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

Chapter 10

Robyn hurried across the spaceport and up the ramp of Cash's ship. The pirate was just entering the main hold where Dac Farrow and a Cerean crew member named Zhej Ciy-Kijar were playing holochess. "Cash, I got ta talk to you. It's serious."

Cash scratched his jaw as he studied the data pad in his hand. "And a very good morning to you too."

Robyn almost didn't hear. "Buck knows. Somehow he figured it out."

At that, they all glanced at him. "Figured what out?" Zhej grunted.

Robyn hesitated, then at a nod from Cash replied, "That ya know 'bout his powers. That you're gonna try to use 'im on runs. He even senses you're watchin' him, but I don't think he knows about the hidden cams and bugs. Yet."

"What the haja is he takin' about?" Zhej demanded with a scowl. "Is there somethin' goin' on you ain't told your crew about, Captain?"

"Yeah, something I don't want gettin' around," Cash answered evenly.

Zhej looked vaguely curious. "What's it got to do with little Rydur?"

"We think he's Force-sensitive," Dac Farrow explained absently, studying the game board.

"He's what?"

Robyn rolled his eyes. "A little wizard. A Jedi in progress."

Cash frowned. "How'd he find out we were watching him?"

"He's been havin' nightmarish visions of sorts," Robyn informed them. "Says they tell 'im."

"So he's got foresight," Zhej commented. "That's some kid. More like a little god."

"He very well could be," Farrow agreed, making a risky game move. "If he was found out in the Unknown Regions like he said, who knows what he is."

"Why not try to find out where he's from? Might give us some answers."

Cash watched absently as Zhej moved a game piece. "Rob, for now just keep watchin' him, make sure he doesn't attract any more attention. I need to think about what to do."

Farrow made a swift move. "You loose."

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

Four weeks had passed since we'd come to Corellia. We moved to a different apartment in that amount of time, and once had to sleep on the ship, but I was getting used to it by now. It was incredible how time could slip away so quickly without it feeling like a long time.

There were days that felt like years, when the long hours of walking up and down streets and running from stormtroopers caught up to you. A couple times Robyn found me asleep on a warm bench or curled up against the side of a building. Another problem was my hair. Anyone who chased me just had to follow my gleaming white ponytail. So the next time Robyn and I had a free day, I talked to him about it.

"If I can't do something 'bout my hair, I may as well turn myself in. It makes me stand out like a bantha with wings."

"More like a snowcap on a sand dune," he joked. "C'mon, we'll go see what they got at the Row."

Treasure Ship Row is a large, open-air bazaar not far from where we lived. Even though it's in the Blue Sector, many wealthy people go there because its stores have absolutely everything from food, entertainment, and clothing to tools, toys, and antiques.