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

Chapter 11

I found the golden-haired kid on the far side if the Arkade. Up close, I realized he was a little smaller than me, but probably not too much younger. He was playing Lugjack, a coin-operated single-player game machine with four reels that spin around when you pull a lever. The size of your win depended on the patterns of symbols visible on the reels when they stopped. From the dismal expression on the boy's face, it's safe to say he wasn't winning much of anything.

I approached as he was putting another token in. He didn't even look at me. "I was here first, so scratch gravel." He pulled the lever again, and watched as the reels spun around loudly.

"I can help ya win if ya want."

He gave me a peculiar sidelong glance, then exhaled in frustration as the reels stopped. "Even if you really did, there's nothing you can do. I'm a flat-out failure; a walking hurt vector." He dropped another token in the slot.

"Yer only a failure if ya give up."

He snorted. "You sound like my mother."

"Then I must be right."

"What is it to you?" he retorted, pulling the lever. "You don't even know me." This time he pulled out another token even before the reels stopped. Just like before, they'd landed on a bad pattern.

"That don't mean I don't care."

He scowled at me. "Look, why don't you go care about somebody else? Leave me alone."

I stayed where I was and watched. He put two more tokens in, losing each time.

"Agh!" he growled finally, slamming his fist against the machine.

As he stomped away I said again, "Let me help ya win."

"For how much?"

"Nothing."

He threw a short bark of laughter over his shoulder. "Ha! Nothing's never free. What, you think I'm stupid too?"

I caught up and walked next to him. "Listen, I'll prove I can help ya."

"What is it with you and wanting to help?"

"If ya go back there and play one more game, I'll betcha ten credits you'll win."

He paused abruptly. "You'll bet me that I'll win?" he asked in a disbelieving voice.

"That's right."

"Do you even have ten credits?"

I pulled the money out of my pocket in answer. He stared hard at me. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

From the look on his face I could tell he thought I was crazy, but he was back at that Lugjack machine in less than two seconds. "This is my last token," he said, digging into his pocket. "Get ready to hand your chips over."

He pulled the lever once more. I fixed my gaze on the spinning reels as they went around and around . . . and stopped on four identical symbols. Before surprise had time to register on the boy's face, a river of credcoins poured out of the machine. Gasping, he lurched forward to catch them in his shirt, but some still landed on the floor with loud jingles. Kids turned to look, murmuring at the lucky guy who'd hit the jackpot.

"Sweet Queen Quinella!" the boy exclaimed, struggling to hold the pile of coins in his shirt. "Lookit that! First prize I ever won!" He glanced over at me, his brown eyes wide. "Hey, how'd you know I'd win if I tried one more time?"