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The smell of ozone and burning composite materials was still wafting through the air as Pakka crept forward, a blaster rifle held out in front of him and scanning the area side-to-side. The corridor was wide, but littered with cargo crates set up as cover for what had been only twenty minutes earlier an intense firefight. His eyes were alert for any sign of movement, ears twisting around to catch any sound. Where once there had been the cacophony of blasterfire, now only quiet footsteps and the steady hum of a lightsaber lingered to ward the silence away.

And yet, to the Trianii commander, it was not quiet enough.

He reached the end of the corridor, holding up a paw once he spotted a sealed doorway. "Hatch ahead," Pakka muttered, noticing the access pad was blinking red. "Cargo storage room, going by the nameplate, so there's bound to be DFPs inside. And it's locked down. Knight Tay?"

"I'm here," a voice behind him whispered. A gentle taloned hand rested on the Trianii's shoulder and squeezed briefly, before the blue-feathered avian Nediji Jedi crept past him and pressed his hand up against the door. For a few moments the sound of the Nediji's violet lightsaber was all that could be heard, humming dangerously in his other hand, until he drew back and sighed. "Fifteen human life signs in firing positions covering both hatches. It looks like this is their last stand. Lode Squadron, status report."

A burst of static filled their headsets. "The last of their defenders have been taken care of, Commander," a female voice replied. "Ten disabled vehicles and five vacuum floaters counted."

"Excellent work," Tay told her quietly. "Tell Master Moarn to send a rescue boat for them, and keep your eyes open on the port side of the facility- we don't want these thugs to scamper if they have hidden escape pods. Looks like we're ready here," he added, addressing the Trianii commander.

Pakka nodded, looking over the three other Trianii Rangers as they gripped their weapons. One satisfied that they were prepared, he brought a paw up to his headset. "Doma?"

"In position," came the growling reply. "Door charge set and ready to blow."

"With all due respect, Commander Pakka," Tay cut in, "these guys are in no condition to keep going like this. They might be amenable to a diplomacy, we may not need to fight."

"You want to let this scum live?" Doma asked incredulously through the comms.

"I'm still a Jedi," Tay said resolutely. "We gave them the chance to surrender when we started the raid; we should give them the chance to decide if enough blood has been shed."

"This is nonsense," Doma growled. "Their lives were forfeit the moment they decided to break the law by engaging in piracy! They should be cast into the vacuum! We stand to lose our reputation as bringers of justice by--"

"Enough!" Pakka hissed, leaning against the wall and giving it some thought. Though not a Jedi himself, he understood where Tay was coming from. The last two weeks of interaction with his cousin and her Jedi companions had given him a measure of insight to their compassion and mercy. Still, he could not see what good it would do here- experience told him a firefight was inevitable.

"Alright," he said finally. "We can't bank on these criminals throwing down their weapons when they still have at least fifteen of their own to fight back. But I'm not keen on unnecessary killing, either, and we're still going to need information from them as it is. I want everybody set their blasters to stun; Tay, I need you to hold back with the blade and stick to deflecting their shots. We'll need to move quickly, the moment they see a Jedi on our side they're going to be gunning for him, and as good as Tay is with a blade I don't want to risk him getting overwhelmed."

The avian nodded, looking satisfied. "I'm ready." He moved to the right side of the hatch, giving Pakka a reassuring smile and reaching into one of his pouches, drawing out a security spike.

"Wait five seconds after they blow the door," Pakka advised him. "Doma, whenever you're ready."

"Affirmative, sir. Detonating charge."

Several seconds passed, during which Pakka spared his Jedi ally and friend a glance. The Nediji caught the look and smiled, in turn causing the Trianii's heart to race. The thrill and warmth were still lingering when a loud crash erupted on the other side of the door. A barrage of blasterfire could be heard echoing down the hallway and through the still-closed hatch before them. Five seconds passed before Tay reacted, jamming the security spike into the access pad's port. A brief shower of sparks erupted from the port and the smell of ozone intensified, just as the door slid open, the hiss of the entrance drowned out by the thunderous assault within.

Tay was the first inside, darting into the room with graceful agility; Pakka followed half a moment later, his rifle held up and ready to fire. The distraction had worked, with nearly every thug's focus having turned to the hatch where Doma, Pakka's second-in-command, was firing wildly. The commander glared as he noticed Doma had not set his blaster to stun, but had no time to dwell on it as a bolt of energy nearly caught him in the head- one of the smarter female criminals hadn't been fooled by the distraction, and had the wits to identify and open fire on the Trianii leader.

The second shot never made it to Pakka, however, as Tay stepped in and smacked the bolt aside with a single sweep of his Jedi weapon. Grateful for the avian's speed and skill, the commander stepped to the side and fired, a blue ring of energy catching the woman in the chest. She crumpled to the floor, weapon clattering away. A second human noticed this and turned around to engage, but Pakka had already fired again, stunning him before he could even aim and allowing the Jedi to rush the barricades with his lightsaber.

