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_ "How far would you fall; how much of yourself would you sacrifice; to what lengths would you go, to protect the ones you love? To what lengths would you go to _ avenge** them?"**

~Unknown Sith Lord

Consciousness did not come to Saph easily. The last vestiges of torment still lingered in the back of her head as a dim overhead light signaled her arrival back into the world of waking. Screams, moans, the sensations of orgasm and heartbreak, of physical intimacy and immeasurable loss, of extraordinary love and incredible hatred; all of it faded like the red hot pain of a branding iron in her mind- no longer hurting, but a permanent scar lingering in the back of her mind.

But it did come, with a deep gasp of air, the Lepi flinched awake, nearly sitting up where she was before a strong, webbed hand pushed her back down, her head resting on a pillow. Her first reaction was to grab the wrist and twist as hard as she could, yet even as she grabbed it a low, clear voice prevented any further movement.

"You are in no danger, slicer. It would be ill-advised to attempt breaking my wrist- not that you could."

She relaxed at the voice, tension leaving her and leaving only a terrible ache through her body. "Wh... where am I?" she asked, taking in her surroundings. The medical bed shew as laying in was one of six installed the walls of a clean, circular room; at its center was a sealed chamber of transparisteel, within which was another medical bed surrounded by what appeared to be surgical implements.

Thresher peered down at her, his black eyes narrowed as he spoke. "We are in the medical bay of Ragnos' Wrath, headed back to the Grand Finale. I sent you to procure the artifact that would be of use to the Circle. Do you recall this?"

The Lepi nodded, shuddering and closing her eyes. "Yeah... I remember," she answered, now aware of the sound of ship engines propelling them through hyperspace. "Getting past the Republic blockade was simple enough, your pilots managed to drop me near the site; and there were only four guards to speak of to sneak around. I made it to this Valley of Sleeping Kings you mentioned, found the tomb."

Thresher nodded. "Our pilots reported your landfall. I expected you would succeed in avoiding Republic patrols- our spies report they are none the wiser. But I suspect you found more than a decayed corpse and a shattered scepter, did you not?"

Saph trembled. "Please... don't bring that up."

"I must, as this detail of your mission is crucial to go over. The phantom you encountered caused you a great deal of pain and torment, I imagine- as I expected he would."

The Lepi froze, staring up at him. "Wait... you... you sent me there_knowing_ that would happen!?" she exclaimed, trying to sit up- only to squeak in pain and lay back down with a moan. "Why the fuck did you throw me to the fuckin' wolf if you knew he was there!?"

"Cruelty is the true nature of the universe," Thresher said darkly. "A lesson that is best learned sooner rather than later. But make no mistake, my decision to send you was not one made out of cruelty. I would not have sent you there if I believed you were incapable of making it back alive. This was as much a test of your resolve as it was a mission that was crucial to our goals- in the end, you have done more than enough to convince me that you are worthy of the steps that come next." Saph glared at him distrustfully and the Karkarodon rolled his eyes. "Yes, if you had died that would have been the end of it- I would have come myself to ascertain your fate, left your corpse where it was, then grabbed the artifact. I would have lost nothing. But I am being sincere when I say that I fully expected you to survive this test- not because it was easy, but because it was apparent to me from your demeanor and character you are possessed of sterner stuff than most."

Saph frowned at the look Thresher was giving her- it almost looked like a hint of pride were in his features. "If that's true... then he didn't make it easy for me," she muttered. "He... probed my mind. Made me relive painful memories."

"Of your brother, I'm guessing?" Thresher asked. There was no measure of sympathy in his query, though he did seem to look slightly interested.

"And that bastard Surnahm," she growled. A silence lingered, and the Lepi knew the Sith Knight was waiting for her to ask the question on her mind. "So... who was he?" she asked quietly. Instinct told her she knew the name- or knew it once- but fear and revulsion of what he'd done seemed to have driven that knowledge away.

