The planet Marr was dark, covered in a dense cloud of smog, a byproduct of the lucrative mining of the planet. Marr was one of many mining worlds that relied greatly on exportation of the precious alloy that was present in the heavily metallic soil of the large planet. The compound present on Marr (Xyunthal, as Sky had told Shmi) was one of the most important alloys added to durasteel to help sustain a ships structural integrity through hyperspace travel.
There was little sunlight that found its way through the thick layer of detritus in the atmosphere, and as a result there was little native wild plant life. The planet was essentially dead, the inhabitants relying on outsiders to provide them with essential nutrients basic to all life and large factories to produce breathable air.
The native Marrians, according to Sky and Ana, were a sexless species-neither male, nor female. As such, they took great notice of females of other species. Therefore, as Sky led Ana and Shmi off the ship, they were all dressed in loose cloaks with hats the covered their hair.
Walking through the streets, Shmi was at a loss. In her darkest time she never found herself in such a dismal place as this planet. She felt positive if she weren't covered in a full body cloak that her skin would positively glow. And walking through the streets Shmi caught her first sight of the Marrians; they were such a pasty, dull gray color and had flat, lifeless eyes. Shmi was beyond understanding how they could choose to live on this world-but when she followed Sky and Ana into the café where they were meeting their contact, she began to understand.
The planet was rich. Though it looked hostile and dirty on the outside, inside it was elegant, and brightly colored, as if to make up for the lack of color outside. Even the café they were in had an air of pretentiousness. The booths and seats were covered in a deep burgandy cloth that looked positively heavenly to sit upon. The walls and ceilings were covered in light fixtures that were not only ornate, but issued a warm glow that created a pleasant ambience. Shmi shook her head at the persistent contradictions she kept encountering in this universe.
As they walked through the café, the threesome elicited a few strange looks at their cloaked appearance.
"Aren't we being obvious, covering ourselves like this? Won't someone assume we have something to hide?" Shmi whispered to Ana as they walked through the café, the dull, grey eyes of the Marrians glancing over them for a moment before turning back to their food and conversation.
Ana shook her head. "It's a trade world. A port to move in and out. They see weirder things, trust me."
Shmi nodded, but was still leery. It was all too strange and it kept getting stranger.
At the back of the café they went through a door and found themselves in another room where another Marrian sat before yet another door, wearing two large blasters on his hips. He stood at the sight of them and moved his hand to one of the blasters.
The alien paused as Sky spoke to him in what Shmi could only guess was the native Marrian language.
The armed Marrian let them through the door he had been guarding, and they followed a long, dark hallway that opened up into a large, bright room, full of green plants and cascading pools of deep blue water.
Shmi caught her breath as she took in the room. If she didn't know she was inside and that direct light from the sun didn't permeate the cloud of smog, she would have sworn they were out in the warm sun.
"Please, enter," a gravelly voice spoke in Basic. They all turned to face another Marrian behind them. This one wasn't quite as pale and grey as the other's they'd seen.
"Greetings, Sky. I was told you were here, I was in great shock," Shmi smiled at the truly basic form of Basic he was using.
Sky bowed, and Ana and Shmi followed his example.
"Hello Dryx, I have the parcels from Hurilla," Sky said, bringing forward the two containers they had brought from the ship.
The Marrian, Dryx, rubbed his hands together (Six fingers! Shmi thought as she took note of his hands), his face twisting into what Shmi assumed was a smile.
"I am pleased," he said, as he reached down and opened the containers.
Shmi didn't know what was in these boxes, but she almost laughed out loud when she saw what it was. Bantha poodoo; feces. She bit her lip to keep from laughing and stood, her eyes focused on the floor.
"Fertilizer," Dryx exclaimed as he summoned a droid to take the containers away.
"For the plants," he gestured around the atrium. As Shmi followed his arm, she noticed there were a lot more plants than she had originally thought-and she also noticed the air was filled with the distinct scent of fresh soil, and water, and plant life. He had created his own self-sustaining atmosphere.
"I'm glad you approve. And the item I am here for?" Sky smiled at the Marrian, speaking very respectfully.
"Yes, here," they walked over to where the droid had returned with a small package, no larger than the palm of Shmi's hand.
Dryx took the parcel, and as he opened it Shmi looked over Sky's shoulder. It was full of small shiny metallic pebbles.
"Perfect. Dryx, I thank you for your business and I hope to return soon," Sky was grinning as he took the parcel from Dryx and placed it in his jacket pocket.
Dryx bowed to them, and moments later they were back out through the café and on the dingy streets.
Shmi felt completely naive about what was going on-and she was starting to feel that maybe a life of smuggling wasn't what she wanted.