"<STUN ONLY, DOMA!>" Pakka snarled loudly, as one of the cadet's blaster bolts exploded against a female human's chest and ended her life. "<THAT'S AN ORDER!!!>" The larger Trianii gave him a brief glare before darting back into cover, leaving his team to continue the fight.

"<To the right, Pakka!>" a Ranger behind him shouted, and the commander turned in time to see one of the larger marauders swinging around a heavy repeater cannon, the weapon spewing a flurry of red death in the Trianii's general direction. A stray bolt glanced off his armor and he backpedaled with a hiss, blind-firing and rolling over a barricade, landing on his back next to the first two thugs he had stunned. For a moment the firing ceased, giving Pakka just enough time to peek over the barricade and watch as his Rangers ducked behind cover of their own, but before he could return fire the burly criminal turned his weapon back on the commander. The flimsy cover proved to be next to useless, as the cannon's lethal energy started chewing away at the composite material and reduced it to slag; with few options left, the Trianii went prone and prepared himself to fight, groaning as melted composite burned along his uniform.

The last foot of viable cover was chipped away and Pakka was halfway out of his cover and ready to trade shots when the tables turned. A wave of invisible energy knocked aside several loose cargo crates and knocked the brute off his feet, causing him to stagger and fall against a stack of empty containers. The Trianii watched as Tay sprinted towards him with unnatural speed, vaulting over a crate; just as the human managed to get back to his feet and aim, the bird's energy blade swept sideways, cleaving through the heavy cannon and stopping it short. With a clang, the barrel of the weapon hit the floor, a glowing line of heat sizzling at the edge of the cut. Thrown off by the change in weight, the human stood in awe just long enough for Tay to raise his free hand- with a crash, he was propelled into the air and hit the ceiling hard, falling back to the floor unconscious.

A brief pause in the battle drew Pakka's attention away; only three humans remained conscious, hiding behind a stack of crates. With a grunt the commander got back to his feet. "Cease fire, all of you!" he shouted. The Rangers complied immediately, though they kept their rifles trained on the remaining thugs. "You stand against a full squad of Trianii Rangers, aided by a Jedi Knight and his squadron of Jedi Aces. This is not a fight you were ever going to win. Do yourselves a favor and throw down your weapons. If you comply, I will argue for a lenient sentence for your crimes."

One of the humans peered over the barricade, glancing over at Knight Tay and his lightsaber and letting out a groan. "A-alright," he said, tossing his weapon over the barrier and getting up slowly with his hands in the air; the other two raiders followed suit with a look of defeat. "We give."

Pakka sighed, then slung his rifle over his shoulder and nodded to one of his Rangers, a red-pelted, white-haired female. "Vesii, get cuffs on them and keep them separated. Tay, contact your second and tell her to get in touch with the Inspired; we'll need their comms to relay our success."

"I'm on it," the avian replied, deactivating his lightsaber.

"Everyone else, bind the unconscious." He jabbed a finger at Doma, who was moving to pick up one of the stunned raiders. "Except you," he growled. "We need to talk."

The ash-pelted feline narrowed his eyes in response. "<Is there a problem?>" he rumbled in their tongue.

"<You're damn right there's a problem!>" Pakka snarled. "<I gave you explicit orders to set your weapon to stun, and you ignored it!>"

"<We stunned the rest of the scum just fine. I only killed one of them, and she had it coming,>" Doma hissed back. "<This was a Trianii operation, not a Jedi's. We have no obligation to follow their naive ways of mercy, not when the will of our gods comes first.>"

"<Don't give me that bullshit!>" Pakka shot back at him. "<You can't use the gods to justify every death you cause, much less when it defies a direct order! If you were truly dead set against hearing the wisdom of a Jedi, then you shouldn't have volunteered for this project in the first place!>"

"<_Someone_had to make sure you were following-->" Doma started to say, but Pakka cut him off with the slash of his paw.

"<Enough. I have no interest in hearing you complain about my loyalties when_yours_ comes into question by way of insubordination. So allow me to make this_exceptionally_ clear, Cadet- you are going to follow my orders to the letter, without question, from here on out. If I catch you disobeying a direct order one more time, I will_notify your flotilla and recommend your expulsion from the Rangers. If _I can't trust you to follow a superior's orders, then nobody can. Understood?>"

Doma glared down at Pakka, but the commander wasn't fazed. It was far from the first time a taller and more physically imposing Trianii Ranger had attempted to cow him through intimidation; he was more than used to it, to the point of being prepared to brawl and come out on top. And just like every other cadet who tried to browbeat him in the past, it was the cadet who looked away first, letting out an irritated chuff and walking away. Pakka sighed and shook his head- if he'd known the Ranger would have been so difficult, he never would have approved his transfer request.

