In vino veritas

That's what I like about Erdwah-execution. I told him to fix the ceiling - the asshole had found some materials somewhere and was flying under the ceiling right now, replacing a crumpled panel.

- Erdva, what are you doing?

- You told me to fix the ceiling.

- Yes, I did. And how's the labor process, proletarian?

- Almost done. - He turned his back on me and wiggled his tools. The ceiling panels were on ordinary screws, so it wasn't hard to change them. Apparently, the dorm superintendent had seen enough in the dorm's long history that almost all the furnishings were designed to be repairable.

I went into the room and tossed my shopping bags on the couch, then pulled out my prrrelease, the unopened envelope from the clinic.

- Did you get the DNA test done yet?

- Yeah, they gave it to me at the hospital today. I'm afraid to even open it. It might say something wrong...

- What do you mean "wrong"?

- It's not what I expect it to say. What if...

- That's enough. You won't know anything that way. Besides, I didn't have time to tell you. Alessi came to see you.

- And you didn't say anything? - I jumped up from the couch I hadn't noticed I was sitting on, and ran to the grocery bags.

- She said to tell you she'd be back in a couple of hours. - "Only?"

- An hour and a half ago.

- BLEEP..." I groaned, and after grabbing the groceries, I went into the kitchen. At the very least, I had to buy the girl some tea. Erdva thought our conversation was over and took to the air again to go back to his business of fixing the ceiling. I didn't think it was necessary to help him - I could, but there was no need, Erdva could do it.

I poured water into the kettle, put it on boil, and went to the kitchen myself. I had my own kitchen-it was small, but it was my own, and it was cozy enough. I didn't have anything quick to cook, so I had to cheat a little - make a salad, and bring a bottle of... wine. Local, made from local Alderaan plants. But it's as good as any earthly wine. Wine is forbidden in the dormitory, forbidden at my age, but... am I a smuggler, or am I out for a walk? It's easy to buy it and sneak it in. So I got myself a couple of good bottles of wine, which I kept in my stash just in case. I guess I could use some now. One glass would be good enough for the organism.

A salad, and a bottle... that's how Alessie caught me. She was standing in the middle of the room, seemingly frozen, though I realized that she was staring at Erdev, floating unaccustomed under the ceiling. For a stocky astrodroid at all, this behavior is unaccustomed. It's understandable, as is the fact that Alessi is now looking directly at me...

- Hello, Alessi!

- Ani! Where did you disappear to? Oh, what's the occasion? I thought work was tomorrow... or I missed something..." Her intonation began to show a genuine curiosity.

- No, nothing like that. - I looked at my guest-she was wearing a nice sweatshirt and pants, traditional and informal.

- I stopped by a couple of hours ago, but your droid said you'd gone to the hospital. Ani..." there was a look of concern on Miraluka's face, "if there's something wrong, tell me. I was worried. - She pretended to be aggrieved.

- It was nothing. Just ordered a DNA test to see what's wrong with me.

- Oh, so you wanted to solve the mystery of your powers? How?

- I don't know, I haven't opened the envelope yet.

- Let me open it. - she said. Curiosity is clearly running high...

- Let's have some food first.

- And what's that you have... Wow, wine. Aren't you afraid that...

- Who cares? - I waved my hand away with the bottle clutched in it. Alessie prudently intercepted the bottle and put it on the table.

- Then let's hurry up. - The girl bit her lip and started looking for cutlery. I had the set in the same hand as the salad bowl. Giving her something that looked like a fork, I smiled. Alessie has been concerned about keeping her figure lately. Not that I mind, but dieting doesn't mean not eating at all. So if Alessi manages to feed, it's only me.

- That's right, or you'll starve yourself to death...

- Nfififo nephomoyu.

- Chew it up first. What do they teach you..." I smiled. Alessi," I smiled. "Alessi, at my words, stuck back into her plate and remained proudly silent until she'd chewed her food.

- "I won't, I said.

- You will. I'm worried about you-you don't eat much, you're always on your feet, and you study almost as well as I do. Look, you'll drive yourself crazy. Eat, eat... Will you have some? - I nodded at the bottle.

- I don't know... what is it?

- Wine.

- I've never drunk it. But... let me try. - Alessie smiled conspiratorially, putting down her fork.

Pouring wine into glasses, I thought that after the first one I would definitely open the envelope. And read it.

We raised our glasses and drank in friendship. I was a little unaccustomed to the taste of local wine - what was poured in the cantinas of the outer ring worlds was much dearer to my heart, but not to my stomach. In general, smugglers are soulful people... only they drink like Russians.

- Well, how?

- Mmm... I don't know. I'm not used to it...

