"Turning the Tables, Part 1"
By: Dani
Nieme Yaresh-Selrid
Ferrig Mullerin
Raeila Mullerin
Pack and other Feltreys [NPC]

Location: Feltrey gang headquarters, Thanatos
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Dani lay atop Raeila's bed, her body a dull throb from the welts put there by the wide leather strap her mistress had used on her. She couldn't help the excitement that still buzzed through her body. When she and Raeila were together anymore, her empathic senses seemed to overload. She had never realized that pain could be so pleasurable, at least until Raeila. But, the pain that Raeila inflicted brought immense pleasure, and Dani picked up that pleasure as if it were her own. She would have never imagined that violence such as Raeila's could bring her the ecstasy she found with her mistress. To continue to feel such bliss, she had fully embraced her new position in life. And, she could also sense that Raeila genuinely liked her, and there was even some true affection beneath the surface.

Dani opened her eyes and shifted until she was facing Raeila. "Is there anything more I can do for you, my mistress?" she asked.

Raeila's languid gaze moved to Dani and a pleased smile curled her lips. She casually tapped her right breast, indicating the spot Dani knew she liked to have kissed. "The collar isn't too tight, I hope," she mentioned offhand. "I had it bought especially for you, Purple."

"It's not too tight at all," Dani said as she curled up against Raeila and pressed her lips to her mistress's breast. One hand brushed across the collar she wore with its silver rings perfect for the chains Raeila liked to attach to it. "It was a most wonderful purchase, my mistress."

"And do you know why I bought it for you, Purple?" Raeila craned her neck forward and brushed her lips against Dani's ear. "It's because you're a good slave, and because you like pleasing me, don't you?"

Dani looked up into Raeila's eyes. "I like pleasing you very much, my mistress," she whispered. "And, thank you. I try to be very good for you, and that you think I'm a good slave makes me only want to be better for you."

"You're improving faster than I could imagine, Purple," Raeila commented as if praising a child. "But one thing that does displease me," she added while running her fingers roughly over Dani's welts, "you don't bruise very well. What happened to all those I gave you last night? I really wanted to show you off to the guys, all colourful like that."

"I heal quickly," Dani said softly. "I am sorry, my mistress. I wish I could bruise better for you. I would; please believe I would. But...but I've always healed fast."

"Well then," Raeila purred as she pushed Dani onto her back, "I'll just have to try harder, now won't I?" She straddled Dani's legs and crawled along the length of her body, placing kisses upon her thighs and hips as she went. "Maybe I should let the boys hit you. They're stronger than I am. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Purple?"

"Only if it pleases you, Mistress," Dani said. "As long as it pleases you, then I would like it very much."

"Of course you'll like it." Raeila ran her hands along Dani's arms lightly as she ran her tongue deliberately over the welts upon her breasts. "You're a much better slave than Rat. She refuses to be shared by the others. Not a very nice slave at all. But you, you're a good slave, and I'm a good mistress, right?"

"You are the best mistress," Dani said, a slight purr in her voice. "At first I was scared and wanted to leave, but I like it here now, here with you. I like being your slave, Mistress Raeila."

"And you'll never leave me, right, Purple?" Raeila's face hovered above Dani's as she smiled expectantly at her. "Promise you won't leave me, Purple. If you want to please your mistress, you'll promise."

Dani looked into Raeila's eyes and she smiled. "I promise," she whispered. "I couldn't ever leave you, my mistress. I love you."

Raeila sat upright quickly and stared down in utter disdain at her slave. "You what?" she said through clenched teeth. With her hand balled into a fist, she cocked her arm back and loosed a pummelling blow across Dani's cheek. "You don't love me! You're supposed to worship me, you little bitch!" She sent another savage punch to Dani's face, then scrambled off the bed and tugged fiercely on her collar. "Get up!"

Dani gagged as the collar was tugged. "I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I'll never say it again. I'm sorry, my mistress." Her tears trailed across the new bruises forming on her face. "I'm sorry." She scrambled to comply with Raeila's wishes, terrified of displeasing her mistress any more than her admission of love had.

Raeila dismissed Dani's pleas and forced her down upon her knees roughly. She marched with rage to the bedpost and retrieved the leash hanging from it. The chain was clipped to Dani's collar and Raeila jerked it until Dani was forced into motion. "We're going for a little walk, pet," she said with a malevolently gritty smile. "I really do like how you bruise," she commented as she pulled Dani through the door. "I think I'll let them play for a while, and you'll do whatever they want you to do. Won't you?"

"I will," Dani said quickly. "Whatever they want to do. I only want to please you, my mistress. I will do anything to please you."

"Damn right you will, you little slut." Raeila stormed into the designated lounge area of the compound, naked from head to toe and paying no heed to the whistles and thick laughter being directed at her. "Boys," she said as she tossed down Dani's leash. "Here's something to munch on for a while." Not waiting around to admire Dani's work, Raeila turned on her heel and headed back into her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Dani knew better than to complain, and quickly moved into position to please the men in the room for the next several hours. It took the Feltrey's little time to shed enough clothing to get themselves inside her. At least she wouldn't leave any of them disappointed.

***

Humming a whimsical tune of her own imaginings, Nieme gazed up at the ceiling speckled with glimmering lights and reached up her hand to touch each and every one of them. Her other hand was busy sating the throbbing between her legs, and the wafting aroma of freshly burning spice meandered into her nose and induced a ravenous hunger that was only subdued by the blue beebleberries Ferrig had been feeding her.

Her humming grew discordant as she thought about the sweet, delectable treats he rewarded her with after an hour of commendable service, but he was late with it this time, and Nieme was feeling the effects. She writhed not with pleasure atop the bed, but with the beginnings of unbearable yearning that would soon transform to pain if she didn't get her beebleberry soon. She moaned softly and looked around the room in confusion as the stars above began to dim and the reeling pain in her stomach began. "I need some," she whimpered. "I need to bake my pie... I need some beebleberries."

Ferrig opened his eyes and glanced at Nieme. "More?" he asked with a smile. "Okay." He rolled over so he could reach the box on the side of his bed and pulled out one of the small blue pills. He rolled back to face Nieme and held it up. "Here you go, my beautiful little rat."

Like the obedient, willing pet she was, Nieme reached up and closed her mouth around the pill between Ferrig's fingers. She pushed it around in her mouth to savour its very presence and awaited the deliverance of its potent magic that would cease her body's trembling and aches. Her head settled back upon the pillow and she sighed in relief as finally, her blood absorbed the intoxicating spice. "Oh, thank you, Master," she whispered. "You're so very good to me."

Ferrig smiled. "Well, you're a very good slave," he said. "So, you deserve to be treated good. And, these past couple days, you've done very well. I didn't think you'd get so good at pleasing me so fast. That says something very special."

Nieme smiled serenely and swayed gently upon the bed as she was enraptured by the rejuvenating effects of the drug. "I like pleasing you," she said with a gentle moan. "It makes me so happy." She opened her eyes lazily and glanced at Ferrig as her hands came up to caress her breasts sensually. "Is it time to please you again, Master? Please say it is... Please."

Ferrig smiled as he watched Nieme. Damn the girl had changed in just a few days. So very nice. "Yes," he said. "Since you want to so much, it's definitely time to please me." He stretched out on the bed so that she could give me the attention she desired to.

Like a glutton deprived of food for weeks, Nieme wasted no time and attached herself to Ferrig's body. Her hands wandered about his flesh, teasing it and tracing out the finely shaped muscles upon it. Moans formed in her throat as her mouth sought out the erect object she had found such fascination with over the past three days. Stimulating it gave her master great joy, and in return, she was bestowed with the same exaltation. And beebleberries. She found she could no longer go an entire hour without a small helping of spice. The warmth in her body would drain and she shook violently, but once the sweet drug wrapped itself around her, all pain vanished and she was filled with only elation and euphoria.

Ferrig supplied her with the drug, and whenever she had the chance, she gladly showed him her gratitude...as he just had her with a glorious cry. Nieme no longer gagged or pulled away from the physical manifestation of Ferrig's pleasure. She took it in graciously, hoping to gain greater approval from Ferrig. She kissed the tip of the throbbing shaft lightly then pulled herself atop him to press her lips to his so he too could share in the products of her zealous labours.

Ferrig shared willingly, just as he'd done so many times with Raeila. "Oh, that's my girl," he said. "You're going to earn yourself a whole bowl of beebleberries the way you're going. You know, if you keep going at this pace, my little rat, I'm going to have a difficult time keeping up with you." He kissed her again. "But, I'm sure going to enjoy trying."

"I have to please you, Master," Nieme said worriedly. "If I don't, it'll hurt. Why does it hurt so much without the beebleberries, Master?"

"Because you like them so much," Ferrig said. "And, because your body craves them. It's alright though. And, if I'm too exhausted for you to please me, maybe you'd like to please someone else for me. I'd like it if someone else could come in here and you'd please them." He kissed her again. "That would please me too."

Nieme nodded her head slowly while her fingers played with Ferrig's hair. "If I do...will I still get beebleberries? If not, I think I'd rather spend my time pleasing you, Master."

"Of course," Ferrig said. "You'll get beebleberries for everyone you please. Though, I like it best when you're pleasing me." He kissed her throat as her hands roamed through his hair. "But, yes, Nieme, if you please someone else, and I approve...you'll definitely get lots of beebleberries."

Nieme's breathing grew rapid and her heart leapt into her throat at just the thought of having all the beebleberries she wanted. "I want to do it now, Master," she said as she began rubbing her body sensuously against Ferrig's. "Can I please them now? Then I'll have more time to please you..."

"I don't think I could ever refuse when you ask that way," Ferrig said. "Come, they'll be out in the main room. And, when you're done with them, you'll practically be able to take a bath in beebleberries."

She cooed happily then kissed Ferrig deeply. With a giggle, she rolled off of him and landed with her feet upon the ground. "Shall I go now, Master? I need it," she begged as her hand once again went between her legs. "It burns, and I need it."

Ferrig rolled off the bed and grabbed a pair of pants. He slipped into them quickly and nodded to Nieme. "Come on," he said. "Let's go satisfy that burning. They'll make you feel all better, my sweet. And, then you'll have beebleberries like never before."

Nieme's excitement exploded and with a squeal she rushed from the room. She didn't stop until she was in the main room, and only then because what she saw infused her with such shock and anger that she could no longer move. Huddled in a circle, the gangers were taunting and cheering as Dani split her attention amongst them all, pleasuring them however they desired. She was supposed to be the one to make them happy. If she didn't, Ferrig would be angry and there would be no more beebleberries.

Her eyes darkened with rage and she frowned savagely as she stormed over to the group of men and burst through the circle. Dani was on her knees with her face pressed to a ganger's groin. She snarled in fury and grabbed Dani by the hair. With a shriek, she jerked her away from the ganger and tossed her to the floor. "Go away! You'll ruin everything!" she cried out furiously.

"Ow," Dani cried out as Nieme yanked at her hair. "What are you doing, Ni-- Rat? My mistress told me to do this, and she'll be very displeased if I don't. There are more than enough for both of us. We don't have to fight. Please, you take some and I'll take some, and we can swap them. Please?"

Nieme's nostrils flared with the force of the air she was expelling. Her hands were clenched into fists by her side as she towered over Dani. "Master told me to do this. If you interfere, I'll...I'll..." Nieme cried out again and sent her foot into Dani's side then reached down and grabbed her by the hair again. "Leave! I don't want you here!"

"Ow, dammit, rat," Dani shouted and grabbed one of Nieme's ankles, "let go of my hair." She tugged hard, pulling Nieme's leg out from under her. Once she was down, Dani leapt onto Nieme. She knew she was slow due to the pain of her earlier beating, but Nieme's rage was fueling her own. "I won't leave. I'm going to fuck everyone here and suck them off and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"No!" Nieme cried back. She grabbed Dani's wrists to restrain her arms, but keeping Dani from punching her was proving difficult. "I'll stop you even if I have to kill you! Master said they're mine, so they're mine!"

Dani struggled beneath Nieme, fighting to get free. Around them, the gangers were cheering and crying out as the two girls beat each other up. As Nieme flipped her over and drove a balled fist into Dani's jaw, she spotted several of the gangers stroking themselves as they watched. "My mistress told me they're mine to please! You can't take them all; you're not good enough!"

"My master says I am!" Nieme wrapped her fingers around Dani's neck and squeezed. She used all her rage and fear of usurpation to imbue her with strength enough to smother Dani. She'd threatened to make Ferrig disappointed with her, and if that happened, he'd take away her beebleberries. "You will not," Nieme said between clenched teeth, "fuck this up for me, Purple!" She shifted all her weight to her hands and bore down upon Dani's neck with it. "Die," she whispered fiercely. "Die!"

"Ferrig!" Raeila rushed into the room, staring agape at what he was allowing to go on. "What the fuck is this? Make them stop!"

Ferrig laughed. "It's priceless," he said. "I want to get a big tub in here and fill it with wet sand and let them go at it. Don't they look great there? Beating the shit out of each other for the honour of fucking and sucking all our boys. Almost brings a tear to my eyes. I really like those bruises you've given Purple, though Rat's giving her a few new ones."

Raeila watched warily as the two fought. She did approve of the dark purple splotches forming on Dani's thighs and arms, but her movements were growing lethargic and her face was becoming a frightening shade of blue as Nieme throttled her. "I don't mind them fighting, but tell your bitch to stop playing so rough. If she kills her, I'll have no one to play with."

Ferrig glanced over at Nieme and Dani and laughed. "Rat," he called out. "You won. Stop choking the purple bitch, and claim your prize. Beebleberries await you when you're done."

Nieme shook her head rigorously and tightened her grip on Dani's neck. "She'll just try again," she hissed. "She'll try again and I can't let her!"

"Obey me," Ferrig snapped. "Let go of that little slut now, or you won't get any beebleberries. Raeila will take care of her, you take care of getting beebleberries."

"Get off of her, Rat!" Raeila stepped into the circle and slipped her arms under Nieme's. She tried to pull her off of Dani, but Nieme screamed and writhed furiously in Raeila's arms to break free and finish what she started. "Ferrig! Discipline the bitch or get rid of her!"

Ferrig moved forward, took Nieme's chin into his hand and pulled her face up to meet his. "If you ever want to see another beebleberry, you'll stop right now. You kill Purple, and I'll have to give you to Raeila, and I know you won't like that."

Nieme's body began trembling violently as she thought of her precious beebleberries being waved over head, but pulled away the moment she reached for them. She wailed fearfully and threw herself into Ferrig's arms. "I'm sorry, Master! I just... I couldn't let her... Oh gods, don't take them away from me. I need them. I'll d-die without them!"

"I won't take them away from you," Ferrig whispered into her ear. He pulled one of the small pills from a pant pocket and held it out for her. "You did good letting her go."

Nieme looked at the blue pill with a gasp, and wasted no time in taking it from Ferrig's fingers and popping it into her mouth.

"Great, Ferrig," Raeila said sourly as she moved to Dani's side. "She almost fucking kills Purple, and you reward her. Nice." She cradled Dani's face in her hands and used her voice to coax her back into awareness.

It took several minutes before Dani's eyes opened again and gazed up into Raeila's "I'm sorry," she whispered and weakly wrapped her arms around her mistress. "I tried to fight better to keep doing what you put me in here for."

"It's okay, Purple," she said soothingly. "Rat's just a psychotic bitch. If she weren't so intoxicated with spice, you could've kicked her ass." Raeila encircled Dani's waist with her arms and helped her pet to her feet. "Let's go to my room and I'll make you feel all better."

"Thank you," Dani whispered. As she moved, she was wobbly on her feet, but with Raeila supporting her she didn't fall back to the ground like she would have done normally. "I was doing good with them, my mistress. They were very pleased until the Rat came."

"She was jealous, my pet, that's all." Raeila kissed Dani gently upon the cheek and shot Ferrig a seething glare as they passed. "You're better than her. But I'd rather have you all to myself anyway. Can't have that crazy bitch killing you, now can I?"

"I wouldn't like that," Dani said with a smile. "I'd rather be all yours, my mistress. I want to please you."

"Then come to my room and you can do just that, Purple." Raeila and Dani disappeared into her room, but Raeila managed one final, fierce look at Ferrig before she shut the door behind her.

Ferrig gave Raeila a look that would have said, "We have to talk later" if she'd still been looking in his direction. They couldn't let their slaves come between them, and he'd have to talk to Nieme later. Maybe they could lock the two sluts into a room together and let them do whatever they wanted. The only fear would be that Nieme would try to kill Purple again, and that would be really bad. He'd talk to Raeila later. No, he told himself, do it now.

Nieme was looking up at him with the same lust and unbridled desire he'd gotten used to. He brushed a hand through her hair and smiled. "Okay, Rat," he said. "Make them happy, and you'll get lots of beebleberries. I'll be here for a minute or two, but then I need to go talk to Raeila. You'll be alright with them on your own? More beebleberries if you are."

Nieme nodded her head briskly and lowered her lips to Ferrig's feet, kissing each of them. "I'll make them so happy for you, Master." With a smile, Nieme hobbled over upon her knees to the nearest Feltrey and used her mouth to help him with his self-pleasuring.

Ferrig watched the girl as she voraciously put herself in a position for half the gang to try to sate the desires burning from the spice. He watched for a moment longer as Rezzo slipped himself inside her while she pleasured Pack with her mouth. Pack was large and the girl was taking him all the way in. Damn, he thought. The girl is a dream. With that, he slipped out of the room and off in search of Raeila and Purple.

***

Raeila stroked Dani's hair affectionately while kissing the bruise forming upon her neck. "She won't touch you again, Purple. I swear it. The bitch is insane. Ferrig better put her on a fucking leash or I'll kill her myself."

"She just wanted to have sex with them," Dani said softly. "She wanted to please her master, but...she's insane. I hope she doesn't do that again. She's come a long way as a slave. She was willing to go into that room to have sex with everyone so Master Ferrig is progressing with her. But, I am glad I have you to keep me safe from her."

"Can't have my favourite slave going and getting killed because Ferrig couldn't keep his bitch under control." Raeila sighed sharply and lay back upon the bed with Dani held close. "She's messed up, Purple. It's those drugs he keeps giving her. They're getting to her head, and without them, she gets crazy. Just...watch out for her. She'd kill you and not give it a second thought."

"I'll be careful," Dani said softly as she curled up against Raeila. "She used to be my friend, but I don't think so anymore. She's...she's mean--"

Before she could say more, there was a knock at the door.

Raeila pushed herself upright and lay Dani's head upon her lap as she continued stroking her hair. "Who the fuck is it? I'm busy."

"It's me." The voice was unmistakably Ferrig's. "We need to talk, Rae."

"You're damn right we do, Ferrig. Come in...and you better be alone! I don't want that Rat in here."

"I'm alone," Ferrig said, and then pushed the door open. He stepped inside and then closed it. He moved closer to the bed where Raeila and Dani sat together. "Is she alright?"

"She almost died. How do you think she is?" Raeila smoothed a hand over Dani's shoulder and leaned over to plant a kiss upon her head. "Rat is completely deranged, Ferrig. What the hell are you doing with her?"

"Making her mine," Ferrig said. "Or ours. She's just a little...strange. Remember her the other day? Would you believe she's out there right now with ten guys? By herself voraciously trying to please all of them?" He moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. "Selrid's not gonna want her after this. I'm breaking her down for you, little sister. When Kael gets here, that little bitch won't be competition for you getting him back. He's yours, and the Rat isn't going to lay claim to him after this. She'll be far too hooked on spice and sex to care about Kael Selrid, which leaves him wide open for you."

Raeila looked down, staring at Dani's bruised cheek but thinking only of having Kael back in her bed again. "What if he only hates us more for turning her into some spice whore? And what if you kill her, Ferrig?! He'll murder you with his bare hands, and he won't want anything to do with me!"

"Well, I'm sure nabbing the two of them would endear him to us as well," Ferrig said. "We'll make it work. Me and Kael were always close, and he could never resist you. And, I don't think he would hurt either of us when they could get hurt. During that time, when he can't hurt us without us doing something bad...worse to them, that's when you get close to him and work your magic. You're damn good, Rae, and if you want him, you'll get him back. Just think of him in your bed with you, and the two of you like it always was."

A wistful smile stretched across Raeila's face and finally, her good humour returned. "You always said you'd take care of me, big brother. When Kael does come back to me, don't think for a second I'll forget about you." She patted Dani on the rear. "On the floor, Purple. I want to show my appreciation to my brother."

Dani quickly scurried off the side of the bed after giving Raeila a grateful kiss.

Ferrig slid up onto the bed with his sister and smiled. "It hasn't been us for quite a while," he said. "I've missed you, little sister."

"You know I get edgy when I haven't been with you for a while." Raeila grinned and wrapped a leg around Ferrig's waist to pull him closer. "You'll always be better than any slave bitch. After all," she said as she slid a hand between his legs, "you've got things a slave bitch could never give me."

"Oh, and that thing is all yours, little sis," Ferrig said. "Let's get ourselves reacquainted." He kissed her soundly while he slipped a hand between her legs, mirroring her movements between his.

One touch from Ferrig, and Raeila found her desires go awry. She clawed at the fastenings on his pants and hungrily moved her kisses to his chest. "I want you to watch this, Purple," she said quickly. "I want you to watch and learn." With a wild laugh, Raeila pushed down Ferrig's pants and hopped atop him. "You see, Purple," she said as she began swaying against Ferrig, "if a woman is good enough, it doesn't take much to make a man hard. No pheromones...just pure, natural sexual energy."

From the floor, Dani writhed slowly as she watched Raeila and Ferrig. "You are very good, my mistress," she whispered as she leaned closer. She felt swallowed and consumed by the feelings the two generated, her hands clenching and unclenching as she forced herself not to displease her mistress by touching herself.

"You definitely have her trained well," Ferrig said with a grin. "I wish I could get Rat like her. So good, and so willing. If Rat's not doped up, she fights everything. But, oh Rae, when she's doped, she's insatiable."

"But I bet she could never be as unpredictable as I am, and I bet she knows even less tricks." Raeila ran her hand along Ferrig's shaft, steadied it, and finally eased herself atop it. Her motions were deliberate and slow, and as she clamped down on Ferrig's nipple with her teeth, she laughed throatily. "Rat never does that, does she?"

Ferrig let out a cry of pain and pleasure. "Oh gods no," he rasped. "Maybe I should leave her with you for a day to get her trained up really nice. And, even if she knew some of your tricks, she'd never be as good as you. No one could be. The bitch performs tricks like a dog, repeating what she's told but never trying anything else. Oh gods not like you, Rae."

"Never like me, Ferrig." Raeila grinned down at her brother and brought her breasts to his face. She laughed breathlessly as he began devouring them with his mouth. "I could teach her a lot, Ferrig," she purred mischievously. "Let me have her. After she's done with the boys, let me and Purple have her."

"Promise to get her back to me intact and with most of her blood inside, and she's yours. I think she needs to learn a little discipline, and I know you're the best for the job."

"I'll teach her some discipline," she replied, letting the malice underlying her words to be conveyed. "I'll make her scream, Ferrig. But I promise not to kill her." A guttural moan filled the room as Raeila hastened her movements. "Maybe along the way, I'll teach her a few ways to please you as well."

"Oh little sister," Ferrig said with a laugh, "you really know the way to get me going, and now you're gonna get yourself a treat. Just a little bit more, and I'll give it to you wherever you want."

From the corner of her eye, Raeila could see Dani writhing by the bedside, watching them with mouth trembling and her eyes glazed over with lust. Raeila laughed then kissed Ferrig roughly. She moaned into his mouth, then pulled away and whispered, "In Purple's mouth. That's where I want it."

Ferrig smiled. "Gladly," he said. It only took a few more strokes before he was ready. He pulled out, and Dani leapt up to take him into her mouth, sucking him inside greedily. Her expert tongue and lips quickly knocked Ferrig over the edge, and he filled her mouth and throat with his seed. As she proceeded to clean him off, he glanced back at Raeila. "She's damn good."

"And that's without spice, brother," Raeila said thickly as she administered to her own stimulation. "And she knows a lot more too. The things she can do with that tongue..." Raeila cried out with her own release and fell back against the pillows with a long sigh.

Ferrig laughed as he glanced between Raeila and Purple. "I think you got the better deal in this little slave trade. Well, I heard the two of you in here last night and it really sounded like you were having a good time."

"I was sampling the product," Raeila replied. She laughed huskily and motioned Dani over to lay with her. "I heard you and Rat as well. She has a lovely scream."

"She does, doesn't she? I try to get as many of those good screams out of her as I can. She doesn't disappoint. I imagine she's out their screaming like nobody's business. Well, except that she's probably got someone's dick in her mouth."

"A dick that should've been in poor Purple's mouth." Raeila cradled Purple in her arms and smiled as the girl spread kisses upon her breasts. "I'm still a little upset that your bitch thinks she has some right to those boys Purple doesn't. I think I'm really looking forward to informing her of otherwise."

"I'm sure she won't make that mistake again," Ferrig said as he ran a hand along Purple's thigh. "Nice skin. You two will teach Rat good, won't you? She needs it. I can't wait to see Kael's face when she comes to me on her own. We'll convince him he's yours and should never have left, Rae."

"You're so good to me, brother," Raeila said. She caressed his cheek tenderly, then glanced down at Dani. "You can have her tonight if you want. I think it'll be good for Rat if she's without spice for the entire evening. She'll be in so much pain by morning, she'll come running to you. It'll just help reinforce to her that you're her saviour, that she can't live without you. The stupid little slut..."

Ferrig grinned and slid his hand up further on Dani's thigh. "I like the idea of a full night with this one," he said. "And, I will be the rat's saviour, and she will worship me. Make sure to treat her right, little sister. She needs discipline."

Raeila gave a derisive snort. "Oh, I'll treat her right. But I promise to leave no visible scars." She gazed down at Dani, whose purple body was flushed with arousal and desperate yearning. "Would you like to go with Ferrig while I take care of your friend, Purple, or do you wanna stay and help me out?"

Dani looked up Raeila. "I would like to stay with you, my mistress," she said. "But, if you wish me to, I will go with Master Ferrig to please you."

"See, Ferrig?" Raeila said with a large, proud smile. "If I wish. So, what'll it be, Ferrig? Would you like a new toy to play with?"

"Who am I to deny such devotion?" Ferrig said with a smile. "I'll just hang out with the boys tonight, and you can have both our slaves."

"You don't know how much I love you right now, brother." Raeila leaned forward and kissed Ferrig fervently. "Bring her to me," she whispered when their lips parted. "And make certain she knows I'm to be obeyed."

"I'll make sure," Ferrig said. "And, I'll be back soon with her." He kissed both Raeila and Purple, and then slipped out of the room holding his pants in his hand.

He paused in the hall to put his pants back on, then went back out to find Nieme.

---

"Turning the Tables, Part 2"
By: Dani
Nieme Yaresh-Selrid
Ferrig Mullerin
Raeila Mullerin
Pack and other Feltreys [NPC]

Location: Feltrey gang headquarters, Thanatos
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

The room was spinning hypnotically and combined with the euphoria generated by receiving and giving so much pleasure, Nieme was reduced to a giggling, writhing Rat. The ganger penetrating her presently cried out, tensed as he filled her, then collapsed atop her with a grunt. Her peels of laughter filled the room and the gangers seemed to respond to it by moving in and pulling their grinning comrade away from her so they too could have a turn.

"Come on, Rat," Pack said as he moved in. "I'm ready again." He kissed the girl, ignoring the strong scent of sex she exuded. She was covered with the mess they were making, and loving it. He pushed himself inside of her, causing her to cry out lustfully. "Oh, you're nice and tight, Rat, just the way I like."

The pain infused her with greater ecstasy than merely the spice alone could have. She'd taken Pack with her mouth and knew firsthand how truly endowed he was. Having him inside of her merely made it blatantly clear. "Please tell Master how happy I've made you." Nieme dragged her nails along Pack's back and vocalized a thick, reverberant cry. "Oh, please tell him. Oh gods...he'll be so pleased."

"I'll tell him, Rat," Pack said as he continued thrusting inside her. "I'll tell him you're very good. And, I'll leave a thick reminder of just how good you are all over those little titties of yours."

Nieme giggled. "I'll make you especially happy by licking you afterwards, Pack. If you'll let me."

"Oh, I'd like that very much, Rat," Pack said. "You do that, and you'll be my favourite." Suddenly he pulled out of Nieme and sent a hot stream of liquid splashing onto Nieme's chest. "I hope you can do this more often, Rat, because this is a damn nice way to spend the day."

Leaping like a feral animal, Nieme wrapped her arms around Pack's waist and closed her mouth around his shaft. She fed from it with insatiable hunger and felt behind her another ganger moving into position to take her.

"Clean him up," Ferrig said as he stepped out of the shadows at the edge of the room, "and then we've got somewhere to go, Rat." He brushed a hand through her hair as she continued to feed from Pack's groin. "Don't worry boys, I think she likes you all, so you'll get another chance tomorrow."

Hearing Ferrig's voice was a signal for Nieme, one she'd been conditioned to recognize as meaning an opportunity for more spice. She pulled away from Pack rapidly and leapt to her feet, only to encircle Ferrig with her arms and kiss him desperately. "I did good, Master. I did it all for you."

Ferrig kissed the girl and smiled. "You did very good," he said. "Come on, my sweet little Rat, we have to go for now."

"More beebleberries?" she asked expectantly as she moved with Ferrig out of the main room. "More beebleberries and then I can show you how grateful I am for them."

He pulled out one of the pills and held it out to her. "Here," he said. "For being a good girl with the boys."

Nieme never wasted time when Ferrig offered her the blue pills, and pulled it from between his fingers quickly. "Oh thank you..." she said with a heavy sigh. "Oh Master..." She closed her eyes and completely melted in Ferrig's arms. "I'm so ready to please you, Master. I'm ready now."

"You were very mean to Purple earlier," Ferrig said as he opened his pants for her. "And, you didn't stop when I told you to. Please me now with your mouth, and then you're going to spend your night with Purple and Raeila for your disobedience. You will do everything they say, and without hesitation. If Raeila is not pleased tomorrow morning, you will be punished again. Now, please me, and then I will take you to them."

"But..." Nieme looked up imploringly at Ferrig. "Please! I only want to be with you tonight. I'm sorry I was bad." She kneeled at Ferrig's feet and reached into his opened pants to attempt appeasement through pleasure. "I won't ever do it again. Just please let me stay with you tonight, Master."

Ferrig brushed his hand through Nieme's hair and smiled. He sighed as she engulfed him in her mouth and tried her best to make him change his mind. "Oh, that's a good little rat," he said as he used his hands to guide her.

Nieme sobbed as she stimulated Ferrig with her mouth. She knew if she went to Raeila, there would only be pain and no spice. She scorned Raeila merely because Kael had chosen her instead. If she was left alone with her, there would be no one to keep her from harming Nieme. "Please, Ferrig," Nieme said breathlessly as she looked up at him. "Don't make me go to her."

"I have to," Ferrig said gently. "If I don't, you won't learn. But, if you're good after tonight, I won't ever have to do that again. And, if you're a good girl tonight, you'll get extra beebleberries tomorrow."

"You promise?" Nieme smiled, her mouth salivating at the thought of what bounty she would receive if she pleased Raeila tonight. "I'll go to her if that's what you want, Master Ferrig. I'll go to her and show her I'm much better than Purple."

"That's my girl," Ferrig said with a smile. "Now, finish there, give me a kiss, and go see Raeila. You're definitely a good little pleasure girl, Rat. You're the best."

With Ferrig's praise to motivate her, Nieme did as he ordered and resumed pleasuring him orally. She'd grown to await the salty manifestation of his arousal and now encouraged his release by hastening her actions. When it finally came, Nieme took it down gratefully until there was no more to feed from. She stood upright with a lazy smile, sliding her body against Ferrig's until she had pulled herself into his arms and was kissing him needfully. "I'm ready to go to Raeila now," she said with a gentle moan. "Anything for you, Master."

"Good girl," Ferrig said, and kissed her once more. "Now, remember to do everything she says, and if she hurts you, just think of the beebleberries tomorrow. I'll make everything better."

Nieme shuddered involuntarily and clung tighter to Ferrig. She knew the volatility of Raeila's temper, and also knew if Ferrig wasn't there, there would be no one to restrain her. All Nieme could picture was Raeila's knife being waved before her face, ready to be plunged into her. She whimpered and buried her face into Ferrig's shoulder but knew she had to obey. "I'll be good," she said to Ferrig quietly. "And I'll see you tomorrow, and then I'll show you what a good little slave I am."

"That's my girl," Ferrig said. "Now, go along, and I'll see you in the morning." He gave Nieme one last kiss, and then patted her behind to get her moving.

