Irrepareable Damage

[Kitar]

Spoilers None I can think of

 

CHAPTER 48

 

 

Year 3635 Month day, day or so later.

 

ALDERAAN

 

“Are you sure its absolutely necessary for me to wear this?” He sighed, fidgeting with the decorative burgundy sash across his chest.

 

“'fraid so, she wants us lookin' respectable, and that is respectable.” Next to him Pierce chuckled as they walked down the quiet corridor.

 

“Well yeah but you at least get to wear your uniform,” he grumbled.

 

Pierce snorted, “It's just my dress greys, completely acceptable at this type o' function. I mean if you really want us to go and attempt to find you a dress uniform … Lieutenant. I think we can manage but wearing it will attract way more attention what either of you want.”

 

He rolled his eyes as Pierce continued to chuckle. He heard voices. Quiet voices speaking in hushed angry whispers. Tilting his head he concentrated, next to him Pierce quieted waiting for him to move. The corridor had been deserted, the only occupied rooms in this wing belonged to Kit. No one should be here.

 

The argument grew louder, he heard Kit's voice. A man's voice grew louder, insistent. Aric growled, unconsciously extending his claws, someone was aggravating her. Glancing over his shoulder he preceded down the hall, Pierce his silent shadow.

 

Ahead he saw Kit'ar she looked amazing. The bodice of her dress clung to her figure, across each arm countless strands of rhinestones sparkled, the twinkling stones tumbled down the front of her dress, its delicate blushing pink deepened as the material flowed to the ground blooming into vibrant burgundy. Her hair was partially pinned up, the rest cascaded down her back in auburn ringlets. When she moved he realized the dress was backless, that beautiful expanse of porcelain skin draped with more of those sparkling stones.

 

He smiled to himself, it was going to be a nightmare to get it off of her, but she looked stunning. If he managed not to rip all those delicate strands it would be a miracle. He made a mental note to find whoever created that dress for her and kiss them. Not only was it beautiful but it was not black. In fact the only thing that marred the vision in front of him was the Imperial.

 

He stood far to closely to Kit'ar, his hand gripping her arm with a familiarity Aric did not like. The Human was tall, but not as tall as Aric, he was dressed in a uniform, his black hair smartly combed but shadow covered his cheeks. Aric's growl deepened, he saw angry red indents on Kit's arm. Whoever this Imperial was he was going to be short a hand very soon.

 

Quickly he closed the distance to the arguing pair. “What seems to be the matter here,” he snarled.

 

The Imp looked at him frowning, Kit stared at him eyes wide. The Imperial spoke first, looking him over with a poorly contained look of disgust. “This is a private matter and does not concern you.”

 

“Oh, but I think it does,” Aric growled, taking a small step closer.

 

“Just who do you think you are?”

 

“Someone who is making it their business, what right do you have to lay hands on a woman like that?”

 

“This is a private conversation, move along.”

 

“No. I don't think I will,” Aric stepped next to the man. Putting his shoulders back he stepped between the man and Kit'ar.

 

The Imperial dropped his grip on Kit's arm. Glancing down Aric scowled, encircling her forearm were fiery fingerprints. “So,” he hissed, “what are you doing grabbing her.”

 

“I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you,” the man sneered.

 

Aric took another step towards him, “Oh but you do.” The man took a small step away from him causing Aric to smile.

 

“I was reminding her of her duty, she is needed elsewhere.”

 

“It looks like she wants to be here, she is dressed for it.” Aric took another step towards the man, the Imperial backed up another small step. “I don't think she cares to much about her supposed duty.” He took another small step forward.

 

The Human took another step away from him. “She is Sith,” the Imperial hissed, “She...”

 

Aric cut him off, “Oh I know exactly what she is, I want to know why you think you can lay your hands on her.” A small step forward.

 

The Imperial backed away from him, his back hitting the wall behind him. His blue eyes searching when he realized he was trapped between the wall and the angry Cathar in front of him.

 

“I … I am her husband,” the Imp stuttered.

 

“Oh you are, are you? No I don't think you are. If you were you would not touch her like that, you instead would be escorting her to the party. I think what you are, is a mistake. Maybe once you could call a woman like that your mate, but no longer. I think you are a scapegoat, an easy front to divert her enemies' attention away from those she truly cares about. That is what I think.”

 

Another step closer. The man pressed his back against the wall, his eyes locked onto Aric's mouth. Aric's grin grew, he pulled his lips away from his teeth, exposing his deadly sharp canines. Another step closer, his chest brushing the Imp's. “I also think you have forgotten your place, to think you are even on the same level as a woman like her.”

 

Aric brought his hand up to the man's face, slowly running his claws over the Human's stubbled cheek. Beads of sweat appeared on the Human's brow. Aric growled low in his throat. The man pushed himself further against the wall. “Perhaps I should spare the lady the messy inconvenience of putting you back into your place, it would be a shame to get blood on that lovely gown. How often does the Wrath get to play dress up and enjoy an evening out?” The man's eyes grew wide and the blood faded from his face. “I told you I knew who she was, I would never dare to treat a person like that much less one who can kill me with a thought.” He applied more pressure with his index finger, slowly dragging it down his cheek a crimson bead of blood following his clawtip.

 

Behind him he heard her clear her throat. Aric stopped moving his finger.

 

“It is growing late, shall we depart for the party?”

 

Aric leaned forward growling at the Imperial. “As you wish, I was just making my point known.”

 

“I believe you were successful.”

 

Aric dropped his hand and slowly walked to Kit'ar's side. The Imperial quickly pushed himself off the wall and hurried down the hallway. When the man's footsteps had faded from his hearing, Aric turned to Kit'ar. Carefully he picked up her arm examining the fading fingerprints, “Are you all right? Who was that man?”

 

She shook her head, “A duty obsessed mistake, nothing to worry about.”

 

He frowned rubbing her arm, “nothing to worry about?” He felt her free hand touch his cheek, fingers running through the fledgling beard. He pulled his eyes away from those fading marks. Her fingers moved along the lapel of his dark carbonite grey jacket, they straightened that irksome sash, before returning to his cheek.

 

“Nothing,” she leaned up kissing him. He growled but did not touch her, afraid to actually lay a hand on her and accidentally messing up that dress.

 

“But he,” Aric protested.

 

“No,” she shook her head, “not tonight I will not waste anymore time talking about it.”

 

Growling he held his arm out to her, smiling she slipped her arm into his. After a couple steps down the hall, Pierce stopped them, “M' Lord, hold up a string thingy on your dress is loose.”

 

“Can you fix it for me Pierce?” She asked looking over her shoulder at him.

 

“On it,” he grinned.

 

She looked at Aric, “Can you please go on ahead and see if you can't snag us something to eat, this won't take but a moment.”

 

“Of course,” he leaned over kissing her, careful not to smudge her lipstick.

~*~

 

When he was out of earshot, Pierce leaned over. “Just when I think I can't possibly like that man more, he goes and does somethin' like that. Don't you ever wish we can trade one Captain for the other, do you think anyone would notice?”

 

She sighed, “All the time. I think the fur would be a give away though.”

 

Pierce pretended to adjust a dr.aping strand, “You have not told him about Captain Faithful have you?”

 

“No, I had hoped to avoid it, if Aric actually learns what the Captain did we would have a rather mangled corpse on our hands.” She looked up at Pierce, biting her lower lip, “In fact considering how upset he is we should hurry to catch up to him, I have a feeling if Aric sees Quinn again, he's going to get mauled.”

 

“Do we have to,” Pierce muttered, “I have always enjoyed a good mauling.”

 

Kit sighed, “yes we do, last thing I need right now is more paperwork and the headache having to find a replacement medic.”

 

“Fine,” Pierce muttered, “I think we should get a medic on standby, I’d really like to see him mauled.”

 

 

 

 

AN

Prompt on this one is Rivals

 

[Kitar]

Okies, here is the next one. I think it is a bit on the longer side.

 

Spoilers

Basic SW stuff, references that one incident, if you have been reading the entire time, nothing I have not already written about.

 

 

CHAPTER 49

 

 

 

 

Year 3635 Month 1 a few hours later...

ALDERAAN

 

The warm night air gently meandered around the lush flowering garden, teasing and caressing the bloom-laden branches and plants that surrounded her. Bending over she slipped off one of the overly ornate heels she was wearing its mate quickly following, hooking black straps she carried the jeweled shoes with her as she walked. Sighing she tilted her head back inhaling the warmed perfumed air as she wandered the smooth garden path.

 

A large blooming tree; its heavily burdened branches dipping low, skimming the reflective pool's surface. Smiling she walked to the pool's tiled edge, carefully she set her shoes on the stone next to her as she sat, picking up and shifting the endless material of her dress to ensure it was not crumpled or torn. An amused chuckle escaped her lips as she thought about the dressmaker chastising her for damaging it.

 

Pale fingernails touched the waters surface, sending ripples through the pool. Looking upon the shivering water she concentrated, feeling the pool through the Force, forcing the surface to still until it perfectly reflected the starry night sky in its mirror like finish, the flowering tree reaching through the water to embrace its liquid twin.

 

With a quiet exhale she released her grip, she felt the controlled Force slide away from her with an almost perceptible sigh as it flowed back into the Living Force that flowed through the garden. The tree's reflection wavered as ripples flowed outward away from its water grazing branches, waving a languid goodbye as its twin melted away.

 

The breeze picked up playing through her hair. As she moved a curled red lock out of her face she caught the sight of a pink blossom falling through the air. Reaching out her hand she concentrated on it, pausing its descent and moving it to her outstretched hand. With a gentle brush it landed in her palm, bringing it to her face she inhaled deeply before setting it on the water at her feet. She paused as she went to push it, to watch it float around the pool. She felt a familiar presence in the garden.

 

Straightening she leaned back against her right hand and waited for him. Moments later he walked next to her his heavy boots thudding on the stonework. “Evening Pierce,” she smiled as she looked over her shoulder at her Lieutenant.

 

“I wondered where you slunk off to.” He eased himself down on the stone next to her, on her right.

 

“I didn't slink, I did all the proper hello's, goodbye's and dances that this place required of me,” she waved her left hand annoyed.

 

“Aye that does get tedious, but you are the one who likes it here so much. I told you it was a package deal, fancy home equals fancy parties.” Pierce rumbled not bothering to restrain his laughter.

 

“Yes,” she sighed, “you did tell me that, a few times if I recall. So what brings you here? Normally I am allowed to wander off in peace, did I forget some trivial thing that upset a noble?”

 

“No,” he rumbled, “not a noble.”

 

She turned to look at him perplexed, “Then whom?”

 

Pierce studied her a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Wait a second why is he taking a moment? He never takes a moment, is he trying to be tactful?

 

Pierce shifted looking at her, “The Cathar.”

 

“What's the matter with Aric?” Now she was really confused, when she last saw him he had mentioned having a headache and he had headed off to their rooms to go to sleep.

 

Pierce frowned sighing at her. “Kit he's miserable.”

 

“What? No he's not, he would have said something.”

 

“Would he? He's the type to make a scene in a social situation? Maybe this really is hopeless and you really know him a lot less that I thought you did.”

 

“Pierce what the hell are you talking about.”

 

Pierce growled at her; he held up his hand, his thumb and forefingers touching. “He feels this big right now, his heart is out there on the ballroom floor smashed. He does not understand tonight at all and you are out here … playing.”

 

“What...”

 

Pierce barged on ignoring her, “I know Cathar, I learned about them so it was easier to fight them on Taris, they are tenacious things and,” he narrowed his eyes, poking her on the shoulder in cadence to his words, “They. Mate. For. Life. That man is completely in love with you, you are it, you. He wants you and only you from now until the day he dies. He doesn’t want to tell you, he is terrified you are going to become bored with him and throw him away, decide one day you don't want an alien anymore, and tonight you were on the arm of every Human male.”

 

“Tonight he had to watch you dance and talk to everyone, when you kissed Serjay I saw the light die a little in his eyes, he was crushed.”

 

“It was on the cheek!” Kit'ar squeaked.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Pierce bit through clenched teeth. “That man is devastated, he is caught in the middle of two warring empires because he loves you. Do you even have any idea why he is even here, have you asked him why his shore leave is so extensive?”

 

Kit'ar shook her head, “I asked him, he refused to answer told me it wasn't important.”

 

Pierce snorted, “Great he's as bad as you. He is here because he had a bit of 'n episode, a breakdown on the field. Apparently his unit killed some Imps 'n a couple Sith Lords, one of them was a woman wielding a blue saber. He lost it, started screaming, tried to resuscitate her. Shortly afterward he blacked out, his squad's medic arranged for him to be on personal leave for the next two months... on Coruscant. The medic speculates he is close to a Jedi and it was a terrible case of mistaken identity since the Sith was wearing brown robes.”

 

“And he is here with us, with you, because he feels safe with us.”

 

“How do you know this...” she whispered.

 

“He left his datapad out, the orders were on the screen. I helped myself 'n read it before I helped him into bed. He had fallen asleep at the table filing his paperwork.”

 

“You need to go find him and tell him why, tell him why things happened the way they did tonight. You need to tell him. You are in love with him, right?”

 

“Yes,” she nodded, “but I...”

 

“But nothing,” Pierce actually yelled at her. She stared at him wide-eyed. “There are no buts here. You need t' tell him, you have to. That fear you foster that telling a man you love them will case them to die or worse, betray you, is unfounded. You are not cursed and you are slowly killing him.”

 

“He needs to know, he needs t' hear it. I like him a lot, Aric is my friend I am not going to sit by idly and watch things implode. I made the mistake of not telling a woman I loved how I felt, and now she is gone, I won’t let the same thing happen to him.”

 

She sat there staring at Pierce, the anger was rolling off of him in waves, the man was pissed at her. Dumbfounded she just stared at him, shocked he had been yelling at her.

 

“Well,” he growled staring at her, “you watin' for an engraved invitation?”

 

Blinking at her fuming soldier she slowly stood and slipped her shoes on her feet. He continued to glare at her, he jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the palace. Speechless she walked away from the pool and towards the palace, to find Aric.

 

 

~`*`~

 

 

She slowly pushed against their suites door; it opened inward on silent hinges. The entire suite was silent and shrouded in darkness. She felt him ahead in the suite's library. He was incredibly upset, the closer she drew the more oppressive and stifling his anger and sadness were. How was he this upset and how had she not noticed? He was fine at the ball. She paused outside the closed door, her feet illuminated by a slight flickering light that escaped from underneath.

 

Her hand ran over the heavy wood as she considered how fine he was, when she thought back she realized she had felt nothing. She had been so distracted; she had taken the absence of any perceptible feelings as being the same as a good mood. He had managed to bottle up and repress all of this misery so she had no idea of his true feelings. The fact he had been able to disguise the extent of how he felt was rather impressive, though he should have talked to her.

 

Taking a deep breath she gently pushed on the door, she would to the talking, she had some explaining to do.

 

He was sitting slumped forward in a chair still wearing his formal wear, his head cradled in his left hand as his right spun a rather full rocks glass in a slow circle. A couple candles illuminated the table, casting flickering shadows across his face. She could tell the fur on his cheeks was damp. Quietly she approached; he continued to turn the rocks glass. As she neared she could tell the whisky bottle was nearly full, he had barely touched it, but at his feet was his leatheris dufflebag.

 

“Aric,” her voice seemed to echo through the silence.

 

He jumped turning to look at her. “I was not expecting you back here tonight.” His voice rough and exceptionally bitter.

 

“Where would I have gone?” She braced herself for his answer.

 

“Oh I don't know perhaps with Lord Serjay, or one of the various nobles who were so smitten with you or maybe even your husband.”

 

“Why would you think that?”

 

The glare he shot her could have melted carbonite; he shifted in the seat turning his back to her as he bent over the glass. The sounds of glass being slid against wood resumed.

 

She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at his back.

 

“Of course I would come back here tonight, we are together.”

 

An angry snort. “Ahh yes your furry consort, your pet Republic paramour, I heard what they called me. Their whispers were not quiet enough. They were placing bets to see how long it would be before you tired of me and took a proper man.”

 

She cringed. The political atmosphere was one she had navigated for years. It was easy to forget that the blue-bloods and nobles could be as petty as five year-olds and the level of subterfuge and backstabbing as vicious as a pending graduation class of acolytes, scratching and clawing for apprenticeships. She shuddered slightly and sent a silent prayer to the Force thanking it that these people lacked Force-sensitivity, they would give the Council a run for their money if they possessed even the slightest twinge.

 

And she had left him alone with those people. She had thought since it was a ball hosted by Markus that it would have been a low-key affair with little political jockeying. She should of known better. Her eyes traveled down his grey clad back and settled on his overstuffed bag.

 

“The ones who called you my paramour, that were placing bets about your longevity, they are angry that I continue to refuse Serjay. There has been a group trying to arrange that marriage for years.”

 

“The ones who called you my consort were being polite, they know of our relationship but they cannot call you my husband. Calling you my consort was not an insult.”

 

He snorted hunching further over his glass. “They couldn't could they, considering you already have one.”

 

“No Aric I don't, I signed the papers years ago. As far as I am concerned that marriage ended over four years ago. He is the one that won't let go; he refuses to sign the documents. He has deluded himself into thinking he will be able to repair the relationship.”

 

Aric's hand stilled. “What happened? Why did you end it?”

 

Kit sighed, “He tried to assassinate me, on my Master's orders.”

 

Aric straightened, “And he still lives.”

 

“He does.”

 

He snorted; she could not tell if it was in laughter or disgust. “You call yourself Sith. You do know you are supposed to kill people who make attempts on your life, even a Jedi can manage that.”

 

Her temper flared, she inhaled sharply as she clenched her hands at her sides. Closing her eyes she forced her anger under control. If he was baiting her she refused to take it. She would not give him the reason to pick up that ominous duffle and walk out the door. She had made plenty of mistakes in her life, opening the door for him would not be one of them.

 

“Why did you let him live?” His voice was so quiet she had to strain to hear him.

 

She studied his back as she debated how to answer him. She wanted to be honest and not worry about the what if's, not weigh every tidbit about her personal life against the fear of how it could be used against her if the wrong people got their hands on him. He deserved it, he deserved it months ago and she was a coward for not telling him everything.

 

Taking a calming breath she began. “I was so angry, his betrayal hurt so much, I thought I loved him. When he had set the trap I had known something was happening, I had felt it in the Force. The morning he sprang it, the alarm I was picking up through the Force was headache inducing. Pierce met me, as I was about to disembark, he insisted in accompanying me. Said he had a bad feeling and was not going to let me go alone. When he sprang it I wanted to be surprised, but I wasn't, I knew he was always my Master's servant first. My anger at being used and deceived exploded and I tore those damn war droids apart and choked him so badly he could not talk for over a week. I barely stopped myself from killing him. I held the spark of his life in my hand, but I could not do it, I needed to know why.”

 

“He claimed he was coerced but all of my other crew members managed to avoid the pitfalls Baras had laid, they each came to me in turn and I was able to help them, I moved assets, relocated loved ones, anything I could to prevent Baras from harming them. Everyone came to me but my now estranged husband.”

 

“His life aboard my ship is a miserable one, everyone has known for years what he did. When it is possible he is moved off my ship to work for a couple handpicked Majors in the Navy. He has not been allowed into my life since then, he knows very little about me. He does not know about you, he only recently learned about the twins.”

 

“That is how the twins got here isn't it?” His voice was rougher but the bitterness had dropped off. “You sought comfort in Pierce's arms.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you still? You often have his scent on you. I know you said that I am the only one, but its hard... he is right there, next to you in the field, and I'm across the galaxy only able to sneak in holocalls and sporadic visits.” Aric hunched over further as his voice cracked. “And you have kits together.”

 

“No, it has been a while, almost two years. Though it ended quietly, he will always be a part of my life. He is a good man and a most trusted friend, but romantically no, I’m not interested in him that way anymore. I don't love him.”

 

Aric straightened in the chair, slowly turning his head to look over his left shoulder.

 

“I love you.” Her hands began to restlessly move at her sides. “I am a huge jerk for not telling you sooner. I was trying to be strong, to play off the possibility of anything happening to you … to me. The thought of losing you scares me, I don't think I could live through that again. I'm still dealing with the loss of Tyzoth... to lose you too...”

 

She dropped her eyes, unable to look into his any longer. “I thought it was possible to be together without either of us getting emotionally involved. I did not want to drag you down due to my weakness.” She heard movement of claws sc****** against wood, of cloth brushing against the chair. She closed her eyes. “I tried to keep everything under control.”

 

Soft footsteps padded closer, she clenched her eyes tighter, the familiar scent of blaster oil filled her nose.

 

His voice rumbled before her. “Your weakness?”

 

Warmth pressed against her clenched eyelids, “Yes, it is one of the few things Jedi and Sith agree on, to avoid love. Jedi avoid it like the plague, preferring to shelter themselves in the ambiguous caring and compassion of the unknown masses. Sith avoid it, seeing it as a weakness, an exploitable ch.ink in an adversaries armor.”

 

She waited for a response, for him to agree, to walk away and out of that door. She tried to block out his presence she didn’t want to know what he was feeling, he had been so angry over the ball she could only imagine his disgust with her. Why did she tell him how she felt? Sith are supposed to be stronger than this to rise above and control their emotions. He is not going to want someone so weak-willed.

 

When he spoke his breath was warm on her cheek, “They are wrong.” His fingertips slid along her cheeks as his mouth captured hers. The kiss was long and slow, when they broke, he peppered her lips with kisses. Resting his forehead against hers he sighed. “It is not a weakness it's a strength. Don't you realize that is why I love you, you are unique, you're strong enough to follow your heart. All the other blasted Force users be damned to the Void, I don’t give a Corellian Hell what they think.”

 

“You can't do that to me again, you have to tell me what is going on. You have to. I am terrified of loosing you too but I confide in you. I am strong enough, talk to me, mates do that, they talk to each other.”

 

“Mates?” She opened her eyes and looked into his; they were staring at her intently, ablaze in green and gold fire. “You actually want to marry me?”

 

“I do, you sound so surprised. Do you not want to?”

 

“I do I just never thought you would want to... things are complicated now. If we were to do something like that, it would...” the sound of her own voice cracking surprised her.

 

“Things will always be complicated, but I don't care.” He shook his head, “I just want you, I don't need anything else. It does not have to be anything official just something small, personal, to bind us. That's all, a small token to touch to hold when you are so very far away, a duracrete reminder that I am yours and you are mine. I kept looking at rings even though I know that would never work, I could never wear mine.”

 

She stared into those eyes and the hope that dwelled within. She brought her hands to his cheeks, cradling them, running her thumbs over his damp fur. Her index finger grazed the earring in his ear. Slightly tilting her head she stared at it. “Has anyone given you any grief over these?” She again ran her finger along the aurodium claw.

 

No,” he shook his head, “no one has said anything about it, in uniform or out, I have not taken them out once.

 

“I think I know what we can do, we can exchange rings of another sort.” She gently ran her finger along his ear's edge. I can make us earrings, I have enough metal in my studio on the ship, you can pick out the design and I will make them.”

 

“Does that mean yes?”

 

She smiled up at him, “was that a proposal?”

 

He rumbled low in his throat, “yes, will you be my mate?”

 

Her smile grew as she nodded, “Yes.” A giggle escaped her lips as he wrapped his arms around her hoisting her up off the ground; a deep resounding rumble filled the air as his lips crashed into hers and he turned to carry her into their bedroom.

 

 

 

AN

No prompt on this one.

On a side note, years ago when I played my SW through, I did tell Quinn the marriage was over. I don't know if that can even happen anymore, since it is all gated and apparently you can no longer get married to him before Voss. I honestly thought, years ago, that I was going to get some sort of divorce papers in the mailbox.

Oddly enough, when he was brought back in the expansion, he still proclaimed his love for my SW. *shakes head* Nice to know the game kept track of the decisions I made.

Of course I shot him down...

 

[Kitar]

So this one is short. Just a smidge bit over a page.

 

CHAPTER 50

 

 

Year 3635 a few days later

 

ALDERAAN

 

The morning sun peaked through the drawn curtains, a single beam of bright light penetrating the darkness of their bedchamber. Cracking open an eye he slowly moved back the blankets taking great care to not disturb her. Dropping his feet over the edge he rolled his arms. Blinking into the darkness of the room, he grunted. Scrunching the thick rug between his toes he quietly stood.

 

Looking around he let his eyes slowly adjust before heading on bare padded feet to the refresher. Quietly closing the door behind him he gently palmed the light switch encouraging the barest flicker of light to blossom from the recessed lighting.

 

Bending down over the sink he filled the basin with cool water. Dipping his clawed fingertips into the water he let the water pool into his palms. He needed to get moving his shore leave was going to be over soon, he needed to get back to the ship. Bringing the water up he splashed himself in the face rubbing his hands over his head. His claws ran through his mane and hit his ear causing him to wince in pain.

