Melee

[Rose]

Melee

Basic Information -

Homeworld: Tatooine
Species: Human
Gender: Female

Expanded Universe -

Melee knew nothing of her origins, having been sold as property since her earliest recollections. Despite being a lowly slave girl indentured to Gardulla the Hutt on the obscure planet Tatooine, Melee secretly would dream big, imagining adventures among the stars. The harsh realities of Tatooine forced her to keep such dreams to herself, though. She adopted a tough attitude, befriending the local bully of the Mos Espa Slave Quarters, a red-headed boy named Seek. The two formed an ill-tempered pair that would tease the other children who dared to dream of a better life.

Gardulla first kept Melee as a cleaner, but took note that her tiny hands were useful in fixing machinery. Despite her very young age, Melee became skilled in the mechanics of Podracers. Seeing them as nothing more complicated than a child's puzzle, Melee could identify most parts of Podracer engines and cockpits, including the customized ones. It was for this reason she was skeptical of Anakin Skywalker's customized racer. She didn't recognize the boy's mechanical skills.

Or at least, that was part of the reason. Melee's insults to Anakin were a cover for a deeply felt if inarticulate crush she had on the talented boy. On the day of the Boonta Eve Classic that featured Anakin as a competitor, Melee snuck away from Seek and into the grandstand audience to see how Anakin would perform. She was elated when he crossed the finish line in first place.

After the race, Melee went to Anakin's hovel but was disappointed to learn that a tall, mysterious outlander had left with the boy. Visions of her and Anakin together vanished, and Melee despondently returned to Seek's side. But a short time later, a spring had returned to her step as she came to realize that dreams did come true, as Anakin's miraculous victory proved. Seek's sour view was just the opposite. Since Anakin had escaped the slave's life, there was no way luck would shine on the Slave Quarters twice.

Melee had hoped that Anakin would return someday to free them, as he had often talked about. After the death of Gardulla the Hutt, Melee changed hands yet again, working to maintain the machinery of a merchant named Bryyn Woolery. She still lived in the Slave Quarters, and often visited Anakin's mother, Shmi, in the years that followed. The tender woman and her protocol droid taught Melee how to read and write.

When Woolery moved from Mos Espa to more lucrative markets in Mos Eisley, Melee lost contact with Shmi. Fortune shone on the merchant's business, and Melee was freed. She continued to work for Woolery for pay, flying deliveries to small settlements aboard her dilapidated landspeeder. Many years later, in passing, Melee would hear a name that brought her childhood hopes coming back to her. Upon a delivery to Tosche Station in Anchorhead, she heard mention of the name Luke Skywalker and inquired about it. Thinking that she had tracked down Anakin, she instead found the charred remains of a burned out moisture farm. Ignorant of offworld affairs, Melee never did discover who Luke was, or if he was in any way connected to her old friend.