The following morning Tentalu came into view. Lanie was actually looking forward to landing. Now she would be able to purchase a few things she wanted, and would feel more self-sufficient. She planned to buy a few things for One as well.
One had made it clear he wanted to stay as her companion as long as she didn’t treat him like a dumb animal. His life would be made easier if he relied on her for food and shelter.
Lanie decided to try her hand at a manual entry to the planet. Her hands moved swiftly over the control panel. Quickly finding out it was too much for one person, One jumped in and helped, keeping the ship from crashing.
“Phew! Thanks buddy! How did you learn to do that?”
One rolled his eyes at her and silently climbed up her arm to her shoulder.
As soon as they docked, One and Lanie exited they ship. Ku was waiting for her.
“How did it go?” Ku said wringing his hands.
“Okay I guess-”
“Why the hell do you have a Bakta on your shoulder?” Ku asked incredulously.
Lanie smiled, “Cute, huh?”
“Filthy little creatures…”
Lanie heard One give a sorrowful moan, “Hey Ku, He’s my buddy! Pretty smart too. He helped me land the ship!”
“Uh yes, they called me right away when they found you were trying to land on your own. Well, what number is he?”
“Um, his name is One.”
“Oh my forsaken universe! One?”
Lanie turned to look at One who shrugged, and then back at Ku. “What?”
“That means he’s the first one! He’s an experiment gone badly at best. Destroy him, Lanie!”
“I will do no such thing!” Lanie patted One, who had started to cry. “I’m going home; I’ll talk to you later.” She pushed by Ku.
“Don’t worry One, you’re safe with me.” Lanie cooed. She completely ignored Ku, who yelled over his shoulder to her.
He called after her, “Remember who you work for! If you want to get paid, you’ll come back here right now!”
Lanie stopped walking. She whispered to One, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” Turning around, she walked back to Ku. “I’m keeping him.”
“Don’t ever let him out of your sight then.” Ku warned, waving his hand in the air. “Now, I see you have the cargo. Did you meet DuBont?”
“I spoke to him over a speaker, but he asked me to have a drink with him. I refused.”
“Oh dear…How did he take that?”
“Not very well, but I smoothed it over saying I didn’t feel well and didn’t want to spread germs.”
“Brilliant, you couldn’t have known this, but he is afraid of catching a disease from anyone.”
“What will I do next time? He made me promise to meet with him next time.”
“We will find a way to disguise you, there wasn’t time for this trip.” Ku reached into a pouch hanging from his side. “Okay, this is your pay. You will find I was very generous. You should be able to get everything you need.”
“Great! I need a translator for my eyes next. I couldn’t read that book you gave me.”
“Oh sorry. Let me give you a name of someone then. You’ll want the best, it could cause blindness if you get one of poor quality.”
“What?”
“The universal tool for the written language goes into your eyes, just like the other tools it takes over a portion of your body.” Ku hands her a card. “This guy is painless and very good.”
“I like the painless part, thanks” She said.
“All right then Lanie, you are free to go. Come see me tomorrow and we’ll talk about another job.”
Lanie smiled and walked pass Ku, “Okay. Later then” She was anxious to go shopping. Not knowing very much about the currency here, she wasn’t sure how far these coin-like objects would go. The more she thought about it, the more she thought she should talk to one of her friends first. She knew right where to find them.
The glass had been replaced on bar’s window that Lanpel had unceremoniously been thrown out of. The memory of it made her smile as she went through the doors of Bahatma’s Bar. Just inside she scanned the crowd for a familiar face, “Kondelk!” Lanie yelled and waved.
A wide smile fell across the face of her friend when he saw her, “Lanie!” He waved her over and as she got closer his smile faded, “What the hell is that?” he said pointing at her shoulder.
She grinned, “This is One, my new traveling companion.”
One had made it clear he wanted to stay as her companion as long as she didn’t treat him like a dumb animal. His life would be made easier if he relied on her for food and shelter.
Lanie decided to try her hand at a manual entry to the planet. Her hands moved swiftly over the control panel. Quickly finding out it was too much for one person, One jumped in and helped, keeping the ship from crashing.
“Phew! Thanks buddy! How did you learn to do that?”
One rolled his eyes at her and silently climbed up her arm to her shoulder.
As soon as they docked, One and Lanie exited they ship. Ku was waiting for her.
“How did it go?” Ku said wringing his hands.
“Okay I guess-”
“Why the hell do you have a Bakta on your shoulder?” Ku asked incredulously.
Lanie smiled, “Cute, huh?”
“Filthy little creatures…”
Lanie heard One give a sorrowful moan, “Hey Ku, He’s my buddy! Pretty smart too. He helped me land the ship!”
“Uh yes, they called me right away when they found you were trying to land on your own. Well, what number is he?”
“Um, his name is One.”
“Oh my forsaken universe! One?”
Lanie turned to look at One who shrugged, and then back at Ku. “What?”
“That means he’s the first one! He’s an experiment gone badly at best. Destroy him, Lanie!”
“I will do no such thing!” Lanie patted One, who had started to cry. “I’m going home; I’ll talk to you later.” She pushed by Ku.
“Don’t worry One, you’re safe with me.” Lanie cooed. She completely ignored Ku, who yelled over his shoulder to her.
He called after her, “Remember who you work for! If you want to get paid, you’ll come back here right now!”
Lanie stopped walking. She whispered to One, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” Turning around, she walked back to Ku. “I’m keeping him.”
“Don’t ever let him out of your sight then.” Ku warned, waving his hand in the air. “Now, I see you have the cargo. Did you meet DuBont?”
“I spoke to him over a speaker, but he asked me to have a drink with him. I refused.”
“Oh dear…How did he take that?”
“Not very well, but I smoothed it over saying I didn’t feel well and didn’t want to spread germs.”
“Brilliant, you couldn’t have known this, but he is afraid of catching a disease from anyone.”
“What will I do next time? He made me promise to meet with him next time.”
“We will find a way to disguise you, there wasn’t time for this trip.” Ku reached into a pouch hanging from his side. “Okay, this is your pay. You will find I was very generous. You should be able to get everything you need.”
“Great! I need a translator for my eyes next. I couldn’t read that book you gave me.”
“Oh sorry. Let me give you a name of someone then. You’ll want the best, it could cause blindness if you get one of poor quality.”
“What?”
“The universal tool for the written language goes into your eyes, just like the other tools it takes over a portion of your body.” Ku hands her a card. “This guy is painless and very good.”
“I like the painless part, thanks” She said.
“All right then Lanie, you are free to go. Come see me tomorrow and we’ll talk about another job.”
Lanie smiled and walked pass Ku, “Okay. Later then” She was anxious to go shopping. Not knowing very much about the currency here, she wasn’t sure how far these coin-like objects would go. The more she thought about it, the more she thought she should talk to one of her friends first. She knew right where to find them.
The glass had been replaced on bar’s window that Lanpel had unceremoniously been thrown out of. The memory of it made her smile as she went through the doors of Bahatma’s Bar. Just inside she scanned the crowd for a familiar face, “Kondelk!” Lanie yelled and waved.
A wide smile fell across the face of her friend when he saw her, “Lanie!” He waved her over and as she got closer his smile faded, “What the hell is that?” he said pointing at her shoulder.
She grinned, “This is One, my new traveling companion.”