Chapter Seven:
4 years later
He crept along the darker side of the street, his sky-blue eyes never once leaving his target. They'd almost caught onto him when they had suddenly turned, but he was far too experienced to let such an occurrence shake him. He'd merely continued on his way as if nothing untoward were occurring, waiting for all suspicion to pass before he stopped languidly at a stall selling kids toys and letting his target come ahead of him again.
Now they were nearing the end of the bustling swap market, and he knew it was time to make his move or lose out on his chance to make his quota for the day. Luke winced as his back twinged as if in response: the scars from his last lashing— when he'd failed to meet his quota for the day— were still rather fresh. He could still hear the all-too familiar crack of the nine-tails the Shrike brothers loved to use on the kids who failed to make their dues each day.
Luke was only a little bit behind, so this last steal would bring him even. Hopefully. But Luke had scouted this man for several minutes before deciding that with his lavish appearance, the Rodian was worth the effort.
Luke shifted sides of the street, making sure to angle pointedly for a stall selling treats. He smirked to himself as he noted the clerk trying to woo a woman with four children— all of whom were begging for something— to purchase treats.
Luke took a quick glance around, saw no one paying close attention... and as he passed the table, Luke reached out and silently lifted a bag of sweets from the table. With practiced ease, Luke calmly tucked them away in one of his many deep pockets and then made to catch up with his original target.
Luke observed the crowd thickening and he was grateful, because that afforded him much more cover for the job ahead. Luke travelled the crowd like the expert he considered himself, and once he was behind the Rodian he waited a few seconds, studying the man's pocket— he had seen where the being kept his wallet— and deciding on which tactic to take. It didn't hurt that his mysterious sixth sense gave him a leg-up on detection. As soon as he felt it was safe to do so, Luke reached out with his hand. Keeping pace with his target, Luke deftly shifted the wallet free of the pocket and in the same fluid movement had it tucked away.
At once Luke veered into the thickest part of the crowd, noticing the Rodian actually pause and look back, but Luke was already out of sight. His small stature, even at ten years old, served him well as Han had thought it would.
Luke's short height allowed him to literally disappear among the taller adults around him, and it was nothing for him to continue on his way out of the marketplace via an alley. Just as he did he heard an indignant shout rise, and Luke smirked at the Rodian's misfortune.
Luke waited until he was deep enough inside the alley before he broke into a run, taking a side-path that he knew would take him back toward the landing pad where the skiff was waiting to shuttle the kids back to the Trader's Luck.
Once Luke had reached a new street he slowed to a walk to avoid looking like he was running from someone. He even started up a soft whistle, thinking of the loot he'd managed to swipe today.
He only hoped Han had also reached his quota. Luke and Han were as close as brothers, and the two had each other's backs no matter what. Luke loved Han like family, and he took great comfort in their relationship. It kept both he and Han sane to have someone they could talk to and wrestle with amidst their otherwise bleak existence. But Luke knew he couldn't complain much: he had chosen this life after all.
A little girl passing by caught Luke's attention, as did the assortment of frivolous packages and balloons in her grasp. Her parents carried what had to be a lifeday cake, and Luke felt a tiny twinge, trying to think of the last time he'd actually had someone celebrate his life. Maybe when he'd been three... his aunt and uncle had loved him, but Owen had never been one to go overboard, especially on Tatooine.
Luke's mind then wandered to the Empire, and what they had done to Luke's guardians...
Luke recalled that first week on the job for Shrike: the Empire had shown up at Corellia not long after Luke. Not wanting to tangle with them, Garris had beaten a retreat almost instantly, and Luke had never been so glad.
Luke looked up in time to see that he'd arrived at the landing pad, and he made his way onto the shuttle.
A tall, heavy-set human man met him at the top of the ramp, and gave Luke a pointed look. "Well?"
Luke met the man's gaze. "I made it today, Sir."
"Good." Larrad Shrike harrumphed.
