Star Wars - Tales from the Outer Rim

"Family Reunion, Part 1"
By: Merrick Braston
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston
Qual and Neron Tregat [NPC+]

Location: Coruscant
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Kaysa always had found space travel dull, but with two men ready and willing to entertain her, and two loyal servants even more willing to attend to her every need in return for a kiss, she couldn't complain that she was bored. Now, however, it was the planet looming before them through the viewport that had her excited.

"Wow..." She pushed herself onto her knees atop the bed and clumsily hobbled on them closer to the opening. "That's Coruscant? I've passed it numerous times, but it just looks so different now. Does it look the same to you?"

"That's it," Merrick said. "Looks the same to me, and I haven't been here in nearly ten years." He glanced over at Zale who shrugged. "What about you?" he finally added, to prod Zale into speaking.

"Looks the same," he said. "I think it may even look a little more densely packed than before. After living on Tae'Karada, I just don't get this one. It's basically a planet-sized city. No oceans, no forests, no nothing except horizon to horizon durasteel, speeders, and people. At least that hideous statue of Palpatine got pulled down."

"Better than Bespin," Kaysa said with a frown. "Clouds everywhere - poison too!" She sighed and slid back down between her two men. "Still, no matter where we are, this is our vacation and we're going to make the best of it. If not, we can always leave."

"I was looking at the charts while the two of you were in here making all that noise last night," Merrick said with a knowing grin, "and I noticed that there are a number of planets that might be nice to stop off at on the way back. That beach planet is only about a half day from Coruscant. If we don't like it here, there's plenty to do on the way back home."

Kaysa slowly shifted her gaze to Zale. "Like letting me fly the transport?" She pouted her lips irresistibly and pounced on Zale, using her fingers to tickle him into submission. "Please? I know how to fly ships, Zale. I've done it before!"

"We've already got a pilot," Zale cried out as he tried to keep Kaysa's hands from finding anywhere sensitive. "We don't need--! Alright! Alright! Just don't run into anything!"

Merrick shook his head and sighed. "So weak," he said.

"So wise," Kaysa corrected. She gave Zale a quick kiss, then rolled off of him, over the edge of the bed, where she landed on her bare feet. With a squeal of delight, she scampered towards the closet and pulled out a robe. "Buckle up, boys!" she said as she threw on the flowing, silken garment. "I'm driving." Emitting another excited shriek, Kaysa fled from the room, leaving a naked Zale and Merrick on the bed together, both looking quite worried.

"Well, that was intelligent," Merrick said. "We'd better get up there. Who knows what she'll do in the heat of her excitement. I would like to wait a few years before my remains decorate an asteroid."

Zale raised an eyebrow. "Decorate a--?"

"Long story. Put something on and cover that thing up. You'll scare Deez with that it."

"Jealousy doesn't become you, Merrick," Zale said.

"I'm not jealous," Merrick said as he pulled on his pants. "Besides, it's not the size of the vessel, but how you pilot it through hyperspace."

Zale let out a snort of laughter as he crawled out of the bed.

"See you in the cockpit," Merrick said, and started toward the door. As he got there, the comm sounded. He paused slightly, but saw that Zale was unaware of his presence. Something with the comm had certainly distracted him.

He was hunched down near the unit as he activated it and the voice of a woman came out of the speakers. Zale was still looking at the thing, uncertain how to proceed. But, at least he was alone. "Elle?"

***

"Oh, you don't have to stand over my shoulder," Kaysa said to the nervous pilot whose seat she had commandeered. "I was a smuggler for almost six years. I've flown through asteroid fields, escaped Imperial raids.... I'm probably more qualified than you are."

The young man raised his hands defeatedly in the air and took one step away from the pilot's seat now occupied by his employer's wife, who was wearing nothing but a loosely closed robe. A barely clothed female steering a 100 tonne vessel... That certainly didn't instill confidence in him. "Well...I'll be right here if you need anything, Mrs. Tregat. Just holler at me before we crash into the planet."

Kaysa shot the boy a scowl, then gracefully stuck out her tongue at him. "If you're not careful, I'll fly with my eyes closed." She chuckled at the fearful expression that crossed the boy's face, then returned her gaze to the canopy.

"Please," Merrick said as he entered the cockpit, "do be careful. I don't think any of us want her flying with her eyes closed."

"What's that supposed to mean!" Kaysa cried. She gripped the armrest of the co-pilot's chair and swivelled it towards Merrick. "Have a seat, my love. You can watch me in action." A suggestive smile touched her lips. "And I don't mean the kind we just engaged in."

Merrick chuckled at the blushing pilot and moved to sit next to Kaysa. "It means that we don't want you trying to fly this ship when you have your eyes closed. Now, I happen to like any kind of action when it comes to you." He indicated the planet in front of them. "Have they contacted us yet?"

"Yup! I just sweet-talked them, and they easily gave us clearance. We're in berth 12 at the spaceport." Kaysa shot the flustered pilot a conspiratorial wink for their shared secret. He had, in fact, spoken to the control tower; after he had gained passage, Kaysa had bumped him out of his seat and took over from there. At the unintentional peek he got of her breast, exposed by the robe falling off one shoulder, he was too enthralled to raise a protest.

"Coming in on an approach vector," Kaysa announced. Her hands tapped at a sequence of buttons on the console and then ship banked right into a wide arc. She glanced sidelong at Merrick and grinned, then with her eyes still on him, she levelled off the ship once it skimmed the planet's upper atmoshpere and started their smooth descent. "I told you I've flown before."

"Very nice," Merrick said with a smile. "I'm very impressed, my love. I've never seen this side of you before. I'm sure Zale would love to see it too."

"Where is he anyway?" Kaysa asked. "This was my big debut. He should've been here to see it."

"He got a call as I was leaving," Merrick said. "I'm sure he'll be right up."

"Not a business call, I hope. This is his vacation too. No work allowed!" The smile Kaysa had worn the moment she sat in the pilot's seat never left her face; she was too happy to even pretend to be angry with Zale.

As they coasted along towards the spaceport, she cut the engines and let the repulsors take over. "Lowering landing struts. Don't worry, boys, you won't have to hang onto anything. You'll barely even notice we've landed." And she was right. Before Merrick could snap off a witty retort, the struts contacted the deck of their berth and Kaysa powered down the repulsors. With a triumphant squeal, she sprang upright out of her seat. "We're here! Merrick, come on." She snatched up his hand and tugged him out of his seat. "We have to dress and eat and... Just come on!"

"Nice flying, Mrs. Tregat," the pilot called out to her as the two hurried from the cockpit. With a chuckle and a shake of his head, the man slid into his chair and thought about how women like Kaysa - beautiful and talented - came around once in a lifetime. "Lucky bastards," he muttered.

Merrick let Kaysa drag him along back toward their room. He couldn't help feeling the same elation she was feeling. They hadn't gotten far from the cockpit when down the other direction, they both saw Zale hurrying in their direction.

"Too late," she told him. "I already landed the ship." She patted Zale's chest as they passed him, and shrugged. "Maybe next time."

"I got stuck on a comm call from Tae'Karada," Zale said as he started back after them. "One of my contacts with the Rebellion. Sounds like we're not missing much, though Tarkin sounds like he's getting ready for something major."

"Should we be worried?" she asked him without slowing down.

Zale shook his head. "No, I don't believe so," he said. "I believe most of it is in the desert, though there is rumour of a new curfew in the city as well as additional checkpoints and security vouchers."

Kaysa waved her hand dismissively. "Then forget it! We have a vacation to start." Hastening her enthusiastic pace, Kaysa sped away from Zale, dragging Merrick along behind her.

"Stop lagging behind, Wrinkly," Merrick called. "We've got an adventure awaiting us, and you're wearing yesterday's clothes!"

Zale chuckled then hurried after them. He would never understand the two of them...ever.

***

"Where are we going to stay?" Kaysa pressed her cheek to the window of the hoverlimo - one Zale had arranged for to transport them through the city - and gazed up at another of the extremely tall buildings dominating the skyline. "Don't tell me you have a home here too, Zale."

"No home here," Zale said, scanning the skyline. "At least not anymore. I haven't had a home here for some years."

Kaysa looked down from where her eyes were focused on the scenery, then turned to face Zale. "What happened anyway, Zale? Why does everyone have such bad memories of this planet?"

"Family," Zale said with a sigh. "I have family here, and I prefer them here. My brothers and I were always at odds, and it only increased after our parents' death. It was just better for me to be away. Perhaps with the three of us here, though, I can forge some good memories. Maybe I can reclaim Coruscant in my memories the way you and Merrick did Bespin."

Kaysa shifted closer to Zale and rested her chin upon his shoulder. She studied his face for a moment then, smiling, said, "Leave it to me, my love. I'll give you the best memories of Coruscant you've ever had."

Zale grinned and brushed his lips against her cheek in an awkward kiss. "Oh, and I know if anyone can, it's going to be you. I look forward to whatever changes you can make in my perspective of Coruscant, and I hope I can give you a few good memories too."

"I'm already having a wonderful time," she told him. "How could I not when I have almost everything I need, right here in this hoverlimo?" She patted his hand and returned his kiss. "Everything will be fine."

"Of course," Zale said.

Suddenly the sound of repulsor engines drowned out all other sound. Looking to the side, Zale frowned as a speeder raced along the side of them. He knew something was terribly wrong when he saw another on the other side. The limo lurched suddenly and one of the speeders pulled in front and clamped on the brakes.

Zale pulled a blaster out of a hidden compartment below the seat. "Shit!"

"What is this, Zale?" she asked, trying to remain calm considering the circumstances. "Please tell me this isn't Coruscant's idea of a welcome party."

"Not Coruscant," Zale said as the hoverlimo slowed to a stop. "No, this is a family welcome. Merrick if you ever make another comment about having sex with me, this will be the absolute worst time. The two of you stay behind me."

Kaysa shook her head. "I'm staying beside you, Zale. If anyone wants to mess with Zale Tregat, he's gotta mess with his wife too." Giving him a kiss before he could protest, Kaysa pushed open the hatch. With a show of her stubborn fearlessness and impulsiveness, she slipped out of the vehicle before either of her men, prepared to face alone whoever had interrupted their peaceful ride.

The other vehicles had already emptied of their occupants, and now they all stood facing the hoverlimo with blasters drawn. Kaysa found four blasters pointed at her, centred on her chest. Zale was out of the limo next, sweeping his blaster across the assembled crowd. They were clearly outnumbered and outmatched, but he didn't want them to think he knew that.

Zale growled under his breath as Merrick slipped from the limo. "What do you want?" he called out to the men surrounding them.

"Throw down your weapon."

"What do you want?"

"Disarm yourself, and you will not be harmed. You're out numbered. You will comply, or we will be forced to take action."

"Joyous," Zale muttered under his breath.

"Oh, if you were going to take action you would have done it already," Kaysa scoffed. She kept her eyes from focusing on the blasters aimed at her and instead maintained her air of complacency. "Now, who sent you?"

From beside her, Zale let out an exasperated breath. "Qual," he snarled. "Where is the son of a bitch? Where's Qual?"

"Here little brother," a voice said, and soon the rest of the body followed it out of one of the speeders.

The similarity between the man and Zale was uncanny. He was slightly taller and more muscular. His hair was long, but unlike Zale's, tied back in a single braid rather than the hundreds Zale had atop his own head. He moved with a fluid grace.

"I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out, little brother. And, who is this charming little proton torpedo you've got with you? My name is Qual Tregat, Zale's older and wiser brother."

Kaysa kept her face from reacting to Qual's odd reference to her and instead held out her hand to him. "Kaysa Tregat," she replied, giving him a charming smile. "Family, you could say."

"I guess you could," Qual said with a smile as he smoothly started forward. "So, little brother is married, is he? Well, I must say, Zale, I'm quite impressed." He took Kaysa's hand once he was close enough and placed an expert kiss on her open palm. "I would like to welcome you to the family, Kaysa."

"Oh, so that's what this is all about," she replied. She gently pulled her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest. "Really, it wasn't necessary, but thank you for the gesture."

"And, is this Merrick Braston, the galactically famous singer?"

"That's correct," Merrick said, though his manner was still guarded and cautious.

"So, you're hanging with Merrick Braston now. Weren't you the one who told us all that listening to that music would not only make you sterile but gay as well?"

Zale glowered.

Another voice behind them piped up. "I remember that distinctly. Sterile and gay. My how you've changed, middle brother."

Kaysa tilted her head sideways to peer behind Qual's obtrusively dominating self. As she did, another tall, yet slimmer dark-skinned man stepped forward. His features resembled Zale's uncannily, save for the two startling blue eyes staring back at her. The clothing he wore was less ostentatious than Qual's choice of full leather, and remarkably conservative for someone obviously related to Zale. He may not have liked Merrick's music, but he certainly would have fit in at one of his concerts. As he moved to stand beside Qual, he shot her a disarming smile that, for but a moment, robbed her of the ability to breathe.