 

Blinking he dropped his hands, something was wrong. He peered into the mirror; his mane was half a finger long. Staring at his reflection he willed his groggy, sleep addled brain to start working. Rubbing his hand along his cheek and through the short but respectable beard that grew there he remembered that he was on extended shore leave. He was not expected anywhere for weeks; he was here with her.

 

With her. He gripped the sink basin as the memory returned; quietly standing in the gardens in the palace grounds, with her father standing before them as they exchanged rings. He tilted his head, fingers rapidly brushing his mane aside. There pierced in the upper cartilage of his left ear was a thin gold hoop decorated only with two small spikes off the bottom, next to it was a small engraved gold cuff. Crafted out of aurodium they would never have to be removed.

 

They could not exchange rings in the traditional sense, no one could know. Instead they exchanged the earrings she had made. He gently touched his still raw ear; it throbbed under his claw.

 

Touching the gold shining metal; it amazed him. He had done it, he had actually done it. Used Sith jewelry as well. Well, he touched the hoop again, all of the jewelry he had in his body was Sith, crafted by a Sith. His Sith. She was officially his Sith, his Mate.

 

He straightened killing the light. Quietly he opened the 'fresher door. She had not moved, she still lay sound asleep in their bed, arms curled around the pillows. His breath caught in his throat. His Mate. The hard knot of worry that had crept into his chest, months ago, started to dissipate with each breath.

 

Quietly he crossed the room to the offending curtain. Pulling it taunt, he banished the intruding daylight. The room sank into a comforting darkness. Smiling he crossed to the bed slipping in behind her. Carefully he brushed the hair away from her left ear, looking at the matching rings that adorned the upper edge.

 

He could not help himself he kissed her neck. She moved in her sleep, her arm reaching; searching. As her fingers touched his arm she sighed, grabbing it and pulling it around herself.

 

As he lay behind her listening to her breathe, he entertained for the first time just walking away from everyone, the squad, the Republic. He sighed content as he realized he would not be running away but moving on with his life, nothing really remained there for him, it was his past. He curled up closer to her, sighing when she relaxed against him as she slept. She was his future.

 

 

AN

Prompt on this one was morning after. I have never liked how this one ended. I have stared at it for hours trying to think up a different way to end the last paragraph, I never could.

 

[Kitar]

Howdy, anyone besides me really, really, really sick of the cold? And the snow? And washing road salt off the Jeep? ...

Before I venture back out into the cold yuck, have another update!

 

Spoilers

Spoilers Trooper Act I, I believe. And I think a slight convo spoiler with Aric, to be honest it has been so long since I romanced him I am not 100%. Just putting it out there to cover my bases

 

 

CHAPTER 51

 

 

 

 

Year 3635 Month 1 during medical leave

 

ALDERAAN

 

Warm fingers ran along his back, moving through his fur in a slow languid pattern. He groaned sinking deeper into the pillows, he buried his face in the black Killik silk as he slowly brought his hands up past his head.

 

The hands complied running from his bare rump, up along his spine over his shoulders before caressing his neck. He tilted his head forward as fingers pushed through his mane. A low deep rumble filled his throat; a content sigh escaped his lips as her hands continued to move.

 

He felt the mattress shift, it dipped as she swung her leg over, her weight settling low across his rump. The rumble deepened as her hands settled on his left shoulder, kneading working the tense muscles. When she was satisfied she moved to his right shoulder.

 

“You are going to spoil me, this is the third morning I have woken up to a backrub.”

 

Her low laugh filled the quiet morning air. “You have discovered my plan. Do you want me to stop?” Her hands suddenly disappeared from his back.

 

“I never said that,” he frowned into the pillow.

 

She chuckled as she shifted forward, her hands returning to his back as her lips grazed the sensitive edge of his ear. Her tongue moved the new earrings sending a conflicting jolt of pain mixed pleasure through him. Gasping he rolled his head towards her, a chastising complaint on his lips. She knew that his ear hurt. As his head cleared the pillow he cracked open his eye, “Damn it woman that hur....” he was silenced as her mouth crashed into his.

 

Groaning he fumbled trying to turn his body under hers, to get onto his back. She laughed into his mouth, refusing to relinquish it. Somehow he managed to turn over, wrapping his hands around her waist.

 

Grinning she finally broke the kiss, her hands buried in his chest fur. “Morning,” she murmured as kissed him again.

 

“Morning,” he pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck, gently nipping when his ear accidentally hit her jaw. Grimacing he pulled back, laying his head against the pillow.

 

She frowned, “still hurts?”

 

He nodded, “it does.”

 

Her frown deepened, “I can't heal it, it has to heal on its own.”

 

“I know,” he ran a finger along her jaw. “It's okay,” he grinned, “you keep waking me up like this and it's easy to forget about it.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yes, I love waking up next to you.”

 

“There is no reason why you can't always be here, next to me.” She shifted her weight, her fingers playing with his fur as she bit her bottom lip.

 

“Kit, you know I can't.”

 

“You could, you don't have to go back.” She dropped her eyes studying her fingers before she returned her gaze to his face. “Stay here. With me. Just stay.”

 

He frowned, if only it were that simple. “Kit, I wish I could but I can't.” He brought his other hand up, gently tucking loose locks behind her ear. “Things are not that simple for me, I am not Sith I simply cannot do whatever I want. I have to go back, I know first hand how well they react when SpecForces goes missing.” A silent shudder passed through him, he did not want to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention.

 

He tucked another lock behind her ear, carefully avoiding the new rings. Gently he used his index-claw to move stray hairs, slipping them behind the porcelain edge of her ear. He tilted his head up, kissing her. When she did not return it with her customary gusto, he broke and looked up at her. He was met with such a huge swelling of sadness; it crashed over him, suffocating him. A strangled gasp escaped his lips as he sank back into the pillows. He stared into her emerald eyes confused, gasping as his breath caught in his throat, refusing to move and then he was drowning consumed by the utter sorrow contained in those verde pools.

 

Her voice drifted to him, pulling at him. He latched onto the sound, clawing fighting to escape the consuming sorrow he felt. His chest was screaming; somehow he managed to breathe, to break the strangle hold that suffocating sensation held him in. Air flooded his lungs, as he continued to stare into her eyes. Her face had not changed, but it was gone, that horrible sensation was gone.

 

“Aric,” her voice no longer sounded so far away. “Aric what's the matter?” Her hands were on him, touching caressing his forehead, his cheeks, as her eyes flickered across his face anxious.

 

Swallowing he sucked down another mouthful of air, shaking his head. He didn't know what had just happened, how could he explain it to her? Reaching up he cradled her face, “I'm okay.”

 

Her brows furrowed as she frowned, “Okay? Aric you stopped breathing, you were terrified, something scared you. Is what they would do to you that horrible if you just walked away?”

 

Swallowing hard he shook his head, “That's not it, I can't explain it.” How could he explain what just happened? He felt she was sad, that just sounded ridiculous, how could he possibly even feel such a thing? He titled his head up kissing her forehead, “It doesn't matter I'm alright.”

 

Suppressing a sigh he leaned back into the pillows “But I can't just walk away, I can't. They would hound me, track me down, the General would not let me leave I know she won't.”

 

Her frown hardened, lips settling into a firm line. “I would not let them hurt you.”

 

“I know, I know what you would do,” he whispered. “She can be relentless, I put nothing past her, she would exhaust every avenue, exploit any advantage. She would go after you, the crew, your family,” his voiced dropped even lower, “your children, the twins. I can't let her find out, no one can know, no one can ever learn the truth.”

 

The frown disappeared, her face going completely smooth, oh frack, that was the wrong thing to say. Before she could speak he pushed on. “I don't want to let things even get close to that point. There is no reason. I, I have an idea, it should work.” He sighed, “It is funny how things change. I always had a clear goal in mind and it is so at odds with what I now want.”

 

He ran his thumbs over her cheeks, “My current enlistment is coming to an end, in about ten months I have to renew my service agreement. I am not going to, I will instead be filing for early retirement.” He sighed, “I am decorated enough, seen enough action, the wear and tear is starting to get to me, I don't think I will be denied.”

 

She slid off of his waist and onto the mattress next to him, her leg still draped across his waist. She curled up next to his body. Idly he ran his hand along her thigh, caressing the bare porcelain skin, clawtips tracing the faint barely discernible trio of parallel scars that ran from her hip to her knee. The only physical proof of that day, the day he had committed himself to her, though he was months away from even realizing it. If he had not ran to her side, she and her son would of died to the monstrous behemoth, her last moments in poison wracked agony as she succumbed to the terentatek's venom.

 

“Your goal, that you have, what is it?” Her voice slightly muffled against his chest, her breath warm against his fur.

 

“To wake up here every day, to not have to worry, or lie. To take a walk with you and not care about who sees us and what could possibly happen. Once I would like to go out to dinner and not be constantly looking over my shoulder.” He sighed, his clawtips running the length of her leg.

 

“If, we had never met, what was your goal?”

 

His hand slipped from her thigh over her hip, across her lower back gliding over the ridges before skimming along her spine. He rolled to face her, his hand running a lazy random pattern on her shoulder. “A long and prestigious military career. I wanted to make General.”

 

“I am sorry.”

 

He looked down at her puzzled, “what are you sorry for?”

 

“If I hadn't come along and derailed everything you might of had a chance.”

 

“No,” he shook his head, “not really. My career took a massive nosedive while on Ord, the defections nearly destroyed it.”

 

She looked up at him, brow furrowed, “What happened?”

 

Once he would have hesitated, weighing each word, but that was before, and he didn't want to dwell, that part of his life seemed like such a distant foggy memory. “Basically I was used as a scapegoat, blamed for something I never saw coming. It's how I ended up transferred out of Infantry Command.”

 

“What didn't you see?”

 

He sighed focusing on a small freckle on her shoulder. “The defection of the squad; the entire squad with the exception of the Captain, defected.”

 

“Wait the Republic's 'best of the best' defected?” She looked up at him her eyebrow arched.

 

He nodded.

 

A momentary frown flitted across her lips, “I wasn't aware such a thing happened. When did this take place?”

 

“Roughly two years ago.”

 

That flitting frown returned as she ran her fingers through his fur. He waited watching her; fingers continued to trace the same pattern through his fur as her eyes grew distant, when she spoke her voice was soft. “I should have been aware of such an event, why didn't I know? There wasn’t so much as a blip on the Holofeed. That would have been fantastic for moral, it would have been plastered over every Imperial feed....” her voice trailed off growing softer.

 

Her fingers stopped their endless movement. “You were accused of letting them defect unfettered and yet you were put into that very same squad. Why are you not in prison? You said that they will hound you, not let you go, has this General of yours been tracking down these people?”

 

“She has with limited success, it is as if the squad just disappeared into the recesses of the Galaxy. When we were on Alderaan we were actually following up on a lead to one of the members. I couldn’t stomach what they were doing to Markus and its been so long, who is to say he wants to be retrieved? He made the decision to leave, people defect. He returned to his home to help rebuild House Killesa.”

 

Her eyes regained some focus and her fingers resumed their idle caressing. “Have you found any of the others?”

 

“No. The General is still looking, she's furious that they are just gone. She has us chasing any plausible tip. Aside from a taunting encounter right after the defection, we have not see a sign of any of them, well aside from Bex.”

 

“Bex, he is the reason Markus was kidnapped.”

 

He nodded swallowing hard, “He is, I couldn't let it go any further, Bex had his reasons, I can't fault him for them. I understand.”

 

She scooted closer to him, “You understand because you have your reasons as well.”

 

“I do, I... I don't plan to ever defect, but early retirement on a neutral planet. One where we can live, where I don't have to constantly look over my shoulder...”

 

“It sounds wonderful and I could wake you up with backrubs every morning.”

 

“Is that a promise?” He titled his head down kissing her forehead, he suppressed a frown, she was still looking through him, she was thinking of something, he could almost see the gears turning. Should he not of said anything? It seemed rather pointless to withhold information now, she was his wife, he was committed to her, he didn’t want to lie to her.

 

Her eyes refocused on his face, she smiled the corners of her eyes crinkling. “Oh it's a promise.” She reached up kissing him, her lips gently brushing against his as her hand slid through his fur, “every morning.”

 

 

 

*Edit.. I totally forgot my AN*

AN

So the Prompt was confessions, it touched it but only slightly in my mind.

 

Edited February 7, 2018 by Kitar
Forgot stuff

[Kitar]

Allrightyyy... attempt two to attempt to update the thread. I do hate my internet at times... *sigh*

 

So while I have the chance, here I go again. *crosses fingers*

 

Spoilers

None I can think of.

 

 

CHAPTER 52

 

 

Year 3635 Month 2 during medical leave

 

ALDERAAN

 

He grunted as he landed flat on his back, the breath ripped from his lungs. Denying himself even a moment to get his bearings he shifted, rolling his body to the right. The dull crunching thud of a joint hitting durasteel filled the room. Grinning he pushed his body upright bringing his arms up, hands out, claws extended as he assumed a defensive position.

 

Pierce grunted as pain flashed across his face, his knee wedged between the protective floor coverings. Aric's grin grew as the massive man snarled working to free his knee. Pierce glowered as he yanked his leg free and stood straightening to his full height, rolling his neck cracking it. “Dirty Sabbac there mate.”

 

Aric flashed white fangs as he winked at the towering Human. “What is it you say, use everything to your advantage. Not my fault you were to focused on driving your knee into my chest to see I moved the mats.”

 

Pierce growled and charged him.

 

Aric lowered his weight into legs, balancing on the balls of his feet, preparing to dodge out of the way the second Pierce came within range. It hurt when he made contact, plus Pierce had figured out how to get him into chokehold where Aric was unable to bite him. Pierce quickly closed the distance, Aric moved to the left stepping out of his path expecting the Human to move into the space he previously occupied. Only he didn’t, the Human shifted into his path his arms attempting to grab him.

 

Nimble freaking son of a Hutt, Aric thought as he stepped to the right pivoting. Aric felt the material across his back tighten. Kark.... he brought his arms up and dropped to his knees slipping out of his shirt before standing, trying to put some much needed distance between their positions.

 

Aric felt a hand grasp his shoulder, throwing his weight into his turn, he pivoted towards Pierce bringing both hands up, he felt a satisfying thud as his forearms connected with the Human's elbow. He pushed forward following his momentum, smirking; at the last moment he dropped his right hand, claws slid across Pierce's abdomen. The Human grunted in pain. Aric stopped out of arms reach, hands up claws ready as he watched the four red lines slowly blossom across his ripped shirt.

 

Smirking, Aric nodded his chin at the injury. “Blood.”

 

“Aye you slippery little Manka,” Pierce groused. He ran his fingers along the scratches, glowering at the bright red fluid on his fingertips. “The women ain’t here.” He wiped his fingers off on his shirt. “Were not stoppin'.”

 

“Fine by me,” Aric growled.

 

Pierce moved first, he always did. Aric debated if he should point that small tidbit out to him.

 

The Human lunged at him, his massive arms wrapping themselves around Aric's torso. Aric growled twisting, trying to bring his hands up to claw Pierce and possibly break his hold, when the walking mountain's tree-trunk arms shifted. Pierce's right arm disappeared as the left tightened its hold, all while the Human moved behind him pinning Aric against his chest. Pierce's right arm reappeared around his throat. Fracking son of a.... Aric fumed to himself. He struggled to move his hands into a position where they could inflict any kind of damage.

 

A low rumble filled his ear, “I got you.”

 

Aric snarled, he did, it was almost impossible for him to get out of this, Pierce's huge bulk kept him pinned in place. He could start shredding his thighs, but Pierce would just tighten his chokehold and the resulting headache he would suffer after he woke up was not worth it.

 

Pierce leaned in closer his head ducking down to ear level with the Cathar, “How are you going to get out of this?”

 

Aric growled frowning. He had not been able to figure that one out yet.

 

A low chuckle filled the air, “Know was rather nice you bein' delayed 'n all. She had been so lonely, just couldn' wait anymore. She came ta visit me,” another long drawn out chuckle, “I had forgotten just how much fun she was, hope she wasn' to worn out for ya.”

 

What... Aric's vision narrowed, how dare he that is his mate. His stomach twisted as he envisioned the two of them together. A long low growl poured out of his throat. Everything became awash in red. Aric jumped slamming his head backwards wiping the assumed smug grin off the Human's face. Claws sank into Pierce's thighs as Aric stomped the Human's barefoot. Pierce stumbled, his grip momentarily loosened. Aric brought his arms up slashing Pierce's forearms and shifted his weight backwards into the Human's left hip. Roaring Aric grabbed the Human's left arm yanking it over his left shoulder, pulling the massive man off balance. Bending his knees Aric pulled the man forward, using gravity to his advantage; as Pierce flipped over Aric's back landing with a numbing thump on the floor.

 

Aric twisted Pierce's left arm, bending his wrist backwards, as he shoved his foot against Pierce's throat. Growling he extended his claws pressing them into the tender skin at the base of Pierce's jaw. Pierce stared up at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Aric stared down at him teeth bared, daring Pierce to insult him again.

 

“Looks like you finally found a way to get out of that hold,” Pierce smirked.

 

“Damn fraking Imp,” Aric muttered under his breath, Pierce had purposely baited him to get a rise out of him. Aric pressed harder against his throat.

 

Pierce coughed. “Blood,” he croaked but the amused look never left his face.

 

Aric released his hold on his wrist as he moved his foot away from his neck. Scowling Aric picked up his discarded shirt, no longer in the mood to spar. Stalking across the room to the first aid kit he grabbed a couple kolto packs. Walking back to where the huge man lay sprawled on the floor he tossed the packs onto his bleeding stomach. “Patch yourself up, I’m not getting my hide chewed because you are shredded.”

 

Grunting Pierce sat up, the saline scent of kolto filled the air as he began to apply it to his dripping forearms.

 

As his temper cooled Aric left a small twinge of remorse, just a small one. The Human was bleeding from, well... pretty much everywhere, looking as though he had lost a battle with a large patch of thorn vines, not that he didn't deserve it talking about Kit like that. Aric gave him one last once over before he turned to head out of the room, to pilfer a couple cold ones from the Palace's kitchen. A beer sounded really good and by the time he returned to the sparing room Pierce would be patched up.

 

As he crossed the threshold Pierce spoke, “Your getting better. We keep this up we might actually made a soldier out of you yet.”

 

Aric grunted in response and moved into the hall. A quiet mumbled sigh followed him, hovering right on the edge of his hearing. “...now if only we can get ya to realize what side you are really on.”

 

 

 

AN

Prompt Fitness

Changed the phrase Dirty pool a smidge into Dirty Sabbac, I dont think they even have pool in the SW universe.

 

[Kitar]

Since I agreed to work tomorrow, here is the update a bit early. Now it is completely coincidental that this chapter is posted on Valentine's Day, or Valentine's Day Eve, depending on where you are.

 

The content of this one is very much Not safe for work, nope. Not at all. It contains adult content. Very Adult content and is probably completely pushing the boundaries as for what is safe for the Forums.

 

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, enjoy.

 

Spoilers

None I can think of.

 

 

CHAPTER 53

 

 

 

Year 3635, End Month 2, Week 7

 

CHIMERA AND NAR SHADDAA

 

 

Warm fingers pushed through his fur teasing him awake. Groaning he tried to roll over. Growling his displeasure he tried again to move, pulling against the gentle weight that steadily pushed against his shoulders and arms. Frowning he tried to pull his arms away from his pillows, the gentle pressure increased and he stilled his movements.

 

Fingers again slipped along his back, slowly trailing through the fur on his lower back, gliding along his spine. As the fingers continued their slow procession, he felt the warmth of her breath on the now exposed skin. Whisper soft lips grazed his red skin as she kissed him, tracing the path forged by her fingertips.

 

Growling he arched his back, rising to meet her, as her lips began kissing his shoulder. Again he strained against the invisible restraints. Swallowing an aggravated sigh he lowered his head, his breath coming faster through parted lips as she caressed the fine fur at the base of his neck. His breath hitched in his throat as she nipped the sensitive skin. Fingers pushed their way through his mane, moving it off his neck and shoulders. He attempted to raise his upper body up off the bed as he lowered his head, complying with her unspoken command.

 

Those lips resumed their travel, nipping their way across the base of his neck. Closing his eyes he turned his head towards her; lips parted he tilted his head over his shoulder. Fingers tightened in his mane as her lips brushed his. They teased him, applying the slightest bit of pressure only to disappear when he tried to deepen the kiss.

 

Her hands returned to his body, rougher this time. Nails dragging along his skin as she caressed him, teeth nipping bared flesh as she settled her weight across his backside. He growled, it was borderline painful, she knew how much pressure to apply to keep it this side of pleasurable. Fluidly he arched into her hands, rolling his spine as she scratched down the length of his back. Again he pulled against the restraining pressure. Frustrated he whimpered low in his throat, he wanted to touch her, needed to, but she would not allow it. He knew no amount of fighting would break him out of her Force hold, that he was stuck. He had to remain in her hold or he had to actually speak. Speaking would free him but she would stop, stop everything and he didn't want that, he wanted her.

 

Sinking his head into his pillows he focused on her touch. Fingers scratched along his side, leaving exposed flesh burning. A warm breath moving fur before cool lips kissed the scratch, a quick dart of a warm tongue before her mouth disappeared. Shuddering he picked his head up, lips parted eyes half lidded, buried beneath his shoulder length mane, he looked behind to where she sat perched on his rump, silently begging for a kiss he knew would be refused.

 

He felt her move, her hands touched his shoulders as she kissed the base of his neck. He shifted his hips trying to ease his ache. Her tongue flicked against the sensitive skin of his ear, causing him to groan. He turned his head towards her, praying she would kiss him. A perfumed puff of air blew against him, heavy with ozone, herbs and her. He inhaled drinking in the scent. The Force-laden scent she was exuding was almost as heady as the scent of her own arousal, her thick musk was overpowering.

 

Groaning he shifted his hips again, this was becoming incredibly uncomfortable. She obviously wanted him as badly as he wanted her, why was she playing with him? He growled low in his throat as she nipped his earlobe, pulling on the aurodium ring. Fracking annoying Sith, he thought to himself.

 

Suddenly he felt the pressure lift, just slightly but it lifted. He shifted underneath her rolling onto his back. As he tried to bring his arms up, to caress the Sith in his lap, he felt the damned Force pressure return. Growling he fought it, straining against it as his arms were lowered without his permission, returned to their position over his head nearly touching the headboard. He pulled trying to free his wrists from their invisible shackles. This was so incredibly unfair.

 

She shifted her weight; he felt the mattress move. He looked up at her frowning, why wouldn't she let him go? She had moved behind his hips, still straddling him. Her hair was loose, a crimson curtain obscuring her face. Sliding off one shoulder was a silken black robe, its inky fabric absorbing the room's meager lighting and wrapping them both in its darkness as it pooled on the bed around them.

 

She leaned forward, fingers slowly moving along his body, tracing his stomach, before trailing through tawny fur to rest on his chest. Fingertips edged through the fine fur as his lips parted in anticipation. Slowly she lowered her body closer to his, her robe slipping open. Her porcelain skin seemed to glow in the darkness. He bit his lip as he watched her inch closer, as the robe slid further off her shoulder exposing more skin and her full round breast. The bite turned into a low throaty growl as her stomach came into contact with him; the dull ache exploded became more instant as he lifted his hips off the bed. Lips parted he pressed against the hard muscles of her stomach. Rolling his head backwards into the pillows he pulled, desperate to free himself.

 

He felt the warm puff of her breath a split second before her tongue teasingly licked his n.i.pple. He gasped as her fingers rolled his n.i.pple before tugging. His back arched into her touch as the warm puff of breath disappeared. Moaning he waited, his body trembled. A sharp increase of ozone flooded his sinuses as her tongue teased the aurodium barbell, flicking it before sucking gently on his piercing. Raw pleasure shot through his chest as he growled, pressing against her; the ache becoming unbearable.

 

A sharp growl poured out of his throat as she pinched both n.i.pples. Her lips left and he lifted his chest higher, praying she would return to giving them attention. Warm breath blew against his stomach as soft skin shifted against his bare body. Trembling he pulled again, desperately trying to regain control over his arms as he lifted his hips against her body. The curtain of red hair slowly moved along the length of his torso, obscuring any and all view of what she was doing.

 

Stars, he growled to himself, this was utterly maddening. His unvoiced complaint died seconds later as her warm mouth descended upon him, her tongue slowly sliding down his length. Her fingertips teased his chestfur, grazing his n.i.pples as she raised her head, licking from base to tip. Moaning he sank his head back into the pillows, enjoying himself, solely focusing on the attention he was receiving, forgetting completely about his inability to move.

