The Delusions of Dreamers

Thirteen

Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Satine stopped before the ship, and the Padawan cringed.  He hadn't been expecting a work of art—the shuttle was fixed by filthy Jawas, after all—but this was just terrifying.

The space ship was in even worse shape than Cad Bane's ship, with mismatched parts and crooked wings.  Some parts were painted and some were bare.  Obi-Wan was scared to even touch it, much less step inside it.

He glanced down at the Jawas behind him.  "Are you sure this thing will fly?"

They waved their arms around angrily and shouted aggressively in Jawaese. 

"Okay! Okay! Sorry!" Obi-Wan backed away and followed the duchess and his Master to the ship.  "Goodness," he muttered.  "I certainly won't miss them."

Satine giggled.  "I don't know... they've kind of grown on me." The Padawan gave her a look as if to say, you're crazy.  But in truth, the duchess wasn't wrong.  Obi-Wan had come to like the Jawas... well, almost.  And he had come to enjoy Satine's company, too.  The two had really bonded on Tatooine, and now Obi-Wan could say they were friends.  He was almost sad to leave the safety of their little trench.

Up ahead, Qui-Gon knocked on the metal walls inside of the ship, and a bunch of rattling sounds responded.  "I do not like this," Obi-Wan complained.

His Master smiled back at him.  "Have faith, my young Padawan.  I'm sure it will work."

The younger Jedi laughed nervously.  "I sure hope so."

The group arrived in the cockpit, and Qui-Gon started powering up the ship after slapping the console a few times.  The shuttle seemed to growl and roar at them a little bit, but it eventually complied.

"I love flying," Obi-Wan smiled fearfully, and Satine laughed.

"I'm a bit nervous, too, but you would think a Jedi could be braver." The duchess sat down in the chair behind the two Jedi.  The Padawan threw a glare her way, but then he noticed the light playing on her face as she looked around the ship.  The glow from all of the technology made her look like a goddess, with her defined cheekbones, straight nose, and golden hair, which had gotten a lot longer.  "What are you staring at?" she demanded, waving her hand in his face.

He shook his head and grinned.  "Sorry, there was, um, a smudge on your face."

Satine's hand flew to her face.  "What? Where?"

Obi-Wan leaned back and bopped her on the nose.  "Right there, my dear duchess."

She rolled her eyes as she rubbed the tip of her nose.  "One should not bop the nose of a duchess."

"My apologies—" The Padawan had to hold back a yelp as the ship lurched into the air.  "Oh, my—!"

Qui-Gon chuckled.  "Sorry.  This might be a bumpy ride." Then they took off, and much to Obi-Wan's dismay, it was indeed a bumpy ride.

"So, where are we going Master? Didn't you say something about needing supplies before we go anywhere?"

The older Jedi nodded.  "I believe there is a small village where we can get everything we need.  I wish we could stay on Tatooine, but it is imperative that we keep moving.  If we stay in the same place, we will be found."

"Well, what planet are we headed to?" Satine inquired.

"I think we should hide on Draboon for a while.  It's in the Outer Rim and there is barely any civilization, mostly wilderness.  We should be safe there." Qui-Gon pressed a few buttons on the console and the duchess groaned.