- You don't have to get used to it. - I'm getting a little bit of a kick out of it, too, so I said:

- I got the DNA test results right here. Why don't we read it?

- Come on. - I forcefully lifted the envelope and it jumped into my hand, just because I wanted it to.

- Here you go! - I gave the girl the envelope.

- But it's your test. No, no, no. It's not right. - She wouldn't let it go.

- Here you go. I'm not going to keep you in suspense," I slipped the envelope into her hands, "Read what's in it.

- Well... What if it's something personal? - Again she did not want to read the text.

- There is nothing that I would hide from you. The only thing that I forseuser you already know. Go ahead.

- Well, okay. - The girl agreed and began to tear the envelope enthusiastically. Inside was a datacard and a few sheets of paper. Alessie leaned back on the sofa, putting the envelope and the datacard next to each other, and began to read. Silently.

- Well, what's in it?

- Nothing. Blah, blah, blah, test, taken, directed, proanazi... analyzed... zized... giggles. - There was a lovely blush on her cheeks, but apparently not from embarrassment. Alcohol, even in such microscopic doses, was doing its job. The girl was a little "tipsy".

- Is there a count of parents?

- There must be. Now. - Alessi picked up another sheet of paper," Here. So, parents... mother... wow... and father... wow...

- Alessie..." I moved defiantly to her side, hugging her to be closer. When our cheeks had already touched, and the girl blushed even more, I read. "Mother: human (enclosure 5), father: Miraluka, (enclosure 6).

- What's that supposed to mean... I'm a half-breed?

- I knew it," Alessi sighed, "don't get so upset. Nothing's wrong, is it?

- No, I'm not upset. - I answered hastily. Yes, that's how silly fairy tales about the Immaculate Conception come crashing down. Too bad there weren't DNA tests on earth before.

As I sat there staring blankly, Alessi slipped a glass into my hand, saying, "Here, drink this.

I obeyed, after which I put the document aside.

- And you?

- No, I shouldn't.

- Then I won't either. Eh... Shall I go somewhere? - I asked, getting up from the couch.

- Indeed, something does not want to sit on such a day in the dorm.

The order to go - let's go. Ali and I left the room, leaving Erdv alone again, and I, like a gentleman, gave the lady my hand, and then we directed our feet to the exit of the dormitory. I had no desire to meet the guards at the checkpoint, so I showed the girl where the service entrance was. But I had to go to the entrance to get my bike, where I usually left it. Alessie climbed onto the bike behind me, which made the low-powered butterfly sag slightly, and, breathing in my ear, said:

- Let's go... somewhere.

- Um... do you know where?

- Well... I heard there's a student race tonight. Shall we go and see?

- Let's go! Show me the way. - I closed my eyes (which usually frightened anyone who saw me driving), and using my second sight, took the road, or rather street, since the surface road was more of a non-functional piece of urban architecture here.

The race was on the outskirts of town, but we were a little tipsy and didn't notice that we'd driven almost all the way through Aldera.

A little outside of town, a couple of miles of forest was either an inn or a roadside cafe, in general, an establishment that served delicious food. Unlike most such cafes, this one had no brightly lit advertisement, so you wouldn't know what kind of cabin it was. "The Butterfly, repulsors beeping, flew up to the parking lot, where we dismounted and listened. There were voices and engine noise coming from the side of the building.

- Can you hear it? They're in there. I heard the Forest Edge has a race every week, and they gather here every day.

- Hmm..." I looked at Alessi. The girl looked pretty excited.

- Do you like races?

- Well, it's not that...

- Let's go, then! - I took her hand and led her around the building.

There was indeed a large, football-field-sized field in the backyard, with hundreds of bikes and speeders. And... students. Young people flooded the whole area. The headlights were shining all over the clearing, so we could clearly see that there was a spontaneous racing circuit - several bikes were parked in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by people. Mostly people. I let Alessi's palm out of mine and decided to go and see what the young people were racing.

The young people didn't mind - they didn't even pay any attention to me, or if they did, they just grinned. Yeah, what can you take from a freshman...

- Hey guys, can you enlighten the younger ones, what are you racing these days?

- A few riders broke away from the study of their steel horses and looked at me.

- Why not enlighten? Today is the race on the starhawk, the base.

- So you guys have the same bikes?

- Yes. Otherwise, the competition would be only to see who can get the best iron. It's a tough race, though, so I'd rather have a zephyr or a shriker. The first one handles better, and the second one is a... a pretty good accelerator.

- I see. - I nodded, - are only university students allowed to participate?

- To participate - yes. Watch for free, and anyone who wants to, we do not feel sorry. We set up droid-cameras, and there's already some excitement. What'd you ask, kid, did you want to participate?

