too.” She placed the armload of goods she was carrying on the counter, while Ben set the metal tub on the synstone floor. “All right. One cashier, no waiting.”
He shuffled on his feet and reached in his pocket. “Are, uh, Republic credits still good here?”
“As good as they ever were,” she said, stepping behind the counter. “We don’t pay politics much mind. Let me deal with the loose things first, and then we’ll get to what’s in the tub.” She began adding the items to his already lengthy sales tab—and as she did, she could see him counting along, keeping a running tally to himself. It wasn’t the nervous watchfulness of her more strapped customers, but he was still keeping track. So he can afford all this, she thought. But money still matters.
“Look there,” a gruff voice said. “Someone’s done some shopping!”
Annileen looked toward the exit to see Mullen standing in the doorway with his sister, Veeka. Behind them loomed Zedd, one of their Jawa-tossing accomplices. Zedd was human, but only just: muscle-bound and, currently, black-eyed. She had heard that a social misstep involving a Wookiee in Anchorhead had caused the latter condition, as well as the departure of several of Zedd’s teeth. It was Zedd’s incapacitation that had given Jabe his chance to fill in on the lead Gault service crew; Annileen was happy to see Zedd return to work.
But she wasn’t happy to see him here, now. Mullen’s bad attitude only grew more toxic when he had his pet mountain shadowing him. The doors slammed shut behind the trio, who started walking purposefully toward the counter.
“Surprised you’re buying here, ’stead of from your little friends, ” Mullen said, approaching Ben from behind. “Decent people don’t take rides from Jawas.”
“It won’t replace shuttle service, that’s true,” Ben said. He didn’t look up from folding and sorting his cloth goods on the counter.
Annileen paused her own counting. “Be nice, Mullen.”
“That’s right. Remember—he’s the big hero!” Veeka strutted up to the counter beside Ben. She hoisted herself onto it, nearly knocking his neat stack of cloth goods onto the floor.
“Get off there,” Annileen said, shoving at the young woman. Veeka didn’t budge.
Ben slipped his folded purchases inside his new pillowcase. “It’s all right,” he said, quietly. “It’s just high spirits.”
“Spirits is right,” Annileen said, sniffing at Veeka. “And not even an hour past lunchtime. Well done.” She wished again that Dannar had never decided to keep the bar open all day long. A look at Mullen and Zedd said they were similarly lubricated. “Don’t you people have vaporators to get back to?”
Mullen belched. “Our machines. Our schedule.”
“I don’t think your father would agree with you,” Annileen said.
Mullen knelt by the washbasin at Ben’s feet. “That’s a lot of junk he’s buying. Is his money good?” Mullen grabbed the handle of the tub with one hand and slid it closer. If Ben took offense—or even noticed—as the dark-haired man pawed through his purchases, Annileen didn’t see. “I wouldn’t trust him,” Mullen finally pronounced.
Annileen slammed her datapad on the counter. “That’s enough, all of you! Last I checked, Mullen Gault, your name wasn’t on the deed—or anything else, except maybe that arrest warrant in Mos Entha. Why don’t you go back there?” she said.
Veeka sidled closer to Ben, reached out, and put her thumb underneath his chin. “He’s a nice one,” she said, tilting his face upward like livestock under study. “Looks hungry, though.”
“Another grubber starving on the range.” Mullen looked up from where he crouched, to Ben’s left. “He wasn’t saving Kallie—he probably wanted the dewback for a meal!” Behind, Zedd guffawed.
Veeka gripped Ben’s hairy chin between her thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know. I’d be fine with him saving me .” She lifted his face
He shuffled on his feet and reached in his pocket. “Are, uh, Republic credits still good here?”
“As good as they ever were,” she said, stepping behind the counter. “We don’t pay politics much mind. Let me deal with the loose things first, and then we’ll get to what’s in the tub.” She began adding the items to his already lengthy sales tab—and as she did, she could see him counting along, keeping a running tally to himself. It wasn’t the nervous watchfulness of her more strapped customers, but he was still keeping track. So he can afford all this, she thought. But money still matters.
“Look there,” a gruff voice said. “Someone’s done some shopping!”
Annileen looked toward the exit to see Mullen standing in the doorway with his sister, Veeka. Behind them loomed Zedd, one of their Jawa-tossing accomplices. Zedd was human, but only just: muscle-bound and, currently, black-eyed. She had heard that a social misstep involving a Wookiee in Anchorhead had caused the latter condition, as well as the departure of several of Zedd’s teeth. It was Zedd’s incapacitation that had given Jabe his chance to fill in on the lead Gault service crew; Annileen was happy to see Zedd return to work.
But she wasn’t happy to see him here, now. Mullen’s bad attitude only grew more toxic when he had his pet mountain shadowing him. The doors slammed shut behind the trio, who started walking purposefully toward the counter.
“Surprised you’re buying here, ’stead of from your little friends, ” Mullen said, approaching Ben from behind. “Decent people don’t take rides from Jawas.”
“It won’t replace shuttle service, that’s true,” Ben said. He didn’t look up from folding and sorting his cloth goods on the counter.
Annileen paused her own counting. “Be nice, Mullen.”
“That’s right. Remember—he’s the big hero!” Veeka strutted up to the counter beside Ben. She hoisted herself onto it, nearly knocking his neat stack of cloth goods onto the floor.
“Get off there,” Annileen said, shoving at the young woman. Veeka didn’t budge.
Ben slipped his folded purchases inside his new pillowcase. “It’s all right,” he said, quietly. “It’s just high spirits.”
“Spirits is right,” Annileen said, sniffing at Veeka. “And not even an hour past lunchtime. Well done.” She wished again that Dannar had never decided to keep the bar open all day long. A look at Mullen and Zedd said they were similarly lubricated. “Don’t you people have vaporators to get back to?”
Mullen belched. “Our machines. Our schedule.”
“I don’t think your father would agree with you,” Annileen said.
Mullen knelt by the washbasin at Ben’s feet. “That’s a lot of junk he’s buying. Is his money good?” Mullen grabbed the handle of the tub with one hand and slid it closer. If Ben took offense—or even noticed—as the dark-haired man pawed through his purchases, Annileen didn’t see. “I wouldn’t trust him,” Mullen finally pronounced.
Annileen slammed her datapad on the counter. “That’s enough, all of you! Last I checked, Mullen Gault, your name wasn’t on the deed—or anything else, except maybe that arrest warrant in Mos Entha. Why don’t you go back there?” she said.
Veeka sidled closer to Ben, reached out, and put her thumb underneath his chin. “He’s a nice one,” she said, tilting his face upward like livestock under study. “Looks hungry, though.”
“Another grubber starving on the range.” Mullen looked up from where he crouched, to Ben’s left. “He wasn’t saving Kallie—he probably wanted the dewback for a meal!” Behind, Zedd guffawed.
Veeka gripped Ben’s hairy chin between her thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know. I’d be fine with him saving me .” She lifted his face
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