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"It's true that Zeltrons, both male and female, are incredible at sex- but you're looking for something a little smaller and fluffier, sleeping with an Amaran is a very pleasant experience."

"Male or female?"

"Just trust me- there's no sense in being that picky."

~Recorded conversation at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina; Mos Eisley, Tattooine

"Hey Kajex, what's this song you've got playing?" Miles asked as he, Locke and Talrik set about their respective tinkering in the armory's workshop. The Sentinel had put on an old orchestral tune through the ship's audio system, the music supplemented with singing in an unknown language. It was a moderately paced composition that seemed to bespeak of great conflict, mourning, desperation and hope, even without translation.

The wolf returned to his seat at the workbench, smiling. "It's called 'Principium Finis Venit'. I don't remember the exact words, it's in a dead human language only scholars have studied- but Bran told me it's about a war between the Bellatores Albi, or 'White Warriors', who are trying to erect a new world through domination; and the Bellatores Rubri, or 'Warriors of Red', who are besieged and fighting bravely even though their deaths are certain." He settled into his stool, putting his welding goggles back on. "I like this piece- the white symbolizing the desire for a clean slate, even though its actions taint its purity, and the red symbolizing courage and sacrifice. But if you want me to turn it off, I can put on some jatz or--"

"No, it's fine- I just wondered," the Miraluka said as he returned to his work, checking the charges of their energy packs. "It's a good piece, it just reminds me of how cultured you are despite the kind of guy you seem to be- no offense intended."

"None taken," the wolf responded with a grin as he resumed his work on a coded transmission booster. "It's what happens when your dad only has 10 minutes to gather music, holovids and literature from the Jedi Temple before the soldiers come in to try to kill you."

"Does that include the porn?" the former Imperial lieutenant asked humorously.

"Nah, that was my addition to my ship's archives. I got those from the Creampie Temple."

Locke arched an eyebrow. "Kajex, that was awful, and I'm ashamed of you."

"Whatever, that was funny and you know it," he replied, grinning.

Locke had spent the last three days constructing a new lightsaber- or at least, machining parts and constructing the 'hilt' of the elongated weapon, which Kajex found curious given that it was easily four feet in length. Though the Sentinel had no doubts as to why the weapon was designed this way, he wondered if Locke were capable of handling such a weapon, to say nothing of if he knew how he to ensure the length wasn't destroyed by a well-placed lightsaber strike without phrik or cortosis to guard it. Nevertheless, Kajex did nothing to needle his brother over this minor oversight- not least because the gray wolf wondered if his albino sibling knew how he would cross that bridge when he reached it.

Talrik, meanwhile, was also in the process of constructing a pair of melee weapons- a pair of rubber-gripped and electrically-charged phrik tonfas- though his project was more down-to-earth and unrelated to the Force except through the materials he used. Miles seemed to be interested in his task as well, glancing at the Amaran's efforts. "You sure you're going to know how to use those when it comes down to it?" the Miraluka asked.

Talrik nodded. "Yeah, it's just a matter of modifying some martial arts, and the other Antarian Rangers have already offered to help me out," he replied in good spirits. "I'm just a little excited I'm going to have something that'll be able to stand up to any Circle bastard that gets close- not that I'd let them if I can help it."

Locke chuckled. "You're going to have to put in alot of work to measure up to them in close-quarters combat- but you'll have the rest of us to help you on that front. As long as you keep up with your Echani and Teras Kasi training, you'll have a chance." He sighed wistfully, looking at the pair of tonfas the fox was applying grips to. "I just wish they could've spared some phrik for my project, but let's face it- there's really no reason to trust me that much."

Kajex smiled encouragingly. "Don't sweat it, bro. They'll come around. And knowing you, you'll figure out some way to make your weapon work- if you know how to handle it."

Locke grinned. "Just you wait- I've had the training for years, just not the opportunity. I also wanted to work on this so I had a nonlethal option to work with, I figured Master Skywalker would appreciate that. Besides, the Praxeum could use another hand that knows how to handle a staff... some of these kids use opening stances that look completely moronic," he muttered, shaking his head.

"How about you, Miles, got anything new going on in your life you wanna share?" Talrik asked carefully.

Miles sighed. "Wish I had better news on that front, kid. Applications to various guard outlets in Republic security forces keep getting denied. But I expect you know all about that. Makes me a little happier your boss went ahead and took me in till I can get some work- thanks for that, Kaj."

"Think nothing of it," the wolf replied, waving it off putting down his welder for a moment, grabbing a mug of hot chocolate he had to the side. "After what you did to my ship's cannons, boosting power output and getting the targeting system to be more responsive, I don't think I'd want to let you go. Where'd you learn that, anyway?" he asked before taking a sip.

"Carida Academy- before it was destroyed, obviously," the former soldier replied. "You read my file, Locke, you know my credentials; but what they leave out are the little details concerning talents I picked up that weren't a part of my training regimen. Somebody had to put work in to keep our weapons in working order, the Grand Moffs were too busy squabbling over territory to give the Imperial Army proper funding."

"I never experienced that on Teeva Academy," Talrik said. "What was Carida like?"

"Not a bad place to live, honestly. Lived there most of my life, I was there when some noble's idiot son blew up Mascot Moon. Carida was probably one of the few good things the Remnant had going for it, with food exports and decent living standards; but it was also a good place to train, the different regions had deserts, tundra, jungle, plains- you name it." He tossed a power cell to the side and leaned back in his chair. "It also had rancors. Some genius thought it would be a good idea to bring the big beasties to the planet so they could be used to target practice. To be fair, it worked; but anytime one of the big bastards rampaged and destroyed a farm, there was always an outcry. Made us look bad."

"Must've been good training, though," Kajex stated fairly.

"I won't deny it had merit, but it also cost the Remnant a bit whenever a walker or other vehicle tangled with them and lost... which was often. So part of the skills I picked up while I was there included vehicle repair, primarily weapon systems- rancors liked to claw and bite at the cannons before going for the kill." He chuckled. "Made some decent credits doing it, too, since the engineers assigned to Carida didn't want to do it. They would have much rather been assigned to the fleet rather than a training academy. Oh, and on that note, thanks for getting our funds back to us, Kajex- tell your CorpSec buddy we owe him."

