NFR Valentine's Day Round Robin, part 4

((This is Karin, the former Imperial concubine, and not Siduri, just so this is clear from the start. It will also be short since I need sleep, but wanted to get it started before Easter festivities beckon.)) *Karin Ka`Nesh walked through door of the No Force Rentals building, noting the building's holiday decor starting to look as if the party had been going on for a good deal longer than the few hours it had.* What in the galaxy had gone on here? *she whispered to herself as she proceeded further into the building, entering the room in which the inebriated TIE fighter pilots were singing some odd song at the top of their lungs about not letting something or someone go.* Disgusting. *She muttered, wrinkling her nose in distate, knowing that if Palpatine were alive today none of this bruhaha would have been occurring.* *As she was turning away from the display, she felt an arm slap her across the back of her shoulders. A shrill scream ripped forth from her lungs, as she had not expected such a thing to have happened, nor to find the face of the smart-mouthed fighter pilot Jaxom placed in front of her own. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and knew he had been having a bit too much fun over in the vicinity of the punch bowl. Perhaps Kang had been right about severing her Imperial ties if THIS was how those still within the ranks were amusing themeselves.* Yyyou! *Jaxom slurred, waving an unsteady finger at Karin and poking her leather dress just slightly above her breasts* I know you! *Karin pushed his finger away without any haste. He was drunk and she had just gotten to the party and was not in the mood to deal with someone who was not in total control of their wits at the moment; she hadn't even sought out the hostesses of the party to thank them for forwarding the invitation to Ban-Satir II* Fine. You know me, now would you mind stepping aside so I may pass? *Karin hissed trying to get Jaxom away from her* Noooooo! *He cried, again trying to poke her* I KNOW you. You're one of Palpy's chicks, aren't you? *An exasperated sigh passed through Karin's lips.* I was a member of the Imperial court and one of the Emperor's concubines, yes. *She says in a low voice, not wanting to draw attention to herself, especially after she has gotten a glimpse of some irritatingly loud, orange Rebel flight suits across the room.* Aren't all of you s'posed to be dead? *He asks, his demeanor sobering just slightly after hearing this* Not Mara, I mean. Look, whatever your name is- *she begins as she feels Jaxom's finger being shoved at her lips in order to silence her. Shaking her head, her long, black tresses flying wildly, she avoids this point of contact and knows if he tries it again, she can and will bite.* Hey guys! *Jaxom cries out* Look who's here! *To Karin's chagrin, a small delegation of the TIE pilots come forward at Jaxom's insistence, each in different states of drunkenness. Karin is far from being defenseless, but she doesn't want to cause a scene, and finally, there are too many for her to even think of taking on all alone. Her dark eyes franctically move from one man to the next, gritting her teeth, as she recognizes a few of them as Interceptor pilots, those good enough to come from the best Imperial squadrons, the very ones she had flown with when Palpatine had sent her out on certain special missions that were easy enough for those of his concubines to handle when Jade and Ismaren were already on assignment.* Aren't you- *one piped up, and was quickly silenced by the appearance of the one man that could get these pilots to behave, even if their female employers couldn't control them at the moment.* *Baron Soontir Fel.* Jaxom *Fel spoke, his voice, smooth and cool, clearly indicating he was not in the mood for nonsense, nor would take any* What is going on here? *Jaxom tried to stand straight and give his commanding officer the salute and respect he deserved.* Welllll, sir *he slurred* Look who's joined the par-tee! *Apparently, Jaxom couldn't control himself, or simply had no desire to in his drunken state.* *Karin felt Fel's eyes moving slowly over her. Indeed, they were acquainted, as it was his elite Interceptor Squadron whom she had flown with, although she was not an ace as the others were, although, Palpatine had put her safety in Fel's hands, especially since Fel flew fighters with shields and the original TIE model was so light, it had no shielding, yet, that made its pilots quite expendable.* I know whom she is. *Fel responded his gaze moving back to Jaxom and the others* And I know you're supposedly on duty for this party, but I will not have you disgracing the Empire with your antics. Do you all hear me? *Some of the pilots nodded, others didn't respond at all.* Dismissed. *Fel nodded to Jaxom, his hand indicating that he should follow the others as they wandered off, some humming the odd song lightly.* And now, my dear. *Fel said to Karin, as they were now left alone* What brings you back to Coruscant?

Kabira emerged from the first floor ladies room at No Force Rentals, Inc. and paused. The music pounding from the ballroom was loud, and although it had a good beat, Kabira had had enough for the time being.

She looked to her right, down the empty hallway, and then back to her left. There were a few people milling around the building, and she wondered if anyone would care if she did a little exploring on her own. Although most of the guests were so severely inebriated, she doubted that anyone would even notice her.

Moonlight spilled through the first doorway, along with the sounds of a couple that were clearly enjoying themselves. Kabira rolled her eyes in disgust as she looked in on a half naked TIE pilot sprawled out over a completely naked blonde woman. They looked like a couple of animals in heat, and clearly had no modesty of any sort. Somehow she doubted that this was what the couch in the room had been intended for, despite the kind of company this was.

Shaking her head, she moved on to the next room. This one also had moonlight spilling through the doorway, but it was broken by the shadow of a large man. It was silent inside, and Kabira approached it with caution. While she only saw one shadow, it didn't tell her who the shadow belonged to, or if there were more people in the room.

Kabira peered around the door frame to see the striking silhouette of Grand Admiral Thrawn framed by the moonlight shining through the large picture window in the room. His back was to the door and his arms were crossed at his chest. She couldn't tell what he was looking at, or if he was even looking at anything. He could have been lost in thought for all she knew. He wasn't talking to anyone, nor did anyone else appear to be in the room. Kabira considered going in and speaking to him. She doubted he knew who she was, and she might not ever get a chance to just speak to him again. A person could learn a lot about someone through casual conversation, and the chance to speak to the Grand Admiral without him knowing who she was was one that was almost too good to pass up.

And so she didn't. Slipping quickly into character, Kabira slowly entered the room. She opened her mouth to speak softly, wanting to appear eager and friendly, yet not rude. Before she got a chance to speak, however, a hand grasped her shoulder.

"State your business here," a gravelly voice demanded in her right ear. The voice was alien, and not one that Kabira recognized. The claws of the hand that gripped her shoulder flexed, warning her that if he didn't like her answer, she wouldn't like the consequences. Kabira knew that most people would have been terrified in this instant, but instead of being afraid, she reacted.