"I think the air here has affected both of your minds," Zale said. "I never said anything of the sort. And, you should remember that better than anyone, Neron." It'd been several years since Zale had seen his younger brother. He'd grown up some, for certain; Zale was actually quite amazed to see the maturity showing in his brother's eyes. "How have you been, little brother?"

"Bored," Neron replied forthrightly. He motioned to Kaysa and added, "But you look like you're doing alright. You should be, though. You're living the life of luxury with our creds, after all."

Zale laughed. "Sure I am," he said. "You know, if you actually did something other than sitting on your ass all day, you'd have creds too. That money was mine. I thought we agreed to let the matter drop last time. Are we going to beat the crap out of each other again over it every time we see each other?"

"Well, why else did you come here other than to engage in a good ol' Tregat boxing match?" Neron quipped. "Finally decided to stop being a greedy bastard and give us what's ours?"

"If you need a loan, little brother, I'm sure I can arrange something," Zale said with a mirthless smile.

Merrick leaned closer to Kaysa and Zale. "You're not going to kill each other, are you?"

"No," Zale said, not taking his eyes off his siblings, "they couldn't get the money they want if they kill me."

"Wow, coming to Coruscant really was a bad idea," Kaysa muttered.

"Family Reunion, Part 2"
By: Merrick Braston
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston
Qual and Neron Tregat [NPC+]

Location: Coruscant
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

"Your girl's smart, Zale," Neron commented. "You really shouldn't have come back here."

"I see that now," Zale said. "So, you've got me. What now?"

Qual stepped forward and looked over the trio, letting his gaze linger on Kaysa. "How about the three of you join Neron and I for dinner tonight, and we can discuss your predicament."

Zale glanced at Kaysa, then Merrick.

"I like dinner," Merrick said.

Kaysa gently elbowed Zale in the side and smiled sweetly at Qual. "Zale and I like dinner as well. When and where should we meet you?"

"Let us know where you'll be staying," Qual said, "and we'll meet you there."

"And don't worry," Neron added, "we'll leave most of the entourage at home."

"How comforting," Zale said with a scowl. "We'll be at the Tanara Towers."

"Good choice, little brother," Qual said with a smile. "We'll see you there. At seven."

With that, he returned to his vehicle, followed quickly by his people.

Neron inclined his head at them, passing his eyes over the three of them and chuckling as he came upon Merrick. "Maybe the pansy can play for us," he suggested. "Though, I doubt your wife would appreciate the detriment to your virility caused by Mr. Braston's music." Shooting Kaysa another of his dashing smiles, Neron turned and followed Qual back to his vehicle.

"Jerk," Kaysa said under her breath. "I can't believe you're related to them, Zale."

"Oh, I can't believe it most of the time," Zale said. "Both of you will need to be very careful. Merrick, they'll tear you apart first chance they get. Kaysa, they'll try to seduce you every chance they get. I think we're going to need to get out of here as quickly as possible. As soon as we're settled in the hotel, I'm going to have Deez and Aron earn their keep. I need to know who's working for my brothers, so we know which ones to avoid on the streets. We may be visiting that little beach planet very soon."

"You're not running away from this, Zale," Kaysa said. "You're going to fix this once and for all. You're smarter than them, more resourceful. You can end this and keep those jerks off your back for good. Merrick and I can handle ourselves. You just worry about making things right."

"They want money that isn't theirs, money that I earned and inherited." He shook his head and turned back to the limo. "I'll settle this, alright. When we leave here, they'll know not to mess with me anymore."

Kaysa stared at Merrick, both looking somewhat concerned with the unspoken threat underlying Zale's vow. With a sigh, she moved into Merrick's embrace and kissed him softly. "Come on, my beautiful musician, let's get to the hotel so I can tend to your bruised pride."

"Thank you, my love," Merrick said softly. "I think I need to feel like a man again."

Zale looked up, and then slipped into the limo. He was on the verge of snapping off a quick retort, but perhaps, after everything else, telling Merrick he'd help make him feel like a man wasn't appropriate.

After Kaysa and Merrick filed into the limo, she watched Zale closely, studying the tightness of his jaw and the thin line his mouth was pressed into. She'd have to spend some time quelling his anger when they arrived at the hotel; the last thing she wanted was for him to murder his brothers at the dinner table. With a gentle sigh, Kaysa nestled her cheek to Merrick's shoulder and closed her eyes. A wonderful vacation indeed.

***

Zale dropped his bags onto the rack beside the door and then moved to the bed where he promptly flopped down. He let out a heavy sigh. Fortunately, he'd put the blaster from the limo away before they'd arrived at the hotel.

Before they'd gotten too far into the room, Merrick pulled Kaysa close and brought his lips to her ear. "You want to go soothe his frazzled nerves and I'll get us all some drinks?"

"Make his a Tolian brandy. Those always calm him down." She turned her face to Merrick's and kissed him, then moved across the room to find Zale. Before slipping into the bedroom, she tapped lightly on the door then leaned against the doorframe. "Busy?"

"Never too busy for you," Zale said. "I'm sorry for back there. I didn't realize they were expecting me, or that they'd track us down. I'd sort of hoped to avoid them while we were here."

"I've found in my life," Kaysa began as she strolled into the room, "that the more you try to avoid people, the better the chances are that you'll run into them." She stopped at the foot of the bed and sat down upon it, still regarding Zale. "So, don't try and avoid them, my love. Talk this through with them one last time and find a way to make peace. With me by your side, there's no way you'll fail this time."

"If you flash your breasts at them, it'll make it that much easier for us," he said with a grin. "However, I don't like doing things the easy way. So, we'll have to do this without letting the girls out for a stroll. I think with the three of us working together, we can do this. You're going to be my good luck charm, my beautiful wife."

"No, I'm going to be your conscience keeping you from murdering your brothers." She laughed softly and crawled towards Zale. Once at his side, she slid down and curled up against him. "Everything will be okay, my love. I'll enchant them with my beauty and wit, Merrick will lull them with his music, and you'll use your cunning and intellect to put them in their place. Then, we can enjoy the rest of our vacation."

Zale brought a hand up to her cheek and caressed it gently. "I don't deserve you," he whispered.

"Oh, stop that now," she chided softly. "You love me and I love you. That's all that matters." Kaysa turned her lips to his palm and pressed a kiss to it. "You more than deserve me, Zale. We're meant for each other. Don't ever think otherwise."

He managed to slip his arms around her, and pulled her close to him. "You even got the flesh and blood hand," he said with a grin. "Sometimes, I forget all about it. I can't ever forget though. I think that was my most acute learning experience ever."

"It's funny," she mused. "No matter how old you are, how long you've been in this universe, everyday you still learn something new." Kaysa gazed up at Zale and smiled warmly. "I'm going to enjoy going through the rest of my life, learning with you, Zale."

Zale smiled. "And, I you," he said. "You make my life complete, Kaysa. I--I was concerned having to share you with Merrick, and then Shiv as well. But, I'm not anymore. You're everything to me, and if I have to share you, at least I have a part of your heart to myself. I think I'll be able to make it now, not that I had any real doubts before."

"You're not sharing part of my heart, though," she said. "You have my whole heart - you all do! I love you all equally and differently. You don't ever have to worry, Zale. You're not getting rid of me, and I'm not letting you go. Not ever."

"That suits me just fine," Zale said with a smile. "I don't ever want to be rid of you. Hell, just being apart from you for a short time is difficult enough."

"I'm glad. That ensures your loyalty to me, not that you'd even think about being unfaithful." She giggled and pinched his thigh. "Right, Mr. Tregat?"

"Ow," Zale cried, squirming away from her fingers. "If you're going to keep doing that, how could I ever think about being unfaithful? Pinching, it's just not nice. I'd expect something like that from Merrick, but not from my beloved wife."

"Then you underestimate me, my love." She gave Zale's thigh one final squeeze, then released his flesh and kissed him while he was still off-guard. "Feeling better?" she asked once their lips parted.

"Much better," Zale whispered. "I think I prefer that to the pinching. Much nicer, and more fun for both of us."

Out in the other room, the sound of the door opening could be heard followed by gentle humming.

"Oh, Merrick! It's okay, you can come in." Kaysa grinned at Zale. "He's serving us drinks this time. See, this vacation is going to be wonderful after all, my love. You just wait and see."

A moment later, Merrick strolled into the room. He handed a glass to Zale and winked. "Your favourite," he said as he handed a glass to Kaysa. It was obvious that whatever was in Kaysa's glass was also in his. "Perhaps we should drink a toast to a wonderful vacation, despite the family that Zale and I have here on Coruscant."

"Of course we should have a drink!" Kaysa sat upright and held out her glass. "To the Zenarrs. May we have a hereafter uneventful and lovemaking-filled vacation."

Merrick and Zale both raised their glasses high to that. "May happiness follow us wherever we may go, shining bright upon our every effort," Merrick said.

Kaysa held back a laugh. Zale wasn't proving as successful in doing so. She shushed him with a glare, then smiled tenderly at Merrick. "A beautiful toast, Merrick." Their glasses chimed in perfect pitch as they touched. Although their vacation hadn't started out very auspiciously, Kaysa had a feeling they could salvage what was left of it...as long as Zale didn't end up murdering his brothers.

"Thank you," Merrick said with a gracious nod. "Coming from you, it means very much. If it had been Zale saying that, I would have suspected he was just trying to get into my pants. But, thankfully, I know that isn't the case." He was quiet for a moment before continuing. He sighed and reached out to take Kaysa's hand. "This time here is going to be good for us, all three of us."

"I know," she replied. "No matter what, it will be." She looked to Zale and gave him a smile of encouragement. "It will be," she repeated with greater fervour.

Zale kissed first Kaysa and then, after a slight pause, Merrick. "It definitely will be," he added.

Kaysa regarded Merrick with a grin, then couldn't help laughing. "Maybe we should've given Zale something other than liquor. It always tends to make him very, very affectionate, as you can see."

"Very affectionate," Merrick said as he made a show of wiping his lips. "I think from now on, it's just water." He leaned over Kaysa to look Zale in the eyes. "Only water from now on. Now, kiss your wife and not her other husband."

"Gladly," Zale said with a laugh, and then pulled Kaysa into his arms for another kiss. "How about we stop by Riga on the way back home?"

"Alright," Kaysa replied. "Are there beaches there or is there another reason you want to go to Riga?"

"There are beaches there. Beautiful beaches from what I've heard," Zale said. "And, it's also within commuting distance of Tae'Karada. I think we could make a nice home there if we wanted."

"Then that's what we'll do. We'll go to Riga and the three of us will find a nice home there." Kaysa slipped an arm around both Zale's and Merrick's neck, then placed a kiss on each of the cheeks. "Everything's going so well. I think things can only get better from here."

"Everything will be as close to perfect as it can be," Merrick said as he got comfortable in Kaysa's embrace. "Won't it, Zale?"

Zale raised an eyebrow as he looked across at Merrick and then smiled. "Of course it will," he said. "Perfect."

Kaysa chuckled and squeezed both her men even tighter. "Stop being so silly and take a nap with your wife before we have to prepare for dinner."

"Gladly," Zale said as he settled in against Kaysa. "Anything for you, my love."

"You got that right," she retorted. Lying side by side by side, curled up together in a tangle of limbs, Kaysa and her two men sought repose after their unsettling arrival; she, however, was too excited about their future to sleep and made a request to Merrick for some music to lull them. "Something soothing, Braston. And preferably a song about me."

"Aren't they all about you?" Zale asked.

Ignoring him, Merrick began softly and soon the melody of "Living in Your Smile" filled the room. What better way to fall asleep lying together than with a song about lying together for all eternity? One thing was certain and that was that Kaysa was Merrick's inspiration and as long as he was with her, his muse would always be present. And, regardless of what else happened in life, he would always be with her. Nothing could ever come between Merrick Braston and the woman he loved.

"The Hunt"
Symm Ruus Dunn
Commander Luktor & the Alfa 5 squadron [NPC by Tarkin]

Location: Deserts near Thanatos
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Symm woke with a start and checked his wristcomp. He had gotten five hours of sleep, more than he had slept in three days. He checked the rake wound in his side and generally inspected the rest of his body and equipment for evidence of damage and for the ever-present sand ticks, which were deadly in the right conditions. He found two, which he pulled off and smashed them into the rock with the heel of his boot.

Grabbing his rifle and his small pack, in which the stolen stormtrooper's gear was, Symm creeped up to the entrance of his hidey-hole. He looked out over the dunes surrounding his spire of rock and didn't see any movement. So, thinking it clear, he set off down the side of the rock abutment and began heading towards Thanatos. Symm needed durasteel to make, and time to prepare the armor piercing flechettes for his custom rifle.

***

On the open hot desert dunes Commander Luktor took a sip off of his canteen and wiped his forehead. "What have our scanning found?" he demanded.

A nearby Stormtrooper in special desert gear turned to his superior officer. "Sir, at this point we haven't got much... Perhaps the night got him or some desert large lizard. We do have readings that confirm that he is wounded."