The brother of Garris Shrike, and an officer of Garris' operations, he was one of the few who was allowed to carry a weapon. He was also more even-tempered than his brother, but that wasn't really saying much.
Larrad was still a bully, and he did whatever Garris told him to.
I wonder if Larrad has ever made a decision for himself in his life, Luke mused sarcastically as he pushed past the tall man to take a seat.
He looked around the hold, noting who was there and who wasn't. Luke saw several of the kids he'd never liked: those who had initiated him. He met Cyn's glare with his own. Luke was not afraid of any of these boys anymore. He'd not been for some time now, but they still liked to try roughing him up.
Not that Luke minded a chance to hit them too.
Luke turned away from the group of boys who were comparing their finds for the day, and tried in vain to locate Han. He glanced at the ship's chrono and worried at his lip. The 'business day' as Garris liked to call it, was almost done, and if Han missed pick-up...
"I'll bet my dinner tonight Solo won't make it," Cyn remarked when he saw Luke's expression.
Luke turned a dirty look upon the other. "I'll take that bet. Prepare to go hungry, Cyn."
Cyn laughed mockingly and Luke held his tongue, hoping against hope that he was right. Han was one of the best: he had trained Luke. He would be fine...
At least, that was what Luke told himself.
When the chrono struck the hour, Larrad began to shut the ramp but then paused... and to Luke's relief spouted a familiar name.
"It's about kriffing time Solo!" Larrad snapped. "You'd had better have made that quota today, or you know Shrike won't be pleased."
"Is that man ever pleased?" Han snapped back, and when Larrad moved to hit him Han ducked past and took the only open seat next to Luke.
Larrad swore colorfully and finished sealing the ship. "Get us out of here; I've had enough of Sneeve. The only thing this planet is good for are the pod races."
Luke's interest was piqued, and he leaned in toward Han. "They still pod race here?"
Han lifted a brow. "Yeah, illegally of course. Lots of planets do it, though mostly the ones in the Outer Rim these days."
Luke nodded, imagining for a moment what it would be like to participate in one of those high-speed races.
Han saw the look on his face and snorted. "Reign yourself in, Kid. Ain't no way Shrike will let you anywhere near a podracer; and second, humans can't race."
Luke thinned his lips. "Well why not?"
"'Cause we don't have fast enough reflexes," Han responded, leaning back with a sigh.
Luke eyed the fourteen year old momentarily, and then leaned in closer still. "You did make your quota... right? For real?" Han had lied before, and paid dearly for it on the occasions when he was caught.
Han nodded once. "Yeah."
Luke breathed relieved sigh and leaned back also, ignoring the buffeting of the shuttle as it left the atmosphere to dock with the mother ship: Trader's Luck. Cyn shot Luke and Han a rotten look and Luke recalled their bet at that moment.
Grinning wickedly, Luke leaned forward. "By the way, Cyn, defeat looks real good on you. I'll be sure to enjoy your portion for you."
Cyn gestured rudely at Luke, who only laughed. For his part, Han was looking at the pair strangely. It wasn't uncommon for Luke and Cyn to egg each other, and usually the outcome was... varied. That Luke was laughing only cause Han to want to know more.
"What's this now?"
Luke chuckled while explaining to Han. "Cyn bet dinner that you'd miss the deadline tonight. Looks like he goes hungry."
Han smirked triumphantly at Cyn, who scowled and turned aside. Cyn was a lot of things, but when he made a deal, he kept it, and for that alone Han had a degree— a very small one— of respect for the older teen.
The shuttle ride went uneventfully for the remainder of their time and once the smaller vessel had docked with the larger, the lot of kids stood and filed out. Luke and Han hung toward the back, though they took note of Danalis, a deformed young woman who clung to the false hope that Garris would one day pay for her to be sent to the doctor.
The cruel man used injured and malformed children in his sick game because their appearance generally won them a fair amount of sympathy credits from passerby. But he also used the empty promise of having them fixed if they made enough and worked hard enough to string them along.
