The Origins of a Smuggler

[Balandar]

A thought flashed through Bal’s mind. Had he forgotten something? It was early morning and the oppressive heat of the day hadn’t yet set in on the sand. Nearby a thick cloud of dust cast long leering shadows on the dunes and there was still a long way to walk back home. He knew that his father was probably already waiting for him to return and he was not going to be happy.

He was only just beginning his teen years but age didn’t play into the mix when a good deal was being struck. Bal never was one to pass up an opportunity for profit even back then, even if it meant walking solo through the swirling sands of the Tatooine dawn. No, he would have gone much further through much more dangerous terrain if it meant a big pay-off in the end.

Maybe it was something in the eyes of that slick looking Twi’lek that nagged at him. Just why he wanted the small package delivered wasn’t a question Bal would have cared to know, but there was still that nagging that he had forgotten something, something important. Perhaps there was something back home that needed to be done or perhaps his father had mentioned to him wanting something. He figured it couldn’t matter much, it couldn’t have anything to do with that profit staring him in the face when he delivered the package. He wouldn’t have forgotten anything to do with the delivery.

He picked up his pace a little thinking of the pay-off but then suddenly he stopped and looked up. He had heard something behind him. Slowly he began to walk again keeping his attention to his back but not taking the chance of turning his head. Someone or something was following him and maybe if he didn’t look back he could make it home where his father would be waiting, where the wind would be calm and he could see what was following him. It occurred to him just then why none of the other street kids had taken up the Twi’lek’s offer. Damn them for not warning him, they must have known something was up.

His breath sounded like a sandstorm. It was so very quiet but as the beads of sweat began to grow on his brow he could feel that there was still something just far enough behind him to be threatening. There shouldn’t have been anything out this far, nothing that would be interested in him anyway. The sandstorm of his breath was soon coupled with the thunder that was his heart beating out of his chest. Nothing had ever shaken him like this before.

"Who’s there?", he coughed as he quickly turned on his heel, anxious to have this waiting end. "Come on!", he called out to the wisps of dust skipping down the dunes he had left behind him on the empty horizon. There was no answer nor any sign of tracks other than his own and Bal laughed a bit with relief. Must be my mind playing tricks on me, he thought to himself as he sighed and started back towards home. The only thing he was sure of now was that he’d be happy when this package was delivered and out of his hands.

Bal examined the package as he continued his trek across the sand, rolling the small brown oval case over in his hand wondering what it must be. He should have asked what it was but the Twi’lek offered him enough to keep his mouth shut for fear of spoiling the deal. Actually the look of the guy had been enough to make him want the meeting to be as short as possible. It was less his appearance and more the way of him. He just had an aura that made the hair stand up on the back of Bal’s neck.

Finally, he could see the small gathering of houses on the horizon and breathe a sigh of relief. He craned his neck to look for his father but through the thick air and scarf he had pulled around his face there was little that he could make out. The only thing that was obvious to him was that the heat was rising and soon he’d want to sneak inside to escape the sun. Hopefully his father had gone to do some trading and he would be able to avoid the heat and kick back indoors.

Bal was cautious as he squeezed himself into the house. He still wasn’t certain that his father was gone and he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself in case he weren’t. Sometimes his father and he would get along just fine but hard times had fallen and with the added stress of trying to make ends meet his father had become more and more aggressive. It wasn’t unheard of that Bal would get thrown across the room if his father had caught him slacking off. It didn’t matter though, Bal was set on leaving soon anyway.

Good, Bal thought as he quietly pushed open his father’s bedroom door, He’s gone. Anxiously he pulled the sand encrusted scarf and overcoat off and flung them across the floor. He laughed to himself a little as he plopped down in his father’s oversized chair, thinking how stupid he must have looked out there in the sand alone. He thought for a second and if he didn’t try to dispell the idea he could still feel something watching him even now.

Bal’s eyes cased the room as if he expected to see some dark figure standing in the corner waiting for him to make a wrong move. Of course he saw nothing and was once again forced to laugh at his odd behavior. That damn package was calling his name again and if he didn’t know better it might have been that presence he had been looking for a moment earlier. Why not open it and see?

The room was filled with odds and ends sloppily tossed into piles but there were no droids or even an insect to see what he was about to do. The small oval case ached in his hand and since no witnesses meant no crime, what could it hurt? Cautiously he inspected the clasp on the case. The clasp was simple enough and soon he would know what secret the small oval was hiding.

"No", a voice demanded out loud and Bal jumped to his feet with a start. He didn’t look around the room this time though, the voice was his own. A look of startling confusion etched his face for a moment as his hand went limp dropping the case to the pile of dusty clothes below. Instinctually he ran for the door, to a reminder that he wasn’t so alone. For a moment he wished his father had been home when he had gotten there.

