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_ "All beings, in times of fear, frustration or self-defense, will lash out. The difficulty in being a Jedi is that in the face of overwhelming emotion, lashing out can end a life. At some point in your lives, children, you may lash out; but look to your masters and your friends, to pull you back, and cherish them all the more for it." _

~Unknown Jedi Master

The last time Talrik Lye could remember being called a "faggot", it had been a day before the graduation ceremony at Teeva Academy, his face pinned down against the cold tile floor of the barrack showers. Back then, he'd been surrounded by at least 10 other stronger males, all intent on administering the final rape session they would ever have. Though the memory only flickered in his eyes in half a moment, the pang of emotion that rent through his chest made that fraction of time seem like hours, almost as if he was reliving the scene. There was a time when that memory would cause him grief.

Now he felt only cold, calm fury- even as he smiled pleasantly. "I'm sorry, I missed that- what did you say?"

The Trandoshan blinked, as did a couple of other patrons that watched from the bar. The reptilian brawler had certainly said it loudly enough that everyone within earshot had heard the words- it was late enough in the evening that the crowd had dispersed, leaving only a handful of barflies and seedy-looking degenerates with deathsticks in their hands. There was no possible way that Talrik, a member of a species that was quite obviously capable of exceptional hearing,hadn't heard the derogatory request- yet the fact that he'd turned, smiled and replied politely seemed to have bewildered everyone.

It took a few moments before the brawler glared at him and tried again. "I said you oughta get your faggot-ass outta that seat so I can get a closer look at the lucky little slut you're gettin' friendly with," he growled. "And you got about 10 seconds to follow through, before I pull it outta there."

"You look familiar," Talrik said, heart thumping wildly within as he kept his demeanor positive. "Didn't I see you fighting a few hours ago?"

The brawler stood at full height, crossing his arms with a smirk; easily two heads taller than the Amaran Ranger, the Trandoshan seemed to revel in the size disparity. "Yeah, I was fightin' earlier. Should be enough a warnin' not to fuck around with me, kid, unless you want your ass reamed."

Talrik nearly flinched from the words, his eyes narrowing slightly, though he maintained the smile. A part of him wanted very much to quickdraw his blaster, set to stun and shoot the brawler repeatedly in the balls; a calmer part of him knew it shouldn't be a Jedi's first recourse, and by extension shouldn't be the first recourse for an Antarian Ranger either. He glanced back at Rook, her sour expression no doubt due to the Trandoshan's interruption and uncouth behavior; the moment she noticed him looking at her, the expression softened into a smile and understanding nod. With Rook's glaive near the knife-throwing wall, Talrik was really the only one armed- fighting was not the best choice at the moment.

Nodding back, he scooted out of the booth and stood, stretching out casually even as his pulse quickened. To him, the brawler was nothing more than another target in his reticle- it was easy to be focused despite the stress. "I'm sure you're not a guy to be fucked around with. Look, it's clear that you're drunk right now- hell, _I'm_drunk too, and it's great. So lemme buy you a drink and you can tell us how you got into pit-fighting or somethin'- because I doubt she's interested in a poke."

With an abrupt growl the brawler grabbed the front of Talrik's shirt and jerked it towards him. "You think I give a fuck what you think, you little shit?! I don't want a fuckin' drink, I want you to move the fuck out of the way."

"Talrik?"

He glanced back at Rook again. Her expression was sultry, the otter licking her lips as she sized the Trandoshan up. "Let him over here, I want a closer look." A pang of jealousy ran through him, confusion setting in- until she winked very subtly.

Catching on quickly he nodded, putting a paw on the larger man's wrist. "I guess I was mistaken, then. She's all yours, as soon as you let me go," he stated pleasantly.

With an irritable snort he threw Talrik aside, causing him to stagger back a few steps before getting back his footing. His nerves already riding on a hair trigger, he watched as the brawler clumsily slipped into booth. "Hey there, kid..." he growled lecherously. "Can't imagine why you'd spend an evening like this with some fox-faggot when you could have an _actual_male."

Rook snickered, though she hastily turned it into a pleased-sounding giggle. "Well, ain't you a forward one," she purred. "Guess you'd have to be a bold one, climbin' into an amateur boxing ring and throwin' down. You come here often?"

"Least once a week," the brawler grinned, putting a hand to her face. "But if a cute lil thing like you came around every night, I might hafta consider showin' you my moves just as frequently. Then again... could always get a bed and give you a _private_showin'."

Several sighs sounded from the bar and Talrik turned just in time to see a couple of the patrons and the bartender roll their eyes or shake their heads. A few other Trandoshans, however, were seated at the opposite end of the bar as they watched the proceedings closely with leering smiles. It occurred to him that such a "private showing" might have a few extra participants- but this didn't concern the fox much as Rook reached up and held the brawler's shoulders.

"How about I teach you a move, big fella?" she breathed. Talrik watched as she leaned forward, muzzle slightly open as if to receive a kiss- the brawler obliged, drifting towards her with his tongue slithering out slightly.

In the space of a heartbeat his snout met the table, as the Selonian grabbed his neck, threw herself back and shifted his head to the side at the last moment, the abrupt change in position causing him to slam his face against the composite table. With a pained howl he sat back up- the howl ended abruptly when the otter swung a boot out from under the table and into the reptilian fighter's chest, knocking him back several feet and laying him out in the middle of the floor.

Talrik winced. "Nope, looks like I was right- she didn't want none of that."

She stood up, scowling. "Copaani mirshmure'cye, di'kut?! Y'think I'd wanna sleep with some hyper-muscled, punk-ass bully like you!?" she snarled. "Y'see this armor you stupid besom fuck? This is a Mandalorian's armor! That means I got standards- ones that say you don't call me a 'bitch' or a 'slut', nor d'ya call decent blokes like my friend here a 'faggot'! Now do yourself a favor and clear out, before another female slams your head in the floor!"

Several bar patrons got up quickly and backed away, fear in their eyes as the brawler staggered back to his feet. After a few moments of swaying on the spot, he glared at Rook and charged the otter with a snarl, swinging an enormous fist into the air where she'd been a moment before.

This time it was Talrik who got a blow in, covering the otter's escape by sticking a foot out casually and tripping up the drunk fighter, his face slamming into the table yet again as he dropped to the floor, momentarily stunned. Rook snorted derisively as she got circled the Trandoshan, having deftly sidestepped the lumbering attack.

