.: Ortki : .

. 1 .

[6 ABY]

The quiet rumble of the Sandcrawler echoed through the room, pairing with the chattering of Jawas in the other rooms to create an ambience; a familiar sound that Ortki had grown used to over the years. But today, Ortki would be leaving, and it could be a long time before it could hear the sound again.

Ortki sat in the storage room, perched upon a crate, watching as its parent, Ent Knii rifled through a large metal box, looking for supplies for Ortki's journey.

Ortki had decided a few days ago that it wanted to leave the Sandcrawler, to find adventure, to do something more. To leave Tatooine! It felt excited, apprehensive, a bit nervous. Ent Knii felt the opposite, however- it was completely terrified for what could happen to Ortki if it left the safety of the Jawas' Sandcrawler, but Ent Knii didn't show it- much.

After a moment Ent Knii lifted a few packs of food and a bag of credits from the box, handing them to Ortki.

"Thanks," Ortki said, taking them in its arms and stowing them into its backpack, "do you think that's enough?"

"I think," Ent Knii replied, fiddling nervously with its hands, "have you got your blaster?"

"Mhm!"

"Water?"

"Yep."

"Credits?"

"You just handed me a bag of credits!"

Ent Knii sighed. "Okay, okay. But how will you- talk to people? I don't think a lot of people outside of Tatooine speak our language," it asked.

"I told you before! I harvested that droid from before's vocabulator and fitted it with a microphone. So I can talk to them," Ortki paused, picking up the vocabulator and microphone, then turning it on and speaking into it, "like this!" Ortki's speech was immediately translated into Galactic Basic through the vocabulator. "And I've been studying Galactic Basic for ages just for this, so I'll understand them!"

Ortki then wrapped the vocabulator's cord around its neck, fitting the microphone so that it was in front of its face, then turned it off so it could continue speaking to Ent Knii.

Ent Knii sighed again, looking at Ortki with a mixture of pride and sadness. "Alright. So you'll get to a town, buy a ship, then go on your, uh, 'adventure'? That- sounds good," Ent Knii paused, walking over to the window and lifting it open, then peering outside, "okay. We're about to stop near that town like you requested, looks like. Are you ready?" Ent Knii turned to Ortki.

Ortki nodded, hopping off of the crate, "sure am!"

Ent Knii walked over to Ortki, stopping in front of it, just staring. There was a moment of silence. Then Ent Knii stepped forward, wrapping its arms around its child in a tight, affectionate hug. Ortki patted Ent Knii on the back, trying to comfort it.

After a moment, Ortki pulled back slightly, staring Ent Knii in the eyes. "Look, I'm going to be okay. I'll be back really soon," it promised.

Ent Knii nodded. "I know."

The Sandcrawler started to slow down, creaking, then stopped. They'd reached their destination. Ortki turned, leaving the room excitedly, making its way past the other Jawas and down to the exit. The exit door was still opening, revealing the desert outside little by little in its annoying, slow way.

"Ortki!" A call from behind.

Ortki turned, seeing the rest of its tribe hurrying forwards toward it. Of course- time to do about a hundred goodbyes! But Ortki felt happy to have community, however annoying it was. It was nice to be missed. The children of the tribe ran forward, shouting excitedly, hopping around Ortki, while the rest followed, offering equally excited but more suppressed goodbyes. And when the door was fully open, Ortki stepped out into the familiar sands of the desert and the door began to close behind it.