Thresher again paused before answering, his gaze critical and measuring for the space of a long moment, before turning his eyes away and staring distantly. "He was Marka Ragnos, a half-breed Sith Lord- one of the most powerful of his time and thus one of the most revered. He became Dark Lord of the Sith when he dueled another Sith Lord, Simus, for control of the Sith Empire. He was considered among the wisest and most powerful of all Sith Lords in history, respected and obeyed by most of his contemporaries. Since his death five thousand years ago, there have been at least two attempts to resurrect him. The last attempt was two years ago, when a foolish Sith pretender named Tavion Axmis located his scepter and convinced most of the remnants of the Empire Reborn to follow her. I'm sure you noticed her pathetic corpse in the tomb, assuming the valley's scavengers didn't consume it all."

"No, I saw it," Saph said, shivering from the memory of the rotting corpse at the foot of Ragnos' stone throne.

"What is important to note is that Axmis, moronic though she was, was a powerful Force sensitive who freely gave herself to Marka Ragnos. It is said the shell of her corpse was all that remained when Ragnos was defeated and forced to leave her body." He paused, turning and staring directly at Saph. "You are not Force-sensitive. And yet the fact that you are alive without a trace of Ragnos' spirit within you indicates that through sheer force of will, you_managed to force one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever known out of your body and mind. Though it is not unheard of for non-sensitive beings to throw off the possession or mind control of powerful dark side practitioners, what _you have achieved is a feat of considerable magnitude."

The rabbit sighed, looking away. "Guess I should take that as a compliment. Thanks, I guess."

"You may wish to save your thanks for when I have granted you _actual_power," Thresher advised.

"Yeah? How's that gonna work out?" she asked, curious and wary.

"You have survived an agonizing trial. From here, the path becomes less painful, yet more strenuous. Killing a Jedi is no small feat, even if you were to utilize every known trick for weakening them. Bounty hunters trained in this area of expertise often rely on cybernetics- you shall have no such luxury." Saph moved to speak, but he cut her off. "Your training will instead revolve around technique, at least at first. I have arranged to have you trained in Teräs Käsi, a fighting form that is ideally suited against Jedi. You will also learn to duel with a vibrosword, learning the Jedi lightsaber forms so you may better defend yourself and adapt in the event that you must cross blades with them. Adept though you may be with a blaster, you must surely be aware that a trained Jedi Knight will find little trouble in countering such a weapon."

Saph nodded. "Yeah, I saw them on that outpost mission, blocking bolts like they were nothing. And... even though I used to think a lot of it was bullshit, I'm starting to come around on most of it."

"All the better," Thresher replied with a curt nod. "You will need to take the power of the Sith and the Jedi seriously. The second half of what's in store, when it is ready, will require you to leave most of that you know behind."

"And how long will that take?" Saph asked. "If it puts Surnahm six feet under, I'm in it for the long haul."

"You are 'in it' for as long as the Circle demands it," Thresher said coldly. "You have made an agreement with us, and we will honor it, credits included- provided you understand that your service may extend beyond what you seek."

Saph sighed, but nodded. "As you wish, my lord." Though the idea of being in league with the Sith was uncomfortable, it was clear that her employer was at least taking her seriously. Nevertheless, the experience on Korriban left her slightly shaken- even now, the memories Ragnos had drawn from her came to her mind with clarity, such that the stirrings of arousal came with it within moments. The thought of her brother and their past incestuous relationship had sparked a small flame within her, making her fidget slightly. A part of her cursed her biology, as she attempted to calm herself.

Her attention was drawn to Thresher as he abruptly sighed, getting up. "Tend to yourself."

Saph blinked. "Huh?"

"You are becoming sexually aroused," Thresher stated bluntly. "There is no shame in--"

"Wait, you can see that?!" she yelped, sitting up and crossing her legs. Once again, the shark sighed.

