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_ "A Zeltron female will be more than willing to show you why you don't always need a male body when you're lonely; but then, any willing female will be glad to show you the same..." _

~Unknown smuggler

"Gods, it's so good to be home."

Even as high up as the Gold Rush was, Syrra could easily make out the landmarks of Ekibo's surface. The gold-furred felinoid Trianii had spent so much time on the ground, had patrolled the western continent so frequently she could name almost every area by heart. Her tail swished anxiously as her eyes darted to the right, northwards, in the direction of Baarok Estate. She imagined she could just make out the tall stone spires of the manor in the distance, though logically she knew it was far beyond the horizon- but such was her euphoria at returning to her home after missing it deeply that she didn't care. She didn't even notice she had her nose pressed against the transparisteel canopy until Kajex chuckled.

"Settle down, kitten. I know you want to visit Aarn and Iaora badly and I promise we'll get to them," the raven-haired gray wolf assured her with a warm smile as he guided the ship towards a familiar starport. "But I have a debt to pay here and a shipment to pick up, first. I'd like to get it out of the way before we move on to business."

She sighed, sitting back in the co-pilot's seat. "I keep forgetting that we're here on Jedi business," she said with a bland smile.

Kajex leaned over and rubbed behind her ears. "Cheer up, kitten. Master Skywalker said this was as much a short vacation for you as it was business. You've been at the academy a year now, you _need_a little R&R, after the work and training you've been putting in- we _all_do. He just wants us to follow up with Aarn and see how things are going, maybe try to get some more information from Calya and Jurah, too." He turned to Talrik, who was reclining in one of the passenger seats. "Got everything set up, kit?"

The vulpine Amaran nodded, his green eyes scanning the terrain below with moderate interest. "Yeah, and I made sure to swap to fresh power cells. You sure I don't need to bring the C-rifle for this?"

"Nah, pistols should be fine for us. Ekibo is pretty much backwater- no offense, Syrra."

"None taken- I love my home, but that doesn't mean it's not boring," she replied, watching as they approached the massive stone island of Dorhesh City, the peak of which held Denhaven Starport. "Don't we need to hail the tower for approach?" she asked.

Kajex shook his head. "Nope. This is technically my legal residence, so I'm free to come and go as I please- their computers have my IFF transponder on record so they can monitor my approach automatically. The station's owner gave a handful of us regular visitors a few hangars as sort-of apartments- Retsa's family lives here in hangar 17, for example. You should see some of them, they have it set up like a long-term base camp, it's kinda cozy."

"I still can't believe you wanted go out of your way over here just for food," Talrik remarked with a grin.

"Retsa's noodles are that good," Kajex proclaimed. "You've tasted them, kit, you know I'm right. Dammit, I'm getting hungry just thinking how many weeks I've been without them!"

Denhaven was the center point of Drohesh city, serving as the country's primary drop-off and pick-up point for the region's services. Though large and thriving, it had little in the way of tourism, despite the city itself resting on a high island of rock in the middle of a tremendous valley covered in farmland. It had as many amenities as most cities with starports did- short- and long-term lodging, ship maintenance workshops, cargo storage facilities, bars and drinking dens, restaurants and cafes, even simple shops offering any number of treasures (or junk). But while business outside of the starport was generally acceptable, business within was lacking. About the only activity one might expect to see in Denhaven was its food court, and several such establishments had already closed shop in recent years. For many of those recent years, it was said that Retsa's simple food stand, serving low-cost pasta and flavored noodles with vegetables and meat, would be the next to fold and move on.

Yet Retsa had defied those claims and risen above them. The middle-aged Barabel had put much of her effort towards making her business thrive, and against all odds she had managed to succeed on a satisfyingly moderate level. There were days when her establishment, which had since added a new cart since Kajex had last visited, had more customers than her rivals- offering her rather tasty goods in freeze-dried packaging for spacers had been a genius idea, in the wolf's opinion, and whatever else he had spent his once-meager funds on, he always set some credits and time aside for her food and company.

But as he'd been absent for about half a year by now, he was the last person she was expecting as she fumbled around with her cart signs, flipping them around from "OPEN FOR BUSINESS" to "CLOSED". The slender, turquoise-scaled reptilian chef glanced up briefly at her incoming patrons. "This one begs your pardon, sirs- my shift is ov..." She trailed off, freezing and slowly looking back up, her green eyes resting on the grinning wolf captain. "I'll be damned," she whispered. "It's Kajex Surnahm." She laughed, running up to him and embracing her friend tightly, hissing pleasantly as she nuzzled under his neck affectionately.

"Aww, it's great to see you too, Retsa," the wolf said, squeezing around her midsection. "It's been far too long."

"That it has, my friend, that it has," she agreed, gesturing him and his companions. "Please, don't mind the signs, I'd be happy to prepare you and your friends dinner, if you'd like!" She treated the Trianii and Amaran with a sincere smile as she vaulted back over the counter of her cart, firing up a couple of extra heaters. "Who do I have the pleasure of meeting today, Captain?"