Usually the young woman looked hopeful at the end of each shift, believing that each time she brought in money that a percentage of it actually went to her medical fund. However today she looked... scared.
Luke slipped back to walk beside her, and she glanced his way but didn't speak. However, she didn't have to.
"You didn't get it all, did you?" Han asked, also coming closer to the girl.
Danalis chewed her bottom lip, shaking her head as tears threatened to fall. "No!"
Luke and Han shared a worried look behind the girl's back. Danalis was already frail, and she couldn't take many more beatings...
Luke reached into his pocket without thinking twice and deftly slipped an expensive piece of jewelry into her satchel without her noticing. Han did, and he turned a hard gaze onto Luke, who pointedly avoided looking at him.
"Don't lose hope," Luke spoke to Danalis. "You never know what can happen."
Without awaiting a response, Luke slowed his pace again to get into the end of the line with the others as they neared the painted line on the floor of the interior corridor. One hallway in from the main hangar was where Garris met them to collect the day's bounty.
Han grabbed his elbow and hissed into his ear. "What are you doing?!"
"She doesn't deserve his cruelty!" Luke hissed back, jerking his elbow from Han's grasp when the door at the end of the hall opened to admit the uniformed man Garris Shrike.
Everyone straightened and waited silently in line as Garris approached with sure, steady steps meant to instill fear in those who'd failed.
"Welcome home, my children." Garris greeted. "Let us see what you've acquired for our family today. One at a time, you will enter the office and present your loot."
Luke and Han waited their turn for their own offloading, and Luke could feel Han's tension. At one point— after Danalis had gone inside— Han tried to put something into Luke's load, but before he could Larrad appeared and called Luke inside. Danalis exited the room looking confused and elated all at the same time.
As he approached Larrad, Luke felt Han's concerned eyes on him until the door to Garris' collection office shut. Luke waited for Garris to acknowledge him. The man glanced up at the blond and then went back to logging something on his datapad.
Luke remained silent and still, and finally Garris finished. He looked up and folded his hands onto the table top. "Well if it isn't little Luke."
Luke hated that title, and Garris knew it, but Luke was powerless to stop the man from using it.
Garris chuckled and waved Luke forward. "Let's see it."
Luke dutifully unloaded all his pockets save the one with the hidden sweets, fully aware that he was now below his quota. Garris lifted a brow and picked at Luke's cache with an air that Luke was all too familiar with.
Garris finally sat back and eyed Luke. "You know you're behind the mark, right?"
Luke nodded. "I do Sir."
Garris narrowed his eyes. "That's the second time this month. You're starting to slip, aren't you?"
Luke shook his head. "No, Sir. I'll do better, I promise."
The last thing Luke wanted was to repeat his extended training with the droid F8GN. Han had done most of the work in teaching Luke, but the droid— who usually trained the kids— had finished the training procedures. That thing was just as viscous as Garris, and revisiting the training meant harsher treatment. Luke suppressed a shudder.
Garris sighed dramatically and leaned forward, motioning to Larrad, who grinned openly and pulled the whip from his belt. Luke stood in silent anticipation and as Larrad approached, Garris idly picked up the wallet Luke had swiped from the Rodian in the marketplace.
"You disappoint me Luke... I've given you so much: I took you in when no one else would... I've fed and clothed you."
Luke rolled his eyes inwardly. Like hell the man 'took care of them'. Garris spent as little as possible on the kids under his so-called care, and as much on himself as possible. Luke had seen the man's quarters: they were as luxurious as a senator's home on Imperial Center. Garris was cruel and sadistic, and Luke didn't like him at all, but he remained silent about that.
"I..." Garris paused as he looked at the wallet he'd been idly rifling through. Silence fell upon the room and, intrigued, Larrad hesitated as well.
"What is it?" Larrad asked.