"Do we have a corpse?" Luktor asked.

"No, sir. Only blood," the stormtrooper confirmed.

"In that case, we keep looking. Until we find the dead corpse or the rebel!" the Imperial Commander stated, only to hear his men's confirmation.

Suddenly one of them, who was holding a pair of electrobinoculars and a scanner gave a nod. "Sir, I have something on the scanner. It's faint but it ought to be the size of a human and it's hot blooded so it can't be a lizard!" he said.

"We move now!" Luktor ordered, as they all got aboard the sand speeder and rushed off in what they hoped to be the Rebel's location.

***

Symm began a slow jog in the direction of Thanatos. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day and the sun was already baking the sands, but a cool breeze was picking up and that helped a lot. Symm scanned the horizon on top of the next dune and was startled to see a racing sandspeeder with white figured troops inside.

He fell to his stomach and covered himself with his camouflage suit so that only the barrel of his rifle and a small pyramid was showing. If someone looked at the dune now, they wood see an oddly shaped rock covered in sand. Symm wriggled just a bit so that he sunk into the sand. Now, the barrel of his rifle poked just a couple of inches out of the sand and most of Symm's body was behind the dune. He sighted through his scope and inspected the oncoming speeder.

"Yup... Sandtroopers. Seven of them, they have sensor equipment... Damn! My sensor baffle is gone... What I wouldn't give..." Symm cursed softly. Looking beyond the troops inside, Symm focused on the speeder itself. "Hmmm... If I can knock out an emitter, just one of them..." Symm sighted carefully. He tightened his grip on his rifle and his rifle chuffed just a bit as it launched one of his precious four durasteel armor-piercing darts at the landspeeder. Symm checked to see where his round had hit and was relieved to see the speeder jerk quickly as sparks flew from the front underside.

The speeder came to a tight curve which sent a wave of sand that created a certain difficulty for seeing the men in the vehicle. Already had Commander Luktor ordered his men to take cover, and, immediately, everyone took cover by jumping off and into the sand taking their weapons with them. Behind the dunes they regrouped to counter-attack.

"Damn this sniper!" Luktor cursed. "I want him dead! And we will kill him! Now, he should be head-on only a few dunes ahead... Readings?"

"Fifty two yards from our current location, sir!" one of the stormtroopers confirmed.

"Very well then, I want two men to stay here and keep him busy and distracted. We want him to spend as many rounds as possible, make him run out of ammunition!" Luktor explained. "Then two others go around the right side to flank him off and the rest come with me to go around and cut his escape route off! Move!" he ordered.

As soon as he gave the order two stormtroopers began to fire shots at Symm's location, one providing cover and the other one going for more precision shots.

Symm slid down the back side of the dune he was on when he saw the speeder dig its front end into the sand, sending up a shower of sand. As he crested the dune behind him, blaster bolts began peppering the area around him. Symm was running flat out now and decided to run in between dunes, keeping below the line of sight of his pursuers.

The blaster fire began to slacken as it became a chase. Symm heard the occasional blaster shot and noticed the bolts always nearer to him than he liked.

"They might not see me, but they have got me pegged on sensors. I'm in it deep tasker, this might be it." Symm began mulling over his options as he ran, thinking of how he could beat the sensors. "I need a sensor distraction. Maybe, hmmm... Well, I gotta buy some time anyway."

As he ran, Symm pulled one of his three blaster pistol power cells out of his harness and, using one of his last flechettes, pushed the power transmitting node in. Then, he broke the node so that the power cell believed that it was in the pistol. Symm knew that with the cell's transmitter engaged like this, eventually the power cell would overload and produce a very brief electromagnetic pulse; disabling the portable sensors that the sandtroopers were holding. Or at least, that was the theory. Symm had never actually tried it.

Realizing that it could overload at any time, Symm stopped and threw the cell back in the general direction of his enemy. Then, he spun and continued in his running. He hoped that when the cell went off, he could crest a dune quickly, eliminate a trooper and cause them to abandon their pursuit.

As he rounded another dune, he heard a dull thud. Looking back, he saw a small fireball rising out of the desert and decided to take a shot. He ran up a dune, turned and raised his rifle to his shoulder for his shot.

Alas, the stormtrooper was agile and dodged Symm's shot just barely, falling into the sand while he shot a whole round to provide cover for his open location. By the time his round was gone he had cover from his fellow Imperials and was able to get to a clear spot. But to their demise, the sniper had the advantage.

"Move it! Get this bastard!" Commander Luktor shouted as he came off on top of a dune along with two other Stromtroopers and shot a couple of rounds at Symm who was by now almost out of range.

"Sir, the scanners are gone!" one of the white desert stormtroopers informed.

"Who cares! He's heading that direction, towards the city!" Luktor shouted again as he ordered his men to move and close in on the sniper.

As they followed, Team 2 opened the comm link. "Sir, he went into a graveyard. We are at a disadvantage in tactical procedures... He will have the element of surprise and we will have to look for him visually."

Luktor nodded. "Well then, bomb the outer perimeter and then shower some thermal detonators to flatten it all out. We will move in afterwards, hopefully to find his remains!" he grinned as they all moved in closer to the site.

Symm slowed down to a jog as he entered the speeder graveyard. To his right and left, junked speeders and wrecked spacecraft were stacked and sitting in a mishmash of durasteel and cerametal. There were lanes created by the walls of junk and Symm headed down one. This place was a heaven for any sniper, there was so much cover, he could sit and wait for troopers to show themselves.

Symm made his way deep into the wreckyard, and climbed up into the cockpit of an airspeeder which had another speeder wreck leaned up against the rear. It was an ugly place with jagged metal and electrical conduits jutting out from all of the consoles, but, for some bizarre reason, the seat cushions were still intact and quite comfortable. Symm smiled at that while he began setting up his sniper's roost.

His head jerked upwards as he heard, before he saw, the whine of ion engines in the air. Not again! Symm thought. He scanned the sky around him and then heard something which sent chills crawling up his spine. The air around him seemed to close in as he heard a whistling sound followed by a large thump. Without thinking he made his way down, out of his roost, leaving his rifle behind. Symm looked around frantically for safe haven. If the Imps had decided to bomb the place, the only place safe would be... Symm thought as he scanned the area, moving through the jungle of wrecks. "Aha!" Symm dashed to a corner, and scanned the lane beyond for his pursuers. Seeing none, he dove for the object of his attention. "This should work just fine, hope it's reasonably intact." Symm climbed up to the missing airlock door of a section of freighter, and looked in. The door beyond was ajar, slightly bent, but mostly intact.

Symm looked up as a TIE-bomber screamed past. The thudding was very close. He leapt through the ajar door and then rolled to the inside edge of the open space. It was stuffy, filled with some stench he couldn't place, and barely had room to flex his arms, but it was cover and he thanked the gods for it. Symm curled into a fetal position as the noise of bomblets, most probably thermals, crashed about the hull section and the noise reverberated within his crawlspace. Symm heard, and felt the impacts of several stacks of speeder wrecks on his hidey hole and saw the light from the ajar door become blocked.

Good, they won't find me through all that metal, might have to get out eventually, Symm thought before he felt his ears burst and blackness enveloped him.

***

Meanwhile, outside, Commander Luktor grinned. The TIE-Bomber had just made a few sweeps and the sniper was probably no more... But he was a calculist. He wanted to be sure, and without a corpse he would never truly believe he had succeeded. Alas, if the sniper hadn't perished he would still have the advantage...

"Sir, what are your orders?" one of the stormtroopers asked. "Shall we conduct a search?"

Luktor raised his hand. "No... Let's camp here for two days. If he's not dead, he'll have to come out and we will get him. And if he doesn't he'll die from hunger anyway, and then we can be sure and go in to get the corpse," Luktor said. "I want a secure perimeter and no null points for a possible escape!"

"Sir, yes sir!" the stormtrooper acknowledged.

***

Symm woke up to the pounding of his head. He brought his hand up to his head and it came away slick with blood. One eye was out of focus, but Symm figured that was from blood in it. He rolled onto his stomach and crawled to the exit of his shelter. The ajar door he came in by was in two pieces in the ground below the hole, and Symm could see it would be a tight squeeze past the scrap covering what was left of the portal.

Peeking his head above the opening, Symm saw how much of a saviour this section of freighter hull plating was. Slag heaps of melted durasteel were scattered around and there were very few speeder piles left intact. Several of those slag heaps were still smoldering and the stench of burnt metal was in the air. All of these combined to make Symm's head pound even more and he knew he had to get out of there.

With no equipment, Symm knew he had no chance fighting his way out, and his chances of survival without medical attention were slim at best. So, his decision was made. Symm inched his way out of the half covered hatch and gingerly climbed down. At one point, part of his cloak had caught fire and he had to throw it off. Now, in patched camouflage pants and a dark blue shirt that was missing its elbows, he began hobbling through a burnt wasteland. When he saw the first trooper he was in part relieved, and in another part, terrified.

The guy that ordered that strike... Symm thought, he ain't from 'round here. The Imps round here are too timid. These people had it easy, I have seen much worse. Symm shook his head in disgust. I should have laid low awhile longer. He nearly fell as his head swam again and vertigo nearly claimed him, but he stumbled forward and out to a sandtrooper already levelling his rifle at Symm.

Without realizing that he was yelling, "Surrender! I Surrender," Symm fell to his knees and put his hands on the top of his head, interlacing fingers. As the trooper walked forward, Symm continued, "I wish to see your commanding officer." Symm swallowed and tasted bile. "There is something he should know."

The guard looked at Symm through the black piercing eyes of his Imperial helmet as he pointed his rifle at him. "The Commander wants you dead..." he told Symm as he shot Symm with his weapon in stun mode.

When Symm awoke he was sitting in a chair, his hands tied behind his back. In front of him stood two guards and the Commander himself. "Ahh... So, you are the one who's been playing sniper. I understand you surrender and want to say something? Perhaps your last words..." Luktor grinned.

Symm had been beaten, that much he was sure of. He felt his lower lip with his tongue and could feel the split of his lip. He also detected the wetness of fluid flowing from his scalp. He took a deep but shuddering breath before he started to speak. "Feels good to waste a city block doesn't it? Makes you feel more like a man. Why is it that I, alone, have raised such a ruckus? I have only killed three or four Imps, maybe a few more. Why is that so bad when you have all killed quite a few more? Why is that? Get it over with and kill me you massacring piece of garl-shite! Put your weapon to my temple and end it! Go on!"

"As much as I would enjoy doing so, I am sure that the Grand Admiral would find you worth more alive," Luktor replied, then turning to face his men. "Take him to Arcadia for questioning. Perhaps he may tell us of the rebels..."

As the stormtroopers nodded and took Symm away, the Imperial Commander grinned wickedly. "I assure you that you will wish I killed you..." he promised, as he thought of the nice commendation this would get him. His first run on a search party as platoon leader and he had been victorious.

Next thing, Symm was riding in the back of a speeder, his hands tied behind his back with binders. Their destination: New Empire Mainbase, Arcadia.

"Rat Poison"
by Jemul, Droid Trader
with Fuzzilla, Wookiee [NPC]

Location: Yallder District, New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

The streets of Yallder were dark and dingy. They looked like a maze of back alleys where anyone might meet a nasty fate. As Jemul had never visited here before, he knew only the potential for the rodent removal was somewhere near.

Jemul was tired from walking. In fact, he was nearly exhausted. Just when he thought his feet couldn't go farther, he saw people heading into a tavern. With my strong escort, some refreshment couldn't hurt, Jemul thought. The chipped paint above the door read: "Lath's Bar."

***

A Twillig girl approached their table. "What will it be, Strangers?" The Jawa didn't know how to respond. When some time passed, she prompted, "We serve a mean Rodian ale."

"Two, please," Jemul said, sliding a coin into her palm.

Soon the ales arrived, and then a platter of something called Na-choes. The food was surprisingly nourishing for a dive like this, and the waitress brought more ale at regular intervals.

Then there was an interruption. A hovering droid inquired, "Death Sticks?"

From behind the bar, a bottle came sailing. "Enough of that. You've been warned away from here."

Jemul touched a control in his pocket. He had been repairing a similar drone in his shop. The mechanism lost flight, landing on the table. The bartender, a Blue Elephant creature like the one that played keyboards sometimes in the Mos Eisley cantina, showed a brief smile.

Jemul and Fuzzilla took a risk, approaching the bar. "Friend," Jemul began, "my house is infested with Beeja rats. I'm looking for something toxic to remove them." Fuzzilla growled, and moved towards the Elephatine creature. "As I've just neutralized a hassle to your establishment, perhaps you could help."

The blue bartender thought for a moment. He wanted to give a truthful response but a mad Wookiee could hurt him. Finally he blurted out, "Poisoning is bad for business." A good beginning, since the statement was truthful.