"Having trouble?" a voice behind him said softly. Pakka straightened and turned, finally noticing Tay had been listening; though the Trianii was sure the Jedi didn't understand the language well enough to know what he and Doma had been talking about.

"Just giving one of my men a stern talking-to," he assured the avian. "After what happened with Sentinel Kajex during my first mission, I'm not going to let anybody screw this up. We've got a good thing going here, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"I think so too," Tay reassured him, smiling; the Trianii felt himself smiling back. "You're talented, skilled, and brave, and your Rangers do good work. I can understand not being able to pull your punches and spare every criminal you have to deal with, but... thank you for at least taking my suggestion into consideration."

"It's fine, it was a reasonable suggestion to make," Pakka replied. "And thank _you_for stepping in and saving my ass from the big--"

He had been gesturing to where the larger pirate had been laying when he stopped short, going cold with fear as he saw the thug on his knees and reaching for his holster.

"Tay!"

He had shouted the Jedi's name without thinking about it, acted on instinct as he lunged forward to protect his friend. One arm swung out and grabbed the Nediji, pulling him to the floor, while the other swept to his hip and drew his sidearm with impressive speed as he fell with Tay, just as the brute fired a single shot from a heavy blaster. The bolt sailed over Tay's unprotected head and exploded in a shower of sparks at the far wall, just as the pair hit the durasteel floor hard. Prone and without cover, Pakka had only a half-second to aim as the human readjusted and lowered his pistol directly at the Ranger.

The Trianii's pistol went off first, a slim bolt spitting from the barrel and sinking into the brigand's unprotected throat. The energy erupted and tore open a smoking, bleeding hole, the force of the shot throwing the man's head back to slam against the cargo crates as his life was snuffed out.

For several long seconds the two lay in shock, while a pair of Rangers sprinted forward and checked the dispatched raider to ensure he was dead. When at last Pakka felt he could move again he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, dropping his pistol and panting for a few moments before getting to his feet and helping Tay up.

"Are you alright?" the feline asked with a tone of worry, holding the avian's claw.

When Tay looked up it was with an expression of shock, but it slowly turned into one of gratitude and relief as he squeezed Pakka's paw. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," he managed to say after a few moments. "Pak-- commander, you... saved my life."

A burning heat filled the Trianii's cheeks and jowls. "Yeah, well... you had my back- I have yours," he replied back, an awkward smile on his face. He would have said more had Vesii not approached them, looking as if she were restraining a smile.

"You two alright?" she asked, looking them over. "Good, doesn't look like either of you took a hit. A Jedi dying on our operation would have been a shot to our morale, thank the Force Pakka covered you."

The avian chuckled nervously, casting a glance back to the raider brute. "Yeah... sometimes I lapse in my concentration. Not often, but I really didn't see that one coming."

"Well, be glad you have a Ranger watching over you," Vesii replied. "We may not use the Force, but we'll step up just the same. That said, it sounds like your Jedi vessel has arrived- we better get ready to receive them."

Pakka nodded, then glanced at Tay. "Guess we'll talk about it later, then."

The bird grinned. "Yeah, when we've got the time."

Aside from a handful of mostly unavoidable raider deaths, the operation concluded without issue. Though initially concerned that the mission would take at least three days to complete, the lack of raider personnel mixed with Knight Tay's combat skills and ability to use the Force had shortened the operation to only sixteen hours, with only two waves of reinforcements attempting to hyperspace to salvage the situation- reinforcements that had quickly been disabled by Lode Squadron's Jedi Aces.

So for the most part, Pakka felt pretty good about the mission as a whole. If there was any facet of the operation he was not satisfied with, it was Doma's insubordination. But while the ashen-pelted Trianii had not come forward with an apology, nor did he seem to be willing to antagonize anybody while still aboard the Inspired. A few days of close inspection showed that he got on decently enough with the rest of the crew, though he seemed more reserved around the Jedi, but as far as Pakka was concerned as long as he did not make a scene with them, Doma was good to stay.

Vesii was a different story altogether.

"They're_so different_!" she exclaimed as she picked up her quarterstaff after being disarmed for a third time. "But your were right, Knight Tay, they're really very sweet people. So'Rah and Sa'Rah in particular, I don't think I've seen a more friendly pair of twins in my life."

Pakka sighed but smiled, glancing at Tay as he held back a chuckle. "That's great, Vesii, I'm glad you've made friends with them. It's a good sign if you're so distracted with their friendship that you keep letting your guard down, but next training session I'm going to need you to focus a little more. You need to keep your feet moving, not your muzzle. Now go shower up and get yourself some lunch, you've got the rest of the day to yourself."

"Thank you, sir!" she chirped, tossing him her practice weapon and jogging away.

Tay watched her leave as Pakka set the weapons back in their holders. "She's a pleasant one, isn't she?" he remarked. "I don't remember her being so talkative while we were on-mission."