The wolf sighed. "Oh believe me, he knows we owe him, and he's gonna make me pay for it someday. Anyway, you said you lived on Carida most of your life- you got family there?"

Miles smiled wanly. "I did. Not that I much cared for them, mind you. My old man was a die-hard Imperial supporter, not like other Miraluka. The Purge put alot of us in danger since we're naturally Force-sensitive, but a few of us were pressed into Imperial service, sometimes against our own will. Dad, though... he was different. He was never trained as a Jedi, but he made it clear where his loyalties were and ended up joining the Empire when it was formally declared. He received minor Force-training and became an intelligence agent. He always used to tell me that it was our duty to serve the Republic in all its forms, and that the Rebellion were just dregs from the Clone Wars that didn't know when to quit."

"Did you believe him?" Locke asked- it was apparent to Kajex that his sibling had never heard this from his friend, despite knowing him for far longer.

"Halfway, yeah," Miles admitted. "I believed that it was important to serve the Republic, but not the point of blindness. One thing the Imperial propaganda system got right was emphasizing the corruption of the Republic as it was." He turned to Kajex. "You were alive back then- you must have known the rot in some parts of the Republic, right?"

The Sentinel nodded. "Yeah- it was corrupt. Master Windu used to be adamant that it wasn't as bad as it seemed, but some days... well, put simply what I saw back then is why I loathe politics and most politicians even today."

"My old man saw it too. But just because Miraluka can see through the Force doesn't mean we can't be blind. That was him- too ready to see how corrupt the Republic was that he didn't bother acknowledging how corrupt the Empire also was." He shrugged. "Wasn't much I could say."

Talrik glanced at him. "If you felt that way, why did you join the Imperial Army?"

"What, you think I had a choice in the matter, what with my dad working as a spy for them? Actually, scratch that- I did have a choice. I could either take up the same training he did and become a spy or agent; or I could join the Imperial Army just to spite him." He grinned. "It was too tempting. But more than that, I had friends who really did believe in what we were doing. We didn't see the Rebel Alliance as heroes, not then- we saw them as malcontents who wanted to circumvent the political process to get what they wanted. The only thing that set me apart from my academy buddies was I took them seriously, I guess."

"Did you ever have to kill any Rebels?" Kajex asked.

Miles nodded. "I did... but only a few, and only in combat situations as a defender. I was never part of any unit that tried to intimidate sympathizers or ruined families- partly because my father saw to it that my postings were on uncontested planets, and partly because I was passed for consideration based on the fact that I'm only mostly human."

Locke frowned. "You mean to tell me the reason you were assigned to AS-303 was because you were a different human sub-species? Even with your record and skills?"

"Yep!" the Miraluka chuckled. "C'mon, Locke, you know it wasn't uncommon. Grand Admiral Thrawn spent decades in the Imperial Fleet being disregarded and disparaged for being non-human. Palpatine was the only one of his superiors who treated him with any measure of respect; the men serving under him were loyal to him despite being non-human; but any of his contemporary equals? It took alot of doing for him to get people to follow his lead when he started attacking the Republic again. Non-humans always got the short straw in the Imperial military, and that still holds true today."

"You served under Thrawn?"

Miled nodded. "It almost got me to start believing in the Empire again, after Endor." He drew an uncharged pistol from his hip holster with a sigh. "I mean, when the Empire started breaking down... see, my old man was on the second Death Star, and he was one of the few who were still on board when the station blew. Good riddance," he muttered as he started to polish the barrel. "I could at least be happy that he was dead."

"What about your mother?" Talrik asked. "If you don't mind my asking."

"Oh she's fine," Miles assured him. "She left my dad when I was 15, but always kept in touch afterwards. It's been a couple months since I last spoke with her, she was doing fine the last time I talked to her over the comm. She didn't quite like that I joined the Imperial army, but she knew it was the best I could hope for without having to be an Imperial Intelligence spy."

"But anyway, after Endor the entire thing fractured. The Grand Moffs started taking little slices of the pie that was left behind, reduced to being warlords and preying on the populations. I thought it was an entirely new thing for the Empire to be taking advantage of the people we were meant to be serving... but it didn't take long for me to learn that it had been happening since even before I enlisted. I started seeing more of its true colors and not liking what I saw. Maybe the worst of it was the slavery, though. Couldn't stand that crap."

"Why didn't you leave?" Talrik asked. "I mean, if your old man was dead..."

"Didn't have anywhere to go," Miles said simply. "Soldiering is just something I've done for about half my life, and it was my way of making a living. If I'd defected then, I'd have been in the same position I am now, only much sooner. Got on with Thrawn and his crew when they started their campaign, but that ended too soon and I was transferred back to Carida so I could be reassigned. Picked up some extra skills while I was there and then finally got noticed a couple of years ago by squad leaders recruited by Rear Admiral Galak Fyyar- he was an egotistical know-it-all, but he was keeping things going and had the funds."

"So you were among those who attacked the Jedi Praxeum a couple of years ago?" Kajex asked before taking another sip of his drink.

"Actually, I was posted on Bespin with the Reborn during the Empire's brief occupation of Cloud City." He shuddered. "Hated those guys. Just the feeling of their unnatural Force abilities..."

Locke nodded, grimacing. "I felt it too when they were around. It's as if they violated the Force itself to gain its power. Keris used to say they made her feel like she was being re-augmented by Zorba again, whenever she was in the same room with them. Fortunately she wasn't assigned to fight alongside them." He paused in his work, regarding the Miraluka with what seemed like newfound respect. "So how did you come to be on AS-303?"

"I was serving under Captain Holt at the time; that's all it was, really. He was assigned to his predecessor, Captain Laige, before you had him executed; and I was forced to come along with him." He shook his head. "I didn't think much of Holt, honestly- tubby bastard had more ego than sense. So when we were told we'd have to be taking orders from a Sith apprentice, well... I found that interesting. Then that Sith apprentice started treating the people there with respect, and I started feeling like this was the direction I wanted the Empire to go in again." He smiled at Locke. "Then I started to realize that my loyalty should be to his ideals, and not to the Empire's or the Sith's. And then he started treating me like a friend." He held his arms wide open. "And here we are. I think I made the right decision, all things considered."

