The Same Kind of Crazy
By Blodeuedd
"Whatever happened to Wormie?"
Fixer looked up from repairing the hyperspace compass, meeting Camie's question with indifferent eyes.
"Damned if I know. Left, didn't he?"
Camie picked up a loose tool, toyed with it for a minute, then set it back down.
"I was asking you," she muttered, dusting off her hands.
"He was supposed to pick up those power converters a few days ago, right? He should have come by here," Fixer replied after a brief silence, "Other than that, no idea. Hand me that--"
Anticipating his order, she handed him the apparatus in question before he could finish his sentence, then resumed slouching against the counter.
"Why'd you ask?" Fixer asked, fingers buried in the naked mass of exposed circuitry.
"Just worried a little. With all these 'troopers around these days, things are--different." Camie shivered and made a soft sound of dislike. "They scare me more than the Sand People."
"Don't mind 'em. They'll get what they need and leave. Besides--ow!" Fixer received a jolt from a loose wire and jumped back from the workbench, sucking a grimy finger.
"All right?" She asked, turning to lean over the counter, watching him.
"Yeah. I wasn't being careful." He shook the injured hand for a bit, coaxing blood into stunned veins, then resumed working, his added concentration made evident by the way he held the tip of his tongue between his teeth.
Camie surveyed his progress quietly, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth until she couldn't repress her thoughts any longer.
"Do you think--do you think Wormie got offworld? Finally got into the Academy and all?"
"Maybe. Biggs went, didn't he? Remember that? Came by to see us here at Tosche, all high and mighty. First mate on the Rand Ecliptic."
"I remember. Biggs and Wormie. They're the same kind of crazy, aren't they?"
"Sure are. Hydrospanner."
She handed it to him, mischievously pressing a kiss to his brow as she did so. Fixer laughed softly, but his eyes remained fully concentrated on his work.
"Are we going to get offworld too, Fix?"
"Oh, come on, Camie. Not likely."
"You come on. Everyone's going offworld. Remember when you bought me that bailuka flower in Mos Eisley? And said we'd go to whatever planet it was from?" She playfully danced across the floor of the workshop on light feet, grinning at him over her shoulder. "Let's go. Tomorrow. Tonight. Get on the next flight out of here and go."
"No," He replied flatly, then saw her expression and hesitated. "Maybe someday. I dunno."
"Before we're old, Fix. Promise."
"Fine. I promise."
"Do you think we'll see them again?"
"Who?"
"Biggs and Luke."
"Don't know. It's a big galaxy." He stood back from his bench, cleaning his grease-streaked hands with a rag, and examined the compass with a merciless gaze. "Done for today," he decided at last, "That spacer will have to wait until tomorrow to pick it up."
"Want to go watch the suns set before you drive me home?" She looked up at him with eyes as blue as the bailuka's petals.
"Sure." He turned the lights off in the workshop, then the two walked outside. Camie looked off towards the reddening horizon as Fixer locked the door.
"You know," she said, voice barely loud enough to be heard over the faint howl of the rising twilight wind, "I'm sure Biggs and Wormie are going to be happy, wherever they are."
Fixer smiled down at her. "Me too."
The End
Dedicated with fondness to all the graduating seniors out there who will be leaving families and younger friends behind on Tatooine this year as they go off to explore the universe. We're going to miss you.