"Yes, I can see it. And as I said, there is no shame in it. You are a sentient being that reproduces sexually, and if memory serves me right the Lepi are significantly sexual beings from a young age. If you require a moment of privacy to see it through, then I will leave you to it- unless you believe you will require my assistance."

She would have shouted at him for having to _ask_if she needed a moment alone, but his abrupt offer caused her to stop short. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?" she growled.

Thresher cocked his head, raising an eyebrow. "I am only offering you my aid for physical release, should you need it. Sex. With a male. Contrary to popular belief, neither the Jedi nor the Sith are required to be celibate, and I'm certain most of my number are not." He looked like he was holding back tired sigh. "Unfortunately."

"What, so you fancy me or some shit?" she asked aggressively, backing into the corner of her medical bunk with a look of intense distrust.

"Don't be ridiculous," Thresher said evenly, a trace of condescension in his tone. "Attractive as you may be, and as capable as you certainly are, my interest in you is strictly professional. I've no time to indulge in useless courtship. Yet even I must 'blow off steam' occasionally. I find it far easier to tend to my biological urges rather than pretending they do not exist, though I expect once I arrive at the apex of my power, such urges will be trivial enough to ignore. If you wish to tend to yourself alone I will gladly give you the privacy, provided it does not come at the expense of your training or your duty. I am merely offering physical aid- nothing more. No relationship, no closeness."

Saph continued to glare at him. "Whatever. Fine, if I fancy shark-dick I'll let you know. Just... please leave me alone for now," she sighed.

"Very well. We will reach the _Grand Finale_in an hour," Thresher informed her, striding to the hatch.

A thought occurred to her as he reached it. "Wait."

He stopped. "What is it?"

"Who found me? And where?"

He stared at her a few moments. "I came personally to gather you. You had escaped the tomb and fallen down the steps to the sands below- hence the heavy bruising and minor internal bleeding you have suffered."

She stared back at him. "... _You_came to--"

"Don't read into it deeply, trainee," Thresher suggested bluntly, facing the hatch again. "Still... you have done well. Good work."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

He offered a curt nod in return, keying open the door. "Tend to yourself, then get some rest. You will want the three days I give you to recuperate- you will need every moment of it."

With that, he exited, leaving the Lepi alone to her thoughts.

Kyle Katarn had arrived in fairly short order to oversee the investigation of Kunik's Sith/Imperial temple. The lower levels had indeed been stocked with the tombs of ancient Sith lords, though with very few artifacts to pick among them. Far more unsettling to the veteran Republic agent and Jedi Master were the dark trooper droids, a war-droid he'd had to battle several times in his early career. Fortunately, only a few active droids remained, and as formidable as the additional anti-Jedi armaments had made them, they proved little challenge to the skilled Battlemaster.

His presence allowed for the crew of the Gold Rush_to leave Kunik along with Pakka, who would be temporarily accompanying them as their liaison to the Trianii Rangers and who would need the boosted communications to send word to his mother, the regional _pyorn, to brief her on Chaq's attempted murder of Kajex. For the time being, however, it meant returning to the task of training the inhabitants of the _Inspired_while they awaited their next mission.

In the three days that followed, however, it was clear all of them noticed a relative silence between two of their crewmembers- Talrik and Rook seemed to be acting distant, something was a little alarming given how quickly they'd latched on to each other. As most suspected that perhaps Rook felt responsible for Talrik's arm being maimed, nobody had interjected, hoping things would pan out between them naturally. Yet at least one other person on the ship knew what was actually bothering the both of them.

Miles knew where to find him- it seemed wherever Rook was, Talrik was on the opposite side of the ship. For now, this meant she was in the galley, while he was in the refresher alone. With the former soldier having returned from training with the rest of the Antarian Rangers (offering his detailed knowledge of Imperial tactics), the Miraluka was looking forward to a rinse- and a chance to talk with the Amaran packmate, as he seemed to have suffered lapses while training.

His entrance did not go unnoticed, the fox glancing behind him as the near-human stripped down. "Hey Miles. Good training today, huh?"

