Prey for Life

[James Prent]

Walk to the store. Walk back to the hotel. Don't use the comm. Don't access your accounts, use the cash chit we authorized before we left Cloud City. Don't act nervous, in small towns they can sense when outsiders are anxious. Don't forget to smile.

Smile.

James Prent forced her shoulders to relax as she walked out of the grocery store, cloth bags weighing her down unevenly on either side. She limped down the sidewalk as wheeled vehicles rolled by on the paved street. Copperline was a blip on the astronavigational map of the galaxy, a small time agricultural planet that was still working on harnessing the energy of all its natural resources.

It was near to Bespin, but not too near. And they'd been there for almost two weeks and there hadn't been a peep of any Imperials sniffing around for them.

Them. Her and Byl. Byl. James' cheeks heated a little at the thought of him, her stomach feeling that familiar flutter. When everything was going wrong around her, he was the only thing that seemed to be right. And at the same time, he was like a ticking time bomb. It was only a matter of time before he regained his old memories and left her. She was ashamed, but she'd prayed that he never remembered.

This time of the evening there weren't a lot of people out and about, most inside with their families eating dinner. She tried to lengthen her strides, but at five feet tall she wasn't going to be getting anyplace real quick. Soon enough she came up to the hotel, and hauled her groceries up the stairs to their second floor room.

Their room. She flushed again, and fumbled with the keycard at the door. Byl didn't open it for her when he heard her there, which was unusual. She finally got it open, wedged the heavy door with her foot, and deposited the grocery bags on the floor by the door. "Wow, that was -"

Byl put a finger to his lips and she let the door close, instantly on guard and worried from the look on his face. After a few silent moments there was a knock at the door from outside.