Kajex gestured to the red-haired fox. "This is Talrik Lye, he's a recent addition to my crew since I started working for the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4- sniper, demolitions, and makes a lot of noise in bed," he said with a grin, making the fox blush a little as he waved. "And this," he continued, gesturing to the felinoid and putting an arm around her waist, "is Syrra, a Jedi padawan with the Order, my co-pilot and... significant other," he said, looking moderately pleased and unable to prevent his tail from expressing it. "You might have seen her a couple of times as a customer."

"A pleasure to meet you," Syrra said politely, smiling at the Barabel.

"Likewise to you both," she said with a sincere bow to each of them as she worked quickly and expertly- Syrra and Talrik smiled back. "I think I do remember you, Ranger, when you came to my cart on your off-hours. Well, I'm glad to see you have finally opened yourself up to connections again, pup- I was worried Garsh and I were going to be your only friends on this planet. Been taking good care of this silly dog?" she asked his crewmates.

"We've saved his ass a couple of times, yeah," Talrik admitted with a grin as he took a seat.

"Well, that's good to hear," she said happily. "He may have already told you how close he and I are- I worry every day that he might meet his end. Any friend of his who watches his back is a friend of mine, make no mistake. So," she began, turning back to the wolf, "what brings you back to Ekibo and my shop, Captain? Missed me that much, did you?"

Kajex smiled warmly. "Of course I did. I've just been busy with a lot of things lately- fighting the Empire and the Sith alongside Jedi and all. I have more than a few interesting stories to tell you, on that front. But mostly I'm here to catch up with you and try to get a few shipments of your frozen noodle bowls, if you have any."

"Always in surplus, pup- Garsh and I made enough this last month to purchase more storage space and extra production units. My business has never been better, and I'm slowly earning more customers," she hissed proudly, sliding a serving to Syrra and Talrik each. "But I'm sure you don't want to hear about my boring business ventures, not if you've truly been crossing paths with the Empire- have you put a few of those Remnant scum down for me, pup? Come now, tell me what you've been up to!"

For the next 2 hours as they all ate and drank, the trio gave Retsa a thrilling account of the things they had done and seen, the people they had saved, the strange friends they had made (including Locke) and the relationship the three had built between them as a pack. Kajex was pleased that Retsa got along well with his two crew-members and lovers, often making teasing jokes at their expense and laughing as either of them blushed through their answers. They recounted the numerous times they had saved each other's lives; the dangerous and exciting missions they had undertaken; the training that both Syrra and Talrik done under Kajex; the movements and motives of the Imperial Remnant; the recent Black Fleet appearance; and eventually, after curiosity seemed to get the better of Retsa, the safety of Jedi training.

"Is there any danger?" she asked, looking wary.

Syrra took this one up immediately, though honestly, as she placed her bowl on top of the other 3. "It's not easy. With the Force, there's always a little bit of risk, but then you think of the alternative- 'what if I don't learn and I do something wrong, hurt myself or somebody else by accident, because I didn't bother learning how to control the things I do?' I used to be skeptical of Master Skywalker's methods, but... they really do work, I agree with him fully now. He does everything he can to make training for adults safe. As far as teens go, he's doing a trial run on training children- they won't be sent out on any missions whatsoever, they'll just get the basics of using the Force, learning the Jedi Code, practicing with stun batons and giving them guidance and encouragement to help people."

"So... if I _were_to send my daughter," Retsa asked with a slight tone of worry, "Would I still be able to see her?"

"Absolutely, anytime you'd like," Kajex acknowledged. "In fact, Skywalker's been working with the Republic to give families of trainees employment and housing in and around the temple so they can always be near." He put a reassuring paw on the Barabel's arm, smiling. "It's not like the old Order, I promise you. I've been there, Retsa, and you know you can trust me- and it's not like I wouldn't keep my eye out for Arah, either, you know I love that kid."

Retsa brightened. "Then I may very well consider it. Arah has expressed to my mate and I that she would like to become an officer of the law or investigator. It would make us proud to see her use our people's propensity for hunting and tracking for the good of the galaxy."

"Yavin 4 is the _perfect_place for that," Syrra assured her. "We'd definitely talk with Luke to see if you can set up your business on Yavin 4. You could even use the academy's transports to deliver your goods, probably. Anyway, we didn't come here to try to convince you or anything- though I'm glad you're giving it consideration."

"We need to meet up with some relatives of Syrra's tomorrow afternoon, and I was wondering if we could stock up right now while we still have time," Kajex explained. "We're not on a particularly strict time table, and I wanted to spend a little time with you before we have to return to our business."

Retsa nodded. "Of course- my family still lives in hangar 17, if you want to have a look inside. Since I'm off work, though, would you mind if I visit your ship for a bit? I'm sure Syrra could escort me there," she added with a meaningful look at him.

