"Arrival"
By: Dani

Location: The Drogen Shipyards
Date: Selene 7, 3 ABY

***

"Docking in five," Captain Mardis announced.

The bridge was a flurry of activity as the ship was prepared to dock with the shipyards they were approaching. Tiree, one of the pilots, glanced over his shoulder, and nodded to a command issued by Yot, the second-in-command of the big ship. It was only a Corellian frigate, so it wasn't really that big. Or at least, that's what Mouse told her.

Dani watched all the crew from where she sat, perched atop one of the computer housings at the back of the bridge. She had no purpose in this part of the ship's activities. If something broke, then she'd have something to do. But, docking? They didn't need techs for that. So, she sat and watched.

They didn't mind having her there. They actually liked having her around quite a bit. In the three weeks she'd been aboard, Dani thought that she'd slept with all of them at least once. They really liked having her aboard. The party they'd had the previous week was amazing. It was better than some of the parties back home. When she woke up the following morning, she was still stoned and drunk. Though, she couldn't imagine being more happy. Especially waking up in a bed surrounded by three warm bodies.

Dani was from the planet Zeltros. The Zeltrons had a reputation in the galaxy. After their first time together, Mouse had told her that he'd always wondered about the Zeltron reputation, but wasn't wondering anymore. The Zeltrons are a highly empathic species. When everyone is happy, the entire culture is happy. Their culture evolved into one that encouraged the pursuit of pleasure, and happiness. Most of the galaxy just saw that they ate a lot, had sex a lot, and really did little that didn't lead to some form of gratification. They were the party species of the galaxy.

Mouse moved close as the docking clamps were extended. He looked up at her and grinned. "I can almost see up your shirt."

Dani looked down at him and laughed. "No you can't," she said, knowing that she was wearing a one-piece leather bodysuit. "So, when we dock, what are you doing?"

"I was thinking about heading down to the planet. I hear the women wear these amazing dresses that leave nothing to the imagination."

A smile crept across Dani's face. "Really? I'll have to get me seven. I can't wait to see the reaction when I wander the ship wearing something like that." She knew the grin he wore on his face, and could feel what he was feeling as if she'd felt it herself. "And, I know you want to see that too. I will wear one of those dresses especially for you, Mouse."

"Mouse," the captain bellowed. "Get down to storage, and make sure we're ready to offload. Furlough to those who are slated." He looked over in Dani's direction. "And, don't you get yourself in trouble like you did last time. I don't want to have to bail you out again."

Dani dropped gracefully to the deck and saluted. "Aye aye," she said. "No bailing me out this time." She approached and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Did you want me to get you anything while I'm out? If they have some Corellian brandy, I can buy you a bottle."

Mardis smiled. "Only if you want to. I've still got that case from the last time you went stationside. Maybe we can finish off some more one of these nights?"

She grinned. "I would like that." She gave him another kiss, and rushed off toward the exit hatch.

***

Dani wandered through the station. She could feel the people around her, humans mostly, watching her as she passed. She could feel them enjoying her presence, the way she looked, and it sent a warmth through her body. She smiled at one as she passed, and he nearly fell over. She tried not to laugh, but it was difficult. She could feel his embarrassment as he turned a bright red.

She approached and gave him a more gentle smile.

"Hi," she said.

"Uh, hello," he stammered.

He looked ready to explode, and she could tell he was very attracted to her. She put a hand on his arm. "Don't be afraid," she said, her voice gentle and soft. "I'm not going to hurt you. If you aren't doing anything, when you are done, would you like to share a meal?"

He stood there with his mouth opening and closing before he finally found his voice. "Sure," he said. "That would be great. I'd really like that. Oh, my. What time? Where should I meet you? What's your name?"

She smiled. "My name is Dani. We can meet here when you are finished. And, you are going to have a very nice night. And, you be calm and content." She leaned close and pressed her lips to his. His body seemed to melt in her arms. She released some of her pheromones and he calmed immediately. When the kiss finally broke, she had to set him down because his knees had given out.

When she turned away, she could see that she'd attracted a crowd. She stepped away from her date for the evening and grinned at those watching her. "Too much excitement," she said, as if that explained everything. She used some more of her pheromones to dull their suspicions a little. "He'll be fine in just a few minutes."

The crowd parted as she walked through. Some watched her, some went to congratulate their co-worker. Dani shook her head and grinned as she headed for the commercial district of the station. It was a nice station, with nice people. She liked it.

