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Chapter V - Running blind

Now all I need to find is a place that sells navigation computers, seeing as the one we have is a little outdated.

Making my way further into town, the smells change as well as the scenery. Gone are the smells of fuel and spice, gone are the tight nit buildings with banners hanging from the sides of their tall walls, replaced with the smell of lava and burning trees, the buildings now looking more spread out and not as tall. Down the other end of the street I see a flashing sign saying 'new ship parts available!', with a shrug I make my way over to the shop, it looks a little more battered up on the inside then it looks from the outside. It makes up for it with the shiny new expensive ship parts on full display, I walk down the isles of tool shelves and crates, looking for the right navi-computer to fit our ship's main console.

I come to a stop near one of the shelves having found what I'm looking for, I grab the thing in both hands and make my way to the counter. There's a bored looking Rodian on the other side, smacking her now purple lips together to even out the newly applied lipstick. It looks horrible, but I don't have the heart to say it, besides, if I do say anything, my chances of buying this navi-computer go way down.

"Mm, what can I do for you, darling?" her gravelly voice is so deep and gravelly, I almost did a double take, instead I give a her a polite smile as I put the navi-comp on the counter. She looks at it and then back up at me, she gestures with one of her hands, making a slight grabbing motion. I comply with her silent request and throw most of the credits into her waiting palm, she eyes it up and does a quick count before nodding her head. "That'll do it."

I grab the navi-comp and then make my way out of the store, her gravelly voice speaks up again as a new customer walks over to the counter I had just left, I suppress a wince at her poor attempt at flirting.

Stepping back out into the hot dry air, I then check my chronometer, not bad with time I think with a small smile. Deciding it's better to hurry back and help Effree with repairing the ship than dawdling around for a few hours, I set off into a quick pace down the street I came up.

I make it back to the spaceport with record speed, however, I seem to have stumbled upon my first problem. I have no clue how to get back to the ship...

Glancing around, I try looking for familiar things that could show me what path to follow, I find none. With a frown I start to tap my fingers against the navi-comp in my hands, I then briefly close my eyes as I take a deep breath. Trying to seek guidance from the force like my mother taught me, it seems to want to take me in the opposite direction than I'm looking, I open my eyes with a shrug and walk down the path that the force seems to want me to go.

It leads me out of the spaceport, but I don't really think much of it, I've got time to spare, so what's the rush?

I key a door open to one of the tower buildings, it slides open smoothly, barely making a sound. My curiosity grows the further in the force guides me, the halls look deserted, bar the one occasional servant hurrying down the halls with their metaphorical tail between their legs. I don't pay them much attention as I come to a stop outside a door, it feels important, but it also feels as if I have to wait.

Why am I waiting?

I don't have to wait long before the force practically shouts in my ears to go inside, I do so swiftly, making sure to close the door behind me as I enter the large room. It's got a couple rows of data chips and datapads situated in one corner of the room just right of the door, on the near left side sits a couple of crates, in the middle sits a large desk and a couple of chairs. Right behind it sits another door.

I'm about to question why I came here in the first place, when I suddenly have the urge to hide, not wanting to second guess the force, I quickly jump behind some of the archiving shelves. It more or less completely hides me from view, but I can still hear everything that happens in the room.