She walked trepidly towards Raeila's room, looking back at Ferrig with a worried frown the entire way until the wall of the corridor blocked him from sight. She began to weep quietly as she stood before the door, contemplating whether she should knock on it or run. If she fled, there would be no beebleberries and Ferrig would be so angry with her. Nieme knew her only choice was to appease Raeila, and her first step towards that was by rapping on her door.

After a moment, the door opened and Dani stood there watching Nieme. She was flushed with arousal and her hair hung into her eyes. She motioned for Nieme to enter, and gestured toward where Raeila waited on the bed. "Our mistress will see you over there," she said softly, and then she closed and bolted the door.

"Come closer," Raeila commanded. She was reclined on the bed with a smug grin on her face as she motioned Nieme over towards her.

Nieme obeyed with only a moment's hesitation and scurried quickly over to Raeila's side.

"Kneel," Raeila said. Her eyes wandered over Nieme's frame as the girl dropped to her knees by the side of the bed and watched the floor with her eyes. "You're mine tonight. Did Ferrig tell you that?"

Nieme nodded her head, but dared not look up into Raeila's unforgiving eyes.

"He didn't tell you what I'd be doing to you though, did he?"

Nieme paused for a moment, overcome by fear and anxiety, but she managed to shake her head stiffly.

"Well then," Raeila said with a grin, "you're in for a surprise. Purple, get my whip."

The word itself made Nieme's body tense. If she wasn't so afraid, she knew she'd be running.

Dani nodded, and scampered into the closet where Raeila had thrown the large leather strap. She rushed back to the bed with it, and handed it reverently to Raeila.

She slid the long, smooth leather strap through her one hand, eyeing Nieme and calculating in her mind how many strikes it would take to make her bleed. In her musings, an idea sprang to mind and she looked at Dani with a grin. "Here," she said as she handed the strap back to her slave. "I want you to do it. Rat, come up onto the bed."

Nieme's lips trembled and her eyes glistened with tears, but she did as she was told and mounted the bed. She had no clue what Raeila had in mind for her, until she laughed throatily and spread her legs wide open. "Pleasure me with your mouth, and Purple, I want you to beat her while she does."

"Please," Nieme begged timidly, "don't do that. I'll be so good...just don't do that."

"Shut up!" Raeila hissed. She brought her open palm across Nieme's cheek and knocked her off balance, but she remained upright. "Purple, hit her to get her going."

Dani nodded, and let the leather strap fly across Nieme's backside. She sent another lash across Nieme's thighs, when the girl didn't do as Raeila commanded. Once the leather kissed her skin for a second time though, Nieme got moving.

Raeila laughed and threw her head back as Nieme dove between her legs, administering to her wishes almost willingly. "That's a good slave," she said while stroking her hair. She looked up at Dani and nodded. She wanted to see Rat squirm, wanted to hear her crying out in pain. She would learn not to steal from what was rightfully Raeila Mullerin's.

As Nieme continued to pleasure Raeila, Dani continued to swing the strap, leaving blistering welts across her back, buttocks, and thighs. As she kept swinging at Nieme, bringing out cries of pain from Nieme and pleasure from Raeila, she slipped a hand between her thighs. Part of her was screaming at the idea of whipping Nieme, but the other part was in bliss over the emotions coming from Raeila.

"Oh, you're beautiful, Purple. And you, Rat...I think you're coming along nicely." Raeila clutched at a handful of Nieme's hair and drove her face into her mound. She moaned and swayed her hips gently to intensify the experience. "More, Purple," Raeila said in a voice thick with lust. "Hit her harder. When there's blood, tell me."

Dani nodded and continued slapping the whip across Nieme's back. After another dozen lashes she let out a laugh. She looked up at Raeila and grinned. "Blood," she said with a giggle.

Raeila smiled with satisfaction then pushed Nieme's head away from her. Nieme fell back upon the bed with a wince as the pain from her wounds flared. She scrambled back as Raeila got to her knees and began moving towards her with a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Make sure she doesn't go anywhere, Purple. We're hardly done with her."

Dani smiled and put her hands down onto Nieme's shoulders to keep her in place. She lowered her face to her friend's -- though, at this point she had to question that friendship -- and kissed her slowly. "It's okay, Rat," she said. "We won't let you die. You're too special to let die. Just try to find the pleasure in the pain; open your senses and you'll feel it."

Nieme shook her head profusely and tried to wriggle from Dani's grasp. "P-Please don't hurt me anymore, Mistress. I'm trying to be good. I will be if you just don't hurt me."

"Shut up, Rat!" Raeila pulled the strap from Dani's hand and sent it across Nieme's cheek. The girl shrieked and fell against the bed again as pain erupted throughout her face. She sobbed and wrapped her arms protectively around her face. "I don't think so, Rat. I want to see how much Kael likes you after I mess up that pretty face of yours. Purple! Get my knife."

Nieme looked up at Raeila with stark terror and hollered a plea, but she was deaf to them and set on her vengeful path. "Why are you doing this? All I did was love him."

"And that," Raeila hissed as she bent low towards Nieme, "was the biggest mistake of your life."

Dani hesitated only a fraction of a second before rushing to get Raeila's knife. She quickly returned it to her mistress despite the overwhelming discomfort caused by Nieme's terror. Palpable waves seemed to assault her body and senses as she sat rocking silently at her mistress's side.

Raeila kissed Dani tenderly upon the cheek, but kept her gaze on Nieme as she turned the knife in her hand while deliberating on which part of Nieme's face to slice up first. "Purple," she said smoothly, "what shall it be? Shall I carve up her pretty cheeks?" She passed the blade of the knife lightly over Nieme's flesh, tracing out the gentle curve of her cheek. What better way to alienate the two further by having one choose the punishment of the other? "So tell me, Purple, which part of her face do you like the least? I'm sure I can do a pretty good job of fixing it up."

Dani looked at Nieme's face and shuddered. "Oh goddess," she whispered as she doubled over in pain. "Her-- it hurts so much, her fear." Another roiling surge of emotion hit her, and she quickly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, my mistress. Her emotions are so...they hurt..."

Raeila looked at Dani and her eyes narrowed to slits as she watched her once perfect slave disobeying her orders. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Purple? Answer me!"

"I'm empathic," Dani sobbed. "I can...can feel emotions. She's terrified, and it hurts." She turned her gaze on Nieme and her lips peeled back in a near snarl. "Stop hurting me, you ungrateful slut!" She sobbed and looked up at Raeila. "Put your initials in her cheeks, my mistress. But please let me wait in the hall, or else she'll make me throw up."

Raeila scrutinized Dani's face for any signs of insincerity, but she really did like her suggestion, so with a wave of her hand, she dismissed Dani. "But stand by the door. I want you to hear her screams, my pet."

"No!" Nieme attempted to crawl her way off the bed, but Raeila's hand was around her throat in an instant and she straddled Nieme's waist to restrain her.

"Go, Purple," Raeila said in cold whisper. A slowly curling smile formed on Raeila's face as she brought the tip of her blade to Nieme's cheek. "Let's see how blind Kael's love really is."

Out in the hall, Nieme's first scream pounded into Dani with the force of a hovercar at top speed. She sank to the ground and her stomach disgorged its contents onto the floor. She sobbed piteously as she could do nothing to escape the screams coming from the other room. Mixed with Nieme's screams, she could hear her own. Inside, she could feel a part of herself dying in Nieme's torment, withering away. Her beautiful star...and now they were slaves. No, a part of Dani screamed out. She pushed back into the room, waves of pheromones coming with her. "Please, stop," she cried out. "Please stop hurting her."

Raeila pulled the bloodied knife tip from Nieme's face and stared at Dani with smouldering rage. "What did you say to me? Shut up and wait outside, Purple, or you're next!"

Dani's eyes narrowed. "No," she said, her emotions darkening like they never had before. She reached out a hand and the knife, as if alive, flew from Raeila's hand and into Dani's. "You promised no visible scars. You can hit her with the strap, you can slap her and hit her." Dani stepped closer. "But, you can't cut her."

"What the fuck are you!" Raeila pushed Nieme away to provide a physical barrier between herself and Dani. The air felt chilled and it seemed as if night had swallowed the room, but Dani remained visible in the encroaching darkness, except for her eyes which were now merely black slits exuding no light. Raeila fell from the bed and clambered away from Dani. She cried out as her back hit the wall. "Ferrig! Ferrig help me!"

"I am going to be a Jedi Knight," Dani said. "They will come for us, and cut you all down with laser swords and the powers of their mind. If you ever try to hurt us again, I will do nothing to stop them from doing so." She pointed the small blade and Raeila. "We have powerful friends, and they will destroy you if you hurt us."

Ferrig suddenly burst through the open door, saw Dani pointing a small, bloodied knife at Raeila who was cowering against the far wall. At first, he thought the purple bitch had hurt his sister, but then he saw Nieme. "Fucking Thana," he cried as he rushed to his slave. "What did you do to her?"

"Ferrig?! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Raeila gazed cross-eyed at the tip of the blade hovering near her face and dripping globules of blood. She imagined hers would soon be mixing with Nieme's if Dani didn't back down. "I didn't kill her, did I? No! Now get this bitch away from me! She's talking funny... She's fucking crazy like Rat!"

Dani took a step back as Ferrig moved to stand near his sister. "Put the fucking knife down, Purple," he said. "You don't know how to use that, and you'll only end up getting yourself cut up like Rat."

"If she ever tries to hurt me or Nieme agai--"

"Rat!" Ferrig stood to his full height. "You will call the bitch Rat. She's not Nieme anymore!"

Dani's eyes flashed. "If your sister ever hurts Nieme or me again," she said, her words carrying an edge much sharper than any knife ever could, "she will die."

Ferrig could have almost laughed as he looked at the naked, purple girl staring him down with a blood-soaked knife in her hand. And, he would have laughed if her words and her stare hadn't chilled him to the bone. He swallowed hard. Suddenly, their slaves didn't seem much like slaves.

"Take your sister from this room now," Dani said, "and leave me with Nieme." Despite her youth, or her state of dress, Dani spoke with an air of command and authority that they could little help but obey. "And, you will bring me medical supplies."

Ferrig moved to help Raeila up. "We should leave them," he said.

"We should tie them up with chains, that's what we should do," Raeila said with fear coating her every word. She clung to Ferrig's arm as he pulled her up from the ground and the two began edging their way out of the room. "I always thought you were a good slave, Purple. You're just like Rat... You're both insane!"

"I was happy being your slave until you hurt her," Dani said. "You bruised me and hurt me, but that was okay because you were getting pleasure from it. But, you were hurting Nieme... And, you made me hurt her."

Raeila laughed shrewdly. "You did that all on your own, Purple! Don't blame me because you're feeling guilty about hurting your little girlfriend." Raeila stumbled as Ferrig resorted to dragging her forcefully from the room, but truth was, she couldn't wait to be safely outside. "It's her own fault anyway. The bitch should've stayed away from Selrid. She will now, though. She won't ever go near him again!"

Dani took a step closer to Raeila, chasing her from the room. Once she was gone, Dani turned toward where Nieme lay on the bed. She quickly tossed the knife aside and went to her friend. "Oh goddess, Nieme," she whispered as she took her Nieme into her arms. "Oh, what have I done?"

"It hurts so much, Dani," she whispered. Nieme gazed up at Dani with tears streaming from her eyes and blood swelling from her wounds. "I need... I need some beebleberries." She writhed gently on the bed and gripped Dani's arms with trembling hands. "They'll make all the pain go away, Dani. If you're good...Master will give you some too. All the hurt will go away."

Dani felt tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Nieme's face. "I'll get some," she said. "But, I need to clean your wounds, my love." She knelt down with Nieme and ripped off a corner of the bedding. "Hold still, and I'll see what I can do."

Nieme groaned and shrank back as Dani touched the sheet to her wounds. She breathed in sharply, fighting the pain, and let her friend take care of her. "He went away," she said shakily. "Kael...he got mad and he went into the dark. I think he's lost, Dani, and it's all because of me."

"We'll find him," Dani said as she cleaned Nieme's wounds. "We'll find him again, and everything will be alright. We'll find him, Nieme." She could feel hot tears streaming down her cheeks as she practically willed her own life force into her friend. She had to make Nieme alright again. She had to correct the damage Raeila had caused. As she continued to clean Nieme's wounds, she gasped as she saw what appeared to be the skin beginning to knit itself together again, to heal right before her eyes.

"Dani?" Nieme looked up into her friend's stricken face and reached out a hand to touch her cheek when she felt and saw the pulsating waves of Force energy radiating from Dani. Her colours grew vibrant and filled Nieme with a comforting warmth. The pain she'd felt all but dissipated and with it went the fear and anguish she felt knowing Kael had abandoned her. "What... Dani...what are you doing?"

"I don't know," Dani whispered. "I think it's healing you, Nieme. I think I'm making you better. It think it's...I think it's the Force."

"I know it is," Nieme said with a gentle gasp. "It...it feels like you. It doesn't hurt anymore... It must be working!"

"I'm so sorry I hurt you, Nieme," Dani said with her tears starting again as she remembered what she'd almost done. "I hate myself for that, and I'm...I'm so very sorry."

Nieme focused on Dani's glazed over eyes and with a whimper, she sat upright and wrapped her arms around her friend. "I was bad too... It's okay, Dani. I was mean to you too. But it wasn't our fault... They did it. They're trying to turn us against each other. We can't let them, Dani. We can't."

"I love you, Nieme," Dani said. "And, I'll never do anything mean to you again. They won't turn us against each other. We'll be together." Dani slipped her arms around Nieme and sighed as she kissed her friend. "We won't let them hurt us like that again."

"It...it was the beebleberries, Dani. I need them so badly. It hurts when I can't have them. They make me do those mean things. But I just can't stop. How do I stop, Dani?"

"The pills Ferrig gives you?" Dani frowned. "He's been giving you spice, Nieme. That's probably what makes you so aroused too. We'll have to find a way to help you, but he's probably giving you one that's addictive, and your body needs it. Maybe we can start reducing how much you take until you don't need any anymore. We'll make you right, Nieme. I promise to help make everything right, my beautiful star."

"I know you can fix everything, Dani," Nieme said as she pressed her face against her friend's bosom. "You're so strong. You scared away Master and Mistress. You're going to be a good Jedi, Dani. And for you, I'll try and stop the spice...but it helps me. I can go to the waterfalls and forget where I am. It's so much nicer at the waterfalls."

"Ferrig uses it to make you do things," Dani said. "If I can get some from him, then you wouldn't have to do that because I'd be here to give it to you. That would be better, right?" Dani held Nieme close and sighed softly. "Do you need some now?"

"I don't...think so. I feel so calm now...so happy in your arms." She looked up at Dani and smiled as if doing so pained her. "I'll try to live without it, but if I can't, I don't want Ferrig to be the one to give it to me. I don't like doing those things he makes me do to get the spice...but I have no other choice."

"I'll get it for you," Dani said softly and kissed Nieme. "And, all you have to do to get it is get better. And, if you want, lay in my arms with me, but that isn't required."

"Okay," Nieme said with a slow nod, "but I think I'd like to do that anyway." She curled up against Dani and kissed her friend's neck lightly. "You'll get us out of here, won't you, Dani? You're so strong... I know you can do it."

"I'll do whatever I can," Dani said quietly. "I don't know how long Raeila and Ferrig will stay scared of me and what I did, but we'll have at least that long before they decide they want to punish us. Maybe by then, someone will be looking for us. Maybe Orn will try to save us. He loves you very much, and he'll try to save us, Nieme. He's a very good man."

"But they'd kill him. I hope he doesn't come searching for us. Maybe Jae Dyn Brael will. When she comes to train us..." Nieme gazed up into Dani's eyes, looking for reassurance, but her friend appeared as hopeless and uncertain as she did. "We can't be here forever, Dani. We just can't."

"We won't," Dani said, pressing her lips to Nieme's temple for reassurance. "We'll get out. Jae Dyn Brael will rescue us, or we'll get out of here ourselves. I'll just need to use more of my power, and then we can run away. And, then we'll go far away so they'll never find us again."

"For real this time, Dani. We'll run away, and we'll leave this planet, then we'll never be hurt or afraid again. I love you, Dani." Nieme sighed, hearing the unsteadiness of her breathing as she exhaled. She knew the calming effect of the Force was wearing thin and her yearning for the spice was returning. But for Dani, she would combat it. As long as she had Dani, she could overcome anything.

"We'll find a safe place to live, Nieme," Dani said. "And, it will be just like we dreamed. No more fear or pain, just happiness. Now, try to sleep, my beautiful star. Sleep and I will hold you safely in my arms."

Nieme nestled against Dani and closed her eyes tightly. "I'll dream too, Dani. I'll dream of the waterfalls and you'll be there with me. And we'll both be safe. That's what I'll do..." Nieme trailed off, mumbling incoherent thoughts and wishes while willing sleep to come before the pain of withdrawal began.

***

"What the fuck happened in there?" Ferrig said as he rifled through his clothing to find something for Raeila to put on. "And, why the fuck were you cutting open the rat?"

"It was only a scratch!" Raeila contested. "And why the hell is it that you went to Rat's side first while that purple bitch practically had a knife at my throat?"

"You weren't bleeding all over the floor at the time," Ferrig snapped. "If the bitch had cut you open, I would have snapped her neck. If the Rat died from blood loss or anything, I really don't think any amount of sweet talking would stop Kael from cutting off our heads and pissing down our throats. I'm not sure he'll take too kindly to having the Rat's face mutilated either. The thing we need to figure out now, though, is what the fuck to do about them."

Raeila jerked free from Ferrig's hand the shirt he had pulled out from the pile. "I'll tell you right now I am not staying in the same room alone with that purple freak." Raeila threw on the shirt aggressively and added, "She's got some fucking magic. You should've seen her! That knife floated from my hand into hers."

"I just saw the way she looked at me," Ferrig said. "You're right; she's got some magic freakish shit. Who knows what she can fucking do. My guess is she likes all that pain and bondage shit you were throwing at her, so she never complained, but as soon as you sliced her girlfriend, she went psychotic. I guess our dilemma is what to do to the two of them now. Though, part of that depends on what they do. Should we just kill them and bury their bodies in the deep desert? If Selrid shows up, we tell him they ran off."

Raeila flounced upon the bed with a heavy sigh and swung one leg lazily over the side of the bed. "What if something digs them up? If we kill them, we've gotta find a real good hiding spot...or maybe chop them up into little pieces and sell them as dog food or something."

"The Dunes of Rhe'Than," Ferrig said. "Most people will avoid that place like it's a Stormtrooper garrison, and we can chop them into bits and scatter them over the sand. No one will ever find them, and you can cut up the Rat as much as you want after Purple's dead."

Raeila sighed and shook her head slowly. "The boys are not gonna be happy. They were having so much fun with those sluts. But we can't afford to keep them around anymore, especially after that shit Purple pulled...and it's not as if Rat is any more sane."

"I've got the bitch addicted to stemra spice," Ferrig said. "One pill, and she wants to rut." Suddenly he smiled. "They're gonna have to eat, right? What if we powder some of it and put it in their food? And, in their water. Get them both hooked, and they'll be easier to deal with. I think Rat reacted the way she did because she's psychotic, not because of the spice. It should only drive her arousal through the sky."

"I don't want her aroused," Raeila said testily, "I want her dead! I want both of them dead, Ferrig! Why the fuck should we waste perfectly good spice on them when we're just gonna kill them?"

"What happened to your knife in there, Rae?" Ferrig asked. "When it comes time to kill them, they'll be so doped up all they'll think about is fucking. Then, we let the boys have some fun while we all fuck the two bitches until they're dripping out of every orifice, and then we haul them out into the desert to be killed. The purple bitch won't fight back or steal any knives when all she wants to do is get a dick shoved into her cunt. Besides, I've never had any alien pussy and would like to fuck her at least once before I slit her throat."

Raeila crossed her arms over her chest and looked sullenly across the room. "Fine. As long as there aren't anymore flying knives." She sighed loftily then gazed up at Ferrig with a sultry smile as she patted the bed. "So, when do we get to kill them, dear brother?"

"How does tomorrow sound?" Ferrig asked with a smile as he moved over to the spot she indicated. "And, when it's done, we can bathe in their blood."

Raeila laughed and edged closer to Ferrig. "I have a better idea of what we can do in their blood." She smiled suggestively and pressed her lips to his. "The sooner the better, brother. Wouldn't want your pretty sister getting messed up by some purple alien freak, would you?"

"The purple alien freak won't be touching you," Ferrig said as he slipped his pants open. "And, we may have to wait a couple days to make sure they're nice and spiced up. Get them completely wasted, and then they won't fight. No matter what they eat, it'll be so completely laced with spice that they won't be able to help but get high. Of course, they'll probably be having sex in there until we drag them off to their death."

Raeila deftly removed the shirt she'd only just placed on and tossed it aside. "They probably won't even know they're dying until their blood runs out." She grinned ferally as she peeled back Ferrig's pants and straddled his waist. "At least they get to go out fucking."

"That's the best way to go," Ferrig said as Raeila slid down his shaft. "Oh gods I love you there, Rae. Nothing could ever beat you in bed, sweet sister. Oh, this is going to be damn good. I think I'll want to fuck you again out there on the sand with the sound of their voices in the background."

"Their screams ringing through the desert, but with no one to hear who actually gives a shit." Raeila chuckled and wrapped her lips around Ferrig's earlobe. She giggled exuberantly, then whispered, "Make love to me, Ferrig. Make love to me like you will when their warm blood is spilling from their necks and makes us a lovely red blanket to have sex upon."

Ferrig cried out and thrust himself deep inside Raeila. The only images in his mind were of him and Raeila, their bodies stained crimson from the blood of the two sluts, as they frantically made love. It was the greatest thing either of them would ever experience. The idea of all that blood just sent them both over the edge, and there could be no comparison. They were drawing close to their goal, he could feel; soon they would rule Thanatos through blood, and all would be theirs.

---

"Little Bundles of Terror, Part 1"
By: Merrick Braston
Maeren "Shiv" Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat
Moril Astren [NPC]

And Introducing: Keeve Zenarr [NPC]

Location: Yesdol Central Medical Centre - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Maeren Shivral jerked awake at the sound of the door closing. She focused her eyes into the dark and sighed.

"Sorry," Merrick whispered. "I had to get something to drink. Didn't mean to make so much noise."

Shiv nodded. "It's alright," she said. "I was starting to have a dream again anyway. So, it's good."

"How is she?"

Shiv sighed and put her hand up onto the bed so it covered Kaysa's. "Still asleep," she said. "The doctors said she'd be like this for awhile. They think they repaired all the damage, but they say it's still early. I'm just glad they don't have her floating in bacta anymore."

Merrick nodded and moved to the seat next to Shiv. He took her into his arms and pulled her close. "It'll all be fine," he said. "She's a strong woman, and she'll get better just so she can protect us. What do any of us know about raising kids, Shiv?"

"Keeve won't be that bad," Shiv said with a giggle. "He's just a little boy, and he's Kaysa's."

Merrick grinned. "Yes, Kaysa's."

"He won't be that bad! Oh you! I'm sure he's a wonderful little boy who looks exactly like her."

"Any word from Moril yet?"

"According to the spaceport people, the transport should be arriving really soon. I hope everything went alright. I imagine after all that time cramped in a starship, Keeve will be all high strung and bouncy. I just wish we had more time to get his room fixed up. But, we can take him out to buy things for him."

Merrick laughed. "You're going to spoil him, aren't you?"

Shiv giggled. "Of course. I'll be his Auntie Shiv."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Merrick said. "And, I'm sure he'll love you like everyone does."

"I hope so. He's Kaysa's, and that means so much to me. And, I want to love him, and for him to love me. And, I want us to be a perfect, abnormal family."

Merrick grinned and pulled Shiv into his lap. "We've got the abnormal part down. I'm sure we'll hear from Moril soon, and everything will be fine."

"I hope so," Shiv said. "I wish I knew what he liked. I would have got him something."

"Well, after you talk to him today, you can spoil him rotten tomorrow."

"I hope so," she said. "I'm sure everything will be perfect."

***

At the spaceport, Moril pulled his cloak tight around him as the wind from the descending ship's thrust kicked dust around him. As the ship settled, Moril waited.

The freighter finally rocked into place in its berth and the ramp slowly lowered. Jegge was the first down the ramp, and what he saw made Moril wince. Jegge looked like he hadn't slept in a week, and he had a large black ring around one eye. His mouth was drawn in a hard line.

Next to him, Tranin wasn't much better off. Her body armour was decorated in black and green markings depicting various scenes. She too appeared to have not slept since her departure from Tae'Karada and the look she gave Moril nearly chilled his blood. What the hell had happened? Suddenly he found himself fearing for the life of Keeve, Kaysa's son. As he started forward, he heard the sound of small feet hammering on the deckplates. At the top of the hatch, a small form appeared and Moril gasped.

His lower lip protruded in a permanent pout and his brow knitted as if everything he looked upon struck a cord of displeasure in him. He scanned the docking bay slowly, then with arms folded over his small chest, he marched down the docking ramp in a series of stubbornly petulant steps. The small boy reached the bottom of the ramp and pushed past the two guards standing on either side of it with tiny hands. Upon his fingers were green and black blotches, colours matching those on Tranin's armour. He spotted Moril awaiting him and continued his tramping until he was directly before him and staring up at him with a sour frown.

"You must be Keeve," Moril said, pushing his misgivings aside. "My name is Moril and I'm a friend of your mother's. Would you like to go see her now? She's in the hospital right now because a bad man tried to hurt her, and I'm sure she'd love to see you now. I'm sure having you there will brighten her day considerably."

Keeve closed his eyes as if drawing on quickly fleeting patience, then opened them again with a weary sigh. "My mother is on Bespin...where I would much rather be right now." His eyes wandered over Moril's form, his frown deepening the longer he studied the rugged, carelessly dressed man. "You're a friend of my mother's? I hardly think that is possible."

"Your mother's name is Kaysa, and she is my friend," Moril said. "Would you like to meet her?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked bluntly.

Moril looked the boy over, and then shook his head. "No," he said. "You don't have a choice. But, I'll try to make it as pleasant as I can for you. And, when you meet your mother, you'll meet Shiv too. Maybe she can draw you a picture; she's a very talented artist."

Keeve smirked at Moril and said, "Yes...I'm sure she is." He folded his arms over his scrawny chest again and looked past Moril. "I do hope you have transportation...something more comfortable than that ship."

"I have a hoverlimo," Moril said with a smile. "Will that be adequate, young sir?"

Keeve's eyes narrowed contemptibly at Moril's sarcasm, but soon his lips curled into a smile, revealing a missing front tooth as well as his truly mischievous nature. "Your guards may escort me while you retrieve my bags." He stepped past Moril without awaiting his reply and wandered confidently, yet aimlessly towards the presumed direction of the hoverlimo.

"Like hell I will," Moril muttered under his breath. He stepped forward, apologized to the guards for their ordeal, and instructed them to have Keeve's bags delivered to Kaysa's apartment. At their acknowledgement, he turned and quickly followed after Keeve, hoping he hadn't found his way into an equadi shop. "There's no doubt that that child was Kaysa Zenarr's."

***

"I don't need more medication," Zale Tregat growled. "I already feel like a spice addict as it is, I don't need more of that shit. Now, leave me be; I want to see my wife."

"The circuitry needs to be checked again, Mr. Tregat," the nurse said, trying to catch up with his long strides.

"My arm is fine," Zale growled. "If you could rig it up to make kaffe, it'd be perfect."

"Please, Mr. Tregat," the nurse said, nearly running. "Mrs. Tregat is sleeping, and really needs her rest, as do you. Please return to your bed." As Zale continued on, the woman stamped her foot. "Fine! No sponge bath for you!"

Zale stopped and turned around. He looked at the small woman in nurse's uniform fuming at him, and laughed. "You want me to skip seeing my wife, spending time with her, so you can give me a sponge bath?"

The woman blushed. "It was worth a shot," she said. "We really must check the prosthetic, sir. And, then you can visit with Mrs. Tregat."

Zale smiled at the woman. "Very well," he said. "You may check my arm, and I get to see my wife." As she started leading him back down the hallway, he laughed. "But, no sponge baths."

***

The hoverlimo sped through the city as Keeve stared out the window. Moril held his sigh in, not wanting the brat to know that he'd gotten to him at all. But at least he wasn't singing anymore though.

"Are we still not there?" Keeve asked in his crisp, prepubescent voice.

Moril glanced at the child and put on a smile. "The driver tells me we will magically get there just after you stop asking that question."

Unappreciative of Moril's humour, Keeve twisted his head around and faced the man with an expression of utter disdain. "You're not one of Kaysa's men, I hope."

"Actually, I am one of Zale's men," Moril said with a smile. "His assistant to be exact, and soon to be one of your benefactors." He studied the child for a moment. "So, what makes you happy, Keeve?"

The boy gave Moril his most innocuous smile and replied, "Getting out of this limo so I no longer have to have this conversation with you." He folded his arms across his chest and stared ahead with a sour frown. "And going back home to Bespin with my mother and father."

Moril kept his smile in place. "Well, you're going to meet...Kaysa today. I think you'll like her. The two of you have so much to talk about, and I'm sure you'll become good friends very fast." He looked toward the front of the limo as if to will the driver to get them there faster. "And, I think you'll love Shiv. She's a beautiful girl who will, I'm sure, have you smiling in minutes. I'm sure she'll be just like an aunt before you know it."

Keeve shifted his gaze slowly to the man, narrowed his brow at him, then gave a wry laugh. "I have nothing to talk about with that woman. And I really don't need an aunt. I had one on Bespin. She bought me my favourite toys and gave me credits for my birthday." Once again, his mouth twisted into an acidulous frown as he added, "I imagine for my birthday, Auntie Shiv would paint me a lovely picture. Won't that be nice?"

"If she knows that you want toys and credits for your birthday, I'm sure she'll get them for you," Moril said. "And, a picture. And, you should really wait until you meet Kaysa before you decide you have nothing to talk about."

"Oh really?" Keeve's mouth once again turned up into a sharp grin. "Well...I know something we can talk about," he said thoughtfully. "We can talk about how I did this!" His small, seemingly harmless foot flashed into sight as he brought it up into the air, then down again upon Moril's. He ground his heel repeatedly into Moril's foot, laughing with glee all the while, and would have continued to do so if the limo hadn't halted and provided him with an opportunity to escape punishment and end Moril's torment. With an exuberant, mischievous giggle, Keeve pushed open the door of the limo and fled towards the hospital.

Once the child was safely gone from the limo, Moril let out a string of curses that would have made Zale blush. He thanked the limo driver, and slipped out to follow after Kaysa's bundle of terror. "Perhaps they can give him a sedative inside," he said to himself as he hurried toward the doors.

Entering the hospital, Keeve's flight of delinquency left in its wake screams and shouts from unsuspecting nurses whose trays of food were knocked from their hands, never making it to their intended destinations; patients daring to leave their beds and stroll in the corridors they had the audacity to believe were safe were proven otherwise as the little scourge shouldered past them. If they weren't directly in his path already, he readjusted his course to ensure anyone who caught his eye was made a victim of Keeve Zenarr's impetuous whim. Chaos erupted wherever he passed, and above all the clamour and shouting was Keeve's distinct, boisterous laughter.

"Damn you, you little urchinous shit!" an old man -- who had been walking in the hall, now only laying there -- called out as he shook his fist. "How dare you! I hope you step in someone's bedpan!"

Similar cries followed through the hall. One man, so enraged by having his walker upended, hurled his teeth after the demonic child.

The nursing and custodial staff was suddenly thrust into emergency mode as they cleaned up the clear swath the boy had left through the entire hospital. Through it all, Moril walked as calmly as he could, apologizing to all he could see. Perhaps it would have been best if an Imperial patrol had seized the ship. Zale would have lost some good men that way, but most likely after that ordeal they'd be quitting anyway. With a sigh and another string of apologies, Moril trudged on. Right about now, he could really use one of Shiv's smiles. Though, after experiencing Keeve, he had to wonder if even Shiv would still be smiling.

The shouts and curses only added motivation to Keeve's reckless charge through the hospital. He ducked under the hands of a nurse who attempted a brave capture, but it only earned her a collision with an onrushing gurney set into motion by the little hellion.

Keeve giggled again, then emitted a shrill, triumphant whoop as he continued down a new corridor with fresh victims awaiting him. He proceeded to recite a rather vulgar song containing curses and lewd references that no child his age should have had knowledge of, while sending nurses rushing away from his path of destruction.

He spotted a large, dark haired, dark-eyed patient who had come out of his room to investigate the source of the disturbance, making himself a target in the process. With an undulating war cry, Keeve sprinted towards the dark-skinned man and rammed him with his slight, scrawny body. "Pardon me...sir," Keeve said jeeringly before he swung his foot into the man's shin.

Zale looked down at the small child who had just rammed into him, and told himself not to laugh. When the child kicked his shin, Zale tried not to laugh again...mostly succeeding. "You've got quite a kick there, soldier," Zale said. "Though, it's best not to go kicking people, lest they kick back. You don't want me to kick back, trust me."

