Grutex remembered it like it only happened moments ago. Some memories leave a very deep print, every detail, and the memory Grutex was now orating was a memory planted deep and firm. The sun had been setting on Tatooine, and a great distance from the homestead he and Sandagra were alone. They were seated by a shallow canyon shelf, gazing upon one another.

Sheila had invited Grutex down this memory lane while the Imperial shuttle was crossing through hyperspace. She had asked Grutex about the stone tied around his neck. What was the real significance behind it?

He told Sheila, "I had followed her that day, always admiring her from afar. She was running away. When I caught up with her, she had stopped to rest by a shallow cliffing. I asked her why she was running."

Sandagra said, "I do not belong. I am too different from our people. I do not desire the things they desire, nor do I wish to participate in the things they do. Our women are there only to wait upon the men and have their babies. I want more."

Grutex said to Sheila in retrospect, "I do not know why she found it acceptable to disclose these secrets to me. She barely knew me. But there she was, dispensing her secret and suffering heart to me."

Sheila said, "She must have known there was something in you she could trust."

Grutex said, "Apparently she did. I felt powerless to help her."

Grutex remembered what he had said to Sandagra, "Where will you go? How will you survive?"

Sandagra explained, "I will take my chances anywhere else. I cannot go back."

Grutex told her, "We are Tusken. No one will accept you. You will be alone, and there will be no way for you to survive. No one will trade with you. Plus, if you are hunted down, there will be no clan there to protect you."

Sandagra said, "Grutex, how can you be such a coward? I am already alone. I will not wait for some man to claim me as his property and live my life in servitude."

Grutex said, "What you are speaking of is dangerous. I have never heard of a Tusken surviving outside the clan. You will be hunted and killed. No one befriends a Tusken, I am afraid. Our reputation precedes us."

"But I am different. And I have watched you, Grutex, all of my life. You are different also. Don't you want more?"

"Of course I want more," Grutex said. "Of course I wish I could run away also. But the reality is I am trapped by who I am. This is how I was born and I cannot change it."

Sandagra said, taking Grutex's hand, "Then run away with me. Together we can survive. We can have a life of our very own."

"What you speak of is foolish."

"Tell me you do not wish to run away with me," she said.

Grutex was silent, "I cannot tell you this. I have always…"

She asked, "You have always what?"

"I have always been drawn to you. I have watched you also, for a very long time. Babgrat tells me you are special, and that we are kindred in spirit."

Grutex said to Sheila, "She then did the most extraordinary thing. She raised her veil and looked on me with her eyes."

Unbeknownst to Grutex or Sheila, Karl had been listening. At this point, he moved in closely and said, "Did she now? That is extraordinary. What did she look like? Don't spare any details."

Grutex said, "She was incredibly beautiful. Her eyes glowed with the setting sun, and her skin was so perfect."

Karl said, "Yeah, yeah. I was thinking more detail. Could you draw a picture?"

Sheila elbowed Karl, a signal for him to back off. She said to Grutex, "So, I am guessing it is very uncommon for a female to show her face?"

Grutex nodded, "Oh yes. It is actually unlawful for the female to show her face to anyone other than her parents or the man who claims her for one of his wives."

Sheila said, "Wow, that is a big deal Grutex."

"It is. And she asked me again, to run away with her. I could not tell her I would. Instead I told her once again, it was impossible, even though it broke my heart to pieces with each word."

Sandagra said, "We can do it, Grutex. We can survive, and what's more, be happy."

Grutex gently took her veil and placed it back over her face. He envisioned the two of them running as far as the dunes would take them. Perhaps she was correct. Perhaps fear itself was the only obstacle to overcome. But still, the fear was there, and it commanded him. "Sandagra, maybe we can be together and not have the need to run away."

Sandagra replied, "Grutex, I have word the war lord is expecting to claim me as one of his. What are you going to do? Be killed by challenging him?"

Grutex said, "I will challenge him."

"He is a murderer. He will kill you. Even if you defeat him in the challenge, he will murder you in your sleep if he must."

This was true; Grutex remembered the flaming tent from so many years ago. "I will expose him for whom and what he is in front of everyone, and he will dare not challenge me or kill me."

Sandagra asked, "Do you promise me we will be together if we go back?"

"I promise you."

She reached under her veil and removed the smooth stone laced to the twine necklace and placed it over Grutex's head. Grutex explained to Sheila, "The stone is meant to show the union of the man and the woman. It is meant to show he owns her. This is our custom. But, it is meant to be removed by the man when he claims her; never does the woman give it freely."