The observation caused Pakka to chuckle. "Today was the first time you interacted with her outside of an operation, she can get _very_chatty when she's in a good mood; which is frequently," he added. "But she's also a steadfast and focused warrior when she's on the job. I'd known her since she was a cadet, I had to pick her up when I saw her name on the list of hopefuls applying for the mission. She's good with dealing with people she doesn't know, and I needed that."

"It can only help," the avian agreed. "Anyway, we better hit the showers too. Locke made me work _hard_while sparring today."

"Your arm okay?" Pakka chuckled as he followed the Nediji to the far side of the room, pausing to pick up a satchel with a clean set of his clothing within.

"It'll be fine, I just wasn't expecting him to switch his dual-phase and extending the blade," Tay groaned, rotating his arm a bit. "Sorry, I _really_wanted to spar with you again, but after having my wing clipped like that it just wasn't going to happen."

"There'll be time later for that, no need to worry about it," Pakka assured him as they reached the lockerroom. As soon as they stepped inside the Trianii's ears perked up, noticing the absence of sound within as he started to disrobe. "Huh. I figured Guardian Locke would be in here, or at least on his way out."

"He's not in here," Tay confirmed as he pulled his undershirt off and took a moment to slick his headcrest back. "He prefers to go back to the _Gold Rush_whenever he needs a rinse. Ever since Kajex got his ship modified it recycles water faster and more efficiently, and almost always stays hot. Just us two guys for today." He looked up at the Trianii and stopped short of speaking, staring at the feline's nude body.

Pakka noticed this silence and cocked his head at the still half-dressed bird. "Something wrong?" he asked, feeling strangely vulnerable as Tay's eyes lingered around his chest.

The avian said nothing for a few seconds, before shaking his head clear and stammering. "Uh, it's nothing," he muttered, clearing his throat. "I've just never seen you without your uniform on, and you kinda have the same build as the Surnahm twins."

"Gotta keep trained every day," Pakka informed him as he tossed his gear into one of the lockers and moved for the showers. "There are minimum standards for skill and strength for each rank in the Trianii Rangers, and you only get the best assignments if you're in top shape," he said proudly, reaching one of the showerheads midway down the room.

"Probably helps in getting the best _ladies_as well. Makes me wonder why you don't have a mate of your own yet," Tay chuckled nervously as he walked behind Pakka, pausing for a moment. "I imagine the Trianii would find you attractive in general- I mean, anyone with your build and features."

"Ah... thanks," the feline managed to say, his cheeks feeling tender. He spared a glance at Tay with the intent to speak, and found his words dying in his throat as his eyes fell on the avian's nude form.

The Nediji was not slim, as Pakka has assumed, but the feathers along his arms possessed enough length and volume that the Trianii had assumed they weren't particularly muscular; yet while it was fair to say the avian wasn't as built as he was, his athletic frame was still attractive to look at. What drew Pakka's attention more than anything, however, was the apparent lack of genitalia- at least, until he spotted the slit between Tay's legs. He straightened up and drew in a breath, looking away quickly before the avian could notice, a single thought in his mind.

He looks just like he did in my dream, he realized.

"You okay?" Tay asked, cocking his head. "I just sense a bit of tension from you."

"You can sense that?" Pakka asked a little too quickly, glancing at Tay.

"Well, yeah," the avian admitted, cringing slightly. "A trained Jedi can passively catch on to any changes in mood. I mean, not to be intrusive or anything, it's just... you were emotionally exuding it a second ago. I... hope I didn't offend you with me saying you were attractive, or bringing up your relationship status. It's none of my business anyway, I'm sorry."

The burn in the Trianii's cheeks built at the compliment. "Not at all," he admitted, unable to keep himself from smiling. "But as to your remark, it's not due to a lack of interest. I've had a few... pleasant experiences, in my time as a 1st sinth. And Trianii Rangers encourage marriage and families in their ranks, so I could still focus on my career as a Ranger if I chose someone to spend the rest of my life with. I guess I just never found anybody I ever truly connected with emotionally."

"Not even Vesii?" Tay pressed, grinning.

Pakka chuckled, his blush full as he grabbed a tube of soap and squeezed a generous amount out. "She's sweet, and I have_been intimate with her before, but after we were assigned to different flotillas she and I kind of drifted apart. There's trust and loyalty there, but I know she's looking at the horizon for someone or something else." He paused, working a lather deep into his fur. "In some ways you remind me of her, looking beyond home, and I respect that. Maybe this assignment will help her find what _she's looking for."

"Maybe," Tay repeated thoughtfully. "Anybody else?"

"Two cadets, one 2nd _sinth_from Trian, all of them from years ago. But I made no real connections there, either. Sometimes when you're on long-range patrol, you look to your comrades for comfort- but not always commitment," he explained. "It's like... friends with benefits, an understanding that you're loyal enough in a fight, and close enough to share a bed with. Maybe there's a little love there, but there's more respect for your partner, to be able to wish them well when they transfer, or find another man or woman to be with."

