Tatooine Graffiti

Part 2 - Carnaval in Mos Eisley

"The image of the two young men in extravagant outfits inside the open cabin of the landspeeder was pathetic. But it was exactly what the spirit of Mos Eisley's carnival demanded. Thousands of foreigners came, lured by the promise of easy sex and some good deals. Many merchants arrived in caravans to trade technology for plants and spices prohibited by the Empire. Even Imperial ships came to make a scene and receive their share of the profit in the form of bribes.

The city of Mos Eisley was jam-packed with people from all over the galaxy, and the sky was infested with descending ships. Almost all the docks were full, and no one was leaving Tatooine; they just kept arriving and arriving. Ships of all shapes and colors imaginable. Luke even felt a sore neck because he couldn't take his eyes off the sky, enchanted by the ships. That's all he wanted, a ship to leave that place and live adventures among the stars.

'Surrounded by women, and you keep looking at the sky!' protested Biggs.

'But it's wonderful!'

'That over there is wonderful!' Biggs let go of the steering wheel and abruptly turned Luke's head towards a group of humanoid girls who couldn't have been more than fifteen. Judging from their loose hair, Biggs guessed they were Corellians. He maneuvered the landspeeder to pass very close to them. He was rewarded with glances and giggles.

'Good evening, girls! Let me introduce my friend Luke Skywalker, a wealthy farmer from the region!'

Again, they were met with giggles.

'G-Good evening!' Luke said with a forced smile.

As soon as the vehicle stopped next to the girls, a group of Corellian boys with jealous looks grabbed the girls by the arm and pulled them away from Luke and Biggs.

Well, the party is just beginning, right? Biggs said, shrugging.

'Yeah, my uncle said he's going to host a family of merchants tonight.' Luke grumbled. 'They'll stay at our place for a month, can you believe it?'

'I've got a solution for you, my friend!' said Biggs, reaching for the back seat. 'This bottle of Ambusa will make you forget all your problems!'

'I hope it has a solution to get me off this planet.' Luke grumbled while taking a sip of the silver liquid.

Once again, the landspeeder slowed down, this time for an Imperial patrol to inspect it.

'I hope this thing isn't stolen...' Biggs whispered to Luke.

'I've never heard of anything made by Jawas. They live off trading lost or stolen objects!' Luke laughed. 'Don't worry, it's routine!'

Luke felt something touch his hand, thinking it was an Imperial officer, but it was a bluish tentacle. Luke tried to pull his hand back, but the tentacle held it firmly. A creature that seemed to be made entirely of tentacles and a head approached Luke's face. He understood it was some kind of vendor.

'You are going to be important, young man!' the creature said with a wet voice and breath that smelled like mold. 'I can see your future! You will be as important as your father! I can tell you all about it for just ten credits!'

A soldier hurriedly pushed the creature away from Luke.

'Thank you! But my father was never important; he was a cargo pilot!' Luke smiled at the creature.

'These charlatans can't even lie properly.' growled Biggs.

Suddenly, a sudden metallic voice startled the two young men.

'You two are under arrest!' said the Stormtrooper firmly.

'What did we do, officer?' Biggs was frightened.

'This guy drinking ambusa...'

'But it's not forbidden to drink ambusa!' Luke said, astonished.

'Don't interrupt me!' the soldier growled. 'This guy is a virgin and must be detained here until he resolves his problem!'

As the whole patrol burst into laughter at their expense, Luke realized who the Stormtroopers surrounding them were.

'Nadai! You son of a gun! Trying to scare us to death?' he reached out to shake his friend's hand.

'Nadai? Weren't you in the academy?' Biggs smiled, also shaking the soldier's hand.

'They assigned some of us to patrol here during the carnival.' Nadai explained, avoiding Biggs' attempt to remove his helmet. 'Stop that! Do you want me to get arrested?'

'Yes!' Biggs replied, turning to the other Stormtroopers. 'Arrest this guy! He's going to join the Rebel Alliance as soon as he graduates!'

'All of us will!' another Stormtrooper replied with a laugh that sounded strange through the helmet.

Luke gazed in fascination at the white armor, his desire to join the academy had grown even more.

'Where are you guys going?' Nadai asked.

'We're open to suggestions, buddy!' Biggs said, shrugging. 'Wherever there are many humanoid girls.'

'Racist!' Nadai accused. 'And what kind of vehicle is this? Did you rob a Coruscant merchant?'

Biggs gave a forced smile at both remarks.

'Jawas!'

'I see.'

'Are you really going to join the Alliance?' Luke asked excitedly.

'Of course not! Are you crazy!' Nadai shouted, poking Luke's arm and pointing to the small floating robot among the Stormtroopers. Luke then realized it was a recording droid.

'What a scoop!' Biggs whispered in Luke's ear. 'Are you an idiot or what?'

Luke gave a forced smile to the Stormtroopers and tried to think of something to change the subject, but before he could, Nadai pointed to a large metal pyramid just ahead.

'If you want fun, you can go there. It's really good; we've been patrolling this area for three days, and the most beautiful women go there.'

'Whose party is it?' Luke asked.

'I think Jabba the Hutt himself owns it.' Nadai replied. 'It's usually expensive, but if you bought this landspeeder, you must be well off...'

'Let's go there, then!' Exclaimed Biggs.

They said goodbye to the Stormtroopers and headed towards a large pyramid-like structure that seemed to be boiling. Built with iridescent metallic materials, the pyramid displayed a palette of colors ranging from vibrant shades of sky blue, gleaming silver, to a subtle touch of gold, giving it a futuristic and exotic look. Each metal panel was carefully carved with intricate alien symbols, conveying a sense of ancient wisdom and hidden secrets.

As they approached, they could notice the architectural wonders of the interior. Abstract sculptures adorned the walls, depicting cosmic beings in dynamic poses and enigmatic expressions. The winding stairs, covered with a shiny and smooth material, led visitors to different levels of the pyramid, each one revealing a new world of wonders."