章節 78: Returned Gift
I don't own star wars
We moved with relative ease and great speed over the vast and smooth desert until a mountain range rose slowly over the horizon followed by what looked like a scrapyard of junk house surrounded by a wall and heavy tower turrets. Making it seem like a fortress instead of a camp or even town as everything rose into view…
A great collapsible gate slowly lowered as the two closest turrets turned down on us, I was nervous but Urai seemed like this was routine as half a dozen armed Jawa's clambered out aiming at us with salvaged weapons. Then an older Jawa with a hickory cane, riding on the shoulder of a big black furred wookiee came into sight and they both waved.
"Come on bring it in!" he shouted and the speeder slipped inside the fortress junkyard town, the big gates shutting behind me.
"Urai!" Caradoc laughed as they shook hands, legitimately surprised but happy to see him as Short-round clambered down his shoulder and limp-walked towards me. His cane had a large circular flat metal surface on the end to better serve him in the desert and he walked towards me with a slight limp as he looked me up and down.
"Yep. That's the boss's kid alright… not as good-looking as his sister but I'm biased." But then he chirped happily and slapped my leg with a fond air. "Good to see you again kid." He said his eyes smiling beneath his hood.
I couldn't help but smile, "Hello Short-round. What happened to your leg?"
He sighed reminiscently, "Been while since a Kane… sorry, Firemane called me that." He corrected himself, "And the leg? Stubbed my toe, but the cane makes me look more impressive…" that was true. "Anyway I'm afraid you just missed the Missus, she's out trawling for scrap and sales with some of the boys. Come on. Come inside we're about to eat lunch. You'll like it, my girl-" he made an unintelligible jawa noise, obviously, a name, as he moved on to inviting us towards the biggest of the junk together houses. "-made it. The chefs from Coruscant want to copy her recipes they're so delicious!" he said proudly.
He was right… the food was delicious. Halfway through our meal he promptly handed me my dad's rifle and a bag full of blaster charges. "Here you go. I had these just, you know, lying around from the old days…" he noted rather uncaring and dismissive, "Technically they're your Dad's." he said as if not just admitting he stole them from my Dad.
"Thanks, Short-round." I replied, checking the charge as Caradoc gorged himself on some Tatooine cuisine. Well more, I guess, since he was here last night.
"And I got a couple more late gifts for you." He laughed as a rather bulky jawa approached him and handed him what was clearly a wrist grapnel. "It's not your dad's… but pretty close in my opinion. But better, more range and penetrating power." He strapped it to my wrist. "He saved his life a lot… and if the big carpet's right you're going to want one." Caradoc grumbled through a full mouth but let it pass "Besides it'll make up for my lack of proper presents."
I looked at my new grapnel reverently and aimed my wrist down hearing the click to prim and. "Wait don't-" Short-round cried as the grapnel fired and pulled me rapidly to the wall, making me slam into it.
"Ow…" I grunted ashamedly on the floor.
The collective older group of men sighed tiredly, "Just like his father…" Caradoc mumbled absently. "Maybe it would be better if I held onto it for now..."
I had fun. A lot of fun. It's been a long time since I was around a large number of people who couldn't bend me in half with their arms. The Short-round Jawa family were fun and cheerful we even played some sort of 'football' sport where we'd kicked around an animal hide ball. While Urai, Caradoc and Short-round chattered amicably about the good old days with my dad.
Apparently Mirai was really popular with the Jawa boys, I was starting to wonder what she looked like under her helmet. But her wearing it in the middle of the game was a practical decision considering how often the ball flew toward my head…
All in all the last two days were something of a distant memory. Well except for Nike, I still had a vivid image of her in my mind. It was almost nightfall while we sat around a HUGE holo-screen in a theater-like building watching My Little Bantha the Movie 4. (Not yet released on Holo-vid and having a voice role from Circe who was also absurdly popular here.) Urai received a call politely leaving to let us watch in silence…
When he returned he looked… concerned. Grabbing Caradoc, my and Short-round he led us out right when the Jawa's cheered at Circe's voice roaring dramatically on screen from her winged Bantha character.