---

"Flight"
By: Elisia Melouet
Kace Mordin - Traveller

Location: Drogen Shipyards
Date: Selene 7, 3 ABY

***

Kace opened his eyes and found himself staring at the ceiling of his ship. He looked around and remembered his young guest, Elisia, was sleeping in the cabin. He checked the time and realized it would soon be time for him to try to sneak her off the station. He rolled himself up into a sitting position and smiled. It felt good to help someone who needed it. It felt like maybe he could get out of the pit he'd dug for himself.

After checking to make sure the ship was still secure, he went in to check on Elisia. He opened the door slightly and peered inside.

Elisia was sound asleep and curled in a small ball. She hadn't bothered to undress. She did not hear him enter. Once she had accepted that she was safe for the time being, her body had succumbed to the exhaustion she had been pushing aside for days.

He watched for only a moment before he decided she would probably be very uncomfortable if she knew he was watching her. He smiled as he returned to the main cabin. He dropped back onto the couch and picked up one of the datapads with the latest Tae'Karadan news.

What had Elisia meant by her question? He was fairly certain she was reading his thoughts. He had not said anything aloud that would have elicited such a response. She had to have been in his thoughts. The big question was if her statement had been a request for him to train her. It probably wasn't. She barely trusted him. Why would she even want him to train her? He shook his head and returned to his reading.

Elisia waited till he was gone before moving. She stood an stretched. She paced for awhile, wondering why she had stayed in one place for so long. The man had proven himself by not touching her as he slept. She finally stepped into the room where he was.

Kace looked up as Elisia appeared. He smiled. "You look rested," he said. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did," she admitted. "Can I eat something?" She was hungry all the time it seemed. She watched him closely. He was an odd mixture and his colors looked strange to her. Everyone had colors, some you could barely see and had to look hard. Some were very bright and some had cold colors. But his swirled around as if they didn't know what they should be.

"Of course," he said. He moved to the galley and started rummaging through his supplies. "What are you hungry for? I've got a little bit of everything in here."

"Anything, I ain't picky," she said, sliding into a seat and watching him. "When do we leave?"

Kace laughed. "As soon as you've had a good meal," he said. He started pulling out packages of food he thought she might like. In the end, he knew he had no idea what she would want to eat, and just ended up bringing out a bit of everything. He set everything in front of her on the table. "You're welcome to everything there, though I don't think you'll be able to fit it all inside."

"I think you might be surprised," she breathed greedily. She filled a plate with a great deal of food. Before she took a bite, she looked up at him, "You never said who you are?" She began to stuff the food down with a total lack of grace, typical of one who had gone without a great deal. It was as if she didn't eat it fast enough, it would disappear.

He smiled. "My name is Kace Mordin," he said. "And, how much did you want to know about who I am?"

"Your name's enough," she said with a mouth full of food. "I learned that it ain't good to know too much more about people and it's better not to ask."

"That makes sense," he said. "Though, that's not always the case. Though, it's probably best that we don't know more about each other since soon you will be far away from here."

She tensed. For some reason, his words made the hair on her neck stand up. "That's right," she mumbled.

Kace decided not to watch her as she finished eating. He turned his attention back to the datapad he'd been reading earlier, but stayed where he was while she ate. He glanced up as she wolfed down more food and went back to his reading with a hidden smile. He was really going to hate turning her loose down on the planet. The feeling that something very bad was going to happen to her if she left was almost too much. But, she wanted to be free of him, and he... Well, she wanted to be free of him anyway. He'd do what he could for her, what she'd let him do for her.

"It won't, ya know. I am going to the center," she said quietly. When he looked up with a question: "Nothing bad will happen to me. There is a place on the planet where only women can go." She had clung to this place for so long that the possibility that they would not admit her was no longer an issue to her.

He smiled, knowing she'd been in his mind again. And, she would be safe at the center she was referring to if only women were allowed. She'd be safe from Dargus, probably safer than he could ever keep her. For some reason though, the thought saddened him. The idea of protecting someone from harm was very appealing. But, it was her life, and if she was safer there, that's where she should be. Besides, what would Yelara think of him if he took Elisia under his wing. Not that things were going well on that front; they were only just getting more tense. They would probably both explode soon...if he ever got to see her again.

"Okay," he said, "then I will get you there so you'll be safe." Her being in his head reminded him of earlier, before she went to sleep. "Earlier, when you said I'd never know if I didn't try, what did you mean by that?"

She pushed away the plate. "You said you didn't know if you would be a good teacher. I merely answered that," she said, frowning. "Why?"

"Well, I didn't say it," he replied. "I thought it. And, you appear to be quite skilled at reading minds." He glanced down to the plate and back up to Elisia. "If you're finished, we can see about getting you out."

"I am done. You did too say it, I heard you," she said insistently. She was looking at him with a hard stare. "I distinctly heard you say that. Why would you say you didn't?"