She whirled around, reaching her right hand for the tiny holdout blaster secured to her left wrist. She had it drawn before she had even turned to face him, but a swift blow to her wrist knocked the blaster from her hand. It flew across the room and skidded to a stop several meters away. Kabira's eyes widened as the blaster was knocked from her grasp and she got a good look at the alien. Its skin was gray and it lacked any hair at all. It was shorter than she was by far, yet something about the way it was built told her it was stronger than it looked. It was also quick, judging by how quickly it had disarmed her.

That observation took a fraction of a second, however, and without missing a beat, Kabira dropped and bent her arm. She swiftly jabbed her elbow at the Noghri's stomach, placing all her body weight behind the thrust. The blow connected, causing him to bend over slightly. It by no means disabled him, but it did buy her some room to sweep her left leg around and under him. The alien regained his balance quickly and avoided the leg sweep, reaching out for her leg. She drew back quickly, just barely avoiding having him grab her ankle, then dropped and rolled as he pounced on her. The Noghri landed in the space she had occupied milli-seconds before and Kabira reached to her right boot for the vibroblade hidden there. Withdrawing it quickly, she jabbed it towards the alien. She was shocked to see that he now wielded a weapon, and the blades collided with a sharp clang. The alien wore no clothing, and she had no idea where he'd gotten the weapon from. She hadn't seen it on him at all.

Kabira pushed the question away quickly, however. It didn't matter that where he'd gotten it from - what mattered was that he had one, and that he was as quick as she was. She swiftly parried another thrust of the Noghri's sleek assassin's blade, then rolled out of range of him. Rising quickly to her feet once again, she leapt backwards as the alien got to his feet just as quickly. She knew where her blaster lie, but getting to it would not be easy. A swift glance towards the window told her that Thrawn was watching, but not making a move to interfere.

The Noghri guard feinted right, then leapt directly at her. Kabira expected the feint, however, and dodged. She dropped to the ground and dove for the blaster. She slid the meter and a half between her and the weapon, grabbed it, then spun around just in time to see the Noghri quickly change directions and come after her. Kabira pulled her arm in front of her and hefted the weapon towards her attacker just as his blade approached her throat. Swiftly, Kabira slid her own blade around in front of her neck, just barely catching the advancing weapon on it and avoiding having her blood spilled onto the carpeting.

Kabira's finger halted mid-way to pulling the trigger on her blaster and blowing the alien's brains out the rear of his head as the Noghri abruptly removed his weapon from her throat, obeying his master's request. Rukh climbed to his feet, leaving Kabira on her back on the floor, her weapons still poised in defense and attack.

Kabira turned to look at Thrawn as the Noghri growled something that clearly said he didn't agree. Thrawn chuckled, and Kabira got to her feet. The alien hadn't sheathed his weapon yet, so Kabira kept hers in her hands as well.

"Now tell me, Miss I'tali..." Thrawn said, his red eyes burning into Kabira. "Am I your target this evening?" At Kabira's shocked expression, he added, "I do suggest you tell me the truth. Rukh was merely playing with you this time - next time you may not be so fortunate."

Thrawn knew who she was. Somehow, that didn't surprise her. She knew she shouldn't have told Calrissian her whole name. But what did shock her was that Thrawn thought she was here to kill him. Somehow she managed to keep a smile off her face as she replied.

"No, Grand Admiral Thrawn, I assure you - you are not my target this evening." Her voice was calm and practiced, and as usual, she gave away no more information than what was asked of her. It could work to her advantage if Thrawn thought she was indeed here to target someone, as long as he knew it wasn't him.

Kabira watched as Rukh sheathed his knife gracefully, so that once again she couldn't tell he was even carrying it. She hesitated a moment before slipping her blaster back into its holster on her left wrist and the vibroblade back into her boot. She pulled her sleeve back down, once again completely concealing the small weapon.

The Noghri fascinated her - she'd never seen a creature that lithe and powerful before. Had deceiving appearances not been a part of her survival techniques, she would have easily misjudged the alien's strength. People misjudged her all the time - it was one of the things that made her so successful at what she did. She couldn't help but feel some respect for the creature. Especially since she'd given it a fair run for its talents - something she was sure didn't happen often.

She returned her attention to Thrawn, awaiting what he had to say. She was curious as to why he was working here in the first place. She had intended to find out in other ways, but apparently that wasn't going to work now.

Thrawn clasped his hands behind his back and turned to the window, looking out into the night. "I am a strategist. In order to best defeat my opponents, I must know their favorite strategies. To learn a man's best strategies is to learn about the man himself. One way to learn about a man is to study his artwork; his window to his soul. Another way to learn about that man is to study *him*. How could I *not* accept a job where everyone I could ever want to study is located?"

No wonder he'd been promoted to Grand Admiral. He didn't miss much. "Yes," she replied honestly. She wasn't sure what else to say to him. It wasn't often that she was without the words to carry her through a conversation, but right now she severely lacking. She glanced to the Noghri again and saw him watching her.

"I'm sure you can understand why I thought you were after me," he said, finally turning around to look at her. She nodded, and he continued. "We Imperials tend to get the brunt of the attacks at this organization, while the smuggler population and pilots get away with everything short of murder." His red eyes once again burned into her. "Who is your target this evening, Kabira?"

"And that is as I figured," he replied just as evenly. He clasped his hands in front of him and took a step closer to her. To one that was unused to dealing with powerful men, his close presence would have been rather unnerving, but Kabira held her ground and didn't drop her eyes. "I would just like to say that I pity your target, whoever he may be. I immensely enjoyed watching you live up to your reputation, Miss I'tali. It isn't often that my Noghri meets a challenge in a human opponent, and although he won't admit it, I know he enjoyed the exercise you provided him with."

The Noghri growled low in his throat, and Kabira knew that this was high praise coming from the Grand Admiral. Her reputation was one that she was deeply proud of, and one that she had indeed earned.

Again, he chuckled. "Your cover? My dear, you've done a wonderful job of ruining that yourself by announcing your identity to that half-witted gambler. But rest assured - I have no intentions of announcing to the masses that the pretty girl in their midst is a talented assassin, out to kill one of them. That would spoil the fun, wouldn't it?"

Kabira gave the Imperial a small smile, knowing that had she really been on the job, telling anyone her real name would have been the last thing she would have done. Seeing as how she wasn't really working, it wouldn't be that big of a deal if everyone knew who she really was, but even so - announcing to a room full of drunks that there was an assassin in their midst would probably not be a good idea. She wondered how long it would take the Grand Admiral to figure out that she didn't really have a target at the party. Until he figured it out, however, perhaps she *could* have some fun tonight.

"Mmmm..." I murmured in response, snuggling even closer to him. His arms were wrapped around me securely as we lay on the bed in a guest room of No Force Rentals."I can't believe we did that..." I said softly, rubbing his bare chest lightly with my hand.

