This story sets up events that will continue in role play by members of the Star Wars twitterverse.
Part One
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Of all days to run out of hydraulic fluid.
Wasn’t a bad day, but I was elbow-deep in the guts of Barb's ship and was finally starting to make some progress on the disaster she'd landed in my yard. She said she was running from a bounty hunter but, from the looks of it, I'd have thought she'd escaped a fleet of Darth Krayt's Star Destroyers. I’m thinking it’s only because she’s a good pilot (and got sturdy crash webbing) that she even walked away from the mangled wreck.
I’m a mechanic and a supply run ain’t a big deal, but I was also spending the afternoon in the company my favorite six month-old who was busy blowing spit bubbles as she bounced in her baby seat.
It's kind of a long story, but I live with my best friend Disco, her hottie trooper husband Echo, and their two beautiful daughters, Rose and Lily Blue. You guessed it - the "Blue" in Lily's name is after me. I'm a very proud 'aunt.'
It was mid-morning and Echo was working, Rose was at school, Barb was out shopping and Disco (who is a re grancha cook) had gone to the bakery she owns, so it was just me and baby Lily left alone to make messes in the garage.
Too bad I couldn't use drool as a lubricant in the ship, I thought, grinning down at Lily. We'd have been set for weeks.
I peeled off my work gloves and started assembling the gear I'd need to take Lily with me to the parts and supply shop. For anyone who doesn't know, there is no such thing as a "quick trip" when little kids are involved. I'd learned this the hard way. Just leaving the house is a production when an infant is involved.
Once before, I'd taken an even younger Lily with me on a supply run with nothing but the baby carrier. She'd been sound asleep when we left and we'd be back in less than an hour...right? Well, that’s what I thought. Wouldn’t you know it - my usual supplier was out of what I needed that day.
Four hours, three stores, two traffic jams and one very hungry baby later, I brought Lily wailing home to her parents. On top of running off without any baby food, I'd also forgotten the diaper bag, so not only was Lily starving, but she was soaked in all the things that a full diaper can no longer contain.
I'd have fired me as a babysitter right then and there, but Disco never even scolded me and had Lily cleaned, fed and smiling in less time that it usually takes me to pick out clothes in the morning.
Hands on hips, I scanned the pile of Lily's Stuff and tried to decide what to take for today's run. Not the baby carrier, for sure. It was bulky and Lily’s feet were almost hanging over the end now. That left me with the stroller and the harness-style carrier that could hang on the front or flip around to serve as a kid-toting back pack. I opted for the harness. Nobody else uses it much and I’d attached some sequins to the straps. I mean, a girl’s gotta have her sparkles.
One carry-all bag packed with instant formula, diapers, clothes, toys and the harness later, we were ready to go. I left Disco a note telling her where we'd be and when we'd be back, just in case she got home early. That was something else I'd learned the hard way: never leave the house with another woman's child without letting her know where you’re going. Even if that woman is your best buddy and you’re taking her oldest daughter out shopping for Mommy’s Birthday Present. Just trust me on this one.
"You ready to go, kiddo?" I asked, walking over to Lily's seat. She held her chubby arms up to me even before I got there, just like she knew we were going for a ride in the speeder. Did I mention that she's bright? I picked her up and she babbled something that would some day sound just like, "I love you, Auntie Blue," but for now sounded more like, "Ga ga." It was close. I could hear it.
***
The owner of my favorite parts shop greeted me at the door. He was an older guy with nice eyes and he reminded me of the man who’d taught me how to be a fixer. His young male clerks came stumbling wide-eyed to the counter as he keyed in my order. I smiled. They blushed. I’m a Zeltron. That’s normal.
He shoo’d them off to load the back of my speeder with cases of hydraulic fluid while me and Lily headed down the sidewalk to do some window shopping.
It was warm and sunny and I had Lily strapped to my chest facing front so she could look around. She squealed and reached for everything shiny - which was a lot of things. I didn’t birth her, but I swear she takes after me. Baby knows her bling.
We were stopped at a gems dealer admiring the jewelry when a couple of hollering hooligans came crashing through the storefront. I side-stepped to get out of their way and ran right into what had to be the rest of their gang as they came pounding around the corner.
"Move!" The closest one screamed at me and I wrapped my arms protectively around Lily. I don’t normally back down from a sleemo picking a fight but he was getting way too close the baby. I turned to run but he shoved a blaster in my face and pushed me toward a vehicle that appeared out of karking nowhere behind us.
"Get in!" He yelled from beneath his battered wannabe-Mandalorian helmet.
Like hell I would! I reached down and grabbed for the hold-out blaster hidden in my boot and felt a sharp blow behind my left ear. The world went white as I fell backwards.
(to be continued)
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Author's note: There will be one more part posted before we are ready to pick it up in Twitter role play. Please contact me or @discogryphon if you are interested in participating as your existing character or creating a new one for this story. All un-named characters in this story are up for grabs so far.
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