Hunted

Chapter 2 - Sand People

Right I'm on the road again, well kind of, there is no road. I just continue to travel in the direction away from the hunters and the Dradarians. My eyes squint as they look at the horizon. I see something but I'm not sure if it's real or just a mirage. Well only one way to find out. My hoverboard speeds towards what looks like a small town in the dessert.

The town starts to take shape. I start to see buildings and huts. The people didn't look that well off but I could see that they were happy. I slow down and jump off. The board quickly levitates to my hand and I store it away in my backpack. Sturdy metallic buildings. A small market in the centre of the town. Good place to stay a while and get something to eat. My tummy rumbled. Definitely something to eat. My hand reaches into my pack. Still got a lot of Sparks but I still need to spend them wisely. Deals are sometimes very shady. I walk into the nearest diner, it was packed with people, some from other worlds too. I strolled to the bar and sat down. The bartender looked at me. "What'll it be kid?" "Something cheap and edible." "Coming right up, lad." He goes to the kitchen and tell the cook my order. "That's five Sparks." He says coming back. Five Sparks, that is cheap. I hope I can eat it though. I hand over the money to him. A thought crosses my mind as the shiny pieces fall into his hand. Money; the very thing that grants life these days. If you don't have money, you can barely do anything. I still remember when certain things were free, like water and safe havens. Now everything costs and costs big. Some can't even afford a simple meal.

My thought process was stopped as the bartender dropped my plate of food in front of me. "Thanks." Ghola, not the greatest meat dish but I've heard it don't taste as bad as its name. This meal looked more presentable to others that I've seen. I finish up my food while catching up on the latest news of that galaxy. I grab my stuff and walk out. It was a lot cooler in that diner than out here. I kneel to check my bag for what supplies I still have. I see that I'm running low on food rations. To the market it is. Who knows what you can find there. I walk toward the market.

Colours were flying everywhere. Food from all planets in abundance. Trinkets and do-dabs. I walk over to a store and look at some of the fruit. "Want something sweetie?" A woman says. "Anything that will last for a month?" "There's fruit from the Habona system, they usually last a long time." I picked up the fruit. It had a hard skin but the flesh inside had vitamins and minerals in it that would keep me going for a week. "I'll take four, please." She takes the fruit and put it into a container. "You're not from here are you?" "What gave it away?" "Just had a hunch."

I leave the market and walk in the direction of the interplanetary transports. How many Sparks is it gonna take to get me out of here? I take a look at the travel board. Home or to another planet. Hmm. My eye catches a glance of a star cruiser leaving for Inomia. Bingo. I run to the ticket office and buy myself a ticket. Things are looking up for me. I wonder how those three goons were doing. "Last shuttle leaving for Inomia." That was my cue. I walk into cruiser and sit down. The cruiser lifts up and hovers to the planet's orbit. "Prepare for hyperspace." The captain says as the craft jumps into hyperspace.