But whatever amusement she could find in the situation, Talrik couldn't quite appreciate- mainly because the brawler's associates had decided this was the best time to intervene. The bartender swore and ducked behind the bar as all three of them drew stun sticks from their belts- non-lethal and painful. Backing away carefully from the approaching bodyguards with his paws up, Talrik chuckled.

"Alright, hold on a sec guys. Let's think this through," he suggested with a friendly tone. They stopped and he shifted slightly, turning his shoulder to them to point at the badge sewn into his jacket. "Okay, see this here? That's the badge of an Antarian Ranger- the same guys who fight alongside and keep up with the Jedi Order. I've had to put up with all manner of scum for over half a year; Imperials, Sith, Black Sun, dark side juggernauts and Trianii politicians- you know, kind of a step up from your game. Now, assuming that you guys do_win against both an Antarian Ranger and a Mandalorian bounty hunter- and let's be clear, those are some _very long odds- do you _really_want to risk the chance that our 4 Jedi associates won't come looking for us when we don't turn up tomorrow?"

There was a long pause as the 3 Trandoshan fighters looked to each other uncertainly, long enough that Rook was able to cross the room and grab her glaive before returning to Talrik's side with a smirk. The nearby patrons seemed to be holding their breath, while the bartender peeked timidly over the bar. Nearby, the brawler groaned and reached up for the table, claws blindly knocking over Talrik's embedded throwing knife. The sight seemed to spur them to make a decision.

All three roared in unison and charged at the two of them, erasing the fox's smile as he quickly reached under the back of his jacket and drew his pair of tonfas. The first attacker's swing went wide, opening him up for Talrik to slam the short point of the weapon into his gut. A long, loud squawk sounded as the weapon discharged electricity through his belly, silenced as Talrik swung its sibling into his jaw and sent him sprawling.

The second attacker lunged for Rook, but the otter had something of a disappointed expression on her face as she countered each attack easily. Talrik nearly yelped at her when she counter-attacked, swinging the bladed end of the glaive at the attacker's head. For a moment, he thought she had decapitated the fighter- only to feel a sense of relief when he realized she'd smacked him with the flat of the blade.

He had no time to dwell on it as the third attacker dove for his stunned brethren's weapon and began a frenzied assault on the Ranger, weaving a web of active electricity around him. Forced to defend himself against the onslaught, the fox waited for the best opportunity- it was how he had been taught. Shifting deftly into an Echani combat stance he intercepted each swing and jab; he ducked an overhead swing and lunged in, a shock-burst erupting as he hit the chest; now within his attack range, Talrik blocked a dual slash to each side and slammed both weapons against the fighter's chest; stunned for a brief moment he followed up, swinging both tonfas down on the shoulders, electricity coursing through his arms, causing him to drop both stun sticks when the fox stopped; now completely dazed, the Ranger laid him out with a firm side-kick, rendering the attacker completely inert.

His attention returned to Rook again, alarm causing his heart to skip as he saw her engaged with the first and second attackers- skilled though she was, her decision to fight them without drawing blood was limiting her options and allowing them to push back. There was no need to think about his decision, now prompted to sprint in her direction to help- it was only the snag in his feet that caused him to stop, tripped up as he fell to the floor with a yelp, his tonfas clattering meters out of reach. Startled and confused his eyes searched for the attacker, finding them just in time to roll out of the way, as the brawler launched himself in the air with the Ranger's throwing knife in hand. The honed edge of the blade sank into the floor where his head had been, giving the fox a moment to stagger to his feet, but the few moments he took to locate his weapons and make sure Rook was alright cost him the momentary advantage.

The brawler rushed him again with knife in hand, yet Talrik was not ready for him. He swore as he narrowly dodged the knife slash, still unbalanced both from being tripped up and from the remaining buzz of alcohol still in his head. Desperate to put distance between them he drew his blaster with the intention to intimidate the Trandoshan, but whether drunk or in a rage (and most likely both) the brawler ignored the weapon and knocked it away, slashing one more time at the fox's face and scoring a direct hit.

Hot pain lanced through the right side of his muzzle as the knife cut a deep gash beneath his right eye, causing him to cry out in agony and lose his balance, falling to the floor. Talrik had known many forms of physical pain in his life, but it almost felt as if the cut had blinded him; knowing he still possessed both his eyes did not diminish the pain as he tried to get back to his feet. A sharp pain and crack shot through the left side of his chest as the brawler's boot slammed into the prone Ranger, reducing him to a heap with a sharp, agonized gasp as the wind was knocked from him. Reaching blindly for something, anything, to help him survive this encounter, his paw found the handle of his blaster- only for the weapon to be kicked away.

A heavy weight slammed against his back before he felt the cold steel of his own throwing knife against his neck. Certain this was it for him, Talrik held his breath, hoping to die with enough dignity not to beg for his life. But the death blow didn't come- instead, the Trandoshan's muzzle leaned in next to his right ear, hissing softly. Confusion set in for half a moment- then cold fear and blinding rage as he felt the Trandoshan's enormous bulge grinding against his backside.

"Should've just turned tail and walked away, you little faggot. Now I'll have to cut your hamstrings and fuck you_like a little bitch- hold still, or I'll do you _raw."

Something within the fox snapped, culminating in a violent explosion as Talrik snarled ferally, throwing the Trandoshan off his body with a strength he never expected of himself. Hackles raised and a fire in his green eyes, the Ranger tackled him to the floor and knocked the knife away, roaring as he laid into his attacker with a flurry of knuckles across his face. Within 2 blows, the brawler was too stunned to hold his arms up defensively; another 4 blows and Talrik had penetrated past his leathery hide and drawn blood; 3 more blows and Talrik had cut his fist on one of the brawler's fangs, knocking it out of his snout and across the floor. Blood began to pool around the brawler's head, issuing from his nostrils and jowls as flecks of it sprayed around them, the violent beatdown making Talrik's brown paws more crimson with each strike- it was dimly visible in the red haze of his vision.

"Talrik!"

A paw had grabbed his shoulder and he jolted, grabbing the wrist while retrieving the knife, getting to his feet in an instant and raising the weapon overhead, ready to sink it into the next attacker's neck- only to stop himself in time as Rook's wide eyes met his.

The rage ceased, replaced with horror at what he'd nearly done- the knife fell from his paw and clattered away, heaving gasps tearing through the fox's chest.

"... Y'got him, mate," she said softly, reaching out and touching the uninjured side of his face. "Y'can stop now." That he had nearly stabbed her in his rage did not seem to vex her, the otter's expression one of concern. He flinched from her touch, staggering back to look at the wounded and dazed brawler; beneath of veneer of blood he was barely recognizable, his face bruised and sunken in a few spots. Shame and fear of what he had just done dawned on him, a thousand thoughts manifesting in his mind, each trying to rationalize what he had done. Even the deep gash beneath his eye had numbed, despite the wound still dripping red.