Keeve's nose wrinkled and his eyes narrowed as he scowled at the man. "You wouldn't do it! I'm a little kid and if you did, I could have you arrested."

"Nice try, kid," Zale said with a smile. "I'm a crimelord, and we generally don't abide by the laws. Besides, with the Empire collapsed, no one really knows who's supposed to be doing the arresting around here. I think I had a little kid like you for dinner last night. Your kind go down with a nice beebleberry and wine sauce."

"You're lying!" Keeve studied the man's eyes, searching for that one sign that would convey his jest, but all he found were hard black eyes that didn't soften, even with his smile. The boy stepped back a pace, letting his fear almost escape, but instead he placed his hands on his hips with haughty arrogance and said, "My new mother is Kaysa Zenarr and she's married to a mean crimelord. If you even touch me, he'll be the one eating you with beebleberry sauce."

Zale tried to keep his reaction from his face and wasn't sure if he entirely succeeded. "Well, is he now?" he asked. "I wonder if I know this man. All of the crimelords on Tae'Karada got together the other night for a big party. As you can imagine, there was lots of beebleberry sauce there. Who is this new crimelord stepfather of yours?"

"The two lackwits who escorted me to the planet said his name was Zale Tregat," he said with overweening pride. "He's my new father now, and if you threaten me again, you'll be sorry."

"Will I?" Zale asked, his dark eyes glittering. "Perhaps I'll have to kill him myself." He lowered himself toward Keeve and smiled. "Perhaps I should kill him and take his name and wife for my own. Then I would be Zale Tregat."

Keeve shrank back against the man's menacing smile. He tried to take comfort in knowing he was in plain sight, with many witnesses, and the man couldn't do anything without dozens of people seeing...he hoped. "Y-You can't. That's not allowed," he said stubbornly. "And...and he's not really my father anyway. A-And she's not really my mother. So...kill him if you want-- Kill them both! I don't care."

"She gave birth to you," Zale said. "But, I guess she hasn't been much of a mother, has she? But, she wants to be now. Do you want to see her?"

Finally, using his shrewd mind to figure out the man's ruse, Keeve stepped back and smirked. "You're Zale Tregat, aren't you? I knew all along," he said as he kicked at an invisible object upon the floor to express his triumph. "And I guess I have to see her, don't I? My mother said to be nice to her because she's had it rough, but it doesn't mean I have to call her Mommy. And I don't have to call you Daddy either!"

"She almost died the other night," Zale said. "A bad man stabbed her, and we almost didn't get here in time. I don't think she's awake yet, but if you'd like to see her, I can take you in. And, I am Zale Tregat, and you don't have to call me Daddy. You can just call me Zale if you'd like."

Keeve tapped his foot upon the white, hospital floor rhythmically, then sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I'll see her, Zaletregat. But if she expects a kiss from me, I'm leaving."

"Well, we'll see what she wants when we get in there," Zale said.

As he stood, Moril suddenly rushed into view. "Zale, Kaysa's-- Oh, there he is. We'll need to do a credit transfer to the hospital for three thousand seven hundred credits." He glanced at Keeve, and then back to Zale. "He caused a mess on the way in."

Zale looked down at Keeve and sighed. "That's coming out of your allowance."

"The one you'll be giving me or the one Kaysa will be giving me?" Keeve arched his brows innocently and said, "Two parents, two allowances." With a grating giggle, he pushed past Zale and skipped down the corridor, causing the nurses to cower and seek cover behind their desks.

"Get back here," Zale snapped, his voice ringing with authority. "You'll get one allowance, and that allowance will pay off the damages you've caused. If you keep acting the way you are, you'll never see another credit in your life."

The boy stopped in midstep and slowly turned to face Zale. His eyes were wide with shock and held mild confusion as he attempted to decide his next course of action. No one had ever raised their voice to him in that manner before, and frankly, he had no idea whether to run and wreak more havoc, cry, or kick Zale in the shin again. Before he could make the decision for himself, Keeve's tiny feet were taking him back towards Zale, with his eyes large brown spheres of fear and uncertainty. He stopped before the stately, intimidating man, and lowered his head.

"That's better," Zale said. "Now, let's go visit your mother. She's this way." He started off back down the hall, opposite of the direction Keeve had been rushing off in, and moved to a door with Zenarr-Tregat stencilled on the outside placard. With a deep breath, Zale pushed the door open and ventured inside. Shiv and Merrick were curled up together in one of the chairs near Kaysa's bed, a half finished drawing resting on the table next to Kaysa.

Zale smiled at the image of the two nestled close together near Kaysa, and moved closer. At the movement, Shiv's eyes opened. When she saw Zale, she grinned. "Hi, Zale," she said softly. "You're looking suitably studly with a touch of caring husband today. It suits you." Shiv's eyes found Keeve, and she broke into a big smile. "And, this must be Keeve. Kaysa never mentioned how handsome you are, you know."

Keeve turned his head away petulantly and sighed as if the entire situation caused him much boredom. As his eyes settled upon the recumbent form lying motionless beneath draping white sheets, something stirred within him, but it was too subtle to affect the stubborn boy. "She's not dead, is she? She looks dead. You might want to have someone check her out, you know."

Zale put a hand on Keeve's shoulder and leaned down. "We can try sticking a knife in your gut, and see how still you lie," he whispered. "That, you insolent little wretch, is your mother, and it's so heartening to know that you are such a good natured and caring boy. It's no wonder Kaysa's parents were so quick to give you up."

Keeve jerked his shoulder away from Zale's hand and spun around to face him with renewed gall. "She's not my mother! I don't know who that woman is. My mother is back on Bespin and she loved me! She's just some stranger who stole me from them. And I'm glad she got stabbed. She was supposed to be dead anyway. My mommy told me so!"

"I've got a blade in my boot if you wanna show the little monster what it feels like, Zale," Shiv said from behind him. "I can't believe any child of Kaysa's could be so-- Wait...okay...well, still...what an ungrateful little twerp! And, that's a mean thing to say, Keeve. She's a good woman, and didn't deserve that. And, she certainly deserves a nicer little boy than you."

"If your mommy back on Bespin loved you so much," Zale said, "then why did she let you go so easily? She may have loved you, Keeve, but she knows you belong here with Kaysa. Your grandparents gave you away, Kaysa didn't steal you. Though, when you act this way, I find it hard to believe you haven't been dropped into a Tibanna gas mine by now."

Keeve's lips smacked tightly together and his eyes became but slits as he sneered at Zale. "They love me. That woman doesn't. None of you do!" His eyes slowly opened, and his mouth sagged into a frown as he turned away and trudged sullenly to the nearest chair. He sank into it with a sigh and said quietly, "I just wanna go home."

Shiv approached him slowly and sank down next to him. "We want to love you, Keeve," she said softly. "And, Kaysa loves you very much. She talks about you all the time. She wants to be a real mommy for you again, and she wants to show you how much she loves you." She gave him a smile. "Please give us a chance."

He looked at Shiv as if weighing his decision, then finally said, "If I do...will you give me credits for my birthday instead of some stupid drawing?"

Shiv smiled. "Either credits or something else you want," she said. "They have this new hoverboard out now, have you seen them? Some of the kids around our apartment have them, and they look really fun. And, lots of other things. If you'd rather have stuff, then I'll get you stuff for your birthday."

"Really?" Keeve's face lit up and he bounced in his seat. "Can I get a blue one? Blue's my favourite colour. And I want it to be fast too! My mommy said I couldn't have one because I was too small, but you promise you'll get me one?"

"Promise," Shiv said with a grin as she ruffled her hand through his hair. "A blue one. And if the way the kids go zooming around is how they all are, fast is definitely what you're getting. Maybe if I get one too, we can ride them together."

"Then I'll race ya!" Keeve smiled at Shiv, but made a point of patting down his disturbed hair. He'd have to pull hers after to make up for it, but he wanted his hoverboard first. "Can I call you Aunt Shiv, do you think? That's a funny name. I think it would be cool to have an Aunt named that."

"My real name is Maeren," Shiv said. "But, people call me Shiv. When I was growing up, we had this game we played with knives, and I was really good at it. So, they started calling me Shiv. And, it stuck."

"Maybe you could teach me that game sometime." Keeve's eyes seemed to gleam as thoughts of handling a sharp object formed in his mind. Once again, though, his mouth reverted into a frown and he looked somberly upon the ground. "Can I be alone with Kaysa? I-I want to say hello...but alone."

Shiv looked up at Zale who stepped forward at Keeve's question. "You can have some time with her," he said. He glanced over to Merrick, and Shiv slipped over to wake him up. They spoke quietly, and then Merrick nodded and the two of them slipped toward the door with Shiv pausing long enough to pick up her boots. Once they were out the door, Zale moved over and closed it. He glanced at Keeve, and then motioned over to Kaysa on the bed. "Say hello," he urged gently.

Keeve hesitated for a moment, then scooted off the chair and began slowly towards the woman on the bed. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her, tilting his head to the side as if she were an oddity to him. He came before her and stopped, still watching her with a quizzical gaze. "She's supposed to be my mother? She doesn't look like me at all, does she?"

"I wouldn't say that," Zale said. "You have her eyes, and there's a strong resemblance in your facial structures. You definitely have her cheekbones, and nose." He took a couple steps closer. "So, yes, you two definitely look alike in places."

Keeve shrugged his shoulders as if the passing resemblance was merely coincidence, then sighed and took a step closer. Her otherwise delicate features were made severe and garish by her pallor, but the rest of her body seemed fragile and in danger of withering if even the gentlest breeze swept across it. "My parents said I look more like my biological father, but I wouldn't know anything about that. They said he's probably dead too, but that doesn't matter to me. I like the father I have much better."

"From what Kaysa's said, your biological father skipped out as soon as he heard you were on the way," Zale said. He should have waited a few years, he added as a thought, then he would have had a real reason when he realized what a terror this kid is. "Kaysa wasn't much better, but the guilt has torn her apart for the last ten years. She finally had to see you again, though I imagine she wishes she looked a little better for your arrival."

"It's too bad she's not awake," he said with a sigh. "I bet I could convince her to send me back." His lips twisted into a mischievous smile as he added, "I can be very convincing when I want to be."

"And, she can be very stubborn when she wants to be," Zale said with an equally mischievous smile. "If she's decided she wants you here, the only thing that will get you out of here will be if another Empire rises and they draft you into military service."

The boy frowned, but his determination refused to be quashed. In that aspect, he was just like his mother as well...unfortunately for Kaysa. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we, Zaletregat?" He glanced sideways at Zale, then gave a short, dry laugh. "If she never wakes up, you'll send me back though, won't you?" he asked while prodding Kaysa's limp arm with his stubby finger.

"You'd like that too much," Zale said. "I'd have to find another use for you in my organization. Possibly a firing range target dummy, or maybe put you in one of the labs as a test subject. Don't worry, kid, you won't be leaving here for a very long time."

"Yeah, well apparently neither is she," he muttered as he jabbed her in the side with his forefinger. "She's barely even breathing. Zaletregat, you have a corpse for a wife." He smiled sweetly at Zale and strolled casually towards the beeping machinery serving as Kaysa's lifeline. "Where will I be living?" he asked as he began swatting at the tubes coming from the units and feeding into Kaysa's arm.

"Get away from there," Zale said, his voice a menacing growl. "You touch any of those again, I swear to every deity in this existence that you will not be able to sit down for a month when I get done with you."

"You can't touch me! If you do, when Kaysa wakes up, I'll tell on you and she won't be happy. And if you do, I'll make sure she knows I don't want you as a father!" Keeve stuck out his tongue at Zale and batted the tube with one final, sharp blow, then ran.

Despite his size, Zale was extraordinarily fast. As Keeve struggled to get the door open, he grabbed the insolent child by the scruff of the neck and pulled him back. "You can tell Kaysa whatever you want," he said, "though, I recommend you do it standing." He pulled Keeve back with him and pulled the brat across his knee as he sat down in the chair. "I told you, Keeve. And, now you'll learn that I always carry through with my promises." A strong hand held the boy in place as Zale brought his other hand swiftly down onto the boy's backside.

Keeve kicked and whined peevishly. "Let me down! Ow!" He tried to cover his rear with his hands and squealed like a stuck Ginta swine as Zale dealt him another thwack. "I'm telling!"

"If you. Tell. Then I will. Too." Zale's hand continued spanking the boy. "Your mother. Wouldn't like it. That you tried to hurt her. Now, you'll think twice before doing things you know are wrong."

"I was only playing!" Keeve whimpered and squirmed uncomfortably in Zale's lap. "I'll be good! Owie! Stop!"

Five more hard spanks landed on Keeve's behind before Zale finally released him. "I hope you will be good," he said. "Because next time, you'll get thirty, and harder."

Keeve rolled off Zale's lap and moved away from him with a miserable pout. "You didn't have to spank me... I was bored, that's all!" he said while rubbing his sore rear.

"That equipment you were playing with is what's keeping your mother alive," Zale said. "Your playing around could have killed her. If you find that you're bored again, tell me and I'll find something for you to do so you won't be bored. You really don't want another spanking every time you get bored, do you?" He watched the kid for a moment, wondering if it truly was boredom or if the kid truly did enjoy making mischief. "I think it's time Merrick and Shiv took you home."

"No! I don't want to go with them! She looks barely 15 and he's a simpleton. They'll most likely forget to feed me and I'll end up starving to death!"

"He's very tired," Zale said. "They both have been here since Kaysa was hurt, and neither have gotten much sleep. Now, you will go with them, they will feed you, and I don't want to hear one report of you misbehaving. But, if they do forget to feed you, you tell me and I'll take care of them, okay?"

Keeve's narrowed eyes widened slowly and a skeptical smile crossed his face. "You will? You'll punish them and make sure they're good to me?"

"I will," Zale said. "If they don't feed you or take care of you, I'll punish them. You can even watch me spank them if you want. Heck, kid, if they don't feed you, I'll hold them over my knee and you can spank them."

"Can I?" Keeve hopped up and down, cheering wildly at the prospect of whacking Shiv and Merrick in the rear with a large paddle. "I promise to be good, Father Zale! And I promise never to try and kill Kaysa again."

"Good," Zale said, stifling a laugh at the kid's sadistic nature. What had happened to him on Bespin? "Now, come on. It's time for you to go home with Merrick and Shiv." He stood up and started toward the door.

Before Zale could grab the handle, Keeve scurried up to the door and pulled it open for him. "Here you go...Father."

Zale glanced down at Keeve and grinned. "Thank you, Keeve," he said and indicated that Keeve should go through first.

Out in the hall, Shiv and Merrick sat on a chair together, her head resting on his shoulder as she sat in his lap. When she saw Keeve coming out of Kaysa's room, she beamed a smile at him. She looked up at Zale and noticed the look in his eye. She patted Merrick's knee and slid off his lap. Once free to get up, Merrick did and approached Keeve.

"Hi, Keeve," he said. "Kaysa's been very excited about you coming to live with us. We have a room ready for you and everything. If you'd like, tomorrow we can go shopping for some new things. There are some great toy stores here, and I'm sure you'll love them."

"I'm sure I will," Keeve replied with an amiable smile. "Shiv promised me a hoverboard for my birthday, but I think I'd like one sooner than that. Tomorrow, you can buy me one."

Merrick looked up at Shiv who shrugged, and then back down to Keeve. "Okay. Tomorrow you get a hoverboard then. We'll let you pick out whatever you want. How does that sound?"

"I think it'd be a good time for Keeve to see the apartment and his room," Zale said. "It'll give you guys a chance to grab a bite to eat too. And, clean up." They all had managed to change out of their clothes from the party, but that was about it. No matter how many times Zale and Merrick told Shiv to go home and shower, she wouldn't. They all knew Shiv had only used a damp cloth to wipe off Kaysa's blood from the other night, and refused to be away from her love for more than five minutes.

Shiv looked up at Zale with sad eyes. "I don't want to go, Zale. I need to be here in case she wakes up."

Zale pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "You need to get out of here," he said. "You need some time to unwind, and clean up. Put on some of your own clothes, and try to feel good. I promise she won't wake up until you're back here. Now, the three of you go, and I'll watch over Kaysa for awhile."

"Thanks," Shiv said, and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you later. And, if there's any change, you'll comm us immediately?"

"I promise, now go."

Shiv smiled and slipped out of his arms. "Come on, Keeve," she said. "Let's go see our apartment."

"Bye, Father Zale," Keeve said with a vigorous wave of his hand. "And I promise to be good if you keep your promise." He gave a satisfied, knowing grin to Zale, then started off with Shiv.

Zale waved to them all and gave Keeve a big smile. "I'll keep my promise, kiddo," he called after them.

As they neared the area where a small snack bar was nestled, Shiv looked around and then grinned. "Moril," she called. She waved him over.

"Kaffe, my dear," he said, handing her a cup and one to Merrick. "You guys heading out?"

"Zale asked us to take Keeve back to the apartment to get him settled in." She gave him a sweet smile. "You can come too if you'd like."

Moril grinned, and his face flushed slightly. "I'd love to, but I probably should get back to the office. With Zale out, someone needs to watch over things."

Shiv nodded and gave him a kiss. "Call me later," she said. "Bye, Moril." She kissed him again and then stepped back toward where Keeve and Merrick waited. "I love you," she mouthed to Moril, causing him to blush even more. With a giggle, Shiv spun around, grabbed Keeve's hand and started toward the door.

Keeve looked back at Moril as he was lead away, and with a grin, he gazed up at Shiv and asked inquisitively, "Are you having sex with that man?"

Shiv looked down at Keeve, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth, and could only laugh. "No," she said. "I'm not having sex with him. Yet. But, that's none of your business, Keeve. You're too young to know anything about that anyway."

"Well, I know lots about sex. I know Kaysa had sex with my real father to have me. And I know you probably have sex with Merrick too because his face is all red." Keeve smiled innocently and asked, "Am I right?"

"You're too smart, Keeve," Shiv said. "And, that's none of your business either. And, don't even ask about me and Kaysa, because I'm not saying anything."

Merrick laughed. "Good one," he said. "Now, let's get out of here before the Morality Guard hears these questions and answers."

"Morality Guard? And what about you and Kaysa?" Keeve shook his head and sighed. "I think I have to have a long talk with both of you very soon. There is so much I must know. Like why those women outside walk around naked. On Bespin, they'd be arrested for that."

"They're not completely naked," Shiv said. "Just mostly. And, it's alright here. There used to be a high prince, and he pretty much required all of the women born here to wear those. I think it's because the men like to look at the women. Though, because of the Morality Guard, they can't touch...at least not out in public."

Keeve passed his eyes over Shiv's body from head to toe, then grinned slyly. "I bet you wear one, don't you, Auntie Shiv?"

Shiv looked over at the boy and felt herself blushing slightly. "Not usually," she said. "But, I have worn them from time to time. I wore one to the party the other night, but...but only on special occasions."

He turned his attention to Merrick, or rather, his torment, and asked, "And you let her walk around like that? Doesn't it bother you that other men get to see her naked?"

Merrick glanced at Shiv and then smiled. "She looks very nice in an equadi," he said. "And, I don't mind other people looking as long as they don't touch. Besides, she's her own person and I don't feel it's my place to dictate what she can or can't wear. As long as Shiv's comfortable with people seeing her naked, I'm fine. And, as long as they all keep their hands to themselves, then I'm not complaining."

Keeve furrowed his brow in deep thought for a moment, then asked, "Well...what about that man back there? He didn't look like he wanted to keep his hands off her." His mouth twitched with the hint of a smile. "Are you two going to fight over her? With fists and everything?"

"There are a few people I don't mind if Shiv's with," Merrick said. "Moril is one, Zale's another, and your mother is the third. So, no, I'm not going to fight with Moril over Shiv. They care for each other very much, and I'm not going to stop them if they want to be together. It's very confusing, and different from most other relationships you'll find. But, we're all happy with our arrangement, and we haven't had any problems with it. Now, that guy standing over there by that kaffe machine, he can't touch her."

Shiv giggled. "But he's so cute." Merrick looked at her and she grinned. "Kidding, love."

Keeve's mouth twisted into an expression of his disgust, which was an artifact of his modest upbringing, and as well of his grandmother's intolerance for dissolute behaviour, something he was certain his mother engaged in. "Disgusting creatures," Keeve quoted, hearing his grandmother's voice in his head, and speaking with as much vigour as she would have.

Shiv glanced down at Keeve and nearly laughed. "Nothing disgusting in that," she said. "We all love each other very much, and express that love. It's not like we just go out and have sex with whoever we want, only the people we love." She wondered how soon it would be before Keeve was trying to join the Morality Guard. "Anyway, it's all private, in-the-bedroom kind of stuff, so you won't have to worry about us."

"I should hope not." Shifting an eye askance at both Merrick and Shiv, Keeve crossed his arms over his chest and jutted out his chin as he marched away from the two lechers.

Both Shiv and Merrick hurried to catch up with Keeve before he could get too far ahead. Each moment they spent with the child told them this was certainly going to be an ordeal. The child seemed to exude an air of mischief, and completely disapproved of the lifestyle they all shared. Shiv couldn't help wondering what sort of trouble might await them in the tiny hands of the little demonic child spawned from Kaysa's womb. She shuddered at the thought.

---

"Little Bundles of Terror, Part 2"
By: Merrick Braston
Maeren "Shiv" Shivral
Zale Tregat
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat

And Introducing: Keeve Zenarr [NPC]

Location: Yesdol Central Medical Centre - Yesdol, New Plouton; Merrick and Shiv's apartment - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Once Shiv, Merrick, and Keeve had gone, Zale moved back toward Kaysa's room. He slipped soundlessly inside and made his way over to the chair next to her bed. He reached up and took her hand into his and lowered his lips to it.

"Your son's here," Zale said softly. "He's got your looks, and your free spirit. We're going to have to watch him close. I didn't expect to have to spank him so soon after he arrived, but hopefully he'll learn his lesson."

The sound of the life support equipment was the only response to his words. He smiled and nodded. "You're right," he said. "He's your son. It'll take many more spankings to get him straightened out. He feels torn away from your parents, who he claims are his real parents. Hopefully it won't be long before we can make him realize we're good parents too.

"I want to be a good parent with you, Kaysa. That means you have to come back to me, and we have to let Keeve know that we're both going to love him more than anything. He needs that. I don't want him to resent us for too long."

Zale watched Kaysa's chest slowly rising and falling as she lay on the bed, still and silent.

"I know we can make him love us. It may just take some time. You got me to love you pretty easily, and I'm sure he'll love you too." He kissed her hand again. "Come back to me soon, Kaysa. There's so much we have to talk about. You, me, Dargus, what happened at the party. Shiv and Moril haven't made love yet, by the way. Since you've been in here, Shiv and Merrick have been by your side the whole time. I just sent them home with Keeve. At least Shiv will be able to change out of those clothes. She's been wearing them since the morning after the party. The entire previous night she was wearing her equadi. But, hopefully she'll shower, have a decent meal, and bond with your son...our son. I want him to be ours, Kaysa. Whatever we have to do."

He sighed softly and lowered his forehead to press against the back of her hand. "I love you," he whispered. "Come back to me soon."

***

Merrick pushed the door open to the apartment and indicated that Keeve should go on inside. They hadn't been back here since before the party, but at least the maintenance droids had picked up after the mess they'd left. "Here's your new home," he said once they were all inside. "Would you like to see your room, Keeve?"

"You mean I won't be sleeping on a mat on the floor?" Keeve smirked at Merrick and strode into the apartment. He inspected the interior with his usual frown of disapproval. He made his way to the small kitchen connected to the living area, and opened the refrigeration unit. The amount of food within was meagre and hardly enough for a growing boy to survive on. "You'd better go buy me some food to eat. I'm hungry." He slammed closed the door and turned to them. "Show me my room now."

Shiv stepped close to Merrick and pressed her lips to his ear. "You want to order some food, and I'll show him to his room? Get it from the place on the corner, they have some good stuff there." She kissed his earlobe.

Merrick nodded.

Shiv grinned and stepped back. "Come on, Keeve," she said. "I'll show you your room. And, tomorrow we can decorate it however you want."

Keeve shrugged and followed Shiv past the living area and into the hallway. "Where do you sleep? Do you sleep with Merrick in his room? Where does Kaysa sleep? I do hope she has her own separate room."

"We each have our own rooms," Shiv said as she led the way down toward the room next to hers that they'd decided would be Keeve's. "Yours is right here." She pushed the door open and motioned him inside. His bags were already on the bed. For a boy as young as Keeve, it was quite large for a bedroom, though as yet undecorated for his likes. Having never really met him, no one knew what he would have liked. "We'll go on a big shopping spree, and buy you lots of things tomorrow. And, then we can decorate your room exactly like you want it."

Keeve poked his head inside and looked upon either side of the room. "I imagine a room like this will require a lot of decorating to make it tolerable." He sighed and turned back to Shiv. "I'm bored. Is there anything to play with?"

"We'll get you everything you need tomorrow," Shiv said. "And...I don't think we have anything. Do you want to go to one of the stores and get a toy now? Me and Merrick can take you up to one of the stores for a welcoming present for you if you want. Would you like that Keeve?"

"After dinner, maybe." Keeve wandered away and started down the hallway again. Upon the walls were framed paintings, mostly of the man Merrick and some abstracts, but there was also one of Kaysa. He stood before the picture and studied it with a passive gaze. The sight of her inspired only disinterest, but there was also a twinge of resentment towards her for taking him away from his comfortable life on Bespin. "You did that?"

Shiv smiled and stepped forward. "I did," she said. "I just finished it last week. I'm working on one of Zale and Kaysa in my studio, but it still needs more work before it can go up. I also want to do one for Zale's office. Maybe I can do one of you, and we can put that up here. Or one to send to your grandparents."

"My parents, you mean." He glared at Shiv and started again down the hallway. "Is this how you make money? Drawing pictures? And what about Merrick? What does he do?"

"Merrick's a musician," Shiv said as she followed the boy. "He plays at a club in town called the White Noise, but his managers are talking about getting him a gig in one of the larger stadiums. Possibly even touring to other cities, and maybe the other continents. And, I make money with my artwork. Right now, I'm doing a lot of stuff for Merrick's music company people. And, there's this other company in the city that wants me to do some stuff for them too. I also help Kaysa when she needs it. I used to fly freighters for her, and every once in awhile, I fly stuff in-system. Though, I haven't for a month or so... Merrick and Kaysa like having me around, and not going out." She didn't want to tell Keeve about Dargus; she didn't even want to think about Dargus. "We should listen to Merrick's music sometime, Keeve. He's really good."

"I'm sure he is, but I don't think he'd be much to my liking." Keeve reached the end of the hallway and sighed loudly. "I'm tired. I'm going to my room to sleep." He began down the hallway again in the opposite direction and called back to Shiv as he entered his room, "Don't disturb me unless it's to tell me when the food's arrived." And without another word, he closed the door behind him.

Shiv watched after the boy and sighed. She returned to the main room where Merrick was talking into the comm. As he finished up his conversation, she slipped her arms around him and started slowly kissing his neck.

"You know it makes it very difficult to talk when you do that," Merrick said after disconnecting.

Shiv grinned. "I know."

"That was Chrik. I'm going to have to go into the club in a bit. They need me to work through some of the new stuff for tomorrow night's show."

"You ordered food?"

"It should be on its way soon."

Shiv kissed him. "You're too good to us. Do you mind if I jump into the shower? I feel very gross, and--"

"Go take your shower, my love," Merrick said. "I'll take care of the food when it arrives. How's Keeve?"

"In his room. He's sleeping and doesn't want to be disturbed until the food arrives."

Merrick laughed. "You go get that shower, and I'll get things ready out here."

They kissed again before Shiv slipped off back down the hall and into the refresher. She stripped off her clothes, and turned on the steaming water and slipped into the stall. After their ordeal, it felt wonderful. With a long sigh, she closed her eyes and just stood under the cascading water.

***

Keeve stood in the centre of his bedroom, looking at the bare walls and the lack of accessory furnishings. At least there's a bed, he thought. He paced towards the window on the far wall, a window without curtains and not even a ledge to perch upon. Staring out upon the bustling streets set firmly upon a foundation of earth and not floating upon a cloud of gas, he more than ever missed home. It wasn't fair to be torn from the tender embrace of the two people who had cared and nurtured him for ten years, the two people who deserved to be his parents, not that cadaver lying listlessly on a hospital bed. He'd find a way back home. He'd pester and bully them all until he had his way, and he was going to start as soon as possible.

Peeling back his lips into a mischievous smile, Keeve turned and started out of his room. He'd start with Shiv and Merrick, make their lives hell until they turned him out, then when Kaysa was well, he'd start in on her.

***

The sound of her own voice filled Shiv's ears as she sang through the second verse of 'Whispers After Midnight.' She'd been singing it the night before, hers and Merrick's voices joined as they sat next to Kaysa's bed. He'd told her that she was getting very good and if he wasn't careful, she'd be taking his place on the stage. At first she thought he was just teasing her and trying to make her feel better, but the look in his eyes told her that he meant what he'd said about her singing.

Shiv turned around in the shower to let the water spray down her face and front, but as she did she spotted a shadowed figure standing beyond the clear glass of the shower door. Suddenly the figure's face came into focus. Shiv let out a choked scream and glared at the leering face of Keeve Zenarr. "What are you doing in here, you little monster?"

Keeve made no reply. He simply continued staring at Shiv with a small grin on his face. His hands were hidden behind his back and he took a step towards the shower, then stopped again.

"Keeve," Shiv said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Get out of here. You're not supposed to be in here. Go back to your room, or go see Merrick. Merrick's getting food. Just...just go away until I'm finished!"

His smile grew larger as he took another step towards Shiv and said in a sing-song voice, "I wanted to show you something. Don't you wanna see?"

"You could have waited," Shiv said and then sighed. "Okay, what did you want to show me?"

"Merrick's sleeping, you know. He likes to sleep a lot, doesn't he?" Keeve moved forward at a slow, deliberate pace, all the while keeping a smile frozen upon his lips.

"He works really late at night," Shiv said. "And, besides, we both haven't gotten a lot of sleep in the last couple days. We've been worried about Kaysa." Shiv reached over and turned off the water. "What did you want to show me, Keeve?"

"A little trick, that's all." Keeve stopped before the shower and let his eyes roam over Shiv's nude body. He giggled quietly. "Those things... Are those breasts?" Before Shiv could answer, Keeve pulled one hand from behind his back and raised it above him. From it dangled a black, lacy bra he'd stolen from her bedroom. "Do they go in this?" His other hand appeared, holding a lighter beneath one of the straps of Shiv's bra. "Well...not anymore." A loud laugh erupted as did a flame from the lighter. The bra caught fire easily, then fluttered to the ground as Keeve fled.

"You little--!" Shiv pushed the shower door open and quickly grabbed a towel. She pounced on the small flame, smothering it with the towel before too much could burn. "That was my favourite one too, you perverted, little wretch!" Once she was sure the fire was out, she grabbed another towel and dried off quickly. Then, she quickly wrapped it around herself and fled after Keeve. She just hoped he wasn't burning down the entire apartment...which was too much to wish for. Gray billows of smoke rolled out of Shiv's studio while through the apartment, shouts of "Fire! Fire!" rang out.

"Oh gods no!" Shiv raced toward her studio. She could feel the sting of tears rolling down her cheeks. When she reached the door of the studio, she cried out as she saw the flames licking up across her paintings. She watched as the painting of Kaysa and Zale blackened and crumbled before her eyes. "Merrick! Merrick! Help me!" She grabbed the flame suppressor from the wall, and quickly started spraying it in toward the flames.

As the sleeping Merrick began to rouse at Shiv's shrieks, Keeve threw down the jar of paint and the paintbrush in his hands and sped away with a boisterous giggle.

Merrick sat bolt upright and coughed. He put his hand to his face and it came away stained green. He could still hear Keeve's laughter from off somewhere in the apartment. What had the little brat done? And, the smoke. The apartment was on fire! "Shiv, call emergency services," he shouted. "I'm calling Zale!"

Keeve's laughter turned to squeals and he ran back towards Merrick. "Not Zale! I'll be good!" He dove at Merrick's feet and wrapped his arms around his ankles. "He beats me! I'm afraid of him! Please don't call Zale!" For effect, Keeve sulked and whimpered, hoping to elicit some pity in Merrick.

"You set Shiv's studio on fire," Merrick said, trying to stay calm. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call Zale."

Shiv stormed into the room with one hand holding closed the towel wrapped around her body, the other hefting the empty suppressant canister. She threw it into the middle of the floor and glared at Keeve. "The little brat also came into the refresher while I was showering and burned one of my bras right in front of me. And, he painted your face."