The older male smiled and shrugged as he kicked off his pants. "For some of us. Looked like your heart wasn't really in it today, which is a bit of a switch- it usually is."

The fox did not respond immediately, giving a non-committal shrug instead. "Maybe not. Just this last mission was... stressful."

Miles nodded, wincing as he stepped beneath one of the showerheads and activated it. "Having the fur and flesh cooked off of your arm would probably merit a word stronger than 'stressful', kit. But you pulled through like the badass you are. You know that, right?"

Talrik's smile was appreciative. "You don't need to sugarcoat it, sir- but thanks."

"We ain't in the Stormtrooper Corps, kit- you don't need to use 'sir' anymore," he chuckled, tousling the younger man's hair. "So... maybe you want to tell me what's _really_bothering you."

There was a pause, the fox's movements slowing slightly as he looked away. "We nearly lost Kajex and I feel like it's my fau--"

"We talked about it, Talrik- it's nobody's fault," Miles chided him gently. "And you even agreed with it too. If it hadn't been you, that sick bastard Chaq would've mutilated anybody else he could've gotten ahold of." He paused, letting the words sink in and making sure the fox wouldn't make up another excuse. "Look, kit... if you're worried that you'll be spilling some big secret by telling me, you don't have to worry. I know what it is that's bothering you. I just... was kinda hoping you'd confide in me instead of deflecting it."

The fox's ears flattened shamefully. "I'm sorry... but do you really know?"

"About Rook?"

The fox swallowed. "She's..."

"A spice addict," Miles finished for him silently.

Now Talrik was frowning. "How long-- why didn't you--"

"For the same reason you haven't said anything, kid," Miles responded. "I found out on Corellia- she had a withdrawal episode a few minutes before you and Keris started fucking in the hot tub. Confronted her about it, and she asked me not to tell anybody. So I didn't. I also made her swear not to get _you_hooked on that shit, either."

The fox sighed, punching in the faucet trigger and putting his back to the wall, sliding down into a sitting position. "I want to be okay with it," he said quietly, as Miles followed suit and sat on the floor next to him. "I don't know what it does, I just know I hated watching Rook suffer from it. And... I don't know what to think of her."

"Hey, give her a break," Miles said gently. "It's not nearly as bad as you think it is. She ain't a junkie- she's not trying to get anybody into it, she isn't doing anything illegal in order to get her fix. Hell, she had a legitimate job before she came onboard, and I'd wager a good hundred creds she took it to make sure she could do her job effectively."

"Is she sick, though?" Talrik asked.

"Raw andris spice is just a food flavoring- Retsa probably even uses it in her cooking. _Refined_andris, on the other hand, will kick up a user's sense of perception and speed up their reflexes. Both of them are legal, but..." He paused. "Rook's using combat andris, a deep-freeze variant that boosts perception and reaction time much higher, at the cost of a high addiction rate and... very painful withdrawal effects."

"Is it hurting her, to use so much?" Talrik asked, looking up at him with a pained expression. Despite this, Miles nearly smiled at the fox's genuine concern.

"It's hard to say," he answered honestly. "The effect is same for most species, but whether it might do any damage to a Selonian's biology isn't so clear cut." The Miraluka paused, letting the info sink in. "So what's really worrying you about her drug use?"

"I just want to know that what she and I have is... genuine- that she's the same person with or without it," the fox sighed.

Miles smiled, reaching over and rubbing behind his ears. "Well you aren't going to find out by avoiding her- though that's really on both of you, seeing as you guys seem to be avoiding each other. You shouldn't let something like this spoil a good relationship. It's no secret that you like the girl, and it's clear she likes you too- but a good, honest couple will be willing to talk things out." He got to his feet, offering his hand to the fox. "If you need any reassurance though, just an honest opinion from an older soldier who has seen other good soldiers get addicted- she's the same person she would have been without the spice. And I think it'd do her good to have a good-hearted kit like you be there for her in case her addiction becomes too much."

