Subject:  A little bit of everything - this is a free for all!  Did you read part 2?

Rating:  This part is definitely NC-17!

============================

===  Crysta Novelli  ===

===  Ziggy ===

    I stared on in shock as Obi-Wan's new vocabulary finally started to decrease in volume. This was absolutely amazing...not only was he drunker than I had ever seen him, but this was just ridiculous! I waited, silently, as he finally turned his attention to me.

   "And what do you have to say for yourself?" he growled and my eyebrows automatically shot up. Lando, who was in the crowd groaned and shook his head and a few knowing smugglers stepped back.

   "What?" I stammered, for once under control, well, somewhat.

   "You were off with two other men!!!! I thought I could trust you!"

   "Shut up, Kenobi," Corran Horn muttered from the crowd, but Obi didn't hear or chose to ignore him.

   "Excuse me, but I wasn't playing tonsil hockey all evening with some chick wearing a black handkerchief as a dress!!" I shot back.

   "Well...that's different!" he replied brilliantly after a moment's thought.

   "What? Why?" My eyes widened as I suddenly got it. "Oh...ohohoh...Obi-Wan, tell me, do you see any covered wagons around here?"

   "What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

    "Do you see any covered wagons? Do you see any pioneers building homesteads? Do I look like  Laura Ingalls to you? Am I wearing an apron and bonnet and churning butter? THIS IS NOT THE 1800S, JEDI, THERE'S A LITTLE THING CALLED EQUALITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

    "But you don't understand!!" Qui-Gon intervened tactfully, stepping between us before I could rip out Obi's braid with my bare hands.

    "Enlighten me," I snorted.

    "It's so hard to watch you with other men...you wouldn't know-"

     "Oh, that's right, I wouldn't know! I only fill out all the paperwork for every one of your 'business calls!' I only know every single woman you've ever catered to for this business! I've even gotten calls thanking the business telling me just how good you are to them! I only help you get laid every single day, and lord knows it isn't with me! But I wouldn't know..." I muttered darkly.

    "Be careful about your anger, or else-"

    "Yeah, I know, ooooh, scary darkside!" I interrupted to Qui-Gon's astonishment. "Stop changing the subject!!!! All I know is I help you get some seven days a week, and when we're together all we ever do is get it on or you ignore me!!!!" Not that I'm complaining about the sex because it is pretty good..." I added and both Jedi turned red as they realized that this discussion was being held in a public area.

    "Couldn't we discuss this..someplace else?" Qui asked.

    "No, Obi couldn't contain his outburst till someplace else, let's talk about this here and now! All I know is that you promised me an evening together and I've been by myself all evening, except for the people I've been socializing with get run off by my significant others when they deign to acknowledge my presence!"

   "You sound like you're doubting our sincerity..." Obi said, finally catching on.

   "Why yes, I believe I am!" I muttered sarcastically. "For the love of the Force, you say you love me, then you ignore me, or clone another person and urge me to have relations with him, then get mad about that, yes, Qui-Gon, I can tell you aren't pleased with me for that, I do have the Force, remember? But if you recall I wasn't the one that tied me to the bed and left the room! It seems like the only time you actually care about me is if you're apologizing for something...and I don't need that! If you really want to love me, fine...but you need to DO IT! SHOW ME, TELL ME, LET ME KNOW, because God knows I don't know it now!!!! If not, fine, I can handle it, but you'd better know now that I won't stay alone, waiting for you to come to your senses! What does it take for me to get your attention? A bullhorn? Human sacrifice? Do I have to turn to the Dark Side to get you to care about me, because I'll do it!!" I threatened, inwardly laughing at the shocked look on both their faces.

    "Do I have to buy you?" I asked, reaching into my garter belt and pulling out a roll of cash that I kept with me for business emergencies. "No...I suppose that would be just another job for you...then again, maybe that's all I am...a freebie until you can get to your clients," I growled, turning and stalking away.

   "Where are you going!?" Obi blurted suddenly. "You can't do something drastic!"

   "Actually I was going to go back to RaJ, soak in the tub, then decapitate all my Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan action figures, nice and slow..." I muttered, stopping. "Why, do you want me to wait so you can yell at me some more? Or are you just going to make me watch you have fun all evening?" I added, not turning around. "Or do you want me to watch over your drunken padawan?" I asked Qui-Gon, smiling as I pictured his face. "Or do you want me to soothe your ego?" I added. "Or maybe you'd like me to scrub the floor of your room or knit you an afgan!" I blurted, spinning around to face them, spotting Liz's face in the crowd...she looked like she was having the time of her life watching these exchanges!

  "If you would stop and think, you'd know that I'm crazy about you...I love you both with all my heart, not one more than the other, but both...if you'd stop acting like you're the only male on the planet," I told Obi-Wan before turning to Qui-Gon, "And if you'd realize that you're not the oldest man I've had a relationship with, maybe we could get somewhere!!!!"

  "What are you talking about?" Qui-Gon asked, confused.

  "Come on, Jareth was just turning 10,000 when I met up with him...you know, maybe he was better than you two...at least he took time to seduce me before trying to take advantage of the situation," I huffed, watching as that point struck home.

   "Now then...I'm just going to let you two do whatever the hell you want to with the rest of the evening...come on, Horn," I barked to Corran, who immediately fell into step beside me as I walked from the room. "I need you to take me to the blaster range," I told him, remembering what I could about NFR's features for the smuggler population. "I have the sudden urge to shoot something repeatedly..." I added, giving the dynamic duo one last look before stalking from the room.

===  Crysta Novelli  ===  (Kabira)

===  Gillian Taylor ===

If there is one universal constant, it is the stars.  When I was much
younger, I used to think that the stars followed me wherever I went,
offering me the comforting view of something familiar no matter what
planet I was on.  Now that I'm much older, I still feel as if the stars
are my friends and a universal constant.  True, the patterns that they
form might be strangers, the stars themselves are always familiar to
me.

Perhaps that's why I found myself outside on the porch after I danced
with Han.  Maybe I just needed something familiar.  With a sigh, I lay
down on the bench, my eyes searching the heavens for answers. 

"Why me?" I asked rhetorically, but the stars did not respond.  It
seemed as if the world was still going on even while mine had stopped.
I was captured in a moment of time where there was no one save for
myself and him.  I was lost in his gold flecked eyes, and I was lost in
the sea of feeling into which I had been tossed.

I saw something in Han's eyes that scared me.  I saw love and I turned
away.  "Gillian, you are a fool," I said softly, tears veiling my view
of the stars.  'Why did I turn from him?  Why am I so scared of this?'
I wondered, wanting to scream at the heavens with the strength of my
questions.  It was then that it dawned on me.

Fear.

I was afraid of my feelings for him, afraid of my love, and I was
afraid of losing control.  My greatest strength, and my greatest
weakness, was the need to remain in control of my emotions and
appearing strong to everyone else.  In my feelings for Han, I knew that
I could never be completely in control.  I was being tossed in a
violent sea and I had no idea how to make it to shore.

"Gill?" Crysta's voice was worried as she stepped out onto the patio.

"Over here," I said, silently damning the tremor in my voice from
unshed tears.

She sat down next to me, silently gazing down at my face before
speaking in a gentle tone, "Want to talk about it?"

A bitter laugh was my first response, "I'm assuming that you saw my
deplorable actions in there?"

Crysta shook her head, "I saw what happened, but I didn't see anything
deplorable about it."

"I turned away, Crysta...and..."  My voice disappeared into
inaudibility.  Damn me.  I couldn't even tell my best friend what was
happening in my mind and in my heart.  'She's got the Force,' a little
voice said sarcastically, 'She can just use that and find out how
messed up you are, Gillian.'

'Screw the Force.' I thought angrily, not angry at her, or at this
all-encompassing Force, but more at myself and my inability to tell her
what was going on in my head.  "I'm scared."  There.  Better?  'Far
from it, but a little better,' I thought in response to my own
question.

"Why?"

A simple question, yes, but it carried with it so many meanings...and
not all of them good.  A tear escaped my tenuous control to trace a
perilous course down my cheek, "I don't know.  Other than I'm one
screwed up person.  I found something in him and in me that scares me
half to death and I can't face it...I'm a coward."

"You are not a coward, and you are not screwed up," Crysta denied
strongly, "We all get scared sometimes..."

"Like this?  Pardon me if I say BULL," I said bitterly, "I'm so damned
screwed up..."

"Would you stop that?!" Crysta said, "I swear, one of these days, I'm
going to smack you if you say that again!"

I laughed lightly, it was true.  One of my biggest problems was that I
was always too hard on myself.  I'm a perfectionist, and I always put
myself under way too much pressure.  I sighed and nodded, "Maybe you
should.  But sometimes I wonder...I just...it SCARES me, Crys.  I think
that...no, I *know* that I'm head over heels for him.  Somewhere over
the past year I stopped belonging just to myself.  Just a few minutes
ago, I looked into myself and I saw HIM.  He's so much a part of me
that I wonder if I was ever really alone in here.  He's in my blood, in
every heartbeat, and deep in residence in my soul.  When did I stop
being just me?  When did I lose control?"  Ah the crux of the matter.
I had lost control and that, above all else, even above these emotions,
was what scares me the most.

"Gillian, why don't you tell him how you feel?"

I stopped cold.  My heart sped up to the point where I could feel every
heart beat thudding dully in my ears.  'Why don't I tell him?' I
repeated mentally.  'Fear.' I answered.  Fear that I'm going to be
ruining something that means so much to me.  I love him, yes, but I
value our friendship so much...what if I told him that and I lost him
as a friend?  What if I found out that he didn't love me?  What if I
found out that he hated me?  What would I do?  I'm not strong enough to
take his rejection...it would destroy me as surely as if I held a
blaster to my head.  All these thoughts and more passed through my mind
as I struggled to vocalize them, "Fear.  Fear that I'm going to be
ruining our friendship.  Fear that he won't love me back, fear of
rejection...Crysta, I'm not strong enough to take his rejection..."

"Sometimes Gill, you're so blind that it amazes me," Crysta said sadly,
"Didn't you think that he might be experiencing the same emotions that
you are?  That he might have the same doubts and fears that you do?
Gill, one of the best things about being in love is the lack of
control..."

"He deserves so much better than me.  What the hell do I have to offer?
Look at me, Crysta!" I sat up quickly, turning on the bench to face
her, "What is it about me that ANYONE like him could love?  Gee, I'm
pretty...baloney...gee, I've got a great personality...well, damnit, so
do a whole hell of a lot of people...wow, I've got a good sense of
humor...the damn thing's gotten me into more trouble than its worth..."
'GILLIAN TAYLOR WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?' I yelled at myself,
'WOULD YOU STOP THIS DAMN HUMBLE BULLCRAP?  Just BITE YOUR TONGUE!'   

"Dammit, Gillian!" she snapped.  "I swear - between you and Selah..."
she shook her head, and then stared directly into my eyes. 

"Gillian, you are *not* a chicken.  You are one of the bravest people
I've ever known, and if you don't stop acting like this, I'm going to
smack you.  You love him.  So do something about it!  Are you going to
be any happier running from your feelings for the rest of your life?
Are you going to sit here and watch him be with everyone but you?"