Kajex paused, noticing her expression, then inclined his head approvingly. "Right. I think that'd be a great idea, actually. I recall you wanted to talk to her about something."

Syrra looked confused. "I'll... try my best to help," she said uncertainly. "Is there a problem?"

"Oh no, no problem at all, just something important I wish to talk about," Retsa assured her as she stood, while the Trianii got up hesitantly. "Kajex, could you and your vulpine friend be kind enough to bring my carts back to the hangar? I'll throw in an extra 10% discount on the shipment you take with you."

The wolf grinned. "Knock off 10%? Done!" He tugged Talrik's jacket. "C'mon kit, let's, ah... let's allow the ladies some time talk while we get Retsa's stuff back home."

Syrra wasn't quite sure why Retsa required her to escort her to the ship, as she had started moving in the right direction immediately after Kajex and Talrik had left, and she had recalled that Retsa had been a frequent enough visitor to the wolf's hangar. Nevertheless she was pleasant enough company, recounting how she had met Kajex after he had found himself short on credits many years ago and fallen madly in love with the Barabel's menu, which at the time was down on its luck. Kajex had been something of her advertiser, mentioning it to other spacers when he could when they talked, such that her business had begun to thrive around the time he had left. She talked on, explaining how one day she had come home to find her daughter missing with nothing but vague descriptions to go on, and she had turned to him to find out where she had been taken.

Syrra knew most of this, of course, but she had not heard the gratefulness in Retsa's voice until she had voiced it to the Trianii- it made Kajex's account of how things occurred all the more real, gave her a glimpse into the life of someone she loved. There was something special knowing that the man she was with had been the way he was even years before she had met him- saving lives at the risk of his own because it was the right thing to do.

Hangar 7 was on the other side of the starport- by the time they had reached it, the sun had set fully and the stars were visible overhead. Syrra keyed in the codes for the ramp, gesturing the Barabel to follow her into the warm ship interior. "Want a drink?" the Trianii asked casually.

Retsa nodded, looking around the lounge and eyeing the new environment. "Please, that would be most welcome." She whistled, running her claws carefully across the holo-table in approval. "Kajex was right- they _did_outfit his ship rather well. Much of this wasn't here the last time I was around," she said approvingly, as the Padawan returned with a box of ale bottles, sliding one to her guest.

"Well, with the amount of lives he saved back on AS-303, it was the least they could do," Syrra said, smiling as she recalled the first mission she'd had with the wolf. "Especially as he nearly died from it," she said softly, her smile fading as she recalled that, too.

Retsa looked a little awkward from the statement, as if trying to find her words of encouragement. "He's... spent a large part of his life doing these kind of things. That he should become injured from it is not unexpected. He has almost always needed someone there to safeguard his life in some form or another- but he is resilient, and almost impossible to stop once he has the drive to see something to the end. I suppose my fear would not be as sharp if he didn't make things so _difficult_for himself," she said, taking a seat at the holotable.

Syrra cocked her head to the side, sitting next to the Barabel with bottle in hand. "'Difficult' how?"

Retsa paused, taking a moment to have a drink before sizing up the Jedi briefly. "Has he told you how his father's died?" she asked.

The Trianii nodded. "He told me both of them passed away."

There was another pause before Retsa sighed, looking sad. "I'm afraid he lied, partially- for his own reasons, mind you, although I'm sure if you asked him directly he might tell you sometime. Don't judge him too harshly for his deception- it is a painful memory for him."

"I won't," she promised, remembering how the wolf had kept some things about himself secret. "But.. what happened, then?"

"I promised him that I would not reveal his secrets- but the fate of his fathers was not one of them." She hesitated, as if weighing her next words carefully. "It is true that his Trianii father, Kane, _did_pass away about 16 years ago. Kane wasn't terribly old, although he was getting on in years, but he was still at an age where he picked up a disease that was difficult to treat- but rather than seek treatment... Kajex allowed him to die."

Syrra jerked up. "What? Why?" she asked, confused and startled by this information- she could not envision any situation where the wolf would give up on anyone.

"Because Kane asked him to," Retsa replied. "Because it had been 16 years since Bran was taken away from him, and Kane, knowing Kajex was old enough and strong enough to be on his own, wished to be with his deceased husband in whatever afterlife awaits us all. But Bran did_not_pass away- he was murdered."

The Padawan felt a pang in her chest. "Who would have done something like that?" she asked softly.

"Someone who took offense to the occupation that Bran, Kane and Kajex were a part of. They were mercenaries, yes, but to use their preferred term, 'philanthropists', would be far more accurate. They took on many jobs, saved many people- and made many enemies. They had possessed some of those enemies even before they had come to Ekibo." The Barabel leaned back in her seat. "It was only a matter of time before those enemies tracked them down and tried to harm them all. In truth, it was only Bran they were after- he was their leader. But Kane allowed himself to be involved and lost his arm for it, despite surviving- and the attack was what ultimately put Kajex into stasis for a long period of time, until things righted themselves again."