Jemul and Fuzzilla continued their game of Good Jawa, Mad Wookiee. Fuzzilla grabbed at the bartender, only to have his hands batted away with a fluid motion of the giant elephant-like ears. He howled and rubbed his aching paws. "However, should you remove the pesky droid from the premises, I might be inclined to remember a few conversations I've been a part of in the past."

The droid trader feigned pondering for a few minutes, but even the Jawa was smart enough to see he could get both the poison and spare parts for his business.

"From time to time we get a few seedy customers in here, and ale loosens their tongues. I've heard the name Pickled Squid mentioned as having an eclectic assortment of merchandise. I believe it is on Fanp Street."

"Thank you for the information," Jemul said. "Should it prove unreliable, I won't restrain my Wookiee companion." The Jawa smirked, secretly hoping the Elephant was correct.

***Pickled Squid***

Several people in dark clothing hovered outside. They had knives instead of blasters and most reeked of booze. Despite this, the business they were looking for was well marked. Opening the door rang a bell, and a clerk came out of the back.

"How can I help you?" the elderly gentleman asked, doing a double-take. In his many years as an associate of this establishment, he couldn't remember ever seeing a Jawa and a Wookiee in the same group.

"I have a problem with Beeja Rats," Jemul began. "I was hoping you might have some chemical that could rid me of them."

For a few moments, he judged the sincerity of these odd customers. Could this be another Imperial Sting? Jawas were often oppressed by the Empire, and Wookiees were mostly ignored. The man finally decided to do business with the visitors. "Let me think... Yes, there are a few items that could work. Let me check our inventory. If you'll excuse me..." The old man departed the front desk and rummaged around for a while. The pair of travelers could hear him moving things about in the back.

Ten minutes later, he returned, wearing a breath mask and heavy rubber gloves. He presented Jemul with a sealed envelope, then removed his protective gear. "Kouhun dust. Ground from dead insectoids, it contains the essence of their poisonous hides. Blow this through a tube into the space with the rats. Be careful not to touch or inhale the powder. It causes the soft tissues of the throat to expand, cutting off air intake, thus choking the victim."

The man stopped, glancing at Jemul. "The rats, having much less body mass, should die within an hour or two. Then you will have to remove the rodents. It doesn't dissolve the corpse the way Kouhun do. Since dust might cling to them, I would wear gloves when you extract the bodies."

Jemul was pleased that a solution arrived so quickly. "Excellent. What do I owe you?"

"Thirty credits."

"Thirty? That's a lot to pay."

"Kouhun are very toxic. Difficult to capture without falling victim to their charms. The dust is hard to extract and process. We rarely have such materials on hand."

"Do you have something less costly?" Jemul said, soulfully looking into his purse.

"At the moment, this is the only thing we have that would do the job, unless you would like a squad of stormtroopers to demolish your home. That would also rid you of rats..."

The reference to the Empire did the trick. He would rather squander his meager wealth in ways that didn't line their Imperial pockets. "Very well," Jemul said reluctantly parting with thirty credits.

Fuzzilla roared, his way of saying goodbye. Jemul wished the proprietor good fortune. Soon, both Fuzzy and Jemul were back at Droid Haven. The poison worked as advertised, and soon the dead rodents were collected and burned.

Fuzzilla was well compensated with the adventures he had with his diminutive friend, and Jemul collapsed on his pallet and was soon dead asleep, exhausted from his successful travels.

"Taking Up Roots"
Jack Black
Robin Black [NPC+]

Location: New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

****

The large Gallofree transport sat down onto the large cargo platforms on the rim of New Plouton. Several other large crafts were nestled on the docking platform including a few Imperial ships. Jack and Robin stepped out onto the asphalt; it crunched underfoot as they walked to the main flight control centre. Jack walked with the aid of his twin brother and his staff. Robin stood beside Jack lending support when needed; his huge impressive frame was made more menacing by the coat he wore over his armour which itself was over his shield generator. His weapons were concealed but still present. Robin would rather be naked than without his guns. He often told Jack that he did feel naked without a weapon.

Jack did the talking at the customs. Through a small bribe and skillful diplomacy Jack avoided getting asked much, just the way he liked it. They would need residency, food, and droids. This area of the large city was a heavy industrial area. Outside the loading docks, small aircrafts zipped in and out delivering people. A small queue of them waited outside the landing ports. Jack moved over to the first one where there was a couple of Blue skinned aliens arguing beside it. Jack thought, for a moment, they were about to come to blows when Robin stepped in. Jack secretly cursed his brother under his breath.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but where is a good place to go to buy a house?"

The two aliens looked at him like some form of freak. They both stammered for a moment then the first one spoke in a guttural tongue. "You looking for good housing or cheap?"

Robin looked over at his brother. "Good housing, for sale not rent."

The two blue-skinned people looked at each other and spoke for a moment in a hushed alien language that Robin couldn't hear, and wouldn't have been able to understand even if he could. "Ask for a ride to the Yemol District. They have a lot of residential apartments," explained one while the other nodded.

"Thank you," Robin said with a smile. "You guys really shouldn't fight. There's very little that can't be solved with a little consideration." And with that Robin helped Jack into the closest taxi.

"Yemol district please."

The two blue aliens were stunned, they looked at each other. "He really meant that didn't he?" ssked one to the other. The other one simply nodded as bewildered.

The taxi darted in and out of the traffic until it eventually got down to ground level. Robin and Jack climbed out. They paid the droid driver who took to the skies immediately. The blue skinned aliens had been right, there were no less than a dozen shops advertising places to rent. Jack felt the weight of his satchel. He would find a place to buy. He had the money.

Jack looked over the skyline towards the business district. The city's bank towered high with dark foreboding walls. His eyes gleamed like a polished onyx gem.

"Jack, you coming?" Robin urged.

"Yes, my brother," Jack said and pulled his eyes away from the bank.

"Queen of the Night"
Karma Arien - Pilot

Location: Yelldon, New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Pure betrayal could not hide even behind a mask of broad daylight. It had been there for many dawns, taunting her. Karma wanted nothing more than to forget that dreaded night. Life as she knew it ended that day yet at the same time it began anew. Though demons remained.

She stood on her balcony drawn to the sunset. It should have had a calming influence but it didn't. Instantly recognizing the presence of a distinct cold, she'd felt it once before. Only one that could exist in darkness. That alone caused her to shiver. Without hesitation she drew the long cloak she was using as a jacket tighter around her. Its dark color allowed Arien to blend easily with the fast approaching night.

I'm sorry.

Karma whipped her head around to see if anyone else was present. A familiar, absent yet distinct voice startled her. Firmly, she reminded herself it was all in her mind. No one was standing there. As she anticipated she was alone. Still she was haunted.

We made our choice. Now you must make yours, Karma.

Diligently she continued to search the surrounding area. Nothing there. And the longer it lasted, the more she began to wonder if it was all in her head or if something was hiding amid the shadows.

The look in her mother's eyes, still unmistakable, even after all these years... Something which had terrified her then and never lost its potency.

Baby we did what we had to...

How could the one person who meant so much, hurt so deeply with simple words? Karma focused distantly on the horizon. More than that, so much more she knew.

...as we know you will.

Just now beginning to understand what it all meant. One thing was certain, Karma needed to make some choices soon, some of them contingent on locating a certain smuggler she'd heard of. She hoped pieces of a very contorted puzzle would soon begin to fall into place.

"New Home"
By: Jack Black
Robin Black [NPC+]

Location: Yemol District, New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Jack looked over the flat he had just purchased. It was not beautiful by any being's imagination, but it was a place to operate out of. Robin had already scouted several escape routes and had been running back and forth to the ship getting supplies in. Jack hooked his terminal up to the city central database. He was not really surprised by the amount of Imperial protection placed on the network. He shifted uncomfortably as he looked at the city plans for the bank. It was a large building built to defend a small army. Jack's mind formulated a thousand ideas at once on how to break through each defence.

Robin came back. He hefted a large crate over one shoulder; in the other he held a small bag of food, grease already leaking though the thin brown paper. Jack managed to restrain his wince to just a small twitch of irritation. Robin set the food out. Jack nibbled a few bits here and there and left his plate half uneaten. Robin cast him a worried look then picked the plate up and finished it for his brother.

"We will need to find a dealer who can get supplies into the city. Most of what we need you can build up, but we need at least four battle droids. We'll take a look around later and search for a shop who may be able to set us up." Jack paused. He opened his small medicine box and took a few pills out. He swallowed them bitterly.

"Sure thing, Jack," Robin said. He took his blaster out and checked the charge. He hadn't reloaded since the battle in the dunes. "I've got three more energy clips but that's it. We'll need to get a power generator."

"No, you can use the flats port. Use the energy converter." Jack scanned the crate numbers. "That one." He pointed to number 12.

Robin got up, his huge frame stepping over and between the boxes. "How do you know it's this one, Jack?" Robin lifted the lid and rummaged around

"Trust me," Jack said. A few seconds later Robin pulled out the adapter. "Charge this up as well." Jack threw his staff across the room. Robin caught it in a vice-like grip. Jack continued his work on the machine.

Dusk had just settled over the city. The patrols of stormtroopers had doubled. Jack and Robin managed to walk around easily, both under heavy, thick cowls. Jack wore an oxygen mask to help his breathing through the city. The night lights came on around them and the streets filled with people of the night. Several large Grundars barged out of a nearby watering hole, yelling and grunting in their guttural tones, their pig-like faces blue with fury. Robin looked inquisitively in to see what had happened. Jack pushed him on; this was not a good part of the city.

They paused in a square for a moment while Jack changed his oxygen tube and looked around with his mask off. A young and attractive Twi'lek woman stood across from a small ceremonial fountain. By the fountain three large brutish aliens skulked. Jack shot her a warning glance but the woman turned her nose up at him. Jack shrugged for a moment then telling his brother to stay put, he walked over to the Twi'lek woman and cleared his throat.

"What do you want, human?" She spoke with a strange arrogance that Jack was unaccustomed to hearing from a Twi'lek female.

"I was going to warn you that gazing at 'men'--" He pointed at the large scaly aliens "--Is not a wise career move."

"Are you suggesting I work on the street?" She let out a mirthless 'Ha.' "I am none other than Lady Serail Messa."

"I'm afraid your name means nothing to me," Jack said with slight menace in his voice. He didn't like being talked down to.

"Run along, I am here to watch a fight. These brutes knocked a drink over me last night in my husband's bar and before I accept their forgiveness I've asked that they attack this Goilin coming along any moment, then I will forgive them."

"M'lady," Jack said with a bitter tone. "You know that a Goilin can only really be hurt by high powered energy weapons." Jack pointed over at the scaly brutes. "Those gentlemen only have side arm blasters, and lasers. They will be ripped to shreds."

"I know," smirked the lady. "Now run along and stop being such a bother." She tossed one of her green head tails back. Jack stepped away, stunned he had thought that he could be cold some times, but that woman...

He stepped up to his brother. "Robin," he snapped. "Go and talk to those aliens, tell them that they're being set up. They have been told to attack a Goilin."

Robin winced, remembering a fight he had once had with one of them. They were smart, fast, not much stronger than a human but tough as hell. "Sure thing, Jack."

Robin moved over to the large scaly brutes and began talking to them. From what he could hear of the conversation he realised the scalies had limited intellect and were generally known for strength of fist not mind.

The woman across the street scowled at Jack who merely raised an eyebrow in defiance. He thought briefly for a moment she would draw a weapon on him, but she just contented herself with scowling and the Goilin passed by unharmed. She yelled a Twi'lek curse at him and then retreated probably back to her husband. Jack felt pity for the man.

Robin walked over with the big brutes. They were laughing a slow methodical laughter. The leader, a bigger reptile than the others turned to Jack. "Me want to thank you. Us not knowing that. Goilin. Very tough. We want to thank. You and... Get you a drink."

He was clearly the intellectual of the lot, Jack thought to himself. "Some other time perhaps," Jack said with a gracious smile. "We need to go and buy some droids."

"Then. We will. Help you do that. Thur know the. Best place. For droids in whole of. City." The big lizard muttered, "Come we go for drink. Then we show you." His speech picked up momentum just as he finished talking.

"Sure," Jack said with a smile and he noticed the smile on his brother's face. "I would ask you gentlemen, what is it you do?"

"Us? We look after stuff for people," said the leader as they walked towards the nearest bar. "We pick stuff up, and thump people who has other people's stuff."

"Ah then perhaps we might be able to do each other some business," Jack said with a smile. Not as good as droids but cheaper, he thought to himself.

"Preparations"
by Jack Black
Robin Black [NPC+]

Location: New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4 ABY

***

Robin came rushing into the room. Jack had been studying hard. Several nights ago he had met three large creatures known as Scalies. They had agreed to join in on his plan, but he still needed other equipment. What equipment they had Jack had sprawled out across the floor. He was currently fixing up a messenger droid with a small explosive charge; it was enough to take down a small building, nothing more. The droid bleeped as Jack connected the charges.

"J-Jack," Robin stammered. "You will never guess what!" He stumbled into the room making all hells noise.