"H-holy... shit..." a voice whispered fearfully. Talrik's eyes caught one of the smaller Trandoshans crawling towards the injured brawler. "... B.. bruv...? C'mon, say somethin'..." He stirred feebly, but didn't respond as ragged breaths rasped through his lips. "... N-no... c'mon, yer better 'n this, big bruv- yer s'posed to be a fuckin' champ...! You told me you'd win yer next fight, bruv!!!" A choked gasp rang out as the younger sibling pulled him into his lap, eyes glistening as he looked around. "S-someone... help, please!!!"

The sight caused Talrik's blood to grow cold. He had been the one to do this, had lost control for but a moment and severely wounded a civilian; a bully, a rude, drunk and violent civilian- but still a civilian. Weakened now from what he'd done, the fox's eyes darted around; the few people present were too scared to approach, eyeing both the injured fighter and the Ranger with trepidation. Even Rook looked severely disconcerted, stepping away from the injured man, quickly grabbing Talrik's discarded fighting sticks and grabbing his arm.

"W-we should go, mate," she suggested in a subdued voice.

"But--"

"This isn't were you should be right n--"

But her fear brought a sense of clarity to him, a calmness he couldn't fully explain that seemed to guide his actions- surrendering to that guide, he pulled aware from her grasp and approached the reptilian siblings, the younger brother's eyes widening as he neared. In a flash the younger lizard grabbed Talrik's blaster from the floor and pointed it at the fox, the weapon trembling in his claw.

"G-get the fuck away from him you f-fucking maniac!!" he hissed.

But the fox was unperturbed. He'd seen the same look in many other freedom fighters in holos, or through the scope of a blaster rifle as a stormtrooper- it was the look of a man too fearful to react, not one desperate enough to do anything. Reaching around to the back of his belt, he extracted one of his bacta injectors. A voice spoke through him, one that was both his own and not his own- it was his voice and his muzzle speaking them, but they were words that came without any thought, as if pouring through his lips naturally. "Put it down. I can help your sibling, but not at the end of a blaster. Even if he did attack me... I don't intend to leave him like this."

Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes as the younger man hesitated to lower the weapon; but in the end, he did lower it and placed it on the floor, distrust evident in his eyes as he held his unconscious older brother's body close. "Y-you fuckin' done 'im in..." he muttered, as Rook took the weapon back and slid it into one of her pouches.

"He... threatened me," Talrik said softly as he kneeled and jabbed the device into the brawler's neck- a click sounded as the bacta jet through the needle. "If threatening to rape people is how he gets when he drinks too much, then you might do better to keep him away from the drink. Better to live a life as a struggling boxer than to die a drunk criminal. Tell him that when he wakes up."

"I-- but--" The younger brother sputtered, looking to justify the incident. "... I'll... tell him..."

"I'm sorry," the fox said, a burning feeling in his chest as he said it, "I really am. I reacted far too badly to his threat, but I'm willing to make it right if I can- even if that means healing him and staying away," he finished, pulling the injector away and getting to his feet. The younger Trandoshan nodded and sighed in relief, looking a little grateful for the unexpected aid. Talrik looked around, noticing expressions of relief on several faces, though a few still looked nervous- Rook's expression, however, was one of approval and understanding, even as she grabbed his upper arm again.

"C'mon, mate," she muttered softly tugging him away from the bar until he followed. "Best to leave them to clean their own mess..."

Coronet's city streets remained busy even so late in the evening, though the darkness and lighting made it easy to hide the fact that an albino Selonian was guiding a bloodstained Amaran through the crowd. Nevertheless Rook noticed a few of the passerbys looking at Talrik in alarm, as it was difficult to conceal the gash across his cheek. Swearing beneath her breath she pulled the fox along, eyes darting around for someplace where they could take a breather. It wasn't long before she spotted a late-night diner near the corner of Blue Sky Boulevard and 2nd Cross.

She wasted no time guiding Talrik into the diner, the bar lined with only a few patrons. One of the waitresses, a dark-skinned human, quickly approached them with a cheery smile that faltered quickly as she approached. "Hi, how can I he-- oh goodness, what happ--"

"My best mate here took a spill and cut his face on the curb- d'ya got a 'fresher I can take 'im to?" the otter asked quickly. The waitress nodded and gestured at the back of the building, stepping aside as Rook led the fox past the dining visitors and into the unoccupied room.

A sharp pain hit her gut and she grunted, wincing from the pain. "G-go on, mate," she said as steadily as she could. "Git yerself cleaned up, I g-gotta tend to m'self real quick," she groaned, speeding past him and bursting into one of the stalls. Cupping a paw over her muzzle to prevent herself from screaming in agony, she was lucid enough to pull one of the many vials of spice she had purchased earlier from her back pouch, popping the cap off and inhaling quickly.

She gasped as relief passed into her, the spice eliminating the pain in seconds. Cursing silently for the spice withdrawal's poor timing, she resealed the vial and slid it back into her pouch with a shudder. The burst in color and sharpness of her hearing was of little relief given the night's events, though things seemed to be slowly rectifying themselves as the sound of running water in the 'fresher's basin echoed through the room. Even so, not even the relief from pain or the rush of adrenaline could ease the ache she felt. A sigh passed from her muzzle as she waited a few moments, before looking beneath her stall to see if anybody else was around, expecting to see a pair of feet in one of the other five- nothing. Going through the motions to pretend as if she were using the 'fresher properly, she kicked the handle of the hydro-flush and emerged from the stall, sighing in relief for effect.

Talrik was bent over the basin, scrubbing his paws with sanitizer and water as his jacket hung off to the side- the composite sinktop was already a faint red, the basin nearly crimson even as it drained away. Rook swallowed and approached carefully- there was no sense in hiding from him when he could clearly see her reflection in the mirror.

"... Feelin' alright, mate?"

The fox said nothing for a moment, paws working slowly to rid the blood out of his fur. "... I nearly killed a man, Rook. I'm not feeling alright in the slightest," he said, keeping his eyes focused on the basin. There was a long pause in which Rook did not respond, waiting for the fox to finish- her eyes fell on the sleeves of his jacket, which were still stained with the brawler's blood. Perhaps sensing that she had seen the stains, he cut the water off abruptly, looking up at her reflection with a look of shame.

