"Hunted Down"
By Garnet Seifer
And Tifa Alexandros Lionheart [NPC+]

Location: Tae'Remok system & Tae'Sollar Desert
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Garnet put her black gloves on and glanced at the planet of Tae'Karada. The amount of Star Destroyers that made part of the blockade was quite visible. She picked up her swords and walked out of her chamber, making her way over to the hangar where the Imperial shuttle that was going to take her to Tae'Karada was.

She approached the Imperial shuttle and saw Tifa coming out from it. Tifa glanced at Garnet. "So you're going to Tae'Karada after all?"

Garnet took a few more steps and placed her bag on the floor. "Of course. You have been informed about that. You and Admiral Zibel are the only ones that know."

"What is so important in this Aeris Strife anyway?" Tifa asked as Garnet entered the ship and she followed.

"You know very well that this is personal matter..." Garnet grinned, pausing for a moment as she sat in front of the controls.

"Here," Tifa said as she delivered a small comm. "You can contact me through that if you are having any problem."

"I really have no use for that, my young girl," Garnet said as she looked at the comm. "In a day or two I will be back."

"Can I at least ask you to put this small signal always with you? It was a request from Admiral Zibel," Tifa stated as she delivered a small device.

"Ok. If I'm in trouble and need help I will contact you," Garnet said.

Tifa walked out of the Imperial shuttle. The ship calmly lifted off from the ground of the hangar, its wings starting to unfold as it blasted out of the hangar. Garnet was the only one inside the shuttle, and she was piloting it towards the Tae'Remok system. She was approaching the blockade of Star Destroyers when she looked at the planet in sight. It remind her a lot of things from her past, but she shook her head because it was not the time to think of them.

"This is Imperial shuttle Weray," Garnet announced.

As she approached the blockade she was hailed by the Super Star Destroyer, Nemesis. "This is SSD Nemesis. State you business, Weray."

"I'm transporting merchandise to Grand Admiral's forces in Arcadia," Garnet answered.

"Merchandise from where, Weray?" was the question that came over the comm.

"From Kamdon system," Garnet stated simply.

"Hold your position..." was the order as they checked her codes as well as the log book for cargo freighters coming in.

Garnet waited for quite a long time. Much more than a regular clearance call. Time passed by and no response came from the Nemesis. She glanced to the scanner and saw a few TIE Fighters exiting from one of the Nemesis' hangar bays. Garnet punched the communication button once more. "I have need for clearance as my cargo was due to deliver five minutes ago," she said.

"This is the SSD Nemesis. You have clearance to land in our hangar. We want to see if the merchandise is what are we expecting. Follow the TIE Fighters that will escort you," the reply came over the comm.

Something was definitively wrong. Garnet frowned and tried once more. "Look, I said I'm supposed deliver this in Arcadia..."

"You will land on the SSD Nemesis or we will open fire upon you. We appreciate your full cooperation!" came the order, now in a more direct tone.

Garnet saw the TIE Fighters approaching. The Imperial shuttle blasted off from the place where it stood. It glided away from the shots fired from the SSD Nemesis, taking some with its shields. Alas, four TIE Fighters were in pursuit.

Garnet picked up the comm that Tifa had given her, now content that she had taken it. "Tifa, this is Garnet. I'm being pursued by TIE Fighters in hostile action!"

"This is Tifa, try to avoid them until I get there," Tifa said through the comm, almost promptly.

"Ok, Garnet out!" she answered, as she tried to avoid the shots from her pursuers. From the view of the SSD Nemesis she could see another squadron coming out of its hangars, probably for support.

Her shields were pretty low by then, and she knew she had little time left if she was to live this through. The TIE fighters were giving her a hard time. Garnet punched the comm over to Tifa once more. "This is Garnet. I can't wait that long... I'm almost out of shields! I'll try to enter Tae'Karada's surface and lose them there. Cancel any help sent! Garnet out!"

With that said, the Imperial Shuttle turned towards Tae'Karada, being hit in two of the three wings by the TIE Fighters. As she entered Tae'Karada's surface the Imperial Shuttle ignited like a fire ball, as it had very little to support the entrance in the atmosphere. Two of the three wings of the Imperial Shuttle were ripped off from the hull. The good news was that the TIE Fighters had ceased their pursuit when the shuttle ignited itself.

She tried to control the Imperial shuttle but the engines were torn apart. It was no good that the Imperial shuttle entered too fast, and it was almost impossible to avoid her fate, which seemed to be death... She had hope that the cockpit would endure the high pressure and temperature and not disintegrate itself. She knew she was going to crash on Tae'Karada surface. The question was if she was going to survive the crash...

---

"Allied Forces, Part 1"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Lerrah Breijal [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir
Hajne Toray [NPC+]

Location: Riga
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

From atop her ship, Agarra's Pride, Lerrah Breijal watched out over the horizon as the sun slowly began its climb into the Riga sky. Already, vibrant reds were being thrown across the sky, giving everything a sanguine tint. Over her comlink, Elf toodled a message. "Yes, Elf, I'll be right down," she said.

She quickly moved to the edge of the ship and glanced down to where Rilanna and Reza were talking to Hajne. Cham was across the way double-checking the systems on the other ship before they broke for space. Lerrah flipped off the edge of the ship, triple-flipping in the air before coming to rest gracefully on her feet.

She caught a grin from Rilanna and felt her cheeks flushing slightly. "For some reason, I can never just climb down. You should try it."

Rilanna laughed and glanced up at the top of the Corellian ship. "I may have to do that," she said. "Though, I don't think we have time just yet. Our gear's been stowed aboard your ship. We haven't heard back from the contact for the New Republic yet, but hopefully we'll get an update once we revert closer to Tae'Karada." She glanced to Hajne, who was still jutting out her lower lip in a pout. "I'm sorry, Hajne. We can't risk putting you in danger like this. And, if we don't make it, we'll need you and Cham to deliver that data chip to the New Republic representative on Coruscant."

"But...we never get to do anything exciting!" she whined. "My Chammie-poo was all ready to rip off some Imperial limbs!"

Rilanna laughed softly to herself and shook her head. "You're going to Tae'Karada," she said. "There are lots of Imps there. Maybe you can start a bar fight, and Cham can defend your honour."

Hajne gasped as she clasped her hands together and pressed them to her chest in an utterly ridiculous and dramatic pose. "My Chammie..." She frowned inquisitively and asked, "Does he make mad, passionate love to me afterwards? It won't work unless he does!"

Reza rolled her eyes and sighed wearily. "Oh, you're still a complete idiot, Hajne. At least you'll have Cham to keep you from doing something foolish."

The woman emitted a bleating, snorting laugh and bounced happily where she stood. "I know. Isn't it wonderful!"

Lerrah laughed and had to turn away to keep from laughing even more at the swooning look in Hajne's face. Rilanna on the other hand smiled fondly at Reza's secretary. "I'm certain there will be a lot of lovemaking after he protects your honour, Haj. Chammie-poo wouldn't have it any other way."

Hajne sighed, then, and her pout returned as she looked between Ril and Reza. "But...will you guys be okay? Oh, we'd be so sad if anything happened to you."

"Don't worry," Rilanna said. "We've got everything under control. I've been doing this for awhile, and we'll stay safe."

Reza cast a skeptical glance in Rilanna's direction, then scoffed soundlessly. They both knew the odds of survival, but if she wished to give Hajne false assurances, Reza couldn't be bothered to shatter the illusion.

"Well...do I at least get a hug?" Hajne batted her eyes demurely at Rilanna while her red lips split into a silly smile.

Rilanna's eyes slid to the side to regard Reza. Knowing what would come next, Rilanna smiled. "Of course," she said, and then quickly embraced Hajne. "Don't worry, Hajne; we'll all make it out of this."

"Oh, I know you will," she said fervently. Hajne giggled as she kissed Rilanna's cheek, leaving a heart-shaped, red impression on it as she pulled away.

"Well, goodbye to you too, Lerrah," Hajne said, turning to her next. "Sorry Chammie scared you that first day, but..." She snickered. "It was fun!"

Lerrah chuckled softly and shook her head. "I'm sure it was," she said. "Good luck, Hajne, and I'll see you soon. And, give Cham a big hug for me."

She smiled broadly and replied, "Oh I will...and perhaps a bit more."

Her smile remained fixed in place as she pivoted to face Reza next, still thinking lustful thoughts about Cham. The woman's already rose-powdered cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red and she smiled bashfully at Reza as she looked up at her from long lashes. "Uh...see you soon, Mrs. Anoran."

Reza grimaced, and unable to bear the eager expression on Hajne's face, she sighed and held her arms open for the woman. Hajne squealed with delight and flew into Reza's embrace, knocking them a few steps backwards before Reza regained her balance.

"Oh, good luck, Mrs. Anoran!" she exclaimed.

Reza glared at Rilanna, who was doing her best to suppress laughter, and awkwardly patted Hajne's back. "Yes...thank you, Hajne." She winced as the woman squeezed her waist and reached back to unlock her arms from their constricting hold. "You should go see Cham now," she said in a strained whisper. With a grunt, she finally pulled Hajne's arms away and, wearing a tight smile, Reza lowered them to the woman's sides. "Now...run along. You'll need a head start."

Hajne nodded sadly and dolefully trudged off. With a shriek of delight, Hajne unexpectedly whirled around and planted a firm kiss upon Reza's cheek, then dashed off to join Cham. Reza frowned miserably. "Don't you dare laugh, Rilanna Kir," she warned.

Rilanna clamped a hand over her mouth to keep the laughter from spilling out to where it could be heard. "Sorry," she murmured. She pointed at the lipstick on her cheek and nodded at Reza's own cheek. "At least we match."

Reza's scowl reverted to a grin as she replied suggestively, "Perfectly, my dear girl."

Rilanna grinned again. "Absolutely perfectly," she said. "Now, we should get moving if we're going to get back to Tae'Karada today."

"Agreed."

Reza retrieved her single duffel bag from the ground and shouldered it. She gazed briefly around the small spaceport and laughed softly as she ran her fingers through the short tufts of hair upon her head. The time here had certainly transformed her, though she wasn't certain if it was for better or worse.

The fingers of her other hand ran lightly over the blaster strapped to her thigh, something she never believed in her life she would experience, but it had become a necessity. As for the confused, warring emotions she felt towards Rilanna, she couldn't see how they were at all a matter of survival. She needed to return to her element, to the station where she could be Shrezade Anoran again and not the reckless, immoral fugitive she had become. Maybe then, the distracting feelings would go away, the jealousy in witnessing Ril and Lerrah clasping hands, the rage in knowing she was too cowardly to do more than flirt with and tease Rilanna, the annoyance in realizing Major Weyland was most likely sitting in her favourite leather chair.

Tossing her head back haughtily, Reza marched towards the vessel, prepared to obliterate the Imps, and to rediscover the real Shrezade Anoran.

***

Agarra's Pride reverted, dropping the Corellian ship back into real space just outside of the Tae'Remok system. Lerrah was sitting in the pilot's chair while Rilanna and Reza sat behind her.

"Okay, I'm activating our communications systems," she said. "We should be able to send a message to the Republic. We'll have to be careful though. With so much Imperial activity about, it could be tricky."

"And you're sure they'll meet us?" Reza asked with a raised eyebrow. "I would imagine they're not too fond of me. I did sell out many of their kind to Tarkin not so long ago."

"Only one way to find out," Lerrah answered, and shot Reza a grin. "System's live and set to a scrambled Republic frequency. There's a special protocol running on there that will do a decrypt and identify, and then put us on the right frequency with the right codes. Time to see if they'll help out General Anoran."

Reza's lips involuntarily grinned at the illustrious title attached to her name. "A little pretentious, isn't it?"

Lerrah laughed. "The title is far more fitting for you than Grand Admiral is for Tarkin. Ready?"

She glanced sidelong at Rilanna, who nodded her head, then gave the same gesture to Lerrah. "Let's hope they're not complete idiots," she muttered.

The comm beeped to signal that the channel was open. Reza cleared her throat gently, then said in a commanding, crisp voice, "Shrezade Anoran to anyone bothering to listen. We come to you as allies and request a parley. Do you comply?"

There was silence for a large expanse of time, and Reza looked to Rilanna with a distasteful frown. "Seems your lover here didn't get it right."

Rilanna shrugged. "Well, I guess that's it then, eh? We tried and failed; let's go home."

Reza smiled languidly at her and drawled, "When did you get so sarcastic, my dear girl?"

Before Rilanna could snap back a retort, a muffled, crackling voice sputtered through the comm and Reza rose quickly out of her seat to lean over Lerrah's shoulder. "Can you filter out the interference?"

"Elf," Lerrah said as she started adjusting the modulation on the incoming message. The droid worked to clear up the incoming signal, and soon articulated words were clear.

"This is the New Republic cruiser Valiant Destiny to Agarra's Pride. Shrezade Anoran, do you copy? Once again, this is Valiant Destiny."

"We copy, Valiant," Reza replied. "I don't feel comfortable speaking for too long on this channel, so let's make this short and pleasant. I wish to join your fleet commander in a short meeting. Think you can arrange that for me?"

"We copy," the Valiant comm officer responded. "Sending encoded coordinates for meeting. As you can understand, we're being cautious. Make sure you come in your ship with no escorts. If we find any deviation from the current profile, you will be fired upon."

"I would expect nothing less," Reza replied with a grim smile. She waited for Lerrah to confirm that the transmission had been received, and at her nod, Reza addressed the officer again. "We've got it, Valiant. If there isn't anything more, I think that does it. It's truly been a pleasure," Reza said dryly. "Pride out."

Lerrah brought up the data they'd received on a monitor all could see. Rilanna and Reza both leaned in for a better look. "Looks like we're going to Ai'Kri. A little bit of a detour, and from my runs there we should have good cover getting in. Looks like the meeting is whenever we arrive, so we can divert and jump right now."

"I don't know how much of an edge we can give ourselves," Rilanna said as she trailed her fingers along Lerrah's shoulder, "but we should do what we can. Get there as quickly as possible, observe for a couple hours, and then make our presence known."

Reza shifted her gaze away from the display of affection and inwardly frowned. She sincerely hoped Rilanna could shut her emotions off long enough to complete the mission. "And while we wait, you and Lerrah should get some sparring in...just in case we need to fight our way off that ship. We might be walking on to a New Republic vessel, but that doesn't ensure it isn't being piloted by Imps."

Rilanna nodded. "Good idea," she said. "I don't know how well we'll be able to hold off against a capital ship if it comes to that, but I'm sure we can come up with a few tricks. Come on, Lerrah. Let's go see how well you fight."

"In a moment," Lerrah said and gave Ril a smile. "I'll be right there."

Catching the hint, Ril nodded and started from the cockpit. Once she was gone, Lerrah turned to Reza and studied her for a moment. "You don't like us together, do you?"

"Hm?" Reza smiled tightly at the girl and patted her shoulder. "Don't be foolish. You'd do well to keep focused on piloting the ship instead of allowing your imagination to run wild."

Lerrah nodded slowly. "Elf, take over," she said, then slipped out of her chair and started back. She stopped at the hatch and turned. "My imagination is fine. If you'd prefer to have Rilanna to yourself, please say so...rather than making it more difficult for us. She cares for you very much, you know."

Reza leaned casually against the pilot's chair and regarded Lerrah with an unwavering hard stare, yet still she smiled. "She would be wise to keep her emotions at bay until this mission is over with. And you..." She chuckled coolly. "If you had any sense at all, you'd refrain from getting on my bad side. You're a nice girl, Lerrah and I don't want to have to say or do something to you that will hurt Rilanna. Are you understanding me?"

"I understand," Lerrah answered. "But, I'm only requesting that you either allow Rilanna and I to pursue whatever it is we're pursuing, or you make your own move. I know how to keep to business, and you won't have to worry about that. I just don't want you to have harsh feelings toward me or Rilanna because of what we share."

Reza waved her hand dismissively. "Illusions of your own making, Ms. Breijal. Rilanna and I are associates, nothing more. I haven't forbidden you from pursuing a relationship, have I now." With her lips twisting into a cruel smile, Reza added, "But perhaps this entire conversation is your subconscious speaking out, displaying your doubts and fears. Are you perhaps afraid that Rilanna feels nothing for you, dear girl? Is that it?"

"I have no doubts about what she feels for me," Lerrah answered. "But I also have no doubts about what she feels for you. I should get back there now before she gets worried we're killing each other up here. I'll talk to you later, Mrs. Anoran."

Reza inclined her head and watched Lerrah through the blonde hair falling over her brow, giving her the look of a predator prepared to strike. "You certainly will, Ms. Breijal. Do have fun now."

Lerrah glanced back at Reza and gave her a lustful look. "Oh, I plan to," she said, and then started off with her hips swaying.

Watching the girl and her blatant display of disregard, Reza muttered, "Don't worry, my dear. I've got some plans of my own." With a derisive chuckle, she turned towards the canopy and distantly stared at the streaking stars, wondering how long it would be before she simply shoved Lerrah out of an airlock. At the moment, it sounded like a very satisfying prospect.

***

"Coming up on Ai'Kri," Lerrah announced as she prepared to revert the ship back to normal space. "I'm picking up some signs of larger ships out there. They appear to be Republic ships."

" 'Appear?' " Reza repeated. "Can't you be more certain than that?"

"From hyperspace? No. I'm going to revert behind that gas giant. It should put us into normal space hidden. Unless they've got top of the line sensors, they won't know we're there. If they do, there's a chance they'll notice, but it's slim. That'll give us a chance to observe without being detected."

Reza nodded, unwillingly to commend Lerrah for a well-thought out plan. She noted Rilanna's smile of admiration for the girl and did her best not to become too vexed by it. At Lerrah's prompting, Reza strapped herself into the seat while regarding Rilanna. "Are you ready for this, Ms. Kir?"

Rilanna smiled. "I'm definitely ready," she said. "I've been cooped up for too long. It's time for some action."

"Hey," Lerrah playfully protested.

"Not that kind of action," Rilanna said with a laugh. "I don't think I need my armour for this, but I will have blasters. They'll probably take them, but...well, we'll see."

"If your clothing were not so tight, you could conceal a weapon beneath them," Reza quipped. She looked away and muttered, "Though, I imagine Lerrah has no complaints..."

"No complaints at all," Lerrah answered, not taking offense at Reza's intentions. "Though, no clothes at all would be my preference. But, perhaps that would be too distracting."

"I believe so," Reza snapped. "You're already incapable of concentrating on the matter at hand. The curse of a simple, immature mind, I suppose."

Rilanna turned to face Shrezade, a hard look in her eyes.

Elf toodled something and Lerrah laughed softly. "No, no, Elf, Mrs. Anoran couldn't possibly be jealous."

"Oh, certainly not jealousy, our little tin canister," Reza replied to the droid. "It's simply that we have a mission, and your Lerrah is preoccupied with lusting after Rilanna."

"And of course, Elf, Mrs. Anoran is more interested in making snide, snarky comments about mine and Rilanna's relationship than focusing on the mission herself. Reverting in three, Elf. Now, I can concentrate on what I'm doing. Two. But, it seems that. One. Reverting. She just doesn't like me, and even though I'm not certain why, I have a few ideas."

Rilanna let out a growl of frustration. "Will the two of you please stop. Reza, if I hear one more snide comment from you about my relationship with Lerrah, we are going to have a very big issue on our hands. If you have something you want to say, say it. Otherwise, just stow it."

Reza regarded Rilanna with a falsely innocent smile and asked, "Whatever do you mean, Rilanna, dear? I was simply pointing out that our Lerrah here has herself a crush." She passed her eyes over the length of Rilanna's seated form and added dryly, "Though, I cannot see why."

"I hereby tender my resignation as your chief of security if that's how you feel, Mrs. Anoran. If you wish to toss around insults like that, then you can toss them to the New Republic. We'll drop you off with them, and let you be rid of our baleful company."

"The same old tricks, Rilanna. I did not realize I was required to drool over you to retain your services."

"Drooling isn't necessary," Rilanna said. "Though, I had thought you'd started to thaw a little bit. After what we've been through, I'd started to expect civility; I guess it was too much to hope for. Anyway, I see that the real Shrezade Anoran is back. So, if this is what I have to look forward to for the future, I'll make my way somewhere else. I have no intention of partnering with someone whose only form of expression is to lash out at and insult those close to her. We can drop you off at the Republic ship, or we can fire you off in one of the escape pods. Your choice."

Reza shifted her eyes towards Lerrah, who was watching the scene intently and smiling encouragement at Rilanna. If they'd been alone, Reza would have quietly apologized to Rilanna, but with the source of competition and tension sitting before them, Reza wasn't about to do so and give Lerrah the opportunity to gloat over Rilanna's triumph.

"So be it," Reza said, returning her gaze to Rilanna's. "I will deal with the New Republic. You and Lerrah can return to Riga and perhaps catch up with Cham and Hajne. I'm certain they would enjoy seeing you again."

With the ship slowing to a stop behind the star, Reza unclipped her safety straps and vacated her seat. "It has been a pleasure, ladies." She bowed her head to Rilanna and added quietly, "I'm certain I don't have to tell you to enjoy yourselves." Reza held Rilanna's gaze without a smile or a sarcastic expression, not when there was something more she wished to express there. She sighed, then, and started out of the cockpit.

---

"Allied Forces, Part 2"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Lerrah Breijal [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir
Commander Deak Weddel [NPC+]

Location: Near Ai'Kri; On board battle cruiser Revenant
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

"I'll be right back," Rilanna said quickly to Lerrah. Lerrah met Ril's gaze and nodded. With that, Rilanna hurried after Reza. Once they were out of earshot of the cockpit, she allowed herself to catch up. "Reza," she called. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm preparing to depart, dear girl. What does it look like?" She smiled over her shoulder at Rilanna, then turned the corner towards the equipment bay.

"Before," Ril answered. "In there. With Lerrah. Is this the way you want it to end, Reza? Do you want it over between us? After all we've been through, and you're just walking away? I thought we'd gotten to know each other. I thought we'd come to at least care what happens to each other. Is this what you want?"

"It's what needs to happen," Reza replied. She veered into the equipment bay and promptly halted to wait for Rilanna. When she entered, Reza slapped the door console and watched the blast door bang shut. Once they were securely alone, Reza continued, "You do know that one or more of us may not survive this. I can handle this one alone, Ril. You take Lerrah, and you find a nice, neutral planet until this blows over."

"Reza, have you ever seen me in a real fight? Do you really think I want to sit this thing out? I'm a trained combat specialist. Fighting things is what I want to do. Driving those bastards out of the place that I've made my home is what I need to do. Lerrah feels the exact same way. But, if you don't want us around anymore...well, we'll try to hook up with the New Republic to do our bit. You don't want us, we'll find someone who does. I just hope when you get your station back, you find a new security head who can tolerate your attitude and won't either blast you into oblivion or shove you out an airlock."

Reza growled in frustration and gripped Rilanna roughly by the arms. "I never took you for an idiot, Rilanna Kir, but you're beginning to give me doubts. Don't you understand? I don't want you on the station when it's attacked. I want you as far away from it as you can be." She sighed and loosened her hold on Rilanna, only to run her hands tenderly down her arms. "It's not that I don't want you, Ril," she said softly. "It's that I don't want you hurt."

"And, you think it'd be easy for me to sit safe on some neutral planet somewhere while you're attacking the station? I want to be where we can both watch out for each other, Reza. I want us both to be where we can make sure the other's safe. I don't want you hurt, and I'd go crazy with worry if I'm not there with you."

Reza chuckled wryly as her fingers brushed over Rilanna's hands, then closed around them. "I'm certain Lerrah can comfort you. You do love the girl, after all, don't you?"

"It's too early to tell," Rilanna responded. "But, I do care for her. But--" She brought a hand up and brushed it against Reza's cheek, making sure that her eyes held her friend's. "--she's not the only one I care for."

"I know that, Rilanna," Reza whispered. "But do you really wish to take that step without knowing for certain whether it's more than that?"

"There are times when you just have to believe, and take the risk," Rilanna whispered. "Life isn't easy. Life doesn't let you have what you want. You have to step in and take it, or...or it just passes you by. If we're not willing to take risks for those we care about, then what's the point? I'm willing to take risks, Shrezade Anoran, especially when it comes to my closest friend, and someone I care more about than nearly anything else."

Reza sighed and turned her face away from Rilanna's touch. "Friend, Rilanna. That's what you said. If we go forward, Rilanna, and it doesn't work, we may not be able to go back to that. Are you prepared for that?"

"I know us, Reze. I know if it can work, we'll make it. I know what I feel, Reza. And...and, if you want to be with me, then we should."

"Why?" she asked, bringing Rilanna's other hand up to her chest and pressing it to the pendant she had gifted to her. "Will Lerrah join us in bed, Rilanna? Will I have to fight her for possession of you? You know I will not do that."

"Lerrah knows where my heart is," Rilanna answered. "She's very perceptive and amazing, and I do care for her very much. However, both she and I know that what we're sharing won't last, not as long as my heart is still longing for you. Lerrah would join us in a heartbeat if we asked her--and you'd be surprised at how talented she is--but she knows..."

"Rilanna..." Reza sighed and raised Rilanna's hand to her lips now, placing a warm, lingering kiss to her palm. "You're so very young," she said wistfully. "The young are...prone to making hasty decisions, to following their emotions and leaving common sense behind. As much as you may long for me, Rilanna, it will pass. And if not..." She shrugged lightly. "Then there will be time to deal with that later. For now, I have a mission to complete, a station to liberate. You and Lerrah find a nice, warm planet, and I will contact you when it's safe." Seeing Rilanna's lips part to raise a protest, Reza quickly laid a finger over them and smiled. "Don't. I'm old, I've lived life. You haven't. Don't throw it away on something that has little to do with you."

"You're part of it," Rilanna snapped. "It has everything to do with me. That station is my home. That planet is Lerrah's home. We're part of this whether you want us to be or not. And, if you think you're old, then I'm going to have to drag you down to that planet to have a good, long look at Tarkin's wrinkly old ass until you realize you're not even close to old. Reza, please...I know you don't like me with Lerrah, but please, if you're not going to accept what I feel for you, at least let us find our comfort together. We're both focused on the job, and we're not going to let our affections compromise anything. If you're not going to find out where our feelings will take us, let me seek out what I can find with Lerrah." She took Reza's hands into hers and kissed them both. "But know that my heart will be yours for always, even if you deny it."

"Then you're a fool," Reza sighed, pulling away from Rilanna. She remembered the same vow Vraner had made her, and she'd seen where he ended up. Rilanna was undeserving of the same fate. Shaking her head slowly, Reza turned to the crate of assorted weaponry they'd acquired and worked the lid open. "If you and Lerrah wish to risk your lives and aid the New Republic," she said aloud, "then do so. And if you truly need my permission to be together, then you have it."

"We don't need your permission to stay together," Rilanna said. "But we do need your approval if the three of us are to work together. You've been driving at us, Reze. Deny it if you want, but we both see it. Your comments about our inability to concentrate, my outfit, or any of the other little things you've been saying. You're trying to drive us apart, and if you can't stop yourself from doing it, then you will have to do your part in this alone. Lerrah and I can find our own way if you can't keep yourself from sniping at what we have."

Reza tossed a disruptor back into the crate and chuckled softly. "I was pretty vicious, wasn't I?"

Rilanna laughed and shook her head. "You were. Fortunately both Lerrah and I are tough-skinned. And, Lerrah should have us in position to spy on our New Republic friends if you want to come back up and have a peek."

"I should stay here," she muttered while crouching before the weapon's chest. "Just tell me when it's safe to contact them. I rather think Lerrah will enjoy the absence of my company."

"So, is this how it'll be from now on? You hiding away from Lerrah's presence? What don't you like about her, Reze? Why won't you tell her you were just upset and apologize? She's with us now, and there shouldn't be trouble between any of us. If we've got problems, we need to work them out before they get us killed."

"Everything is under control, Ms. Kir," she replied firmly. "Don't force this issue. I have nothing wrong with the girl, but that doesn't mean I will apologize. You should know well enough to understand that."

"I know that you'd throw away a friendship for the sake of your pride," Rilanna answered. "And, I no longer have any delusions; I know that our friendship is as fragile as it's ever been, possibly more so. I'm going back up to the cockpit with Lerrah. You can keep hiding back here if you'd like."

Reza glanced slightly aside and inclined her head to Rilanna. "Very well. I will continue searching for appropriate, concealable weaponry. And my dear Rilanna... Know that things are better off this way. Trust me."

"Of course they are," Rilanna said, though her voice betrayed the statement. "I love nothing more than having my lover rejected, myself insulted, all while you feign your complete innocence in the matter. One of these days you will realize that the best means to deal with a problem is not to turn and look in a different direction."

"There isn't a problem here, Rilanna," Reza pointed out. She turned fully around to face Rilanna as she rose and added, "Except for you, it would seem. Now please, let's end this conversation. It gets us nowhere, and there are more important matters to focus on."

"We'll see what kind of problem we have the next time you snap off one of your caustic retorts," Rilanna answered. With that, she headed toward the fore of the Pride.

Reza watched after Rilanna for a moment, then laughed softly to herself as she returned her attention to the weapons. "What a sweet girl," she muttered sardonically.

***

"We've got clearance," Lerrah announced. "And, stop nibbling on my ear before I run into something that's not supposed to be run into."

Rilanna chuckled. "That wasn't nibbling," she said. "I was just kissing your earlobe, that's all. Where they putting us?"

"Umbilical three. There. Elf, prepare the top hatch for egress."

The droid tootled a response and slid back to one of the panels that gave him access to the dorsal controls.

The sounds of booted feet approaching could be heard, and Lerrah glanced back. She flicked worried eyes to Rilanna, who put a calming hand on her shoulder. Lerrah gave her lover a smile, and then returned her attention to getting their approach lined up. Having done this hundreds of times, she brought the Pride right in under the hatchway, and added a little thrust to bring them up. Clamps latched into place, securing the ship. "Done," she said. "Now we just head updeck, and hopefully the welcoming committee will be there." She swivelled her chair around to give Reza a grin. "Ready, General?"

Reza shook away the wisps of blonde hair falling over her eyes while she tugged her leather jacket closed. The waist-length garment covered her blouse and much of her chest, but left exposed the pendent Rilanna had given her. She wouldn't let her know it, but Reza cherished it more than any gift given to her. Hidden in her boots were two sharp, compact daggers, ready to be used in case the situation required it. A blaster was strapped to her back, beneath her clothing, but she hoped she had no use for it today.

"I am ready," she replied. "Who's going to be accompanying me?"

"We're both going," Lerrah said before Rilanna could respond. "What would a general be without her captains, right?"

Reza's eyebrow quirked. "Captains?" She snorted dryly and waved them over. "Come on then. You walk behind me." Shooting Rilanna an imperceptible wink, Reza turned on her heel and made for the exit hatch.

As they fell in step behind Reza, Rilanna slipped her hand into Lerrah's. She gave her a quick smile, and then released the hand. She dropped into her normal hunting persona and felt a calmness envelope her. Lerrah wasn't as well trained, but her body language indicated a hyper-professional attitude that would get them all places with the New Republic. Guess that's what it takes when you want to work in a male-dominated industry. Just be better at it all than them, and you've got a foot in. "You know, I think, just looking at us, we make a very nice looking team."

"Nice in what sense?" Reza asked. "Should we have worn dresses do you think?"

"Of course, Reza," Rilanna snapped. "That's exactly what I mean. Let's go put on our dresses and then we can go serve the New Republic people tea and giggle at all their jokes."

Always appreciative of Rilanna's humour, Reza chuckled and replied, "Who knows? It might just sway them in our favour. Besides," she added, glancing languidly back at Rilanna, "I've always thought you looked wonderful in a dress."

In a fit of childishness that surprised her, Rilanna responded by sticking her tongue out at Reza.

She, in return, shook with gentle laughter and returned her gaze frontwards, wondering if they would be taking things so lightly once the fighting started.

At the exit hatch, Reza paused in order for Rilanna and Lerrah to take their flanking places on each side of her. "Now would be a good time to look menacing, ladies," she muttered as she tapped the side console and took a step back while the door raised.

"Already working on it," Lerrah said. "Though, I should have worn a bra."

Rilanna snickered. "You don't need a bra, my dear. Now, look tough. Act like a dyke."

"Oh," Lerrah cooed, "I'm all over that."

Reza shifted uncomfortably in response to the lewd conversation going on around her, but made no comment. She was too preoccupied with thinking how her decision to put distance between she and Rilanna was the correct one, especially considering how well both girls got along. Her Rilanna would be happier being with Lerrah, and her happiness was the only thing of consequence.

She shushed them both with a sharp hiss, and squinted through the haze of swirling vapour across their field of view. Once the extending ramp touched down, the fog cleared to reveal two ranks of soldiers on either side of a uniformed officer and his entourage. From the description of the New Republic representative they were to meet, Reza determined this wasn't him, but some escort sent to greet them. "I guess we're not yet important enough to be met by the man himself," Reza muttered.

"At least they did send someone," Lerrah offered. "It would have been worse to open the doors to find no one there. So, do we go out to them?"

Subtly, Rilanna brushed her fingers against the back of Lerrah's hand as they closed the distance with Reza. "I guess we go see if they're interested."

"Of course they're interested," Reza said confidently. "They need us. Who else in this galaxy knows that station's defenses inside and out?" She smirked at her two companions, then started down the ramp as the officer and his men strode forward to meet them, even though they all had blaster rifles aimed at her.

"There will be no need for those," Reza told them, gesturing to her thighs, unadorned by the blasters that normally hung there.

The uniformed man stepped forward, looking Reza and her companions over. "It is not uncommon," he began, "for the Empire to try to infiltrate our ranks with spies. Therefore, we take every precaution we can before we extend any form of trust. My name is Commander Deak Weddel. Come with me for decontamination screening, and then I'll take you in for your meeting." He gave a nod, and one rank of the guards peeled away to take up positions elsewhere in the room. "This way, please."

With that, he led the way toward a small room on the other side of the landing bay.

"Paranoid bunch here," Lerrah muttered.

"Or lonely," Reza retorted. "I imagine there aren't many women serving on a vessel like this. We could be giving them quite the treat."

After filing into the small, sterile room, with two officers barricading the door from within and another standing guard in front of them, Reza casually slipped off her jacket and tossed it aside. Her fingers proceeded to deftly unbutton her blouse, and at Lerrah's hesitance to do the same for her own clothing, Reza glared and motioned her eyes sternly at her shirt.

Lerrah glanced down at her shirt and at the men standing all around them. A nervous flutter in her stomach told her she didn't like this situation at all. She took hold of the zip holding the front of her top closed, and paused.

"Come on, baby," Rilanna whispered so only the three of them could hear, "let's see 'em."

Lerrah blushed, and then tugged the zipper down, exposing herself for the decontamination search. She dropped her top over with Reza's, and slipped her arms up to cover her nakedness. "Ril, love, could you..." She indicated her pants with her eyes.

"I really don't think I should," Rilanna answered. "Maybe when we get back on your ship."

Lerrah grinned. "Oh alright, but I'm taking that as a promise." With that, she quickly divested herself of her boots and pants, then presented herself to the droid waiting to process them.

Reza was a little slower in her efforts, though only because of the weapons she had concealed that would no doubt have to be surrendered to the guard now. Her apprehension stemmed more from what his reaction would be to witnessing her disposing of her various weaponry. The moment her blouse came off to expose not simply her brassiere, but the two straps running around her abdomen from behind, the guard held his rifle level at her and took a threatening step forward. Reza simply grinned.

"Don't worry... It was only for protection. How were we to know you weren't all Imperials and we were walking into an ambush?"

The man made no reply, obviously amused and completely unaffected by the three women standing almost naked before him. Reza sighed and carefully loosened the straps, then held up the harnessed holster up for the guard. The droid hobbled over and retrieved it from her, but before it turned to dispose of the weapon, Reza held up a hand to halt him, then bent low to pull the two daggers from her boots. She wondered, then, if Ril was appreciating the view. The droid took those weapons as well and finally departed. The other droid in the room stepped before her, and after quickly screening her for other weapons hidden from view.

"That's all there is," she told the guard as the droid marched stiffly off, but he motioned his gun towards the rest of her clothing nonetheless. Reza sighed and promptly kicked off her boots and peeled off the close-fitting leather pants she wore. Standing only in undergarments, Reza looked no less confident than always, and certainly did nothing to conceal her figure. "Is the inspection complete?"

Rilanna leaned close to Reza, her lips nearly pressed to her friend's ear. "Actually," she whispered, "this isn't the New Republic. This is Golba the Hutt's ship, and we're set to be his new exotic dancers."

Reza suppressed a chuckle and turned head towards Rilanna's, their cheeks brushing and the back of her hand voluntarily drawing up Rilanna's bare thigh. "Would that be such a bad thing?" she purred.

"I don't know," Rilanna whispered as she brushed her lips against Reza's cheek, "I'm really starting to warm up to the idea."

Reza smiled, but noticing that Lerrah was watching them intently, Reza cleared her throat gently and turned her face away from Rilanna's, severing all contact between the two. Ignoring Rilanna entirely, she asked the guard, "Is all satisfactory? Or you do require a more...invasive inspection?"

The guard glanced to the droid who made a nodding gesture. "You're clear. Leave the weapons here, they'll be returned to you upon your departure. Get dressed and Commander Weddel will take you through."

Bowing her head in compliance, Reza then moved off to sort through her clothing. She didn't look forward to being unarmed, but that they hadn't shot her where she stood for bearing weapons seemed like a sign of goodwill...for the time being.

---

"Allied Forces, Part 3"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Lerrah Breijal [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir
Commander Deak Weddel/Captain Dresh Kano [NPC+]

Location: On board battle cruiser Revenant
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Commander Weddel was waiting for them through an exit on the far side of the room. He looked up from conferring with a young officer, and then quickly finished up before approaching Reza again. "Welcome to the Republic cruiser Revenant. Captain Bail Rellstar is in command, but Admiral Tallen is here for the meeting. I'm the Exec. I'm glad everything worked out in there," he said. "I hope it wasn't too much of an ordeal."

"It wasn't," Rilanna answered. "Lerrah actually prefers being naked, so it was-- Ow. It wasn't an ordeal at all."

Reza shot a brief scowl at the two, then regarded Weddel with a pleasant smile. "It was a precautionary measure, one that instils confidence in me for your organization. We will need to practice much care in the upcoming days if we are to obliterate the Imperials, and one cannot take any chances."

Weddel smiled and nodded, his eyes shining with contained enthusiasm. "And, it's good to hear you say that," he said. "Come this way, and we can get the meeting started. On your way in, did you encounter any Imperial patrols?"

"None," Lerrah answered. "Though, we tried to stay as far out of the way as possible. My astromech assured me that not even a space slug noticed us go by."

Weddel nodded at the news. "Good, good," he said. "I wouldn't have expected to see you approaching the New Republic, Mrs. Anoran, but I am glad that you have."

One eyebrow raised slowly. "Oh? And why is that?"

"You are the former administrator of the Drogen Shipyards, are you not? That will be one of our primary objectives in the upcoming attack. To cut off both ship supply junctions as well as disrupting production on Tarkin's latest starfighter."

"Yes, but I did once pledge allegiance to the Empire," she pointed out, though she was confident he was already well aware of that. "Do you believe Admiral Tallen will trust me despite that?"

"The Empire drove you from your station, and you're here now. I happen to know that Major Dane Weyland has been spending a considerable amount of time looking for the two of you. It could have all been a ruse to get you here, inside the New Republic operations center. However, my gut tells me otherwise. So, despite my gut, what we're going to need, I believe, is a show of support."

"That all depends on what Admiral Tallen has to offer me," Reza replied frankly. "At the moment, my allegiances are only to myself and my friends. Yes, I would enjoy murdering Major Weyland with my bare hands and regaining my station, but only if Admiral Tallen can assure me that will be happening, and that he will demand nothing in return, in the end."

Lerrah's eyebrow raised and she cast a look at Rilanna, who glanced back with an enigmatic smile. She tried her best to suppress her smile, but failed.

"We need to get that station back," Weddel said. "What we need is information that will help us do that. We need to get in, liberate those inside, and then turn the tide on the Imperial forces that will no doubt be breathing down our collective necks. Can you help with that?"

Reza chuckled throatily. "Who the hells do you think practically built that station, Commander? If it's getting in and destroying the Imps you want, you'll find no one better qualified than I am."

"I'll take that as a yes," he answered. "Come, let's go to one of the briefing rooms closer to the bridge. We'll do some talking and figure out how we can help one another. What sort of combat experience do you have, Mrs. Anoran?"

She glanced furtively at Rilanna. "I've been trained by a most accomplished fighter. I believe I can hold my own in a battle."

"Good," Weddel said with another smile. "Let's get up to that briefing room. We can talk about qualifications and where we can use you in the upcoming fight. This way." He led the way out the door and off through the ship. "We've been massing a fleet here for some time, though we have to be careful. So close to Tae'Karada, it would be easy for Tarkin's fleet to jump in here. We actually only stay in one place for no more than two days at a time."

"Wise, considering we are most likely being tracked," Reza commented. "Major Weyland has taken to hiring bounty hunters to retrieve us. I believe he wishes to kill me, and as for my associate" --she nudged her head in Rilanna's direction-- "I imagine he wishes to do the same, but only after he's had his way with her. These Imperials...they're all brutes."

"I won't deny that," Weddel answered. "Though, considering how long it's been since the station fell, I have my doubts that you have Imperial agents skulking behind you right now. Our advance lookouts haven't detected anything following after you, so it looks like we're safe for now. Though, we are scheduled to jump again at around 23h00 tonight."

"Do you wish us to remain aboard, then?" she asked. "I believe that would be best. We can stay on our vessel while it's docked here."

"If that is most comfortable for you, that will work for us as well. We can spare the hangar space, but bunk space is limited. Unless you wish to sleep barracks-style with a bunch of New Republic soldiers, that is."

Reza snorted. "Oh, I don't think I'd trust these two to behave. It just wouldn't do to get the soldiers in a frenzy." She smiled at Weddel as the four stepped into the lift, which jerked gently as it began its ascent. "You said the station will be the main target, but what of the forces occupying the planet itself? Has the New Republic plans to liberate it as well?"

"Definitely, and we're currently planning a simultaneous assault. The shipyards, however, will provide us a significant advantage in the space battle, and given everything, we can use every advantage we can get. We will have two main objectives on the planet: Arcadia and Thanatos, those appear to be the strongest sources of Imperial power planetside."

"And what of Tarkin?" she inquired. "Are the orders to capture him or..." She grinned viciously at the second option that sparked in her mind.

Weddel met Reza's grin with one of his own. "Preferably capture," he said. "Though, if it can't be avoided his death will be acceptable. If we get him though, we'll have more options in how to pay for his crimes against the Republic."

"As far as I could tell, the man is senile. I don't even think any of your methods will penetrate the lunacy fogging his mind." Her smile held in place as she added, "Though, that should not dissuade you from trying."

"Oh, I assure you there will be people lining up to assist in helping to teach Tarkin the error of his ways. If you'd like, I can see what strings I can pull to make sure you're up at the front of the line."

Reza bowed her head in gratitude and followed Weddel off the lift as it halted a level above the command deck. She imagined during battle, it would be abuzz with activity, but now, as she looked down at it from above, it appeared quiet and orderly. Gesturing for them to follow, Weddel led them down the heavily guarded walkway.

"Is this Admiral Tallen a reasonable man?" she asked. "Or will I have to do some clever negotiating. Not that I'm not up for that."

Weddel laughed. "I don't anticipate much difficulty with convincing him," he said. "Though, I can ask him to play it tough, just to give you a workout, if you'd like."

Reza grinned slyly. "What makes you think I like stubborn men, Commander?"

Weddel smiled. "Call it a hunch," he said as he opened a door and motioned them inside. "Make yourselves comfortable. We've had food and something to drink brought in."

Reza thanked him with a gracious nod, and stared pointedly at Rilanna and Lerrah to do that same. Regarding him again: "Will you be attending the meeting, Commander?"

"I will," Weddel answered. "I'm acting as a liaison between this fleet and Admiral Ackbar's fleet back in the Core. We're hoping the ships we have here will be enough without having to pull in ships that aren't ready yet for this kind of fight. We'll see though." He glanced at Rilanna and Lerrah and motioned toward the large table at the other end of the room. It was piled high with a variety of foods and drinks. "Hospitality of Ai'Kri."

The two women exchanged a look, and then, with matching grins, moved to partake in the culinary splendour.

"The situation is more desperate than we believe," Weddel said. "We believe that Tarkin has some other plan in the works. You're familiar with the firepower of the death star space stations? Give it a hyperdrive and a fleet to back it up, and I think you get close to what we believe he's planning."

Reza watched the two girls engorging the banquet laid out for them, and took it as her opportunity to converse in private with Weddel. Moving in closer, Reza lowered her voice and said, "You believe Tarkin is constructing these ships on my station? Is there any evidence he is even capable of such a feat?"

"Perhaps parts here and there," Weddel answered. "The Drogen Shipyards aren't arrayed for the construction of capital ships, especially of the type that he's trying to build. Agents of ours indicate that he may be using the shipbuilding facilities at either Kuat or Fondor. They aren't yet constructed according to our intelligence data, which means the time to strike is very soon, before he can bring those ships online."

"Well, I'm ready to go whenever you men are." She grinned at Weddel and teased, "I'm certain me and the girls can inspire some enthusiasm in you, with the right motivation, of course."

He glanced back at Lerrah and Rilanna and chuckled. "I'm certain something can be arranged. We're still waiting for the last elements to align. We're outnumbered on all fronts, and we're doing what we can to round up support from all corners. Unfortunately, the only people we have left to seek support from are the crime lords."

Reza nodded thoughtfully, contemplating whether mentioning her ties with Dargus Kandran would be appropriate. "And is that such an unpleasant avenue to explore?" she asked. "Many of the crime lords have much to gain by disposing of the Imperials."

"The sticking point right now is what a crime lord would demand in return for their help. And, so far, the crime lords have been unavailable to us. Tarabassic has withdrawn to the edge of the system where we have no idea what she's doing. Jadda the Hutt appears to have thrown in with Tarkin. Zale Tregat's got personal matters he's taking care of, though he does seem interested in helping. Weibran the Hutt contacted us, but I'm not sure if we want his support. And, despite the ship in the system, Dargus Kandran's people don't seem to be answering, and I suspect that Dargus Kandran's unavailable, if he's even still alive."

Reza chuckled. "Oh, he's quite alive, I assure you. If you require assistance, I believe I can get into contact with him. But...only if you wish it, Commander. I know you are in desperate need of my help, but trust that I will not exploit that and overstep my authority, if I have any at all in this situation. I believe Dargus Kandran will be a useful ally, but only if you wish him to be."

"If you can get him to join in with us and promise to keep his hands off our female officers and crew, then...then it's better to have him on our side than with the enemy or just in the middle interfering."

"I can't exactly promise that he'll keep his hands to himself," Reza warned, wearing a smile to lessen the severity of her expression, "but I can assure you he won't go anywhere near you, Commander."

Weddel laughed. "So, is that a statement of interested possessiveness, or just an observation that Kandran's about as homophobic as they come?"

Reza shrugged noncommittally while a slow, enigmatic grin spread her lips. "Take it as you wish, Commander. But whatever the case, you will have his aid. That, I can give you an unequivocal answer to."

Weddel laughed and then nodded his thanks. "That's all I can ask for," he said. "And, I thank you. If you can bring Kandran in to help us, then I'm fairly certain your status around here will rise like you wouldn't believe."

"Oh, I don't care about that," she said with a dismissive gesture. "I never have cared what others think of me. You'll learn that soon enough, Commander. As will Admiral Tallen if he doesn't get this meeting started and I'm forced to berate him in front of his crew."

"I wasn't referring to that," he said. "I was speaking of your involvement on this operation. If you prove yourself to be a reliable enough asset to us, I'm certain we can find a role for you deserving of that."

"What? Shrezade Anoran a soldier of the New Republic?" She laughed softly. "I'm not a soldier, Commander. I just want my station back."

"Do you only see yourself as a soldier, Shrezade Anoran? I would have thought that you would have had aspirations to lead one of the strike teams."

She narrowed her eyes at Weddel, then laughed in pure amusement. "You want me to lead my own team into the station? I don't know the first thing about military tactics and strategies.... I ran a station, Commander, not an army."

"As you said earlier, who knows that station better than you?" he asked. "Besides, if you require tactical advice, I am certain that either Miss Kir or one of my own people would be able to fill that role."

Reza shook her head slowly as she chuckled, then sighed and leaned back against the wall, still regarding Weddel with a searching gaze. "You really think I can do this, don't you?"

"I know that we need you on the team that will be going into the station," he said. "You know how to activate the remaining defenses. And, we have an agent aboard the station, who has a few wild theories he can't try out with Imperial troops all over the place."

"Ah, so using me for my knowledge," Reza jested. "If that's the case," she added, spreading her arms wide, "then feel free to exploit me, Commander."

"So, is that an open offer, or just confined to the matter at hand?"

Reza smiled guardedly and casually folded her arms over her chest as she held Weddel's gaze, trying to determine just how suggestive his statement truly was. "You're very witty and shrewd, Commander. The New Republic is lucky to have you. And for now...I would prefer it if we stuck to the matter at hand." She added, with a subtle wink, and scarcely believing her words, "For now."

"For now," Weddel echoed. "For now, our plan is to hit Tarkin's forces in the area with everything we've got. That attack, however, is also acting as a diversion that will allow you and your team to get aboard the station using an assault shuttle. Once inside, you'll eliminate all resistance as you head toward the internal defensive systems. Once those are active, the Imperial force inside should be easy enough to take care of."

"You make it sound easy. It won't be, but with my help, it'll certainly increase your chances." Her eyes strayed to Rilanna and Lerrah, clinging to one another as they sat at the table and slowly chewed the morsels of food they were popping into one another's mouths. Their eyes, however, were on her, and their smiles were far too mischievous for her liking. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Reza stood up tall and took one step away from Weddel to place distance between them, and hopefully keep the girls' minds from running wild. "So...the meeting? Is the Admiral ready for us?"

"He'll be with us soon," Weddel answered. "Though, I should clear a few things up. My name isn't really Commander Deak Weddel. It's actually Captain Dresh Kano. I'm working in conjunction with the New Republic advisory council, senate and Military Intelligence. Everyone here, except Admiral Tallen, knows me as Weddel, so outside of this room, make sure to keep up appearances. I'm here now, with you, to see what your feelings are on the situation and how much cooperation and help we can expect from you. And, it appears that we'll be getting more than we anticipated." He gave her a smile. "Which is a good thing."

Reza stiffened and her expression sobered fully. "And if more is what you wish from me, you will never deceive me again, Captain, or Commander, or whatever you truly are. If you're convinced that you can trust me now, then please inform Admiral Tallen that we're ready to see him." She bowed her head rigidly. "Good day..." Then she stepped past him towards the banquet table.

"Look," Dresh Kano/Deak Weddel said, following after her, "what part of undercover operation are you not understanding here? I wasn't lying to you, Mrs. Anoran. I was doing the job the government of the New Republic asked me to do. If you have a problem with that, take it up with Mon Mothma. The only reason I told you is because I wanted you to know who I am, and I felt I could trust you with the information. Apparently, you aren't ready to step into this part of the war."

Reza whirled around to face Dresh fully, her gaze unwavering and her stance firm. "You know nothing about me, Captain. I'm more than ready for this war, but if you don't believe I am, I'd be more than happy to take my information with me and go at it alone. Would that please you and your superiors, Captain?"

