ANH 'verse. Slaver's transport on Tatooine. Start the story.

[random_xtras]

Restless, weary drones and organics rustled in the darkness of the hold, many of them uncomfortable in the heat of the world they'd landed on a few hours earlier. Over in one corner of the stinking, sweltering space two pair of glowing optics shone. The ones that were further from the floor held fear, the lower set, large and pale blue, held only patient exhaustion.

The silver femme frowned as an organic tentacle brushed against her leg, then moved her wrists in the restraining cuffs and looked up at her mentor as her soft voice broke the noisy silence.

"Random, I'm hungry."

Comments

[astrotechmech]

"I think we do," he says, smiling a bit down at Kia. "I don't quite remember the last time I refueled." But man, did he just want to keep standing there with her.

[random_xtras]

"Doesn't Alpha Q even feed you guys?" Hot Shot shakes his head.

Kia watches him for a moment, but then reluctantly lets go of Random to follow, the shifting sand under her feet soon attracting her attention and gaining a soft laugh of wonder and delight.

[astrotechmech]

"You mean the ugly tentacled guy? No, he didn't."

When she lets go and starts turning away, Random starts to reach his hand out but changes his mind at the last minute. Instead he follows her and becomes something of a living shadow without really thinking about it. Her delight with the sand gets another bit of smile out of him.

[random_xtras]

"The old pirate." Hot Shot opens the door, then watches Kia and the way Random's walking.

Kia, for her part, stops and hangs back till she can follow Random inside.

[astrotechmech]

Now that the 'immediate danger' is over, he has more time to think about other things, and he's moving again, he realizes just how tired and fuel-deprived he's become, moving a bit unsteadily.

When he gets to the door, he gives Kia another little smile. However, he doesn't quite trust Hot Shot completely enough yet to risk having something happen to her behind his back if he goes it in first, so he places a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to steer her inside while still being close to her.