"... I was conscripted into Imperial service, as I told you," he started slowly. "In all the time I was a stormtrooper, I never wanted to hurt anybody. I told you I don't like killing for the fun of it. I don't even like killing in general. But I'm not going to deny that I'm exceptional at it, either. That's why I don't like getting into fights- I never see myself as the one losing control, getting out of hand to the point of knowingly hurting another sentient being, but sometimes that control is outta my paws, you know?"

Rook swallowed again, nodded. "I hear ya, mate..."

He stood up straight, turned to her with a pained expression. "What happened just a few minutes ago... Rook... _that_was the first time I ever truly wanted to kill another person. It was brief and it passed, but for that space in time all I wanted to do was fuck him up so bad, to make sure his life was snuffed out. It was nothing but red and rage, and pain." He shuddered, leaning against the wall and sliding down it, trembling visibly. "I-I... I don't know w-what's wrong with me," he said through heaving, shaky breaths.

The otter's reaction was immediate as she rushed and knelt beside him, putting a paw on his shoulder- images flickered through her head as she recalled the recent scene with clarity, aided by the dose of spice she had taken. "He said somethin' to you while holding a knife to your jugular. Somethin' that set you off." She paused and waited for him to deny it- no response. "... What was it?"

Talrik's answer did not come immediately as he shook violently, knees up to his chest and his paws pressed into his face. Despite her deep desire for an answer she did not press him, waiting as he steadied his breathing. Eventually, he swallowed and answered.

"I told you I was conscripted into Imperial service. I hated every moment I was training, because it was a moment I was alone and unable to defend myself. I was the only Amaran, the only non-human in my training group- and I was also the smallest. It's not like I'm a runt or anything, I'm actually taller than most of my kind, but... that doesn't matter against 6-foot humans that have trained most of their lives. I only ever got ahead for two reasons- because I have exceptional aim, and because even when I struggled against it, I was physically incapable of resisting them taking their sexual frustration out on me."

A deep, toxic feeling settled in Rook's stomach as she winced from the admission. A faint echo surfaced in her memories, Kajex's voice rebounding through her head. "He suffered during Imperial training. Badly." No doubt this had been what the Sentinel had been referring to; no longer did she need the fox to inform her as to what the Trandoshan brawler had muttered into his ear. Regardless, she refused to look away from him, respect for the Ranger building as she pulled his tonfas off her belt and placed them next at his side.

"You defended yourself, mate. Mind, y'did go overboard teachin' him a lesson, but it was one he won't soon forget, even as piss-drunk as he was- and you did right by healin' him like a Jedi would've, even when he didn't deserve that kindness," she assured him, squeezing his shoulder tightly. "Believe me after the shit he tried, it's more'n I woulda done for 'im- if I'd known what he'd threatened to do t'ya, I prolly woulda ended 'im."

"I still shouldn't have lost control."

"That's still not yer fault," she responded quietly, shame overtaking her. "It was mine. I figured bloodyin' his snout woulda given him the hint to piss off. I didn't account for how drunk the bastard was, or how much pain he could take. We could've left if you wanted, but you seemed willin' to stand up to him and I wanted to back you up. Maybe... I took things too far. I'm willin' to admit that. But there ain't anythin' wrong with you, mate. Y'had shit luck with your life and it was the kind that don't clean off easy."

She watched as he raised his head, tears streaked down his face- it was a face she knew well, one of defeat and resignation that as far as she was concerned did not suit the fox in the slightest. "This is what I was worried about earlier, though. Everyone else has control over their abilities, to do the job they're best at. I barely have the skills to keep up with them, and I haven't been tested in all the ways I should have been. What if this happens again? Rook... I was so close to stabbing you out of reflex; I don't want that to happen to you, or Kajex, or Syrra, or Locke- or anybody."

"You beat it," the otter responded firmly. "You got control of yourself at the last moment, and you fixed yer part of the mess by aidin' the bastard that attacked you. Talrik, believe me when I say I respect the hell outta you, more now than I did at first. I got the wrong measure of you f'sure." She smiled sincerely, pressing her nose against his. "Besides, it's bullshit to assume yer pack is faultless. Y'think Kaj or Locke never fucked up before in their lives? Everybody_does, even me. I ain't gonna judge you for fallin' outta step- especially when you got back in and fixed what you could. Yer not a badass because of how hard you are; yer a badass because you really,_really_know when to quit- _never."

Comfort seemed to seep into the Ranger's green eyes, a calmness that Rook was certain had been inspired by her words. With a deep breath Talrik sat back up, sighing. "Feels like I ruined what could've been a great night."

A chuckle escaped from the otter as she leaned over and nuzzled the side of his face. "All things considered, I had a great time, fox-boy." With uncharacteristic tenderness she traced a paw beneath the cut in his cheek. "Hurtin' any?"

"A bit," he admitted as he reached for his belt and pulled a bacta injector from it. "But all things considered... I had a great time too, Rook," he admitted with a smile, wincing slightly as he pressed the needle into his neck and activated the device. The vial of bacta beneath the needle emptied rapidly as he sighed in relief- Rook could tell the fox was exhausted.

"We should probably head back to the hotel, mate," she suggested quietly. "Dunno if you'll wanna tell Kaj or anybody what happened, but..."

"I'm gonna tell them," he confirmed with a nod, grabbing his weapons. "I'll leave out what started it- I'm not gonna needle you for it, I know you had no intention of letting things go so far. But I owe Kajex an apology for earlier, especially since you've kinda helped put things into context for me."

She smiled. "Well, then you might wanna bandage your cut and give yer face a proper clean before we head back," she suggested, holding up the paw she'd touched his cheek with- it was stained red. "No reason to make them think we got into any real trouble."

The brief flight out of the Blue Sector and back to the hotel was subdued but lacked any real awkwardness. Inwardly, Talrik wanted to say something to Rook, convey his gratitude for her compassion and understanding- despite her tough-as-nails exterior and refined combat skills, he could tell a tender heart beat beneath. It was enough that the entire drive back, he continued to stare at her. She had acknowledged that the night had been a date- one that soured near the end, but at least had completed with the two reaching a better understanding between them.

The incident bothered him still, but Rook's opinion and thoughts gave him a bit of clarity, enough that he felt he could convey to Kajex what had happened and why. Kaj was Syrra's Jedi instructor, but it would also have been accurate to say he was Talrik's instructor as well. It was with this in mind that he sought the wolf's counsel once they had landed. He had been easy to track down, still hanging around the gym as he was engaged in lone meditation. Rook hung back a bit as Talrik approached, the fox feeling moderately hesitant as he watched the golden-yellow Healing Crystal pulse repeatedly before the wolf's face. Kajex had told them he would need to focus intently on the crystal in order to construct another lightsaber, and Talrik was hesitant to break that concentration, choosing instead to sit before the meditating wolf.