Locke smiled back. "I think you did too, my friend. So you don't mind working with the Republic now?"

"I'm not working with the Republic, Locke," the Miraluka corrected him. "I'm working with you; and your brother, a guy I also respect."

"Cheers," Kajex replied with a grin. "I'll say it again- I'm glad to have you on board. Four lightsabers is alot of Force for one ship- back it up with a pair of blasters, I doubt there's much that we can't overcome." He set his empty mug back, looking over his work with a satisfied sigh. "I think that'll about do it for the booster. Should be able to get a stable connection to the archives now, Locke- you won't have to put up with bullshit from other instructors and students when you need to look something up."

"It's fine, Kajex," the white wolf assured him gently.

"It ain't fine," Kajex grumbled. "I told you how mad I got with Matriarch Bast when she started shit-talking my dads- and Jedi oughta know better than that. I'm not gonna let them shit-talk my own brother and his main squeeze."

"I appreciate you standing up for me as always, the way I'd expect from a steadfast sibling," Locke said soothingly. "But you need to let it go instead of getting frustrated over it- especially as I'm not. Once we get our first mission together, they'll come around- I'm sure of it."

The gray wolf relented with a sigh, nodding. It was still something of a sour spot with him- in some ways it was almost like his childhood with the old Jedi Order. But he had to admit Locke had a point, in that it would likely be easier for people to trust them once they started working with them. "Well, then we might not have to wait very long. Master Skywalker's been creating response teams for the Circle and our name is up on the top of the list. We'll have something to work on tomorrow, at least."

Locke winced. "I'm not even done with my lightsaber yet. I still need to find crystals to form an array."

The Sentinel blinked. "Wait, 'array?' You're not gonna just use one t-- wait." He narrowed his eyes. "You're making a dual-phase lightsaber, aren't you."

The white wolf said nothing, but smiled.

Talrik cocked his head as he set aside his newly-modified tonfas. "'Dual-phase?'"

"It's an archaic lightsaber design used by some Jedi and Sith," Kajex explained. "Your typical lightsaber will use a single crystal as a focus to create a blade through the emitter, about a meter and a half at most, usually a little less. Dual-phase variants use two or more crystals and a switch system that can instantly double that length. Jedi back in my time used to think it was a pointless fad among those who wanted to show off, but it has good tactical value in alot of situations." He turned to Locke. "Though I can't figure out why would you want to build that if you're already going with a pike design."

"Because lightsaber pikes are difficult to manage in close quarters," Locke sighed. "I have the training to handle them, but I know their limitations as well. Having just the shaft will give me a non-lethal weapon, attaching the proper lightsaber at the end will form it into a pike with a blade length I can manipulate, while giving me the means to detach it and use it classically if I need to. I plan to construct it so that the standard setting will put the blade length at about as long as a lightsaber shoto, and then double in length to the size of a standard blade."

The Sentinel nodded approvingly. "That's pretty clever. Don't worry, bro- we'll getcha some nice crystals from somewhere, unless you wanna get a furnace going and make a synthetic one."

"I'd prefer not to use a synthetic crystal, actually, they're too time-consuming and dangerous to make," Locke said. "I would like to do it naturally, to find a few stones that I feel more connected to... though I'm not sure where to start looking," he admitted sadly.

"Cheer up, boss," Miles said with a grin. "Or don't, so Keris'll blow a smile back onto your face."

"Did someone ask for a blowjob?" Keris responded, peeking around the open hatch into the armory. "Is my poor wuffy frustrated with his project?" she asked with a comforting purr as she stepped in and wrapped her arms around the white wolf, making him chuckle and lean back into her embrace.

"Just worried how I'll be able to obtain a crystal for my new weapon, love. But I'm sure our friends will be more than happy to help."

"I know they will- when they're not busy," she stated, putting her head between the wolf's ears and smiling at Kajex. "Master Skywalker wants to have a word with you, he's waiting outside."

"Good afternoon Captain Surnahm- and you too, Locke," the Jedi Master greeted politely as the albino wolf followed the Sentinel down the ramp. "I hope I didn't interrupt you in the middle of something."

"Not at all," Locke stated. "And it's Locke Surnahm, now. We, ah..." he paused and glanced at his half-grinning twin, smiling in return. "... I agreed to take on my brother's surname, as he had offered."

"I'll bear that in mind- I'm glad to see things have been going well with your pack. In any event, I have the details of your next mission to give to you. I had wanted to wait until tomorrow, but the situation there might require immediate attention and I've been feeling an... unease, in the Force. I want to leave for Coruscant as soon as possible, but I felt it would be best to give you your mission details before I do," he reasoned, handing the datacards to Kajex.

"That's fine," Kajex said. "You're gonna be alright, I hope?"

"Oh yes, I expect so," Luke assured him. "But it's a strong, negative feeling and I fear many others might be hurt. It's not often I get a premonition this intense, I feel it'd be a boon to get a head start."

"So what should we expect, then?" Locke asked.

"Your task is to get in touch with a mining guild leader named Wiyuk, on the planet Dakua. The request isn't strictly urgent, but given that it involves previously unknown ruins of possible Sith origin I would make it an expedient response- we would like to beat the Circle to this one, and given that we have what was once their best hunter of relics on our side I figured it would be a good first mission for your pack."

"Fair enough, but..." Kajex frowned at the datacards. "Why two? There's enough room on these for more than a dozen mission dossiers."

"Ah, right- the other is meant for you and your pack, but mainly Locke. I was researching tutaminis in the Great Holocron and managed to collect some good study and training material from it." He gestured to the metal shaft Locke was still holding. "I had a hunch that Locke hadn't quite finished building his lightsaber, and thought he might need it- being able to block or absorb energy without a lightsaber is a tough skill to master, but very useful."

"Yeah... I haven't completed my weapon yet," Locke acknowledged sheepishly. "I'm trying to figure out where to obtain the crystals I need. But if it can't wait, I can make do with a vibrosword and the Force."

"Very well- then good luck, and may the Force be with you and your pack," Luke finished, bowing. The two wolves bowed in turn and watched him walk away. After a moment, Kajex turned to his albino twin.

"So... you ready to make the universe a better place?"

Locke chuckled. "With your help? Absolutely."

