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

Chapter 9

That night found me sitting cross-legged on my bed looking out my window at the city below, twinkling and glittering with pinpricks of light. It was so breathtakingly beautiful I just wanted to sit still and drink it in, to think about all the people those lights were shining on, how each of those people had stories, memories, a history all their own. Unlike me . . .

A series of whistles interrupted my thoughts as Jaycee rolled into my room. "Hey, little friend. Didcha find any libraries?"

She beeped and whistled a reply.

"Deep in richie territory, huh."

Jaycee hummed a confirmation, then buzzed curiously as something in my pocket gave an electric chirp. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the comlink.

"Hello?" I answered it.

"How's it goin', kid?" asked Slicker's voice.

"Eh . . ."

"That bad, huh?"

"Well, I let Robyn talk me into doing a job and . . . it didn't exactly go well. I blew the whole operation."

"How do you plot that course?"

I shifted hesitantly. "I'm not supposed to talk about it, but basically I set off a security alarm."

"Don't kark yourself, kid. Sith happens."

"Um, I kinda set it off on purpose."

"Did you?"

"They were gonna plant plasma mines . . . The warehouse was right next door to a hospital . . . I had to stop them."

Slicker was quiet a moment. "Well," he said finally, "just remember we live in a rough galaxy. Sometimes innocent people get hurt. Just the way it is."

"Doesn't make it right."

"Not usually much you can do about it, kid." He cleared his throat. "So. You in a gang or do you work for a boss?"

"A pirate named Cash Stanton."

There was a short silence. "Well that's interesting."

"Don't--don't tell anybody, okay?" I pleaded, suddenly realizing what I'd just done. "I could get in huge trouble for telling you his real name."

"Who's real name? I didn't hear a thing. Listen, I gotta go. How 'bout meeting me somewhere for lunch tomorrow?"

"Bad idea. Robyn and I always eat lunch together, and he doesn't like you."

"I noticed."

"We work separately at sunup though," I told him. "Why don't I meet you then?"

"Fine. Eight sharp, Malon's Café' down on Deker's Alley; I'm buying."

Suddenly a loud pounding made me jump. "Hey, Bucky!" Robyn's voice called from outside my room. "Why's your door locked? C'mon, open up!"

"Hang on!" I called back, then spoke quickly into the comlink. "Malon's. Got it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't like it," Robyn complained as Cash absently sorted the valuables the boys collected that day. "I know that rodder said somethin' to Buck in the diner. And when I went to see the kid a bit ago, his door was locked. He never locks his door. Cash, he's up to somethin'."