"So be it," Dresh answered and gestured toward the door. "If you can't handle a covert operative then you certainly can't be expected to handle the rest of this. By the time you reach your ship, it'll be ready for departure."

Reza chuckled derisively and took a challenging step towards Dresh. "Oh, I can handle it, Captain. If you knew anything at all about me, you'd realize I am capable of much, and I certainly do not follow the orders of deceptive, presumptuous, and not even all that handsome fools. I am not leaving, as much as you would wish me to. So...deal with it."

"How many times have you been hit in the head by passing comets, woman? Exactly which part of covert are you not understanding? I work for military intelligence. I am undercover on this ship, in this battle. I know you're not a stupid woman, but you've got to be as dense as neutronium! I'll have you thrown off this ship if I have to."

"Oh, will the two of you just have sex already," one of the two young woman countered. "I don't think I've ever seen two people so shazzed up over each other in my life. Just do it before you explode!"

Reza's jaw dropped momentarily, just as her eyes bulged from her head. She recovered quickly, but her faculty of speech still eluded her. While she was flustered, Dresh appeared wholly amused. She glared past him at the two snickering fools taunting them now with smooching sounds, then turned on her heel and stormed from the room in a huff.

"Be right back," Rilanna murmured as she rushed after Reza. "Talk or...eat...or something. We'll be right...oh Reza."

---

"Allied Forces, Part 4"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Lerrah Breijal [NPC+]
Adam Edwards
Captain Dresh Kano [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir

Location: On board battle cruiser Revenant
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Outside of the room, she found Reza's retreating back and nearly sprinted for her. "Reza!"

She waved Rilanna away angrily and spat vulgar curses at no one in particular. They were preparing for war and instead of fighting the enemy, they were fighting each other. The prospects didn't look promising to Reza and it was giving her doubts. Allowing everyone in that room to see her flustered only made her want to retreat from the entire situation that much faster.

A hand grasped Shrezade Anoran's arm and spun her around, halting her forward momentum and bringing her face to face with Rilanna Kir. "Stop running away," she hissed. "What the hell is your problem, Reza? The real problem, not your defiance, pride, or indifference. Why have you suddenly stopped trying to live again? On Riga, you were full of life and enjoyed living. But now? It's like going back to that station is sapping what life and humour you've found on Riga from you again. Is that what you want to be? Some bitter, angry woman who snaps and curses at anyone around her?"

Reza growled as she fought to wrench herself from Rilanna's grip, but one rough jerk from her and Reza was held securely in place. "Let go," she warned. "You know that's just what I am, Rilanna Kir. That's why you're with Lerrah, that's why Captain Kano couldn't care less if I join their resistance or not. It's how I am and have always been. Riga was no different!"

"Captain Kano cares more than you realize," Rilanna said. "I'm with Lerrah because she's a beautiful, fun, sensual woman who I happen to find attractive. And, I feel the exact same way about you!" With that, she spun Reza around, pressed her against the wall and kissed her.

It was difficult to keep a hold on Reza as she struggled against Rilanna, but the more her body writhed and jerked forward to push Rilanna off, the more intense became the sensations being aroused in her. The firm curves of Rilanna's breasts and hips rubbing against hers brought up a moan, and Reza's attempts to displace Rilanna became now a desire to wrap her entire body around Rilanna's.

Her lips fed greedily from her friend's - if that what she still was - and her hands slid over the smooth leather conforming to Rilanna's shapely rear, cupping it. In that moment, the Shrezade Anoran she had been forced to be on the station, the woman she was prepared to regress to again, faded into oblivion against the passion she never believed she could feel towards anyone again, especially not a woman. She'd vowed there would be no one after Vraner, but her body and her heart was telling her otherwise now.

Rilanna had only intended for the kiss to push Reza off-guard, and diffuse the anger that was building up toward nova. What the kiss had turned into was far more intense than she'd expected, and everything she'd ever hoped it could be...and more. They were completely alone in the corridor, which was good considering the amount of heat they were generating, clinging to each other and not wanting the moment to pass.

Rilanna Kir had had few lovers in her life. Major Wayland and Nec, the last two men she'd been with, hadn't come close to igniting the kind of overwhelming need and passion that Lerrah had stirred just a few short mornings ago. And, then here, with Reza, it was happening all over again.

Her body tingled and throbbed with her desire. She felt her hands exploring Reza's body just as Reza's were exploring her own. Inside, her mind chuckled at the realization that this was a much better way to express her feelings to Reza rather than talking about them.

Reza was aware of nothing else other than the sound of their breaths coming and going heavily, along with the gentle moans and occasional gasp as Rilanna touched a sensitive area, with Reza returning the favour. Her lips were numb to the point of pain, but they fed from Rilanna's with just as much need as when the kiss had first begun.

She chuckled deep in her throat as she felt the air hitting her exposed abdomen, then Rilanna's hands sliding over the bare flesh, forcing her shirt open wider. She was surprised that her own fingers were working at Rilanna's clothing, attempting to force open her pants, but it was difficult to get her hands between them with Rilanna pressed so tightly to her. With a growl of frustration, Reza gripped Rilanna by the waist and surged forward and around, driving Rilanna's back against the wall roughly. Their lips never parted for a moment and with Reza now in the lead, she worried open Rilanna's pants and slipped a hand inside.

Rilanna's moans grew louder once Reza's hand found its target. The cool air against the heated flesh, bared by Reza, felt wonderful. She'd managed to work open Reza's shirt and her hands were now massaging her friend's breasts. Despite the fact that Shrezade Anoran had never been with a woman before, Rilanna had to admit that she definitely knew where to touch, and what she wanted. Her pants were slowly being worked down over her hips, but not once did Reza's hand stay its activity, such beautiful activity, between her thighs.

Having much familiarity with her own body, it wasn't difficult for Reza to instinctually know precisely where to touch, and how, and with how much pressure. The viscous coating on her fingers, and the clipped gasps escaping Rilanna's lips was enough to assure Reza she was doing everything right.

Her delirious mind was too engrossed with passion to remind her that, only a month ago, she would have thought fondling another woman in a corridor was as disgusting an act as she could imagine. Now, she viewed it as simply an expression of a deeply suppressed desire she'd felt for Rilanna, the woman who had broken her out of her shell of despair, the one person she trusted above all others... The only person she had allowed herself to love after Vraner's death.

Kissing her as she was now, Reza realized that aside from the passion and sexual yearning they felt towards one another, the love she felt for her Rilanna was nothing like that she had experienced with Vraner. Their love had been simple, uncomplicated. Now, with Rilanna, there was something deeper, something that surpassed the physical and the commonplace definition of love. Rilanna knew the intimate workings of her mind, her vices and insecurities. She knew everything about her, more than she'd ever allowed anyone to learn.

They might be lovers, but they would still always be friends, and Rilanna still the only person Reza truly trusted. That she had Reza figured out was even more of a reason to keep her close. But what she was doing now with her tongue was an even better reason.

Somehow, Rilanna had managed to get Reza's pants open. She didn't care how, but she had. And, now, with Reza's hands sending delicious tingles all through her body, she began returning the favour. It wasn't as easy with Reza pressing her against the wall. She knew what they were doing was going to severely complicate things, but she just hoped Lerrah understood. Then again, she knew that Lerrah did. The young smuggler that Ril had suddenly found herself so fond of had practically been encouraging her to make a move. The move had been made, that was certain. Tonight aboard the Pride would definitely be interesting.

Reza groaned and arched against Rilanna as the girl's nimble fingers slipped easily inside of her. Reza's free hand gripped Rilanna's shoulder firmly to keep them both steady, while her other worked smoothly and rhythmically at Rilanna's mound. Their gentle cries carried through the corridor, its acoustics amplifying their carnal vocalizations.

Reza felt Rilanna sliding down against the wall, and she following to join her on the ground, when a violent jolt rocked the ship. The internal lighting flickered briefly, and the two women almost toppled together to the deckplating, where they had intended to go at any rate. Supporting each other fully and regaining their balance, Reza and Rilanna stared breathlessly at one another with silent wonder in their eyes. The ship lurched again, throwing Reza fully into Rilanna's embrace. Despite the confusion and urgency of the situation, it had done little to abate Reza's desires and she found her lips searching for Rilanna's again.

As much as she knew they should try to do something helpful for the ship, Rilanna knew it was much more important to do something helpful for themselves first. She clung to Reza as they kissed and fondled, groped and pleasured. One hand had managed to strip Reza's pants down to her knees. She was about to separate from the kiss to use her mouth and tongue for other purposes when booted feet running down the corridor jarred her attention.

"We've got Imperial ships coming in," Dresh announced as he sped by. "Sorry to break things up!" And, then he was gone down the hall.

Lerrah, who'd been running right behind him stopped next to Rilanna and Reza, then dropped to her knees beside them both. She first kissed Rilanna and then Reza. "Thank you," she said with a wide grin. "The tension the two of you were creating was enough to drive a person insane. Though, I don't think it's a good idea to continue during battlestations, but tonight, I'll let you guys share the main cabin on the Pride if you'd like to finish what you've started."

"Yes," Rilanna answered quickly, still breathless.

Reza swallowed back an unsteady breath and nodded. "Now, though, I think we'd better see what's going on." Giving Rilanna a final, lingering kiss, she climbed to her feet and hastily pulled up her pants. "Lerrah, go prep the Pride in case they need more firepower against whoever the hells is blasting at us." Reza felt almost ridiculous giving orders with her bare breasts hanging out of her open blouse, but the ship tossed abruptly to one side, throwing her into the wall, and at that point all embarrassment became quickly insignificant compared to her annoyance. "If that's Weyland," she growled, "I'll tear his ship apart with my teeth."

"On my way," Lerrah sang, giving each another quick kiss before racing off down the corridor, already calling out orders to the droid back on the Pride.

As she composed herself, Rilanna didn't take her eyes off Reza. Finally, after she'd gotten her pants straightened and her shirt pushed back down to where it normally was, she laughed softly. "She took it much better than I expected," she said. "And, you do want to finish later, right, Reze? Before we jump into whatever's happening out there, you do want to finish what we started, right?"

Reza cradled Rilanna's flushed cheek delicately in her hand and smiled tenderly. "If the moment's right again, dear Ril. There's no need to rush, especially now that we know." She kissed her girl softly to reassure her despite her equivocal reply. "Trust me, Ril," she whispered. "Just...trust me in this."

"With my life," Rilanna whispered softly.

Reza sighed and closed her eyes as she pressed cheek to Rilanna's. "It's about time," she replied. They remained that way for a moment longer, then Reza pulled back and closed up her blouse. "For now, I think we should concentrate on surviving this so we can get our station back." She centered the pendant on her chest, gazing down at it with a thoughtful smile, then she held out her other hand to Rilanna. "Care to join me?"

Rilanna slipped her hand into Reza's. "Of course," she said. "Let's go see how we can help."

Hopping onto a lift as the ship was hit again, Reza and Ril made it down to the hangar in time to witness the bustle and activity induced by the impending battle. Pilots dashed across the bay towards their fighters, responding to the blaring klaxons and dispassionate voices calling out orders from the intercom system.

Reza and Rilanna sprinted towards the Pride, which had its engines already fired up, but Reza stopped short upon sighting Captain Dresh donning a pilot's outfit and marching towards a vessel of his own.

"I'll be right back," she told Ril. "I want to see what's going on."

At Rilanna's nod, Reza hurried off, weaving her way around the pilots seeking out their ships dutifully and with tangible anticipation. She wondered if Vraner had felt the same excitement before hopping onto his vessel and flying out into battle.

Catching up to Dresh, she shouted out his name and came up beside him. "What's going on? It's the Imperials, isn't it?"

He nodded. "A patrol of theirs jumped into the system and spotted us here. They got close before we could get ready, but we have two wings out keeping their fighters at bay. I'm about to take my squadron out to help things out."

"Lerrah's got her ship ready to launch if you need her." Reza scrambled to keep up with Dresh's longer gait, then sighed impatiently and pulled him back to face her before he could reach his vessel. "Look...I'm sorry for what I said back there. I know what's at stake here and I know any information you give away is privileged. You were right not to trust a stranger, but you can trust me. I know you won't believe that until I prove myself to you, but I will, Captain, when the opportunity presents itself."

"If I didn't have some trust in you," he said with a smile, "you'd still be thinking I was Commander Weddel. If Lerrah's ship's got what it takes to make it in a firefight, then we'll take the help."

Reza nodded and released her grip on the sleeve of his jacket with an apologetic smile. "Good luck out there, Captain."

"You too," he said, glancing back at her. "And, if when this is over, if you'd like to get to know Dresh Kano...if you're interested, that is...then maybe we could... Something to look forward to after the battle, that is...with Rilanna..."

Reza bit back a laugh and looked at her feet to compose herself. "If we get through this," she told him, gazing up at him sidelong, "then yes, we could try that. I can then attempt to explain the complexities of my relationship with Ms. Kir...if you're at all interested."

Dresh smiled and then nodded his acceptance. "That sounds good," he said. "So, watch yourselves out there because I want to hear your story. Have Lerrah key in on the tactical band. Control can give it to her."

"I'll let her know." Reza smiled as she held Dresh's gaze long enough to find herself appreciating his handsome grey eyes, then bowed her head and marched briskly back towards the Pride.

"Contact control, Ms. Breijal," she told her once she arrived in the cockpit. "You can listen in on the tactical reports during the firefight." Her gaze shifted to Ril's then. "So...what can we do?"

"Lerrah was going over her weaponry and defense systems while you were talking to Dresh," Rilanna answered, "while teasing me about lying naked on a battle cruiser with you. I explained to her that we were doing much more than laying together, but that a demonstration would cost her. Anyway, she says that the weapons are actually military-grade as well as the shield generator. If we go out there, we should be able to hold our own. Have you ever fired a quad-laser, Reze?"

She quirked an eyebrow at Rilanna and smiled. "Am I about to learn?"

Rilanna laughed and then motioned for Reza to follow her. "Take us out, and we'll start with ships on the periphery," she called back to Lerrah.

As she and Reza made their way back to the gunnery wells, the Pride's powerful engines thrummed to life. The ship lifted from where it sat and angled out of the ship's bay. "Down there," she told Reza once they were at the ladders heading up and down. The nice thing about most Corellian YT model ships was that most systems were in the same places. "Strap in and you'll get a crash course."

Reza saluted Rilanna playfully then ducked into the well and slid herself into the seat. "Ready down here!" she called up to Rilanna in the upper well after securing herself into place.

As the ship roared out after the fighters buzzing around the Republic ships like angry stingers, Rilanna quickly went over the finer points of firing the weaponry. "We've got a TIE fighter coming up on us now. He's too far away for me, but when he passes us, he'll be in your zone. Target him as he comes through, and fire."

Reza frowned at the handgrips protruding from the shell of durasteel encasing the well. As her chair swivelled to the side, the weapon extending through to the exterior of the ship followed. She soon realized that the small screen mounted to the turret displayed everything the barrel of the laser was seeing, and the cross-hairs were meant to guide her aim. Her thumbs hovered steadily over the triggers and she waited for her target. It was almost like holding a blaster, but the laser cannon proved more difficult to manoeuvre.

The slowly rising whine of a TIE approaching placed Reza on her guard. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the viewport and the tiny monitor, not certain which to focus on. A red blip on the screen indicated that her target was approaching; Reza pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and concentrated. Her body felt as stiff as a durasteel pipe and beads of sweat were already forming on her brow from her state of hyper-readiness. The shriek of the TIE became deafening as it swept past her field of vision in a blur.

Reza swung the laser cannon around to follow it and was surprised at how rapidly it was already flying out of range. The crosshairs on the monitor followed the fighter, which seemed to be always out of reach. Cursing under her breath, Reza flicked her eyes up towards the viewport and used plain sight to aim. Seizing the moment, before she lost the fighter, she held the weapon steady and depressed the triggers.

The laser cannon recoiled as it launched a volley of orange energy pulses at the fleeing vessel. Reza managed to clip one wing of the fighter, throwing it into a dizzying barrel roll. Before the pilot could manage to recover control of the fighter, Reza growled a vulgar expletive at the Imp vessel and fired one last, decisive shot that speared the ship and ripped its hull apart. Reza emitted a whooping cry as she squinted at the blazing wreckage and watched its shards of debris hurtle off into oblivion.

"How's that, my dear!" she hollered to Rilanna.

From above, the quad-laser Rilanna's was controlling continued to belch paired blasts at the TIE fighters that happened to pass through her zone. She glanced down the well and gave Reza a thumbs up. "Beautiful shot, my dear," she called back. "If you want extra incentive for killshots: for every one you hit, you get a special surprise from me!"

"You mean, there's more than what you showed me in the corridor?" Reza grinned mischievously at Rilanna. "I believe you have yourself a deal."

"Much more," Ril called back. With a grin, she turned her attention back to the fighters rushing at them from behind. She really didn't think she needed the added incentive to get time with Reza, but it was a way to keep their spirits high in the midst of the chaos they'd found themselves in.

***

Major Adam Edwards strode quickly onto the bridge of the Lusankya. Tallen was nowhere to be seen. A young Lieutenant Commander sat in the Command Chair.

"What's happening?" Adam asked as he arrived.

"One of our battle cruisers, Captain Bail Rellstar's Revenant, in the nebular region is under attack by an Imperial patrol, Major," the officer told Adam.

"Where is Admiral Tallen?" Adam asked.

"He's on the cruiser," the Commander said.

"Is my ship still in the docking bay?" Adam asked him.

"Yes," was the reply.

"Tell Admiral Tallen I'm going out there. I doubt he'll object," Adam said.

"Yes, sir."

Down in the landing bay Adam ascended the Elusive's ramp. DB waited at the top.

"DB get to the cockpit. We're heading to the nebula. We've run into an Imp patrol. Get us moving," Adam ordered.

"Yes, sir," came DB's reply.

DB piloted the ship toward the battle. In no time, the sight of dogfighting ships filled the viewport. Adam gripped the handles of the top laser turret. The first TIE fighters came roaring in. Expertly, Adam targeted the middle of the formation and fired. Two TIE fighters were instantly destroyed.

DB took the Elusive into a sharp turn. Adam blew away a TIE attempting to fire. The New Republic fighters were gradually gaining ground against the Imperials.

---

"Allied Forces, Part 5"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Lerrah Breijal [NPC+]
Adam Edwards
Captain Dresh Kano [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir
Rear Admiral Jason Tallen

Location: On board New Republic Super Star Destroyer the Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

"Spectres, form up on me," Captain Dresh Kano -- back in his Commander Weddel persona -- called over the comm. Behind him Three and Six pulled in close. The Star Destroyer was still at a distance, but its fighters were everywhere. He juked away from an incoming barrage of energy lances from the TIE fighters, responding in kind with the cannons mounted on the S-Foils of his X-Wing. "Go man-to-man, stay with your wingmates."

The channel was alive with confirmations as he swung his ship up on its side and came in behind a pair of TIEs. "I've got this one, Two; stay on my back."

"Copy, Leader," came Spectre Two's response.

The aiming reticle flashed once it centered on the ion drive propelling the smaller fighter. He fired off a couple of paired bursts, reducing the Imperial ship to slag. Two gave a victory cheer, but Dresh kept silent as he angled in for the second fighter. The fighter, aware that he was being targeted was making it difficult. Two shots went wide, but the next clipped one of the wing-panels. The stabilizers failed and the TIE lurched erratically. As it spun away, another paired blast turned it into a ball of flame and shrapnel.

"Gamma's going for the Destroyer," Six announced. "Ten and Twelve are dogging a trio out toward the bow. Looks like Five needs help, Leader."

"Go ahead, Six," Dresh said. "And, watch yourself, Wedge."

Six chuckled over the comm. It was an embarrassed sort of laugh and it brought a brief smile to Dresh's face. Spectre Six, also known as Tipo Adena, had earned the nickname Wedge, an honourific that compared her flying with Wedge Antilles. She was far too modest and humble to accept that her piloting skills were as superior as everyone claimed them to be.

As Three and Six pulled away, Dresh and Spectre Two worked their way back in defense of the cruiser. With the Lusankya in place, he had no doubts that they would win this fight, especially against a single Star Destroyer and its fighters. He'd seen too many fights go from easy victory to bitter defeat, and wasn't about to start mopping up yet.

Two slagged another TIE, receiving a cheer of approval from Twelve. Two and Twelve had some sort of competition going, and Twelve was still in the lead. Two was making a good show however.

The image of Shrezade Anoran threatened to intrude on his thoughts as he and Two came in for another pass at a group of fighters that was now looking for a way out. They won't find one here, Dresh thought to himself as they angled in. He smiled as he found himself looking forward to seeing Shrezade again on the cruiser.

Keep it here and now, flyboy, he told himself. No use getting ahead of yourself...either out here or in there. So, with that, he concentrated all his attention on eliminating the Empire's forces. The rest could wait for later.

***

The TIEs swarmed around the Elusive. Adam swerved in the chair, his hands on the triggers. More TIE fighters erupted in flame. Adam was glad that he installed military weapons and shields on the Elusive.

"DB put me on to Gamma Squad's frequency," he told the droid over the comm.

DB pressed a button.

"You are on, sir," he told Adam.

"Gamma Squad, this is Major Adam Edwards. Concentrate your fire on the dreadnaught. Her shields are failing," Adam ordered.

The fighters moved to attack. DB piloted the ship toward the dreadnaught. A barrage of proton torpedoes impaled the ship.

DB pressed a button and several concussion missiles shot out from the Elusive. The missiles struck the hull. Adam watched as a B-Wing squadron flew in for the kill. Streaks of light hit the dreadnaught's hull and the ship exploded into colourful confetti.

Adam took down another TIE fighter and a cheer went up over the comm.

***

Jason literally jumped into his command chair on the bridge once he arrived. "What are we looking at?" he asked. The forward viewscreen, which hung from the ceiling on a giant mechanical arm, could show them anything around them, even things directly behind them. It was a nice addition, since the forward viewports only offered a very limited forward view. The view screen was alive with small explosions and lasers flying in all directions.

"It's a good sized Imperial patrol, sir. One Imperator Star Destroyer, a pair of dreadnaughts, and a Nebulon-B frigate. We've called on the fleet to send ships to help..."

"Order them back," Jason ordered.

"What?" the officer said, confused.

"Order them back!" Jason barked. "Tell the Lusankya to get her fat ass out here."

"Aye, sir," the communications officer said, smiling evilly.

***

"It's looking good, sir," the Imperial officer reported to his captain. "They only have a few squadrons launched, and we outnumber them..."

"Sir," an officer called. By the tone of his voice, the captain knew it was bad news. "Detecting a large sensor shadow. It's jumping in."

"Give me visuals," the captain said, getting out of his chair. He strode over and looked over the officer's shoulder at the computer display. "Not that thing again..."

***

The cruiser quickly docked with one of the emergency docking ports near the bridge of the Lusankya and Jason arrived there quickly.

As he walked onto the bridge, an officer spoke up. "Admiral, the Cruiser is away."

"Good," Jason said. "Order it to the other side of the patrol and hammer on their engines. We don't want them escaping."

"It looks like Weddel's squadron has already done most of that for us, sir," the officer replied, sitting back down at his station.

"Good," Jason said sitting down. "Take us in. All weapons, fire at will. Raise shields. Prepare a volley of concussion missiles."

"Aye, sir."

The Super-class Star Destroyer moved quickly for its size. Tallen ordered a course set to split the Star Destroyer apart from the dreadnaught and Nebulon-B frigate. As the Lusankya moved on almost a collision course, the Imperials split apart, the Star Destroyer on the Lusankya's port side and the other two vessels on the starboard side.

The Lusankya's vastly superior number of guns tore into the enemy vessels, and the dreadnaught's shields fell first. Turbolasers burned into its hull. The armor on its starboard side became so hot, a good portion of it melted off. Armored plates were ripped apart, some pieces spiraling into space. Soon it was nothing but several hollowed out pieces, tumbling through space.

The Nebulon-B fell shortly after the dreadnaught. It tried to turn and get away, but several proton torpedoes from a few of the Spectres' impacted into its drive section, blowing out all of its engines and hyperdrive. It began to tumble and the fighters had their way with it, no help needed from the Lusankya's guns.

The star destroyer took several more minutes to damage. Its shields held fast, and it pounded right back at the Lusankya. But Tallen wanted it taken out before a chance shot made it through the Lusankya's shields, or more of the Spectres were lost than needed be. The Lusankya's forward thrusters fired, and it slowly backed away from the ImpStar. Then it turned, pointing its nose at the enemy ship, so that the forward guns, and forward port and forward starboard guns could all fire on it.

The Star Destroyer's shields turned from blue to green, then to yellow, and then to orange.

"What's the shield status?" Tallen requested.

"Somewhere around four percent strength, sir," an officer reported.

"Target the Star Destroyer with concussion missiles. Fire a volley on my mark."

"Aye sir," came the reply.

"Mark."

And with one word, all one hundred of the Lusankya's forward missile launchers unleashed their payload on the Star Destroyer.

***

As the last fighter spiralled into the imploding star destroyer, pulverized by the impact, Reza and Rilanna joined in a rousing cheer. Each flew from their gunnery wells, Reza waiting at the bottom of the ladder for Rilanna. She made no use of the rungs and simply slid down, and once she'd touched the ground, Reza pinned her against the ladder and kissed her lips roughly. "We won," she told her breathlessly.

"We did," Rilanna whispered once she could speak. "We did really well out here. I think you, me, and Lerrah make for a great team in this ship. So, how many did you get down there?"

Reza laughed. "Lost count." Her smile took on a sultry quality as she trailed a finger along the valley of Rilanna's breasts and added, "But, I think I got enough to make for a quite pleasurable evening."

A shiver ran through Ril's body as she smiled seductively at Reza. "That sounds very nice. It's a good thing that Lerrah's ship is sound proofed. Though, I imagine I'll have to find time to make it up to her. Maybe tomorrow..."

"So, from my bed to hers, is it?" Reza nodded slowly and refrained from saying what was truly on her mind. She wasn't yet certain how to deal with a possible lover sharing herself with another, so she thought it better to broach the subject when she was more confident of her feelings. "Come," she said, taking a step away from Rilanna. "Let's go and see if we can get some news on how well our New Republic allies fared."

Rilanna reached out and pulled Reza back to her. "Before that," she said. "I love you, Shrezade Anoran. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way it did. And, if you want me in your life, I will be there. I care for Lerrah very much, and she's an amazing girl. But, I love you. If you don't want me to be with her, I won't be. But, please tell me. I don't want to hurt you, and if that will do it...then I won't."

Normally in firm control of her composure, Reza felt now utterly confused by Rilanna's confession. She wasn't certain whether she wished to laugh, cry, or face the proclamation with the same indifference she displayed in every other situation that required her to confront her own emotions. "Dear Ril," she muttered, pressing her forehead to her friend's. "It was almost so simple before. Now..." She sighed and kissed Rilanna lightly before again pulling away. "Be with whomever you so choose, Ril. I won't stop you. Remember...your happiness is paramount. Lerrah makes you happy, so you shall be with her. Understood?"

"And, can I choose to be with both of you?" Rilanna asked. "She's accepted that I love you and want to be with you too. Can I do that without hurting you?"

"You couldn't possibly hurt me, Rilanna," Reza replied. "That simply doesn't happen to me."

"Yes it does," Rilanna answered softly. "You just hide it all inside. Please don't do that to me, Reze. Please don't hide your feelings from me. At least not what you're feeling about us."

"Rilanna," she warned gently. "It's too soon. Don't force me to sort through my feelings right now. There's too much to concentrate on right now: the war, getting my station back, staying alive..." She sighed and lowered her eyes, unable to bear the dejection clear in Rilanna's expression. "You want to hear that I love you too, but I can't give you that yet. You must understand that."

"I don't need that," Rilanna answered. "But what I do need is that you're not upset about me and Lerrah, that what I share with her won't affect you and I."

Reza regarded Rilanna with a direct, unwavering gaze and replied, "It changes nothing. You're free, as you've always been, to share yourself with Lerrah. Does that suffice?"

"It will," Rilanna answered. "Let's go see how we fared in that fight. I'm certain that Dresh would like to update you personally."

Reza shrugged. "Perhaps. Either way, it makes no difference to me." With that said, rather convincingly, Reza started down the corridor, headed for the cockpit.

With a sigh, Rilanna followed after her.

They reached the cockpit where Lerrah was doing a flyby of one of the Rebel cruisers. "Just checking out the damage," she said. "We managed to push them back really well. They say we're going to have to move the fleet because they're not sure if the Imps got a message off before they were destroyed. I'm cleared for docking on Lusankya. Looks like they're packed in, but we'll fit."

"I thought we were making a jump soon anyway?" Reza asked, standing behind Lerrah and watching the fighters doing a final sweep. "Why not just leave now?"

"Gathering the fleet and finalizing coordinates. They also want to make sure the Imperial fleet can't follow us if they still have ships in the area. We'll most likely do a double jump. Jump to one place, and then jump to the final destination."

"Sounds reasonable," Reza said, though she was unfamiliar with military strategies. "I think an even better deterrent, however, would be to avoid making ourselves known to the Imps. Do we know how they found us yet?"

"They're still looking into that," Lerrah said. "One of Dresh's pilots was suggesting a possible spy within this group, feeding information back to the Empire."

"Great," Reza muttered. "And it just had to happen the moment we arrive on board. We'll be the prime suspects, of course."

"Someone suggested that, but Dresh quieted them down real quick. It was actually very impressive. I'd really hate to be that guy."

Reza shot Rilanna a silencing glare, interpreting immediately the thoughts that were forming in her mind, which she judged correctly from the knowing smile on her lips. "I think it's safe to dock now, Ms. Breijal," Reza said to the girl. "There's nothing more to see here."

"We've got our clearance," Lerrah answered, and glanced back at Ril and Reza. "Taking us in. When we land, I'll get my things out of the cabin for you two, if you want."

Reza gave Rilanna a questioning gaze. She was the one being shared, which meant the decision would be left to her each time the topic came up. Reza didn't envy Rilanna the task.

"You don't mind, do you?" Rilanna asked somewhat hesitantly.

Lerrah laughed. "For the two of you? Of course not. Unless the two of you wanted to invite me in, then I'll just sleep out in the main cabin. I'll be fine. If it's still alright, we can spend some time later, Rila."

Rilanna smiled. "Thank you," she said softly.

From my bed to hers, Reza repeated to herself, finding something inherently bothersome in the thought. She'd been certain in the corridor that she wished to pursue this aspect of her relationship with Rilanna, but now the idea wasn't looking so tempting.

Rilanna glanced again from Reza to Lerrah, an unsettled feeling coming over her. "We'll talk about it. For now, go ahead and put us down in their hangar bay. I'm sure there will be meetings and discussions now after what just happened."

Reza snorted. "Finally. We come here for a meeting, and end up thrown into battle. Though, it was good practice..."

Rilanna put her hand up on Reza's shoulder and nodded. "If you didn't have a station to run, I'd say you could have a career as a gunner."

"I'd prefer to be poring through reports and inventories," Reza replied with an almost wistful smile. "But I'll take a compliment from you any day, Rilanna. Thank you."

"Maybe we can find someone that you can trust to help with daily operation of the shipyards. Then the three of us can take off from time to time to just let loose and unwind. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in of course."

"I only trust you, Rilanna," Reza said. "Besides, whatever would we do?"

"Well, I don't know yet, but I'm sure we could always find something," she said. "Well, that's a ways off yet, so we don't have to start planning right now. One step at a time."

Reza smiled significantly at Rilanna, considering all they had gone through that day, and how much more was to come, and replied, "Precisely."

Rilanna smiled warmly at Reza, and she felt a flood of emotion wash through her. Her smile brightened and her face seemed to light up. She reached out and slipped her hand into Reza's. "Take us home, Lere," she said. "C'mon, Reze, let's go get ready to get out of here for that meeting. I'm sure the admiral will want to speak to us now."

"Like he'll have a choice," Reza retorted with an air of complete arrogance.

Rilanna laughed, and pulled Reza to her. She gave her friend and (hopefully) soon-to-be lover a kiss that promised more. "I love it when you get all tough and defiant."

"When am I not?" Reza asked with a sly grin. She winked at Rilanna and slipped out of her hold to continue on towards the exit hatch.

She hoped Admiral Tallen was as stubborn as Dresh had warned her he'd be; she knew she would have to prove herself to him, and calling upon her tenacity and determination to convince him would allow her to do so. She would make them certain of her ability to lead the raid into her station, and assure them that she would come out victorious.

---

"Critical Care"
By: Syan Daywalker - Bounty Hunter
Also starring Karia [NPC+]
& Dr. Phutak

Location: Starport, Yelldon District, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Day began in pain as morning was barely taking hold.

A slow but insistent awareness of that pain dragged Karia back to consciousness. Weak and tired, she wasn't able to make out much. All the world looked featureless and gray. Her mouth tasted like chalk and she felt cold all over - cold enough to shiver had her body had the energy. Her skin felt lukewarm and clammy. Everything felt like her nerves were conducting at half speed. Everything but her right shoulder blade. The nerves there were conducting just fine.

The pain of her wound felt like it was still moving, digging itself deeper into the flesh and bone, burning new pathways and gripping the rent flesh in a tight, crushing vice.

An experimental shift to find comfort caused her shoulder to protest. "Ngghhh," Karia groaned through gritted teeth.

"Lie still please, Mistress."

Tiredly, Karia opened her eyes and realized she could see better now. She could make out the pelvis and waist of the silver protocol droid, AC-18. The silver seemed too bright and was surrounded by a halo of light, but at least it was progress. Next on her agenda was information.

"Eig...ck." Karia's mouth was so dry she could barely form the consonants. "Water."

"Of course," Eighteen replied in her prim robotic voice, one softened with the emotive subroutines leftover from her original programming. She poured water into a glass from a chilled pitcher. "I will hold it for you."

The droid bent at the waist and lowered the glass to Karia's lips. The Ferrerrio drank hungrily, lapping and slurping at the water as it passed by her lips. Inevitably some spilled on to the white satin bed sheets, darkening them. She hadn't realized quite how thirsty she was until she'd started to drink. She didn't stop until the glass was nearly done.

"Enough," Karia coughed, and groaned as the spasm of her chest ignited a fresh spark of pain.

The droid took away the glass and placed it next to the pitcher, then unfolded a towel and started to dab at the water spot in the sheets. "Oh dear, oh dear."

Karia watched with light-headed disinterest as the droid tried to dry up as much water as possible. She found it hard to concentrate on anything, but she knew she had to. "How long have I been out," she croaked, "Eighteen?"

"You have been in varying degrees of consciousness for nearly sixteen standard hours, Mistress Karia."

Sixteen hours? Where did all the time go?

"Where is he?" Karia asked.

The droid tilted her head slightly. "To whom are you referring, Mistress?"

Karia sighed softly in impatient frustration. "Who do you think? Syan. Where is he?" Though everything still had a fuzzy halo around it, her experiments at looking around hadn't turned up the bounty hunter.

"Master Syan is out gathering medical supplies, Mistress. He tried to treat your wounds with the supplies aboard Aesir but they proved insufficient. Almost nothing worked with your physiology." The droid folded the towel and put it away, picking up a cooling pad. She wiped the moist surface across Karia's brow gingerly. "He has left you in my care, but I fear that my own medical data is not equal to the task. Much of it was lost when I was reprogrammed. I apologize for failing you, Mistress." The droid's voice ended with what sounded like genuine remorse for not being able to help.

"S'okay, 'teen. s'okay," Karia whispered to reassure her. She wished she had the same reassurance. But with every ticking second, it seemed less likely that she would see the next.

Seemingly sensing her foreboding, Eighteen dabbed the cooling pad at Karia's cheek to fight the fever. "I do hope that you do not cease to function, Mistress Karia."

"Me too."

A silence settled in between the female Ferrerrio and the female droid. One trying to survive. One trying to help.

Beeping insistently, one of the ship's compliment of droids wheeled into the room. R5-E6, or Reese as he was often called, was turning his flowerpot head and focusing his various lenses on the two others in the room.

Eighteen listened. "Oh we are saved, Mistress. Master Syan is on his way aboard as we speak."

Fighting to gather what strength she could, Karia twisted her body and gritted against the pain as she fixed her gaze on the doorway.

After a minute, the door slid open and Syan's dark form filled it, striding in. One arm was stretched out behind him, dragging something. Something that was complaining.

***

"This is kidnapping!" the small creature protested as it was dragged bodily across the floor of the J-Type Nubian and into Syan Daywalker's bedroom. "I'll have you sent to Kessel for this! You cannot kidnap a doctor!"

Syan ignored the Ruurian's protests. He'd been ignoring them for over an hour since he'd absconded with the xenophysician from a hospital in Yesdol. It didn't stop him from continuing to do so, or from berating the medical assist droid that had followed dutifully behind him the whole time.

Phutak, the Ruurian physician, was small, barely passing Syan's waist when standing on his lowermost appendages. The insectile creature had a pair of legs, or arms, or whatever was needed at the time on each furry segment of its body. His head was topped with feather-like antennae that probably told him a lot more about the world than any other sensory organs. His eyes were dark and multifaceted, making staring him in the eye an unnerving proposition.

Syan stopped a short distance into the room, still holding on to the thin wrist line that was tied to Phutak. Karia was up. He took off his visors to look at her. She seemed relieved.

"Master Syan, Master Syan, how glad I am that you are back. I was beginning to fear that you would not return in time."

In an attempt to assure Karia as much as Eighteen, Syan said, "I'm here now."

He tugged on Phutak's leash until the little alien was beside him, probably trying to glare, but he really couldn't tell.

"Where have you brought me? I demand to be released immediately!"

The bounty hunter complied, hitting the cable release and triggered the motor to recoil the monofilament cable.

As soon as he was set free, the Ruurian fell on to all eight legs and skittered toward the door, flowing like a silent wave over the ground.

Syan took a large step back, his heavy boot landing inches ahead of Phutak with a deadly stomp. Phutak cheebled and reared back on to his lower four appendages. He looked up at Syan warily, antennae waving.

The hunter pointed a finger straight between Phutak's eyes. "I've squashed bigger bugs than you. Don't try that again."

Sniffing, Phutak reared up to full height (which wasn't much). "I will not be bullied. And you have not answered my question. Why have I been kidnapped? I don't owe anyone money, do I?"

Syan gripped the creature's head and lifted his light body, turning him around. "You have a patient."

The Ruurian noticed Karia for the first time. "Why didn't you tell me there was an injured lady here? What's happened to her?"

Satisfied Phutak wouldn't run away from his duty, Syan moved closer to the woman on the bed. "She's been shot by an Imperial Class-3 Pulse Cannon. Severe damage to the soft tissue, including first, second and third degree burns surrounding the impact point. Tearing and burning of the trapezius, but I didn't see any damage to the right scapula."

Phutak's mandibled mouth opened once, hung open for a second before closing again. "I'll do the diagnosing here, Doctor Bounty Hunter."

His movements smooth and smooth like a caterpillar, Phutak flowed across the floor and climbed up onto the bed, the four opposable fingers on each of eight feet having no trouble gripping the satin sheets. He carried on his waist small tool belts, half hidden under his fur. Without breaking stride, one leg reached under to retrieve something before he stopped next to Karia.

"Most unusual physiology. And your vital signs do not look encouraging, Miss," Phutak said. He twisted at one of seven waists and signaled with an appendage. "Come robot. I need your diagnostic screen."

The FX-7 medical droid hovered forward and opened a plastron to reveal a small but information-filled display screen. Phutak read something in a language Syan couldn't understand.

He cheeped in surprise and lifted the edge of the sheet as he looked down at Karia. "Did you know you're a Ferrerrio? What am I saying, of course you know. Very unusual. I never thought I would ever meet one of your species, let alone treat one. My colleagues will be so jealous."

Karia, who seemed to be in and out of it, caught that and tensed. "No!"

"You do not wish to be treated?" Phutak asked.

Syan drew back his coat and rested his hands on his belt. "You can't tell anyone that you've treated her. She's a Ferrerrio. She'll be hunted down and sold into slavery again, or killed."

Humming something in his own language, Phutak made up his mind. "I do see your point. No sense in me patching her up just to have her get killed. I will keep your confidence. Please lie still now while I examine this wound for myself."

The Ruurian xenophysician did a much more thorough job of examination than the bounty hunter had, but came to much the same conclusion. But added that the painkillers Syan had given her weren't working and would only impede further care. "I'll have to give you a chemical flush, Miss. It will make you feel light headed and perhaps nauseous. That is quite normal. Robot, three cc's of pixithiline per milliliter push until I tell you otherwise."

The medical droid was holding the I.V. of nutrient solution and exposed yet another arm, this one with a fresh syringe of a pale blue chemical that it injected carefully into the IV.

Syan watched as the chemical mixed with the nutrients and flowed into the tube that was plugged into Karia's arm.

While her system was being flushed, Phutak crawled over to the side of Karia to get a better angle on the wound. The bandage was gone now, revealing just how bad the injury was. The speederbike's bolt had eaten away at her flesh as it burned into her. Parts were cauterized; others bled her silver blood freely. In an odd way, with the gold skin and silver blood, the wound was almost beautiful if one didn't take into account that it was killing the woman underneath.

Under the bounty hunter's scrutiny and Eighteen's ceaseless pacing, Phutak continued to work on Karia. With eight hands, he was amazingly dexterous. One hand held the portable scanner, another an examination tool, another a small squeeze bottle of sterile water to flush particles out of the wound, and another dug a new device from somewhere in the Ruurian's fuzzy coat.

The device clicked on and started to hum, bathing the wound in amber light. Syan recognized it as a static field sweeper. He had one in his medical kit too, but it was much larger and didn't work nearly as well. The device lifted foreign particles from the wound, separating them from the blood and flesh with a few sweeps of Phutak's appendage.

Looked down as he felt something brush his gloved hand. Karia was awake, but in pain. She looked up at him with silver-gray eyes. He saw bravery in them. Her jaw was clenched and she was grinding her teeth against the pain, but she didn't call out.

The hunter removed his leather glove and took her hand, remembering what it was like when he did the same to comfort his little sister years ago. Karia squeezed back, sometimes feebly, sometimes fiercely against the pain.

Phutak worked for over an hour on that wound alone, often stopping to consult the FX-7's medical database for information on Ferrerrio. Once he'd gotten her system flushed of human medication, he'd given her more nutrients as well as painkillers and immunoboosters. Karia's clenching hand had been at its strongest while the micro-sutures were sewing muscles back together so she wouldn't lose the use of her right arm.

The last thing the Ruurian did was fill the wound with bacta slush gel and plaster the wound with an auto-seal bacta patch to finish it off. He inspected his work, before crawling back from her on four legs; his upper four arms tapped his carapace twice in success. "I pronounce you, healed. Or at least out of danger."

Karia, looking much better now, was able to turn on to her left side. She offered her hand to Phutak in a human gesture. "Thank you, Doctor."

The Ruurian gripped her hand in four of his small appendages and shook it. "The pleasure was all mine, Ferrerrio."

In further display of dexterity as well as a multitasking mind, the Ruurian put away his medical equipment while focusing on Karia. "That wound is still going to take some time to heal. Don't remove the patch for at least three days. The database doesn't have much information on how fast your species heals so I can't give a more exact schedule. But that much at least. And the area will be sore for some time after that. I am leaving prescriptions for pain medication as well. You will need those." He tapped commands into a portable readerpad he'd produced and took out a small data chip, which he handed to Eighteen. With nothing to do but fret and pace before, the droid was quite happy to keep a handle on the data chip.

"Oh, and you can lie back now more comfortably. I know you humanoids require comfort in that fashion. The analgesics I've given you will last four at least twelve hours. You won't feel the wound."

"Are you done?" Syan asked, having retrieved his hand after helping Karia to turn over and lie on her back against the pillows.

Phutak nodded and put away the reader pad. "Yes. She does not require any further help from me. Do you?"

"I wasn't injured."

Syan let his hands dangle near his weapons. "I'm going to take you back now. You better not tell anyone about this. You won't be able to hide from me."

Fully composed, the Ruurian walked over to Syan on the bed so he almost reached the bounty hunter's chin. "You do not have to threaten me. I gave you my word as a physician to keep your confidence. That should be sufficient."

Syan sneered, revealing the tips of his fangs. "It isn't. Don't forget what I said."

Muttering something in his own language, Phutak crawled off the bed and over to his waiting medical droid.

Syan turned back to Karia. "Are you okay?"

Karia nodded, obviously exhausted. "Just sleepy."

"A soporific side effect of the medication, my dear," Phutak informed them, unnecessarily.

Syan glanced at the Ruurian to shut him up, and then looked back at Karia. "I'm going to take him back. Eighteen will look after you till I return."

The woman nodded again before closing her eyes.

Eighteen, her ears even more sensitive than Syan's, turned to her master. "I believe she is sleeping now."

"Keep a receptor on her," Syan said, and turned away, nudging Phutak with the side of his boot toward the door. "Let's go."

From his bedroom in the bow of the ship, they had to head aft through the ship, passing through each space until they reached the gantry that was still lowered. The ship's R2 droid was standing guard and rolled out of the way as they approached.

Syan walked the doctor and medical droid down the ramp and toward the speeder he'd stolen to bring them.

"Get in the back," Syan told the droid, waving it into the speeder's small but ample cargo bed. He stooped and picked up Phutak, dumping him in the passenger seat before walking around the front of the vehicle and getting in.

Phutak gripped the edges of the seat with four hands in preparation for a trip back as hectic as the trip to the ship had been.

Syan was in, but didn't drive off immediately. His hand stopped at the ignition switch and he looked at Phutak.

"Is she going to be all right?"

Phutak nodded, which in his body was more serpentine. "Do not be concerned. She will be just fine."

The bounty hunter stared at the doctor for a long time. "You'd better hope you're right."

---

"Mixed Blessings, Part 1"
By: Ferrig Mullerin
Kael Selrid
Raeila Selrid
Talara Sorenne

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

They had left the spaceport and Zion behind. Upon exiting the ship, both Kael and Raeila had been very surprised to see the damage to one section of the spaceport. As they moved away and found a speederbike to rent, Kael found himself concerned for what might have happened while he was away. He sent out feelers through the Force, quickly checking on those closest. He found them, though he was uncertain how to interpret his findings. Nieme and Dani were in New Plouton and happier than he'd ever felt them. Laedra Vorrel was fighting against despondency. A slightly deeper probe through the Force told him that the source of her emotional state was Liam Zaneth. He stretched out even farther, searching for the unique signature that was Liam's. He felt a stab of fear that was quickly quelled when he found absolutely nothing.

He hadn't been too close to Liam, but he should have been able to sense something.

He'd paid the speeder merchant for the rental, and he and Rae had climbed on. With her holding around his waist and clinging tightly to him, he felt a great comfort as they sped through the city, off toward the exit that would lead them into the forest and eventually to the Jedi Temple.

Kael pressed the speeder even faster, much to Raeila's delight, stretching out with the Force to keep them from crashing. The trip from city to Temple was faster than he'd ever made it. Perhaps he had a career as a swoop racer if his life as a Jedi failed.

Instantly after that thought, he felt a calmness that told him that he was where he needed to be. He was a Jedi, and that was the life that he and Raeila would make together. He throttled back as they neared the opening that housed the Temple. With one hand, he covered Rae's and gave a gentle squeeze.

The speederbike came to a stop beside the speeder that Koran Darr usually piloted. He shut down the repulsor drive, and deactivated the power plant. He turned back to Rae and smiled. "We're home, my love," he said softly. "Come on, let's get inside and--" A sensation from within the Temple pulsed at him. Familiar on one hand, and yet altogether alien. His eyes widened in surprise as recognition dawned. "We need to get inside quickly," he said, excitement filling his voice. "Come on, Rae!"

"Why?" she asked uncertainly, though she couldn't help feeling as eager as Kael obviously was. As Kael helped her from the bike, she searched his eyes and asked again, "What is it? What's going on?"

"Nothing bad, I assure you," Kael answered. "Come. I don't want to ruin the surprise." He slipped his hand into hers and started toward the Temple.

Raeila laughed softly as they approached, bouncing gaily in Kael's path to slow him down. "I hate surprises. Can't you just say?"

"You'll love this one," Kael said. "We can run if you'd like, but I can't give this surprise away. It's just inside and down the hall to the left."

Raeila pouted at Kael briefly, then gripped his hand tightly and started into a sprint towards the Temple. Kael stumbled at first, receiving a peal of laughter from Raeila, but his Jedi-enhanced reflexes kicked in quickly enough, and soon the two of them were bursting through the large double doors of the entrance. "We're back, everyone!" she hollered into the hallway, hearing only her voice echoing back at her. "Hello! Where is everyone?"

"They'll find us," Kael said. "Down here. C'mon!" With that, he pulled her along toward the infirmary. As they neared, he saw that the door was wide open. He grinned and hurried past Rae, stopping just past the door to force her to stop in the doorway. He quickly glanced into the room, indicating that she should do so.

Raeila frowned quizzically at Kael. "But...why?" Her eyes gazed into the room, then back to Kael again, but that one glance was enough for her eyes to catch a glimpse of something familiar, yet completely out of place at the Temple. She shifted her focus into the room again, afraid to see again what she thought she'd seen, yet know it was wholly impossible. But, as she stared at the blue-speckled gray eyes, almost like her own, whether it was an illusion or not, she didn't care; why he was sitting on the infirmary bed, grinning at her with that same boyish smile that always made her laugh...it didn't matter.

"Oh gods," she whispered, feeling the tears already cascading down her cheeks. "This isn't-- Oh gods..." Emitting a sound partway between a sob and a shriek of pure joy, Raeila flew into the room with arms opened wide. "Ferrig!"

Slower than he would have been normally, Ferrig managed to get his arms up in time to accept Raeila's hug. He emitted a groan of protest that quickly vanished once he was back in his sister's arms. He felt hot tears streaming down his cheeks, making him realize just how much he'd missed her. "Oh Thana," he whispered. "Oh of all the gods, oh my baby sister!"

Raeila wept against his bare shoulder, and tightened her hold on his waist. In her joy, she was too preoccupied to be startled by how thin and frail he felt; all she wanted to do was hold her brother. "What are you doing here, Ferrig?" she sobbed. "Oh gods...I was so afraid. The desert and the siege... I thought I'd never see you again!"

"After you...after you left, we...the desert was invaded. We were fighting back, and me and Yannick were leading the gangs. They sent a bounty hunter after me, and the bitch managed to catch me. So, I was locked up in that big castle in Arcadia. Jedi Vorrel and Jedi Master Darr found me and got me out. And, they've been...helping me heal."

Raeila sighed with relief after hearing of Ferrig's plight and kissed her brother's tear stained cheek desperately. "I'm so glad you're here. But..." She pulled back slightly, wearing a nervous smile. "You missed it," she said softly.

Ferrig searched her face, hoping to find the answer there. All he saw was her joy, a happiness he hadn't seen in so very long. She looked so different, so healthy and sure of herself. "What?"

Raeila's face brightened considerably and her eyes strayed briefly to Kael, standing in silence at the doorway. "He finally did it," she said with contained glee. "He finally made me Raeila Selrid!"

A grin broke over Ferrig's face and he laughed. "He--? You--? That's great! Congratulations!" He laughed again, louder this time. "I can't think of two people who deserve to be together the way the two of you do. And, look at this guy. He looks just like one of them!"