Luke chuckled lightly, his lips turning up into a smile. "You are *feisty* tonight, Crys. What's gotten into you? Not that I mind, of course," he added quickly, squeezing me gently in his arms. "It's just that you and I aren't usually like that..." he mused.

"Tell me about it," I returned. "I don't know what's gotten into me... besides you, that is..." I grinned wickedly, and he laughed. "Seriously, though..." I continued, still tracing patterns over his bronzed skin, "maybe it's the holiday. I've never had anyone nearly as special as you to share it with. Or maybe it's the music, or just the mood of the party..." And suddenly something dawned on me. "Or it *could* be that glass of punch I had... I'm pretty sure it was spiked with something - I'm just not sure what."

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, then shrieked as he suddenly pulled me down for a kiss. Once again I melted into his embrace as his tongue snaked out to tease my lips. I sighed happily into his mouth, parting my lips to allow him entrance, then met his tongue in a twisting parry.

I cocked my head intently, as I scooted up a little as well. "What do you mean, the *rest*? The teddy bear and rose were adorable! Not to mention the fact that having you is more than enough of a gift..." I added, smiling at him.

My eyes widened and I felt a huge grin spreading across my face. "Really??" I asked, thinking it was too good to be true. I'd been trying not to get my hopes up about the council letting me train with Luke, and not a trained Jedi Master, because by now the council was well aware of the fact that we were dating. While they didn't know the intimate details of our relationship, we were both pretty sure that they'd never let *just* Luke work with me.

"Yes," he said, smiling. "They want to review your progress on a regular basis, and if after a certain amount of time you aren't progressing enough, or seem to be getting 'distracted'," he emphasized that last word and I grinned, "then they will either find someone else to train you, or stop your training all together."

I nodded, and he continued. "They understand your time limitations due to your studies, and were rather unhappy that you'd decided to keep up with your apprentice work, but I convinced them that becoming a Jedi was a big step for someone your age and that if it *didn't* work out for some reason, which I have no doubts that it won't," he added, "but if it didn't, dropping your studies would be devastating to you." Again, I nodded. I had no desire to give up my position of Engineering Apprentice, despite my desire to become a Jedi. I wanted to cross that line later on, once I decided that a Jedi was what I really wanted to be. Still, this was great news. Luke had been afraid that the council wouldn't approve of his working with me as much as he was, despite the potential he kept telling me I had. And I *did* have the Force, and had really learned quite a bit already. If only we had more time to work on my skills...

"Anyways..." he said, putting the emphasis on that word the way I did when we'd veered off on a wild tangent and I was trying to get back to the subject at hand, "the council thought it best if we went away somewhere quiet for a while where we could concentrate solely on your training. I thought that was a great idea, and in talking to Han to find ideas for where to go, we figured out the perfect location."

Luke smiled, and continued. "Han suggested Alderaan, and he has convinced Lando to graciously allow us the use of a cabin he owns there for a week. And since I know you have a break from school coming up in a few weeks, I thought we could go then. That is, if you want to," he said, reaching for my hand.

Luke reached up and brushed his thumb along my chin. "I take your wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression to be a yes?" he asked, grinning slightly. I closed my mouth and nodded, and his grin increased. "Good," he said, then leaned over to kiss me again. I responded to the kiss, suddenly really looking forward to Spring Break.

"Selah's gone. She left a message saying that she needed to get away from Qui-Gon and I for a while, and she didn't say where she was going or when she'll be back, and she took Artoo and your X-Wing!" he spat out in a rush.

The fear and concern pouring off of Obi-Wan was almost too much for my senses to take. I was a natural empath, and with my senses still being heightened from the time I'd just spent with Luke, the fact that Obi had dropped his shields so low was devastating to my composure. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to build my shields up high enough to block him out.

"No, it's not like her," Han piped up. We'd run into him on the way to Mary's office, and he'd known something was up by the expression on our faces. "However, you should have seen *something* like this coming. Especially considering you have the Force... Aren't you trained to be more perceptive than the rest of us, or something? I mean, it's obvious that she hasn't been happy lately... Ever since you-" he pointed at Obi-Wan, "made that damn clone, things have not been right around here. Luke and Crysta seem to have finally patched things up with their relationship," he paused and looked to us for confirmation of that. Luke and I both nodded, and Han continued, "but you and that master of yours don't seem to have done a damn thing about how Selah's been feeling lately. You hurt her pretty bad, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out."

"I know..." Obi-Wan moaned softly, hanging his head. "I apologized to her, though. I mean, *seriously* apologized to her," he emphasized as he received 3 simultaneous Looks. "We had a serious talk, just the two of us, and I apologized. She is the most important person in my life, besides Qui-Gon, and for once in my life, I told her so. We were out there dancing for a while, and I could tell that she was *truly* happy. At least, she really seemed happy... No, I mean..." he sighed at the incredulous looks we were giving him. "I can't explain it," he said softly, "but this time was different. I apologized for being stupid, and we connected. In a way that we haven't for a very long time. Which is why I didn't expect this. All she told me when she left was that she needed to run home for some feminine hygiene products!" he sighed exasperatedly.

We each mused over that for a moment, and then I spoke. "She seemed really sure of herself," I commented, glancing over to the com system. Her image was gone, but I could still hear her voice in my head and see her there. "She seemed to know exactly what she was doing, for once..."

"Hard telling, kid," Had replied. "Unless you have a homing beacon on that X-Wing of yours, or that droid, I think we'd better get busy seeing if anyone else has any idea where she might have gone."

"Yeah, that's a very good idea," I agreed. Luke and Obi-Wan nodded. "She'll be okay, Obi," I said, meeting his gaze. "Selah's strong. Somehow, I'm sure she'll be all right." Obi nodded, and I could tell he was still worried, but at least he'd calmed down now. I was sure he still thought it was his fault, and it was, mostly...

Her encounter with Thrawn left Kabira wondering how many other people at the party now knew who she was. She considered leaving, returning in the morning to meet Calrissian and get the items she needed from him. She hadn't planned on staying at the party in the first place. If only Calrissian could have taken her to get those things right away... But he couldn't, and there was nothing she could do about it until he was off duty in the morning. It was a good thing she wasn't in a hurry.

She crept into the ballroom, noticing that it had thinned out quite a bit. The couples dancing in the center of the room were quite a spectacle, as well. All manners of dance could be seen, some extremely provocative, others not much more than blatant groping. There were a few couples out there that were more reserved, as well as many lingering around the outskirts of the dance floor.