'Bullshit,' I thought, but a growing majority of me was agreeing with
everything that she was telling me.  But what the hell could I do to
tell him?  I don't want to go up to him and say, 'Hi Han, I love you.'
I'd probably run away if I did...But I wouldn't be happy living without
sharing this...

"No, you're not," she continued.  "You're going to talk to him.  You're
going to lose control of the situation for the moment, because if you
don't do it now, you really *will* lose control, and I'm not going to
sit here and let that happen.  Got it?"

"Yes Sergeant Novelli, SIR!" I mock saluted, but I agreed with her.
She was right.  I NEEDED to do something about this before it tore me
apart. 

"Crysta...um...would you?" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me
and my entire body tingled from head to toe as I registered his
presence.  Control HAD been taken from me...perhaps I never *did* have
that control. 

"Of course," Crysta said, giving me an encouraging smile before she
left the porch.

Han took her place beside me, staring into my eyes as he did so,
"Gill...um...I..."

The chorus from an old song came to my mind as I watched his face as he
struggled to tell me what was on his mind.

      What if I told you?  What if I said?
      That I love you.  How would you feel? 
      What would you think? What would we do?
      Do we dare to cross that line between your heart and mine?
      Would I lose a friend or would I find a love that would never end?

My eyes drifted close for a moment as I came to a decision.  My life.
My love.  *I* would do this.  For both of us.  I raised a trembling
hand to his cheek, gently tracing the line of his jaw, "What would you
say if I told you...what's going on in my heart?"

He pressed his cheek into my hand, his eyes darkening for a moment as
he looked at me, "I hope that its the same thing that's going on in
mine."

Three words.  Three simple words..."I love you," they were a whisper on
my lips as tears fell from my eyes, blurring him from me.

I heard a choked sob before I was crushed against him, his arms tight
around me as he kissed my hair, my forehead, my eyelids...and he looked
deep into my eyes and whispered the same words back to me, before
pressing his lips gently against mine.

A low moan escaped my control when he pulled away, seeking permission
in my gaze before going any further.  Finding it, he returned, his
tongue seeking entrance to my mouth and I gave it with a shaking sigh.
I had never been kissed in this manner before...and it was wonderful.
My own tongue began to war with his as I sought to taste every part of
him.  He tasted of wine, honeyed and sweet, and he tasted of the
outdoors, wild and free.  He tasted of love, hot and passioned and all
mine.  The tears poured freely from my eyes as I pulled him closer to
me, as if by our closeness I could bring him into me, to show him just
how much a part of me he was.

We parted reluctantly and a soft smile crossed my face as I rested my
forehead against his.  His thumb reached upwards to wipe away my tears,
"Why are you crying?"

"I found you," I said simply, and it was enough.

Above us, the stars continued to twinkle in the darkness of the sky,
but I thought that they were shining a little brighter tonight. 
Perhaps they were.  After all, their friend found love under their light.

===  Amy Toric ===

As soon as I got inside the NFR opening gala, I ran straight to the
bar, and ordered a drink. Plopping down on a stool I let out a sigh.
I had gotten in easily, despite the fact I didn't have an invitation.
I had also been lucky in the fact that there weren't security guards,
with weapons scanners at the doors.
Taking a chug of my drink, I wiped the foam off my mouth and felt my
head spin. Wondering just what the hell was in the glass, I eyed the
bartender suspiciously. He just flashed me a smile and continued
about his work so I paid him no mind. Besides, my alcoholic tolerance
was quite high, I'd be fine.
Spinning around, I scanned the room, and felt as if I would start to
laugh. Drunken men were everywhere, running around screaming odd
slogans…and I curiously wondered what tribbles were. Looking past the
loaded Tie Fighter Pilots shooting candy hearts around I spotted the
man I was here for. Boba Fett.
Taking another swig, I casually stared at him, pretending to do so
appreciatively. He was standing near a table where a Pictionary game
set was thrown around. Studying him, I grinned. He wasn't wearing all
his usual weaponry. I knew there were a few surprises in that
Mandalorian armor of his, but it wouldn't be anything I couldn't
handle. After all, I was an assassin and a bounty hunter, I was paid
to be able to `handle it'. And with the bounty on his head, I was
prepared to handle just about anything.
Even the drunken slob who began hitting on me tenaciously. I finally
looked at him, and realized it was Ghent, one of my old `associates'.
Ok, so we had fucked a few times. We still tried to be professional.
He suddenly realized who I was exactly, and asked amazed, "Amy! What
are you doing here?! Don't tell me you're looking for a man…" he said
amorously.
"Sorry Romeo, I'm here strictly for business purposes," I said,
taking another drink.
I saw his expression change to disappointment, "Who are you here for?"
"Fett," I whispered.
He started laughing maniacally, and I smacked him. He looked at me
with a hurt look, and ran off, starting to cry. Funny, I never
realized how similar Ghent was to a woman. But, as soon as he
disappeared into the crowd I had forgotten him. I needed to
concentrate on the task at hand. Look like I'm getting wasted. Then
get Fett.
Scanning the room further I saw various couples dragging each other
towards vacant rooms. I spotted another old `associate' the infamous
Prince Xizor. I had done a few jobs for him, and afterwards he had
tried to seduce me.
I had come onto him so fast he didn't even get a chance to use those
queer chemicals he had, and I had him screaming like a howler monkey
as soon as I got him in bed. I found myself laughing, just as Xizor
spotted me. He gave me a dashing smile, and continued to leave the
room with a woman who would no doubt be hitting the sack with him
shortly.
After another half hour of sitting around, and drinking more and
more, Fett finally made his way towards me. Standing a few stools
down, he ordered a drink, and I happily noticed that his walk was a
little more than wobbly. He was getting tipsy.
His gaze went down the bar, and landed on me. Giving him my most
devious smile, I raised my glass to him, and spilled some on the
floor as if I was totally wasted.
His voice sounded a little different than usual, "I like your dress."
"Thanks handsome," I cooed. Ugh, I felt as if I were going to make
myself sick.
I watched him look me up and down. And I again looking down at my
dress. I thanked the gods for my cleavage, and pale skin that looked
as if I had never seen the light of day. It was a rich silky black
number, that hugged my stocky curves in all the right places. I hated
dresses, and usually looked huge in them, but tonight, I actually
looked good.
I tossed my head sideways, my brown curly hair flopping along with
it, and turned up the drunkenness, "So, you work here?"
He nodded, and moved closer towards me, "Yes."
I remembered he wasn't big on conversation, so I just smiled, "What's
your name?"
"Fett."
"Amy Toric," I said seductively, jutting out my hand. He shook, it
and I heard him sigh,  "If you'll excuse me," he said politely, and
he headed off. I spun my stool, following his motion, and shouted,
"Hey Fett!"
He stopped, and looked over his shoulder slightly.
"Nice ass!" I yelled. Everyone stopped and looked at me, and I just
grinned.
I could have sworn I heard him chuckle as he walked away from me.
As soon as all attention was drawn from me, I spun back facing the
bar and slouched onto the bar. This ditzy shit was making me want to
vomit. I hated acting like men could take advantage of me. I was the
one who was supposed to be in control… make them cry for their
mommies.
I was brought out of my thoughts when I felt a furry hand tap my bare
shoulder.
I spun around, and saw that it was the Mighty Chewbacca. I stifled a
laugh, as he growled a question. Easily understanding Wookie, I knew
he wanted to dance with me.
Thank God I'm wearing platforms, I thought as he pulled me onto the
dance floor.
But I was still tiny compared to him. Without the platforms I was
only 5'6, with them I was 5'8. But, I reflected that even though I
felt like a jackass at the moment for being in the arms of a Wookie.
I reminded myself. I would never see any of these people again.
Besides, since I was short, no one ever expected a short assassin.
Besides, I couldn't wait to pry Fett's helmet off his cold dead body,
and see the real man behind the mask. So it was worth pretending to
be wasted.

After all, the more drunk people think you are, the more surprised
they'll be when you blow their head off.

===  Crysta Novelli ===

===  Fire Fox ===

Going to my mailbox,I found an envelope for a party at a building just down
the way.
        Walking back into my house,I perused my closet for a party dress.      
*No time like the present to make friends* I thought to myself.        
Finally deciding on a short emerald-green dress with matching shoes,I got
myself ready to have some fun.      Brushing my auburn hair back into a
clip,that could be undone later if need be.     Walking to the address,I took
a deep breath grabbed the handle and went in.       I went over to the bar
and got a non-alcoholic drink and just watched everyone for a bit.         
Finishing my drink,I got another one and just walked around getting used to
the atmosphere of the party.  

===  Raven Ostego === 

Fett led Raven to his quarters, his arm around her waist gently as they strolled down the hall. Its about time this has happened, Raven thought to herself. Ive been flirting shamelessly with Fett for years now. Raven shook her head, mumbling softly to herself.

Is something wrong?

No, nothing. Just thinking. The two stopped in front of a door, which Fett opened. He held it open, allowing Raven to enter first.

Thinking about what? Fett stepped into the room behind Raven, closing the door behind him.

Just that weve known each other for a long time now, and you have to have noticed that I have this thing for you, and well, why are you doing this now? Fett showed her to his simple bed, helping her to sit on the edge. Raven crossed her legs and turned to face Fett.

Well, perhaps its because Im bored. Fett sat down next to her. Or maybe Im drunk. His hand went around her waist. Or maybe I just decided that know was the best time to show you how I feel about you Both his arms encircled her and pulls her close. Raven moved her hands to take off his helmet, but Fett stopped her. Im sorry, but

I understand, Fett. But then how will y- Raven was silenced as a strip of black silk was pulled out from behind Fetts back. Gently he tied it around her head, blindfolding her. Mmmmm, kinky Fett.

Im glad you approve. There was a brief noise of Fett removing some of his armor, then the soft touch of lips to her as Raven melted into Fetts kiss. She sighed into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck. As their lips parted, Fett carefully guided Raven down onto the bed. You know that Im a highly moral man.

Yeah, Ive been trying to corrupt you Smiling, Raven kissed him again.

I believe that two should only make love when it is love that causes them to do so Ravens mouth hung open for a moment, only to be covered with Fetts in another passionate, earth-shaking kiss. Her head spinning, Raven could think of nothing else to do but respond to his kiss

===  Jenny Dare ===

NFR RR: Imperial Tryst
by: Jenny Dare
Rating: hard NC-17 for language and smut!

Stiletto pumps were definitely not climbing shoes, I thought to myself
ridiculously as I swung my leg over the sill of the open window on the side
of the No Force Rentals building. The price of wishing to be unnoticed, I
silently replied to my previous musing, and I ducked my head into the hall.
Planting both heels firmly into the floor on the inside, I stood tall and
stretched, shimmying my hips and pulling at the hem of the short velvet
dress which stretched snugly over my hips. Catching sight of a full length
mirror on the wall, I moved in front of it, straightening the fringe that
hung along the bottom of my dress, and making sure there was no leaves or
branches clinging to me.

Good, I thought with one last look. No one will ever know.

