Chapter Fifteen
You're overreacting. There's nothing there. He doesn't feel anything more than you do, which is just a physical attraction. If he felt any differently, he'd tell you, wouldn't he? Now stop being a big baby and just go over and talk to him.
Saera took a breath and stepped out of her room, going in to the rec room/dining room. Glynn was sitting in a chair, staring at the holonet screen.
"What are you watching?"
He jumped up. "Saera! Are you OK? What happened?"
"Hey, I asked first."
"Come on, don't play around." He flicked off the screen. "I was really worried!"
"Yeah, I know. I just had to think about some things."
"You didn't tell me if you were OK or not."
She gave him a 'please don't' look. "So...when is that droid coming around?"
"They said about three days."
"Well, I've decided to go to the base. If that's OK with you, of course. I'll give you a bonus, you deserve it anyway. Is it OK?"
Pause. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Why wouldn't it be?"
"I don't know. Just wanted to check. I mean, because, well, if you didn't want to or something."
"Nope, I think I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't want to."
"Good. Then." She sat herself in a chair. It wasn't true. She knew it wasn't. It was all just in her head. What an idiot she'd been, to think that he might have feelings for her.
-
Gods, she was acting weird. He wondered if maybe she'd bumped her head.
Sut she had sounded sane. And she's sounded almost like she was asking him to not want to find Skywalker. Why in the galaxy would she do that? Now he was gettting confused. And now she was sitting there, eyes off in space, biting her lower lip. She looked sorta sick. Maybe she caught something...
"Saera, you sure you're OK?"
She snapped out of it. "Yeah, yeah, Fine."
"You sure? You like ill."
"I don't feel so great, actually, I'm gonna go lie down."
"You need anything?"
"No, I'll be fine." And she was gone again, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
She was acting so strangely. It was almost like she wanted a reason to not look for Skywalker. Almost like she wasn't sure if she should be going to find him.
I can't deal with this right now. I have other things to think about, more important things than Saera Mernoai's non-existant love life. I've got to start planning for when I get those new engines. I'll get a paint job, fix up the bunks, put some ads in some offices...
I have to get her out of my head. She's too screwed up. I'll just get her to the base and get out.
I need a drink.
-
"Coruscant's angels are dying in battle."
The droid swept past them and into the cockpit, where it linked straight into the navcomputer.
"What does that mean, anyway?" Saera asked, watching the droid from behind his back.
"I think it's some vague reference to the Rebellion. They want to 'save' Coruscant, maybe."
"I guess that could make sense."
The droid finished its programming and whistled past again, back out to the exit of the ship, beeping annoyedly until Glynn opened the door so it could leave.
"That was fast."
"Yeah, I thought it'd take longer. Well, all we got left to do is get off-planet so we can activate the hyperdrive."
"Yep. Wait, do you think we should make sure we have enough supplies? Beacuse, you know, it could be on the other side of the galaxy, and I don't really want to be eating that gruel stuff for another couple months..."
"Oh, yeh, I could go food shopping." He felt relieved that they didn't have to go right then, somehow eh didn't want to leave the planet. You are crazy, crazy!
"I'll com too! I mean, I'd like to get out, it could be the last time in a while."
"Sure. Just...here." He grabbed a long black coat and handed it to her. "Keep it closed. Unless you want me to attach that pillow again."
"No, I'll be fine. Let's go."
The market was rather dull, but it was better than sitting in the ship waiting to hit regular space. I don't know how we're possibly going to sit in the Gaellia for who knows how long. It sould help if we knew the ETA or something...
They managed to get quite a few canned meals that looked somewhat more appetizing than the mush stored on the Gaellia, paind, and left the store. The exit was into an alley that made Glynn feel a bit on edge, like something wasn't right. It wasn't.
"Put your hand sin the air," a voice called from behind them. Glynn dropped the bags of cans and lifted his hands, Saera following suit.
"What's going on?"
"Oh, you don't know?" A man dressing in mostly balck emerged from the shadows and circled around them until he was in front of them, his blaster trained on Saera the entire time. "This little girly has a bounty on her head. Kinda a big one. I'm gonna collect it. Come here, girly."
Glynn could sense Saera shaking next to him. "Don't do it. Stay put," he whispered.
"Shut up! Come here, or I'll shoot!"
"No, he won't." Somehow, something about the bounty hunter said to Glynn that he wasn't going for a kill.
"I told you to shut your mouth!" The bounty hunter lunged at Saera but stopped aboutthirty centimeters away, like he'd hit a wall.
I still have it...
Glynn took the moment of the bounty hunter's confusion to draw his own blaster and shoot. As the bounty hunter crumpled to the floor, Saera juemped into Glynn's arms.
"Oh, Gods--"
"Let's get out of here. We've gotta go, quickly." He grabbed her arm and ran to the curb, hailing a landspeeder. "Don't say anything," he whispered before pulling her into the vehicle.
"Main public docking bay."
"You got it." The man eyed them in the rearview mirror. "You guys in some kind of trouble?"
Glynn shoved a few credits over the seat. "Drive fast." The man shrugged and sped up a bit.
"Glynn--"
"Shh." He put a finger to his lips and sat back in the seat, still tense from the recent events. Saera was still shaking and she looked so tiny, so young, almost wrapped up into a ball. He had to pull her into his arms. He ehld her close, kissed and stroked her hair, tried to comfort her. "S'okay, s'okay."
"I'm scared." Her voice was tiny, weak, muffled.
"Shh, shh, s'okay." He rocked her gently and held her, worried she would break, she sounded and felt so delicate. "Shh..."
When they got to the docking bay, he shoved some credit chips at the driver, hoped it was enough, and pulled Saera out of the speeder.
"Pull your collar up," he said, doing the same, trying to hide his auburn hair. Holding her around the shoulders, he guided her to the Gaellia.
"Get back." He checked quickly for any signs of tampering with the ship's entrance, found none, and dragged Saera into it. She immediately collapsed, slumping against the wall. He managed to catch her just before her head the floor. Poor thing. Glynn carried her to the guest quarters and laid her out on her bed. He made sure she wasOK beforer leaving, the lights dimmed.
He went straight to the computer to see what e could find out about this 'bounty'...and what he'd done for the first time in years...
FreeTrader: Didn't get too sidetracked, see:)