Chapter 4

When Glynn arrived in the guest quarters, Saera was asleep again.

Geez, she must have been really tired...

He glanced down at her face. She really looked very pretty, perhaps beautiful. He dark brown, almost black hair fell in waves down to her chest. There were a few shorter bits covering her eyes. Without thinking about what he was doing her reached down to brush them away. Now he could see her long, straight eyebrows cutting through her skin cleanly. The skin was blemish-free, save for a few freckles across the bridge of her nose, and lightly tanned.

That's what you get on Tatooine, a tan. Not an invalid, he thought almost bitterly.

Saera looked peaceful, except for the silly downward frown crumpling her moth. She wasn't the spitfire that had walked up to him yesterday. But then, people generally look peaceful when they sleep, he supposed. He debated whether to wake her now, sit and wait until she woke on her own, or do something else until she woke and sought him. Lying down on the bunk on the opposite side of the room, Glynn decided on his second option. She shouldn't stay asleep for too long; he was pretty sure she hadn't eaten for a while. He was right. Within half an hour Saera had awoken and he was telling her about what had happened to Alderaan.

"But--how could a space station, even one as big as you described, destroy a whole planet?"

"I don't know. I may never know. The rebels have destroyed the thing."

"What? I mean, that's good, but how?"

"A well-placed shot." He leaned forward and looked at her intently, making her feel oddly inside. "The man who made the shot is Luke Skywalker."

"That--that--it's not possible!" All the color had drained from her face and she was gripping the mattress of the bunk very tightly.

"Are you OK?" Glynn crossed the room to kneel by her bunk.

"No he's dead! Luke Skywalker is dead! They said he was dead!" Saera was staring at a spot in front of her, oblivious to Glynn's questions of whether she was all right. She stayed that way for a minute or so, he brain processing the information it had received. Then she slowly gave a weak smile, turning to look at Glynn.

"He's alive. Luke is alive."

"...and? What's so wonderful about this Skywalker guy?"

Saera smiled even more. "Oh, everything!" Then, realizing the slightly put-off look on Glynn's face, she quickly added, "I mean, he's a friend. They...they said he'd been killed by sand people, the monsters of the desert. But they only found two bodies, you see. And there was Owen, Beru, and Luke. Oh, don't you see, he's alive!"

Glynn did see, and he didn't know why he felt a tiny bit jealous. She talked about him like they been...lovers or something.

So what? You don't know this girl, and she doesn't know you. So quit it. What kind of sick, horny old man are you? She's practically a kid...

Suddenly, Saera had a revelation. "Where did you say he was?"

"I didn't. All I know is that the rebels blew up the Death Star. He must be with them."

"Where are they, then?"

"Look, Miss..."

"Mernoai. But call me Saera. When someone pulls you out of a gutter unconscious, I think that person should get to be on first name basis." She grinned at him.

"Then call me Glynn. Look, Saera, it's extremely hard to find the rebels unless you know where to look. Why else do you think the Empire hasn't tracked them down yet? And besides, they've probably moved base by now."

"That' doesn't mean I can't try!" she snapped. "I mean, sorry. It's just that...oh, he's alive! You don't get it!" She took a deep breath, calming herself down.

"Mr. Tor--Glynn, I'd like to repay you for your kindness and hire you long-term to fin the rebels for me."

Something inside him whispered that things were going to get a lot weirder with a female hanging around his ship all the time. Especially one with such obvious issues as Saera had. But hope of credits drew him in. That, and for some strange reason he liked the girl.

"How much are we talking?" Saera named a figure and he gave out a low whistle. Forget new engines! I could buy a whole new ship for that!

"Deal." He grinned and shook her hand.

"So, where are the rebels?" Saera asked him.

"My source said somewhere in the Yavin system, but I'm sure they'd have moved by--"

"Please, let's go to Yavin. Maybe they left some clue to where they're going. Or...they might still be there." The thought made her feel so warm inside, like she'd just taken a long bath.

"Yavin's clear across the galaxy! In this ship it'll take...at least a month. By then the rebels will have moved.

"Please? You do want to get paid, don't you?" Saera gave him a look that involved wobbling her lower lip. He had to laugh at her silliness.

"Fine already, just don't do the lost look! The cute, it burns!" She joined him in laughing. The sight almost made him stop and stare. She was truly beautiful when she laughed, in a way he'd never seen before.

"What?" She giggled at his slightly dazed expression.

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Sorry. Yavin it is." He strode out of the room quickly. Saera was left wondering what had changed the mood of their conversation so quickly. It had started out a power struggle, even with Saera's promise of enormous amounts of credits. Then they'd had some fun. She'd laughed for the first time since Luke had died.

Not died, just left!

Then, all of a sudden, Glynn had gone all weird again. She didn't understand what had happened.

Whatever, It's not my problem. Luke is my problem. She grinned, thinking about their reunion. I'll wear my hair up. Or maybe I'll get a new cut. And I'll definitely need something gorgeous to wear. Oh, right, I'll have to get something new, somewhere, I don't know where...

Saera realized she'd have to stop thinking in terms of her old life. Everything had changed now; she had no more endless wardrobe, no more silly friends to impress, and no more irritating fathers to ignore. All she had left was a limited amount of money, Glynn, the Gaellia, and Luke.

Then she became aware of how hungry she was and looked for the intercom controls that connected with the cockpit.