Pilot Dreams (Star Wars)

Part 3 - The Cool Kid Next Door

It was just another day when his guardians had left him alone in the house again. This time his job was different— he had to mix the water with the nutrients and let the machine mix and pipe it into the big tank that supplied the mixture to the plants in the hydroponics garden.

"Pour the water into the mixing tank. Pour the sack of nutrients. Make sure for every sack you have 10 tubs of water." Uncle had quickly dished out the instructions, and hopped onto the Courier with Aunt.

He watched the Courier roar off as he lifted those tubs again. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Pour nutrients. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 .10. Pour nutrients. As usual, it was monotonous work, and he found his thoughts wandering off to space battles and adventure.

Then he heard a purr of engines, and peered outside the window. The skyhopper he had seen the day before went past.

"Hey, wait!" It was almost instinctive when he jumped out the window and flailed his arms at the skyhopper. Why did he do that? Maybe he was just too bored.

Luke gulped a little when the skyhopper slowed to a stop a few metres behind him. A human boy around his age stepped out, an annoyed look on his face.

Luke studied his looks, for he had never really seen others kids around on Tatooine. He had a mop of dark hair and wore an orange jacket over a black shirt. To Luke, he looked way more awesome and cooler than him. Him, the dumb farmer.

"What's up?" asked the boy, and Luke felt a shiver run down his spine. He shifted around nervously.

"Where are you going?..." was the only thing he could think of, for that was his original question.

"Tosche Station. To get power converters." he said.

"Uhhh..." said Luke."Can I come?"

"For what?"

"Err.." he tried to think of a reason. "Ummm..."

The boy looked at him expectantly.

"I'm just really bored on the farm. I want to do something else...more fun." he confessed.

"Tosche Station isn't fun."

"It's more fun than being on the farm."

The boy didn't answer. He climbed back on his skyhopper. Just great. I have to spend the next few hours pouring tubss. Luke sighed. He stayed there to watch the skyhopper move off. At least he had gotten to talk to someone.

However, the skyhopper didn't move off. The boy poked his head out of the window.

"Coming?"

~~~~~~~

Just a few minutes ago he had been pouring tubs of water into a tank.

Now he was riding in an actual skyhopper. His life couldn't possibly get any better. He watched the boy manipulate the complicated gears and controls skillfully, and tried to learn.

It was getting a little awkward, so Luke asked, "What's your name?"

His eyes did not leave the controls, but he answered, "Biggs. Biggs Darklighter."

"I'm Luke Skywalker. " he tried to smile. He twiddled his fingers as he looked out at the miles and miles of sand rushing past the skyhopper. Scraggly vegetation dotted the horizon.

Then he thought about if Uncle and Aunt returned before he did. What would happen? They'd reprimand him to no end. He imagined what they would say.

"Going out on your own with a stranger!" she bellowed. "What were you thinking? Luke, you're only twelve! What if you were kidnapped? Ohhhh!"