Merrick looked down at Keeve and gripped the boy's shirt. "As I said, give me one good reason why I shouldn't call Zale. You destroyed Shiv's work, and her property. That spanking Zale gave you earlier didn't do nearly enough to calm you down. And, I think you need another. Why don't you tell me why, after what you did here today, you don't?"

"Because," Keeve said, all tears ceasing to flow and a smile transforming his pout. "You love Kaysa, don't you?" His large brown eyes still glittering with wicked glee fixed upon Merrick's. "If you aren't nice to me, I'll make sure she has to choose between me and you. Who will she choose, do you think?"

Merrick grabbed the collar of Keeve's shirt and pulled him close. "Then why don't we leave Shiv's studio exactly like it is, and when Kaysa comes home, she'll see what you did. Who do you think she'd rather spend time with? Me, or the brat who tried to burn down her home?" Without taking his eyes off Keeve, he smiled and added, "Shiv, go comm Zale. Let him know that Keeve needs disciplining immediately. Also let him know we're cancelling that shopping trip tomorrow."

Keeve screamed and kicked at Merrick's shins fitfully. "I hate you! I hate you all!" He tried to wrench his shirt free of Merrick's grip, then finally resorted to taking his hand between his teeth.

Merrick cried out and tried to pull his hand free of Keeve's mouth, which only aggravated the situation. When he finally got his hand freed, he could see blood running between his fingertips and down Keeve's chin. Before Keeve could get away, Shiv had grabbed him from behind and quickly turned him over her knee. She brought her hand down hard on his backside, eliciting a cry from the boy. She brought it down again and again, harder and harder. She wasn't as strong as Zale by any means, but she was definitely stronger than she looked.

"Stop it!" Keeve let out a scream that increased in pitch and volume until it was shrill enough to rattle the glass in the apartment. He flailed his arms and legs, until he clutched at Shiv's hair and began pulling. "Let me go! I'm telling! Kaysa's gonna know!"

Shiv cried out again, and quickly grabbed a handful of Keeve's hair. "How do you like it, you little spoiled brat!?" She stood up and brought him with her. His flailing had knocked her towel loose, and it fell free where she'd taken Keeve over her knee. Despite his flailing and screaming, she managed to march with him into his bedroom and pushed him down onto the bed, holding him there with her hands. "I'm going to lock you in here until Zale gets here, and then he's going to come talk to you. I should just take you up in my ship and shove you out into space, but you're Kaysa's brat so I won't. Now, stay here, and try to behave like a normal child."

"You're not normal!" he hollered back. "You sleep with different men! And...and you're body is shaped funny!" Keeve wriggled on the bed, jerking his arms to free them from Shiv's grip.

"I sleep with the men I do because I love them," Shiv said. "And, my body is perfectly normal, you silly boy." She looked down at him and sighed. "I'm not all that normal, but I don't set people's things on fire either. You could have hurt all of us, including yourself and the other people living in this building. I know you don't like me or Merrick, and spanking you didn't help. But...I want to be your friend, Keeve, and I can't if you do things like that. Why can't we be friends, Keeve?"

"Because," Keeve growled, "you're not my mother and neither is Kaysa! She shouldn't have stolen my from my mommy and daddy! She doesn't even love me! I don't wanna be here!"

"I don't wanna be your mother, sweetie," Shiv said. "I just want to be your friend. And, Kaysa does love you very much." She looked down at him and sighed. "Will you try to be my friend if I buy you a frazzie?"

Keeve's struggles ceased and he grinned from ear to ear. "Can I have a beebleberry one?"

Shiv smiled. "Of course," she said. "I have to get dressed because I can't really go out there wearing nothing. But, I'll get dressed, and then we'll go get you a beebleberry frazzie. How's that sound?"

He glanced at Shiv's assets, dangling close to his face and gave her a crooked smile. "I'll be good," he said as his eyes slowly shifted up to hers.

"Good," Shiv said, and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll be right back then." She slipped off the bed, and out of his room toward hers. She quickly went through her clothes and began pulling on something so they could go out to get Keeve the frazzie. She found herself smiling at the prospect that she may actually be able to make peace with the boy.

Never seeing a naked woman before up close, Keeve decided he needed another peek at Shiv. Her body fascinated him, with all its shapely curves and interesting anatomical parts he himself didn't bear. So, when she left him, he sneaked to the doorway of her room, and keeping his body obscured behind the wall, he watched Shiv as she dressed. She crooned the tune he'd heard her humming in the shower, and watching her now as her flesh bounced softly while she changed, he knew he'd sneak into the shower again and watch her the next chance he got.

With a smile, Keeve appeared in the doorway, his eyes surveying her body slowly. "I lied," he said, causing Shiv to spin around with a start. "You don't have a funny shaped body."

Shiv felt herself blushing as she pulled down her tank top covering up the breasts Keeve had been so intent on staring at. "Thank you," she said. "I happen to like my body exactly the way it is. Are you ready to go?" She grabbed a pair of sandals from next to her bed and held her hand out to Keeve. "Let's go get you a beebleberry frazzie."

In a manner much more gentlemanly than expected of a boy his age, and a brat such as him, Keeve stepped beside Shiv and held out his arm to her with a charming smile. "I'll be your escort and Merrick can walk behind us."

Shiv slipped her arm into Keeve's and smiled at him. "Thank you, good sir," she said. "Let's go find Merrick so we can go."

"I hope he's managed to get that paint off," Keeve said, "because I certainly don't want to be seen in public with him looking like that." Covertly, Keeve craned his head around to catch a glimpse of Shiv's rear. "But I don't mind being seen in public with you, Shiv."

"I don't mind being seen with you either, Keeve," Shiv said.

They reached the other room, and Merrick had in fact been able to remove the paint from his face and bandage his hand where Keeve had bitten him.

"We're going to go get beebleberry frazzies," Shiv said. "And, we were wondering if you'd like to join us."

Merrick glanced between the two, but didn't question the sudden change. He trusted Shiv enough to know that things were alright. "I'd love to," he said, "but Chrik wants me up at the club. Maybe we can go get another one tomorrow."

Shiv smiled and nodded. "Okay," she said. "See you tonight then?"

"Tonight," Merrick said, then leaned in and gave Shiv a kiss. "You two have fun. If you want, there's also a new holofilm playing down in Central. There might be something there Keeve would like."

Shiv grinned. "We'll look into it," she said. "See you later, Merrick." After another kiss, Merrick headed toward the door followed by Shiv and Keeve. She glanced down at him. "Maybe we can also get you that hoverboard today."

"Really?" Keeve laughed and wrapped his arms around Shiv's waist. Grinning mischievously to himself, he allowed his hands to clutch at Shiv's rear. "Oh thank you, Shiv. You're going to be my favourite Auntie ever."

Shiv gasped as his hands almost seemed to grope her. "I want to be your favourite auntie," she said as she lowered herself down to his height so she could hug him to her. She kissed him on the cheek again and grinned. "Let's go have some fun."

Keeve looked up at Merrick and gave him a wink as he rested his head upon Shiv's shoulder. "I can't wait," he replied with an allusive smile at Merrick.

Merrick raised an eyebrow at the boy, but said nothing. Even Keeve wasn't immune to Shiv's charm. It was cute that he'd developed a crush so fast. "I'll see you two later tonight," he said, and then slipped out of the apartment shaking his head.

Once he was gone, Shiv looked at Keeve again and smiled. "No point in waiting," she said. "Let's go."

"I agree." Keeve smiled up at Shiv sweetly and slung his arm across her waist. Along the way, they passed the delivery man heading towards the apartment to drop off the food they'd ordered. He smiled at the two and gave them a nod, which became a double take as a small hand stained with green paint covered the young woman's left buttock. Keeve glanced back at the delivery man with an impish smile that left him laughing and shaking his head.

"Trouble, that one," he said to himself. "Definitely trouble."

---

"Hibernation Sickness"
by Amren Kidr'al
and Grel Horan

and introducing Koran Darr

Location: The mansion of Crimelord Tomari Ishaida, Euphraxis
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

Two shadowy forms stood outside the side entrance of the sprawling mansion. One of them hunched over the keypad at the side of the door while the other scanned up and down the street.

"Tsst," the one watching hissed. "Someone's coming."

"Almost got it," the other rasped in response.

"They's almost here. Hurry."

"Almost."

The sound of footsteps loomed closer.

"Hurry, Grel," the watcher whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Almost, Amren," Grel responded.

Amren Kidr'al's heart pounded heavily in his chest. He was certain the owner of the approaching footsteps could hear his heart beating in counterpoint to each step.

"He's almost here!"

"Got it!"

The door slipped soundlessly open and both burglars quickly fled from the street and into what they hoped would be a very lucrative evening.

Just as the door slipped closed, the black-clad patrol officer stepped into view. He peered into the darkness near the door, and figured he'd only been hearing things.

***

"Back this way," Grel said as he waved his partner along. Grel already had his pack partially filled with some of the valuables they'd found in the first room. "He keeps the most valuable stuff back this way. And, they say his prize is here too."

"Prize?"

Grel grinned. "You got me," he said. "But, I'm certain it's gotta be very valuable. This guy practically had gold-lined undershorts. Come on."

"I'm comin'. You know if we get caught in here Ishaida is going to have our skin peeled from our bodies and used to keep that precious journal of his."

Grel smiled broadly and glanced back at his friend as if he'd just given him a perfect idea. "Think of how many credits we could get for one of Tomari Ishaida's journals. We'll be richer than the Hutts."

"As long as we don't end up Hutt food."

"What's wrong with you, Amren? You used to be so adventurous. Now, you're scared of your own shadow."

"If we get caught, it's over. They say the last guy who stole from Ishaida hasn't died yet, and he was caught ten years ago!"

"A myth to keep our type away, and if it weren't for me, we wouldn't be here."

Amren sighed. "Maybe that's a good thing."

"Spoil sp-- Hey, lookie here. An important office if I've ever seen one. Here's the place, Ammie. We can retire off this. Get your bag out and let's start filling. Oh...we're gonna get our own ship. We'll never need to rob another place. Oh think of the life we'll have."

"Hey Grel," Amren said as he was suddenly drawn to a large block on the far wall. It was rectangular, and about as tall as a man. He reached out and touched a button on the wall, and leapt back with a cry as light shone down on the slab. It appeared to be a carving of a man in terrible pain. His head was thrown back in a violent cry and his hands were raised as if to ward off some ancient beast attacking him. "What kind of insane frek would keep something like this on his wall?"

Grel moved over to look and laughed. "Very lifelike," he said. He tapped the surface and nodded. "Carbonite. Very nice. It's one of the best mediums for sculpture these days. There's a museum on Malastare that has these things all over the place, but instead of people there are vegetables and fruit, and some animals. I met the artist. The guy's a little on the conceited side, but he's got talent. Maybe I should take it up once we retire." He looked at the side of the block and laughed. "Hey. Look! Doodads."

"Oh, I wouldn't touch those, Grel," Amren said, suddenly stepping back. "You don't know what they do."

"Sure," Grel said. "They just adjust...light...and reflectivity, and things. Don't worry, Ammie, I know what I'm doing."

Amren winced as Grel stabbed at a few buttons. Suddenly the block started to vibrate gently.

Grel nodded. "Vibrations," he said. "Very nice."

A soft red glow seemed to envelope the surface, bringing out another sound of approval from Grel. "See? Light. And, you didn't believe me. Amateur."

The glowing grew in intensity, and cracks appeared in the surface of the block.

"Oh, Grel," Amren stammered, "it's breaking. You broke it. See? You broke it, Grel."

Grel stumbled back away from the casing and muttered a string of curses in every language he knew. He assured himself that when he got out of here he was going to learn more languages to have more variety in his curses.

The glow turned white and seemed ready to consume the entire room. A sudden, wailing cry erupted from the slab and was cut off in a choking gasp.

And, then it all went dark.

There was a heavy thump as a body landed on the floor at Grel's feet.

"Oh my!"

"Is he--?"

The body groaned, and shifted. Ragged breathing could be heard as he struggled to right himself. Long, lank hair fell down concealing the man's face as he blindly groped outward.

"Who's there?" he rasped, his voice like bones scraping against bones.

"Grel...we gotta...we gotta run."

Grel nodded dumbly and started toward the door.

The body staggered up into a sitting position. "Please--"

"Run, Ammie!"

Amren stopped and turned around. "We can't just leave him like that."

"We don't get out of here, Ishaida will be putting us in those boxes."

"Who are you?" Amren asked as he moved closer to the man.

"My name is...is Koran Darr," the man said. "I am a Jedi Knight. I must report to the Jedi Council immediately. There is great danger ahead, and all will be lost if I do not reach them soon."

Grel stepped back. "Oh ho," he laughed. "Good one, pallie. You had us goin' for a minute there. Jedi Knight. Jedi Council. Oh ho. You are a riot."

"I don't see the humour," Koran said.

"There are no more Jedi Knights. No more Jedi Council. You'd think you been livin' in a box for-- Oh."

"Please help me," Koran said, his voice still commanding and forceful, despite the pleading nature. "I must warn the Council that Senator Palpatine is a master of the Sith, and has plans to destroy all the Jedi."

"Senator-- Oh pallie," Grel said, his laughter rising in volume. "Emperor Palpatine. Ol' Palpy already did that. You're too late--"

"Shut up, Grel," Amren said. "Senator Palpatine became Emperor, and...and he was killed recently. I'm afraid, he...there aren't anymore Jedi."

Koran sank back to the ground, expelling the breath from his lungs as he did. "What happened...how could he... Please, what's the year?"

Amren told him.

Koran closed his sightless eyes and sighed heavily. "Over thirty years," he said sadly. "And...I must go to Coruscant. Please take me there."

Grel started to laugh but Amren's cold stare stopped him. "Uh, yeah, sure, pallie. We'll get you there."

Koran Darr sat up again and nodded in the directions of the two men. "I thank you," he said. "Now, let us hurry. We cannot waste time. I have to find out if any of my kind survived. There had to have been some who went into hiding, and they would converge on the site of the Old Jedi Temple once the danger had passed."

Amren helped Koran to his feet, and offered his arm to guide the Jedi Knight.

Grel nabbed a few more trinkets and stuffed them in his pack. "Come on," he said. "Let's go take us a trip to Coruscant."

---

"Keeve Zenarr, Valiant Protector, Part 1"
By: Maeren "Shiv" Shivral
Merrick Braston
Keeve Zenarr [NPC]
Bad Man [NPC]

Location: Merrick and Shiv's apartment - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Shiv sat on the couch with her feet tucked under herself as she sketched a picture on a large pad of vellum. Her subject was Keeve, who was seated on the floor below her with his new hoverboard and a small toy swoop that she had also bought him. It was only about twenty centimeters long, but made sounds similar to an actual swoop. He'd been lost in his own world with it for nearly an hour. Shiv smiled as she watched him playing, setting aside her drawing stylus for a moment.

She'd made him wash his hands really good before coming back inside, especially after he left a small, green handprint on the backside of her pants. He was truly incorrigible, but with going out for the frazzie, and then buying him his new toys, things had gone well. And, as long as she was near him, he was happy and content. Sometimes the way he'd look at her though, it was a little disconcerting. She knew he was almost eleven, but sometimes the look in his eyes made him seem older than that. She was happy that they seemed to be bonding, and hoped that they truly could become really good friends. She wanted Keeve to feel happy and wanted here, and being his friend was the best way she could think of to do that.

"So, we have the apartment all to ourselves?" Keeve asked as he sent the speeder circling around his head. "I like it, just you and me. That Merrick...he seems so serious."

"Sometimes he is," Shiv said as she set her pad down on the table next to her. "He does have a playful side that's really fun, but he's really worried about Kaysa. I'm sure once she's all better, you'll see him much happier and more carefree. But, I like it with just you and me too, Keeve. Tomorrow, I'm gonna get myself one of those hoverboards, and then we can ride them together. And, we can race."

"Good idea!" Keeve replied. "And don't worry, Shiv," he said as the speeder rocketed past his face, "if you fall, I'll kiss your scrapes all better." The speeder hovered slowly by his face again, but this time, he glanced over the small toy and grinned slyly at Shiv.

Shiv smiled. "Oh, that's so very sweet of you, Keeve," she said. "I may have to fall down once just for that."

"I'll hold you to that, Auntie Shiv." Keeve sighed and set down his speeder. "I'm tired of playing. Can I sit with you and help you draw?"

"Of course you can," Shiv said as she shifted over on the couch so he could sit next to her. She picked up her pad again, and a stylus for each of them. She patted the couch next to her. "Come on."

Keeve smiled and leapt to his feet. With a laugh and whooping cry, he sprang into the air and made a heavy landing upon the couch. He took a stylus from Shiv and shifted closer beside her to share the pad upon her lap. "Is that me?" he asked as he looked at the light stencilling upon the page.

Shiv grinned. "It is," she said as they both looked at the sketch of Keeve she'd started. He was standing in a proud, dramatic pose like the space adventurers in the exciting stories that the Empire had been banning, but still made to underground theatres. He stood proudly looking out across the horizon, with the beginning outlines of a swoop next to him. "I figured for you, you needed something other than a boring old portrait. You needed something grand and exciting. At least, that's what I thought. So, that's what I drew."

"Wow... Moril said you were a good artist." Keeve glanced up at Shiv with a grin and added, "He was right."

"Thank you," Shiv said, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. "If you want, I can finish this one and we can put it in the hall with the others. Or, we can put it in your room. Wherever you want." She looked down at him and grinned. "So, what should we draw?"

"Hmm..." Keeve smiled at Shiv and pried the pad from her hands. He crossed his legs and placed it atop his own lap. "Now, no peeking," he said to Shiv as he turned to a fresh page and began sketching. "I'm going to draw a picture of you."

Shiv grinned. "Okay," she said with a laugh. "I won't peek." As his stylus scratched across the surface of the pad, Shiv watched Keeve's eyebrows working across his forehead as he concentrated on his drawing. She was tempted to peek around the edge of the pad, but decided she'd wait for the surprise.

"Uh...huh." Keeve made a few final strokes with the stylus, examined the picture for a moment, then pulled it against his chest. "Do you wanna see it?"

"Of course I want to see it," Shiv said with a big grin.

"Ok...here's your picture!" With a leer and a crooked smile, Keeve turned the pad out towards Shiv and waited expectantly for her reaction. "It's you in the shower," he said. "Do you like it?"

Shiv stared at the picture for a long moment, then looked down at her chest, and back up to the picture. Her mouth slowly twisted into a wide grin and a giggle she'd been holding in slipped out. "It's great, Keeve," she said. "I think you have the makings of a wonderful artist in you. Do I get to keep it? I think it would be perfect hanging in my room."

"Can we hang it up in here instead? I really want everyone to see it."

"Of course we can," Shiv said with a smile. "Tomorrow we can get a frame for it. And, then we'll put it up, right over there. You can see it coming in the door, and then when you're sitting here. And, everyone will see it, and see how talented you are. That's a very good first start as an artist, Keeve." She leaned close and kissed his cheek. "You did really good."

"Thanks, Auntie Shiv." Keeve wrapped his arms around Shiv's neck and pressed his face to her bosom. "You're much better than my other aunties on Bespin. They were old and smelled funny." He looked up at her with a smile and said, "But you smell nice and you're much prettier."

Shiv slipped her arms around Keeve and gave him a hug. "Thank you," she said. "You're a very sweet boy, and I'm happy to be your nice smelling, pretty Auntie Shiv."

"And now I know why all those men want to have sex with you," he said while nestling his cheek against her breasts again. "You look very nice with no clothes on. Does Kaysa look just as nice?"

Shiv laughed. "You're a very incorrigible, precocious boy, Keeve Zenarr, and I definitely know that you're Kaysa's son. Thank you. Ask anyone around here, and you'll find that no clothes on is common for me. At least when there were just grown-ups around. And, Kaysa looks very nice. She's a very beautiful woman, and...very beautiful."

"You mean...just because I'm a kid, you're not gonna walk around naked anymore?" Keeve raised his head and wore a pout that could inspire pity in even the most cold-hearted individual. "It's not my fault I'm too young. But I like how you look. Why can't I watch you walk around naked?"

Shiv looked down into Keeve's large, brown eyes and smiled. "Okay," she said, and kissed his forehead again. "I won't make any changes to my habits. So, you may get to see me naked, you little pervert. You're just like your mother you know. And, I couldn't help loving her any more than I can help loving you."

"You do? You love me?" To celebrate his victory in convincing Shiv to resume her routine nude meanderings about the apartment, Keeve pressed his face between her breasts and snuggled. "Maybe I'll love Kaysa too when I meet her. But I think I'll love you more."

"You are an affectionate little guy tonight, aren't you," Shiv said with a giggle. "Well, I think when Kaysa sees you, she'll fall in love with you too. And, loving is a good thing, sweetie. And, now that we're friends, you're a very lovable little guy. Hey, what are you doing with your lips down there?"

"Nothing," Keeve said with a sigh. "I was just yawning." He gazed up at Shiv with a dreamy smile and face flushed red. "I think I'm tired, Auntie Shiv. Can we go to my room and lay together on my bed until I fall asleep?"

"Of course we can," Shiv said as she set the pad carefully to the side along with the styluses. "Come on, let's go get you washed up for bed and into your pajamas."

Keeve sat upright abruptly and with a large grin. "Okay! Can I have a bubblebath?" He hopped off the couch and grabbed Shiv's hand, pulling on it excitedly. "I haven't had one in so long, Auntie Shiv!"

Shiv paused for a moment, but then nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Bubble baths are always fun." She got up off the couch and let Keeve lead her along toward the bathroom. "I'll start the water, and you go get your pajamas out."

Keeve was gone in a flash and returned moments later with a pair of pajamas printed with reisacat kittens and teddy bears. He moved into the bathroom to set them upon the toilet cover, then began pulling off his clothes. "Are you going to take a shower now, Auntie Shiv? You can have a bath with me if you want to."

"I already took my shower, sweetie," Shiv said. "Thank you very much for the offer though. Maybe I'll have to take you up on that another time, but tonight, you're in the bathtub solo."

"Well...okay." Keeve slipped off the rest of his clothing and stood by Shiv's side with his hands on his hips while watching the sea of iridescent bubbles forming. "My mommy always washes me, you know. She says I don't know how to do it properly, so she cleans me by herself. Will you wash me, Auntie Shiv?"

Shiv looked over at Keeve, then quickly looked away. "Okay," she said. "I'll wash you this time, but you have to take notes so you can learn to wash yourself." She looked up into his eyes. "Deal?"

"Deal, Auntie Shiv." Giggling boisterously and with his little manly parts bouncing around, Keeve hopped into the cloud of suds and sent water upsurging onto Shiv. "I'm all ready to be cleaned, Auntie!"

Shiv couldn't help laughing as the water from the bath crashed down on her. "Okay," she said as she wiped some bubbles off her face. "Time for you to get nice and clean." She grabbed one of the cloths from the rack next to the tub and the soap. With slight trepidation, Shiv started cleaning Keeve up. It wasn't as easy as she'd hoped since he seemed to be bouncing around and jiggling, but she was managing.

"You know, you're nice, Auntie Shiv. Except when you spanked me. My rump still hurts from it, you know." Keeve pushed onto his knees and reared his bottom towards Shiv. "Is it all red and bruisey?"

"It is," Shiv said, running the cloth gently over his bottom. "I'm really sorry about that, Keeve. I hope I never have to do that again. I hated spanking you. If you're always a good boy, I'll never have to spank you again."

Keeve submerged his rear back into the foamy bathwater and shrugged. "I'll be good if I can. Sometimes it's fun to be bad though, especially when you want people to notice you." He smiled at Shiv and pointed into the water. "Don't forget to clean down there. It's especially important that that part stays clean."

"Very well," Shiv said with a grin. "We can't have that part getting all dirty." She reached down into the water with the cloth, and started cleaning Keeve's naughty bits. "You'll be the cleanest boy in New Plouton."

"All thanks to my Auntie Shiv," Keeve said with a grin. "If you want, I can help you clean yourself next time you have a bath. Just so I can practice and get good enough to clean myself."

"My parts are different than your parts," Shiv said with a giggle. "You'd be learning to clean the wrong parts. If you want though, we can do your bath every night, and then you'll get much better at cleaning yourself."

Keeve's smile was at once filled with innocence and a hint of sly mischief as he replied, "I think I like that idea very much, Auntie Shiv."

"I thought you might, you little devil," Shiv said with a grin. "You're definitely going to be the cleanest kid on the planet. And, the fastest on his new hoverboard."

"I bet I could beat all those speeders out there too! You really are the best auntie ever, Shiv." Keeve stood up abruptly, letting downy bubbles mingled with water cascade down his thin body. "I'm ready to be dried now, Auntie."

Shiv grabbed a large, fluffy towel from the rack and slung it over her shoulder. She reached in and lifted Keeve into the air and set him on the large mat next to the tub. She wrapped the towel around Keeve, and started drying him off. "We'll see how fast you are tomorrow," she said with a grin. "I bet you're much faster than me. I'll have to get an extra fast hoverboard just to keep up with you. Those hoverskates look fun too. Maybe we can get you a pair for your birthday."

"And you too so we can skate together!" Keeve raised his arms and slowly turned so Shiv could get every part completely dry. "When you go to work, who will take care of me, Auntie Shiv? That lout Merrick?"

"I think I'm gonna be the one taking care of you all the time," Shiv said as she scrubbed at him with the towel. "I work here, so I don't have to go anywhere. And, Merrick's not a lout. He's a very nice, loveable man. He's just not as good with kids. Don't worry, sweetie, you'll be with your Auntie Shiv."

"Good. I don't want to die, after all." Keeve grinned then wrapped his arms around Shiv's neck. "Auntie Shiv, will you tuck me in tonight and read me a story...just until I fall asleep?"

Shiv grinned and returned his hug. "Of course, I will," she said. "What story do you want me to read you?" She reached over and grabbed his pajamas, and nearly giggled with the cuteness of them.

"I dunno," Keeve replied with a sigh. He lifted each foot and placed them into his pajama pants. "Do you know any stories? Maybe you could tell me some stories about Kaysa or Zale, or Merrick the moron." He giggled and pulled up his pants.

Shiv grinned, the reason for Keeve's insults becoming clear. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I'll figure out a story to tell you," she said. She didn't know if she could really tell him any stories of any of them, because they all turned out naughty in the end. And, then she remembered on she could tell if she cut out the naughty parts. "I think I know a good one, and it's pretty funny too. It's about me, Kaysa, and Zale and..." She looked around and then leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially, "Equadis."

Keeve's mouth gaped and his eyes went as wide as the Tae'Karadan moon. "You mean...those dresses the women wear? Is it a naughty story? I don't think my mother would want me to listen to one of those."

Shiv giggled. "It's not naughty," she said. "We were wearing the equadis, but it's more about the adventure we had than what we were wearing."

"Well..." Keeve smiled and nodded his head rigorously. "Okay!" He slipped on his shirt with Shiv's help, then placed his hand into hers. "If I'm good will you tell me two?"

"Of course," Shiv said with a grin as she led Keeve back toward his bedroom. "I'll have to think of a different story, but I think I can come up with one for you." They entered his room. "Up you go."

Keeve hopped up onto the bed and kicked back the sheets. "You can come underneath with me, Auntie Shiv. It'll be much warmer."

Shiv hopped up onto the bed with Keeve and slid under the covers. "Now get settled," she said with a smile, "and I'll tell you a story."

Obligingly, and enthusiastically, Keeve wriggled closer to Shiv and reclined with his head upon her bosom. "You're nice and soft, Auntie Shiv. I like resting against you."

Shiv slipped an arm around Keeve and grinned. "Woman are definitely softer there," she said with a giggle. "They're made that way, silly boy." She settled herself further into the bed and rested her head back. "Once upon a time, there were two beautiful young women, and they had lost a bet with a big, strong man with long, braided hair and dark, glittering eyes. He had a reputation for being mean, and wicked, and foul, and...all sorts of other nasty and naughty things. And, this mean man -- his name was Zale by the way -- he told the two women, Maeren and Kaysa, that they would be his slaves for a week, and that they would wear the traditional Tae'Karadan attire: the equadi." She grinned and held back a giggle. "Now Kaysa and Maeren, they had mischievous streaks in them, so one day when Zale marched them through the city, barefoot and wearing only their equadis, they decided to have some fun. So, you know what they did?"

Keeve frowned pensively, then shook his head. "Did they put some clothing on?"

Shiv giggled. "No," she said. "They decided to have some fun with Zale. So, they ran! But, they went in different directions so he'd have to choose who to chase. But, he chose Kaysa, and he raced after her. And, they ran through the city, knocking over vendor carts and pushing through people. It seemed like they were running forever. But, then Kaysa turned into an alley, and it was blocked. She couldn't escape, and Zale advanced on her. And, just as he was about to haul her off, Maeren came racing back and knocked him down. They were a tangle of arms and legs on the ground, and Kaysa ran away to safety since Maeren had sacrificed herself so Kaysa could get away."

"Wow! You're a hero, Maeren!" Keeve reached up and kissed Shiv clumsily upon the lips. "You saved Kaysa. And you ran, just like I did today in the hospital, knocking down old people and stupid nurses." Keeve giggled and buried his head into Shiv's chest again. "You saved her from Zale... What about the bad man who stabbed her? You couldn't save her from him?"

Shiv sighed and held Keeve close. "I wasn't there with her," she said sadly. "I would have though. He's a very bad man, and...he kidnapped me for...for awhile. Kaysa was wonderful. She tricked him into letting me go, but then he came after us again. He's a terrible, terrible man, Keeve. He had a laser sword, and he hurt Zale too. But, we're gonna get him back. When Kaysa's better, we're all gonna get him and make him pay."

"But you have to be careful, Auntie Shiv. You can't get hurt. If you do, who will tell me bedtime stories and buy me nice things?"

Shiv grinned and hugged him close. "I'll have to make sure I stay safe so you have a bedtime story teller and someone to ride your hoverboard with." She gave him a kiss. "I'll stay safe for you, sweetie."

"Thank you, Auntie Shiv." He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. With a large smile, he pulled himself onto Shiv's lap and curled up against her. "Sing me that song you were singing in the shower. Sing me to sleep."

"That's one of my favourite songs," Shiv whispered. Once Keeve was settled, she started singing 'Whispers After Midnight' for him. She could feel him drifting off to sleep as she sang, his body relaxing and melding against hers. She couldn't help thinking what a cute, wonderful little boy he was beneath his mischievousness.

Keeve wrapped his arms around Shiv's waist and smiled serenely. He placed a light kiss upon her bosom, then let himself fall asleep in his new girlfriend's arms.

Shiv stayed there with Keeve curled up against her for what seemed like an hour. She almost laughed at one point when, in his sleep, he started making little slurping noises against her breast. She kissed the top of his head, careful not to wake him, and then closed her eyes. Almost immediately though, the sound of the door opening reached her.

As carefully as she could, she slipped out of Keeve's bed, and placed another kiss on his cheek, then made her way out of his bedroom. Once his door was closed, she turned to hurry to meet Merrick. As she did, she noticed the large wet spot on the front of her shirt. She giggled, and rushed out to find Merrick starting down the hall toward her.

"Where is he?"

"Sleeping like a little darling," she said. "He was a very good boy tonight. It was actually really fun."

Merrick smiled and took Shiv into his arms. "That's very good. I'm glad you're bonding with him. I don't think he likes me."

Shiv grinned. "Well, he hardly knows you."

"And, I'm interfering with that instant crush he formed on you."

Shiv felt herself blushing. "No. He's just a little boy."

"Who's smitten. You're really going to have to watch out when he gets older. You're definitely going to have his eye."

"I'm sure there will be other pretty little girls for him."

"But, none to compare with Auntie Shiv."

Shiv giggled. "He's really cute. And, you should see the picture he drew of me."

She led Merrick back to the table where Keeve's drawing waited for him. When Merrick saw it, he laughed. "Very well endowed, my love."

"I know!" She cupped her breasts as if checking their size. "He's a funny little boy, and we're gonna go out shopping tomorrow. I have to get a hoverboard so we can ride them together."

"I always knew you'd be good with children," Merrick said as he took Shiv into his arms and kissed her. "I didn't realize how good."

"I'm not having any of my own for a long time though, so I've got to hone my mothering instincts with him. Though, it's more like just having a friend. When he's not setting the apartment on fire, he's a really neat guy."

"Well, I'm a really neat guy," Merrick said, "and I want to set things on fire in a different way."

Shiv gave him a sly grin. "Oh, I love it when you get all metaphorical," she said as she kissed him. "I think our bed is calling, my love."

"I think it is too," Merrick said with a wide grin. With that, he lifted Shiv into his arms and carried her in to the bedroom.