The crew agreed to be ready by midnight, though Kajex insisted that after the task was over they make a jump to Corellia to get the ship's interior upgrades with extra cabins. Now having the combined funds of two former Sith apprentices, two ex-stormtroopers, one former mercenary and one noble's daughter, getting the ship upgraded as almost a non-issue, though it was only Kajex, Syrra, Locke and Talrik who decided they would contribute to the ship's cost, while Keris and Miles covered a few additional comforts (key among them, wardrobe and extra equipment, which had arrived a week prior). With the upgrades well within financial reach (coming down to relatively trivial costs from all of them), a longer-than-normal trip was expected- that in mind, everyone took the rest of the day to collect whatever equipment they thought they needed.

For the four Jedi packmembers, this necessitated a trip to the quartermaster and a little extra studying with the rest of the Jedi students and masters. But for Talrik and Miles, who had already gotten their gear and moved it into the armory, this meant having to wait an extra few hours at the most. This didn't pose much of a problem for either of them- as ex-Imperials and trained soldiers, there was much for them to talk about.

"I'm not saying the Antarian Rangers aren't a noble force to be working with, kid- it's just not the kind of work that I think they'd let me do. You weren't a lieutenant, I was. I doubt they'd give me that kind of chance without me putting in a serious bit of work, seeing as it took you about four months." Miles still smiled at the younger man. "Don't get me wrong, it's kind of you to insist I have what it takes- and you should definitely be proud they let you in."

Talrik nodded. "Thanks. Still, sometimes I think about my expectations and I wonder if I made the right choice."

"Why would you?" Miles asked as he leaned back and put his boots up on the galley table, regarding the Amaran curiously. "You have the skill for it, you have the connections. Are you worried because you aren't Force-sensitive?"

Talrik hesitated before shrugging, reclining in his seat. "I guess it's partly that. I'm expected to follow the Jedi code in all it's forms. I think I can do that, but I don't know if I understand it the way Kajex and Syrra do- like, do they see things differently because they use the Force?"

Miles smiled. "Might help if you knew a thing about the Force first, if that's what's bothering you."

"What do you mean?" the fox asked, cocking his head. "It's just... some kind of metaphysical energy that some people are able to control on some level, right? But only a relative few."

"Ehhh... so-so, kid," Miles said fairly. "There are plenty of races that are Force-sensitive by nature- yours truly being a member of one such race, of course. And yeah, if I tried very hard, I could probably levitate something small to myself. But it's a bit more nuanced than 'some got it, some don't'."

"Really?" Talrik blinked.

"Really. Hell, I read that the old Jedi Order even had Service Corps for their washouts, or for the ones who just didn't really want to be Jedi, but still help people with the Force. Mainly they just did agriculture, healing, education and exploration. But that's not what I was getting at- do you really think everyone capable of Force potential before the Clone Wars was rounded up by the Order so they could become Jedi?"

"Well... I mean, didn't they?" Talrik said uncertainly.

The Miraluka shook his head. "Nope- they used to base their recruitment on midichlorian count. Thing is, everyone has midichlorians, it's something about the basics of life that's intrinsic to everyone- it's just the Jedi back then, and even now, tended to ignore those below a certain threshold. I kinda wonder if that was why my dad was bitter with them and the Republic- he didn't have enough of what they needed, or so they thought."

"So then, even me...?"

"Even you," Miles replied with a nod. "Everybody has the potential to use the Force in some small measure, and alot of people do, even if it's on a subconscious level- when somebody says they've got a really bad feeling about something, when you seem to run a little faster than normal when the need arises; hell, there must've been one point in your life where you had to make that critical shot that saved the day, right?" He watched with a smile as the fox paused, his brow furrowed- he could tell there were probably one or two occasions that came to mind. "Besides, how do you think I could see you if you weren't connected to the Force? All things are, even things we consider inanimate and lifeless. The only time it's difficult for me to see is when there are holes or warps in the Force- like on Katarr. And even if you weren't a sensitive, you must've been able to feel on some level how dead it was, right?"

Talrik nodded. "It made me pretty uncomfortable, yeah."

"Well anyway, the point is you shouldn't feel like your lack of Force-sensitivity prevents you from being able to follow the Jedi Code- whatever that may be nowadays. It's less about if you have the Force and more about being able to be a decent person, and on that front I'd say you've got nothing to worry about. You're a hell of a fighter, kid, don't doubt that for a moment- I've seen you fight and fought beside you, and I can say you more than measure up to any stormtrooper I've seen. I'm lucky just to have 4 Jedi at my back, but you make things feel just a little luckier."

Talrik blushed. "I... thanks."

Miles chuckled. "Syrra was right- you are cute when you blush." He grinned as the fox got redder in the face. "And there it is again."

"You... c'mon Lieutenant, stop," the fox chuckled, hiding his face.

"You can drop the 'Lieutenant' rank, I'm not a soldier anymore, and we're not in the army," Miles assured him amicably. "You can relax around me when you want, I promise not to chew you out... unless you want me to," he added. "Kaj says you like it when he talks dirty."

Talrik's eyes widened and he sat up. "He... why did he...?"

"Because I asked him," Miles said simply. "I may have told him I thought you were cute for your kind and he mentioned he felt bad not giving you as much attention as he has Syrra and Locke."

"W-well... I mean, Locke's his... his brother, and now that he and Syrra are engaged, I just- I didn't want to bother him with--"

"Kid," Miles said calmly. "Relax. I told him that was probably the case and, well... I figured I might as well ask if you'd be interested. In me. I mean, not in a romantic way- I'm not the kind of guy looking for anything particularly long-term. But I'm just putting it out there," he said brightly.

The fox stared at him. "I... huh? You want... you want to...?"

"To ask," Miles said in amusement, "if you're open to physical entertainment."

"But... why me, though?" Talrik asked a bit nervously. "Keris keeps asking you to join her and Locke, I figured if you needed to work some steam off you'd have asked her, unless you..." The fox trailed off as an expression of comprehension appeared on his features, his ears flattening in embarrassment. "O-oh... you're... I didn't think you were..."

Miles smiled, waving it off. "It's fine. Most people think I'm the kind of guy who would aim for women, but the fact is I've always been attracted to the same sex. And I've tested the waters to be sure. Women are nice, they're good company to be around, but I've just never gotten aroused by them. You, on the other hand, you're a great guy."