- Why wouldn't I? Just somebody sell me a bike.

The crowd around us was somehow silent, so that only my interlocutor remained. The headlights made his face look a little more expressive than it really was, or maybe I was imagining it, but his face only showed mockery.

- Kid, first of all, go to university, and then we'll see.

- So I'm already in school. I'm in my first year.

- And you have a pass, of course.

- Here..." I rummaged in my pocket and found a plastic ID card, "here.

- Well... for real. Come to think of it, Imp, student Sky... whatever your name is..." he leaned down, reading his last name, "Skywalker.

- So, is anyone gonna sell the bike or not?

The answer was silence. I think Juhi from Three Hundred and Seven was selling his," the guy with the name or nickname "The Imp" answered. I'll give him a whistle and let him know...

- Come on, don't keep me in suspense. I'm dying to drive.

The guy who blew the whistle came quickly. Or rather - he came, but because of the congestion he had to play mountain goat and jump up and down in order to pass without catching anyone. Alessi was suspiciously silent, and I was completely distracted by the new actor.

- Hey, Imp, Dank, what's up? - He said hello at once, getting off the bike.

- You too, Juhi. Heard you want to sell your rig..." Dank started, and Imp went on for him:

- "There's a buyer here. Come on, boys, we got a race to get ready for. - Imp distracted Dank from the conversation and turned his attention to the open hood of the bike. I've really distracted some people...

- So you're the one who wants to buy a bike from me? Won't you crash? I mean, it's a beast of a machine.

- Yeah, I've heard it a hundred times. Does jet-powered driving count?

- Nobody and nothing counts. Anyway, are you gonna buy it? - Show me what you got first. Put it under the headlights, because it's too black...

- I don't want you to understand. By the way, it's the most popular color! Look, if you know what I mean..." he waved his hand at his car. I went closer and with the help of force examined the construction. I had to clean up the insides of the bike a bit on the fly. There was a primitive sketch of some bird's eyes and beak on the front shield. Apparently, this should, according to the owners of such tuned bikes, make them cool in the eyes of female students. Not much, but it works.

One more little thing - the stirrups for the legs were bent, I had to fix it. Fortunately, no one noticed my manipulation. The condition of the metal is fine as it is - not a rusty trough.

- I'll take it. How much do you want?

- Eight.

- Young man, are you talking about your bike? Eight?

- It's almost new! Eight, no less!

- A new one costs ten. And after the stirrups got bent, it's worth six. And it's still a very, very good price!

- What are you talking about? What stirrups? - Juhi got nervous, seven!

- I'll take it. - I took out the map and asked, "Do you have a computer?

- Yes, right away. - Juhi took a datapad out of the bike's luggage compartment and handed it to me. I quickly, and with Juhi watching, transferred seven grand to his card.

- Here, the bike is yours now. By the way, I have to use something to get home, so... fuck it, I'll get a ride. - Juhi gave me his hand.

- Thanks for the nice bike.

- You're welcome. You're welcome. - He made a "joke" and turned around and left.

- Anakin, what are you doing anyway?

- Alessi... don't you like it?

- But this is dangerous!

- Not at all, I assure you. Almost not. - I dodged a frivolous slap from the girl.

- You could crash. Anyway, you need a permit to buy a bike.

- No one asked me for one. So it's no big deal...

- Suit yourself. - Alessi looked away. I had to get off the bike and come up behind her and hug her:

- Well, you're not mad, are you? I promise nothing will happen to me. I promise. I'm gonna go find out where I can sign up for the race. You don't know how much I'm sick of my bike.

- Your bike was the best. What about this one? - She looked at the Hawk. Well, that one, too, of course, but...

- But what? Anyway, Alessi, I don't know about you, but racing is my weakness. And I won't be me if I don't win today. You better just bet on me.

- But I've got..." The girl started to say, but I slipped her a credit card with the rest of the money in it, "Take it. There's three thousand. It's just right. And I still have to find the race director.

Alessie took the card from me, and with a heavy sigh muttered something about crazy boys and their iron flying toys.

* Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Spaceport Authority *

- What do you think of all this, Master?

- I think it's bad. - Qui-Gon stepped back against the wall, and, remembering Naboo, decided not to sit down, and to keep his sword handy just in case.

- There is a sense that something is not right. It's like... there's something in the air.

- I agree, maybe it's my intuition.

Just at that moment, a full man walked into the Jedi's room. Flashing his bald head, he smiled insincerely:

- "It is good to see you, Jedi gentlemen. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?

