Chapter 7
Adia leaned her cramped body against the solid bubble, letting herself slide down to the ground. The small back street was small and damp but this seemed to escape her notice as she dug her head into her hands. It felt as if she'd run for an eternity and yet gotten nowhere. Her mind spun a million miles a minute. She couldn't think straight.
Mosah was gone. Taken in by the people he hated most, they would not let such a valued piece of the bandit group get away. And it was all Adia's fault! She had to go back to the camp, she knew that… but she couldn't. She couldn't face the others. Bare the news that because of her foolish puttering their leader had been captured.
"Heydo!" Adia jumped at the small child who hurried over to her side, grinning.
A closer look and Adia found that she recognized her, it was the child from the day before.
The young Gungan gave a sheepish bite of the lip. "Sorry. Mesa didn't meaning to scare yous." Her head tilted slightly as for a moment she seemed to study Adia. "Yousa okiday?"
Adia couldn't help but smile at the child's own sincerity but soon her face hardened and she slowly pulled herself back to her feet.
"I'm fine."
The child seemed undaunted by Adia's manner and continued.
"Ummm, mesa sorry about in da station yesterday."
Adia merely nodded, she would have preferred to be alone.
"Mesa was in biggen goo, dem Arogants dey settin mooi up!…"
Slowly striding down the passage Adia ignored the child's insolent babble and hoped that perhaps she would soon choose to disappear. She didn't.
"Shouldn't you be at home with your parents?" Adia finally cut her short.
The child paused for a moment, then quietly stated; "Nah, mesa don't have any parents. Or a family, except mesa sister. Shesa notten caren 'bout mooi." The child snapped her fingers, as if she'd just remembered something. "Ooi, mesa forgot to say, mesa Aquria Binks."
That caught Adia's attention.
"Binks? As in you're related to Jerich Binks?"
Aquria seemed hesitant, replying with an unsure; "Yes."
Adia's mind suddenly darted through the possibilities. Getting in contact with Jerich's family, she could work out a way to get him out of prison and perhaps even Mosah.
"Hesa was my older brother. Mooi sister's twin." Aquria snapped Adia back to reality.
Adia gazed down at the child, her face beaming with interest. But as she went to ask more of her, a sudden blast sounded from behind, the shot hitting the ground inches from Aquria's foot. The child jumped back, screaming and latching onto Adia. Adia whirled instinctively reaching for her empty holster. She glared down the passageway where a dark figure was hurriedly approaching them. The figure fired another blast, which rebounded off the bubble wall.
Realizing she had no other option, Adia grabbed the child, pulling her frantic form down the long and narrow passage.
A dead end very suddenly appeared ahead of them as the two fleeing Gungans skidded to a halt. The solid bubble wall loomed over them.
Adia cursed, bashing her fists on its hard membrane. Behind, their pursuer had disappeared, but that didn't mean that he or she had gone.
Adia hadn't even noticed that Aquria had vanished until she stepped out from a shadow just next to her.
"Dissen way." She urged.
With no delay Adia followed.
Aquria stopped and faced the small panel on the wall it was what kept the bubble wall locked. Grabbing at the panel's sides she dug her nails in behind it, and then wrenched it out of the wall. She then proceeded to tug at its wires and cross-join them. It took her a matter of seconds to disarm the wall. It shimmered, slightly, its hum changing to a lower pitch.
Aquria stuck her hand on and right through the membrane grinning widely at Adia.
"Old Trooper trick, mesa brother taught me."
Adia glanced at her admiringly before stepping inside.
Aquria led the female through secrete passages and channels. This part of the city consisted of nothing more that old, unstable bubbles. No one lived here, or even came here so it was the perfect place for people on the run like Aquria's companion.
"What is this place?" the woman asked, looking around the dusty old room. This particular bubble was one of Aquria's favourites and she'd wanted to pass through it to show her newfound companion.
The place was messy as old pieces of junk lay piled all over the floor. Most of which were giant sheets glass that reflected a beautiful array of colours off the walls. With the changing tides outside it caused the colours to sparkle and change. Aquria had no idea why the glass was there, or even how it got there. She just liked coming here because it was peaceful and fascinating.
"Dissen a place where I go lots. Dese are old bubbles, no one lives in them." Aquria shrugged. "Mesa like it here I guess." Aquria paused, hesitant before finally inquiring. "Ummm, mesa didn't get yousa name."
"Adia" she responded, still watching the walls.
"Adia," Aquria tested the name on her tongue. It seemed different for a Gungan name.
Shrugging, Aquria took the lead again. Guiding Adia through the other side of the bubble where the streets of Gungan civilization lay.
Adia stepped onto the walkway. It was old and worn, and in some places pieces had broken off all together giving way to the walkways below them. But no one seemed bothered. The people here were different to that of the city's main square. They were poor merchants, wearing the simplest of clothing and leading the smallest of lives. They appeared unconcerned by their upper classed fellows who seemed to have the better of it all.
Aquria brought Adia to a stop in front of a small bubble. Placing her hand on the panel it blinked a bright green allowing them access to its inside. Aquria looked back up at Adia.
"Dissen being where I live. Yousa can commen in if yousa want, tis safe in here."
Adia nodded. Though she'd long figured that her attacker had long gone she harboured the thought of laying low for a bit.