"Y-yeah?" Talrik asked hopefully, smiling.

"I'm not big on dishonesty. You've got a good heart and a huge pair of balls on you, in the context of being an adept and capable fighter- you've stood the line against Imperials and Sith, mastering your own fears and coming out on top; and that's pretty awesome, to me. At the same time, you come across as timid and unsure when it comes to dealing with people on a more personal level- given your history, I don't blame you. It must have taken Kaj a while to gain your trust," he suggest quietly. "So I can understand if you're hesitant about the idea of being physically intimate with someone who is relatively new in your life."

Talrik shrugged, looking away. "I... lashed out at him, actually- I had a panic attack just from him touching my arm, but he calmed me down, made that night, just..." he trailed off, sighing at the pleasant memory. "... I almost forgot that it started off that way, sometimes. He convinced me that night that I could trust him."

"That sounds great," Miles offered positively. "And I wouldn't want to take that away from you, not one bit. I like that you guys are close-knit, it's better than the bonds I've seen some squads form. So if you'd like to keep it between just you, him and Syrra, I'll understand completely."

"Well... I'm not sure about that, is the thing," Talrik replied with a small smile.

Miles smiled back, glancing at his timepiece before getting to his feet. "Alright then, tell you what- I'm going to head to the crew quarters and catch a couple hours rest. You don't need to say yes to anything, I'm fine rubbing a couple out on my own- but... if you're up to it, just give the hatch a knock anytime."

Talrik looked hesitant, but nodded. "I-I'll... think about it."

After fifteen minutes of solitude, reading things on the terminal before him, Miles' thoughts started to stray- or at least, his sight did. To say that luminosity was something he 'saw' would be inaccurate, for he truly couldn't see anything. Sight was unknown to him. Sense, on the other hand, was natural to him. If he had to describe the light he perceived around him, it was warmer and more welcoming than any environment he'd ever known. To work with Locke and Keris, to see what was essentially their hearts and minds at work, had been such a refreshing change of pace from his days as a stormtrooper that he'd considered it the best work he'd ever done, even if it had been to the service of a great evil.

But now he was on Yavin 4, and he had to admit he'd been wrong; being here was far better. It was hard not to be distracted by everything that went on around him, to see how many Force-sensitive beings there were. It made it both easy and difficult to concentrate at times- there was no sense in pretending he wasn't curious about what Jedi training, or at least Jedi training under Luke's direction, was like. Granted, he still had no intention of developing further skill with the Force, yet all the same he had to admit he was far happier now than he'd ever been.

He centered himself, inhaling calmly and drawing his senses back in just in time to 'see' an Amaran male standing at the hatch. He grinned, closing out of the literature he'd been reading and watching as the younger ex-Imperial seemed to fidget nervously for a few moments before lifting a paw and giving the hatch a couple of knocks. The Miraluka cleared his throat and stood, tapping the door controls and leaning out.

"Hey kid- everything alright?" he asked casually.

Talrik seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding. "I... gave it a little bit of thinking, and... if you're still offering, I'd like to... you know..." he trailed off, and Miles could percieve the heat and color on the fox's face as he smiled. "I mean, not like I'm looking for a relationship, but... if Kajex wouldn't mind, and you and I are friends, then I figure--"

The Miraluka laughed. "Talrik, seriously- you don't need to offer an legitimate explanation. This is just between friends, a way of relieving some of the pressure that's on both of us. When it's over, I'll still be Miles Lohess and you'll still be Talrik Lye. Nothing and nobody will have changed," he assured him, reaching out and scruffing up the fox's hair. "I promise there'll be no weird calls, breakfast in bed or love notes hidden under your pillow."

Talrik seemed to relax a bit, letting out a sigh and smiling in relief. "Alright, that's... that's good. Can I come in?"

The Miraluka gestured him inside and took a moment to pinpoint where the rest of the crew was- all four Jedi were still in the Temple, engaging in lightsaber sparring with the rest of the students present. Once again he drew back in and closed the door, keying in the lock before turning back to the Amaran male. "What made you decide to go with it?" the Miraluka asked.

The fox paused in taking off his bomber jacket before smiling. "I thought about how often you actually get this kind of intimacy with anybody, if you happen to be gay; and realized you probably don't get it alot- I can empathize with that. Have you ever been with anybody before?" he asked carefully.

"A couple of times, yeah- there were a couple of guys I had relationships with, but as you can imagine that didn't always end well in the Imperial army," the raven-haired male responded as he pulled his shirt off. "Got to know a few humans, a Zabrak, even a well-endowed Duros, once. All great guys, but it never got anywhere particularly deep with any of them, to be honest- sometimes because we didn't want it to, and sometimes because they would die in battle."

"I'm sorry," the fox said quietly.

"Nah, that one's for me to apologize, kid," Miles said apologetically, running a hand through his medium-length hair. "Don't mean to spoil the mood, I want you to be comfortable while this happens." He glanced back at the fox and froze, getting a good 'look' at Talrik's slimmer but well-trained body, still covered in tented boxers. "... Impressive," he chuckled with a grin.

"Thanks," Talrik replied, blushing deeply but smiling appreciatively.

"And yet, the fur still makes you look cuddly. Trust me kid, you're going to make whatever guy or girl you decide to spend your life with very happy," the ex-soldier said as he undid his trousers, stepping out of them and kicking them to the side before sitting on the edge of his bunk.

"I kinda want that to be Kajex and Syrra, to be honest," Talrik said quietly, sitting next to Miles. "Weird as it is, they're my family, even if not by blood. I'd do anything to help them, I love them both. Is that too weird?"

"Not at all," Miles replied. "I've served on alot of worlds, I've seen alternative family structures- I can appreciate love in different forms. Hell... I hope if I do meet a guy that I want to spend the rest of my life with, that others appreciate it too." He smiled. "So, what say I put what I learned from previous lovers to use, by pointing out that you seem incredibly tense right now?"

Talrik chuckled, shivering a little bit. "Can't pull the wool over the eyes of someone who hasn't any to begin with. What did you have in mind?"