"Shut up, Robin, can't you see I'm working!" Jack snapped. He wiped his forehead and got back to work. His ill temper didn't deter his brother.

"I just saw a Jedi get attacked," Robin muttered. "I was just walking though town minding my own business, when this woman started gunning for them. She was awesome! She also had a laser sword I think. I didn't see them for too long, they ran off really fast."

Jack looked up briefly. "A Sith?" he asked.

"A what?" Robin asked, slightly confused. "Slith?"

"Never mind, my ignorant brother. Bring me my medicine if you want to be helpful." Jack placed the small explosive down carefully.

"I spoke to a man who said that papers are really important. Could you be able to fake some for us?" Robin asked, opening a small supply case, which held Jack's injections and pills. "Just two red ones, is it?"

Jack nodded. "Yes, I have already done that. I've got several copies but try not to lose any, they took me a long time to fake." Jack held up a small data cube.

"Thanks, Jack," said Robin. "I've found that droid shop you were looking for. Doesn't look like much I must say, but you know best. It's called Droid Haven. The Jawa who owns it was out when I stopped by but didn't look like he had closed up for too long."

"Jawa?" Jack mused. "Fairly far away from his home planet."

"You know those Jawa's sneak aboard transports. They're like vermin."

"I hope you'll keep that opinion to yourself when we try to do business, at least we will have something in common, we both originated from the deserts around Tatooine," Jack mused

"But father always said we should keep to our own kind."

"Father is dead now, and has been for many years. It is time for us to make our own decisions, and I know that much can be gained from other races. Look at the Scalie allies we have just made."

"I suppose." Robin shrugged. "You coming out, Jack? It's a great day, it'll give you a chance to spread your legs." Robin's offer was tempting. Jack had been cooped up for too many days. He had slaved over each of the primitive droids they had already had on the ship. They were all too small to be of any real use. He had fitted them all with explosives; they were now all stacked against one wall. Jack yawned. He had been up a day and a night. Robin handed him his pills. Jack forced down the foul-tasting tablets.

"I believe we will have a walk, brother. Show me the places you have been. I am especially interested to find the location of this 'Droid Haven.' "

The two brothers got up and left the flat.

"New Information"
By Kyra Ronso
And Grand Admiral Tarkin

Location: Arcadia
Date: Eos 14, 4 ABY

***

The next day, Kyra went to the prison wing. She had been given the chance to interrogate the rebels she had caught, something she was actually looking forward to. Before entering the room she looked at the console in the main security system room. She could see the five prisoners and, through the images analyzed, which one would probably break up easier and talk. The short man and the Bothan seemed calm and determined. But the Rodian one was more nervous. It was visible. Still, he seemed the type who would rather die than speak. But maybe when subjected to her methods he'd change his mind.

She needn't look anymore for a weak link. The Rodian would do fine. She left for his cell and entered it, closing the doors behind her. Looking into the rebel's eyes she nodded softly. "You know what I'm here for, don't you?" she asked simply and coldly.

The Rodian barely moved, petrified as he was.

Kyra sighed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way!" she explained with a grin.

***Meanwhile on the Throne Room***

Grand Admiral Tarkin oversaw the security camera in the cell Kyra had gone into. He was confident that this woman could make the rebel talk, and if not, then perhaps at the hands of IT-O droids and mind probes he would. Tarkin grinned. She had "unorthodox" methods... This made him wonder how different they really were from his own ways.

***

Kyra was kicking the Rodian in the ribs as he coughed up blood. "I'll never talk!" he said, trying to sound determined, even thought he knew his voice trembled.

"You'll talk even if it kills you, rebel!" she said, determined to take the information she needed.

He wiped his mouth and got up, his face was marked from the blows she'd given him and his clothes were dirty with blood, as was the floor. "If you kill me, then you'll never get the info..." he shot back. "You can punch me, you can kick me, but I won't talk!"

Kyra looked with cold eyes and grabbed the Rodian by the neck, squeezing so that he couldn't breath. "As you wish..."

The Rodian was choking so he grabbed her hand and wrist with all his strength and twisted it, so that she was forced to let go, and punched her in her torso, sending her a couple of steps back, then falling to his knees and catching his breath again. "Go to hell!" he shouted. "You choose the wrong person to talk to... I won't tell you anything!"

"Very well then! You choose the hard way!" She paused, looking to the Rodian that got up trying to catching his breath. "Your stubbornness shall cost the lives of your mates, one by one, until you do talk. Do you want their blood on your hands?" she asked.

"You're bluffing..." he replied, hoping that he was right.

The doors opened and there stood the Bothan with a stormtrooper behind him. They didn't exchange words at all, but merely looked at each other. It was clear that all prisoners were being beaten for the very same reason: information. Kyra nodded and the stormtrooper took the Bothan out of view and a shot was heard, followed by a thump. A small stream of blood could be seen on the floor, passing right in front of the doors where the Bothan had stood.

"Do you still think I'm bluffing? As you can see, this is how I treat your fellow rebels. Shall I kill another one?" she asked the Rodian.

The Rodian rebel was speechless. He looked at the ground. One of his friends was gone because he had refused to speak and had called her bluff. "I'll talk..." he whispered. "You win. Just don't kill the others."

Kyra grinned and pushed him back. In came two stormtroopers. She turned to face the Rodian. "Speak then!"

***Throne room, a few hours later***

Kyra entered the room. She had the information that Admiral Tarkin wanted. Approaching him she bowed and saluted the Grad Admiral. "I have the information that you wish, Grand Admiral Tarkin," she informed.

Tarkin nodded with a grin. "You did quite well. I saw the interrogation over the security system cameras. Impressive..." he said with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have a report ready yet?" he asked.

"Yes, I have, my liege," she answered as she delivered Grand Admiral Tarkin a datapad. "The rebel didn't give the name of their leader. He received the orders from a former Tae'Morad, but doesn't know his name."

Trakin took the datapad. "I see... Very well done. You truly are a match for your fame," he told her with a sly smile. "For now, you may have some time off. I will call upon you when I need you."

"Yes, my liege," she said, then pausing. "Grand Admiral Tarkin, I have a request. If you permit, I wish to stay on a hotel in New Plouton," she asked, waiting for some kind of answer by the Grand Admiral.

Tarkin frowned. "I assure you that your accommodations here are much better than those you'll find in New Plouton, my dear... Any particular reason for this request?" he asked.

"I know they are!" she answered. "But I have unfinished business to solve in New Plouton, and meanwhile I could check that if that info that the rebel told us is true..." she said, waiting once more for an answer. She saw that Grand Admiral Tarkin was thinking for a moment.

"Very well then, you may go... For now. I will call for you when necessary," he said with a nod. "Is there anything else you need for the time being?"

She bowed and got out of the room, going directly to her personal chamber. As she closed the door she went to the bed and took off a small datapad. She was thinking to herself, Is this the right name? I can�t believe it! I have to investigate this for myself. I have got to see if it�s really Ellemiek Vermolen, my ex-friend from when I was with the Rebellion. She paused. Even though Ellemiek was a great friend of hers, her duty came first.

"Still Just A Daydream"
Karma Arien - Pilot

Location: Yelldon, New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

As dark as the night is cold.

That line from some ancient verse lingered in Karma's thoughts as she turned to go back inside. She felt chilled but knew it was due to something other than air temperature. As usual she shook it off.

For some unexplained reason she was drawn to one particular item in her closet. Once it had been located, Karma pulled it out for a closer look. The multi-hued green fabric reflected the dim artificial light with a distinct pattern. Its feel and design were unmistakable in her hand.

Someday her coronation gown would see its rightful use. Often, she reflected on what that day would have been like, had it occurred so many years before. Vivid images of her mansion on Oceana lingered fresh as if it was only yesterday. Lush with tropical plants native to the planet.

Ascension day was supposed to be a celebration...a proper coming of age. Instead all Karma carried with her was memories of the planet's destruction. Caught up in the deafening rumble and roar of incoming TIE fighters, then standing there as she watched stone pillars crumble piece by piece.

What had once been an exotic, upper tier for a sprawling backyard garden turned to several, smoldering piles of rubble. Those memories still stung deeply, just as those of her parents' betrayal did.

Each day her reasons for wanting to restore her planet's honor revealed themselves with more clarity. And they haunted her like some invisible aura. However further investigation into her destiny would have to wait until the first light of day.

"Freeing the Market"
By: Kelvin Rixx

Location: Thanatos, Market square
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Kelvin had set himself up at Thana's Solace. Living quarters for both him and Tee Cee, and he'd paid the owner to let him use the inn's spaces in the town's central stable to hide the patrol skimmer. After a night's sleep and a meal, Rixx wanted to get out and see what exactly he was up against.

It was sunny but cool in the high desert morning. Kelvin and Tee Cee sat at a small table outside an eating establishment and watched as commerce began in Thanatos's giant market square. The huge open area was littered with multi-colored pavilions, under which various merchants peddled their various wares. Suddenly Rixx caught sight of something. A squad of five stormtroopers coming down the row of merchant kiosks, stopping at each one to take something: food, trinkets, money, whatever they saw that they wanted. Any "customers" in their path were also stripped of valuable possessions under threat of death. A soldier's pay must not be what it use to, he thought as the five troopers approached him and Tee Cee at their caf� table.

"You must be new here," the one wearing the single orange epaulette indicating he was the officer said as the rest fanned out and surrounded the table. "We're taking the weekly collection for the New Imperial war effort. What have you got?" the officer asked as he stood uncomfortably close, behind Kelvin.

Kelvin looked at Tee Cee and sighed. Tee Cee grinned slightly. "I have a one-thousand cred chip in my pocket..."

The officer interrupted, "Well, boys! Sounds like we hit our quota early toda--"

"Oh," Rixx said in mock surprise, pulling the silver chip from his pocket, "you want me to give this to you." Then he slipped it back in the same pocket. "I'm afraid not."

The officer unstrapped his blaster and pressed it to the back of Kelvin's head, and his tone grew dark. "Hand over that chi--"

Kelvin interrupted him again. Quickly ducking to his left, he reached up and back, taking the officer by the wrists and throwing him onto the table, ending up with his blaster in the process.

Tee Cee simply threw himself backward into the trooper standing behind him, knocking him into a nearby merchant cart filled with live poultry. As the cart fell, the cage it carried burst open, unleashing a torrent of squawks and feathers.

The other three, caught completely off guard, were staggering backward, fumbling with their weapons. Kelvin easily dispatched two of them with the officer's blaster.

Tee Cee recovered his feet and turned around to see the trooper he'd laid into. He was on the ground struggling with a flapping bird who'd found a claw-hold on his helmet. Tee Cee laughed as he walked over to the prone man.

Rixx was about to blast the last standing trooper, who was finally unstrapping his heavy auto-blaster. He pulled the trigger and heard the all too familiar ping, hiss sound indicating that the blaster's gas cylinder had ruptured, making the weapon no better than a club. The trooper paused. Rixx could feel him smile behind the helmet.

Tee Cee just laughed as he watched the bird/trooper melee. Which the trooper did eventually win, throwing the strange white fowl away from him, only to receive a heavy boot to the head from Tee Cee.

The trooper facing Kelvin levelled his giant blaster, but was taken by surprise by the white bird the other trooper had thrown as it knocked his rifle aside. Seizing the opening, Rixx drew the jagged spike he called a knife from his belt, and flung it at the hapless trooper. The trooper fell backward as the "knife" embedded itself in his neck at the soft spot between his helmet and collar.

The officer moaned as he lay on the table top recovering his breath. Kelvin drew his own, very big, blaster and kicked the table over, sending the officer sprawling. He quickly stood up, coughing.

"You'll cough pay for this cough," he gasped out.

"Get out of here," Rixx sneered. The trooper officer turned and ran.

"Hey!" A young voice yelled out from the crowd that had assembled. "That's Kelvin Rixx! Look! It's Kelvin Rixx!" The voice got more jubilant, and the crowd began to murmur as the realization settled in.

Kelvin turned to Tee Cee and said, "We should go. Bag and tag 'em." Tee Cee nodded and set about gathering the troopers, weapons, and equipment. Then Kelvin felt a tug on his pant leg. He turned around, and saw a small boy with sun bleached hair, and premature crow's feet, probably from many days in the desert.

"You are Kelvin Rixx, right?" the boy asked.

Kelvin looked at him blankly. "Yeah," he said.

"Are you here to help us?" The boy became excited.

"I was called here to, yes," Kelvin replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Then the boy ran off, calling out, "It's Kelvin Rixx! Kelvin Rixx is here!"

Great, Rixx thought. Another town, another planet, and still it's the kids who recognize me first. Oh well, maybe I'll get some adult volunteers earlier than I expected.

Then Kelvin turned to Tee Cee, who had finished stripping the dead and unconscious troopers of any gear he could. "Let's go," he said, and hurried away.

