The place was bustling with people who'd come here for a drink, people who stopped here to give their starships a break, people who lived here, and...people who had come to watch the podrace. Like him. Like Biggs.
Luke craned his neck to look out for his familiar face, but it was hard to see through the sea of people. Maybe he wasn't here yet.
They headed for the seating area, occasionally having to squeeze past nasty-looking aliens, and hurrying past to avoid getting a punch of some sort.
The Mos Espa arena was a vast, semi-circular amphitheatre that could hold about a hundred thousand people with a wide sandy racetrack that passed by the seats and disappeared into the distance. Pilots were checking their Pods and making last minute adjustments. Crowds of aliens had gathered and were rushing about to snatch seats before they ran out, and they always did. Those who were left with no seat had to stand and lean against the block-like 'railings'. Vendors had set up their stalls here, selling roasted gorgs and sweet pallies, wines and what other food and drink you could usually find at events like this.
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Luke found Biggs in the front row and ran ahead of Uncle and Aunt for Biggs. Aunt sighed. "Well, it's just one day."
~~~~~~
Biggs had thought that Luke's parents— guardians wouldn't let him go in the end, but when he saw Luke heading for him he broke out into a wide grin. "Luke! You came."
"Told you I would." Luke smiled back, then his face creased with worry and he paused.
"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"Biggs..." he said slowly. "...Maybe...we should sit in one of the back rows."
"The back rows?" Biggs asked incredulously. He'd come all this way to enjoy the excitement of a live podrace. He wanted to be as close to the action as possible. "You don't want to see the podracers just zooming close by?"
"I...I don't know." Luke mumbled, looking down at the ground. "Something just feels...wrong."
Biggs noticed his uncle and aunt exchanging a glance, then Luke's uncle stepped up. "Let's go to the back rows."
Now Biggs didn't want to get into more trouble with his uncle and aunt, so grumbling, he grudgingly followed his uncle and aunt up the dusty steps, and Luke threw him an apologetic look.
~~~~
Biggs was unhappy at first, but soon they got caught up in the excitement of the podrace. Then suddenly a loud cheer rose up, and from the box boomed a gruff voice in Huttese.
"O grandio lust, Jabba Du Hutt, amu intoe tah parena." announced the commentator. His honor, our glorious host, Jabba the Hutt, has entered the arena.
