If You Play Your Cards Right (Star Wars)

If You Play Your Cards Right

It was as hot a day as ever on Tatooine, and the loud hum of the air conditioning desperately working to keep out dry sweltering heat of the desert could be heard throughout the shop.  Adika wiped the sweat off her forehead with a gloved hand before sliding out from underneath the landspeeder she was working on. Luke had brought it in that morning explaining that it got beat up after a run in with some Tusken Raiders and asking if she could have it done by the evening when he’d come to pick it up.  Luke had overestimated how much time it would take her, because it was late afternoon and it was already finished. She didn’t blame him for not being able to come in until later that day. He was probably going to be out all day working on the moisture farm, thanks to his father. Adika got up from the dolly she was laying on and set her tools down, pulling off her gloves before wetting her hands with the hose in the corner and spreading the moisture over her face, sighing.  “Ugh, I need a break.” Thank the Maker she was able to take one. She didn’t have work at Tosche Station that day, and business had been incredibly slow in her own little shop, meaning she had no obligations. She pushed her goggles up on top of her head and secured the bandana covering her mouth, then undid the buckles of her overalls to let the top half hang around her waist before pushing the button to open the garage and heading out towards town.  

It didn’t take long before she arrived at Mos Eisley and headed inside, pulling down her bandana.  Her mechanic shop wasn’t far from town, and what better way to relax than having a nice cold drink while surrounded by the scum of the galaxy?  She sat down at the bar, asking for a glass of blue milk. She didn’t care that there was plenty of it back at home, she did not want to go back there right then.  Her parents would surely put her straight to work. There was always a job to do on the farm.  

The bartender turned around and poured some from a tap before sliding her the glass.  She took it gratefully, barely holding back from chugging the cool, sweet liquid as it slid down her throat.  Bantha milk was a commodity on Tatooine, and it was a miracle she hadn’t gotten tired of it after living on a bantha farm for her whole life, but it was always so refreshing after spending hours labouring in the unforgiving suns of the desert planet.  

Adika set the glass back on the table, looking at the small amount of creatures and people that were in the cantina.  It usually didn’t get too crowded until evening, but there were still more people in the afternoons than one would think there would be.  Her eyes zeroed in on a group of twi’lek and a dresselian all gathered around a table, playing a rousing game of sabacc. Adika smiled as she watched a blue male twi’lek groan in despair and throw his cards on the table, the two green female twi’lek surrounding him giggling.  He seemed to have lost the game to a rather smug looking dresselian. The male twi’lek stormed out of the cantina and the two girls moved over to another table to seek better company. Adika rubbed her hands together and smirked, eyeing the cards splayed out on the table across from the winning dresselian.  One game couldn’t hurt, right?

Adika chugged down the rest of her drink, setting the glass down hard before sliding off the stool and sauntering towards the table the dresselian was sitting at.  She put her hand on the back of the seat across from the dresselian, giving him a coy look. “Is this seat taken?”

“Is there someone sitting in it?”  Adika brushed off the male’s abrasiveness and made herself comfortable in the chair.  She rested her elbows on the metal table, intertwining her fingers as she eyed the dresselian man.  

“It appears the last one lost the game.  May I ask what he missed out on?”

“Observant, are we?  Yes, he lost, and if you’re wondering what’s in it for you if you can do better than him, it’s a lot of money, and a good droid.”  Adika pondered that. She didn’t especially like droids, although she didn’t necessarily dislike them, but she could probably sell it for good money.  Add that to the money he was offering, and she could maybe buy a ship and finally escape the outer rim. But, she had to be careful. The type of people that hung out around Tatooine were definitely not above scamming.