 

He tried to keep his hips still as her head moved, lips firmly locked around him. He couldn't, slowly he rocked his hips as her mouth moved, her tongue caressing. Cracking open his eyes he stared at her bent over him, her fingers teasing, her face still hidden behind her hair. Damn Sith, it wasn’t even fair he couldn’t even watch her. He shuddered as she gently pulled against the barbell as she sucked, tongue working along … oh Stars he had to think of something else, or this was going to be over, very very soon. BlasTech .. yeah BlasTech they had a new catalog out, there was a new CorSec Blaster, had an infrared sight, he should tell her, she liked blasters he had seen her use them before. She was good with them. Then thoughts of the catalog shifted to her with a blaster, wearing next to nothing, winking at him. He growled in frustration.

 

Her low laugh filled the air as she stopped; she slowly straightened, sitting upright. Her hands moved away from his chest. Eyes cracked he stared up at her, through his mane. Her arms moved causing the robe to slip even further askew; the black silk pooling along his legs as it slid down to her elbows. And then he felt it, a slight lifting of that damnable Force pressure. He pushed against it, rushing to wrap his arms around her as he sat upright in the bed. Somehow he managed to extract his legs from underneath her as he laid her back on the mattress.

 

He bent forward to kiss her collarbone, gently nipping. Slowly he moved up her neck when he tasted something salty. Pausing he licked his lips, it was definitely salty and warm. Propping himself up on one arm he pushed her disheveled hair away from her face. She rolled her face away from him as he used his index claw to remove stray damp hairs that clung to her cheeks. Gently he used the side of his index finger to wipe damp skin. She rolled her face; hiding it in the covers. Brow furrowed he ran his fingers along her jaw gently moving her face towards him. She allowed him but her eyes were clenched shut.

 

Gently he proceeded to kiss her cheeks, her tears salty warmth upon his lips. Slowly he kissed drying every damp spot until he reached her eyes. Tenderly he kissed them, softly wiping the dampness off her auburn lashes with his thumb. Giving her closed eyelids one last kiss apiece he bent to resume kissing her neck when movement caught his eye.

 

She had turned her head and was looking at him, bright golden eyes blazing. Her lower lip was quivering slightly as new tears were forming. Beneath him he felt her body tense. Smiling he kissed her, his lips gently brushing against hers. He placed kiss after kiss against her soft lips; ignoring the overpowering scent of his own musk against them, ignoring the ever growing scent of ozone on the air, ignoring the sound of his blood hammering in his ears. He ignored everything but those tender lips.

 

He focused on them, his hand caressing the side of her face, running along her neck and into her hair. Kiss by kiss he felt her relax, the tension gradually ease from her. Her fingers ran through his mane, grabbing it lifting it away from his face. Her lips parted slightly as she slid a leg along his side, d.ra.ping it over his back pulling him closer.

 

Smiling up at her through his mane he continued to kiss along her neck. Her head tilted backwards exposing more of her porcelain skin. She relaxed into the blankets as he coaxed soft moans and hushed groans from her throat. He nipped the sensitive skin along her collarbone, caressing fingers ran along her neck before they moved down to cup her breast, thumb running teasingly over her n.i.pple before he licked it with his rough tongue. She groaned beneath him, hands gripping his shoulders as her other leg slid around his waist, stopping him with a gentle squeeze.

 

Perplexed he dropped his hand to the bed, as he looked up at her, she was watching him gold eyes glittering. Her fingers ran through his fur resting upon his rump. He wasn't sure why she had stopped him, his lips parted, the question forming when her finger pressed against his lips. She shook her head. Pulling his shoulder closer she leaned in brushing her lips against his as she arched her back into him asking subtly for more.

 

Nodding his head he raised his upper body, her legs loosened around his waist. His lips pressed against hers as he positioned his hips, sliding a hand down her side he gripped her thigh as he joined them. Her back arched against him fingers clenching his fur. A soft moan filled the air as he began a steady rhythm his hips slowly rocking.

 

Her legs tightened around his waist as she matched his pace, her hips rolling upward. Growling low in his throat he dipped his head to kiss her neck. Her fingers slipped off his shoulder caressing his fur, they slid across his chest teasing. Throwing his head back he focused on the ceiling when her warm mouth closed on his pierced ******. Growling with pleasure he increased his pace. In response her tongue flicked against the barbell.

 

Closing his eyes he lowered his head lips grazing along her neck, focusing on her. She arched into him, fingers pulling against him as she rose off the mattress. He slipped his hand along her back. Soft groans slipped from her parted lips as her legs tightened. Fingers dug into his shoulder as she attempted to pull him closer.

 

He nipped her ear while her body tensed beneath him. Her breathing quickened, her fingers gripped tighter as her body became more insistent. Moving down her neck, his nipping turned into biting. As his teeth sank into the tender skin, his senses were flooded with the metallic snap of ozone, warm coppery blood covered his tongue as the thick cloud seemed to drop over him, sink into his fur, coat his sinuses his throat. What was she doing? He cracked open his eye relinquishing her neck, when he made eye contact with her half lidded blazing gold eyes her entire body shuddered. Everything tightened around him; her fingers, her legs, her very core. Everything started to vibrate, his voice disappeared as his breath hitched in his throat. The heavy sent of ozone surrounded him; every single strand of hair of his body seemed to stand on end, caressed by hundreds of unseen hands. Somehow he managed to break eye contact throwing his head backwards he roared a voiceless roar as his body trembled. His vision became blurry, stars floated before him as everything went black, he crumpled into her as his body soundlessly found release.

 

Blinking he woke to her arms wrapped around him, gently brushing his mane away from his eyes as he lay on his side in the bed. What had she just done? He knew she did something, he stared watching her deft fingers as they played with his hair. Had she always been able to do that? He knew it was Force related, some Sithy thing she just did. Was it because they were mated, had something happened during that ceremony? He scooted closer to her, the movement caused rippling waves to course through him, he groaned as the pleasure filled tremors flowed through him, causing his fur to flinch as he twitched in her arms.

 

She moved her body closer pressing against him as she gently caressed him. He relaxed into her as his body continued to twitch. Gradually the waves lessened, the nearly oppressive scent of ozone had dissipated. The gentle kisses she placed against his neck and shoulder as she caressed him, no longer sent vibrating bolts through him. Cautiously he moved his arm dr.a.pingit over her waist. He leaned over to kiss her when a chime echoed through the silence. She growled in annoyance, her hand moving as an unwanted voice filled the cabin's interior.

 

“We will be dropping out of hyperspace in approximately three minutes thirty seconds, My Lord. Should I begin landing procedure?” The tinny voice of Too-Vee seemed to echo.

 

He laid a hand on her shoulder, swallowing he tried to answer, his voice caught in his rough throat. Licking his lips he tried again. “Thank you Too-Vee,” his voice was a rough rumble, he coughed trying to clear his throat. “I will be up shortly.” His throat just ached.

 

“Very good, Sir.”

 

“I will take care of it, I don't get to fly her very often,” he murmured as he kissed her shoulder. “Take the 'fresher first, I’ll get it after I get us landed.” He swallowed, why did his throat hurt so badly?

 

Kissing her shoulder one last time he scooted off the bed, padding across the room on silent feet he bent picking up his discarded sleep pants. Quickly he pulled them on as he left the bedroom. Stopping at the threshold he turned back to look at her. She had moved off the bed, bare porcelain skin shining as she ran her fingers through her auburn hair. How he loved that sight, he ran clawed fingertips though his mane pushing it behind his ears.

 

She paused in front of her armoire looking at him over her shoulder. As she stood there looking at him he shuddered, a teasing pin.p.r.ick ran down his neck, something was going to happen, something with bad ramifications. Her eyebrow arched in concern. He smiled, shaking his head dismissing her concerns, “Wear something a bit... neutral, your violet robe and dark slacks maybe, no armor. I,” he coughed, “have a feeling you should.”

 

She looked puzzled for a moment and then nodded, turning to open her armoire. When he saw her dark violet robe in her hands he turned and headed for the bridge.

 

Easing into the captain's chair he disengaged the ship’s autopilot. The Fury-class Interceptor sprang to life under his hands. He smiled as he leaned forward, beginning the sequence to enter the moon's atmosphere as he opened communications to Mezenti Spaceport’s control.

 

A laid back Huttese heavy accent greeted him, “State your purpose and destination.”

 

He smiled, “This is the Chimera, we will be landing shortly, our purpose is our own. Requesting a Secured Docking Bay, per clearance Dorn Cresh eight-oh-five.”

 

The voice on the other end perked up, “Yes My Lord, welcome to Nar Shaddaa. One moment as we assign you a bay.”

 

He chuckled into the com, “Not a Lord. Sir will do just fine, traffic control.”

 

“Yes Sir, you have been given bay Besh-Sixteen. You can begin atmospheric entrance momentarily.”

 

Aric leaned back in the chair, subtly adjusting the ship’s flight path, the fighter gliding through space as clawed fingers tapped the controls. Grabbing the yolk he waited for the tower's go ahead. Seconds later tower control reopened the line, hitting the button he grinned to himself, it always amazed him just how quickly Sith ships were given landing clearance.

 

“Chimera, you may now begin your descent, give my regards to the Wrath, traffic control out.”

 

“Thank you control, Lieutenant Darksun out.” Aric closed the com, as he was about to accelerate the Chimera he heard her foot brush against the durasteel floor. Moments later her arms were draped across his shoulders, hands laying on his chest.

 

“That sounds so foreign to my ear.”

 

“Mine too, but that is how it is done isn’t it? When you have no Force-sensitivity and you marry a Sith, you take their name?”

 

Her hair brushed against his cheek as she nodded her head, “It is, I never expected you to do so though, you don't have to.”

 

He turned his head towards her, the fresh fragrance of her shampoo filling his nose, “I know, I wanted too...” his voice trailed off. He had no other family left to him, it was not a difficult choice.

 

Her voice was soft when she murmured into his ear, “Then take us in Captain,”

 

He looked at her brow furrowed, “Captain...”

 

She grinned at him, eyebrow arched. “You want it, it's yours.”

 

“You know you are making it so hard to leave.”

 

“I know,” she kissed his forehead, “be careful flying my baby in there, you scratch her, I’ll have your hide.”

 

 

~*~*~*~

 

The walk through the Spaceport was surprisingly dull, as was the taxi ride that took them to the Deucalon Spaceport. After a quick walk through the Spaceport and up a flight of stairs they arrived at the docking bay where the Thunderclap was housed. No one should be around, the crew still had another twelve hours of shore leave. Aric wanted to get his belongings stored on the ship and slip away before anyone saw the two of them.

 

He fidgeted twisting the leatheris strap on his dufflebag. He was starting to question that weird feeling he had. He looked down at Kit she was standing off to the side intently studying a departure schedule. Walking over to her he wrapped his arms around her burying his head in her hair, she turned in his arms, running her fingers through his mane before her lips brushed his. He growled as he pulled her closer, lips pressed against hers savoring each second. And then it was shattered by a voice.

 

“Sir?”

 

He straightened as he released her, taking a half step back he wiped his mouth, praying he got any and all lipstick off his lips. Slowly he turned, trying to keep Kit behind him. “Sergeant Dorne.”

 

“Oh it is you, Sir, I wasn't sure. I didn't recognize you.” The blonde medic stared at him. Her eyes jumped behind him to the violet robed Sith standing behind him and he stiffened. “Oh I’m sorry I didn’t realize,” Dorne's cheeks blushed a bright red. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, I didn’t,” her hands flittered at her sides. She gave them a hasty salute, “I am Sergeant Dorne, I am one of Lieutenant Jorgan's squadmates.”

 

From behind him Kit spoke, “Nice to make your acquaintance Sergeant.” Her voice was blessedly accent free. “Aric, I need to get going.” He nodded turning towards her, never taking his eyes off Dorne. She slid her hand along his cheek before quickly kissing him. He cupped her jaw as he kissed her goodbye. Silently she broke the kiss, eyes averted looking away from him. She pulled the dark violet hood up over her head as she walked away.

 

He stared at her as she wove her way through the Starport, when she was a small dot Dorne spoke. “I am sorry Sir, I didn't realize, if I had I would not of interrupted. My intrusion is what drove off her off isn’t it?”

 

He nodded watching her retreating form.

 

“You, you are seeing a Jedi?”

 

He swallowed a huff, he forced his face to remain neutral, “You could say that.”

 

“No one knows do they?”

 

He shook his head no, it was close enough to the truth.

 

“I am sorry. If I had known...” her voice faded behind him. He ignored her eyes locked on Kit's retreating form.

 

She tapped him on the shoulder, he pulled his eyes away from the last spot he had seen Kit'ar before she had vanished from sight. He looked back at the Human, in her hand was a tissue. Dorne tapped the corner of her mouth. “Everyone is on the ship.”

 

Taking the offered tissue he wiped his mouth. He stared at the dark red smudge, before he folded the tissue in half putting it in his pocket, he muttered,“Thanks.”

 

“Sir.” He looked over at her. “I found you walking alone to the ship.” He nodded giving her a sad, half-hearted smile.

 

“Come on Sir let's get you settled back in, holocall with Garza in the morning.”

 

Sighing he looked back to the yawning doorway that had swallowed Kit and nodded, falling in beside her as they walked down the long corridor.

 

 

AN

 

Prompt on this one was Goodbye

 

So... If I am still able to post after this one. Another update on Saturday!

[Kitar]

Talk about a long busy day... But, Kiddo's team brought home a trophy from her Volleyball Tournament! So it was worth it. Now before I go crawl into bed, and my last posting has not gotten me banned, here is the next update.

It is on the short side.

Spoilers

 

So... this is all written with the assumption that the SW went through the game first, so on Belsavis the Warden was left alive (Yeah I know my SW is so LS it is painful...) And some trooper spoilers as well for the aforementioned planet

 

 

CHAPTER 54

 

 

 

 

Year 3635, Month 3, First week, the following morning.

 

THUNDERCLAP/ NAR SHADDAA

 

Aric scowled at his reflection, he really didn't want to attend this holocall. During his entire medical leave Dorne was the only one who bothered to holo him. Running his claws through his mane he moved it, carefully hiding his ears. He ran his fingers through his beard, before straightening his uniform. It felt so weird to be wearing it again. Giving his reflection another quick look he left the 'fresher.

 

The squad was gathered around the built in holoterminal. When he entered the room, the hushed conversation stopped, quick glances darted his way. The Captain's was more lecherous; it made his hide crawl. Vik just stared at him, shrugging before he returned his attentions to their Captain. Dorne offered him a small hesitant smile. Aric stood next to Dorne clasping his hands behind his back, ignoring them. He did not look that different.

 

The Captain moved to the terminal, bringing up the General's image. She fell back into a parade rest as she flashed Garza's projected image a quick smile. “Reporting in General.”

 

Garza's gaze skimmed the assembled squad, her eyes lingered on Aric, her brow arching slightly. “Good to see you again Lieutenant.” her tone caustic.

 

Aric swallowed a growl; he hadn't been faking. He had not been too happy to go on his forced medical leave, but he had begrudgingly admitted he needed it. The stress he had been under had been eating at him, thinking his lover had died, shoved him over the edge. Being able to get away and spend time with Kit had been a huge help.

 

When he didn't respond the General continued, “You are able to return to active duty then? Have you found a way to deal with these imagined issues?”

 

Aric heard his Captain snicker under her breath. Barely suppressing a snarl he answered. “Apparently. Sir. My leave is over,” his voice dripping venom.

 

Garza's eyebrow's shot skyward, he heard Dorne inhale sharply. The General stared at him, Aric locked gazes with her refusing to back down. The damn General knew he didn't want to be a part of this squad anymore; he was no longer going to hide it.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, Garza shifted her gaze to the Captain. “I have received some intel I want you to act upon. You are being sent back to Belsavis, there are people there who will be a great asset in the pending mission.”

 

“Of course, Sir, who are we looking for? I assume we are after people who were wrongly convicted?” The Captain smiled.

 

Garza returned her smile, “Close Captain, we are after a group of pilots called Dagger Wing. These are top notch pilots, who had an unfortunate incident happen during the course of one of their missions.”

 

“That is a shame, I will be glad to assist. Considering the state of the planet, finding them will not be easy.”

 

“You are right, Warden Graal has eagerly accepted the offer of your assistance in exchange he will use all available resources to track down the squad. He needs considerable help getting order restored.”

 

The Captain snorted. “That planet is a zoo, those convicts are desperate to remain free, they will not be easy to apprehend. Our assistance will be limited, I don't want to get bogged down in that mess.”

 

“Agreed Captain, use your discretion. When you have landed establish contact with Warden Graal to see what progress he has made, then report back to me.”

 

“Yes Sir.”

 

Garza's form disappeared when she ended the call.

 

The Captain looked at them, “Setting a course to Belsavis,” her eyes lingered on Aric. “Start pre flight, if you remember how.”

 

Aric growled as he moved off to the bridge, ignoring the Captain's smirk as he walked around her. He didn't want to be here.

 

 

[frauzet]

Still here

Belsavis sounds like the perfect place to get into trouble you haven't asked for, especially when you're in a Squad you don't really feel a part of.

I hope it won't get too bad for Aric.

Looking forward to find out what happens next.

[Kitar]

Alright, first off I wanna say wow 4k views, I am quite tickled you lovely readers have stayed with me this entire time. I do hope everyone is still enjoying it.

Second... I am so terribly sorry that I am late in posting. I am five postings behind. Most of that is in part to something I decided to write up in response to Frauzet's comment. I had the idea, but barely any time to write it down, though most of it was hammered out while in gym class... but I digress.

 

@ Frauzet Oh good I was hoping you were still with me, I do look forward to your comments.

Belsavis is a great place to get into trouble. I actually decided to write up a new chapter to see what he does end up finding. As for how bad things are going to get for Aric, I wish I could tell you but kinda takes all the fun out of it

 

This one is a bit on the long side. So get comfy.

Spoiler

Spoiler for a side mission on Imperial Belsavis, in a round about way. If you have played it in the past you will see it. If you haven't you will probably miss the reference.

 

 

CHAPTER 55

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 week 2

 

BELSAVIS

 

Great. Now he was being sent off, alone, to do the impossible. Again. He shook his head, he knew it was just his XO's way to try and kill him. Again. It was what the third, no fourth time. Taris with the damn rakghoul vaccine fiasco, Voss in the Nighmare Lands, a silent shiver coursed over his fur. Shaking his head; he sorted banishing the sensation. Belsavis and the droid parts, safely held by Mandos. Thank the ancestors he knew the Mandos. And then there was the civilian crates loaded with enough detonite to crater the streets on Coru. He lived through them all, he would live through this one too.

 

Shaking his head in disgust, he quietly tread down the shadowed corridor. If she really did want him dead, she would have to do better than that. Once he had actually tried to figure out what he had done to draw her anger. He was never able to come up with anything. He had avoided her at all costs on Ord, barely spoke to her, and she done nothing but terrorize him. He had even wondered if he had done something to her in a past life. He finally realized she was just a monster who delighted in pulling the wings off insects.

 

A monster he was stuck with for the next year. He sighed, keeping to the shadows, he was stuck with her and the General. Running off to the ancestors knew where, doing questionable things that would cause an incident if the public ever found out. Like crawling through this revolting prison-planet, searching for pilots whose war crimes were swept under the rug before they were sentenced here. Aric remembered reading the official report, the entire squad had been declared M.I.A.

 

He snorted, it was just another cover-up by Command. Like the Havoc defections and Ando Prime, and now this jailbreak. He would have left them to rot, not give them another chance at freedom. But no one ever asked him, instead he was ordered to investigate this ancient cell block, in a far flung corner of the planet, to find 'friendlies'. There were no 'friendlies' here, most were locked up here by the Republic, why would any of them want to help? The Republic?

 

They wouldn't. Aric sighed, but he was still going to go through with it. He had managed the trek here through the freezing snow and extremely hostile wildlife. He could manage to walk the corridors of this nearly forgotten building and see if any of the occupants were what anyone could consider 'friendly'.

 

The building itself was interesting, the architects had built the structures long ago. It seemed to be built into the adjacent stone of the nearby mountain, burrowing under the snow covered rock. He wondered briefly if there was snow here when they made that decision. Might be easier to keep the place warm, but then again would they worry about the occupants’ comfort? Probably not.

 

He had overheard people back at the prison talking about the buildings. He had actually wanted to hear more but as usual, his XO had cut them off, dismissing what they were talking about, before briskly ordering him off to this ancestor-forsaken, isolated, frozen quadrant of the planet, alone.

 

Aric sighed, stopping before an ornately covered panel set into the wall. Squinting he peered closer, the thick layer of dust just clung to the carvings’ details. Pursing his lips he contemplated the design before him. Cautiously he reached out an armored finger, the durasteel clad digit hovered before the dust-filled channel. A quiet exhale later he slid it through the collected particulates, teeth flashing when he grinned at the disturbed dust as it floated swirling around his finger before lazily drifting towards on the floor on the stagnant air.

 

It was pretty, well, he thought it was pretty. His hand moved to another obscured carving. This time when his finger moved it uncovered a violet glowing stone underneath. Ohh, he leaned in closer intently studying the glow. He couldn't figure out what was causing it to illuminate the carved wall panel, but it was neat. His smile grew, Kit would like it. His smile faltered, she would like it, but it would be a long time before he could bring her here, to show it to her.

 

He frowned staring at the soft violet light, to long. But, he sighed, brushing more of the obscuring dust off. He would, she would find it interesting. And, his lips curled up in a grin, he would take her back to Voss. They would finally track down and investigate the glowing ruins they had seen, the first night he had met her. That would be much easier to do, his grin grew larger. Easier and sooner, they could do that next time they had a few days together.

 

Hand drifting away from the carved panel, he shifted his attention away from the ancient carving. He needed to get through this assignment first. Might as well get on with it. He doubted he was going to even find anything out here anyway. Hadn't seen a soul since he left the last waypoint, hadn't really seen a soul there either, just an old, scarred up, rusting, protocol droid.

 

Finally moving away from the wall he proceeded through the dimly lit, dust-covered corridor. It stopped abruptly. In front of him stood a massive, dormant computer terminal. Dust-laden spider webs covered the screen and keyboard.

 

“Great,” he muttered. If the terminals in this place were in such a state of disuse, the odds of finding anyone alive in here rapidly plummeted to barely above impossible.

 

Might as well try anyway. He was here, would be better to walk the empty corridors and make a visual conformation that no one was left in here, than leave and be sent back simply out of spite by his XO. Aric looked to his left, the hall was dark, the threshold nothing more than an empty black maw. The structure appeared to be sound, just utterly deserted. The dust on the stones leading into the hall was thick and undisturbed. Looking to his right he could see the slight flicker of barely operating lights. There appeared to be three or four lights. His head canted to the side as he studied the distant, dim lights. It could be a fluke, a long dead insect had depressed a button activating them, when it walked across the terminal or there could be prisoners down there.

 

It was probably the work of an insect, but he was curious now.

 

Turning to his right he cautiously moved, inwardly cringing when his armored footfalls disturbed the carpet of dust. The first cell he came across was completely dark, across from it lay another. Turning he walked closer to it. The cell was barely lit, the bulb overhead flickering as it cast long shadows against a blaster mark ridden back wall. Aric cringed, he could see claw marks against the wall, as well as dark burgundy streaks of dried blood. Blasters would have cauterized the wounds, but some poor souls had been stabbed to death. He shook his head, wondering what had caused the demise of the inhabitants of the cell.

 

Stepping past he continued down the hall, the next pair he encountered were empty. Their force fields deactivated, overhead lights dark. A slight sc.rap.ping sounded, causing Aric to stiffen immediately. His head snapped up and to his right, as his jaw opened. Slowly he turned as he contemplated the cell before him, it definitely was not what he was expecting.

 

It was filled with approximately twenty Cathar. They did not look healthy, all of them underweight, their ratty, torn clothes hanging off of them. A silver faced Elder slowly moved to the front of the group. He walked on a broken piece of furniture; a make-shift cane. Aric watched, standing stock still as he approached the flickering force field.

 

The Elder Cathar stopped before Aric, hands resting on top of the primitive cane. The Cathar intently stared at him, the man’s clothing might have been barely more than rags, but he held himself with a nearly regal bearing. Aric watched him, completely unsure what he should say or do.

 

The Elder moved first, he canted his head to the side, bright yellow eyes intently watching Aric. Slowly his head straightened, as a silvered brow raised. Aric couldn’t stop watching him, the older man in front of his simply demanded his attention, and all he was doing was standing there. The clothes he wore, were once expensive and elaborate. The faded gold thread that glinted out of the remnants of his decorative shawl, had to have been completely eye-catching and gorgeous when new. His colouring was unusual; fur that had not been overtaken by silver was a gold colour, it lacked any spots or stripes.

 

Aric continued to watch the Elder, as the man simply returned his gaze. Finally the Elder spoke. “Apparently you are not one of our jailors. They have been absent for years now.” The aged Cathar slightly shifted his weight, his gold eyes still staring straight through him. “Why are you here?”

 

Aric opened his mouth before quickly closing it, he took a deep breath before answering. “I was sent here to look for prisoners.”