***

Keeve sighed and pressed his face into the soft, full suppleness of his Auntie Shiv's breasts. He clutched at her and pulled her closer, cooing and puckering his lips against her bosom. "Auntie Shiv," he sighed. "Sing another one." He waited with a grin...and waited. "Auntie Shiv?" Keeve opened his eyes, rubbing away the sleep from them as he sat up in bed. He blinked to focus his vision, then looked down at what should have been the prone form of Shiv beside him. A frown pulled down his lips and he batted the drool-dampened pillow he'd been cradling off the bed.

He looked around the darkened room then watched the doorway, waiting and expecting her to walk through it at any moment and back into his arms. After a minute of impatient waiting, Keeve hopped of the bed and marched out of his room. If Shiv wasn't going to come to him, he was going to go to her.

The rest of the apartment was dark, and the only sound Keeve could hear was an occasional whimpering cry. It wasn't a sad cry, but a very happy one. They were coming from behind one of the closed doors at the end of the hallway. As he got closer, it was apparent that the door wasn't completely closed, and the cries were coming from inside.

Through the crack in the doorway, Shiv could be seen, her bare back glistening in the moonlight streaming through the open window. She was swaying rhythmically on the bed, and the cries were hers.

"There you are," Keeve muttered sourly. He pushed open the door the rest of the way and moved silently, yet briskly into the room. Shiv was breathing heavily and Keeve thought it strange that she was exercising this late at night. As he approached the bed, he realized Shiv was exercising on top of Merrick the moron. Keeve's annoyance grew. Shiv - his Auntie, and his girlfriend - left him to play with Merrick.

He stopped at the side of the bed, watching them, but mostly Shiv as her nude body slid against Merrick's. Her breasts bounced, just the way he liked, and as he stared at them, he found his anger quelling...but not completely, for he wanted to be the one to exercise with Shiv, not Merrick.

"Oh gods," Shiv cried out, her eyes closed tight against the sensations Merrick was causing in her. She opened her eyes and looked down at him, a large smile forming on her face as she continued their rhythm. "Oh Merrick, I want to-- Oh gods, Keeve!" Shiv quickly bolted off Merrick and scrambled for the discarded sheets.

Merrick scrambled to cover himself in front of the eyes of the little voyeur, but could find nothing but his hands. Finally, Shiv came to his rescue and threw the sheet over his rather conspicuous erection. She looked up at Keeve standing there watching them. "Keeve, sweetie, couldn't you sleep? Is everything alright?"

Keeve glared at Merrick and slowly crossed his arms over his chest. "When did you get back, Moronic Merrick?" He sighed and looked up at Shiv. "I wanted you to sing me a song and you weren't there, Auntie Shiv."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Shiv said as she crawled closer to Keeve. "Merrick got home, and since you were asleep, I was spending some time with him. Did you want me to come back in and sing you another song?"

"But...I want you to sleep with me. My bed isn't comfortable unless you're in it, Auntie." Keeve turned his gaze back to Merrick, which burned, as he said, "My mommy said you shouldn't bounce on the bed like that. She said beds aren't for playing on, they're for sleeping." His smile returned as he looked upon Shiv again. "So, will you sleep with me, Shiv? Please?"

Shiv smiled and looked down at Merrick, who nodded. "Go ahead," he said. "I'll be alright in here."

"Okay," Shiv said as she leaned down and gave him a kiss. "We'll find time together later," she whispered. "And, I'll make it up to you in a big way."

Merrick grinned and ran a hand along Shiv's bare thigh. "You bet you will," he said.

Shiv slipped off the bed and grabbed her robe. "Come on, Keeve," she said. "Let's go get some sleep."

Keeve's face lit up with a grin and he immediately rushed to Shiv's side. "Oh, thank you, Auntie Shiv. You really are my favourite." He wrapped his arms around Shiv's waist, making certain at least one hand was firmly planted upon her rear. He looked back at Merrick as they walked and stuck out his tongue at him. "Goodnight, Moronic Merrick. And no more jumping on the bed."

"Bye, kid," Merrick said with a grimace. "Watch out for nightmares."

Shiv blew Merrick a kiss as she and Keeve slipped out of the room and headed toward Keeve's bedroom. "Do you want me to sing you a different song, Keeve? Or the same one?"

"I'm not so tired anymore, Auntie Shiv. Can we play a game? Maybe we can play that game you and Moronic Merrick were playing."

Shiv giggled. "That's a grown up game, Keeve," she said, "but I'm sure we can find something to do. What kinds of games do you like? I think we'll have to get some fun games at the stores tomorrow."

"Fine," Keeve pouted. "Everything's too grown up for me." His mood suddenly brightened and he leapt in front of Shiv, hopping up and down. "I know! Can I ride my hoverboard in the house?"

Shiv grinned. "I don't think Kaysa would like that," she said. "But we can go outside and you can ride it around. There's no one out there so you can go really fast and we don't have to worry about speeders. You can go really fast and make lots of noise." She grinned again and decided to play to his mischievous nature. "I'm sure you'll probably end up waking up lots of people, but they'll understand since you're such a sweet little boy."

"I am!" Keeve threw himself at Shiv and squeezed her waist tightly. "You're so much fun, Auntie Shiv!" With a whooping cry he sped away into the living area to retrieve his hoverboard. "Just don't invite Moronic Merrick to come with us!" he shouted back.

Shiv laughed and shook her head as she followed him out, pulling the short robe tight as she did. When she caught up to him, he was pulling the hoverboard out of its case, and she kissed the top of his head. "Before you start all the shouting, wait till we're down on the street. And, then you can be my sweet little wild child."

"Anything you say, Auntie Shiv," he replied with a wink. With his board under his arm, Keeve giggled and ran towards the door. "Come on, Auntie! Let's go play!"

With a big grin, Shiv followed after the boy. Once she was outside, she pulled her flimsy robe even tighter against her body. Keeve was already hopping onto his hoverboard, strapping on his helmet and getting ready to wake up the neighbourhood. He waved to her, and she waved back. "Tomorrow we can go out to the park."

"My mother said I don't play well with others, but if you're there, I promise to be good, Auntie Shiv." Keeve straightened his helmet out and reached down to activate the thrusters. "You're gonna watch me, right?"

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Shiv said as she moved to sit on one of the steps. "Maybe we can learn some tricks. I bet Kaysa would kill us, but that's what being young is all about!"

Keeve laughed and waved again at Shiv as his foot depressed the thruster control and the hoverboard started forward. "I won't go far!" he shouted.

"You better not," Shiv called. "Then I won't be able to watch you." She giggled as he sped off down the street. She wished she had a pad and stylus so she could draw sketches of Keeve in action. Next time they did this, she'd have to be prepared. She cheered him on as he circled around a car, and continued on. If people woke up, they could just go back to sleep.

Keeve hollered and cheered as he weaved his way around poles and trash receptacles, narrowly missing collisions with parked hovercars and other obstacles. He depressed further the accelerator and rocketed down the street with the wind whipping at his face and whistling in his ears. "Look at me, Shiv! Woo hoo! I'm flying!"

"You are," Shiv cried, laughing at the pure joy she could see emanating from him. "Don't go too far! You're doing great!"

Keeve's laughter faded as he moved deeper down the street and into the darkness. The street seemed full of shadows that night, and lurking within was a shifting form silhouetted upon the illuminated pavement of the walkway. It detached itself from the rest of the shadows and receded in length until it resolved into an upright, hulking figure casting a chilling darkness upon Shiv. "That's some toy he's got there," the gritty, coarse voice commented from behind. "I gotta get me one of those."

Despite the fact that she wasn't really cold, Maeren Shivral shivered. The sudden voice caught her unaware, but she tried to not jump too far. "I didn't realize anyone else was out here," she said. "I hope we're not keeping you up. He just got to the planet today, and he can't sleep." She turned back and looked at her new companion, and shrank back in fear. The man's face! His body! Images of Vrax and his minions flashed through her mind. Shiv let out a sob, as the memories seemed to coalesce and force all other thoughts away, and for a second she felt she was back in the middle of one of those mass orgies during her capture with Dargus Kandran. "Oh gods. Get away. Get out of here. I'll-- You'll be so dead if you take another step closer. They won't know which piece goes where when they try to put you back together!"

The man raised his rough, scarred hands into the air in a show of good intent, but he still took a step closer at any rate. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanted to talk." His scruffy cheeks dimpled as he smiled, but his eyes remained expressionless and devoid of anything but insidious premeditation. "You shouldn't be out here all alone, girly. It's a good thing I was watching you or you could'a gotten hurt. There are some really sick people roaming the streets nowadays." As if sensing a scream rising from her throat, the man stopped. His eyes moved deliberately up and down Shiv's trembling body until he laughed and began moving forward again. "That's a nice robe you got on. That's a nice body you got underneath there too. More reason for you to have someone watching out for ya. You should thank Kandran for hiring me."

Shiv crossed her arms over her chest and took another step back. "Just leave me alone," Shiv stammered. "I'm just out here with my nephew. Please go away. Kaysa's in a coma because of your stupid boss. Please, just go away and leave us alone. I'll talk to Kaysa about the stupid spaceport when she's better. Please...please just leave me alone."

"But...don't you even wanna hear the message I got for ya?" The man's body became suddenly motionless, his breathing barely noticeable and his eyes seeming deadened...until one hand sprang out and clasped Shiv's arm. Her cry lasted but a moment before she was thrust towards him and his other hand clamped over her mouth. "He's real sad you had to go, you know," he whispered into her ear. Feeling her body trembling against his hardened him up like nothing else could. His now free hand slipped inside of her robe and groped roughly at her breast. "Remember this? Huh? You used to like when I touched you like this. You can't tell me you still don't."

Shiv screamed against his hand, but it only came out as a muffled sob. She tried to pull away, but he was far too strong; and the way he'd pulled her up, she was only touching the ground on her tiptoes which left her with no leverage and completely at his mercy. She tried to bite down on his hand, but realized he must have done this often because he'd managed to grab her in a way where she couldn't bite anything. Tears flowed from her eyes as he groped and prodded her. She could feel his erection pressed against her back, but he only pulled her harder against him.

"Shh...sunshine. It's okay. I only came to bring you a message. Dargus, as well as me and the boys were really sad to see you go. Why'd you leave us, sunshine? You were always so good to us...so willing." He moved his hand from her torso to her hips. It slid easily along the silky fabric of the robe and when he pushed the flimsy material open and slipped his hand between her legs, the flinch it elicited made his groin throb. "He still owns you, you know. He wants you to remember that always. He doesn't give a shit about the spaceport as much as making sure you never forget that he owns you and will own you forever." He pressed his lips to the scar upon her neck and emitted a grating laugh. "That'll always be there. Consider it a reminder that he's not through with you yet. He's not through with any of you."

The man began backing away with Shiv still in his arms, the shadows starting to consume them both. "One more go for old time's sake. Whaddya say, sunshine?"

"Please gods no," Shiv murmured, her body listless and seemingly unwilling to try to pull away from him. She knew she couldn't get away either, not with how strong he was. She could barely move; and with the way he held her, her feet barely touched the ground. As if trained to perform, her body reacted to his touch against her will. Inside, she screamed at herself to stop, to go cold and dead to him. But his fingers were expert, and the memories too powerful.

"That's better, girly," the man said, his voice thick with lust. "You're warmin' up to me, just like the trained slut you are." Once concealed completely by shadows, Dargus' henchman flattened Shiv against the wall while his body weighed her down from behind. He kept his hand firmly around her mouth and, as if specially trained for situations such as these, deftly used his other hand to unfasten his pants, then pull up Shiv's robe. "You're not bleedin' yet, are ya? If ya are, I'm gonna hafta pull out. See," he said with a grunt as he finally pushed his pants down over his hips, "Dargus wants to fill you up himself. He's looking to start a family, ya know. You could have the privilege of givin' him a pretty little girl that looks just like you. Wouldn't that be quite the honour?"

Shiv sobbed and murmured something incoherent. Then finally, she nodded slowly as tears streamed from her eyes. She closed them tight as she felt him pull open the robe that was mostly open already.

The man's body shook with laughter at Shiv's surrender and he buried his face into her soft, golden hair. "Still smell good, sunshine. You always did," he whispered. He gripped his erect shaft and pressed it to Shiv's opening. "Now...smile for me, Sunshine," he said before he jerked his hips forward and plunged himself into her. His strokes were fast and rough, but what got him really excited was that she seemed to be responding to him, swaying her hips in motion with his. He let his hand fall away from her mouth and reached around to fondle her breasts. With his nose buried into her hair, he inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. "You always were such a good girl. All the boys said you were their favourite."

Shiv cried out, and pushed back against him as he continued to drive himself deeper inside her. She thrust her chest forward into his hands, giving herself over to the carnal act like she'd been trained to do. Her cries grew more intense with each of his thrusts, nearly animalistic, yet always submissive to his needs, just as she'd been taught. A part of her wanted to scream, to run, to fight, to do anything but help this man find pleasure...but her body would only submit to his desires. And, as their act continued, she found herself being drawn more into it.

"Such a good girl," he grunted. "Still got a beautiful cry too." The man kissed her silky hair then groaned as she jerked back against him again. Now he knew why Dargus was so intent upon retrieving his slave. Even without the collar, she was still a willing participant, so he continued giving her what she wanted and in a matter of moments, he would give her a reward.

---

"Keeve Zenarr, Valiant Protector, Part 2"
By: Maeren "Shiv" Shivral
Zale Tregat
Keeve Zenarr [NPC]
Bad Man [NPC]

Location: Merrick and Shiv's apartment - Yesdol, New Plouton; Yesdol Central Medical Centre - Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

"Whee!" Keeve veered around the corner of one of the tall buildings at the end of the street and released the accelerator to prepare for a wide turn around. Shiv couldn't see him from this far away and he more than anything wanted to impress his new girlfriend. He brought himself and the hoverboard around and accelerated again, rounding the building again and starting back up the street.

He laughed and cheered as his foot depressed the accelerator and rocketed him back down the street. He wasn't quite experienced enough on the hoverboard to do any spectacular tricks, but with what he could do, he intended upon amazing Shiv. The hoverboard swerved and wove through the streets with as much control as he could muster.

He looked out into the distance to wave to Shiv, but she wasn't where she was supposed to be, watching him. For a moment, he thought Merrick the moron had stolen her again and made her exercise with him. He grumbled under his breath and slowed the hoverboard. "Auntie Shiv! You were supposed to watch!" The board halted once again and he hovered in the centre of the street, scanning the dark walkway. "Auntie Shiv? Why aren't you watching? Where are you?"

Shiv's eyes were closed tight as her tormentor continued to thrust himself inside her. She knew by his motions that he was getting close. She hastened her own movements, continuing to push back against him. She cried out again, and in the middle of that the small voice in the distance reached her. Keeve! She opened her eyes as the thug started pumping himself even harder into her, pushing her against the wall. "Keeve!" she screamed. "Oh gods, Keeve! Get help! Please, Keeve!" The tears started instantly, and she struggled to get the brute out of her, but against the wall she had nowhere to go. "Keeve!"

"Shut up!" The man grabbed a handful of Shiv's hair and dashed her head once against the wall. "Who the fuck are you talking to? Huh?" Before she could reply, he pulled out and decided to finish her off on the ground. He grabbed her by the throat and tossed her prostrate onto the walkway. He followed quickly after and flattened himself atop her. "Scream again and you're dead! I don't care what Kandran says!"

Shiv whimpered as he pushed himself back inside of her, all his weight holding her to the ground. She closed her mouth, and kept silent as he commanded, hoping that Keeve had heard her and went for help. He was rougher now, pushing harder and harder inside her as they both lay on the ground. Her sobs were muffled against the ground, and she had no chance of getting away with him bearing down on her as he was. She would stay quiet for him, obedient as she should be.

"Auntie Shiv! Where are you?" Keeve lightly pressed the accelerator with his foot and scanned the walkway. He squinted to catch a glimpse into the shadows and the farther he went, the more distinct became the sounds of silent weeping and heavy grunting. He let the noises guide him, and they grew only louder as he did.

By the light of one of the overhead lampposts, Keeve caught a glimpse of a lock of golden blonde hair escaping from the shadows. As he drew closer, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw what he hadn't expected to see. His Auntie Shiv was lying upon the walkway, but atop her was a shadowy figure bobbing up and down. He squinted his eyes and frowned in concentration as he attempted to make out clearly the scene before him. "Auntie Shiv? What are you doing over there?"

Shiv reached out a hand toward where Keeve's voice had come from. She sobbed and cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure. Her body no longer rebelled as it had, but it still revelled in the carnality of what was happening to her. It was as it was supposed to be since she was a slave. No, she screamed at herself. Not like this. Never like this. "Keeve," she cried out in a mix of moan, and pleasure-soaked cry.

"Shut up!" the man hissed, and he brought a hand down across the back of her head.

Keeve could hear the crack from the blow even above the hum of the repulsors. It was then, that he knew his Auntie Shiv was in trouble. Biting down on his bottom lip as he focused intently upon the shadow, he brought his hoverboard into position and halted once more. His eyes narrowed to slits and his hands clenched into fists. No one hurt his girlfriend, and no one exercised with her other than him. With a reverberant, deep throated cry, Keeve slammed his foot down upon the accelerator and sent himself and the hoverboard hurtling forward.

From the shadows, the man looked up and saw the source of the distraction. It was in the form of a young boy speeding towards him on a floating board. He was torn between pulling out of Shiv before he could reach climax, or getting out of the way before the stupid boy collided with him.

Keeve made his decision for him.

"Get away from my Auntie Shiv!" Keeve released the accelerator, and using the forward momentum provided him by the speed of his approach, he launched himself towards the massive shadow. The hoverboard skittered off on a tangent and collided with the side of the apartment complex. It crumpled against the impact and spouted a shower of sparks and smoking fire before it clattered to the ground.

He dove through the air, still crying out until his arms came around the figure. Both the man and the boy grunted as their bodies became one giant mass, tackled to the ground by the force of a small boy intent upon rescuing his girlfriend. The man cursed, which was followed by a heavy thud as both his body and his head smashed against the ferrocrete. Keeve rolled off the man, who now lay listless upon the floor with blood circling his head. He cried out as his body tumbled along the ferrocrete and finally came to a halt in a tangle of limbs.

It took a moment for Shiv to come around. There was confusion, and then the sudden realization that the punishment had ended. She sat up slowly, a spear of pain going through her head. Biting back a sob, she rolled over and looked around. The man lay in a heap, one arm twisted unnaturally and his pants down around his knees. The sight nearly made her gag. And, then she saw Keeve a little farther beyond. She pushed herself to her feet, and staggered to her little saviour. She pulled her robe around her and quickly crouched next to him, almost afraid to touch. "Keeve," she whispered urgently. "Keeve, sweetie, please be okay." Unable to hold back, she quickly gathered him into her arms. "Oh gods, Keeve, you were wonderful. Oh you saved me, you beautiful little wonder. Oh please be okay, sweetie!"

"Owie," Keeve groaned groggily, but upon seeing Shiv, he smiled. A wince soon ensued and he clutched at his right arm with a whimper. "Auntie Shiv? Did the bad man hurt you? I got him good. Did ya see?"

"I saw," Shiv said with a wan smile and kissed his cheeks. "Oh you were so good and wonderful. He-- he didn't-- I'll be alright sweetie. That man was doing a bad thing to me, but...but I'll be alright. Oh, your arm. It's not--" She quickly took his arm to examine it. "We'd better get you to see a doctor, Keeve. We need to make sure it's okay. Come on, Keeve, sweetie, let's go back to the hospital... And, I should talk to Zale about that man."

Keeve nodded his head and sulked as Shiv helped him to his feet. "I didn't know where you were...and then I heard stuff and then I saw him..." He whimpered and buried his face into Shiv's hip as pain forked through his arm, and now his ankle. "Is he dead?" he asked as he saw the lifeless form before them. "I didn't...did I?"

"Let's just go, little hero," Shiv said as she kissed him again. "We need to get to the hospital. We have to get your arm looked at, and maybe that ankle too. Come on, sweetie, let's just go. I'll call Merrick from the hospital to let him know where we are. Can you walk?"

"I think-- Oh no!" Keeve spotted the remains of his blue hoverboard burning furiously on the walkway. He wrapped his arms around Shiv and sobbed. "Can you carry me, Auntie Shiv? I'm too sad to walk."

"Of course I can," Shiv said and held her arms open for him. As he wrapped his arms around her neck, she wrapped hers around his back. She stood up and started forward as he encircled his legs around her. "Oh, you're a heavy little monster, aren't you? But, it's fine. When we get there, the doctors will make you all better, and then I'll cheer you up. And, tomorrow, we'll both get hoverboards to ride."

"The doctors have to make you better too, Auntie. You have cuts everywhere on your face." Keeve rested his face upon Shiv's shoulders and watched as the darkness closed around the man on the floor. "What did he want, Auntie? Why was he hurting you?"

"He works for the bad man that hurt your mommy, Kaysa," Shiv said. "He-- he wants the Spaceport Kaysa and Zale have, and he tried to use me to get that. But, they tricked him, and now he's trying harder to get it. That man was just telling me to pass on a message. That last part...that was really bad, Keeve. He-- that was sex...what he was doing. With someone you love, it's a very beautiful, wonderful thing. But, I didn't want to with him. He was hurting me, having sex with me...because he...because when Dargus had me, he made me pleasure his men...and that was one of them. He was...was trying to make me remember. Oh gods, Keeve, you saved me from him. Thank you so much, sweetie. I love you so much, sweet little Keeve. You saved Auntie Shiv from that bad man. I didn't want to have sex with him, but he forced me...made me do it."

"It's okay, Auntie Shiv," Keeve said as his tiny hand began stroking her golden hair. "No one will do that to you again. I'll protect you. I won't leave you alone for a second, that way no one will ever be able to hurt you again. That's what I'll do."

"Thank you, sweetie," Shiv said softly and gave him a kiss. "You're the best nephew ever, even though we're not related...but still...you're the best, Keeve. My saviour." She grinned and hugged him tighter to herself.

"A superhero," Keeve replied with a whimsical smile. "Just like that picture you drew. I'll always be that for you, Auntie Shiv. I have to keep the bad men away from you so you're happy. Just like a superhero..."

"My superhero," Shiv said. Zale was gonna kill them when they showed up, Keeve in his pajamas, and her in a flimsy little robe. But, he'd understand when they explained. He'd be proud of Keeve when he knew that Keeve had saved her, and that they were best friends now. "Hopefully they won't keep us there overnight, and then we can go home, bathe again, and then go to sleep for real."

Keeve nodded his head, then asked, "Can I have a bath with you this time, Auntie Shiv?"

Shiv laughed. "Alright, but only if you're good at the hospital," she said. "It'll be quicker that way, and then we can both be clean at the same time without wasting too much water. And, it'll be fun. And, it's been forever since I had a bubblebath."

"Then we'll have one together!" Keeve laughed, then groaned and pulled tighter against Shiv as his head began throbbing. "Owie again."

"Oh, my poor sweet little boy," Shiv said. "Just rest against me, we'll be there soon. You were very brave tonight, Keeve. Zale and Kaysa will be so proud of you." She kissed him again. "I'm so proud of you."

"Really?" Keeve raised his head and faced Shiv with a sly grin. "Can I have another kiss? On the lips this time?"

"Oh you," Shiv said with a laugh. "Very well." With that, she gave him the kiss he asked for.

Keeve's face melted with dreamy elation and a smile consumed his visage. With a sigh, his head fell upon Shiv's shoulder and he closed his eyes, remembering the first real kiss from his girlfriend, dreaming of speederbikes and a streaming red cape, and Keeve Zenarr, superhero, sweeping in to save the day.

***

Shiv finally managed to get them both to the hospital. She gave a brief description of what had happened, leaving out details that would only involve hours of questioning.

"Go ahead and take him over there," the nurse behind the front desk said. "We'll have a look at him in just a few minutes."

"Thanks," Shiv said with a forced smile, and then moved over to sit with Keeve. "They'll get you all fixed up soon, Keeve. And, then we can say hi to Zale and Kaysa, then we can go home for some sleep."

Keeve nodded and he rested his head against Shiv's arm. "I'm not tired, Auntie Shiv. Besides, I have to stay awake and protect you, don't I?"

"We'll be safe in the apartment," Shiv said with a smile as she gave him another kiss. "So, you don't have to stay awake if you want to sleep. And, we'll be right there together, so it'll be alright."

Keeve's head popped up and he looked with wide-eyed excitement at Shiv. "You mean...you're going to sleep in my bed with me? Forever? Yay, Auntie Shiv!" Keeve wrapped his arms around Shiv's neck and nuzzled his face into her neck. "You really are my favourite Auntie."

Shiv giggled. "Maybe not always and forever," Shiv said with a grin. "But, probably most of the time. How's that sound?"

Keeve sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Well...I guess that's alright. As long it's sometimes." He groaned gently as the pain in his arm flared again and his scraped knees began throbbing. "This place is stupid," he said as he sat up. "I'm glad I destroyed it when I first showed up."

"Keeve Zenarr," a woman's voice from across the room said. "This way please."

Keeve looked up at the woman, then back to Shiv. "I...I have to go with her alone? But I can't leave you, Auntie Shiv. Can't you come with me?"

"Of course, I can," Shiv said struggling to stand up. She finally managed, and with Keeve still in her arms, she passed by the woman and into the room to which they were directed.

"If Keeve could lie down on the table there," the woman said. "Just the arm and the ankle?"

"His head hurts too," Shiv answered.

The woman moved in and quickly started examining his limbs. "Are you his mother?" She looked at Shiv and then shook her head. "Where is the boy's mother?"

"Room 741."

The woman's eyes went wide.

"I'm taking care of him until Kaysa recovers. We couldn't sleep, so he was trying out his new hoverboard. He lost control and ran into a parked speeder."

"Poor dear," the woman said. "You'll have to be more careful at night, young man. And, it's a good thing you had on that helmet."

"Auntie Shiv made me wear one-- Owie!" Keeve glowered at the woman, but gripping Shiv's hand helped to dissipate the pain. "Auntie Shiv takes good care of me," he said, recovering quickly from his discomfort. "She bathes me and sings me to sleep. She let me draw pictures too. I drew one of her and she said she liked it. It was of her in the shower. Moronic Merrick liked it too. Auntie Shiv, maybe I could draw a picture of you and Merrick when you were exercising together in bed tonight. Wouldn't you like that?"

The nurse slowly shifted her gaze to Shiv. "In bed? You let this child observe you while you were having sex? What kind of example are you setting for him? Mrs. Zenarr made a poor choice assigning you to watch her child for her. And, you walking around in that skimpy outfit. And...in the shower? Young lady, you should be ashamed of yourself!"

Shiv covered her face in her hands, her embarrassment threatening to overwhelm her. "It's not like that," she said through her hands. "I didn't mean for him to see us having sex. He came into the room and we were there, alright? If you're so intent on raising a child right, have one of your own and leave mine alone!"

"Auntie Shiv is the best auntie ever!" Keeve hollered at the fuming woman. "She carried me to the hospital all by herself and bought me a hoverboard and gave me a frazzie. She's a good Auntie and you're just a fat, old crony!"

The woman took a deep breath and let it out. "But it isn't appropriate for you to be watching her having sex, Keeve. Or seeing her naked. You don't want her setting a bad example that could hinder your development into an upstanding member of our society. She shouldn't be letting you see her in the shower, and you definitely shouldn't be seeing her while she's having sex with a man!"

"Look," Shiv said, dropping her hands into her lap. "We stopped as soon as we knew he was there, and with half the population wandering around in equadis, what does it matter? And, it's not like I'm having sex with him, so stop complaining!"

Keeve's lips curled back into a sneer and he eyed the nurse with a menacing glare. She was making Auntie Shiv upset and he had promised to protect her from people like the nurse. He followed the nurse's hand as it flew through the air, pointing at Shiv and making angry gestures. With a low, mischievous laugh, Keeve sat up and reached out both hands, causing a spike of pain in his injured arm, and grabbed the nurse's hand. Before she could react, he brought her arm to his lips and clamped down on the plump flesh.

The nurse let out a screech of pain and flailed at the monster clinging to her arm. "Oh you wretched, carnivorous beast," she shrieked. "Let go! Let me go! Help!"

Shiv leapt up and tried to get Keeve to let the woman go. She tried gentle words in his ear and kisses. "Please, Keeve. They have to help make you better. Please...please stop. Let them help you, then we can go home. Please, sweetie."

Shiv's voice soothed his rebellious spirit, but before he released the woman's arm, he dug his teeth in especially deep to give her reason to think twice before upsetting Shiv again. Keeve finally opened his mouth and let go of the nurse's arm. "That's for making Auntie Shiv unhappy!"

The woman glared at both Keeve and Shiv, sniffed, and then turned toward the door cradling the wound the insolent brat had given her. "The doctor will be with you shortly," she snapped, and then stormed out of the room.

Shiv grinned and wrapped Keeve in a hug. "Oh, my brave little superhero," she said as she kissed him. "You taught her, my little darling."

"I would have taught her better if you'd let me." Keeve slipped his arms around Shiv's waist and nestled his head against her bosom. "You're feeling better, aren't you, Auntie Shiv? Not so sad anymore?"

"I think you taught her well enough," Shiv said with a grin. "You were wonderful, my dear. And, I'm not so sad anymore...thanks to you."

Keeve looked up at Shiv, past her breasts, although the peripheral sight of them made him grin. "And I'll always bite people for you whenever you want. I can go bite her in the leg too if you want me to."

"It's alright," Shiv said with a grin. "They'd probably kick us out of here and not fix you up, and then you'd be hurting all the time. And, I couldn't deal with that. I have to have my little superhero all healthy and ready to save me."

"Well then," Keeve said as he pulled back and rested his fisted hands upon his hips. "I'll just have to save the biting for Moronic Merrick then."

"Oh sweetie," Shiv said and pulled Keeve into another embrace. "Please don't bite Merrick. I know you don't like him very much, but I love him. And, if you hurt him, it'll upset me. So...please don't bite him or hurt him. Please?"

Keeve played with the loose end of the tie holding closed her robe. He finally sighed and nodded his head in acquiescence. "Fine...no more hurting Merrick." That was a promise, however, that Keeve had no intention of keeping, but if making it would bring Shiv happiness, then he didn't mind lying to her.

"Thank you, sweetie," she said and gave him a kiss. "And, I love you too, Keeve. Very much. And, I love having you here with us, and I know we're going to be great friends and do lots of fun stuff together."

"Well...then maybe I will stay on Tae'Karada...for a while at least." Keeve giggled and sneaked a kiss onto Shiv's breast. "We'll have lotsa fun...Auntie."

"You incorrigible little monster," Shiv said with a giggle. "You're as bad as your mother, you know. And, I'm glad you're gonna stay...for a while. I mean, I think I would be heartbroken if you were to suddenly leave again. And, then I wouldn't have anyone to save me from bad men, and I wouldn't have anyone to ride the new hoverboard I'm gonna get tomorrow with. And, I think I'm gonna have to get you a new one too, a better one."

"A faster one?" Keeve asked with barely contained excitement. "Oh, thank you, Auntie Shiv! And if you want to exercise with Merrick, that's fine with me. Just remember that you're supposed to sleep in my bed with me." Like the little charmer he had proven to be, Keeve patted Shiv on the rear and gave her a wink. "And don't forget that bath you promised."

Shiv giggled. "Thank you," she said and gave him an even bigger kiss than before. "I need to get my exercise with Merrick, and I'll make sure that I'm in your bed on time. And, if that doctor hurries up, we'll get that bath even faster."

"You're not teaching him any bad habits are you?" As they turned Zale was standing in the doorway. "You two alright? What happened?"

Shiv nodded, indicating that he should close the door. Once he had, she related the whole story, leaving out nothing.

Zale didn't say anything for a long time. "I'm not going to say anything about you two being out this late at night...this time," he said. "But...my people were supposed to be watching. That they didn't do anything...it concerns me. If I show you pictures, do you think you could pick this guy out?"

Shiv nodded. "I could draw him if you wanted. I'll never forget his face."

"Well, I'll show you the people who were watching, and let me know if any of them were the guy. I'll send someone by to check things out." He glanced down at Keeve and smiled. "Nice pajamas, kid."

"They're my superhero pajamas because I saved Auntie Shiv in them." He looked down at his torn and sullied superhero outfit and frowned. "The bad man made me rip them. It's a good thing I made him hit his head. He tried to hurt Auntie Shiv, but I wouldn't let him."

"Good," Zale said. "We'll get you a new pair tomorrow if you want. You did very good tonight, Keeve, but in the future, the two of you need to be careful. Next time, he may have a weapon, and I don't want you getting hurt...either of you."

"I can handle it, Zaletregat," Keeve assured him. "He didn't have a chance. And besides, with Moronic Merrick around, who else is supposed to protect Auntie Shiv?"

Zale laughed and glanced at Shiv. "Well, when you put it that way...but still, it's best to keep away from trouble. At least, that kind of trouble. And, speaking of trouble, that wasn't very nice what you did to the nurse. She's got her hand soaking in a bacta bath right now."

