I am soooooo very sorry I have not updated this for a while! I've been updating my other story, The Adventures of Bobo Fat regularly, and school has gotten a little more...like school! But now it's winter break, so there shall be a few updates in store. Heh heh heh heh :D

A/N: I don't know anything about Bothawui. At all. except for a limited amount about Fey'la or whatever his name was. And that Bothans second death star info. I am making everything up except the planet name and relative location in space, which I got from and NJO book.

Review:
MysticBlack5: Thank you! :) This story means a lot to me.

Chapter 6

Saera looked out the cockpit and grinned. She could see a view of Bothawui's sparkling capital city. She couldn't wait to put her feet on the ground and know she had finally become an interplanetary traveler. Even the two weeks it had taken to get to Bothawui, though wonderful, had been too long to be protected from a cold vacuum by only a couple of sheets of metal. She didn't quite trust ships enough yet.

Plus they were going to stay on the planet overnight while officials checked the ship. Glynn assured her it was just a routine check and they'd be out of there soon. Probably too soon for her tastes. But who cared? She'd be spending a night in a hotel on Bothawui!

She could barely contain herself as she waited for Glynn to give the shout that everything was fine. Looking out at the capital city of Bothawui, it was bigger than she'd ever been able to imagine. The sun glinted off the glass in the buildings, creating glares like bright jewels. Everything on Tatooine had such and old, weathered look that Saera was sure she'd never seen anything gleam like this.

There were even patches of bright green grass strewn through the maze of sidewalks and streets. It looked so vibrant and alive an inviting that she wanted to sit and smell and feel and soak it up, a memory to draw upon later if she was ever alone and tired, a memory to soothe.

"We've just been cleared. We can leave." Glynn hopped into the cockpit, trying to put up a good show but looking a little weary.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Just over-zealous government officials. They must've made me sign every flimsy and every data pad in the building!" He grinned at her. "But, I guess I'd better start my search for the elusive rebels! As long as I say the right things to the right people, it should be pretty easy to get something. And I guess you should find us a cheap hotel and then go sightseeing or whatever. I'll meet you by the interplanetary bank at 17 time parts. Should be easy enough to find. Here, let me see..." He bent over and rummaged through a storage compartment. "Here, it's a map. I keep one of everywhere I've been. Planets kinda run together after a couple of years."

"Thanks." There was a silence that neither of them could seem to fill. Then Glynn spoke up abruptly.

"Well, I'm going to, uh, find your friend, I guess. Come on, we'd better get started."

"Right." They exited the ship and parted ways.

--

Saera was having an amazing time. After booking the nicest hotel in town for a night she'd hit the high-end shops. Buying clothes had never filled her with this much excitement before, probably because she'd only ever done it from a catalogue. She'd been able to see herself in things before she bought them and picture in her mind exactly where and how shed wear everything.

And she'd gotten a new haircut, too. Saera had always loved her locks, but with a new life came a new look, she decided. Layering, and lots of it. The shortest layer created a loose fringe in front of her eyes that came just to the bridge of her nose. The longest layer came just above her armpit. And highlights. Golden brown highlights.

Then there was the dress. The dress, actually, fitting so well it was like a skin. Deep ruby red, it set off the glimmers in her slightly oval eyes. A low V-neck and even lower back gave her the look of one much older than 19. And it even tended to make he behind look somewhat smaller than it's usual size! Yes, this was the dress, the one she'd wear for her reunion with Luke. Saera sighed with a smile as she pictured that reunion. Luke was going to be stunned, she was sure. This was not the little girl he'd left behind on Tatooine. This was, dare she think? a woman.

She checked a nearby chrono and noted it was almost 17 time parts. She'd better make her way towards the meeting area. When she got there, Glynn was already leaning against a wall and his eyes went wide at the number and size of the bags she was carrying.

"You're gonna wear all that?" He looked down at her still-coveralled form.

"Yeah..." she was a bit confused.

"Sorry, it's just...wow! Got enough already?"

"Whatever. Are we going to the hotel?" She remembered that she was the one who knew where it was. "Oh, yeah/ Sorry, I'm just forgetful today, I guess. First time off-planet."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Wanna hear what I got?"

"Of course!" She stood next to him so that he could lower his voice.

"Well, word is that the rebels are headed to..." he glanced around, leaned in close, andwhispered the planet's name in her ear.

"But, how'd you figure that out? I mean, really, wouldn't the Empire find out if it was that easy?"

"Oh, it wasn't. I had to find a drunkard, tell him a heart-wrenching tale about a daughter whose father had joined because he thought she was but dead but really wasn't, and then convince him we wanted to join. The story alone was tough enough!"

"Thanks for everything." Saera blushed, aware of how hard he'd been working on her behalf.

"No problem, that's what I'm getting paid for." Again, there was an ominous silence.

"Well, uh, the hotel I booked us is the Silk Flower--"

"Saera! That's the most expensive hotel on Bothawui! You could buyawholescrappy ship for the amount you're talking!"

"Well, I figure that it wouldn't cut into me expenses that much..."

"But it could! You don't have Daddy around to help you with your pocket money anymore. You gotta get a job or make it last! Hey! Where're you going?" Saera had stormed away from him, again. He decided he might have to get used to this.

"To the hotel." She spun on her heel to face him, hands on hips. "You coming, or are you going to continue to act like you're my father or something? If only for the age difference you could never be my father! Unless you knocked up some girl when you were 7 or something, and I don't even want to think about the possibilities of that!" She fumed off and he jogged to catch up with her. One thing was for certain, he thought, grinning inwardly. Saera would always be able to hold her own in an insult contest.

--

Glynn had to admit, the thousands Saera had probably spent on this suite were going to be very appreciated. Very appreciated indeed. He sank into the enormous bed in his little section of the suite. His room came complete with an attached bathroom (with a very luxurious bath) and a balcony. It also led into a kitchen and bar shared by the rest of the suite. Not that he would cook. But the free booze might come in handy. Maybe I can spike her drink and get her to loosen up for a change. Hmmn... He seriously considered it, but decided to try to make up with her instead. He went and knocked on the door dividing her room and the big living room. He'd beengetting an awful cold shoulder ever since he'd given her the lecture on her money.

"What?" Saera spat through the door.

"I just wanted to, uh, apologize about that back there. I mean, it's just...ever since I figured you're a runaway, I feel kinda like I have to educate you in, you know, the real world. Not that I'm assuming it's my place. Or that Tatooine isn't real, it's just pretty...isolated. And you're only 19! Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm not much older. And I did not knock anyone up when I was 7, OK?" he chuckled. "Girls still had cooties when I was 7. But, yeah. Even for me, life hasn't truly begun yet, I've heard you don't even know yourself until you're 30. So how can you even know how to live?" He paused, contemplating. "Hey, you didn't die on me, did you?"

The door cracked open a sliver. "No. That was just really...deep." She took a breath. "Um, apology accepted. And sorry for saying...yeah." Though he couldn't see it, he felt sure she was blushing and looking down at the ground.

He grinned. "Hey, all's fair in love and war, right?" What's wrong with you? You're not in love OR at war! "Gods, I'm stupid. I don't even know why I said that. Must've picked it up off a holovid ad or something." No, no, say something smart or nothing at all!

"Yeah," came the quiet response.

Silence. Gods, he couldn't bear the excess of silence!

"Anyway, it's almost dinnertime. Care to join me in raiding the minifridge?" he joked.

The door opened halfway and she was standing there, smiling. "That sounds like fun."