Sheila said, "She must really care for you."

After placing the stone over Grutex's head, Sandagra said, "Do not be a hero. If the war lord confronts you, run. Run back here. I will come and meet you."

"And then what?" Grutex asked her.

"And then we will have no choice but to run away."

Sheila watched as Grutex held his head down in shame, "So we went back. This is when the warlord noticed I had her stone around my neck, and he took her away quickly. I exposed him to everyone. I exposed how he was using our people with the Empire for his own personal gain, and I also told of how I witnessed him kill a sleeping Tusken when we were children."

Sheila said, "And this is why you were exiled?"

"It is why. This is how I have come to be with you."

Sheila smiled, "Don't be sad, Grutex. It was for the best."

Grutex asked, "How is it for the best?"

"Because," Sheila said, "you proved her right. If you can make it by yourself out here, then the two of you could survive." Grutex raised his shamed head, and Sheila added, "And what's more; be happy."

A red flashing alarm slowly flashed in the cockpit, RP said, "Oh my. We are being tracked."

Joel sat up from his relaxed state, "Tracked? In hyperspace?"

RP replied, "I'm afraid so. It appears someone has interpreted our warp signature and is closing in on us?"

Joel said, "I didn't think Imperial fighters had the capability to track a signature."

RP replied, "It's not Imperial."

Joel leaned over RP's shoulder and read a scanner, "I know that ship."

Karl asked, "Who is it?"

"Bounty hunter. The Hound's Tooth."

Karl said, "Bossk."

Joel looked back at Karl, worriedly, "The Empire must have placed a bounty on our ship. Vader must be wanting this light saber back badly."

Sheila asked, "Can't we just give it to him?"

Joel said, "Bossk and I have a history. I'm not giving him anything. Besides, he may be instructed to bring us back also." Joel ran his fingers through his hair and said, "He's gaining on us, closing in."

RP said, "I'm afraid we are at maximum light thrust, sir."

Suddenly everyone lurched forward in the cockpit as it suddenly fell out of light speed. Joel asked, "What happened?"

RP said, "The Hound's Tooth emitted a power pulse and dampened our engines temporarily. Of course, a power pulse will dampen their engines also."

The shuttle sat silently in space with the Hound's Tooth looming behind it. A transmission came over the shuttle's intercom; it was Bossk, "Prepare to have your ship docked with the Hound's Tooth."

Joel said, "He's bluffing. He can't move right now, either. RP, have this tin ready to hit hyperspace again as soon as the engines are restored."

A glowing energy shield surrounded the shuttle, "What's this?" asked Grutex.

"Damn," said Joel. "It's an energy net. Didn't see that coming."

Slowly the energy net, which was actually an externally aimed power shield hacked to be used as a capturing device, pulled the shuttle closer to the Hound's Tooth.

Karl asked, "What are we going to do?"

Joel said, "Looks like we are going to be boarded and captured."

Grutex said, "They only want me. I will turn myself over and maybe he will allow the four of you to leave."

Joel said, "No way. You're with us now. Besides, I am not giving this slime the satisfaction." Joel grabbed the Imperial blaster beside him and clicked it, "This is not good either. The power pulse dampened our blasters also."

Sheila asked, "Does that mean their blasters are also dampened?"

Joel said, "Maybe. Maybe not. It's a gamble."

The shuttle docked inside of the Hound's Tooth. An interior door of the cargo bay opened, and in walked Bossk and two fighter droids with their blasters aimed at the shuttle. Bossk called out, "Come out with your arms up."

Joel called out over the shuttle's external intercom, "You listen to me you slimy lizard; I know your blasters are dampened."

Bossk aimed his blaster upward towards the magnetically sealed cargo ceiling and shot a reverberating blast. The energy bolt bounced around the cargo bay for a second before extinguishing on the floor just in front of the shuttle's cockpit. Joel said, "Well, so much for that."

A faint whisper was behind Grutex. He turned, and there was no one there. The whisper was in his mind. It said, "Trust me." Grutex tried to block out the noise in the cockpit so he could hear his thoughts. Grutex asked in his mind, "Who is this?" Again, the voice said, "Trust me." Grutex had heard this older shadowed voice before, in the darkness.

Grutex looked beneath his tunic and saw a small, piercing blue glow. He said to Joel, "Open the platform. Let me go first."

Joel said, "Are you crazy? I'm not going to just open the hatch."

Grutex placed his hand on Joel's arm, "Trust me."