I made my way toward the din of the party, making friendly but demure eye
contact with anyone I came across, blending into the crowd gradually, my
eyes scanning the guests all the while, in search of one certain Imperial
commander. I stopped short in my tracks when I glimpsed his familiar form on
the other side of the bustling room.
Grand Moff Tarkin, stood alone near the wall, looking very formal and
somewhat out of place among all the party-goers. He donned his full uniform,
decorations and all, his presence an intimidating and commanding sight to
behold. He stood straight, as if observing his officers, his hands clasped
behind his back, his expression hard and condescending. There wasn't a
chance of anyone daring to approach him with a stance like that, and in
fact, it seemed like he was being completely ignored by all the guests.

Time for that to change.

I walked toward him, my strides long and direct. My eyes burned into him,
their stare intense, and he looked up to see from where such a glare was
being issued. Once he saw me, he glanced away nonchalantly, not looking at
me again even after I was within touching range. I took up residence at his
side, coolly observing the crowd as if he weren't even there. Finally, I
spoke.

"Governor," I began, my voice clipped.

"Good evening madam," he replied curtly.

"I see that you're well," I said,  the tension beginning to build.

"Quite well," he answered. We still hadn't made eye contact, standing
aloofly next to each other as the party raged around us.

"A word, if you will," I said, and this time turned to look at him. He cast
me a sideways glance and said nothing, but I could feel him following me as
I walked away from the mass of people.

I wanted to be seen by as few eyes as possible, so I led him down a hallway
and out of the other guests' view. Suddenly, I felt his hand clench around
my arm and before I knew it I was pulled inside a large coat closet and
drawn into a tight, suffocating embrace. Before I could protest, even if I'd
wanted to, his mouth covered mine and my words were sucked away in a heated
kiss. He tasted faintly of brandy, from the drink he'd no doubt been
indulging in before I arrived. I sank back into the leather of someone's
jacket as I was sandwiched between the wall and his body, the delicious
feeling of his huge hands beginning to tug and pull feverishly at my dress.
I arched against him, grinding into his hips and raising my leg up to bend
against his side. He fisted his hand in my hair and scratched down my back,
hard.

His hand moved along my side to brush under the fringe of my dress, feeling
the top of my stockings and trailing his fingers over the inside of my
thigh. A low groan of satisfaction rumbled in his throat as he reached up
further. Thigh-high stockings. No panties. Just how I knew he liked it.

With his one hand beginning it's probing exploration down south, his other
hand reached inside the top of my dress, moaning again into my mouth as he
cupped my bare breast. No bra. Easy access. I had come prepared.

His head bent against my neck as he trailed biting kisses along my shoulder,
the hot, slippery flicker of his tongue making me ache with desire. There
was a savage scrape on my flesh as he caught the spaghetti strap of my dress
between his teeth and eased it down my arm. With skilled precision, I
unlatched his belt and it fell to the floor. I could already feel the
bulging length of his cock straining impatiently against his trousers, and I
reached to unzip them and slipped my hand beneath his briefs, clutching him
in my hand. So large. So stiff. He was fully erect, the swollen tip of his
cock coated with sticky wetness. As I held his shaft in my fist and circled
my thumb around the engorged head, I wondered if he would come in my hand
right then and there.

He wasn't about to give in so easily.

As I unbuttoned the fasten on his pants and shoved them off his hips
impatiently, he reached around my hips and hooked his hands under my rear,
pulling me close. I hopped up in response, and he caught my weight against
him, levering me between the wall and his body. His strength always startled
me. At a glance, one would never expect a man of Tarkin's age and appearance
would have the physical prowess and might that he did. But the drive of lust
and the heat of the moment had us both captured, and now the length of his
cock slid teasingly against my slippery nether lips, and I became blissfully
aware of the fact that he was about to fuck me right up against the wall of
the coat closet.

Our bodies clashed together at the same moment, my reactive tilt to his
stabbing first thrust, burying him full to the hilt on the first stroke. I
cried out loudly despite of myself, in blatant disregard of my attempt to be
discreet, and when a gasping moan escaped his lips I knew he was right there
with me in his level of desire. I hooked my arms over the coat bar for
leverage and he pulled me in rhythm, on and off his ramrod straight shaft,
as if I were weightless, as if I were merely a toy in his strong and
commanding hands. Each thrust touched me deep inside, the lock of my ankles
around his back assuring the depth of angle which was all at once painful
and searingly wonderful. My dress was bunched up around my waist, a silly
mass of burgundy velvet and fringe. He bent his head to play his tongue
about my nipples, making my head spin with the erotic sensation of being
ravished.

It was a short ravishing, to be sure.

Within a minute or two I could already feel the numbing tension in my
thighs, was already beginning to cry on the impact of each thrust as he
impaled me on his delicious, thick cock. His breath was coming in gasps, and
I opened my eyes just in time to see him shut his own eyes tight, his mouth
open as he bucked and stilled deep within me, the creeping heat of his
climax touching off my orgasm. I could hear the distant sound of footfalls
in the hallway but I didn't care; didn't care if the person outside the door
would hear us, would see us, would come inside to join us. Nothing mattered
but the ripping ebbs of my muscles and the throbbing twitch of his cock
inside me.

His lips found mine again and I moaned an impassioned "mmm…mmm…" into our
kiss, squeezing him tightly, hoping that he interpreted my passionate
embrace as a reaction to our tryst and not recognizing the sentimental
relief that was actually there.

"It's been so long…" he whispered harshly into my ear.

"Damn you," I seethed as we rocked together in time with his final thrusts,
"I thought you were dead."

"Escape pod at the last second," he replied, a bit winded. "Almost died
anyway, from the concussion of the explosion."

"Bastard," I said, "don't scare me like that."

"Oh, I'm so warmed. You have such an endearing quality of language when you
speak to me. I hardly knew you cared."

"I don't," I spat, biting hard against his shoulder, "It's just that there's
so many better places to go down...than with the ship." I flashed him a
wicked smile as his eyes met mine and he growled an evil chuckle.

The strength of his muscles was becoming fatigued by then, and he lifted me
off him and to the floor, where my legs were unsteady after being suspended
and wrapped around him during our encounter. I could still feel the warm
ebbing of my inner walls, could feel the emptiness of the space he'd
occupied within me, and I already ached to have him refill that void. In the
heat of the afterglow, I threw my arms around his neck, reaching up to kiss
his mouth once again, the hot, slick rub of his now semi-erect member
pressing intimately against my belly.

"And so it comes to this," I said with a hiss, pulling my dress back into
place, "whoring yourself to the highest bidder?"

"Well, so far you are the first and only bidder my dear." He had already
replaced his uniform to its prim and proper state, and was tightening the
belt about his waist.

"I shouldn't have paid so much," I mused. He looked up and cocked an
eyebrow.

"Tonight my services are free."

"Like I said," I replied brazenly. He gave me a spiteful frown and looked
down on me, his head titling back in defiance. I turned away from him.

"I have to go," I said, reaching for the closet door. I felt his hand grasp
around my wrist, coming dangerously close to the intimate touch of his hand
against mine.

"Wait," he said, "why do you have to leave so quickly?" I looked down to his
hand, then up to his cold, battle-hardened eyes.

"Why does it matter? I only wanted to see if it was true that you were
actually working here. I see that it is, and now I have to go." It took a
lot of will to pull my wrist from his grip.

"Can I see you later?" He asked. A sweeping ping of excitement rushed
through me and a voice inside bellowed Gods yes! Yes, yes, yes!! I had a
fleeting thought of being thankful that he wasn't a Jedi, and wouldn't be
able to hear that deafening scream inside my mind.
I managed to pause for a moment before I answered.

"I'm not sure," I said. "Perhaps. If I have time...later. Perhaps. For now,
goodbye." As I grabbed the knob on the closet door, again I felt the touch
of his grip, and I turned to see him pull my hand to his lips and kiss the
back of it, looking at me directly.

"I do look forward to the next time," he said, his accent sending a chill
through me. His tongue slipped out and twirled a circle on my skin, his eyes
shutting as he sucked the back of my hand gently, then released me. Not
missing a beat, I walked purposefully out of the closet, from the room, down
the hall and across the throng of party-goes, never daring to look back,
lest I never leave.

===  Crysta Novelli ===

===  Ziggy ===

My eyes narrowed as I gazed upon the two figures in front of me. It wasn't a matter of anger or revenge...it was past that. Now, it was need. Letting the fire of the impulse take me, I slowly raised the hefty weapon and took aim, caring nothing for the images of the two Jedi that were in the room. Taking a deep breath I lined up my aim, letting the Force guide my actions as my hand suddenly squeezed the trigger and the action figures of the Jedi Master and his Padawan were struck by red bolts that instantly erupted into flame when they touched the plastic, erupting into miniature bonfires. I kept squeezing, watched numbly as bolt after bolt found their mark.

      "Okay, HEY, I think they're dead!!" a voice at my side said, and with a sigh I eased off the trigger and lowered the bowcaster. Shaking his head, Corran gave a low whistle as he surveyed the vaporized figures. Slowly, he walked over and plucked up the Obi-Wan figure, that was nothing more than a leg. Turning swiftly, I fired, and Horn yelped as he dropped the plastic appendage before the bolt took out his hand along with the plastic remains. "Hey, I like my hand, if it's all the same to you...better?" he asked after I relaxed slightly and I shrugged.

      "I dunno...it would feel nice if I could do that in person, but I'm not too cold-blooded," I muttered, shaking my head as I handled the weapon absently.

      "I think I'm just going to put the safety on that..." he said, swiftly reaching in to flick the switch. "Where in the world did you learn to handle a bowcaster, anyway?"

         "It's not too hard...just point and shoot..." I replied, not really paying much attention. If only I could really let out what was bothering me...however, Corran was not the one that needed to hear it.

      I was so lost in my own little world, the Force immediately took control as I sensed a new presence behind me. Without thinking, only reacting, I used it to flick the safety off and turned, firing immediately. The bolt just missed Obi-Wan's ear by an inch. He stared, dumbfounded at me for a few moments before speaking.

      "Okay...I guess that answers my question if you're still angry..." he murmured, pausing to put on what was meant to be a charming grin. When I didn't react, it faded.

      "I thought you were inebriated, or was that just pretending, too?" I asked, turning away.

      "Okay...uh, I think I'm gonna leave you two to talk...and take this thing with me," Corran sighed, swiftly plucking the weapon out of my grip before leaving the room. I sighed and waited, hoping Obi-Wan would take the hint to leave. I didn't really want him to, but I didn't know what to say, what to do, where to start.

      "I'm sorry," that soft, accented voice whispered in my ear and I tensed as I took a step out of his range.

      "For this time? For everything? You'll have to be more specific..." I paused, then sighed, letting my head fall into a hand. "Maybe this just won't work...I know nothing about this sort of thing...maybe it's time to call it off-"

      "No." Before I could move his arms were would tightly around my waist.

      "Obi-"

      "No, I know I don't want that, and neither does Qui-Gon. But...what do you want?" he asked softly, his fingertips lightly stroking my arms. "You don't have to be afraid to tell me..." he encouraged gently and my breath flew out in a rush as I thought how to put it into words.