 

“Well you have found some,” the Elder continued to stare, “for what purpose I would like to know. None of us have garnered a bit of Republic concern in decades, and yet here you are.” His gold eyes just bored into him, intently watching.

 

“I,” Aric started, before stopping. “I was ordered here to look for imprisoned soldiers to release to aid the Republic.”

 

The silvered brow arched. “Do you really want to do that? Release people to aid the Republic?”

 

Briskly shaking his head, Aric responded, “No, I do not.”

 

“What is it that you want to do then?”

 

“I,” Aric paused sighing, “I don’t want to help the Republic.”

 

“You don’t?”

 

“No,” Aric shifted his head shaking, “I don’t.”

 

“And yet you are here.”

 

Aric nodded, “Yes I am.” He took a half step forward, “Why are you in here?”

 

The Elder continued to stare at him, Aric started to fidget under his scrutinizing gaze.

 

“If you do not mind telling me, I would like to know.” Aric quietly asked.

 

“Before I answer your question, I would know to whom I am speaking. I will look upon your face.”

 

Aric nodded. Slowly he brought his hands up, quickly unlatching his helmet. He glanced down as he clipped it to his belt, swallowing he looked back up. The Elder was still intently watching, his golden gaze dissecting. Aric fought to keep his eyes locked on the Elder’s; he wasn’t able. Dropping his gaze, he brought up an armored hand, it slid through his mane, knocking it out of its haphazardly made bun.

 

It slowly uncoiled and fell to his shoulders. Armored fingers nervously adjusted the loose locks before returning to his sides. Returning his gaze to the Elder he unconsciously straightened.

 

The Elder’s gaze softened, a slight smile playing in the corner of his mouth. “So,” his fang flashed, “not what I expected.” He sifted his grip on the cane. “We,” he gestured to the rest of the cell with his top hand before slowly settling it on the cane, “were imprisoned here for a difference of political opinion.”

 

“What?” Aric whispered. “You were locked up here because you didn’t agree with politicians?”

 

The Elder frowned, “In a way yes. We, and others like us, were sequestered away here, for that difference of opinion.”

 

“That’s not right, you don’t do something like that.” Aric shook his head.

 

“And yet it happened.” The Elder sighed.

 

“What… what was the opinion?”

 

The Elder barked a rough laugh. “Perhaps you were to young to remember.” The hand moved again to stroke a silver-laced beard. “We didn’t agree with allowing Cathar to join the Republic. The Republic you do not feel like helping. Instead, we and others who thought like us, were in talks with the Sith Empire.”

 

“And you were locked up in here, on this forsaken planet, for talks?”

 

The Elder nodded, “We were.”

 

“That’s not right. You are allowed to have talks with whoever you want.”

 

“Not all felt that way,” again his hand moved gesturing to the cell.

 

“And you were locked up here.” Aric shook his head.

 

“It appears that you also talk to the Sith Empire, do you not?” the Elder gestured to Aric.

 

Aric bit his lower lip, as his eyes moved to his shoulder where the Elder’s hand was pointing. There, barely visible, was the Imperial emblem. He was wearing the suit of durasteel armor that Kit had given him on Voss, she had replaced his armor there, twice. He had never bothered to get another coat of paint on the suit. No one ever said anything to him about it, a few soldiers he had run across in the field had assumed it was some trophy stolen from the enemy. Aric had never cared enough to correct them.

 

Aric nodded, “Yes, I do talk to the Sith Empire.”

 

The Elder smiled. “Good, that is good. So tell me, whatever happened with the talks? Did we join with the Sith Empire?”

 

Aric shook his head, “No, we didn’t.”

 

“Do not tell me that we joined with the damn Republic?”

 

Aric nodded, “We did.”

 

“That is a pity, but you do not want to help the Republic.”

 

“I do not.”

 

The Elder studied him, falling quiet as those critical gold eyes ran over Aric. “Sometimes one must do what one hates, in order for the greater good to prevail.” His silver and gold maned head quietly nodded, “I can understand.”

 

“Do you know who I am,” the Elder asked, his voice cautious.

 

Aric studied the man in front of him, he struck him as unusual. The Elder was smaller in stature than most Cathar males Aric had encountered in his life. He was still taller than Aric, but not by much. The Elder also lacked any markings on his fur. For a brief moment Aric though he could possibly pass for a distant relation, before he remembered that he no longer had any family.

 

“No, I do not.”

 

The Elder frowned a moment, just a moment before it disappeared. “You were young. I am Borya, Prince of Clan Yeva, sworn vassal to the great Prince Shange.”

 

Aric’s eyes widened, he was talking to prince of Cathar. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do. The Elder was smiling at him. Nervously he bit his lower lip before straightening, he nodded to Borya, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

 

The Elder’s smile widened, as his hand left his cane, slowly it formed into a fist and crossed across his body, touching his shoulder as Borya tilted his head forward.

 

Aric watched, completely unsure what to do. He returned the gesture; as Aric straightened he noticed all the other Cathar in the cell had also stood and made the same gesture. He honestly didn’t know if he needed to repeat it. As he brought his hand away from his shoulder, he opened his fist and his fingers dangled by his side.

 

“Perhaps now you will remember who I am.” Borya nodded his head, his hand returning to its perch on the cane.

 

“I think I will remember all of you.” Aric looked past Borya to the assembled ragged group. Every single eye was intently watching him. Quite a few smiles appeared as heads quietly dipped toward him.

 

It made Aric utterly on edge, forcing his fidgeting fingers to still he smiled again at the ragged group of Cathar. “Are there any more of you?” He looked the group over, most were men, there were three women, standing defensively in front a group of small kits, he had missed them completely when he first stopped in front of the cell. Seven pairs of young eyes stared out at him from behind the women. Most of the eyes that stared at him were gold, there were a couple who had striking eyes of blue and violet. All of them sported varying shades of golden fur. An entire Clan was imprisoned within the forgotten cell block.

 

“Yes,” Borya answered, his voice heavy. “There are,” he cleared his throat, “was two other cells, one of them,” he shook his silvered head, “they are no longer.”

 

“The cell I passed on the way here. The one with the blaster marks and the blood...” Aric looked again at the group, suddenly aware at how slanted the group was towards older males, his eyes widened as he looked back at Borya. “Who was in there? What happened?”

 

“We have never been a Clan of cowards, we are warriors. They separated us, by age and gender. The wardens were uneducated in Cathars or our ways, they were not aware that the women who are in here with us had finished their Blood Hunt. They had chosen to shave their manes off for the hunt. The wardens thought they were men or they would have also been in the first cell.”

 

Borya looked at the wall, towards the long empty cell. “They decided to revolt, all of the women in there strong warriors. They managed to capture a warden, fought the others, tried to free the rest of us. They were executed for their actions.”

 

“They...” Aric trailed off looking towards the dark empty cell, “that is horrible, I am so sorry...”

 

“That is not your fault. They died fighting as warriors. They died trying to free us.” Borya pulled his gaze away from the wall, returning it to Aric. “The Clan still lives, though the new generations know nothing but this place, nothing but darkness and walls. They have never been outside these cells, but we are not gone.”

 

“What happened to them, were they...”

 

“Burned on pryers? No, they were drug outside the prison. We do not know what happened to them, but when we get out, they will be found and a proper funeral will be provided. To finish guiding them to the land of our Ancestors.”

 

Aric, nodded, silently cursing his Grandfather and his stubborn insistence to not tell him a single thing about Cathar culture. This Elder, this prince was talking to him as if he knew who he was, perhaps the Elder thought he really did know Aric. Aric didn’t know the man or his Clan, he just didn’t want to commit some giant misstep and offend him, or the rest of the Cathar in the cell. “You said there were others in another cell?”

 

Borya smiled, “I did, they were they youngest of us all. They are on the same side of the hall as us, when the wardens stopped coming, we managed to remove part of the wall,” he gestured to the west wall, “created a hole. Then we did the same in the next cell, to get to them. We have been able to move freely through these three cells but have not been able to obtain a way out of the cells.”

 

“How long has it been since you have seen a warden?” Aric asked.

 

“Years, a little over a decade. After they disappeared we decided to not only break the walls but to attempt to grow the clan.”

 

“Which is why you have the little kits.”

 

“Yes, they were born here. A bright hope, in a dark place.”

 

“How are you managing to feed them?”

 

“Not a great or varied diet. There is a leak in the back of the middle cell. It supplies fresh water, and encourages a form of moss to grow.”

 

Aric’s mouth screwed up in disgust, “You have been living on moss?”

 

“Sadly we have, that and the occasional rodents we manage to catch.”

 

“That is, that is horrible.”

 

“I agree.” Borya nodded, “Not good for gaining weight, but you can survive.” The Elder Cathar moved slowly stepping closer to the force field. “So that leaves us at an interesting cross roads, you have orders you do not wish to follow and I do not wish to remain here, with my Clan.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Borya gestured to Aric.

 

“I am not doing anything, I was never here.”

 

Borya’s face fell, his fangs flashing. “What?” he growled.

 

Aric sidestepped, moving closer to the control panel. “If I was here, I would have to report this. I don’t want to report anything. I don’t want to help, remember?” Aric bent over studying the foreign interface. “My bodycam has been has been broken for weeks, they have to go on my word. I will tell them I never saw a single soul in here. That isn’t an exact lie, I saw many souls. I am just not going to tell them.” Scowling he stared at it, one of them had to open the cell.

 

“It is the small green one, near the center.” Borya had moved closer to him, his hand pointing at the controls.

 

“Thanks,” Aric flashed him a toothy smile. An armored finger quickly depressed the button, it flashed a bright green then the shimmering force field disappeared. Aric moved towards the now smiling Cathar. “You didn’t see me. If you tell people, the wrong people, that you saw me in here, helping you...”

 

“It would end badly for you,” Borya finished his sentence.

 

“That is putting it mildly. But, yes. I will not take you back with me, but I think I know where you can go. Get some help, possibly get off this frozen rock.”

 

“Here,” Aric reached in the pack on his back. Quickly he dug through, taking a fast inventory. He pulled out a blaster. Grasping it by its barrel he handed it to Borya. “Take this, the creatures here are vicious and challenging, claws are not enough here.”

 

The Elder Cathar reached out grasping it. Quickly he looked it over before tucking it into his belt.

 

“Take this too,” Aric handed him the best part of his uneaten lunch, a cold nerf sandwich.

 

Borya’s nostrils flared as he caught the scent. Eagerly he reached out grabbing the wrapped sandwich. “Nerf,” he whispered.

 

“Yes, it is a bit tough, but after all this time you need it more than I do.” Aric smiled at him before returning his attention to his pack.

 

“Timur,” Borya called, “Come here.”

 

Aric looked up, cautiously walking towards him was a lean lanky boy, looked to be no older than ten standard years. The boy was shades of gold, dark golden hair, light golden fur and he possessed a pair of those violet and blue eyes.

 

“This is my great grandson Timur,” Borya boasted as the youth neared. “You have given us hope, and my young heir the possibility of reclaiming our lands on Cathar.”

 

Timur stopped next to Borya, he repeated the gesture of clenching his hand into a fist and crossing it across his chest, resting it on his shoulder as his head dipped. “Thank you,” Timur murmured, his voice cracking. “It is a kindness we can not repay.” Timur looked over at Boyra, the Elder Cathar dipped his head encouraging the young kit. “We, Clan Veya are again and always pledged to you.” Timur finished, before lowering his hand.

 

Aric stared at the young kit, he had no clue how to respond. Why would anyone be pledging themselves to him? Maybe it was the socially polite thing to say since he had just freed the entire Clan from imprisonment. His mind racing he struggled to think of some kind of response. Dropping his green eyes to his pack he reached in, armored fingertips grabbing a package of wrapped chocolates. Grabbing them he continued to stall, thinking of some answer. Finally he settled on one, though he felt utterly foolish as he spoke it. “Thank you, your support is invaluable. I am happy to have it. I just wish I could do more for you.”

 

Aric extended his hand to the young kit. He cautiously accepted the small bag.

 

“What is this?”

 

“You will love it. It is called chocolate, go and share it with the other kits.” Aric reached back into his pack, grabbing two silver flasks. He handed them to Timur, “Take these as well, it is just water, but you can refill them along the way.”

 

Aric returned his attention to his pack, “There is a couple spare articles of clothing, some shirts and a pair of pants, take them. I do not have much else to eat in here, some dried jerky and a handful of ration bars, but,” Aric continued to dig, his hand closing before leaving the pack. Opening his hand he grabbed all of the Republic credit chits that lay in his palm, quickly moving them to the small pouch on his duty belt. The rest, a mixture of Imperial and Hutt chits remained on his palm as he extended it to Borya. “It is not a lot, a couple thousand I think. It should help you book passage out of here.”

 

Borya reached out taking the offered chits. “You are being to generous.”

 

“No I am not. Freeing you will not do you, or your Clan, any good if you can not get off of this planet.” Aric straightened offering the pack to the Elder Cathar, “Now, when you leave this place, head South. The way will be long.” Aric pulled his datapad from his waist. “Here,” Aric punched the dormant pad's screen, quickly pulling up the coordinates to the distant base. “When you get here, immediately ask for a Lord Ferrid, he is an older Human and will probably be amused by the entire situation. Tell him, you need to get into contact with a Darth Chylon.”

 

“Ahh, Darth Chylon the Human diplomat?” Borya questioned.

 

Aric's eyes widened, “Well yes, how did you know that?”

 

“There was a time I was free, young one, and I paid attention. I met him once years ago. I will request to see a Lord Ferrid, once I have spoken to him I shall request to speak to the old diplomat.” Borya took the offered pack and quickly looked through it. “Your generosity is outstanding and will not be forgotten.” The Elder Cathar swung the pack onto his back, his free hand still clasping the wrapped nerf sandwich.

 

“I am going to ready the others. We will be taking what we need for the trip to the base. You can not stay can you?” Borya asked, his gold eyes intently searching Aric's face.

 

“No, I can't. I have to report back, tell them there was nothing of interest at this location.”

 

The aged Cathar nodded his head, “Then may the ancestors smile on you, and grant you a swift and uneventful journey.”

 

“May they smile upon you too, Prince Borya.” Aric smiled at him. The aged Cathar once again brought his fist up across his body to his shoulder. Aric mirrored the movement, making the mental note to find out what exactly it meant.

 

“They already have, they already have.” The Elder Cathar pivoted with more grace than a man using a cane to walk should possess, and walked back into the cell.

 

The other Cathar in the cell who had been holding back this entire time walked up to him, talking to him in hushed tones. More than a few, looked back in Aric's direction, nodding and making that gesture. Aric returned the motion one last time before he grabbed his helmet. Carefully moving his loose mane, he slipped his helmet on and latched it. Giving the group one last look and nod, he quickly started moving down the dark corridor, keeping his eyes adverted when he passed the cell containing the dried blood splatters and blaster marks.

 

He needed to get out of here and back to the base. He hadn't found anything that would help the Republic and after what he had just discovered he didn't want to.

 

 

 

AN

Prompted by Frauzet's comment, but no real SF prompt.

 

[Kitar]

I decided to post a few extra times over the next couple weeks to get myself back on track. Hope no one minds.

No spoilers I can think of.

CHAPTER 56

 

 

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 Week 3

 

THUNDERCLAP

 

Warm breath blew past against his bare shoulder, his fur flinched and rolled attempting to distance itself from the unwanted advance. Warm air again blew past his shoulder, out of the corner of his eye he saw a wandering olive hand reaching for his chest, its intended target the golden glint barely hidden in his chest-fur. Shifting his weight he subtly blocked the over-reaching hand, deflecting its owner's intended target, denying her the outcome she desired.

 

In an angry huff of exasperation the warm breath wafted past his face, it was laden with the stench of bad Rodian take out and cheap whisky. With a movement more laden with drunken luck than actual grace she slipped around his shoulder and inserted herself into his path from the cargo hold to the refresher. Those damned fingers slid along his chest buried in tawny fur, seconds later her hand reached up fumbling with the rings along his left ear. Jerking his head out of the way he shrugged her hands off, taking a measured step backward.

 

“Ohh Lieutenant, don' be like that.” She pouted. Though he was sure she intended her words to be delivered as seductive on breathless lips, they were slurred, expelled on the stomach-churning wave of cheap liquor that buried into his sinus burning as they went.

 

“Your drunk,” he scowled, a silent warning flashing across his green and gold eyes.

 

“Oh, when does that matter?” Another wave of toxic fumes invaded his nose. Quietly snorting, in a failed attempt to cleanse the alcohol from his nose, he took another step backwards.

 

“It has always mattered... Captain. Fraternization among crew members is not allowed.”

 

“It is if I want it to be, I can do what I want.”

 

Pointed white teeth flashed in the dim nighttime lighting in the ship's common area. Another warning sign fallen to the wayside, the woman in front of him oblivious. A long low growl reverberated from his throat, “not with me you can't, not anymore.”

 

“Why do you have to be like that, you're so different, you changed.” Her hands reached out slipping through the fur on his chest to rest on his shoulders.

 

Rolling his shoulders he sidestepped quickly, a feral grin crossing his lips as she stumbled nearly falling to the floor before her compromised sense of balance righted itself. She stared at him confusion stamped on her features or was it nausea, hard to tell. He snarled, eyes narrowing as he glared down at her, radiating disgust. He could not stand the woman, he obeyed her orders only because she was his commanding officer not out of any shred of respect. She didn’t deserve respect. It gnawed and twisted his gut that she was right, she was right and he hated it.

 

He had changed and not just in appearance, though that was drastic enough, had drawn more than a few perplexed stares when he rejoined the crew. His mane was so long it brushed his shoulders, its bright tawny gold and reds mirrored in the beard that graced his face. His body had leaned out, dropping what little fat he had, while gaining muscle mass, due to all of the hours he had put into training with Pierce. Two more golden earrings hung along the upper edge of his left ear, partially obscured by his mane, they were perhaps the smallest but most monumental change. The change that had made him the most happy and cemented that the drunken excuse of a commanding officer listing in front of him had no pull over him anymore.

 

His feral grin spread as he imagined how his mate would take the news of his welcoming home reception. No amount of blood would save his commanding officer, all such ties would be severed as she stalked into the room. No words would be spoken just a tight frown upon her lips as Kit'ar's left hand rose into the air. The Captain's feet would kick and her hands would claw at her throat, as she would no doubt struggle. What would an oxygen deprived Mirilian look like? Perhaps they turn a darker shade of green, or they become pale like a plant growing in darkness deprived of all light. Thin lips stretched tighter as his grin widened. He heard the extremely satisfying crunch of an imagined neck being snapped and the dull boneless thud of it being dropped to the ground.

 

A quiet voice snapped him from his delightful daydream, he frowned though the accent was so very comforting. He was not upset at the interruption just at its timing, cutting short his entertaining musing. “Sir, Lieutenant, is something the matter? I heard voices.”

 

He shifted his gaze to glance at the young woman, her green eyes were wide with concern and heavy with sleep, she stifled a yawn as she stood there waiting for a response. A silent shiver ran along her skin; she had forgotten her fuzzy slippers, her bare feet were probably freezing.

 

Grunting he turned to face her, giving her a warm open smile. “No problems, I was just headed to my bunk.”

 

“But I thought I heard an argument.” Dorne shifted nervously from foot to foot, unsure how to proceed.

 

“I am headed to bed, I wasn’t able to sleep so I decided to work out. Good night Dorne.” He nodded to her and quietly padded past towards the crew's quarters. As he crossed the threshold to the dimly lit room he head Drone's soft voice filter through the air, “Come on Captain, you really need to be in bed, let me help you.”

 

 

 

 

AN

No prompt.

 

[Kitar]

I do think I jinxed myself when I said I was going to post a few extra times. I have had such a busy week, that I wasn't able to sit down to post until today.

 

This one is a cross post from the AU thread. I have made a couple slight changes to it since its original posting in June of '13. Here is the link incase anyone wants it. clicky

 

Spoilers:

The mention/use of NPC's from Aric's background/companion quest.

 

 

CHAPTER 57

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 week 3

 

THUNDERCLAP

 

He released a slow steady breath through parted lips, slightly shifting his weight, the broken flooring on the balcony digging into his prone form. A slight cool breeze blew, out of the south-southwest, negligible in strength but refreshing. Left eye closed he peered through the scope, below lay the objective; the rocky, rubble filled, crater studded mess that used to be a manicured park. Subtly he moved his head away from the scope and looked around their position. He could spot the other three groups of snipers set up along the rooftops. The day was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining brightly, it was easy to forget they were set up in position on the balcony of a partially collapsed industrial building deep in the fighting on Corellia.

 

Beside him his spotter spoke in quiet subdued tones, “Approximately five minutes until the Target is due to arrive.”

 

Aric nodded, easing his hand onto the trigger. Oh how he had missed this, he had finally gotten his transfer out of Havoc and Major Torve moved him right back into the Deadeyes. Torve had told him it was the least he could do since he had gone to such great lengths to recover the imprisoned squad.

 

Their Target was one Nyles Drake; the head of a newly formed branch of the Exchange who had moved in and was exploiting the chaos that reigned on the war torn planet. Not the usual decapitation strike that the squad was renowned for, but in all honestly that was all right with Aric, he was hoping to avoid any high ranking military targets. He only had a year left on this tour, afterward he was going into early retirement.

 

The breeze shifted brushing against his exposed fur. “Wind change from south-southwest to south by west,” next to him his spotter murmured.

 

“Acknowledged.”

 

Aric closed his left eye, returning his gaze to the area below them. Through his earpiece he heard static and then Torve's voice crackled to life. “Target sited, approximately two minutes early.”

 

Aric's thumb slowly eased off the safety; drawing a slow steady breath through his nose he held it for a couple seconds before exhaling. Just like riding a speeder, he reminded himself, nothing to be nervous about. He was though, he was nervous, something just seemed off, he kept reminding himself he had been away a long time, that everything was fine.

 

“Visual on Target,” his spotter whispered, “in range in fifty seconds.”

 

Aric watched waiting for the target to enter his view; quietly counting down in his head. Moments later a group of four moved into view. What? No... he stared confused, walking below him laughing was Kit'ar and her crew. She and her apprentice, black robed and hoods up, were laughing as Pierce and Vette walked behind. Pierce patting Vette on the shoulder, clad in his distinctive black and red durasteel, his prized bowcaster slug over his back. Vette, as always looked like a misplaced smuggler, her black duster open, her twin blasters slug low on her hips.

 

His comm crackled to life, “Target in range, on my mark in... three, two, one.” Torve's voice rang in his ear as a crack echoed through his head.

 

“No...” he watched as Pierce's upper body jerked, spinning, as the ricocheting sound of the rifle shot filled the air.

 

Aric pushed his body off the ground yelling, he dropped the rifle and plunged forward down his position's only escape route. The gnawing feeling of apprehension erupted into raging roars of panic as he scrambled to reach their position. Static constantly flowed through his ear com; a chilling narration as he ran.

 

“On my mark in... three, two, one.” Aric heard a sharp snap, an acrid smell filling his nostrils. The snapping buzz of shield generators deactivating surrounded him, he watched the shimmering fields flare to life and fade away. Pierce brought his bowcaster to bear on the pair to their nine when his body spun around, red starting to blossom under his arm; a disjointed crack echoed. “Target down. Acquiring next.”

 

The humming hiss of igniting lightsabers filled the air, as the distressed pain filled warbling of Talz reached him, he watched the now un-stealthed Broonmark's body crumple to the ground. “Target down. Acquiring next.”

 

The two Sith were standing back to back over an injured Vette, sabers ignited waiting. Kit'ar's eyes narrowed as she scanned the roofline. Her hand shot up, gurgled static erupted though Aric's com. He scrambled to their side; pausing to check Pierce's vitals, his friend was gone. Squeezing Pierce's shoulder he picked up his caster and knelt next to Vette.

 

A crack rolled through his com and then, “A new player on the field, player is armed.” He watched a bright orange plasma bolt bounce off the nearly invisible Force field Kit'ar was holding over them. The bolt's shot filled the air seconds later. Aric turned bringing Pierce's bowcaster up to bare on the sniper duo to their three.

 

The ground erupted beneath them, knocking the Sith to their knees. Dust and dirt flew into the air obscuring his vision. He heard Jaesa and Kit cry out, Jaesa fell to the ground next to him, her saber extinguishing in a puff of yellow smoke. Kit'ar fell against him, green eyes wide, crimson blossoming against the pale porcelain of her throat. Her saber fell from her hand in a hiss of cyan smoke. He heard someone screaming, it was him. He leaned over Kit, pulling her to his chest, hugging her.

 

The static in his ear crackled, “Target down. Target down, Acquiring next.” Then he heard laughter. “Good job boys, been after that particular Sith for a while. Primary Target down, as well as some tasty Targets of Opportunity, all five high priority, including the Wrath's lover, the last defecting member of Havoc. First few rounds are on me tonight,” Torve's voice crackled.

 

Defector? What no... he had never defected. He heard the crack through the com as he screamed.