As they entered the docking bay and removed the cloaks, Shmi noticed a dark figure in the shadows, watching them. But as soon as she noticed the figure it was gone. Shmi narrowed her eyes, searching the shadows. There was nothing that she could see now.
"So where are we going now?" Shmi asked as she followed Sky and Ana onto the Kianna's Dream, hazarding one last glance behind her, just to be sure no one was there.
"Corellia," Ana smiled. "Where we can visit our baby, and drop off the Xyunthal."
The trip to Corellia was going to take a full day, so there was plenty of time on ship to relax. Sky and Ana took the opportunity and retired to their quarters to sleep after the Hyperspace coordinates were entered.
Shmi stayed up. She sat alone in the small dining area, a warm cup of tea between her hands. She was lost in thought, and comforted by the steady hum of the ships engines.
As the warmth of the tea and the quiet of the ship surrounded her, Shmi felt herself slowly giving in to exhaustion. Less than a day before she had been running for her life and she'd never allowed herself time to rest. Shmi laid her head down on her arm, promising herself she'd only rest her eyes for a minute…
"Shmi!"
Shmi looked around her, there were people screaming and running in all directions, there was smoke and fire and explosions.
"Shmi!"
She didn't know what was going on.
Hands grabbed her from behind and spun her around, lifting her. She was being carried away.
Then she was lowered to the ground. It was quiet.
There was someone else with them, whimpering.
"Shmi, take this…keep it with you," a small token was placed into Shmi's young hand. "And stay with your brother, I will find you when it's safe."
A faceless woman with a frantic voice thrust a whimpering boy's hand into Shmi's and then she was gone.
Shmi looked to the little boy with her, and suddenly an explosion ripped through the wall next to them. Her hand was torn from the little boy's…
Shmi bolted upright, knocking her now cold cup of tea off the table. The cup shattered on the floor, but Shmi didn't notice.
Her heart was pounding, a cold sweat having broken out on her forehead. Shmi told herself it was just a dream, but she had a bad feeling it was real, or it had been real.
Her hand wandered up to the necklace she wore. She fingered the delicate charm while she took slow deep breaths.
After a few minutes Shmi felt calmer. She had forgotten…her eyes teared up as she thought of that little boy. She couldn't remember his name, her brother's name. What had happened to her, and to him? She thought, wiping her eyes.
She had been about five or so when she'd been found. And for as long as Shmi could remember, she had been under the care of Karr and his father Theck.
Shmi stood and started to walk to the hidden cupboard when she kicked a piece of the broken cup.
She cursed under her breath and bending down, Shmi picked up the broken cup and wiped up the cold, spilled tea.
She continued to the hidden cupboard, where she activated the release, and reaching in she grabbed the first three datapads she found. If she wanted to find out about her past, now was the time to start.
Shmi returned to the table, and sitting down she activated the first of the datapads. While it loaded, Shmi reached behind her hair and untied the knot holding her necklace.
Shmi, who hadn't taken the necklace off since the original chain had broken many years ago, looked at the tiny charm in her hand. She was certain it was a symbol from her home.
Shmi turned the charm over in her hand, examining the back. Two initials, S.W., were hastily carved on the back.
For a moment Shmi felt waves of hopelessness wash over her. How will she ever track down her home from a stupid necklace and two initials? She sagged low in her chair, the weight of the infinite search ahead of her dragging her down.
Come on, Shmi. Another voice said. Just one datapad at a time…
Shmi sighed, and pushing the nagging, hopeless voice back, she chose to listen to the positive voice, and grasping the first datapad, she started scrolling through the information, searching for any planetary symbol that resembled her necklace.
"Hey, girlie, whachya doin'?" Shmi started at Sky's soft voice.
"You scared me!" Shmi laughed as Sky sat down opposite her at the table. "I'm just looking…"
Shmi's necklace sat on the table. She hastily grabbed it. Sky smiled.
"We'll be to Corellia in about five hours. You might wanna get ya some rest," Sky was watching Shmi closely. She smiled and shrugged.
"Yeah, I haven't really rested for several days. And I'm done with these…" Shmi deactivated the last one she had brought out.
Suddenly the thought of sleep seemed undeniably appealing. Shmi yawned.
"There's an empty bunk just down there, make yourself comfy-you're one of us now," Sky stood to put the datapads away as Shmi started down the hall, aware of her aching neck and stiff back. Poring over datapads wreaks havoc on the body, she thought.
The sight of the bunk was more than Shmi could take, and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out. Sleeping a dreamless sleep and getting some real rest for the first time in a long time.