"You heard it in my mind," he said. Just like you can hear me in your mind now, he added, putting his thoughts directly in her mind. "You can do that too. And, you can take the thoughts from my mind. There is much you can do with your powers. We should get you down to the planet." He stood from the table and started gathering the things he thought he'd need to get her past the station's security.

"What else can I do?" she asked, not moving and watching him intently. She was not leaving until he explained to her what she could do besides wish. "What about that spinning thing you did when you first met me?"

"You will eventually be able to do that," he said, "when you learn to control the Force." He lifted the plate off the table with the Force and floated it toward him on unseen hands. "When you learn control, there is much you can do. Your suggestions are strong. That is how you make people forget you. You can speed up your body, and make yourself stronger and more agile. You can learn to see the future and the past. Avoid danger before it strikes. But, it requires a lot of work, a lot of training."

"How? How do I learn that!" Her eyes eyed the plate greedily. If she could learn those things, she would never have to be afraid again. She wouldn't have to hide away. She could pay those back who had hunted her unmercifully, who had destroyed her life.

He watched her for a moment, not sure if he should continue. He recognized the look in her eyes, and pulled the thoughts from her mind. Could he train her? Even though she wanted revenge? He wasn't a Jedi. The people who had hurt her deserved it. Anyone that would prey on a young girl like Elisia deserved it. "To learn, you would need a teacher, someone to show you the things you need to know."

"You know how?" she asked, looking at him intently.

He nodded. "I do," he said.

"Then you could teach me? I wouldn't be a problem and I can clean and cook" she said hurriedly. "Except...there is that Kandran thing. Maybe you could come down to the planet and teach me."

Kace smiled. "If you wish me to train you," he said, "then I would be honoured to teach you. It would be dangerous for you to stay here, so perhaps I can come to you. Because of the distance separating us, it will probably be slow to start, but I will make as much time for your training as I can. It will be difficult and strenuous work. You will need to do what I say. I will require your obedience, but I will not take advantage of it. Are you still interested?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "But that would mean I cannot go to the center. So where should I go?" she asked, her excitement dimming a little. "I can get a job...but I don't know how to do a lot except for..." Her face paled a little. "I don't know how to do a lot."

He thought about it, and decided not to pursue the talent she didn't wish to reveal. He wasn't sure he really wanted to know. "You could stay in the center," he said, "and perhaps we could meet outside at scheduled times. Do you think they would allow that at the center?"

She frowned. "No, that won't work. Once you go into the center, you do not come out. It is a one way trip," she said softly. Her face blushed a deep red.

"Okay," he said. "Then for now, it's best you stay with me whatever happens. But, let's go down and see if we can find someplace for you."

She launched herself at him and gave him a resounding hug. "Thank you! I promise I won't make you regret it." Realizing she was touching him she stepped back hurriedly. "I will be as good as gold."

He smiled, a little taken aback at the sudden hug. "Okay," he said with a laugh. "If you decide to hug me in the future, a little advance warning is all I need." He gave her a reassuring smile that told her it was okay. "So, should we go see the planet?"

"Do you really think we can get off the station?" she said with concern, but nodding her head that they should.

"If there's a way off," he said, "I'll find it. And, I'll get you down to the planet safely. If not, we make you disappear. The station will have to be opened again eventually."

"Okay. Where you lead, master, I will follow," she said solemnly but with complete dedication.

Kace smiled. "If there's anything you want to bring with you here," he said, "go ahead and grab it. Hopefully you won't have to come back here."

Elisia went and got the small bag of clothing that he had obtained for her and slid her letter inside. She then came back and stuck some more food in the bag. She looked up at him with a crooked grin finally. "Okay, I am ready."

"Okay. Let's go."

Kace led them out of the ship and down across the flight deck. It was a chance going the way they were, but it would be much more difficult to get a ship out than using the high speed elevators that traveled along the umbilical tether. They approached the two guards standing in front of the elevator. Kace sensed the cameras as they drew near. He reached out with the force and blackened each of them. The audio pickups were more difficult to find, but he found them as well. Each microphone shorted out as he crushed it into dust. Blind and deaf.

"Hi there," Kace said with a smile. "I would like to take my cousin down to the planet. Her mother has been very worried, and she's been sending me nasty comm calls since Mr. Kandran shut down the station."

"I'm sorry," one of the guards said. "Orders are that no one leaves."

Kace glanced between them and frowned.

One of the men took a closer look at Elisia. Kace noticed him using the visor of his helmet to access datafiles. Probably the same the security goons were referring to when they accosted him. "Hey, they find that little thieving glitterstim addict yet? I hear she's pretty nasty. I can't imagine how a little girl like that is avoiding trained troops like yourself though."