 

 

 

He was still screaming when he woke up, bolting upright in bed cracking his head against the top bunk. Rubbing sweaty palms over his aching head he looked around the room, trying to get his bearing. He was in bed, in his bunk, on the ship. He heard motion, once again he had woken his bunkmates. He kicked disentangling himself from his twisted blankets.

 

Stumbling from the room he heard Drone call after him as Vik muttered, “If I have to endure another night of this I’m drugging him myself, this is the sixth night in a row.”

 

Aric slammed his fist against the door panel, closing it behind him. Quickly he moved through the darkened corridor of the ship, just slipping past the threshold of the cargo bay when he heard the door to the crew's barrack open. Slamming his fist into the door panel he retreated to the back of the bay.

 

Leaning against the wall he pried a loose panel off the wall, shaking fingers searched the recessed hole until they slid over glass. Grabbing his prize he pulled the bottle out of its hiding place. Collapsing against the crates he fumbled with the cap finally managing to twist it off. The whisky was warm, burning as it slid down his throat.

 

He ran his hand though his mane when his fingers stopped on his freshly shorn scalp. He should have never shaved it, but the looks he had been getting from the crew... Shaking fingers tilted the bottle as he rubbed the short fur on his head, he liked it, he missed it. He didn't give a damn what these people thought about him, why was he trying to fit in. He took another swallow relishing in the numbing warmth, not anymore, he didn't fit in, he wasn't going to try anymore. He was going to let it grow, if his damn XO didn't like it, she could write him up.

 

He should have never shaved it when he returned, he should of never returned. The nightmares resumed the night he stepped foot on the ship. Throwing his head back he gulped down another mouthful of whisky.

 

A quiet knock echoed through the room. Aric took another drink. He heard Dorne's muffled voice through the door. He ignored her, she would knock once more and attempt to talk to him though the door before she would give up and leave. He knew it was only a matter of time before she pushed it, opened the door and confronted him, tried to get him to talk.

 

He did need to talk, but not to Dorne. He had to find a way to get these damn nightmares under control. Taking another drink he replaced the cap and set the bottle on the crate next to him. Leaning over he searched the cubby for her com. He had to talk to her, maybe then he would get some sleep. With a deep breath he cued up the com.

 

“This had better be the Emperor himself or I’m going to choke you...” a very muffled, very groggy, very Imperial voice, emanated from the com. The com itself was still black, he grinned as he heard muffled thumps followed by “Oh bloody hell, damn this thing to the void.” Finally the image of a groggy sleep disheveled woman popped into view.

 

“I'm sorry Kit'ar, I didn't mean to wake you.”

 

“Aric?” Kit'ar sat up fully, knuckle rubbing her eye. “Aric what's the matter, why are you so upset?”

 

“I needed to see you, talk to you, make sure you are okay.”

 

“Of course I’m okay, I am or well I was sleeping in bed on the Estate. Aric what is the matter?”

 

“So you are on Dromund Kaas?” Aric sighed a quiet sigh of relief.

 

“Unless there is another Estate I’m not aware of, yes, I’m on Dromund Kaas.” She frowned at him annoyed. He could not help but smile. “Well, what is the matter?”

 

He shook his head, “More nightmares, worse than normal.”

 

He felt a gentle pressure against his cheek, closing his eyes he leaned into it sighing. “I am alright,” she murmured. He brought his hand up to his cheek to cover the hand he knew was not there. The gentle pressure faded and he opened his eyes, she was watching him.

 

“What happened? In your nightmare?”

 

“No,” he shook his head. “I can't, it... I just had to talk to you.”

 

“I thought they had stopped.” Her projection shifted leaning towards him. Again he felt that gentle pressure slide along his bare arm, it came to rest against his neck. He closed his eyes trying to lean into it, imaging it was her physical hand caressing him instead of a Force trick.

 

“They had, until I returned here. Every time I close my eyes they start. I had to resort to stimms.”

 

“I can retrieve you.”

 

He opened his eyes, she was staring at him, concern radiated off of her, but her tone was chilling, it had slipped into the commanding Darth that she was, the one what brooked no argument and conveyed that none would harm anyone she considered hers.

 

He shook his head, “I will be able to manage, we talked about this I have to finish this tour. It's the only way I can get out without drawing to much suspicion. Even then it's not going to look good but its the only way.”

 

She frowned slightly but nodded her acquiescence.

 

“We will be docking on Nar Shaddaa for resupplies in two days and I was wondering if you might be there.”

 

She smiled, “Of course, I will send the new entry code. Pierce just cycled through the security on the apartment.”

 

He nodded, tension seemed to drain from his shoulders and back just knowing he was going to see her. “I'll will meet you at the apartment, go back to sleep Kit, I'm sorry I woke you.”

 

The gentle pressure moved along his neck touching his cheek, “Try to get some rest.” She kissed her fingertips and held them up. He mirrored the gesture and her blue hologram blinked out of existence, robbing him of her Force touch, he ached at its departure.

 

Two days, he only had to wait two days he could do that. He leaned back against the crates touching his cheek, after that it was one day at a time until the year was finished. It was only a year how long could a year take?

 

 

 

AN

Prompt: Dreams and Nightmares

 

[frauzet]

Daydreaming about Kit Force-choking his CO? I'd wager this is going to be a looong year

I remember reading the latest piece on the SFWC. A much better use of the Force than choking, if you ask me!

<3

[Kitar]

Look at me replying to a comment on the same day it is posted!

 

@ Frauzet. I agree it is going to be a long year. Though I really can't blame the guy for day dreaming about her getting Force-choked. It does make me wonder what exactly is going to happen to his CO.

And I sent you a PM

 

 

I have another update for all of you

 

I am not happy with this one, it has been rewritten countless times. Hopefully it is okay.

Spoilers: none

TRIGGER WARNINGS: reference to/implied unconsensual sex and possible torture.

 

CHAPTER 58

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 Week 5

 

THUNDERCLAP

 

“Sir,” a quiet knock echoed through the room. Jorgan looked up from his datapad, Dorne was standing in the doorway. Aric gave her a half smile as he thumbed the screen, closing the message he was reading and pulling up a requisition form.

 

“What can I help you with?” He set the datapad down next to him, on the mattress, as he sat up.

 

She looked around the crew's barrack's making sure they were alone before she entered. “Since everyone is busy, I thought I would ask how you have been feeling.”

 

He ran his fingers over his head, sighing. “Better I suppose, still having them though.” He looked down at his lap, “the pills have been helping.”

 

“So you have been taking them?” She sounded so relieved. He looked up at her suppressing a frown. Of course he would take them, he could not sleep through the night, every time he closed his eyes those blasted nightmares returned.

 

“I have been yes.”

 

She stepped closer, hesitating about half a meter away from the bed. He forced his shoulders to relax and smiled. “They have been helping, Elara.”

 

She stepped closer closing the gap. Aric kept the smile on his face encouraging her. He knew the crew purposely kept their distance, avoiding him since his return. Elara had been tiptoeing on eggshells to avoid angering him. It hurt, he knew he had scared her, repeatedly. The worst had to be the night she had tried to wake him from an exceptionally terrifying nightmare, he had woken up to her screaming, his hands around her neck, clawtips bloody. He barely remembered it, the nightmare dissipating when he woke, the now familiar Sith word dripping off his tongue, Taralwaiyut. Betrayer. If she had known what the word was, the tongue it was spoken in she had never said a thing. He had tried repeatably to remember that dream, who was the betrayer, but it was gone.

 

That was the night he had agreed to start taking sleeping pills, the thought of what he could of done to Elara was frightening. He had started sleepwalking, waking up in the cargohold, tucked into the space between the storage crates and the wall. Once he had woken up in the weapons locker, crying with no knowledge of leaving his bed. He had tried taking stimms to keep himself awake, but a body can only handle so many days awake before you just succumb to sleep.

 

Slowly she edged her way to the bed, a silver packet in her hand. Cautiously she held her hand out. Aric reached up gently taking the silver tinged square out of her fingers. Without looking at the package he slipped it into his pocket. “Thank you,” he murmured. “I was going to come to you, ask for more. I just didn't want to bring it up planet-side.”

 

She nodded, “I understand.” She stared down at him, chewing on her bottom lip. “I wanted to inform you that, your use of the sleeping pills is not in your medical file.”

 

His brow furrowed confused, why would she do something like that? He shook his head, “Why?”

 

“You keep this squad functioning, even when you were gone on medical leave, you continued to file reports, signed off on requisitions, even did the joint holocall with Captain Kalor. You did not have to do any of that it was not expected of you. I don't want anyone knowing about this, I think if it became common knowledge, it would be used against you.” She shuffled on her feet as she looked at the wall. “Sir, no one knows about that night.”

 

“What? How? You... you were screaming, I clawed you that night. I helped you to the med bay, how can no one know?”

 

She gave him a sad smile, “No one was here. The Captain was off the ship with Vic, we were the only ones here.”

 

Dumbfounded he stared at her, he was so shaken when he realized he had hurt her that he never realized they were alone. After he helped patch her up, he had taken his first pill. He awoke the next morning rested and in his bed. The terrifying thought of what could of happened to her had he not woken, again flashed through his mind. He shivered, she was his only friend here and he could of easily killed her.

 

“I never meant to hurt you, never, you’re my friend. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you.” He stood up, cringing when she flinched. “Elara I am so sorry, I am.” He reached out wrapping his arms around her. For a few stunned heartbeats she stood still in his arms before she returned his hug, wrapping her arms around him. He held her for a few moments before he let her go, backing up a step as he sat back on his bed.

 

She stood there watching him before she gave him a quiet hesitant smile. “I'm sorry Jorgan, I know it wasn't intentional.”

 

He leaned up against the bunk's side, watching her. Elara nodded, “right, well I just wanted to inquire about your health and give you next month's supply.” She turned walking out of their quarters when she stopped suddenly. She shook her head and pivoted turning to face him. Chewing on her lower lip she quickly covered the ground between them.

 

She stopped right in front of him. Elara glanced over her shoulder.

 

Aric tilted his head to the side, listening. The only sounds emanated from the galley where their XO was playing pazzak apparently she had gotten the newest crew member to join the game. Aric heard the Gand's foreign voice echo through the air, followed by Vic's laughter. He looked up at Elara, “They are still in the galley, Forex is powered down in the conference room.”

 

She looked back at him, “Right,” she murmured.

 

Aric looked at her brow raised.

 

Elara's eyes jumped around the room, incapable of lighting anywhere for more than a few moments. Aric sat up straight, waiting. “Aric,” she finally looked at him, “if you were having serious problems or were in trouble you would ... say something, you wouldn't keep it all in would you? If I am your friend you would come talk to me wouldn't you?”

 

He froze staring at her, his mind racing. What did she know, had she somehow discovered what he had been doing, had she somehow learned the true nature of his mate? Aric made himself breathe, forcing his face to keep the same puzzled expression.

 

Elara misinterpreted his hesitation and continued. “I am worried about you. You have been growing more and more distant, ever since you were massively injured on Belsavis. I know being confined to a bed for all those weeks bothered you. I also know you refuse to tell me the truth as to what happened out there.”

 

He forced himself to swallow, terrified to hear the next words out of her mouth.

 

She continued, “I'm not going to force you to tell me.” Elara chewed on her lip again as she contemplated something on the wall behind him. “I know things have been ... difficult for you since you were transferred into this squad.”

 

Aric's hand clenched around the edge of the mattress his claws sinking into the bedding. He didn't want to hear where this was going, he didn't want to know what the ship's medic had discovered. He dropped his eyes staring at the floor he couldn't look at her.

 

He heard her inhale before she continued, “When you were in recovery on Belsavis I attempted to inventory the supplies in the medical bay, I was told not to bother by our Captain.”

 

Her voice trailed off he unclenched his hand, forcing his body to relax, making his shoulders drop. If he acted defensive there would be no way to deny what she was about to ask. He just knew he needed the extra room for plausible deny-ability. Swallowing he brought his eyes up and watched her.

 

With another shaky breath she continued, “When you were gone on medical leave I didn't ask I just took over filing what reports I could, putting everything into an easily processed form so when you requested it I could just forward it to you. That included inventorying the medical bay.” Another pause, Elara's feet shuffled as she twisted her fingers. “Everything was in decent order but I found a large discrepancy involving a… a … controlled substance. There should have been six vials and they were missing. When I investigated I discovered the pharmaceutical's use. It is primarily used as a sedative to be used in conjunction with its sister substance, designed specifically to work with a Cathar's rapidly healing physiology when in a kolto tank.” A strangled sniff echoed, “we don't have a kolto tank, so I researched what the singular drug was used for. What I found was disturbing, it's used extensively in the slave trade, to render enslaved Cathars more docile, especially males.”

 

He met her green eyes, refusing to look away, she didn't know. There is no way she could. Forcing his breathing to remain calm he studied her face waiting for her continue.

 

“Why was that drug on this ship? What was the reason, I... I can't think of why it would be stocked in our med bay, well I could but … that's unthinkable, it can't possibly be … Why Aric why was it on this ship, why... it's horrible, an extremely strong sedative that diminishes ones ability to move.”

 

“Why was it on this ship?”

 

His mind raced trying to think of anything but the truth, a simple explanation for that blasted drugs existence on this ship. The silence in the room grew. He knew how smart Elara was, she found out the blasted drug was used in the slave trade on Cathars, so she also knew the primary reason was to keep them pacified so they didn't attack or maul their owner's or their owner's clients. It was used so people could experience Cathar flesh without fear of the slave lashing out. A dull gnawing crept through Aric's stomach, Elara knew how strained the relationship was between he and their XO. Maybe Elara did know or knew enough to suspect and she was expecting an answer, but no quick soothing lie jumped to his tongue. Instead he sat there staring at her, unwilling to open his mouth to as much as breathe.

 

He watch those green eyes grow damp as tears started to form. He could barely admit it to himself and he went through it, repeatably. Time seemed to slow, punctuated by Elara's barely contained sniffles. A tear began to slowly trickle down her face. She knew, she knew and she was silently begging him to deny it, to explain it away with some innocent explanation, an explanation that didn’t exist.

 

He couldn’t let her continue down this tram of thought, it led to places he didn’t want to acknowledge. A lie formed on his lips, he hoped it would be enough. He managed a small hopefully sincere looking smile. “It was a misplaced order, arrived shortly after the squad was given the ship. I just threw it away. I had just taken on inventorying the medical bay and I was a bit sloppy in my paperwork.”

 

Relief crept across her face. “I, I thought,” she nervously glanced back over her shoulder to the laughter emanating from the galley. “It doesn’t matter what I thought, to many suspense holos I guess.”

 

Aric breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled at her again, no, he thought, you were right Elara. You were so very right. It had been used on him, repeatably. That damned 'business venture' with Senator Barc.

 

“What did you think was going on Elara?” he gently prodded.

 

She bit her lip looking at the ground, “It's foolish, I know, but considering how the two of you are always at odds, and given her extensive medical training I thought.” She shook her head, “What I thought is ridiculous. At first I thought she was using it on you, but I was not able to think of a reasonable explanation as to why she would, what I thought of was … horrible. Then I thought maybe you were taking it to sleep through the night.” Her hands twisted in front of her, “You still cry out in your sleep. It's not as bad now but it still happens. I thought maybe you were drugging yourself to sleep through the night, it's partially why I offered you the sleeping pills.”

 

He gave her another small smile, he could work with that, Ancestors be willing she would never know how close to the truth she had come. “No Elara, I was not using it to sleep. If I had been, I would not of been sleepwalking, plus it would of shown up on my latest physical's blood work.”

 

Her hands stopped fighting themselves, as she separated her entangled fingers to wipe her cheek. “I am sorry, I just thought, I worry about you.”

 

His smile grew warmer, I worry about me too Elara, he thought. He stood closing the short distance to her in a quick step. You don’t have to worry about me. She stopped; she was finally stopped when you joined this crew. He looked down at her, would you be happy to know it stopped or devastated to know she almost succeeded, that she had determined the proper dosage of the sedative and had narrowed the libido enhancers down to 'two promising choices'. Would it make you sick to discover how much money she has made off my unwilling hide?

 

He wrapped his arms around her resting his chin on the crown of her head. With a quiet internal sigh he continued asking questions that would never be given a voice, ones that would be eternally locked in the silence of his thoughts. Would you have fought for me if you had heard the General's flippant dismissal concerning my treatment? That what our X.O. was doing was nothing more than 'blowing off some steam' and I should know better than to waste her time with such petty issues. Would you of held me that night while I cried myself to sleep after finishing off a bottle of whisky? The realization of just how trapped I was, to painful to endure. You are such a strong woman, you would have been able to do what I could not. You would of sent the report to Internal Investigations, the one that still sits completed, signed and date-stamped on my datapad.

 

She leaned against his chest, her hand quickly wiping her cheeks. He swallowed ending and burying his internal dialogue. His hand gently rubbed her shoulder, “Don't worry about me, I will be alright.”

 

“It's hard not too, I hear you call out in your sleep, even with the sleeping pills your shred your bedding. I feel horrible every time I hear, I hear you call for her.” Elara's voice dropped off. “I am so angry with myself for interrupting you in the Starport.”

 

“It's okay Elara, I know it wasn’t intentional.”

 

She looked up at him, dabbing her eyes, “It's serious with her, your relationship.”

 

He nodded, “Yes, it is. I love her.”

 

Elara looked up at him the corner of her mouth lifting in a suppressed smile. “Then I must request a meeting with this woman, a proper introduction so I can ascertain if she is suitable match for you.”

 

Aric's brows shot up in surprise, “Sergeant Dorne are you going to determine if she is good enough for me?”

 

“Absolutely Sir, someone needs to look out for you.”

 

“Then I shall do my best to accommodate your request, Sir.” He shook his head smiling, he continued to hold her for a few more moments until she gently disentangled herself from his arms.

 

"Alright," she sniffed, her hand smoothing her hair. "I look forward to properly meeting her." Elara back stepped, "I am sorry to have bothered you," she flashed him a hesitant smile before shaking her head, "I suppose I just have an over active imagination." Elara turned on her foot before pausing to look back at him, "If for some reason you do ever need to talk to me, I am more than happy to listen. Thank you for humoring me."

 

"It is not a problem at all." Aric flashed her a small grin as he sat back down on his bunk picking up his datapad.

 

"Right, well I will leave you to it then," Her head nodded briskly as she turned to leave.

 

When she crossed the threshold Aric, exhaled leaning back against his pillows. Green eyes watched her walk across the ship heading towards the galley. When her footfalls faded, he closed the requisition form reopening the latest message from his mate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN

 

For a while I debated about not posting this one, since I really don't like it. At one point during my many drafts, Elara actually figured it out and confronted Aric about what their CO had been doing. It derailed the story so badly and took it in a different direction that I had to remove it completely. Elara kept going over the General's head to Internal Investigations Part of me feels like I am selling her short, since I think she is smart enough that should have figured it out.

 

Sith:

Taralwaiyut. Betrayer.

taral = protector wai = negation particle (not a linguist but using it as a negative, no.)

taralwai = not a protector y= well can’t have the vowels touching each other ut= verbs could be nominalized. turns not protector into betrayer. (i think pretty sure, that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

 

 

[Kitar]

Alrighty, here is the next one.

This one is a bit on the short side.

 

Spoilers

Yep for trooper story quests, forget what act, Bit tweaked from the game, he is referencing the Gauntlet and the quest objective A-77; take place back to back.

 

Trigger warning Domestic Abuse

 

CHAPTER 59

 

 

 

Year 3635, Month 4: 1 month later

 

NAR SHADDAA

 

Weary Aric stood in front of her apartment’s door hesitating. He knew Kit was home but he was afraid to face her. He was afraid but he desperately wanted her, after the last couple of weeks he needed her. Drawing a deep lungful of air he straightened his back rolled his shoulders and pushed the entry pad.

 

She was standing with her back to the door, across the room, near her desk. He stared at her, something was wrong. Her entire being seemed off, she was still dressed, her black robe obscuring the heavy durasteel armor that lay beneath, her hood cloaking her face from his view.

 

Cautiously he crept into the room, the door slamming shut behind him. With more confidence than he felt he strode across the room dropping his leatheris duffle bag onto her burgundy velvet-lined office chair. Quietly he stood behind her, debating if he should speak, waiting to see if she was going to. After an eternity she slowly moved in front of him.

 

She turned to face him, her entire body rigid. The metallic snap of ozone was his only warning as her hand connected with his face. The Force fueled smack caused him to stumble, his teeth slamming together as his vision blurred. Blinking he slowly looked into her face as blood coated the inside of his mouth.

 

Her face was smooth, emotionless, but her eyes, they were red and swollen, an involuntary shudder slid down his spine. Her eyes glowed from the depths of her black hood, orange embers burning straight through him. He had never seen her so angry so upset. Mutely he stood waiting, waiting for her to strike again, to speak, for anything.

 

He didn’t dare drop his eyes; he maintained eye contact as she stared him down. “She killed them, and you let her.” Kit’ar glared at him the anger surrounding her was so thick it was palpable. Slowly he shook his head no. Growling she took another step toward him, “all those lives on that ship, I know you were with her.”

 

“No,” he shook his head, blood dripped down his lip as he spoke, “she does not listen to me anymore. She purposely left me behind I had no idea of her true intentions, not until I was back on the ship with Dorne.” His voice cracked. “Dorne almost died.”

 

“So the life of your pretty defector is worth more than all the lives lost on that ship? The scientists, the soldiers, the naval officers, she’s worth more than all of them?”

 

He smelled the metallic snap of ozone and he cringed. “The plan was to disable the ship, disable the weapon, upload a virus, the dreadnaught was supposed to be left intact. I didn’t … it was not until we were lining the jump to hyperspace that they blew the detonators, that I knew what she did.”

 

He stared at her silently pleading. It was the truth. The metallic haze grew thicker he flinched anticipating another strike. “So, you have lost the ability to control her?” Her voice was so cold it scared him.

 

“The Captain, she refuses to listen to anyone, refuses and she… she no longer cares.” He shivered.

 

“No longer cares?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him.

 

Swallowing he nodded, “We had not even cleared from our debriefing when we were sent to rescue a fellow Spec Force trooper. She,” he shook remembering as the pow prison exploded, “she let three hundred men and women just die.”

 

“So why did you fail to report that you lost the ability to control her.” Wait what, he stared at her confused. “Is this some kind of game to you?” He shook his head no. “We are at war, I have been working to strengthen and solidify the Empire. You think you are invisible in all of this, you are known.” Her hand slammed down onto the desk. “The necessary people know about you,” she growled, “they know you are my consort. You are supposed to keep her inline, distract and redirect her so her destruction is kept to an acceptable minimum. Have you forgotten what side of this war you are truly on?”

 

Her words slammed into him, he felt his knees grow weak. He knew what side he was on, after pleas to General Garza fell on deaf ears, the treatment he received at the hands on his commanding officer, the constant manipulation and cover-ups it was surprisingly easy to come to the Sith Lord’s side. It was an unspoken arrangement, he kept his CO contained and Kit made sure there was minimal resistance, most the Imperial presence removed before the squad arrived.

 

“No Wrath, I have not forgotten.”

 

“Good,” she reached up and slid a hand over his cheek. He chewed on his lip as he stared at her. “If I wasn’t in love with you…” she shook her head. She dropped her hand to her side and stepped away from him. He stood still staring at the space she had occupied as he listened to her walk out of the apartment, the door slide shut and lock. He exhaled the breath he was holding onto and collapsed onto the floor.

 

He once again made the mistake of forgetting what she was, for all her kindness she was still Sith. A powerful Sith and he had failed her.

 

 

AN

Prompt is failure. This is also another old one.

And a random thought behind the chapter/story. ..considering Pierce helps put the old crew back together to storm and Bastion and talks of General Rakton it does not seem to far fetched that the SW might know the man and his projects. Especially considering the Gauntlet itself was designed as a way to ensure relatively bloodless victories.... which is something those LS Sith would be in favor of.

 

[frauzet]

Poor Aric!

I hope he won't be confronted with a choice he doesn't want to make.

And I am looking forward to the meeting between Elara and Kit. A lot of possibilities there.

Edited March 23, 2018 by frauzet

[Kitar]

@ Frauzet Something tells me Aric is not going to be able to skate through the last year of his service agreement like he thinks he is going to be able to.

 

I am looking forward to the meeting between Kit and Elara too, that should be pretty interesting.

 

Now for the next part

Spoilers

Nothing major, references Trooper class story.

 

 

CHAPTER 60

 

 

Year 3635 immediately following previous prompt

 

NAR SHADDAA

 

Grabbing the holoremote he clawed the button, rapidly flipping channels looking for any alerts, reports of unknown explosions, unexplained building collapse, anything really. There was nothing out of the ordinary on any of the feeds, nothing. Huffing he dropped it next to him on the cushion. Growling he leaned back into the couch before bolting to his feet. Running clawed fingertips over his face and head he began pacing. It had been hours, hours since... since she left.