Talrik seemed to brighten from the words, finally managing to smile. "I guess you're right," he sighed, grabbing the Miraluka's hand and getting to his feet. "I think I'll sleep on it for tonight- then try to get to her tomorrow morning."

"Good idea, kit," Miles encouraged him, slapping his back firmly. "Though just out of curiosity... you up for visiting my room tonight for a 'massage'?"

Patches of red burned into the fox's cheek as he smiled wider. "Yeah- I think I could really use one," he chuckled, purring as the older male leaned over and kissed the side of his muzzle.

"Hey Kajex- y'got a moment to talk?"

He was in the middle of taking his upper robes off, having re-boarded the ship after a lesson with the Black Tomb pack. Though he'd normally take his time getting back, Syrra had piqued his interest in returning when she told him via telepathy that she was "getting ready for my master to return." Knowing nobody would question him for starting to strip down on his way to his quarters, he had stepped into the lounge without seeing Rook seated at the holo-table- though he stopped short at the sound of her voice.

"Hm? Oh, hold on a sec." He pulled the cloth undershirt off and draped the Jedi attire over his shoulder as he turned to face her. Strangely enough (for a Mandalorian), she was without her armor this time, dressed in a set of his older and smaller clothing. "Got your 'skin' squared away?" he asked. "I don't recall ever seeing you out of it, unless you're completely nude," he remarked with a wink.

"Yeah, it's in my locker, but if needs be I don't necessarily need it to beat some ass- or save yours," she said with a grin, playfully punching his shoulder and getting a chuckle out of him- though she sobered up after a moment and straightened up. "Speakin' of... sorry about this last time, Kajex- I should've been more--"

"Let's hear none of that, we've already talked it over," the wolf chided her firmly, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. It had been three days since they'd left Kunik, and while the experience had been harrowing the wolf did not for a moment feel angry ant anyone for his near death experience. "Nobody knew Chaq was gonna stoop that low. Besides, I still owe you for coming to save my ass on the_Omega-Orr_. You're worth the credits my mate is paying you- and the companionship is even better," he added, the words putting a smile on her face.

"You're actin' in high spirits for a guy that nearly died from having his guts blow out," Rook pointed out in a subdued voice.

"But I _didn't_die," he replied, rubbing both her upper arms soothingly. "And if anything, it's just helping me appreciate everybody I have in my life- friends and family. And by now you should know you neatly fall into both."

"Thanks, mate," she said, leaning in and kissing the side of his muzzle. "You're a good friend too, I'm glad I fell in with you and your weird-ass family. Anyway, I was gonna ask if you'd mind having a third tonight."

The wolf cocked his head. "Well, I know I won't mind," he admitted, gesturing her to follow him to his quarters, "and Syrra's usually open about it, too. In fact, I think she's been looking forward to it for a while- Keris likes to tease her." He keyed the hatch code, allowing her to enter first. "Feeling like a change a pace tonight?"

"A bit," the otter conceded with a blush. "Talrik's a great guy, but he and Miles made some plans."

"Didn't know we were having a third tonight," a voice chided the both of them playfully, as Syrra stepped out of the fresher unit, completely bare save for a white robe that she made no effort to close. A light flush appeared on Rook's cheeks as the Trianii smiled at her.

"Well- I-I mean... if you'd rather that, y'know I'm good with just going back to--" Rook started to say shyly, but the Trianii cut her off.

"Don't be silly, Rook- after the 'reviews' Kajex and Keris gave me about your evening on the Omega-Orr, I have to confess that I'm a little curious," the feline admitted, sitting on the edge of the bed and patting next to her. "Though I'm also curious why you aren't bunking in with Talrik."

"That's a good point," Kajex agreed, as he tossed his upper robes into a nearby laundry container. "You usually like spending the evenings with him instead, even though you know you're welcome with any one of us. I figure if you wanted a change of pace you'd have brought him with- he knows he's welcome too."

