#12 - Holding On
Phalla awoke to Crumb patting her cheek. The sky had grown crimson and orange with the setting suns. She weakly brushed Crumb away from her face and painfully sat up. Her mouth was dry and sticky at the same time. She shuddered, everything coming back. Sand stuck to her face where her cheeks had been moist by tears. She was still grieved with the loss of her protector, but she was still alive. She remembered Leia's words.
I promise I'll come and get you.
Phalla hoped desperately that she would.
In the mean time, she needed to find some way of taking care of herself and Crumb. She glanced at him. He stared back her. She was surprised by how hopeless and depressed he looked. She smiled sadly and gently rubbed his head. "You miss you master too?" she murmured hoarsely, causing her to cough. She held her sore throat and grimaced. Deciding not to speak unless she had to, she motioned for Crumb to hop on. He did so and together, they headed for the scooner.
In the least, it will provide some shelter, Phalla thought. She figured that she should check it for anything else useful. A weapon maybe? She did find a blaster and a first-aid box in a compartment in the scooner. She opened it to find a couple bottles of water, ration bars, bandages and anything else to care for a wound, flairs, a flashlight, matches, emergency blankets and a collapsible shelter. She would have to drink sparingly and make it last.
Phalla set to work in setting up the shelter. It was a small tent, just big enough for a couple people. She pushed it against the scooner for extra protection and stored the kit inside. She wondered if she should go through the wreckage of the barge and see what else she could find. One glance and she thought better of it, remembering her painfully empty stomach.
Crumb scampered into the tent and peeked into the kit, muttering curiously. Phalla followed him in and zipped the tent shut. She took a pair of tweezers and attempted to pick the lock on her collar. She failed. However, when Crumb had a go at it, it clicked and she slipped it off. "Thanks Crumb," she said and petted his head. He made a strange purring-like noise and arched into her hand.
Phalla saved the chain and brought out a ration bar. She broke it in half and gave one half to Crumb. "Make it last," she warned and nibbled at her own. She was not hungry though so saved it for later. Crumb did not heed her warning. She then sipped some water and offered him some.
As the suns disappeared, so did the heat. Phalla's slave outfit was certainly not meant to keep her warm. She wrapped an emergency blanket around herself. It rattled and crackled loudly whenever she moved it. Crumb eventually joined her in the blanket. He snuggled in her lap and soon fell asleep. She sighed, wishing she could fall asleep that easily.
Her mind was filled with images of what had happened that day and what might happen to her now. She had heard plenty of Tusken Raiders and how deadly they could be. Not to mention other deadly desert-dwelling creatures. She hoped that she would meet none.
She tried to keep herself from thinking of Fett, but she could not. She missed him greatly. He had been her only hope of getting home, of being safe in this harsh place. Not only that, but she had grown to love him. Not romantically, heavens forbid, but something different. Not exactly like a second father. What had she begun to see him as?
She sighed again. I guess it doesn't matter now, she thought glumly. He's gone...
Unwittingly, she soon fell asleep while sitting up pondering these things.