"... I appreciate you being mindful of that, kit," Kajex said softly, his eyes still closed. "But it's alright. After what happened tonight, I know you'll want to talk about what happened- and I'd be kind of an asshole to put a mere lightsaber crystal before my family." His eyes flickered open and he smiled up at Talrik- it seemed nothing got past the wolf these days. The Sentinel turned to Rook. "You might as well get over here too, kid- I need to talk with both of you."

The otter cringed slightly with a sigh, but complied reluctantly, seating herself next to Talrik.

The crystal descended gently from the air, landing in the wolf's outstretched paw as he took in a calm breath and regarded them both. "So... not that don't I already know, but tell me what happened at the bar tonight."

Rook blinked. "You-- but how--"

"Crystal meditation has a side-effect where the one attuning the crystal will have visions. They can be premonitions, memories or even events occurring within the moment, visible to me with clarity. As connected as I am to the pack, I guess it's only natural my attention would be turned to the one person whose welfare I thinking about the most." He gestured to Talrik. "I'd like for you to tell me what happened."

"But... if you already know," Rook started to say.

"It's not enough," Kajex answered. "Talking about it forces you to come to terms with it. Facing one's actions and their consequences is one of the things the Jedi of my time were encouraged to do, yet never did often. When they did, it was through self-reflection and meditation, which is a problem because then you run the risk of allowing your own personal biases to paint your actions in a better light, to justify them. Talking to others who will criticize you fairly and still care about you, like my fathers, is a better option." He smiled. "I can't promise I'll take your side, but I _will _try to be nice about it."

The fox and otter traded looks. "... It was my fault," Rook said after a moment, casting her eyes downward. "Everything that happened was because--"

Kajex held up a paw. "Relax, kid- I'm not interested in the blame game, not even if you want to accept responsibility for it. Guilt tripping you ain't gonna help anybody. You guys need to start from the beginning."

Talrik swallowed. "I felt like getting a drink with Rook, after... after lashing out. I was wrong to get so riled up, Kajex- and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. I was just so frustrated with how badly things seemed to be going that it felt like giving me the soft touch seemed... condescending. Even though I know you didn't mean it that way. I felt like not getting any better would've been a liability to you and Syrra and everyone else, that if I failed you I stood to lose everything I've grown to love- that if I didn't do right by you... I could lose you."

Kajex smiled. "And now you have a very good idea about how I feel every day, kit. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't worry about whether or not I'm teaching you the best way I can. You have to understand, I wasn't just trained by a Jedi Knight and an Antarian Ranger- I was trained by my fathers. They shared in my pain of failure while encouraging me to do better, and celebrated my victories with pride. I trained with a family, and I grew to enjoy it. That isn't to say Bran and Kane made it easy for me, but they were there with me every step I took. It's how they taught me, and it's how I decided to teach you and Syrra. That may not be the best way to educate others... but it's the only way I know. And I can only hope that in the end, I've done right by you." He gestured to Talrik. "Go ahead, kit."

There was a moment of hesitance- the shame of his actions was still present, even with Rook's comfort. "The one who attacked us... he was drunk, probably still sore from his loss earlier in the evening. He referred to me as a 'faggot', and... I kept myself in check, as angry as I was. Tried to solve the situation by offering to buy him a drink, but he wouldn't have any of it."

"So I stepped in," Rook interjected apologetically. "I thought maybe I could knock the bastard out or give 'im a hint that I wasn't keen on his companionship, so I bloodied the fucker's nose and told 'im off. Didn't take that very well... if I hadn't done it, it probably wouldn't have gone so badly."

Kajex nodded. "You're a bounty hunter. It's necessary for you to be tough and make others aware that you're not to be fucked around with. You did what you thought would work, probably something you've done before, right?"

She nodded, looking slightly subdued. "Sometimes another hunter'll wanna try to get into my trousers, best option there is to show them I ain't an easy lay. 'Sides... he insulted Talrik, and even if fox-boy here had his chin up, it didn't feel right lettin' the fucker get away with it- not to mention he called me a 'slut' and 'little bitch'."

The wolf nodded again. "You were standing up for yourself and for Talrik. I can respect that, even if violence wouldn't have been my first option- for someone in your position, it's probably the only way to protect yourself. Go on."

Talrik swallowed. "His buddies, one of them his younger brother, I think, rushed us right after. Tried to warn him that even if they took us out, you and everyone else wouldn't take it lying down. Stopped them for a moment, but they decided to try it anyway and we ended up fighting."

"Which you did very well," Kajex said. "You tried to defuse the situation peacefully, the way a Jedi- or Antarian Ranger- would've done. I'm proud of you for that, kit. But obviously that course of action doesn't always work. I saw the both of you fighting, and I'm glad both of you pulled your punches- especially you, Rook." He smiled at the Selonian. "You have no reason to follow our ways, but for whatever reason you have, you decided to incapacitate instead of eliminate. Thank you for that."

"At some point the brawler got my knife out, cut me and had me against the floor. He started..." Talrik paused, shuddering. "I felt him grinding against me. Had my knife at my throat, he threatened to cut my hamstrings and..." Unable to finish, he took a deep, steadying breath.

"You don't have to finish that. You snapped at that point and put the hurt on him because he threatened to hurt you badly before violating you. You had every reason to be angry, to want to defend yourself from him," Kajex insisted.

"But that's not what Jedi are supposed to do!" Talrik said, feeling agitated. "I should've--"

"You should've kept calm, Talrik," Kajex finished for him. "That would've been the best thing to do. You didn't... but that doesn't make what happened a failure. I saw how it unfolded, how you nearly stabbed Rook out of reflex- but if you were truly lost, you wouldn't have snapped back out of it. Whether she meant to or not, Rook helped to save you by coming to your aid. And you pulled yourself out of it because you weren't beyond hope."

"I shouldn't have lost control in the first place."

Kajex shook his head. "I'm gonna let you both of you in on something- Jedi training on handling civilians before the Purge was 30% reason, 70% bullshit. Every single student back then was cloistered from the harsh reality of civilian life. Most students didn't even know rape was a thing until they were paired with a master and came to learn about it. And yet I can tell you that every single student to ever enter the Great Temple on Coruscant had, at some point or another, lost themselves to fear, anger or hatred. Usually briefly, but they would... and none of them had the life that_you_ had. I doubt any but a fraction of Jedi have ever been raped by a fellow student- that's a pain that's never truly going to go away." He paused, letting it sink in.