"He, ah... he's bunking with Miles tonight," the otter admitted, sitting next to Syrra with a troubled look on her face. "And I decided to leave them to it."

"Having a quarrel?" Kajex asked, sealing the hatch and pulling a chair up, the shirtless wolf regarding her with compassionate concern.

"Nah, it ain't that," the otter admitted, sighing and flopping onto her back. "I just... he figured out somethin' about me that... shit, I don't even know how to put it."

"You have a secret," Syrra said simply.

The claim caused Rook to blink and stare at her. "... How did--"

"Because the look on your face right now is _exactly_the kind of face Kajex had when he admitted he was hiding something about himself," the Trianii noted with a lopsided smile, as the wolf responded with a sheepish grin. "He'd been hiding the fact that he was a Jedi, in his case- I'm guessing you have a secret of your own, right?"

The Selonian sighed. "You're not gonna, like... probe my mind or some shit, right?"

"Kid, we're Jedi- we respect other people's privacy," the wolf assured her. "We don't act like we have any special right to learn things about anyone else that they'd much rather want to hide. If there's something you want to tell us that you think we _need_to know, you'll tell us- we trust you."

"Dammit, don't say that," she groaned, hiding her face in her paws. "It makes me feel bad for _not_tellin' you. Y'know how Selonians are about lyin'- I don't feel right about it, either."

"Why should you feel the need to tell us?" Syrra asked. "It's not a lie if it's your own private business. All we ask is that whatever secrets you have won't end up hurting us. It won't, right?"

Rook shook her head. "Nah. And who knows, maybe I'll tell you guys someday. But the important thing is that Talrik knows what it is, and... I guess I've just been avoidin' him these last three days. Dunno _what_he thinks of me."

Syrra smiled, scooting in next to the otter and kissing her dead on the muzzle. The Selonian, not having expected the show of affection, flinched visibly for a moment before relaxing and purring. The kiss broke, the Trianii Jedi touching noses with the younger female. "You know what Talrik is like. He finds it difficult to hide his emotions from other people unless Kajex and I calm him down- to a Jedi, those signals are apparent by tenfold. And even since the last three days, I can tell that Talrik still admires you. If anything his opinion of you hasn't changed. I think he might feel a little hurt that you haven't confided in him yet."

The Selonian sighed, starting to get up. "Then... this was a mistake... I should go, maybe see if--"

"Hold on," Syrra advised her, gently squeezing her shoulder. "At the same time, you need to have your space respected, and his. You've been avoiding him, true, but can you honestly say it's because you no longer want to associate with him?"

"No, 'course not!" the otter replied, looking slightly huffy at the suggestion. "Just... dunno what to fuckin' say," she muttered, looking away with her face red.

"That's fine," Syrra offered soothingly, wrapping her arm and tail around the otter. "You just need to take your time before coming back to him with whatever it is you _do_want to say, that's all. And you really should do it at a time when you're both free and more relaxed, don't you think?"

The irritable look faded and she managed to smile again. "Yeah, I guess... you're not just sayin' that so you can keep me here, right?"

The Trianii's grin made Kajex chuckle. "No, I'm primarily saying it because I believe it's true. That said... I _am_still curious, if you're still interested."

In lieu of confirming it with a vocal response, Rook's answer was to pull her tunic off, revealing the ample breasts beneath and making no attempt to stop Syrra from kissing and nuzzling into her neck as the two lay back down into the bed. Lips and teeth tugged and nipping into each others fur as the feline aided her in pulling her trousers off, leaving the otter completely bare, her white-furred body marked with a tuft of red-dyed pubic fluff just above her slit.

"Going 'commando' these days?" Syrra purred as she slid a paw down and around the otter's curved backside.

"Nng... just for tonight," Rook squeaked, as their nipples caressed and flicked against each other. She glanced over the Trianii's shoulder, noticing Kajex simply watching from his seat. "Not gonna join?"