 

He touched his mouth; the injury was small, easily patched up with kolto. Most of the pain he felt was from the shock of her actually hitting him. She had never so much as raised her voice at him before, when she had lashed out at him he was blindsided, stunned. It wasn't until she had left that full realization hit him, not only had she struck him but she had known what the squad had done.

 

Then she had stormed off, gone without a word. When she left he had expected something to happen. The utter lack of anything on the newsfeeds was surprising. He had thought something would have exploded by now. Why was it so... quiet, there should be something.

 

He wondered if she was coming back. She might of already left the planet, but he didn't think so he had a feeling she was still around here. Somewhere. But where? There was the chance that the utter lack of Sith caused devastation meant she had found another way to vent all of that consuming anger. It was possible.

 

Sighing he grabbed his jacket off the chair, he could not sit here and wait anymore, he needed to get out of this apartment. The past couple weeks were some of the worst he had dealt with in years, tonight was just the icing on the cake. Shrugging the jacket on he patted down the pockets feeling for his lighter and cigarras, briskly moving to the sideboard he grabbed a flask, slipping it into an interior pocket as he left the apartment.

 

He stood in the hallway, debating where to go. If he headed downstairs there was a chance he could run into Jonas or worse, others in the crew. He did not want to talk about what happened, right now the outcome of that opp felt nothing like a victory. His spouse was beyond furious with him; his only friend on the ship was floating in a kolto tank on Coruscant. He needed to get away find someplace quiet, maybe there was an open air balcony in the building's upper levels.

 

He stared at the closed lift doors, he honestly had no idea what was even on the floors above. He had never gone up there before. He sighed, he wasn’t in the mood to go exploring either. He just wanted quiet. Glancing down the plushly decorated corridor he noticed a door, crafted to blend into the décor, a small tasteful sign declaring stairs lay behind graced its top.

 

“Thatta work,” he murmured as he palmed the numpad locking the apartment door.

 

The stairwell was amazingly clean, lacking the usual rubbish and dust common to the less traveled areas on this moon. Grabbing the railing he started up the steps two at a time. As he passed floor after floor the air became more stagnant.

 

A muffled crunch echoed through the air. Freezing he looked around, inhaling trying to catch any foreign scents. He was the only one here. Slowly he picked up his foot, underneath was a crushed electronic of some kind. Glancing up his eyes traced the lines of the ceiling until he spotted it, in the corner, a ripped out security camera. No other signs of disturbance, it was just removed as if it was simply plucked off the wall.

 

Shifting his weight to his other leg, he slowly continued his ascent. A faint breeze wafted through the stale air, carrying a stronger tinge of exhaust. Lifting his head he sniffed, it originated above him. As he climbed he saw another destroyed camera in the stairwell, electronic debris glittering on the stair. Avoiding the shattered camera he continued upward, as he stepped onto the landing the faint exhaust odor drifted to him, thicker this time. Tilting his head to the side he scanned the stairs, nearly hidden in the shadows was a maintenance door.

 

Quietly he approached; nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Eyes quickly scanning he found a third camera plucked out of the wall and tossed into the darkened corner. He stopped in front of the door; the air was definitely coming from the other side. It appeared to still be locked, the heavy material unmarred. Frowning he looked back at the shattered camera. Crouching he peered at the numlock, below the numpad was a perfectly cylindrical hole bigger than his thumb. The lock itself was melted, there was only one thing he could think of that could do such precise damage to something. A lightsaber.

 

Straightening, he placed his palm against the heavy door. He pushed, it slid obediently into the exterior wall. Blinking, his eyes quickly adjusted from the near blackness of the stairwell to the dim neon lighting of the Nar Shaddaa night sky. He was rather high up, he could almost make out stars, fighting to be seen through the pollution-choked night sky. In the distance he saw a couple large floating casinos, beneath them the vapor and light trails of the constant traffic that transverse the moon's upper atmosphere.

 

Before him stretching into the darkness was a large section of roof, barely illuminated by the ever present artificial glow. Scattered in regular intervals along the wall, tiny fragments of transparisteel glittered, catching what little light penetrated the dark. He could make out a few large industrial vents; air intakes for the cantina and subsequent business and apartments housed in the building's upper levels.

 

Cautiously he left the security of the doorway, moving along the wall, nimbly avoiding the destroyed lights. The roof seemed to be deserted, housing only the vents. It was rather depressing but it was definitely quiet. Stepping next to a huge durasteel storage container, he clawed the metal preparing to scale the side, he might actually be able to get a better view of the cityscape below him when he heard a muffled sob.

 

You have got to be kidding, he thought. He let go of the metal, retracting his claws as his ear twitched focusing on the sound. He moved toward the muffled sound, silently skirting a large metal container, the fan it housed currently dormant. Before him sitting next to the mangled remains of what appeared to be a floating advertisement, if the barely blinking sign for Madam Xara's Silent Sands Discrete and Distinguished Pleasure House was to be believed, was a hunched over form covered in black.

 

Another quiet sob filled the air; he stopped moving. Her ragged voice struggled to reach him; it was so hoarse. “I should not have struck you. I am sorry.” Her black form seemed to shrink in front of him as she buried her head into her knees. “I shouldn't have... there is no justification for it.” He had to strain to make out the muffled raspy words.

 

“When, when … it blew... I felt it.” Her words staggered between repressed sobs. “I knew them, I knew... I had toured the ship with General Rakton.” She somehow managed to curl up even smaller in front of him. “Four,” she sobbed, her voice cracking, “four days before it .. it.. I was there... such bright enthusiastic patriotic citizens... Rakton's daughter-in-law, so proud to be in charge, so deserving of... her station... and then gone, all of them gone... ripped away in a heartbeat.” She crumpled completely to the ground; a shaking sobbing black robed puddle.

 

He didn't move, he didn't as much twitch a muscle, instead he waited, waited and listened. “I shouldn't have, I am sorry...” her voice cracked fading.

 

She had not moved, her shuddering form had not moved, she had made no attempt to look at him. She knew he was there, she knew where he was standing. She had told him once, how bright he was, 'a shining beacon in the Force', she had commented how unusual it was, normally only those who were able to feel the Force had such a strong signature and how she was able to feel where he was, even through the distance of space.

 

He studied her on the ground, if he was a beacon it would be safe to believe others could also be felt. He shuddered, the bright image of the dreadnaught exploding off the port-side flashing before his eyes as he imagined the sensation of all the occupants on that ship breathing their last. He knew what he imagined paled in comparison to what she had to of felt, and then the anger, the outrage at such a loss. Not that his revelation excused any of it.

 

A realization dawned on him as he watched her; she was not looking at him because she couldn't. She was expecting him to leave, probably permanently. It would be justified, perhaps even for the best. As much as he had hoped for a different outcome, what was he expecting? Well he definitely was not expecting to fall in love with her that was for sure. He shook his head, normally if someone had lifted a hand against him he would have exploded, he probably would have had he not been so drained. He frowned the words rang hollow even to him.

 

He had his opportunity to leave, if he wanted it. To try to put his life back together, to leave this stressful, sleep-stealing, double life behind. With an inaudible sigh he smoothed his jacket and turned. Slowly he approached her puddled form, crouching down roughly a meter from her head. She stirred, lifting her head off the duracrete. “Aric?” her raspy voice seemed to echo. She pulled herself up off the ground. Puffy swollen green eyes blinked at him from the depths of her hood, her face covered in dirt smudges and glistening tear trails.

 

She opened her mouth to speak and he held up his hand. Quickly her lips closed, slightly quivering as new tears fought to free themselves. “Why?” he tapped his mouth, “things have gone wrong before, I have no control over situations like that, why take it out on me?” He stared at her.

 

“They said you did it, that it was a set up,” her voice cracked. Wiping her eye she dropped her gaze, “we … we were early, we were supposed to be there the day, the day it was destroyed. The General invited us out early due to a change in his schedule.”

 

A hard lump formed in his throat, had she been there during that opp, everything would have changed. Had she been there, he would most likely be dead at her side along with her crew and General Rakton. He shuddered, maybe that was the intended outcome after all. Maybe someone had finally found out what was going on.

 

Swallowing hard he spoke, “Who is we? Who said I was part of a set up?”

 

She ducked her head, “Intelligence.”

 

“Imperial Intelligence... your Agent and Vector, Imperial Intelligence?” He hoped it was Imp Intel and not the S.I.S. He had very few friends in the S.I.S. but if they were somehow involved … he shook his head not wanting to complete that tram of thought.

 

“No,” she shook her head, her eyes glistening as she looked up at him. “They defended you, and me. The Minister became aware of our relationship months ago, he was less than pleased about it. After the Gauntlet was destroyed he was furious, stating he was right; you were a plant, to get close, to monitor my actions, report back to your General in an effort to break the Treaty and launch another full scale war. The ability to kill me and our top strategist simply an added bonus.”

 

“Cipher refused a direct order to bring you in for questioning. I was a bit less civil when I denied him the ability to speak with you.”

 

“Who is the Minister?”

 

“The Minister of Intelligence,” she looked back at him chewing on her lip.

 

He stared into her tear-streaked face, “The Minister of Intell...” he trailed off. “You have been thinking for the last two weeks that I have only been trying to get close to you to kill you?” She nodded, her eyes beginning to tear up.

 

“I swear to you I had no idea what they were planning, I had no idea you were supposed to be there. I would not betray you like that.”

 

“If I had been able to, I would of sent word what our intended target was, you know I would have. I could not risk any communication. Things have been tense ever since I returned from my medical leave, I can't shake the feeling they are watching me.”

 

“They would have killed me too if we had both been there, I would not of been able to stand by. I would have gone to you, defended you and... and everyone would of known.” The image of her launching herself into the thick of the fighting, saber slicing into the demo crew Garza assigned to the opp, as he warmed his cannon, finger pulling the trigger as grav rounds rocked the soldiers, flashed through his mind and he shuddered. Pierce was wrong, he knew what side he was on and it terrified him.

 

“I have stood by you and I will continue too, but this,” he reached up touching his mouth, “there is no second time, never again. I am not some Imperial lackey, I am your Mate if ever happens again, I will leave, I do not care if it is a week from now of ten years from now, I am gone.”

 

Shaking she nodded, “never again.” The tears won, they began to drip down her cheeks. Sitting back on his haunches he pulled a crumpled napkin from his pocket and handed it to her. Sniffing she accepted it. He pulled out the flask, cracking it open and taking a long pull. The liquor was sweet, creamy, a slow spreading warmth as it trickled over his tongue and down his throat.

 

He took another swallow; capping the flask he began patting his pockets searching for his cigarra case. Claws clicked on its decorative surface, he pulled it out of his pocket, thumbing it open. Gently he grabbed a cigarra, holding it between his thumb and forefinger before shutting the case and sliding it into a pocket.

 

He had come up here to try to think to get a grasp on what had happened, now that he had heard her side of things he only wanted it to go away. Bringing it to his nose he deeply inhaled the scent of earthy leaves and dried spices, letting it coat his sinuses. This mess was not going to go away, something drastic was going to have to happen. Claw extended he sliced the end off the rich dark brown cigarra. Gently biting it he patted his pockets down searching for his lighter; her hand appeared before him a small arc of violet lightning leaping across her palm.

 

Brow arched he looked at her. She gave him a small smile, “Nox taught me.” He nodded bending over to light his cigarra off her palm. The lightning disappeared in a violet crackle as he leaned back. He took a deep breath taking a long draw off the cigarra, letting the smoke build in his mouth, the earthy taste coated his tongue as the spices filled his sinuses. He knew exactly what side he was on, that line was drawn in the sand before him and it was growing, the hope he would actually be able to retire and keep his loyalties hidden was dissipating faster than water on Tattooine.

 

Mouth puckered he blew perfect smoke rings, watching as they drifted upwards dissipating into the night sky. He felt her looking, watching him, without even glancing at her he lifted up his arm. She slid in next to him, head resting against his chest. He slipped his arm around her, holding her against him. He closed his eyes sending up a silent prayer to the ancestors apologising. He could of never predicted the turns his life had taken and he was sorry he was not strong enough influence her, to bring her over to his side, but he was set upon this path and there was no turning back.

 

 

 

AN

 

Prompt was Mea Culpa

 

[frauzet]

This sentence seems perfect for summing Aric's situation up:

Pierce was wrong, he knew what side he was on and it terrified him.

[Kitar]

@ Frauzet

There are times I do feel bad for Aric and the position he is in. But only sometimes, he should have thought things through a bit more on Voss. Had he done that though, there would not be a story.

 

 

Sorry for the delay in updating. My Parents are in town and I have been pretty busy. Plus, I have been hesitating about posting the next few chapters. Originally they were scrapped and removed from the main document. It kept bothering me that they were out, I thought they were not needed, apparently the Muse in my head thought differently. Upon deciding to put the first removed chapter back in, I had to write the two follow up pieces. The first one is finished, the second one is getting there, hopefully it will be finished soon.

 

So here you go, the cut then re-added chapter.

 

Spoilers none

 

Timeline 3635 Month 4, the following morning

 

NAR SHADDAA

 

“So let me get this straight, you lost your temper and decided to pick on this poor sign?” Vette stood on the rooftop, arms crossed as she stared at the mangled metal at her feet.

 

“Yes,” Kit'ar sighed.

 

“And now you are feeling guilty and want to pay the sign’s owner.” Vette's arm uncrossed gesturing towards her feet.

 

“Yes,” Kit mumbles.

 

“Did anyone see you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Yet you still want to pay for it?”

 

“Yes, I do. Do you know where this place is?” Kit frowned, “I have never heard of this place.”

 

“Yeah,” Vette harrumphed, “I know. Not really my kind of thing.”

 

“Please Vette.”

 

“Oh alright,” she threw her hands up into the air, “Let me guess you were going to bring the sign with?”

 

“Well, I had thought about it.” Kit nudged the pile of twisted metal and transparisteel with her boot.

 

“Don't bother, it's scrap.” Vette sighed, her azure lekku twitching in annoyance. “Let's go, we might be able to catch the day guy.”

 

Kit poked the demolished advertisement a final time before turning to follow Vette off the roof.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“Are you sure this is the place?”

 

“Yes, I am. Told you this is not my kind of place.”

 

“I can see why but if you were into this sort of thing... geeze.” Kit stared at the massive building, it touched the Smuggler's moon's atmosphere, the air was clean. Large transparisteel windows were darkened, nearly black, obscuring all attempts to look inside. Instead they offered a prefect reflection of the elaborate gardens encircling the building, organic trees and exotic flowers flawless integrated with their holographic counterparts, a beautiful condolence prize for those denied the ability to view the buildings interior.

 

The business sign was dormant, its glowing letters extinguished during the light of day. In gilded aurebesh precisely printed on an equally gilded door were the hours of operation, the establishment would not open again until that evening. “Are you sure this is the place?” Kit again looked at the building’s ornate facade, “I don't actually see a sign.” Kit looked back over her shoulder.

 

“Yeah, its the place.” Vette stood rigidly by the taxi pad and the still idling taxi.

 

“Do you want to stay here?”

 

Vette studied the massive building, “No I will come with.”

 

“Okay so how do we get in?” Kit peered at the nearly black transparisteel.

 

“Back entrance for day deliveries. Should be someone up. Should be.” Vette moved away from the taxi. “It's probably around the side, let’s try over there.”

 

Kit moved away from the doors and followed Vette around the corner only half watching the Twi'lek, her attention kept wandering to the expensive gardens. Vette stopped in front of her, Kit managed not to run her friend over, when she rapped on a rather modest door. Kit clasped her hands behind her back; pacing while they waited. The door slowly opened, stopping when it was a few centimeters ajar.

 

“Can I help you?” a heavily accented masculine voice spoke.

 

“Yeah, there anyway we can talk to Xara?” Vette pointed over her shoulder to Kit's now stilled form. “She has something she needs to tell her.”

 

Silence was the response.

 

“It will only take a moment.” Kit stepped closer.

 

“What is this about?” The unseen speaker asked.

 

“Well I am afraid one of your advertising signs is a bit broken.”

 

“Ha! That's an understatement,” Vette muttered.

 

Kit shot her a sideways look, “I would like to speak to someone about replacing it.”

 

There was a slight rustle on the other side of the door, it closed briefly before reopening. “Come in, must be fast. I am expecting deliveries.”

 

“Of course,” Kit nodded as she crossed the threshold. She was definitely in the back of a business, large boxes lined the walls, various supplies sat on well organized shelves. Kit looked to the speaker, eyebrow arching in appreciation. Before her stood a tall, lean, yet trimly toned Twi'lek. His skin a beautiful ruby tone, head crowned with a pair of long lekku whose tips brushed the middle of his thighs, their only decoration a natural mottling pattern. Bright grey eyes that seemed almost blue, sat above high angular cheekbones and a statuesque nose. Those eyes were staring at her intently.

 

Judging from the sudden wave of lust that rolled off her rather celibate friend, it was rather apparent she was not the only one who thought the Twi'lek man attractive. A passing frown graced Kit's ruby painted lips; though this man appeared to be in good spirits, she knew his life was far from pleasant. A thin, sleek, gilded black slave collar was on his neck; his only clothing was a rather brief black loincloth.

 

“What can I do for you? The Master is asleep, I can assist you.” The Twi'lek offered with a slight bow of his head.

 

Kit reached her hand out, offering it to the man. His brows shot up in surprise, he looked beyond Kit, his lekku twitching. Kit kept her eyes forward, hand extended, waiting. His attention shifted back to Kit, nervously he grasped her hand.

 

“My name is Darth Tyche.”

 

“I am Jy'lith.”

 

“Pleasure Jy'lith,” Kit dropped her hand, reclasping it behind her back. “I must confess that I demolished one of this establishments floating advertisements.”

 

“Yes my Lord,” Jy'lith nodded. “I will inform the Master. Thank you for telling.”

 

“I would like to make restitution. So how much will it be?”

 

“How much...” Jy'lith shook his head, obviously confused.

 

“Yes, that floating contraption could not have been inexpensive.”

 

“I don't...” Jy'lith's brow crinkled as his head shook again.

 

“It's alright,” Vette encouraged from behind Kit. “She really does want to pay for it, it's not some kind of trick.”

 

“Well... I, I don't know. I will have to tell the Master.” He continued to stare at Kit his surprise evident.

 

“It is alright. I will be on the moon for the next few days. Have her call me at her earliest convenience.” She handed Jy'lith a small neat piece of flimsiplast. “Here is my contact information,” Kit nodded her head. “I am sorry to have disturbed you.” She turned side stepping around a staring Vette as she left the building.

 

She heard Vette chirp, “Oh hey and I am Vette, I am with her, if you can't reach her, I can help 'cause I’m with her.”

 

“Thank you,” Jy'lith's voice grew louder.

 

Kit looked behind her, Vette was being escorted out by the crimson skinned Twi'lek, her hand resting on his and a furious plum spreading across her cheeks. She forced her face to remain neutral, to hide the grin threatening to escape. Jy'lith was repressing a smile, as the corners of his mouth curled up. How adorable, Vette had a crush and Jy'lith was continuing to hold her hand, standing ever so close as they stood on the threshold. Kit wondered the last time that attractive man had been treated like a person instead of lewdly stared at and pawed on.

 

“When The Master wakes, I will tell her you stopped by.”

 

“Excellent,” Kit smiled, “I look forward to her call.”

 

He nodded giving Vette a small smile as he relinquished her hand. He stepped backwards into the room. “Take care.”

 

Vette stepped out of the building, “You too, take care. Of yourself.”

 

Kit bit her lower lip as the slowly closing door paused.

 

“Thank you,” Jy'lith smiled wide, the corners of his grey eyes crinkling.

 

“It, it was nice to meet you,” Vette turned around taking a half step towards the building, her hand outstreatched.

 

“The pleasure was all mine.” Jy'lith reached out grasping her hand as he bowed, bringing her hand to his lips he kissed Vette's azure fingertips. Running his thumb over her hand he let go, straightening he grasped the door. Smiling at Vette, Jy'lith closed the door.

 

“He was nice,” Kit commented.

 

“Yeah,” Vette nodded, staring at the door. “He was.”

 

Kit stepped next to her, gently nudging her. “Come on, we have things to do.”

 

“Yeah things to do,” Vette parroted as she continued to stare at the door.

 

Kit reached out touching her shoulder, “Would you like me to destroy another sign, so we have an excuse to come back?”

 

“Yeah could you? I mean if you don't mind?” Vette looked over at her, the furious plum of her cheeks slowly fading.

 

“Sure thing, just let me find one.” Kit turned walking back to the taxi pad, her pace leisurely as Vette followed along side.

 

“Are you really going to break another one?”

 

Kit looked at her and winked.

 

Vette shook her head, her smile bright, “You are so weird, you know that?”

 

Kit shrugged, grinning, “It has been mentioned once or twice.”

 

 

 

AN

Jy'lith is actually featured in both the shorts posted on the AU thread, as well as the joint pieces Alaurin and I have written.

Prompt is Paying the Piper I think.

 

[frauzet]

I knew the name Jy'lith sounded familiar.

Vette is adorable, and I can see her not beeing prepared for Jy'lith

[Kitar]

A Frauzet. Vette is adorable. Jy'lith on the other hand not so much. I was trying to cut out chapters, not add to them, but apparently he got his way anyway.

 

And.... I am finally posting this one. Usually all of my shorts/prompts/chapters, whatever you wish to call them are read by another set of eyes before they are posted. This one, has not been. So hopefully there is nothing to glaring. Also my friend was great about reminding me about spoilers and trigger warnings... I don't think I have any in here.

 

 

CHAPTER 62

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 A day later

NAR SHADDAA

 

“You really want to do that?” He stared at her. She was doing a good job masquerading at being calm. Face appeared to be neutral; borderline bored expression on her face. Her arm hung casually at her side as she looked down at a datapad. But, he could see she was chewing on the inside of her lip, the muscles gently flexed in her jaw.

 

What was she up to?

 

“You need to scratch some itch?” he grumbled. He thought things were good between her and her new favorite.

 

“What?” Her hand stopped momentarily before resuming its seemingly deliberate tapping.

 

His sienna eyes narrowed briefly, she had swiped through the same document three times now.

 

“Ya heard me. Why are you wanting to go there?” He paused, intently watching her reaction.

 

“I, well, I broke something.” She frowned, white teeth dimpled her painted bottom lip. “I want to go pay for it.”

 

Well he thought, a partial truth, she was still up to something. “An’ you need me to go with for that?”

 

“Are you still going to pay for that sign?” A friendly all to chipper voice sounded down the hallway.

 

He resisted the urge to frown. Vette was there and knew what was going on and yet she wanted to take him along. She was definitely was up to something.

 

“Yes,” she answered back, “I will be at some point. Why?” she asked, her emerald eyes finally left the datapad’s screen. She looked down the corridor. Footfalls echoed back, they were not getting louder.

 

“Welp, have fun and try not to skewer anyone.” Vette’s voice floated back to them as her footfalls quieted.

 

His eyes drifted back to her, she had stopped chewing on her bottom lip and was no longer pretending to look at the datapad. Her eyes were locked on the distant doorway. He swore she was able to see through the wall, she was staring so intently.

 

Resisting the urge to cross his arms he waited, watching her. Any minute now she was going to want to leave, to head to that place. Sighing he frowned, he should probably go with her, attempt to keep her out of trouble. Though why she wanted to go back he didn’t understand, you didn’t need to make a restitution in person. That is why they had coms and datapads, it could all be done without having to leave the apartment.

 

“Okay, time to go...” she turned away from him, the datapad disappearing into an interior robe pocket.

 

“So we are gonna go pay for a broken sign?”

 

“Ahh yea.” She answered not looking at him.

 

“And you want to do this in person?”

 

“I do.”

 

“Mind telling me why?”

 

“Cause I feel like getting some air?”

 

He snorted, “Right...”

 

She ignored him, walking faster out of their apartment. Shaking his head he followed, he was curious what she was up to, if he stayed home, he was never going to find out.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Pierce stood behind her, his scowling facade hiding the mirth he was feeling. It was pretty amusing. Watching her attempt to nonchalantly talk to the owner of the pleasure house. She was really trying to seem uninterested in him. Pierce knew she was though, now why she wanted the Twi’lek, he wasn’t really certain, off all the things that she had done over the years, buying slaves had never been one of them.

 

Her emerald gaze drifted over to tall lanky lethan man, before quickly returning to the diminutive Human sitting before them. The woman was sitting with her feet tucked up on a plush emerald green velvet chair. The Twi’lek was standing next to her, trying to seem uninterested in the conversation, but his grey eyes kept drifting back to Kit.

 

The anger that smouldered in those eyes made this all the more entertaining. The Twi’lek was absolutely pissed. Then again Kit had been belittling him this entire time, Pierce knew it was in an attempt to lower the price. The amount the owner had first quoted, would have been enough to purchase a new starfighter. Pierce almost choked when he read the quote on Kit’s datapad’s screen.

