Star Wars: Lightforce

Chapter 24

Brushing the matted, straw-coloured hair from her eyes, the little girl tried to mingle with the rest on the crowded narrow street, wishing to be part of the background, unnoticed. Seven standard years, two of them spent alone, had taught her a degree of self-sufficiency, slight of hand, blending in. She looked hungrily at the food stalls but warily at their often burly keepers. She had received a beating from them enough times when she hadn't been skilful enough to help herself without being seen. Not having eaten for a day or two, she had to find something today to help her ward off the cooler weather.

Distracted by the tantalising smells, she walked into a large man, laden with boxes, and stared at his face while he shouted something rude about beggars being in his way. She followed his course down the street with her eyes for a moment before continuing to wend her way through the hustle and bustle.

Up ahead, a speeder pulled into the side near the town square and it's pilot alighted nimbly, leaning back in to fetch a bag from the seat, the strap of which she now pulled over her head and across her tunic-clad body. The girl paused behind a barrel of fruit for a moment, fascinated; taking in every detail of the woman. She had never seen a woman as pretty as this one in her life. She moved gracefully and her dark hair was braided in twin loops at the back of her head. The little girl touched her own hair subconsciously, feeling it's grubby coarseness with her fingers.

The woman made her way down the street, pausing at this stall and that, examining the faces of the traders and the shoppers alike. She was obviously new to the area and the little girl stared in awe. She remained motionless, her mouth slightly open as the woman stopped at the same fruit stand. Then, the woman turned her head and looked at her and the girl noticed her kind, caf-coloured eyes and her bright smile.

"Hello." The woman was talking to her, examining her grubby appearance as she did so. The little girl didn't answer. "Are you hungry?" the woman asked gently. She selected a large, red Degri fruit, bought it and crouched down to hand it to her.

The girl looked down at it, wide-eyed and a smile spread across her dirty face as she took the fruit. The pretty smiling woman stood up and continued down the street and the little girl watched until she had disappeared from view.

Very few people had been kind enough to give her food before. She took a large bite, savouring the juice as some of it escaped from her mouth and ran down her chin.

Continuing to eat as she walked towards the town square, she was lost in the ecstasy of her prize and oblivious to the approach of a uniformed man until her arm was grabbed and she was dragged roughly towards the square where other uniformed men waited.

"Thief!" the man holding her was accusing. "It's time we cleaned the streets of you vermin."

She hadn't stolen anything today. The pretty lady had bought her the fruit. She began a high-pitched protest, kicking her legs at him and trying to free her arm, drawing stares from other, unsympathetic townsfolk. No-one wanted to help a thief. Then, above the shrieking, an authoritative female voice shouted.

"Stop!"