Luke liked the idea, but he knew there would be *hell to pay* if he went along with his friends' plans.
"Coward," Camie shouted at him, as she climbed into Deak's land speeder.
Luke reached for the starter button. "I am not," he shouted. He was just in enough trouble at home.
"Yes you are," she called back just as Deak's speeder roared to life. The others were crammed into Fixer's speeder. They waved at him, then followed Deak off into the Tatooine wastelands.
Uncle Owen would be furious. But he knew that he would probably be grounded for life when his uncle read his report card.
The engines roared to life and Luke followed his friends at too fast a pace. This would probably be his last adventure for a long while.
It took him a minute to catch his friends and pass them. He slowed down, knowing today was not a good day to race.
"Mos Epso?" He yelled, to be heard over the engines.
"The ghost city," Camie answered. "I want to see a ghost."
Luke banked sharply to the right, the others followed. School was out, and they'd decided as the last bell rang to make this trip. He just didn't feel good about the trip. Besides Beru was expecting him home just about now.
He took a small sip of water. Mos Epso was something of curiosity. According to the stories, once it had rivaled Mos Eisley, then one day it was gone. If there were survivors, they hadn't known or hadn't told what had happened. In the almost four decades since that moment the dunes had reclaimed most of the city.
And it was haunted. This was something that appealed to most twelve year olds, and Luke Skywalker was no exception to that attraction. The place gave him the creeps. The others had laughed at him when he'd said he could hear the screams of its citizens. He didn't tell them that he'd had nightmares for several weeks afterwards. But that had been three years ago. He was now almost grown up, and grown-ups didn't fear the place. He heard that some had even managed to find relics that made them rich.
It also hurt to hear Camie call him a coward. He thought she was kind-of cute. But she seemed to prefer Fixer. Luke glanced at the slightly older kid. He didn't know why, Fixer had no future...
"No," he muttered as he increased his speed. Those were his uncle's words. His uncle didn't like his friends or the fact that he spent so much time with him.
Luke sighed. And Owen would really vent when he saw that report card. But it was the way that Beru just looked at him when she was disappointed, that hurt the most.
"Hey Luke, we're going this way." He shook his head to break his trance. He quickly turned to the left. Mos Epso wasn't too far, they were just passing the entrance to Beggar's canyon.
Several minutes later he braked and shut down the engines. He sat for several seconds, then climbed out of his speeder. "It's safe."
"Hey, everybody," Camie said in a too loud voice, "Luke says its safe."
Luke ignored her and walked toward a piece of a roof sticking up in the sand. He kneeled and started to dig.
"Whacha find?" Fixer asked as the others gathered around. Luke shook his head. His four friends grinned. "Ahh, come on everybody. Let's see what we can find."
Camie stayed behind and smiled. "Any ghosts today?"
"Always." He stood. "I wonder what happened here?"
"Who cares," Camie said. "I just want to find something valuable." She glanced at her shoes, then dashed away. Luke watched as she stood close to Fixer, then looked away.
His attention focused on a bit of pottery just a few steps away. He walked over and stopped. He closed his eyes. The city's destruction had been quick--a matter of minutes. He could...
"Luke?" He opened his eyes and found himself staring at Windy. "You all right?"
"Fine." He motioned with his hand. "They deserve better than a bunch of grave robbers."
Windy frowned. "You hearing voices?"
"Not really." For all intents and purposes, Windy was his second best friend. Biggs Darklighter had a job, otherwise he would have joined them.
"Well, stop looking so distant." Windy paused. "It's really spooky."
"I'm sorry." Luke glanced around. "I'm going to be in real trouble..."
Windy laughed. "Luke, you're always in trouble."
"I know. But..." He shrugged as he pulled his report card out of his pocket. Windy took it then whistled.
"Even Camie did better in math. You daydream too much."
"That's what the teacher says." Luke glanced toward the hills. "I want to see new places. Visit the stars..." In his dreams he did too.
"You'll never leave here with grades like that. The Academy won't look at you with less than an excellent rating."
Luke nodded. The Academy had been his dream for years. He'd memorized their entrance requirements, spent his spare time studying ship designs...Yet he had barely passed math. He took his report card and shoved it back in his pocket.
There was a shout from Camie. The two friends ran over to her. She was holding something metal. "See, see what I found!" She showed it to everyone. "I wonder what it is." She smiled as Deak and Fixer came over.
"I doubt it," Deak said. "It's just a slave's bracelet. See," he pointed to some numbers.
"I thought slavery was outlawed?" Windy asked.
Fixer laughed. "This is Tatooine. There may be an Imperial Base, but Jabba runs the place."
"I can't imagine anyone wanting this stinking rock," Deak said as he pulled Camie away from Fixer. She slapped his arm and returned to Fixer's side.
"Well, I'm going to sell it," Camie said. "Maybe it is valuable." She smiled at Fixer and took his arm. "You can help me sell it," she whispered with a sly smile. Luke stepped in front of Deak to prevent him from going after the new couple.
"Don't," he said. Deak nodded angrily.
"We should go home," Windy said. Luke guided them over to Deak's speeder.
"I'll kill him," Deak whispered.
"No you won't," Luke said. "He's not worth it." The new couple climbed into Fixer's speeder and quickly sped away. The remaining three watched for several minutes, before they too decided it was time to return to their respective homes.
Luke left last. He sat in his speeder and stared at the lost city. "I wonder who you were?"
The breeze across his face was his only answer.