One of the observers was Grand Moff Tarkin. Kabira spotted him eyeing the couples on the dance floor and caught herself wondering what he was thinking. She knew this man by reputation alone, but reputation often told little about the soul behind the face. In no time at all she'd decided to go speak to him.

Kabira's gaze drifted around the ballroom swiftly before approaching him. She knew Rukh was here somewhere, watching her. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was there. 'Good,' she thought. Maybe Thrawn would think Tarkin was her target. She wasn't sure what that would accomplish, but it might prove to be fairly interesting.

The uniform clad Imperial turned slowly to gaze at her, and Kabira stared back at him. She studied him intently for a brief moment, then dropped her eyes slightly to avoid challenging him. What she had seen in that moment backed up all that she'd heard of him - cold, unnerving, regal, and powerful. A man whom no one dared mess with. Except for Kabira I'tali, that is...

Kabira took that as an invitation to step around and face him. She smiled shyly. "Kabira." Under normal circumstances, she would have used an alias, but all she needed was Calrissian coming up behind her and yelling, 'Kabira', and she'd be through.

'Little one?' she thought, but managed not to roll her eyes. Instead she smiled sweetly and responded, "Why do you think, Sir? I mean, a chance to meet so many powerful men, and sample their services... for free, even..."

Damn, he was good! How the hell did he do that? Kabira somehow managed to keep the stupid smile on her face, yet she knew the shock had shone in her eyes. True, she hadn't been disguising her voice in the least, but unless he was from Tatooine, he shouldn't have been able to tell that easily! Unless he knew who she was, that is...

Tarkin spotted the brief look of surprise that passed over her face, and suddenly put two and two together. He knew he'd seen her face somewhere before. "Kabira I'tali," he breathed softly, staring into her deep green eyes. "Jabba the Hutt's favorite little vornskr."

"Now, Miss I'tali, tell me honestly, if you're able - what brings you to our neck of the galaxy this evening? Is someone paying you to charm me? I sure hope they offered you a lot of money, because from what I've heard of you I'd have thought you'd be smart enough not to try coming after me." His voice was hard, and cold. He was a very different man than Thrawn was. It was no wonder Sidious liked him so much.

The dumb chick act having worn itself out quickly, Kabira dumped it and pulled herself up to her full 5 foot 6 inch height, looking up directly into his cold gaze. "I'm impressed, Grand Moff Tarkin," she replied, letting it show. "Of course, I have no way of knowing that that you didn't know who I was before I approached you... but what I've heard about you appears to be correct."

"I can assure you honestly, Sir," she continued, this time meaning the respect behind his title, "that no one has paid me to 'charm' you this evening. I don't take suicide missions," she half-joked, allowing herself a small smile to ease the situation.

Tarkin was impressed. She had gall, that was for sure. But she did have respect for authority. Many bounty hunters and assassins liked to think they were more important than the men who hired them, forgetting that bounty hunters were a credit a dozen and could be hired for just as cheap. This woman had built up quite a reputation for herself over the years, yet to her credit she knew when to be respectful. If one could consider her stubborn stare to be respectful, that is...

Suddenly realizing that holding Tarkin's gaze for so long could be very unwise, Kabira lowered her gaze slightly. Just enough to let him know that she was not intimidated by him, yet enough to make her seem respectful and unchallenging. Kabira rarely dealt with men as powerful as Tarkin - she decided it best to be cautious.

"Very well, Miss I'tali," he responded. Tarkin raised his hand to her cheek. Kabira resisted the urge to move away as he slowly caressed her cheek with his long fingers. No one dared touch her... Not when they knew who she was, that is.

She nodded, wishing he'd stop touching her. His caresses were intimate, and she didn't like them. Not in the least. Men like Tarkin sickened her. Men who used their power and position to intimidate and control. Men who took advantage of their power over others, over women-

The look in Tarkin's eyes scared her. There was no way she would let him touch her. If he had been anyone else, she'd have pulled out her blaster and been done with him. But somehow she knew that wouldn't work with this man.

"Thank you, but no," she replied, smiling sweetly. "I try not to indulge when I'm working... And I'd hate to screw with our new found relationship," she added, intending the pun, hoping he'd get the hint and release her.

Kabira's stomach turned. "I'm sorry, Grand Moff Tarkin," she replied, still keeping her voice sweet and respectful while wracking her brain for something to say that would make him leave her alone. Somehow she doubted that telling him she was a virgin would work... With the look in his eyes, she figured he'd be more adamant about bedding her if he thought he'd be her first... Telling him flat out that he disgusted her probably wouldn't work either...

"I just don't think that would be such a good idea, on a professional level," she finished. "I know," she added as he opened his mouth to more than likely disagree, "I'm sure you could take care of it, but professionally, and personally, I would rather not." Kabira held her breath, waiting for his reply.

Tarkin eyed her, wondering if he should push further. Finally realizing that while he could easily take her against her will without her harming him tonight, doing so could be a very bad idea in the future. All he needed was the problem of disposing of several talented bounty hunters and assassins that suddenly wanted him dead for violating her.

Severely disappointed, he dropped his hand from her face. He noticed the minute sigh of relief she allowed herself and cursed mentally. She was beautiful, and deadly, and completely off limits. Which of course made him want her even more. Damn it all!

Kabira extricated herself from Tarkin quickly as soon as he'd removed his hand. She knew that this might not be the end of it. When a man like Tarkin sets his sights on something, he doesn't tend to give up until he gets it.

She cursed herself for approaching him in the first place as she headed to the refreshment table to get something to drink. Her mouth was dry, and her nerves needed soothing. She wondered where the alcoholic beverages were located.

"Um, excuse me..." a soft voice sounded behind her. Kabira turned to see a young woman in her early twenties standing behind her. She wore a pretty blue, rather conservative dress, and unlike most of the guests, seemed to be sober.

Kabira noted the worry in the young woman's eyes, and recalled talking to Gillian earlier. She had pointed out Ziggy as the manager of Rent-a-Sith. No, Rent-a-Jedi. Ziggy was the female Jedi dancing with the young one with the goofy haircut that had gotten hit by the dart.

"Okay, that's great," the brunette continued. "Do you happen to have any idea where she was going? I'm sure she wouldn't have told a stranger, but maybe you overheard something, or saw her talking to someone..."

Now this was interesting. Kabira hadn't even noticed that the woman named Ziggy had even gone anywhere. This girl seemed to be really worried about her. Kabira's gaze swept the room again and picked up Solo, the Jedi boyfriend, Gillian... and another blonde Jedi asking people questions.

"That's all right," Kabira responded. 'You took my mind off of Tarkin for a moment. I should thank you,' she thought as she watched the girl approach a couple at the other end of the refreshment table.