- Drug dealing. I'll warn you right off the bat that it's useless for a Jedi to lie, we can sense lies, so sit down and have some tea. Just when I wasn't touching mine. - Said Qui-Gon, invitingly pointing to the chair next to him. The man was agitated - both Jedi sensed this well - so until he finished his tea, no one uttered a word.

- So, Master...

- Sadias Nerenimos. Manager of the transport infrastructure of the mines and quarries. - Said the man, clearly nervous, which did not escape the Jedi's perception.

- Spice is being transported to the Central Worlds through your planet, do you know anything about that? - Qui-Gon asked quickly, smiling at the corners of his lips in a way that made Nerenimos more nervous.

- N... no. I'm sorry, I can't help you there. - The official shook his hands.

* Alderaan, dormitory, three o'clock in the morning. *

- Hey frosty frosty don't frosty me..." the teenager chuckled. Leading him under her arm Miraluka would have been glad to close her eyes in a pained gesture, but these imperfect organs of vision Miralukas lacked at all, so she made do with a heavy sigh.

- No. That song doesn't sound like anything in Thudarian. - The blond man concluded, and staggered back to his room. Alessie wasn't nearly as sober as her boyfriend, since she'd turned down the offer to eat at the winners' table.

- Bummer... my dad's a bastard. No, what a bastard. My mom always said I didn't have a dad. I guess I don't have the best memories. No, I can't believe she had to say that to the Jedi. - Anakin said, slurring his words, waving his hand. He wobbled, and Alessi immediately picked him up under her arm and put her shoulder to his side and led him down the corridor. To keep Anakin quiet, she thought it would be a good idea to talk. To her feminine good fortune, she managed to ask a question that took Anakin all the way to the room to answer.

- What's the big deal about your mother saying that to the Jedi?

- What do you mean what? Those Buddhist terrorists have some kind of prophecy out there. You know, that there's gonna be a thousand years of total f-ing and then a messiah will come in all white and restore peace and prosperity and a new order for centuries... freaks. Fanatics. Yoda heard I was coming, he brainwashed the rest of them, and now these yahoos think I'm the... what's his name... the chosen one. The fucking messiah. You know where all these balances are? I've seen them in a coffin and in white slippers! I want to live! But I got it all worked out. Oh, yeah, I set it up. They probably think I'm dead, so they're not looking for me. There was that time on Neimodia when Qui-Gon was sent to disable the shield... Never mind, that's another story. Some smuggler picked me up after the ship exploded. And that's it, ta-ta. Just me and Erdva, my steel buddy.

- What about the family? What if they're worried? - Alessi asked, listening intently to her drunken boyfriend.

- Nah, nah, nah," he waved a hand to himself, "I left a note for my mother. I gave my sword to Padme.

- Padme? - Alessie looked worried, smelling a rat's ass.

- Well, we met on Tatooine. Spent a lot of time together. She's a good girl, I'll give you that. And don't look at her as a queen, she's a good girl. I just don't like politicians.

- Anakin. I'm afraid to disappoint you, but you're in a department that's one way into politics. - Miraluka dragged Skywalker to the door and, rummaging through his pockets, found a key card.

- Well, so loving is one thing and acknowledging is another. It's the people who make the politics. ...I mean, reasonable people. It turns out I'm not human... hee hee... Anyway, I'm not going with her. I mean, she's cute, but we have different personalities. I'm gonna terrorize her. And you..." Anakin had already entered the room, and now Alessie had set him down on the couch, "and you're a sweetheart. What are some queens compared to you.

Miraluka blushed at the unexpected compliment, which Anakin took advantage of, breathing in wine vapors and kissing his girlfriend.

- Don't think I'm not just saying that... don't! By the way, we Forsusers are good at sensing other sentient beings. You're so good," Skywalker smiled. Alessie didn't know what to say to him. So, is there anything to drink? - Anakin looked around the room with a hazy expression. Then he closed his eyes altogether. Only he and Alessi knew the meaning of this manipulation. After a second's silence, a bottle appeared in front of the drunken teenager, floating in the air. Anakin, still holding on to Alessi, shook the bottle with his telekinesis and turned it over, but only a single drop dripped from the neck onto the carpet, leaving a stain on it. Anakin didn't bother to forcefully crush the bottle and toss it precisely into the trash.

- And that's how boozefests end. Well, where's Erdwah... There he is!

- I'm here, Anakin. - A droid squeaked out from behind the couch.

- Wake me up tomorrow... no, six hours from today.

- I will. - Erdva answered as he drove back.

- Well, Alessi, time for us all to go to sleep. - Skywalker said in Russian.

- What?

- Sleep. Everybody to bed. There's a test in seven hours...

Alessie didn't answer, just laid her boyfriend down on the couch, pulling off his outerwear and turning off the light behind him.