      "I want...I want to know you love me...that it isn't just lust, or convenience...I want to know that I'm really, truly loved...I want something like what Luke and Crys have, not Luke, but the same sort of relationship..." I quickly added as I felt his arms constrict. "I don't want to feel miserable all the time...I want to know I can trust and believe you, and that you won't forget about me every time something interesting walks across your field of vision. I want to know that every time I think of you, you love me, every time I look at you you feel the same way about me...maybe I'm just foolish..."

      "Or maybe I'm just stupid..." the padawan sighed, turning me around slowly. "I've been taking our relationship for granted, taking you for granted...I've been letting this job go to my head," he said slowly, his eyes not meeting mine. "In doing so I may not have reached the dark side, but I let something far worse happen...I hurt you," he murmured, glancing up briefly as the icy mass inside me slowly began to melt, but much more warily this time. "I let you think that you meant nothing to me, when that's the furthest thing from the truth...I hurt you and so I've hurt a part of myself that I haven't thought about for a while...the part of me that's truly, solely yours-"

      I turned away again, not sure whether to trust him or not when he quickly ran in front of me and gripped me by the shoulders. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true...I'm yours, Selah, yours only when it comes down to it...I want to be with you, I want you to be happy...not just sexually, but wholely happy," he added, his stormy grey-green eyes latching on to mine and not letting go. "And I am very, very, *very* sorry for all the pain I've caused you, that we've caused you..." he whispered, his eyes taking on a completely apologetic and repentant look, and I absolutely couldn't deny the sincerity of the expression, or his Force sense.

      "I..." was all I could muster as my hand slowly reached up to brush against his cheek. He grasped it in his hand immediately and sighed, running it over his cheek before bringing it to his lips. "I forgive you...but things need to change," I said finally, and he nodded. "I suppose, that if we can start acting like a real item...I suppose I'll find it in my heart to be your *woman* again," I said slyly, smirking as he winced.

      "Remind me never, ever to drink ever *again,*" he moaned, shaking his head and finally chuckling as he saw my grin.

      "Well..." I replied deadpan as I wound my arms round his neck, "I can't imagine why...you acted perfectly natural for a swearing, redneck Jedi," I purred, then cracked up at his face.

      "Come here you," he laughed before his lips descended on mine, and I sighed at the gentle tenderness of the kiss.

      "What am I going to do with you?" he sighed as we pulled away.

      "Love me to pieces and stop acting like a brat," I retorted and shrieked as his hands immediately sought my stomach. I hate to admit it, but I'm pathetically ticklish and he knew exactly how to use it to his advantage. "Stop!!! Stop!! STOP!!!" I bellowed as I suddenly grabbed his arms and threw him over my head so he landed flat on his back.

      "Wow...when did you learn that little maneuver?" he asked, gazing up at me in stunned admiration.

      "Chewie thought I needed to learn how to defend myself...he taught me a few moves," I chuckled, grinning as I straddled his stomach and sat down gently. "So...does Qui feel the same way or is he never going to speak to me again?" I asked when we had sobered.

      "I lost track of him after he purged the alcohol from my system..." Obi said, frowning. "He's moody...upset, distressed, caught up about something and anything-"

      "So basically he's going through menopause?" I asked and laughed as Obi stuck his tongue out at me. "Is he mad because I'm his boss? I could see where that could irk him...or maybe it's the age difference...or maybe he's just tired of me, or maybe-"

      "-you're rushing ahead of yourself and need to calm down," Obi finished.

      "I'm worried about him," I sighed, allowing the padawan to stand.

      "Me, too...but there isn't much we can do unless he lets us..."

     
      "Are you sure he's not just tired of me?" I asked quietly, looking away.

      "If that was the case, then he wouldn't have been slaving away on this with me for nothing," Obi replied, crossing to the doorway of the room where a small, cloth-wrapped parcel lay.

      "What is it?" I asked, frowning thoughtfully.

      "And here I thought you were a little brighter than that...it's your valentine," he chuckled, ducking before I could whack him. "And I want to thank you for the robe you left on my bed....you made it yourself?" he asked and I nodded. I had done a blue one for him and green for Qui-gon and had begun to wonder if either of them had noticed. "Go on...open it," Obi urged, closing my hands around the package. "We both worked hard on it, and no matter how moody my master gets, I know he wants you to have it..." he reassured me as I hesitantly began to unwrap it.

      My jaw dropped as the cloth fell away, exposing something truly touching and beautiful. "A-are you sure you want me to have this?" I asked, my hands trembling slightly as I fully exposed the gift. "I thought I was supposed to make my own..."

      "But you're going to need something to train with, whenever that happens," the padawan replied, smiling as I inspected the lightsaber with loving eyes and hands. It was perfect...the blade was adjustable, the handle fit into my grip like it always had been in my hands, and when I finally gathered enough courage to turn it on I gasped at the low hum, and the perfect violet blade.

      "Qui-Gon cut the crystal, himself..." Obi-Wan murmured, smiling at my reactions. "And I did the handle..." he added as I extinguished the blade and continued my inspection of the weapon, a lump forming in my throat as I found the inscription in the handle's base. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it...May love shine ten times brighter than the light," I whispered, reading, smiling at the initials beneath the inscription.  "It...it's absolutely perfect and I love it," I managed before I threw myself into his arms.

      "So are we better?" he asked after a few moments of stroking my hair. "I know things aren't perfect yet...but you aren't going to use that bowcaster on us, are you?" he asked and I rolled my eyes at his grin.

            "No, I think I'll wait with that until the next time you call me your woman..." I laughed, grinning at his face. "Come on...care to go back to the party?" I asked, wrapping my arms round his.

      "Oh, I suppose so, here, you'll need this," he added, pulling a belt out of the cloth that had held the lightsaber and carefully securing it round my waist before clipping the weapon in place. "Perfect...now let's go burn up that dance floor," he suggested as we left the room

===  Ziggy ===

Dedication: To Crys and Gill, my partners in crime, lol!



I sighed and pulled closer to Obi-Wan as we made our way across the dance floor, totally caught up in each other. It was so different than what I was used to, but it was so nice. I nearly purred as his hand migrated along my back, his thoughts gently stroking my mind, constantly reassuring me. I paused momentarily at the song that suddenly started playing, a gentle melody from the eighties that isn't really considered one of Bowie's best...at just under two minutes it's barely a filler on the album, but it's a lovely little piece that I've always liked.

      Just when I'm ready to throw in my hand
      Just when the best things in life are gone
      I look into your eyes

      There's no smoke without fire
      You're exactly who I want to be with
      Without you
      What would I do?


      I gasped as Obi dipped me suddenly, his lips just grazing mine as I was set back on the dance floor. I couldn't breathe...those eyes practically smothered me, but the funny thing was that air didn't seem to be such a big deal anymore. We twirled round the floor as the instrumental break surged through the speakers and I couldn't help but lean into him as the second verse began to play.

      And when I'm willing to call it a day
      Just when I won't take another chance
      I hold your hand

      There's no smoke without fire
      Woman I love you
      Without you
      What would I do?

      I nearly choked with suppressed at the 'Woman I love you line,' only because of what he had yelled while he had been inebriated. He raised an eyebrow and grinned before slowly leaning his face down to mine, his breath warming my lips before the softness of his mouth met my skin...

      We jumped back suddenly as the doors to the room slammed open and Jaxom and his gang of fighter pilots entered, sporting dart guns.

      "WE ARE CONQUERING THIS PARTY!!!!!" he bellowed, spraying darts everywhere. I about died as one landed smack in the middle of Obi's forehead! The padawan  rolled his eyes, not amused, as he pulled the dart off his skin, grimacing as he noticed the light sheen of saliva on the suction cup.

      "That is just disgusting..." he muttered darkly before tossing the thing over his shoulder, shuddering as he wiped the spit off his head. Guests shrieked as darts flew everywhere, the TIE pilots somehow having a never-ending supply. It was then that I spotted Gill and Han entering, together!!!! Although her pleasant expression lasted all of two seconds when she saw the pilots.

      It was at that moment that the Rogue pilots entered from the other room entrance sporting plastic lightsabers.

      "NO, WE WON'T LET YOU CONQUER THIS PARTY!!!!" they bellowed, their plastic sabers waving as they tried to deflect the darts, the sabers flailing like baseball bats.

      "You know...I like the real thing, better," I murmured slyly to Obi who could only shake his head at the surrealness of the whole situation.

      "THAT IS NOT HOW JEDI ACT!!!" Obi tried to yell, but was cut off as a plastic saber 'accidentally' knocked him across the head.

      "Whoa, sorry bout that Kenobi!" Wes shouted, not looking particularly apologetic as he whacked party guests and deflected darts.

      "Is this how Jedi act? 'Do me you must, in heat I am!" a TIE pilot said in a bad imitation of Yoda. I about died upon hearing it, putting it in the category of things I never needed to hear and must work overtime to forget.

      "Um...nice party," I said as encouragingly as I could to Gill as she and Han wandered over. She rolled her eyes and tried not to turn colors as the pilots battled it out from across the room.

      "Allow me," Han said before she could disembowel someone. "THE NEXT PERSON WHO FIRES A DART OR WHAPS ANYONE WITH A SABER WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH MY WOOKIE!!!!" he bellowed and all chaos immediately stopped.

      "Sorry, Solo, but none of us swing that way!" Jaxom yelled out, raucous laughter following his comment. Before the smuggler could reply, the rowdy pilots ran out of the room to put the weapons into a safe hiding place.

      "How much have they been drinking?" I asked, shaking my head in astonishment.

      "Probably not more than your MAN!! here, though," Gill said wickedly, causing Obi to turn crimson.

      "Aw, ya just need to know how to deal with em," Han said, grinning. At that moment Jaxom ran by us, then screeched to a stop.

      "And you need to know how to deal with the claaaaaaaaaaawww!!" he said, putting out his hand like he was about to scratch someone like a cat. Laughing, he sped off down the hallway.

      "Do I even want to know what that was about?" I asked Gill.

      "I know I don't!" she replied, shaking her head as the party slowly wound down to semi-normal.

     

===  Ziggy ===

        I sighed as things slowly calmed down, content to sway against Obi-Wan, even if part of me was worried as to Qui-Gon's whereabouts.

      "He'll turn up...he's good at taking care of himself," Obi assured me as the music began to get a little wilder. I gasped as he suddenly ground his hips against mine, his hands drifting to my waist to guide my  movements as his eyes glittered as they looked at me. The lightsaber hanging from my hip smacked against both our sides in time to the music and just to be cruel I pressed into him, rubbing against him in rhythm to the song, then backed away only slightly, so that my dress was just brushing his skin.

    "Later...I don't want to rush anything this time," he murmured in my ear, though his voice was strained and he couldn't help giving my earlobe a fleeting nip.

    Before I could respond the music was replaced by a wild, jungle-esque piece, complete with tribal chanting. Obi and I frowned and looked at each other, then turned to where Gill and Han were dancing beside us.

   "Gill, I didn't know this was a theme party," I said, smiling slightly.