Suddenly Kabira spotted someone she hadn't seen in years. "Sith!" she cursed quietly. Why hadn't she seen him earlier? And what the hell was he doing working here? He obviously hadn't seen her yet, either. Because if he did... Kabira didn't want to think about it.

Santeri Kraie straightened her dress as she stepped out of the cab. It
was a sleeveless, ankle-length, white velvet gown that hugged her curves
and contrasted well with her swarthy skin and dark hair. She was wearing
a small emerald brooch in the shape of a dragon with a diamond eye, with
matching dragon earrings. Her long curls cascaded down her back, held
out of her face - except for a few purposely stray curls - by a jewelled
clip that matched the brooch. Pulling a small mirror out of her handbag,
she checked her reflection. She made a show of straightening her
jewelry, when in fact she was turning on the small cameras in the brooch
and hair clip, and the microphones in the earrings. She blinked twice
to activate the contact lenses on her green eyes, which were actually
another camera that would record everything she saw. /Everything's
working, and nothing looks out of place,/ she thought. /I'm as ready as
I'm gonna be./

She put the mirror away and took one more glance at the flier in her
hand. She'd gotten a hold of the flier for the party, and it seemed like
a good opportunity for a story, or at the very least meat for the gossip
segment, so she decided to attend. She was late, but her equipment had
arrived at the studio late. And she couldn't very well have come to the
party without it; what good was a story if you didn't have film to go
with it? And she wasn't about to let her viewers down; she was Galactic
Net's star reporter after all. /Of course,/ she thought with a small
smile as she sauntered towards the entrance, /no one here will know
that./ The image of her that her audience saw - pale skin, bright blue
hair, blue eyes, modified voice - was so far from the reality, no one
seeing her in person would recognize her. Which was how she had
purposely arranged it, of course. What good was being an undercover
reporter if everyone knew you everywhere you went? She could sacrifice a
little personal recognition if it meant getting the good stories. Heck,
she'd even done some time-hopping. She didn't trust the job to
hirelings; no, she did all the work herself. And Santeri - or more
accurately, Cira il Brin - was the best in the business.

Wondering briefly why there wasn't better security, she stepped through
the entrance --

-- and into chaos.

She found herself wondering if the people were insane, or just
inebriated. /Probably a bit of both./ TIE pilots were throwing candy
hearts at people. There was a man walking around the room with another
man- was that Lando *Calrissian*? It was! - on his back, and another man
trying to take people's shoes. And a pilot was taping something furry to
*Boba Fett's!?* back. Add to that a few nearly-naked Imperial
Guardsmen.... If someone didn't end up with a blaster bolt through the
head, it would be by pure accident.

Things certainly looked promising.

Santeri melted unobtrusively into the crowd, heading towards a table that
some people were gathered around. That was when she noticed, with some
distaste, the probable reason for some of the silly behavior: Pictionary.
/I thought I'd left that far behind when I left Earth./ She started to
turn away, perhaps to check out the crowd on the dance floor, when she
spotted Xizor, Falleen prince and leader of Black Sun. /This might be
worth checking out.../

She stayed nearby as he engaged in conversation with a young woman, far
enough to not be noticed, but close enough that her microphones would
pick up their words, even though she couldn't hear them herself. The
conversation quickly became heated, and Santeri waited patiently to see
the results.

Her patience paid off. The woman suddenly attacked the Falleen prince in
an apparent fit of rage. Santeri watched the show, recording it all and
smiling to herself. /Now *this* is news./ A man she recognized as Han
Solo pulled the woman off Xizor and restrained her, dragging her out of
the room.

Satisfied that the dramatics were over for the time being, at least in
the immediate vicinity, she drifted off in search of further interesting
events. And a decent spot...

Ah, there was a good one. It had a decent view of the room, and despite
being near the refreshment table, was relatively clear of guests.
Santeri made her way to where the drinks were being served and chose one
that was non-alcoholic and sealed. /Not taking any chances,/ she
thought, smelling the obviously spiked punch. She pretended to
absent-mindedly set her purse down on a nearby table while she opened her
drink, smoothly facing the opening towards the room and activating the
camera/microphone in the clasp as she did so. Wandering away, watching
the crowd with apparent interest, she left the handbag where it was, and
headed towards one of the halls, where she had seen couples disappearing.

No one had apparently noticed her as of yet, and she made good use of
that to slip away. She walked slowly down the hall, her eyes sweeping
the area and taking everything in. She wandered around for quite some
time, listening to the voices of people from behind the closed, and
sometimes not closed, doors. She ducked out of sight a few times as
people came by, but finally gave up when it was obvious that nothing
newsworthy was going to happen. She went back out into the main room,
and walked into the middle of a war zone.

There seemed to be a "war" going on between the TIE and X-wing pilots.
When Santeri realized that she'd walked into a battlefield, she stepped
back against the wall quickly and sidled away. She watched as Han Solo
yelled, "THE NEXT PERSON WHO FIRES A DART OR WHAPS ANYONE WITH A SABER
WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH MY WOOKIE!!!!", and smiled when she heard the
smart retort from the leader of the TIE pilots. In the wake of their
hasty departure, she slipped in with the other guests and made her way
towards the table. Her purse was exactly where she had left it, to her
relief. She picked it up and shut off the recorder, not needing that one
for the time being. Things had died down, people were dancing, and it
almost seemed like a normal party. Was it time to leave?

/I think perhaps I'll start talking to someone./ Most of the partygoers
were obviously drunk, and it was easy do get a drunk person to talk,
perhaps reveal information that they normally wouldn't.... She scanned
the room for a likely target, when a large snake/dragon/pilot amalgam
wandered into the room. As soon as that died down, a group of pilots and
a few others got up on stage and started singing the Bohemian Rhapsody,
of all things! Santeri sat down at a nearby table and settled down to
watch.

The performance finally ended, and the group broke up and left the stage.
The keyboard player sat down at the table next to hers, alone. /Hmm,
possibilities?/ She eyed him, taking in his clothes, his obvious
discomfort with being at a public function, and his underfed look. He
had "slicer" written all over him. Usually a good source of information,
if you could get one to talk. She made her decision and stood up.

Santeri walked over to where he was sitting, and asked in a soft voice,
"May I join you?"

He looked up, seeming slightly startled to see her there. "Uh, yeah,
sure." He smiled awkwardly.

She returned the smile, pulling out a chair and sitting across from him.
She set her purse on the table next to her, facing the crowd, and turned
the recorder on again, all without taking her attention from him.

"So, umm, what's your name?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"Teri," she replied. "What's yours?"