Syrra swallowed. "Is Kajex ill?" she asked, worried.

Retsa smiled. "No, far from it. He's healthy, far healthier than one would expect from someone with his occupation and history. Because I am his friend, and because he has asked me to, I will refrain from elaborating further- I'm certain he will tell you everything when he feels the time is right. But the point I'm trying to drive at is that he had others fight to protect him when he was younger, and they willingly paid the price it took. He loved them very much, just as they loved him, and so took their sacrifice as an example. So when I say that he makes things difficult for himself, I mean to say that he either isolates himself to take on the burden alone, no matter how hard; or he may go to absurd lengths for those he cares about, even if they can take care of themselves." She leaned forward, poking Syrra in the chest gently. "I see how he looks at you, and how you look at him. Has he taken you as his mate, yet?"

The Trianii blushed hard, her cheeks searingly hot with shyness. "Not yet, no," she managed to say despite the lump in her throat. "Though I hope someday he will."

"Even if he has not, I think he means to eventually. The way you and Talrik look at him is the look Kajex would get in his eyes when thinking of happier times with his fathers. They gave up much to keep him alive- he will no doubt give up as much as it takes for his 'pack', especially you." She paused. "I'm telling you this because I want you to be careful, to watch over him. I love him deeply, and I don't want to see him take an injury he will never recover from, even if you or Talrik are worth it."

Syrra sat up straight. "I'd take a shot for him before he could for me."

Retsa stared at her for a few moments before nodding, smiling warmly. "He's chosen well. I'm glad for that. I was worried for a moment that he might've gone for looks alone- not exactly like him, to focus only on the attractive exterior. I should have trusted his judgment better. You are definitely his type, if half of the things he has told me is true."

The Trianii smiled. "You're the second woman I've met who's told me I'm physically attractive. I appreciate the comment, I just don't see it."

"You think too little of yourself," the Barabel chided good-naturedly. "Just because you lack the typical build doesn't mean you lack any other attractive attributes. I'm hardly what would be considered an attractive female by my people's standards- I've been told my features are less bestial, my scales are too smooth and I'm shorter than average as well, yet I possess a faithful mate and Kajex as a lover."

Syrra nodded, feeling a light blush at the comment as she took another swig. "Well if you don't mind my saying so, I think you're attractive as well."

"Thank you kindly," Retsa replied. "I only wish I possessed what you possess."

"Sensitivity to the Force?"

The reptile shook her head. "The courage to do what he does, or at least the courage to follow him while he does it." She hesitated for a moment, looking cautious. "I wanted him as my second mate, you know. But he isn't one to want to settle down, or at least not settle down in the fashion of giving up his trade, bolting down the landing gear, growing old and dying peacefully. He knows he has much to offer to the galaxy, to serve it with his skills, and I know deep down he'd want someone who would not only accept him as his mate, but be willing to stand by him while he works. I'm... not one such person. I fear too much for his life that I'd instead pull him back."

Syrra cocked her head. "Then why is he hard to put trust in people, if he wants that so badly?"

"Because he's looking for people that can keep up with him- or excel, such as you. That way he wouldn't have to worry so much. Perhaps that's one reason he agreed to become your instructor, despite not being a Jedi Knight himself. So with that said, I would like you to promise two things for me."

The Trianii straightened. "Let's hear them."

"Do your best to train diligently, and demonstrate that he can rely on you when things are tough. I have a feeling it will put his mind at ease and compel him to open up to you about who he really is and why he hides the things he has."

Syrra nodded. "He'll help me see to that, I know it. And the second promise?"

"No matter what happens, even if he decides to take you as his mate... I ask you don't allow that to sever the closeness I have with him. He is as much a part of my family as he is your pack family."

Syrra smiled and put a paw on the Barabel's shoulder. "I promise not to come between that relationship either. I promised that to _him_already- I don't want him to cut himself off from the people he cares about just because they aren't me."

Retsa beamed. "Thank you, Padawan. Kajex spoke well of you in our correspondence together and I can see why he loves you so deeply- you possess a very good, understanding heart."

"Thanks. And it's not hard to see why he cares for you so much, too." The Trianii glanced up at the lounge's timekeeper. "So, what should we do while we wait for him to get back here?"

Retsa cocked an eyebrow, treating the Trianii to a half-smile as she leaned forward and placed a paw on the Padawan's left knee.

In the back of her head she was well aware that half a year ago, she would have responded to such an action negatively, perhaps lashing out physically- she had pushed back Keris back then, though it had more to do with the fact that she was Sith than because Syrra would have objected to it with someone she didn't know well. But to say that the time she had spent with Kajex hadn't opened her up would have been a lie- and as a Jedi, she already picked up on hints that Retsa had this in mind since she saw the captain and his two partners arrive.