"…So." He looked at us, "…We have a problem."
I went cold, "I'm still wanted?" I asked nervously.
But thankfully he shook his head, "No. We got the bounty called off… the problem is almost immediately after we did someone tried to put another up. That's not really allowed there's a waiting period required. You have essentially eight galactic months to solve your problem before it gets put up again."
"At least that gives us a lot of time." Caradoc noted.
"Why can't we just get it wiped again?" I asked, staring at him as she slowly shook his head.
"Technically we could… but… Look I'm going to have to let Torga explain fully when we get back." He tapped his blaster with his finger in thought, "…The fact of the matter is Roland, your contract was BIG, it costs money or favors or both for a Hutt to get a contract like that removed. An awful lot, Torga likes your family but that was a huge hit for him. And once it gets put back up in eight months don't expect him to do it again."
"…We're going to have to work it off." Caradoc snarled thoughtfully and Urai nodded confirming.
"At least you'll get the 'family discount." Caradoc sniffed but accepted the news graciously, surprising for him.
"Do we know who put the contract on me?" I asked concerned about becoming an 'indentured servant' for a hutt, it felt pretty awful even if I believed all the stories dad told me about Torga. Unfortunately, I felt worse when Urai shook his head.
"No. it was a Hutt Cartel contract. Anyone with sufficient pull in the families could have put it out although the likely hood of it being a hutt is high. And if they pay enough it can be anonymous so it can be a 'surprise' for the mark brought to them." He crossed his arms and frowned, "…My money might be on Tuuba however he HATES your father… but I thought he might be too busy running his Casino barges and his slice of Nar Shaddaa to care about revenge."
Tuuba was a name spoken with mockery in my house back when dad told us stories about how he screwed him over once or twice. "I thought he was ruined?"
"Yes. 20 some odd years ago, hutts live a long time and-"
"Have long Memories…" Caradoc snarled coolly, sniffing as he stared into the sand. "I never met him perhaps I should go introduce myself?" he said protectively.
Urai shook his head, "He's had time to recover, he's not what he was. He's smarter, bitter, and he's adapted. And I could be wrong, as I've said he's smarter now he might not want to get himself involved with the man that was the catalyst for his fall from glory… especially now since your Aunt is Moff." He smiled, "And if my understanding of Tolara Kane is correct she would've been much more thorough if she know about you being attacked."
He was not wrong. Still though… it was a very obvious thought. "Anyway…" he continued, "We'll look into it. I've got some friends in the cartel who could have a look around. Then he seemed to stand a little straighter, "And I could 'poke' around too… some of them can be very… persuasive." He grinned rather pervertedly, and I was starting to see why he got along with dad so well.
"Well regardless… we can't go home. And we can't stay here…" Caradoc said, "Well need to keep moving, maybe we'll go to Coruscant next, see your sister she's probably worried."
"But if we stay with her she could be in trouble too…" I said, "It might not be common knowledge that she's related to dad but someone could still chatter about it."
One of the reasons Circe used Mama's maiden name instead of dad's was because inwardly she wanted Mama's name to spread. But she also didn't want people making a connection between her and an Imperial Moff's family… it was mostly dad's idea. I think Circe still called herself Bessana-Firemane with her closest friends.
"…Alright… as usual I can solve this problem." Short-round said suddenly, limping away towards the wall of the town. "Come on."
Caradoc and I followed him until we arrived at… what looked like an old junker freighter. Something a smuggler might use, he walked up the ramp gesturing us to follow. Standing in the hold of ship, which was surprisingly well cared for he tapped the floor. Calling something out in jawa… a name I think. He waited a moment and tapped the floor again, calling out louder and waited.
Still nothing, then with a disgruntled sigh he said softly and somewhat resignedly "Rattletrap?"
"Yeah papa?!" a tinier then average Jawa popped out of the floor and we recoiled in shook as his eyes looked cheerily around at us. Before settling on me. "Hey hey hey!!!" he pointed excitedly at me. "You look like uncle Aiden!" he gasped happily and leaped out of the vent in the floor. "Roly!" he shouted amazed, "Wow it's been forever!"