"Ghent."

"I like it." He blushed. "You're a slicer, aren't you," she asked him.

He perked up at the word, and beamed. "Yeah, that's right, how'd you
guess?"

"Slicers just have a sort of, aura, I guess. You had it too." She
paused. "I noticed you sitting over here, and you seemed kinda lonely,
so I figured maybe I would come keep you company."

"So, are you a guest?" He kicked himself as soon as the words were out
of his mouth. Of course she was a guest, what else would she be!

The question didn't seem to bother her, though. "Yeah," she replied.
"Are you an employee?"

He sighed. "Yeah, although I'm not doing a very good job of earning my
keep. They're all interested in *them*." He nodded towards the crowd.

Santeri made a quick decision. He didn't seem like a good source of
verbal information after all, but maybe she could garner information of a
different source. She'd gotten plenty of dramatics, but hadn't had much
luck getting the inside scoop on how the business *really* worked. And
Ghent *was* kind of cute...

"I don't see why you don't have your share of...attention," she said,
leaning forward a bit to give him a better glimpse of her cleavage.

He blushed again, brighter this time, and opened his mouth to reply, but
he couldn't seem to get anything out. She smiled at him, and took a sip
of her drink. She licked her lips lightly as she took the drink from
them, and used the act of setting it down as an excuse to brush her hand
against his.

"After all," she continued, "you're not exactly unattractive..." She
trailed off, giving him a meaningful look. He managed to stammer thanks.

/You know, he really is cute, especially when he get's all flustered like
that./

Time to go in for the kill. She looked down at her hands and back up at
him. "I would be willing to pay to spend the night with you."

She watched his jaw drop slightly in surprise, and she leaned over the
table - giving him a great view - and gently pushed it back up with a
finger. Santeri saw the mix of disbelief and lust in his eyes, and she
knew that she had him. /Hook, line, and sinker./ She sat back in her
chair, trailing her finger down his arm.

"You know," he said, his voice suddenly steady, "It's getting a little
too crowded in this room for me. What would you say to finding someplace
else to go?"

She smiled, inwardly and out. "I think I would like that."

He stood up and offered his hand to her, which she took and rose to her
feet. Leaving her handbag where it was, she threw her drink away and
followed him , still holding his hand, out of the room and down the hall.

Aden Draxel was adamantly involved in a conversation with an older female whom Kabira assumed was a guest, and Kabira wanted to put as much distance between them as possible. She would be fine as long as he didn't spot her, or at least as long as he didn't get a close look at her. She knew she looked different than she did when he'd last seen her, more than two years ago, but Draxel wasn't stupid. If she got too close, he would recognize her.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if he put two and two together, of course, but he was the only one at this party that she'd actually conned in the past. As of right now, he more than likely didn't know that, but if he matched her face with her real name, Draxel would not be happy to discover that the reason he missed acquiring that target was because he'd been conned.

Kabira twirled around and looked out the window as Draxel suddenly ended his conversation with the woman and looked up. She watched the traffic zoom past in the distance for a while before slowly turning back around. Scanning the crowd, she spotted Draxel talking to Calrissian.

Suddenly, Draxel lifted his head, his eyes meeting Kabira's. "Shit!" she cursed under her breath as his eyes widened in shock. Kabira felt like a womprat caught in the forward lights of an oncoming landspeeder as the burly bounty hunter suddenly stalked across the ballroom on a direct line for her.

Draxel just shook his head. "I can't believe it..." he said incredulously. "I spent 2 nights hitting on Kabira I'tali and didn't even realize it." He shook his head again, trying to absorb the information just tossed in front of him. "I found out *after* my capture was already dead that the handiwork belonged to you, yet I didn't know until just now that it belonged to *you*, the beautiful woman that stood me up that night..."

Kabira smirked. "Well, if you'd been thinking with the head attached to your shoulders that night, you'd have never asked me to come over. But instead you let your dick think for you, and you blew it, Draxel. I knew exactly where Jai'bleu would be that evening - I just had to ditch you in order to get to him."

"Oh, forgive me," Draxel replied with an identical amount of sarcasm, "I assure you, that will never happen again. So... you been letting Tarkin slip you the one-eyed wookie? Is that how you've managed to stay on top lately?" he leered.

Kabira expected a retort like that from Draxel. He was your typical scoundrel, yet Kabira would admit that he was several steps above the typical slime ball. He at least knew how to treat women. The time she'd spent with him as Mariah, the small time Correllian thief, had been rather enjoyable, and highly entertaining. At least for her...

"Come on, Kabira. You know you want me," he retorted, lowering his voice and leaning into her space. She was already close to the wall, and as he leaned in, she pressed her back up against the wall behind her. Draxel knew that he was playing with fire - she'd already apparently shot down Tarkin. If he was wrong, he could very well live to regret it. And he knew she'd let him live, just to make him suffer. It was hard to believe that the woman he'd been so intrigued with almost 2 years ago was a talented assassin, and not a petty, clumsy thief like he'd thought. She was good. Very good. And he wanted her more than ever now.

Kabira gasped as Draxel suddenly closed what little space remained between them and assaulted her lips with his own. He didn't care how dangerous she was - she was intoxicating, and being this close to her was driving him mad. Even if she maimed him for life, at least the story behind it would be a good one.

Draxel didn't know if his spontaneous decision had been a wise one or not until he suddenly felt her respond. Her lips moved against his, and he allowed himself to breathe, inhaling her heady scent. He also got braver, raising his hand to rest against the soft skin of her cheek as his tongue probed for access to her mouth. To his surprise, she allowed him to part her lips, letting him taste her sweet mouth.

Kabira couldn't believe she was letting Draxel kiss her, but she couldn't bring herself to push him away, either. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he was one of the finer examples of the male species, and not a bad kisser, either. As his hand drifted up to caress her cheek she leaned into the kiss, surprised as her body responded to his caresses. She wasn't used to feeling this way - very few men had this effect on her. Most of them either disgusted her, pissed her off, or weren't even worth the effort it took to apply such an emotion to them.

As much as she was enjoying the kiss, it couldn't last. I couldn't *work*. An assassin and a bounty hunter? And *Draxel*? As much as she was attracted to him right now, the only relationship that would work was a professional one.

Kabira squeezed her eyes shut and ignored her conscience, responding as Draxel's tongue dueled with hers. Gods, he was talented. She needed oxygen, but didn't want to come up for air. Suddenly she felt his hand close over her breast. The pressure sent a wave of pleasure through her, setting off her warrior's instincts.