"... That's why I feel that if you had been born a Force-sensitive, you'd make an incredible Jedi. You're driven, compassionate, and despite having put up with some of the worst shit any sentient being has had to endure, you've been able to prevent yourself from being completely lost to anger and rage. And yeah, it's hard, and you needed help, but that's a damn sight better than most Jedi handled it back in my day. I saw what you did afterward, when you realized what you'd done- despite how bad the guy hurt you, what he threatened to do... you still helped him." The wolf's expression was warm and sincere, and it was enough to make the fox smile back. "I am nothing short of incredibly proud of you, little bro."

"Told ya," Rook muttered with a grin.

"And as for you, Rook," Kajex continued, arching an eyebrow, "you might have taken the wrong tack, but you helped my little bro out, saved him from doing something he'd regret. Thanks for looking out for him- I know it wasn't what you were hired to do."

"Ah, well... er... no problem," she replied, blushing slightly.

Kajex nodded. "Anyway... I'm keeping an eye on both of you, just so you know. I nearly cut my meditation off so I could track you down to help you, but past a certain point I knew you had things well in hand. You two should probably get some rest," the Sentinel suggested, getting to his feet and pulling them both up.

Talrik nodded. "I will. Kaj..." He paused, trying to find words to express his relief and gratitude, before settling with leaning in with a hug. "... Thanks."

The wolf smiled as they embraced. "Anytime, kit."

Rook said nothing to Talrik as the two returned to their room. The turbolift ride to their floor was 30 seconds of awkwardness with the two switching between staring out the viewport and across the city, and at each other. The moments where Talrik's green eyes pierced into hers were moments that increased her heartrate substantially. It was difficult for her to maintain eye contact for too long, the pang of excitement forcing her to look away from him with what she knew must be a highly visible blush. A part of her wanted things to work. It had been a memorable night, to be sure- but Rook now felt worried about how the fox felt about her.

It was stupid, logically- they had barely met a week ago, and the progress of their friendship had been shaky, though positive. But she did not want to lose the fox as a friend due to her brashness, not when she was feeling something... more. Whether or not he could feel the tension, there was nothing in his posture to show any similar nervousness, though she thought she could detect some measure of expectation in his eyes.

Yet as they walked in mutual silence towards their room, neither of them said anything. The tension built, each step the otter took feeling more mechanical as they neared the hatch. A quick key-in and they were inside; as they lay their weapons near the door, Rook could see Miles was nowhere to be found.

The two were completely alone.

She swallowed, clearing her throat. "I'm, uh... gonna turn in for the night." She made for the bed, freezing when she felt a firm grip around her wrist. The Selonian took in a breath, turning slowly to the Amaran Ranger, who had an unreadable expression on his face- yet his words were clear and deliberate, asked with a tone of hope.

"... Are you really?"

"... I'm really not."

It had happened in a blur that Rook could nevertheless recall with remarkable clarity. She remembered Talrik drawing her in close; the deep kiss that followed; the tight embrace that she pushed herself into needfully as her armor suddenly became too stifling to wear; the sound of gasps and moans as they somehow made moved into the refresher, stripping each other of clothing as they inched closer to the showerhead. By the time he was completely bare, his throbbing red prick at full mast, the otter was down to nothing but her chest-wraps.

There had been a small, nagging worry in the back of her head that she would not be attractive enough to his liking, a worry that grew as her chest-wraps fell away; that worry completely evaporated as he bent his knees and kissed along her neck, trailing down her pert breasts and continuing until his nose was brushing against her snowy pubic fluff. Despite her dizziness she could discern fear, fascination and excitement in her mind, though she couldn't tell which was more prevalent at the moment. Part of her wanted to scream and tell Talrik to stop, that she was too scared of continuing- a larger part of her, however, desired everything he might intend to do to her. A paw covered her muzzle as she trembled violently, the fox's nose inches away from her cleft.

It was the only thing that stifled her scream as his nose pressed against her clit, making her jerk violently from the incredible, brief stimulation- it was as if a red-hot iron had been pressed against it, only the pain had been replaced with red-hot pleasure instead. The fox looked up, fear and concern on his face, but she shook her head silently, gasping for air and guiding his head back in eagerly, teeth clenched tightly as guttural moan tore through her chest and poured out of her muzzle. The texture of his tongue slathering against the glowing red lips of her snatch was a sensation she could not articulate in either Basic or Mando'a, though that was likely because the sensation robbed her of any cognitive functions as she leaned weakly against the wall.

It was there she was pinned, thrust up against the support as the fox licked her crevice repeatedly, her legs draped over his shoulders as he worked her slit. Every lash sent a pulse of pleasure through her loins, dew flowing from the slit as he hungrily kissed her netherlips. She barely lacked the ability to keep her tail still, the thick appendage smacking anxiously against his shoulder, twitching at the same pace that he licked her out. Her shuddering hips rolled hard into his face as she expressed her physical need through movement, rather than beg vocally. After several eternally-long minutes of this oral stimulation he ceased his efforts, helping Rook down to trembling, unsteady feet.

A weak moan squeaked from her muzzle as her knees buckled and her eyes stared down at the fox kneeling before her. Perhaps worried that she lacked enough energy to stay upright, he held her hips firmly and pressed her curved rump against the cool wall, his eyes looking up to her as he kissed her belly affectionately. Another violent shiver ran through her as she watched him. Many men had promised to give her unforgettable nights of sexual ecstasy, each talking a bigger game than the last. Talrik had promised her nothing of the sort, yet here he was; on his knees and sending the otter's senses into places she'd never dreamed of just through the skill of his tongue- and despite this, he was still treating her with tender affection. It was enough that that thought made her nerves tingle and heart swell.

"A-are you tryin' to make up for the rough night, mate?" she asked with a soft voice, still shivering.

He smiled. "Kinda. I just feel like a little... companionship. You were really great to me, tonight. You had a look on your face that seemed to ask 'is this really it? Is tonight over?' And I guess that answer is tonight ends when you want it to end."

The otter swallowed, a wide and shaky smile on her muzzle. "And if I were t'say 'not until the both of us are satisfied?'"

He said nothing, but the glint in his eyes was enough to inform her that if it was what she wanted, she would get nothing less than his best. She did nothing to stop him as he stood back up and kissed her deeply, backing the shorter otter into the shower unit while her free paw blindly slapped at the controls. A sharp hiss rang out as the both of them were immediately drenched in hot water, steam rising from the floor as Rook lifted her head and moaned, the fox's lips and teeth tracing her neck. The aching slowness with which he moved made her yearn for more, but behind the boldness of his actions she could feel his trepidation; it was apparent that even now, he was ready to stop the moment she asked.