   "It isn't," she growled, calming only slightly at Han's hand on her shoulder.

   "Then what in the world-" Obi started, but his voice was interrupted as the doors slammed open again, and the TIE pilots reemerged dressed as...

   "Oh. My. Lord. They didn't..." I managed, my jaw slack. Glancing over to the others, I found that Gill was quickly turning purple, Han was stammering, and even Obi looked stunned.

  "Why...why...WHY!?" Han managed.

  "I think what he's asking is why in the world are they dressed in a giant anaconda suit?!" I managed, watching as the pilots paraded around the room in the thing, looking like some demented Chinese dragon celebration.

  "HEY BOSS, WE JUST SAW THE BEST MOVIE!!!!!" Jaxom shouted as the 'anaconda' tried to wrap around various guests.

  Gill groaned and attempted to escape, but Han grabbed her round the waist and refused to let go. I jumped back away from Obi as the pilot snake headed our way, shaking my head and laughing at the weirdness of the whole thing. My ears perked as I noticed a most interesting conversation going on between a group of smugglers in a corner.

  "So I was sent to get this for the Jedi council...the pay is pretty decent...all I've got to do now is deliver this," Dash Rendar was saying to a group of Corellians.

  "What is it?" one of the others asked. "The council doesn't invest in smugglers often."

  "Tell me about it, but for this they were willing to make a deal..." he replied, holding up a small datacard. "It's some information on a planet they want to investigate...it supposedly is home to tribes of Force-powerful women," he added, shrugging. "They want to know what potential threat the planet could possess, what possibility of finding initiates on the planet, that sort of thing..."

   "A planet full of women Jedi? Heh, they could Force me any day!" one laughed and I rolled my eyes at the jab.

  "They want someone, preferably a female who's trained and strong in the Force to go to the planet, Dathomir, and learn some of their ways, keep a journal, find out all she can before coming back and filling in the council. Not too much is known about the planet...only what's in this chip...Trouble is I don't get to the council much, what with my job here and runs I make from time to time..." Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward and put on an easy grin.

  "Well, you know, I see the council pretty often, or if I don't one of our employees does...I can drop it off for ya," I suggested and Dash perked up.

  "You sure it isn't too much trouble?" he asked, handing me the chip.

  "Nah, no prob!" I replied, accepting the datacard and sliding it into a pouch on my belt. "No problem at all," I replied before I felt a telltale sensation along my consciousness. Turning, I grinned up at Obi.

  "There you are...don't tell me you're tired of dancing already!"

  "Listen Braid, I can outlast you any day, at many things," I chuckled, grinning sweetly. His eyes sparkled before he gently took my arm and led me back towards the dancing customers and employees.

  The last thing in my mind was making sure the datacard got to the council.

===  Amy Toric ===

After Chewbacca finally let me I go, I realized that Fett was gone. I
had seen him heading off with a woman, but I didn€  '²t think
he€  '²d take
this long. Shrugging, I waved good-bye to Chewie, and wandered over
towards the intoxicated Tie Fighter Pilots. I figured I might as well
be able to enjoy myself. They were all so smashed that they were
sitting there dumbly. Which I found surprising since they had been
waging war against the Rogue Squadron the entire night. A few of them
still had their dart guns, and were shooting around aimlessly, and I
almost pitied them. The poor dears were bored. Suddenly, I had an
unusual spurt of genius, which really never happened. Scanning the
room, I found Ghent, and ran over to him, giggling madly. Whispering
in his ear, I told him my plan. Finally he agreed, and I drug him
over to where the band was playing a fast song. As they finished,
they went to take a break, I rounded up a few Tie Pilots, and told
them my idea. The agreed eagerly, and we ran up to the platform, and
took the center stage. Plopping down at the piano, Ghent cracked his
knuckles, and prepared for our performance. The rest of the Tie
Pilots came stumbling over to us. Grabbing the microphone I shoved
the youngest Tie Fighter in front of it, and told him what to sing.
He giggled, and I knew instantly he€  '²d be perfect€  '¥ He was
going
through puberty, and his voice was a perfect squeaky pitch. Scooping
up the electric guitar beside the piano, the chords all came back to
me, and I wondered why I gave up guitar lessons. A giddy Tie Fighter
jumped behind the drum set. I nodded towards Ghent, and he began to
play, the fighter began, "Is this the real life€  '¥ is this just
fantasy."
Most of the crowd didn€  '²t hear the first few minutes of the song,
because we were playing rather quiet. Finally one of the key points
of the song came, and I turned up the amp, and a few people started
looking towards us, as I played.
Then the fun part started€  '¥
"I see a little silhouetto of a man! SCARAMOUCH! SCARAMOUCH! WILL YOU
DO THE FANDANGO?? THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTNING-VERY VERY FRIGHTENING ME!
Gallileo! Gallileo!
Gallileo! Gallileo!
Gallileo figaro - MAGNIFICO!!!"

A few Rogue Pilots looked our way as the Tie Fighters sang. They
weren€  '²t half bad for a lot of drunken screaming idiots. Other
people
started looking, and singing as well as the familiar words of
Bohemian Rhapsody filled their ears.  I felt bad for the people who
were running the shindig, because undoubtedly, another TIE Fighter VS
Rogue€  '²s would start€  '¥ in a battle of the bands€  '¥ But it was
fun!

"But I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me," the young fighter
sang€  '¥ and I swore he actually sounded like Freddy Mercury. But I
continued concentrating on the guitar, and looked over to see Ghent
going nuts on the keyboard. The chorus of TIE fighters chimed
in, "He's just a poor boy from a poor family! Spare him his life from
this monstrosity!"
Easy come easy go, will you let me go
Bismillah! No-, we will not let you go-, LET HIM GO!
Bismillah! We will not let you go-, LET HIM GO!
Bismillah! We will not let you go-, LET HIM GO!
Will not let you go-, let me go,
Will not let you go-, let me go,
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!
Mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me,
"for meeeeeeeeeeeee!" the Fighter Pilot squeaked perfectly, and I
ripped at the strings playing my favorite part of the song, the part
where the guitar goes nuts. The Fighters began head-banging, and I
slid across the ground, my drinks starting to take effect.
"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye!?!" Screamed the
Pilot, "So you think you can love me and leave me to die?!?! Oh Baby -
Can't do this to me baby just gotta get out - just gotta get right
out of here€  '¥Nothing really matters, Anyone can see, Nothing
really
matters,
nothing really matters to meeeeeeeeeeee€  '¥'¥. Anyway the wind
blows..."

And I prayed to all the gods that I wouldn€  '²t get arrested for
starting another war€  '¥ because the Rogues were ready, and looking
for
revenge€  '¥ maybe with a song??

===  Crysta Novelli ===  (Kabira)

===  Siduri Archanes ===

((To quote a line in an old 80s song, "Never Say Never".  All exposition has
been adapted from an online Star Wars role play.  Karin is mine, Kang and Kos
belong to their respective players, and everything else is God King Lucas'.))


*The hot, sultry world of Ban-Satir II was millions of light years away from
Coruscant and the Galactic core and it had taken the young, raven-haired woman
just as long to convince her partners Kos and Kang to allow her to attend the
party for which she had received an invitation as it had to locate a transport
that would reach Coruscant in time.  Indeed, she knew why Kang had been
reluctant to allow her to go; he did not approve of her Imperial connections,
as she had once graced the Imperial Palace on Coruscant as one of the
hand-picked concubines of Emperor Palpatine.  Although Palpatine was now dead
and many of his court and regime hunted by those warlords that ruled the
Empire, Karin had remained in the graces of many of the purist Moffs who
thought the Empire had gone soft in its years following the Battle of Endor.
It was through their favor that she had been able to earn her living through
the brokering of information and accessing of Imperial databases.  That is,
until she had encountered the gunslinger Kang Weichung and his newly-appointed
partner, Kos Terig in the dingy bar known as "Wookers" on the planet of
Chandrila.*

*It was to have been an average transaction, as Kang had wanted some
high-level Imperial information that only she could provide, but Karin had not
been expecting to find the man to be deliciously attractive, with silky black
hair and magnificent eyes, sun-bronzed skin and a chiselled body that screamed
to a woman, "fuck me, fuck me here and now!".  How could a woman not stare?
He had caught her glance and even days later, she found herself lingering on
Chandrila for a chance to see him again instead of moving onward to Averam,
where she had another meeting already slated.  Her baggage, however, was the
only thing that had made it Averam; Karin, having encountered both Kos and
Kang within the Chandrilan spaceport's docking bay was soon asked to accompany
them to Kang's homeworld of Ban-Satir II and work with them, as a trio.*

*But the climate of Ban-Satir II had not been an easy one to adapt to, as
Karin had been accustomed to the temperate world of Yaga Minor, where she had
lived until she had been taken to Coruscant.  The sun of Ban-Satir II was like
an oven, unmercilessly beating down upon the young woman and had caused her to
pass out within hours of her walking about outdoors.  She awoke to find
herself within Kang's arms, as Kos had gone his own way earlier on, to scope
out contacts within the capital city.  Karin did not know if she were
dreaming, as the handsome Kang helped her to her feet and brought her back to
his apartment which had been climate controlled.  There, she rested and when
she was feeling better, journeyed out into the streets to find clothing that
suited the climate better as she had only the black leather dress and
thigh-length boots she had worn on Chandrila.  These new clothes, a floral
printed bandeau top and a short, gauze sarong skirt, exposed her middriff,
revealing the tattoo of the Imperial insignia that encircled her navel. This
did not escape Kang's attention though not in the positive sense.*

*Then, it had been the time for Karin to reveal to Kang who she was, or
rather, who she had been, one of Palpatine's concubines.  He seemed distant,
his silence making his disdain for the Empire all the apparent.  Karin was
then resigned that she had blown her chances with him for forever; but that
was not the case.  Karin found herself within Kang's arms yet again, but this
time, he began to methodically remove her clothing, and she his own.  Her lust
for him had not been just a girlish dream, but rather had been made into a
reality, or hyper-reality, as his touch seemed to elevate her into another
plane of being.  Never before had she had a man who gave her so much pleasure.
Never before had sex been something more than a requirement of her position.
This was different, as this time, Karin had made love to the man that she had
chosen, instead of vice versa.*

*Although, despite her strong feelings for Kang, Karin could not abandon her
loyalty to the idea of reestablishing Palpatine's New Order.  Even before she
was taken to the Palace, she was raised to believe in the Imperial ideal.  She
and Kang had many a discussion in which he tried to convince her to renounce
the Empire and her workings within it.  Wasn't his love enough, he had asked.
But she could not lose sight of herself; she wanted Kang and adored him
completely, but she needed to go to this party she had been invited to, even
if he refused to accompany her.  She needed to see the Imperial hierarchy
again and have it out with those who might have contracted bounty hunters
against her.  For this reason, she did not press Kang when he seemed to have
no interest in joining her.  It was enough that he and Kos were going to allow
her to go to Coruscant.*

*And that was how it all had happened.  She did not have time to purchase
another outfit for the occasion, as her clothing for the tropical climate of
Ban-Satir II would hardly do on Coruscant.  She would freeze to death.  Thus,
she merely donned the leather dress, gloves, and boots she had arrived in and
bid her partner and lover goodbye for this brief sojourn.  Brushing Kang's
cheek softly, she assured him that she would be able to take care of herself
and with an impish grin, showed him the Flechette pistol strapped to her leg
which remained hidden by the long leather boots.*

*That had been hours ago and the transport was due to drop out of hyperspace
within moments.  Karin slowly applied another layer of lipstick as she crossed
her olive-skinned legs, awaiting the announcement of their arrival on
Coruscant.  She was a fairly decent enough pilot and had flown a TIE
Interceptor on a few occasions when her duties for the Emperor had commanded
such actions, as although his two Hands, Jade and Ismaren, had been gifted
with the use of the Force, those other concubines and members of Palpatine's
retinue were far from helpless, and each had a skill that was exploited beyond
the bedroom.*

*Twenty minutes later, Karin had disembarked from the Coruscantian taxi,
tossing a number of credits at the alien driver, muttering something about his
poor skill of navigation between lanes of air traffic.  But, nonetheless, she
was here.  A moment taken to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress and to see
if the long black tresses were in order, Karin slowly approached the door, her
head held high, as if she were still within the Imperial court.  It was now
showtime.*

===  Antigone ===

NC-17 alert...disclaimers in 1st part

NFR:RR Taken in Hand

All the pilots, Rebel and Imperial, quickly dispersed as Han’s threat hung
in the air. Rogue Squadron slunk over to a corner and hooted as Hobbie and
Janson began to beat each other over the head with their sabers.  The lady
next to me buried her face in her hands and laughed helplessly.