"C'mere kid." Deciding it would be better to demonstrate than waste time talking, Miles pulled the fox onto the bed and rolled him onto his stomach. He cracked his knuckles and loosened his fingers a bit, watching as the fox's ears perked up to the sound. "When I was off-duty and had a couple of weeks to myself, me and a lover of mine took up a few lessons on Coruscant from a Zeltron massage parlor. You could say I got pretty good at it," he grinned, putting a hand on Talrik's back and stroking his fur. "Sound good?"

The fox's tail started to wag. "Absolutely."

"Alright, sit still a sec." He got to his feet, stretching out a bit and making sure the fox got a good, long look at his muscular body before moving to the locker and retrieving a bottle of warming massage oil, grinning as the fox's ears perked up. "Yeah, I ordered a couple of bottles a week back when Locke heard I'd learned I was a novice masseur."

"Did you get them with the plan to ask me eventually?" Talrik asked, tail wagging as he smiled back.

"Well, that's part of it. But now that I know Locke's open to same-sex activity, I wouldn't mind getting some time in with him, so I got it for him, too- not to mention I know Keris and Syrra would probably appreciate a few non-Jedi lessons on how to help your partner unwind. But I'd have to demonstrate on both Locke and Kaj first."

"And me?"

"You'd be on the receiving end, yeah- the fact is I kinda want to see what you look like sandwiched between two bigger dogs." He arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Have you never thought about asking them?"

The fox chuckled nervously. "Well... sometimes," he admitted, laying his head back down as Miles returned to the bunk.

The Miraluka wasted no time in setting to work, pressing his hand against the center of the fox's back to keep him in place as he got into position behind him with a grunt. Once settled in he poured a decent amount of the oil into his palm, rubbing them together a bit as the viscous liquid heated up. He started gently at the middle of the fox's back, sliding his hands up along each side of his spine, working his fingers through the fur a little before stroking down and applying the oil into his back. Perceiving tension in the Amaran's upper and lower back, likely from extensive training in the last few days, he began to press the heels of his hands firmly into Talrik's body. A grin appeared on his face as the effect was immediate, a strained yet pleasant sigh escaping from the fox's muzzle as he motioned the heels in a circular pattern just inside the shoulder blades.

Every firm press into his back was accompanied by a gentle moan, slight flinches and hisses of slight pain followed by pleasure. The base of his neck and the back of his shoulders elicited the strongest response by far, however, reducing the red-furred male to pleased whines and whimpers. Miles had to stop a few times when the fox shuddered, letting the trembling settle down before returning to the task again, digging his thumbs and heels into the tenser part of his upper back.

It was beyond easy to perceive the knots and aches in the other male's body, as well as the effect his practiced hands were having on him. The fox radiated the minor discomfort even if he wasn't aware of it, firm bunches of nerves and muscle revealing themselves to the eyeless near-human. Nevertheless, it wasn't long before those knots started to loosen and smooth under the Miraluka's ministrations- nor was it much longer before Talrik started to purr from the attention, a pleased whine squeaking from his chest as he seemed to nearly melt into the bedding material beneath him.

Yet Miles also noticed that the fox was squirming to get comfortable down below, readjusting his position repeatedly. For him, it was very easy to see why. "Felt that good, huh?"

Talrik shivered and nodded. "Gods yes, sir..." he moaned.

He smiled again, leaning in beside Talrik's head as he spoke softly into his ear. "You don't need to call me 'sir,' anymore." He slid a hand down to Talrik's rump and squeezed firmly- the fox whimpered in response. "Do you want me to work your front too, lad?" he asked.

"I-I'm already a bit... you know..." the fox said shyly.

Miles chuckled. "So am I. I've never worked on another guy with this much fur, but yours is pretty soft to the touch- it feels nice," he added, stroking the fox's sides encouragingly. "Do you want me to prepare you, kit?" Talrik nodded. "Alright, up on your knees and forepaws, kit- I'm gonna do something a little special, but you'll have to lose the boxers and give me access to the good, alright?" he encouraged with a smile, petting between the fox's ears. Miles grinned at the fox's harder blush as he got into position, his tail flagged up as the Miraluka drew down the Amaran's boxers, pulling them away and getting a good look at the back of his soft-furred ballsack, framed within a somewhat feminine-looking butt.

Talrik looked back at the older male. "H-how's this?"

"Way too cute to be legal on any planet, kit," Miles answered appreciatively, putting a hand on the fox's rump and squeezing. "Now hold still- I doubt this'll hurt if you're already used to Kaj's girth, but I don't want you to pull something or reach the finish line before I have a chance to plow that fluffy butt."

Taking a few more moments to admire the fox as he remained in such an enticing pose, with his tail flagged up and his backside held up, he upended the bottle of massage oil and poured a generous portion onto his palm, using his fingers to stir the amount for a few moments before letting it trickle out of his hand and against the fox's tailhole. Talrik squeaked slightly, spreading his legs open a little as the oil ran between the crevice of backside and against his tailhole, an audible purr rolling out of his chest. Grinning at the sounds the fox was making, Miles started pouring the oil directly against his tailstar, stopping only when the concoction started dribbling down the fox's balls. He put two fingers against the fox's tailhole, tracing along the rim a bit and smearing more of the warm oil around before abruptly plunging both digits into his backside.

Talrik yelped long and loud, a strained moan of sexual nature pouring from his muzzle as Miles' fingers disappeared into his ass. Miles could only assume that Talrik's cheeks were burning a hot red because he was beginning to make noises he only ever made for Kajex, as he started to jam his fingers repeatedly into the fox. The Miraluka grunted slightly as the fox's tight anal ring clenched around his knuckles, trying to keep the intruders still as he backed his rump into the older man's hand, yet Miles was able to keep his hand moving while muttering into the fox's ear. "No no, you stay still, kit," he teased, "I haven't even gotten you started yet."

Talrik shuddered and Miles knew he would have asked what he was taking about had he given him the opportunity- but the opportunity disappeared the moment his hand slid around the fox's bare prick, drawing another tortured moan from the vulpine Ranger. With aching slowness, Miles started to stroke Talrik's throbbing member, keeping his pace consistent with the rhythm of his fingers as they continued to hammer away into the fox's trembling backside. Talrik himself seemed to be lost in an ocean of lust as he writhed, clawing and gripping at the sheets beneath him, incapable of articulating his satisfaction beyond deep moaning and mewling.

