocking by standing in front of. The doorway that led into my bedroom. I stood up, enraged.
"How dare you!" I snarled. "That is my bedroom. It's private."
"You abducted us" Mickey said simply.
"That's different. This is different" I snarled back, furious. "If abducting is an insult, this is like shoving your hand down someone's trousers!" I felt tears prickle at the edges of my eyes. Mickey looked surprised.
"I should have blown you into space" I snapped, grabbing my plate and dumping the rest in the bin, not hungry any more. I felt the tears of anger bead in my eyes, unable to stop shaking. No one had ever walked in there except me, not a single person, and now this stranger had looked through it.
I slapped my palm against the desk to try to siphon the anger away, but when it didn't work I turned, and walked up to Milligan. Both men seemed rooted to the spot by shock. Grabbing the syringe in his hand I slapped his face.
"You don't have any idea do you?" I snapped. "When I said I was sold to the orphanage that should have given you the idea. That room was mine. The one place I am safe. It's sacrosanct, you bastard." Walking past them, I put the syringe back in the small hygiene unit attached to the bedroom. I looked around, seeing that nothing had been moved, that if he had touched things he hadn't stirred their place.
I took a couple of deep breaths, and then walked out, locking it again behind me. They wouldn't go in again. The two were still staring at me.
"Eat" I said. "We will be at market in the morning. You can use the sofa and the second room; just move the things on the bed." Then I walked back to the cockpit, and locked myself in.