Kael grinned and looked at his robes and the thin braid that now reached down as far as his shoulder. "I am one of them," he said with a laugh. "And, you're looking good, Ferrig, all things considered."

"You should have seen me a couple days ago."

"I can imagine," Kael said as he slipped an arm around Rae's waist. "It's hard to imagine the three of us together again."

"Is it?" Raeila asked with a raised eyebrow. "Thana is always watching over her children. It was inevitable that she would have reunited us eventually. Oh gods...we have so much to tell you, Ferrig! And show you! Oh, you should see this place. They have water...falling down from rocks! Are you well enough to walk around?"

Ferrig nodded. "Sure," he said. "A little unsteady, but I can move around. Come on, show me this water." He slid himself over to the edge of the bed and reached out for the robe sitting next to it. He was glad that most of the bruising had gone away. "It'll be good to get out. There's this one little girl who keeps coming in and watching me. When I wake up, she talks to me. She's from a place called...uh...Naboo."

"A new student?" Raeila asked, immediately moving to her brother's side and slipping an arm around his waist. "Maybe she's got a crush," she teased.

Kael laughed. "Just don't break her heart," he told his friend. "You really don't want to upset a girl who's learning how to use a lightsaber."

"Funny," Ferrig said. "I think she's just curious about everything. Thankfully, she wasn't curious about what was under the sheet."

Raeila's expression sobered as she considered, now, the faded, purple splotches being concealed by Ferrig's robe. "They hurt you badly, didn't they?" she asked quietly. "Oh gods...why? What do they want from us?"

"They want our home," Ferrig said. "I don't know why, but they wanted to drive us out or kill us, and it didn't matter to them which. I'm afraid for Thanatos. I don't know if it can stand against what they have, even with Thana's protection."

"We--" Raeila sighed and reflexively clung tighter to Ferrig. "We have to help somehow. We can't abandon our brothers and sisters."

"Once I am healthy again, and Jedi Vorrel will let me out of here, I need to go back to help. Maybe you two could come with me. Together, I'm sure we'd be fairly formidable."

"I'll be there," Raeila replied resolutely. She cast her gaze towards Kael, then, the silent question obvious in them. "You don't have to, you know. You have your duty to the Order; that comes first."

"My duty is to help people, including those in the desert," Kael said. "The Jedi need to be out helping, doing our part to aid those the Empire is crushing. I will talk to Master Blair and make certain it is okay for me to be there."

"You mean it?" Raeila smiled lovingly at her husband, supporting Ferrig's right side, and wished she was close enough to kiss him then. "With you there, we'll definitely have a better chance, my arozeil."

Kael smiled and then nodded. "So, have you ever considered immersing yourself in water and just...relaxing? It's really quite decadent."

Ferrig laughed. "Immersing? Is that even allowed?"

Raeila nodded vigorously, giggling at the stunned expression that took hold of Ferrig's face. "Me and Kael have done it lots of times. There's enough for a hundred Kir'Thana to drink for a year!"

"Well, this I'll have to try," he said with an amazed shake of his head. "It almost sounds too good to be true. You really--? Your whole body?"

Raeila slapped a hand over her mouth as she laughed uncontrollably, then managed to whisper through her fingers, "Even naked if you want."

Ferrig shook his head in disbelief. "Not that I have any other clothes I could wear. This place...it's...it's unbelievable. Please remind me why we've always hated the Wetters...because at the moment, it's all cloudy to me."

"Well...there are some nice ones," Raeila said. "There's Zion, that friend who took me in when...well..." She looked away ruefully and sighed. "But...there are still some mean ones. Though, there can be some mean Kir'Thana too." Nieme came to mind immediately.

"People are good or bad on their own, without any help from where they're from or what part of society they belong to," Kael said, in agreement with Rae's statement. "Being out here definitely opens your eyes to those things."

"Being Tarkin's prisoner definitely made me realize that the gangs need to pull together against the common enemy, not each other. We'll drive them out, though. No one invades our homes and gets away with it, Wetter or not."

Raeila smiled at Ferrig with pride, and brushed her fingers over his arm. "No one."

"Come on," Kael said. "Let Raeila and I show you what being a Wetter is all about. Despite all our history, we think that you'll like it."

***

Ferrig stood at the edge of the pool of water, mouth agape. "There's...how's it--? There's so much. Look at how it sparkles in the sunlight. This is...this is amazing. And, we can go into it?"

"If you weren't still recovering, I would've thrown you in by now!" Raeila laughed. "Do you want to go in? Kael and I will come with you."

With a nervous glance at the water, Ferrig frowned slightly. "It's safe, isn't it? I mean, those stories about people dying in water. I'll be alright in there?"

"Well...it is true, but it's not if you stay in the shallow parts. Oh, please, Ferrig?" she pleaded, giving her brother an irresistably sweet smile. "I'll even go first if you're afraid." Without waiting for his reply, she proceeded to unclasp her pants and step out of them. She hoped a little display of flesh would calm his nerves enough to convince him. "Please?" she sang again, gripping the hem of her shirt.

Ferrig watched Raeila's pants flutter to the ground and then at her hands, edging her shirt a little higher with each passing moment. He gave her a smile and made a show of deliberating. "I'm still debating," he said, his eyes still on the edge of fabric exposing more of her beautiful skin.

"Still?" Raeila grinned slyly as she drew the shirt up another inch, just high enough to give Ferrig a view of the curves of her breasts. "How about now?" She folded the fabric back an increment more to reveal the rosy pink areolae of each breast. "And now?"

"Chances are good," Ferrig said, eyes still fixed, "but..."

Kael laughed. "Oh, take the shirt off already so your man-slut of a brother can make up his mind."

Raeila giggled and with one smooth motion had the shirt off and dropping to the ground. "Oh, don't be shy, brother. Just...take a chance. Kael will make sure you don't drown." She placed a kiss on her brother's lips on her way to the resevoir, and once at its edge, she sat down and slipped in.

Ferrig sighed with contentment. Next to him, Kael had finished undressing and was moving toward Raeila. Putting his fears of the water behind him, Ferrig dropped his robe to the ground and followed after his sister and now-brother-through-joining. He sat down as Rae had done and slipped into the water. He kept panic at bay, using the calm that Rae exuded to calm himself. "It's nice," he said.

Raeila laughed softly at her brother and searched for his hand under the water. Once she had it, she gently pulled him towards her. "Just a little farther. See? I can still touch the bottom. It'll be okay."

Her touch was a comfort. Her hand holding his, and now their bodies pressed so close. It made him realize how much he'd missed her, how empty his life had been without his little sister, without his Raeila. "I love you, little sister," he whispered as he let his feet shift him slightly around her. "I'm so sorry for everything before. I'm so sorry for all the pain I caused you. I want to make up for it. I want to make everything between us good again. I want us to be us again."

"But we are," she said softly. Her hands came up to cradle his frighteningly gaunt face and her lips brushed against his, which were rough and scabbed, but still felt so wonderful touching hers. "I never stopped loving you or thinking about you, brother," she whispered. "Everything's forgotten. I love you."

Ferrig's arms slipped around her and he felt tears stinging his eyes again. The water around him was forgotten and now all that mattered was his beautiful sister. "Kael doesn't mind us...you know, does he?"

Raeila smiled reassuringly, but it waned quickly. "I...I don't actually know," she admitted. "We've never really talked about it...." Raeila shifted around to face Kael, with Ferrig still holding her from behind, keeping her close. "Kael... It's Ferrig... I need-- Kael...please?"

Kael turned in the water and glided gracefully toward them. He slowed with his arms and finally kicked his feet down to the bottom of the small lake. "What is it?" he asked, calmly since he detected nothing to indicate trouble. "What is it, my love?"

Raeila was hesitant to meet Kael's gaze and instead watched as her fingers brushed over Ferrig's arms, still wrapped around her waist. "We should've talked about this before," she said quietly. "I just...I didn't know I'd get to see Ferrig again so soon..."

Kael smiled. "You and Ferrig wish to be with each other as you always have been," he said. "When you and I first became involved, you told me about yours and Ferrig's relationship. It took a little time, but I came to accept it. And, now that you and I are married, my love, I am still accepting of it. Though, I would prefer that you spend more time in my bed than in this rogue's." He laughed and shook his head. "It's alright, Rae. I understand as I always have, and I won't try to stop you two from expressing the love that you have always felt for each other."

Raeila laughed with relief and threw her arms open for Kael. "Oh gods, I love you. I love you both!"

Kael slipped easily into Raeila's arms. "I love you too," he whispered. Suddenly, he let out a yelp. "Hey, Mullerin, let go of that. That's hers, not yours!"

Ferrig chuckled softly and released the hold he'd taken, returning his hands to Rae's body instead. "You know, this could get rather steamy out here."

Raeila smiled as she shifted against both men, then sighed at the hardness rubbing against her from either end. "Oh gods...you two have completely no self-restraint."

"That's never been a problem before," they both said in unison.

Snickering, Raeila kissed first Kael, then turned her face to Ferrig's cheek and pressed her lips to it. "Are we really going to do this out here?" she asked, though her smile indicated she wasn't opposed to the idea.

"I think that's the current plan," Ferrig said as he began kissing her throat. He reached down and brought himself to her entrance. "But, perhaps we should move out of the water."

Raeila's eyes fluttered closed while her head fell back onto Ferrig's shoulder. "Maybe we should," she murmured, though her hips felt differently and pushed back against Ferrig's erection. The surge of pleasure was enough to make her cry out and pull Kael tightly to her.

"Or," Ferrig said with a laugh, "we could stay right here."

Before anyone else could respond, on the small hill rising behind them, a giggle could be heard.

Raeila's eyes flashed open and a large smile stretched her lips. "Is that Dani?" She looked out around her, between the trees and above at the crest of the waterfall. "Where is she?"

Kael stretched out and quickly found the presence up behind a small tree. He pointed. "There, and it's not Dani. I think it's Ferrig's young girlfriend."

Ferrig chuckled. "Talara," he said and then looked up in the direction Kael had pointed. "Talara, come on out."

A moment later, a young girl in Jedi robes stepped out from behind the tree and approached slowly. She was still grinning and giggling quietly when she reached the edge of the water. "Hi Ferrig," she said though her gaze was on Kael and Raeila. "You were going to have sex, weren't you?"

"That was the plan," Ferrig said with a laugh. "What were you doing up there spying?"

Tala grinned. "I saw you coming out here, and I wanted to make sure you were safe." She switched her attention from Ferrig to Rae and Kael. "Hi," she said. "I'm Talara."

Raeila squeezed her way past Ferrig and Kael, suppressing a moan as Ferrig's shaft slid out of her. "Hi, Talara," she said with cheeks blushing hotly. Her arms came up around her breasts when she noticed they weren't fully concealed beneath the water. She smiled bashfully at Talara. "You really shouldn't spy, you know. You're too young to see that sort of thing."

"You're very pretty," Talara said, watching Rae. She glanced down at her own chest and back to Rae, feeling her own cheeks darkening. "I'm sorry I was spying. I know that Ferrig was hurt, so I was just making sure he was okay. And, when you started...you know, I...I couldn't look away. You looked really happy."

Raeila waded closer to the edge of the resevoir, smiling at Talara. "That's because we were. Ferrig and I haven't seen each other in a long time... We were just happy to be together again." Once at the edge, Raeila held up a hand to Talara. "I'm Raeila. I'm Ferrig's sister. And I'm married to Kael." As Talara slipped her hand into Raeila's, she winked at the girl and whispered, "And you're very pretty too."

Talara felt herself blush and she looked away. "Thank you," she said bashfully while studying a tree in the distance. "I'm sorry I was spying. I'll...I'll go away if you want me to. That way, you can keep...being happy."

"It's okay," Raeila assured her. "We can always be...happy later. Why don't you come in for a swim?" She giggled and added, "You don't even need a swimsuit."

Talara started working herself out of her robes, though surreptitiously kept her eyes on the other, especially Ferrig. "If you want to, you can. I know about it. Nieme and Dani showed me some things before they left. They made me feel really good, and if you want to feel really good, it's okay."

Raeila's features hardened slightly, but she kept any outward signs of distress from affecting her expression too noticeably. "They...did? They really shouldn't have, Talara. That wasn't right of them. But...as long as you were happy. Were you?"

Talara nodded vigourously. "I know I shouldn't have, but it felt so good. They touched me and kissed me. They wanted to use Kimra, but I wasn't ready. They're gone though. They left the Temple a few days ago." She dropped the last of her clothing next to the rest, and then hurried down into the water. "We can be friends, can't we, Raeila?"

She smiled at the girl, so trusting and accepting, and definitely in need of protection, and nodded readily. "I've never had a friend before really. You can be my first, Talara."

Talara grinned brightly. "Oh thank you," she said. "You can be my best friend, and Ferrig can be my boyfriend when I'm old enough."

Kael laughed and glanced back at his friend. "Looks like she's got it all planned out."

"I guess so," he said. "Never expected I'd find myself a girlfriend at the Jedi Temple."

Raeila laughed gently at the two, then took Talara's hand and motioned her head towards a small island of rocks protruding from the lake. "Let's leave these two alone to discuss your marriage arrangements."

Talara blushed and then nodded. "I never really thought I'd be married, but he definitely looks much nicer out from under that sheet." As they started swimming, she glanced back to where Kael and Ferrig were watching them and giggled. "He's so cute, isn't he?"

"Ferrig?" Raeila smiled fondly and replied, "He is. They both are, but that's not why I love them so much. They're gentle and caring, and they're so fiercely loyal. Even if you don't end up marrying Ferrig," she said with a grin, "you couldn't ask for a better friend."

"It is a long way off, but he has been very nice to me so far," Talara said with another glance back toward the two men. "With my obligations to the Jedi, I don't know if I will be able to marry, but Jedi Selrid has, so perhaps that says I'll be able to too. For now, though, I'll just be content with having him as my boyfriend." She giggled again, as if the thought that she could have a boyfriend was so strange and alien.

Raeila and Talara reached the rocks, and Raeila pressed her back to one, watching what Talara was watching. "Talara?" Raeila asked. "You said that Nieme and Dani were gone before... What did you mean?"

"They left the Temple," the girl answered. "I believe my master, Master Ki'Ayalin, found them with another of the Padawans, and he reported that to the Council. I know that Master Darr spoke with them, and after that they left. I don't believe they were expelled though. Master Ki'Kayalin felt that what they were doing with Aurra went beyond what was allowed to Jedi as far as relationships go. What they did with me would have been as well, though I am uncertain. He, and the others, do not want for the need for sexual gratification to supercede the duties each of us have toward the Order and to the Force."

"I can understand that," Raeila replied, slightly shaken by the news. "Dani was my friend... I can't believe she'd just go off like that without a word. Did...did she say where she was going?"

"They didn't say anything to anyone, including Orn. He's been miserable for days. If I were to guess their motivations, it would be to sneak out so none of the Masters could force them to stay."

Raeila looked down and sighed. She and Dani had gotten close in the short time they'd been together at the Temple, and her departure hurt. "I guess all that mattered to her was Nieme," she muttered. "But she said--" Raeila shook her head, realizing now that Dani's affections had been false. "I guess we know how they really feel about us all, huh?"

"I don't believe that's the case," Talara answered. "I think they mattered much to each other, but I think everyone else mattered to them too, especially to Dani. I always had a sense of... I can't quite put my finger on it with Nieme, but there was something that was slightly...off, in her aura. Perhaps they just felt this was a necessity. You cared for Dani very much, didn't you?"

Raeila chewed her lip to keep it from trembling as tears formed in her eyes, and simply nodded.

"She was very gentle and loving with me, too," Talara said as she put an arm around Raeila. "Maybe we can find her together and visit her. I'd very much like to see her again. There's something about her that's very beautiful. There's an aggressive side to Nieme that Dani doesn't have, and I think that's what really sets them apart."

"Nieme's vicious," Raeila said. "She hated me and deliberately tried to hurt me. But...I deserved it, so I put up with it. Still, I don't know how Dani could stand to be with her."

Talara shook her head and then rested it against Raeila's bare shoulder. "I don't know," she answered. "Perhaps when they are alone together, Nieme isn't vicious, and that's what Dani loves."

Having Talara snuggling her was comforting and natural. Raeila slipped her own arms around Talara's waist and lay her cheek upon the top of the girl's head. "I guess... As long as they're happy, we shouldn't really complain. And besides, now I have you as a friend. That's ample compensation."

Talara grinned. "You're from the desert too? Ferrig was telling me about it yesterday. It sounds very beautiful." She paused for a moment, glanced back to where Kael and Ferrig were sitting and talking, and then looked to Rae again. "Is Ferrig a good size?"

Raeila's eyes widened and she choked on a laugh. "W-What? Size in...what?"

Tala's cheeks went red as she turned her attention elsewhere. "Well, before we swam out here, I saw him beneath the water and he looked really big. Is that how big they're supposed to be? I know that's how babies are made, but...but...I guess seeing it made me feel a little funny. I know that me and Ferrig probably won't be married, but I like him very much. He's been very kind to me."

Raeila chuckled gently and brought a hand up to idly stroked Talara's hair. "Well...he's a good size. But...I don't think you're ready for all that yet, Talara. It's okay to look, but maybe you should wait a little longer before you try to...touch."

Talara giggled. "Oh, I like looking, but I don't think I could touch yet. Kael's very cute too. I think he's the cutest Jedi in the whole Temple. Even cuter than Master Darr!"

"Don't tell me you have a crush on my husband now too!" Raeila laughed. "You're going to be one to watch out for, Tal; I can tell already."

Talara giggled. "Just a small one," she said. "But, he's very cute. I won't steal him away from you though. I couldn't break Ferrig's heart that way."

Raeila laughed boisterously and hugged Talara closer. She hadn't had anything close to a sister before, but she imagined if she did, it would be a lot like what she was sharing now with Talara. "Come on. Let's get out and dry off. Then we can go for a walk and you can talk Ferrig's ears off with professions of love."

Talara grinned and fell into a fit of giggles, that ended up toppling her back into the water. She came up sputtering, but still grinning. "Come on," she called, holding her hands out to Rae.

Clasping the girl's hands and laughing softly to herself, Raeila trudged through the water with Talara to the edge of the resevoir. "I'll get out first so their attention will be on me when you have to slip out," she told Talara. Winking at her new friend, Raeila pulled herself out of the pool of water and motioned for Kael and Ferrig to look away. "Come on, Tal." She held out a hand to Talara and smiled encouragement.

Talara quickly scrambled out of the water and headed toward her Jedi robes.

Ferrig chuckled as he was looking away. "You know, it's not really fair that she gets to see us, but we can't see her."

"Well Talara here knows that less is more," Raeila told him. "Keeping a man in suspense adds to a woman's mystery and appeal. But then again, you two never have been choosy about who you shared your bed with..."

Kael laughed. "The three of us, you mean. We were really bad, though, I think we're getting better...and more choosy who we share ourselves with. Though, now that Ferrig and Talara are an item..."

"Don't you talk down on my girlfriend, pakra," Ferrig said with a laugh. He turned his head and caught a flash of skin from Tala. He smiled as he regarded the girl, and realized that over the last couple days he'd been talking to her, he'd developed a fondness for her. The realization that he could see himself and Talara together as a couple was a surprise, but far from an unpleasant one.

"Now, now, boys," Raeila sang as she bent low to retrieve her shirt. "Watch your language. You're in the company of ladies now. It's not difficult to offend our sensibilities. If you were gentlemen at all, you'd know that." Grinning at them both, she straightened up again and pulled her shirt on over her wet torso, finding that the thin fabric clung considerably to her damp flesh. She imagined Ferrig and Kael would easily find appreciation for that.

Both men were watching Rae, Ferrig with an eyebrow raised and Kael with a slight grin on his face. "In the desert, they don't teach us how to properly treat a lady," Kael said.

"However," Ferrig continued, "we will certainly accept any advice you may have on the type of behaviour we should be exhibiting." Talara had pulled her robe closed around her and held the rest of her clothing in a bundle. She was watching them, specifically him, and he gave her a smile that sent a flurry of colour into her cheeks.

Raeila laughed softly at the young girl and said to the two men, "Well...that works." After slipping on her pants, Raeila slung her arm across Talara's shoulders and ushered her towards the forest. "Let's leave them alone to talk about us," she said, loud enough for both Kael and Ferrig to hear. "It's what men do." She threw them both a wink over her shoulder, then grinned and disappeared into the foliage with Talara.

---

"Mixed Blessings, Part 2"
By: Ferrig Mullerin
Kael Selrid
Raeila Selrid
Talara Sorenne

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Tala grinned up at Raeila and quickly glanced back to catch one final glance at Ferrig before the leafy cover concealed him completely. Her cheeks reddened again and she couldn't stop her giggling. "He's so... I really like him, Raeila!"

"You know," she said in disbelief, "I really think he likes you too."

Talara's eyes widened. "He does? Oh, that would be so great if he did. Do you think he'd like to go for a walk in awhile? We could walk through the forest together, all of us! It'd be like those double-date things. You and Kael, and me and Ferrig. Do you think he'd want to...to...hold my hand?"

Raeila chuckled and hugged Talara to her. "Perhaps. But...wouldn't your master disapprove, Tal?"

"I don't think he would disapprove of me holding his hand, or even having him as my boyfriend. But, if it starts to interfere with my training, then he wouldn't be happy. I can't let it interfere. Ferrig will understand, won't he?"

"Well...maybe you should find out first if this is what he wants, Tal, before you get your hopes up." She saw the girl's smile quickly reverting to a frown, so Raeila added, "He's very preoccupied right now. Our home is under attack, our friends dying... He's really worried about them and I think his main priority right now is to find a way to free them. But...that doesn't mean you can't hold his hand still."

Talara's frown disappeared as quickly as it had come. "I want to help him," she whispered. "I'll hold his hand and...and I can help him with his home. I may not be very old, but I've been training to be a Jedi for my whole life. Do you think he'd accept my help, Raeila? I can be very helpful."

"He might not," she replied gently. "He doesn't want anymore innocent people hurt, Tal. He'd worry too much about you if you were there. I think he'd want you here, where it's safe. But...you can always ask him." The smile Raeila gave Talara indicated that doing so would certainly be a good way to spend some time alone with Ferrig.

"I'll talk to him," Talara said excitedly. "I can be very helpful. Master Ki'Ayalin says that I'm doing very very good, and that it shouldn't be long before I'm a full Jedi. And, it'll give me the chance to make sure that Ferrig stays safe too." Her face reddened again. "Especially if we're going to get married someday."

Raeila laughed with pure amusement and said, "One thing at a time, dear Tal. There's still plenty of time for that."

"One thing at a time," Talara echoed. "He wants to go back to the desert, doesn't he? He wants to leave the Temple."

Sighing, Raeila nodded. "It's his home-- Our home. We're Kir'Thana, Tal. The desert's in our blood and without it...we'd lose a part of ourself. He has to go back. He has to."

Talara nodded. "Are you going to be leaving too? To return to the desert?"

"Maybe someday," Raeila replied quietly. "Kael has to finish his training here. After that...I don't know."

Talara nodded again. "I hope we can still be friends," she said softly, and looked back to where Kael and Ferrig were sitting on rocks and talking. She heard Kael laugh and clap Ferrig on the back. Through the Force, she detected slight embarrassment from Ferrig. The touch of his emotions through the Force warmed her in ways she couldn't explain, and she quickly broke off the contact. "I'd miss you all terribly if you left."

"But you barely know us," Raeila laughed. "If you did, I doubt you'd miss us that much." Her expression sobered quickly as she thought back to all she'd done in her life, things that were not so noble and definitely nothing to be proud of. "If you knew, Tal, I don't think you'd want to be my friend," she whispered.

"I know the people I have just met, who I have been spending the last hour with, and who have offered me friendship that I have never found in my life. I am a Jedi, and I can sense nothing from any of you that would make me not wish to have you as my friends. You're not saying you don't wish to be my friend anymore, are you?"

"Oh, not at all!" Raeila replied rapidly. "That's not what I meant, Tal. It's just... I did some bad things in the desert. If you knew about them, I doubt you'd want to be my friend."

"And, I know that you are incorrect," Talara answered with a smile. "I can see and feel who you are now. I know that whatever you have done in your past is your past. I know that whatever you have done, you have put that behind you. That is how you and Kael can be together."

"It's only because I'm his arozeil," she explained. "We love each other no matter what. That's the only reason we're together."

"I can feel the good in you," Talara answered. "It outweighs whatever darkness remains. Ferrig is the darkest of the three of you, but with each passing moment, his inner light shines even brighter, bringing him farther from the darkness and pain that has dominated his life."

Raeila smiled down at the girl. "That probably has a lot to do with you, you know. And this place. It changes people...for the better, in most cases. Although I know he'll want to return to Thanatos, I do hope he decides to stay."

The sound of snapping branches underfoot sounded, and Kael and Ferrig could be seen pushing through the foliage. Kael was wearing only his trousers and Ferrig had his robe wrapped around him once more. He smiled at the beaming smile that Talara gave him. "We were wondering what the two of you were talking about out here," Kael finally said. "So, we decided to come and investigate."

"We were just talking about things," Tala answered as her gaze switched back and forth between Ferrig and Kael. Ferrig had come to a stop nearly a meter from her, and she edged closer until she'd closed most of the distance. "Raeila was telling me about the desert and how the three of you came from there and how you want to free it. I want to help you. I want to help you make your home safe again." Without realizing she'd done it, she slipped her arms around Ferrig. Surprisingly, one of Ferrig's arms slipped around her as well, and she felt a joyous warmth blossom within her.

Ferrig glanced down at the girl he suddenly found in his embrace and was at once both confused and happy. She had a spark of life like he'd only ever found in his sister, and it confused him. Usually when he'd found himself attracted to someone, it was from the core of his sexuality, but he'd never felt an attraction of this sort before. It was like when she looked at him, or he at her, there was...a connection. He wanted to protect her and hold her close, to keep her within his embrace and never let her go. What's happening to me, he thought as he gazed down at the thirteen year old girl in his arms, who held herself so comfortably against him with her eyes closed. He wanted to pull away, and found himself unable to...not because of any compulsion on Talara's part, but on the part of his own heart.

Kael watched Ferrig and Talara, knowing that something good was happening between his best friend and this young, Jedi apprentice. He smiled and quickly shifted his gaze to Rae.

She smiled excitedly in return and moved to Kael's side to wrap her arms around his waist. "I think somebody's got a crush," she whispered to him. "I just can't decide which."

"I think it's safe to say both," Kael answered. "They do make a cute couple, don't they?"

"They do," she replied, "but...I don't think we should let it go too far. Ferrig's desert-bred. He's my brother, I know, but in something like this, I don't think I trust him."

"What do you think will happen?" Kael asked softly. "I don't sense anything...dangerous, in the two of them, Rae. Do you think Ferrig will want too much from her? More than she can give?"

"He's a Kir'Thanan, Kael," she told him, as if it explained everything. "How many Kir'Thana do you know who think with something other than their dongas when a pretty girl enters the room?"

Kael glanced back to where Ferrig and Tala were still cuddling. She was giggling softly against something he was saying. He glanced back at Rae and raised an eyebrow. "Is that the Ferrig you know?" he asked with a grin. "At the moment, he's got himself tucked away. I have a feeling if he tries anything she doesn't approve of, she'll let him know. Still, it wasn't very long ago, when the Kir'Thana were still a tribal community, and girls her age were married off and starting families. Things have changed, but if she's ready for it... I don't get the sense that we need to worry. Just look at them, love. When was the last time you saw your brother being...cute, with a girl?"

Raeila grudgingly looked upon them again, and found herself laughing softly. "Actually...this is the first time. I guess we'll just have to watch them, won't we? Besides, he'll no doubt end up treating her like another sister." She noted Kael's raised eyebrow and rolled her eyes. "Okay, bad example, all things considered, but you know what I mean."

"Give her a few years, and she might be ready for that," Kael answered. "But, she's not ready for that. Thankfully, I think we're all aware of that, and that will keep him from taking things too far. Though, she is surprisingly mature for someone of her age. I have a feeling it comes with the training."

"Like you?" Raeila kissed her husband's cheek tenderly. "I think it's this place. It brings out the good in people."

"There is something very special here," Kael said. "I mean, look at you. And, Ferrig too. There's something very good here, something that...opens us."

"Most of us," she corrected. "Not Nieme. She hated me. But...she's gone now so it doesn't matter. I don't have to worry about her snarling at me anymore."

"I don't know what happened to her," Kael said. "I don't think it was what I did to her. I think it was something else, something outside of all of the events. Though, perhaps it is all tied together. There is a darkness in her, and I fear it. I fear for her." He sighed and shook his head. "We have each other though, and we have Ferrig again. Though, with his new love, I can only imagine what it'll be like with the four of us here." He glanced over to find Ferrig kissing Tala's forehead, and her reaching up as high as she could to kiss his chin. "He's changed so much. His time in custody, and his time here. Look at him." He smiled at glanced at Rae. "He does love her; I can feel it."

"So soon?" Raeila asked, though her lips wore a large, beaming smile. "Well then...we'd better make sure her Master doesn't disapprove too strongly about it." She gazed up at Kael, then nestled her head beneath his chin. "Come on. They can catch up to us."

With a grin, Kael slipped his hand into Raeila's and started back along the path with her. "It's good to be back," Kael said. "Even with all the trouble, I'm glad we're here again. It's good to be home."

"We should probably tell everyone we're here. Though...after our walk." She sighed happily as she and Kael lazily strolled through the forest, watching the beams of sunlight throw patches onto the rich soil below. After a time, she asked, "You're okay with my being with Ferrig again, aren't you? You...seemed a little hesitant at first."

Kael smiled. "I am," he said. "Especially if it helps to keep his donga under control, and away from Talara. Though, you'll need to be careful with him. Since we're trying to have a baby, we don't want any accidents."

Raeila raised her head abruptly and gasped. "Oh gods...I'd almost forgotten! It's a good thing we never went through with it then... He can always get protection. So...aside from that, is everything okay?"

Kael smiled and nodded. "Yes," he said. "Everything is fine. Though, I was looking forward to the three of us together. It's a good thing that Talara let us know where she was when she did, or that could have been rather...embarrassing."

"Or a very informative lesson for her," Raeila added. "We'll have to be more careful, especially with her following Ferrig around. Nieme and Dani have already shown her enough as it is."

Kael sighed. "Well, hopefully they didn't show her too much. Fortunately, I think she has the maturity to be able to handle it, so if something happens it won't be as bad as it could be. But, yes, we should be careful. We'll also have to be careful with you and Ferrig being together if she does begin to seriously look at the relationship they have together. We don't want your association with Ferrig to cause a problem between Talara and Ferrig. But, I think only time will tell."

"I'm not giving him up," Raeila said more harshly than she'd intended. "No one truly understands the bond we have. We need each other, just as much as I need you, Kael."

"I understand that, Rae," he said. "But, she might not. I'm just saying that we should be careful, and we'll probably have to talk to her."

Raeila sighed and nodded her head. "I'll talk to her...once she and Ferrig are through." She turned her face up towards his and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We should head back to the Temple. I imagine we'll have to tell them we're back sooner or later."

Kael nodded. "Yes, though, perhaps a little more time alone first. Though, you should talk to her before things get too far ahead. They're coming this way now, a nice leisurely walk. How romantic."

Raeila elbowed Kael playfully in the ribs and chuckled at him. "Not romantic. They're friends until I've had a word to both of them." She shrugged out of Kael's embrace and waved at Ferrig and Talara, calling the young girl over. "I'll only steal her away for a moment, dear, sweet, charming brother."

Ferrig and Talara exchanged a look, and then he took the bundle of clothing still in her arms, while she skipped on ahead to meet up with Raeila. She wore a wide happy grin, and was bouncing from foot to foot with excitement.

Raeila greeted her friend with an embrace, then slipped an arm around the girl's waist and steered her away from Ferrig and Kael, but not before giving her husband a pointed look. "Talk to him," she mouthed.

Kael gave her a nod, and then slung an arm over Ferrig's shoulders.

Talara glanced back at Ferrig and gave him a quick wave. Ferrig, with a wide grin, gave her a wave back. Tala giggled and quickly turned around, blushing profusely.

"You really do like him," Raeila observed. "And...do you think he feels the same way, Tal?"

"I think he does," Talara answered. "He's very nice to me, and he tells the funniest jokes. He likes me very much. When we were back there...he said...he said I was a...a thirania tsitsua."

Raeila smiled slowly, scarcely believing such an endearment had come from her own brother's mouth. "That's...that's a flower from our home. It's a wild, desert flower and it blossoms only once in a long, many years. To find one is a rare thing, and those who have seen one say it's the most beautiful, spectacular site they've ever witnessed, and it's said that to pluck it from its roots is the greatest sin anyone can ever commit. Only the worthy can do so, and once it's in their possession, it's said that their lives will be filled with such happiness, such joy, that nothing else in the galaxy will seem to matter but that flower." She sighed, then added with slight surprise, "I'd say he's pretty taken with you."

The blush suffusing Talara's cheeks seemed to deepen. "Oh wow," she whispered, and then glanced back at him and then up to Raeila. "I don't know of any really nice things like that to say to him. But, he did say that he's one of the luckiest guys in the whole galaxy, because...because most people never see any let alone one. But, he has found two."

Any flattery Raeila would have normally felt at Ferrig's sentimental utterances was far overshadowed by the uncomfortable topic she definitely needed to speak to Talara about. Veering her from the path and into an adjacent copse, Raeila stepped in front of Talara and bent low to stare the girl directly in the eye. "Before you go any further with him, Tal...there's something important you should know. You might not like it...but I thought I should tell you."

Talara nodded, noting the distress Raeila felt.

"You--" She sighed and considered keeping it all a secret until she was certain Ferrig's intentions were to seriously court Talara, but she knew she already had her answer to that. "Talara...you know Ferrig and I are siblings. And...our relationship is an...unconventional one." Raeila paused and searched Talara's eyes, hoping she wouldn't have to spell it out further than that. "Do you understand yet, Tal?"

"You and Ferrig have sex with each other," Talara answered, almost shyly. "When I was watching, he started to...but I interrupted. I'm sorry, Raeila. I didn't mean to stop him from.... If you want to, you can. It's alright with me. I don't want to be in the way, especially since Ferrig and I can't be together in that way yet. I imagine I would only frustrate him..."

"Oh, no, you wouldn't," Raeila assured her. "I mean...if a man really cares for a woman, he'd wait forever for her. You don't have to apologize either. Yes, Ferrig and I share our bodies with one another, but it's very complicated. We...had a very difficult childhood, and being with each other was one of the ways we comforted one another. It's the same way still, I suppose. I just...I wanted to tell you before you and Ferrig went too far. I didn't want you hurt."

Talara nodded slowly as she worked to comprehend what she was being told. "I understand," she said. "And, if you and Ferrig still are together, then I am understanding and it's alright for me. You are my friend, and I trust you. I also trust Ferrig's feelings for me, and I know what I mean to him. I think. But, it's okay. I don't know how long it will be before I would be comfortable sharing myself with him, but...I think I love him. It's only been a few days, but it feels so right when we talk or when I'm with him. You're his other desert flower, and it wouldn't be right for him to neglect you for me, or me for you."

Raeila smiled warmly at Talara and pulled the girl into an embrace. "I'm glad you understand," she whispered. "And I promise, if Ferrig does love you back, you'll get your chance to be with him someday. Don't rush; just concentrate on giving your love time to blossom."

Talara giggled. "We need to find him some clothes," she said as she glanced back to where Kael and Ferrig were sitting and talking. "All he has is that robe, and...and I think he'd be happier with a nice pair of clothes."

Raeila snickered as she looked back at her brother, then regarded Talara again with a knowing grin. "He would...but what about you? Hm?"

Talara giggled even harder and found herself blushing. "I think if he were wearing pants, it would be less of a temptation to try to peek underneath."

Both girls broke into shrill laughter and Raeila held her new friend in a firm embrace. After kissing Talara's burning cheek, Raeila pulled back and grinned. "Come on. Let's go join the men. I think they've had plenty of time to talk about us."

"Do you really think I'm too young to watch?" Talara asked as she and Raeila walked back toward Kael and Ferrig.

Raeila made a show of thinking it over, then chuckled and shook her head. "Just a tad."

Talara giggled and then looked down at her bare feet. "I don't think Master Ki'Ayalin would like me peeking either," she said. "Though...I am curious. It will have to wait though. When I am ready..."

Kael and Ferrig had stood up and were starting toward them, when Tala charged forward and leapt up into Ferrig's arms. Her clothes, that he'd been carrying, scattered everywhere, but she remained firmly affixed in his embrace. She grinned up at him, and he returned it. "I guess I should get those," she said with a sheepish look.

"I'll get them," Kael said as he bent down to pick up Talara's things, glancing up at Rae with a questioning eyebrow.

"Young love," she sighed. "We could try to stop them if we wanted, but I doubt it'd work."

Kael laughed. "I think seeing Ferrig like this is great," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen him this relaxed. Time away from the desert and time here has really helped. Time with Tala can only make it all the more better. So, how is she with the situation?"

"Surprisingly understanding. She's very mature for her age." Stepping forward, she called out to the two and gestured for them to follow. "Ferrig needs his rest if he's gonna keep up with you, Tal."

"I can stay with Ferrig in the infirmary. Master Vorrel has been teaching me some first aid, and I've been helping Ferrig."

Uncharacteristically, Ferrig blushed. "She has been," he said with a laugh. "She's learning quickly."

"That way you can go and get settled back in the Temple," Talara suggested. "And, you can come visit later."

Raeila laughed and held up her hands defensively as she said, "Okay, I get the picture. You two can have your time alone." She cautioned Ferrig with a single glance to behave himself with Talara, then re-joined Kael and started towards the Temple.

Kael glanced back at Talara and Ferrig, and they were moving ahead slowly, and it appeared that Ferrig was telling her a joke. He shook his head and chuckled. "Well, it looks like they're behaving so far," he said. "We'll keep a close watch on them, but I think she'll be a very good influence on him."

"If the change I see in him is her doing, then she's definitely a good influence." Shaking her head slightly ruefully, Raeila muttered, "I hardly recognize him."

"What's wrong?" Kael asked, slipping his arm around her. "Too much of a change for you?"

"Not a bad change," she explained, "just...a big one. I just don't want this to create a rift. I don't want to lose my brother, Kael."

"And, he doesn't want to lose his sister," Kael said. "You don't have to worry, Rae. We didn't only talk about Talara when we were talking. He was worried about the marriage and how it would affect his time with you. I assured him that I know what you two mean to each other, and nothing will keep you apart, not me, not Tala, not the entire galaxy. Your brother is still there, he's just changed, just as I have, just as you have. I imagine the Feltreys would think we've gone soft, but I think we've just found a new strength."

"But I don't wanna stand in their way," she told him. "I've got you, and he has the chance to be with someone too. I'm afraid I'll ruin that for him."

"Let's just see how things go," Kael said softly. "I think it's too early to worry about ruining it. They've still got a long time before they reach a point where they become intimate. You did talk to Talara, and she was accepting. That's as much as we can do for now. Now, let's go make sure our room is still intact, and let the others know we're back. We'll let your brother continue to fall further in love with his new, underage flower."

Raeila suppressed a grimace and nestled her head to Kael's chest with a gentle whimper. The truth was, she wasn't in the least worried about standing between Ferrig and Talara; it was the reverse that unsettled her, and that was that she would lose her brother to the sweet nymph he was now holding in his arms. They needed each other, always had, but now it seemed Ferrig had found a replacement, and as happy as she was that he had a chance to find love, Raeila was also bitterly resentful that it was with someone not herself. A perfect homecoming it was turning out to be indeed.

---

"Fortunate Discoveries"
By: Yelara Kandran
Tiala [NPC+]
Oot Kovan [NPC+]

Location: Dargus' Cruiser
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

It wasn't often Yelara found a moment for herself, especially considering Dargus was spending an inordinately large amount of time hovering around her recently. She was rousing his suspicions, as much as she attempted to give him the impression all was well. He was a Force sensitive and her thoughts and emotions were easily read. It was a wonder he hadn't already discovered her duplicity, or perhaps he hadn't simply as a consequence of how truly in love with her he was. He was not a stupid man by any means, but even he was capable of becoming blinded by his emotions. She relied on that to keep her safe long enough to save Liam.

Dargus' Master had recalled him again today, which meant she had to make her move now, or the chance might never come around again. As their new Empress, the guards allowed her access to almost every section of the cruiser, excluding some even she was barred from entering, but they didn't matter; all she needed was a computer terminal and a little time to get a message out to the Temple.

With her technical background, it didn't take much to mask her transmission and its source, if someone did manage to detect it and attempt to trace it back to her. Dargus worshipped her for her beauty, but he never did give her talents much credit. That was one thing that would be part of his downfall.

The thought of that gave Yelara pause, much to her surprise and chagrin. There were moments when she found herself adoring Dargus, tender moments when he wasn't the man she'd hated for so long. He wasn't completely a monster, and the human part of him came through sometimes. That it was still somewhere inside of him made her task more difficult. If she had a little more time, she could save him, she could draw the good out from beneath the evil and change him. You can do both, she assured herself. *Save Liam and Dargus. You can do it, Yel.*

With renewed confidence, Yelara proceeded forward with her plan and hopped onto the first useable signal she came across. It was a standard sensor wave and would easily mask her transmission. It would have, however, if someone hadn't already been using it.

Yelara took a reflexive step back from the terminal as the face of Oot Kovan filled her screen. The Twi'lek was nodding pensively as she listened to the voice on the other side...from within Dargus' cruiser. Yelara didn't recognize the woman's voice, considering the static that was interfering with the message, but she had other methods of determining the source.

Hastily, Yelara searched through the maze of computer subroutines and hidden pathways, weaving her way around trapdoors meant to alert Dargus' men to any intruder in his computer system. Whoever it was sending the signal, they were proving crafty, but not enough for Yelara. She tracked the signal eventually and found its source. Calling up a map of the cruiser, she isolated the terminal being used, and after severing her connection to the transmission and hiding all trace of her attempt, she made her way to the culprit's location, one who would hopefully turn out to be an ally too.

***

"Don't worry," Tiala said into the comm, "I'm always extremely careful. And, they haven't caught me yet, and my precautions keep getting more cautious."

"Just make certain you get me that information," Oot Kovan answered. "I want to arrange a meeting with the Jedi soon, and any intelligence data I can bring will help my cause."

"I'll have it for you," the young spy answered. "I'll report again at the normal time. I've been on too long already, I have to sign off."

"Good luck, Tiala."

With that, Tiala shut down the board and cleared all traces of her presence. She had to get back to her room before she was missed. She turned and started toward the door, only to be brought up short by a woman watching her warily from the doorway. Tiala's heart sank as she realized she'd just been caught by none other than Dargus' wife. "I can explain," she said softly.

Yelara raised her eyebrows at the girl and sauntered forward with arms crossed beneath her bosom. Her heeled shoes clacked ominously against the marbled surface, and her long gown rustled as she moved. "Do explain, Tiala," she said coolly. "I really would like to hear the explanation you contrive. I imagine it would have to be a good one. You have practiced it, haven't you? In case a situation like this arose? So what is it?" She halted and grinned. "Ah, yes...you were spying for Dargus and making it seem as if you were really a spy for Oot Kovan. You were doing him a favour, right? And if he did find out, you would simply say that it was your gift to him, but you hadn't intended for him to find out so soon. Is that it, dear Tiala?"

Tiala took a step back away from Yelara. "I was spying for Oot Kovan, but not giving her the information she wanted. Life's too good here, and it's easy to mislead Kovan. If I didn't report to her, don't you think she'd begin to get suspicious? It's much better to keep her unwary."

Yelara studied the woman's face, not certain whether this was the story to believe, and hoping it wasn't. "And Dargus knows all about this, I imagine." She smiled coldly and continued forward. "What are Ms. Kovan's plans then? I'll be sure and pass on the information to Dargus for you."

"Dargus doesn't know about this yet," Tiala answered. "And, I don't know her ultimate plans, only that it involves the Jedi."

"Odd," Yelara mused, stopping directly before the woman now. "You're doing this to aid Dargus, yet he has no knowledge of it? Would it not make more sense to work with Dargus instead of having to sneak around in order to do your duty to him?"

"How do you think Dargus would react if he thought, even for a moment, that my aims were not completely loyal to him? However, I guess it's all for nothing now that his wife has caught me. You'll tell him no doubt, and my death is assured."

"And what if I tell you I'm not going to tell him?" Yelara smiled serenely at the woman as she idly ran Tiala's fiery locks through her fingers. "What if, my dear," she whispered, leaning in closer, "I make a deal with you instead."

Tiala watched warily and finally, nodded slowly. "What deal?" she asked hesitantly.

"You're interested then," Yelara surmised. She chuckled lowly and moved around the woman, running her fingers along Tiala's chest as she slipped behind her. "I need help," she whispered, her lips brushing Tiala's cheek. "I know what you are, Tiala. You're not a spy for Dargus; you're a spy for Oot. Don't worry...I won't say a word."

Tiala nodded. "I have been the whole time," she said softly. "You want to stop Dargus? He plans to do...bad things. If he goes through with his plan, it'll be bad for the women of Tae'Karada. He was talking about making the *equadi* mandatory attire for all women, and a woman not wearing hers could be thrown into prison or enslaved...unless of course she was wearing nothing at all. He can't go through with it...he can't turn Tae'Karada into that..."

"Is that all you're worried about, Tiala?" The hand stroking the woman's hair tightened into a fist around a handful of the red curls. "Don't screw with me," Yelara hissed. "That's nothing compared to what he'll do once he's on that throne. He'll kill the Jedi and the planet will be defenseless. It won't matter by then whether he forces you to wear equadi or walk around naked; we'll all be doomed. Now tell me the truth, Tiala: Why are you really doing this?"

"I work for Oot Kovan," Tiala answered. "She wanted someone to watch over Dargus, and Dargus happened to take a liking to me. If he does get control, it will be bad. He'll kill everything he can. And...I really hate those dresses. I'm not a fighter, but I know how to watch and listen, and then report back what I find. I'm here to help Oot, and to play my part in stopping him."

"And what of the Jedi?" Yelara asked. "They're part of the plan to bring down Dargus? Do they yet realize we have one of their own captive on this ship?"

Tiala's eyes widened in shock. "How can--? There can't--! I wasn't aware," she finally said. "Since he took you as a wife, getting information from him has been difficult. To tell the truth, just seeing him has proven to be quite the enterprise. But, I do manage."

Yelara smiled slowly and gently released her hold on Tiala's hair. "He's been with you? And others, I imagine?" She nodded thoughtfully as she came around to face Tiala again. "Well...he's not the only one who can keep secrets. But...can you, Tiala?"

"I can," Tiala answered. "I kept my presence here a secret, and I will gladly keep any secret you wish me to."

"And you will contact Oot Kovan with this information if I provide it to you?"

"If that's what you want me to do, then yes I will. Whatever I can do to help you."

Yelara chuckled throatily and cupped the woman's chin in her hand. "Oh, so willing... I imagine that's why Dargus likes you as he does." She pulled away abruptly and spun on her heel, the skirt of her dress twisting around her slender legs, then billowing out again as began pacing the length of the small room restively. After a few, tense moments, she stopped and whirled around to again face Tiala. "You must tell Oot Kovan that Dargus is holding Liam Zaneth captive. Tell her--" Yelara paused, realizing the cold reception she'd given Oot at her wedding might make the Twi'lek less willing to aid her. She hoped Oot was far less stubborn than she was. "I need her help," she whispered. "I need the Jedi. Dargus is getting anxious to do away with him. I fear I can't protect Liam for much longer."

"As soon as I can get a message out," Tiala answered, "I will. I should have another window in a few hours, and I can get a message to her. We'll get the help we need; Oot will see to it."

"Good." Yelara sighed. "You'd better be more careful next time. I tapped into your signal accidentally. Imagine if there was someone who was actually seeking to track down your transmission."

"I'll re-scramble the signal," Tiala said with a frown. "It should have been transparent, but I'll recheck my codes and make sure I'm completely invisible."

"I can help," Yelara offered, "but I have to pay Liam a visit before Dargus returns. And Tiala...I know I don't have to tell you to keep word of this from everyone. It's not only my life that's at stake if you talk; you'd be killing Liam and my son as well...not to mention yourself."

"I won't breathe a word to anyone," the young woman answered. "I've seen your child, I've seen you, and I couldn't do anything to hurt either of you, especially with how highly Oot speaks of you."

Yelara laughed softly in disbelief. "She does? I mean...after our last meeting..." She sighed contentedly. "She's a good friend. You will tell her that the next time you speak, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Tiala answered. "And, I think regardless of the last meeting, she's always considered you a friend and ally...though she couldn't figure out your association with Kandran."

"Tiala," Yelara sighed, "neither can I right now." Giving the woman a smile of encouragement for the task ahead, Yelara turned and made her way to the door. She paused in the doorway briefly and shot a "good luck" over her shoulder at Tiala, then she soundlessly slipped out.

Tiala breathed a heavy sigh of relief, thankful to have not been caught and to have an ally. Maybe this wouldn't be quite so difficult now. Maybe with Yelara's help, she could get Oot the information she needed. Maybe...

---

"Hope, Part 1"
By: Merrick Braston
Maeren Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston

Location: The Tregat Residence - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Maeren Shivral couldn't remember ever feeling as miserable as she did rushing toward the home she shared with Merrick and Kaysa. She'd spent an hour showering this morning, showering away the remnants of the previous night. Dani had watched her the entire time, silently observing. As she climbed out of the shower, her young, purple friend kissed her and then handed her the bundle of her clothing. A whispered profession of love lingered along with the gentle flower scent as Dani disappeared back into the other room.

The first half of the trip home had been spent crying. A quick stop in a public refresher cleared away the remnants of that, but her insides were still twisted and churning. As she hit the walk outside the house, the sense of dread deepened, and she almost turned away.

If she just ran, wouldn't everything be safe again? Flee everything, and...and it'd be like leaving a part of herself behind.

She continued forward, through the door and into the house. She'd expected them to be waiting at the door, ready to yell and scream at her absence. But, all she heard was laughter in the distance. It was Merrick and Kaysa for certain, and she thought she heard Zale too. With a quizzical smirk, Shiv went in search of the source of revelry.

"Look at her!" Kaysa's voice, thick with laughter, said from the living room. "Oh, watch out, Zale! I think she likes your hair." She shrieked and when Shiv stepped into the doorway, Kaysa was gently prying a ball of white fur from Zale's braids while Merrick was rolling on his back upon the ground, seized with a fit of breathless laughter.

"Oh, my love," Kaysa exclaimed, chuckling in between, "I think you've found yourself a new girlfriend."

A soft mewling sound came from the furball now in Kaysa's hands as a paw batted at Zale's hair. The wheezing noises Merrick was making indicated that he was running low on air and would have to resume breathing again soon. Without the little beast clinging to his hair, Zale was again free to laugh, marvelling at how something so small and cute could inspire such joy and laughter.

"Oh," Shiv cried when she saw the furry face peeking out from Kaysa's hands. "So cute! Oh, when did you get her?"

Kaysa's face took on an expression of utter relief when she saw Shiv, and after taking in a deep, soothing breath, she replied, "We didn't. It was delivered here about half an hour ago." She ran her fingers through the reisakitty's downy coat as she cradled it to her chest, then added, "It came with a message attached. It's on the table over here...for you."