"... You're awfully forward," Syrra noted with a calm smile. "You should do the polite thing and ask, though."

"You're absolutely right. So... how would you like to give the captain a surprise for him to return to?" Retsa asked with a grin.

"Hey Garsh, it's been too long!"

Kajex's voice echoed in the relatively bare hangar. It was far too big for the small vessel that held it, but much of what would have been empty space had been devoted to shipping crates, a well-equipped workshop unit, several cooking units and well-secured tarps. The setup gave the impression that Kajex and Talrik were looking at a small military camp instead of the home of a Barabel family, albeit slightly messier and more relaxed.

A black-scaled, 7-foot tall Barabel male looked up from his workshop in the middle of hangar 17, shifting his goggles to his forehead and hissing pleasantly. "Ah, is that Kajex Surnahm, back from traveling the stars again?" he chuckled, setting aside his welder and getting up to his feet to shake the wolf's paw firmly. "You speak correctly, pup, it's been far too long since we've seen you around. Who's your friend here, eh?"

"This here is Talrik Lye, he's a recent addition to my crew- works with me and Syrra as my sniper, ship gunner and 2nd mate." Talrik smiled and shook with the Barabel. "He and I are here to see how things are going with you and the kids, and grab a few months worth of rations."

"Pleasure to meet you, kid," the towering reptilian male said genially. "Well, you missed out on saying hi to Lark and Arish, they're still doing their nightly scavenging in the abandoned hangars. Arah had a feeling you might show up, though- the little gem always had a knack for the Force where you were concerned, I think she's napping at the moment. Arah!" He barked at the cruiser resting in the middle of the room. "Come on out and see who it is!"

Both the wolf and fox could hear the squeaking yawn coming from the back of the hangar, following by an exhausted hiss of affirmation. A few moments later, a blue-scaled Barabel child waddled sleepily into view, her black eyes blinking rapidly as she yawned. The ebony orbs fell on Kajex, staring at the smiling wolf captain in disbelief for a few moments before the child let out a happy, excited chirp and sprinted toward him, leaping up into his arms and hugging tight. "Kajex! You're back!"

The wolf chuckled and hugged back, picking her up and nuzzling. "Hey kiddo, it's been a while- miss me?"

"Mother said you went to live with the Jedi!" she chirped excitedly. "Is it true?"

The wolf nodded, setting her down and kneeling to her level. "It's true, I've been helping them out for a while. I even fell in love with one," he said with a grin, watching as the child's eyes lit up in amazement and glee at the news.

"Mother said she doesn't want me to go train with them," Arah said after a moment, looking envious. "But I wanna be a Jedi!"

Garsh chuckled deeply. "Retsa still has reservations about it. I keep telling her, though, it's Arah's decision in the end. I think the business has a lot to do with it too, I imagine. We've just gotten a leg up on it, I don't think she could bear the thought of Arah being so far away if she knew she couldn't visit her."

"She'd be able to," Talrik said. "Anytime she wants, in fact. Master Skywalker didn't like the idea of separating families, so he's even set up programs to allow kin to stay around the academy."

"Are you a Jedi, then?" Garsh asked in interest.

"No, actually. I'm like Kajex, I've just been helping one out for the last half year. But they've allowed my mother to stay on Yavin 4 and employed her for repair work." He gestured to Arah, who was showing off her ability to lift a trio of screws telekinetically. "You wouldn't even have to part with your child, we told her and she seemed happy enough to consider it."

Garsh smiled. "Well, if you've managed to convince her I'd have no choice but to follow- somebody's gotta keep her food units in check. But anyway, lemme set you guys up with some cargo, eh? Got a year's worth of freeze-dried rations you can use, just add water and heat, like usual. We can get them onto your ship quick as a blaster bolt."

Kajex cleared his throat as he reclined in nearby chair and let Arah cuddle him. "Ah, actually... might want to hold off on that for a bit."

"Why's that?" Tarlik asked.

"Retsa's on-board with Syrra. And... she gave me 'the look', Garsh."

The Barabel blinked, then laughed heartily. "Really? Who's this Syrra, then, the Jedi you said you fell in love with? Must be quite a catch if Retsa decided to pull out 'the look' for her."

The Amaran cocked his head, catching on quick. "Wait, you really don't mind that your mate could be getting intimate with someone you don't know?"

Garsh waved it off. "Bah, she always_comes back to me. She fools around with others when she sees they have something she likes, but she sticks with me because she knows I have what she _loves. To a Barabel, it's not cheating unless she's trying to get impregnated without my consent." He regarded Kajex for a moment. "Besides, I trust the pup's judgment- if it's someone he fell in love with, it's someone he's got complete trust in, and we Barabel have a healthy respect for Jedi, especially Jedi who know how to loosen up."

Kajex grinned. "So, how long should we wait?"

"Oh I'd give her about an hour," Garsh replied. "Give her some time to explore and have fun before _you_come back."