"New Memories"
by Auron Ronso
Ellemiek Vermollen

Location: New Plouton
Date: Eos 14, 4 ABY

***

Auron woke up on the bed of his new apartment. Getting up he went to the window and glanced at the Yesdol District. For a few minutes he simply stared, watching the rush hour of the city in which he had grown up, and wondered once more who his parents were, if they were still alive and where they lived.

He went to the bathroom and washed his face, then stopped to look himself in the mirror. He stood there trying to remember everything he wanted to know but nothing came to mind. He knew that in time he would remember more things, but for the time being he had to live like that.

In the living room a console started to beep. On his way to the console he dressed in his robe, and once there he pressed the button. It was Ellemiek.

"Good morning, Auron. I trust you slept well?" she smiled. "Well, I want you to stay there, and I'll be up in no time to give you your pass, so that you're able to walk about the city freely," she explained, then raising an eyebrow. "Actually, if you stay like that I might join you for a shower!" she teased.

Auron laughed. He turned off the console and went to take a quick shower. As he finished dressing himself the door bell rang. He went to the door and opened it. It was Ellemiek. He showed her in and closed the door. "Do you know about that X-Wing that belonged to the Wild Cats squadron?"

"Of course! I placed a request so that it would be transported to the CRS Reliant." Ellemiek smiled. "I thought you'd like it... Of course, since the Wild Cats are no more you'll have to place a new logo for the Black Hawks. That's the only catch," she explained.

"I'll be glad to put a logo of the Black Hawks, but I wish to continue with the Wild Cats logo in memory of my fellow pilots that died," he said, then smiling. "I will have both logos, if that's okay with you..."

"Sure!" She smiled back as she sat on the edge of his bed and tossed him a small card. "That's your ID card for walking around New Plouton. It says you're a worker for a cargo shipping company that has offices here in New Plouton, same as me and Jubey. Don't lose it and always carry it with you!" she explained. "They cost a lot to fake, but we got the best guy to do it, so no need to worry. However, we need to be inside by curfew still, so be careful."

"Of course I won't lose it!" he answered, as he sat next to her, looking at her. He noticed that there was something disturbing Ellemiek. "What's wrong? And don't say it's nothing because I know you very well! Let it out... It'll make you feel better." Auron smiled, waiting a few seconds, as he could tell something was bothering Ellemiek.

The girl sighed. "I'm not sure I should tell you this, but it was your stepmother who got us these three apartments... She wants to meet you, but I'm not sure we should do this, since your memories are still somewhat fragile, and I don't want to shock you or anything," she explained.

�My stepmother�?� He frowned. He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his forehead. A flashback came to mind. It was someone�s face, but he couldn�t tell who it was. It was just too blurred, but he knew it was from when he was still a young kid, because the other person seemed larger than him. Still, he didn�t know what to make of it. A sharp pain came along and Auron fell on the floor grabbing his head for a few seconds, until the pain was gone. �I hate when that happens! I really, really hate when that happens!�

Ellemiek kneeled down and grabbed Auron, pushing him up straight. �Are you okay?� she asked preoccupied. �What happened?�

�Well, this is my reward for having an accident. In order to remember things this sharp headache comes. The good news is that it�s gone and I remember now that I used to live in the Yellvin District with my father and stepmother!� he said.

�Yes, you did�� She nodded with a smile. �Do you remember them? Their faces?� she asked.

�I remember a face�a woman�s face. But I can�t recall too well. It�s still blurred,� he replied. �Perhaps when I meet them I will remember more.�

Ellemiek took his hand and squeezed it slightly. �I�m sure you will. Let�s just hope you don�t have much more of those pain surges!�

�Let�s hope so!� he replied. �So what are we going to do about those who were captured by that super-woman?�

She sighed. �Well, what we know is that she took them to Grand Admiral Tarkin. The way I see it, he will hold them at a cell block or perhaps transport them to a prison establishment. Either way, I don�t think he�d kill them. They�re too precious still. So, the plan is to save them, of course! But we need help for that. I�m counting on the aid of one Alisson Blair, who was the High Prince�s personal guard. She�s our best chance to get in and save them, because she knows the place better than anyone else!�

�Well we have to move fast! Tarkin may have retrieved the info that he wanted and no longer needs them!� he commented.

�The main reason for us to move our location�� She nodded. �We�re no good to our friends if we get caught too. Now, we must start planning this rescue operation. Let�s just hope that Alisson contacts us soon enough, since we don�t have her contact,� she added. �Still, I wanted to survey the place. Come on, let�s go to Arcadia and look around. It might give us an idea.� She motioned for Auron to follow her out the door.

�Yes, but we must move fast. The longer we take to rescue them, more operatives will be in danger,� he stated as he accompanied her.

"Close Calls, Part 1"
By: Merrick Braston
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston

Location: Coruscant
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Watching him in such a peaceful state of sleep, considering the strenuous morning, gave Kaysa pause to deliberate on whether to wake him, or simply let him sleep through dinner. As she remained kneeling at the bedside and gazing at his chest rise and fall measuredly, she became mesmerized with every nuance of him. From his flawless chocolate skin, to the well-defined muscles of his chest, directly up to his perfectly voluptuous lips that always felt so wonderful to kiss... Kaysa loved all of it, even those silly braids he had his hair twined into. She loved him no more and no less than she did Shiv or Merrick, but it felt different with Zale. He understood her more genuinely than anyone ever had. He didn't sympathize or empathize with her, he could relate to her. Merrick and Shiv were always understanding of her, especially during her more stubborn, neurotic hours, but Zale truly knew what she was going through.

They were the same in many respects, yet in other ways complemented each other perfectly, which meant he could comfort and console her when she was miserable, and rein her in when she was absolutely vitriol. They were meant for one another.

She smiled fondly at the eventful few months they'd shared together, and could only imagine what the rest of their lives together would be like. If those months were any indication, she had no doubt that there would never be a lack of excitement.

Kaysa brushed her fingers lightly up his bare arm, then dragged them over his chest. "Gods, I love you," she whispered. "You know that, I hope. You must. We have something special, Zale, which means we can't screw this up. Promise me we won't." She lay her head upon his chest and gazed up at his closed eyes. "Promise me."

"I promise," Zale whispered and his eyes opened slowly. "Hi there, my love. It's not-- Not too late, is it?"

Kaysa smiled softly. "Nope. I came in here extra early so I could watch you sleep for a while. Boy am I glad you don't snore."

"That makes two of us," Zale said. "You want to join me here? There's enough room. My bro hasn't been trying to seduce you has he? We had this game when we were growing up, though it was his game really. It was 'Let's see how many of Zale's girlfriends I can seduce away from him.' He was very sneaky that way."

"Did he ever succeed?" She chuckled and pushed herself to her feet, then sat at Zale's side. "I don't see how he could have," she added. "You're far more handsome, though that Neron..." She whistled lowly. "Those eyes got me all hot."

Zale smiled. "Thank you," he said and took her hand into his. "I must say your eyes do the same for me. And, he did succeed, but it wasn't his eyes he was getting them to look at. He can be very charming when he wants to be, though he's transparent if you know what you're looking at."

"I know that any interest he shows in me is simply to spite you." She kissed his brow. "Don't worry. You won't lose me to him...to anyone. So, that said, why don't you get up and get dressed, and we can go visit with your dear brothers?"

"Do we have to?" Zale asked, inserting the perfect amount of whining into his voice. He chuckled and then sat up. "I guess as long as we're here, we should be sociable. Come on. Help me pick something to wear."

"You actually want me to help?" Kaysa grinned and slipped off the bed. "You just want me to help you change because you know I won't be able to keep my hands to myself." She picked up one end of the bedsheets, and threw them back to expose Zale's half-clothed self. "And you say your brothers are sneaky."

Zale gave her a grin and slid out of the bed. "I think it's genetic," he said, "but I'm better at it than they are. I think I want to make a good impression. We may be on their turf, but I want them to see the power I do hold, even away from Tae'Karada. Would you care to help me find some clothes that will convey that impression, my love? And, if you're good -- which I know you will be -- I'll share a very special treat with you later tonight."

Kaysa shot Zale a sardonic grin and tugged him towards the closet. "I bet you will.... But I'll accept only if you behave tonight. That means no overturning tables, no hurling chairs at your brothers, no pulling blasters.... No violence!"

Zale smiled. "Real power is the ability to get your way without resorting to those tactics," he said. "That's how a thug operates, and that's what separates me from Dargus Kandran."

"That and you're far better looking." They stopped before the closet, and the door slid open to reveal Zale's selection of clothing, and upon first glance, the selection seemed limited. "Zale, must all your clothes be so...rugged and intimidating?" She pulled a leather trench coat from the mix and appraised it. "You really have to stop dressing like a crimelord. I think something more...family man would work for you."

"Family man? Sweater? Sensible everyman shoes? At least let me dress like a stylish family man."

Kaysa smiled. "Alright. I'm a woman willing to compromise." She placed the coat on the rack again and rifled through more of his clothes. "So...you still up for the whole baby thing, Zale? I mean, it doesn't have to be right at this moment, but it's something we still both want, right?"

He turned to her, and the joy in his eyes was unmistakable. "I want that very much," Zale said. "And, if you're willing to try right this moment, so am I. I want a baby with you, Kaysa. More than anything."

Kaysa laughed. "Right now? But...we have a dinner to get ready for. There won't be enough time to do a thorough job." She looked up at Zale with a raised eyebrow. "Will it?"

"I don't think it would," Zale said with a nod. "However, after dinner... I think we can definitely see what sort of progress we can make."

"If I don't choose to go home with Qual." She grinned slyly at him, then slipped past him, further into the closet. "So, a suit then? I wonder how you'd look in a tie..."

"I look damn good in a tie," Zale said. "And, I'll prove it to you. How about that suit there? Maybe tomorrow, you and I could go do some shopping. We could replace my wardrobe, and yours too if you'd like."

Kaysa plucked the suit off the rack and held it out to Zale as she turned to face him. "I really like shopping," she said with a sweet smile. "Though, that you're even offering leads me to believe you've done something very, very bad and you're trying to make up for it." She visually examined the suit covering the length of Zale's body. "Good choice, my love."

Zale smiled. "I just feel it's impolite, rude even, to go shopping for yourself and take someone along without buying something for them. And, besides, you said I need a change of style. In order to do that, I'll need to buy new clothes. Unless you feel a needle and thread will smooth out those rough edges of my crimelord style."

"Don't get cocky with me, Mr. Zenarr," she chided playfully. "But, if you feel the need to spend some credits on me, then who am I to argue?" She kissed him briefly as she draped the suit over his forearm. "Now, get dressed. I have to go prepare and make sure Merrick's shaved. He really tends to let himself go when he's writing."

"Well, when you return to me, I will be the perfect image of a stylish family man with an edge. If you need any help with Merrick, let me know. I know how hard it is to pull him away from a lyric once he catches hold of it."

"Oh, I'm sure I can manage." She patted Zale's chest lightly, then moved off towards the door. "Oh," she said as she stopped in the doorway. "And please do something else with your hair. It just doesn't go with a suit." With a kiss blown in his direction, Kaysa slipped out of the room.

"Like what?" Zale called to the closed door. He shook his head as he turned back to the clothes. "It's not like my hair does anything else." With a sigh, he started getting dressed for dinner. He only hoped he'd survive this night...

***

As she'd suspected, Merrick was still in the kitchen with his sheets of music spread out over the table, writing away furiously and pausing for a moment only to hum a note, then begin composing again. Kaysa leaned against the doorframe and watched him with a tender smile on her lips. Just as she loved Zale, she loved Merrick madly as well. She almost hated to disturb his train of thought, but did so with an unimposing, gentle clearing of her throat.

Merrick jotted down a few more scratches on the papers and nodded enthusiastically at his progress. "It's about that little crease Zale gets in his forehead whenever he gets upset over something."

Kaysa bit back a laugh and casually strolled into the room. "You mean, that cute one? The one you adore so much?" She leaned over Merrick's shoulder and studied the chaotic scribbles he was adding to the page. "How's it coming along? Do you need more time?"

"I think I'm at a stopping point actually," Merrick said. "And, yes, that's the one. The one he usually gets right before he snaps off some witty retort about my sexuality."

Kaysa's laugh escaped this time, and she quickly kissed Merrick's cheek to soothe his bruised ego. "My love, that's only because he's jealous. He's had all this Shac'tae training, yet you're still better than he could ever be."

"Damn right I am," Merrick said with a nod. "I'll show him and those braids of his." He chuckled and kissed Kaysa. "So, getting close to dinner?"

"Uh huh. You going to get ready now?" She brushed her hand against his cheek and grimaced. "You're going to shave, right?"

"Yes," Merrick said with a laugh as he caught her hand, "I will be shaving, and I will be dressing very nicely. I will even offer my services as a fashion consultant for that stylistically impaired other husband of yours." He began collecting his papers and notes. "So, how's he holding up around his brothers?"

Kaysa straightened up and sighed deeply. "He's going to make a conscious effort to avoid quarrelling with them. Though, he does seem more worried that one of them is going to seduce his wife, than that they'll pull a blaster on him."

