Beyond the Stars

“Madame, may I recommend that you not play around with the dials? Perhaps this is what is causing the malfunctions in this old rust-bag.” Arabella takes a glance at L-2O taking into consideration the suggestion.

“You’re right. This could probably be the reason why I can’t fix this stupid ship! It’s been a week we won’t be able to get to Tatooine unless we fix this piece of crap.” She sighs, brushing her long, jet-black, hair behind her delicate ear.

“Now don’t put yourself down Madame, I’d be willing to use every ounce of what I can offer to help you with this mission. After all it is my job to assist you.” As much as she wanted to be relieved by this she couldn’t, ever since her father had passed the only thing left in Arabella’s mind was continuing his legacy.

“Thanks for the positivity I guess? I don’t know, at this point we haven’t even started the mission, you’d think that by now I’d be defeating god knows what and look at where we are!” She had promised herself that if this ship wasn’t fixed by tonight all the plans would be off.

“Now don’t lose hope, I know just the man who can help you fix it! I’m sure you’ve heard of Han Solo before Madame. I can take you to his base, although his assistance could possibly be a handful of money, I’m sure he’ll be able to fix the ship in no time, then we’ll be off to search for Obi-Wan.”

Arabella knew associating herself with him would be a bad idea, knowing the plight between Han Solo and her father, but at this point she was desperate to do anything to fix the space junk in front of her, “Very well then. Take me to him 2O, I don’t think it matters anymore, I’ll still have enough money for the trip.”

Pressing her lips together for a moment, she thought of the other factors that could’ve possibility affected the ship’s system to go down. She did remember her father having to complain about constantly replacing parts of the shuttle, remembering the time she had accidently damaged the ship’s engine when she was 9 from playing around a lot. From then on she had never even touched the ship with even her pinky, so it could have possibly been the simple idea that the ship itself was already outdated. Hands on her hips, the 16 year old bit her lip in deep thought, thinking back to as much as she could remember about her father or Han Solo.

“Don’t tell me he has that Wookiee still following him around the place!” she groaned rather childishly, an action so rare for someone mature beyond years, “The last encounter wasn’t exactly the most joyful one huh? That furry thing surely doesn’t enjoy the feeling of losing a game of chess.” Arabella joked, totally aware that a droid like L-2O could never take a joke well.

“Oh I’ve never seen him around town without Chewbacca ever in my 16 years of functioning Madame Arabella. After all I do have a quite an extensive amount of knowledge on Wookiee behaviour and ideals, maybe I can put these expertise to use for once.” Offering an idea, all the young, intelligent, yet naïve girl could do was chuckle at her droid’s rather pretentious attitude.

“Totally. I’m sure I’ll need a Wookiee translator when Han needs to use the bathroom you know?” she gave a sarcastic smirk before tying up her boots and heading off to the one and only bar in town, otherwise known as the one and only spot of Han Solo himself.

“Oh what a wonderful opportunity for me… But Madame wait! You are walking way too fast for me to even catch up with you. I know us robots don’t need to run to shed off those calories you humans consume but we would like to know what it’s like to run too you know?”

“Just shut up and move as fast as you can 2O!” she shouts from a far, while each foot takes its place into Corellian ground.

The air had a cringing stench of chemicals and toxins, a scent that Arabella still had trouble adjusting to despite living in Corellia all her life. Growing up she had always been told about the privilege of being raised in such a developed, industrial planet, being told about the many opportunities spread out on a plate for her. The appreciation she had for growing up in such an area was strong, but not to the point where she felt she could carry that opportunity on her back for the rest of her life. The girl had dreams of living in a small peaceful town free from stress and superficial people. She dreamed of being able to think her own thoughts, she dreamed of being able to dress the way she wanted to, and do whatever she wanted to without the judgement of other boring people. As unrealistic as the whole idea looked and felt like, this never stopped her from her rather ridiculous attempts to achiever her own personal cloud nine. Of course, continuing a Jedi legacy like her father was one of those atrocious attempts to success, being fully aware that never in years has there ever been a female in the Force.