“Gods, under the ranks and medals, they’re still just guys.”

“Yeah,” I answered, “but if we wanted Supermen we’d be at Rent-a-Jedi or
Rent-a-Sith.”

She nodded and wiped her eyes.  “So, did you claim one yet?”

“Uhhh... I don’t really know how this works, so I was just gonna hang
around.”

“The one you were with before the ruckus, Hobbie, he’s really fun.”  She
smiled- I wasn’t sure if it was a knowing smile or not.

“Fun?  As in fun, or...um, fun?”

She took one look at my red face and started laughing again.  “Fun.  As in
however you want it. And he seemed to like you, too.”

“He seems a bit occupied now,” I snickered as Wedge grabbed the sabers from
the dueling Rogues and smacked them both with the plastic toys.  Hobbie
sheepishly accepted his punishment, then looked up to see me watching him. 
*No Force, huh?  How’d he do that?*   He sauntered across the dance floor,
one hand behind his back, and grinned.

“Ladies.”  He bent over my hand and kissed the back of it, then raised an
eyebrow at the woman beside me.  “What are you laughing at, Shalla?”

“Give it up, Hobbes.  What’s behind your back?”

My eyes crossed as I focused on the object he suddenly held against my
forehead.  It fell off as soon as he let go and I stared at the plastic dart
in his palm.

“I think you’re supposed to spit on it first,” a voice behind me said. I
yelped and grabbed the dart.

“Nobody’s spitting on anything here!”  I turned around to glare at Janson. 
“How’d you sneak over here anyway?”  He shrugged.  “Your attention was
elsewhere.”  I blushed furiously.

“Well, can you blame her Janson?  Who’d notice you when _I’m_ here?”
Hobbie smiled and took my hand, then pulled me onto the dance floor as
another slow song began.  He rested his hand on my hips and led me around
the room in a slow two-step.  Where, exactly, he learned a country western
dance was beyond me, but he was actually quite good.  As we moved around the
floor, he continued to spin yarns about his exploits.

“And that,” he said as the song ended, “is how I blew up the Death Star.”

I smirked up at him.  “Good shot.  Especially since you weren’t even at
Yavin.”

He chuckled, unabashed, and pulled me closer as a new song began.  “You knew
about that?  Well, let me tell you...” he broke off as we swung past the
band and saw a group of TIE pilots singing.

“Bohemian Rhapsody?  What next, Sabbath?  Hey...that’s not a bad idea. Can
you sing?” I grinned at his wary expression.  “What, there’s something you
won’t do for a laugh?”  I pictured the Rebel pilots stomping around singing
‘Iron Man’ and burst into uncontrollable giggles.  *Maybe that’s more of a
Fett song...and ‘Under the Sea’ for
Akbar*  I had to pull away and cover my mouth before my whoops of laughter
disturbed the other guests.

“I don’t even want to know what you’re thinking.”  Hobbie shook his head. 
“You should use your mind for something better than tormenting TIE pilots.”

“Like you do?”

“Yeah.  I also torment Wedge.  And the boss-ladies.”  He glanced guiltily
around the room and stepped closer.  “But there are some other things which
occupy my thoughts.”  He smiled down at me.  “Like this...”  He tipped my
head back and brushed his lips against my cheek before capturing my mouth in
a searing kiss.  His tongue demanded
entrance, and I parted my lips to meet his with my own.  Our tongues met and
surged against each other, dueling, as his free hand trailed down my side
and pulled me against him.  I moaned softly when he broke the kiss, then
tried to regain my breath.  There was no trace of the playful Hobbie I’d
gotten to know left in his eyes.  They burned into me, leaving no doubts as
to his intentions or desires.

Well, then.  I stepped back and took his hand.

“Should we find somewhere a little less crowded?” he asked, cocking his head
to one side.

I smiled as he tugged me toward the stairs.  “Lead the way, Lieutenant.”  He
turned back and kissed me again fiercely.

“I will.”  *So, he wants to play dom?  Fine; I can play too*  We reached a
guest room without making too much of a display; a trial for both of us.  As
soon as the door closed behind us, I pushed him against it and caught his
lower lip between my teeth, sucking as I
raked my fingernails down his chest.  I didn’t keep the upper hand for long,
however; Hobbie gripped my hips and pulled me against him.  I whimpered as I
felt his erection pressing against my stomach and let him reverse our
positions, shoving me against the wall, pinning my hands at my sides before
he lifted his head and studied my expression.
“I want you.”

I gazed at him from under half-closed eyelids, my chest heaving.  “Then why
are you talking about it?  If you want me, don’t say it.  Just...” I
inclined my head, brushing his lips with mine, “take me.”  I gasped as his
mouth fastened on my neck, sucking and biting down the column of my throat. 
His hands left mine to stroke my shoulders and
pull the straps of my dress down my arms.  I shrugged out of the straps and
reached for him, but he caught my hands again.  He spun me around and pushed
me against the wall, raising my hands over my head. I pictured what I must
have looked like *am I getting frisked?* and tried not to laugh.

The sound caught in my throat as I felt his hands trailed down my arms and
caress my ribs and breasts.  One hand slowly undid my zipper and bra as the
other tangled itself in my hair and forced me to turn my head.  He didn’t
kiss me, as I expected, but instead, beginning at the curve of my forehead,
drew his lips ever so lightly down the side of my face,
whispering...something.  I shivered as his breath tickled my skin, sending
electric charges down my back.  I barely noticed as the fabric fell from my
body; the cool air was nothing next to the heat of the man behind me.

Suddenly I realized that I’d lost control, and determined to take it back
again.  I lowered my hands and slowly turned around. I propelled him toward
the bed, where he kicked off his shoes and laid down.  I knelt over him and
straddled his hips, then began toying with the buttons on his shirt.  As his
shirt fell open, I spread my hands across his muscular chest, stroking his
hot flesh, pausing to lean down and press kisses to his throat, his chest,
his stomach, moving lower as his breathing grew ragged.

I scooted back and made short work of his belt.  I unfastened his pants
leisurely and opened the cloth.  My hand fell to the bulge there and
massaged his hardened flesh.  “And what should I do with this?” I asked, a
playful smile on my lips.  I yelped as Hobbie sat up and flipped me onto my
back.

“You should stop talking and act,” he growled.  “And _don’t_ tease.”  My
stomach fluttered as his hand slid between us and his fingers hooked in the
waistband of my panties.  My hips raised of their own will to let him slide
the garment off; I was rewarded when his fingers brushed through my curls
and lightly circled my clit.  My moan of
pleasure was stifled by his mouth covering my own, his tongue immediately
entering and demanding all I had to give.  I submitted willingly as I
reached up to push the shirt off his shoulders and stroke his toned back.

His fingers, now coated with the evidence of my arousal, slid easily from my
nub to my slit.  I moaned into his mouth as he slid first one finger, then
another, into my opening.  I thrust against his hand, trying to feel him
deeper.  His mouth moved to my breast and latched on to a nipple, bathing my
skin with his tongue, pausing occasionally to bite gently.  I was beyond
thought, lost in the waves of pleasure that washed over me, pulling me
farther out than I’d ever been.  His thumb delicately stroked my clit once
more and I came, my head thrown back, gasping his name, my fingernails
digging into his back.

When I finally rested, he withdrew his hand and slowly licked my juices from
his fingers.  I was again aware of his erection against my thigh and, to my
surprise, found that I was not sated.  He stood and I knelt on the bed in
front of him and removed the rest of his clothing. I pulled him back onto
the bed and pushed him until he lay on the sheets.  I wrapped my fingers
around his organ and lowered my head, swirling my tongue around the tip.  He
sighed as I placed tiny kisses to the underside and caressed his balls; then
took the head into my mouth and began to take his entire length...

“No.”  I looked up, startled, when I felt his hand on the side of my face. 
“No,” he whispered, pulling me up his body, “you.  In you.”  He positioned
me above his member and I felt the head press insistently at my opening.  I
slowly lowered my body, impaling myself on him.  He gripped my hips so
tightly that I knew I’d have bruises the next day
and thrust upward, filling me completely.  A hoarse cry escaped my lips as I
matched his pace, rising and falling faster and faster. I shifted slightly
and moaned when I felt him hit my sweet spot. My body was already primed
from my earlier orgasm, and when I felt him ready to come, it responded,
tightening around him, casting me back to that place as I shrieked.  My
sheath pulsed as he filled me with his seed, milking every drop from him.  I
barely heard him call my name, blood pounding in my ears, heart racing until
I thought it would explode.

I lay down beside him, willing my heart to slow down.  Hobbie wrapped his
arms around me and pulled me into a long, tender kiss.  When it ended, he
gently caressed my cheek and opened his mouth to speak... when I pressed my
finger to his lips and shook my head.  I stood and gathered my clothes,
knowing the time for my bet was up.




===  Per'agana ===

Note: This prologue is set during the NFR RR. The rest
of the story, timewise, is set
about a month after the night of the RR.
*************************************************************
Qui-Gon Jinn sighed as he stood in front of the NFR
restroom mirror. Most of his clients
would be downright astonished to know that he was, in
fact, sixty standard years old,
but tonight he felt every one of those years. The
party that he was forced to work was
going rapidly downhill in his estimation, anyway. His
apprentice was three sheets to the
wind and becoming belligerent, and Selah was flaunting
herself on the dance floor with
those two strangely effeminate men. And then there was
the near-fight. He’d managed
to calm his jealous, angry apprentice somewhat, but
Obi-Wan was still stubbornly
refusing to listen to him.