But she didn't want him to stop, not for a moment.

His paw slipped between her legs and she chirped, throwing her head back and thrusting her cleft against the intruder. A low growl rumbled into her ear and she cringed slightly, though she relaxed as her blurred vision refocused on the fox's kind face. "Not that I have any intention of stopping, but... could you give me a hand, too?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek.

She jerked upright- the entire time he was pleasuring her, she was not returning the favor. Her brief moment of guilt was replaced with eagerness as her paw slipped around his member, though she froze as he grabbed her wrist. Immediately catching on that he wanted her to be careful with his cock, she allowed him to guide her motions slowly, purring audibly as she took heed to his wordless tutelage. The thick fox-cock throbbed in her palm as she stroked it slowly, from bulbous base to tapered tip, making sue to squeeze the tool gently every so often. The act made her heart hammer with such force she half-expected it to burst from her chest, but Talrik's quiet moans were enough to assure her that she was performing well. Burning heat filled her cheeks and ears at the sound of his moaning, sounding moderately androgynous- for some reason, it was a vocal tone she loved to hear. Before long she could discern the slickness of his precum separate from the moisture of the shower.

Fear set in as he thrust into her paw. "T-Talrik?"

The tone in her voice seemed to have tipped him off to her concern, as he stopped immediately. "You okay?"

She nodded, shivering and smiling broadly. "Fuck, y'got me stuck in hyperspace, mate- it's a fuckin' blast right now." It was difficult for her to swallow. "It's- I just- I've... I used to have a... er... 'toy', to help me out, but... this is the first time with another... and yer bloody huge, I dunno if--"

He cut her off with a gentle nuzzle to her cheek, the act somehow erasing her fear. A smile played on his muzzle. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to, Rook. I'm gonna promise you the same thing Kaj promised me- this goes as far as you want it to go."

"... I want tonight to go all the bloody way," she whispered sincerely.

In half a moment she found herself pinned to the wall again, with Talrik's toned body pressed heavily against her. She chirped repeatedly as the fox nipped her neck erotically, gasping as his throbbing length traced sloppily against her clit. Shocks of hard bliss zapped through her nerves as the tip grazed against the button, though she was dimly aware that her clit was not the target; he had not yet thrust forward.

That changed as Talrik's skill in inhuman accuracy remained true- without even having to adjust his member or guide it into position, he gave a single, powerful thrust that speared directly between the otter's slick folds and slid up until his sheath was kissing her netherlips. She screamed from the sensation- one moment she was empty and inwardly begging for the experience; the next, his entire 8-inch length was buried in her cleft, his respectable girth spreading her wide. Incredible, blissful pain tore through her loins as she mewled from the insertion, a warm shudder running up her spine as she clung to the fox desperately.

After a few moments of adjustment that left the Selonian bounty hunter gasping, she felt the fox's warm paw cupping her cheek. "Still good, Rook?"

"Nnng..." Words came to her slowly through the haze of her bliss. "'G-good' don't even begin to cover it, mate," she whimpered. "By th' Force, it's... just... not too fast, fox-boy."

There was no need for him to respond, certain as she was that he'd comply. True to her expectations, he drew from her slowly, giving the otter time to catch her breath before rocking gently up into her. The haze in her perception doubled and she became dimly aware of her own unconscious counter-movements. Where with her toy it was her arms and hands that would move, his length and girth, and perhaps her attraction to him, compelled her to instinctively roll against him, meeting his thrusts with her own counter-thrusts.

What followed was a steady rhythm between them, one Rook kept up with easily despite a complete lack of experience. Talrik's thrusts were not gentle, but nor did they cause pain; they took a measured pace, but were not so slow that she didn't shake with each buck into her cleft. He moved just slow enough that she could savor the sparks of heat flickering in her belly as his prick slid through her clenching folds. With each jab, her legs squeezed around his waist and pulled herself into him- the sharp, wet cracks of his hips smacking against her buttocks preceded the otter's erotic gasps. It was as if she had been thrown into a more subdued, more erotic pornographic holo- only she was sharing it with someone she liked, feeling the genuineness of the act between them as Talrik treated her to constant shows of affection. Their lips met and she felt his longer tongue infiltrate her muzzle, the taste of ale from hours prior still present as it delved nearly as deep as his prick speared into her depths.

There was nothing dirty about what he was doing to her, but then she hadn't expected it from him, either; suspecting that he had learned quite a bit about the nuances of lovemaking from the rest of the crew, it occurred to her he was only treating her as they did him, sharing in honest, trusting intimacy. There was little complaint as far as she was concerned, and she made sure he knew it with her desperate moans, her pert tits and rock-hard nipples pressed against his bare chest. Pressure built in her loins as what she suspected was a frighteningly powerful orgasm appeared on the horizon, the pain of it making her shudder as it only seemed to enhance the bliss she was experiencing.

A wave of pleasure knocked her senses loose and her head bowed forward, the otter squeaking quietly as her nose bumped into his shoulder. The fox paused briefly, holding her close. "You okay, Rook?"

"Nng... I... never..."

"You're making an awful lot of noise right now," he said quietly, barely audible over the shower- she couldn't see his face, but she could hear the smile around his words. "If I actually gave a damn what everyone else thought right now, I'd be worried about Miles finding out."

A shudder rocked through her body as she panted for air. "How can you... how are you not...?"

"Exhausted? I was actually ready to pop a little while back," he admitted. "You're... so tight around me. I'm kinda worried about tying with you right now."

A hot blush burned her cheeks- she hadn't even noticed the swollen base of his cock until he mentioned it, but now she was well-aware that only most of his length was buried inside her, while what remained had engorged and kissed against her outer folds, threatening to split them apart. She had seen how difficult it was for Keris to take the knot, and if her sexually open demeanor was any indication, she was a veteran at taking it; Rook, on the other hand, had never experienced physical intimacy with another being. Pang of guilt ran through her- the thought of taking the knot terrified her, but a part of her felt she owed him to at least try, to help him end the night on as high a note as possible.

"You... I don't know that it'll fit, mate," she muttered, feeling embarrassed and guilty. "But... I'll give it my best."