He shook his head, grinning and leaning back- since they had started, he'd had his paw in his trousers and squeezing his own sheath, coaxing his prick out slowly. "Oh believe me, I'm not sitting this one out entirely, but I owe Syrra some alone time with you before I contribute."

It was true enough that he was content to watch for the time being, as the two females started to dip further into intimacy than mere affection. For him, it was interesting to see the difference in approach. When it was Keris, the otter had become aggressive and dominant, establishing control with a harsh tug of the vixen's hair and a deep kiss- though this was only because Keris had teased her into such an action. Yet now it was Syrra who was in control, reducing the Selonian to shivering whimpers and purrs as the feline's lips brushed through her fur and laid warm kisses along her neck and breasts, paws kneading the otter's inner and outer thighs and generating a warmth from her loins that brought with it the heady scent of a female in need.

Perhaps Syrra had detected that scent at the same moment, for with the Trianii's backside held up and her robe draped off to the side, it was not long before Kajex spied a few beads of slickness gathering around her netherlips, matting down her fur. A glance downward was enough for him to confirm a similar dew building along Rook's crevice, barely visible among her snow-white fur but for the sharpest of eyes. The Trianii's hips dipped down, and for a fraction of a second their netherlips met, clits connecting for the briefest of moments- yet the contact was enough that it caused both of them to moan into each other's muzzles with tones of ecstasy, writhing bodies clinging desperately to one another.

"You feel wonderful," Syrra whispered, as she pushed Rook's legs up and apart- the Selonian's flexibility was such that it was easy to pin her feet next to her head. Once again, she brought her hips down and traced her swollen labia against Rook's generating another cry of joy as the Trianii failed to let up. Now the dew along their loins was clearly visible, sticky threads of feminine moisture building up, stretching and breaking as Syrra ground her quim against her Selonian lover's, the otter weakly bucking up against her. It did not take long for that dew to build into a pool of nectar, seeping into the bedsheets beneath them.

"F-fuck, Syrra," Rook mewled, as the Trianii nipped her throat aggressively. "Y'just know h-how to touch."

"She's got a weak spot, though," Kajex told her with a grin. "Give her teats a tweak, she loves it."

He was certain Syrra would have said something in annoyance for divulging that information, but in the next moment she had arched her back and slid her clit against Rook's with a pleasured yowl, the otter's deft paws having located and caressed the feline's vestigial nipples with her thumbs. Yet for all the bliss she was experiencing Syrra still possessed the presence of mind to retaliate, guiding the tip of her strong prehensile tail to the otter's quivering slit and sliding half an inch into her snatch. The effect was immediate, with Rook letting out an uncharacteristic chirp as the Trianii speared her tail into her vulnerable twat, stirring the pot and sending flutters of soft heat through her belly- a feeling that Kajex felt at the same moment.

He shook himself out of his watching, letting out a breath and looking down- the sight had certainly prompted his cock to full attention, tenting his nightwear beyond the ability to hide it (not that he had a mind to). Nevertheless, it was more the sensations that Syrra was unconsciously giving off that prompted him to action, standing and slipping off the trousers. "You're projecting, kitten," he informed Syrra with a grin.

The feline gasped and gave her tail a flick, the tip popping out of Rook's drenched pussy, a long string of stick femcum hanging from it. "S-sorry, love. Guess you both felt that."

"That felt so good," Rook moaned, as Syrra allowed her to lower her legs and stretch out. "An' here I was thinkin' it was a bad idea to stick aro-oooohhh!!"

The lithe and writhing otter was robbed of any more words as Syrra buried her head between Rook's legs and immediately treated her dripping snatch to wild tongue-lashings, drilling her long, flexible and slightly-textured tastebuds deep into the Selonian's honeypot. Rook could do little more than chirp and mewl from the treatment, her trained body convulsing as hot waves of bliss appeared to overtake her. The sight was more than enough to spur Kajex into action, the wolf licking the corners of his muzzle in anticipation while he knelt in close. By now a healthy trickle of precum had traveled the length of his hard ebony prick, and it took little more than bringing his paw to his shaft and pumping it a few times to smear the natural lubricant along his flesh.