"For me?" Even as she was turning and rushing toward the table, an image of Keeve's beaming smile filled her mind's eye. "Oh, he didn't!" She snatched up the message and read through it quickly. "Oh, he did!" She spun back around and rushed toward where Kaysa stood cooing at the kitty nuzzling her oversized nightshirt, and chewing on the corner of a sleeve. "She's so beautiful...oh, and so soft! Keeve sent it! He said...he said he's gonna try to come back today. Oh..."

"He commed here last night," Kaysa said, looking displeased. "He asked if he could speak with you, and I had to lie to him, to my own son, and tell him you were fast asleep." She sighed softly and held the kitten out to her. "She needs a name. You should be the one to give it to her."

Shiv accepted the little white reisakitty and smiled into her fuzzy face. Inside, however, the torment returned full force. She couldn't say anything; she had to endure this on her own. She'd make it. She'd be strong. She'd get through this and figure out a way to make all of her loved ones safe again. She kissed the cute little kitty's brow and felt tears stinging her eyes. "Hope," she whispered with a smile. "I want to call her Hope."

"A perfectly sentimental name," Kaysa quipped. Her stern features softened as she smiled and slipped an arm around Shiv's waist. "I would've expected nothing less from you."

Shiv smiled at Kaysa and rested her head on Kaysa's shoulder while Hope clung to her. "It's a good name, isn't it? She's our little, white, fuzzy ball of hope."

Kaysa nuzzled Shiv's hair with her lips and finally pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Hope for what, my love?" she asked softly. "Hope that you'll get all your wedding plans figured out by tomorrow?"

Shiv grinned. "Yes," she said. "Oh, I have to get a dress today. And...so many plans. But, just for everything. For peace, and happiness, and that we can all live together. I hope that Lerrah comes home safe and sound soon. I hope that psychotic old fart leaves the planet before he blows it up. I hope that you and Keeve can be friends." She looked up into Kaysa's eyes and smiled. "And, I think that's happening, Kaysa. I think he's starting to like you again! And, I hope--" That I can survive Neron and Qual without losing anyone I love...or myself. "I hope that we get everything we've ever hoped for."

"Like little reisakitties that are as in love with Zale's hair as he appears to be?" She grinned over her shoulder at her playfully scowling husband, then tightened her hold on Shiv's waist and steered her towards the kitchen. "Come on, we'll discuss everything. I've never had a conventional wedding before that required planning, but I'm sure I can be of some use to you."

Shiv giggled and resettled Hope against her chest as they disappeared, leaving Merrick and Zale behind. "It has to be perfect," Shiv said once they were in the kitchen. She grabbed a bowl and filled it with some water. She set both bowl and kitty on the counter, and after a sniff, Hope's little pink tongue began working at the cool liquid. Shiv grinned as she watched, nearly fascinated. "She's so perfect." She looked up at Kaysa and laughed. "I don't want to screw this up, Kaysa. I'm so scared."

Kaysa smiled tenderly at her lover as she reached across the counter and clasped her hands. "You're not gonna screw anything up, Shiv. Keeve loves you too much. Yes, you fight and he tends to stalk out, but how far does he get before turning back?" She laughed softly and squeezed Shiv's hands. "Everything will be fine, Shiv. But...if you do feel too anxious, you can always postpone the wedding."

"I don't want to postpone it," Shiv whispered. "I want this to happen, but..." She closed her eyes, but not before a pair of tears squeezed out. "I did something last night...oh gods... I did go over to practice the dance...but they're... I don't know how to say this, Kaysa. They, started...we...they...it was..." She took a deep breath and let it out. "They're very exotic and attractive, and...we were...frisky. Zale's...Zale's brothers were there. Oh gods, Kaysa...I couldn't stop them. There's...there's something wrong with me. Something since...since Dargus. I hated it...it was so...but...but...a part of me." Tears streamed from her eyes, and she was near to the point of collapsing. "Oh gods, Kaysa, help me...please..."

Kaysa would have if her trembling body would have obeyed her, and if her stunned mind hadn't ground to a halt. Kaysa was barely aware of Shiv's hands slipping away from hers as her girl crumpled to the ground, and only when Hope knocked over her bowl and the stream of cold water sent a shocking chill up her arm did Kaysa react. "Oh gods-- Shiv!"

She dashed around the counter to where Shiv was curled up tightly and rocking herself vigorously. Kaysa's barefoot skidded on a puddle of the spilled water and with a gasp, she was dragged to the ground, allowing her to draw Shiv into her arms. "Oh gods, Maeren," she whispered.

She kissed her girl's cheeks and brow, realizing that the tears she tasted were a combination of hers mingled with Shiv's. "Nothing's wrong with you...oh gods... Those bastards did this. I'll help you... My girl, anything." With a sob, she tightened her hold on Shiv and resumed where she had left off by rocking her girl gently in her arms. "We'll fix this. We've got hope now, remember? We'll make it okay."

"Hope," Shiv murmured as she melted into Kaysa. She held tightly to her love, clinging almost for dear life. "I can't go back there. I'm weak when it comes to that...I...I can't stop. I need someone to stop me, to make me not...not do those things." She looked up at Kaysa, a desperation shining in her eyes. "Thank you. Oh gods, it'll be better. With you, it will! You all can keep me safe..."

"We will," Kaysa assured her fervently. "We'll tell Zale about it, and it'll be done with. They'll never touch you again, my star."

"They said...said they'd hurt you, hurt all of you, if I didn't," Shiv whispered. "We have to stop them, Kaysa. They...oh gods, Kaysa, they can't hurt you. They're spying somehow. They know what we're doing... I don't know how, but they are. They're dangerous!"

Kaysa pressed a hand to her girl's cheek to calm her, and to assuage her fears she whispered, "They won't get to any of us, Shiv. If we're careful, they can't hurt us. That means you're staying right here with me and Hope until this is all over. I'm afraid that also means no more shows at the Palace for a little while."

"Good," Shiv whispered. "Not ever. I don't want to go back there. It's...it's too much temptation, especially since they can get to me there. They wanted me...to be with them first thing after the shows. They said if I didn't, they'd hurt you... I didn't know what else to do. Zale will make it right. Zale will make us safe."

"From them," Kaysa said, "but not from yourself. I know you have a great capacity for love, Shiv, but you give yourself too freely. You didn't go visit those girls last night to practice; you went to make love to them and it's what got you into trouble. You have to learn to control your urges, Shiv. You can't go running out into the middle of the night for sex. We're here. Keeve's here. Can't you just accept what we can give you and be satisfied with it?" She gently cupped Shiv's chin in her hand and regarded her sorrowfully. "You're going to lose him. We could lose you if you don't stop placing yourself into danger because of your urges. Whatever Dargus did to you, you have to get over it, Shiv. Please..."

"I know," Shiv sobbed. "I know, but...but I don't know. I need...I need to talk to someone, Kaysa. Someone who can tell me why I do it. I don't mean to, but...but I just do. I won't anymore, I won't give myself to anyone else. Not ever again. But...but I need you to help me be strong, Kaysa. Please help me be strong..."

"I'm here, aren't I?" She smiled tenderly and kissed Shiv's trembling lips. "I'll help," she whispered. "We'll bring you to someone, and we'll make you better again."

"Thank you," Shiv whispered as she tightened her hold on Kaysa. "Oh gods, thank you so much. I love you, Kaysa."

"I know," she replied, drawing Shiv in closer. "I love you too."

A whimpering, shrill mew shifted Kaysa's attention towards the counter, where Hope's tiny face was peeking over the edge at them, looking seemingly concerned for her new owner. "Looks like somebody wants a hug too," she told Shiv.

Shiv looked up and giggled. She crawled up to her knees and scooped up Hope, and quickly moved back to Kaysa. The reisakitty was clinging to her shirt as she nuzzled her face against her furry friend. "Makes me love him even more that he could find the absolute most adorable kitty in the whole galaxy. We're all going to be a happy family, all of us."

"Then we have to make sure he finds out about none of this," Kaysa said. "If he does, he'll likely end up getting himself killed trying to hunt those bastards down. You didn't leave this house last night. You were asleep in your bed when he commed. Alright?"

"Asleep in bed," Shiv whispered. "Did he say he was going to be stopping by today? I think someone would love to meet her new other daddy, wouldn't you, Hope?" The kitty responded with a mew and began licking at the back of Shiv's hand and then rubbing against it.

"I'm not sure when he'll be back," Kaysa told her. She wrapped her hand delicately around Hope's thick, plumed tail and pulled it through slowly. The sensation made her chuckle. "He said he'd try though," she continued. "He just wasn't sure what Dargus had in mind for him."

Shiv nodded. "I hope he comes by. I think he'd love to see Hope here. Have you ever felt anything so soft? And her face! I can't believe he did this, but I'm so glad he did. When we're out getting my dress this morning, we'll have to get some reisakitty things."

"And if we're going out, we'll need heavy escorts." Kaysa stroked Shiv's hand as it supported Hope's bottom and gave her lover a smile of encouragement. "You ready to go talk to Zale now?"

Shiv nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "I don't want to, but I know I need to. And, he's the one who can protect us. Come on, Hope, let's go talk to Zale. He'll make everything safe for us again."

Kaysa picked herself up from the ground, rubbing her banged knees briefly as she did. She helped Shiv up next and wrapped her arms around her girl for support while they slowly made their way towards the living area. When they stepped through the doorway, Kaysa called out gently to Zale, who'd been ensconced on the couch, conversing with Merrick. "Sorry... We just need to talk to you about something."

Zale excused himself from the conversation with Merrick. As he approached, Merrick was glancing after him, raising an eyebrow at Kaysa, an unspoken question in his eyes.

"Merrick, you should probably stay for this," Kaysa said with a sigh. "Shiv...have a seat right here. I'm just going to talk to Zale for a second, then I'll be right back. Okay?"

Shiv nodded, and took the seat while Hope tried to climb up to her shoulder. A moment later, the kitty was nuzzling into her hair, tickling Shiv's ear.

Zale slipped away from the others, and moved aside with Kaysa. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

She sighed and pressed her forehead to Zale's chest, fighting back her rage and anguish. "Something bad happened, and you're gonna be angry. Please, try and control your temper. I don't want Shiv any more upset than she is."

Zale nodded, already feeling some of the anger building at the thought of being angry. "I'll stay calm," he answered. "What happened? It was them again, wasn't it?"

Kaysa reflexively crushed the fabric of Zale's shirt in her hands and forced down a sob. "Zale...you have to stop them. Gods, please..."

Zale's features darkened as a deep raged pulsed within him. "I'll stop them alright," he snarled. "Brothers or not, I'll stop them. I'll put Antorial on full alert, and it's time to go hunting."

Kaysa could sense Zale's body stiffen and feel the fury rolling off him. She turned her face up towards his, gazing into his hardened, inscrutable eyes and knowing he lusted for blood. "Not you, Zale," she pleaded. "Let someone else do it. I don't want you going personally. They're trying to lure you; I know it. Please don't fall for it."

"No," Zale said. "I won't. I'll stay with you here, protect you here. I'll have Moril organize teams; Antorial security will take care of the whole thing. They'll pay for this, Kaysa. They will both pay dearly for intruding here."

"Okay," she whispered, feeling her heart immediately settle. She sighed and kissed Zale tenderly, hoping to inspire some calm in him as well. "Now, go talk to her. Be gentle...and don't push. She's dealing with more than just what happened with Qual and Neron last night."

Zale turned back and smiled as he saw Shiv curled against Merrick while they both played with the kitten. Hope pounced on Merrick's hand, making a mixture of growling mews. She looked up at both of them with large eyes, and returned her attention to Shiv's hand, sending both Merrick and Shiv into a fit of giggles.

Kaysa laughed softly and turned fully to watch the scene. "See, Zale? My brat of a son's good for something, now isn't he?"

"It's funny," Zale said as he watched Hope, Merrick, and Shiv together, "but it seems like he's growing out of that brat stage. I think something very good is happening, my love. Now we just need to get rid of my brothers, and it'll be perfect."

"Well...Shiv's problems run deeper than that, so I'd say things are almost perfect." She slipped her hand into Zale's and gently drew him along with her towards the sitting area. "Is that kitty sufficiently spoiled yet?" she asked them, just as Hope leapt forward to swat Merrick's nose with one, furry paw.

Merrick laughed and shook his head. "I'm just glad you don't have your claws out when you're doing that, little lady," he said, and received an answering mew from Hope. He then glanced up at Kaysa, an eyebrow raised in an unspoken question.

Her expression became somber, easily conveying her distress. Merrick's matching frown suggested he had some idea of what was troubling everyone, but he deserved to know nonetheless, considering his life was in danger as well. "Shiv...I think now's the time. Go slowly, my love. If it gets too hard, just stop, okay?"

Shiv nodded slowly, and took several minutes to herself, petting Hope slowly and letting the reisakitty snuggle close. When she finally began her version of what happened, it was slow and halting, but soon everything tumbled out. She left out no detail, and had to stop several times to catch her breath or fight back more tears. In the end, she'd revealed the whole story, and her inability to turn away from any such sensual act. "I don't know what it is, but...it's like I can't stop myself. But...I don't want to keep doing this. I need to stop, to be with the people I love, not strangers...and not...not like that. I need you to help me. I need to find out what's wrong with me..."

Kaysa settled down beside Shiv and tentatively slipped an arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing really wrong with you, Shiv. It's them. They shouldn't have done it. They're bastards and Zale's going to take care of them."

Shiv sighed softly. "Good," she whispered. "I-- I don't like what they did to me, that they...they took advantage... It has to be safe for Hope. Sweet, innocent Hope." Shiv smiled at the reisakitty, kneading against her belly. "I think she likes it here."

"Of course she does. Where else would she find an owner as loving as you?" She pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Shiv's head, then sighed. "You should go and get ready. We have a lot of shopping to do today."

Shiv nodded slowly, eyes still transfixed on Hope. "I'm going to go shower and get dressed," she said. "You'll watch after her while I'm upstairs?"

"Of course." Kaysa pulled the purring critter from Shiv's lap onto her own, where Hope curled up into a fluffy ball of fur. "She'll be fine. I'll see you upstairs in a little bit."

Shiv stood up, but paused to watch Hope for a moment. She couldn't help the beaming smile that came to her then. She couldn't help the overwhelming sense of joy and love she felt for those who were closest to her. She knew he probably couldn't feel it, but she tried to stretch that joy and love all the way out to Keeve, wherever he was.

"I'll see you soon," Shiv finally whispered, and with that, she slipped away, then darted up the stairs.

---

"Hope, Part 2"
By: Merrick Braston
Maeren Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston

Location: The Tregat Residence - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Merrick sank down beside Kaysa and sighed. "I think Keeve sent this little bundle of joy along at just the right time. I think if she didn't have Hope here, she would have been thoroughly distraught. Despite everything, he is a good kid."

"When it involves Shiv," Kaysa pointed out. "But I really don't think he's the issue right now. Zale's brothers are wreaking mayhem and we have to get rid of them. Merrick, I don't doubt that you're a target too. You have to be careful at the club. You'll be vulnerable there."

Merrick nodded. "I'll arrange for some extra security there," he said. "And, make sure that Chrik starts employing a no blasters rule. I'll see if I can get him to start banning other muscle-powered weapons too."

"And what about your security force, Zale?" she asked. "They haven't been doing a very good job lately considering Qual and Neron got to Shiv. I thought these were supposed to be your best men."

"I don't think they've understood the severity of the situation," Zale said, a simmering anger undercutting his words. "They're all going to be wearing tactical armour and monitors. This won't happen again."

Kaysa couldn't restrain herself and emitted a derisive snort. "That's what you keep saying. That's what you said the time Dargus' man got to her, and when Vrax got to me, and when they got to Shiv the first fucking time!" Hope jerked awake and Kaysa stroked the kitten's back soothingly. "Sorry," she whispered, both to the reisakitten and Zale.

"I'd like to see you do better," Zale snarled. "Especially considering that both of you love to play that wonderful game: ditch the escort. My people can't protect you if you actively try to avoid them. From now on, no more skulking. You're going to all have escorts within five meters of you. If any of you try to ditch them, I will personally lock you in stun cuffs and a restraining cell."

Kaysa chuckled wanly. "I can't live like this," she whispered. "I want to just be able to go out when I want to without being afraid that someone's lurking in the shadows and waiting to strike. I want this all over with."

"With the Empire in the city, it's hard to declare open war, but I'll have my people hit Qual and Neron hard. This whole thing may turn into a massive, snarling shitstorm by the time it's over, but I will make it over."

Kaysa nodded pensively, watching Hope as she rolled over onto her other side and nuzzled Kaysa's stomach. "And what of Shiv's wedding?" she asked quietly. "Are we supposed to call it off?"

"No," Zale said. "It'll happen, but we'll just have to be very careful with it. I think the smaller the ceremony, the better. The fewer people we have to watch over, the safer we'll all be."

"It's not as if there's many people we need to invite," Kaysa replied. "But, the wedding she does get will be a memorable one, and that's why we're going shopping today." With that said, Kaysa cradled Hope in her arms and rose from the couch. "That means you get your men here in twenty minutes. Aside from escorts, we'll need some extra hands to carry all the parcels your hard-earned creds are going to buy for her."

Zale laughed and then shook his head. "Then I need to go make some calls," he said. "Your entourage will be here within twenty minutes." With that, he headed for the small office where he could get in contact with his people at Antorial.

"You wanna join us, Merrick?" she asked her musician as she bent low to place a kiss on the top of his head. "You could be our protector, you know."

Merrick grinned. "Of course, I'll go. I could use some time out with my girls anyway. Besides, I need a couple new pairs of pants."

"Always an ulterior motive with you, isn't there?" She laughed softly and motioned Merrick with her head to follow as she started for the stairs. "Come on, kitty," she whispered. "Time for a bath." The reisakitten mewled in its sleep as if in protest, then sighed and snuggled against her chest again. Kaysa laughed softly and wondered if a baby would be as adorable. Though, with how things were going, she knew that would definitely have to wait.

"It's not an ulterior motive," Merrick said as he bounded up the steps behind her. "It's just that your need to shop and my need to re-attire myself happen to coincide."

"Shh! You'll wake up Hope," she whispered, shooting him a grin. "And your need to re-attire yourself isn't exactly a momentous event. It happens about twice every week, doesn't it?"

"Once," Merrick said haughtily, "and then again every other weekend."

Fittingly enough, Hope raised her head, opened her mouth, and rolled her tongue out at Merrick as she yawned, though it made for quite the expression of ridicule. Kaysa snickered. "Well...we certainly know what she thinks of you."

"Oh, just you wait until I write a song for her," Merrick said with a laugh. "That'll win her over, you'll see. And besides, she's tired. That was supposed to be for Zale."

"Whyever?" she asked. "Zale's always been a big fan of the ladies...much to his wife's chagrin. I think it's the hair."

"Well, I think that Hope did really love that hair of his, especially the way she was clinging to it. He did look cute with a reisakitty stuck to his head, didn't he?"

"You looked cuter with one hanging off your nose," she quipped. "Now, stop your dawdling," she chided upon reaching the top of the stairs. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"And, lots of shopping," Merrick said. "So, where we headed first? Dress?"

"Your favourite, right?" She grinned and strode into Shiv's bedroom, calling out her name. "It's just Merrick and I. You almost ready?"

"Almost," Shiv called as she emerged from the closet with a pair of shirts. "Just getting dressed, but can't decide which shirt to wear. Oh! She's so cute when she sleeps!"

"She's cute all the time," Kaysa amended. "And wear the red. It goes with your skintone." She giggled and added, "It's also Merrick's favourite colour because he says it brings out his eyes."

Shiv grinned at both Kaysa and Merrick. "Have you always had this weakness for women with brown eyes, Merrick," she asked as she fluttered her lashes at him.

"Always," Merrick answered. "Who wouldn't with the two of you around?"

Kaysa held Hope up towards Merrick and said, "And what about girls with blue eyes? Hm?" The kitten yawned again and opened its eyes a crack. One look at Merrick and it raised a paw to feebly swat at his nose.

Merrick laughed and brushed a finger over Hope's brow. "She is quite irresistible, isn't she?"

Kaysa nuzzled her cheek to Hope's and smiled slyly at Merrick. "She's not the only one, I hope."

"Definitely not the only one," Merrick said with a laugh. "Though, we'll just have to see what kind of response Hope gives me when I sing her that song."

"Which song?" Kaysa asked. "Merrick Braston, have you been writing songs I don't know about and which aren't written specifically with me in mind?"

"Well, I haven't written it yet, but I was thinking of one. In the Eyes of Hope. What do you think?"

Kaysa hugged the kitten to her chest as she smiled happily. "I might just have to be jealous. I never get titles like that!"

"How about if I make the song about the three of you?" he asked. "Will that make you happier, my love?"

"Much," she replied, then pressed a kiss first to the top of Hope's head, then one to Merrick's cheek. "Now, you stay with Shiv. I have to go get ready."

Merrick smiled and nodded. "We'll compare fashion tips while you're away."

Kaysa gave a decisive nod, then strode past him for the door. She yelped and quickly backtracked, thrusting Hope into Merrick's arms. "Your turn to baby-sit," she explained with a wink, then was gone.

Merrick looked down at Hope, who was looking up expectantly at his face. She batted toward his nose again, prompting a giggle from Shiv. "If we're all going shopping, then you should watch after her and I should get dressed."

"Oh alright," Shiv said, feigning being put out by his request. "It'll give us time to get to know each other, and I can let her explore. See you soon?"

Merrick nodded as he passed the kitten into Shiv's hands. "Back soon," he said. With that, he slipped off toward Kaysa.

When she noticed he'd entered the room, Kaysa emerged from the closet with a simple dress draped over one shoulder and a pair of sandals hanging off her fingers by their ankle straps. "I was wondering if you were going to dress," she told him as she made her way to the refresher. "Your hair's all mussy."

"Do I have time for a shower?" Merrick asked as he started stripping out of the robe and nightclothes.

Kaysa could do nothing to keep away the sultry smile that curled her lips. "Only if I get to join you."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he said as he slowly started backing toward the open refresher door with Kaysa not far behind.

***

"You sure you don't want to leave her?" Kaysa asked Shiv as the three of them stepped out the door. "I mean...aren't you afraid she'll jump out of the purse and flee?"

"I can't just leave her there," Shiv said. "I mean, Zale's busy. She's just a baby. We can't let her just...sit there, abandoned. I've got that leash thing that I got for Keeve---please, don't either of you ever tell him I got it for him---so, it'll keep her from running too far. And, besides, she's so good, look at her."

Kaysa glanced down at the small, white face and large blue eyes peeking out from the corner of Shiv's purse and she laughed softly. "Fine, she can come. I just hope she likes shopping."

"How could she not? See how excited she looks? We have to get her something special today. What do you think a Reisakitty would like? Do you suppose she'd like a blanket?"

Kaysa grinned. "Or maybe some reisakitty food?"

Shiv laughed and shook her head. "Would you like some food, Hope?" The reisakitten's fluffy white head turned up to regard Shiv and she gave a soft mew. "I think food would be a perfect something special. I bet she's getting hungry now. Maybe we can stop somewhere to eat, and if they have anything that would be good for her, she can have some too."

Kaysa delicately raised an eyebrow at Merrick and grinned. "Spoiled already."

Merrick chuckled. "Did you have any doubt? Look how much she spoils the two of us."

"Well, not for long with Hope around," Kaysa teased.

"Oh, stop your complaining," Shiv said with a grin. "If you want, I'll buy the two of you some food too."

Kaysa bowed her head in false humility. "How very gracious of you, Ms. Shivral, soon to be...whatever it is you and Keeve have decided on."

"We haven't decided yet," Shiv said. "I was hoping we could talk about it some more, but he's so busy. I just hope we decide in time."

"Well, why not decide now?" Kaysa asked. "Keeve's original surname was Tarell, you know. Although it does have some very unhappy connotations attached to it, it's still his."

Shiv nodded. "Well, it's a decision we should make together. And...and I guess keep hoping with the two of you growing closer together..."

"He won't," Kaysa said, anticipating Shiv's statement. "Not yet, at least. I think the Zenarr name carries too many bad memories for him."

"I think together we can help give him some good memories," Shiv said with a smile. "Well, I'll talk to him later and we'll decide. Maybe we just won't take each other's names. Or we'll go with Tarell. We'll figure it out, for sure."

Kaysa secretly hoped Keeve would consider taking the Zenarr name, but she knew it wasn't a possibility just yet.

The three stopped first at a small diner for a meal, with Shiv sneaking tiny morsels of her meal into the purse, where Hope greedily accepted them. The waitress raised an eyebrow or two at that, not realizing that Shiv wasn't, in fact, smuggling out food and instead was sating the hunger of a ravenous little kitty. After the brief detour, they set off again in search of a shop with dresses fitting for her star's wedding.

"That one looks especially lavish," Kaysa said, pointing to a small boutique on the corner of the main intersection.

"Oh, yes it does," Shiv answered. "You do have lots and lots and lots of money, right, Merrick?"

"A few more lots, and yes."

"Let's go," Shiv squealed, and rushed forward.

"Slow down!" Kaysa called out, helplessly laughing. "You're jostling poor Hope!"

Shiv giggled and glanced down at the furry, white head poking out of her purse. "She loves it!" She stopped in the doorway and looked around. "Oh wow. Look at this stuff."

Kaysa sidled past Shiv in the doorway and squeezed into the shop. The first thing she did was to give a cursory glance at one of the price tags and let out a low whistle. "Merrick, your account is quite full, isn't it?"

Merrick glanced at the price tag and gave a snort. "You don't have to look at the cheap stuff for my sake, you know," he said with a grin. He gave both Shiv and Kaysa's heads a kiss. "Trust me, it's fine."

"Oh, I love being in love with rich guys," Shiv said with a giggle.

Kaysa smiled eloquently and added, "And I love being married to them. Now let's go to the back. That's where they keep the good stuff."

"Oh, we should go visit Gladyne," Shiv said as they threaded their way through the aisles of clothing. "Wouldn't she just love to see us there again? It'd be so perfect!"

"We could purchase one of her more lewd dresses," Kaysa suggested, passing her hands over the gowns she passed. "Then we could tell her you're off to be married now and that you would look absolutely ravishing walking down the aisle in that dress."

"Oh, she would be on the comm immediately, charging us with things like inciting lewdness and public indecency. We have to go, and make sure she remembers us. Oh, should I invite her to the wedding?"

Kaysa snickered. "I think seeing us all again would kill the poor woman. Far too much sexual energy in one room for her."

"Oh, but we could offset our sexual energy with the sheer cuteness of Hope," Shiv said with a grin. "But, maybe we don't need the stress of having to deal with her screeching diatribes, and I'm sure poor Hope's fluffy little ears wouldn't like that either."

Kaysa chuckled and pressed a kiss to Shiv's cheek. "I'm glad you're smiling," she whispered. "No more frowning and crying for any of us. Okay?"

Shiv giggled. "Only happy crying from now on," she said. "Thank you for being so wonderful, both of you. I know I'm not easy to deal with...but...I couldn't ask for better loves than you."

"And Keeve," Kaysa reminded her. "He'd do anything for you, Shiv. Yes, we're on bad terms, but I know he loves you. He got that from me, I guess."

"He did," Shiv answered. "And, I don't think you're on as bad of terms as you think. But, we'll see how things go in time. I know he's still hurting, but he'll get through it eventually. I'll do everything I can to help him get through it."

Kaysa grinned knowingly. "Oh, I bet you will, my little vixen."

"Please, Kaysa," Shiv said as she glanced down to her purse where Hope was looking around curiously, "you're going to make Hope blush."

She was in the process of correcting Shiv when a flash of powder blue caught her eye. "Wow...look at that one!" Kaysa hurried forward and lifted the dress from the rack. Flattening it against her, she turned to face Shiv. "So? Isn't it great?"

Merrick let out a low whistle and nodded.

"It's great! Oh wow, Kaysa. It's so...oh, it's sexy without being trashy, a rarity here on Tae'Karada."

"I believe," Merrick said with a laugh, "that we have found our first purchase of the day."

***

Two hours into their shopping trip, Merrick, Kaysa, and Shiv had more bags than they could carry. Shiv's wedding dress wasn't among the parcels, however; she had ordered some detailing to be added to the gown - upon Merrick's suggestion - and it was due to be ready before the wedding the next day. But what they did have was a new dress for Kaysa, along with a suit for Merrick, and even a ribbon for Hope's tiny head. All in all, it had proven an expensive, yet productive day.

"I really think we should get some of Zale's men to help," Kaysa groaned, lugging four bags in both hands. "Do we really need this much stuff?"

"I think Zale's men should help too," Merrick said, "and of course we need this much stuff. It's all for us, so we need it. Unless, of course, you'd rather we take it back. I personally think it's much better with us than sitting in some store."

"Well, I'd rather be wearing it instead of carrying it. My hands are killing me!" Kaysa sighed, stopped immediately, and dropped the bags onto the sidewalk. "I need a break," she said, rubbing her tired hands. "It's not dark yet, so we've still got time."

Shiv stopped and let her packages fall to the ground as well. She immediately checked the inside of her purse where a fuzzy, white head with big blue eyes poked out. "You still have that roll from lunch?" Shiv asked Kaysa. "I think someone wants a snack."

Kaysa swatted Merrick's arm with the back of her hand, then held it before him, palm upturned. "You didn't eat it, I hope."

"I knew that Shiv would want it for Hope, so I refrained," Merrick answered. He reached into the pocket of his jacket, and pulled out a small, linen-wrapped package. With a bow, he handed it to Kaysa.

She, in turn, gracefully accepted the offering and daintily unwrapped the bread roll. "For Lady Hope, ma'am," she drawled, raising the golden bun up towards her in her cupped hands.

Shiv offered a curtsey to Kaysa as she accepted the roll. In her purse, Hope was looking up expectantly, a soft mew escaping as a piece of the roll was broken off for her. Shiv lowered the morsel toward Hope's expectant mouth, and the kitten eagerly accepted the offering. Shiv couldn't help giggling. "Oh, Keeve has no idea how much thanks he's going to get for her."

"I wonder if he's back yet," Kaysa mused. She then chuckled. "I wonder if he's even told Dargus about the wedding."

"He really wanted Dargus to be there," Shiv said. "I think he finally understood how bad having him there would be. I just hope he realizes what a rotten, terrible person Dargus is someday. But he has to find out on his own. I don't think anyone will ever be able to tell him that; he needs to experience it for himself."

"Because he's stubborn like me, right?" Kaysa smiled. "It's true, I know. But...I'm sure you can bring him around."

"Of course I can," Shiv said with a grin. "I'm learning which buttons of his need to be pushed too. And, I can understand where he'd be loyal to a person like Dargus. I mean, I imagine if Dargus doesn't target you for his sadistic plans, then he might seem like a...well, less of a vile, despicable horror. He gave Keeve something he wanted: to be big. But, I think Keeve has a good heart, like yours, and he'll eventually see Dargus for who he is."

Kaysa sighed gravely. "In time, I hope."

Shiv nodded. "Definitely, in time," she said. She reached out and took Kaysa's hand in hers. "If anyone can do it, it's me. I don't know if anyone else has really connected with him. The other night, we had a really great talk when we were lying together in bed. He's really smart in a lot of ways, but it's obvious Dargus has been skimping in some areas. Next time he's around, we're going to listen to some music."

"My boy knows nothing about music?" Kaysa feigned shock. "What is Dargus doing to that child!"

"He can field strip a blaster in five seconds," Shiv said with a laugh. "But, I will teach him culture, and make him acceptable to society."

"You should try contacting him," she suggested. "He was very eager to speak to you last night. I think he was seriously missing his Maeren."

Shiv giggled excitedly and nodded. Shiv fished into her purse, pausing to scratch behind Hope's ears for her comlink. She couldn't wait to hear Keeve's voice again.

---

"Hope, Part 3"
By: Merrick Braston
Maeren Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston
Keeve Kandran [NPC+]

Location: The Tregat Residence - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

"Maeren?" Keeve looked around at the empty, silent house from the doorway and again called out for Shiv. "Sorry I'm late. Getting in here was quite the obstacle considering the tightened security." He chuckled wryly as he stepped in and started for the stairs. "That Tregat's paranoid. Wonder what a tough crime lord like him's afraid of."

"Don't m-- Oh, Keeve..." Zale Tregat glanced down at the blaster in his hand and slipped it into the waistband of his pants. "She's not here at the moment. She, Merrick and Kaysa all went out shopping to find her a wedding dress. I'm not sure when exactly they'll be back, but I can't imagine it'll be long before they will have purchased everything available to buy in New Plouton."

Keeve had stopped on the first step and now simply nodded slowly at Zale. "Okay... Where's the reisakitty?" he asked, regarding Zale quizzically. "I mean...it came, right? Did she like it?"

"I have a feeling she's going to have to try to find a way to work it into the wedding dress," Zale said with a wide grin. "She didn't just like it, she loved it. The two of them are inseparable. Her name is Hope."

"Hope," Keeve repeated slowly. He chuckled. "Only Maeren would come up with something like that." Noticing Zale was watching him closely, Keeve cleared his throat and backed down the stairs. "I'll go and look around for her. You can...do what you were doing."

"About the other night," Zale said, before Keeve could get away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...it wasn't right of me to... I was...upset."

Keeve shrugged and managed a crooked smile for Zale. "At least you enjoyed it, didn't you? You live for violence. That's why you're a crime lord. Though, I did get a couple punches in, so it wasn't a completely bad experience."

"You did," Zale said with a chuckle. "And, you got Shiv. Not that that was ever in doubt. She's very excited about the wedding, and I wouldn't be surprised if you get thanked many many times over for your gift."

"It was just something to remind her of me when I'm off with Dargus," he explained. "I have to be back on the cruiser in a couple hours. That's why I wanted to see Maeren." Keeve stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching Zale in awkward silence, then jerked his thumb over his shoulder and asked, "So...what's with all the heavy security? Did you piss someone off?"

"My brothers," Zale answered. "I don't want them trying to get near Maeren or any of us again. I've also got orders to seize them and bring them in. They'll find Tae'Karada a very unwelcome place to them now."

Keeve held back his rage by gripping the knob of the banister and channelling his anger there. "They touch Maeren again, and you'll be without siblings, Tregat. I swear it."

"Be my guest," Zale said with a feral grin. "That's my plan as well. I always wanted to be an only child."

"Well, I am," Keeve told him. "It's highly underrated."

"You know who my brothers are," Zale said. "Wouldn't you want to be an only child? We'll stop them, and you're welcome to help me."

Keeve shrugged noncommittally as he jammed his hands into the pockets of his pants, looking anywhere but at Zale now. "I dunno," he muttered. "Father might think I'm betraying him by working with you."

Zale nodded. "The choice is yours," he said. "If you want to talk to him about it, that's fine. But, if you're willing to help against them, I'd appreciate it."

"What?" Keeve snorted derisively. "Me? You've got whole armies of men. What do you expect me to do?"

"You managed to connect against me," Zale said. "That says something. And, I know we've had some bad blood between us. You're marrying Maeren, and I would like to try putting that behind us. I want us to be able to work together."

"Why?" he asked. "For Maeren or for yourself?" Keeve laughed humourlessly, then, and added, "Or for Kaysa. That's it, isn't it? You want to get in good with me to please my mother. Well, forget it, Tregat. I'm not falling for that one."

"You're too suspicious, Keeve," Zale said. "I want to do this to bring you closer to all of us. If you don't want it, that's your deal. But, I'm trying to offer you a truce."

"We have a truce," he spat, descending the landing in haste and heading for the door again. "I don't want a friend or an ally, Tregat! So just leave it at that."

"Why do you hate us so much, Keeve? Why won't you even try? What is it that we've done to turn you so far against us?"

Keeve whirled away from the door and thrust his pointed forefinger at Zale forcefully. "You brought me here! You treated me like shit as a child and now you want to make up for it? Screw you, Tregat!"

"Explain how I treated you like shit," Zale snapped. "By not letting you do whatever you wanted? By saving your ass from falling to your death? How exactly did I treat you like shit?"

"I-I don't know!" he hollered, throwing his hands up in the air. "Dargus gives me what I want. You just preach and try to tell me how I'm so fucked up! You think you're perfect, Tregat, but you're just as screwed up as the rest of us!"

"What the hell are you talking about? When have I ever told you how fucked up you are? All I ever tried to do was to teach you to be considerate of your family and friends, and that there's more in life than just your needs. I think you're just pissed at the world, and you don't really give a shrat what reasons you give, as long as you can lash out. And, we're so very convenient because we don't give you everything you want. But, then again, how could we? You never gave us a fucking chance!"

"You don't deserve a chance!" he snarled, taking one menacing step towards the stairs. "What the fuck have you done for me that would make you think you did!"

"And, what the fuck has Dargus done? He made you look like a man. He repeatedly raped your future-wife, and let every single one of his men rape her twice. I imagine you don't really care that he nearly killed your mother and cut off most of my arm, but Shiv cares. Does that make any difference whatsoever to you?"

Keeve growled and flew up the stairs, taking two at a time. His mind kept repeating the words "Shiv raped," but the real target of his rage wasn't present, so Zale would do. "Shut up!" he rasped, already tossing back the flap of his coat to reveal his blaster. "That was your fault. You should've protected her better...all of them!"

The nerve that Zale had kept telling himself couldn't be touched was struck hard by Keeve's words. From Kaysa, he could deal with it, but from the whelp charging at him... From seeming nowhere, a small cylinder appeared in Zale's hand. "I tried to stop that bastard," Zale growled, "but he's got that fucking sword that cuts through anything. Next time, though, he won't be so lucky. If I were you, I'd make sure you keep your distance unless you wanna be caught in the blast!"

Keeve chuckled viciously and whipped out his blaster, training it directly at Zale's chest. "That's actually a good idea, Tregat," he spat, stopping two steps below him. "Go on...do it! That's all the provocation I'll need to put a gaping hole in your chest."

Zale Tregat was fast. The pike in his hand extended to its full, two meter length as he was dodging away from Keeve's aim. He angled the weapon around to disarm Keeve, knowing that this could be the fight that ended his life or his marriage.

Keeve dropped down a step to avoid the first swing, but the next came too quickly for him to get off a shot. The pike clipped his arm as he ducked the blow aimed for his head, it seemed, and while still crouched low he lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Zale's legs and felling him. The man was faster than Keeve gave him credit for, for before he could bring his blaster around to aim at Zale's head, a flash of steel caught his eye and the pike connected with his jaw. Keeve rolled off Zale, his vision consumed with blinding white light. Defensively, Keeve fired his blaster, unable to see where the bastard he intended to hit was.

Zale grunted in pain as he fell back away from Keeve, a smoking furrow carved into his shoulder. From below, a scream ripped through the sounds of the fight.

Keeve blinked rapidly, slowly clearing his blurred sight. Through the haze, he saw Zale kneeled a distance away from him, one hand clamped over his upper left arm; in his periphery, he caught two forms rushing up the stairs, as well as the blaster still being held unsteadily in his trembling right hand. With a groan, he tossed it aside and rolled onto his knees.

"Dammit! Zale!" Kaysa was there first and went immediately to Zale. There was a mixture of fear and pain in her expression, which intensified when she glanced in Keeve's direction.

"I-I'm sorry," he murmured, not certain what else he could say. "I didn't even-- It was just...so fast."

Zale managed to unfold himself from where he crumbled, wincing in pain as he did. "Oh gods," he rasped. The shoulder of his jacket had been scorched away, revealing blackened and cauterized skin beneath. "Things...things got out of hand. But...but Keeve doesn't need or want our friendship or concern. He'd rather ally himself with Dargus Kandran, the enemy of his future wife, than the people who truly do love him." He let out another groan and stopped trying to sit up. His vision was rimmed by blackness, a sign that unconsciousness was trying to cloud out his mind and take him away.

"Zale!" Kaysa cradled his face gently in her hands and tried to keep his eyes focused on hers.

Keeve's lips moved to offer another apology, but nothing would come out. His gaze drifted towards Shiv, standing at the top of the stairs and her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Maeren..." He reached a hand out to her, silently pleading with her. "He said things... I didn't mean it."

Tears filled Shiv's eyes as she took Keeve into her arms. "We'll make everything alright," she whispered. "Please, Keeve...please...please stop hating us. Please..."

"I don't hate you," he replied shakily, holding Shiv to him possessively. "I love you. I just...I can't do this yet. He says things... I can't doubt myself like this."

"But you hate the rest of them," Shiv whispered. "Oh gods, Keeve. Please...we have to be able to get through this. We can, can't we? Me, you, and Hope?" She brought her purse up and the reisakitten poked her head out.

Keeve glanced down at the startling blue eyes staring up at him and laughed softly as he ran his fingers through the thick fur covering her head. "I think we can," he answered. "I really think we can do this, Maeren."

"Good," she whispered and pressed her lips to his cheek.

"I think," Zale was saying as he looked up at Kaysa, "I should...see a doctor. Yes. Yes, I think that's a good idea."

Kaysa sighed and pressed a kiss to his brow as she leaned over her husband slipping in and out of consciousness. "Merrick...did you want to have someone bring the speeder around?"

"I'll have them bring it around," he said, quickly searching for his comlink.

As he called for the speeder to be brought around, Shiv clung more tightly to Keeve, edging forward to make sure Zale would be alright, fearing what might happen from this. It wasn't just the wound Zale received, but the wound that went deeper, the one that bound Keeve to the family. She just hoped it wouldn't widen to the point where it would be irreversible.

"Zale?" Kaysa patted his cheek gently, trying to rouse him. She didn't relish having to carry him down the stairs and into the speeder. As his eyelids fluttered closed, Kaysa cursed and shot Keeve a scowl. "What the hell happened here!"

"He pushed," Keeve replied tightly.

"Is that all?" Kaysa laughed incredulously. "Well, that's reason enough I guess. I wonder, will you shoot Shiv as well when she pushes you too hard? Hm?"

"No!" he snapped, reflexively pulling free of Shiv and turning fully to glare at Kaysa. "I love her. I'm not gonna hurt her!"

"You already are!" Kaysa hollered. "Can't you see that? Don't you care that it tears her apart that you hate us all so much, that you do nothing to even try hiding it!"

"You lie!" he growled and took a threatening step towards Kaysa. She made no move to escape.

"So this is how it will be," Shiv whispered. "Keeve, why won't you see? Why won't you--? Oh gods..."

"No," he replied, turning to face Shiv again. "It's not gonna be like this if they stop pressuring me, Maeren. You believe me, don't you?"

"As long as I let you hate people I care deeply about it'll all be fine," Shiv said. "As long as we don't pressure you and let you shoot at us and snarl and snap. As long as we let you hate us, everything will be perfect. Nice."

"And it's alright for Zale to call me a coward, is it?" Keeve chuckled wryly. "This is going to keep coming up. We're not going to go a day in our marriage without fighting about this. Maybe it would be best--" He bit back the rest of his statement and instead let out a deep breath.

"Please, don't fight," Kaysa said softly to them both, though her eyes were fully on Shiv. "Please...we'll work this out."

Shiv wiped away her tears and turned her head aside. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn about this?" She crossed her arms over her stomach, holding back the sudden, clenching pain from within. "Why do you have to insist on...why can't you even try? Why do you hate so easily?"

"I am trying," he insisted. "Maeren, I am! It's hard and it won't get any better if you keep pushing me."

Shiv shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm...it's...I hate being in the middle. I hate...being torn, pulled..."

Keeve took her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her brow. "I'm sorry. I promise I'm trying. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

Shiv clung to him, fighting back sobs and failing into his shirt. "Oh gods, Keeve, I love you so much. It hurts though. It hurts...to see my loves hurting. It'll be good. We'll make it good. All of us will, we'll make it good and peaceful and right."

"We will," he whispered soothingly into her ear. All the while, he watched Kaysa, who held his gaze in return. "Everything will be good," he murmured, and Kaysa smiled wanly at her son. In her eyes, he saw the lingering heartache there, and was surprised to feel a twinge of regret in bringing her such sorrow. He hated having such little control over his emotions.

"I love you, Keeve," Shiv whispered. She glanced to Kaysa and gave a warm smile to her love. "And, I love you, Kaysa. I love you both so much. We have to make this work. We have to--"

"Hover's here," Merrick called as he rushed from the front door. "How's he doing?"

"Not sure," Kaysa replied. She passed a hand over Zale's brow and sighed. "I think he'll be okay, but he needs to have his arm looked at."

Merrick rushed forward to one side of Zale while Kaysa took the other. "Let's get him up and try to carry him together to the speeder. Though, after this, we encourage him to go on a diet, or at least drop some of this ridiculous muscle mass."

Kaysa attempted a laugh, but it only came out as a weary sigh. She moved around to Zale's feet and leaned over to pick them up, when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She turned her head, expecting to see Shiv there, but instead she saw Keeve staring back at her. There was an awkward, silent moment that followed as they gazed at each other, then Keeve bent down and took Zale's feet by the ankles. "It's okay," he muttered. "You'd barely get two feet before getting tired."

"Thanks," Kaysa replied, suppressing the tears that suddenly washed over her eyes.

Shiv made no attempt to suppress her tears. She watched Keeve move in and help Zale, hoping that possibly this might be the bridge that finally brought them together. She slipped her hand into Kaysa's as Merrick and Keeve started moving Zale toward the door.

"Don't give up on him just yet, Shiv," Kaysa whispered to her lover. "Give him space and time and it'll all work out."

Shiv nodded slowly and slipped closer against Kaysa. "Sometimes, I just get the feeling he doesn't realize...doesn't realize how much it does affect me."

"I think he understands," Kaysa replied. "I just think...he can't help himself sometimes. You do remember what I was like, don't you? Well...I think Keeve's the same way right now. He just needs a little more time with Maeren Shivral to cure him of that."

Shiv smiled and then nodded. "Then I'll make sure he gets it," she whispered. "Thank you, Kaysa. And, I know Zale'll be alright. He's a strong man, and he's not about to leave us now, especially now."

"Oh, it's just a small wound," she said dismissively. "He'll whine about it so I can spoil him. He'll be fine. Though, I do think it would be a good idea to keep those two apart for a while. It's not all Keeve's fault, Shiv. Zale has a temper too. I'll have a talk with my husband, and you have a talk with your soon-to-be husband, and we'll see what we can work out."

Shiv nodded and quickly gave Kaysa a kiss on the cheek. "When we get to the hospital, I'll take Keeve aside and we can talk. More than anything, I just want to spend some time with him, to make sure he still knows how much I love him."

"He knows," Kaysa assured her with a knowing smile. "It's in your eyes, and it's in how much it hurts you to see his hatred for us. He knows, my love."

"Good," Shiv said softly. "We'll make everything work, Kaysa. I promise."

"And if it doesn't," she said slowly, "don't blame him, Shiv. He's still just a kid, after all."

"Sometimes, looking at him, it's hard to remember. He's growing up fast though. Sometimes I worry about what kind of man he'll grow into though, especially with Dargus' influence. I just have to have faith that the heart he got from you will shine through."

Kaysa slipped an arm around Shiv's waist and held her closer. "Well...that only happened after I met you and Merrick...and Zale, even. I think you can do it with him, Shiv. I think you can bring my boy back to me."

"I'll do everything I can," Shiv whispered. "I know how much it'll mean to you...and I know what it'll mean to me. For all of us, I want that more than anything."

Kaysa kissed Shiv's temple tenderly, but pulled back abruptly as a high-pitched mew came from little Hope, almost forgotten in Shiv's purse. "Looks like someone wants a kiss as well," Kaysa smiled, then leaned over and pressed her lips to the kitten's downy head.

"Come on, my sweet thing," Shiv said to Hope who was looking around and nuzzling against Kaysa, "let's go check on our men. I think they need us."

As Kaysa and Shiv slipped into the speeder, Kaysa only wondered how much weight Shiv was carrying on her slender shoulders. She was single-handedly trying to make them a family, when so many forces were attempting to separate them. If Shiv wasn't strong enough to overpower them, her poor girl was likely to get torn apart in the struggle. Kaysa would always be there for her star, however, to collect the pieces when it was over.

---

"The Truth"
by Auron Ronso
Kyra Ronso
Aeris Strife [NPC+]
Garnet Seifer
Ellemiek Vermollen
Kal'Aran
and Aurra Sgall

Location: Tae'Sollar Desert
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Auron woke up, startled by a nightmare that he had had. For some reason he dreamed of the time when he had been shot down by Imperial TIE Fighters and woke up just after he crash on the planet's ground.

He looked to the side and for moments he saw some strange form inside his apartment. He quickly turned on the lights and the form immediately disappeared. It wasn't the first time that he saw it. In fact, ever since the crash, some years back, he saw this strange form, like a blurred memory from the past.

He lay back down and rubbed his eyes. Something had happened in the time when he was unconscious after the crash. He tried hard to think of anything that might have happened, but he only knew that he was a few kilometers away from the crash when he woke up and had some bandages on his head. He didn't recall doing those himself so he tried to find whom had saved him, but he never found the person or people who had done so.

He got up and dressed himself. Exiting his apartment, he made his way to Ellemiek's apartment and knocked on the door.

Ellemiek showed up almost promptly with a smile upon seeing it was Auron. "I was going over to call you... I have placed Jubei in regular work so our cover holds itself and we have to go back to the desert to get the Tae'Morad starfighters to the CRS Reliant, according to our orders," she told Auron. "I have rented us a speeder for the day, so we should get there fast!"

"I'm ready," he nodded.

They got out of the building and went where the rented speeder was. It seemed an ordinary speeder painted in a bright red colour. Ellemiek took the pilot's seat and drove them out of New Plouton... The whole drive back to where the Tae'Morad starships had been left took them about thirty minutes. When they got there it was good to find out that they remained undisturbed.

Ellemiek jumped out of the speeder, followed by Auron. They were just getting near the starships when a sound could be heard over their heads. It was as if a swift sound of something approaching. Ellemiek looked up and saw a gigantic wing, falling right on their location. She pushed Auron and jumped to the ground.

The wing fell on the starships, breaking them both to a point beyond usage. Getting up she looked at the wreck now in front of them. "It seems like the top wing of an Imperial Shuttle..." she said while she looked at the sky.

Auron looked to the sky, trying to see where the wing had come from. For a short while they stood there looking to the bright blue sky. "There!" Auron pointed to a ball of fire that was descending rapidly.

As it approached the ground, the ball became bigger and bigger, crashing hard some miles ahead of them. Auron looked to the side and saw another fireball hitting the ground, not too far away. This one could be recognized as an engine crash due to the parts that scattered all over.

Ellemiek got back in the speeder and called to Auron quickly. "Come on, we gotta go check it out before an Imperial Party is sent!" she told him as Auron climbed the speeder.

When they got to the crashed ship, the ship was barely recognizable. The last of the wings had been crushed as it hit the ground and the body was completely torn apart. Still, they could see that it was an Imperial Shuttle. Auron got out of the speeder and saw a cockpit that was upside down.

Ellemiek got out of the speeder and approached with caution. It seemed strange that an Imperial Shuttle had been shot down, and by the looks of it, the fight had taken place in outer space, which made it all too weird because with the Imperial blockade it would be almost suicidal to attack one of their ships, except maybe if it was a cover-up trying to pass the blockade or a misunderstanding of some sort, like a rogue who had tried to escape and was seen as a traitor to the New Empire. Either way it was worth checking out.

"Check for survivors!" she told Auron as she kneeled down near the front visor window that was now broken. From there she could see a woman. She was all messy and had several cuts that could be seen, blood coming out of them. "There's someone here!" she yelled to Auron as she tried to pull the woman through.

