STAR WARS: ADVENTURES OF BUCK RYDUR - BOOK 1 PART 1 FREEDOM'S PRICE

Chapter Four (cont 2)

I came back not long after, carrying a tray loaded with drinks. Just before I entered the room, I heard something that make me stop in my tracks. Cash and the others were conversing in low tones---about me.

" . . . talks like a smart kid, but it's like he's never been anywhere in his life," Nora was saying. "He's a polite little thing, too. Must've been well brought up."

"Well trained, you mean," was Cash's disturbing reply. "Kid's a slave. Has to be. Runaway too, from what Robyn told us."

My breath caught in my throat. How'd he figure it out?

"A slave?" Robyn's curious voice reached me. "Think his owner's wealthy?"

"Not if he's from Ocix Prime. Nobody with decent money would live on that cacti ball."

"You gonna ship Buck back?"

The sudden panic made my blood run cold.

"Naa," Cash drawled in a bored tone. "He ain't worth the trouble."

I exhaled silently in relief.

"Prime," Robyn sounded pleased. "'Cause I rather like him, even if he is green as goblin moss."

"He's not stupid though," a deep female voice pointed out.

"Anyone else get a look at his eyes?" Nora added wonderingly.

"Kind of quiet-looking," an accented male voice replied. "Intense."

"Too intense," the deep female voice agreed. "I'm gonna bet he's seen some shik."

"I seen eyes like that before," another unknown man mused. "But not in a kid."

"Somethin' 'bout him don't seem natural," another unknown voice growled. "I say you dump him off at the nearest orphanage."

"That'd be a waste," Cash countered with a wave of his hand. "Like Rob said, kid looks like he'd do good workin' the streets."

Nora smirked. "With a face like his, he could beg for ten minutes and make more than Robyn does in a day."

I hesitated, then stepped into the room. They all chuckled and went back to their card game as I approached and set the tray of drinks on the table. Robyn immediately grabbed a glass and took several large swallows, then set it down, grinning.

"Buck, you're amazing! It's great!"

More hands reached for glasses. "Now this is good."

"Dag, how'd the kid do it?"

"Knows what he's doin', that's for sure!"

I felt a corner of my mouth pull back in a slight half-grin. No one except Wyler had ever praised me. It felt kind of nice.

"Buck." I turned to face Cash. He didn't say anything for a moment. "You're a slave, aren't you?"

I tensed. I hadn't expected a direct confrontation. The table was still; they were all listening for my answer.

"Begging your pardon, sir," I said finally, "but that's none of your
business."

"Maybe not." He looked me in the eye. "But we've trusted you with our location, our names, our trade--"

"Enough to put us away for life," one man cut in.

Cash barely glanced at him. "Is a little background info too much to ask in return?"

He's got a point, I admitted grudgingly, but didn't feel any better. I still found the pirate's strange aura unsettling.

"Yeah, I was a slave," I admitted finally.

"And you ran away, am I right?" Cash stated.

"My owner was trying to get rid of me anyway."

"He beat you?"

"Every chance he got."

Cash leaned back. "Well then, we better make sure he don't find you. First thing's first---you got a tracker or anything in you somewhere?"

I pointed behind my ear. "Tag."

He rummaged in his pocket and pulled a small device from his pocket. "This will scramble it until we can get it removed." He stuck the thing on my ear and I heard a tiny click. "There."

"Thank you, sir."

He smiled, then offered me a seat beside him. I sat down and munched on potato sticks while he and the others discussed business stuff. My mind drifted in and out of the conversation.

Soon I was having trouble staying awake. At one point I couldn't keep my eyes from closing any longer. Next thing I knew somebody was placing me somewhere warm and comfortable, and then I knew nothing more for a long time.

***end of Chapter Four***

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