 

Ever since Kit had casually been insulting the Twi’lek without being overly demeaning. Pierce was actually impressed with how casually she had been able to do it, and had he not known her as well as he did, he would have been embarrassed to hear the things coming out of her mouth. She was criticizing the length of the man’s lekku, stating that one was shorter than the other, that she demanded symmetry. The colour of his skin was not quite the right shade of red, and barely mottled, his eyes grey instead of blue. She had repeatably questioned man’s ability to preform, his size, his stamina. The acts that she had demanded he be willing to not only preform, but to excel at, caused Pierce’s brow to rise.

 

He honestly didn’t know what she was up to. Pierce knew if she didn’t manage to talk the owner down that she would probably never tell him. She was really trying to get the price down on that Twi’lek. He did know if he kept listening to her talk like that he was going to have to find himself some friendly female companionship.

 

Pierce looked away from Kit and the glowering Twi’lek, his eyes settled on the establishment's owner. She was kinda cute, a little tiny thing. She looked as if she had never worked a day in her life, skinny arms and legs without any real muscle. He chuckled to himself, he could fold her in half and put her in his pocket, she was so small. Not really want he looked for in a lady, others probably would fall over themselves to get her, had pretty brown eyes and a cascade of brown curly hair that fell to her waist. It was adorned with jewels, her fingers sported more sparkling rings than he could count. He snorted to himself, she had enough credits on her fingers to buy a damn starship, she was just being greedy. The Twi’lek must be a personal favorite, one she didn’t want to part with.

 

Bored Sienna eyes looked her over one last time, to tiny and wore way to much makeup. Chewing on the inside of his lip Pierce looked past her, to the expansive bar behind them. It was covered in glass and every bottle on the immaculate shelving was top of the line. The corner of his mouth quirked, there in the center was a bottle of Whyren’s Reserve. Everything in this place was top of the line, and he would bet his favorite bowcaster that she charged though the nose for it too.

 

His attention shifted back to the conversation. The Twi’lek looked like he wanted to kill Kit. Might have been a bad time to ignore them.

 

“Oh, I assure you, he will be more than capable.” The Tiny woman smirked.

 

“How can I know if all this time you have had him on sterilizing agent? It is very important that he be able to contribute.” Kit looked down nonchalantly at her park purple nails, he had always liked that colour on her. “I have always thought it might be a good investment, provided of course that he is actually applicable of siring any get.”

 

Siring get? Pierce bit his lip while his brow spiked, what was she up to? She wasn’t interested in breeding slaves.

 

Kit stopped looking at her nails, her green eyes slid slowly over the lethan Twi’lek. “If he can’t sire any, I am definitely not interested. You already admitted he doesn’t have any get. He might be sterile, in which case he is worthless to me.”

 

Now the Twi’lek looked like he might burst into flames right there on the spot, he was so furious. Couldn’t really blame the guy, having to hear people talk about you, right in front of you while they haggle over a price. That would be utterly humiliating.

 

The Tiny woman leaned forward, her brow bunched as she watched Kit uncross her legs, preparing to stand. “He should be most capable of siring get, it takes a standard month for the drugs to completely work their way out of his system after the last dose is administered.” She reached out, pausing her hand before she got close to Kit’s rising form. “Even if he is not able to, he is absolutely desirable in the bedroom.”

 

Pierce returned his attention to the Twi’lek, he didn’t think it was possible for the man to get any redder. It was, his cheeks were a dark red, his grey eyes were downcast staring at something on the floor.

 

“He is quite delightful, I assure you. Do you want to try him out and see for yourself?”

 

Pierce kept his eyes locked on the Twi’lek, his head had dipped forward and the hand that the Tiny woman could not see, was tightly clenched in a fist.

 

“Oh I do not know, I do have so many things on my plate today. I am leaving in a while to attend an auction on Hutta. It is a horrible, filthy place, but I have it on good authority that there is another lethan on the sale bill. One who has sired get.”

 

“But you are here right now, and you can see him up close and personal. Unlike at those noisy, dirty auction lots.”

 

“This is true,” the couch creaked and Pierce heard he rustle of fabric brushing against armor. “And that planet it is so dreadful, the sky is the most unnatural shade of green and the stench, it never comes out.”

 

“I can vouch for him, he is part of my personal harem. Not only does he do his job well but he does not talk much.”

 

Ahh, there it was, the tiny owner really liked him, and was driving the price up to keep him. Considering that Kit was acting like she was going to leave, the price was still to high.

 

Pierce kept his eyes locked onto the Twi’lek, the man was silently fuming, the anger was obvious. His knuckles were actually turning a pale pink, he had his fingers clenched so tightly.

 

“That is very tempting, but I really am looking for a breeder.”

 

“Out of curiosity, what are you trying to achieve?”

 

“Well,” Kit sighed, “I have always wanted to see if breeding a lethan to a rutian would result in violet get. Nothing more than a little experiment.”

 

The glare the Twi’lek shot Kit, would have burned through cortosis. Whooo he was pissed.

 

“Oh, that is an interesting thought.” The Tiny woman leaned back, her hands gesturing, the jewelry on her fingers sparkling. “If you got the result you desire, I would be most interesting in procuring the child. I am operating on the assumption that the Twi’lek you wish to breed him to is lovely.”

 

“Oh she is, slender and cute. The resulting children would be lovely.”

 

“Would you be interested, in selling the get? If they possess that skin color, it would really be a crowning gem.” The Tiny woman shifted in her chair, leaning towards Kit, “I would not even mind waiting until the get is of an appropriate age to put them into service.”

 

“I might be yes, only time will tell though.” Kit answered.

 

“Wonderful,” the Tiny woman leaned back, a massive grin on her overly painted lips.

 

The Twi’lek’s other hand clenched, as his grey eyes narrowed. Pierce choked back a laugh, oh he was livid, fire was going to erupt out of his ears at any minute.

 

“Are you sure you do not want to try him out? I assure you will not find him lacking.”

 

“Oh, I suppose I could.” Kit contemplated. “I do have a couple hours before we have to catch our shuttle.”

 

Pierce heard the fabric move and the couch sigh. The Twi’lek’s hands unclenched as his eyes closed. When they reopened they looked numb.

 

“Do you have a room for us, or do I have the pleasure of trying him out here?”

 

“Oh, I have rooms. For this price you can have it for an hour as part of the sale.”

 

“For an hour we both get the room.”

 

The Twi’lek’s eyes locked onto Pierce and his headtails started shaking.

 

“That will not be a problem will it?” Kit asked.

 

“No I don’t have a problem, but why?” The Tiny woman asked as she uncurled herself off her plush chair. Pierce managed not to laugh, she was really tiny, she barely came past is waist.

 

“Oh, it is just a little thing.” Kit winked at the Tiny woman, “I enjoy watching too, if he is as well versed as you say he is, well this should not be a problem.”

 

The Tiny woman laughed, her hand coming to her chest before fluttering back towards the Twi’lek, “Oh he will preform, he knows what is expected of him.”

 

“Excellent,” Kit smiled, briskly clapping her hands. “So which way?”

 

“Oh,” the Tiny woman pointed, “go through the door right over there, and enjoy.”

 

Kit moved away heading towards the door. Pierce stepped in behind her, grasping the Twi’lek by the elbow. The man didn’t move. He gently tugged. Slowly the Twi’lek moved, Pierce almost felt sorry for him. The Twi’lek moved as if his feet were encased in duracrete; what that man was imagining was going to happen on the other side of that door, it had to be pretty bad considering how slowly he was moving.

 

Kit stopped in front of the door, she held it open for them. She smiled as they both entered the room.

 

As soon as Pierce escorted the Twi’lek across the threshold, Kit shut and locked the door. The Twi’lek noticeably jumped in Pierce’s grasp. The elbow he was holding onto started to shake. Apparently she didn’t share him very often, the Twi’lek was terrified. What he was more scared of, them or what that tiny woman would do to him if he didn't live up to expectations, Pierce didn’t know.

 

Kit walked over to him, slowly her hand reached out touching his jaw. She lifted his head up, looking into his face.

 

Pierce waited to see what she was going to do. He highly doubted she was going to lay a finger on him, she seemed awfully smitten with her new husband. Plus she was never one to ever actually pay for affection either.

 

“It is okay,” Kit murmured, ducking her eyes to try and look into the Twi’lek’s grey ones. “It is okay, we are not going to hurt you.” She stepped in closer, her painted mouth going to his ear. “I want to talk to you. I have no intention of taking you to my bed, or putting you in any other beds for profit.”

 

She pulled her head back and brought it to his other ear. “I did not mean to make you uncomfortable or anger you, I know I did.”

 

She brought her head back and placed her other hand on his neck, “What she was asking for you is astronomical, I could honestly buy another starship. Why is she asking so much, why so expensive? Will you tell me?”

 

The Twi’lek remained motionless, staring through her. Pierce could feel him still shaking under his hand.

 

“Please Jy’lith, please talk to me. I can’t help you unless you talk to me.”

 

At the mention of his name the Twi’lek jerked, turning his head to look at Kit.

 

“I can not help you if you do not talk to me. Why does she want to keep you so badly? There is something she is not telling me. Please talk to me Jy’lith.”

 

“You,” the Twi’lek’s voice was rough. He swallowed hard before licking his lower lip, “You want to help me?” His speech was choppy and his accent was think, like Basic wasn’ his first language.

 

“I would like to yes. I do not own or keep slaves Jy’lith.”

 

“You don’t?”

 

“No, I don’t,” Kit murmured, “I never have.” Her fingers gently rubbed the side of his neck. “I assume there is a camera in here, can you tell me where?”

 

The Twi’lek’s head nodded, “The door, behind us. Looks over bed.”

 

Kit looked up at Pierce. “I see it,” she whispered, “Two steps to your left Pierce.”

 

“On it,” he grunted as he stepped to the left, using his mass to attempt to block the camera.

 

“Thanks,” she flashed him a quick, white smile. “So what is it? Your colour is lovely but never does that alone command such a high price.”

 

“Tell me,” she whispered, “tell me and I will try to help you. What is so special or is she just that attached to you?”

 

“She, she that attached, am part of personal harem.”

 

“Hmmm,” Kit hummed as chewed on her bottom lip, “Part of her personal harem and yet you are trusted to manage the building during the day when it is closed. That is not normally something you entrust to the average slave. Come Jy’lith tell me.”

 

The Twi’lek’s head dipped, Pierce barely heard the man’s whispered response. “Medic.”

 

“You are a medic?” Kit’s green eyes widened as she looked at the Twi’lek.

 

The Twi’lek nodded,“I am.” The shaking increased, Pierce had to make the conscious effort to loosen his grip.

 

“How did she end up with a medic for a slave?” Kit looked past the Twi’lek, locking gazes with him.

 

Pierce shrugged, “Don’t know. Interestin’ though.”

 

Her green eyes drifted back to the Twi’lek, “How Jy’lith, how did she end up with you?”

 

The shaking grew harder. “It, it was a deal.”

 

“What kind of deal? Come on tell me. You shouldn’t be in here.”

 

“I had a clinic here, on Promenade. Partner racked up millions of debt, the Hutt came to collect. He couldn’t pay. They, they took me. Called me an asset.”

 

Kit’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped. “You were seized and sold to pay for your business partner’s debts?”

 

The Twi’lek’s head dipped forward. Kit’s fingers moved across his cheeks, she was probably wiping off tears. That was a rough bit of karking bad bantha poo doo, what happened to him.

 

“How long has it been since you have practiced?”

 

“Still do.”

 

“Do you? How?”

 

“Look after the others here.”

 

“So that is why the price is so high, she has a free medic on staff.” Again her eyes left the Twi’lek’s face and moved to Pierce. She contemplated his face a moment, chewing on her bottom lip.

 

Pierce returned her stare, trying to keep his voice quiet he dipped his head towards the Twi’lek. “Been wanting to get another medic on call.”

 

The Twi’lek, his voice shaking looked over his shoulder at Pierce, “Need a medic?”

 

Pierce nodded, “we do.”

 

Grey eyes stared at him, Pierce saw the wet skin on his cheeks, fresh tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. “Why? Why me?”

 

Pierce shrugged, he honestly had no idea, could put a medic on the payroll a hell of a lot cheaper than what it would be to buy this Twi’lek. “Must be your lucky day.”

 

“Why me?” The Twi’lek blinked looking back at Kit. Kit bit her lower lip as she stepped closer. She paused her mouth hovering right by his. “In all honesty, you didn’t act like the typical brow-beaten, simpering slave,” she whispered. “That made me curious, so I wanted to learn more. I never expected her to demand such a high price. I haven’t encountered that before, so I was really curious.”

 

“Encountered before?” The Twi’lek questioned, “You have done this before?” The Twi’lek sounded so surprised.

 

Pierce started, sucking in a breath as the idea struck him, “You are doing this for Vette,” he rumbled.

 

A bright pink blossomed across Kit’s cheeks as she bit her lower lip. “In a way yes.” Green eyes looked away as the blush darkened.

 

“You are doing this for someone? You are giving me to someone?” The Twi’lek started shaking, again, under Pierce’s hand.

 

“Umm, well not really. I um...” Kit stammered.

 

Pierce’s brown brow arched as his mouth quirked up in a smile, everything clicked together. “I knew you were up to something. Should have just told me.” He leaned his head forward, moving it to the Twi’lek’s ear. “She ain’t givin’ you to anyone. She is awfully fond of her friend. Awfully fond, freed her, freed her sister, paid to properly bury their mother. I bet you, credits to cakes, that her friend is fond of you.”

 

“Ahhh, um yeah it is something like that.” Kit murmured, her eyes still not looking at either of them.

 

“Should have just told me, would have helped you drive the price down.” Pierce chuckled.

 

Kit looked up, eyes wide. Golden eyes, He must have hit pretty close to the mark. The Twi’lek jumped when he saw, causing Pierce to chuckle. “No reason to spend that much. The manumission papers, they are expensive too. Gonna go broke.”

 

“Manumission,” the Twi’lek breathed, “I never thought.”

 

“Yeah manumission. Lemme guess, she’s sweet on him. And knowing you, it wouldn’t do for her to get involved with a slave, to messy and easy for her to get snatched.”

 

Kit nodded, “Something like that.”

 

Pierce snorted, “Everything like that. So you free him, set him up with a job somewhere and find some reason to send Vette into where he is working. Right?”

 

“Right.” Kit nodded, “she really, really liked, him, well you, Jy’lith,” Kit looked at the Twi’lek. “She is so naive to, to see her that flustered. I just wanted to give it a chance and well, in order to do that, you could not be in here.”

 

“So you are doing this, because your friend finds me attractive? Free me, so she might pursue me?” The Twi’lek whispered, he sounded so confused. “But you are a Sith.”

 

Pierce barked a rough laugh, “Aye, she is. She does this sort of thing. You come with us, you gotta get used to it.”

 

The Twi’lek looked back to Pierce, then to Kit. “You are giving a choice?”

 

“Suppose so, you wanna get out of here? Heck, I will convince her to hire you as a personal medic. Would only have to deal with us, and the kids.”

 

“Kids? I haven’t seen kids in years,” The Twi’lek actually managed to smile.

 

“We have two little ones, she has two more who are older. And well if things go somewhere with Vette and you knock her up, you will have those too.” Pierce grinned. If talking about kids would help get him out of here, he would do it. Anything to get a different medic. A new medic and the damn traitor would be reassigned permanently.

 

“Would you,” the Twi’lek stammered, “would you pay me?”

 

Pierce snorted, “Of course we would. Put you right on the payroll, won’t be a’ issue. She employes enough people.”

 

“We will even help you with a place to live. Rent free for year and after you start paying. I will even give you the option to buy the apartment from me, if you want. I own several here on Nar Shaddaa.”

 

“No,” The Twi’lek shook his head, “No, I pay rent from start. Do not want debt, to anyone.”

 

Kit dipped her head, “If you wish. we will hammer out the details after we get you out of here.” She looked up at Pierce, “go ahead and get the door, now we need to finish the deal and get him out of here and with his papers in hand before she changes her mind.”

 

“Lemme guess, you are not going to play fair?” Pierce smirked.

 

“Actually I am, you go on out there. Talk to her, tell her whatever you want about why we are still in here. We need to give him some time to gain his composure. Tell her we will pay the last suggested price, I leave it up to you how many bottles of that whisky you manage to con out of her. Start with the entire case and our new medic.” Kit smiled, “I know you want it. Plus get him some clothes, I am not going to parade him around Nar Shaddaa dressed in that.”

 

Pierce's grin grew. “I'm on it Mi Lord, see you in about ten?”

 

Her smile widened, “That works for me.”

 

Pierce grinned dipping his head towards her. In his next heartbeat the smile was gone, replaced with an annoyed frown. Turning he walked to the door unlocking it. Without bothering to look behind, he left the room. Popping his knuckles he walked back to the waiting Tiny woman. He wanted to see just how many bottles of that Whyerns he was going to be able to talk out of her.

 

 

 

AN

There is no prompt.

I did change up dimes to donuts to credits to cakes, in case anyone was wondering.

Hopefully I will get the next one finished in the next couple of days and can go back to posting the regularly scheduled story.

 

[frauzet]

Now I can't get rid of the image of Pierce putting the woman in his pocket.

Meddling in your friend's relationships usually isn't the best idea. I do wonder if Kit just bought some expensive trouble.

[Kitar]

May the 4th be with you!

 

@ Frauzet

hehe! I was giggling when I wrote that, I had a visual of Pierce folding her up like a crumpled tissue and putting her in his pocket. It doesn't help that in my mind Pierce is huge, I have called him a walking mountain on more than one occasion, and the woman is a wee tiny thing barely one hundred pounds soaking wet.

 

 

So I am sorry in the month delay in posting. It was not my intention. I have decided in the future that any character that decides to speak up and demand more screen time, must do it in a much faster and timely manner.... *glares at a certain lethan Twi'lek*

I honestly do not know if this was worth the wait, since it was giving me troubles but here ya all go.

 

CHAPTER 63

 

 

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 later that day

Nar Shaddaa

 

Quietly he stood in the center of the now quiet room, tightly grasped in his pink knuckled hands, a printed on piece of physical flilmsiplast, per his request, a permanent document, a non disputable record of this morning. Staring at it, he was afraid to move, afraid to breathe, as if his actions would cause the morning to evaporate jarring him awake. Dropping him unceremoniously back into the damn woman's bed.

 

Grey eyes stared at the document, committing the entire thing to memory. For three years, three long unending years he had been imprisoned there. Then a Sith walks through the door, during non-business hours, wanting to make restitution for a broken sign. Things like that just simply didn't happen, there was not rhyme or reason to it. He had to be dreaming.

 

Yet he was standing here, in this immaculate apartment. They had called it modestly appointed. If this was modest, he was very curious as to what they considered opulent. The furniture here, carved out of solid hardwoods, not manufactured plastics. The floor adorned with ornately woven rugs, from underneath smooth tiles peaked. They looked to be a granite of some sort, they even glinted in the low light. Large hand-painted landscapes hung in heavily carved and gilded frames; it had been muttered in passing that he could remove them if he wanted. He could never in a million years dream of it, they were lovely, well done, the compositions continued to draw the eye into and around the piece. A window into other worlds, worlds that he would once again visit if he was truly awake.

 

The morning was a blurred rush, being hurried out of that damned place, the huge Human Pierce, grabbing a case of bottles and pushing him along as the Sith continued to talk to… her. Then shuffled off into a landspeeder that took him directly to a series of offices on the Lower Promenade. Dark clothes were offered to him as he fumbled around the backseat trying to get dressed in the cramped quarters. The two Humans continued to speak to each other. He couldn't remember what they said, as hard as he tried those spoken words slipped away.

 

They did talk to him civilly, never did either of them ever raise their voice. The door was opened, and he was escorted out. The Sith had strode right past the line, silencing every protest with a wordless glare.

 

Then they were here. He couldn't remember anything else, but walking past that line then ending up here, in this apartment. He had a copy of the form in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled it through pursed lips, the flimsiplast was going to crease and wrinkle if he tightened his grip any further, and if this wasn't some twisted dream he didn't want to ruin it.

 

“Still having a hard time wrapping your brain around today?”

 

The quietly spoken, foreign voice jarred him out of his rumination. Swallowing a startled yip he jumped, lekku twitching. Grey eyes lept off the flimsiplast. They landed on an immaculately dressed woman. A dark blue skinned woman, her burning red eyes stared out from manicured midnight blue brows, her hair smartly styled. A Chiss. An unknown Chiss woman who quietly entered this, until recently, unoccupied apartment and knew what had transpired this morning.

 

She stood before him, hands clasped before her. The way she stood, it was to rigid. Grey eyes narrowed as he watched her. She was professional whoever she was, her entire aura screamed it. A professional what he didn’t know.

 

Her posture didn’t change as she continued to stand there, before him in the center of his newly acquired apartment.

 

“If you keep holding it that tightly you are going to wrinkle it.”

 

He warily watched her, her tone suggested she was attempting to be friendly, but she never smiled.

 

“Help you?” he muttered. He didn’t like her standing there. This unknown woman, he had never spoken to a Chiss before, only seen them from a distance. There was one, a man who frequented his former practice. He was a patient of his former partner. He didn’t want to speak with this one either.

 

“That would be nice if you would.” The Chiss woman continued to stand there, unmoving before him. She didn’t smile.

 

“How?” he muttered, the quicker she left the better. He didn’t like her standing there.

 

“Considering the unusual circumstances of this morning, I would like to ask you some questions.”

 

“Like or will?” He continued to stare at her.

 

The corner of her mouth curled up in a small smile. “Will.”

 

“Who are you?” Before he answered anything, he would know who this woman was and why she was here. She knew enough to be standing in this apartment. He would know who she worked for.

 

“My name is not important.” Her small smile vanished in a heartbeat.

 

“It is,” he scowled, grey eyes narrowing, “or no answers.”

 

“Is that really how you want to start this conversation?” Her jaw tightened as her lips downturned.

 

“Not starting, you did. Walked in here uninvited. Demanding answers, don’t know you. You are trespassing. My home. You talk or you leave,” he growled.

 

A midnight blue eyebrow arched as she jerked back slightly.

 

“Been a day, want to be alone. Talk or go, make appointment before you return. Seem civilized enough to know how.”

 

They locked gazes, pale grey eyes staring unflinching into burning fiery orbs. He continue to stare at her, she barely blinked, he could almost see the gears turning in her head.

 

“Planning on returning to the practice?” She finally asked. Her expression had not changed, the tension along her jaw still visible.

 

“Know about me, why ask more?” He squared his shoulders, straightening to his full height. He was taller than this woman, he knew she was armed, the blaster under her coat, nearly hidden. He wasn’t going to be taken anywhere without a fight.

 

“Trying to discern your intentions.” She swallowed, he watched her throat constrict.

 

“So am I.”

 

The Chiss didn’t answer, she continued to look at him.

 

“Who do you work for?” This was dragging on to long. He wanted her out of here, the sooner the better.

 

“That isn’t...” she actually moved, she shook her head, midnight blue locks swinging.

 

“It is,” he cut her off, “very important.” He shook his head, lekku twitching in annoyance.“Not doing this, not again. Who you work for?” He growled.

 

“Again,” she whispered, her fiery eyes finally leaving his as they searched the ornately carved ceiling above him, but she seemed to be looking through it not actually seeing it. “Again… no,” she shook her head, then those eyes refocused landing on him. “Who do you think I work for?”

 

“Lytor,” he spat.

 

Her eyes narrowed as she rolled his name around in her mouth, “Ly tor, who is Lytor?” She looked at him, the tense muscles in her jaw had relaxed as her eyes widened. She looked at him confused. In the next moment, her face smoothed but he had still caught it, she had no idea what he was talking about.

 

His brow quirked as he waited.

 

“Who is Lytor? She asked her voice soft.

 

“Don’t know do you?”

 

Her jaw tightened in answer.

 

He smiled, “I give answer, you give too. Deal?”

 

She continued to watch him, those unseen cogs turning. Her dark blue lips parted slightly but she said nothing.

 

“Be nice, I go first.”

 

Her lips closed as her eyes studied him.

 

“Lytor, filth who betrayed me.” He growled.

 

“Betrayed you, how?” She barely spoke loud enough for him to hear.

 

Letting go with his left hand, he lifted the filmsiplast upward in his right. Her eyes latched onto the document.

 

“That is the person who sold you?”

 

He snorted shaking his head, “The Hutt slime, not person. Former business partner.”

 

Her mouth opened and closed again, when hurried footsteps entered the room.

 

“Oh good, there you are. I was hoping I might beat you here, but oh well.” It was the redheaded Sith woman, Darth Tyche she had called herself. She was no longer wearing the black, imposing armor and robe, but was clad in black leatheris pants and an iridescent dark green blouse.

 

“My Lord,” the Chiss woman fired off a brisk salute.