With Auron's help she was able to take the body out, taking care not to make it move too much. She checked for life signs while Auron checked the woman's pockets for info.

"She's alive..." Ellemiek said as she could feel a pulse and a slight breathing on the woman's chest, even though it sounded impossible that someone could survive such a crash. "We have to take her away. Either she can be of help to us or she may have info on Tarkin's forces. Either way, she's of better use if we take her than if we leave her here! Did you find anything in her pockets?"

"Well, there is this comm here and also there's this strange device, which I don't recognize. I have a feeling that she is not an Imperial... Besides, she has this datapad," Auron said as he turned it on by punching a button. Auron examined its contents and saw what they were. "Wow! This is some kind of blueprint for a new starfighter model!" Auron exclaimed, amazed by the info. She had probably been shot down by the Imperials, or at least that was his best guess.

Auron looked to the woman and looked at Ellemiek in the eyes. "There's also a name in this datapad. Aeris Strife..." he sighed. "Let's examine this later. We better get out of this place fast."

"Yes, we better secure her and take her back with us and perhaps out of this system. She needs a bacta tank if she's to live, and we don't want to miss whatever information she might provide us..." Ellemiek nodded as she and Auron transported the unconscious body to the speeder. Once they were all set to go they made their way back to New Plouton.

On their way Ellemiek sent a message to the fleet to ask for permission and was told to transport the woman to a CRS Concordia. With no time to lose, Ellemiek was sure to make a direct path to the spaceport. Since it was daytime they made it easy into the city and there were too many people roaming the streets for them to drive attention to themselves.

A few minutes later they were at the docks, stopping right next to the Corellian transport that Ellemiek had for their cover in Tae'Karada, since they passed as part of a company with trading business with other systems. What they did not know, however, was that, at the time, two Imperial guards were checking the bays in the spaceport and happened to see Ellemiek and Auron as they got the unconscious woman out of the speeder, deciding best to call for backup.

Auron and Ellemiek approached the ship carrying the woman, seeing that she was still in bad shape. One of her chest wounds started to expel blood. Seeing blood coming out of the wound, Auron took out from his backpack a bacta canisters and placed some above the wound, pressuring the cut. It didn't take long for the blood to stop.

He looked at Ellemiek's eyes and saw that the woman was getting worse. He knew that the faster they reached the CRS Concordia the better, since taking her to a local medical facility would mean questions and Imperial investigation. Suddenly Auron felt like he was being watched and got up, putting his helmet on and closing its visor with a black glass, so that he could not be identified.

As Ellemiek carried the woman up the ramp, Auron surveyed the area. He turned to see if Ellemiek was in need of help when someone behind him spoke. "Hey you with the helmet!"

Auron turned and saw two girls wearing black clothes, one with a black trench coat. He looked around and realized that there was no one else inside docking bay apart from them.

"I have a name, ma'am" Auron replied. "What do you want?"

"Where are you taking that woman?" asked one of them.

"She is a patient of mine. We are moving her to Coruscant for further examination," Auron said making some kind of an excuse.

"Could you take your helmet off? I prefer to talk to people face to face..." said the woman, then being interrupted by Ellemiek who was coming out of the ship.

"Ellemiek?!" she gasped. "You haven't changed one bit..." she said as she took hold of her blaster. Alas, Auron was faster and pointed his blaster at her first. "Impressive..." she stated. "Seems that you have quite a hot-shot here, Elle! Are you at least going to say hello to your old friend?"

Ellemiek frowned. She had not foreseen seeing Kyra and certainly not fighting her. It made her wonder if Auron had recognized her, although she could guess not from his reaction. "Friends? Friends don't pull guns on each other..." she answered. "I knew you had joined the Empire, and am not surprised that you would follow a mad man like Tarkin... Are you going to shoot me? I don't think your husband would approve your behaviour right now," she said, trying to use emotional advantage over Kyra.

"How dare you!" she screamed with hatred. "My husband was a good man and if it wasn't for that mission he could be alive today! Besides, if I can recall, you accused me of being a spy for the Empire!" she paused. "For what? Because I was the only one who returned from the mission?! The one my husband is ashamed of is you!" Kyra concluded.

"He was a much better pilot than you'll ever be, and so were the others who died. Am I expected to believe that someone with your skills would succeed where they failed?" Ellemiek shot back. "But that is all in the past. I am much more interested in this matter at hand. So, since you have a gun pointed at close range, what do you plan to do?" she asked.

"No!" Kyra shouted. "We will talk about my husband, since you pushed the subject." Kyra put her blaster away. "You weren't there but I was able to steal this from my ship's black box," Kyra said as she threw a small datapad towards Ellemiek. "For almost two years I wanted to deliver this to you and I insist you to see it right now."

Ellemiek caught the small datapad and pushed the button, while Auron kept the girls under control with his blaster. The device had interesting info from the ship's main computer unit, but nothing that gave good conclusions... It basically proved that Kyra had received damage as well in the fight before engaging into lightspeed when she fled. "This proves nothing! It actually works as an alibi. Besides, this was known information. And if not guilty, then why would you join the Empire? I think your actions define you pretty well," she said with raised eyebrows while she turned the device off. "But, like I said, I have no interest in talking to you anymore. However, I will give you the chance to leave peacefully, out of respect for your husband..."

Kyra started to walk forward while Aeris pulled her blaster, firing towards Auron. He was able to get out of the way and hid behind some crates, followed by Ellemiek who opened fire. Kyra and Aeris hid behind the speeder. "What was all that about?" Auron asked as he fired a few rounds.

"I'll tell you later if we get out of this alive!" she told him as she fired a few shots towards Kyra and Aeris' location.

Kyra looked towards Aeris and smiled. "This can't be good," Aeris said as she saw Kyra running towards Auron and Ellemiek's location.

Auron looked and saw Kyra coming towards him and Ellemiek. He jumped out of cover and kicked Kyra on the stomach. She fell on the floor, but quickly got back up. Aeris saw the two of them fighting, exchanging several punches and kicks to each other and always avoiding the attacks. Aeris was amazed of how well they could tell what attack the other would do. Meanwhile, Auron drove punches at Kyra only to find her defend every single one of them. But the fight was a tie as Auron was also able to fend off Kyra's blows.

Ellemiek didn't lose time and jumped out of cover. Auron and Kyra were now fighting hand to hand combat as their weapons had been tossed into the ground. She had hoped for a clear shot but they were much too close and in constant movements, making it too dangerous to open fire. She did see the other girl, however and took the chance to open fire at her, hitting her blaster, which crippled it. Aeris got out of sight and Ellemiek made her way over by running and sliding on the hood of the speeder. Ellemiek faced Aeris with her blaster but the Imperial Black Op was faster and kicked the blaster out of her hands and turned towards her to fight up close. Ellemiek dodged Aeris and grabbed her arm, twisting it and kicking the back of her opponent's leg, forcing her down to the ground. But the other girl screamed off the pain and kicked Ellemiek away, getting back up.

At that point, Kyra was able to kick Auron in the knee and took a side step, reaching for a small dagger she had in her waist and stabbing him in the shoulder. Auron screamed from the sharp pain and as he fell down he grinded his teeth and grabbed Kyra's neck with all the strength he had. Kyra gasped from his hold and was forced down with him. She was trying to get loose from his hold but was failing to do so. Alas, Auron felt a sharp pain in his head and loosened his grip which made it possible for Kyra to free herself. Auron grabbed his helmet and took it off as he was having difficulties to breathe.

When she did so, Kyra finally saw her opponent. She was horrified at what she saw. Her late husband, Auron Ronso, was alive and she had just stabbed him. She fell to her feet and twitched backwards as if it was her worst nightmare. He was alive and she had not known. It was impossible and was yet it happened...

Meanwhile, Aeris ran towards the other side, away from Ellemiek, so to grab the blaster that she had been able to take from the other girl's hands. As she grabbed the weapon and opened fire towards Ellemiek who was already after her, there was a strange figure that leaped over the wall and then over the speeder, standing in between Ellemiek and Aeris.

It was the young Twi'lek Jedi Padawan, Aurra Sgall and she had ignited her lightsaber, fending off with amazing ease the shots that Aeris shot. The Imperial Black Op didn't have a second chance to fire since her weapon was pulled straight out of her hand and into Jedi Master Kal'Aran's who had also jumped over and into the area.

Kyra got up to her feet and decided to flee the scene. Not only because of what she'd done to Auron but also because she saw what this girl and old man had just done and felt that it this point she was no match for them and neither was Aeris. Running out the main doors in the hangar she was immediately followed by Aeris.

Ellemiek was about to follow when Kal'Aran raised a hand. "Let them go..." he said as he walked towards Auron who was lying down on the ground. He kneeled down, followed by Aurra.

"Will he be, ok?" the young blue-skinned girl asked her master.

"Yes, he will be fine... It is a flesh wound mostly," the girl's Jedi Master replied as he touched Auron gently. Ellemiek also kneeled down near her mate, preoccupied with him. "This will hurt a bit..." Kal'Aran told the young man, as he pulled in one quick movement the dagger off his shoulder.

Auron let loose a sharp scream of pain as the dagger came off and immediately Kal'Aran handed the weapon to Ellemiek and placed his hands over the wound, and concentrated, as he performed Force healing. The wound stopped bleeding and Kal'aran opened his eyes once more.

"You better be careful with that wound and use some bacta on it," Kal'Aran told Auron. "Otherwise it should be fine," he said.

"I... We... Thank you for showing up," Ellemiek said.

"We came to New Plouton and were just outside the Spaceport when we heard the blaster shots and came to check it out. When we saw it was you..." Aurra explained.

"Praise the Gods that you did!" Auron smirked towards Aurra as the Twi'lek girl helped him back to his feet. "We were just leaving for a rendezvous with our fleet. I fear that if not for you we would not have lived through this one... Thanks!"

"No need to thank us. We are glad to help," Kal'Aran smiled. "Don't forget what I told you about that shoulder and be careful next time," he added as he and Aurra bowed and left the scene.

"Thank you!" Ellemiek shouted once more as she and Auron got in the Correlian Ship and got out of the Starport before any more Imperials or any other kind of trouble showed up.

---

"Uncertainties"
By: Merrick Braston
Keeve Kandran [NPC+]
Maeren Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston

Location: Yesdol Health Center - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

"Thank you, Doctor."

The Twi'lek smiled pleasantly at Kaysa before taking his leave and giving her privacy to replace her clothing. While Zale was being patched up in another area of the hospital, and while Shiv and Keeve were taking some time alone to discuss the present complications, Kaysa had managed to convince Merrick for some time alone herself, though she made no mention of the reason she required solitude.

It had been over a month since the fateful night at Weibran's party, since she'd lost the child she never knew existed; she wasn't even certain, after her injuries, if she was capable of conceiving successfully, but the doctor had assuaged all her fears tonight.

"Oh gods...not now," she whispered, hugging her abdomen and speaking down to the life maturing within her.

She'd attributed the recent, frequent headaches to stress, but the other signs had been there, and had been intentionally ignored. There would be no denying it, and no hiding it soon enough, however.

Kaysa wept softly over the impact of her revelation, dampening the sounds further with a hand over her mouth, though no one would hear her within the confines of the examination room. She would have to conceal the truth until the time was right and there were no more conflicts to be resolved in their lives.

"It'll be our little secret," she said thickly. "Just for a little while, okay?" Pressing her fingers to her lips, then touching them to her stomach, Kaysa sealed the pact with her child, wiped away the tears, and started for the door, leaving the truth behind in that room...for now at least.

By the time she slipped quietly into Zale's room, her composure had returned completely. She smiled tenderly at her husband, who looked not at all pleased as he examined the hole in his shirt, and took a seat in the chair by his bedside. Watching him, it was surreal knowing he had completely no inkling about the life-changing secret she was keeping from him. She considered, briefly, telling him, just to put a smile on his face again, but now was not the time for distractions, especially with his brothers still wreaking havoc.

"So...did they say you're free to go?" she asked. She couldn't meet his gaze, though; there was a twinge of self-consciousness that nagged her, as if he would just know by looking into her eyes. He always could read her so well. Kaysa cleared her throat and continued. "It's late. We should get out of here."

"Yes," Zale said glancing up at her. "And, I'm feeling better. Just a little groggy from the pain-killers, that's all. How's Keeve doing? He was...upset, but, I just want him to know I'm not going to strike back at him."

"He's sorry," she told him. "He's like me, he just...loses it sometimes and doesn't even know what he's doing. And another thing he has in common with me is that you and he are very volatile together. I think you should avoid one another for a little while."

"I'd prefer to try to work it out, if he's willing. But, if you think he and I need time, I'll give it to him. I just wish...wish that he weren't so...angry."

Kaysa reached across and rested her hand upon Zale's knee. "He's confused. He's been given the choice of deciding between Dargus, or us. The woman he loves wishes he would turn his back on Dargus, and he can't do it." Kaysa sighed. "I think it's driving him a little crazy."

"It's not an easy situation, but he's strong. With her help, and hopefully with ours, he'll make it through it. I don't doubt it'll be difficult, but nothing that's worth it is ever easy."

Kaysa smiled at her husband and finally looked up to meet his gaze. "You know that firsthand, don't you? You managed to secure me, after all."

"There's much I've had to deal with that's been difficult in my life," Zale said with a smile, "but you are the most worthwhile and fulfilling. And, I wouldn't give up any of our hardship because it's made us stronger together than we could have ever been otherwise."

She laughed softly and teased, "So that's why you cheated on me!" Quickly, she added, "Don't worry, we're past that. There are...more important things to fight about now."

"I hope one of those things is you," Zale said. "Because, to me, that's one of the most important things to fight about. Fighting to keep you close, safe, and happy by my side and in my heart. Of course, Merrick and Maeren help. I don't know what I'd ever do without you. And, I hope I never find out."

"And what about you? If Keeve's aim had been better..." She closed her eyes and shook away the images creeping into her mind - Zale lying lifeless in her arms, and her unborn child growing up, never to know its father. "This can't happen again," she whispered. "This rivalry ends now. And I'm not just talking about Keeve, I mean your brothers too, Zale."

"And what if they don't agree?" he asked.

Kaysa sighed and fixed a stern look on Zale. "Then you find a way to make them. There's too much at stake here to let them roam around Tae'Karada causing us trouble. They don't belong here."

"They don't," Zale answered. "And, my people will see that they are removed from Tae'Karada. I will not tolerate them threatening my family, not now and not ever. If it comes down to it...my brothers can die."

"And...you can live with that?" she asked gently. "With killing your own blood kin?"

"My blood kin have raped Shiv twice," Zale answered. "I will have to live with it because I don't want to know what's next. I let my men kill them, and we get on with our lives, or getting them to back off will take direct involvement on my part, and a possible confrontation with them. I don't know if I can do that."

"And I don't want you doing that," she said quietly. "We'll find a way. We always do, don't we?"

"We do," Zale said, and reached out and took Kaysa's hand in his. "We're very good that way, aren't we? We can do anything we set our minds to, Kaysa. Anything at all. It's truly amazing how good we are together, how good all of us are together."

"And to imagine, there were so many instances when it almost didn't happen, when we almost drifted apart." Kaysa squeezed Zale's hand. "We can't let that happen now, especially not now. It's important that we all stick together." We have to, she added in her mind. For our child, we have to. I don't want the past to repeat itself again; I don't want to have a fatherless child that I can barely look at. She barely noticed the tears trickling down her cheeks until her eyes began stinging, and as quickly as they'd come, she wiped them away. "Sorry," she whispered. "This is a hard time, that's all."

Zale held his arms open to her, only wincing slightly at the pain, and smiled. "And, though it may be hard, I won't leave your side. Now, let's see if we can get me out of here and back to our home. Where are Shiv and Keeve?"

Kaysa left her seat and slipped her arms around Zale's waist to help him from the bed. "They're off talking somewhere, and Merrick's waiting just in the hall. You sure your arm's okay?"

"It's fine," Zale answered. "Bacta is amazing stuff. Now, we'd better get out there before Merrick starts serenading the rest of the patients. That's all they need." He grunted as Kaysa helped him from the bed. "Sore, but fine."

She grinned skeptically. "Sure it is. Don't worry...I'll take care of that later." With a sultry wink to seal the promise, Kaysa and Zale left the room behind and sought out Merrick.

In another section of the hospital, a deserted waiting area where there was no one about to disturb them, Keeve and Shiv sat on a lounge sofa in a secluded corner. He stroked her hair idly as she sat cradled in his lap, with Shiv doing the same to Hope's fur as the kitten slept peacefully in her own lap. "I'll get you another after the wedding," he whispered to her, his lips brushing her cheek. "A little friend for Hope."

Shiv smiled and glanced up. "She'd like that very much," she whispered. "I think she's very happy with us. You can tell the way she has her paws tucked and how she breathes. She's very happy and content with us." She glanced up at Keeve and smiled. "It's going to be okay, everything is."

"Are you just saying that, or do you really believe it, Maeren? I want you to be happy, and if you're not...just tell me."

"I'd be happier if we all got along," Shiv whispered. "But, being here with you now, even with everything. I'm happy, Keeve. With you, I'm definitely happy." She glanced up at him and smiled. "We're getting married tomorrow, and you should see my dress. You'll be really happy tomorrow."

Keeve smiled as he kissed the top of Shiv's head. "I'm happy now. I always am when it's just me and you." He sighed and took a moment to brace himself for Shiv's disappointment, then said, "I have to leave soon. I have to get back to the cruiser. But I promise, I'll be back in time for the wedding. I would never miss that, Maeren."

Shiv gave a wry laugh. "I would hope not," she said. "It'd be very difficult for us to get married if you weren't there. So...so after we're married, how often will you be away?"

"I don't know," he replied. "It all depends on...Dargus. But I'll make time, Maeren. I know you won't come to the cruiser, so we'll have to work something out."

Shiv nodded. "I wish I could, Keeve, but...but I just can't. The memories...they're too much. We'll find our time though. We'll find our time together. Whenever we can."

"Like now." Keeve nuzzled Shiv's neck with his lips. "I should go," he whispered, pressing kisses to her throat and up along her jaw. "I don't want to be around when Zale gets out. I think I've pissed him off for good this time."

"You'll never know until you see him again," Shiv said. "Can't you stay just a little longer? Hope's so peaceful, and if you get up, I have to move. And, if I move, she'll wake up."

"A very convincing argument, my love." He chuckled and kissed Shiv's cheek tenderly. "Just a little longer, then. But I really do have to go after. Dargus has been having some...difficulties lately, so he really needs me around."

"I understand," she said. "At least I get to be held by you for a little longer. I like it here, you know. You have very comfortable, safe arms."

"Well, it helps that you're very easy to hold," he replied. "I like protecting you like this. It makes me feel almost useful."

"You're very useful," Shiv answered. "You make me happy and content, and you brought hope into my life." She glanced down to the white, fuzzy bundle in her lap and smiled. "In more ways than one."

"Hope of what?" he asked, bringing one hand down to stroke the kitten's back.

"A hope for continued happiness, for peace in our lives, that we can have a family. Hope for lots of things."

"You're my hope, Maeren," Keeve told her lovingly. "Without you, I think I'd be far more out of control than I am now. And as for that family..." He grinned as he drew his hand over her shoulder and down along her arm. "We can always start on that before the wedding."

She grinned. "So, does that mean I've convinced you to stay here for longer?"

"How long do you think we need?" Keeve asked with a grin as he dipped his hand under Shiv's shirt.

Shiv responded with a giggle and brought her lips to his. "You, my almost-husband, are an incorrigible fiend. And, I love you."

"Of course you do," he murmured with his lips against hers. "Who else will spoil you as much as I do?" Keeve kissed her fully, cutting off Shiv's reply. Before his hand could slide higher beneath her shirt and reach its destination, footsteps and muted conversation interrupted them. Keeve pulled back, surreptitiously removed his hand from Shiv's shirt, and smiled tightly at the approaching party. "Looks like they found us."

"Just at the good part too," Shiv replied, and kissed his cheek before adjusting herself slightly to see Kaysa, Zale, and Merrick. "Hey. How's everything?"

"Oh, fine," Kaysa replied with a heavy sigh. "Though Zale refuses to stop complaining. He says that was his favourite shirt."

"Well, I think we're going to have to find him a new favourite shirt then," Shiv said with a grin. "I can smell the bacta."

Zale chuckled. "That's the same thing Merrick said."

"It's true though. You smell like a braided bacta factory."

"At least your braids didn't get shot."

Zale chuckled and glanced toward Keeve. "There is that," he said.

Keeve's eyes looked anywhere but at Zale, and finally settled upon Shiv. "I should go," he whispered to her, already shifting to slip out from beneath her.

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that," Shiv said sadly. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow for our wedding."

"You guess?" Keeve sighed and moved his lips to her ear so only she could listen. "I'm going to be there, Maeren. Please don't doubt me."

"Well, the 'I guess' was for the rest of the day," she whispered back. "Call me on the comm tonight. I want to talk to you some more, and that's the best way for now. And, we can plan where we'll take our honeymoon, and things like that."

"Honeymoon...almost forgot about that," Keeve muttered in all seriousness. He grinned then, and pressed a kiss to Shiv's brow. "I'll work on that tonight when I'm lying awake in bed, wishing you were there with me."

"I'll miss you too," she whispered. "Maybe you can call me and we can miss each other together." She brushed her lips against his cheek and chin, sighing gently at the thought of losing him for the night. "Why do you have to go?"

"I--" He sighed. "Dargus...I need to go to him. I'm sorry."

"I know," Shiv answered. "What time do you think you'll be back tomorrow? It shouldn't take me long to get ready, and I was hoping we could spend a little time together before everything starts. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

"It will," he said slowly, "but I don't know if I can. We should be glad if I get there in time. Now...please smile for me? I can't leave with you looking this sad."

"Really?" Shiv asked, a mischievous grin forming at the corners of her lips.

Keeve narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. "Shiv...what are you planning? I really do have to go, you know."

"Well, if you won't leave as long as I'm not smiling," she said, as she purposely turned the corners of her lips into a frown, "perhaps I shouldn't smile."

"Shiv..." he warned, though he was repressing a smile of his own. "This is very evil of you. You know Dargus is expecting me."

"Dargus Schmargus," Shiv said with a giggle. "Oh alright. Just...just call me tonight so we can talk. I'm going to miss you, and I can't wait for tomorrow. Okay? You will call me?"

"I will when I get a chance," he promised. He kissed her cheek, and carefully rose so as not to disturb the sleeping reisakitty. "I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe then, we can think of an appropriate title for the two of us."

Shiv smiled and brushed her hand against his thigh as he stood over her. "I'd like that," she said. "I'll keep Hope happy while you're gone. I think today tired her out though."

"Well, make sure she gets a good night's rest. She's gotta be alert for our wedding tomorrow, now doesn't she." He tapped the tip of Shiv's nose lightly, then gave her his most charming, crooked grin. "Tomorrow, my love." Then, he moved off, only giving Merrick, Zale, and Kaysa a curt bow of his head in acknowledgement as he left.

Shiv watched him go, and once he was down the hall, she sighed. "It'll take time," she said. "It won't happen all at once. I just wish...I wish he'd at least try to be nice to you."

"That was nice," Kaysa said. "For him, at least. Now, come on; you need some sleep yourself. Tomorrow's going to be a very tiring day."

"Very tiring," Shiv said with a grin. "Come on, let's go. Hope needs her kitty sleep too."

"I never would have thought you could just take her anywhere, but she's perfectly fine with it."

Shiv only grinned at Merrick.

"Of course she's fine with it," Kaysa answered for her. "Wouldn't you be if it was Shiv carrying you around all day long?"

"Well, you do have a point," Merrick said with a laugh. "Makes me want to ask if I can be Hope for a day one of these days."

"Maybe you can ask her at home. Now--" She held out a hand to Shiv, while her other arm remained wrapped around Zale's waist. "Come, my dear. I still have to give you my 'What it's like being married' speech."

"That sounds like a good speech," Shiv said with a giggle. "Maybe we can snuggle up together and you can tell me. Though, I think you'll need examples. Examples always help me learn quicker."

Kaysa laughed softly and squeezed her girl's hand once it was in her own. "Many examples. You've always been a slow learner."

Shiv giggled. "Sometimes, being a slow learner has its advantages. Come on Merrick, come on Zale, the two of you will have to help Kaysa with her examples."

Kaysa shook her head and laughed as the four of them made their way towards the exit. There was so much joy in their lives, despite all the hardships, and she wished to add to it with news of her pregnancy, but it could wait...for a couple months at the most.

"This is good," she mused. "This is how it should always be."

"This is what we'll always strive to make it," Zale said. "We can do this together. It's important, and we'll do it because we know this is what we want, this is what we always have hoped for."

"We'll make it work," Shiv said happily.

"Would you believe I've got a song starting in my head already?"

"I would be worried if you didn't." Kaysa smiled tenderly at her musician. "Got a name for it yet?"

"Not yet, but I should have one by the end of the night. Though, I think it's going to have something to do with the tranquility of finding happiness."

"And we'll be there the night you debut it on stage at the Noise," she told him, puckering her lips for a mimed kiss. "Now, do us a favour and go find the speeder?" She motioned her head towards Zale and continued, "Lugging this oaf around is proving tiring."

"I'll be back with the speeder in just a couple minutes. Meet me outside the west exit; that'll put us closer to home." With that, Merrick started off, singing softly to himself, a smile on his face.

Kaysa watched Merrick disappear around the corner, then looked across at Shiv and asked gently, "So...did you talk with Keeve about tonight? Is he okay?"

"He's okay, but he wants to avoid Zale for awhile. He thinks Zale will try to kill him or something like that. But, he had to go back because Dargus needed him or something."

"Shiv..." Kaysa sighed, knowing the subject she needed to broach was a delicate one. "What if Dargus has to leave? Keeve will go with him. Can you really handle that?"

"I don't know," Shiv said softly. "I just...I hope it doesn't happen. I don't know what he'd do, but...I guess I'm afraid he'd choose Dargus over me."

"He did tonight, didn't he?"

Shiv nodded sadly. "He did. I don't know what to do. I'll...I don't want to push him too hard, so...for now, I won't say anything, but if it continues, I'll have to say something to him. I don't know what he'll do."

Kaysa frowned. "You should have talked about it before, Shiv. You're going to be married tomorrow. He'll be your husband. You don't want it to be over when it's only just begun."

"It won't be," Shiv said, trying to sound confident. "We'll work it out. It's just...we haven't had the time, that's all. And, with everything else, I just don't want to push him too hard yet. It'll be perfect, Kaysa. You'll see."

Kaysa glanced skeptically at Zale, but didn't express any more of her concerns to Shiv. Her girl needed at least one day without heartache, and sowing doubt in her would only cause that. "Of course it will be," she affirmed. "Absolutely perfect, my star."

A gentle mewling rolled from Hope's tiny mouth as the little reisakitten woke up. She looked up at Shiv and then around to Kaysa and Zale. She let out another little meow, and batted toward Zale, even though his braids were too far away.

"I think you have a fan," Kaysa told him. "It's definitely the hair."

Shiv giggled as Hope nuzzled against her. The kitten's bright blue eyes found hers, and she meowed again. "I think someone is both hungry and wants to play. Let's get her home where we can give her a snack and let her wear herself out so she'll sleep. I need to get that other dress hung up before it gets all wrinkly; oh, I think I can wear it on the honeymoon. Oh gods, there's so much more to do."

"Relax," Kaysa said, laughing softly. "You're going to stress yourself out and then you'll never get to sleep. There's Merrick up there. You go on up ahead. I just wanted to talk to Zale about something."

"Oh, alright. Just, no funny business, you two. Come on, Hope; let's go find Merrick." With that, Shiv moved out ahead of them in search of Merrick and the speeder.

Confident that Shiv was longer within hearing distance, Kaysa pulled Zale aside and allowed her face to finally express her concern. "She's gonna get hurt, isn't she? He's gonna choose Dargus over her, and she's going to get hurt. And the worst part is, I don't have the heart to stop her."

"Perhaps, in the end, it'll do some good. He loves her, and you can see it in every action. Perhaps hurting her will wake him up to where he's really at, and he'll see who he's really chosen. And, while he's waking up, we'll be there for Shiv. It's not an easy problem to deal with, but it will need to be dealt with...by them. We can help pick up the pieces when it's over though."

Kaysa frowned. "So...you're telling me to mind my own business?"

"No," Zale said. "I'm not saying that at all. But, what do you think pressing in at this point will do? I think we need to let them do what they need to, but Shiv will need us to be there for her. And, we can be there for her now."

Kaysa sighed and nodded sullenly. "You know this is going to be difficult for me, don't you? My purpose in life is to meddle, and now you're asking me not to. However will I control myself?"

"I can keep you occupied," Zale said with a grin. "I do have to get my strength back somehow, you know. Or you can meddle; I don't think Shiv would object to your meddling."

"But, I don't want to meddle," she pouted. Slipping her arms around his waist, she grinned. "I'd rather you keep me occupied...if you're able."

"Oh, well how could I possibly refuse that? Come, my love, let's go find Merrick so he can take us home where I can keep you occupied."

Kaysa kissed Zale softly and sighed, "Gladly."

Making their way to the speeder, and leaving for home in time to avoid the Imperial night patrols, the four sat in silence the entire way. It gave them time to bask in their happiness, something that seemed so foreign after all the struggles they'd faced. There were more to come undoubtedly, but at least they knew it was possible to overcome them and feel joy. All they needed was a reminder of that once in a while, and knowing pure happiness could be achieved made their labours worthwhile.

---

"All In The Hands"
By: Xian Boramdi

Location: The Drogen Shipyards
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

They made an odd pair as they walked down the length of the strip to head to their favorite bar. An obviously well used astromech and a human cloaked in the protective sheath of Mandalorian battle armor seemed to ignore the crowd that flowed around them. But as the saying went looks can be deceiving. In fact, both were well aware of the position of every single organic being in their radius. That was why Xian Boramdi lived to be the most successful bounty hunter in this sector of the galaxy. He never left anything to chance, even for a simple stroll to his favorite watering hole.

Not that the presence of a bounty hunter in this place would be considered a notable event, in fact, they seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork. Anyone brave enough or stupid enough to get a blaster and his uncle claimed to be a bounty hunter. Bounty work was not hard to find especially with the war between the Rebels and the Empire heating up. Times like this it was skill that separated the best from the morgue bait.

Perhaps that was why the Empire was so keen in protecting its assets; the Imperial presence on the stardocks had dampened the normally chaotic atmosphere of the place. Stormtroopers in their trademark white ceramic body armor armed with heavy blasters patrolling the station lessened the crime rate noticeably since violators had been known to nr given space walks with just the clothes on their back.

Most people would find this atmosphere repressive, except Xian was not most people. In fact, Xian thrived in just this kind of environment. His reputation for getting his prey as well as his ruthless practicality has earned him the respect of most of the powerful underworld figures. If you needed a bounty to get collected Xian Boramdi was the man to speak to.

Gliding past the various establishments, he ignored the garish glare of neon lights and the crass holodisplays making a beeline for his favorite den of iniquity. Entering the bar, he paused at the entrance to scan the room, his gaze moving from table to table. Some patrons spotted him and in a vain attempt to escape notice, turned their heads away. Foolish of them really, since the holocam in his helmet scanned their visuals against the databank he kept of all outstanding warrants.

Then with a grunt, he moved to his private booth while silently signaling the bartender to give him his usual, while his companion, the droid R2Z4, happily whistled and beeped beside him.

Sitting on the synthi-leather, he sighed as he unstrapped his helmet. Running his gauntlet clad fist through his damp hair, he inhaled deeply as the bartender poured a clear liquid into a glass filled with ice.

"Leave the bottle," Xian said, his voice as calm and emotionless as the turning of the tide.

The bartender lifted an eyebrow, but was smart enough not to comment. "By the way, Xian. There is a human woman who has been looking for you."

"A human woman? In this bar?"

"Yeah, she is the redhead over at the bar. She's been waiting for an hour."

Xian turned his eyes to check out the woman in question. Even from this distance, he could see she was armed, probably with a stun rod to ward off the more adventurous drunks in the place. Still the form beneath the jumpsuit left very little to the imagination.

"She say what she wanted?"

"Nope, just said she had some business with you. I know better than to ask for specifics."

Draining the glass in a single gulp, Xian opened the bottle and poured another shot before saying, "Ok. Pass the message that I am willing to listen to what she has to say." Handing several credits to the bartender, he leaned back in the seat to wait for the mysterious woman.

He had finished his third drink when she arrived; he gestured with his left hand for her to join him. She was more beautiful up close. Xian liked the way that she looked straight into his eyes, not avoiding them like most people.

"Xian Boramdi?"

"Yes, that is my name," Xian replied without moving his gaze from hers.

She smiled as she introduced herself. "Trisha Ophadi, The Corellian Star." And they shook hands before she joined him in his booth.

Xian frowned as she took out a small holo-cam and said, “Trisha, I was told you were looking to talk business with me. Why would the Star be interested in me? Surely there are more famous bounty hunters out there to waste your time on.”

“Actually, Xian, may I call you Xian? I represent a conglomerate of interested parties that wish to hire your services, but I would like to obtain confirmation of your credentials before we conduct any business.”

“Fair enough. Ask away,” Xian replied. “I have nothing to hide.”

“According to my sources, you took down the bounty of Felix “Six-Fingers” Estalivk, an alleged serial murderer wanted on six different planets.”

“That is correct. Using my contacts in the area, I tracked him down to the Jundland Wastes on Tatooine where he was spotted laying low after the mess he left back on Coruscant.”

“Is it true that he was barely alive when you brought him in?”

“That is true.”

“Is it true that of late, you have been collecting several Imperial bounties on known rebels in the sector?”

“The war between the Rebels and the Empire does not concern me. I serve the interests of the law. People tend to forget that without law, we will devolve into anarchy and chaos. You break the law and sooner or later, I’ll be coming after you.”

“What about the reports that you have worked for the Hutts in the past?”

“Is there any proof? My business is legitimate; I serve the interests of justice and law, wherever I go. I have done nothing illegal.”

“So do you view yourself as some sort of champion?”

Xian laughed, hard and bitter, “A Champion? No, I’m no champion. I do what needs to get done.”

“Last question, my employers want to know why the only son of the fourth biggest shipping magnate on Corellia would turn his back on everything and join the crass ranks of bounty hunters?”

“That does not concern you. That is my business alone.”

“On the contrary, it is vital for us to learn the reason why you..."

Xian motioned violently in a cutting motion with his hand. “Trisha, this interview is over. We have nothing to discuss....”

At that precise moment, a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and years of instinct took over as he moved away from the table. Seconds later, a single scarlet blaster bolt arced through the air and hit the bottle, smashing it into tiny fragments and scattering glass and liquor all over them.

A tall man dressed in a simple tunic was firing an antiquated hand blaster in his direction. Most of the patrons had scattered out of the way and made for the exit.

Xian jerked the table over and used it as a shield, as he drew two small stun grenades from a small pouch. Pulling the pins, he tossed them in the direction of the assailant. Seconds later there was a double explosion of sound, and he leapt from the cover with his heavy blaster drawn.

His attacker was on the ground groaning, his ears bleeding from the muffled explosion, as Imperial stormtroopers arrived. Xian knelt down and grabbed the man by the tunic. Try as he might he wasn't able to place the face of his assassin. “Who are you? Why are you trying to kill me?”

“You forget already? Not so long ago you collected a bounty on Ulac Trkia.”

“The musician that killed his girlfriend, who happened to be the daughter of a very wealthy man. Yeah, I remember him. They found him guilty and sentenced him to death.”

“He was my brother. He was innocent; he had a heart of gold and soul that yearned to sing. Did that matter to you, bounty hunter? No. All you saw was credits he was worth.”

“For this you went all the way here to try and kill me?”

“Yes. I was hoping for some justice in this world.”

“Then you are a fool. I serve justice. You have wasted your life on a mission doomed to failure.”

“Just tell me one thing, bounty hunter,” the man said, as the stormtroopers were taking him away. “How do you sleep at night?”

The question gave Xian pause as he thought of how to answer it. Then he replied without a trace of irony, “Like a babe. Take him away, I’ll pass by the station later to file charges against him.”

As soon as the stormtrooper began to leave, Xian moved to where Trisha was giving her statement to the trooper and took her hand in his. Then he moved her to a shadowed corner of the bar, far from prying eyes and sharp ears.

“Ok Trisha...or whatever your name is. I want the truth.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re no reporter. I knew it before you even opened your mouth.”

“How did you....”

“It’s all in the hands.” Turning hers over in his he continued, “Those calluses are formed from using blasters. No way a reporter, especially from the Sun, would have those on her hands. I also saw the way you reacted to the attack. Normally a civilian would have screamed their head off or fainted. No, you immediately moved for cover like you were used to it, or trained for it. That and the way you reacted to the stormtroopers confirmed it. You are a Rebel. So stop wasting my time and yours and tell me what you want.”

“How do I know if I can trust you?”

“You can’t. But if you don’t start talking...I just might turn you over to the Imps. You know how they treat your kind.”

Sighing softly in defeat, she nodded her head and began to tell him the true reason why she was there....

---

"The Tae'Karada Run, Part 1"
by Rufinn
and Yeshin [NPC+]

Location: Nar Shaddaa, Level 82
Date: Eos 24-25, 4ABY

***Eos 24, 4ABY***

The alley was dark and quiet, and the jizz-wailers from the night club on the next level down eroded into the distant recesses of Rufinn's temporal lobe, leaving a faint buzzing in his ears. With a nostalgic sigh, he scanned the darkness in front of him. Sometimes the mercenary life seemed to get blasted tedious, and Rufinn felt the rank taste of the alleyway clinging to his tongue with a familiar residue that reminded him of all the other jobs he had run in the past seven months. A step into the darkness was accompanied by the light scuff of boot on duracrete. The echoing sounds of a rodent's scurrying away across the floor played a dull counter-melody to the silence. It was a scene that seemed more than too familiar to Rufinn.

His blaster rifle rested lightly in the cradle of ten long fingers, the monotony of routine having sliced from Rufinn the caution of constant hunting. Another step, another scuff, and that much closer to the contact.

The eighty-second level was old and run-down, and no one appeared to be using the space in the immediate vicinity for anything constructive. Broken bits of duraplast, wood and scraps of non-biodegradable debris littered the dark, tattered alley. The eco-friendly materials had already been scavenged or had already accomplished their assignments in the never-ending ecosystemic cycle.

Apparently, there were creatures in the Galaxy that had more need than Rufinn to fear the Imperials. All the hiding and slinking around just to make a deal with a freighter pilot were somewhere to the boreal of cautious. But then, the Hutts could instill that type of fear as easily as the Imperials, and Rufinn didn't think his contact any less of a man for it.

Another step, and presently, a dark shape dropped from the ceiling, suspending centimeters from Rufinn's face. The faint lights of the near levels danced off speck-sized facets in the bulbous, gold eyes dominating the upside-down insectoid face which dangled from the shoulders of the beast suspending itself from the rafters. Rufinn eyed it carefully, without a flinch.

"Dramatic," he said without a flavor to his voice, nonchalantly aware of the two mantoid arms which writhed at either side of him. "Come on down here." The monotone of his voice was only partly because of the pain of Basic on Rodian tongue. The other part involved years of apathy and spite encrusting itself on the inside of the pipes of his Rodian conscience.

The creature instead opted to remain suspended from the ceiling. "You've come alone," it said. "Good: you listen well."

"Rodians have big ears," Rufinn said blandly, taking a measurable step away from the unpleasant aroma of the creature's breath. "And big noses." That last he muffled a bit with his breath.

The alien didn't seem to notice. "I am Vlli'sheyev," it said unceremoniously, though it undoubtedly knew the degree to which Rufinn had already guessed as much. "And I understand that you are counted by most as on the impatient side of the spectrum. Thus, I will make this contact quick."

"Efficient," Rufinn said in his usual monotone. Most creatures couldn't interpret sarcastic expressions on Rodian faces, and Rufinn had often taken advantage of that fact.

A smaller appendage pivoted on a fulcrum somewhere farther up on the mass of the creature, and it clutched a small vial in the maw of its tricuspid pincers. The small appendage dangled the vial in front of Rufinn's face. "Do you know what this is?" Vlli'sheyev asked, though he undoubtedly knew that answer as well.

Vlli'sheyev couldn't read the Rodian expression for sarcasm.

The mantis went on to explain. "It is a neural sedative," he said. "It calms and soothes the mind enough to numb the pain of a creature undergoing major surgery to the brain. The Empire uses it regularly in its experiments." The creature paused, and Rufinn could swear its expression was that of careful study, as if trying to determine whether or not Rufinn understood. This was all basic data, but Vlli'sheyev couldn't read Rodian facial expressions. "I have been able to procure a small shipment of this particular sedative, dubbed 'tetrura,' from a contact on Thyferra, who wishes the sedative transferred to Tae'Karada. Unfortunately for him, the Imperials exposed his little 'transaction' and pursued him, blocking his course to Tae'Karada. In desperation, he dropped his cargo with his old friend Vlli'sheyev, telling his dear friend to complete the transaction for him." Vlli'sheyev paused for effect. "It became his dying wish."

"I take it the Empire doesn't know you have it," Rufinn ventured.

The alien nodded in response. "Of course," he said.

"Convenient." The nod accompanying that word was drenched with sarcasm, but Vlli'sheyev wouldn't know that.

"Unfortunately," the other continued, "due to conflicts of a...personal nature, I will be unable to perform the transaction myself."

Probably Imperial trouble, Rufinn guessed uninterestedly. Or Hutt trouble. Someone's got this barve hiding.

"Therefore, I request the aid of Rufinn, a renowned smuggler--"

Renowned? Hardly.

"--to complete the transaction on my behalf. I will be willing to pay the sum of ten thousand for the run, all upon completion of the task."

Rufinn knew Vlli'sheyev wouldn't be able to interpret the look in his eyes at that remark, so he translated it. "Twelve thousand," he said. "Half in advance."

Vlli'sheyev looked surprised. After a moment, another short appendage scratched at the facial exoskeleton just below his left eye. "Very well," he said. "Twelve thousand. I will pay six thousand tomorrow morning, 0500, when the cargo will be delivered to your ship to begin the transaction."

"Tolerable," Rufinn stated in a satisfied monotone, turning to walk away.

***Eos 25, 4ABY***

Rufinn sat at the base of the entry ramp, tracing an abstract character in the dust of the landing pad with the rim of a finger-sucker as he waited for the cargo. Yeshin released a squall of annoyed lyric in the direction of the hangar maintenance crew. The K8 droid there obviously understood the complaint, but its translation didn't do justice. Yeshin knew it, and bleated indignantly in response.

Rufinn didn't blame him. Charging a fee for an extra day of docking was rather ludicrous, especially since they were planning to blast off within the hour. Most of Nar Shaddaa hadn't even arisen for the morning yet. But, Rufinn didn't feel up to an argument this early in the morning. So he had seated himself, blatantly ignoring the hangar attendant's demands of payment, until the man was forced to turn on Yeshin instead. Yeshin didn't have the credits or the patience for fines at any hour of the day, and his temper could be vicious. As long as he didn't get security called in, Rufinn didn't mind his partner's outbursts.

They had shot up a hangar security team once. Or, rather, had been shot up by a hangar security team once. Yeshin hadn't liked the soldiers' demanding to search the ship. They had claimed it was a random search--apparently a normal procedure on the planet Danalis V--but Yeshin wasn't in the mood for believing it. One of the soldiers perished in the ensuing firefight, and Rufinn's ear had lost its tip. It hadn't helped that those soldiers happened to be stormtroopers, and that Danalis V happened to be a rather strong Imperial world. They had been lucky to escape alive.

Presently, a young woman approached. She was short and slender, wearing a loose black jumpsuit that seemed two sizes too large. She was Twi'lek, and her skin was the same color as Rufinn's, though hers lacked the texture. The two hangar attendants broke their concentration on Yeshin for a second, further perturbing the exasperated Gran. Ignoring them altogether, the girl stopped two meters from Rufinn, who looked up at her from the ground, leaning back on his hands against the ramp.

"Are you Rufinn?" she asked. Her Basic was horrible.

Rufinn nodded.

She held out a credit chit. "This is from Vlli'sheyev," she explained. She couldn't read Rodian sarcasm, either. He took the chit. "The cargo is right behind me." She jabbed a finger lazily over her shoulder.

"Okay," Rufinn said, satisfied that the chit was large enough, "It's all here; I'm ready to load."

The girl turned around as Rufinn stood up, and two Humans pushing hovering carts laden with crates appeared at the doorway. Yeshin bowed courteously to the dual attendants, and ushered the two men toward the ramp. The Twi'lek dodged to the side as the men passed by, following Rufinn up the ramp.

"Set it here," Rufinn said, pointing to a spot just inside the doorway.

The foremost of the two Humans eyed the indicated spot incredulously, casting a querulous eye in Rufinn's direction. "It'll get jostled around sitting there," he said.

Rufinn knew a sarcastic expression would be useless at that moment. He threw one anyway, pointing to the ground in a rather demanding way. With a sigh, the Human shook his head and moved to unload the three crates from his cart. When they had unloaded the lot, they dragged their carts away, and Yeshin boarded the ship, pitching a brisk salute in the Twi'lek's direction. She smiled tightly, then whirled smartly on one heel and vanished.

As the ramp pivoted closed, Rufinn moved to uncover the smuggling compartments on the floor of the ship's main area. They would be just the right size. Yeshin hefted a crate on one shoulder, his three eyes dilating momentarily under the strain. He was strong.

In mere moments, the crates were loaded, and Rufinn sealed the last compartment. "Let's leave," he said, grateful to be around a creature who understood his language again. His Rodian was as monotone as his Basic.

---

"Debrief and R&R"
by Auron Ronso
Ellemiek Vermolen
Admiral Aknor - CRS Concordia CO [NPC]
Second Lieutenant Vandross [NPC]

Location: Tae'Remok system & CRS Concordia
Date: Eos 24 and 25, 4 ABY

***

Auron was sitting next to Ellemiek to help her pass the Imperial blockade. Once they were through, Auron went to the back to check on the unconscious woman they had rescued from the crash in the desert.

He looked at the woman and saw that she was stable, but it was obvious that she was in need of some medical attention soon, or she would probably die. Auron picked up the bacta canister that he had used on the woman earlier and placed some above his shoulder wound.

He took the small dagger and kept staring at it, then placing it inside his backpack and making his way back to the cockpit. He sat down and looked at Ellemiek.

"Don't worry. I'm fine!" Auron said, pausing and facing the commandos of the ship. "I'm surprised about that other girl. The one you were fighting with back in the Spaceport. It seems strange, but her face was familiar to me..."

"Humm..." Ellemiek nodded. "Yes, she kind of reminds me of your stepmother when she was younger," Ellemiek wondered out loud. She then pressed the comm button and punched a few commands. "This is Lieutenant Commander Ellemiek Vermolen requesting to land on the Concordia under received orders. Transmitting personal code now," she said.

They didn't have to wait long before the reply came through. "This is the CRS Concordia. Land on Bay 2."

"Understood Concordia," she said as they approached the Calamari Cruiser with care since they were now flying inside the Nebula that hid the New Republic starships. Ellemiek piloted her ship into the hangar bay and set it with ease. A few mechanics and people could be seen by.

Opening the access ramp Ellemiek and Auron left the Corellian Transport, being met on the outside by an officer. "Welcome. I am Second Lieutenant Vandross. I believe you have a woman in need of medical attention? She's inside the ship, I presume..."

"Yes, she is in the quarters at the back," Ellemiek nodded. As soon as she said so a team of medics went inside the ship along with a medical droid to check on her and perform whatever medical needs they had to.

"This way please..." Vandross gestured. "Admiral Aknor wants to debrief you himself," he told them.

***

In the bridge stood Admiral Aknor. A tall Mon Calamari, he was a fierce tactician. And yet he feared conflict with Tarkin's forces which he knew were grand. Aknor turned when Ellemiek and Auron were let inside the Concordia's bridge.

"Welcome. It is good to find that you are quite well, Commander Vermolen. A long time since we last met..." he said as he bowed his head slightly. "And you must be Commander Auron Ronso," he nodded.

"Yes, sir," Ellemiek saluted. "We were informed that you wanted a debrief. Well, about Tarkin's presence in Tae'Karada, I am afraid that it seems to be increasing more and more. But I take it you know this already. As for new information, we have found a secret underwater base with former Tae'Morad fighters that are capable of flying underwater also, and we found a woman in a crash which we brought here... We believe she is not with the New Empire," she said.

"Yes..." Aknor blinked. "Our medics are attending to her now. But that underwater base sounds interesting. Please, tell me more..."

"It's almost impossible to find the base, Admiral. We found it by chance! We think that the base connects directly to the palace..." Auron stated while he saw Vandross looking at him.

"The fighters are old Tae'Morad design and were especially for protection, but there was also a big ship. Our best guess is that the mother ship was to take the Royal Family in case of an invasion, but that was not possible since there are signs that indicate that the base is untouched for a long time," Auron concluded. He looked at Vandross who seemed quite interested in what he was saying. "I'm not an expert, but the base could be older than all of our ages put together."

Aknor blinked with his large fish-like eyes. "That is quite interesting. I'm figuring that the Grand Admiral of the New Empire is not aware of this underwater base and it may prove useful to us yet..." he said.

At that point an ensign walked into the bridge and saluted the Admiral. "Sir, I was ordered to deliver this report to you from the Medical Bay. It's from the woman that was just brought in."

"Very well..." Aknor nodded as the young ensign was dismissed. He read it while Ellemiek and Auron waited for him to finish. "The woman is stable. Report states that she should be well in a couple of days, although she was lucky to survive. Apparently she is Gallorian," he said.

"That is good," Ellemiek said. "Let us just hope that she can give us useful information when she wakes up."

"Yes, let us hope so..." the Admiral nodded. "But I do foresee one slight problem here. After all, you were discovered and your faces seen. Won't this be a bit of a threat to your undercover work?"

Ellemiek gasped for a while. Indeed she had thought about it in the way over. Perhaps her cover was blown, but she didn't want to be pulled off the mission while things were apparently going in the right direction. She sighed. "With all due respect, sir, that is one possibility. However, New Plouton is a very large hub with millions of people. I believe we can maintain the undercover still, if careful..."

"Would you agree, Commander Auron Ronso?" Aknor asked.

"It's a great risk to go back to the planet, but with all due respect, Admiral, whether we are willing to take that chance or not is up to us..." Auron paused and smiled at Ellemiek. "Personally, I like to live on the edge. I say we take that chance."

Aknor could not contain a smirk. "I don't have orders to retain you here for the time being, but I will take this to Admiral Tallen's attention, although I believe he will still consider you for the position since the results so far have been satisfactory," he said.

"Thank you, sir," Ellemiek smiled. "Also, I believe we might have some extra help from a group of Jedi whom apparently live on Tae'Karada. We have met them and they requested for a meeting. Perhaps you can deliver this message to Admiral Tallen and arrange for it?"

"Of course..." Aknor said. "It is a surprise to find Jedi on the surface, but perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky if they are willing to help..." he said. "I will see to it personally."

"Anything else, sir?" Ellemiek asked the Admiral.

"Not for the time being. You are both dismissed. Your quarters have been arranged for you to stay here and rest yourselves. Besides, we don't want to blow your cover by sending you back too soon."

"Yes, sir..." Ellemiek saluted. She then left the bridge along with Auron. Already in the corridor, the Second Lieutenant turned to them.

