Wild Child
“It’s beautiful. Isn’t it?” The old man observed and asked as he leaned over the station’s loading dock railing. “I think it frightening.” KewKew answered in her unusual accent. The old man, who she had watched over the dock with, who had introduced himself as Axel, laughed. “It’s because you don’t understand. You’re new to the galaxy so it makes sense. Once you have a bigger picture, this’ll be commonplace and you’ll be able to appreciate it.” KewKew nodded. “I’m supposed to be doing the fixin’ on her later. Best way to understand something is by takin’ her apart.” The old man advised.
“The ship is a girl?” KewKew asked. The concept was as foreign to her as were most things in life off Kewik. Nevertheless, she appreciated the old man’s words. Even if she struggled to understand them all, she knew they held wisdom.
“It ain’t, but I like humanizing the ships. It makes me feel good inside, and makes the work feel more worthwhile.” The old man paused to make sure Kew had enough time to grasp his meaning. “So? What do you say? You’ve been a great lunch companion so far, Kew. How about you help me work on the ship and gain some insight?”
Kew hummed a hesitant note. Axel had a point, and the quicker she got used to starships and stations, the less they’d frighten her, but she still had her own mission: find a Jedi, and find the force like her former mentor Ran had instructed.
“I won’t twist your arm. It’s been nice meeting you is all, that and you remind me of my daughter. She’s been gone a long time.” Kew could sense Axel’s emotions through the force without trying. His pain hit her. It was the same pain she felt for her people. They were all gone and she was the sole survivor. She looked at Axel and tried to see her own father. “Okay. I will help you.” Kew smiled two rows of sharp pointed teeth. Axel didn’t seem to mind.
Together, Kew and the old man ran down from the rails and reached the beautiful ship as its tow hitches were disengaged and it was placed on the dock. The dockmaster approached Axel with words. “The ship’s late which means our schedule just got longer. You okay for overtime, Axel?”
“I’m good for it, and I brought help. This is Kew.”
Kew nodded at the dockmaster, and he nodded back. “What is problem with ship?” Kew asked. “What is the problem with the ship?” Axel corrected. “Thank you.” Kew said grateful for the help. “What is the problem with the ship?” She repeated still learning the intricacies of Galactic Basic.
“I don’t know. When the crew called for the tow they were pretty vague. I don’t think they want this on official records. They’re probably trying to save themselves some company embarrassment.”
“Let’s upcharge ‘em out the wazoo.”
“Hah! Never change, Axel.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Axel said and Kew repeated.
Overhearing the whispered repeated phrase Axel turned to Kew and they smiled at each other. Then the starship doors blew.
!!BOOOOOM!!
And a wave of blaster brandishing trouble spilled out of the towed starship. “Pirates!” Someone screamed. “Ruuuuuuuun!”
With little thought, Kew grabbed the older man. Tossed him over her shoulder, and yanked the dock master away from the wave of evil, greed, and malice she sensed, away from the starship and into safer hallways adjoining the dock. “Those rotten no-good poodoo swilling pirates! They tricked us and we brought them right in!” Axel said with anger.
Station security teams ran down the halls against them and were being cut down by the pirates one after another. Kew didn’t stop running until she could get Axel and the dockmaster somewhere safe. “Why the pirates do this?” Kew asked as she continued toward an upward ramp, her bare feet padding heavily against the station’s metal floors.
“I don’t know. We’re mostly a fueling station. It doesn’t make any- Oh! Oh no!” The dockmaster said with a realization. “The Naboo! They’ve got nobles aboard this station.”
“Then we must save these Naboo.” Kew declared. The dockmaster gulped a pocket of fear, while Axel looked at Kew with pride.