Draxel gasped as Kabira suddenly pushed hard against him, freeing her body from beneath his. Before he knew what had happened, his back was pressing into the wall while a tiny blaster applied pressure to his jugular. Draxel had never seen someone so small move so swiftly and efficiently, and the look in her eyes made his blood run cold.

Draxel just stared at her, knowing that the moment was ruined. She'd never give herself to him, and there was no way he could take her - he wouldn't do that to any woman. Even still, he begged her with his eyes to change her mind.

"Everything and nothing," she replied softly. "I'm afraid of falling for you and having it hurt my career, or yours. I'm afraid of not being in control with you. And I'm afraid that all you want is just another notch in your belt - one more score for Aden Draxel. I'm sure you could get a lot of points with the boys down at the cantina for pinning me down," she finished, her eyes once again hard and filled with spirit.

I turned from the window, trying to ignore the ire that raised in
my blood as I thought about what I wanted to do. I'd been
watching from outside the open front window of No Force Rentals,
gauging when I wanted to return to the party when
something startling had happened.

Who was that woman? I thought to myself bitterly. Who was the
stranger that had been talking to Grand Moff Tarkin? I
pressed my back into the wall of the building and looked across
the street, the muffled sounds of the party sneaking through the
window. Then I turned back around to have another peek inside.

Tarkin was walking slowly across the ballroom toward the window
where I stood, and I gasped when I realized that, were he
looking, he could see me easily. Instead, his gaze was focused
across the room, and I wondered who or what it was, that was
holding his attention. A sweep of challenge surged through me
when I realized how stubbornly I wanted that attention turned
toward me. Again, I spun and flattened myself against the wall,
out of view, as he made his way closer to where it was that I
stood.

I could feel his presence at the open window, and if I looked
closely from the side I could also see the tips of his boots as
he stood there. The bottom of the tall window was just about at
eye level, and my heart was thumping inside my chest, adrenaline
coursing through my veins as I whispered into the darkness.

"Psst!" I moved over slightly so that I could see his face as
I looked up, but I guess that he didn't hear me because he didn't
react. He just stood there, arms folded across his chest, staring
out into the night. Feeling a bit more bold, I reached inside the
window and grasped his ankle in my hand. Still, he didn't react.

"Governor!" I whispered, a little louder this time. "Come out
here!" He cast a nonchalant gaze downward but still didn't move.

"What exactly are you doing down there, Kella?" He said it as
casually as if he were speaking of the weather, or of some other
paltry topic of conversation.

"What difference does it make? I need to speak to you!" He looked
away, seeming disinterested.

"Perhaps if you released your iron grip on my ankle I might consider
coming outside."

I pulled my hand away from him and listened as I heard the slow
footfalls of his boots leave the window. In a moment, he
stepped out onto the porch and I walked to the bottom of the
steps to meet him. He paused for a moment, just looking at me,
then he walked down the stairs, as if there were nothing further
from his mind than meeting me there. As soon as he was within
reach I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the side of the
building, then walked in front of him, assuming he would follow
me.

Admittedly, I was relieved when I turned around and saw that
he had.

"I see you decided to come back," he mused as I faced him.

I cast about the back grounds of No Force Rentals. They were
large, mostly paved, but there were long trenches dug along
the paths and rows of flower beds snaked along everywhere. In
the far corner of the grounds, there was a gazebo that was half
covered in a tarp, and immediately, I saw it as my destination.

"Follow me," I said, heading for the gazebo. The heels on my shoes
made a pronounced clicking noise as I walked along the
paved surface, and the purposeful stride with which I walked caused
the skirt of my dress to swing wildly about my hips. I
knew that Tarkin was watching all this from behind. Good, I thought.
Let him enjoy the show.

Once inside the deserted gazebo, I turned once again and faced him.
He stood just outside the entry, and folded his hands
together in front of him, then tilted his head and inhaled deeply,
as though waiting for an explanation to my unusual behavior. For a
moment, I lost my nerves a bit, looking at him, standing
there all serene and serious, the slim shape of his hips, the
intensity with which he stared at me. It had only been an hour or
so since our tryst in the closet; and already I was aching for
another round. Dizzying, the command that this much older man held
over my libido and my actions.

"Who was that woman?" I asked, keeping my voice steady through my
annoyance. The breath of a smile crossed his lips as he
saw through my feigned casualness.

"A potential client," he replied.

"Indeed," I said. His stare held mine steadily, and I was trying
with all my might not to think about how much I wanted to kiss
him, to devour him. His stature and presence lured me in a most
scintillating way. He still hadn't crossed the threshold of the
gazebo, so I walked over to him slowly, putting on my best vixen
attitude as I did.

"Potential client?" I said with a smile. "Why only potential?
What did you do to scare her away?"

"I did nothing to scare her away," he remarked sharply, looking
down on me as I approached, and stood very close to him. "I
think she realized that she was in over her head, dealing with
me...and she must have felt intimidated by that fact."

I reached up and began to unbutton his coat, staring up at him.
I said nothing, but cocked my head and smiled, running my tongue
over myteeth. He didn't stop me when I slipped my hands inside,
gently gliding them over his chest, but he watched me, staring down
with the look I'd grown so used to being on the receiving end of.

"You know, you are also in over your head my dear Kella."

"Yes, I know," I breathed, sliding my hands across his sides,
biting against the shirt underneath his coat. I pulled him into
the gazebo as I spoke, beginning to move down his body with my
mouth as the buttons gave way. "Over my head...down on my knees..."

I continued to move down, sinking slowly to the grass below. "Mere
location issues. You know I was never really logistics-minded.
I'm much more of a strategist..." Pressing my face against the
conspicuous bulging in his trousers, I ran my nose along the
outline of his hardness and a dark moan hissed between his teeth
as I spoke. "It doesn't matter where it happens, how it happens...
so long as it definitely happens."

I moved both hands to his thighs, running my thumbs along the
juncture of his legs, massaging teasingly over the growing
evidence of his desire. With my teeth, I lightly grazed the
outline of his cock through the fabric of his uniform, and
giving way to his building lust, he reached his hands into my
hair and pulled it out of its clip, tangling his hands through
its length and pressing my face firmer against him.

"Did you desire her?" I asked against his trousers.

"Perhaps." His voice was becoming hoarse, darker and a bit
distracted. "Why, Kella. Did it make you jealous?"

"No," I said, obviously lying, but playing my part, "I've better
things to do than worry about petty jealousies." His belt fell
to the ground and I quickly unfastened his pants and breathed hotly
against his cock, thrilling at how it was so stiff and so tight
beneaththe restraint of his briefs. Running my tongue along it
wetly, he fought to form a coherent sentence.

