Story Challenge #19: 20th February 2004
Write, in 10 minutes or less, a story featuring tap-dancing. [The boys wouldn't stop talking, hence the five extra minutes. ^__^]

Negatives
A SW 15-minute ficlet by Morgan D.

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"What the hell did you think you were doing back there?"

"What did it look like to you?"

"It looked like you were trying to get us spotted, captured and killed. What if there were Imperial agents in that crowd, kid? What got into you, drawing people's attention like that?"

"Excuse me? You were the one who pushed me into the circle. I told you I didn't want to dance. I told you when we landed on this planet that I hoped no one would drag me to dance the Tarri-Tita. I told you I didn't like the idea of passing as tourists, because I feared the locals would encourage us to join the dancing and I didn't want to. But the first chance you get, you shove me into the circle of dancers. Is that your idea of not drawing people's attention?"

"What was I supposed to think? You've been whinging about not wanting to dance for days! I thought you couldn't dance and were afraid to make a fool of yourself."

"You wanted me to make a fool of myself?"

"All tourists make fools of themselves trying to join the Tarri-Tita here. I wanted to drive away any suspicions, and you..."

"Then why didn't you join? Why me?"

"Because you look like a green, clueless traveller that would do something like that and get laughed at by the locals, and I don't."

"Gee, Han, thanks."

"Sorry to hurt your self-esteem, but that's the truth, whether you like it or not."

"The truth... Now that's priceless. Can you dance the Tarri-Tita at all?"

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not. You can't dance, can you, Han?"

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I can dance."

"Then show me."

"You want me to make ourselves even more conspicuous?"

"Not here then. We go to our hotel and you show me then."

"No."

"You can't dance."

"I don't do any sort of tap-dancing, okay? It looks moronic, and I can't afford to look moronic."

"You mean you can't afford to trip on your own big feet and land on your butt in front of everyone."

"That was what I was expecting you to do. Why were you whinging so much if you can dance the Tarri-Tita?"

"I don't dance too well."

"Could have fooled me."

"I though you said tap-dancing is moronic?"

"Never mind what I said. The other dancers were applauding you."

"They were being kind."

"But you have danced it before."

"I watched others dancing it in Tatooine."

"You don't learn to dance like that just from watching, kid."

"Are we going to the hotel now, or should we look for...?"

"Whoa... Changing the subject again? What's the story?"

"What story?"

"Why were you so jittery about dancing?"

"I just didn't want to."

"Why?"

"Can't you let it go?"

"No. Why?"

"It's not... proper... for me to dance the Tarri-Tita."

"Proper?!"

"It's not a street dance in Tatooine. You need a wooden floor for that, so your steps can resonate. Not adobe, not metal, certainly not sand. Wood. Here all the big streets are made of wood. But on Tatooine... Only the rich — those that can afford to import wood to floor their houses — dance the Tarri-Tita there. Farmers don't. Won't."

"But you do. And don't give me that crap about learning just from watching it."

"What do you care how I learned to dance?"

"Just answer the damn question!"

"I've already answered your question! I'm a farmboy, as you love to remind me. Farmers don't dance the Tarri-Tita. Isn't that enough for you?"

"No."

"Han!"

"The more you dodge, the more suspicious I get. How did a farmboy learn to dance the Tarri-Tita?"

"Biggs taught me to."

"Who?"

"Biggs Darklighter! His father is a food tradesman. He said it was important for me to learn that dance. He said someday we would..."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Join an intergalactic dance company?"

"Argh, no! I told you the Tarri-Tita isn't a street thing there, remember? It's a formal dance. For formal festivities only. Like birth celebrations, name-giving celebrations, coming-of-age celebrations... wedding celebrations..."

"Ah..."

"Ah, what?"

"So you had to learn to dance so you could marry some rich character, is that it?"

"Yes. No! It's not like that..."

"And you call me a mercenary..."

"I would never marry for money, Han!"

"I see... So you had a specific rich character in mind."

"Why in the name of the Force am I having this conversation with you?"

"Beats me."

"Are you done with your stupid questions then?"

"Not yet. I still don't know why you didn't want to dance."

"I told you..."

"Yeah, but you didn't make sense. You're bold enough to dream of marrying above your class, but not to dance above your class for five minutes?"

"I..."

"Yes?"

"Is it that hard for you to understand that I didn't want to dance with a bunch of strangers the same dance I was hoping to do with my spouse someday?"

"Hey... take it easy, junior..."

"No, I won't take it easy, Han. The Empire had destroyed that dream already, but at least I had the memory. At least the last person, the only person I had danced the Tarri-Tita with was Biggs. Now, thanks to you, I don't even have that. I don't even know the names of those people you made me dance with."

"Calm down, will ya? People are starting to look our way..."

"I. Don't. Fucking. Care."

"Well, you should. And just who the hell is that Biggs fellow you keep talking about anyway?"

"..."

"Luke? Hey, where're you going? Slow down, damnit! Was it something I said?"

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