Garris didn't answer, and Luke felt his shock through his sixth sense, which baffled him. Finally Garris looked to Luke, his expression inscrutable. The man's gaze shifted from the wallet to Luke and back again several times.
At long last the man chuckled, motioning for Larrad to cease the whipping. "Boy, I like your gall. When it's used appropriately." He added pointedly.
Luke managed to school his face into a neutral look, though inwardly he was puzzled. What was going on?
"Are you aware of whose wallet you've stolen?" Garris asked with a mischievous glint to his steely gaze.
"Just some stuffy Rodian elite." Luke snarked differentially.
Garris laughed again. "This wallet belongs to a Rodian Senator, Boy. This alone will more than make up for your deficit."
He motioned for Larrad to let Luke go, and just before he exited, Garris' voice sounded with a warning. "This won't happen again. One more mistake and you'll be sorry."
Luke nodded once and left.
Han, who was on edge, hurried up to him. "What happened? What did he do to you?"
"...nothing," Luke murmured, still in shock from what had happened. Garris had actually let Luke get off clean...
Han's eyes widened. "Nothing?"
"Let's go, Solo." Larrad interrupted, grabbing the teen by the shirt and hauling him inside.
Luke walked to the mess hall in a daze, and it wasn't until Danalis got in his face in the food line that Luke came-to.
"I know what you did," she whispered accusingly.
Luke shot her a look. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do," Danalis shot back.
Luke sighed, annoyed. "So what? Are you going to tell? Get both of us in trouble?"
Danalis moved to slap him and Luke stiffened, but the girl stopped short of contact. "I appreciate what you did, but please don't do it again."
Luke turned an incredulous stare her way and shook his head. "Okay, fine, I will stop helping you."
Danalis huffed. "Stop being dramatic."
"Who's being dramatic?!" Luke exclaimed, exasperated. "Just drop it already!"
Danalis thinned her lips but wandered off, leaving Luke alone at last. He only looked up when a familiar welcoming growl sounded from the kitchen and Luke smiled, detouring to slip inside.
"Dewlanna!" Luke greeted her warmly, throwing his arms around the towering female Wookiee. Dewlanna growled gently and hugged him back, and Luke allowed himself a moment to feel loved.
Dewlanna had adopted Luke in much the same way she had Han, especially when she'd seen how close the two human boys were. Dewlanna considered herself their mother, and they her sons, and neither boy was about to protest that fact. Dewlanna was their one good thing in all this world of lies, deceit and pain.
[Did you do well today, Cub?] Dewlanna asked.
Luke had swiftly learned Shyriiwook, and it was nothing for him now to converse with her. "Yes, but I tried to help someone who didn't... and she's not all that grateful."
Dewlanna pulled back, concerned. [Did Garris hurt you again?]
She tenderly turned the boy around and lifted his shirt to check his back, where the marks from the previous whipping were still vivid. Luke had been given only minimal care since Garris was such a skimp with money. Luke's injuries had been prevented from being infected, but nothing else, and thus they were being left to heal on their own.
Luke already had a healthy collection of scars from other punishments, but the boy never complained about his lot, and Dewlanna held him in high esteem for it. He was a strong boy, her Luke.
"No, I got off lucky this time," Luke answered, wincing as her fingers touched a particularly tender cut.
"Kid!" Han burst into the kitchen and immediately got in Luke's face. "What the hell?! How in space did you rip off a senator?!"
Luke snorted. "I didn't know he was one until Garris told me. I just saw a rich guy and took his money."
"Garris gloated to me," Han remarked dryly. "Said my pupil had outdone me."
Luke snickered, stepping away from Dewlanna and playfully shoving at Han. "That's right. I've got a few pointers to show you, old-timer."
Han laughed once and grabbed Luke into a headlock. "Who are you calling old?"
The boys laughed and wrestled about, play-fighting while tossing around meaningless insults and trying to out-smart each other. Dewlanna merely watched with a shake of her head at their antics.