"Well, could you blame them?" he asked, bringing her hand to his lips. "Though, if they do, they'll have to contend with me. I won't appreciate that one bit. Now, I'm assuming you already helped Zale pick his clothing since I wouldn't expect him to be able to do that on his own. How would you like to help me find something to wear?"

Kaysa shrugged, though her smile conveyed her enthusiasm. "I've managed to make-over Zale. I could try for a one hundred percent success rate."

"By all means, my love," Merrick said as he stood and offered her his arm. "Come on, I think I brought a few nice things with us. Well, nicer than anything we'll find in Zale's closet."

"Oh, don't be so mean. Besides, he's promised to take me shopping tomorrow, and while we're doing that, he's going to get himself a whole new wardrobe." She kissed his cheek, then pouted. "Don't be so sour. Is there something bothering you, my love? You've been a bit tense today." She grinned. "I haven't been doing a good enough job of satisfying you, have I?"

"Oh, you're doing fine satisfying me, my love," he said. "It's just...it's nothing really. I just overheard part of one of Zale's comm conversations...and, and I guess I'm still not used to him being a crimelord. It's alright though. I'm fine, and everything is fine."

"Well, when you say it like that, it convinces me even less that everything's alright. You've known he's a crimelord for months. And it's not like he does anything too illicit." She smiled quizzically at Merrick and asked, "Does it bother you that he's a crimelord, Merrick? Does it bother you that I'm involved with a man like that?"

"No," Merrick said with a smile. "Not at all. It's just...there are some things he must do in his professional life that...that I'm not used to. It's alright though...it'll just take a little more time for me to get used to those things. I've known he's a crimelord, but knowing and seeing evidence of are two different things. It'll be alright, my love."

Kaysa smiled wanly and simply let it drop. Merrick and Zale had been, only a day before, the best of friends despite the odd arrangement they all shared. Now, he seemed wary and suspicious. She didn't know if they'd had a fight while she was asleep, but she'd have to get the truth from Zale, it appeared. "Well, then," she said after a moment, "I won't worry about that and simply concern myself with making Mr. Merrick Braston the sexiest man at dinner tonight."

"Well, with your touch and what you have to work with, that should be an easy enough task. Come on, my love. And, don't worry about me and Zale. It's fine; I was just caught off-guard, that's all."

Kaysa frowned. "Merrick, what the hell did you hear anyway?" She stopped in the hallway and pulled Merrick to a halt. "Tell me what you heard," she told him firmly. "If you heard him ordering someone's murder, Merrick, you'd better tell me. As much as I love him, I won't stand for that. I won't."

Merrick looked away and sighed. He took a breath, let it out, then looked back to Kaysa. "It wasn't anything like that," he said. "It was a conversation with some person back on Tae'Karada. I'm sorry, Kaysa. I shouldn't have brought it up. It wasn't ordering any deaths or anything like that, believe me. But, I can't...I couldn't betray his confidence that way. I know he and I haven't always agreed or gotten along, but I couldn't betray him like that." No matter how easily he betrayed you, my love, he thought and briefly considered barging into Zale's room and wringing the life out of him for getting in this mess in the first place.

"I-I understand," Kaysa told him. She kissed him lightly, then reassured him with a smile. "He's lucky to have a friend like you, Merrick. And I'm even luckier to have you as my husband. Shall we go find you something to wear, then?"

"Yes," he said, then stopped suddenly and pulled her back into his arms. Before she could protest, he kissed her. "I love you, Kaysa. I know since you were in with Zale before you came to me, you've scheduled some time with him already. If you're still up for it afterwards, I think you and I could make some beautiful music together."

"Maybe," she replied silkily. "Loud, wonderful music." She chuckled throatily as they kissed again, and for added enjoyment, she slid her hands to Merrick's rear and squeezed it.

Merrick moaned playfully and then laughed. "Maybe Zale's brothers will want to keep him occupied for a little while," he said. "That will give us exclusive time alone. I'd suggest afterwards, I could entertain them by playing some music...but they'd probably entertain themselves by trying to beat me around the room."

"But I'd protect you. They can't very well beat you up if you're making love to me, now can they?"

"Only if we let them in the room," Merrick said. "Though, I don't think we'll be doing that." They opened the door to the room that adjoined the one Zale was currently in, and slipped inside. Merrick opened the closet, and his assortment was displayed for both of them to see. "It's going to be a tough choice tonight."

Kaysa rolled her eyes. "You men," she teased. "You're worse than women half the time." She sighed as she pushed Merrick aside and regarded his wardrobe, comprised of casual suits and outfits, to less casual. "Nothing appropriate for an important dinner party... But..." She reached in and pulled out a white, double-breasted suit for him. "This looks sharp. How about it?"

"I think that's a marvellous choice, my love," he said. "I didn't expect to be going to any important dinner parties, but I thought something nice might be needed at some point. How about the blue shirt?"

Kaysa searched through the clothing, and retrieved the shirt for Merrick. "Anything else? A tie? Zale's wearing one."

"Sure," Merrick said, looking through the meagre selection. "How about this one? It goes with the shirt."

"Mr. Braston, you have impeccable taste," she commented. "Frankly, I'm beginning to worry!" With his suit and shirt in hand, Kaysa took them over to the bed and laid them out. "Now, you get dressed. I have to get ready myself."

"I'll see you soon, my love," Merrick said. "Oh, and make sure Zale gets his shoes on the right feet." He grinned and gave her a kiss before she could get away.

Once she pulled free of Merrick's hold, Kaysa stumbled away, laughing as she went. "I'll tell him you said that." With a wave for her musician, Kaysa sauntered out of the room and returned to Zale's, where all her own attire was. Luckily for her, she managed to stop herself before she was flattened against the locked door. She frowned and rapped on it lightly. "Zale? What are you doing in there?"

"I downloaded a manual from the Coruscant ComNet database on how to tie a tie," Zale said from inside the room. "I was just...practicing."

"Well...why can't I come in? I can help."

"Actually, probably not help," Zale said as he unlocked the door. "I think it'd be closer to saving me from my own actions."

Kaysa's eyes fell first to the knotted, wrinkled tie dangling from Zale's throat, and all she could do was sigh. "Oh, my poor men. Completely lost without me." She flattened her hands against his chest and backed him into the room. "You didn't fix your hair yet either. We're gonna be late!"

"If you want me to do anything with my hair that requires removing the braids, we're going to have to reschedule dinner for the day after tomorrow. I can pull them all back, but that's about it. And, the tie's not that bad, is it?"

Kaysa sat him down upon the bed and took the end of the tie into her hand. "No, not that bad.... It only looks like you tried to knot it with your teeth, but other than that..." She grinned at him, then seated herself upon his lap and worked at undoing Zale's mess. "You're not nervous, are you?"

"A little," Zale admitted. "It's not every day you have dinner with your brothers, whom you haven't seen for nearly five years. And, it's not everyday you dress up, hoping to impress upon your wife that it is possible to get you looking nice."

Kaysa smiled as she dabbed his nose, then resumed working on his tie. "You already look nice. And you shouldn't be nervous. You've made a life for yourself, on your own. They're greedy little bastards who've probably never done anything without someone's help. You're better than they are, Zale. You've no reason to feel anxious about anything."

"I look better than they do too," Zale said. "And, I have a more beautiful wife than they could ever hope to have. Thank you, Kaysa. I love you so much, so very much."

Kaysa smoothed out Zale's tie and let her hands rest upon his chest. "I love you too." She stared distantly at the silken fabric running down the centre of Zale's shirt, and asked after a time, "Did you do something bad, Zale?" Her brown eyes, displaying concern, shifted up to his. "You got a comm this morning. Was it work? Was it something I wouldn't like?"

Zale stared at her for a moment, puzzling through how she'd know. He finally made the connection: Merrick. "You wouldn't like it," Zale said and looked away. "It's no longer a concern though. It's over with, and...and it's over."

Kaysa sighed softly. "You said you wanted to go legitimate," she said quietly. "If it was something bad enough for you to be ashamed of your actions... Maybe you really should give it up, Zale."

"Yes," Zale said. "The things Antorial will be involved in won't be entirely legal, but they'll be done to help people. To fight against the injustices. I can't sit by and watch cultures and civilizations decimated by people like Tarkin."

Kaysa cradled his face in her hands. "And I can't watch you suffering for something you've done that you now regret. I don't have to know what you've done, but please tell me you won't do it again...for your own sake."

Zale took her hands into his and brought them to his lips. He held them there with his eyes closed as the possible future outcomes of what he'd done played out before his mind's eye. "I need you to know what I've done," he whispered.

"You don't have to right now if it's too hard," she replied. Kaysa kissed his brow. "It's okay. Give it time, if it was that bad."

"It happened after you stormed out of that lunch with me and Merrick, intent on going after Dargus Kandran. I don't know how or why, but it happened. And...and I hate myself."

Kaysa closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again and smiled ruefully at Zale. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I-I drove you to it. I'm sorry I caused you to do something that's causing you so much heartache right now. Don't blame yourself, Zale. Just blame me, okay?"

"It'll never happen again, Kaysa. I was angry and upset. I didn't know what I was thinking. It'll never happen again. Oh gods, Kaysa. Oh gods...that I could do that to you..." He covered his face with his hands and let out a sob. "Oh gods I'm so sorry..."

Kaysa was rendered momentarily shocked by Zale's display of emotion. She couldn't ever remember him in tears before. Simply watching him so despondent put a knot in Kaysa's throat and made her even more guilty for driving him to whatever it was he had done. "Zale?" She whimpered quietly and pulled him securely into her arms. "I'm sorry. You're not to blame." She kissed the top of his head and soothingly rocked him. "I did this, not you. You've nothing to apologize for. Please don't be sorry. Please, Zale."

"I have everything to apologize for," Zale said through clenched teeth. "Everything. I slept with her, Kaysa. I was so angry and upset I went out...and...oh gods. Oh gods, Kaysa, I can't live with this anymore...not anymore..."

Whereas Kaysa was thinking murder, or the destruction of a massive Imperial facility, the truth was not what she'd expected or wanted. It was surprising how quickly the blood drained from her face and her entire body went cold. She still held Zale close, though, but there was no comfort in her embrace, not anymore. Her mouth parched, and even though she opened her lips to say something, nothing would come. Instead of bothering with words, Kaysa let her arms fall away from Zale and remained seated upon his lap, simply to let the wave of vertigo pass. Once it did, though, she rose. The more distance she put between them, the less disgusted she would feel.

Her eyes refused to look upon him, nor would the tears fall as his were. She was grateful now that he was suffering. He deserved it, but not at her hands. Tall and proud, Kaysa moved off silently towards the closet. With surprising calm, she chose an outfit for herself and pulled it from the rack. As she made her way to the door, her ability to speak returned, but all she could find to say was, "Finish getting ready. We don't want to be late."

Zale looked up and then away. "I won't be there," he said, and moved to get his shoes.

Kaysa stopped before the door, but didn't dare look back. "Yes, you will be," she replied levelly. "You will be there, Zale, and you will end this feud between you and your brothers."

"The hell I will," Zale growled as he pulled his tie free. "I will not go in there with things this way. I will not go in there knowing that you won't even be able to face me during the meal, that I've hurt you worse than I ever possibly could. I can't do that, Kaysa. I'll just...go tonight."

Kaysa whirled around, finally, to face him, but instead of pain expressed in her features, there was only stern resolve. "You'd better damn well be there, Zale. You will not run away like a coward. You did this and you'll face the consequences of your actions, and if that means having dinner with your brothers while sharing a dinner table with a woman who's sickened by the sight of you, then that's what you'll do."

Zale ripped his shirt open with one hand, sending a spray of buttons across the room, while he rifled through the closet with the other. "I may be a little late," he said. "And, yes, Kaysa, I will face the consequences...for the rest of my life."

She nodded slowly, finding nothing more to say. What could she say to the man who was slowly ripping her heart from her chest? With a dismissive shrug, Kaysa turned and opened the door. "Don't be too late," she said. "You'll miss dessert." Numb and filled with confusion, Kaysa stepped out of the room.

"I wouldn't miss it for the--" Whatever he'd planned on saying after that was lost in a hoarse sob. As the door closed, it blocked Zale collapsing to the floor from view, writhing in the agony of his own emotions. How could he do what he'd done? How could he so thoroughly destroy the woman he loved more than anything? It was too much to bear.

"Close Calls, Part 2"
By: Merrick Braston
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston
Qual Tregat [NPC+]
Neron Tregat [NPC+]

Location: Coruscant
Date: Eos 14, 4ABY

***

Kaysa sat in the hoverlimo mutely and staring through the window. Merrick kept asking what was taking Zale so long, but she wasn't in the mood to explain. Finally, she asked the driver to proceed to Qual's residence, and he did just that.

"Zale's going to be late," she told Merrick finally. "He had...something to do."

"Of course he did," Merrick said, shifting in his seat to watch Kaysa. "What's going on, Kaysa? You're particularly down, and Zale didn't show up. What happened?"