"I think I can understand that," Tay said, rubbing some soap out of his eyes. "It sounds like a less-close version of Syrra's relationship with her pack."

"Well, kind of," Pakka acknowledged. "But not exactly like it. To be fair, if her former _sinth_about her relationships as they are right now, she'd probably be dishonorably discharged from the Rangers."

Tay perked up at that, frowning. "What? Why? She's a strong fighter, kind and compassionate. Kajex even told me when he met her, she was an exceptional Ranger even without experience."

"And all of those factors make her an incredible Jedi," Pakka said soothingly, rinsing his hair out. "I'm not arguing that, nor am I agreeing with the idea of her being dismissed. But she trusted me enough to inform me about her bisexuality, having a physical relationship with Knight Keris and Rook. Due to the religious stigma our culture has concerning such relationships, I have no intention of informing her superiors about it."

"Wait." Tay turned to him, hands on his hips. "You mean to tell me she'd be kicked out of your planetary defense forces because she's been intimate with another woman?! What the fuck kind of nonsense is that?!"

The force with which Tay stated that caused Pakka to take a step back, holding his paws up defensively. "Whoa... look, Tay, I'm not saying it's smart or even fair. My cousin's friends are good people with different relationships, cultures, and upbringings. I am _not_an advocate for bigotry against same-sex relationships."

The avian's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

"I mean it," Pakka insisted.

"So... then what's the deal? Where does it come from?" Tay pressed irritably.

"The same place where a lot of unreasonable things come from- religious interpretation," Pakka sighed.

At that, the bird winced. "Ah... I... guess I should have known."

The Trianii nodded, feeling slight shame as he explained. "The religious interpretation comes from an old legend where the gods Ekibo and Brochiib had an intimate relationship. The former is the god of compassion and harvest, and the patron of healers, innkeepers, and anyone who provides comfort to others. The latter is the god of combat and guardianship, defending the core worlds, protecting innocents, and bringing criminals to justice- he's the patron god of the Trianii Rangers, at least to those who pay active homage to him."

"The legend goes that two were so into their relationship, that their followers were said to have practiced homosexuality to honor them. One year, in the early days of the Trianii, their followers forgot their duties, supposedly because of their love. Half the harvest was ruined because the farmers didn't tend the crops properly, while the other half was stolen by thieves and raiders when the guards didn't defend what they had. They all went hungry, and many died. Both Ekibo and Brochiib faulted themselves for not teaching their people about wisdom and relationships."

Looking calmer, Tay pressed for more. "So that's why...?"

"I'm pretty sure the _point_of the story is not to let love get in the way of your duties, to balance both responsibly; and that the gods only faulted themselves for not educating the Trianii on that lesson. But that's not how a lot of Trianii interpret the parable, and they're more inclined to believe the Trianii had been rightly punished for practicing sin." Pakka sighed. "It's not a part of my culture I'm proud of. Neither is Syrra. I'm aware of her atheistic worldview, and I'll not hide the fact that I'm moderately agnostic on most Trianii teachings, as well."

Tay frowned. "But she told us one of the Black Tomb wolves had started a relationship with one of her brothers, and she never mentioned this."

"Who, Ra'Tasum?" Pakka asked, and Tay nodded. "If that's true, then I'm happy for him; my cousin deserves to be loved like anyone else. If Syrra didn't mention how he's been treated badly because of his attraction to other males, it's because she'd rather share a happy moment in his life than all the awful ones he's had to put up with. One of his lovers was murdered by his own parents; and bar Syrra, most of his immediate family have disowned him. If it weren't for some members of my extended family looking out for him, I think he'd have ended his life a long time ago."

The avian stared at him for a few seconds, as if analyzing him, before looking away with a sigh. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I just... I came to a snap conclusion and almost judged you too soon."

Pakka's eyes lingered on the avian a few moments more before he answered. "Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. "I'm glad I was able to clear that up for you. I don't really believe in it myself. If I ever knew anyone under my command were in love with someone of the same sex, I would honestly cover for them- who they love shouldn't prevent them from fighting to protect their home." He paused, an idea forming in his head as he suppressed the urge to grin. "Not that I've known anybody personally who was gay, mind you."

He had expected Tay to turn to look at him when he said this, and so pre-emptively made his move with this in mind. The lingering question of Tay's possible attraction had resurfaced both by his remark that Pakka seemed physically attractive, and his outburst concerning same-sex discrimination. So when the Nediji did turn to address him, Pakka's left paw had dipped low and cupped his own balls, sighing as he lathered the soft fur beneath his sheath with soap. Tay froze, his eyes widening at the sight of the strong Trianii washing his own nuts with firm massaging fingers, rolling each heavy orb in his palm as he leaned back and allowed the overhead deluge of water pour over them. The result was immediate- Pakka could swear that the color on the bird's face had tinged to a purple, his legs pressed together as he seemed to tremble in place. It was, to the Trianii, the answer to his question.