"What about you?" Talrik asked.

"Me?" The Barabel grinned wickedly. "I'm gonna make sure she gets it _good_when she comes home."

Syrra had never felt the kind of thrill she was feeling now. With Kajex she had an idea of what to expect, and she wouldn't trade the intimacy she had with him with anything else in the universe. Talrik was a sweet and gentle lover, and she enjoyed the moments she spent with him too. But sex with a female was completely new to her, and the excitement she felt was akin to the nervousness and anxiety she felt when she and Kajex had spent their first night together. The only difference was that she loved Kajex back then. Retsa, on the other hand, was new to her in most respects.

But Retsa had held fast to the first words she had said. "I won't do anything to you that you won't let me."

It was true enough, if only because Syrra felt open enough for almost anything. The Trianii had no problem letting the Barabel take the lead, though she did let out an abrupt chirp in surprise when the reptilian chef unexpectedly leaned in and kissed her deeply- but beyond the minor shock, nothing about what the two were doing seemed unpleasant to Syrra in the slightest. A tongue she had never felt nor expected to feel in her life slithered into her muzzle as the feline moaned, another feeling of thrill running through her as she kissed back eagerly- the act of kissing another woman was a turn-on in and of itself. Kajex's tongue was thick, forceful, and more inclined to lapping affectionately against her muzzle and neck than pressing against her own; Talrik's was long and slender, but not prone to being very obtrusive unless his muzzle was between her legs, which she considered was the best place for his tongue to be; but Retsa's tongue was thin yet clever, slithering into her muzzle as if infiltrating a forbidden zone, dancing against the feline's rougher, textured tongue, the taste of sweet Corellian ale giving the act a pleasant palate.

Syrra knew she was not drunk- buzzed, definitely, but she knew she would have still let this happen if she was 100% sober. She didn't fight against any part of it, even as she felt the Barabel begin to shed pieces of her form-fitting Jedi attire away, instead aiding the reptilian woman in peeling her robes off, setting each item aside on the holotable as her body was bared, until little more than her undergarments and chest binder remained. Her eyes widened as Retsa unzipped her utility suit and revealed she wore nothing beneath it.

She had never seen a Barabel's body in the buff before, male or female, but the sight aroused her nevertheless as Retsa slipped out of her suit, picking up the smaller Trianii and pushing her down against the table. Sharp teeth prickled against her neck as the Barabel embraced the feline around the waist, hissing erotically as her clawed hands roamed and explored. Smooth scales pressed against smooth fur as their tits pressed against each other- despite the lack of nipples it was clear that Retsa's breasts were as sensitive as the Trianii's, if her excited moans were indication enough. Syrra allowed her female lover to explore her, offering no resistance as the last two pieces of her clothing were pulled off and tossed aside.

She admired the feel of Retsa's body against her own, as toned and trained as the Jedi Padawan's. Thus she was not surprised that the Barabel was able to easily pick her up and carry her when she did, though she was surprised that Retsa had done so in the first place, letting out a startled mew as she was lifted into the Barabel's arms.

"What's this all about?" Syrra asked with an amused grin. "Kajex told me you weren't keen on being carried."

"Oh? Perhaps I just wanted to see what the appeal is as the carrier," Retsa hissed smoothly, nuzzling into the Trianii's neck as they moved into the captain's quarters. "And I think I understand it now, if every so often he gets to ferry a cute lass like you to his bed," she added as she set the feline on the bed.

Syrra shifted slightly, feeling nervous. Like her first night with Kajex, she wasn't precisely sure what to do- lovemaking with him had been easy due to his patience and willingness to let her explore and give her pointers, but she didn't know the first thing about lesbian sex despite her curiosity. It didn't help that she was feeling highly aroused, and the look in Retsa's eyes indicated that she was too, leading to a heightened sense of desperation as she struggled to figure out how to progress.

"Retsa? How do we...?"

The Barabel hissed pleasantly and wasted no time instructing the novice female. She snuggled up against Syrra, guiding the Trianii's paws along her body. "Do to me what you would do to yourself, kitten- my body functions much the same way." As if to prove her point she slid a finger into Syrra's mound and caressed her unprotected folds with remarkable gentleness. The padawan trembled a bit, moaning as the foreign digit swirled around in her depths, but despite the haze of lust setting in she complied with Retsa's suggestion and matched the action, her paw grazing the Barabel's labia and eliciting mature, erotic moans from the older woman. Syrra blushed as she felt the effects of her touch, her paw and palm beginning to dampen as she delved her fingers into the Barabel's steadily moistening snatch.