And then there were his own feelings on the matter. He
groaned, trying not to think of
that, or the confrontation with Luke Skywalker and his
damnedably inquisitive girlfriend.
He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he
failed to notice the shadow detach
itself from the wall next to the restroom door and
take up position behind him.

“Qui-Gon Jinn?” a soft, cultured voice asked from
right behind him. Qui-Gon started,
then almost cursed the failure of his danger sense to
warn him that there was someone
there. Been happening more and more frequently of
late, he thought dourly.     
     
He turned to face the speaker, a slight, attractive
Asian woman seemingly in her middle
years. She had a graceful stance, and attentive,
observant eyes. Her clothing appeared
expensive and well-cut, and a shimmering blue crystal
pin depicting a star shape was
affixed to the lapel of her long black blazer. Qui-Gon
was somewhat intrigued in spite of
himself– this was not the usual patron of his
services. “Yes, I am Qui-Gon Jinn, what
may I do for you?” he asked, some of his famed Jedi
calm trickling back into him.

She bowed slightly, a formal, archaic gesture that he
found oddly pleasing. “My name is
Miso Kim. I wondered if I might borrow a moment of
your time? I have a proposition that
I believe you will find of interest.”


Qui-Gon tried not to show his annoyance. This one was
no different than the rest–
uninterested in his mind, his connection to the Force,
his wealth of experience. Only
desiring of his body and the pleasures it could bring.
He sighed, attempted to sound
pleasant. “I am resting at present, Miss Kim. Perhaps
if you would care to make an
appointment with Gillian Taylor? I would be pleased to
point her out to you.”

She laughed softly and her eyes danced with obvious
amusement. “Not that sort of
proposition, Mr. Jinn. I am afraid I do not view your
species in that way. May we speak
privately? I assure you, I will not take up too much
of your time.”

Qui-Gon’s eyebrows arched at the beginning of her
statement. His species? She looked
human enough. He shook his head, hoping that his
long-practiced knowledge of the
galaxy’s many alien species was not also beginning to
desert him. He was happy to let
the worry slip away, though, and be pleased that his
first assumptions were correct.
Whatever this woman wanted, it wasn’t the usual. He
bowed back to her, noting her
appreciation of his good manners, and led her out into
the garden behind Rent-a-Jedi.
With the “action”, so to speak, in the ballroom of
NFR, he was reasonably certain that
this space would be deserted.

His assumption seemed to prove correct on first
glance, but sometimes the first glance
could be fooled, as any Jedi knew all too well.
Strangely, he noticed that his companion
also seemed exceptionally attuned to gradations in
shadow and sound. Interesting, he
thought. She is cultured, but not unused to the
potential of danger. For a brief moment
he was wary, unsure. Could this be a retaliation on
the part of Elizabeth and her Sith
masters? It would be unusually subtle for them, but...
He reached out with the Force
and studied this woman.

He withdrew the mental probe after what to him was a
long moment, but could in truth
be measured in parts of seconds. The results were
comforting, yet confusing. While
she showed no sign of inclination toward the Dark
Side, she barely registered in his
Force sense in general. Still, it wasn’t in and of
itself a cause for alarm. If she was
telling the truth about herself, it would make sense.
Many alien species registered
strangely in the Force.

She waited, seemingly expecting him to assess her.
“Did I pass?” she asked, less with
the more expected amusement than with evident
understanding.

Qui-Gon was a bit taken aback with her awareness of
what he did. “You have the
Force?” he asked warily.

She laughed again, the sound just as pleasing as it
had been the first time. “No, I am
merely perceptive. You are a Jedi Master, Mr. Jinn. Of
course it falls to you to worry
about potential threats. How difficult it must be for
you here, to be constantly
surrounded by reasons to be concerned.”

He smiled at her understated way of referring to the
ancient enemy of the Jedi. “You’re
referring to the Sith? Well, I do what I can.”

She inclined her head as if considering his words. “I
am quite certain you do, Mr. Jinn.
But it must be difficult, only one man against such a
pernicious threat.”

Qui-Gon stared at her in surprise. “One man? But
that’s hardly true! There are many
Jedi living here. And the Jedi Council is only down
the street.”

She nodded. “Of course. I apologize if I made it seem
as though they were
unconcerned. But they are all part of this “Rent A
Jedi” enterprise, are they not?”

“Well, I guess they are... You haven’t exactly told me
who you are, Miss Kim. Or why
you’re asking me all these questions.”

She smiled, her look conveyed remorse. “Again, I must
apologize, Mr. Jinn. I manage a
very large agency that provides similar services to
another galaxy. I have come out of
curiosity about how yours works. I must confess...I am
quite surprised by what I have
seen.”

Interesting, Qui-Gon thought, trying to take in
everything he’d just heard. She manages
an agency like Rent-a-Jedi, but for a different
*galaxy*? Fascinating! And she was so
unlike Selah– this woman was obviously all business.
He found himself unaccountably
curious about what the differences were between her
agency and Rent-a-Jedi. He sat
on a bench, invited her to perch next to him. “Tell me
more. How is yours different?”

“Well, it’s really rather difficult to make
comparisons. For one thing, those who
associate with my agency do not live together. The
technology of my region makes it
possible to transport clients directly to where my
associates are.”

Qui-Gon nodded, feeling his interest increase
exponentially. Especially with the mention
of such alien, and seemingly advanced, technology. “So
you send the clients to the
men?”

She nodded, and Qui-Gon laughed. “Well, that certainly
beats putting us in shiny boxes
and shipping us off to the clients by Galactic
Express!”

Her eyes widened in amazement. “Surely that isn’t the
way you meet clients!” Qui-Gon
nodded, and they both laughed. “Well, how in the
universe can you live a normal life
that way? Living together, shipped off in boxes, how
do you have any time left over to
be a Jedi?”

He sobered. “I haven’t nearly as much time as I would
like, I’m afraid.” He quickly
changed the topic, not wanting to seem disloyal by
airing his concerns to a stranger.
“So if you transport the clients to the
...associates..., do you warn them first that a client
is coming? I mean, that could be disruptive to the
missions of someone like a Jedi
Knight.”

“Well, you can imagine how difficult that would be,
considering that my associates are
strung across an incredibly large area. Although I do
ask that they let me know if there
are times that they absolutely cannot be disturbed.”

He smiled wryly. “I can imagine! It would be awkward,
to say the least, to have to stop
defending some beleaguered populace in order to
do...*that*.”

She looked astonished. “You mean to tell me that you
must...perform...for each client?”

Qui-Gon was confused by her apparent surprise. “Well,
why else would someone rent
us?”

“Because they’re curious about you, of course! Because
they want to spend a few
moments with you, see what your life is like. SciFi
Rentals makes absolutely no
guarantee of any intimate contact with an associate.
We’re facilitating contact, that’s all.
We certainly do not expect our associates to be
*prostitutes*!”

That hit home. Qui-Gon turned away in embarrassment,
and Miso was immediately
contrite. “Oh, I apologize! I didn’t mean to imply
anything! I was just...” She stood. “I am
terribly sorry. I should probably be going now... I
truly did not mean to offend you.”

He sighed and turned back to her. “No, it wasn’t you.
It’s just that sometimes I feel that
way. When I signed on with Rent-a-Jedi, I
expected...actually, I’m not sure what I
expected. But I didn’t expect to feel like this.”

She paused before him, her eyes deferentially
downcast. “I am sorry that it must be that
way for you. I wish I had not disturbed you, caused
you to think on such painful
matters.”

He looked up in surprise, having almost forgotten that
she was there. He had had this
dialogue with himself enough times lately that it was
almost strange to be having it with
another. He motioned to her to sit back down on the
bench with him. To his surprise, he
was oddly pleased to finally be able to give voice to
some of his feelings. Especially to a
woman from another species and another *galaxy*, yet.
He’d debated talking it out with
his padawan or with Selah, but he’d always held back.
The anonymity of this situation
made it somehow easier.

Finally, he looked back at his companion. “It was the
admiration, I guess.” He said
softly, after a long moment’s thought. “The Jedi
sometimes seem to have a thankless
job. Don’t mistake me, though, I love it. I could
never, *would* never want to be
anything else. But these aren’t the glory days of the
Jedi. The Republic seems to be
crumbling, and there’s little that anyone seems to be
able to do about it. Too many
times I’ve been sent somewhere on a mission only to
find out that I’m only trying to put
a bandage on a wound that’s too large and has been
festering too long for it to truly be
healed by anything but a lot of time and attention–
and we never have that to give.
There are too many things that need and deserve the
attention of the Jedi...” He broke
off, staring into the stars as if he hoped to reclaim
their inspiration.           

“I was surprised when the council agreed to this
Rent-a-Jedi project, since it was
something that would divert so much of our time from
our duties. But I’ve thought a lot
about it, and I think the Council probably feels as
discouraged as I do. A chance for us
to actually receive some caring, some attention...I
suspect it was as attractive to them
as it was to me. And the admiration of the clients? It
was...a revelation, almost. I’ve
never felt anything like that before. It is so
difficult to effect meaningful change as a Jedi
sometimes, but yet this role offers an ability to so
easily bring pleasure and happiness
to others, and to receive it.”

She listened to him attentively. “It sounds as though
there are parts of this that you truly
enjoy.”     

Qui-Gon smiled softly. “Some, yes. But it has also
brought things out in me that I didn’t
expect. Things that perhaps being a Jedi all my life
has insulated me from feeling.”

Miso raised an eyebrow, but did not interrupt him.

He sat in silence, the tension in his face testimony
to the struggle within him. Finally, he
spoke. “On the positive side, it’s brought me love. I
care deeply for Selah.”

Her eyes widened. “Your manager?”

He nodded. “That surprises you? Seems to be something
of the rule here. Selah and I,
Elizabeth and her Sith Masters, and I think there’s
something between one of the
women at No Force Rentals and that smuggler everyone’s
so fond of.”

She shook her head. “I do not permit such behavior.
Not in myself or in any of those
who assist me. I find that it complicates matters and
inevitably brings pain.”

He nodded bitterly. “I can attest to that. It isn’t
just that Selah and I have a relationship.
We also share our relationship with my padawan
learner.”

“This bothers you, clearly. Why do you choose to do
so, then?”

“The Master-Padawan relationship is a close one. I
care for Obi-Wan, he means a great
deal to me. When Selah fell in love with me, she also
felt the same for him. To deny
them the ability to express that affection would have
harmed them both. I wanted to see
them  happy. In the beginning, it was easy. I don’t
know when it became...different.”
           
“Different?”

“When I started to make comparisons. Comparing
yourself to another is the bane of
enlightenment, of confidence. One of my first trainers
told me that...only now am I
discovering how true that is. I began to realize how
much more...popular...my padawan
was than I am. What began as a moment’s passing
jealousy has begun to eat at my
soul. I feel that Selah cares more for him than for
me, that she is more in *lust* with
him. It is natural, I tell myself, I am so much older.
But it pains me no less simply
because it is logical. I knew she also harbored a
fascination for another young Jedi. I
found a way for her to satisfy her craving for him,
and yet to seems to have gone
horribly awry somehow...” His voice trailed off. He
felt spent, unable to allow any more
to pour out of him.