The lack of appreciation men had for heroines disgusted her, the lack of faith the men had for power in woman made her sick to the stomach. There was nothing more that Arabella hated than underestimation. As much as it had brought her far compared to most girls her age, she still despised it for the obvious negative emotions it brought to her. Leaving this place, and continuing on the journey her father had ended early was the only thing in her mind she could think of to stop this lack of faith people had. Lastly becoming a Jedi she knew would rebuild the faith people had on the Force, a belief forgotten to the point that it’s become close to that line of fiction than fact. In front of her were easier, efficient, and kinder ways to achieve this goal, but once given a difficult challenge, she was taught to never back down on it, a moral she never lingered away from.

“2O!” she had exclaimed trying to capture his attention, “2O! Hurry up, this is the slowest I’ve ever seen you, do you honestly think I have that much time to wait? Time is money you know?”

“Well I’m sorry Madame, it’s just some of my parts seem to be getting a little stiffened up and rusted. Perhaps some grease can do the works, I’m sure the Wookiee carries some around with him.” She had always thought about the things she wouldn’t have been able to think of without L-2O by her side, the thought making her smile more than she ever had done before.

She lightly laughed, “Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll have some, now come on don’t be a wussy. Tag along with me, Han Solo shouldn’t be that intimidating.” She reckoned curiously, trying to get some information about him from 2O.

“My opinions should not affect your overall thoughts on others, after all I was only made to serve you and only you Master Arabella.” So maybe there we’re moments were his intellect and honesty we’re not as useful as they could be, but she knew how right he was about the situation.

“You’re right. Besides it’s not like I’m asking him for anything big, fixing a ship is just a small favour something he probably does on a regular basis. Come on let’s go.” She confidently entered the bar without hesitation, the silver droid following her behind carefully.

Around her we’re the worn down faces of different creatures and people sitting side by side too tired, too drunk, or too messed up to care about anyone else around them. This made her glad her father had more ambition and wisdom to not end up like this at all. Though through the sea of foolish people, she could not find the one person she was looking for in desperate need. This was why Arabella had never grown a liking to large crowds of people, she hated looking and analyzing their faces filled with fake laughter and idled, mindless sheep caught in superficial items and actions like money, sex, fame, and lust. There we’re so many beautiful things about the universe to love, but for some reason she always liked to think that the ugly outweighed the beautiful in so many countless ways.

“Excuse me?” she had asked the harmless looking Cathar in front of her, “Have you happened to see a Wookiee ye tall? He’s an old friend of mine I have to meet up with.” The creature had eyed her suspiciously.

“Wookiee? I reckoned I saw one pass by earlier just at the corner over there. You look a little too young to be late out especially at a place like this. Must’ve been important if you had the guts to walk out of Corellia late at night by yourself.” He stiffened, but not in a way that intimidated her.

“Trust me sir, this is my whole life.” She said with such passion the creature in front of her he had loosened up a bit at her aura, “Thank you sir.”

All she had to do to get to her way was push through creepy, old, sweaty men. For there was not much to worry about being very tall for her age, but the girl had more worries for her drone L-2O who had to constantly bicker his way to be able to pass through people.

“There he is Master Arabella, now isn’t this a perfect opportunity to ask and approach! Just when there’s no one to be bothering him!” She wasn’t sure about whether or not he was right about being ‘approachable’.

“Do you see what’s in front of him? Looks like he just shot a poor guy, there isn’t anything that seems safe about him at all! The idea that nobody even cares is even more intimidating.” She whispered to him in a way that only 2O could here, out of the blue he had pushed her closer demandingly, leaving her no choice but to say something worth the man’s time, “Fine but if I die just remember you’ll have no choice but to walk home yourself.” She joked before taking a deep breath in.