He's attracted to me physically, he thought. And that knowledge was not in the least uncomfortable for him to realize.

For his part, there was a strange thrill running through the Trianii commander as he continued to clean himself with a subtle sexual emphasis- at no point in his life had he even _considered_doing such a thing for anybody, male or female. He did not look directly at Tay as he resumed, keeping a hidden eye on the avian as he bent over and slid the washcloth down his leg, or leaned against the wall and reached back, scrubbing his tail, taint and pucker. This last act caused Tay to stiffen in several senses of the word, the bird turning away- but not quickly enough that Pakka didn't catch a good long look at Tay's cock before it happened. When the arousal had clearly been enough, a swollen pink appendage slowly revealed itself, sliding from the genital slit. It extended to nearly seven inches before Tay turned away, cringing as he cast his gaze to the side. There was a look of intense shame on his features, which alarmed Pakka- and simultaneously caused him to mentally step back.

Shit, what am I doing? A pang of guilt throbbed in his chest as he stopped. I shouldn't be teasing him like this, even if he is_gay._ Having already been thoroughly clean for a while, he cleared his throat and punched the controls for the showerhead, stepping away as the flow of water ceased.

"Gonna dry up," he muttered, shame creeping in as he noticed Tay was still looking away. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," Tay said quietly. "I just need a minute."

Deciding it was best to leave the avian to himself for the time being, Pakka nodded and made for the nearest body dryer. As soon as he stepped in he was blasted from all sides by a veritable tornado of hot air, the moisture flinging into the air around him or down his fur until it dribbled off. The noise almost prevented him from noticing Tay walking past him almost a minute later, looking completely dry. Confused, the Trianii stepped out of the dryer and approached.

"How did you...?"

Tay smiled at him. "Uropygial glands."

Pakka blinked. "Your-a-what-now?"

The avian laughed, running a claw through his handsome crest before beginning to pull his robes on. "Nediji and some avian species have them, it's an oil gland that keeps our feathers nearly waterproof. All we really need is a good rinse with some light soap to keep clean, and the water just kinda rolls off of us. If it doesn't, a simple burst of telekinesis will fling off what's left."

"Must make you a savior in a thunderstorm, huh?" Pakka joked as he pulled his clean uniform out of the bag he'd brought.

"I'd like to think I'm a _bit_more useful than that. I _did_save your life," Tay chuckled, tying his trousers in place and took a moment to smooth out his upper robes. For a few moments he watched Pakka, looking as if he wanted to say something.

The Trianii cocked his head, fastening his belt. "What's up?"

The Nediji opened his beak, then shut it, looking hesitant. For a few moments he bore a look of a person struggling internally. "It occurred to me that... well... you saved my life too. I had wanted to talk about it after the mission, but I guess it just slipped my mind."

Pakka smiled. "You don't need to say anything. I told you, I have your back."

Tay shook his head. "No, I do_have to thank you. I'm one of the few Jedi Knights that's part of the Praxeum that's had to do a lot of my training and missions alone. I don't like flying solo, but I usually do. I had two separate masters and both of them fell in the line of duty, but while they taught me much I feel like I never really... _connected, with them."

The Trianii's smile faded as a pang of sympathy rent his heart. "I'm sorry to hear that. That must have been rough, having to push forward alone. You're a kind person, Tay- I don't think I've ever known anyone nearly as kind or optimistic as you."

"I try to be," Tay acknowledged, moving in closer. "If only because it's sometimes all I have to look forward to. I can't say that I've ever had _anyone_have my back, or at my side. Not until you told me you had mine."

"That's what friends do," Pakka replied simply, the urge to say more lingering as he said it.

Tay stared up at him, a worried look on his face.

"... Is that all we are?"

It was the tone in which Tay had said it that affected the Trianii commander most, a underlying sound of longing in the avian's voice that caused Pakka's chest to churn in a not-wholly-unpleasant way. A small voice in the back of his mind warned him that he may be going too far, drowned out by a stronger feeling of positive emotions welling up in the feline's chest.

"Is that all you want to be?" Pakka replied after a moment. "Have you found what you're looking for?"

Tay hesitated. "I don't know. Maybe I know what I want... but maybe it's not mine to have."

The Trianii drew in closer, setting his shirt aside as his heart raced. His throat felt constricted, but his voice thankfully remained soft and clear when he spoke. "My cousin told me that Jedi are encouraged to be honest. And while I'm sure there are reasons you might want to keep something important or personal from me... I get the feeling it's something you want to express."

The avian looked away, swallowing. "I... I don't know. After hearing about your people--"

"I'm not my people," Pakka said firmly, reaching up and cupping the avian's face turning it to face him again even as Tay closed his eyes. "I know in my heart that I don't hate homosexuals. If that's what you are inside, Tay, then I don't want you to hide that from me. I want you to be happy with yourself."