Intent on making sure this lasted as long as possible, however, Miles paid close attention to everything Talrik was doing in response. He nearly chuckled as the younger man started thrusting into his grip, at which point he slackened his hold on the member and waited for Talrik to calm down before gripping it again. With his fingers buried in the fox's ass, it wasn't too hard to find his prostate and begin rubbing it vigorously for a few moments; yet it was only for a few moments, before he drew back, allowing the moaning Ranger to catch his breath. Miles smiled as he kept the fox near the edge of sexual release- but prevented him from going any further, always relaxing and easing up on Talrik before he could completely finish.

What followed as a result was the fox starting to whine needfully as Miles kept him in a constant state of high sexual pleasure, denying him any sort of release as the minutes wore on. Yet despite having no contact to his own prick, the scene was erotic enough that he was completely rock-hard, a combination of the fox's almost slutty moans and his very sexy body enticing the Miraluka to indulge. When it became too much to ignore, he leaned forward. "How are you feeling, kit?"

Talrik flinched as it the words were a light spray of cold water on his face. "F-fuck, Miles... I need to cum so bad," he whimpered.

"I know," Miles said soothingly, removing his hand from the fox's prick and scritching beneath his chin gently, drawing more purrs from his vulpine partner. "I can see when you're about to pop, and I know how to keep you in a constant state of arousal- but it's not my intention to keep you this way, either, I promise. So..." He smiled, kissing the side of the fox's muzzle. "Want me to fuck you, kid? I should warn you, I'm not exactly small," he informed him, pulling his boxers down and watching as Talrik's eyes widened at the sight.

It had become something of a small joke between the crew, knowing that a fully-erect Kajex was ten inches exactly, black, while Locke was ten inches exactly, red; and if they were being completely honest, then they both possessed the same girth to match their length. But Miles had decided not to boast about his own physical advantages; partly because in some respects, having a twelve-inch cock was more of a curse than a blessing, and partly because he didn't need more reasons for Keris to keep pawing at him- though he wondered if she didn't already know his "full measure". So when Talrik gaped at the large, throbbing shaft, it was a reaction Miles had fully expected to see- and as usual, he took it as a silent compliment.

"It's... holy fuck, how do you keep that thing in your armor?" Talrik whined uncertainly.

"With a lot of adjustment, kid," Miles said with a grin. "Do you want to see how much you can take?"

The fox brightened. "I dunno that it would fit in me, but... I could give it a good workover, if you'd like," he offered.

Miles chuckled. "Be my guest- it's only a bit bigger than your boss's, I'm sure you can handle a couple of extra inches," he assured him, leaning back and petting Talrik's ears as the fox ducked low and nuzzled against the smooth flesh. The Miraluka watched as Talrik nosed against it gently before letting his tongue slip out and stroke against the throbbing underside of the near-human's cock. Sighing pleasantly at the feel of the fox's smooth prick against his shaft, Miles reached out and rubbed his ears, silently encouraging his partner to continue. Spurred on by the affectionate gesture, Talrik complied, pressing his muzzle firmly against his cock and slurping around the length, getting to his belly and using both his paws to stroke the shaft and cup his balls.

Miles had expected Talrik to be at least decent at oral pleasure, but he immediately found himself pleasantly surprised with how skilled Talrik had become- moreso if Kajex had been honest about the fact that he'd had little more than 8 months of practice with the same two lovers. Making a mental note to inform Kajex that he'd taught his 'little brother' well, he hissed slightly, flexing his hips and thrusting up slightly to meet Talrik's muzzle while sliding a bit into the fox's paw. Talrik dipped lower and started to slather the Miraluka's balls a moment later, drawing a sharp gasp from Miles, who by now was beyond certain that if he had possessed eyes they'd be cross-eyed with bliss. At no point did Talrik stop pumping his girth, either, keeping a firm grip around the thick shaft and keeping his rhythm steady even as he brought his muzzle down around the length.

Whatever Miles had been expecting when Talrik had started giving his shaft a good bit of stimulation, it was not for the fox to completely slide the entire foot of cock into his muzzle and down his throat, purring into the Miraluka's pubic hair- but this was exactly what happened within five seconds of the fox's lips touching the tip of his prick. It was impossible not to moan from the sensation of Talrik's tongue lashing around the base of his member, easily swallowing the salty precum that trickled from Miles' tip. He could sense Talrik gauging his reaction as he drew his muzzle back halfway and looked up slightly, the corners of his muzzle turned up as he resumed sucking off the soldier dutifully. Had the Miraluka not possessed a particular desire on where he wanted to finish, he would have allowed Talrik to continue- but it wasn't long, perhaps only a handful of minutes, before he had to raise the fox's head up gently, shivering.

"H-hold on, kit, that's good enough for now," he groaned, grinning. "Fuck... you're either a natural at this kind of thing or Kajex just taught you really well- but I don't want to pop just yet."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," the fox responded brightly as he lifted his tail, a hint of pride in his voice. "Ready to finish up, then? I think I could probably take you."

"Yeah, I am- but let's make this a little more interesting," Miles suggested as he grabbed the fox and pulled him on top of him, laying his head on the pillow. Despite a moment of confusion Talrik seemed to catch on fairly quickly, purring gently as he settled on the Miraluka's abs for a moment. With his legs on either side of the soldier's thighs he bent over, chirping slightly as he grabbed Miles' considerable length and angled it against his still-lubed tailhole. Miles hissed slightly as he felt the massive tip of his cock press against Talrik's tight tailstar, meeting with slight resistance as the fox tried to relax, a strained look on his face and a whine squeaking from his muzzle. Worried that the fox might hurt himself Miles nearly told him to stop, that it was okay- but before he could begin to form words the resistance gave way and Talrik was sliding down into Miles' lap with a loud moan, impaling himself on all 12 inches of the Miraluka's prick, gasping as he brought a paw to his belly.

Miles swallowed, perceiving a slight deformation in the fox's belly, a vaguely cylinder-like distension apparent. He reached up, grabbed Talrik's arm. "Are you alright, kit? Is there any pain?"