"She was getting mad at Shiv!" Keeve protested. "She was saying she shouldn't have sex in front of me because I'm too young. But I'm not too young. I'm almost a grown up. And besides, it wasn't her fault either that she let me watch her take a shower."

Before Zale could say anything, Shiv quickly stepped forward. "We were in the bedroom, Merrick and I," she said. "I guess we left the door open. And, I was in the shower, and then he was there. I mean, what does it matter, Zale? Half this fucking planet walks around naked." She realized what she'd said and quickly covered her mouth and glanced at Keeve.

Keeve's mouth slowly fell open and his eyes grew wide. "Auntie Shiv..." he whispered in shock. "That was a bad word. My mommy would spank me if I said that." He stared at Shiv in bewilderment for a moment, then giggled and slapped her on the rear. "There! Naughty girl!"

Shiv stared at Keeve in shock for a long moment before she fell into a fit of giggles. "I am naughty," she said. "And, I shouldn't have said that. But, it wasn't my fault, Zale. And, I didn't mean for him to see me and Merrick. And, he saw me when that bastard was raping me, and he saved me. And...it's hard to change your speaking...he's only been here a day, you know."

Zale smiled. "I know. But, in the future be careful. And...lock the door next time."

Shiv grinned. "Deal."

Characteristic of the short attention span of a child his age, Keeve became oblivious to the conversation before him and folded his arms over his chest with a sigh. "I'm bored. Can I leave?"

"We have to make sure you're alright, Keeve," Shiv said as she gave him a kiss on forehead, cheeks, and then -- when he gave her a begging look -- lips. "It won't be much longer. They just have to find the fu-- the nice doctor, and he'll take a look at--"

Before she could finish, the door opened and a tall man with dark hair stepped inside. "Hi, I'm Doctor Ebrin, and I hear we have a young rancor in here."

Keeve's arm shot up into the air to point himself out to the doctor, but the moment he did, he yelped and cradled it against his chest. "Owie?"

The doctor smiled and stepped over to where Keeve sat on the large examination bed. On the way there, his eyes were drawn to Shiv and as he visually examined her form, he had to quickly remind himself to focus on his job. "So, now, let's see what we can do to get you all fixed up." With an extreme amount of willpower, he managed to focus his attention on Keeve and his injured arm and ankle.

***

Shiv pushed the front door open and let Keeve go ahead of her into the apartment. The thug was gone from downstairs, and all that remained was the pool of blood from where he'd lain. More disturbing was that Keeve's broken hoverboard was also gone, but after more assurances that she would buy him another tomorrow, Shiv managed to calm Keeve's distress.

The doctor had managed to make Keeve as good as new again, and he and Shiv had walked home together with Keeve insisting on holding Shiv's hand the entire time. The weather had also turned colder as it stretched even later into the night, and the thin robe she wore did little to keep off the chill. A very hot bath, she told herself, and then bed. She had a feeling neither of them would be waking up before noon, maybe even later.

"Come on, sweetie," Shiv said after closing and locking the door, "let's go get cleaned up."

"Okay," Keeve replied with a weary sigh. He yawned into Shiv's arm, then closed his eyes and rested his head against it. "A bath... Then...then sleep."

Shiv smiled and lifted him into her arms. She carried him into the refresher and set him down while she started the water for them. She glanced over and grinned at Keeve. She slid herself closer. "Arms up," she said as she took the bottom of his pajama top.

Keeve obliged, somewhat lethargically, and did so with his head lying limp against Shiv's stomach. "I was good at the hospital," he mumbled. "Zale didn't have to spank me once."

"You were very good," Shiv said. "You made me very proud of you." She slid his pajama top off and onto the floor behind her, then opened the ties to her robe and let it slide free. "Now the bottoms, and we'll take a really quick bath." She started tugging his bottoms free.

All fatigue faded quickly, and Keeve was left with renewed excitement and curiousity as his eyes gazed upon Shiv's bare flesh. It had been marred since he'd last seen it, due to her confrontation with the bad man, but it was still as beautiful as he last remembered it. His mouth went slack and his eyes skittered about, engorging on the sight before him. He clumsily stepped out of his pajama pants, catching his balance by resting his hands on Shiv's perfectly curved waist...the only bare waist he'd seen, but a perfect one nonetheless. Keeve kicked his pants away once he was free of them, and looked up at Shiv with an expectant grin. "I'm ready for my bath now, Auntie Shiv."

Shiv stood up and slid into the bath and then looked up at Keeve. "Come on in, sweetie."

Hastily, Keeve plunged into the tub and watched as the water lapped against Shiv's breasts. The sight of them intrigued him to no end. They were merely large spheres of flesh, yet they evoked such unique and strange reactions in him. "Auntie Shiv?" he said as he waded nearer to her. "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty," Shiv said with a grin. "I bet that seems really old to you, doesn't it? Compared to Kaysa and Zale though, I'm pretty young. I wish I could stay this age forever. It's the best age I've been."

"I wish I was twenty," Keeve replied wistfully, still gazing fixedly at Shiv's breasts. "If I was, you'd exercise with me like you do with Moronic Merrick. Wouldn't you?"

Shiv grinned and felt her face blushing. "I don't think I'd be able to resist you, you little monster," she said. "And, even then, I don't think I'd want to...resist you, that is." She picked up the large cloth to start cleaning them both. "You've never seen a naked girl before, have you? Before me?"

Keeve shook his head dumbly with a large, goofy grin on his face. "But I'm glad my first one was you, Auntie Shiv. You're my favourite girl ever."

Shiv grinned. "Well, I'm sure if you live here long enough, you'll see lots of naked girls. Though, I hope I'm still always your favourite. You'll always be my favourite little rancor and hoverboard flier." She motioned him closer. "Come on, let's get you clean and then we can go get into bed."

Gladly doing Shiv's bidding, Keeve shifted around and waded between Shiv's legs. He rested his hands upon her thighs and giggled as her breasts rubbed against his back. "I like baths with you, Auntie Shiv. I really, really do."

Shiv giggled and started scrubbing Keeve clean. "I like baths with you too, sweetie," she said. "It's been so long since I've had one, and this is the best bath ever. Kaysa tells me that one of Zale's apartments has a bathtub that's as big as a pool."

"Really? Maybe you and I can swim in it one day! Wouldn't that be fun, Auntie Shiv?" Keeve's hands trepidly explored the silky flesh of Shiv's thighs, but they weren't sensual caresses of a lover; rather, they were more curious investigation by a young boy infatuated for the first time.

"It will be very fun," Shiv said. "And, maybe we can go to the coast one of these days. I hear there's a great beach on the Tarkayze Sea. We could build sand castles and all sorts of things. And, maybe we could get a boat. I think that would be very fun, and a great vacation. And, I could draw your picture building sand castles and swimming and all sorts of fun things. And we could take our hoverboards!"

"You're the best, Auntie Shiv!" Seizing the opportunity he'd been awaiting to present itself, Keeve turned and wrapped his arms around Shiv's waist. Then, innocently enough in appearance, he pressed his face between Shiv's breasts. "The best," he repeated with a sigh as his lips brushed against the soft, supple flesh.

Shiv giggled and squirmed slightly at his touch. "You're the best sweet little Keeve ever too," she said. "And, that tickles. Now, you're all cleaned up, so we should get out and go to bed."

Keeve shook his head and nuzzled against Shiv's breasts with a sigh. Their caress against his cheeks was soothing and comforting, and absolutely feeding his curiousity. He brought one hand up in an attempt to sate his inquisitive urge and rested it upon one of Shiv's breasts, squeezing it gently as he examined it. "They feel nice," he commented. "Why don't boys have them?"

"Boys don't have them because boys don't have babies," Shiv said with a giggle. "When girls have babies, their breasts have milk in them to feed the babies. So, that's why girls have breasts and boys don't."

Keeve looked up at Shiv, perplexed, and asked, "Does that mean you have a baby? Is there milk in there now for the babies? How do you get the milk out?"

"There's no milk now," Shiv said with a giggle, "cuz I haven't had a baby. But, if I got pregnant, my body would make the milk for the baby. And, then when he was born, he'd have the milk. And, do you remember when you were really little how you had bottles? Just think of the end of the bottle like a breast. Does that answer your question you inquisitive little guy?"

"Hmm..." Keeve shrugged his shoulders and nestled his cheek against Shiv's breasts again. "I guess so. I guess you'll just have to show me one day how it all works, like when you and Moronic Merrick have a baby."

"Well, that's gonna be awhile," Shiv said. "I don't want to have a baby yet. And, if I had one, I think Kaysa would kill me. And, besides, if I had a baby, I'd have to take care of the baby and wouldn't have as much time to spend with you. But, it's really easy to see. The little part there that sticks out, that's the nipple, and that's what a baby sucks on to get the milk out. Now, are you good and clean so we can get to bed?"

"If I suck on your nipple," Keeve asked, disregarding her question, "will it give me milk?"

Shiv giggled. "There's no milk in there to give you, silly boy," she said.

Keeve shrugged. "There will be someday. Maybe then I can try." Fixated as he was on Shiv's breasts, the chill from the cooling bathwater indicated it was time to let Auntie Shiv dry him. "I'm ready to get out now," he said as he pulled back. Before she could move to get out, Keeve leaned forward and placed a kiss upon each of Shiv's breasts. "I like you as my auntie, Shiv. And I'm glad you like me back."

"Of course, I do, sweetie," Shiv said as she helped him to his feet. Once he was standing, she stood up and unplugged the drain in the bath. She stepped out of the tub and lifted Keeve out after her. Once he was standing on the plush bathmat, she pulled another towel off the rack and started drying him off. "We'll have to get you another pair of jammies to sleep in. Do you have another pair?"

"I do, but they weren't as nice as those ones." Keeve turned to have his back dried, and as he turned back around he noticed something else intriguing, besides Shiv's breasts. "What's that?" he asked as he pressed his forefinger to the bird upon her hip.

"That's a tattoo," Shiv said. "Remember the bad man who kidnapped me? He put that there. From what he said, I guess some...some woman he knew had one there, so he wanted me to have one too. So...so, there it is. I'm just glad it's nice looking."

"It is. It's cool. One day, I want one like that." Keeve giggled and pulled the towel from Shiv's hands. "Your turn!" Before Shiv could agree, Keeve began drying her stomach with the towel. "And don't worry, Auntie, the bad man won't be able to come near you, not while I'm here protecting you."

"Thank you, Keeve," Shiv said as she kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad I have you here to keep me safe. If you weren't here, I think I'd be very scared right now."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Merrick doesn't look like he'd be able to protect you properly." Keeve stepped behind Shiv and rubbed the towel over her rear. "For one thing," he continued, "he sleeps too much. He wouldn't be a good protector, not like me."

Shiv giggled. "Well, Merrick hasn't slept a whole lot lately, and it is really, really late. But, you're the perfect protector. You're awake, and attentive, and I know no one could sneak by you to get to me."

"Not ever!" Keeve added emphatically. He moved before Shiv again and pushed himself to the balls of his feet so he could dry her breasts. "I like how they jiggle," he commented. "It reminds me of Kajoo jelly."

Shiv giggled and got down onto her knees so he could reach easier. "This should help," she said. "And, I like them too. Though, I think Kaysa and Merrick would say I like them too much."

"Well...they're interesting," Keeve said. "And fun to look at." He smiled at Shiv and stepped back after paying careful attention to drying her breasts. "All done!"

Shiv grinned and took the towel from his hands. "You did a very good job," she said. "But, there are a few spots, I need to get." She took the towel to her hair, drying it quickly. "We don't want me to get your pillow all wet, do we? I have more hair than you do, so I have to make sure it's all dry."

"Okay." Keeve stood motionless, watching Shiv with his head tilted to the side. "When I get bigger, I'll dry your hair, Auntie Shiv. My mommy said my real daddy was tall. Maybe I'll grow as tall as him someday."

Shiv grinned. "Well, that would be very nice," he said. "And, I like tall men. I bet you're gonna be very tall. And, then you can dry my hair for me and I can...well, we'll figure out what I can do. And, I think Kaysa likes tall men...just look at Zale and Merrick." She quickly dried the other places Keeve had missed, and set the towel aside. "Now, come on, my little hero, let's go crawl into bed."

"Okay!" Oblivious to the fact he was bereft of clothing, Keeve sped out of the bathroom and down the corridor, laughing bubbly. "Come on, Auntie!"

Shiv laughed and followed Keeve out of the bathroom and down the hall toward his bedroom. She was certain they were keeping Merrick wide awake with all the laughter, but then another part of her said that Merrick was the kind who could sleep through anything. She stepped into the doorway of Keeve's darkened room. "Get your other pajamas," she said, "and then we can go to sleep."

Keeve obeyed with good humour and bounced over to his luggage that was still partially unpacked. He pulled out the extra pair of pajamas his grandmother had packed and dressed himself in them. Once he was done, he raced for the bed and bounded onto it. "Bedtime, Auntie Shiv." He patted the spot beside him and turned down the covers for Shiv.

Shiv closed Keeve's door and moved over to the side of the bed. She couldn't help grinning at the expectant look Keeve was giving her, and then she slipped under the covers with him. "Sweet dreams, my superhero, Keeve," she said once she was settled. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Keeve shifted over hastily and wrapped his arms around Shiv's waist. "What's tomorrow?" Keeve asked as his head found comfort upon Shiv's bosom.

Shiv grinned and wrapped her arms around Keeve as he snuggled even closer to her. "Tomorrow," she began, "is when we go out and get new hoverboards and ride them through the park. And, we'll get you lots of new things for your room, and then you and me can decorate. And, that drawing I did, how would you like for me to paint that on your wall?"

Keeve jolted upright and watched Shiv speechlessly. "Oh, Auntie Shiv!" he finally managed. He flew back into her arms and embraced her tightly. "And maybe I can paint your picture on the wall of your room. It'll be so wonderful!"

"That would be very wonderful," Shiv said with a smile. She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Goodnight, Keeve. Have very sweet dreams of how wonderful everything will be here." She stifled a yawn and sighed happily.

"Goodnight, Auntie Shiv," Keeve whispered. "And don't worry, I'll keep you safe. I'll always keep you safe." Holding her firmly and letting the rhythm of her rising and falling chest mesmerize him, Keeve fell asleep for the second time that night, but this time, his dreams weren't of Bespin, they were of Shiv and her lips upon his cheek as she thanked him for rescuing her once again from the monsters lurking in the dark.

---

"Blood In, Blood Out, Part 1"
By: Raxis L'Ygr - Former Bounty Hunter
Tralesha Zibel - Smuggler
Gort Donovan - Bodyguard
Ronan Dayre - Slicer (NPC)

Location: Tralesha's Apartment - Yallder District, New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY (Noontime)

***

"Ok, I'm sure this is all a little sudden," Raxis began, sitting on the arm of Tralesha's sofa as he stared across the room at his three friends. "But I think that you're going to like what I have to say. Gort, you don't know yet, but I got into it with a Jedi the other day, and they've located the Force inside of me. Needless to say, I've decided to stop hunting."

"Oh, so you're joining the Jedi?" Gort chimed in, interrupting.

"No, but it all ties in to why I'm calling us all together," Raxis replied.

Across the room from him, sprawled about on a sofa were Tralesha, Gort, and Ronan. Ronan, as usual, was sipping a Rodian ale and smoking a cigarra, and appeared to be dressed in a brand new outfit of complimenting violets and mustard yellow. Gort loomed over the back of the sofa with his hands on the top, protectively above Tralesha who was half reclining against the arm. Raxis couldn't help but feel as if he was on a chopping block.

"The Imperials are running their operations from here now, and more will probably come. The three of you have worked for the rebels before, but to my knowledge there's no real rebel presence on the planet. What if we started one?"

"You do realize how dangerous this is, don't you?" Ronan said as he looked up from his ale, waving his hand in an effeminate gesture. "People have been executed for a lot less."

"You of all people should know, Ronan, you sliced for the Bothans," Raxis replied.

Tralesha shifted her position on the sofa. Keeping her eyes on Raxis she stared off blankly as her mind raced through mental calculations.

"Oh I see how it is," Ronan said with a joking growl, and then continued to sip his ale.

"Keep in mind people, I'm lobbying for Jedi support. Skywalker took down the Hutts on Tatooine with the help of less than five people. We could clean up this town and make it a safe place to grow old," Raxis said while lighting a cigarra.

"Grow old, eh?" Tralesha said, crossing her arms with a half grin on her face.

"Yeah, if it doesn't get a blaster bolt through our heads first," Gort added.

"Oh, come on, people." Raxis began to rant. "Tralesha. Gort. The two of you have been aiding the rebels for how long? It's the same to you Ronan and you know that the guild is going to be going down very soon. You'll be needing something to keep you in style in a year or so, what better than this?"

"Who's going to be funding this?" Tralesha and Ronan said in unison.

"Oh, that's the best part," Raxis noted. "The Hutts, the remainder of Dark Sun, and the rest of the families we'd be taking down. All we have to do is use our contacts to weed them out to the rebels while recruiting. Last I heard, the people that looted Jabba's after he died came out with several small fortunes. I say we keep fifty percent and donate the rest to the hungry. I'd give it short time before we're the freedom force of this planet."

Tralesha looked from Gort, to Raxis, and then to Ronan with a questioning glance. She was obviously asking what they thought of the idea.

"Well, I doubt the Imperials would let us off of the planet. Security is going to be tight and our ship might be recognized," Gort noted.

"We'll stash the ship," Tralesha said with a sigh. "Okay. I'm in." Tralesha gave Raxis a half annoyed yet protective glare before casting her eyes downward.

Seeing Tralesha join, Gort shifted his weight and sighed. "We're a team, so I'm in also."

Ronan shuffled his weight on the chair, sipping his Rodian ale loudly while avoiding the opportunity to glance at the other three.

"Ronan?" Raxis said.

"Yessssss?" Ronan sounded off.

"Oh come on, buddy. You know we can do this. There's rebel support on this planet, I know it, and I doubt we're the only four. We'll have a minimum of TWO Jedi watching our ass. We could drop leads to them and the rebels, and it would only be occasionally that we'd have to infil--"

"Good gods, Raxis. Give a man a moment to finish his drink before he agrees to get shot at by the Porcelain Brigade," Ronan said with a grin. "You know I'm too loyal to my friends to not say yes. Besides, who's going to make the three of you look good doing it?"

Tralesha chuckled and looked over at Ronan with a laugh. "Bitch you know I don't need you to look good."

"Oh please, sister, the boys don't go for the hyperdrive mechanic look," Ronan said with a snap in her direction.

Tralesha stood and hefted her breasts in her hands, making sure that Raxis got an eyeful of cleavage. "You know better party than these?"

"Yes, honey, they're called testicles." Ronan laughed and blew a kiss at Tralesha.

Gort and Raxis, in unison, rolled their eyes.

"Well ok," Raxis started. "I'm going to try and get us and the Jedi together for a game of sabacc. It won't be for money though, because I'm willing to bet that they could convince us that we lost the hand."

"What is this little army going to be called?" Gort added. "I might be able to find a few old rebels to come to town for it."

"Well, we'd recruit better if we had a calling card. The rebel symbol would just make the rebels think it's them. I've been using a red dragon for the last 4 months. I say we use that. Red Dragon Society," Raxis continued.

The three nodded, finding the idea to be a good one.

"Wait," Ronan added. "Who's going to be in charge?"

Across the room, Raxis watched the three turn their eyes to the floor, ceiling, and walls, as no one seemed to want to claim leadership. Raxis couldn't help but grin. "Well, if you trust my judgement," Raxis said aloud.

Again, the three nodded, finding the idea to be a good one. Raxis had the most experience with crime families and personal infiltration, and knew the Imperial life better than all of them combined.

"A toast," Ronan said with a rising of his glass. "Raxis and the Red Dragon Society."

---

"Blood In, Blood Out, Part 2"
By: Raxis L'Ygr - Former Bounty Hunter
Tralesha Zibel - Smuggler

Location: Tralesha's Apartment - Yallder District, New Plouton, Tae'Karada
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY (Dusk)

***

Dusk was falling across the skyline of the Yallder district. The last three days had shifted Raxis' life so severely that even he was feeling the disorientation of the ordeal. The friends had been quite silent since their meeting, and were awaiting Raxis to sit them in front of the Jedi to put together the pieces. Raxis was on the balcony of Tralesha's apartment, staring down twenty floors to the city streets below while idly watching the suns set. He wasn't one bit troubled, but was trying to find a center of calm for the first time in three days to collect his thoughts. Leaning against the railing, he lifted his head to stare across the skyline and meditate.

After twenty minutes had passed, Raxis heard the sound of the balcony door hiss open followed by the vanilla scent of Tralesha's perfume. She padded to lean against the railing beside him in her jade and silk kimono, and slid him a glass of coffee.

After what seemed like a millennia sworn into silence, Tralesha finally spoke. "So what are you thinking about?" she said quietly.

"I'm not sure. It just feels really good now," Raxis muttered.

"Is the couch that comfy?" she said with a grin and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

"I suppose so," Raxis said with a chuckle. "I know we're going from the frying pan and into the flame, but I feel like everything will be just fine, you know?"

"Yeah," Tralesha said with a nod, trailing off into silence.

Again, the balcony went silent as Raxis moved his gaze to the city streets below. He hadn't yet even turned his eyes to Tralesha since she'd entered the balcony, and seemed deep in thought. The air about him seemed to have turned over the years from a weather beaten soldier and into a compassionate man of intrigue. Needless to say, his new emotions were much more appealing, but none the less hazardous.

"So you want to grow old here?" Tralesha said, staring at the skyline.

"I want to grow old period," Raxis began. "Here or wherever I finish."

"I don't know what I think about the thought of wrinkles," Tralesha said with a chortle.

"Well, believe me, they'll suit you better than being fed to a Sarlacc. I'd rather see you in wrinkles," Raxis said softly, staring at the streets below.

"So you plan on sticking around this time?" Tralesha said, spying him from the corner of her eyes.

"Yeah, I do," Raxis said after a few moments of silence. "Do you?"

Slightly flustered, Tralesha's heart skipped a beat once the emotional tone of the conversation turned. "I.don't have any business anywhere else," she said as she returned her eyes to the skyline.

"Well, that and I still have a year of servitude in the doghouse to make up," Raxis said with a grin, finally glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. Spotting the ever so deadly kimono, he quickly looked back to the skyline unnoticeably. He remembered the kimono, and personally found himself to be susceptible prey to how high it was slit on the sides of her legs.

"A year and a day isn't it?" Tralesha said mischievously.

"Sure," Raxis said with a smile, and nudged her side with his hip. "But I don't do windows. I'm thinking sooner or later we should relocate. Somewhere secret."

"Well, yeah, but if I disappear and nobody sees my ship leaving it would be suspicious. So, we'll have a hidden place and places for mere appearance."

"My thoughts exactly." Raxis nodded in agreement. He arched his back and leaned lower against the railing, taking a moment to brush the hair out of his face.

Tralesha couldn't help but watch him move against the railing. She stood there without a mere blink of an eyelash for a few moments before continuing. "Where did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking underground," he said, turning to face her. "Somewhere from which we could get all around the city without traveling en masse."

"Is there somewhere the Imperials or crime families haven't taken?" she asked, turning to face him more as she stuck her hip out to the side. To Raxis' torture, her hip slipped from the slit of the kimono, revealing the thin side of a black thong.

In a very un-smooth manner, Raxis blinked and immediately spun on his heel to face over the railing again. He wouldn't allow himself to be caught ogling, besides, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Well," Raxis said after letting out a slightly frustrated sigh. "I'll know soon. I'm going for a look this week."

"Okay," Tralesha said, playing with him. She was damned sure that he'd noticed her movement, and wanted to make him suffer. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, quite fine," Raxis said, lighting up a cigarra.

"If you say so," Tralesha said as she batted her hip against his, half laughing.

There was a long period of uncomfortable silence as the two fidgeted for a moment. The both of them knew that the attraction was still present, and that they were delaying a moment the two had been thinking of ever since Raxis saw her again. They were, however, very stubborn. Raxis felt his conscience screaming at him to say something, and his willpower failed. Finally, he spoke. "Trale?" Raxis said, killing the silence.

"Yes?" she replied, sounding incredibly innocent, much like the axe murderer hiding the axe behind her back.

"I..." Raxis started, and then fell silent. He stopped himself from continuing as he found a moment of strength to combat his failing willpower. Realizing that he'd already begun, he swallowed and continued. "I'm really glad to have you around again."

Staring at him sidelong, she played dumb. "Really?" she said, knowing inside exactly what he was saying, but acting surprised.

"Yeah," he said, looking at the streets below. "I just don't know if I'm sure or not if you wear things like that around Gort," he added with a nervous chuckle.

"What, this?" she said with a laugh. "This isn't nearly as bad as some of the other stuff I have."

Raxis coughed out a cloud of cigarra smoke, accidentally dropping the butt to the ground below. It floated for a moment, before finally entering its plummet to doom. Raxis, ironically, felt the same way.

"It doesn't bother you does it? If it does I'll go put something else on," she added, acting self-conscious.

"Oh no," Raxis began. "It's okay. You look really great. Believe me, it's better than walking around in a hazard suit made out of soft bedtime clothing. It's just a little distracting."

"Well, could be worse. It's my house. It could be nothing at all," she said, acting facetious. She knew that it would cause a big reaction.

"Then I'd have to sleep in the closet," Raxis said with a laugh. "I don't know if I could take that."

"Well in that case," she said as she started to untie her robe.

"Whoa," Raxis said, flirting and locking his eyes on the street below defensively. "There's Rodians across the street. Think about your purity, woman."

"Hey, you're the one with a Rodian fetish."

"Where did that start anyway?" Raxis laughed. "I wouldn't touch a Rodian with a Star Destroyer."

"I just found it amusing," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, you're the one that strips in front of them," he flirted back. "In 25 star systems and 30 ports there's yet to be a Rodian that's seen me in less than full garb."

"Well, your hands aren't covered are they?" she said with a scoff, and then turned to move inside with a laugh.

"Where are you going?" Raxis said, wanting to keep talking. He was undeniably hooked into her web.

"Well, come inside after me and maybe you'll see," she said, as she hurried into the apartment.

Hesitantly, Raxis pushed off of the railing and moved to the door of the balcony. Pressing the button to open it, he moved inside. Tralesha was nowhere to be seen. He walked through the hallway towards the main living area and then spotted her robe on the floor in front of her room. He scowled, knowing that she was playing a game, and then gave a coy smirk. He assumed very clearly, that he had been figured out. Moving to her door, he knocked on it.

"Are you in there?" he queried.

"Yes?" she called from within.

"Uhm. Were we still talking? Should I wait out here for you?" he replied.

"Go ahead and come in," she called.

Grumbling, Raxis opened the door with a hiss, and stepped inside.

He stepped into the room. Immediately, he noticed that the lights were dimmed slightly, and he felt a lump growing in his throat. Keeping his eyes to the floor he stepped over balled up clothing and moved into the main area of the bedroom. Expecting her to be mostly naked, he reluctantly raised his gaze to see her sitting on her bed in a tank top that exposed her navel and a short pair of black sweat shorts. With a sigh of relief he looked her over, and leaned against the wall. It appeared that she had also chose to abandon her brassiere. Carefully, Raxis chose his words and looked around the room to avoid an inevitable stare. "You change fast," he said. He wanted to say something with more wit, but it was all that he could muster.

She moved across the floor and poked him in the chest. "What do you expect? I have to be careful of men like you and the Rodians that love them."

"Yeah, well I'm going to have to search the room later for hidden cameras," he said, poking her in the shoulder.

"Search," she said, extending her arms in an inviting pose.

"I might be attacked by the more dangerous things in your closet, girl," he replied, forcibly lowering his eyebrow at the possible double meaning of her words. He was thankful that his wit had returned.

Tralesha moved to her bureau, and pulled out a sheer nightgown with pieces cut out of it in mostly risqué places. "Stuff like this?"

"Most likely. You can murder people with clothing you know," he said with a bit of nervous laughter. "I think I left my datapad on the sofa," he added, as he mentally kicked himself in the ass for his lack of composure.

"What do you need a datapad for? We're just talking, or are you just a wimp?"

"Wimp?" Raxis said, with a lifted eyebrow. "Hey, I don't need a bodyguard now do I?"

"You want another black eye?" she said with a laugh, stuffing the nightgown back into the bureau. She moved up to him and grinned as she stopped, mere inches from his face. Suddenly, she shoved him back and he reeled back into the bed softly. Off of balance, the bed caught him at the inside of his knees and he soon found himself sitting on it.

"No, I'm just saying that if you slept on that sofa once in a while you'd be so tough that you could stop a blaster with your teeth," he countered with a chortle.

"Where would you rather sleep then?" she commented.

"Well, you don't have any spare rooms, I'll be fine," he noted. "Cots in the barracks were worse and I slept fine on them." He was backpedaling.

"No, you're obviously not comfortable on the sofa. Where would you rather sleep?" she said, as she began to clean the clothing off of her floor. She was expertly choosing where and how to bend over to tease him.

"I'll be fine," Raxis replied, watching her.

"Now you're sure?" she said, stuffing some clothes into a hamper.

"Oh yeah, I am," Raxis answered. Inside of his mind, his conscience was again fighting for control of the more adventurous part of his ego. He really didn't want to hurt her, and was sure that she noticed him keeping his distance amidst his conflicting signals. She was a smart girl, and Raxis figured that she'd break the wall if she wanted to.

She disappeared into the refresher, and gave Raxis a moment to recalibrate. "Well come talk to me, then," she said, as the shower turned on.

Sighing, Raxis moved into the refresher and sat on the floor against the wall. Through the opaque walls, he could see her form within. He bit his knuckle with an inaudible grunt, and started the conversation. "Tralesha?" he said.

"Yes?" she replied again in the same way for another time. She was making sure to arch her back and bend one knee so that her movements were enticing. She was getting her revenge, and loved every minute of it.

"Is there something going on here between us?" he said, and then immediately clenched his fist.

"What do you mean? Like, how?" she replied, grinning like a devil inside of the shower. She let out a small moan as the warm shower claimed her body.

"I don't know. I'm just feeling something between us," he said.

Tralesha moved to open the shower slightly to stick her head out to look at him. Playfully, she made sure that one of her breasts was just barely pressed up against the opaque walls. "What kind of something?"

Raxis, despite his better interests, diverted his gaze. "Well something in that friends don't usually let "just friends" watch them shower type something."

"It's not like anything can be seen," she said with a grin, giving away a hint of diabolical torture. She pressed her breast a bit more against the glass and turned to look down at it. "Hmm...imagine that," she said, giggled, and then closed the door.

"Uh...I don't know. Tralesha? I'm going to go sit on the sofa. I need to sit on something a little more comfy. I'll be out there if you need me," Raxis said.

Raxis stood and left the refresher, as he silently swore at himself. It was so obvious that the two of them wanted eachother again, but neither was willing to break the silence. He feared that she had changed into a more flirtatious and open girl, and he was barking up the wrong tree. With a sigh, he set himself down on the sofa and lit a cigarra, and smoked it in silence.

"Dammit," Tralesha sighed from within the shower as she heard her door close. "Okay, fine."

She stepped out of the shower and dried off, pulling on her black thong and her green kimono. She moved to her door, let out a deep breath, and pressed the door open with a hiss. Gliding across the floor, she came to a stop beside the couch, and set herself down on the coffee table across from him. Crossing her legs to show the thin sides of her thong under the kimono, she leaned forward and rested a hand on her knee. She took the cigarra from his hands and began to smoke it, careful to not blow the smoke into his face.

In the dimly lit living room, the two just stared at each other.

Raxis felt as if her whole being was violently tugging him towards her, and he rested his head on the palm of his hand, looking at her. Raxis dueled with his emotions, and soon began feeling himself pulling towards her. He stood in front of her, moved the cigarra from her face, and pulled her up by her chin as he leaned down and kissed her softly.

Trembling, Tralesha whimpered and pulled him down closer to her. Digging her nails into his arm, she stubbed the cigarra out and put every ounce of her intensity into the kiss. Immediately the two were locked to each other, as Raxis pushed her against the coffee table as their tongues glided over each other's.

With a growl, Tralesha shoved him back onto the sofa and was immediately upon him, straddling his waist. Their lips met again, and Raxis was being held against the sofa forcibly. Writhing, he slid his hands over her sides and looped his fingers in the thin waistband of her thong and pulled her against him. Between embraces, they barely found the time to catch their breath as they relentlessly assaulted each other. Grinding together, Tralesha let out a gasp as Raxis moved his lips to her collarbone. He tugged her towards him harder by her waistband, and she smothered him against the sofa with her body as he ran his lips over her neck. All that could be heard in the room were her silent gasps, as the two finally lost control.

