True North - Vol 1

Chapter 3 - Sandstorm

★・・・・・★

A gust of sweltering heat smacked her in the face as the freighter's ramps deployed onto the desolate planet. It didn't take her long to reach Tatooine, the baker's son, Aden, hauled mining cargo in and out its ports frequently and offered her a ride on one of his ships without hesitation. She felt grateful that her former employer was so kind to her when she explained her past caught up to her and she needed to flee once again. They parted ways, offering what little money they had to help ease her passage. She thanked Aden when they landed, letting out a sigh of finality as she saw him for the last time, his dark eyes and longing smile, the last imprinted memory of her time in Naboo. He had always been kind to them both, making his romantic intentions well known, but she knew her life was not her own, there were far greater forces at work, bending and contorting the path of her newly erupted life.

Departing the ship with her son in hand, she moved past the busy landing platform, weaving through the dreary, dust laden crew members that were moving crates of scavenged parts, decommissioned droids, and carts piled high with ore. She watched as they aimlessly transported them to and from the freighters that littered the docks, with little sense of urgency among them. She quickly scoured beyond the platform walls, her eyes struggling to adjust to the intense light from its twin suns which blanketed the sunbaked terrain. Nothing but orange and yellow wind-swept dunes, peppered with glimmering mirages, as far as the eye could see. She pulled out a pair of binocs from her bag, catching sight of a small village in the distance, and led way to begin her search. As they drew closer to the village, she could now see the domed huts that were scattered throughout the horizon, hoping that one of them would house her son's salvation. She heard another freighter soar above her, and her heart seized in fear at the thought of being caught, further fueling her conviction to hastily track him down.

The sun pricked at the back of her neck, the heat unyielding, making her long for the temperate grassy hills and rolling plains of Naboo. Beads of sweat dripped down her back, causing an unease to run through her. She noticed Kyle begin to lag behind in fatigue and took out her water skin, offering him a drink before taking a swig.

"It's not too far now," she said to him in reassurance, his eyes fluttering to hers, in a half squinted smile, trying to keep the bright sun out of his eyes.

As they reached the village, she asked the merchants where she could find Obi-Wan Kenobi, but no one seemed to recognize the name. Patricia felt defeated, not sure where else to go, having asked every vendor she could find, surely one of them should know of his whereabouts in this small village. As the heat continued its inescapable assault and bore down on her weary body, she continued her search of the untraceable enigma, unaware of the serendipitous path already unfurling before her.

She stopped at a small fruit stand, watching Kyle's wide eyes light up at the various foreign fruits. He picked up a small orange meiloorun, quickly examining its bumpy rind and brought it up to his crinkled nose. She laughed, picking one up for herself and paid the merchant, making their way over to a small set of tables where a young boy and his mother sat under a shady eave. Kyle quickly dropped her hand and ran up the small boy; they looked similar in age, same sandy colored hair, Kyle just a little younger. She smiled at them playing together, instantly best friends, entranced by a modeled spaceship that he waved through the air.

The young mother glanced over to her as she approached, "Hello, are you new to Tatooine?" she said in her twinkling voice.

Patricia looked at the young woman, briefly pulling her eyes of off Kyle; she had fair hair, a heart shaped face, with pale blue eyes. She looked young, but her skin looked weathered, an unfair consequence of the harsh environment.