"Hey, I think that's her. I'm going to call this in."

Kace's smile disappeared as he took a step forward. "This is not the girl you're looking for," he said, his voice even, hypnotizing.

"This is not the girl we're looking for," they replied.

Kace smiled again. "Activate the lift and let us leave."

One of the men moved to the elevator control. A series of button presses brought it online. The door slid open and Kace blackened the cameras and mics there too. He stepped inside with Elisia.

"You will remember none of this." He pressed the control and the lift dropped toward the planet.

Elisia had been quiet and moved only when necessary as to not draw extra attention to herself. Once inside the lift, she finally spoke. "Your wishes are much better than mine," she said in awe.

Kace laughed. "Soon though, yours will be as good as mine," he said. "With training, you will be powerful."

"Won't someone notice the lift moving at their control center?" she asked worriedly. It wasn't like they were just going down a floor or two.

Kace was watching the indicators. "It's a high speed lift," he said. He reached out and tapped out a command in the interface. "And, it looks like this thing won't be able to receive a recall notice until it reaches the bottom. And, we're not sticking around in here. We should be okay."

She nodded. She could feel her heart in her throat and it was pounding terribly. When the lift finally jerked to a halt, she instinctively moved behind Kace and closed her eyes.

Kace tugged one of his lightsabers free of his belt and reached to open the door. It slid up with a hiss. Two guards waited outside with blasters drawn. They fired immediately. Kace was quicker. His light sword flared and intercepted the blaster bolts, sending them harmlessly into the ground. The men weren't bright enough to realize he could rebound the blaster bolts back into them, and were quite surprised when he did just that. They dropped soundlessly to the ground.

"We need fast transport," he said. He looked around and spotted one of the guard's speederbikes nearby. "This way." He climbed onto the bike and reached out for the transponder he knew was there. He crushed it with his mind and held out a hand to pull Elisia up.

Elisia swung smoothly up behind him. She grabbed him from behind and placed her face against him. It was obvious that she had done this before. She didn't say anything. She could anticipate what he was doing and so didn't need to communicate.

Kace opened the throttle and the bike rocketed away from the launch tether. It was fast, though ships could soon be dropping from the sky. They needed to get into a more populated area. The sensors told him a city was nearby. He angled the bike, and eased a little more speed out of it. They'd be in the city soon enough.

Elisia did not breathe an easy breath until they entered the city. Only then did her fierce hold on him relax. Here she could blend in if she needed to. She was adept at being unmemorable.

"We made it," Kace said, slowing the bike on a side street. It was stating the obvious, but he felt it needed to be voiced. "Should we find a place to stay the night? And, then we can find you something more permanent where we can train tomorrow."

She nodded, looking around. This city was cleaner than she was used to. The women seemed to be practically unclothed even though they wore a great amount of material. Fitting in would be just a little harder than she had imagined. Their hair was long and beautiful. Her hand came up to her shorn hair as she watched a girl not much older than herself sway by on the main street. She wrenched her attention away and looked up at her mentor.

Kace did a double-take as he watched a woman walk by where they sat on the side of the road. No wonder Kandran liked this place so much. Kace glanced back at Elisia and laughed. "I don't know if you want to blend in that much," he said. "Even though, except for your hair, you're easily as pretty as any of them here. Let's go find a place to stay."

She blushed lightly at his compliment. For the first time, she didn't feel threatened by such words. "Where? Some place not too noticeable?"

He nodded. "Yes," he said. "Though, I don't know if we're going to find anywhere like we really want here, we'll do what we can."

He pushed out into traffic and circled the area several times before deciding on a hotel that didn't look as prominent or active as the others. He killed the engine and waited for Elisia to climb off before he did. "I'd get us two rooms," he said, "but I don't want to split us up that much. I'll see if I can get us a room with two beds. If you want, we can string something across the room for privacy."

"I am not worried about it. If I can't trust you not to touch without permission, then you can't teach me anything," she pointed out. "Do what needs done," she said, looking around nervously.

He smiled. She was an impressive girl. "You wait here. I'll go get us a pair of rooms. Try to keep your thoughts loud, I will keep my mind in touch with yours while I'm inside."

"Yes master," she said quietly. She bent over the bike as if she was repairing it and seemed to almost become a part of it. She hadn't, but one had to look twice to notice her.

Kace smiled, impressed. He disappeared inside. He smiled as he approached the desk. The man behind the counter couldn't help smiling in kind.

"Hi there," Kace said. "I need a room with two beds for the night. Something a little secluded if you know what I mean." He gave the man a wink.

