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

Chapter Five

When I woke up I had no idea where I was. I lay still for a few moments, trying to remember. I was in a room on the most comfortable cot in the universe---bed. It's called a bed.

Bolting upright, I glanced around anxiously, then relaxed upon seeing my pack on the bureau nearby. Then I remembered last night, especially the shower. I got out of the bed, undressed, and ran straight into the 'fresher.

This time turning on the water was easy. The shower was just as fantastic the second time around. Before I left, I spotted something on the sink--an ultrasound cleaner. It was for cleaning teeth, I remembered, and tried it out. Felt a little funny, but when I finished my mouth felt a lot fresher.

Stopping to slip my medallion over my head, I left the room a bit later dressed in a gray  pantsuit someone put in one of the bureau drawers. It looked almost brand new, and fit better than the clothes Robyn had lent me. Never in my life had I felt so cool, clean, and satisfied. On Ocix Prime I would daydream about being free, but I never imagined anything like this.

I wandered around the halls for a while, trying to find the chamber I'd eaten in last night. When I finally walked into it, it was practically empty. In fact, the only ones inside were Robyn and the luxury droid serving him a meal on a tray.

"Morning, Robyn."

He gave a lopsided grin. "Well it's about time, mate! I been waitin' forever."

I sat down next to him as the droid placed a second tray in front of me.

"Cash and the others left already," he told me while we ate. "We got plenty of time to bump off."

"Is Cash gone a lot?" I asked before taking a long drink of cold, sweet nerf milk.

"He's always on the move."

"Why?"

"He's a pirate, mate," Robyn stated with an eye roll. "After pullin' a job he can't hang around. He's got to lie low, get rid of the loot, find a place to repair his ships, and sometimes even hire new crewmen. That's why he's got so many hideouts."

"How long is Cash going to be gone?"

He shrugged. "Normally a job don't take more than a few days."

I took a huge bite of muja muffin. "So what do we do while he's away?"

"Work, of course. There's always work to do. But first I'll give ya a quick tour of the place, then introduce ya to my gang. They'll help me give ya an idea of how to play the game."

"Thought we were going to work."

He started laughing and almost choked on his food. "Let's finish up so we can get started."

We finished eating and started off, Robyn showing me around the building. There was so many twists and turns, so many levels and doorways and hallways, I can't believe he didn't get lost.

"Some of those chambers are for the crew," he explained. "Rest are fer guests. Sometimes people even pay Cash to hide out here."

There was also an area with several computers. Robyn explained these were links to practically every known subject in the galaxy. You just logged on to the main galactic communications network called the HoloNet, typed in what you were looking for, and information, reports, holovids, and everything else with the same keywords would pop up on the screen.

I was totally blown away. Just imagine, a whole universe of knowledge at your fingertips! Next Robyn showed me Cash's underground hangar where everyone who came and went kept their ships. It wasn't much, just a wide open space with a few junky cruisers.