A Bringing Of Forces

Chapter 12

The market was bustling with life as aliens wandered between the packed store fronts; their owners calling out an assortment of exotic goods. Smells wafted throughout the large space station, mingling with the fumes from docking ships and mech stations. Ahsoka walked next to Aedion who had now recovered enough to gain mobility after her loss of a limb and crutched across the slick metal paneling.

Obi-Wan had stayed behind with the children, telling the two to get food and enjoy themselves in the limited time they had away from the Empire. The spaceport was an outer rim trading post that had evaded the gaze of the Empire so far, and was pleasantly lacking any stormtroopers or Imperial officers.

Ahsoka shifted Obi-Wan's lent sack over her shoulder, flicking a look at Aedion. The twi'lek continued on, oblivious to the torment raging within Ahsoka. Neither had mentioned the kiss since Aedion pulled herself from the semi conscious state she had drifted in and out of for nearly two weeks. That had been near three weeks ago and Ahsoka was beginning to wonder if Aedion remembered it at all.

The crowd mingled, bumping and pushing into Aedion, staggering her off balance. It had been a rough couple of weeks as they combed the systems, looking for an adequate place to restock and attempt to lay low for several days. Now that they had found it, Ahsoka was finding the hustle and bustle of everyday life for the rest of the galaxy wasn't something she had missed. Never in the past few years had she dared approach such a densely populated area for fear of being discovered. Of course, such a large crowd also provided the ability to hide in plain sight, but that was not what they had come for. They needed food.

The metal walled stalls thickened as they neared the center and Ahsoka had to slow to keep pace with Aedion who was struggling against the push and pull of the crowd. "Here." Ahsoka gestured at a small break in the flow, several stalls away.

They pushed their way through, and with much relief, found they could move more easily. Ahsoka shouldered through a cluster of tall creatures, looking slightly like those on Kamino, but stockier. The first she bumped glared down, flashing slick white teeth from the edges of his mouth. She glared right back up.

"Watch it," was all he muttered before turning haughtily back to his bevy.

She rolled her eyes, shouldering several others out of the way until they came upon a larger stall, filled with a diversity of fruits, dried packages, drinks, and protein bars. Aedion stopped right behind Ahsoka who gazed at the line of fresh produce longingly. It had been so long since they had had a chance to have real fruit. And not the kind they found on Kilo.

A smile danced across her face as she moved to inspect a piece, before she could touch it though, a wrinkled hand reached out and smacked it away.

"You buy: you can touch. Until purchase is made -hands off." A sullen looking dug scowled at her and Aedion.

"Got it." Ahsoka raised her hands in defeat, "How much do they cost?"

"Ten credits. But any currency will do. As long as it's worth something, it works."

Ahsoka nodded. "Well, thank you, but we're going to look at the rest of what you have."

The dug slouched away, grumbling to himself all the while.

"What a pleasant looking fella," Aedion scoffed, a smirk playing across her lips.

Ahsoka breathed a laugh, "Indeed. And that was one of the nicer dugs I've encountered."

"My condolences." Aedion shook her head sadly.

By the time they paid the unfriendly dug, Obi-Wan's borrowed pack was stuffed full of dried protein packs, a jug of water, several containers of soft food they had found in the back, and two plump red fruits Ahsoka had eyed at the start. Their supply of money was running dangerously low, but she had faith Obi-Wan would make it up. He had taken an unexpected turn in storytelling and was surprisingly good.