Nya's Story: ch1

The system was so small and unimportant it didn't even rate a name on the official Imperial star maps, just a letter and a numeric designation; M12943. The system consisted of five planetoids, an asteroid belt, and a small yellow star all of which contained nothing of note or value. The sole redeeming feature of the system was located on one of the two moons of the second outermostplanetoid; a single spaceport.
A relic of a failed colony on that moon, the dingy, rundown spaceport survived as a smuggling den and trading outpost for some of the moderately unsavory characters in the galaxy. Prostitutes, thieves, murderers, assassins, smugglers, pirates, slavers, and the occasional minor warlord passed through the port, never staying longer then it took to unload and take on cargo, refuel and repair, or meet contacts. Space hands, mechanics, and bounty hunters tended to stick around a bit longer as they negotiated for employment, gambled in one of thecantinas or sought entertainment in one of the handful of brothels.
The only ones that stick around, here are the slaves who have no choice, and the hundred or so families and couple hundred loners like me that make our livings from spaceport traffic, Kilan thought to himself as he looked around the grimy hanger. Carrying a datapad in his left hand, and resting his right on his blaster holster, he made his way past the row of shuttles and freighters that teemed with activity. I wonder if this will turn out to be another waste of time, or if this cargo shuttle will actually be semi-flyable.
Despite owning a small cargo shuttle from which he made his living shuttling cargo and passengers to and from ships to big to land at the spaceport, Kilan had been saving since his parents death for a hyper-capable shuttle from which to expand his business and perhaps earn enough to immigrate to one of the thousands of other worlds. Word had gotten around that one of the smugglers had gotten a hold of aLamda class shuttle and wanted to unload it quickly and cheaply and Kilan intended to be one of the first to make a bid--if the ship was actually flyable.
A whimpering loud enough to be heard over the spaceport's hustle and bustle distracted him from his musings. Looking around he quickly found the source coming from the direction of a Corellian freighter that looked like it had recently been in a firefight.
A young girl stared wide-eyed out from between the bars of the cage sitting near the ramp of the Corellian freighter. Tears stains ran down her blue-grey cheeks and her lekku hung limply over her shoulders twitching a little in fear anytime anyone approached. A man walked down the ramp of the freighter with a datapad in hand and noticing the girl peering out of her cage, pulled a batton from his belt and hit the cage loud enough that the sound of metal striking metal rang out over the entire hanger. "Shut up or I'll give you something to cry about. Sithspawn, you're giving me a headache."
Kilan walked over spreading his hands to show he meant no harm. "Something wrong?" he asked.
The man looked over to Kilan and shook his head. "No, nothing other then this little Twi'lek bitch making so much noise." He looked over to the caged girl. "Don't think just because they didn't take you yet that you're getting a reprieve. They will be back to take you to the auction soon."
I can't let this girl go to the auctions, Kilan thought to himself. The very fact she's too young to serve as much of a worker will make her attractive as a pleasure slave to some of the more sick bidders. "How much you want for her?" he asked.
The man looked the cage over then looked at Kilan with new interest. "Well, we were gonna start her bidding at the same price as her sister who we already took to the auctions; Six thousand Imperial credits."
Sithspawn, this slaver obviously was thinking along the same thoughts I was, only he intended to make a profit. Kilan brought up his balance on his datapad and hesitated briefly. "What do you say I give you ten thousand and we forget the auction?"
"I would say make it twelve thousand and you have yourself a slave," The slaver smiled.
"Done." Kilan instigated the credit transfer to the account the slaver gave him, while the slaver filed the necessary forms and attached a collar and leash to the girl.
"Pleasure doing business with you," the slaver smiled as he handed the leash of the now shaking girl to Kilan.
Well so much for buying a new shuttle, Kilan thought to himself, but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I stood by and did nothing. Besides, it will only take me a few years to be able to afford a cheap shuttle again. He tried to offer the girl a reassuring smile. "Come on, lets get you home where its safe."
Trembling she nodded and followed him. The tears that flowed down her eyes the entire way wrenched at his heart.