The man gave a knowing nod. "Of course, sir," he said. "I have just the room. And, how will you be paying for this, sir?"

Kace pulled out his credit chip and handed it to the man, who quickly started processing it. Once that was done, he handed Kace a card to open the door. "There you go, Mr. Kaldin."

Kace smiled, pocketed his chip and the card, and returned outside. "We have a room," he said when he got back to Elisia. "Ready?"

"Yes." She straightened up and grabbed the little bag. "I will pay you back," she promised. She knew she was costing him. "I never break a promise."

"Be a good student," he said. "And that is payment enough."

He led the way to the room. The card admitted them easily. He opened a window to get a little air circulating. As requested, there were two beds. He nodded in approval. The room would work. Besides, they would only be there for a night.

"Wasn't that all just a little to easy?" she said, laying her bag on the bed. "I have never gotten out of a jam that easy."

Kace nodded. "It was easy," he said. "But, I do not sense it was because we were being set up. I have a feeling when Dargus prepared his defenses, he had not counted on me being a part of it."

"So we get some sleep?" she asked, eyeing the large bed with great appreciation. She looked up at him, her young eyes trusting. "I have never slept in a hotel before," she said as if confiding the greatest of secrets.

Kace smiled despite himself. "Yes," he said. "We should get some sleep. And, you can have the larger bed. And, enjoy your first stay in a hotel. I will make sure it won't be your last if you wish."

"You mean if you wish. I have promised to be a good student and therefore your wishes are now paramount," she said bravely. It was a hard statement to make. She had not offered her trust since she was very little. However, she sat down on the bed and bounced a little. It was much softer than a freighter berth. She smiled a huge smile, lighting up her whole face. "Why, it feels as if it were full of clouds, it is so soft and bouncy." She bounced a couple more times and then realized students were probably much more serious. "Sorry," she mumbled and started untying her boots.

Kace tried not to laugh. "You can bounce if you wish," he said, still trying to hold it in. "You'll find that with me as your teacher, you'll have more freedoms than I had when I was a learner. You can still enjoy your life. You can still be you. You will know when I need you to do something, or act a particular way. I will require focus when we are training, but in times like this you are free to do as you please. As long as it doesn't endanger us. And, I do not believe bouncing on beds will threaten our situation."

A slow smile crept over her face. "Oh good, I shall make it a daily errand," she teased. She did not disrobe but slipped between the covers of the bed and let out a long sigh of contentment. "Oh this is nirvana," she breathed, stretching out on the bed. "You can work me to the bone if I can sleep in such bliss."

Kace smiled as he watched her.

"Then I will make sure you have beds like these to sleep in," he said.

He moved to the other bed and removed his cloak. He reached into one of the inside pockets and pulled a small spherical object. He tapped at the panel on its side. It let out a gentle hum and he tossed it toward the door, where it moved to guard it. Satisfied that they had a little more security, he pulled off his jacket and shirt and set them aside. As he turned to remove his boots, the tattoo on his back was visible, even in the low lighting of the room. A stylized bird of prey stretched out across his right shoulder blade as if to soar right off his back. Kace took a couple deep breaths as he prepared himself for sleep, then slipped onto the bed. He placed both lightsabers within arm's reach.

"What does your tattoo mean, Kace?" she asked quietly from her bed. "I have never seen one like it."

"It's a Corellian hawk," he said. "They're one of the strongest and swiftest birds of prey on my home planet. It reminds me where I've come from, who I am, and what my goals are. I got it a few years ago. I think you're the only other person who's seen it besides the person who put it there. But, it's a reminder."

"I have something to remind me of who I am but I cannot read it," she said quietly. "I have had it ever since I can remember."

He propped himself up on an elbow to look over at Elisia's bed. "Is it in a language you can't read? Or can you not read?"

She flushed quietly. "I can't read. I never got to go to school. My mother gave it to me before she had me run away." Her words were filled with a quiet pain and longing.

He smiled. "I did not know how to read before Tal Dan found me," he said. "I'll teach you to read too if you'd like."

"I would like that. I don't know what she wrote but she said someday it would be important to me," she said, confiding things she had told no one.

"Soon you will know what she wrote," he said. "We can begin with a reading lesson tomorrow if you'd like."

She smiled. Maybe fate would finally smile on her; it was about time. She had been running ever since she could remember. The chance to learn more than she could pick up on the streets and on the edges of society was a gift that she would not have turned away from had it had a higher price. "I would like that, Master Kace," she said quietly. She turned her back to him then and curled up into a small ball.

Once she was sleeping, Kace closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep. They'd have much to accomplish tomorrow.

---