Kaysa sighed and shook her head. "Leave it, Merrick. I don't want to discuss it just yet."

"Very well," Merrick said, but didn't turn away. "Is there anything I can do to help, my love?"

Kaysa looked over her shoulder at Merrick and gave him a wan smile. "Nothing, thank you. I just want this night to be over, that's all."

"I can help the night go smoothly, Kaysa," Merrick said. "I'll be a strong shoulder for you, if you want. And, I promise I won't press until you're ready to talk. I just want you to know that you don't have to go through this alone, whatever it is."

"I know," she replied. She shifted around in the seat to face him, then sank into his embrace. "I'm so glad you're here with me, Merrick. I don't know what I would've done if I were alone right now. I love you, and I know you'd never do anything to hurt me. I can trust you. I know that."

Merrick sighed and held her close. "I know we've had our share of fights, but you're the woman who captured my heart. I love you and I love Maeren, but it's different with each of you. I love Shiv's zest for life and everything, but it's very different with you. Until I met you, Kaysa, I wasn't whole. But now, with you as my wife, in my heart, and in my life, I am whole."

Kaysa held back a sob, and simply nodded. "With you as my husband, I feel the same. I-I want to spend tonight with you, in your bed...alone. I want to show you how completely I love you."

"I know that already, my love," Merrick said as he brought Kaysa's hands to his face and kissed each of her fingertips. "Though, demonstrations are always appreciated and encouraged."

"Of course they are, you fiend." She laughed softly as she embraced Merrick again, remaining that way until they arrived at Qual's residence. The hoverlimo stopped before the almost monumental dwelling and Kaysa could only express how impressed she was with a whistle. "That's even bigger than ours. I'm thinking Zale's brothers have exaggerated their financial woes."

"I think you're right," Merrick said as he took in the whole building. "They can't have any of his money as they're living in a place like this. How many square meters would you say this place is? It's gotta be bigger than the Palace of Stars even...without the bantha, of course."

"Well, we can always go inside and find out." She smiled at Merrick and went to push open the hatch before he could agree, though the driver had already beaten her to it. "Oh, thanks, Ferl." She took the man's offered hand and slipped out of the vehicle, with Merrick directly behind her. Kaysa smoothed out the layered skirts of her dress, then adjusted the low-cut bosom to ensure complete coverage of her endowments. Once she was presentable, she linked her arm with Merrick's and put on her most charming, attractive smile, even though she wasn't much in the mood to appear cheerful for Qual and Neron. "Let's go, my love. The sooner we get in, the sooner we get out."

"Dessert back at our place, right?" Merrick asked as he patted her arm. "I doubt they'll ask me to sing for them, so I think this could be a quick night...especially without Zale here."

"Well...why do you say that?" she asked awkwardly. "He'll come. He said he would."

"I hope so," Merrick said. "Come on, let's go impress his brothers with how wonderful Zale's wife and her other husband are."

Kaysa nodded solemnly and started up the large staircase with Merrick. Barely having reached the top, the two large, ornately carved doors were pulled open, and a very well-muscled, extremely menacing-looking guard eyed them intently. He nodded imperceptibly at the voice coming through his earpiece, then stepped aside. "Master Qual is expecting you." He extended his arm towards the long hallway. "Please follow the carpet. It will lead you to the dining hall."

Kaysa thanked the man with a bow of her head, and cautiously stepped into the mansion. As she and Merrick moved through the hallway, she noted how there wasn't much in the way of decoration, aside from the odd pedestal with marble statues in the form of naked females resting atop them. She chuckled to herself and thought just how alike Zale they were. She wondered if they were just as unfaithful to those they loved as well.

"Nice place," Kaysa commented. "Do you think it's theirs or they just rented it for the evening to impress Zale?"

"Rented? Hell no. I bet they barged in and kicked out whoever did live here, or worse. They probably dressed them up in servant's outfits, and have them waiting hand and foot on their every whim."

Kaysa laughed, glad that she had Merrick to raise her spirits. "And I'm betting they'll want to make one or both of us their sex slaves before the evening's out. I really do think you'd look lovely in just a thong, my love."

"I would, wouldn't I?" Merrick grinned and then laughed. "After the way they were looking at you earlier, I imagine you wouldn't even get that much."

"Well, they'll have to accept that I'm yours." She kissed his cheek. "Only yours, my love."

Merrick raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

They finally reached the end of a hallway, and a door opened to reveal Qual waiting for them inside.

"Kaysa, Musician," he said, throwing his arms wide in a gesture of welcoming. "Where's Zale?"

"He's coming," Kaysa said. "He's just.... He had an errand to run. Work...I think." She smiled amiably and added, "So, is dinner ready?"

"As a matter of fact, it is," Qual said. "Come this way, and the feast shall begin. I hope you've saved room."

Kaysa placed her hand upon her abdomen, regretting at the moment having chosen such a snug outfit. "I think I've got room. But, I'll make do if the food's as wonderful as it smells." As she and Merrick stepped into the room, instead of inhaling more of the aroma wafting throughout, she gasped softly. "This is...huge! I bet you could entertain over a thousand guests in here."

"We aim to please," Qual said. "And, capacity is actually two thousand five hundred. After the Empire's fall, we had quite the party in here. It was impressive, to say the least. So, you're from Tae'Karada? Isn't that where the Imperial stooge is trying to keep Palpatine's dream alive?"

"That's the place," Kaysa replied sourly. "But I only just live on Tae'Karada. I was originally born on Bespin, though even with the present state of the planet, I much prefer Tae'Karada."

"I've only seen the holo-footage, but it still looks like a nice place. Though, only in the civilized areas. How long have you lived there? And, would I ever be able to convince you to move to Coruscant?"

Kaysa laughed politely. "I've lived there far too long to want to pick up and leave, Mr. Tregat. Besides, I have many ties there. But thank you for the offer."

"I had to ask," Qual replied. "And, besides, my brother did not believe I'd have the chens to ask you. So, I understand you're a businesswoman..."

"I am." She mouthed a thank-you to Merrick as he pulled out a seat for her at the table. Once all three were seated, she continued. "I run a courier company on the planet. Did Zale tell you that or have you been studying me, Mr. Tregat?" She grinned and leaned forward. "And I'm not talking about my body either."

Qual smiled. "I did a little investigative work," he said. "We may not see eye to eye on everything, but Zale still is my little brother. I just wanted to know a little more about his wife. And, from what I see, your company is doing quite well right now. I'm impressed. It's a tough business to survive in."

"Quite so," she replied, "but I manage. I'm a smart girl; I can handle it." An attendant seemed to appear out of nowhere, and had already filled Qual's glass with a blush-coloured wine. When he came to fill hers, Kaysa refused with a shake of her head. "Just some water, please."

The attendant looked to Qual and raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem, Kaysa? I have a full stock of wines, if you're interested. If you'd prefer something less potent, we have additional options as well. We have a remarkable ale from Rodia if you'd like."

"No," she said abruptly. She paused for a moment to regain her composure, then smiled apologetically at Qual. "I don't drink. So, something without alcohol, please."

Qual smiled and nodded to the attendant. "We also have a wide selection of fruit juices, teas, and other non-alcoholic beverages. I'll have a list brought to you so you can see the selection."

"Thanks. You're far more congenial and gracious than you were this morning," Kaysa commented. "You sure you're not Zale's other brother, the one we haven't met yet?"

"This morning, I was putting the fear of family into Zale. Tonight, I am your host for dinner. To help with the confusion, I'm sure Neron will be his usual, charming self."

"Where is he anyway?" Kaysa asked. Then she laughed wryly. "Manners like his brother, I guess."

"He had some business matters he was attending to," Qual said. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Kaysa nodded thoughtfully. "Very much like his brother, then. But you're not, are you, Qual? Older, more refined... Am I right?"

Qual smiled. "You are right, Kaysa," he said. "However, I prefer to not talk about my brothers right now, since neither are here. That is, unless you wished to engage in a little bit of gossip..."

Kaysa's lips curled into a grin and she leaned in closer to Qual. "Is this anything I'd be particularly interested in?"

"That depends on what...interests you, Kaysa," Qual said. "As you can imagine, a man in my position learns many things."

Kaysa chuckled throatily and leaned her chin onto her fisted hand. "I can imagine, but you'll have to prove it to me. So, what is this tasty little secret you're going to share?"

"Well, I was hoping you might have a few secrets about my brother," Qual said. "So, perhaps we could...share."

Kaysa's expression sobered and she slowly sat back against her chair. "I don't know anything about Zale's business. He doesn't tell me anything, and the things he does, I'd rather not hear. If you want secrets, the only ones you'll get are those about his sexual prowess. Nothing more."

"I always heard he was some sexual master, but I never believed it. So, are you telling me that my little brother's good with the wood?"

Kaysa played idly with her fork, and simply shrugged. "Are you saying you're not?"

"It didn't sound like that did it?" Qual asked. "If that was the impression I gave you, then I must ask you to give me the chance to make it up to you. However, to answer your question, I am quite skilled in the art of giving pleasure. Where do you think Zale found the inspiration to follow along that path?"

"Are you saying," Kaysa asked with a suppressed grin, "that you taught him everything he knows? Through personal instruction?"

Qual chuckled. "Kaysa, you do like inferring much from the words others speak, don't you? Zale knew that I was quite remarkable in the area of sensuality and pleasure, and he made that a goal in his life as well. I have never personally instructed Zale in the art of making love to a woman, other than setting him up for his first time."

Kaysa furtively raised an eyebrow and regarded Qual sidelong. "His first time?" She nodded slowly, attempting to appear disinterested. "And...when was that? Was she...someone he knew or..."

"Oh, he knew her, and she was a nice girl. He was fourteen and she was sixteen. It was quite cute, actually. They made a nice couple for the time they were together, and then her family was moved to one of the mid-rim territories. I imagine he's forgotten all about her. He always had a habit of doing that with his...companions."

"I see," Kaysa said tightly. She found herself holding the fork in a deadly grip and thinking of how quickly Zale had forgotten about her when his mistress spread her legs for him. Kaysa exhaled a shaky breath and set down the utensil roughly. "You know, Qual, I think I might just have some of that wine. I'm sure a little couldn't hurt."

Qual ignored the look that Merrick was giving Kaysa, and picked the bottle up from the table to pour out a glass of the rosy liquid for her. "It's a good vintage, from one of my own vineyards on the moon of Rechedre. I hope you enjoy."

Kaysa smiled tautly at Qual as she wrapped her trembling fingers around the neck of the goblet and raised it to her lips. She could hear Merrick whispering to her, pleading with her not to do it, but the voice in her mind, reminding her of Zale's betrayal and the pain it was causing, spoke much louder. With a gentle whimper, Kaysa placed her mouth to the brim of the glass and tossed back the entire helping of wine. She closed her eyes and sighed as the sweet nectar flowed down her throat, numbing the heartache and easing her grief. Blindly, she set down the glass as a blissful smile curled her lips. "Another, please."

"Go easier on this one," Qual said as he poured out the second glass of wine. "If you get drunk now, you won't be able to truly enjoy the evening ahead."

"The rest of the evening?" Kaysa opened her brown eyes, already bleary from the rush of euphoria elicited by the liquor in her system, and grinned at Qual. "What exactly have you got planned?"

"I try not to plan my nights too closely," Qual said with a lazy smile, "but I'm willing to entertain whatever plans you'd like to make."

The brim of the goblet came to Kaysa's lips again, though her laughter prevented her from taking a sip. "Mr. Tregat, my husband is sitting right next to me. I can't very well make plans with you while he's listening, now can I?"

Qual smiled. "Well, I can always have him removed from the dining room. I'm sure he'd love to look at our recording studio."

"Well, if you do that now, he'll still know that we're conspiring. Though, I'm sure he'd still love to see your studio." Kaysa's eyes remained fixed to Qual's in a sultry gaze as she asked, "Wouldn't you like that, Merrick?"

"Of course," Merrick said blandly. "Just what I always wanted."

"Great," Qual said, never taking his eyes from Kaysa's. "I'll have Selt show you there." He indicated to a servant who quickly came in and moved to stand next to Qual. "See Mr. Braston to the studio."

"I was only--"

"Nonsense," Qual said, cutting off Merrick's protest.

"Kaysa?"

She finally tore her gaze away from Qual's and turned her head to look at Merrick. "Please," she said softly. "Let me do this, Merrick. I promise," she added in a voice only she and Merrick could hear, "I won't do anything. I just... I need to ask Qual a few things, and I know I'll get more if you're not here. My love, please."

"Of course," Merrick said, then kissed her gently. With that, he pushed away from the table and indicated for Selt to lead the way. The servant started toward the door, and Merrick followed after, glancing back once at Kaysa before disappearing through the doors.

"So," she said to Qual, her smile returning. "You said something about plans?"

***

The feel of fist connecting with flesh was exhilarating, freeing. A hoarse cry was pulled from his lips from the force of the blow. No