She shook her head. “You have taken quite a bit on
your own head, Qui-Gon Jinn. You
cannot be responsible for *everyone* you know– not
even a Jedi Master is capable of
that.”

He looked up in surprise. “Do I sound that much of a
martyr?” He looked deeply into her
amber-flecked obsidian eyes, and saw the truth
reflected in them. “Well, I guess I
should add arrogance to my list of faults,” he said
sheepishly.

She lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing, offering him
the space to follow the thought.

“It is arrogance as well as responsibility to think
you can do everything, Miss Kim. It’s
just that my padawan and Selah are so young, and even
those whom I’ve held in the
deepest respect over the years have *changed* so
greatly since this Rent-a-Jedi project
started. I barely recognize Mace Windu anymore... and
I *do* feel responsible for Rent-
a-Jedi. Selah’s protocol droid found out about us and
brought a complaint to the
council, and...”

Miso cut him off. “A *droid* complained to your
council? That’s astonishing! Taking
artificial intelligence a bit far, I’d say!”

He grinned. “Especially in T’s case. He’s a regular
pain in the... well, you know. At any
rate, the council gave me the responsibility of
watching over the company’s welfare.”

She looked at him. “And it would no doubt be easier if
your boss was not also your love,
and your ...responsibility.”

He started to protest. “It’s not that... well, yes, it
is. You’re exactly right.” He shook his
head ruefully. “It seems like, from what you’ve said,
your agency has a better...handle
on things.”

She nodded. “Somewhat, yes. It just seems, from
listening to you, that what you really
need is to spend some time remembering what it is like
to be a Jedi. And then, to
decide if you are willing to fight your padawan for
your love’s affections.”

“I could never fight Obi-Wan for...”

She interrupted his angry disclaimer. “Could you
continue to leave things as they are?
Truly?”

His shoulders slumped. “No, I could not. I didn’t
realize how difficult this would be. And
you’re right, I do need to remember what it was like
to simply live as a Jedi.” He sighed.
“Unfortunately, the Council probably won’t see things
as I do, won’t give me the
freedom to be both a part of Rent-a-Jedi and the Jedi
Master I was meant to be. It’s too
bad we don’t do things the way you do, then they
wouldn’t conflict.”

She thought for a moment. “You’re right, Qui-Gon Jinn.
And it seems strange to me that
the council would choose to be in charge of a project
like this. Perhaps you need
someone to take care of such matters so that your
Council could get back to its real
business.”

He looked at her sharply, the idea taking hold in his
mind. He hated to go behind
Selah’s back like this, but perhaps this was the best
way.. “Someone like you, Miss
Kim. Would you be interested?”

“In Rent-a-Jedi? I don’t know. I hadn’t thought of
it...”

“If you’d be willing to think about it, I could speak
with the council on your behalf.”

She was silent, seeming to ponder his offer, before
smiling at him. “I will certainly
consider your offer. In the meantime, try not to
spread yourself so thin... I wouldn’t want
a potential associate of mine exhausting himself like
this!”

He grinned softly. “Of course not. Thank you, Miss
Kim. I’m glad I met you...thank you
for putting up with the meanderings of an old Jedi.
You don’t know how it’s helped.”

She waved his apology away. “It was nothing. I enjoy
listening to you. You have a keen
mind and an appreciation of life that I find becomes
ever more exceedingly rare as time
marches on. Take care, Qui-Gon Jinn.”

She bowed slightly to him, then turned and walked
quietly out of the garden, leaving
Qui-Gon alone with his thoughts. For the first time in
a long while, Qui-Gon felt the
sense of burden, of *weight* on him begin to lessen.
Perhaps, he reflected, there were
answers out there after all.

***tbc***
                 

===  Ziggy ===

I glanced at the time, then quickly back to the datapad I had found lying around. I didn't want to arouse suspiscion, but the truth was that I was as curious as all get out to find out what was on the datacard. So, excusing myself to the little Jedi's room, I had scooped up a datapad and locked myself in, sitting on the floor as I read and became more and more entranced. Basic information on the planet and what was thought to reside there filled the disk and I hungrily read it all. It was such a temptation...there was no way I'd ever be trained...the guys were too busy, and truth be told, they had better things to do with their time. I had accepted that fact, but it still never washed the way the feeling of regret to know that I had the Force, but didn't know how to use it. By the time I finished reading, there was only one thing I was positively sure of.

    I was going to Dathomir.

  I knew it wasn't exactly the most responsible thing to do, but I needed to look after myself, for once. There seemed to be some inexplicable force that drew me towards the planet, something that I had to answer. Without thinking I removed the datacard and slipped it back into my belt, leaving the datapad by the sink as I returned to the party.

  "I was beginning to worry," Obi-Wan said as I re-entered the room, immediately crossing over to me. "Are you all right?" he asked, frowning with concern.

  What could I say? I needed to go off to a practically unheard of planet so I could learn the Force even though the council would be dead-against it? Uh, no, somehow I knew he wouldn't go for that. I'd have to sneak out, and I couldn't wait long. I had to go see what was there waiting for me. At first I had only been curious, but now it was an insatiable hunger that could only be fulfilled by my seeing the planet for myself. It was during these moments that a plan would never be needed, that I ran on purely instinct, no matter how stupid it was.

  "Uh, I need to run over to RaJ real quick, I'll be right back..."

   "What for?"

   "A feminine hygeine product, now aren't you glad you asked?" I replied smoothly, grinning at his slightly-queasy expression.

   "Maybe I should go with you..."

   "It's just next door, and I want you to stay here and watch over Qui-Gon, make sure that he's okay," I urged, my voice softly pleading as I gently stroked his neck.

   "Oh, all right," he sighed, then grinned. "But I'll miss you..." he purred and I nearly whimpered...he had no idea just what that sentence would mean in an hour.

   "Same here," I murmured before kissing him soundly and heading for the door before I could change my mind.

   Once outside, I let my mind begin to work on how, exactly, I was going to jump planet and reach my destination. I was so wrapped up in my plotting that I didn't even notice Artoo trying to quietly make his way out the front door of RaJ until I bumped into him.

  "Artoo, what are you doing?" I asked, raising and eyebrow. He automatically beeped a snotty reply.

  "Yes, I can see you're going out, but why?"

   Uncharacteristically, he responded with a mechanical sigh.

   "What do you mean Luke doesn't have time for you?" I asked, kneeling down beside the droid. In detail he began to describe how his master and he never went on adventures anymore, how all he did was hang out with Crysta or go to work, and he really didn't need help with either of those tasks, now did he? So, he was running away in an attempt to salvage what was left of his little astromech life.

  "Man, I didn't realize that droids could feel excluded...I'm sorry, Artoo, I haven't been exactly sensitive to your needs, either...." I didn't know why, but all of a sudden my whole plot came tumbling out, how Obi and I had made up but Qui was nowhere to be found, how I had swiped the datacard and was planning to waltz off to Dathomir for a bit...at that Artoo began beeping excitedly.

  "You want to come WITH me? Artoo, I appreciate it, but I don't think I'll be needing..." I paused as he decided to interject exactly how useful he could be with repairs of machinary, navigation, and bunches of other little tasks. "Well...okay, but your owner isn't going to be happy about this..." Artoo replied with an electronic raspberry. Rolling my eyes, I grinned. "Okay...I was planning on 'borrowing' one of the ships in the hangar...any suggestions?" I asked, my eyebrows raising at his response.

  "Luke will definitely *not* be happy with that...especially after all the stories Wedge has told him about trying to teach me how to fly an X-Wing!" I reminded Artoo, who merely snorted. "All right...I guess I don't have to take much with me...But I will need to change," I said, entering the complex and going straight to my room. Quickly I exchanged the mylar dress for simple black slacks and tank top and boots. The data card went in my belt and I grinned as Artoo entered the room. "And Luke will NOT like me borrowing this..." I sighed as I accepted his pilot clothes. True, he wasn't that much taller than me, and I could make it work, but somehow I knew he'd be more than a little irritated when he found out just all that I had "borrowed" from him.

  "How do I look?" I asked as I clipped my saber onto the belt of the pilot suit. Artoo whistled enthusiastically and I had to laugh. "I cannot believe I'm doing this...but it seems so...right." The droid warbled understandingly and with a sigh I quickly hit my comm unit to record a holo message for Qui and Obi. It was the least I could do to let them know something of what was going on.

   Taking a deep breath as the recorder clicked on, I pushed from my mind the doubts that were swimming in my head, the repurcussions that could occur, the fact that I was practically going against the council, anything negative. This was for me and me alone.

   "By now you should realize that I'm out of the system...please don't go looking for me. I'm not leaving because of either of you or anything that has happened tonight. I'm doing this because I need to...I need to find myself in the Force, I need to find out where I fit into it," I went on, telling myself that this did NOT make me like Callista when she left Luke. "I will be back, I promise you this, because I love you both dearly and I don't want to lose you. But there is something that I have to do and won't rest until it is finished. You won't find me, I'm the only one who has the coordinates to where I am going to, so don't bother searching. Only know that I love you, I'll be back, and that's all you need to know. May the Force be With You, Always...Oh, and tell Luke I'll bring his ship back in one piece" I added before I had Artoo cut the recording. "Well, that was right depressing...come on, let's go before I change my mind," I sighed as we headed down the steps.

   "Mistress Ziggy? Where are you going?" a voice called to us and I groaned. All the human occupants were out for the evening, celebrating their night off. I knew I should've shut that droid down...

   "I've got to make an emergency run real quick...I'll explain when I get back. I'm borrowing Luke's X-Wing and Artoo, I won't be but a little bit..." I assured him, even though I was lying through my teeth. He seemed to accept this answer and the astromech droid and I took the advantage and hurried to the hangar.

   I gave a low whistle when we approached the X-Wing. It was beautiful, absolutely perfect, battle damage and all. So much history was in it, and now I was adding to it, or so I hoped. As much as I dared I reached out to the Force and sensed Obi waiting, though with a little less patience than he had when I had first left...Qui-Gon was with...someone, who I couldn't tell, and Luke...wouldn't catch us because he was way too involved in Crysta at the moment. I smirked at that and Artoo beeped.

  "Are they WHAT!? Artoo, you've been watching too much holo porn!" I sighed, shaking my head as I used the available equipment to pop the droid into the socket on the fighter. With a deep breath I climbed the ladder and suddenly found myself in the cockpit. "Too cool," I breathed, grinning stupidly as I gently put on Luke's helmet. "All right...let's see what this baby can do.." I murmured, activating the launch sequence with a little help from Artoo. Calming myself with the Force, I still couldn't help feeling giddy as we lifted off the ground and directed the ship towards deep space.

   "Can I activate the hyperdrive now?" I asked, this time keeping my hands well away from THE LEVER until I was instructed. While Artoo loaded our coordinates I looked over the past few days. This was right, I was sure of it. At his beep I slowly pulled down the lever and gasped as the craft was slingshot into space, the stars becoming streaks before my eyes.

   I was on my way, for better or for worse.

===  Crysta Novelli ===

Updated 4/13/00