Writhing above him, she grabbed his ponytail and yanked his head back, and bit down on his shoulder painfully. Raxis let out a slight grunt, and slid his hands under her kimono to her ass. He dug his nails into her and pulled her against his waist roughly, and caused her to whimper softly. Breathing sporadically, the two mauled each other like lovers that had been separated unjustly.

Raxis slid his hand to the front of her kimono and cupped her breast over the silken fabric. She writhed against him and bit down harder into his shoulder, as their bodies began to heat up and their pulses began to soar. Letting out a deep, ragged breath he moved his hands to fumble with the tie of the robe. Tralesha let go of his neck and slammed him against the sofa with an earth-shattering kiss, and grabbed his hand. Leaning up from his face with tousled hair, she broke the silence. "Not here," she said.

She grabbed the front of his tunic and yanked him off of the sofa. They pressed each other up against a wall and kissed, as they inched their way towards her bedroom. Feverishly locked at the lips, she ran her nails through his hair while clawing at the buttons on his shirt. When they reached her door, she fumbled at the opening mechanism, and was able to open it after sightlessly slamming the palm of her hand against the panel. With a hiss, she shoved Raxis into the room and down onto the bed. Climbing atop him, he yanked the tie on the robe, causing it to fall about her hips as the two immediately began vehemently brushing their lips together. She ripped open his tunic, sending buttons flying to the floor, and the two began to chuckle while they peeled each other's clothes apart.

Lit by the dim light of the room, she leaned up wearing merely her thong and felt Raxis cup her breasts softly. Smiling down at him, she reached behind him and unlaced his boots. Shoving one of them to the floor she took the other in her hands and grinned down at him.

"It's always the damn boots, isn't it?" she said as she yanked Raxis' breeches off of him.

She threw the boot across the room, and it collided with the lighting panel. With a spark, the room was engulfed in darkness.

---

"Tangled, Part 1"
By: Liam Zaneth
Laedra Vorrel
Yelara Zaneth

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Liam hunched down over the sensor unit, its innards splayed out while he reattached it. With the interference in the forest, they still hadn't managed to get the sensors working properly. He'd added the new power cell, but the output readings didn't change. He thought about a portable shield generator that might block out the interference, but there would be no easy way to tunnel the data back to the Temple. Eventually, they'd figure out how to monitor outside the Temple in the sensor dead zone of the forest.

As he started reattaching the various leads to put the casing back on, footsteps behind him caught Liam's attention.

"You know," Yelara said as she sauntered lazily over to Liam's side, "I really don't know why you wouldn't let me do that." She leaned over the partially dismantled unit and studied Liam's work with a grin. "Did you think with having a child came a complete loss of all mental dexterity?"

Liam laughed softly. "No," he said. "But, I wanted to get this right." He looked up at her. "So, do you have any ideas how to make this work, my technological genius of a wife?"

"Well, not yet." Yelara picked up a stray wire, looked at its frayed edge for a moment, then tossed it aside. "Give your wife some time, and she'll figure it out. Until then, stop making a mess!"

"You have your time, my love," Liam said. "And, you can make your own mess now. Get our little sensor network working, and I'll have a treat for you."

Yelara arched a brow at Liam. She turned and propped herself against the unit as she folded her arms across her chest and smiled with interest. "And what might this treat be? Will I have to guess?"

Liam stood up and brushed off his hands. He watched her for a moment and grinned. "What sort of treat would you like, my love? I have a few ideas about what I would like to give you for a treat, but what would you like? Let's see how close I am."

"Ooh...a game!" Yelara laughed. "This could be a test too. We get to see how much you really know me." She looked up past the trees and into the clear, blue sky, feigning a pensive expression. "I would like something that makes me smile for hours...and I want it twice." She peered down at Liam and asked, "Does that sound like what you had in mind?"

With a wide grin, Liam stepped closer to Yelara. "That sounds exactly like what I was thinking about. And, I really do like putting a smile on your face for hours, even though last time we did startle Leshie."

"Well, he's gonna have to start getting used to it," Yelara said as she reached out and ran her hand along Liam's chest. "When he's older, I imagine we'll still be having sex. If he's not used to it by then, he'll be in for many more startling surprises."

"So very true," Liam said with a smile. "But, if he's not, I have a feeling not even blast doors will keep Yara from trying to teach him. I think they'll fall madly for each other just the way we did."

"But hopefully with less bumps along the way." Yelara clutched at Liam's cloak and pulled herself towards him. "Are you finished here? Leshie's asleep and Jae Dyn's off training. We could have some time alone."

Liam slipped his arms around Yelara and grinned. "Then I think we should slip off for a little treat," he said. "Should we hurry back into our room?"

Yelara looked around at the deserted area they were occupying and giggled. "Here. I want you to take me here, and now."

"I like here and now," Liam said with a smile as he kissed her. It was a long and slow kiss that left both of them feeling dizzy and light-headed. His hands drifted beneath Yelara's shirt as their lips explored each other's faces.

"I know this isn't going to help fix the sensor relay, but I think we could both use a good distraction." Yelara busied herself with unfastening Liam's pants while she pushed him towards a patch of plush grass.

"Maybe," Liam said as he pushed Yelara's shirt up, "during the heat of our passion we'll find inspiration for the sensors. There's only one way to find out." Once they were in the middle of the grass, Liam let Yelara lower him to the ground. "It is a good thing the sensors aren't working or we could be giving everyone back in the Temple quite a show."

"Liam, everyone at the Temple has already witnessed us having sex before," Yelara said as she straddled Liam. "Well, except for Laedra...but I imagine she'd only pass out if she saw us doing this. She needs to loosen up." Yelara helped Liam peel her shirt off, then with a laugh, she flung it away. "She's wound a little tight, isn't she?"

"She is," Liam said. "But, so was Nieme. It all comes with what happened before in their lives. I'm sure after a few months at the Temple, Laedra will be quite relaxed about things. How could she not be with us around? She'd go mad otherwise." Liam closed his eyes as he kissed Yelara, wishing the thoughts of Laedra would leave his mind. He only wanted to think of Yelara right now.

Yelara pushed her hands beneath Liam's shirt and pulled her lips from his, laughing. "And are you offering to initiate her into our world, Liam? I have it on good authority that your wife really wouldn't appreciate that."

"I wouldn't do such a thing," Liam said. "Though, after your suggestions the other day, I was wondering if you may be the one initiating her. You and Kallia, you wicked girls, corrupting that poor, helpless Jedi Master with your naughtiness."

Yelara tweaked Liam's ear playfully, then moved her hands to his bare abdomen and began tickling. "We are not wicked! We are merely spirited and expressive...especially during sex!"

"And, I truly love your expressiveness," Liam said with a laugh as he helped Yelara out of her pants. He couldn't keep his hands still long enough with her tickling. He tried batting her hands away, but it was no use. "Keep this up, and you'll pay for it!"

Yelara gave an exaggerated diabolical laugh and began tickling lower until her hands were within his pants. "A promise you must keep, my love. If not...I shall punish you with yet more tickles!" She pulled her fingers free of Liam's pants and carried out another barrage of dancing fingers upon his abdomen.

Liam managed to slip a hand between Yelara's legs while she was tickling him. With one hand he tickled below her breasts, the other he brushed against her mound. "I'm going to really make you pay now," Liam managed to get out between laughs.

"I'd really like to see you try!" Yelara shrieked and curled in on herself to keep Liam from finding flesh particularly susceptible to tickling. "This was not what I had in mind for my treat! This is so very wrong!"

"You started tickling me first," Liam said with a laugh. "I'm only following your lead, my love. We had it going pretty good though if you want to go to that again."

"Liam? Are you--" Laedra stopped short as she spotted the two lying upon the grass and engaging in an activity she had no firsthand experience with. "Oh...forgive me. Jae Dyn said that... Just...I'm sorry." Flustered and mortified, Laedra turned and rushed away as quickly as she had come.

Yelara looked down at Liam with a tight smile and sighed. "She really does have a habit of walking in on people at the wrong time, doesn't she?"

Liam sighed. "Should I go check on her and we can pick this up again in a bit?"

Yelara shrugged and pushed herself to her feet. "Go ahead. I'll just find my shirt and have a look at the sensor unit."

Liam rose and kissed Yelara passionately. "I'll see you soon, my love," he said, and rushed off in the direction Laedra had gone.

"Yeah...sure," Yelara muttered as she swiped at her shirt upon the ground and put it on. Her pants soon followed and once she was decent, she moved towards the sensor unit. Somehow, Liam abandoning her to run to Laedra struck a jealous nerve in her, but she promised herself she'd try and be reasonable from now on. You trust him, she kept telling herself as she leaned over the sensor unit and looked at the tangled wires within. "I do trust him," she said quietly. "I just don't trust him to keep his pants on."

***

Liam could hear Laedra up ahead of him. "Laedra," he called. "Wait, Laedra."

Laedra turned with a look of confusion upon her face. "Liam...what are you-- I'm sorry if I disturbed whatever it was you and Yelara were doing. Jae Dyn said you were working out there and..." She sighed and laughed nervously. "It won't happen again. I assure you."

"I'm sorry about that," Liam said. "We were...we were working, and things got...carried away. I didn't think you'd be out there, so... I'm sorry. I didn't want for you to see that...that...it should be private, and not displayed for everyone else. We...we thought no one would come out to check on us."

"No one should have," Laedra replied. "I should have waited. I merely needed to speak with you, but..." She could not help laughing softly at the sight of his bare chest...yet again. It seemed she'd witnessed him more often without clothing than with. The one problem she found with it was that she enjoyed it far too much. "It can wait," she said finally. "You have...fun with Yelara and I'll merely speak to you after. Forgive me, Liam." Laedra gave him a bow, eyes closed so they wouldn't wander to his chest, then she turned once again to depart.

"Wait," Liam said, stepping closer. "I'm here, so if you want to talk we can. I'll get back to Yelara in a few minutes. The time'll give her a chance to work on a sensor problem I was hitting my head against. It makes sense to talk now while we're both here."

Laedra paused, then sighed and nodded her head. "I won't be long. I merely wanted to speak to you about..." Her brow furrowed and she searched the air blindly as if afflicted by sudden absentmindedness. "I... I completely forgot what I meant to tell you." Laedra laughed lightly and shook her head. "I... Forgive me. I know I had something to speak with you about... It has simply eluded me now."

Liam smiled. "It's alright," he said. "I'm sure it'll come to you again, and even so, it's always nice to see you. How are things going inside?" He knew he should get back to Yelara, but just a little longer with Laedra would be alright. And, it'd give Yel a chance to fix the sensor, and then he would really get to treat her.

"Things are fine," Laedra said. "Kael has been helping me in the garden. I'd hoped you could join us, but I could find you nowhere. But I now see that you had more important things to take care of," she added with a knowing smile.

"I was working on the sensor packs," Liam said with a grin. "And, then Yelara found me, and...well, one thing led to another." He looked into her eyes and sighed softly. "Spending time with you is also important, and we do have some training we should do. I think, given your recounting of your past couple fights, that we should work on getting your fighting skills brushed up. Maybe you'd be interested in that a little later."

"A very little later," Laedra replied quietly and with a large grin. She held his gaze in silence until she looked away and laughed. "How long will you need with Yelara?"

Liam was happy she looked away for the chance to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Will an hour be alright?" He took a step closer and then stopped himself before he did something he knew he shouldn't do. "I'll meet you in the training room." He took a breath and let it out, and then added quietly, "And, I hope I can hold out that long."

"An hour then." Laedra exhaled deeply and laid a hand upon her chest. She sent undulating waves of the Force through her hand to calm her restless heart. "Please don't be late, Liam," she whispered before quickly turning and fleeing.

Liam took several moments to collect his thoughts and calm himself before turning and heading back to where Yelara was working at the sensor. "Oh, I do like it when you're in that position," he said as he came up behind her while she leaned over the unit. "She's going to be alright. We're going to be doing some training later since she's nearly gotten herself in trouble twice now, but she agreed that I could come back and finish what I'd started with my wife."

"How so very kind of her," Yelara said as she turned towards Liam. "And how very kind of your wife to get the sensor net working," she added with a grin. "I mean, it's not up and running yet, but I think I've figured out a way to rig it up, with some extra components we'll need, of course."

"I knew you'd get it," Liam said with a laugh. "Damn you're good. Now, about that treat..."

"I think that was my motivation," Yelara replied with a sultry smile. "Now, my husband dearest," she said as she slipped a hand into his pants, "where were we?"

"I think that's about right," Liam said as he lowered them to the ground. He found her lips with his and started to once again undress her. He allowed his mouth to explore her body as his hands deftly removed pants and shirt and tossed them aside.

"This time," Yelara said as her shirt once again fluttered to the ground, "I don't care who interrupts us, we're not stopping for anything." With a giggle, Yelara pulled loose her hair. The raven curls bounced as they fell upon her shoulders, and cradled her face delicately. "Now," she said with a gentle smile, "give me my reward, Mr. Zaneth."

"Gladly, Mrs. Zaneth," Liam said. "Most gladly."

---

"Tangled, Part 2"
By: Liam Zaneth
Laedra Vorrel

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

Liam walked through the Temple, his footsteps ringing off the stone floor and echoing through the hallways. His face broke into a smile as he neared the training hall, and as expected Laedra was waiting inside for him. "Three minutes early," he said as he walked through the door.

Laedra smiled and found herself rushing forward to greet Liam. "I thought I'd warm up before you came, but now that you're here, we can do that together."

"Good," Liam said. "Let's see about getting our muscles loosened up, and then we can do some sparring." He pulled off his cloak and tossed it aside as he moved to meet her.

Laedra stepped back with a laugh, then turned away from Liam and slipped off her robe. "I haven't sparred with another for a very long time, Liam, but don't take that to mean I would like you to go easy on me." She folded her robe neatly and laid it upon a nearby bench, then turned to face Liam again. "I need the practice."

"I'll make sure you get the practice you need," Liam said. "And, I'll make sure that you're never off your guard again." He moved toward the centre of the room, and glanced at her. "Would it be easier on you if I left my shirt on?"

Laedra closed her eyes and laughed silently. "Whatever you wish, Liam." She gazed upon him again, then ventured towards him. "However, I believe I will remain more or less clothed, if you don't mind."

"And what if I do?" Liam asked quietly as he stripped out of his shirt and tossed it over near his cloak. Once unhindered by the clothing, he started stretching out his limbs. "Would you prefer to practice with live lightsabers or with practice ones?"

Feeling the throbbing of her heart and the quivering that consumed her body at the sight of Liam's bared chest, Laedra wasn't certain she could safely handle a live lightsaber. "Perhaps the force pikes," she said. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard as she turned her back to Liam and began stretching her arms. With the distractions provided by Liam's exposed torso, she had little confidence she would be a good training partner for him. "I...I remembered what I wanted to discuss with you," she said after a long moment of quiet. "It was regarding Raxis L'Ygr."

Liam moved to the rack holding the force pikes, and pulled one down for himself and one for Laedra. As he returned to her, he cocked his head to the side. "Okay. Raxis L'Ygr. What did you wish to discuss?"

"I've told you about his nefarious past," she began as she took the proffered pike from Liam. "And I have also told you that he wishes to change." Laedra tested the balance and weight of the pike in her hand, then swung it smoothly through the air. "Very nice. As for Raxis... You are aware that he is sensitive to the Force."

"You mentioned that yesterday," Liam said. He moved a short distance away with his pike. He took up a fighting stance and focused on Laedra's defenses. "Do you think he's too old to train?"

"Yes," Laedra replied tersely. She stepped into the centre circle and bowed to Liam before holding her pike in a readied position. "But, now that he knows the power he holds within him, the threat of the Darkside finding him and luring him in is far greater."

"It sounds like the path he walked was fairly dark," Liam said. "Though, it couldn't have been as dark as mine. Do you think we can teach him enough to avoid it?" He feinted toward her side to test her defenses there. She parried nicely, but didn't expect him to spin around and drive his pike toward her other side. "Watch all of me, not just my eyes. Use all of your senses, and you'll know where my blows will fall."

"It wasn't your eyes I was focusing on," Laedra muttered as she tore her focus from his chest. "He has asked for my help." Laedra lunged at Liam's exposed side, which quickly became otherwise as his pike moved in to block her. "I shall give it to him if only to keep him from that path he does not wish to follow."

Liam smiled, and it nearly earned having his feet swiped out from under him by Laedra's pike. "What sort of help is he asking for?" he asked. "We can help him as much as our resources will allow, but we will need to devote as much of our attention to training a new generation of Jedi Knights and becoming again the protectors of the Galaxy."

"I agree, but would it not be wise to prevent others from succumbing to the Darkside?" Seeing as Liam was almost as distracted as she, Laedra seized the opportunity and spun around, slashing her pike obliquely as she came about to face Liam.

Liam just managed to get his force pike into place before Laedra's slammed him aside. "Nice move," he said, and then recovered himself. "Someone who has training with the Force is much more likely to succumb to the darkside than one who merely has the talent. Though, as soon as the talent has the ability to wield those powers, then we must be wary. We can befriend Raxis, and someone of his talents could be quite useful, but I do not think we will be able to afford much time to keep him on the right path once we are engaged in training new Padawans." He smiled. "Hopefully he's a fast learner."

"I hope the same about myself," Laedra replied with a grin. "But I do not plan on training him in the uses of the Force; rather, I hope to keep a man who desires to shed his already dark nature from further plummeting into the depths of darkness." She parried another abrupt thrust by Liam and immediately administered her own before he could recover. She pulled back before her pike made contact with his abdomen and smiled. "I had you there."

Liam looked up and met Laedra's gaze as his body shifted into a new defensive stance. "You definitely did," he said. "Perhaps together we can keep Raxis in the light. I do have the experience on that one, and I'm living proof that you can escape a dark past." He thrust the pike out, but instead of following through, he dropped and swept his leg under hers to trip her.

Caught offguard, Laedra was in the process of deflecting Liam's pass and barely had time to leap above his sweeping leg. She came down off balance and stumbled into Liam as he was coming up from the floor...where he ended up again with Laedra flattened atop him. Shock itself was not enough to motivate Laedra to pull herself to her feet. She was caught gazing into Liam's eyes and trying desperately to regain her breath. "I guess you had me that time."

Liam couldn't pull his eyes from Laedra's as they lay there together. "And, you got me," he said as neither made any attempt to move. "So, do we call that one a draw?"

"I don't know," Laedra said quietly. "Did my fighting look much improved?"

Liam nodded. "It looked much improved," he said. "Though, it's probably not usually a good idea to lie on top of your attacker like this, but...it's actually kind of comfortable."

"Yes," Laedra agreed with a vigorous nod. "Much better than...being shot at and..." She closed her eyes and cleansed her nervous anxiety with calming breaths. "This is definitely unorthodox training." She stared down at Liam again and managed a laugh. "We really should use this as a teaching tool for the children."

Without thinking, Liam allowed his arms to encircle Laedra. "If we did," he said, "then I think they'd want to train much more often. Though, I think we should test this method much more fully before we pass it on to anyone else."

"You're a very charming man, Liam." Laedra laughed softly and brought a hand up to caress his cheek. "And I believe this is doing nothing to help me with my ineptness at fighting. Unless of course you plan on travelling everywhere with me and protecting me."

Liam smiled and brought a hand up to cover hers. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he said. "You were doing good, and against anyone else you probably would have wiped the floor with them. And, you managed to pin me to the ground."

"Unintentionally," Laedra corrected. "But now that we're here, I think it was more a fortunate accident than a mistake." She gazed with longing at Liam, knowing their actions were completely inappropriate and against the teachings her Master had given her, but there was some aspect of Liam's personality, of his very essence that made her incapable of resisting him. "Should we...have another round?" she said quietly, but making no effort to move. "You could teach me that feint."

"Yes," he said. "I think we should try another round. I think if we keep it up, pretty soon you'll be one of the best fighters at the Temple. You definitely have the potential." Liam couldn't take his eyes from hers. He smiled and then nodded slowly. "And, I'll teach you the feint. We should get up, and then..." He wasn't moving though.

"And then," Laedra continued, "you really should put your shirt on, Liam." She smiled at him wanly, knowing there was no explanation necessary. "But I don't want you to take that as meaning I don't...appreciate your bare chest." Giving in to impulsiveness, Laedra ran her fingers lightly over his moist, smooth flesh and smiled. "It's a fine chest, actually," she whispered.

"Thank you," Liam whispered, and a slight shiver ran through his body at her touch. "I'm going to assume that you mean you appreciate my chest very much, and a good idea...if we're going to be training. I'll put my shirt back on...so we can both concentrate." He sighed softly at the memory of her touch and knew he was treading into very dangerous territory.

"That could be perilous," Laedra said. At Liam's quizzical expression she added, "Without you distracting me, I'm afraid you'll have yourself quite a challenging opponent."

Liam smiled. "Well, we'll see how you do," he said. "You may not need this training after all. Though, practice is always good."

"I really do enjoy our practice sessions, Liam. I believe I definitely require many more of them." Their faces lingered so close, she could feel Liam's breath mingling with hers. The throbbing between her legs was back, which always happened when she was in close proximity to Liam, but this was closer than she'd ever gotten to him before. "What is this, Liam?" she asked softly. "What are we doing?"

"We're--" He looked up into her eyes and the words disappeared. After a moment, he tried again. "We're both attracted to each other very much," he said as he gazed into her eyes and saw the longing there. The heat of their bodies so close was so intense Liam thought he would burst. Then, the longing within him won out over the rational restraint, and he brushed his lips against hers. "We're just two people who are drawn to each other...a lot."

Laedra closed her eyes and paused to savour the residual heat left by Liam's lips. The first kiss she'd ever experienced...the first kiss of any kind. She could never recall her parents every placing goodnight kisses upon her cheeks, nor did they ever show her any affection, not as Liam was showing her. She knew now that it was more than merely being drawn to Liam physically; for her, it was a yearning for human contact of some kind, but it certainly helped matters that she was attracted to Liam. Laedra clenched her eyes tightly to keep the tears from escaping, then sighed and rested her forehead lightly against Liam's. "It feels nice to be with you, Liam. Thank you," she whispered.

Liam's enhanced senses picked up the change in her emotions and he smiled as he looked up at her. He slipped his arms around her again, and nodded. "You're welcome, Lae," he said. "And, I feel the same way. It's very nice, and I'm...I'm very happy to have you here at the Temple...and in my life."

Laedra opened her eyes slowly, surprised by Liam's admission. The tears she'd been withholding escaped and fell onto Liam's cheeks. "I'm... I know this is wrong, Liam, but I want to be near you. I don't want to threaten your marriage with Yelara, but... I need to be near you, Liam, even if it is just as friends."

Liam swallowed. "I know I shouldn't say it...but if I weren't married to Yelara, I would want to be with you. Even though I am, I still want to be with you. However we can, Lae, I want us to be together, as close as we can be. I care for you too much to want any distance between us."

"I understand." Laedra smiled solemnly at Liam, then respecting his apparent wishes, she lifted herself off him and turned away to dry her tears. "I will not let us get too close, Liam," she said. "But I will make sure I do not push you away either."

Liam rose and slipped his arms around her as she was turned away. "And, I'm not going to push you away, Laedra," he said quietly. "I don't know how all of this is going to work, but I just know that my feelings for you are very strong and they're not going to vanish. It would upset Yelara to know that, I know, but I can't help what I feel. It's very confusing."

Laedra rested her head back upon Liam's shoulder and ran her fingers lightly over his hands. "Even more so to me, Liam. I have been without companionship for years, and never with a man. I didn't intend for this to happen; in fact, I tried everything in my power to keep it from going too far. But I can't, Liam. I can't just keep from feeling what I do for you."

Liam brought a hand to her cheek, and then down to her chin. She shifted around to face Liam as he lifted her face up until they were looking into each other's eyes again. "Sometimes you just can't stop things like this from happening," he said. He brushed his lips against hers again, and then kissed her more fully.

Laedra had no idea what she was supposed to do, how she was supposed to behave during a kiss. Instead of trying to reason it out, she let instinct control her actions and found that it had her returning Liam's kiss with an insatiable need she didn't know existed in her. It was the need for companionship and a love she'd never received from anyone in any form. Master Ina had shown her friendship, but the dictates of the Code forbade him from venturing too close. They were merely Master and Padawan, and being with Liam now, Laedra realized how detrimental to her social and emotional development it had made her.

Breathless and overcome with joy, Laedra pulled her lips away and hid her grinning face against Liam's chest. "We are going to be a very bad influence on the students."

Liam smiled and held her close. "Well, we'll just have to keep this from them then," he said. "We can't have them developing the bad habits of their teachers now, can we?"

"You mean our lack of self-restraint? Our inability to focus when we're in the same room together?" Laedra looked up at Liam and smiled shyly. "I'm beginning to realize why you didn't forbid the students from fraternizing. It appears it is a rule not even their teachers can abide by."

"It's not for lack of trying," Liam said. "And, I think part of it was that we were struggling so hard to keep our feelings and desires in check, it was overwhelming us. I think now that we're aware of this, and of our feelings for each other, we'll have...less difficulty training."

"It sounds logical enough...in theory. Perhaps we should put it to the test." Laedra grinned at Liam as she moved past him and retrieved one of their fallen pikes. She studied it for a moment, then without her gaze leaving the pike, she tossed it to Liam.

Liam caught the powered staff and tested its weight. He stepped back from Laedra as she retrieved the second pike and prepared herself for their next sparring match. With every ounce of focus he could gather to himself, Liam readied himself and walled off his emotions and feelings for Laedra. Once she was ready, he lunged.

She waited until he was committed by momentum to continue on his forward path, then with a cool grin, Laedra sidestepped Liam and brought her pike flat against his back. "You must be a very good teacher," she commented teasingly. "Your moves are becoming more and more predictable."

Liam laughed as he recovered from her blow. "You don't want me to be unpredictable," he said as he spun back in her direction. He adjusted his stance and shifted the pike in his hands then started forward again. She parried his attacks easily, and then suddenly he wasn't there. Straight up and over the top he went, to land gracefully behind her. Her defenses were just a little slow as he tapped her backside with his force pike. "Gotcha."

Laedra emitted a choked yelp and spun about to face Liam. "I imagine that is quite effective in confusing an opponent," she said playfully. "And flustering them." Recovering from her moment of embarrassment, Laedra relentlessly dealt numerous lunges and slashes that were effortlessly deflected. She kept the smile from her face as she used Liam's own feint against him. She thrust the pike towards him, but rotated it clockwise in her hands at the last moment and used it to sweep Liam's feet out from under him. "Gotcha!" she hollered as Liam began going down.

"Hey!" Liam cried as the ground suddenly disappeared out from under him. He twisted his body, and deftly rolled into the fall, and came up standing again. "You do learn fast. Won't be long, and you'll be able to face any challenge the streets throw at you. And, maybe soon we can seek out that huntress and try to convince her to stop searching out Jedi and killing them. If nothing else, we can try to take her toys away."

"And toys she does have," Laedra said grimly. "Thermal detonators she tosses about like candy. The woman had complete disregard for life in general. She was willing to kill an entire room full of people merely to escape...and all because I was a Jedi." Laedra sighed and powered down her staff. Suddenly, training seemed insignificant. "Why are we doing all this, Liam? I mean this Temple, training new Padawans, rebuilding the Order... No one even knows we exist," she said, "and those that do merely want us dead."

"There are those who want us here, but they've been silent so long because of the Empire... And, the Imperial propaganda worked wonders for the Jedi reputation. But, we have a chance to change that now. We can step out of our hiding places and become guardians again. For many generations the Jedi protected the peace, until the dark times, until the Empire. We have that chance again." He looked up into her eyes, hope shining in his.

"I have been in isolation so long, Liam, and being with you now, I've learned how truly lonely that can be. If there are others like us who have been waiting for the chance to step out into the world again and declare who they are, then perhaps we can inspire them by doing just that." Laedra stepped towards Liam and slipped her hand into his. "We should do this, Liam. We shouldn't hide what we are anymore. I want to walk into the city and display to everyone that we are Jedi, and that we are here to help them rebuild what the Empire has torn asunder. We can do this, Liam."

Liam smiled. "No more hiding," he said. "From now on, when we go out, we wear traditional Jedi attire. We stand against the Empire's actions, and we help rebuild the Republic. We will be the protectors and guardians, protecting the light from the darkness."

"And keeping the two from ever mingling." Laedra smiled and nodded at Liam with mute approval. "I truly am glad our paths crossed, Liam."

"As am I," Liam said. "We're going to make a difference, Lae. We're going to restore to the Galaxy what was stolen. We're going to make things right again."

"Somehow, hearing you say it," Laedra said as she drew closer to Liam, "I believe it." She kissed him lightly upon the lips, then closed her eyes and sighed as she leaned against him. "I believe we can do anything together, Liam. I truly believe that."

Liam slipped his arms around her and held Laedra close to him. "I do too," he whispered. "Maybe we can start doing good with Raxis L'Ygr. We'll need more help than just us here at the Temple, and perhaps he can lend us some help where we need it."

"We can go into the city tomorrow and speak with him. I promised I would stop by to discuss some matters with him..." Laedra looked up into Liam's eyes and added softly, "I trust you, Liam. And this time, I want to take you with me to meet him. It has to be you and I together, Liam, or we will never accomplish what we've set out to do."

"We're going to make this work, Laedra," Liam said. "And, it will be us together. I can sense us doing good things in the future, and always together. And, I'd be happy to go. There is another man I need to meet with, perhaps we can go to him together. He is a fallen Jedi, and somehow he foresaw Kandran's return."

"Fallen? He hasn't delved into the darkside, has he?" Laedra's brows knitted in concern and she pressed a hand to Liam's cheek. "I don't want you to see him alone if that is the case. I know you are reformed, Liam...but for your sake, I do not want you to be alone with this man."

"Then I would be happy to have you along with me," Liam said. "I don't know the full story, but he met with Kael the other day in the city. I wasn't going to meet with him because his warnings seemed so far-fetched. However, now I'm not sure what to think. Somehow he knew, and I want to know where he got his information. I have only scattered information about him, and I don't know how much of it to believe. Perhaps we can get the real story from Kylas tomorrow."

"Then I shall be there, Liam. And afterwards, we can pay Mr. L'Ygr a visit." Laedra looked down for a moment, then asked quietly, "Do you think we should inform Kal'Aran and Jae Dyn about our undertakings? I believe they should have a say in whether we reveal ourselves to the people of Tae'Karada, but as for our other activities... Would it be wise?"

"I have a feeling the four of us will be forming the core of our Jedi Council for now," Liam said. "So, I think it would be best for us to talk to them as well. With something this important, we should all be agreed, or at least the majority of us." He couldn't help smiling as he looked into her eyes. "It would definitely be wise."

Laedra sighed then laughed softly. "I am inexperienced in cooperating with others, so I defer to your judgement, Liam, and if you believe we should confer with Kal'Aran and Jae Dyn, then we shall." She glanced down at Liam's chest, then back up at him with a cocked brow. "I guess this means training is over for today."

Liam smiled. "Well, we can try another time if you'd like," he said. "Or we can do some meditation. It's been awhile since I've had some good meditation."

Laedra took Liam's pike from his hand and with her other, gently pulled him towards the centre of the training room. "We'll meditate together...and perhaps I can teach you a special meditative technique my Master taught me." Laedra smiled at Liam and added, "I plan on sharing everything with you from now on."

"And, I promise to not keep anything from you ever again," Liam said as he followed Laedra. "And, I look forward to whatever techniques you can share with me, and I'll do the same."

"Strictly meditative and fighting techniques of course, Liam." Laedra laughed as she settled onto the training mat cross-legged and watched Liam as he joined her. "You were talking about that I hope."

Liam looked up at Laedra and grinned, then quickly looked away. "Now you have me thinking about...things," he said with a laugh. "Yes, meditative and fighting techniques." He settled into a comfortable position in which to meditate, and smiled again. "We'll set a good example for our Padawans."

"Oh, of course," Laedra said as she closed her eyes. "We are Jedi, Liam. We are naturally exemplary people from an elite Order that has thrived for centuries." Sitting face to face with their knees touching, Laedra reached out and joined hands with Liam. "I think, however, once in a while, we're allowed to be somewhat unruly."

Liam reached out his hands until their joined hands rested in the cleft made by their touching knees and closed his own eyes. "It is in our nature as humans to be so," he said. "While we may be able to curtail much of the dark side of our nature, we must still have release from the part of our humanity so it does not drive us mad." He smiled as he thought of he and Laedra going mad together and nearly laughed. "Only in moderation though."

"I agree," Laedra replied with a suppressed grin. "For if we exceeded appropriate levels of unruliness, I do not believe any amount of meditation could restore us to the disciplined, reserved Jedi we are now." She opened an eye to spy upon Liam, and smiled as his mouth twitched with a stifled laugh. "And we are those people, are we not, Liam?"

"We are," Liam said. "Only what's appropriate." He stopped for a moment, then frowned. "But what's an appropriate level? I believe some research is in order."