The smell of sex began to accumulate in the atmosphere as they explored each other, but despite the haze it brought onto Syrra's senses the Trianii was able to maintain enough Jedi focus to gauge the Barabel's reactions to her movements and actions. Each time one jammed their digits into the other, the movement was mirrored; when one increased the pace, the other followed. Syrra could feel the shocks running through her body, and with the Force aiding her she could feel similar shocks of pleasure running through Retsa's. Another kiss and Syrra found herself struggling to focus. She chirped as she felt Retsa's thumb squeeze against her clit, her nerves on fire as she writhed in agonizing bliss; her concentration shattered and as the dull claws left her swollen, soaking cleft she became dimly aware that she was at Retsa's mercy.

She struggled to get her breath back as Retsa lay next to her on the bed, the Barabel's slick and dripping snatch in front of her face. She was close enough that the heady aroma was making her delightfully dizzy with lust. Syrra let out a gasping moan as she felt her hips being tugged up, forcing her to roll onto her side- despite the position, she could clearly hear Retsa's words.

"Kiss me."

Syrra responded immediately, embracing the reptile's hips and pressing her lips against Retsa's netherlips firmly, moaning and purring into the cleft as her tongue started to set to work. At the same moment she could feel Retsa's snout dig into her mound, the Trianii gasping and trying to maintain her endurance as Retsa's long, thin tongue swept through her inner walls. The two females moaned and writhed, locked in a comfortable and warm 69 position as they kissed each other's nethers as passionately as they would have kissed their own partners. Syrra found herself surprised to be bold enough to follow through, as she lapped the other woman's folds, the taste of her honey not displeasing in the slightest.

The immediate atmosphere changed further, growing warmer as their body temperatures started to rise in unison. Their sweltering loins rolled firmly into each other's muzzles as each woman sought to accelerate their arousal. Syrra could feel every lash of the Barabel's thin, agile tongue around her clitoris, could feel her lips pinching around the nub and sending hot waves of bliss through her nerves. Possessing no external clit of her own, Retsa still writhed as the Trianii's textured tongue found and attacked her g-spot, crying out as the rough surface literally scratched the delicious itch within her cleft. What Syrra lacked in experience her unique physiology was rapidly making up for, and nowhere was this more evident than the fact that she could feel the Barabel's labored breath caressing gently against her pubic fluff.

Before long, Retsa backed her head away, panting heavily as she slid away from the feline- Syrra followed suit, feeling slightly disappointed as she had enjoyed the experience immensely. She could not help but feel childishly hopeful as she sat back up and leaned forward, her agile tail swishing eagerly. "Did I... do well?" she asked, trying to get her breath back.

Retsa's response was to grab the Trianii and kiss her deeply again, their bodies almost seeming to meld into each other as their arms clung around one another's waists. The slick dew of their netherregions mixed with saliva on their lips and in their muzzles as they shared the lewd cocktail between them, copious enough that it dripped from their chins and dribbling down their frotting breasts. Syrra was on her back again moments later, muzzle still locked with the older female's as she was pinned her paws down. The Trianii slid her legs apart as Retsa rolled her hips forward and grazed her hot slit against Syrra's clit. Her back arched and her hips rolled back, grinding instead of grazing the swollen nub against her female lover.

She did not need cock in her to enjoy the same motions Retsa was performing, though the Barabel seemed to be thrusting harder to compensate. Palm to palm, their fingers entwined and they kissed again, moaning as they bucked desperately against each other. Syrra could sense her lover's arousal, knew that Retsa was as close to orgasm as she was. She wrapped her legs around her hips, pulling her in close as her clit kissed and slid against Retsa's labia, shuddering as the peak of her arousal neared. Yet as she sensed Retsa struggling to keep up, she slowed, looking up with concern as the Barabel whimpered for release.

The Trianii felt a flash of insight, grinning wickedly as she pulled Retsa in again, kissing her chin and throat- neither could see their tails swishing anxiously, but between the both of them only Syrra's was prehensile. The strong, agile appendage snaked around, curling up and brushing the tip against Retsa's genital slit, causing her to chirp out in confusion and surprise. She hissed pleasantly as she quickly caught on. "You... naughty kitten," she groaned, pushing back against the tailtip as it began to sink into her cleft. Syrra moaned louder, quickly reminded that her tailtip was a incredible g-spot, the shocks of her snatch being pleasured mixing with the shocks her tailtip was experiencing as she thrust it into Retsa.

They both cried out simultaneously as they reached the apex of physical pleasure, their bodies rocked with orgasm- a deluge of femcum sprayed against each other's loins, the heat and scent of sweet sex heavy in the air as their soaked and glistening nethers pressed firmly together. They shuddered and held each other close, lips locked as the exhaustion of their act prevented them from doing much more than that. Syrra reached up and cupped the Barabel's face, purring loudly and sending pleasant trembles between them.

"I guess... I _did_do well," she suggested, pressing her nose affectionately against the older woman's snout.

Retsa grinned. "Let there be no doubt in your mind that you performed excellently, kitten," the Barabel responded softly.

"That's for goddamn sure," a voice agreed from the door.