Joel hesitated and looked on Grutex with bewildered eyes, "This makes crazy thing number three you know."

The platform opened and there was no one on it. Bossk made a firmer grip on his blaster and the two droids buzzed and clicked as their targeting systems adjusted. A Tusken Raider slowly began to walk down the platform.

As soon as Grutex feet touched the cargo bay, Bossk called out, "That's far enough. Where are the others?"

The whisper in Grutex's mind said, "In you something is awakened."

Grutex said, "You do not need them. I have what you want."

Bossk snorted, "I tell you what I want. Bring them down."

Grutex breathed in deeply, and noticed he was very calm despite the circumstance, "There is no need for the others."

Bossk said, "What trickery is it that a Tusken speaks? Bring the others down now."

Arms raised, Grutex's finger tips on his left hand began to tingle. The whisper in his mind said, "Trust what has been awakened in you."

Bossk said, "I can take you dead or alive. Vader doesn't really care. I will not ask you again to call the others down."

"But your bounty will be less if you disintegrate us, no?"

Bossk pulled back on the chamber of his blaster, "I've settled for less."

As if something solid were on his fingertips, they twitched. Grutex said, "Take me. Let them go."

Bossk furrowed his brow and his tongue flickered, an unintelligible syllable hissed from his mouth as he pulled the trigger of his blaster and the battle droids joined in. The firing was rapid and brief. The gun smoke began to clear and Bossk saw the two droids flanking him to either side had fallen and were sparking from charred gashes made by the ricochets of their blaster fire.

Grutex stood, wielding a glowing blue light saber which had leapt from beneath his tunic into his hand which had been feeling itchy and unruly. He knew he had not guided his own hands when the saber had been deflecting the blaster fire. Amazed with himself, he tried to keep the calm in his mind and not allow his own excitement to mock him. This was a simple thing Babgrat had taught him: never brag.

Bossk fired again, and the energy blast deflected to the ceiling. He fired again and the blast deflected to the wall. All this while, Grutex was approaching him, and Bossk began to step backward as he fired again and again. Each time the deflected shots whizzed by Bossk , and soon the battle was too close for his comfort as a ricocheted blast grazed his left shoulder. Bossk was pinned against the cargo bay wall as Grutex held the shining saber blade close to Bossk's throat. Bossk dropped his blaster to the floor.

Karl stepped out of the shuttle, "What was that?" he laughed triumphantly.

Sheila stepped out with her nose covered, "What is the smell in here? It smells like rancid meat."

Finally, Joel stepped out slowly and pointed at Bossk, "Hello you slimy lizard. You should have listened to my friend there." Joel stepped up to Bossk who was still threatened by the saber and said, "Do you remember me? We've had a run in before. You destroyed my first smuggling ship you toad headed slime."

Sheila said, "Joel, can we just get out of here?" Her hand was still covering her nose, "Geesh this place smells so bad."

Joel thought for a moment, "This is good. This is good. We can use this."

"What do you mean, now?" asked Sheila.

"Well, the Empire is looking for the shuttle, but not for this ship."

Sheila whined, "Oh no. We aren't going to stay on this are we?"

Joel calmly asked Grutex, "What do you think, Grutex?"

Grutex said, "Sounds smart to me. This ship doesn't smell as bad as the inside of a taun taun."

Sheila stomped her foot and gagged, "Come on you guys!"

Joel said, "Don't worry, we'll depart this vessel as soon as we arrive at Tatooine. I would steal it, but I don't think I could ever wash the stink out."

"Thank goodness," said Sheila.

Joel took a pair of the Imperial cuffs he had found on the shuttle and placed them on Bossk's wrists. "After you," he said to Bossk.

Bossk led the way to the door he had entered the cargo bay from. Joel and Grutex, holding the saber towards the bounty hunters back, followed. Karl trotted beside Grutex and asked, "How did you do that? It was like zhip zhip spersh. I don't think I have ever seen… no I have never seen anything like that."

The three walked through the door way and Sheila followed, still clasping her nose. As she enter the doorway she removed her hand, but quickly slapped it back up to her face again, "Oh… the smell gets worse in here."

The cargo bay stood empty now except for the shuttle craft. From inside the shuttle a robotic voice called out, "Hello? Hello?" RP's metal feet clip clopped down the landing platform of the shuttle, "Is it over? Is it safe?" RP noticed only one door open and he began as brisk a walk to it as his protocol body would allow. "Why doesn't anyone ever wait for me?"