Requiem for a Memory
[Esstran Sector, 12 jumps from Dromund Kaas. Imperial Slave Freighter, ‘Piercing Star’]
Linnavi laid on the top bunk, the thin mattress in a late stage of obliteration. Eyes closed, forearm resting over her forehead as the headphones soothed her mind with her favourite Outer Rim folk song. She sang along to the tune with a soft, distracted voice - oblivious to the world around her,
…Life is old there, older than the asteroids, younger than the great stars, growin’ like a breeze.
"…Life is old there, older than the asteroids, younger than the great stars, growin’ like a breeze."
"Linn... Linn..."
Hyperlanes, take me home, to the place I belong…
"Hyperlanes, take me home, to the place I belong…"
“LINN!”
A fist slammed into the mattress from beneath making her jolt alive, a cold shiver of fear from the suddenness of it running down her spine, headphones flying off and into her grip, “What the fuck Codi?! Fucking cocksucker…”
My first friend…
“Fucking listen. Cookie’s on the way. If you get the bolt taken away I’ll kill you.”
Linnavi cursed under her breath as she peered out from the bunk toward the door. True enough, she heard the Imperial leather boots approach at a cruel pace. She scrambled to hide the music player into one of the dug out holes on her mattress.
“It’s gone, it’s gone. I mean…uh...I’ve cubed the turkey.”
She grinned at the Mirialan boy, who matched her expression, “Niiice. You’re getting better.”
The room was small, cramped by any standard, but especially for six people to stay in. None of the bunks had whole mattresses, and there were only four of them. In the middle was a table with two rusty steel chairs, dirty rags thrown about, empty food bowls that looked made for akks rather than sentients.
The boots stopped outside the door. Bated breaths. The door slammed open and all five slaves within the room stood up. The Imperial, with a worn and mean face carved by years of service and frowns, scanned the room, piercing gaze looking through each of them.
“Bloody stars, it stinks in here…” He turned quiet again. Everyone had their heads low, peering at him through the fringe of their hair, waiting. The humiliation faded with time. He nudged his head toward the exit, “Mongrel, you’re on vent duty. Here.” He snapped his fingers like ordering a dog.
“Which mongrel, sir?”
“Tch. The black haired child of course. Vent duty. Now. Won’t say it thrice.”
He beckoned a coarse finger at Linnavi. It was better to obey. Collective punishment had killed much of the fire. She moved, though not before she glanced over her shoulder at Codi with a brave smile, “Don’t worry, this cookie is che spicy. Ain’t getting cleaned up this time.”
Codi managed a proud smile, “Get a twenty Li–”
“Oi! What did I say about speaking that bloody Smuggler’s Cant you little shits?!” He slammed the door behind them, and pressed his index finger hard against the center of her back. It hurt like hell. Anger, pain, sadness. Suffocate it.
Another Imperial stood outside waiting and began to walk down the line with them, skinny and in a perpetual state of sweating, “She’s getting a bit big for vents, isn’t she?” He chuckled lightly to the senior officer who only grunted in response. The skinny man continued, “Suppose it’s the airlock for you when that happens, mongrel. That is…unless you can be useful like your mutt of a mother. Where is she anyways?” he taunted. His words stung deep. She felt her chest clench, her throat swell. Rage, agony, sorrow. Suffocate it.
She hummed the song to take her mind off of it,
“…Dark n’ dusty, painted on the sky, misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in m-”
“Shut up.” The weathered Imperial gave her another jab with his finger of steel. Almost hurt more than the baton.
It would not take long for them to reach the maintenance vent, already opened up and ready for her, “How nice…” she mumbled, clasped the toolbelt around her waist and crawled inside without much fanfare. It was routine at this point. Always things breaking after long journeys and countless jumps. Especially a ship this old. For five hours she would remain in the cramped vents. The air was hot, damp and recycled. She didn’t mind too much. Anything was better than being out there with the slavers.
Wires were reconnected, cables patched up, fans slammed back into place. With the shift done, she crawled out. The old guard stood there waiting for her. “How nice...” she mumbled and got up, removing the belt to leave it there.
“Tch, move.” He commanded and so they moved. The weak follow the strong. Easy rule to remember. She wiped her sweaty brow, sighing as she enjoyed the cooler air outside the vents. Hopefully Codi had saved some food for her.
What was that?
She saw a light in her periphery. An open door. It didn’t use to be. She turned. A knife plunged into her chest, piercing straight through. Her mind twisted it. There she was. Mom. Through the gap she saw her. Face swollen, purple and bleeding. Clothes ripped and torn away from her. A man stood next to her, fixing his belt. Linnavi froze. The world disappeared, like when she listened to that song she loved. But instead of warmth, there was only a chilling cold. Then, something stirred. Foreign, familiar. Haunting, bolstering. It moved through her mind, her spine, her heart. Her limbs.
What did she look like. Like me?
Her mother saw her at that moment, eyes widening as she mouthed out her daughter’s name, but it was too late.
Fury, torment, dispair. Let them have it.
She kicked open the door. Something within her showed her how to act. She was not in control. Her emotions were, and they screamed their promise to set things right. Her hand extended before her eyes. The Imperial in the room turned, “What, want your tu-” His head moved without being touched. Face twisted in the blink of an eye. Fear. His mouth slammed into the corner of a table. The steel edge crushed his frontal teeth into his throat, blood bursting from his gums just as his lower jaw snapped out of place. He let out a shrieking gargle as he fell to the floor in a spasm of pain and shock.
She couldn’t register what had happened, not before she heard a thud. Or did she feel it? Pressure built up somewhere on her head. She touched the back of it. Blood. Weird... Her legs buckled and she fell. The world turned blurry, but she could see her mother throw herself toward her, crawling across the floor. Screaming.
What did she sound like? Like me?
The song came back. She couldn’t help but hum it. It was so catchy.
I hear her voice, in the mornin’ hour she calls me,
"I hear her voice, in the mornin' hour she calls me,"
The holo reminds me of my home far away,
"The holo reminds... me... of my home far away..."
And flyin’ down the lane I get a feelin’,
"...And flyin' down the...the... lane I get a feelin'..."
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday…
"...Should have been home...yesterday...yester..."
Hyperlanes, take me home, to the place I belong…
Take me home...
Take me home...
* Thanks to Qute for helping me with grammar.
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