 

“I hope things are going well?” She came to stand next to them, her green eyes looking from the Chiss to himself. “Things appear to be a bit, tense?”

 

“No, my Lord things are fine.” The Chiss woman quickly answered.

 

He snorted, “Yeah fine.”

 

The Sith’s head swiveled back to him, “What happened?”

 

“Getting to know each other.” He answered.

 

Her eyebrow rose slightly, as she looked from him to the Chiss. Her gaze settled on the Chis woman, “Are you now?”

 

The Chiss woman swallowed, her blue throat constricting, “Yes, my Lord, I am attempting to.”

 

“Un huh,” the Sith nodded her head while briefly biting her lower lip. “Being your usual charming self then?”

 

The Chiss woman continued to stare at the Sith, he watched the gears turning in her head. The Sith shook her head when the Chiss woman didn’t answer immediately. “That is a yes.” The Sith sighed, “I asked you to speak to him nicely. I have the very distinct feeling you came in here, demanding answers and not being very forth coming. Am I right?”

 

The Chiss woman looked away. “Not exactly.”

 

“Another yes,” the Sith sighed. Her attention returned to him, she was intently watching him, “Are you going to be?” the Sith asked.

 

“Going to be?” he repeated.

 

“Staying on with us then? Or will you be leaving? Are you going to be keeping the apartment?” The Sith looked at him smiling, green eyes concerned.

 

“Not leaving.” He shook his head, lips turned up at the corners. “Buying apartment. Where would I go?”

 

“Well,” her grin widened, “I had to ask. You never answered when I told you that you were free to leave. Thought I would come back and check on you. You did appear to be in a state of shock when we left.”

 

“Has been a shocking day.”

 

She smiled, “I bet it has. So does that mean you are not going to be opening up your own practice again?”

 

“No,” he shook his head, “not anytime soon. Going to try private sector.” He grinned.

 

“Excellent news, if you have a few moments, she will finish up the paperwork to put you on our payroll. The background check should be easy.” The Sith smiled at him as she casually gestured toward the quietly stewing Chiss.

 

“Background check?” His brow bunched up, “Why check?”

 

“Do you not know who this woman is!” the Chiss nearly barked at him, her hand gesturing to the Sith woman.

 

“An unusual Sith, named Darth Tyche, correct?”

 

“Darth Tyche? That is all you know? That ‘unusual Sith’ is the Emperor's Wrath,” the Chiss growled, “she sits on the Dark Council.”

 

He shrugged, “Still unusual. Can’t deny it. Just more impressive now. All that and still kind. You not want me working for her?”

 

“What? I never said…” the Chiss stammered.

 

“Not friendly, don’t introduce yourself. Don’t like me.” He looked over at the Sith, she was no longer smiling, her arms crossed before her. Looking back at the Chiss, he continued. “Funny way do business.”

 

“I will conclude the paperwork.” The Sith frowned. “Now, before things get anymore awkward. Please conduct a short background check on this gentlemen. Make sure he has the proper documentation to move freely in Imperial held space. It should be easy.”

 

“Yes my Lord,” the Chiss stiffened, frowning.

 

“Good. Now,” the Sith laid her hand on his arm, “I have to ask, what species are you familiar with treating?”

 

“Humans, Twi’leks,” he nodded his head. “Treated a few Zabraks, years ago Rhodians.”

 

“Have you ever treated Sith?” the Chiss groused.

 

“Sith. No, never treated a Jedi either.”

 

“Not that kind of Sith, the Pureblood, the red skinned ones.” the Chiss sighed.

 

“Never seen one, can study. Not problem if I will be required to treat one. I will make sure not to study Chiss though.”

 

The Chiss woman’s mouth dropped open as the Sith started laughing.

 

“Would it be difficult for you?” The Sith asked around her laughter, which only grew harder when she looked at the Chiss woman’s face. The woman was furious, her arms firmly crossed before her, those red eyes trying to burn holes into him.

 

“Not at all, was top of class. Few weeks, maybe month or so, quiet time to study. Have multiple certifications, prefer general practice, specialized in young ones.”

 

“That can be arranged. I will look into finding your certifications, they should be on public record. Take your time to settle in here and I will let you know the species you might be needed to treat.”

 

“Of course. What others? Will start studying, don’t have much to unpack.”

 

The Sith’s smile widened. “We also have Trandoshans on staff and you need to know Cathars.”

 

He nodded his head toward her, “I will start, once HoloNet is activated.”

 

“Excellent.”

 

“Oh hey, there you are,” a growling voice interrupted her. “I was told you were down in the empty apartment by Pierce, he said I had to come. That you had a new employee.”

 

The growling voice grew louder and was coming from a quickly approaching Cathar male. “Hey Babe,” he rumbled, when he stopped right next to the Sith woman. The Cathar leaned into the Sith, wrapping his arms around her waist as he tipped his head to kiss her.

 

His head canted slightly to the side as he watched the two. Now he knew why it was necessary to know Cathar physiology. Apparently the Sith was quite fond of the Cathar. And the Cathar was fond of the Sith. Moments later the two separated.

 

The Cathar turned and slid his hand down his black dress shirt, smoothing the material. His hand grabbed an oval disk, palming it before slipping it inside the fine material. A clawed hand extended toward him, “Nice to meet you, Aric J…”

 

A cleared throat interrupted him. The Chiss woman was standing there, arms crossed, staring at the Cathar.

 

The Cathar sighed, “Aric Jorgan,” he growled glaring at the Chiss woman.

 

“Nice to meet you.” He clasped the Cathar’s offered hand, “Jy’lith.”

 

“Welcome aboard Jy’lith, nice to meet you. Heard you are a medic?” Aric asked.

 

“I am yes,” he nodded. “Waiting to be briefed on what will be required of me.”

 

“Ahh, well that I can not help you with. I will get out of your way.” Aric moved away from him looking toward the Sith, “Don’t take to long, dinner reservations in less than an hour.” Aric tilted his head toward him, “Was good to meet you, I will talk to you later. I will be waiting upstairs, Kit.”

 

“Of course,” the Sith smiled at Aric, “I will be along shortly.”

 

“Before you go, I would like to discuss that.”

 

“That?” the Sith pulled her eyes off the retreating Cathar.

 

“What will be required of me. Want to be completely clear on responsibilities.”

 

Her mouth opened and then closed a moment. “Honestly I would like you to take over as my on-call medic on an as needed basis. The position is currently filled, but due to a past… digression, my current medic is going to be reassigned.” She bit her lip as she contemplated something behind him. He resisted the urge to look behind him on the wall, he knew there was nothing there but a painting. “I will not be needing your active service until the position is officially open.”

 

“Is that why you need me to have Imperial documentation?”

 

She smiled, “That is exactly why.”

 

“Would you be interested in serving occasionally upon my ship?”

 

“I might, perhaps. Never seen combat. No urge to really.” His brow twitched, he really didn’t want to be drug into any kind of a warzone or active conflict.

 

Her smile wavered a moment as green eyes searched his face. She hummed softly to herself while biting on her lower lip. Intently he watched her, waiting. Her humming stopped as her lips parted, “I will take that into consideration, try to limit your exposure.”

 

“That would be much appreciated.”

 

Her smile returned.

 

“I will get to work studying the other species you require of me.”

 

She stared at him a moment, “Yes of course, I will make the arrangements to move the utilities into your name, activate the Holonet, unless you want to do it?”

 

“If you wish to do, fine with me.” He dipped his head towards her.

 

“Then I will do it after we are finished here.” The Sith nodded her head.

 

“Very good, before you go. Do have to ask.”

 

“Oh, what is it? I will not make you live elsewhere, if you are worried about that.”

 

“Not that. Your friend.”

 

“Oh? Which friend?” She jerked her hand behind her, gesturing toward the still silent Chiss, “that friend?”

 

“No, one mentioned before. Fellow Twi’lek.”

 

“Ahh yes, Vette, what about her?”

 

“Am concerned. What do you want of me?” He swallowed, intently watching her, the way the Sith was speaking this morning, he needed clarification.

 

“Honestly, she is a good kid. I was just being hopeful...” The Sith trailed off, green eyes looking past him.

 

“And?”

 

“And,” she repeated, “dinner, maybe a HoloVid if things go that far. If they don’t, just be nice to her.”

 

“Not a requirement then?”

 

“Requirement for hire?” She stared at him.

 

He nodded his head, “Yes, want to know. Very happy to be out. Do not want to ever go back there.”

 

“No," her voice softened, “it is not a requirement. Had you not been in that place, I would have tried to set you up on a date. Thought if you were out of that place, it might have a better chance of going somewhere.”

 

“Lot of effort, easier way to get medic. Much easier way to set up a friend.” He still didn’t completely understand why he was standing in that apartment. He wantwd to know why.

 

“Yes, it is easier. I thought perhaps in helping you that I could start working in making amends. I did something I should not have. It bothers me.” Her voice dropped, she was nearly whispering. “I thought…”

 

“That doing good, help ease a bad?”

 

“Yes,” she smiled, “something like that.”

 

He returned her smile. “I understand. Very glad I was the lucky one.”

 

“Lucky?” her head shook… “there is no luck, only the Force.”

 

He dipped his head, “As you say. Still very glad things went the way they did.”

 

“Good.” Her head dipped toward him, “I do need to get going. I don't want to keep him waiting.”

 

“Aric?”

 

“Yes,” she nodded. “Aric.”

 

“He is your?” he paused waiting.

 

“My husband,” she smiled. “He leaves tomorrow.”

 

“Then I not keep you.”

 

“Have a good day,” she dipped her head towards him.

 

He held out his hand, waiting. She looked at him a moment, puzzled before she reached her right hand out, grasping his. “It has been great day. My Lord.” He firmly shook her hand.

 

“Yes, yes it has,” she let go of his hand, her large smile had returned. She turned and nodded towards the still glowering Chiss on her way out of his apartment.

 

His smile did not fade when he looked upon the frowning blue face staring at him. “What?”

 

She continued to frown, shaking her head. “All of this, doing this, was because of the will of the Force?”

 

He canted his head to the side, “You don't believe in it? You serve a Sith, and don't believe?”

 

She sighed heavily, her breath moving her neatly styled bangs.

 

“You don't, perhaps you should. I trapped in that ...place. Told Republic who came there. They did not care. I told a Jedi, did not care. Said did not want to get involved, did not stop her from … using my services.”

 

He gestured toward the open door, “She decided to get me out. Then discovers I am medic. Good for her, good for me.” He frowned, “But you do not like. Why?”

 

Sighing, she closed her eyes and shook her head. “It is reckless and ill advised to pluck your new medic from a damn pleasure house, I do not care if it was 'the will of the Force'.” Those red eyes opened glaring at him. “And now...” she trailed off growling.

 

Quietly he watched her, waiting for her to continue. She never did. The woman was silently fuming, she presented a rather calm facade, but he saw the tightness in her jaw, the tightness in her clenched, light-blue knuckled, hand, nearly hidden from sight.

 

“Now, hands are tied? Can not talk to me, our Lord will do check. You have to get me papers.” He paused intently watching her, she had not moved, jaw still clenched. “You are angry, the power is gone. I understand. Completely. No one likes to be powerless, ever.” She seemed to relax, her hand was not as tightly clenched, the skin was again darkening to its normal shade of blue. “Perhaps, start over, be civilized. Can talk. We are co-workers.”

 

“Co-workers,” she snorted. “Hardly.”

 

Not really what he had wanted, but it was a start. “We are. Both work for our Sith. When you are medic in private sector, all co-workers are covered.”

 

“Covered,” her red eyes narrowed briefly as her head slightly canted to the side. “What do you mean covered?”

 

He smiled, “Patient doctor privilege.”

 

“Patient doctor privilege,” she whispered as her eyes stared at him, her hands relaxed dropping to her sides. “Who you treat is confidential.”

 

“Yes,” he dipped his head, “it is. Who I treat, where I treat, why I treat, all confidential.”

 

“You wouldn't use it?”

 

“No, why do that? Goes against oath. You treat your patients, not hurt them.”

 

“So,” he held out his hand, “Are we co-workers?”

 

“When you put it that way, I suppose we are.” She looked down at his offered hand, not moving.

 

“Well, name is Jy'lith.” He stared at her expectantly, hand outstretched. She didn't move, sighing he started to retract his hand, “Perhaps I should not study Chiss physiology after all.”

 

She seemed to ignore him, seemingly staring through him. “You mean it? You will not violate the oath? Ever?”

 

He stopped moving, hand still hovering between the two of them. “Never. I have not, never will.”

 

Slowly she nodded her head as her hand slowly extended, she clasped his hand. Her skin was surprisingly cool to the touch. Interesting, he had never thought skin color would ever influence body temperature. That would be something he would need to research.

 

“Do you give your word?” She asked softly, nearly whispering.

 

“I do.” Giving her hand a firm shake he waited for her to relax her grip before letting go. “So, going to introduce yourself? Or do I get creative license on medical file?”

 

“Agent.” she answered, her red eyes finally focusing on him.

 

“Agent?” he shook his head.

 

“What?”

 

“Must have mean parents.”

 

“I don't have mean parents!” she huffed, lips pursing when she stopped. “You are poking fun.”

 

He smiled in response.

 

“I… I,” she sighed, tilted her head forward, “Navil’aton’aryzan.”

 

“Pleasure to meet you Latona.” He tilted his head towards her.

 

Her eyes widened as blue lips slightly parted, “How...” she trailed off staring at him.

 

His smile grew, “I know your kind, have met before.”

 

She continued to stare at him, his smile only grew. “Make things easy. Born on Coruscant, attended university there. Residency on Corellia. Specialized in children.”

 

“That does make things easier.” She continued to stare at him. He could see the gears once again turning, it was time to get her out of his new apartment.

 

“You most welcome.” He again held his hand out, gesturing towards the door and taking a step forward. She turned to follow, walking alongside him. “Will be here have any other questions.”

 

“Questions, yes. If I have any others I will come back. But,” she looked back at him, a small smile on her lips, “I will make an appointment first.”

 

“Very good,” He stopped by the open doorway, watching as she stepped out into the hallway. He watched her as she moved down the corridor to the nearby lift. As the doors to the lift opened he closed and locked his apartment door.

 

Turning his back to the door he looked down to his left hand. It was still clutching the filmsiplast. Opening his hand he frowned, he had bent the paper. Carefully he tried to smooth it against his chest. It seemed to take most of the crease out. Placing it under transparisteel in a frame would help as well. Walking into the bedroom, he set the filsmiplast on the empty dresser.

 

Later he would have it framed and hang it on the wall, next to it duplicates of his certificates and degrees. It felt good, knowing he was going to get them back. It felt good to be free and out of that place, to have a chance to finally practice again. It felt good to finally be in his own home.

 

 

AN

None, I can think of.

 

[frauzet]

“Considering the unusual circumstances of this morning, I would like to ask you some questions.”

 

“Like or will?” He continued to stare at her.

 

The corner of her mouth curled up in a small smile. “Will.”

 

I like his backbone!

I am looking forward to see him live on the ship and interact with the rest of the crew.

[Kitar]

Howdy folks!

*edit* I just noticed I have gotten over 5k views! Thanks guys and gals for hanging in there with me and reading. It is much appreciated! I hope everyone has been enjoying the story so far.

 

I now get to resume my regular posting schedule. I was going to post this tomorrow, but since I have so much to do and I have yet to figure out how to exactly clone myself, you get it today!

 

@Frauzet I like him too. I honestly think more people need to stand up to that Chiss.

 

Enjoy

 

Spoilers

You bet ya, for trooper story line. Referencing Aric's personal story line.

 

 

CHAPTER 64

 

 

 

Year 3635 Month 3 week 4

 

CORUSCANT

 

Numbly he walked one foot leading the other, carrying him away from the Senate Tower. He walked as if putting space between him and the massive building would in some way deaden the pain he was feeling. His feet stopped, in a haze he looked up, his apartment door slowly slid into focus before him. He stared at the faded neglected numbers, he had no recollection of the trip here but somehow he had managed the two taxi rides and walked the distance to his home.

 

His home, he shook his head, a bitter laugh on his lips. He clawed the door’s numberpad. Obediently it opened for him, he stared inside the doorway. A thick layer of dust covered everything, in the middle of the room the small mouse droid sat in a large pool of dried oil. “Perfect,” he muttered as he walked into the apartment, his feet disturbing the perfect layer of dust on the floor sending puffs and clouds of it into the stagnant air.

 

Carefully he stepped over the broken down droid and moved into the back of the apartment into his small bedroom. He tossed the datapad in his hand onto his dresser sending up a puff of angry dust. Clawed fingertips worked quickly to unfasten his leg armor, it dropped onto the floor in an indignant clunk, followed by his vambraces. He took more care with his breastplate and backplate, setting them gently onto the pile. He slowly ran his fingers over the almost hidden crest.

 

He sighed staring at it; Garza had seen it. The anger on her face barely contained. He had worn it on purpose to their debriefing, his unvoiced threat. Did she not believe him? It was a reminder of what he could do if she would not give him what he wanted. After all he had done, been put through, was it so terrible of him to ask and receive this one thing?

 

Apparently it was, he threw his gloves across the room, the wall denting under the impact. A long low growl poured out of his throat. He wanted his transfer out of Havoc the circumstances were perfect, they had just taken General Yara in … alive, his fists shook, the amount of force and coercion it took to prevent his insane C.O. from shooting him while he was in their custody appalled him. He had been approached by Major Torve to return to the Deadeyes. Being with the sniper unit would still be compromising but it would get him away from his C.O. and make things a lot easier concerning his relationship with Kit’ar. But no, he was to remain where he was.

 

His claws sunk into his undershirt, he ripped it to pieces, purposely shredding the Havoc emblem. Instead he had been given a promotion, a stupid metal, and a private dressing down. The General called after him ,ordering him to remain behind. She had handed him the datapad with a venomous smile. 'You belong with Havoc', remember your place, 'the Major would be devastated if you transferred to another unit', I will not deprive my favorite subordinate her plaything, 'the work you do with Havoc far outweighs anything you ever did at any other post', her lips twitched in a knowing smirk, your trapped.

 

An aggravated growl poured out of his throat as he began to pace. Why had he ever been so stupid as to expect a different outcome? He hadn’t not really, he knew the answer when he submitted the request. Growling he flopped on the bed coughing and waving his hand when the displaced dust clouds flooded the air. “Oh this is ridiculous,” he muttered, “but first.” He reached down stripping off his leg underarmor. Just wearing it was making his hide crawl.

 

Stalking he crossed the room, disturbed dust trailing behind in his wake. He stopped in front of his armoire, throwing the doors open he searched for clothing to wear when his eyes settled on her clothes. They had accidentally been packed in his bag. He joked he was going to keep them until she came to his apartment to collect them. He ran his finger over the thick soft black material, oh how he wished she could. He pulled the sleep pants off their hanger, they were too large for her but he loved them, they fit him perfectly. He pulled them on and smoothed the waist. Smiling he grabbed her robe and pulled it to his face, he buried his nose in the thick black silk. Inhaling deeply he grinned, stale ozone and muted herbs filled his senses, even after all this time he could still smell her. He slipped the black robe over his shoulders, sliding his arms in. Her smell again floated past his face as he smoothed the soft material against his bare chest. He raised the hood dr.a.p.ing it over his head, the ozone and herbs intensified.

 

His smile widened, as it always did when he was reminded of her. He stood still just savoring the rejuvenated scent that emanated from the robe. He wondered if she had any idea how calming she was on his nerves, perhaps she did which is why these old robes ended up accidentally packed in his overnight duffle.

 

Walking from the room, he headed in search of a drink, taking care to lift the robe when he stepped carefully over the mouse droid. “I’ll fix you in a second,” he muttered to the droid. Grabbing a rocks glass from the cabinet he noticed it was blessedly free from dust, he pulled the bottle of whisky down from its shelf and poured himself a full glass. Slamming the contents he refilled the glass as the whisky burned down his throat, the liquor’s warmth slowly spreading through his chest, taking the edge off the coldness that had settled there.

 

Knocking his head back he emptied the glass. Leaning against the counter he savored the liquid warmth that flowed down his throat. Refilling the glass, he took a sip and began rummaging through a drawer. Grabbing a sleek black case he snagged his glass with two fingers and picked up the bottle with other hand.

 

“Let’s see what happened to you,” he muttered as he knelt down by the droid. Setting his glass on the ground next to him he flipped the deactivated droid onto its boxy back and gently opened it up. “Odd,” he muttered. It looked as if the coolant hose had somehow worked itself loose causing the oil to empty almost immediately judging by the size of the dried slick. How did that happen, he scanned the room searching for any signs of disturbance. Frowning he turned his attention to the droid. He didn’t see any, but he was going to call in a favor from Jonas, last thing he wanted was a bugged apartment.

 

Reconnecting the hose he stood and walked to the kitchen area again, grabbed the bottle of oil from the drawer and returned to the droid. Kneeling, he carefully opened the lid on the coolant container and refilled it. Tightening the lid back into place he double-checked the hose’s connection, satisfied he replaced the bottom plate securing it with the small hydrospanner before slipping the tool back into its case. Clawed fingertips depressed the droid's restart button and he flipped the little mouse back onto its wheels.

 

It beeped and whirled to life in front of him. After its start up maintenance had concluded it chirped at him expectantly. “No,” he sighed, “not the Sith Lord.” He lowered the black hood slightly and sat back on his haunches. The droid beeped and whirled confirmation. “Yes,” he nodded, “her consort.” Happily the droid chirped, he gestured around the apartment, “slacking off a bit aren’t ya buddy?” The droid whined and rolled away, a neat dust free path formed behind it as it began cleaning the floor.

 

Sighing he picked up his glass, bottle and case. From the bedroom indignant beeping echoed, shaking his head he dropped the black case on the counter and headed to move the obstruction. As he passed the refresher he caught a glimpse of his reflection.

 

Pausing he stared at his reflection, he didn’t look like himself; no wonder the droid was confused. Draped head to toe in black, the dimly lit apartment amplified the darkness of the robes, his eyes glittered from the depths of the hood, he dropped his eyes suddenly unable to look at himself. Clenching the robe closed in his fist he continued into the bedroom.

 

The droid was cleaning in concentric circles around the pile of discarded durasteel armor, the shredded shirt was nowhere to be seen, probably picked up already. He tossed the armor onto the chair sending a cloud of dust into the air; the droid beeped its displeasure.

 

He pulled back the dust-covered coverlet and sank onto his mattress. Reaching over he retrieved his holoscreen remote and reclined back against the headboard. Pulling the robe tightly about himself he clawed the button, the dormant screen flickered to life. Taking a long drink he stared through the screen.

 

He honestly understood now why Tavus had defected, he never thought that would be possible. But it was, he sympathized with the man. Garza’s M.O. had not differed at all since then either, sending them on clandestine missions, without Senate approval or even their knowledge. He often wondered if they were going to get caught-up in their own Ando Prime. He knew if they did they would be cut loose, blamed if necessary. He took another drink from the glass draining it. Setting it on the nightstand he opened the bottle and took a long pull. She had already done it to him, blaming him for things set into motion beyond his control. He had been a fool he had actually thought being transferred into the squad had saved him, had he known what was in store for him he would have taken the court marshal and dishonorable discharge. Garza seemed to take apparent joy in keeping him trapped in the grips of Havoc.

 

He growled, he hated feeling this way. He pulled the black robe tighter. He was not truly trapped, he did have one escape clause, but it was final, absolutely no turning back once he set himself upon it. His head leaned back against the headboard staring at the ceiling; he had no one to talk this over with. He could not breathe a word of this to anyone on the ship and his friends, well, all of his friends were in Imperial Space and out of reach.

 

He knew what they would tell him as well, without even asking, they would tell him to defect. He knew he had a place with them. Fear held him back, fear of the repercussions, fear of their actions, he knew deep in his gut that the General and the Major would never let him go, they would make an example of him. They would delight in it and if they found out whose arms he defected into...

 

He wondered and not for the first time, how well his Sith Lord could protect him. He took another pull off the bottle, he set it down on the nightstand and wrapped his arms around himself. He buried his nose in his arms, inhaling. How he wanted her here, now. But he knew it was impossible, she was off fighting in the Outer Rim, fortifying the Empire’s position there. With a heavy sigh he tightened his grip. She had promised to help him, he had to be patient wait for her, he just hated being so isolated. It was wearing at him, he did not know how much longer he could hold on.

 

 

 

AN

I made up Yara, the good General Baxter Yara. I figured since the story has deviated from the one in game at this point, they would have different targets.

This is also an older one and if i remember correctly the prompt on this one was loneliness and solitude.

 

Edited May 8, 2018 by Kitar

[frauzet]

A quiet moment for Aric to gather his thoughts. It's both reasonable and painful to see him finally understand Tavus.

I like the way Aric cares for the mouse droid first, and I can't blame him for being suspicious. I am, too.

Looking forward to find out whether our worries are warranted!