Both women jumped at the voice, releasing each other and sitting up as their eyes darted to the hatch, falling on two nude males- Kajex and Talrik were grinning widely, their clothes cast aside and their cocks completely hard. Talrik cleared his throat. "You kinda left the door open and it sounded like you two were having a lot of fun, so we decided to have a peak and see what was up. I may prefer males, but... gods damn, I don't think I've been this hard before," he stated, giving his tool a nice squeeze.

"That thing you did with your tail," Kajex said, trailing off as he shivered, striding forward and sitting on the edge of the bed. "I sure as hell didn't teach you _that_one, kitten. You should try that out on Talrik."

Syrra giggled, blushing hard. "6 months..."

Kajex cocked his head. "What's that?"

"It's been 6 months since we've been together and... all of this is just overwhelming in the best way possible," she said, crawling forward and sitting next to the wolf as Retsa grinned and pulled the fox into her arms. "I just never thought of myself being here, with you, doing... this."

"Do you regret it?"

"Not a damn moment. A part of me worries about how unusual this relationship is," she admitted, "but... you told me it would go as fast as I wanted it to, right?"

Kajex smiled warmly. "And as far as it can_go. I'm glad it's _here, of all places." He turned and watched as Retsa started getting Talrik riled up, her tongue slowly swirling around the tip of his red prick. The wolf smiled. "Are you too tired to go again?"

Syrra shook her head and smiled, pushing her 'puppy' onto his back and straddling his hips, moaning as she impaled herself on his length. "Not tired enough, no. But right now, I just want you."

It had taken a few weeks of traveling incognito and making use of many extensive contacts located throughout the Outer Rim, but Locke had ensured that he, Keris and Miles had returned safely and without arousing any suspicion. News of Southern Star Station's attack had reached the region in fairly short order, but to his relief neither they nor their allies had been reported on. The fact that there was Dark Jedi involvement, however, had not been concealed either, with Master Luke Skywalker issuing a statement saying that they would put focus on revealing the motives of the attack.

That statement actually gave Locke peace of mind- by now he knew Luke possessed the Yoke of Seeming and had either locked it away or had it destroyed, yet his statement ensured that the Circle's motives remained shrouded. Inquisitor Voyde had not faulted Locke's course of action, agreeing that allowing the Jedi to destroy the relic was a better option than the alternative- though Voyde was less pleased about Ulfric's death.

Locke stood completely still, watching as Inquisitor Voyde closely inspected the artifacts the wolf had returned with. "Inquisitor Tesque had much to say about your actions. Though I'm sure you had little choice it has, understandably, chafed our already fragile working relationship- though I may never be able to fathom why, she has always considered Ulfric to be her prized student, a 'testament of the power of the Sith', as she says. I fear I may never hear the end of her complaints until our task is complete."

Locke frowned. "Am I to be punished for Ulfric's zealotry? You know me, Master, I'm not one to enjoy wanton killing... but for once I'm_satisfied_that such a beast is dead by my hand."

Voyde glanced at the wolf and smirked, the effect making his aged face contort. "Ulfric had his uses and even now he serves a purpose- but his death does not concern me. It does_concern Tesque, so you should expect some manner of reprisal against you or your companions." He returned his attention to the artifacts, though he continued speaking. "The only thing I'm truly concerned about is how you continue to keep sparing this captain of yours. I'm beginning to think you're defying me on _purpose, my student."

Locke stiffened. "Your orders were to dispatch him if--"

"--If he stands against us," Voyde finished for the wolf. "You found a loophole and abused it, Locke. Your attachment to this captain is unacceptable. You _could_have gained his trust, had him killed and stolen his ship, saving us much trouble- yet you did not. I'll not be told you had no desire to risk it- you told me both of his companions sustained injuries, it would have been a matter of overwhelming the man, cutting off his head and returning to me." He paused, turning in place and facing the wolf directly, his cold eyes glaring at the knight.

"This will stop. If all that prevents you from killing him is a loophole, then I'll close it for you. To that end, I am issuing you a direct command- the next time you see him... you _will_kill him. Am I understood?"

Locke said nothing, glaring back.

"... You wish to defy me."

Locked grit his teeth. "I want to say no."

Voyde leered at the wolf, a cruel grin on his face. "But you won't. And you know why- for the things you_have done... this is all you are good for. Such is the way of the Sith, boy- in the words of Darth Plagueis the Wise... '_tell me what you cherish most, so I will know what to take from you; and tell me what you crave, so that I might deny you.' If the life of your friend is what you value most... then I will make you take it from him."

Locke growled. "And if I refuse...?"

Voyde's eyes narrowed, though he grinned wider. "Then at stake is your apprentice whore. If you cherish her more than your connection to this captain, then perhaps I should deny you her presence."

Locke's blood ran cold, his head bowing and chest tightening. For all the rage he felt, it was nothing compared to the raw fear of loss. "If... if Captain Surnahm's life is all you require me to take..."

"It is."

"... As you wish... Master."