When Tay finally opened his eyes, there was a tear at each corner of his eyes, a moisture that seemed to make his violet eyes glisten. "Then how does your heart feel about me? What if... I want to be happy with_you_?"

He had been wondering since they'd entered the shower if the attraction was a strong as he suspected, and he now had his answer. What he did not expect was the question, turned against him. His mind seemed to go blank as he found himself without an answer of his own, staring into the Nediji's beautiful violet eyes the capacity to speak left him. Dully, it occurred to him that he did not possess an answer even in his own dream with the bird; a dream that Pakka had revealed to nobody, a dream that had occurred every night since the first.

So he reacted as he did in his dreams. And once again, the Jedi didn't seem to see it coming.

There was a pleasant softness to Tay's smooth beak as Pakka's muzzle met it, a pliability that yielded to the Trianii's lips. It made the sensation of kissing him that much more enjoyable, prompting him to slide his paws around the bird's waist and pull him in. Their chest's met, and even though Tay was robed Pakka could feel the heat building from it, could feel the avian's strong heartbeat thumping in his chest.

Yet again, a twinge of unease lingered in the back of his head, easy enough for him to ignore; the compulsion to draw away was outweighed by the desire to see how far this would go. It seemed like hours had passed since they started, and yet Pakka did nothing to stop it. Part of him wondered if he even could.

Abruptly, the decision was taken out of his hands- and it started with a roar.

"<ABOMINATION!!!>" a snarl rang out, causing Pakka to leap in fear as the voice reverberated in the lockerroom. Tay chirped in fear and both turned, just in time to see a blur of charcoal fur rush the both of them and shoulder the avian away, knocking Pakka to his knees in the process. The Jedi squawked and rolled across the floor until he hit the far wall, struggling to get to his feet as Doma rushed to him. Before the Nediji could raise his claw to defend himself, the cadet had picked him by the neck and brought a fist crashing against the side of his head, dropping him to the floor.

None of this had happened without Pakka reacting, the Trianii commander getting to his feet and lunging at the pair. "<Get off of him!>" the commander snarled, leaping out and digging his claws into the larger feline's shoulders. A pained roar rang out as Pakka used his grip to pull Doma away from the avian, who was stirring feebly on the floor with a subdued whimper. Heart racing and terrified that his friend had been injured badly, he quickly tossed Doma to the side with unexpected strength, the taller and broader Trianii stumbling into one of the wall lockers with a crash.

"Tay, are you alright?!" the Trianii shouted frantically, nearly panicking- yet the sound of his voice seemed to cause the avian to stir, sitting up against the wall with a groan.

"I... wha... what happened?" he chirruped weakly.

"Just sit there for now," Pakka told him gently, running a paw over the bird's crest briefly before standing and turning to Doma with a glare setting on his features; now that he was sure Tay was alright for the moment, the Trianii could focus his rage. "<What the_fuck_ is wrong with you, Doma?!>" he roared. "<Give me one reason why I shouldn't send you directly to the infirmary to remove my foot from your ass!>"

"<The Jedi faggot is warping your mind, Pakka!>" Doma spat back. "<I've seen how he looks at you, he's using his Jedi powers to control your mind and turn you to sin against the gods!>"

Bewildered, Pakka sputtered. "<You think-- but-- what the hell gave you that idea?! Tay isn't-->"

"<Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me that you _wanted_to kiss that tail-raising outsider? Are you out of your damned mind!?>" Doma bellowed. He turned his attention to the avian. "You! You stay the fuck away from the commander and keep your corruption away, or I swear I'll gut you like a--"

"Don't you fucking dare threaten him again!" Pakka snarled. "Just shut up!"

Minutes earlier there had been an unspeakable, unknowable warmth blooming throughout Pakka sharing what he thought was perhaps the happiest moment in his life. Now the color and warmth was gone, an icy feeling of fear and cold running through him as he looked back at the trembling avian. There was a look of shame and regret on his face, but whether it was because of the injury he'd sustained or if there was truth to Doma's words, Pakka could not tell.

After a few moments, and with his fists balled up in case Doma made another attempt to hurt the Nediji again, the commander spoke. "Now... what the hell is this about mind controlling?"

Doma's furious glare was mixed with a look of utter bewilderment. "You... you don't even know about how the Jedi can control people's minds and souls? It's one of the things they were infamous for, using the Force to cloud people's judgment and make them do things they wouldn't normally do! How else do you think the Republic stood for so long, with the Jedi controlling its politics with their sorcery?!"

"That... that's not true," Tay said, trembling as he shut his eyes tight, holding his head. "I... I didn't--"

"Shut up!" Doma snarled, making the avian flinch. "As evil as the Empire was, they were right to remove the Jedi from power! Now you and your ilk are--"

"Cadet, that's enough!"