Boys, she thought.
00000
A few hours later, after he was certain that the other boys in their room were fast asleep— especially Vekis Panne— Luke climbed from his bunk.
Stepping onto his mattress so he could see Han he prodded at the other boy, speaking softly. "Han, you still awake?"
Han grumbled slightly, but Luke merely smirked, knowing the answer. Han was like Luke: he was the last one to go to sleep at night, though for Luke it was more due to nightmares that came and went.
"What do you want?" Han whispered back, peering at Luke in the gloom.
Luke grinned triumphantly and produced his contraband. "A midnight snack."
Han sat up, looking at what Luke had brought and he gave a shake of his head. "You're crazy, Kid, you know that, right? Withholding the goods from Garris?"
Luke shrugged, settling into his bunk with a cavalier attitude. "It's only illegal around here if you get caught," Luke tossed a pointed glance at Vekis, "and the Panne in my backside is asleep, so we're clear."
Han snickered at Luke's nickname for their room's snitch. Vekis Panne was determined to do right by Garris as he put it, and try to earn himself a spot on the man's good side. He wasn't ashamed to tell on his roommates if he thought it would gain him favor in their 'father's' eyes. And he seemed particularly interested in snitching on Han and Luke, who were known for causing mischief and trying to get away with things. Both Han and Luke knew it was a vain effort on Vekis' part, but the boy was determined.
Han finally joined Luke, who already had the bag of sweets open and was munching away. "So what'd you swipe?"
"I dunno, some kind of chocolate," Luke replied around a mouthful, offering the bag to Han.
The teen grabbed a handful for himself and tasted them. They were bittersweet but with a fruity tang that hit after one swallowed.
"These are good." Han allowed, taking some more.
Luke nodded his agreement. "Yup. Better eat them all and dispose of the evidence."
"Or hide them under Vekis' pillow when Garris tries to nab us for it." Han suggested only half jokingly.
Luke had to cover a laugh to keep from waking their roommates. "Yeah, but you know it would never work. Panne is too much of a goody-goody for Garris to believe he was the culprit. He'd still know it was us."
"Ah, you're right." Han acquiesced.
They finished their treat and Luke stashed the wrapper in his pocket before he looked to his hands. He didn't relish the thought of falling asleep. He didn't want the nightmares to start up again.
Han, seeing his little brother, understood that he was hiding something... and Han knew what it was. He'd overheard Luke many a night talk in his sleep, shift about repeatedly, wake up gasping, or even cry out and fall from bed every now and then.
"What are they about?"
Luke froze, looking at Han with wide eyes. "What?"
"Your nightmares, what are they about?" Han pressed.
Luke eyed Han for a long second. "Who says I'm having nightmares?"
Han gave Luke an 'oh-please' look. "I'm not stupid, Luke. You have been having trouble sleeping for months now. Why?"
Luke looked away. "I... I don't want to talk about it."
Han pursed his lips, thinking. He glanced at the calendar near Luke's bed and noted the date. He eyed Luke. The younger boy had told Han his guardian's had died, but nothing more than that. "It's the anniversary of your Aunt and Uncle's deaths, isn't it?"
Luke didn't reply, and Han sighed. "Kid, I wish I knew how to help."
"Don't tell anyone." Luke pleaded. "It's not just dreams... they're... I don't know." The young man hugged his knees to his chest. "They seem so realistic... and it's terrifying."
Han frowned. "Realistic how?"
Luke shook his head, eyes widening. "I don't know!"
Han sighed, wrapping a supportive arm around Luke's shoulders. The younger boy was his little brother in all but blood, but DNA meant nothing to the two of them. They were all each other had aside from Dewlanna.
"Just try not to dwell on it I guess." Han offered, feeling helpless.
Luke burrowed against Han, nodding. They stayed that way until Luke eventually fell asleep, after which Han settled his brother in and went to bed himself.