"If that's true, then why are you here? Why do you feel the need
to seduce me, to pull me away from the celebration, and all of
those other…potential clients?" I pulled the waist of his briefs
down over his stiff cock, dragged my lips up its jutting length,
ending at the tip with a slow, slick swirl with the flat of my
tongue. He moaned, despite himself. Incredibly despite himself.

"Because it's these lips," I whispered, rubbing my cheek against
his shaft, occasionally letting my mouth tease against it, letting
him think that I may or may not take him in, "these lips that know
you, that can read your body, and play it like a well-tuned
instrument." I reached up and dragged his trousers and all that
lay beneath them over his hips and engulfed his length fully,
grasping the base of his shaft, taking him in and out, once twice,
three times. Then I paused. He gasped. It was amazing.

"Sometimes I think you need to be reminded of that." I looked up,
still grasping him in my fist, slowly sliding him through my
hand. His head had been thrown back, but now he looked down on me,
pulled my hair tightly in one hand, and cupped his
other hand around the back of my head.

"Don't stop," he moaned, his voice staggered and wonderfully
captivated. I watched him closely and swallowed his length
again, looking up as he looked down. Once, twice. I paused again.
Once more, he gasped. Much to his surprise and dismay, I
stood up.

"Just testing your control," I said lightly, "perhaps I'll just
leave now. Let you remember me thusly." Before I could turn to even
think about walking away, he grabbed me around the waist and began
gathering the skirt of my dress in his hands.

"You will *not* just leave now," he growled darkly, smashing me
against his body and leaning down to kiss my lips. It was
wonderful, being possessed, and I arched into his grasp with full
acceptance, circling my hips into his hardness. Our height
difference made it difficult for me to reach him, even with my
high heels, and all I could manage was to grind my mound up against
the base of his cock, thrilled that I was totally bare beneath my
dress. He bent to accommodate me a bit, serving only to tease me,
and our heated minuations were going to get us nowhere fast.
He'd gathered the length of my skirt up around my waist, and was
still kissing me feverishly
as I reached down between us, grasping his stiff length in my hand,
stroking it slowly and deliberately.

We'd been moving and I hadn't even realized it, moving across the
dark enclosure of the gazebo, and I only came to know this
fact once my back crushed against the cold lattice behind me.
Tarkin tugged and pulled my dress up and over my
head, tossing it aside, and I stood, nude save for my stockings
and heels, pressed against the cold wood. He bent his head
against me, his tongue slipping out to run behind my ear, his
teeth biting savagely along the flesh of my neck, hands roaming my
body; one, cupping my breast, the other, sliding down to tickle
against the heated nether lips that so ached to be filled with
him.

He pressed against me, dipping the tip of his cock into that
welcoming heat, causing me to moan uncontrollably, to offer myself,
arch into him, scratch blindly and passionately along his back.
Suddenly and without warning, he pushed me away.

"What?" I cried softly, helplessly, reaching to grab him again.
When he caught my hand with his, he pulled me to him, then
turned me around. He flattened the length of his body against
mine and I could feel the disheveled uniform brushing against my
back, then the warmth of his skin from where it was open at the
front. He nestled his face into my shoulder, moving my hair
aside, pushing me forward so I bent over, and I grabbed onto
the lattice to steady myself.

"It's been a long time since I took you like this, Kella," he
growled, the intensity in his voice and in his accent making me
wild with desire. I could feel the swollen tip of his cock sliding
against my wetness, then slowly, agonizingly so, slipping inside
just a bit. I turned my head and met his lips in a kiss, but then
he pulled back and straightened behind me, thrusting fully,
sheathing himself to the hilt on the first stroke, then stilling
as we cried out together in the mutual pleasure of the invasion.
He pulled my hips back, ground himself deeply against me, causing
my breath to come in high-pitched cries of delicious pain and
delight. Slowly, with amazing control and precision, he withdrew,
almost completely, holding me in place when I dared to try and
back up against him. Suddenly again, he thrust, full and deep,
and he continued this wonderfully torturous rhythm until I thought
I would implode from the tension, from the wild longing for him
to build a faster pace, to slam against me with speed and fever.

Finally, when I thought I could take no more, he reached the end
of his threshold of control. Only then did he begin to truly thrust.

One hand held my shoulder steady, the other alternated with
holding my hip and moving around to the front, teasing caresses
against the tight nub of swollen nerves buried within the damp
little nest of curls. At every impact I cried softly, and I
looked up to realize that I could see out from this side of the
gazebo, could see the back of the No Force Rentals building,
could hear the distant sound of music on the night air.

I wondered if anyone could see us, had seen us? Myself, in
stiletto pumps and thigh high stockings, bent before Grand Moff
Tarkin as he ravished me in the gazebo. The obscene possibility of
being discovered did nothing but heighten the thrill, and at
that moment I heard him moan and stiffen behind me, the grasp
of his hand on my shoulder tighten, and the thick, warm
stickiness of his climax spill inside me. All these delicious
sensations, the danger of getting caught, the sound of his
breathy moans, the throbbing pulse of his final thrusts,
touched off such a riot inside me, the involuntary spasms
rocking my entire body, causing my thighs to quiver. I almost
lost my balance as the hot wash of my orgasm
surged through me, and it seemed that somehow Tarkin knew this,
so he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back
against him, clutching me tight, his own chest rising and falling
rapidly as he caught his breath.

How I'd missed this! How glad I was that he'd survived the
destruction of the Death Star. I turned my head again and kissed
his forehead, brushed my nose with his nose as our lips met
lazily in a slow kiss. Unlatching one hand from the weave of the
lattice, I pressed his head tighter against mine.

"Spend the night with me?" I whispered coarsely, the heated
afterglow of our encounter making my voice raspy with satisfied
ecstacy.

"Are you requesting my services for the duration of the evening?"
he asked, his voice deep and a little drowsy.

"If it must be as such then yes," I replied, not crazy at the
fact that he'd gone back to business so quickly.

"Very well," he said, backing out of me and standing up straight.
"Tonight is free of charge but in the future, this will be a
business agreement."

I turned around, straightening slowly as my back adjusted to
standing upright again. For a moment, I just watched him, as he
readjusted his uniform into place, quickly
buttoned up his coat and turned his head to see where his belt
had landed amid our passionate clothes-strewing fit.

Without warning, I jumped at him, locked my arms tight around
his neck, forcing him to hold me against him as I squeezed
tightly.

"It may not have to be only business," I said, hoping I sounded
mysterious through my excitement. "I want to take you away
from here."

"What do you mean? Take me where?"

"I'll tell you later," I said, still embracing him. "In the morning.
Tonight...let's just indulge ourselves."