"Were you ever in control of your body, Commander!?" Doma shot back. "I've heard about what happened to you as a cub, what the CSA did when they--"

"SHUT UP!!!" Pakka roared, but there was genuine fear and alarm in him as the words struck the wrong nerve. Flashes of a life he'd nearly forgotten flickered in his head, the echoes of screams and orders ricocheting through his head. For a moment he swayed unsteadily, steadying himself by placing a paw against the wall.

"Say the word, whelp," a ice-cold voice commanded, sending shivers of horror through Pakka as his history threatened to consume him. _"Say 'monster'. Say it, or I'll flick the switch again."_Another scream pierced his head, and with it the harsh pain of every nerve in his body subjected to high voltages. It was enough to snap him back into reality, just in time to see Doma step forward and snarl.

"And now with this Jedi- it's _easy_for him to manipulate you because of what happen--"

But Pakka had heard enough. With his balance regained he balled his fist and swung. Only years of discipline kept him from striking the larger Trianii, as he diverted at the last possible moment and slammed it against one of the lockers, caving it in as if it had been made of plaster. The taller Trianii immediately shut up and backpedaled in alarm at the demonstration of strength and rage, as the commander trembled and drew in growling breaths. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous.

"Enough. I've heard enough. If you say one more word about my past, I will break your jaw to keep it shut until you're carted off this ship and back to the Trianii core worlds. As your commander, I am removing you from active duty, effective immediately. I will contact your _pyorn_and demand your expulsion from the Rangers, for attacking an unarmed, non-Trianii civilian and putting our diplomatic objectives in jeopardy."

Doma looked ready to object. "You're taking his-- but he--"

"I_don't care_ what you think he was trying to do!" Pakka interjected with a raised voice, trying to keep himself as composed as he could. "Nothing_warranted you assaulting him, least of all his homosexuality! I will_not tolerate you attacking anybody over that!" He paused, taking in a deep breath and letting it out, maintaining his glare at the cadet. "I want you to go to the barracks right now and have your belongings packed and ready to go. I will report this to Jedi Master Moarn and request that you be delivered back to Fibuli. Rest assured, your _pyorn_will know what happened before you get there."

The growl Doma gave him failed to cow him. "Others will hear of this. I will inform all of them of your weakness and your disloyalty."

"Tell them what you want," Pakka growled back. "But get the _fuck_off this ship before you do."

For several tense seconds the commander was sure Doma was going to try attacking again, and he waited for that moment to come. But when it became clear Pakka wasn't going to budge, the larger Trianii chuffed angrily, sparing a disgusted look at Tay and spitting at him. "To Stars' End with you, Jedi. You and your damned mystics." Tay said nothing, still looking rattled, but seemed to finally relax slightly as Doma turned and stomped away, leaving the two alone.

Exhaustion overcame Pakka moments later as the tension left his entire body. His shoulders drooped and his breathing grew deeper as he leaned against the wall, the incident leaving him physically drained and emotionally rattled. Worse still, that feeling of a cold knife in his back still lingered, the fear of having his mind compromised persisting. The echoes in his head were still there, and as hard as he tried to ignore them they seemed to get louder. When he felt Tay's claw on his shoulder, he jumped and moved away in fear.

Tay drew his talon back as if he'd been burned. "I-I'm sorry," he chirped softly. "I didn't mean to..."

"To what?" Pakka said, trembling.

"To scare you," Tay clarified. "I just... thank you for pulling him off of me. I was scared for a moment that--"

Pakka cut him off with a raised paw. The icy feeling of fear still remained. So torn by what had happened, by Tay's reactions, Doma's accusations, and Pakka's uncertainty; the question on his mind came almost automatically. If Tay was capable of reading his emotions...

"Tay... I need you to... be honest with me."

The avian's eyes widened.

"... Are you... controlling my mind?"

He regret saying it the moment it left his muzzle. The look of shock and pain on the Jedi's face was nothing short of heartbreaking. Tay took a step backward, chest heaving as a tear rolled down his face.

"... I thought you understood me better than that," he whispered.

The chill seemed to stab and twist Pakka's gut as the avian started to back away. "Tay... I didn't mean--" But the trembling Nediji had already turned and started walking away. In desperation, the Trianii lunged out and grabbed the bird's wrist.

"Don't you fucking touch me!!!" the Jedi yelped, thrusting his other hand out defensively. A blast of invisible kinetic force slammed into the Ranger's chest and propelled him backwards, until he struck the wall Tay had been resting against only minutes earlier. Waves of pain erupted along the back of the Trianii's head and spine, yet they were nothing compared to the pain he felt as the avian sprinted away, disappearing around the corner.

For what seemed like hours, Pakka stared at where Tay had exited. The cold feeling of fear was gone, as was the hot anger towards Doma. He barely noticed. All that was left was the hollow sensation that he might have finally found what he wanted in his life.

With a careless word and a lack of trust... he might have lost it forever.