"Commander Ronso, your request for the transfer of the last X-Wing from the Wild Cats has come through. The ship will be in our hangar within the hour, although it will have to remain off the planetary limits..."

Auron smiled widely. At last he was going to see a familiar ship. "Thank you..." he nodded.

Ellemiek and Auron then made their way to the quarters which were not too far. The room was as so many others in the New Republic ships. Bunkers for several people. Ellemiek leaned on the door and placed her arm around Auron. "Too bad the rooms are not individual..." she smirked, teasingly.

Auron smiled. He gently touched her face with his fingertips and kissed her profoundly.

---

"Stubborn Resolve, Part 1"
By: General Shrezade Anoran
Major Adam Edwards
Captain Dresh Kano/Commander Deak Weddel
Captain Rilanna Kir
Admiral Jason Tallen

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Once again, Reza and her small entourage descended the ramp of the Pride onto yet another New Republic warship. The hangar bay, this time, was filled with pilots hopping down from their vessels and joining their fellow officers in a celebratory cheer. She hoped they fared just as well during the battle to retake her station, though she imagined many of those they were now patting on the back or embracing would not be there to receive such praise the next time.

As her eyes absently passed over the knots of revellers, she found herself scanning each face, searching for the pleasant Captain Kano. She chuckled softly to herself and looked away. It wouldn't do to develop a foolish infatuation with the man, especially considering he might be dead in a week. She'd already lost Vraner and suffered terribly because of it; she refused to allow that happen to her again.

"Victory and celebration are always good for morale," a voice from behind her said. "If you can't give them a victory, give them a celebration; but if you can, give them both."

Reza glanced back briefly at the tall, dashing figure, which confirmed the presence of Captain Kano his rich, full voice had already alerted her to. That fleeting glimpse of him was enough to halt her and pull her lips into a reluctant smile as she stared up at his far too pleasing face. "Well they'll need the morale boost to build their confidence for the next, more dangerous battle."

"We're going to have to move the fleet now, but then we'll have a meeting with Admiral Tallen. In there, we'll plan the upcoming battle, both for the station and the planet. You're definitely welcome to sit in on the planning session, even though it's top-brass only. For this mission, you're definitely top-brass around here."

Reza grinned. "Captain Kano, you know you're bad for my ego, don't you?"

"I am here to help with morale," Dresh said with a grin. "And, from that smile on your face, I would say that my job here is done."

"The fleet's morale, Captain," she reminded him, "not mine."

"One battle at a time, Ms. Anoran," he answered. "The fleet is made up of individuals, and it's important that those individuals get some attention as well. And, now, you are one of those individuals. You don't mind the personal attention, do you?"

Reza knew distance was in order, that she needed to do something to discourage his advances, but her mouth had other ideas as it formed the words, "Certainly not, Captain. From you, it is very welcome."

Dresh smiled and slipped his arm into hers. "Why don't I escort you up for the meeting," he said. "Perhaps I can help keep your spirits up between now and our next victory."

Reza's eyes slowly shifted to their linked arms, and she resisted the urge to snap off a scathing comment that would squelch whatever intentions he had to court her. But her body refused to heed her mind's bidding. "You're flirting with me, Captain," she told him blithely. "Is this how you treat every lady that comes on board?"

"Actually," Dresh said as he met her gaze, "I can't remember ever doing anything like this before. At least, not aboard a super star destroyer with an ally. Would you prefer that I stop flirting with you, Shrezade Anoran?"

"So, you are then," she surmised. "You're very good at it, you know. Which leads me to believe you've had plenty of practice." Flashing him a sly grin, she asked, "Am I correct?"

"Not as much as you might suspect," Dresh said. "With the war, there hasn't been much chance for it. However, I have been accused on many occasions of having a natural, irresistible charm." He raised a questioning eyebrow to her, as if to ask if it was working.

Reza simply shrugged noncommittally and focused her gaze forward, away from eyes that looked uncannily like Vraner's. "You'll find that I am swayed little by smiles and flattery, Dresh Kano. Perhaps another tactic will work for you. But what that is," she said, glancing sidelong at him, "you'll have to discover for yourself."

Dresh laughed. "A challenge. I happen to like challenges. Now, with that out of the way," he said as he slipped his arm from hers, "we don't want to keep Admiral Tallen waiting."

Reza nodded curtly at Dresh, but still remained close by him as they walked, just near enough for the back of their hands to brush. She liked him far too much for her own good, but considering she would never see him again once the station was won, returning his affections wouldn't hurt.

After the third time their hands brushed against each other, Dresh slipped his hand around and brought his palm against hers, his fingers lacing between hers.

"So...the direct approach, I see," she mused. Instead of wrenching her hand from his, which would have been her initial reaction before Riga, she now curled her fingers over the back of his hand and brushed her thumb against his. "I think it's working," she added quietly.

Dresh smiled. "You don't seem to be a woman who likes toying around," he said. "The direct approach seemed the most...tactically sound." They entered the lift that would take them from the flight deck to the observation deck where the meeting would take place. "Don't worry, it's not a long ride up...at least, as long as there are no mechanical problems with the lift."

"You're not getting any sneaky ideas, are you, Mr. Kano?" Reza grinned and raised an eyebrow at him pointedly. "Are you?"

"It would be a shame if there was a mechanical failure," he said with a grin. "Wouldn't it? Of course, on a ship like this one, the chances of that happening are astronomical." Suddenly the lift lurched to a stop, and one of Dresh's hands, that had been behind his back re-emerged. "Well, what do you know. Sometimes, you can never tell with those odds."

Reza chuckled as she turned to face the crafty captain. "You do know we have an important meeting to attend. Have you gotten your priorities confused?"

"Meeting isn't schedule for another fifteen minutes," Dresh answered as he leaned back against the wall. "So, we have a little bit before we need to get moving again. We can have a little time to talk before we're thrust into the battle that will win this war for us, or wipe us out and leave the New Republic in a very vulnerable position."

"Ah...I see," she replied slowly, finding him pulling her closer by their linked hands. "So...this is a good distraction before the upcoming battle. Or perhaps a nice send-off before you ride into certain death?"

"No," he said. "It's one person being drawn toward another. It's not just something to pass the time, or a quick fling before all hell breaks loose. I feel comfortable around you, Shrezade. I feel that we've managed to connect on some level, and...and I like you. I just want to make sure that I do get to spend some time with you before everything gets crazy. I don't care how we spend the time, as long as we have time together. If that's what you want, of course."

"I'm a woman who doesn't always know what she wants," Reza said softly. She sighed and looked away when their bodies connected. Instead of anticipation of what would be coming next, she felt only anxiety and hesitation. "There's just so much work to do," she murmured. "I don't-- There isn't time to figure out what I want right now."

Dresh slipped his arms around her and held her close. "We don't have to do anything except be together," he whispered. "We don't have to do anything but enjoy each other's presence." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't want you getting into anything you don't want to be into, Shrezade."

"We've known each other for an hour," she said, finding it difficult to pull away now. "I haven't even had time to consider if this is what I want." Her mind was a confusion of emotions and doubts and warning alarms being sounded by the more rational part of herself. She had a mission to lead, a station to free...and a husband to continue mourning whose memory would be dishonoured if she even considered giving herself to another man. Reza rocked her forehead slowly against Dresh's, telling herself 'no,' but finding that her body still refused to pull away. "What the hell is happening to me?" she whispered. "It's too soon for this. Hells, I-I don't even know if Dresh Kano is your real name!"

"Dresh Kano is my real name," he said softly. "I promise. We have only known each other for an hour, but...sometimes it's just the right thing. We won't rush into this, Shrezade; whatever this is. I won't force you, or push you. I'm drawn to you, but...more than that, it's too early to tell. I know I want to know you better."

"Then I think you'd better pull away," she told him. "Or I'll just push so hard you won't want to come back."

Dresh nodded, and did just that, taking two steps away from her. He turned his back to her and started working at the control to resume their ride up through the ship.

With Dresh's forehead no longer supporting hers, Reza's pressed lightly to the wall of the lift while she cursed quietly to herself. She had once been in complete control of her life, but now everything was a jumbled mess. Sighing, she shifted around and leaned her back against the wall, watching Dresh with utter confusion. "I'm sorry," she told him. "You don't know anything about me, Captain. You don't know how difficult this is for me."

"I don't know," Dresh answered, "but it's in your face and in your eyes. And, just so you know, I stepped away, but I'm not giving up."

Reza regarded Dresh's back, wearing a curious smile as she did. "You really do like a challenge, don't you?"

Dresh chuckled. "Yes," he said. "yes I do." With a lurch, the lift resumed and he turned back to face her. "There are some challenges worth pursuing, and some that aren't."

"I hope I prove to be worth it for you in the end, Captain," she told him in all sincerity.

"So far, everything tells me you are," he whispered.

Reza was surprised at the hot flush that suffused her cheeks, and demurely looked down. She didn't like where this was headed, but she also knew a part of her was prepared to dive right in despite the repercussions. Much to her relief, the lift halted and the doors parted. Still avoiding Dresh's gaze, she strode quickly out and took in a deep breath.

Dresh watched her for a moment, then quickly slipped out of the lift after her. He caught up in a few long strides, making sure to keep a safe distance, despite the longing to close it. "We're going to be in the room straight at the end of this corridor."

"Will Rilanna be allowed to attend?" she asked, trying to veer discussion away from the uncomfortable situation in the lift. "I must have her there. She is my advisor."

Dresh nodded. "Of course," he said. "Under normal conditions, she wouldn't, but these aren't exactly normal conditions. If you'd like to contact her and have her come up..."

"A good idea," she replied, halting in the corridor. "You can go on ahead of me. I'll meet you all in the meeting chambers."

Dresh smiled and nodded. "I'll see you there," he said. With that, he turned away and started down the hallway, leaving Reza alone.

"Ril!" she hissed into the comm device after punching in Rilanna's frequency the instant Dresh disappeared. "Come to my location immediately. I-I need to discuss something with you. Then you must join me in the meeting with Admiral Tallen."

"I'll be there in a moment," Rilanna answered. "Do you want me to come alone?"

Reza sighed. "If you could. This is important, Ril. Only you."

"Alright," she said. "Lerrah and I were working on one of the stabilizers. I'm sure Elf will be more help than I. I'll be right there."

"Thank you, dear," she sighed. "I'm waiting on deck four just past the lifts. Please hurry."

"Already hitting the lift," Rilanna answered. "I'll be there in just a moment."

Reza sighed and leaned her back against the wall. "I don't know what's gotten in to me. It's your fault, you know. Liberating my emotions, giving me a far more open mind. I blame all this on you, Rilanna Kir."

"If that's the case, I'll take full credit," Rilanna answered with a chuckle. A moment later, the lift doors at the end of the corridor opened, and Rilanna strode out, comlink still up to her lips. "I take it things got steamy with Dresh?"

Reza grimaced as she pocketed her com. "Not...completely. But close. How did you know?"

"You haven't been with me or Lerrah, which means you're with the only other people in the last day who has any affect on your emotions," Rilanna answered as she returned her comlink to her belt. "So, what happened?"

"He wishes to pursue me," Reza replied in obvious distress. "And...I think I gave him an invitation to do so."

Rilanna nodded. "And, you're not exactly certain what you want at this point," she said.

She smiled softly at her friend as she raised a hand to her cheek. "About some things. As for others...I'm almost certain."

Ril covered Reza's hand with her own, and took comfort in the gentle pressure against her cheek, the soft, warm touch. "Follow your heart," Rilanna whispered softly, "and it will seldom lead you in error."

"But I've just met him," she told her. "My heart has nothing to do with this. I'm attracted to him physically...but that's all I can tell at the moment. Still...I like talking with him, and...touching him felt nice too..." Reza grumbled and pulled away, angered by her own lack of self-discipline. "There are far more important things to do. I can't simply allow myself to develop a crush for someone I barely know!"

"When you're in a crisis like this, sometimes it is actually best to act on what the body is feeling. If your body finds it needs the comfort he can offer you, or I can offer you, or whoever, then as long as it's not happening in the middle of the crisis...there's no harm. If you feel you want it, it's better than to act on it, and get past those feelings than to keep stirring with it. There's more of a distraction at that point in holding out than there is in going through with it. If you're attracted to him, and curious, it's alright to find a few moments of pleasure." She smiled and then chuckled. "You and I had a few nice moments earlier...though they were cut too short."

Reza laughed gently. "Yes...though we might be able to resume later tonight, if you wish. As for Dresh...it's very different, Ril. There hasn't been a man after Vraner and...despite our relationship with one another, allowing myself to be with another man just feels like a betrayal. It's foolish, I know. But I loved Vraner deeply. I don't know if I'm ready to move on just yet."

Rilanna smiled and then nodded. "Your heart, your body, and your mind will tell you when it's time," she said.

"As will you, my dear Ril?" Reza laughed softly at her friend then pressed a light kiss to her lips. "If he gets too impatient, you'll relieve his tension temporarily for me, won't you, my dear?"

"Is that what you want me to do when it gets to that point? I would for you, Reza, if that's what you wanted of me. For you, I'd do anything."

"No...dear Ril," she whispered, bringing her hands up to frame Rilanna's face, "don't say that. I don't want you to ever be that devoted to me. And, I would never ask you to do that for me...though if you wanted to..."

"If it would make you feel better, then I would. I don't think I could do it for myself unless it helped you. I'm content as I am, and don't need to take on a third lover." She brought her hand up and covered Reza's heart. "Actually, there is only one person whose heart I truly want."

"And one day, I may be able to give it," Reza told her, resting her hand atop Ril's. "Just...don't give up on me yet, Ril."

"Not a chance of that," Rilanna said softly. "Never a chance of that."

"Good," Reza replied with a curt nod. "Now that I've got you fooled...." She grinned and kissed Rilanna again, more fully this time and depriving her of a chance to complain.

After a moment, Rilanna's arms slipped around Reza and she returned the kiss. "Completely fooled," she whispered when their kiss finally broke. "So, did I help at all, or can I offer you any other advice?"

"You helped much," she replied, threading her fingers through Ril's hair. "Though, I wouldn't mind a little more help later tonight."

"To tell you the truth," Rilanna said with a grin, "I think I would like that very, very much. Sometimes, you have the most wonderful ideas, my dear."

Reza cocked an eyebrow. "Only sometimes?" She laughed softly and backed away with Rilanna down the corridor. "Time to show a fleet admiral that two women are sufficient enough to lead an army, my dear."

Rilanna laughed, and quickly followed after. She brought her lips close to Reza's ear and whispered, "Tonight I'll show you how wonderful this idea of yours is."

"And I would expect nothing less from you," Reza purred. "Now, behave. We have an Admiral to impress."

They waited by the two blast doors leading to the conference room, until Captain Kano arrived to give them entrance. Reza noticed the furtive smile he shot her, and returned it with one of her own. From the large grin on Rilanna's face, it was obvious she'd seen the exchange and would no doubt tease her about it tonight.

"His name's Tallen, isn't it?" Reza asked quickly. "Any specific protocol I should know about when addressing him?"

"Typically, just Admiral Tallen is fine," Dresh said. "And, remember, in here, I'm Commander Weddel."

"Understood." Reza smiled at him again, more visibly now, and motioned her eyes towards the doors. "After you, Commander."

---

"Stubborn Resolve, Part 2"
By: General Shrezade Anoran
Major Adam Edwards
Captain Dresh Kano/Commander Deak Weddel
Captain Rilanna Kir
Admiral Jason Tallen

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Weddel/Kano inclined his head slightly, and then turned and entered the conference room. He gestured toward a pair of open chairs. "Shrezade Anoran and her Second, Rilanna Kir. They'll be heading up the command unit of the Drogen Team. For the duration of this operation, she'll be acting with a provisional rank of general." He cast a surreptitious glance at Rilanna, and then continued speaking. "General Anoran, Colonel Kir, Admiral Jason Tallen."

Reza thanked Dresh with a bow of her head, shooting him a raised eyebrow as she did. He shrugged imperceptibly, then moved towards his seat.

"Admiral Tallen," Reza drawled, she too striding towards the large conference table. "I suppose I should thank you first for agreeing to this meeting." She stopped before him with enough poise to convey to the younger man that she certainly wasn't one to contend with if he so chose. Her smile would have been pleasant if it went anywhere near her eyes, but it was all he was getting at the time. Extending a hand to him, she said, "It's certainly a pleasure, Admiral."

"The honor is mine," the Admiral said, taking the hand and giving it a firm shake. He smiled convincingly and looked at her, his ice blue eyes looking her up and down, judging her. "Now, let's get down to business. Major Edwards is running a little late and will be here as soon as he can. And there should be no more Imperial interruptions, as they will not dare attack a vessel as powerful as a Super Star Destroyer. Especially when I have my entire fleet one transmission and 30 seconds away."

"They were foolish enough to attack the first time," Reza noted as she took her seat. "You don't think they would be so unwise as to do so again?"

"Our meeting wasn't on the Lusankya last time," the Admiral said, still smiling. "And they now know that the New Republic has a presence in this sector. They will be more cautious, Tarkin is no fool."

"Don't be so certain of that. He seized my station, didn't he?" She chuckled wryly. "I imagine together, we can enlighten him as to the idiocy of that move. That is why you've agreed to meet me, is it not, Admiral? You do wish to aid me in retaking the station?"

"Yes, but before we begin," the Admiral began, his smile being replaced with a very serious and perhaps even grim expression. "I must warn you. Tarkin isn't a fool. He is very powerful and he didn't acquire that power easily. Do not underestimate him. Just because our first few victories were easy doesn't mean we can go out and take him on, one on one."

Jason looked into her eyes with his. They seemed to lose the warmth they had had a few moments ago. All that was left was a very serious icy blue stare, which had made most people in the past shiver when it had passed over them. "I am prepared to loan you a couple hundred of the New Republic's elite 'ground-pounders.' They are more competent even than the infamous Stormtroopers and more reliable. I can send additional ground troops if you request," he said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table, his hands folded together. "Major Edwards will command them, unless you have an objection."

Reza's lips quirked into an enigmatic grin as she, in turn, leaned towards the Admiral. "He may lead them, but I give the orders. It's my station and I'm the one who knows it best. This...Edwards will be under my command. I do not take orders from people I do not know, and therefore do not trust."

The Admiral nodded. "I understand."

"Here is the current plan that my advisors and I have put together. We will launch a major attack against the Imperial forces around the shipyards. During the battle, several corvettes will dock with the shipyards and the New Republic troops will enter the station to retake it. Then the corvettes will leave to rejoin the space battle.

"What you need to do is this. Several minutes before the battle occurs, the smugglers need to make several hit-and-run attacks on Imperial ships. We also need a fairly good-sized number of your forces to try to retake the shipyards." Jason paused. "All of this will distract the Imperials. As they move forces to deal with your hit-and-run attacks and your liberation attempt, we will come in and hit them hard and fast. With luck, they won't be ready for it and be confused long enough to be routed. After a salvo of missiles and torpedoes, the corvettes will dock with the station on the opposite side of where your liberation forces are attacking. With your forces on one end, and mine on the other, we will crush the Imperials between us on the station. With the confusion we will cause in space, the battle should be fairly easy."

Jason sighed, sitting back. "The hard part will be keeping the station and eventually attacking Chimaeria itself. By the time we are ready for that, Tarkin will have pulled together more forces and have a pretty good idea of what to expect from us. However, it will be done."

"Don't worry, Admiral," Reza assured him with a fierce smile, "once that station is mine, there is no chance of anyone tearing it from my grasp again. It is equipped with hidden defenses the Imperials may have disabled if they've discovered they exist; there are some, however, that no one but myself and my security chief are aware of. If we can manage to enable them all again, we can ensure that no Imp will dare step foot in there." She shared a knowing smile with Rilanna upon recollection of their daring escape from the station. She imagined it took some time to fully cleanse the air of her nerve toxin.

"As for Tae'Karada," she added, slowly shifting her gaze back to the young Admiral, "once the New Republic has control of the station and therefore access to Imperial vessels - unless your officers foolishly destroy them all - you will have even more ships to add to your fleet. I imagine that should give you a greater advantage against the Empire."

The Admiral smiled again. "Okay then, I believe we have a plan. Phase one of Operation Exorcism is ready to go.

"Before you go, I would like to know what kind of space forces you will have attack the Imperials. Numbers, stats, etcetera of the ships, and what kind of force you could have on the shipyards to retake it, so that I can coordinate my assault more efficiently."

"Space forces?" Reza glanced at Rilanna, then Dresh, wondering briefly if either of them had any idea what the Admiral was expecting of a former administrator currently on the run. "Admiral Tallen," she began, attempting to mask her impatience with a tight smile, "I have no ships. I don't know if you were expecting a cavalry, but all you have is myself, my second, and a pilot. If you wish for more--" Reza leaned in closer, giving Tallen a perfect view of her cunning grin. "I believe, Admiral, you might just have to make a deal with this galaxy's greatest fiend, next to the Empire, of course. Are you prepared for that? If so, I can make it happen."

"No ships? Doesn't almost every smuggler have his or her own ship? And there are many smugglers who have ships and want to fight the Empire, aren't there?" Jason paused, his smile replaced with a frown. "Who might this fiend be?"

"I don't know where you've gotten your information, Admiral, but I am not in league with any smuggling group." Reza smirked and added, "No, crime lords are more my style. Particularly Dargus Kandran. I'm certain you've heard of him."

"No," the Admiral said immediately. "I will not associate myself or the New Republic with a man like that. He is a manipulative, conniving, monster, and if I had to describe him in a word, I would say he's evil incarnate." Tallen couldn't even believe what he was hearing. "I will not deal with a goblin to defeat a troll."

"Then this," she said, motioning to Rilanna, "is the only army I will be bringing with me. I hope that suffices, for it will have to."

Jason sighed, his eyes losing focus for just a minute as he thought about the situation. He was tired.

"If, and that is a very, very big if," Jason began, his eyes focussing again on Rilanna, "we bring that monster into the fold, what can he do to help us? And how can we control him?"

"There's a real trick to controlling a man like Kandran," Rilanna answered. "Though, as long as our goals and his coincide, I don't believe we'll have much trouble. Though, you'll want someone who can watch him closely. I don't believe he has much honour, but if we can appeal to his baser instincts, I'm certain we can keep him reigned in for as long as we need to."

Jason's frown deepened. "I see," he said. "So, basically what you're telling me is that he can't be controlled, and the only way for us to keep him in line is to make sure his goals match ours. That's just great."

Jason reached up with his right hand to rub his temple. He sighed. "Alright, fine. I want to meet with him, and then make a decision whether to include him in our plan or not. But I want you by my side to help deal with him."

Reza chuckled dryly. "You want to meet with Kandran? If you wish it, you'll likely have to go to him, and believe me, it isn't likely that he'll meet you. Your best bet is to send him a subspace transmission. I can negotiate with him. I...have a grasp of how a man like him operates. I think I can persuade him to join us."

All conversation halted abruptly as the conference room doors parted and a very young, visibly cocky man strode in. Reza cocked an eyebrow at Tallen. "Do you always tolerate interruptions like this, Admiral?"

Jason turned to face the newcomer. "I expect my officers to be on time for meetings, Mr. Edwards."

For a split second, Adam's cocky composure seemed to fail. But by the time he sat down in his seat, his usual swagger was back.

"Sorry Admiral. The Elusive has some damage to it since the battle," Adam told him.

"Shrezade Anoran, Rilanna Kir, this is Major Adam Edwards, a smuggler friend of mine."

Adam glanced at the two women across the table. Both of the women seemed to radiate a cool confidence. Adam had seen people like this. That was why he knew that people like this were dangerous.

"Pleasure," he said simply.

Reza eyed the man impassively, then repressed a chuckle as she shifted her gaze languidly back to Tallen. "This boy is going to be accompanying me into battle? You are joking, are you not, Admiral?"

"This 'boy' has proven himself in battle," the Admiral replied. "And he has earned a little bit of my trust. Give him a chance. Of all people, you, Shrezade, should know that judging people too quickly can get you killed out here, or anywhere for that matter."

"I'm Ms. Anoran to you, Admiral," Reza corrected coolly. "And I will trust him only if Commander Weddel says I can." She shifted her gaze to the man seated beside her and smiled subtlety. "So...can I?"

Adam saw this as the time to interject.

"Ms. Anoran. You may not trust me. But over on Drogen, you're going to need someone who knows tactics. Someone who knows what to do when Imperial Stormtroopers start getting nasty. You may know the layout of Drogen, but things change in combat real fast. You don't have to trust me. But you do need me," Adam told her bluntly.

Rilanna Kir glanced askance at Edwards and let out a snort of laughter. "Right."

Reza suppressed a smile and picked up where Rilanna began. "I may need an army, young man, but that doesn't mean I need you specifically. You can barely arrive punctually to meetings; how can you possibly lead an army to defend me?"

Adam seemed to consider this and smiled. He backed up from his chair.

"Ms Anoran. Do you have a credit chip on you right now? Please throw it in the air,"Adam requested

Reza regarded the man with pure amusement for a long moment, then glanced at Rilanna. "Dear, would you please humour this child?"

Rilanna sighed. As she fished through her pocket for her credit chip, she leaned toward Reza and whispered only loud enough for her to hear: "I think we're about to find out what a big stud he is." With that, she flicked her credit chip into the air.

Adam watched as the credit chip spun through the air. He quickly drew his blaster, spun it around, and caught the credit chip in his pocket. He pulled the trigger and watched the credit chip explode in a small show of sparks.

Too intent on his own display, Adam didn't even notice that as he was drawing a bead on the credit chip, Rilanna had drawn one of her blasters, waited for him to get his shot off, and then fired two shots into his blaster. "You owe me three hundred thousand credits, nerf-breath; but I'll have that little toy replaced."

Reza laughed heartily at the display, and a single glance in Dresh's direction indicated he was trying to refrain from doing the same. "And what exactly, Major, was that supposed to prove?"

"Believe me, Miss Anoran. You're going to want me over there. If for no other reason than to make sure you don't end up like that credit chip," Adam said.

His eyes shifted to Kir. "Try that again. Please," he said dangerously.

Rilanna raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Unlike you, Mr. Edwards," she drawled, "I'm not trying to prove myself. Your job will be to keep the Imps from stopping us from getting to the station's defenses, I'll make sure we don't end up looking like your blaster."

"Children, children," Reza interjected, giving Rilanna a subtle smile. "We need to focus on the matter at hand. You can save the bickering for after the mission. Is there anything else we need to discuss here?"

Jason just smiled at the whole encounter. Adam was trying to prove himself to these people, but it would take a whole lot more than that little show to do it. "Major, take a seat," the Admiral said, glancing at Adam before focussing on the others at the table once again. "Ms. Anoran--" he stressed her name, since she had corrected him earlier on it "--there is a few more matters.

"In exchange for getting your shipyards back, you will allow the New Republic to use them whenever they wish, and you will give them full access to ship repair facilities, weapon and ammo stockpiles, food supplies, etcetera. And yes," he said, raising a hand before she could object, "they will pay market value for all of the items they use or take.

"That wasn't what I was objecting to," Reza said tightly. "I was about to raise a protest as to allowing the New Republic free access to my shipyards whenever they so choose. It is still my station - or at least it will be very soon - and I will still hold the right to reject any ship that requests to dock there, as always. That means New Republic vessels too...though I imagine we can negotiate a contract that will be acceptable to us both. After I get my station back, of course."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "It will be a very favorable contract for the New Republic," Jason said. "Since we are the ones that will be giving you your station back. If my superiors find the contract not favorable enough for them, and you won't re-negotiate, then we will take your station ourselves and not grant you any access to it."

"How dare you?" Reza hissed, narrowing her eyes threateningly at the man. "That station is rightfully mine. If you seize it from the Imperials and keep it for yourself, you'll be no better than they are. And frankly, if that is the type of people you are, I will gladly seek aid from another source. Is that more preferable to you than seeking a peaceful arrangement, Admiral?"

"No, we will be better than they are," Jason said, smiling. He had successfully provoked a reaction out of his guest, "because we will not be using it for evil purposes such as they are doing now. We might even decide to destroy the shipyards if we find it too much trouble to retake, if we decide it will cost too many lives." Jason's smile widened. "That is, if you don't help us.

"This is the way I see it. The New Republic is going to lay down the lives of thousands of troops to retake this station. We aren't going to take it back, give it to you free of charge, and say 'here you are, do with it whatever you want.' We want a guarantee that the hundreds, if not thousands, that die to retake the station will not die in vain. We want a guarantee that you won't be aiding enemies of the New Republic with it later on, Imperial or otherwise. And we want to station ships at your station, to make sure the Imps don't come back and try to take it again."

"Profit," Reza spat. "You're only in this for profit. You don't care that there are thousands of people trapped on that station - people you seem willing to sacrifice if necessary. All you do have a care for is making the New Republic wealthy." Sliding her chair back, Reza rose smoothly, though her scowl belied her apparent calm. "You're no better than the Empire. I will not have dealings with you; the cost is far too high for my liking. I will retake my station, and I will do it without your help. Rilanna!" She shifted her eyes briefly to her friend. "We're leaving." With her eyes fully on Tallen again, she added, "The stench in here is becoming quite intolerable. Good luck in your quest for galactic domination, Admiral. But I advise you to steer clear of my station while you do it." Turning on her heel, Reza stalked towards the door, shooting Dresh a wry smile. "So much for your help, Captain," she muttered for his ears only.

Before she got too far away, Dresh quickly answered. "Don't go far," he answered.

Without acknowledgement, Reza and Rilanna exited the conference room.

---

"Stubborn Resolve, Part 3"
By: General Shrezade Anoran
Major Adam Edwards
Captain Dresh Kano/Commander Deak Weddel
Captain Rilanna Kir
Admiral Jason Tallen

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Dresh glanced toward Tallen wondering exactly what the admiral was trying to do here. They were out here to liberate the region from Imperial control, not to seize new assets for the New Republic. Things were getting out of hand way too quickly. "That went well."

"They see only greed," the Admiral said, slouching a little and leaning back in his chair. He sighed. "They see what they want to see," he mumbled.

"Yes, my superiors want to be able to use that station," he continued, "and they want it liberated and handed back to its rightful owners. But thousands will die to retake it, and what will the New Republic get from it all? The Imperials out of just one more system." He sighed again, this one slightly less than the first. "All we want is a little something from them in return. Just one thing. Not even money. All we want from her is a promise, words. We won't be holding her against her will, nor anyone else on the station, or in the entire damned system for that matter, like the Imperials are. We won't institute our rules over anyone in this system unless they decide, for themselves, that they want to join the New Republic. All we want is permission to use the station, to defend it, and we're even offering to pay for everything we use from it.

"All we want is to free those people," he said, slamming his fist on the table hard. "I want to free those people. I want everyone in this system freed, and I will have it done. All that my superiors want is a guarantee that we can then use the station to free yet more people in other systems, other parts of the galaxy, afterwards. Those...those people want their station back and aren't willing to give up anything to have it done. The New Republic isn't in it for wealth! Dear gods no, we have gone literally broke over this entire damned war! They claim that we don't care about the lives there, hell, they do not care about the lives there! They are the ones that are greedy, not I, not the New Republic."

He glanced at Adam, and then back to Dresh. He removed his fist from the table, noticing that there was a small crack where he had slammed it down.

"Major," Dresh/Weddel said, glancing in Adam's direction, "I think you should go get a cup of kaffe."

Adam glanced at the man. Something about him didn't seem right. He knew Dresh had asked him to leave because cause there was something he didn't want Adam to hear.

"Sure. I'll be back,"Adam said quickly. He threw a look towards Tallen, a warning look, just in case.

With that, Adam exited the blast doors, still wondering what was going on.

"You don't push a woman like Shrezade Anoran the way you are," Dresh said once he was alone with Tallen. "And, you don't threaten her. You weren't asking for permission to use the Drogen Shipyards, Admiral; your words indicated commandeering the station, and leaving little room for argument. You openly questioned her integrity and suggested that as soon as we were gone, she'd be engaged in some duplicitous action to rebel against us. You're a bully, Admiral. A thug who resorts to petty threats and strong-arming when you don't get your way." He narrowed his eyes. "You're going to give the New Republic a bad name."

The Admiral narrowed his eyes at the man and put his arms on the table in front of him. He put his hands together in a steeple position. "A thug. Petty threats. Strong-arming," he repeated Dresh's words. "I was simply stating my position. I do not hide behind fancy words, or cloak my sentences with them either. I simply was stating facts.

"You just don't like the way I was stating them," he sighed, taking his arms off the table and leaning back in his chair, yet still keeping his hands in a steeple position. "I hate diplomacy. But I will try again."

"Well, I obviously wasn't the only one who didn't like how you were stating them," Dresh answered indicating the seats that Rilanna and Shrezade had vacated.

"I have both a request and a word of thanks for you," he said to Dresh. "Before we call them back in here. I thank you for not challenging my methods in front of anyone else. You are an honorable man. Your record proves it, but I now know from personal experience that you are indeed.

"I like men who go toe-to-toe with me, tell me what I am doing wrong," the Admiral continued. "It keeps me from getting sloppy and I come to respect and trust those men, and women, faster than anyone else. However, I request that you never call me a thug again, privately or publicly."

He gave Dresh an honest smile, hoping that he would take it as the request that it was, and not a threat. "Okay, I will re-explain to them the New Republic's plan," he said. "In a way, hopefully, that will be more to their liking."

He pressed a button, and a second later a Lieutenant came through the doors. "Lieutenant," Jason began. "Please humbly request that the two ladies that marched out earlier in rage rejoin us. I believe you know whom I am referring to."

The Lieutenant nodded and quickly walked out the door.

Once the lieutenant had disappeared, Dresh glanced back at the admiral. "I don't cloak my words behind pleasantries either; however, in the future, when you're acting like a thug, I'll find words more to your liking."

Jason chuckled softly. He was really beginning to like this guy. He suddenly wondered where Adam was. "Where's that blasted kaffe?"

As if one cue, Adam returned to the room with a mug of steaming kaffe in each hand.

"I didn't know if you wanted some so I brought some back with me," he told the other officers.

"Thanks," the Admiral said, getting up and taking a cup of it. He sat back down, sipping it. He grimaced slightly. "Who made this?"

Dresh/Weddel pointed to the mug. "That face you're making, that's exactly why I don't drink the kaffe here. I'd rather drink the plasma seepage from my fighter than that slog."

"You're right, I guess I've never tried the kaffe from one of the mess halls before." He took another sip and made another face. "I usually drink my own brew I make specially in my office. This stuff will take some getting used to..."

***

"You tell that Admiral Tallen," Reza snarled, advancing slowly on the Lieutenant attempting to back away, "and that Commander Weddel that I don't deal with foolish, greedy imbeciles, and I certainly will not deal with them!"

"But, Mrs. Anoran," the young man said, "Admiral Tallen would like to re-confer with you on your role in the upcoming battle. He insists that you return so that he may re-explain his position."

Reza halted and threw her head back in a jeering laugh. "His position? The man is a crook and he made that quite clear."

"Please, ma'am," the lieutenant said as he glanced between Rilanna and Shrezade. Rilanna Kir's arms were crossed under her breasts and she was glowering at him, making him glad he wasn't Tallen. "Please...just give it one more chance. Commander Weddel stepped far out on a limb to convince the Admiral to try a different tack."

Reza narrowed her eyes skeptically at the man. "He did?" She glanced back at Rilanna, questioning her with one raised eyebrow. "Do we want to do this?"

Rilanna sighed. "As long as I get to shoot them both if they annoy me again," she said. "I guess we'll get to see how much he changes his song, or if he doesn't intend to coerce you into giving the New Republic unhindered access to the shipyards."

"If he does, he won't get off so lightly this time." Reza smiled ferally at the man and gestured for him to lead the way.

The young man nodded and turned on a heel to lead the way back to the meeting room. He said nothing as they walked, not wanting to anger the volatile women behind him any more than they already were. Once they were near the room where the admiral waited, he stopped and gestured them forward, not wanting to be close when things got volatile again.

Rilanna glanced to Reza and smiled. "Here goes nothing, I guess."

"Nothing is right," Reza muttered as she stepped forward. The doors parted for them and Reza glanced with disinterest between Dresh and Tallen. "Is there something you gentlemen wanted?"

"Admiral Tallen would like to restate the New Republic's position in the upcoming battle against Tarkin," Dresh said as he motioned Rilanna and Shrezade back to their seats. "Admiral?"

"Okay, I will keep it simple and short since we already tried to go over this once," the Admiral said, wording his next few sentences in his head carefully. "The New Republic would respectfully request you let us sign a contract or deal of some sort to allow our warships to use your station after it has been liberated. And since we will be liberating your station for you, we respectfully request it be somewhat favorable for the New Republic." He paused. "Would that be alright?"

Once seated, Reza passed her eyes languidly over the man, considering whether it was worthwhile to give him another chance, and whether he needed to redeem himself before she agreed. She chuckled to herself. Forcing him to run naked around the ship would be sufficient enough punishment. Though, that would likely make the situation far worse than it was now. "I believe, Admiral, that we can negotiate a fair contract. But I advise you not to push your weight around with me again. No one appreciates a bully."

"I was simply stating the situation and what would happen in different scenarios. I was not threatening or promising anything," the Admiral said. Why did he have to keep saying that? "I apologize if you didn't like the way I did it, but I did not mean to appear a bully."

He didn't wait for her rebuttal. "Is there anything else we need to discuss besides the contract itself?" He focused on Dresh.

"When are we going to discuss the actual plan for going in?" Weddel/Dresh asked. "Before we jump into the hot-seat, we need to have a solid plan of attack, getting Mrs. Anoran and her team inside, and then getting them out again once they've finished their mission."

Rilanna smiled languidly. "I think she'd prefer to be called...General Anoran."

"It's true," she replied blandly. "I would."

"I cannot promote you to the same rank that I hold," the Admiral said. "A General is equivalent in rank to an Admiral, different branches of the New Republic military being the only difference. I can give you a field commissioning as a Colonel or Captain, anything higher would have to be approved by my superiors."

Reza suppressed a chuckle and leaned forward. "Admiral," she whispered, "in life I've learned you cannot afford to take everything as seriously as you obviously do. If you can believe this...I was joking." As she leaned back in her chair, she did emit a gentle laugh, which Rilanna shared in.

Dresh glanced around and then sighed. "Perhaps it would be best if we left the planning for another time. We've all had a busy day, and I'm sure we could use some time to refresh. If you'd like, we can arrange quarters for you here, General. Or you can continue staying on Lerrah's ship."

"I believe quarters on board would be a nice change," Reza replied. She glanced at Rilanna and added, "I believe my Second and I can share a room."

Rilanna hid her smile at that, though Dresh didn't do a very good job at it. "Should I place Lerrah in an adjoining room?"

"Of course," Reza answered. "She'll be fine alone for one evening, I imagine."

"I'm sure she will," Rilanna answered. "So, we're done here?"

Dresh nodded and glanced toward the others pointedly. "Yes," he said. "I believe we're done here."

The Admiral nodded as well. "Yes. We will talk more tomorrow."

"Hopefully not for too long," Reza said. "We do have a station to liberate, Admiral." Rising from her seat, Reza smiled impassively at the man. "Perhaps things will go far more smoothly tomorrow...we can only hope." Then, she gestured for Dresh to lead the way.

Dresh cast a nod back into the room for the others, and then led the way out of the room with Rilanna and Reza right behind him. "Normally I'd put you in a cabin with the best view, but I think I'll put you in one with the most privacy. View's still nice, just not spectacular."

"If there's a bed with a comfortable mattress," Reza said, "then I couldn't care less about the view."

"All our mattresses are comfortable," Dresh answered. "Though, I figured, after earlier, the two of you might like some privacy."

"We do have much to discuss," Reza agreed, smiling at Rilanna. "But if you need us for anything," she added, with her focus on him again, "please contact us. We won't mind."

Dresh smiled. "Well, if I find myself needing you, I'll be sure to stop by. Should I contact you before stopping by first, or should I just surprise you?"

Reza chuckled lowly. "Behave yourself, Mr. Kano." She leaned in closer to him and whispered, "You do, and you may just get a chance yourself."

"If that's the case," Dresh answered quietly, "then I promise to behave myself."

Reza smiled languidly at Dresh, then demurely looked away. She'd vowed not to allow anything intimate to happen between she and Dresh, yet she'd offered him just that; the most disturbing part of it was that she was rather looking forward to it.

He said nothing for a long time, instead just walking in silence through the corridors of Lusankya. Finally he stopped in front of a door. "This one's for you. Lerrah will be in the one next door." He glanced between them until his gaze finally settled on Reza. "So, I'll see you later?"

She smiled and bowed her head to him. "Of course."

"I look forward to it," he said. "I'll go let Lerrah know where you are."

"Thank you." There ensued and awkward moment of silence, with Dresh staring at her and she, him. Then Reza laughed softly and slipped past him towards the door. "Good night, Mr. Kano," she sang, then disappeared within the room, Rilanna close behind

"I definitely hope so, Mrs. Anoran," he responded before the door could close. "I do definitely hope so."

---

"Family Reunion"
By: Liam Zaneth
Yelara Zaneth
Va'Lesh Zaneth [NPC+]

Location: Dargus' Cruiser
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Darkness. In the midst of his small bubble of life, everything around him was deep, impenetrable darkness. It was all an illusion however. Liam Zaneth knew the truth, but there was nothing he could currently do about it. He was a prisoner, robbed of the abilities that would allow him to escape. The small, reinforced flimsiplast container two meters away from him was what robbed him of his powers, made his escape hopeless without help.

But he had hope.

His wife and the mother of his child, Yelara Zaneth, was the source of light that kept him from despair. Bound and unable to touch her, either physically or through the Force, the sight of her always managed to give him the strength to carry on for just a little longer. He looked up from where he'd been staring at the container that held the creature denying him access to the Force.

The door opened, and he saw her. It was strange to see her with his eyes instead of through the Force. Soon, with her help, he would feel her through the Force again. Soon, she would help him be free of this. He kept the smile from his face, knowing they had to keep playing their game, a game that kept the truth from Dargus Kandran. He said nothing as she approached, only set his mouth in a hard slash. His eyes, however, danced with the joy of seeing her again. Their eyes had become the portals through which they shared the truth of their feelings, the truth that would get them both killed if Kandran ever found out.

"Sleep well?" she asked with no warmth in her voice, though her eyes were smiling. Yelara shifted the baby in she held in her arms to her right side. He'd been getting heavier, especially since Liam's arrival, but she still refused to stay long without him in her grasp.

She sighed airily, for effect, and strode forward at a casual pace. The closer she came to Liam, though, the more difficult it was to keep a hold of Leshie. He squealed happily and wriggled to break free, to go to his real father, but Yelara managed to secure him. She couldn't help smiling, however, at his insistence. "I've brought a surprise for you, you know," she continued, still maintaining her cool tone. "Not the baby, though. He's simply for torture. No, I have something much better for you."

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint," Liam answered without humour. "I never knew you had this streak of cruelty in you, Yelara. It appears that he still misses his father, his real father."

Yelara smirked. "He's confused, that's all. Don't get your hopes up." She stopped before Liam and watched him impassively. "You look defeated, Liam Zaneth. Finally realized you can't win?" She chuckled wanly while gently patting Leshie's back. As she did, a smile slowly grew on her lips - a genuine, tender smile that would have otherwise betrayed their ruse if Yelara hadn't already had a plan. "Ready for your surprise?"

"I have nothing better to do," Liam said, though his eyes told a different story. They both knew the harsh things they said to each other were just for Dargus' benefit, but it was still one of the most difficult things he had ever done to continue the indifferent, uncaring attitude toward her. "What's my surprise?"

"Oh, you'll see," she whispered, furtively slipping her hand beneath Leshie's shirt. When it re-emerged, a small, disc-shaped device with an intermittently blinking green light appeared in her palm. Yelara laughed softly. "Surprise."

Liam regarded her for a moment, a smile playing out in his eyes, even though it never touched his lips. He nodded slowly, his eyes alternating between his son, his wife, and the device she held out to him.

"Your wife has been a very busy woman, you know." She chuckled and leaned forward. "You know how I've always been good at building things?" Motioning her eyes to the device, she said, "Well, I spent all morning in the very handy repair bay Dargus built for me, oh so long ago. Created this nifty shielding device for us. Disrupts all sensor equipment, so I'm afraid Dargus' guards won't be able to see or hear anything as long as my little gift to you is activated." She grinned at Liam. "You like it?"

"I like it very much," Liam said with a smile. "Will he notice the outage and come to investigate? Or do we truly have some privacy now?"

"He's not on board. So...we have some time." She chuckled softly at Liam as she moved around behind him. In a brief moment, the energy binders securing his hands snapped open and fell to the ground. "Another surprise," she whispered into his ear. "I hope you appreciate them."

Liam pulled his arms back around to the front of the chair, in front of his body once more, and flexed feeling back into them. "I appreciate very much," he answered.

"I knew you would." She came around again to face Liam, watching him with a rueful smile and bouncing Leshie lightly in her arms. There was much to say, and an intense need to hold him, but all she found she could do was watch. So much had happened, and everything felt so different now, but her love for him hadn't changed. She just didn't know where to begin.

Liam looked up into her eyes and sighed. He could see her hesitation there, her uncertainty. "I love you," he whispered. "And, I am so sorry for everything I've put you through, Yelara. I just-- Oh gods. I want things to go back, back to you and me, so we can find our way together again. Even without the Force, I still feel our bond in here. I feel how connected we are, and..."

"I know," she whispered. "You just...hurt me so badly, Liam. I don't understand. What'd I do? How did I drive you to her?"

"We had each other," Liam said, "but you also had Kallia. Even though she and I did get close, I don't know. Since you had your second love, I... I don't really know much more than that. At this point, anything I say will just be excuses. I know now that I only need and want one love, and if I ever see Laedra again it will be difficult to hurt her that way. But, I can't continue on with that; it would only be a deception. You are the one I need, Yelara; and it's nearly destroyed me to find that out, but now I know. You are the only one I want in my life, Yelara Zaneth."

She sighed unsteadily, attempting to restrain her tears. "Why couldn't you have decided that before?" she whispered. "Now... We might not get out of this alive, Liam. We might never get a chance to be with each other again. And Leshie--" She did sob this time, and held her child closer. "If anything happens to us, Dargus won't keep him around. I'm afraid, Liam."

"We'll get out of here, Yelara, and our son will grow up. We'll have the chance to be proud of him. We'll do this, my love, and we'll be truly free. We just need to figure out a way for me to get out of here and us off the ship. Together, we can do it." He reached out and touched her, for the first time in so long. "I will make this up to you, my love. I promise."

Yelara nodded shakily, then let out a shuddering sob and sank down onto Liam's lap. Peering into his vibrant, blue eyes, and seeing the unshakeable determination there, she believed they would survive this. Yelara smiled and brushed her fingers over Liam's cheek. "We can do this," she said softly. "I love you, Liam. And because of that, I believe we'll be together again."

"Not even death could stop us," Liam said with a lopsided grin. He leaned forward and brushed his lips gently against hers. "I've missed you."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Me too..." she whispered, then kissed him more fully. The moment their lips met, the bond she'd thought broken seemed to re-form and pulse stronger than it had before. Even Leshie seemed to feel it, and bounced excitedly in her lap, filling the room with the sound of his bubbly laughter. Yelara chuckled and glanced down at their son, who was watching them both with a beaming smile. "I think your son's missed you."

"I think he has too," Liam said softly as he gazed at his son, at the beautiful life he and Yelara had created together. "He's getting so big. And, he's got your smile."

"He's got your eyes." She was brushing a hand through his fine, red hair when she felt tears running down her cheeks and a sudden aching guilt she'd never experienced before. "Oh gods...I almost killed him, Liam. I couldn't bear to look at him. I never want to feel that again."

"It's better now, my love," Liam answered. "It's all better now. We're both here for him, and with that little device, we can be when Dargus isn't around. We'll have to move soon though, so we can get out of here. But, we will get out of here, and we will be even better than we were before."

"But I'm afraid," she groaned. "I'm losing hope, Liam. I'm all alone, except for when I'm with Leshie, and when I'm thinking about you. I haven't seen Kallia since I returned. Dargus says she doesn't want to see me... I'm afraid he's done something to her." Yelara sobbed and buried her face into his chest. "Oh gods...this is all my fault. What have I done?"

"If anything's happened to her," Liam said. "He did it, not you. He could have used one of those ysalamiris to incapacitate her too. We'll make it through this, and we'll get her out of here too. We'll make it, Yel. And, this is his fault. You didn't make him do the things he did, he did. And, we'll get out of here and make him wish he'd stayed dead."

"But I'm confused," she said hoarsely. "Liam...I'm just so lost. There are times when I hate him..." She looked down and sighed. "Then there are times when I truly believe I-I love him..." Yelara wept against his chest and clutched the front of his shirt with her free hand. "I don't want to, but I can't help it. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"He's very good at playing that sort of game," Liam answered. "He knows what to say and when to say it. The guy could sell sand to a Tusken Raider. As long as you still love me, Yel, that's all I need. As long as we can be together, we'll make it through this. Our love is stronger than anything he could ever do to either of us."

"I believe that now," she sighed. "I was stupid to think you'd just...stopped loving me." Yelara gazed up at him again and smiled warmly. "How could my Kestrel ever do that?"

"Your Kestrel never could, my love," Liam answered. "Not ever." He sighed and nuzzled his lips against her cheek for a moment. "Dargus delighted in telling me what he did to our ship."

Yelara frowned. "It was horrible, Liam. But we'll find another. When we're free, we'll get another ship, another home, and we'll just...fly."

"Together," Liam whispered. "Like kestrels."

She smiled serenely and relaxed against Liam, finally feeling there was a future to look forward to. "You still have my earring, don't you? I will be wanting that back when this is all over."

"I do have it," Liam said with a smile. "Getting rid of that would be like tearing my heart out and leaving it behind. I don't have it with me, but it'll give us an incentive to go get it."

"Oh gods, I wish we could leave now. But I'm trying to get in contact with Oot. I'll get us out of this, Liam," she said fervently. "We'll be free to love each other again, my Kestrel, my soul." She looked down fondly at the child. "All three of us."

As they both looked at him, Leshie let out a boisterous giggle. "At least here he's a happy baby. I can't imagine he's very happy around Dargus."

"Dargus thinks he is," Yelara replied. "But he only smiles because he can sense you're near. But, we'll let Dargus have his delusions."

"Of course," Liam said. "Besides, he has too many delusions for us to deal with all of them. We'll let him keep that, and while he's off deluding, we can get to know each other again."

Yelara smiled up at her husband and snuggled closer to him, while Leshie nestled his cheek to his mother's bosom, seemingly settling in for the conversation. "Well, where do we start?" she asked softly.

"Why don't we start out by telling each other a little bit about what's happened while we've been away. The things that have made us want to be together again, more than anything else. Let's talk about the things we've been through that make it so clear that we belong together."

"How about that I've been miserable without you and I didn't even know it until I saw you again on Corellia?" She kissed his lips softly, then chuckled. "Does that work?"

"That works," Liam said. "After you left me at the Temple, when Dargus attacked...I felt dead for days, and I knew that without you, there could be no joy in my life. Laedra tried to help, but, for as much as I do care for her, she isn't who I need to be with. I knew then that I would do whatever I could to make myself worthy of your love again."