The fox's eyes were watering a bit, but he shook his head. "There was, but... oh gods, not anymore," he replied, whimpering as he doubled-over and placed his paws on Miles' chest. "J-just give me a minute, I'll be fine after..."

The Miraluka smiled and nodded, giving Talrik the time he needed to adjust to Miles' size. Whatever else he sought in this moment, it was to make sure the fox's fluffy butt was not totally destroyed, lest Kajex find a reason to boot him off the ship. Nevertheless, it was difficult to restrain himself as Talrik seemed to squeeze around the girthy intruder hard, such that when the fox finally did lift his hips to begin riding the smooth dick, Miles found it a bit difficult (and incredibly pleasurable) to thrust upwards into the fox's willing ass. The heat from the warming-oil was incredible, but the heat produced from the friction made the sensation nothing short of blissful.

With what little Force-sensitivity Miles possessed, he started to measure his thrusts carefully, matching Talrik's slow, cautious pace- with aching smoothness, Talrik descended down the Miraluka's pole, before lifting his rump back up at the same rate. Every time the fox sheathed Miles' cock completely in his ass and landed in his lap, the fox chirped softly, his prick twitching. Despite being high on sexual arousal, it didn't escape Mile's notice that the fox's prick was left unattended. Without a word, Miles reached down and started to stroke Talrik's length, thrusting up into his ass as he did so and hoping it would spur him towards increasing the pace of their fucking.

It was a success- Talrik immediately took the hint, or else was so turned on by the change in rhythm that he met it eagerly, starting to bounce repeatedly in the Miraluka's lap, letting out some of the sluttiest moans Miles had ever heard from any lover or sex partner in his life. Incomprehensible mewls of sexual bliss poured from the fox's muzzle as he rode the massive cock eagerly, squeezing around Miles' flesh and rolling his hips forward to slightly so he could thrust into the Miraluka's palm, still wrapped around the throbbing foxcock. For his part, Miles could only groan, thrust up and watch the scene in his mind, his endurance rapidly starting to give away.

But he knew it he couldn't keep away from their climax, even if he wanted to- by giving Talrik control of the situation, the Amaran was eager to cum, having been denied for a while now. With no desire to spoil the fox's fun (nor his own), he resigned himself to stroking and fucking the fox eagerly, grinning up at him as he aided in reaching the apex of physical pleasure. He could easily sense the pressure in Talrik's fluffy ballsack, the ache of orgasm that they both longed for. It was then Miles made a decision- if he could not prolong the sex any further, he could at least make sure Talrik's orgasm was an incredible one.

He watched carefully, using his Force sight to monitor Talrik even as he neared his own orgasm- as soon as the fox was moment away from cumming, he made his move. With a pair of swift hands, he pushed Talrik's chest and leaned the fox back, his back now arched as he yelped- the fox was able to hold himself up with his paws, but it left him exposde. Miles lifted the fox's balls up carefully, drawing a whine from the fox, but the moment the Miraluka pressed a pair of fingers firmly against his taint, Talrik started howling- the abrupt pressure against the sensitive nerve endings, coupled with the new change in position putting pressure on the fox's prostate, was enough to send him well past the point of physical pleasure and straight into paradise. Miles gasped as he unloaded his balls into the fox's ass, groaning loudly as he pumped waves of spunk into the fluffy fox-ass while a shudder of satisfaction trembled through his body. At the same moment, however, Talrik unloaded all he had too- and Miles wondered if the fox's output exceeded his own as hot ribbons of fox-cum blasted from his cocktip with enough force to splatter against the underside of the top bunk. With each twitch, Talrik sprayed his seed all over his chest and abs, his howl dying down into panting whines just as the flow ceased.

Despite feeling wonderfully exhausted, Miles had the good sense to move just in time, sitting up and catching the fox in his arms before his arms could give away. Talrik purred, snuggling into the Miraluka and licking his face affectionately, making him chuckle.

"Th-that... was ah...a-amazing, Miles," the fox whimpered, shuddering.

Miles grinned, hugging the fox close. "Yeah... yeah it was..."

"Hey, kit."

Talrik's eyes fluttered open, awakening to the comfortable sensation of a warm cuddle. He purred slightly as his blurry sight cleared up and he noticed his muzzle buried in Miles' neck. With only slight reluctance, he pulled away from the Miraluka, groaning slightly and stretching with a yawn. He looked up again and saw Miles regarding him with a smile. "How long was I out?" the fox asked as he felt a warm burn in his cheeks.

"About half an hour," Miles replied. "I figured I'd let you nap a little bit while the rest of the crew is still doing their Jedi studies, but I think they're about finished now." He leaned in and rubbed behind Talrik's ears. "Figured you'd want to catch a shower after that, you made a hell of a mess- pretty impressive, actually."

The burn in Talrik's cheeks increased, though it came with a smile- he could dimly remember having an orgasm strong enough for his seed to hit the top bunk, and sure enough the stain was still there when he checked. "Th-thanks." He hesitated. "Uh... Miles?"

"What's up, kit?" the soldier asked as he swung his legs out of the bunk and sat at the edge.

"... You promised things wouldn't get weird after this, right?" Talrik reminded him carefully.

The Miraluka chuckled. "And I meant it. You're a great guy and a good friend, you really are. And someday you're going to make another guy or gal extremely happy, of that I have no doubt. If someone were to ask if I were attracted to you, I'd say yeah- but only as far as friends with benefits go. You're okay with that, right?"

Talrik nodded eagerly. "Definitely," he replied. "I just wanted to make sure." He paused. "I mean... I sometimes wonder how long you're going to stay on board, is all."

Miles paused for a moment, looking as if he was considering the question fairly before shrugging. "I dunno, to be honest. It's a good ship and I have no problem calling every person on board a friend. But this isn't quite the work I want to do all my life." He turned to Talrik, smiling. "Make no mistake, though... I want to see an end to the Circle and Children of Syn first- even if I don't have to be here on this ship to do it. And I might as well have a little fun with a couple of friends here while I'm at it," he added, putting an arm around the fox and bringing him into a friendly hug.

Talrik laughed. "I'm glad to hear it."

He gave Talrik's back a friendly thump and got up. "Now, let's get you cleaned up, kit- before your boss asks you why you smell like spunk and vanilla massage oil."