Maybe the Twi’lek knew what he was doing by picking Bal. He supposed it was possible the other kids didn’t know anything about that little oval case. It was possible the Twi’lek knew that if he had chosen any of the other kids they would have just thrown that case out by now. Not Bal though, anything for the extra credit with him and even this uneasy turn of events didn’t change that. No, Bal turned his back on the door and after recovering his breath he stalked over to the little oval case.

Slowly Bal bent down to where he could see the thing now nestled in his scarf. "Good place for you," he stammered as he wrapped it up and quickly shoved it in his pocket. He scanned the room one more time, this time out of habit more than anything, as he tried to shake the weird feeling from his hands. Somehow he forced his thoughts to the profit he’d make on delivery and everything seemed to be alright again.

The rest of the daylight hours Bal spent dreaming of what he would do with the credits he’d get when he slipped out to deliver the package that night. There were rocks just outside the village that were shaped like spires and he was supposed to meet with what was only described to him as a tall dark man who would pay him handsomely for the delivery. He had shoved the strange incident with the oval case to the back of his mind and occupied himself with what the word handsome might really mean.

It may have seemed like forever but eventually the darkness did fall and the time when the meeting was to take place was drawing near. Thankfully, Bal’s father still hadn’t returned because he was hoping that he wouldn’t have him asking questions. His father knew the kind of work he did but Bal didn’t want him knowing that he was saving his credits to leave home soon.

Thoughts of credits in hand had his mind off of things for so long that he nearly forgot the disturbing episode that morning. Everything came washing back as soon as he shoved his hand down his pocket and felt the sandy scarf he had stuffed there. There was a strong urge to open the case again but there was an even stronger urge not to pry. It wouldn’t take him actually saying it to keep his curiosity in check this time. Strangely now the only thought on his mind was to get to those spires... payment or not.

Thankfully the night was cool and calm. He wouldn’t have to leave sight of the house to get to the spires as long as the wind didn’t kick up the sand but the more he thought about it the less he liked it. It made him uneasy that he was making the drop off so close to his home. Even though he was going to leave soon he felt uncomfortable knowing that this tall dark man could see where he lived.

Bal ran as quickly as he could to the spires of rock, he just wanted to have this thing over with. If only he could have that profit already in hand then he knew his heart would stop pounding in his ears. If only that small oval case was filled with something as mundane as drugs or an illegal pistol component then maybe this feeling of eyes on his back would go away. As things stood he was alone by the spires with his breath quickening as the seconds ticked away until he could unload that damn package.

Suddenly he heard movement behind him and he yanked his head around to see it’s source. A large figure draped in a sand encrusted black cloak was moving unerringly towards him. Bal could see little more than a set of smiling ivory teeth and the impression of cold eyes behind the cloak’s cowl. He swallowed hard as he met the man’s hollow gaze and forced a wry smile to crease his lips. Something about this strange man’s eyes was familiar and Bal had to fight against the muscles in his legs to keep himself standing.

"Impressive...," the cowled figure remarked with a dry gravelly tone, "I’ve been waiting for one such as you for a long time." It’s blank stare zeroed in on the small oval resting in Bal’s outstretched palm. It didn’t appear to be speaking to Bal at all but to the package that he held. Slowly the figure presented a hand of it’s own from the dark folds of his cloak and placed it in front of Bal. Bal shook with excitement as he saw the credits before him and happily realized the word of handsome.

The boy grabbed eagerly at the credits in the man’s hand and quickly his mind occupied itself with all the possible things he could now afford. He barely noticed that the small oval case was no longer in his hand. He didn’t realize that the tall figure had disappeared into the night and sand. Even with the curious events of the day he couldn’t bring himself to think of anything but the fabulous profit he now clutched to his chest as he dashed back to his home. Perhaps someday the ins and outs of the galaxy’s problems would interest Bal but not now, not as long as his pockets were full.

It’s possible that Bal was a small gear in a large machine that day. It’s also possible that there was nothing more than a sentimental bauble in that small oval case. Bal would probably never know what he truly helped to accomplish or for whom he had done it. He only knew that with the credits he made that day he could get off of Tatooine, perhaps even as far as Naboo. He only knew that payment in hand felt good, better than anything he had felt in his short life and with escaping his home and father a reality, life was looking up. Bal’s dreams were filled that night, filled with what lie ahead. Even his subconscious was adept at putting things aside even if they were as disturbing as the events of that day.

[Reafia]

great story