"You are," she insisted. "Oh gods, Liam, you've always been, not that my love is anything special. I guess...I just didn't give you enough attention... I should have. I knew Kallia's return was hard on you.... I'm sorry. You were right to turn to Laedra. You needed someone, and she was there. I...I think I can understand that."

"I know I shouldn't have, and I don't think it was the right thing. I care for her very much and I do love her, but she isn't the one. No one touches me the way you do; you saved me from darkness and held me in the light. You are the only one I could ever conceive of wanting to devote myself to."

"But when Kallia came back, and you had to share me... It was too much, wasn't it?" Yelara sighed. "I should've been more sensitive to what you were feeling. You're my Kestrel; I should've known."

"It doesn't matter now," Liam said. "We have each other again, and we have to get free. I think if Dargus takes more of these little trips away so you can come in here with me, we'll have a much better chance of getting out."

"We need a plan, though. But we'll need one soon." She held Liam tighter and continued with an audible tremor in her voice, "He plans on killing you very soon, even sooner if his master orders it. I don't know how much time we have left, Liam."

"Then we'll have to do this quickly. Next time he leaves like this, if you can bring me my lightsaber... I think with that, we can get out of here, and we can get off this ship."

"But all the troops, Liam," she whispered. "They're everywhere. Can you really go against them all? I can't get to Kallia. I don't even know where she is. You'll have to fight alone."

"Try to spend what time you can until then looking for her," Liam said. "If we can, we'll see if we can get to her and bring her out with us. And, we'll engage as few of them as possible. The least fighting we do, the least amount of attention we draw to ourselves."

Yelara nodded, but her face expressed her doubt and concern vividly. "I-I'll try and get in touch with Oot. I don't want you doing this alone, Liam. I don't want to lose you, not when we've just found each other again."

Liam nodded. "I understand," he said. "If it gets too late, we may have to do it on our own. But, try to gather what help you can. The Force will be with us, Yelara...well, as soon as I can get out of this Force-less bubble."

"I know, my love. I'll help you as soon as I can." She kissed Liam, then, for both reassurance and to take advantage of an opportunity they might never have again. Leshie, overjoyed again, kicked his feet wildly and squealed. Yelara pulled back, laughing at her child. "I hope he only remembers the happiness. I don't want him to remember the rest, the pain, the sadness. He deserves only joy."

"And, together, we'll make sure he has it. We'll give him everything, Yelara. Everything we have, we will give to our beautiful son."

She smiled tenderly at her husband. It felt good to consider him that again and not feel disgust towards him as she did. "I have to go," she whispered. "Before Dargus returns. But I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Yelara," Liam whispered. "I love you; gods, I love you so much. We'll make it out of this, I promise. We'll have our life together again, just you and me. We can get that home on Corellia, if you'd like."

"I would... Orinth would love to see you again." She smiled wistfully and nuzzled her lips to Liam's throat. "It'll be right, and perfect. It will happen, Liam. We'll make it."

"I love you, Yelara Zaneth." He kissed her, nuzzling his lips around until they found hers. The kiss was deep and passionate and perfect. "I don't believe it would have been possible to go on without you in my life. I'm glad I don't have to see if that's true or not."

"And we'll make sure we never find out." Yelara kissed Liam again briefly, then grudgingly rose. Leshie, somehow suspecting they were going to leave Liam, began fussing and whimpering. "Give your son a kiss, Liam Zaneth," she said softly. "Let him know he'll see you again."

"It's okay, my little Padawan," Liam whispered to his son. "You'll see me again soon, and soon after that we'll be a family again. All of us together. I love you, Va'Lesh. You keep your mama safe for me." He gave his son a kiss and met the baby's eyes, which were so very much like his own. Even within the void-like bubble made by the ysalamiri, he felt a deep connection with the boy, his flesh and blood. "I love you, my beautiful son."

Leshie grinned with wonder at his father, dimples forming in his plump cheeks, while one small hand came up to Liam's face and clumsily played with his smiling lips. "I think, my love," Yelara whispered, "that means he loves you too."

"I think you're right," Liam said with a laugh. "I'm going to miss you when you leave here, more than usual after this. I love you, Yelara, and I'll see you soon. Stay safe out there."

"I will." Yelara gave Liam a lingering smile, then finally turned to leave. She gasped softly and abruptly moved back towards him. "The bindings... I'm sorry, my love. I'll keep them loose though." Yelara set Leshie on the floor, at Liam's feet, then moved behind her husband and fettered his wrists. "Just for a little while longer, my love, then you'll be free." She leaned forward and kissed each of his hands, then came around in front of him to collect Leshie. "Be well, my love."

"I can get through this now, with your love and the hope of our new life together. I can endure whatever happens in hope of what's next for us. I'll see you soon, Yelara. The Force is with us."

"And our hearts are with you, my love." Yelara made sure to smile at Liam before turning and going. She wanted him to at least have that if everything went to hell soon.

Leshie whimpered and squirmed the farther away they drifted, and broke into a fit of shrill cries as they neared the door. He reached out for his father, yearning to return to his arms, just as she did in that moment, but they couldn't turn back. Holding him securely to her chest, Yelara hurried from the room, and only when she was in a secluded corridor did she allow the anguished tears to fall.

---

"New Paint Job"
by DB-7 (DB)
and R2-L4 (Elf)

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

DB-7 was hunched under the Elusive, attempting to remove a panel to access the wiring inside. Ever since the last Imperial attack, the Elusive had been a little quirky and DB wanted to make sure that the Elusive wasn't at a disadvantage if they went into combat again. He opened the panel and looked at the wires.

Several of the wires had been severed. DB picked up a tool and began to fuse the wires back together.

Suddenly, a loud beeping sound came from the side of the ship, and DB picked himself up and looked around.

A small R2 droid stood there, his dome head swivelling around and beeping toward DB.

"State your business here," DB demanded.

Elf's dome swiveled toward the combat droid, and whistled his intention. He'd only been passing by on the way back toward Agarra's Pride, and the path took him near the ship designated as Elusive. He kept back the comment that the larger droid didn't need to be rude about it. It wasn't always a good idea to upset the larger, more temperamental droids--especially the ones with combat programming.

DB attempted to herd the little R2 unit away from the ship. However, the little droid seemed intent on pointing out that the Elusive wasn't being worked on properly.

Elf warbled his insistence that reversing the power couplers on the aft repulsor generators would increase efficiency by forty percent, and provide a much smoother ride. And, he added in a binary string of whistles, the ship could really use a new paint job.

DB stood there as the astromech warbled on and on about this and that. DB finally walked over the droid. DB picked the R2 droid up, easily hefted it on his shoulder and started walking toward the soundproof storage boxes across the landing bay.

Elf swiveled his dome so that he could observe the surly, rude droid below him. With a stuttering sigh that was the equivalent of an astromech's sigh, the side casings on his outer struts popped open. A pair of repulsor jets sprung out and activated. With the large droid holding him, it took more power, but Elf had power to spare. With a trilling whistle, the little droid shot upward, with the big droid still holding him.

DB clutched the sides of Elf as they spun away from the floor with Elf whistling wildly. They got to the top of the hanger bay then the thrusters stopped and both droids fell back toward the deck. Elf reactivated the thrusters just above the deck, but the sudden change in momentum shook DB off and sent him skidding across the deck.

DB picked himself up and looked across at Elf who was floating above the deck, whistling loudly.

Keeping his distance from the larger droid, Elf began backing away toward where the Pride lay waiting for his return. He warbled away at the combat droid, and once again reiterated his opinion that the Elusive required a new paint job.

There was no end to this little droid's talking. DB gave up and started to head back to the Elusive.

"Stay away from my ship," he called back to the astromech.

---

"Father and Son"
By: Dargus Kandran
Keeve Kandran [NPC+]
Kallia Brael
Yara Brael [NPC+]

Location: Dargus' Cruiser
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

His mind was entirely on New Plouton - more specifically, his Maeren, but he was forced to be elsewhere. He couldn't disobey Dargus' wishes, not after all he'd given him. His father deserved his devotion and obedience; he had made him one of the richest men on Tae'Karada, offered him far more than his imagination could ever conjure, yet all he really wanted was to be with Maeren. After the wedding, he would take her to a planet with only beaches and frazzies, where no one existed but themselves. That was, if Dargus allowed him to.

Keeve nodded curtly to the guards flanking the door that led to Dargus' private corridor, a gesture that mirrored his inner frustrations. If it came down to it, he would be forced to choose Dargus over Maeren; his honour would demand it, even though his heart knew where it yearned to be. He was beginning to realize that Dargus' gift of physical maturity had come with a grave cost.

Keeve collected his thoughts before reaching Dargus' office and once there, he sounded the door chime. He hoped his father was in a good mood.

"Come in," came the voice from behind the door. When the door opened, Dargus was reclining back in his chair and gazing at a monitor set into the wall. "Keeve, it's good to see you. Thank you for coming so promptly."

"Of course, Father." He took his place in the chair across from Dargus' desk, and thought wryly about how well-trained he was. "I'm sorry if I'm a little late. I almost lost track of time."

"I understand completely," Dargus answered. "You were showing your bride-to-be a little attention, and that is understandable. That's tomorrow, isn't it? Since I'm not able to go, I guess the details managed to elude me."

The blood drained from Keeve's face momentarily, but when he reminded himself who Dargus was and the powers he held in his grasp, he knew it was foolish to feel at all shocked by the revelation. "I wanted to tell you, Father," he said. "I really did. But...she doesn't want you there. I-I was too cowardly to face you and tell you that you couldn't attend, so I said nothing at all. I'm sorry if I've hurt you, Father."

"I guess it's only natural that you would put the love of your life ahead of me," Dargus said. "And, how is Kallia taking to your pending marriage?"

Keeve sighed and looked down, too ashamed to show his face to Dargus. "She seems fine. Though, I don't think she realizes yet what it really means for us." He hazarded a glance at his father, and said, "I really am sorry, Father. I-I can ask her again if she'll allow you to attend. I do want you there. I owe you everything and I want you to be there for the most important day of my life. It's just...Maeren..."

"I understand," Dargus answered. "Do you think it would be very bad of me if I showed up anyway? It's not fair for them to deny you your wishes by excluding the people who are closest to you."

"I think she'd...freak out if you showed," Keeve admitted. "I mean...if they didn't see you, I think it would be alright. But she's afraid of you, with good reason, Father."

"I try to give everyone who fears me good reason to do so," Dargus said. "Do you want me there, Keeve? If you want me to be at your wedding, I will come; and I will even stoop to disguising myself and hiding."

Keeve gazed down hard at his hands resting flat upon his thighs. Maeren would never forgive him if he invited Dargus and she found out about it, but the consequences would be far more dire if he denied Dargus his wish. The truth was, he did want Dargus to attend; he simply feared losing Shiv in the process. "I want you to be there for me, Father," Keeve replied. "It would be a little lonely without my only family watching me get married."

"Then your family shall be there, my son," Dargus answered as he finally turned to face Keeve. "We will be there for you in this time of celebration. I would never abandon you in a time like this, ever."

Keeve sighed and smiled at Dargus in gratitude. "I'm glad you'll be there, Father. But before then, any advice? I've never actually been married before."

"Don't let her push you around," Dargus said. "Though, sometimes it's good to let her think she can push you around."

"Oh, she doesn't," Keeve assured him. "She just... She knows I hate when she's sad, or when she cries. Sometimes, I think she does it on purpose to get her way. But...I just can't help myself."

"You have to be strong, Keeve. You can't let her use your emotions to control you. You'll only end up frustrated if you let her do that, and she'll get above herself. If you give her that power, she will use it against you."

"It's how she got me to keep the wedding a secret," he said grudgingly. "I just... I don't want to lose her and I know if I'm not careful, I could."

"If it's this difficult for you to keep her in line, do you think it's really worth it, Keeve? And, then there's Kaysa and the others you have to deal with. Isn't that woman maddening? Personally, I don't see how you can spend the time around them that you do, except for Maeren of course. She's quite a darling."

Keeve chuckled softly. "She is. And I'm going to try and convince Maeren to move away with me, this way we spend the least amount of time possible around those...people." Keeve grinned and leaned back in his chair, feeling such pride in himself as he said, "I almost killed him tonight, you know. Tregat. Shot him with my blaster and almost took him out. It's too bad my aim was a bit off."

"Well, next time," Dargus said with a smile, "you can correct that oversight. And, it will be nice to have Maeren living here on the ship with us again. And, I don't think we'll have to worry about any of our people wanting to take advantage of her again. It will be so nice to have him...disposed of."

"Then you should talk to his brothers," Keeve told him. "They're on Tae'Karada and causing trouble." His hands reflexively clenched into fists as he added through gritted teeth, "They got to Maeren. As much as I want to kill them, I know they could be useful to you."

Dargus smiled. "Allies are always good," he said. "I will seek them out. Perhaps with their help we can make Tregat and his ilk suffer even more. We'll aid his brothers however we can, and Tregat and Kaysa will suffer. I like how you think, Keeve. I think this is going to be a very profitable union, to be sure."

"Just make sure that in the bargain, they promise to leave Maeren alone."

"I will see what I can do," Dargus answered. "I'm certain that, with a little pressure, they will come to see the flaw in pursuing her. And, if they continue, then I'm certain you won't complain about a pair of targets upon which you can easily take out your aggressions."

Keeve smiled half-heartedly and nodded his head. "But, after the wedding. Which reminds me...I should probably be getting to bed. I know Kallia's expecting me, and I also know I've got a lot of rest to catch up on." He rose from his seat, then extended his hand to Dargus. "Thank you, Father. I was a fool not to come to you beforehand."

"I imagine," Dargus said as he accepted Keeve's hand, "that Maeren has been keeping you quite active. Hopefully you've still got enough for Kallia. I've been able to sense her, and I think she needs the kind of attention that only you, her master to whom she is devoted, can give her."

Keeve chuckled with a hint of bashfulness, then stopped cold and asked, "And Yelara hasn't seen her? She doesn't...know?"

"She doesn't know," Dargus answered. "She's been too busy antagonizing our prisoner to worry about her former lover. And, I've been helping to keep her...occupied."

"You're actually letting her see him?" Keeve asked with a puzzled frown. "But...aren't you worried he'll turn her against you? Women are weak; she can easily be broken."

Dargus laughed with obvious amusement. "Do you seriously believe that woman poses any threat to me? Regardless of whatever form of bond she is reforging with him, each night I make her doubt herself and what she's doing. In the end, she will learn the folly of betraying me. But, she gives him a little hope, and that hope helps him to fight longer. There is nothing worse than dealing with an already-broken prisoner. It really takes the joy out of the moment."

Keeve nodded thoughtfully, taking in Dargus' wisdom and adding it to his own implanted knowledge. "But...you don't love her? Or does that even matter?"

"I love her in my own fashion," Dargus answered. "And, in the end it doesn't matter. I do love her, but that still doesn't mean I should allow her to do as she pleases."

"Then kill him," Keeve said. "This way he's no longer a threat."

"But, I want my revenge first," Dargus said with a wide smile. "I want him to see Yelara give me a child. I want him to see me ascend the Tae'Karadan throne. I want him to see how I have everything, and he has nothing. And, in that moment, when recognition dawns in his blue Jedi eyes, then I shall release him from this life, broken and hopeless."

Keeve smiled slowly at his Father. "A much better plan... I knew I'd learn much from you, Father. Thank you."

Dargus inclined his head slightly. "And, I'm sure together, we will be able to teach each other much. Well, perhaps I can teach you more than you can teach me at the current time, but I'm certain in time there will be."

"I look forward to that day, Father, so that I can repay you for all this." Keeve patted Dargus' upper arm congenially, then stepped back. "Good night, Father. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Give my regards to Kallia," Dargus said with a smile. "Oh, how I wish I could myself."

"You may if you'd like, Father," Keeve offered readily. "She is still yours after all."

"But for me to do that, it would put me into a position with Yelara that would complicate matters greatly. Because of her Jedi's infidelity, it is a fairly sensitive subject. However, now that she and Kallia do not communicate...who would know?" He glanced at Keeve with a knowing smile. "You would share your slave with me?"

"Always, Father," he replied sincerely. "I'd share anything with you."

"Then, perhaps later, when Yelara makes her way to visit Liam Zaneth, I will visit you and Kallia."

"I would like that," Keeve answered. "I promise not to wear her out." He gave his father a crooked smile and a low bow, then started for the door.

Dargus laughed as he watched Keeve go. He marvelled at how much he thought of the boy as his son, and wondered if the boy's bright, swift mind would eventually realize that his own feelings regarding Yelara carried over. He had no qualms about controlling Yelara, bending her toward his will; and he had none for Keeve either. Still, despite the darkness that roiled within his heart, there was a fondness for the boy-turned-man.

***

Instead of barging into the room he shared with Kallia, Keeve remained outside, leaning his shoulder against the wall and laughing softly to himself. The only other sound just as beautiful as that of Shiv's voice was Yara's laughter, which he now listened to fondly. He'd promised Kallia he would be a father to the girl, and he meant it.

As a particularly high pitched squeal came from within the room, Keeve laughed again, and finally entered it. "Is that our little Yara sounding absolutely happy?" he called out to Kallia.

"She is," Kallia answered as she looked up at him. "I sensed you out there. I could feel your happiness and joy, and to know it was directed at us... It made me feel good." She looked down at Yara, who was kicking her legs in the air while holding up a stuffed reisakitten. "She loves little Nobra." She slipped from the bed and approached him, not bothering to close the robe she wore.

"I'll have to get her ten more then," Keeve answered. He kissed first Yara's brow, then turned his lips into Kallia's, giving her a deep, lingering kiss. "Did you miss me much?" he asked, slipping an arm around her waist.

"Very much," Kal answered. "And, so did Yara. Though, we've been keeping each other company. I'm glad you're back."

"And did you miss me?" he asked Yara. He tickled her belly and the toddler giggled boisterously. "Did you? Did you miss Daddy?"

"See," Kallia asked, wrapping herself against his body. "I do think she missed you. I know it's impossible, but...but when I look in her eyes, I see yours. I guess it makes me feel like you're even closer to being her father...truly her father." She traced a line of kisses down his jaw. "I love you, Keeve."

"I don't know why," he said quietly. "In actuality, I'm really just a kid, nothing more."

"You're more than that," Kallia said. "Look how well you do with Yara. And, look how you treat me so wonderfully. You're more than just a kid. You're turning into a wonderful, responsible young man. And, one who will soon be married. I'm just glad there's still a way for me to stay in your life."

"There will be," he assured her quickly. "I-I like Yara... And I'm fond of you too, Kal. I don't know how we'll work it out, though I think Maeren will approve. She's got a crush on you, I think."

Kallia smiled and looked away. "She's a very attractive woman," she said. "And...I, uh, I like her clothes."

Keeve chuckled and kissed Kallia's brow. "You should come to the wedding tomorrow, then. I bet she'd like to see you. And why not bring Yara too?"

"I will," she said. "We'll both come for your wedding. I don't think I would miss it for anything, Keeve. I couldn't."

"Good. You can come down with me tomorrow, when it's time." He grinned lecherously at Kallia as he added, "But now... I think you should put Yara down."

"Come, my little girl," she whispered to her daughter. "It's time for the big kids to play." She lay Yara down in her crib and kissed her. "Mama will be back soon." With that, she turned to Keeve, her look matching his in lecherousness.

He slipped his hands beneath her robe when she reached him and smoothed them over her hips. "Kal," he murmured, brushing her lips against her throat. "Do you think-- Is marrying Maeren the right thing to do?"

"If you love her enough to want to spend the rest of your life with her, then yes it is." Kallia's breathing quickened at his touch, thrilling to the feel of his hands on her again. "Does it feel right, Keeve?"

"It does," he replied. His arms circled her waist as he trailed kisses down her chest, towards her free-hanging breasts. "It's just...sometimes," he added, in between kisses, "I just don't know. I'm powerless to resist her. She can so easily control me..."

"I know that feeling," Kallia said softly as her lips found his chin and face. "I'm that way with you, completely powerless and at your mercy. I never thought myself as...that way, but with you. Why does it feel so perfectly right that way, Keeve? But, I don't question it. I just accept the feelings because they feel perfect."

Keeve smothered the guilt that was finding its way out again at Kallia's complete ignorance regarding her sudden submissiveness, and her misplaced love for him. He could never tell Kallia the truth concerning her devotion, her misguided love for him. Even if he did tell her, Keeve doubted she would even comprehend, not with the modifications made to her mind. The lie would live on for as long as he could maintain it, and as long as something didn't snap within her and the old Kallia returned. Keeve made no reply to Kallia, afraid he would betray himself, and instead proceeded to push her back towards the bed, while his face nestled between her breasts.

Once they were on the bed together, Kallia wrapped her legs around Keeve's waist, hungry for the delicious union they were about to form. "Oh gods," she whispered. "Have I mentioned how much I've missed you?"

Keeve grinned at her as he quickly pulled his erection free of his pants. Kallia was already pushing her hips forward in anticipation, so Keeve obliged her by thrusting roughly into her. As Kallia cried out, Yara only giggled and squealed, no doubt delighted that her mother was so happy. From the smile on her face, there was no question in Keeve's mind that she was in absolute ecstasy.

"Hello," a voice called from behind them. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I chimed, but no one responded. Oh, very nice. I can definitely see the family resemblance, Keeve."

Keeve looked over his shoulder and smiled. If it had been anyone else but his father interrupting such a moment, he would have likely had his blaster drawn. Still driving himself into Kallia, he gestured towards her with one hand. "She's yours if you wish, Father."

"And, I do wish," Dargus said as he began disrobing. "Very beautiful. And, the two of you make such a wonderful couple. I know how much you love Maeren, but you and Kallia do make a remarkable couple. Even if you're marrying Maeren, I do hope she's alright with you and Kal. It would be a shame to ruin such a passionate connection."

"It's not so special," Keeve told Dargus, smiling at him knowingly, considering the shared secret they had regarding Kallia's remarkable willingness. "Care to renew your connection with her?" He pulled out of Kallia for his father. "She's ready for you. And she likes it rough."

"I remember how she likes it," Dargus answered. "Hello, Kallia. I remember how good we used to be together. Let's see if we still have that old magic."

Kallia's eyes widened and she looked up at Keeve. She didn't know what was going on, other than her lover had just offered her up to Dargus. She tried to push away, but Dargus already had his hands clamped onto her thighs. "Keeve?"

For a moment, his expression changed to one of confusion, but after one look at Dargus' leering smile, he knew that retracting his offer wouldn't be the wisest of moves. "Kallia, be a good slave now," he told her. "It'll make me happy."

She nodded and stopped struggling against Dargus. Without any more hesitation, he plunged himself inside of her, and let out a joyous cry. "Oh, I had forgotten how good you are. And, childbirth has made you even better, my dear Kallia. Keeve, my boy, is she...protected?"

"I-I think so," he replied. "Is that a problem, Father?"

"Possibly," Dargus answered. "I was thinking that perhaps little Yara needed a brother."

Keeve nodded slowly, then chuckled and affectionately patted Kallia's thigh. "Then from now on, I'll make sure she's unprotected. You'd like to give him a son, wouldn't you, Kal?"

"If that's what you'd like, Keeve," Kallia answered, though her words were punctuated by moaning gasps.

Dargus was obviously enjoying himself and glanced over at Keeve. "Have you taken her from the other side yet, Keeve?"

He shook his head, then explained, "I prefer the front...though I've never tried the back so I don't know if I prefer that..."

Dargus smiled ferally. "Would you like to share her?"

"If you wish it," Keeve replied, hoping he didn't sound too eager.

"Very well," Dargus said. "If you get below her, then we may share her. Would you like that, Keeve? I know Kallia would. Kallia who will bear me a son, and extend our loving family even more."

There was a moment of envy Keeve felt towards Dargus. Kallia's next child should be his, not his father's, but he was in no position to refuse Dargus anything. So, proving the obedient son he was, Keeve made no objections and eased himself beneath Kallia. He pushed aside the tail of the robe concealing her rear and positioned his erection at Kallia's entrance. "Like this, Father?"

"Exactly like that," Dargus said with a wide smile. "Now, don't keep her waiting in anticipation, my son. Let us show her what her future has in store for her. Let's show her how much we love her...in our own special way."

Keeve grinned at his father, then thrust his hips forward roughly. Kallia cried out and arched off him, but Keeve quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and held her down against him so she couldn't escape. He was surprised at how different it felt from this position, but the sensation was definitely not an unpleasant one. He'd have to ask Maeren if she'd oblige him the next time they were together.

"So," Dargus said as he brought his lips away from Kallia's. She was kissing him greedily now, needfully. It was nice to have her wanting him so, so beautiful and right. This was how it should have been before. Perhaps he could convince Yelara to behave in such a manner. Without programming, it'll never happen. "So, from that expression on your face, I can see that you approve. Perhaps we should make this a regular activity for us, my boy. Hopefully your wife won't mind, unless you'd like to convince her to join us."

Keeve grunted his reply, then elucidated it by answering, "She wouldn't. Not ever. But at least we'll have Kallia." He brought his lips to her ear and grinned. "Won't we, Kal?"

"Of course," Kallia rasped. "Oh gods, yes we will. Please, more!"

Dargus laughed as he continued to thrust himself inside her. "Oh, she definitely does like it. I bet her daughter will be the same way one day. But, we could easily figure that one out, can't we, Keeve?"

Keeve frowned momentarily. "You mean...make her big? Like you did with me?"

Dargus smiled. "Make? No, made. Half of my faceless troops, hidden behind the opaque visors of helmets. The other half...well, let's just say Yelara would not be happy."

Keeve's face clearly displayed his shock, yet his body drove on as if acting independent of his mind. "You cloned them," he concluded. "How many?"

"I would need to consult with the doctor on actual numbers," Dargus said. "But I would say that I've got a good-sized standing army now."

Keeve was at a loss for more questions. Kallia didn't seem at all bothered by the revelation, so he couldn't understand why he was. He closed his eyes and gave himself fully to the act, but not even Kallia's increasingly shrill cries could draw all thoughts from his mind, especially those considering whether there was a clone of himself running around somewhere.

Dargus allowed Kallia's orgasm to draw him farther into their carnal act. And, soon, as her cries reached a deafening level, he released inside of her, and in doing so pushed through the Force. With a scream that held nothing but pure pleasure, Kallia Brael arched against them both. Dargus could only smile, revelling in the feelings induced by his action.

Keeve, on the otherhand, was focused on completely suppressing the jealousy he felt for Dargus. Kallia, his slave, was screaming for Dargus, was clutching him, when she should have been doing all that to himself. As her cry tapered into a gentle sigh and Kallia collapsed upon Keeve, he kissed her shoulder tenderly, attempting to conceal the frown forming upon his lips. They would definitely not be sharing Maeren, not after this.

"Beautiful," Dargus whispered. He glanced at Kallia, who was still nearly senseless from their union. "Though, you'll want to have Doctor Tia Am check on her soon. A pregnant woman requires special considerations."

Keeve jerked his head up, completely baffled. "What? What-- How?" His eyes flicked between Kallia and Dargus. "I don't understand."

Dargus smiled. "The Force, Keeve," he said, "is a powerful ally. But its uses do not entirely lie in battle. Though, I never quite suspected I would find a use for it here in bed."

"It's yours?" he whispered, scarcely capable of believing what he'd just heard. He slid upright into a sitting position, and Kallia fell limply onto the mattress. The dreamy grin on her lips was maddening, as was the knowledge that Dargus had just usurped his rights from him as Kallia's master. Keeve wondered if he'd do the same when it came to Maeren, if he got the chance.

"It is," Dargus said. "Just this moment. Well, a moment ago with my climax. Through the Force, I forced the conception. I do hope it's a boy."

Keeve gazed absently down at Kallia, and chuckled wryly. "What? Is that one thing the Force can't do? Tell you what your own child will be?"

"I can't tell yet," Dargus said. "But soon, I will. And, we will find out if Yara will have a brother or a sister." He paused for a moment. "I haven't sampled one of my clones yet, but...they definitely look nice. They have a private section of the ship, and...well... If I have the chance I want to spend an afternoon down there someday. I was thinking of putting in bathing pools for them." He grinned. "I was also thinking of specially preparing some clones for the purpose of providing pleasure. I'm certain it could prove to be a rather lucrative business venture. Do you want to be even richer, Keeve?"

He nodded dumbly and barely noticed his hand coming up to idly stroke Kallia's cheek. "I do make a lot of money with the pod racing...but I'd be happy to help you, Father."

"Very well," Dargus said with a proud smile. "We can have a meeting about it soon, to discuss the details of our new venture. I imagine you will still stubbornly refuse to sample our merchandise? The first five will be ready tomorrow, and we can examine them before your wedding. How does that sound?"

Keeve finally looked up at his father and smiled. There was nothing else he could do. "I'm sure they'll be perfect, Father. A nice send-off for me, right?"

"A very nice send-off," Dargus said as he reached out and ruffled Keeve's hair. "Though, I will definitely want your opinion of their talents. I know you are a discriminating sexual partner, as I am. And, I want to make certain they can satisfy your desires. It will be a good venture, Keeve. And, just think, this will help to unravel any jangled nerves you might have before the wedding."

"Me? Nervous?" Keeve snorted and waved his hand dismissively for Dargus' benefit. He then grinned and said, "But with you there, I'll have nothing to be nervous about, Father."

Dargus laughed and then nodded. "Very good," he said. "Now, please tell me, when I show you our new pleasure clones, you will partake?"

"If you require my opinion, Father, then I'll gladly partake." He leaned forward and asked, "You won't tell Maeren, will you?"

Dargus chuckled softy. "I know how temperamental women can be about that sort of thing, and so I will not breathe a word of it to her or anyone. It will just be the little secret you, me, and Kallia share. And, I have a feeling she won't tell anything to anyone. She enjoys us too much to jeopardize that."

Keeve nodded slowly, then smiled at his father. "Thanks. Now, I should be getting to sleep. Tomorrow sounds like it's going to be an exhausting day and I'll need some rest." He brushed a wisp of hair from Kallia's brow. "So will she if she's to attend."

Dargus smiled and then leaned down to kiss Kallia. "She's a treasure," he said. "I'm certain that Maeren could be a treasure for both of us if you could convince her to try. And, perhaps I could even help you with conceiving a child. I don't need to be the one inside her to make it happen. I just need to get my timing perfected. I could help you get that child sooner, Keeve, my boy."

"I-I'd like that, Father," he replied, though he knew that was the last thing in the universe he wanted. "You've already done so much for me...but thank you."

"I could never do too much for my son," Dargus said. "And, I know how much you want a child with Maeren. I just want to help you along."

"I understand. Thank you again, Father."

"You're welcome, my son," Dargus answered. "Now, I should get going. I will leave you and Kallia to get your rest." With that, he slid off the bed and started toward the door, dressing as he went.

Keeve watched Dargus go for a moment, then proceeded to relieve Kallia of her robe so that she could sleep more comfortably. The smile Dargus had placed on her lips remained, and unnerved Keeve even more so. He had given Keeve liberties and power and wealth, yet Keeve was just beginning to realize that even with it all, he still had no possessions truly to himself. The ship was Dargus', as was his racing pod, and now the slave Keeve had thought gifted to him had become his father's concubine. He'd spoiled her now, but Keeve wouldn't dispose of her yet. As long as Dargus kept away from Maeren, he would be content...if she decided to go through with the marriage after finding out he'd invited her greatest enemy to their wedding.

Keeve sighed. Being an adult was more complicated than he'd imagined as a child. If he got weary of adulthood, though, he'd simply have Dargus reverse the process...if at all possible.

---

"Priorities"
by Kyra Ronso
Aeris Strife [NPC+]
and Zion "The Worm" Xandler

Location: Yesdol District, New Plouton
Date: Eos 24 and 25, 4 ABY

***

Aeris glanced through the window of her hotel room in the Yesdol District. From there she could see all the buildings and the street's traffic, but she was not interested in the buildings or traffic. The sunset was peaceful to look at, and it brought calmness good for thinking.

She had a lot on her mind since the fight with that Ellemiek girl and the helmet guy. She was impressed at how well Kyra and the helmet guy could foretell each other's attacks. But what really worried her was that, after the battle, when they fled from the scene, Kyra was not herself.

It was the first time that Kyra let her drive the speeder after all these days that she'd been working with her. Kyra had spent most of the way back to the hotel mumbling and crying. Aeris wanted to help her but didn't know how to do it, because she didn't know what was happening.

She stared at the sun until it disappeared behind the buildings. It was pleasant while it lasted, Aeris thought. She turned to the room and looked at the bed where her equipment was. She walked around thinking about what to do. She picked up her equipment and walked out of her room. She turned left and walked at a fast pace up to the last door at the end of the corridor. She knocked on the door. "Kyra, it's me Aeris," she said.

Kyra took quite some time to answer the door. When she did she was not quite the figure that Aeris was expecting. "I was in the shower," Kyra said. "Come in!" she invited as she walked to the bathroom and closed the door.

Aeris entered the room, which was quite a mess. She glanced at the table and there she could see all of Kyra's equipment except for her dagger. She looked around and saw, on top of the bed, a few datapads and a photo of that guy that Aeris recognized as the helmet guy.

Kyra opened the door, already dressed up, and approached Aeris. "What is it?"

Aeris looked at Kyra and delivered the photo over to her. "Is he the guy with the helmet we confronted in the starport?"

"His name his Auron Ronso, my ex-late husband," Kyra said, looking once more to the photo. "I thought he was dead, but all this time he was alive. I knew it... Something inside of me told me that he was alive!"

"That's what's been bothering you?" Aeris asked as she sat down on the bed.

"Yes, it was. But now I have to do something. I need to talk to him. To ask him where he was all this time," Kyra said.

"Now he could be anywhere in the Galaxy... You'll never find him now!" Aeris said as she saw Kyra looking at something on the bed.

"Not quite. There is this expert in systems that does anything for money. I will ask him to find his parents that live here in New Plouton," Kyra told Aeris as she threw a datapad to Aeris.

Aeris saw that the datapad only contained photos of Kyra, Auron, Ellemiek and two others. "But he didn't recognize you..." Aeris stated.

"Maybe he just forgot some things, but I will make him remember me." Kyra paused. "Here it is. He is known as "The Worm." Maybe the best slicer in Tae'Karada! I contacted him through the guild, requesting a meeting with him."

"Are you really going to pursue this?" Aeris asked as she got up.

"Look, Aeris, I have to do this. Maybe I will be court marshalled for what I'm planning to do, and Grand Admiral Tarkin will probably have my head instead of court-marshalling me," Kyra said.

"What are you planning to do?" Aeris asked.

"If you wish to accompany me, it's fine by me. But if you come with me you will be charged with treason to the New Empire as well. Do you want to do that?" Kyra asked as she looked at Aeris deep into her eyes.

"Are you implying that I throw away all my training for some opportunity to talk to you husband? To put my neck at risk for some reunion with this Auron fellow, who might not even recognize you when you meet face to face?" Aeris said.

Kyra looked simply at Aeris. "Yes, if you want to."

"Ok, I'm with you," Aeris answered.

"What? Just like that?" Kyra asked, surprised.

"Look, I don't even like that Tarkin fellow. I found that he was directly responsible for my adoptive parents' death sentence." Aeris paused, and walked to the window. "I was off to find where my real parents were when I was attacked by this so-called Liberation Army, and that concluded to the death of my child." Aeris turned, almost crying.

"Maybe this slicer can find something about your parents in the Empire files..." Kyra said as Aeris sobbed. Kyra could tell that talking about Aeris' child was a touchy subject.

"Tomorrow we will go and talk to "The Worm." It's time to find out what the Empire has been hiding from us," Kyra concluded.

Aeris spent the night in Kyra's room. They spent all night long talking about their past. How things were different before joining the Empire. Kyra was now the only talking. She talked about her old squadron how fast they built a friendship, how extremely strong that friendship was. It was one of the best squadrons in the Alliance, and yet, one single mission was able to take all her friends away.

Hours later the two of them checked out from the hotel and delivered the speeder that had been rented by Kyra. They definitely didn't want any trace of where they were going.

They walked through the city amongst the people. "How we are going to meet this slicer?" Aeris asked.

"He sent me a note that he would send someone to a café in Yallder to meet us. I have the directions here. It seems this man he is sending will discuss the interest and prices in his behalf," Kyra replied.

***

Zion got out the door to his apartment. Always in a unique fashion, he was dressed in a pair of orange baggy trousers with some large boots with metallic spikes and a tight red tank-top that showed most of his tattoos. He was also wearing some silver adornments and his hair was designed with a weird pattern of blue and yellow.

Placing his shades he made his way to the café where he was supposed to meet Kyra and Aeris, and pass as a simple negotiator for systems operator known only as "The Worm," which shouldn't be too hard since he was definitely not the profile for a slicer of any sort!

As he arrived he could see that the girls were already there, as the table he had made reservations for was already taken. He walked up to Kyra and Aeris and gave them a large smile. "You must be the contractors that I was told to meet here... Am I right?" he asked, not bothering to hear the answer, as he took a seat.

Zion placed his boot on top of the table and yelled over to the waiter. "Yoo, give me some Corellian Ale and dipps for a snack!" he ordered, then turning to Kyra. "You girls want anything? Since you're paying and all..."

"So you are the one sent by the Worm..." Kyra said, pausing. "I will offer a half a million credits for information."

"Imperial secret information to be exact," Aeris said as she looked at the Worm's representative.

"And to find some people that live on this planet," Kyra concluded.

Zion grinned. "Well now... That seems interesting. It seems, from the amount you're offering to me, that the people and info you're looking for is hard to come by. Can you specify?" he asked.

"The people we want info on will be easy, since I know the names, but I don't want to arise any suspicions for the people we work for," Kyra said, looking at Aeris.

"And the Information is about me and my partner here. The thing is, we don't want to speak to anybody. We are in enough trouble as it is..." Aeris paused. "Do you want things more specified than this?"

"Hell no!" Zion smirked as he took a sip off his drink and ate some dipps. "Don't know why someone would want information about himself, but it's your money! You suffering amnesia or something?" he joked. "Anyway, the Worm will gladly do this job for 750 thousand... Gotta have my own commission, you understand," he said coolly.

"We pay you more because we want to spend the money as fast as we can. The names of the people we seek information about are Seymour Ronso and Yuna Ronso," Kyra said. "Here is the info we want," Kyra added, delivering a small datapad. "Can I ask a favour?" she asked.

Zion grabbed the padd and inserted the extra info, just to make sure that he wouldn't forget the names. He then turned the padd off. "Sure, ask away..." he answered simply.

"His name his Auron Ronso. I just want to meet with the guy. He is a New Republic pilot," Kyra said.

"You wanna meet a guy, you go flirt with one at the bar... The Worm gets information, not dates!" Zion laughed as he got up. "Now, I'm a busy guy. Is there anything else you might want?"

"Since I know that my husband is alive I don't have time to waste either. Just find where he is or where I can meet him, ok? I don't trust bounty hunters," Kyra said, looking into Zion's eyes.

"You lost your husband and now you're looking for him again?" Zion chuckled. "Not that it's my business or anything, but maybe he doesn't want to be found..." he joked. "But add up another quarter million credits and I might ask "The Worm" if he's willing..."

Kyra laughed. "The Worm will have a million credits for the job and for you I will pay a half a million credits for asking "The Worm" to find Auron Ronso. Either way we want to spend this money fast." Kyra paused. "We want the info at once!"

"You're really eager to spend the money, aren't you?" Zion asked. "You got yourself a deal! Payment is half now and half upon delivery of the info," he told Kyra.

"For all I care you can have all the money right now if you want..." Kyra told Zion.

"That's not the way it works," Zion replied. "Half now and half upon delivery. And no refunds if the job is not complete, although "the Worm" has never failed a job so far... So, if you will be so kind to deliver 750 thousand credits now..."

"Whatever you want..." Aeris said as she tossed a credit chip to Zion.

"When are we supposed to receive the info?" Kyra asked.

"As soon as possible," Zion answered as he checked the credit chip. Zion took a small device off one of his pockets and inserted the chip inside it. The device not only scanned the credits for any tracking devices but also transferred the money into different banks and from those to other different ones, so that it could not be traced. Once the process was done he grinned at the girls. "Well then, I'll be getting back to you as soon as "The Worm" gives me the info to deliver back to you," he told them as he walked away.

Kyra looked at Aeris and paid for the drinks since he didn't pay the bill. As soon as they paid they walked out from the café to an unknown location.

---

"Evening Encounters, Part 1"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Captain Dresh Kano [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

The chiming sound that suddenly filled the room startled Rilanna Kir awake. She mentally chastised herself for not being as alert as she knew she should have been. She slipped off the chair she'd curled up on and started toward the door, the source of the chime. She stopped and made sure she was presentable, and was happy to find that she was wearing a pair of lightweight pants and a tanktop. When they'd reached their room, they'd showered and then decided to rest. She must have really needed it to have woken up so disoriented.

Ril pressed a button next to the door, and when it slid open it revealed Dresh Kano standing on the other side. He gave her a smile, and let his eyes roam for a moment. "It's a nice comfortable look for you," he said. "And, that smile is nice too. Both Lerrah and Shrezade are very lucky."

Rilanna felt herself blushing. "Thank you," she whispered. "I think Reza's in the other room. Let me go check on her."

"Thank you," Dresh said.

Ril gave him a grin, and motioned him to take one of the chairs as she went back to the bedroom door. She slipped inside and found Reza asleep on the bed, a smile played across her lips as if she were in the middle of a very nice dream. She moved up to the side of the bed and took a seat. She placed a hand on Reza's shoulder. "Reze," she said softly. "Reza, wake up. You've got a very handsome visitor waiting for you in the other room."

Shrezade muttered a protest and rolled heavily onto her other side, into Rilanna. She woke up with a start, jerking upright, then sighed at the sight of her friend. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing wrong. I think Mr. Kano is just here making a very social call."

Reza's lips formed a tired smile, which she quickly suppressed. "I... What kind of social call? What time is it?"

"We've been asleep for a few hours," Ril answered. "So, it's around ten. If you'd like, I can go see how Lerrah's doing with the ship."

All fatigue vanished as Reza hastily grabbed Rilanna by the arms. "You're not leaving me alone with him!" she whispered. "I mean... What does he want?"

"He wants to visit with you, my dear. If you want me to stay here, I will. But, I think he wants to get to know you better, and possibly to see how well you and he might be able to connect on a deeper level."

Reza raised an eyebrow. "You mean...he wishes to have sex with me?"

Rilanna grinned. "I really don't think he would object to having sex with you, anymore than I would. But, I don't think that's what he expects. I think he just wants to get to know you in an environment other than the meeting room."

"Oh..." Reza looked down at her sleeping attire, then sighed and pulled back the sheets. "Tell him I'll be out in a moment."

Rilanna giggled again. "You won't need me out there, will you? Because all I'm wearing is this top and these flimsy pants, and...well...I think I don't want to be a distraction for his attentions toward you."

Reza chuckled and slid a hand along Rilanna's thigh. "Or a distraction for me?"

"Well," Ril said as she slipped an arm around Reza's waist, "when you put it that way. You make me want to dress like this all the time."

"You should do it more often. It gives you an innocence you don't have when you're clad in your fighting gear." She shifted closer to Rilanna and passed her lips over her chin, then her mouth. "Do you think you should leave before we do something that keeps Dresh waiting longer?" she whispered.

"Or we could invite him in to join us," Rilanna whispered as she kissed Reza. "Maybe I should run down to check on Lerrah for a moment... But...but I'd probably only end up...with her. But, I don't want to do that, because I want to be with you." She kissed Reza again. "The things you do to me to confuse my mind. I like it. How about I go let him know you'll be out in a moment?"

Reza laughed softly and nodded. "Go on then," she said, sliding away from Rilanna. "We'll see how long you can hold out."

"I may not even make it to the door," she said. She started away, pausing halfway to the door to straighten her top and pants. "You have no idea how much of a temptation you are, do you?"

She shook her head and smiled sweetly at Rilanna.

"I'll have to show you once Dresh has left," she said, then glanced toward the door. "That is, unless you want me to show you while he's still here."

"My dear Rilanna, some restraint if you will." She grinned and added, "Just until he's left."

"Of course, Mrs. Anoran," Rilanna said with a curtsey, then she slipped out of the bedroom to where Dresh was still waiting.

Reza chuckled quietly and rose from the bed to search for something other than a nightgown to wear, though she didn't doubt Dresh would appreciate the view. Now clothed in a loose-fitting sweater that fell down over one shoulder and casual, black slacks to go with it, she stepped out into the small living area where Rilanna was speaking with Dresh. She motioned with her eyes for Rilanna to leave, but did it with a pleasant smile.

Rilanna gave Reza a smile, excused herself from Dresh, and started away, pausing by Reza long enough to whisper: "I'm going to check in on Lerrah. As soon as you want me back here, or as soon as it's clear, just double-tap on my comlink."

Reza bowed her head in acknowledgement, then gave Rilanna a subtle wink before she departed, leaving only she and Dresh in the room. Reza smiled bashfully at him as she gestured for him to have a seat, but remained standing herself. "Having a nice evening, Captain?"

"With all the meetings and machoism over, I'm having a much nicer night now. And, it's nice to be able to spend time in good company. How is your evening going, Shrezade? You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

"No...I don't," she replied, and was surprised she meant it. "And my evening was fine. I hadn't realized diplomacy was so exhausting until that meeting today." Reza smiled awkwardly and slowly hugged her arms around her waist for some small comfort. She'd never felt this nervous in her life. "I-I would offer you a drink...but I'm not really equipped to, as you can see."

"The ship has a lounge of sorts," he said. "If you'd like, we can swing through there and pick up something to bring back. I'd say we could stay there, but I think I prefer the privacy at this point."

"I'm...not exactly dressed to leave the cabin." She smiled knowingly at him and added, "And I don't think either of us should have alcohol in our system. It tends to make people...uninhibited. That wouldn't be a good thing in our case."

Dresh smiled. "Rilanna was wearing less than you when she left," he said. "Though, something tells me if anyone hassles her, they'll quickly learn the error of their ways. Staying here sounds fine though. So, what happened to bring you so far out here away from your station? And, how did they manage to get it from you in the first place?"

Reza frowned at the particular topic Dresh had chosen and she finally moved towards the vacant chair across from his to seat herself. She collected her thoughts by staring at her hands folded together in her lap, then let out a slow breath. "Well...the short version of the story is that I angered Admiral Tarkin and he seized my station. Oh, and along the way he tried to have me arrested for treason, but..." She shrugged and sat back in her chair. "All that isn't as important as getting my station back. And figuring out the real reason you're here tonight."

"I'll do what I can to help you get your station back," Dresh answered. "And, the reason I'm here is because...well, I happen to be intrigued by this woman who wandered into my life all of a sudden, and has managed to catch my interest. I'm here because I really want to get to know you, and it's as simple as that."

Reza nodded slowly and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. He'd certainly managed to make the situation even more awkward. "I-I know that...I've been expressing a...sort of...interest in you myself. And...I realize that I may have led you to believe that I wished...to pursue something with you..." She sighed and looked down at her hands now fidgeting slightly with the hem of her sweater. "I haven't done this for over ten years, Captain. I'm not sure I remember how to go about it."

"I tend to follow the philosophy of whatever feels natural," Dresh said. "Did you wish to consider pursuing something with me? If you did, I'm sure we could work through it slowly, that'll give you a chance to get your footing. I won't force you into anything or rush you in a direction you're not ready to go in. I do, however, like you, and if you'd like, I would like to spend more time with you."

Reza chuckled and pushed out of her chair. She paced the small room compulsively, laughing at herself as she went and shaking her head the entire time. Finally she stopped and regarded Dresh with a quizzical smile. "Is this sort of thing always supposed to be this...analytical? I mean...you sound like you're talking about battle tactics."

"Sorry," Dresh said. "I guess I'm not so good at this either. I've been making you uncomfortable, haven't I?" He looked down at his hands and then back up at her. "It's been around six or so years since I've thought about any sort of relationship. I think I'm out of practice, so to speak."

"Me too," she said quietly. "Ever since my husband was killed..." Reza sighed and leaned against the wall, finding some security there. "I just...still feel at times like I would betray him if I allowed myself to feel anything towards anyone. You've had the luxury of being too busy to fall in love, with all the fighting and war... I simply...have been too cowardly to."

"If you're not ready yet, it's understandable. You can't force yourself to love again, or even care. We've known each other for a matter of hours, but I think we're hitting it off well. And, now we're talking. I think that's a good sign. I lost someone too. We were both flying together, and...she was shot down over Rodia. It's not easy to get through, that's for sure. So, what do you like to do when not running a space station? Personally, I like reading and eating, though you'd never know it to look at me."

Reza laughed softly. "You ramble when you're nervous. Is that common for you? The rambling, I mean. And the nervous...both maybe..." She growled at herself, then chuckled. "And now you've got me rambling, which I never used to do, might I add."

Dresh laughed and moved closer to where Reza was leaning against the wall. "I only ramble sometimes. It's common when I'm...well, I guess in a position like this, where I'm not quite sure what I should say. So...have you had anything to eat yet? I can have one of the service droids bring something? And, drinks too, by the way."

"Late for dinner, isn't it?" She glanced up at him from beneath her lashes, watching him draw nearer and welcoming it. "The drinks do sound nice, though. I could use one to calm me."

"Very well," he said. "What's your preference? I can have pretty much anything brought in for us. Even a little snack if you'd like."

"How very accommodating of you, Captain," she teased. "But...what about what you want? I don't just mean the drinks...I mean everything, this, me..." She watched him sidelong, wishing he'd come closer already, but not quite certain if she was prepared for that. "You could easily have Rilanna, you know. She thinks you're handsome, and she's certainly approachable. Yet, here you are, with me... Are you certain you've chosen wisely?"

"That remains to be seen," he said with a smile. "I want to get to know you, and I'll leave it at that for you. Unless, of course, you really do want me to rush."

Reza shrugged and studied her fingernails peeking out from beneath the long sleeves of her sweater. It was better than gazing into his seductive eyes. "I don't know," she muttered. "What's appropriate in this situation? We could...rush and then ruin any chance of a future. But, maybe that's not what we want. Maybe one moment is all we're looking for."

"I don't know what's appropriate," Dresh said. "Does it feel right, right now? Whatever it is that we're doing?"

She raised an eyebrow at him as he leaned his shoulder against the wall beside her. "We're not really doing much of anything, Captain. But speaking frankly, you know you wish to do more, and I...believe I wish to do more... I just don't understand why we're holding back. I mean...is there something wrong?"

"I don't see anything wrong," Dresh said. "I just see two people who are a lot nervous and a lot hesitant. So, I guess one of us will have to be the first to pull up." With that, he carefully closed the distance between them and took her into his arms. He kissed her then, knowing that it felt like exactly the right thing to do.

Reza neither resisted nor returned Dresh's gesture, and instead was struck motionless with indecision. She knew she'd provoked him to such an act, but couldn't understand why, or decide whether it was what she wanted to actually occur then and there. One thing she couldn't deny was the detectable fluttering of her heart he'd caused, or that her arms had come up around his waist and were holding him to her. Pushing all thoughts aside, Reza gave her body free rein to act as it wished, and only then did her lips part and Reza returned Dresh's kiss.

It was several long moments later when the kiss finally broke and Dresh allowed their bodies to separate slightly, mainly so he could see her clearly. "Not bad at all for a couple people who have been out of the action for awhile," he said with a smile. "Let's order those drinks and a late night snack, and we can get to know each other while sharing in the comfort of another's close presence."