Laedra pursed her lips together to keep from bursting forth with laughter. She cleared her throat and wore an expression of utmost sobriety and graveness as she said, "Indeed. Perhaps first we should meditate to better prepare us for such an assiduous undertaking." Laedra squeezed his hands tenderly, then added, "If you'd like, I could aid you in your research, Liam Zaneth. It would be my esteem pleasure."

Liam chewed his lower lip to keep from laughing. He nodded his head and returned her squeezing of his hands. "Yes," he said. "I would like very much to have your assistance in this. I think it is a matter of paramount importance and will affect Jedi Knights for generations to come."

Laedra's body shook with silenced laughter until finally, she delivered a gentle nudge through the Force that travelled from her fingertips and into Liam's body. It was only a small push, but enough to put herself and Liam into a preliminary meditative state, and end their silly banter. "Meditation, Liam Zaneth," Laedra muttered. "Then research."

"Meditation," Liam said with a smile, and then allowed himself to fall deeper into the trance-like state required of their meditation. As he did, he felt his senses open around him, then Laedra take hold of them and guide him through the techniques passed to her by her master. The dangerous part was it placed she and Liam even closer together. Their path was already a precarious one, yet neither seemed particularly interested in halting. There were many others involved whose feelings they needed to take account of, but it simply never crossed Laedra's mind when she was Liam. It was only them, each existing for one another. And now, as they transcended their corporeal shackles and explored the intangible world together, they existed as one, creating the beginnings of a bond that soon would be too strong to be broken.

---

"A Better Offer"
By: Grand Admiral Tarkin - New Empire Grand Admiral
and Syan Daywalker - Bounty Hunter

Location: Royal Palace of Arcadia
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

The TIE fighters had appeared on Aesir's scanners a couple of dozen miles out from the palace's airspace. The flying bowties appeared first as dark silhouettes in the thin stratus, and then descended on his position. Standard tactical flight. Their ion engines howled as they shot past and banked to come around behind him. His hand moved to the shield controls by instinct, but never got there. Consciously, Syan ignored them, depending on them being good enough pilots to not need his constant eye on their positions. TIE pilots on Chimaeria had plenty of time for practice.

An artificially-created wall of rolling hills flashed by under the ship, revealing behind them the towering palace. The scale of it elicited a small whistle even from Syan, who banked softly to right on approach.

"That is very impressive, Master Syan," Eighteen remarked from beside him in the co-pilot's seat. She wasn't doing much piloting, but monitoring the navigation controls took enough of his attention that her help with it was useful.

He flicked a switch and kicked in the repulsers, simultaneously slowing the thrust. "Yes, it is," he answered, without looking up. Aesir's prow came alive with reflections from the palace's towers above. Golds and blue-green tones washed over the silver craft. He increased power to the repulsers to lift the ship more before igniting the breaking thrusters. Aesir slewed to the side and turned slowly, rolling to slow in the wind before setting down softly on her tripod legs.

In full armored regalia, Syan got up from the pilot controls and left orders with Eighteen to keep her receptors open. The cockpit lift took him down to the lower decks. Ivory white and chrome paneling made the corridors seem longer than they were as he walked them. The sound of his walking echoed forward through the ship in time to the slowing whine of the rotary engines. The echo of a pair of footsteps continued on even though he'd stopped in front of the holding cells. He placed his palm against the glowing blue plate. It scanned his handprint and pheromonal pattern before sliding up to reveal an inner recess with old-fashioned button keys. He punched in the unlock code and withdrew his hand, allowing the plate to close once more.

As the cell's door opened, Syan stepped back and rested his hand conspicuously on the butt of his blaster. Wessel was still drowsy from the anaesthiate, so Syan hauled the pilot to his feet and marched him stumbling foward. The key by the hatch opened the boarding ramp and he walked down with the merchandise.

"Halt." The stormtrooper's command was clipped and official. Syan did as instructed, holding on to Wessel's restraints while the stormtroopers looked smuggler and bounty hunter over respectively. When done, the small squad stepped back and lowered their weapons. "You are the bounty hunter, Daywalker?" one of them asked.

"Yes," Syan replied. "Are you the one that has my money?"

The stormtrooper's visored gaze covered all sign of emotion, almost as well as Syan did. Without replying, he reached into his equipment belt and handed the bounty hunter a small datacard. "Details of the transaction. As soon as the prisoner is processed, the bounty will be routed to your Guild account."

Noting the stormtrooper's serial number, Syan nodded and agreed to the conditions. As two of the troopers hauled Crusher Wessel away, Syan gestured to the restraints. "I'll expect those back."

"You'll get them," the one before him still, answered. A gloved hand came to the side of the helmet and he cocked his head slightly, as if listening. "The Admiral wants to see you. Come with us."

Syan didn't move. "What does he want to see me for?"

"Don't worry, bounty hunter, you'll be paid for your time," the trooper replied with a snort of disgust. At least he was smart enough to understand Syan's hesitation. Time is money, and his time was worth a lot of it.

Syan was taken to a room where the Admiral stood, his personal Red Guards also present. The guard who had taken him there left, leaving Syan's side. The Admiral had his back turned to Syan. He turned around, a grin on his face.

"Congratulations on bringing in Crusher Wessel... But I would like to discuss matters of better interest and of better payment in your case," he said, noticing he had Daywalker's interest. "You know of Vicks Mason?" he asked, curious to see how much this man knew.

Information and weapons were a bounty hunter's best friends - only friends. His weapons he kept with him always. He'd allowed the stormtroopers to take his blasters, but he retained the rest. Their close proximity was meant to intimidate, or to stop him before he could draw a weapon to cut down the Admiral. They had little to fear, however. "Never kill the money", was a rule. With a caveat: "...unless the money crosses you."

"A smuggler from Tatooine," he began, as if reading off an Imperial briefing (which in fact he had), "wanted for several counts of border crossing, evading capture, trafficking in contraband. The largest bounty on him is for theft of unspecified articles." Syan focused his gaze more directly now. "Reputedly good with a blaster, with Imperial Academy training, and is in possession of a ship armed with the weapons system he stole from you."

"Yes, he did steal that weapons technology from the Empire. And for that he shall pay dearly," Tarkin shot back coldly. "I've ignored his presence long enough. He served his purpose in carrying out some third-party assignments for us that he was not aware of. But now, the time has come for him to cease being a thorn in my side. Bounty hunter, you are to find this Vicks Mason, and his ship, and bring him to Imperial custody. Dead or alive, it matters little to me. But the ship must be intact. Questions?"

The data percolated behind Syan's eyes for a moment as he considered the offer. Professional expediency demanded that he examine all of his competition. It wouldn't do to have two hunters on the same job if one could avoid it. It just complicated things.

Syan Daywalker shifted inside his coat. "No, no questions. You'll be informed as soon as I've got Mason."

Tarkin nodded and dismissed the bounty hunter. Again Syan mused at the contrasts in the Admiral. His flinty stare and soulless eyes stood out like a beacon against his oily demeanor and silk-like verbal manipulation. If ever there was a man that would shake your hand with one hand and stab you with the other, he was currently using this skyrise office.

Stormtroopers flanked him all the way down inside the palace. He could see night falling through the many windows. "Eighteen?" He had unclipped a small personal comlink from his belt and spoke into it as the lift descended the turboshaft.

"I'm here, Master Syan," her reedy voice seemed higher and more shrill in the small lift.

One of the stormies turned his visored gaze on Syan, but the bounty hunter ignored him until the trooper pressed a cred stick in his palm. It took Syan a second to realize this was payment for his meeting with Tarkin. Sometimes it really was easier to do business with the Empire. He returned to the comlink. "Has the transaction gone through?"

There was little need to elaborate on which transaction. "One moment, Master Syan, I'll check." A pause. He could hear the twitter of Aesir's computer in the background. "The transaction has gone through. Your current balance stands at--"

"That's enough, Eighteen," he cut her off. "Now that they've paid up, I'm on my way down. Prep the ship for liftoff. We're leaving."

"Of course, Master Syan."

He thumbtwisted the comlink off and placed it back on his belt and stepped out of the lift. A long hallway, filled with active and passive sensing equipment his visor told him, almost glowed with the reflected light from the open gateway. Beyond it on the platform was the ship.

---

"Intrusion, Part 1"
By: Major Dale Weyland - Imperial Administrator
Shrezade Anoran - Director of the Drogen Shipyards

Location: Drogen Shipyards
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

The silence of space just outside of Tae'Karada brought forth such serenities, with its breathtaking system an artist's background to what seemed to be a peaceful world. Transports left the massive world's atmosphere regularly, and jumped into hyperspace with the blink of an eye and utter silence. The galaxy was one full of conflict and rebellion, and for a moment's glance it could be assumed that this system had been spared from its grasp.

A flash of light entered the nearby system of Tae'Karada, and assumptions regarding the peacefulness of the planet had been shaken clear of mind and remembered as merely a hope.

As the light cleared, a small armada came crashing to a halt as it exited hyperspace. In the center of this armada was an Imperial Strike Cruiser floating through the void, surrounded by a handful of Carrack light cruisers and Galleons. Its ominous presence adjusted its course to swing around the orbit of Tae'Karada, as it rounded the massive planet.

"Approaching Drogen Shipyards, Major," a young Imperial pilot hailed over the intercom.

"Proceed with docking procedures and initiate contact," he said, as he slowly opened his eyes. Sitting in his dark officer's quarters, he gazed upon the neon reflection of his pilot. His name was Major Dane Weyland, and he had come to Tae'Karada with the strictest of orders.

Tapping off his holopad, he rose from his expensive leather seat and adjusted his uniform. He stepped in front of the mirror and regarded himself for a moment, and ran a hand through his hair to make sure that it was presentable. With a slight grin, he exited the room and made his way to the command deck.

Swerving between pilots and deckhands who stopped to salute him on his way to the deck, he couldn't help but think of the irony. The war against the rebels had been a long one, and he was finally becoming one of the key players in the Imperial defense. It was a shame that he had to hide his excitement.

"Officer on deck!" the young ensign called as he moved his stance to a salute, as the Major stepped onto the bridge.

"At ease and man your stations, men," Dane commanded. "Communications?"

"Yes sir!" an Imperial replied from his station. He was wearing a large black helmet designed to place his vision to only that of multiple readout screens at one time. It was similar to the ones issued to the gunnery team on the former Death Star battlestations.

"I want a secure transmission lined to the Director of the shipyards...don't accept no for an answer," Dane ordered as he waved a hand towards another communications officer. "Communications Two. Appropriate adjoined landing bays for the fleet under emergency request of the Imperial Government."

"Sir, yes Sir," the two called, as they began to send the transmissions.

Major Weyland took a seat in his massive Commander's chair, and sipped a glass of water as he awaited their response.

***

"Mrs. Anoran?"

Shrezade rolled her eyes as the perpetually annoying voice of her secretary sounded through the intercom. She swirled the amber liquid in her glass idly and stared at the intercom with an amused smile.

"Mrs. Anoran? Are you there?" Hajne sighed, yet still continued. "There's a transmission awaiting you on line theta. I can't tell where it's coming from or who it is. Should I transfer it to you?"

Shrezade slowly leaned forward and gazed at the intercom with renewed interest. She finally tapped the button on the intercom, after listening to some very angry nattering from Hajne under her breath. "Patch it through to me, Hajne," she replied. "And watch your language."

Hajne made a sound part way between a hiccup and a gasp, but managed to squeak out an acknowledgement. Shrezade's vidlink chirped as it received the transmission and casually, she turned to face it. A young man apparently in officer's uniform, judging by the insignia upon his shoulder, resolved onto her screen, and she looked upon him instantly with annoyance. "What?"

"Ms. Anoran, this is Imperial Cruiser Maelstrom II. We are currently in talks with your docking personnel for line-up," Major Weyland began. "I...appear to have interrupted something important."

Reza nodded while she lifted her full glass of brandy and shook it, the ice clattering as it hit the sides of the glass. "Make it short, Major... What was your name again?"

Major Weyland lifted a stiff eyebrow, paused for a moment to let the mood settle in before he resumed. "The name, Ms. Anoran, is Weyland, Major Weyland. I am here to inform you that due to military protocol TR-316, your shipyard has been selected to aid the Empire in the manufacturing of personnel support craft," he said coldly.

"First of all, Mr. Weyland, you call me Ms. Anoran again, and I will make certain I have my laser turrets aimed at your vessel and blasted into oblivion. You will address me as Mrs. Anoran. Understood?"

"My deepest apologies missizzz Anoran," he said with spite and disinterest. "I will, however, require you to understand that you are dealing with Imperial Navy Personnel under the jurisdiction of the Admiral himself. Therefore, I, Major Weyland am going to have to politely suggest that you refrain from any threats of doing harm to Imperial Warships including mine. It would be ill advised. Do I make myself clear?"

Shrezade emitted a shrill, derisive laugh that was drowned out as she poured the amber liquid down her throat. She coughed and resumed laughing at the man before her, then sat back in her chair and sighed. "Where have you been, Mr. Weyland? There is no longer an Empire, as much as it pains me to admit that. Has someone neglected to mention that to you?"

"The Empire," Dane began, "is still very functional. Two squadrons of TIE fighters are upon this fleet of ten Imperially licensed Cruisers and Galleons. Eighty Stormtroopers have been allocated to this mission by Grand Admiral Tarkin himself."

With a sneer, Dane stood from his chair and moved closer to the holographic image of Mrs. Anoran, making sure that his uniform could be clearly seen. "I would assume that the Grand Admiral would be displeased with a lack of Imperial support in this sector, especially from a supporter of the Empire with a background such as yours," he said without a hint of compassion alongside grave severity. "Are...you...resisting the orders of the Grand Admiral?"

Shrezade calmly put down her glass and arched an inquisitive, yet unimpressed brow at the man. "Grand Admiral? News certainly travels at a painfully slow speed around here. A self-appointed title, no doubt." She laughed dryly and added, "When did all this happen?"

"While you were obviously beginning to lose faith in the institution your family had decided to become supporting citizens of," Major Weyland added with an annoyed sigh. "Now, Ms. Anoran, I have duties to perform and don't have the allocated time to barter over whether or not you've decided to keep in touch with your governing body through the murky collection of bottles you've obviously drained. Answer the question. Are you refusing Imperial access to your docking bays?"

"Of course not, but until I have proper documentation, don't you think for a moment you can simply throw your weight around here and begin giving me orders, Mr. Weyland." Reza picked up her glass again, smiled wryly at the man, and drained it of its sweet nectar. "You will dock, then report to me. Tell Hajne, my secretary, that I am expecting you."

"Very well, Ms. Anoran," Major Weyland said as he killed the communication and reached for the comm panel one more time. Typing in the code to transmit across the fleet he pulled a microphone to his face. "This is your Major reporting, fleet. Proceed to dock on the adjoining strip that has been reserved for Imperial Personnel. Prepare Stormtrooper Units Red through Silver and remain on deck. Set combat readiness to code yellow."

Slamming down the microphone, he let out a sneer and made his way to the lift. Stepping inside alone, he pressed it to usher him to the access deck. He leaned against the wall and rubbed his chin to suppress his fury. Within minutes, the lift hissed open to reveal the sixty assembled stormtroopers. Moving to stand behind the force as the hull shifted with the slight bump always given at the point of magnetic lock, they waited for the doors to open.

Moving to the center of the squad, he ordered the stormtroopers to proceed to the Administration Offices, and then moved in cadence through the port.

News of Tarkin's self-promotion had yet to reach all ears at the shipyards, which made for some very perplexed observers. With the Empire fallen, a pack of Stormtroopers marching across the deck was the last thing anyone expected or wanted to see. Imperial oppression was at an end, yet the very symbol of its tyrannical regime was displayed blatantly to them in the form of sixty wraiths of a dead government. None who passed refrained from expressing precisely what they thought of the troopers, and barraged them with jeering insults and angry scowls. Suffice it to say, their presence was unwanted.

Upon entering Shrezade's reception area, the petite, bespectacled secretary came rushing forward with magnified eyes growing even larger and filled with fear. "Oh you must be... Oh, Mrs. Anoran's expecting you, but--" Her eyes moved upon the horde of white-armoured soldiers, and an audible gulp sounded from Hajne's throat. "They'll have to wait out here," she whispered, with a smile masking her anxiety.

Major Weyland waved the remaining troopers to guard the entire level, and two officer soldiers with orange shoulderpads remained at his side. With a momentary glare at the receptionist, he strode to the door panel and opened it for himself, and stepped inside with his bodyguards.

"Proof?" Weyland spat as he slammed a packaged envelope on the desk. "Is that what you want? I'll have you know that both Grand Admiral Tarkin and Grand Admiral Thrawn will be unpleased with how this arrangement has begun."

Reza motioned to the seat behind the man then casually picked up the envelope and turned it over in her hand. "There has been no arrangement made, Major Weyland, for I have yet to agree to any terms. This shipyard is my jurisdiction alone and not even the Empire can perform a seizure of operation. So, please have a seat, Mr. Weyland, and try to keep your voice down," she said with a tight smile.

Major Weyland simply folded his arms, looking down at her.

---

"Intrusion, Part 2"
By: Major Dale Weyland - Imperial Administrator
Shrezade Anoran - Director of the Drogen Shipyards

Location: Drogen Shipyards
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

Reza shrugged and proceeded to open the envelope. She scanned the orders perfunctorily, then sighed wearily as she tossed them aside. "So...your Grand Admiral wishes to use my facility to build and house ships for his attempt at restoring power to the Empire? And you, Major Weyland, are here to oversee operations. Correct?"

"That is correct, Director Anoran," he replied coldly.

Reza nodded pensively. "And I'm expected to sit here and allow you and your men to have free rein of my station? If the request weren't masked in verbose, complicated terms, any other person not of my intellect might see no problem with that. But I, Mr. Weyland am an educated woman. This almost sounds like a usurpation of my position. Is there any evidence to convince me of otherwise?"

"What is requested by the Imperial government, Mrs. Anoran, is appropriation of your two largest structural manufacturing bays and two minor manufacturing bays. In return, the Imperial presence in the sector and shipyard will provide your station with support, protection, and security in a rebel free environment," he said with a smirk. He began to pace the office and look over the items on her desk, shelves, and walls. "The printed request, as I'm sure you noticed through your excellent education, requests for the appropriation of merely these bays and an office near the administration center. That...would be here. It would also include stormtrooper security in these quarters to ensure rebel spies do not reach your offices as well. Make no mistake, Anoran, the shipyard is yours...we merely seek to appropriate these bays and reward you for it afterwards."

"Reward me for allowing you to operate freely within my station?" Reza emitted a dry laugh and shook her head. "I am an Imperial supporter, Mr. Weyland, but when it comes to my station, my allegiances are only to myself and my interests only in maintaining and operating my station as I see fit. Now, Admiral Tarkin has assisted me previously, so I am willing to accomodate his request...on one condition."

Major Weyland turned to look down to Reza. "And that being?"

With her most tolerant smile, Reza replied simply, "I wish for the head of my security force to aid you in overseeing the operation. I cannot allow you to use my shipyards as a base of construction without knowing precisely what's going on. This station is my investment, Mr. Weyland, and anything that could jeopardize it must be monitored closely and carefully." Reza sighed and sat forward in her chair, resting her folded hands atop her desk. "Now, aside from weekly reports from you, I will have one from my security officer as well. Now, if there are any discrepancies..." Reza shrugged. "You will be forced to cease operations pending an investigation, and until I'm confident you are not doing more than stated in that work order."

"Very well, however it needs to be extremely noted that one of the projects being worked on is not for the eyes of civillian personnel. We'd hate for rebel spies to gain information on a new brand of craft. We will allow access to the operative areas that are manufacturing existing Imperial warships."

"And as for those...restricted operations, I do have your assurances that it is nothing that could put my station at risk." Reza arched a brow at the man and asked, not expecting anything close to the truth, "Is that correct, Mr. Weyland?"

"You have my word, Mrs. Anoran." He nodded as he folded his arms. "However with the way the rebellion works I would suggest a word of caution. We will shoot on sight any trespassers into the forbidden workzone. Any attempt to enter the workzone without forgoing the proper process, through me, will be considered saboteurs. Since you are an Empire supporter, your ability to keep this station safe also relies in your ability to hide secrets. If any of my soldiers are harmed by your personnel they are safe to be considered rebel saboteurs. The Imperial presence on Tae'Karada and the Drogen shipyards will fortify the sector, and you will recieve a large amount of Imperial funding should you choose to cooperate."

"Aside from having no choice in the matter, of course I will cooperate," Reza said wryly. "And I respect that you wish to have your privacy, but my security officer will have access with or without proper documentation. I trust her and so shall you. As for the others... I would like to keep my deckplating relatively free of blood stains, Mr. Weyland. You will inform your security personnel to shoot only if unauthorized entrance is aggressively and wittingly attempted. Otherwise, I believe a warning will suffice. Are we agreed?"

"Warnings will be clearly posted in big orange letters, Ms. Anoran," he said with a nod. "Regardless, Imperial grade blaster bolts cauterize...we hate to clean up blood as well."

Despite finding no humour in Dane's remark, Reza kept the same smile of disinterest on her face. "Very well, Mr. Weyland. Will you require anything else? Some extra personnel to help you set up? Supplies...which the Empire will have to pay for, of course."

"Nothing at all, Director," he began. "We plan to appropriate the office across the hall as my personal quarters, so that I will be available should you need me. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes," Reza said with a quirked smile. "Would you like to meet myself and my security officer for dinner tomorrow evening? Merely to discuss business, Mr. Weyland, of course."

"It would be a privelage," Major Weyland said with a coy smile. For the first time in the conversation he'd decided to show a slight bit of humanity. "When and where?"

"My quarters. Level 1, Deck 5, Cabin number 6. Will 1900 hours suit your schedule, Mr. Weyland?"

"It will be just fine," he said with a nod and a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me we have so much work to get started."

"I understand, Mr. Weyland." Reza sat back and watched as he made his way for the door. "But next time...Major, please wait until I've given you permission to enter my office before doing so. A woman does need her privacy, after all," she said with an alluring smile.

"These are trying times, m'lady," Dane said with a polite nod. "Our patience isn't what it used to be. Regardless, my apologies are offered." He then turned and stepped out of the office, making a beeline towards his Cruiser.

Reza tilted her head slightly askew to catch one final glimpse at the Major. She emitted a short laugh at how sly she imagined the old Admiral thought himself to be. Sending a young, handsome, and not to mention almost charming man to sway her was a valiant effort, but a wasted one on Shrezade Anoran. She was unaffected by those incandescent, blue eyes, and that coy smile that would have made any other woman swoon. But she was no ordinary woman by any standards.

He would be watched closely and for his sake, she hoped he made no false step she could use to give her reason enough to have him excused, and consequently punished for his initial indiscretion and lack of manners towards her. But if he did, she'd know, then her station would be hers again and she could resume running it as she saw fit without interference from cocky young officers seeking the quickest way to a promotion.

Shrezade refilled her glass and swirled around the amber liquid within. "So it begins, Mr. Weyland," she said with an amused smile as the door hissed closed behind him. "Enjoy your stay at the Anoran Shipyards, Major, for if I have my way, it will be short and unpleasant."

---

"Need To Hide, Part 2"
By: Alisson Blair - Jedi Knight
Kalaira Ardelyr-Valreth - Former High Princess

Location: En Route to Mon Calamari
Date: Niothe 9, 4 ABY

***

They had finally reached the Mon Calamari system. By then Alisson was up in controls again, after a few hours of rest. Kalaira was still out back, and she thought about waking up the High Princess, since it wouldn't take long after they jumped out of hyperspace to reach the planet, should they get clearance for landing.

Alisson activated the commlink to the starship's cargo bay where Kalaira was resting at. "Your Highness, we are reaching the Mon Calamari system. I'm about to jump us out of hyperspace..." she said. She then took the Slave II vessel out of hyperspace. The blue planet of Mon Calamari was quite beautiful and protecting the system were several Mon Calamari Star Cruisers and Escort Frigates, plus some Rebel Medium Transports and Tantive IV vessels.

Alisson opened the commlinks to try and contact the Mon Calamari. "This is Slave II aproaching the Mon Calamari system, requesting to approach..." she said not wanting to give too much information at the moment.

Over came the reply from the Mon Calamari. "This is Commander Olkor. State your bussiness and destination," he demanded.

"I request to land. We come from Chimaeria and I have High Princess Kalaira Ardelyr-Valreth with me," Alisson informed.

After a short while came the reply. "Very well, follow Red 1 and Red 2 into Landing Bay at Home Three." It was one of the Mon Calamari Star Cruisers. Alisson knew that they had not earned trust yet, but it was a start.

Kalaira came into the pilot's area and wished mightily for her Dove. The Dove had been destroyed in the battle over her planet. "You think this is wise?" she asked worriedly. She hadn't personally dealt much with the Mon Calamari political structure.

Alisson frowned a bit and shook her head. "These are not the most ideal conditions, but alas they are the best option right now, and I believe that we may yet be trusted and given aid..." she admitted.

Alisson landed Slave II in the Docking Bay and it was visible that an officer had come down along with a small security force to meet them both. Before going outside to meet them, Alisson turned to Kalaira.

"Are you ready, your Highness?" she asked.

Kalaira nodded. She had cleaned up and while she didn't really look like a ruling princess at the moment, it would have to do. "As ready as I am likely to be."

Alisson sighed and they both headed outside through the ramp leading to the hangar. Alisson approached the Mon Calamari who she could tell was a Colonel of the Alliance. She bowed respectfully. "I am Alisson Blair, Jedi Knight and I have escorted High Princess Kalaira Ardelyr-Valreth who wishes an audience, in order to seek mutual aid," she informed.

"I am Colonel Azbrelar," the large humanoid said as he looked them over with large eyes. "High Princess of the throne on Tae'Karada, am I correct?"

Kalaira stepped forward. "That is correct," she answered firmly. She reflexively fell back on her training as an Ambassador. "I have come to ask for assistance."

The Mon Cal colonel nodded slowly. "And, what sort of assistance can we provide you with?"

"A matter better discussed elsewhere." She glanced around. She looked at Alisson and back to the Colonel.

Alisson stepped slightly forward. "Colonel, perhaps we could talk elsewhere. We mean you no harm as you can surely see. Here, feel free to take all the weapons I carry," she said as she offered him her blaster and her lightsaber. "I assure you her Majesty carries none."

He took the offered weapons and handed them to a nearby lieutenant. "Have them stored in the lock-up. I am certain we'll be able to return them shortly." Once the young Mon Cal rebel moved off toward a building in the distance, the colonel returned his attention to the Jedi and the high princess. "We can talk in this room over here. Follow me."

Kalaira followed him as requested. She was so tired and yet there was so much to be done. She waited till the room closed and then she turned to the colonel. "To make things short and to the point, the Empire has taken the throne of Tae'Karada and I want it back. Admiral Tarkin is the evilest of men and does not have the best interest of the people even remotely close to mind."

The colonel frowned. "Admiral Tarkin you say? That is a problem indeed. Well, I am not sure that you are aware but the Empire is no more... Palpatine is dead," the Mon Calamari explained.

Neither Alisson nor Kalaira had heard the news. They had been making their way to seek help and had missed the end of Emperor Palpatine. It was obvious that they were not expecting to hear such news.

"So the Empire is no more?" Alisson asked. But before the Colonel could explain it any further Kalaira also intervened.

"You must apologise our surprise in this news, but we did not know of it. We were making our way here and had not known. Indeed that is good news, but I cannot understand why Admiral Tarkin is a problem then..."

Colonel Azbrelar nodded. "You see, it is a delicate situation. Admiral Tarkin has sent us notice that he has proclaimed himself Grand Admiral. He seizes your planet still, plus a couple more other systems. Indeed he needs to be overthrown but intel reports indicate that it will not be easy."

"Perhaps we can offer inside aid and battle against him by joining forces. I want the best for my people and will not sit while they suffer Colonel!" Kalaira said firmly.

"You need not worry. We do accept your help and will help you in return. You have my word. But while we must wait perhaps you would be safer with us..." the Mon Calamari Colonel offered.

"No, I will stand by my people!" Kalaira refused. She then turned to Alisson. "Will you take me back?"

Alisson bowed. "Of course Your Highness. Colonel, we thank you for your time and hope to hear from you soon enough. I shall protect the High Princess," she spoke.

"Very well... If those are your wishes. You will be given back your weapons and you may dapart. Also I will give you a portable communication unit. It is small and light so you may carry it. Through it we shall contact you," Azbrelar offered.

"Thank you, Colonel, for everything," Kalaira thanked once more. Soon enough both Alisson and Kalaira were aboard the Slave II vessel and headed back home. With them the promise and hope of aid by the Alliance. They felt like they were one step closer to seeing peace restored in Chimaeria.

---

"Official Unwelcome"
by: Gideon Tyr - Trader/Smuggler

Location: Drogen Shipyards
Date: Niothe 9, 4ABY

***

"What?!"

Tyr was standing in front of his ship, next to two stormtoopers and two customs agents. It was the first time in many a year that he had actually yelled in public. He was usually silent around others but the news he had just heard was...unbelievable? Yes, that was the best word to describe the situation.

The blond-haired customs agent on his left looked angered. "Are you deaf you alien scum? The Emperor has been declared dead, and the Empire is in..." The agent took a moment to collect himself. Pride seemed to take over. Typical of those who were trained in the military sometimes. The agent then continued, "The Empire is in a temporary state of recession." The word Empire seemed to ring through the docking bay.

Gideon merely sat down on the ramp of his ship, oblivious to the stormtroopers sudden raising of their blaster rifles, in response to his sudden movements. I knew there was some greater force that had it in for me, he thought to himself. His life had been one dismal disappointment. Just when he thought things were getting on the straight and narrow track of legal work, this had to happen. Tapping his force pike on the deck he replied in his more calm and gentle voice, "Now what?"

The agent on his right, another Human with a sharply pressed uniform raised a datapad and rubbed his chin as he replied, "Well, you're current contract with the Empire still holds as legal, so you are not under arrest for trespassing. You have just completed your survey mission from the Wildspace expanse, and have thus honored your agreement to the Empire. You could not have known about the current, shall we say, circumstances that have occurred during your absence. However..."

Gideon rolled his violet eyes under his hood, again not caring what these political lackeys thought of him. 'However' always seemed to be their word of choice when something bad was going to happen.

"However, your contract was made under the auspices of the Emperor, and thus we can no longer abide by the full terms. Most of the undesirable civilian population that once resided here has left, and we intend to keep it that way. No payment will be made, and your ship will be impounded immediately, and may be returned to you after a full debriefing of yourself and search of your ship."

Suddenly, the dimly lit docking bay seemed to fade to black in Gideon's mind. Calm yourself. Quietly he looked up to the customs agent, and rose slowly. He easily towered them, being as tall as he was. The Tyr's Tear was his home. It was the only place he felt at peace. Now these two had the audacity to take it from him for no reason? And perhaps forever? An image of him thrashing the two agents into body bags filled his head. It's not worth it, he told himself.

He then heard Ion, his droid walk down the ramp, and his emotions slowly soothed. No need showing violence in front of his friend and companion. Lowering his head to hide his face underneath his hood, he replied, "I understand. Just let me keep my droid, and I will..." Gideon smirked, as he gripped his pike and let off a small electric charge for show. "....cooperate."

The two customs agents looked at each in unison, then the two stormtroopers also looked to each other. Most people only saw a force pike used by either the Imperial Guardsman or the Imperial police on Coruscant. Either way, it wasn't a healthy experience. Finally the blond-haired man answered, "Agreed. Report to Station Administrator Anoran for your debriefing, and to fill out the required forms."

Nodding, Tyr turned to Ion and said, "Follow me old friend. Seems we have a lot of catching up to do." Turning back, Gideon moved closely to the blond-haired agent as he walked by, and put the tip of his force pike to the man's temple, and whispered, "If I find one thing wrong with my ship when you all are done with it..." He then let off another charge as he moved away, Ion in tow.

Gideon could hear a few retorts coming from the arrogant agents as he headed towards on of the lifts to the administrator's office, but he didn't care. Tyr was actually a kind and gentle man, and didn't like to move on his threats. He was just pissed at what was going on.

He had hoped for a new start here, and instead ended up back where he was with the Hutts. In the gutter. All he had now was his droid Ion. Turning his head to face the Verpine-made droid, he told him, "Ion, sometimes I envy you."

The insect-like face made no movement. Not like Ion could anyways. Instead he replied in his usual accent, "What do you mean, ssssssir?"

"You don't care about politics, don't have greedy ambitions, and don't treat others like objects to be used."

Ion replied, "I wassssss not programmed for that."

The words seemed to hit home to Gideon. "If only I could say the same for all these poor souls in the galaxy, Ion. If only." He let his thoughts drift as the two entered the lift, and closed the doors.

---