Talrik nodded, pressing his nose against hers as he continued, grunting quietly as he rolled his hips up. The girthy bulb squeezed against her swollen, slick lips, though her unconscious clenching made his movements difficult. Soft whispers drifted into her ears, barely coherent murmurs of comfort and affection that made her shiver, warming the ache in her loins such that the running water felt cooler against her belly. Every thrust made her want it more, as she used her legs to tug him in deeper, wordlessly coaxing him to thrust harder. He obliged gradually, even as his breathing became more ragged. A spark of hope ignited within the otter- she could feel her resistance slipping away, the movements becoming easier, as gradually more of his knot squeezed between her folds. So close, but not close enough, she whispered back into his ear.

"... Make my night, love."

In the back of her mind, she knew it was the last word she uttered that spurred him to comply. He growled loudly, pulling her down on his length and thrusting her hard against the wall, feet planted securely into the textured refresher floor. Pain and pleasure unlike any she'd experienced in her life erupted in her cleft as he finally slid the last few inches into her with a resounding 'pop'. Her eyes bulged and the scream she wanted to let out was reduced to a sharp gasp and long moan as he locked in with her with a loud snarl. A few moments of silence and wonder passed- without warning she cried out as a searing heat began to quickly bloom into her belly, reducing the otter to rapid gasping. A soothing liquid fire flooded her womb and tunnel, pumped from the fox's throbbing cock as he groaned in satisfaction, holding the Selonian close as a copious amount of his thick spunk flowed out from around his knot, staining Rook's inner thighs.

The scent of his cum was somehow intoxicating to her- that, or the sensation of being filled with enough spunk to make her a mother (if Talrik had been Selonian and she wasn't infertile) was a tremendous enough a turn-on that it made her dizzy. Nevertheless she struggled to remain lucid as the fox sank to his knees, holding her close. A deep purr pulsed through her body as she snuggled into him, her heart still racing. A gentle pulsing sensation lingered in her pussy as his knot throbbed within.

"So... how was that... for your first fuck?" Talrik asked through deep breaths, a look of exhausted satisfaction on his features.

She matched his smile, still breathing hard. "Best night of my life, love."

"Still hurting?" Rook asked as her paw traced the covered injury beneath his eye.

He shook his head. "I forgot I even had it," he responded. "After everything that's happened tonight, I'm not quite sure how I forgot it even happened- though I have an idea why that might be," he added, squeezing around her midsection.

She chuckled, purring and nuzzling beneath the injury gently. "... So what happens now?" she asked, nestled in the fox's arms beneath cool sheets. The sensation of pooling spunk in her womb lingered, making her heart flutter as she laid still to savor it.

"What do you mean?" Talrik asked, nuzzling her forehead.

"I mean... what's goin' on between... us?" she asked hesitantly.

The fox drew back and smiled, sliding a paw onto her hip as he stared into her eyes. "For my part, I respect, admire and trust you. You had my back during a tense moment, and you brought me around at a time where I nearly made a mistake." He paused, looking apprehensive, but hopeful. "... You told me you like it best when you're addressed the way Mandalorians address each other- with honesty and integrity. So I'll be honest- I like you. Alot. And I hope things go further between us, even if you only stick around as long as it takes to get your dad's ship back. But if that's not what you want, I can resp--"

"I want that, too."

She'd said it without thinking about it- but the moment she uttered it was the moment she knew it to be truth. Whatever else she got out of this night, it was a deep hope that things would build up past this point. "I don't know how long it'll take to get the No Dice back, but I promised Syrra that the fee'd come out to recoverin' it, plus a couple of mission with you guys. After that... I'll do whatever I bloody want- and right now, I kinda want that t'be fightin' by your side, fox-boy," she stated, nuzzling into his chest. "Just... bear in mind... I ain't a perfect lass."

"I don't want you to be perfect," the fox replied kindly. "I wouldn't be attracted to you if weren't yourself. Whatever flaws you think you have, I doubt they'd prevent me from at least being your friend."

She smiled, letting out a relaxed sigh and snuggled closer in his embrace, closing her eyes as she started to doze off.. "Y'got a helluva heart, love," she said softly.

"... So... pay up!"

Kajex arched an eyebrow at the vixen as he worked on his new weapon. "I don't follow."

Keris rolled her eyes. "I bet 10 credits that they'd hook up, didn't I?"

"Oh,that?" the wolf said, grinning as he unscrewed the hilt he was working on. He glanced to Syrra and Miles as they engaged in a card game on the other side of the room- Syrra glanced up and grinned back. "I seem to recall that the bet was only if they got together without any external help."

"Bu-- what do yo--"

Syrra snickered. "Oh come off it, love- Miles told me you had a nice romp in the hot-tub with Talrik when you knew full well Rook was goin' for a swim. I'd say that counts as external help, getting her all hot and bothered."

Keris whipped around at the Miraluka. "You told them?!"

Miles grinned. "Guilty as charged."

"Aw come on!" she whined. "Why d'ya gotta spoil my fun like that, Miles? Had plans I wanted to put into motion with an extra 10 creds..."

Locke chuckled. "Compelled to construct a new weapon of your own?"

"I need a project to center myself," Keris said with a sigh. "This last mission, getting run through by the shark bastard- that was the first time I felt my focus slipping with that weapon. It feels like just another weapon, the way it always has, but you always told me it should feel like a natural part of me."

The white wolf nodded. "It should- when it's a weapon you_constructed. Yours was manufactured, it's only understandable that you _don't feel a connection to it. I'd suggest keeping your eyes open for any opportunity to find a new crystal and construct a new weapon- shed the old, embrace the new."

Keris sighed and nodded. "Yeah, that was what I was thinkin'."

Miles chuckled. "Well, 10 creds ain't gonna cover a new crystal- besides, it should probably be something you're connected to rather than just something you buy." He paused and stared at Kajex. "Somethin' up, boss?"

The wolf shrugged. "Feelin' happy for Talrik and Rook. Kinda hoping things'll pan out for the both of them, but..."

"... You're worried she might take him away from us," Syrra said pointedly.

"I hate admitting it, but yeah... in the end, I know it's his choice. I just hope it doesn't come to that." He sighed. "Or that I can find it in myself to live with it."

Syrra smiled and got up, striding to him and sitting by his side. "Stars apart, would you still call him your brother?" she asked, putting an arm around him.

He nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Always."

"Then focus on that," she suggested. "If Rook takes him away, I doubt it'll be out of maliciousness- and no matter what, she can't take that away from the both of you."

Kajex smiled back, feeling better. "I guess your right. Still, I hope she sticks around instead- it'd be a shame to have more empty cabins on the Gold Rush," he said with a chuckle.