"Roland." I corrected. Only Circe was allowed to call me Roly It was short for 'Roly Poly', I was a chubby baby at the time.
"What's up! Welcome to my pad!" he grinned and clapped his hands. Suddenly from a vent opening in the ceiling dropped a large round glass ball that started emitting bright lights and 'groovy' music as Rattletrap began to dance.
"…Yeah this makes a lot of sense." Urai noted with a nod. "I'm going to go talk with Mirai, and see if I can drag her away from the movie." And he left, heading back to the theater.
"Rattletrap?" Short-round began, watching his son as if this was the most normal thing ever, "Rattletrap?" he repeated a little louder as his kid kept 'shaking it' pointing to the ceiling and the floor rhythmically as he did. "Rattletrap!" he shouted and finally he stopped, clapping his hands and the ball popping back up into the ceiling as he grinned at us.
"What's up pops?" he asked.
"Pack your things and move into your old room." Short-round said bluntly, and Rattletrap froze.
"What? No! I worked on this ship for years, it's mine!"
"No." Short-round sighed as if what he was about to say physically hurt him. "It's his." He then gestured to me with his cane before staring down his son.
"I… what… But…" Rattletrap blinked between us as Caradoc and I stared at Short-round who sighed again.
"Aiden never officially gave me the old Rebel." He said, looking fondly around the ship hold. "…By galactic law since its still intact, and Aiden can't be found it goes to his daughter, who I imagine would be thrilled to know her brother was bringing it to her."
"You're giving me dad's old ship?" I asked amazed.
"You're giving him my PAD!?" Rattletrap shrieked, "But… but papa I worked for YEARS on this ship! I made it perfect! You couldn't even do that!"
"To be fair I didn't have the parts." Short-round replied scathingly, apparently offended. "Let me know how that works out when you're trying to keep the ventaliation system working while in orbit over Mustafar! Anyway if you have a problem leaving you can just go WITH HIM!" he said, pointing to me again. "Knowing Aiden he doesn't know how to fly the ship!"
…He was not entirely wrong. But also not entirely right, Mom gave me a few lessons flying the Scarlet Rebel Mark II… but she had once told me that flying the Mark one was much different.
"…You…" Rattletrap seemed to cool down as he looked at his father reverently, "…You're letting me go with him? I can be a hunter and can go on adventures like Uncle Aiden? I can meet and make love to beautiful girls like Aunt Milky, Aunt Yura and Circe?!"
"What was that about Circe?" I said coldly but I was ignored, as Short-round slowly nodded his head.
His son tackled and hugged him and they embraced. I let them have their moment. I had my own Short-round now… that was kinda cool. He grinned at his father under his hood, "Love you dad. You're the best. I'm going to grab some good scrap!" he laughed, dashing between Caradoc's legs, "You never know what you need! On the hunt!" he added dramatically, actually posing on the ramp before dashing off.
After he left Short-round looked at me apologetically, "…If you want to take off now and leave him I'd understand." He said faintly, "I'm okay with him going with you but he can be…" he looked up and clapped his hands to prove a point, the ball dropping again and spinning lights as the music picked up again "…Eccentric."
"If he's as good as I remember it's fine." Caradoc said, clapping his hands as the ball popped back up. "We could use a brilliant mind like him if we're going on the move."
Short-round smiled and shook our hands, "Thanks boys…"
"Thank you Short-round." I said, looking around the ship. "…Dad's old ship." I said reverently
"About that… I have my pride to think about so if you two don't mind, would you say that you bought this clunker back from me at an outrageous price if anyone asks? I'd appreciate it." He said sheepishly. Caradoc and I rolled our eyes. "And since you two aren't abandoning my boy I insist you stay the night. If you thought lunch was good wait for dinner… Mmm-MM! Tuskan Raider stir fry."
We stared at him a little concerned and he sighed, "Stir fry with Tuskan Raider stlye." He said, holding up his hand in oath. "Seriously guys it Bantha…"
Not sure if I believed him… but at least it tasted like bantha, and was of course delicious.
End
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票