Reza nodded unsteadily, though she was surprised at how relaxed that one kiss had made her. As comforting as it was in terms of restoring her confidence, it was unsettling just the same in how easily she could betray her dead husband. "Captain Kano?" She smiled apologetically at him and stepped back to place even more distance between them. "I...that felt...nice. But...I don't know if I'm ready for more, or even that again. I don't quite know what's happening here...but I think I know where it's going to lead, and I admit that I'm a little...afraid."

"It's alright," Dresh said with a smile. "We can hold on this vector for awhile. I don't want to rush you, and I don't want to blaze forward too fast. We'll...just slow and steady for now...if that's alright."

Reza smiled with a hint of relief. "That works for me, Captain. I think now I will have that drink...if that's alright with you."

"That's perfectly fine with me," Dresh said. He pulled his comlink off his belt and ordered them drinks. "Should only be a few minutes before they're here," he said once he'd clipped the comlink back to his belt. "Shall we sit again, or are you comfortable against the wall like this?"

Reza frowned playfully at him. "I have a feeling you enjoy having me in such a vulnerable position, my back to the wall, nowhere to go..." Her smile returned as she coyly slipped past him towards the small seating area. "Do you like submissive women then, Captain?"

"Take a look at me here with you, Shrezade, and try plotting that course again," Dresh said with a grin. "I don't mind submissive women, I guess. But, I prefer to spend my time with a woman who has strength and resolve within her."

"To compensate for your own lack thereof?" she ventured, taking a seat upon the small sofa. "I don't mean it as an insult, but it would make sense."

"I believe I have plenty of strength and resolve," Dresh said. "Comes with being a fighter pilot. I guess it's just that I prefer a woman who will tell me when I'm wrong, who will support me when I need support, or kick me in the ass when I need it. I don't want a fragile woman who will crumple at the first sign of strife."

Reza shifted over to make room for Dresh on the sofa, and asked, "And have you ever found a woman like that?"

"Laena was like that, but not quite," he answered as he took a seat. "She's the last one I allowed myself to get close to. She was strong-willed with enough spirit to power a Star Destroyer. After she died, I pretty much put everything into flying, and then helping the war effort."

"Like me," Reza said. "When Vraner was killed, I just...shut myself off from everyone else. I focused on business and on being miserable." She smiled. "It worked for a time too, then I met Ril and everything after that... I just couldn't live like that any longer, not without losing everything, so I guess I changed, or am at least trying to."

"Well, I happen to like this change," he said. "I have no point of reference, but I can't deny I like who you are. I'll have to thank Rilanna later for doing such a good job with you, though the way you two were in the hall, I can understand how change could happen."

"We weren't like that before," Reza admitted rather bashfully. "We're friends, first and foremost. The rest..." She sighed. "I'm not quite sure what that is."

Dresh laughed and shook his head. "Well, you both certainly looked like you were enjoying yourselves."

Reza turned slightly to face him and smiled curiously. "Does that bother you? Truly."

Dresh laughed. "It doesn't," he said. "If it did, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Good," she replied. "Because I know it would bother me." She chuckled and corrected herself. "It does bother me. Rilanna shares herself with Lerrah, and I just can't seem to accept it. I say nothing because I know it'll cause problems. But I just can't help how I feel."

"You want her for yourself?" Dresh asked. "If nothing else, at least try to edge in on the subject to feel out her thoughts. It isn't fair to either of you to keep going with that without saying something."

"That's easy in theory, but the trouble is, I don't quite know what I want. She's a dear friend, and I do have feelings for her, but I don't quite know if it's more than that." Reza laughed softly and reclined against the back of the sofa. "I'd forgotten how complicated relationships were."

"Extremely complicated," Dresh said with a soft chuckle. "I know she wants to be with you and I know I'm stepping into the middle of that, but I don't want to try telling either of you what you should or shouldn't do. Just as long as I'm not going to cause any rifts."

"I think she understands the situation, and if she didn't trust you, there might be problems. But I think she does, so...we'll see." She smiled hesitantly at him, and asked, "Won't we?"

"We'll see," Dresh said. "I'm sure we'll eventually reach the point where it comes into play, and I hope that everything goes smoothly, but we won't know until we get there."

"So you do believe we'll get...there?" she asked.

"Well see about that too," he said. "It's too early to tell, so we'll just have to play it out slowly. I'm not in any rush to get there."

Reza feigned a look of dismay and playfully shove Dresh. "You're not? And why not!"

Dresh laughed. "You are a piece of work indeed, Mrs. Anoran," he said, grin still in place. "And, while I'm not trying to rush, I must say that I really wouldn't object to ending up there."

"I know," she replied sincerely. "I wouldn't either. We shouldn't make a mistake, though." Reza slid her hand over his, lightly caressing the rough flesh. Despite its texture, it still felt wonderful to touch. "We're going into battle soon, and if we get too attached and one of us dies..." She sighed. "I don't think I could handle that again."

"Do you really want to continue pulling back away and running from the fears of loss?" Dresh asked. "I know I risk losing you in the upcoming battle. But, I could lose you in so many other places too. There are so many things that could happen...thinking about them all would nearly drive you into a catatonic state."

Reza chuckled weakly and muttered, "And what's so wrong with that? It keeps one from getting hurt."

"You can spend so much of your life trying not to get hurt, that you end up forgetting to live your life. Being afraid is no way to go through life, Shrezade."

"Maybe not," she mused, "but it certainly is the safest way."

Dresh chuckled. "I've made my living piloting starfighters," he said. "I tend to find that safe borders on boring. I wouldn't have thought that you'd be the type who likes to play it safe."

Reza smiled tightly as she removed her hand from Dresh's and folded both in her lap. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, Captain. I imagine you're not interested in cowards either, now are you?"

"If I thought you were a coward," Dresh said, "you would have shattered that illusion when you came to us here in order to help get your station back. Or when you were out there gunning down the Imps as they came in. Not exactly cowardly, and not exactly safe. I won't even get into the safety or cowardliness of having sex with another woman in the middle of a corridor in one of the biggest hunks of junk ever to be turned out of an Imperial shipyard."

"That was simply a reckless lack of inhibition," she explained. "This is different. This is...you and this is me. An entirely different situation."

"How is it different, Shrezade? How is you and me doing daring things any different from you and Rilanna doing daring things? I don't want to give up living out of fear of getting hurt, and I don't want to risk hurting you by getting hurt myself. It's not an easy situation, and there's no simple answer. I just know that I don't want to give you up because my life is fraught with risks and potential harm."

"Give me up?" she asked with a wry chuckle. "You don't even have me, Captain Kano. Getting a little presumptuous, aren't you?"

"We were discussing theoretical attachment to one another, weren't we? Or do you want to discuss this in the abstract and make up a pair of names to serve as the potential attachés to help distance ourselves from the uncomfortable prospect of it being us?"

Reza made an irritated, dismissive gesture as she pushed off the couch and stalked a good distance away from Dresh. Before getting too far, she swung around again and jammed her fists into her hips. "What do you want from me? Do you want me to tell you I feel confident and secure about all this? Do you want me to say that I'm willing to jump into this without a care in the universe, without considering the emotional consequences of it? I'm not like you, Captain! I'm not used to taking chances! I'm sorry for being so...damned safe, but that's how I am and if you can't accept that then maybe we should just end this here and now, and forget that kiss ever happened."

"Have I complained that you're safe? Have I complained? I want to know you, Shrezade. I want to see what sort of attachment we might be able to make. I don't know what I want other than getting to know you." He shook his head and sighed. "Maybe I should go," he said. "I think I'm just making things worse now."

"No--" Reza sighed and brought her hands up to cover her face, taking a moment to compose her thoughts and feelings. She chuckled to herself. The fact that she was lashing out at Dresh was a good sign, though only Shrezade Anoran could know that; she was the only one twisted enough to get frightened by a man who was only offering companionship, yet felt completely comfortable nearly making love to a woman in a corridor. "Am I completely insane?" she murmured. Pulling her hands from her face, she regarded Dresh with an apologetic smile and slowly made her way towards him. "I didn't mean to over-react. I just felt cornered, that's all." She stopped before him and looked lightly placed her hand upon his back. "Don't go," she whispered.

Dresh stopped and turned to face her. "I'll stay," he said. "I'm sorry for pushing you, for cornering you. I'm new at this too, and...and I guess, I just don't want it to slip away."

Reza laughed softly. "Then don't push," she told him. "Let's just...get to know one another. No more rhetoric or battle scenarios... Just talking."

"I think I can handle that," Dresh said. He was about to ask her to sit down again when the beep signalled that their drinks had arrived. "I'll get that unless you'd wish to." At the wave of her hand, he did get the door and the drinks. He brought the tray they were brought in on over to the table and set them down. "There we go," he said. "I hope you like."

Reza sat down upon the edge of her seat and leaned forward to inspect the dainty meal. "I don't quite know what all this is.... What--" She picked up one of the slender, yellow stalks from the plate and sniffed at it. "What is this? It is...edible, isn't it?"

"It is," Dresh answered. "It's a root vegetable from one of the moons in the Rodian system. I can't pronounce the actual name, but most people just call them smogras. They're actually quite tasty." He pulled a carafe from the tray and set up two glasses. "You like Corellian ale?"

"I don't know," she replied. "I actually... I've never had it before, to tell you the truth." She shrugged. "Call me uncultured."

"I wouldn't say that you need much culture for Corellian ale, but you do have to have a nice supply of smogras. So, here. Try and tell me what you think."

Reza accepted the filled glass from Dresh with a polite nod, then sipped the golden beverage within. She refrained from grimacing at the taste, but found as it travelled to the back of her mouth, its flavour changed and took on a hint of pleasing sweetness. She smiled at the bubbles tickling her throat as she swallowed it down, then made a sound of approval. "Much better than some of the wines I used to own on the station. Is this a staple for New Republic fighter pilots?"

"Pretty much," Dresh said. "At least those with any taste. I like it, and usually have some after a run, me and my group. Perhaps at some point, you'd like to meet the Spectres. We're not quite Rogues, but we're making a name for ourselves without having blown up a Death Star."

"Certainly, I'll meet them." She sampled more of the ale, and savoured the taste for a moment. "Captain? What exactly do you do? I know you're a fighter pilot, but how many of those need to lead a double life, need to walk around with two names? I mean...are you Dresh to them or Deak?"

"To them, I'm Dresh, though when anyone who's not a Spectre is around, I'm Deak. We're a tight-knit group. As for what I do, I work for a variety of people, mainly New Republic Intelligence. I also am a special operative for Mon Mothma, one of the leaders of the New Republic."

"I see... And Tallen doesn't know? Yet you told me, and Rilanna? Why?"

"Tallen knows more than the rest," Dresh answered. "He knows I'm Intelligence, at least. I told you and Rilanna because I trust you, and you're outside the chain of command so it's less likely to have an affect on you than it would on, say, Major Edwards."

"Or perhaps," Reza countered, tracing the rim of her glass with one finger, "you made the entire story up so you could gain our confidence. Isn't that a possibility?"

Dresh laughed. "I guess it is a possibility," he said. "Though, I'll leave it up to you to decide the truth. What do you think my true story is?"

"The problem is," Reza said as she raised a smogras to her lips, "I really can't decide. The important thing is that I trust you. We can leave it at that for now."

"Trust's good by me," Dresh answered. He raised a glass of the ale and gave her a salute. "To trust and a hopeful future, both personally and professionally."

Reza tapped her glass against his. "I second that. And here's hoping we don't end up murdering each other before that happens."

"I'll drink to that," he said with a chuckle. "Let's save the killing for Tarkin and his ilk; besides, you're too attractive to kill."

Reza raised an eyebrow at him, then laughed softly. "You're exaggerating. I'm plain and not only compared to Rilanna...and don't you dare try to tell me differently simply to flatter me. I'll know you're lying."

"Then, if that's the case, you'll know I speak the truth when I say that I do find you extremely attractive, and would rather spend my time here with you than with Rilanna. She's a very attractive woman, but she's not Shrezade Anoran."

"And you're a fiend," she teased, lowering her head slightly to conceal the blush washing over her cheeks. Reza took a sip of her drink again, if only to bolster her confidence. As she savoured the flavour, she mused, "You do know that once I get my station back, this Shrezade Anoran might go away. I mean, the clothes, the hair, the marginally carefree attitude... Will you still be interested when that happens?"

"I'll know when we get there," Dresh answered. "I'm not one to plot courses into unknown territory without knowing what I have to fly through on the way. I may take risks, but I don't assume something's going to be where it's supposed to be until I've verified it. So, if you go through this transformation, I'll have to see how we work together."

Reza stared down into her ale and smiled wanly. "I'm not sure we will if that happens," she said quietly. "We'd be...incompatible, I'm afraid."

"What do you want to happen?" Dresh asked. "When you get your station back, do you want to change?"

"I really don't think it's a matter of change," Reza replied. "I'm still the Shrezade Anoran I've always been. I guess she's just taking a small break, and once I get back into my normal routine on the station, she'll re-emerge so I can function as I always have: efficiently, strictly, and completely dispassionately. All this," she said, gesturing to the room, "is just a small vacation from that."

Dresh looked around and then nodded. "Well, then I guess this is just a small break that will be over when you get your station back." He set his glass on the table. "I should go."

"I'm sorry," she told him gently. "It's only fair that I warn you before things go too far. Besides, after this is all over, we will probably never see each other again. Is there really a point to all this?"

"Sounds like more than a warning," Dresh answered. "You sound like you prefer your normal routine, and seem quite certain that I won't fit into it. So, after getting close to a woman and having her ripped away from me, I don't know about you, but I don't want to go through that again. If we had something worth fighting for, I'd make certain we saw each other again...but I don't want to force you into anything you don't want."

Reza rose abruptly. "I never said I didn't want this! I simply said that I didn't want either of us to get hurt. Are you always this stubborn?"

"You said you didn't want either of us to get hurt," Dresh snapped. "But then you added the little part about you reverting to your more-efficient self who would have no time for the likes of me. I'm so very sorry to provide such an inconvenience on your preferred lifestyle, but if you'll allow me to get out of here, I'll make sure I am no longer an inconvenience to you. I'll let you and Rilanna get back to your vacation before real life sets back in!"

Reza clutched Dresh's shirtsleeve and pulled him back before he could get far. "I'm not the one who told you to come here tonight! I'm not the one who told you to get your hopes up about...whatever it is you envisioned us becoming. And I never even implied that I was too good for you, as you seem to think I was alluding to. If I had to make a guess, I'd say you were afraid that you aren't good enough for me!"

"Then why won't you let me correct that oversight and leave? I had hopes of us becoming something, but you've graciously helped me to shatter those. I came here based on the invitation you gave me earlier, but I guess that was just another misinterpretation on my part. There's no place in your efficient, strict and dispassionate life for me, so if you'll let go of my arm, I'll be going."

"And what if I don't?" she challenged. "What if I think you should stay? What if I think I want to see where this leads even if it ends tomorrow, or the next day!" Reza took a step closer to Dresh, and gazed up at him fiercely. "What if I think you should shut up and kiss me again?"

With a growl of frustration, Dresh Kano did just that. He pulled Shrezade into his arms and kissed her.

And surprising herself for the second time that evening, Reza looped her arms tightly around his neck and returned the kiss with intense fervour. He had her flattened against his long, solid frame and though there was already no distance separating them, Reza sought to press herself in closer. It continued to amaze her how truly impulsive she had become, but Dresh appeared appreciative enough. Drawing on her desire and need, Reza managed to force Dresh down onto the sofa, never once taking her lips away from his.

---

"Evening Encounters, Part 2"
By: Shrezade Anoran
Captain Dresh Kano [NPC+]
Rilanna Kir

Location: SSD Lusankya
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

Coherent thoughts tried to form in Dresh's mind, but each time they began to coalesce, they exploded again into an infinity of need, desire, pleasure and...and Shrezade. He heard a moaning coming from somewhere between them, and couldn't tell if it was himself or her. At this point, as they kissed greedily and needfully on the couch, he didn't care who was making the sound, but it was one he approved of.

Reza managed to push herself upright so that she straddled Dresh's waist as he was reclined on the sofa, but even then she refused to break the kiss. It was a possibility one or both of them would die in the upcoming battle, and any chance to be together wasn't to be wasted. But what if they didn't die? Reza wasn't ready for a relationship, of that she was certain, but one night in a man's arms? As her hands slid beneath Dresh's shirt and massaged his chest, igniting a long dormant fire within her, Reza became quite certain that this was something she didn't want to deny herself, or Dresh.

As Reza's hands found his bare skin, Dresh knew there was no turning back now. He didn't want to hesitate and miss this chance with her, no matter what the future would bring. As her hands explored beneath his shirt, he allowed the same for himself, slipping his hands along her body, feeling the warmth of her skin against his palms and fingertips. As he brushed against the bottoms of her breasts, he felt her gasp and smiled. There was definitely an undeniable, passionate fire between them.

It had been ten years since Reza was last with a man, but even the few moments she was with Dresh was enough to refresh her memory. Sex was beautiful and passionate and transcendent; it had been with Vraner, at least. She yearned to feel that again, but there was the fear that with Dresh, it would end up becoming an empty, shallow act devoid of emotion. She wanted to sate her body's desires, she wanted to take advantage of an opportunity she might never again have with Dresh, but she didn't know if it would be enough to heal the wound inflicted upon her heart when Vraner died, didn't know if it would fulfill her emotional needs. She wasn't even certain she wanted that, especially if it meant forgetting her first true love in the process. Still, her body proceeded despite her hesitations, and her hands forced open Dresh's pants with one deft motion.

"This is what we want...right?" she asked breathlessly. She kissed him again and lifted herself briefly to push down Dresh's slacks.

Dresh glanced down between them, at her hands working his pants off and at his own physical reaction to her, and chuckled softly. "It definitely looks that way," he said. "I haven't felt like this in...in so very long. Yes, Shrezade...I...I know I want this, with us." He kissed her again as his own hands began working to remove her clothes.

Reza obliged Dresh by raising her arms and allowing him to remove her sweater. The cool air against her warm flesh sent a shiver through her, which intensified as Dresh's hands came up to cover her breasts. She heard a gentle moan escape, and felt both startled and ashamed of it. If Vraner could see her, he would disapprove, then remind her that she, too, would have done the same at one time. The difficulty was, she had no idea who she was anymore, or who she wanted to be. Worse, she didn't know if she should stop or continue, despite what her body was telling her. The indecision didn't prevent her, however, from running her hand along Dresh's shaft and massaging it deliberately.

"You're okay with this, Shrezade?" Dresh asked as he tried to form thoughts around the beautiful sensations she was causing in him. "Oh...you have beautiful hands. We don't have to--" He popped her pants open and slowly began sliding the fabric over her hips.

She glanced down at her pants slipping away and shot him a skeptical smile. "We don't?"

"Well, we can stop if we want to," Dresh said as he exposed more of the flesh of her hips. "I don't think I really want to though."

Reza absently looked over her bare torso, then down at Dresh's and sighed softly. "I told you I don't know what I want... But I don't want you to leave just yet."

"We can stop if you aren't sure," Dresh said. "We don't have to go on yet...if we ever do. Or...or we can keep going."

Reza paused and allowed her thoughts to come into focus again so she could deliberate with her mind, instead of allowing her body to lead her. It was difficult, however, considering how aroused she was, but she believed she knew sufficiently what she wanted in that moment. "I haven't done this in a long while," she whispered, grazing his lips with hers. "I..." She looked down and sighed, then: "I think you should be on top."

"This time," Dresh said with a smile as they began adjusting their positions on the couch. As they manoeuvred, they managed to shed the rest of their clothing, not caring where it landed. A moment later, they were pressed back together, kissing and caressing, as Dresh moved himself to her entrance. He could feel her body trembling in anticipation, and knew his was as well.

"I told you alcohol makes people uninhibited," she whispered tremulously. Reza brought her hands to his face and caressed his lips and cheeks, exploring every nuance of his features, and taking a moment to appreciate his beauty before they delved into the unbridled passion they both yearned for. It put her at ease, and even made her smile with wonder at how alike his eyes were to Vraner's. But he was definitely not Vraner, and it made it that much easier to push her hips forward and allow him to enter her. Her first reaction was to clench her eyes shut and cry out in surprise. Then, she sighed and gazed at Dresh again, encouraging him with a smile.

It was awkward at first, but it didn't take Reza and Dresh long to find a rhythm. And, once they found that rhythm, it was as if all the fears and doubts were washed away. They moved well together, eager to please. For all the fight they'd had earlier, each was willing to give and take. With each beat of their hearts, they increased their tempo and passion, driving forward toward the bliss they each knew awaited them at the end of this dance. Dresh found her lips as their bodies melded together even further, and he could feel the beginnings of the climax they would soon reach.

Perhaps it was that both knew this might be their only opportunity to share themselves with one another, but Reza's emotions felt more heightened than she'd ever felt them before, not even when she and Rilanna had shared their first kiss. It didn't mean what she and Rilanna shared was any less special; it was truly precious, in fact. But with Dresh, she remembered what it was like being with a man, to fit so perfectly with another as if their bodies had been designed specifically for one another...just as it had been with Vraner. Reza forced back the guilt and kissed Dresh ardently. It wasn't a betrayal, not as long as she remembered her love for Vraner. And as long as she didn't fall in love with Dresh.

He slowed their pace, stretching out the moments they shared together. He didn't want to rush this, not with the unknown looming so high in the distance. Time seemed to stretch into eternity as they continued their lovemaking. Finally, after what felt like several beautiful hours, they reached their pinnacle. Dresh heard Shrezade cry out first, and his own voice followed soon after. Together, they quickened their pace, seemingly acting as one in their beautiful union. "I'd forgotten how wonderful it can be," he whispered, his eyes fixed on hers.

Reza said nothing, could say nothing as she gasped for air. She scrabbled his back desperately, trying to pull him into her completely. Reza surged upwards, arching against his firm, slender body and emitted her final, glorious cry. It lingered in the air even after she'd collapsed back onto the sofa, and finally all subsided save for their rapid, heavy breathing. Reza stared dazedly at the ceiling, still holding Dresh to her, then at last expressed some external sign of what she was feeling when she allowed a lazy smile to curl her lips. "Very good..."

Dresh smiled and gave her a slow, languid kiss. "Not bad at all for a couple people a few years out of practice," he said. He allowed his body to relax, melding with hers as they lay there. "Would you be upset if, after all this is over, I tried to get myself assigned to this sector?"

Reza played idly with Dresh's damp hair and sighed. "I wouldn't... It is your choice, after all. I mean, are we even certain anything will happen beyond this? It has been only a matter of hours, Captain."

"And, it was a couple very nice hours, wasn't it?" he said with a soft chuckle. "We'll never know if anything will happen beyond this if I head back to the Core and you stay here. This would give us the chance to see if it will."

"When it's all over," she said slowly, "why not just give it all up?" Her gaze shifted to his and she whispered, "Why not just stop flying? If you did...you could perhaps...live on the station. If you want, of course."

"I think I'd like that," Dresh said. "I don't know if I could stop flying completely, but... How would you like to have Kano's Spectres stationed on Drogen? They could be a first line of defense for the station, should anyone ever decide to try what Tarkin pulled again."

"And in return you get me?" she teased. With a gentle laugh she kissed Dresh lightly. "I think, Captain, that could work."

"If I get you, it would definitely work," Dresh said, and returned the kiss.

"Oh, don't the two of you look comfortable," a voice near the doorway said.

Reza gasped softly, took one look at the figure standing before them, grinning slyly, and scrambled to squeeze out from beneath Dresh. "I-It's nothing," she stammered. "It-- We were--" With one strong jerk, Reza managed to escape Dresh's suddenly constricting weight and tumbled to the ground. She grabbed quickly at the nearest article of clothing and hugged it to her chest. "What are you doing here? I thought--"

"It's been a couple hours, and I...I guess I just wanted to come back and see how you guys were holding up. And, I guess I didn't expect you to be holding up this well." Ril glanced at Dresh's bare backside and then over at Reza. "And, um, those are Dresh's pants you're hiding behind, my dear."

Reza looked down at the garment ineffectively concealing her very naked body, then rolled her eyes and let it fall away. "Fine...you've got us, my dear." Reza got to her feet and sighed. "We were...done anyway."

Dresh glanced up and grinned. "Were we?"

Reza pursed her lips at him, then whispered. "Well, we can't very well continue now, now can we?"

"Of course you could," Rilanna answered. "Sorry. Good ears. I can go into the bedroom and leave you alone, or you can go into the bedroom and I'll stay out here."

"No," Reza said softly. "You can stay out here with us. We'll dress, then we can all have some ale together." She gave Dresh a stern gaze. "Right, Captain?"

Dresh chuckled and then nodded. "That's fine by me," he said. "I still have plenty of ale available, and can order more."

Rilanna glanced between them. "Would you like me to step out while you get dressed?"

Noting that Dresh was still laying upon his stomach and hiding the more lewd aspect of his anatomy, Reza intended to keep it that way and nodded to Rilanna. "We won't be long."

With a laugh, Rilanna headed toward the bedroom. Before disappearing completely through the door, she glanced back. "Just knock when it's okay for me to come out." With that, she disappeared.

Dresh laughed and shook his head. He then rolled to the side and looked up at Reza. "Well, that was interesting."

"Embarrassing is a more accurate word," she muttered. Reza dug through the pile of clothing and found her sweater. With a falsely dignified smile, she handed Dresh his pants. "We should have locked the door."

"Do you really think a locked door would have kept her out if she wanted to come through it?" Dresh asked as he started putting his pants on. "It could have been worse, I guess. She should have showed up right when we started, interrupting everything."

"The question is--" Reza bent low to retrieve her own pants, glancing back at Dresh "--would you have stopped?"

"I would have," he answered, "unless you encouraged me to keep going. I don't mind either way, as long as we're both happy with what we're doing."

Reza chuckled lowly as she slid up against Dresh again. "And we were happy, weren't we?"

"Were? Hell, I'm still happy," he said. "But yes. So, would you have wanted to stop?"

Reza shrugged, then nodded. "I don't think I'm quite that liberal yet." She kissed his bare shoulder, then glanced up at him and grinned. "But...I'm glad we didn't need to stop."

Dresh laughed and nodded. "That makes two of us," he said.

"Good." She held his gaze for a lingering moment, finding more in his eyes to become infatuated with. Laughing softly, she pulled away. "Finish dressing. I'll go get Rilanna."

"Sounds like a perfect plan," Dresh said as he found his shirt. He kissed her again, and smiled. "See you soon."

Reza returned his smile, then turned and headed for the bedroom, far hastier than she'd intended. Inside, Rilanna was reclined upon the bed with her hands linked behind her head, wearing quite the self-satisfied grin upon her face. Reza frowned. "What? What's that for?"

"The two of you looked very happy and relaxed," she said. "And, that makes me happy." She laughed softly and sat up. "Are you happy, Reze?"

"I'm...a little confused, actually." She sighed and moved to the bed, where she sank down heavily upon it. "I mean...how do I proceed? Should I?"

"I guess it all depends on how you feel," Rilanna answered as she shifted into a different position. "What do you feel? And, I mean truly feel inside, rather than what your head is telling you to feel."

"I don't know, Rilanna," she admitted. "Should I feel anything? I barely know him and most likely won't get to once we go into battle. In fact, it's probably better that I don't. Now's not exactly a safe time to get close to people. It's far too easy to lose them."

"Okay, that's your head," Rilanna answered. "Turn your head off, stop listening to it, and listen to your heart for a moment. What does your heart tell you?"

Reza pensively chewed her lower lip, then closed her eyes and sighed. "It's telling me that I like what happened. It's also telling me that...I want to see Captain Kano again and see, perhaps, where all this will lead. Then there's the part of it that's afraid to explore that, because it knows how much pain there was when Vraner died." She opened her eyes again and regarded Rilanna. "Then...there's another part that fears I'll lose you if I pursue this. And I don't want that, Ril."

Rilanna smiled. "You won't ever lose me, Reza," she said. "I care for you more than I've ever cared for anyone before. You won't lose me to this or anything else, I promise. Perhaps you could see where things lead. I don't think seeing him for a little longer will be a danger, and I get the feeling he would like to see you again too. Don't worry about me, and don't hold back out of fear. Live for the day."

"Funny, he says the same thing." Reza patted Rilanna's knee, then rose from the bed. "Come. You can have some ale with us, if only to keep me from doing something impulsive like sleep with a man I hardly know."

"Unless the two of you just happened to be lying on top of each other naked when I got here, I think you already did that."

Reza regarded Rilanna with a playfully threatening expression and said, "Don't you dare embarrass me out there."

Rilanna smiled. "I would never do such a thing to you," she said. "Don't worry, Reze; I'll behave myself Just remember though, you don't have to."

"You're a horrible influence," she muttered and slipped out of the room with her. As Dresh looked up from where he was pouring ale into his glass, Reza felt her cheeks blush and a large grin tug at her lips. "Sorry for the delay."

"Delay was fine," Dresh said with a chuckle. "Now, I've got drinks poured and the couch is comfortable. Sit down and let's...well, talk I guess."

Reza motioned Rilanna forward and followed closely behind. There was still plenty of room on the sofa even with Dresh sitting there, but Reza chose, instead, to sit on the adjacent chair. She took up her glass of ale promptly and proceeded to guzzle it down with complete disregard for etiquette. She needed something to soothe her nerves.

Dresh noticed Shrezade's choice of seats and sighed silently to himself. "If you think we'll need it, I can order another bottle for us. Though, I imagine I may have to leave soonish. With the upcoming battle, I have a feeling I'll be running some recon flights in the area."

Reza swallowed down the last of her drink and let out a deep breath as she set down her glass. "I think I'll just have some of those...smog things. Rilanna, you want something to drink? It's quite good actually."

"One drink," Rilanna said, and Dresh pushed a glass toward her. She glanced between Dresh and Reza and knew that despite how much Reza said she wanted to be with the man, she'd avoid him as much as possible. It was just the way she was. She smiled to herself and took a swallow of the drink. "Very nice."

"Really?" Reza smiled. "I thought so too. It's not something I'd normally drink, but it's still palatable. The captain and his squadron drink it all the time, so I imagine it can't be that horrible."

Rilanna laughed softly. "I've hung around in some spacer bars before," she said. "You'd be surprised at what they drink. This just proves that the captain and his squadron have good taste and intelligence."

"This is good," Reza smiled. "You two have something in common. This is...this is very good." She absently closed her hand around Dresh's drink and began greedily tossing it back as well.

Dresh refilled Rilanna's drink, then Reza's, and then procured a new glass for himself and filled that as well. "I believe all three of us have things in common, and I'm quite certain as time goes on we'll find more."

"I think you have much more in common with Reza, Captain. And, time together will only help to prove that."

Reza set the empty glass down heavily and scooped up a handful of smogras from the platter. She popped a few into her mouth, just enough to preclude her from speaking. Never had she been easily disconcerted before, but sitting in a small room with the man she'd only just made love to, along with the girlfriend she would no doubt do the same to, was bound to unsettle even the strongest of willed.

Rilanna kept her eyes on Reza and wondered what was bothering her friend. She had a feeling she knew, but there wasn't much she could do about it with Dresh in the room. Finally, as she drained the last of her ale, she looked at the two of them and sighed. "I think I should head in to bed now," she said. "Lerrah wants me to help her do an upgrade on the shield generators tomorrow, and I'll need all my wits if I'm going to be doing anything technical."

"N-No," Reza stammered. "Don't go, Ril. We just sat down." She pleaded with her eyes and whispered, "Please?"

Rilanna watched Reza for several moments before finally nodding. "Okay," she said. "I'll stay for little longer."

Reza sighed and emptied her hand of the rest of the smogras. After a time of seeking to compose her thoughts, Reza looked up at both Rilanna and Dresh. "Captain, I know you're aware of my...odd relationship with Rilanna, and Ril, you obviously know about the captain and I. But...what you both may not know is how...nervous I am right now. I've never done anything even remotely like this, and frankly, I'm not sure if I'll be able to." Before either of them could jump to conclusions, Reza continued. "That's not to mean I don't want to pursue this...whatever it is. It's just that...you'll have to be patient with me, and understanding. Not even a month ago, I was a cold-hearted, boring prude; now...this. I need time to settle into this new phase in my life. And I need you to help me. If you want...of course."

"You know I'll do anything I can to help," Rilanna answered. "Anything you need of me, I'll do."

"Same goes for me," Dresh answered. "Whatever we can do to make this transition in your life easier, just name it. Barring that, we'll just be here for you when you need us."

Reza chuckled wryly. "How very...giving of you both. I may not be worth it, you know. Are you still so certain?"

"You have been told you're an exceedingly frustrating woman, haven't you?" Rilanna asked. "You ask us to help you through this, and then you nearly ridicule us for accepting." With a frustrated growl, Rilanna stood up and started toward the bedroom. "Goodnight. I need sleep."

Reza sighed, watching Rilanna go from her periphery, then she gazed at Dresh again. "And you? As you can see I am difficult to put up with."

"I do think it's interesting that you did encourage us to help you and nearly called us insane for agreeing to help you. But, I can handle some difficulty, if this is what you consider difficult."

She smiled and reached across the table to cover his knee with her hand. "Then I think, Captain, this arrangement of ours just might have some potential."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Dresh said with a smile. "So, about tonight...should I head back to my own quarters soon?"

"I'm afraid so. I should go talk with Rilanna. She gets quite fed up with me at times." Reza chuckled and amended, "Often, actually."

Dresh laughed softly and nodded. "I can see that. I'm sure the two of you will work this out. I doubt she'd be able to stay upset for long with you."

Reza shrugged lightly. "Who knows... Though, eventually, she will get tired of it...no matter how much she cares for me."

"For both your sakes, I hope that doesn't happen," he said. "You make a very good team, and I'd hate to see that lost."

"I'm sure you would," she teased. "But, don't worry. I'll take care of things. I'm not naive enough to believe she's jealous of you, but I know I'll have more luck getting through to her if you're not here."

Dresh laughed. "Well, it sounds like you'll do fine as long as you don't let her think you're ridiculing her."

"I don't ridicule her," Reza pouted. "I've never... Have I?"

"She said you did," Dresh said. "When you asked us to give, and we offered to give. Your response didn't seem very sincere and appreciative."

"Of course I was appreciative." She sighed. "Why does everyone interpret my candour as cruelty or sarcasm?"

"You gave a wry chuckle, and then asked us, after we'd just agreed to help, if we were certain that's what we wanted to do. Maybe it's just late."

Reza scrubbed irritably at her close-cropped hair, then pushed out of her seat. "You're right. We've all had a long day. You should probably go."

"It may have been a long day," Dresh said, then smiled. "But it was a very nice day."

Reza allowed a smile for Dresh and trepidly leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "A very nice day," she whispered.

"Hopefully the first of many," he said as he stood. "Maybe sometime tomorrow, we can find some time together."

"Sure," she replied. "Just to talk...this time."

"Of course," Dresh said. "Just talk."

Reza chuckled. "Just like tonight, right?"

"Have I mentioned that tonight was nice?" he asked with a smile as they moved slowly toward the door. "Take care of Rilanna and don't worry about us. We'll make this work, however we can." He took a step closer, and opened his arms to her.

Even if she'd wanted to resist, Reza was unable to; it helped that she didn't want to either. Once in his embrace, she sighed and nuzzled her lips to his neck. "I'm glad we did this, Captain."

He found her lips with his, brushing them gently. "I am too," he said. "I don't regret anything we've done together, Shrezade. I know we want to hold off and not rush, but I do want you to know that I really have enjoyed the time we've spent together."

"Let's just hope we'll be around in the near future to share more time with one another," she murmured, then kissed Dresh more fully. Before it could become anything more, Reza laughed softly and pulled away. "Now would be a good time to leave."

"Or not leave," he said. "But I think we're trying to avoid that. I'll see you tomorrow, Shrezade. Have a nice night, and if you get a chance go ahead and finish the rest of the ale."

"I really don't think I should, but thank you for the suggestion." She smiled at Dresh, even as he started down the corridor, then slipped back into the room and leaned her back against the wall to calm her racing heart. What surprised her most was the elated giggle bubbling in her throat, which she quickly forced down. Neutralizing her expression, she made her way to the bedroom, but didn't step inside, instead remaining in the doorway. "Rilanna? Are you sleeping?"

"I'm awake," came Rilanna's voice. "Come in. I was just doing some reading before sleep."

"Reading?" Reza chuckled and strolled forward. "Not that romantic drivel again, is it?"

Rilanna laughed softly. "Still the drivel," she said. "But, it's higher-class drivel this time. Lerrah had it stashed away on her ship and she said she thought I'd like it. So, how did things go with Dresh after I left?"

"Fine," she replied. "Though...I couldn't quite figure out why you decided to leave in such a rush."

"You were on edge from the moment the three of us were out there," Ril said. "You specifically sat in a chair so you wouldn't be so close to Dresh. You implied that although you asked for help, you may not actually want it...or at least tried to get us to change our minds by asking us if we were sure. Every sign I got out there, Reze, told me that either Dresh or I had to leave before you had a core meltdown."

"I admit, I was nervous, alright?" She sighed sharply and stood over Rilanna, giving her a most disapproving frown. "And you make it worse by giving me a hard time. Why do you do that? Why do you force my hand all the time?"

"Because if I didn't you'd still be hiding inside yourself," Ril said softly. "If I didn't, I know I'd lose you for certain."

"Lose me?" Reza's features softened and she gently sat upon the edge of the bed. "How? You're not going to lose me, Ril. Why would you think that?"

"When you hide inside of yourself, you never take any chances. Loving after Vraner is a very big chance...just caring is a chance. Loving another woman is a bigger chance. I'm just afraid that if you retreat back inside yourself, move away from the woman you've become while we've been out here, that...that you won't take the chance on me."

Reza cupped Rilanna's chin in her hand and turned her head towards hers. "And why wouldn't I, Rilanna? After all you've done for me, given me, why wouldn't I have the courtesy enough to repay you by at least giving what we have a chance to blossom? I care for you, Rilanna, I do. And perhaps I do need a push once in a while, but too hard, and I'll end up just pushing back. We wouldn't get anywhere."

"I'm sorry," Rilanna said. "It's just...I guess I was scared. I guess I wasn't sure, and I felt...I felt like you were pushing us away again. I didn't want to let you do that, so I guess I pushed back."

Reza laughed softly as she moved her hand to Rilanna's cheek. "You didn't push exactly. You ran. Becoming far more like me than you'd care to admit?"

"If Dresh weren't there, you know I wouldn't have," Ril said. "I didn't want to, but under the circumstances, I thought it might be best."

"Why? He's not going to come between us if that's what you think, Ril." She shifted closer to Rilanna and said, "In fact, I'll need you there to protect me. He could be taking advantage of me and I'll need you there to make sure he doesn't."

Rilanna raised an eyebrow. "You don't really believe that, do you? That he's taking advantage of you? He seems genuinely interested, Reze."

She chuckled and lightly pressed her lips to Ril's. "My dear," she whispered. "I was joking. Though I really do need you. I haven't had a relationship with a man in a long while. I'll need your experience to guide me."

Rilanna laughed softly. "I'll do what I can, but my experience is limited to Major Weyland. But, of course, I will help you however I can, and I'll always be by your side."

"And you won't skip out on me again like you just did?"

"That'll never happen again," she said. "I promise. No matter how frustrating you become, my dear, I won't walk out."

Reza feigned a look of disbelief. "Me? Frustrating? Never have been and never will be." She smiled at her friend and plucked the holonovel from her hand, then set it aside on the nightstand. "Ready for bed then? We can continue to make up if you like."

"Making up, hmm?" Rilanna smiled and slid over to the other side of the bed, allowing Reza to slide easily under the covers. "I've always wondered what making up would be like."

"The captain and I did it tonight," Reza told her with a grin. "And it was wonderful." She slung an arm around Rilanna's waist and kissed her friend's cheek tenderly. "Though, maybe we should make up tomorrow night. It's been a long day."

"Tomorrow's fine," Rilanna said as she settled farther down under the covers.

Reza lay her head comfortably upon Rilanna's shoulder as the two woman snuggled close to one another. All was quiet as they attempted to fall asleep, then the bed shook slightly as gentle laughter began from Reza. "Oh dear...I had sex tonight. And...it was really good. Why the hell did I wait so long?"

Rilanna joined in Reza's laughter and adjusted herself until she was more comfortable against her friend. "Hopefully you won't wait so long until the next time," she said.

"I'd be a fool to! Oh Ril...I'd forgotten what it was like." She sighed and brushed her lips against Rilanna's throat. "Thank you for encouraging me."

Rilanna smiled and snuggled as close as she could. "You're welcome," she whispered. "And, I'll be happy to encourage you whenever you'd like it."

"Then how about encouraging me to calm down and sleep? I must be refreshed for the day's negotiations."

"Very well," Rilanna whispered. "So, what do you find calming, Shrezade Anoran. I am at your disposal." She leaned up and kissed Reza's brow. "First, you need to close your eyes. Can't sleep with them open."

Reza closed her eyes as instructed, and smiled slyly as she wound her legs around Rilanna's. "Now what?"

"Now, you think nice thoughts about special things," Rilanna said. "Like me, and Dresh, and Tarkin's head attached to a pike, and the two of us beating the sand out of Weyland. Then as we snuggle closer, you'll start to drift off to sleep, in my arms."

Reza sighed happily, realizing she was truly content for the first period in her life. And she owed it all to Rilanna. "Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome," Rilanna whispered in response as they started drifting off together. "Definitely welcome."

---

"Returning With Medals"
Jukwon Thallos - Freelancer Pilot/Podracer pilot
Vrattos [NPC] - Jadda's Employee
Vorgoth - Assassin
and an appearance by Jadda the Hutt - Crimelord

Location: Ando Prime System
Date: Eos 24, 4 ABY

***

Throughout the past few weeks he had been travelling around the Galaxy for one of the best known sports and one that had the largest bets. He had been travelling to compete in podracing. And with his podracer he had been quite a surprise from the beginning.

He was now only a few points behind Pugwis, meaning that this race could settle the whole championship. He ought to be stressed and nervous, but he wasn't. Not at all... Jukwon sat on the side of his bed and closed his eyes. "The last stop," he mumbled to himself. "The last race..."

He then got up and got dressed. They should almost be arriving at the Ando Prime System, an Ice World, much like Hoth with just a few minor colonies and a lot of caverns and minerals to explore. Still, it was mostly deserted, except for the few colonists and the local natives, who were four armed thin beings, apparently very gentle and gracious in their way.

When Jukwon made it to the bridge he found Vrattos. He was overlooking the planet. "So, this is Ando Prime?" the Kiffar asked.

"Indeed. This is it. Our final destination, where the last race will take place," Vrattos nodded. "It is an ice world, very cold. You better keep yourself warm."

"I will... But you don't seem too content in being in this particular system, my friend. I guess you would rather be in Aquilaris or Baroonda, our previous stops in this tournament," Jukwon commented.

Vrattos simply nodded. At that point, Vorgoth arrived at the bridge. He was as menacing as ever, and Jukwon hadn't grown accustomed to his presence even though he was always around during their trips. It seemed that Jadda was more interested in his podracer that Jukwon would have imagined...

Once the ship landed, Vrattos oversaw that all went well with transporting the podracer to the arena and overseeing that they were well installed. As always, Vorgoth followed the podrace. Jukwon, on the other hand shivered at the cold air as he stepped outside.

There weren't many buildings to be seen, but rather small spherical-like houses and complexes. Still, a lot of people could be seen. Wondrous that so many people would venture into this far and distant planet just to see the races. Apart from the buildings, statues could also be seen. Large dark stone totems that were sunken into the snow and ice.

***

Four hours later, he walked into the arena. People cheered as the pilots took their places. Pugwis was the race favourite, but Jukwon came second. Luckily enough, his podracer was not beside Pugwis' and he had Vorgoth to keep an eye and make sure that nobody would tamper with Jadda's investment.

Jukwon got into the pilot seat and placed his helmet on. As the engines turned on, Jukwon concentrated only in the moment. He would need all he had if he wanted to take the winning cup. As soon as the green light was given he pressed forward and the engines roared and sung a low hum. In a couple of seconds he was going at maniac speeds, and he wasn't solo.

Pugwis had the first place, followed by another racer and Dud Bolt running third. Jukwon was right behind, and knew that there were three more behind him. With no time to lose, Jukwon pressed his thrusters where the others would use their brakes and managed to get in between Dud Bold and the other racer, who were at that point running side by side.

The other two racers thought of bumping into Jukwon, but at those speeds it could mean suicide. Still, the path ahead was not wide enough for all of them. In a flash, Jukwon made his podracer slide in vertical and passed through. Dud Bolt was also able to manage to pass, but the third podracer crashed into a large ice column.

Pugwis was a little bit far off. There was a tight curve, followed by a long way and a very large drop at the end. Jukwon saw a breakthrough and prepped for a stunt. It would either give him advantage or make him crash, but he was willing to find out. When the drop came the Kiffar used his podracer's top speed and went up to almost the double of his speed. With the immense speed, he was able to pass over Pugwis and into first place.

The path ahead was much too narrow for the Dug to pass back into first place. Through the second lap, Jukwon was able to maintain the first place and even gain some distance. Alas, on the third and final lap the Kiffar had engine problems. He was losing power and had no idea why. His speed was still fast but not fast enough to keep Pugwis behind.

Jukwon came second, meaning he had lost first place in the tournament to Pugwis. Still, for a first year, a second place was quite honourable.

***
Date: Eos 25, 4 ABY
Location: Jadda's Palace, Tae'Karada System
***

The Verpine bowed to his master as he presented Jadda with the prizes and the reports on the races. The Hutt was content enough and sent Vrattos off, with orders to present Jukwon with some free time and a bonus.

---

"Debts Paid, With Blood"
by Korva
Chowe
and Jadda the Hutt

Location: Corellia
Date: Eos 24, 4ABY

***

He stared up at the ceiling, watching the fan spinning above him. His ears were filled with the screams of the woman on top of him, her hips moving against his hard cock, forcing its way up inside her, he felt her cunt squeeze him before he exploded inside her, his own cries mixing with hers as she came with him.

She continued to rotate her hips, pushing against him. He looked into her eyes, seeing her smiling as she moved up off him. Her hands grabbed his softening cock stroking it, opening her mouth to take his head. She sucked him, tasting both herself and Korva.

He closed his eyes, sighing. "I'm in heaven..." he whispered, looking down at the attractive blond. She was good at her job no questions about it, but then she cost enough.

He could feel his arousal growing, watching as she licked up and down his hardening shaft. As her tongue licked up she went down on him again, sucking on his head, using her tongue before lowering all the way down to his base. "You know I haven't paid for this..."

There was a slight moan from her while she remained at the base of her cock, sucking slowly, drawing back. "I know..." she purred looking at the Corellian. "This is for free..." So, she continued sucking his cock. Korva wasn't complaining, lying on the bed with his head slightly raised on the pillows.

He couldn't keep his eyes off the woman as she sucked his balls and around his shaft. She was half teasing him just the way he loved. It was incredible the way she used her tongue. She started sucking with earnest, both her hands pumping him until he couldn't take it any longer. She swallowed everything down, sucking until he was bone dry. Rising, she looked at him, licking her lips, making sure she got every drop. "Was that good for you too?"

"Hun, that was..." It was then that something struck him. "Donna, how long have I known you?"

"Four long years..." she replied with a slight laugh.

"And in those four years you've never offered me anything for free..." Just then the door at the far side of the room burst open, thrown from one of its hinges, smashing into wall, ripping the wallpaper and damaging the plaster behind. Three men came in through the door holding blasters in their hands. Korva pushed Donna to the side, off the bed while he rolled up over the other side as laser blasts shot past him.

He reached under one of the pillows, instinctively grabbing the small disrupter he always hid there. His hand grabbed the handle of the disrupter, his fingers squeezing it tightly. He crashed painfully to his knees, hitting the wooden floor on the other side of the bed. Rising up, he fired twice, hitting one of the men in the chest with both shots.

The red laser pulses slammed into the human, exploding out through his back and out through the doorway into the corridor beyond. He remained standing for several seconds after with his companions looking at him like he hadn't caught onto the fact that he was dead. But gravity won and he finally collapsed to the ground like a ton of bricks.

"You bastard!" the man on the right screamed, firing his blaster and hitting the bed and pillows, spreading feathers everywhere. It was like a storm of feathers.

A feather storm... Korva thought, looking around, smiling as he came back up, firing twice before ducking back behind the bed. He cursed, knowing he'd missed his target, hearing a vase smash as one of the laser pulses hit it.

One of the men stood up in front of the window beside him. He was about to fire when the window exploded inwards, shards of glass flying into him. The explosion was followed by a bombardment of lasers, hitting the man several times in his side, chest, legs and arms. Three pulses missed him, heading to the other man, hitting him in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground.

His comrade fell to the ground, a smoking bubbling corpse. Korva stood slowly, aiming the small disrupter from the smoking corpse to the moaning human clutching his injured leg. Korva stared at the window, aiming his weapon, wondering who would have helped him. There was a low growl from outside the window.

Korva lowered his weapon, shaking his head, smiling to himself. "Get your butt in here!" he shouted, turning to get his ripped pants. He grabbed his T-shirt and quickly got dressed, grabbing the leather jacket, placing it on the bed. It was then he spotted Donna.

"Oh no..." he whispered, seeing her lying naked on the ground beside the bed. There was a hole in her back, right through her chest. He could see part of the floor beneath her. The wound was cauterised with small trickles of blood running down. He knew she'd set him up but she was still a friend. He seemed to be losing a lot of friends just lately.

He heard the loud thud and saw the large Wookiee hitting the wooden flooring after jumping through the window. He carried a large rifle in his hands designed specifically for a Wookiee. Seeing there was no immediate danger Chowe slid the rifle into the holster along his back, growling as he sniffed the air.

"I know... I know..." Korva cursed, looking over at the injured man. "I bring this on myself."

The large hairy walking mountain of muscle stepped up to the injured man, grabbing him by the throat. He cried out in pain as it shot out from his leg, but his screams were quickly silenced as Chowe's hand squeezed around his throat.

"Wouldn't scream so loud," Korva said. "Wookiees have sensitive hearing." Chowe slammed the man against the wall, pinning him there without breaking a sweat. He roared, showing his teeth. "Now...who are you and who paid you to do this?"

"Go to hell..." the man whispered, forcing the words out. The rest of the words wouldn't come as Chowe's fingers squeezed tighter.

Korva looked up at the man, hating having to torture people for information. It was so much simpler and easier paying for it. Once the transaction was over there were no complications, no pain, no suffering. He sighed heavily. "Chowe, pull his arm out of its socket..."

The Wookiee grabbed the man's left arm and pulled. Korva cringed at hearing the bone popping. The man's screams were nothing more than a muffled noise which made it easier for him, but not by much. Fighting was one thing but this was totally different. "Care to answer or do we go for the other?" he asked, trying his best to keep his voice even.

"Ok..." he whispered. "I work...for the Rebels..." This caught Korva's attention.

"Try again..." he said, punching him in the stomach. He could have coughed if Chowe's hand didn't squeeze tighter.

"Ok... Ok!" he shouted, forcing the words out. "Jadda! Jadda the Hutt!... We were sent...to bring you to him, alive if possible, dead just as good."

"Tell your boss...he'll get his fucking money!" Before he could answer, Korva punched him in the face with his left hand, sending his head crashing against the wall, knocking him out. Korva turned and looked at Chowe. "What?" he asked. The Wookiee growled at him, making