As eager as he was to decide between which inviting cleft to bury his bone in, a part of him was more interested in foreplay. With that in mind he leaned forward and grabbed Syrra's upturned ass, grinning as she mewled and wiggled it weakly under the firm kneading squeezes he was giving it. He did not need to see her face to know that it was a glowing bright red as he spread apart her petals and exposed the sweet-scented pink beneath them, beads of dew collecting and trickling against her clit. Without giving any warning he leaned in and kissed the Trianii's netherlips as lewdly as possible, driving his long, canine tongue into her quivering depths and allowing her heady aroma to intoxicate him.

Her moan was loud and long as she pushed her hips back against his muzzle, yet despite the bliss she did not cease in her attentions to the otter, continuing to both clean out and sully Rook's tunnel with her own erotic kiss. As the minutes wore on, however, she became dimly aware of her replicating Kajex's treatment- he would lightly graze her clit with his teeth, sending hot jolts of delicious pleasure through her loins; and she would repeat the act with Rook, making the otter squeak and purr from the attention. He would drill his tongue deep in her folds and attack her g-spot mercilessly for a few moments; she would mirror his efforts, reducing Rook into a shivering mass of mewling white fluff, weakly pawing at Syrra's ears desperately.

It ceased abruptly, as Kajex pulled back and wiped his face with a grin. "Alright, I have a confession to make- I really don't know who should go first."

Syrra did not respond immediately, pulling away from her female lover and sliding in next to her, embracing the bounty hunter's warm body as they cuddled. "You have all night to give us both a load, hon," she purred teasingly, as Rook hid her face and stifled a giggle. The Trianii raised an eyebrow at the otter. "Wait. What was that adorable sound you just made?"

"Sh-shut up!" she hissed, shaking with stifled laughter as she buried her face into Syrra's neck with a purr.

"Aww, c'mon Rook," Kajex encouraged her. "Just because we _know_you're a badass doesn't mean we don't think you're cute, either.'"

"I fuckin' said shut up!" she squeaked, though she could not hide her smile nor her blush.

"I think she said 'yes, boss, I would like to volunteer,'" Syrra suggested, pulling the otter on top of her this time, reversing their previous position.

"Wait, now hold on," Rook started to object.

"You want me to go first?" Syrra asked, cocking her head to the side.

The otter glanced back at Kajex, who was courteously waiting for her to say was was on her mind. "It's just... he's yer boy, right? Should it be you first?'

Syrra laughed, raising her head and licking the otter's chin. "He _is_my boy, that's true. And him stuffing his cock into a dear friend and packmate isn't going to change that. I can share- and it's not like I won't be able to enjoy it either," she purred, placing both her paws on the otter's backside and spreading her ass cheeks apart, allowing the waiting wolf to get a good look at her inviting hole.

Though there was a twinge of apprehension on Rook's face as she looked up at the much larger wolf, she did not hesitate to flag her tail up and out of the way. "Just... take it slow, boss. It ain't a virgin hole, but then again Talrik's ain't as large as you are, either."

He made good on the request, carefully placing the tip against her cleft and teasing the sensitive slit with heavy thrusts. Despite the both of them slick enough for penetration, hot sparks of bliss jolted through the both of them as he ground the underside of his length past the sweltering folds. It had the proper effect, prompting Rook to mewl and raise her ass higher in the air, offering her body to the wolf without offering a word. With the message received, he gladly obliged.

He could not help but marvel that a full two months with Talrik had not loosened her up. Even now, as inch after throbbing inch of wolfcock plunged into her cunt, the rippling inner muscles clenched around him in a desperate attempt to keep him there, resulting in a few seconds of him remaining hilted to the otter. Yet her deliciously tight grip did not prevent the continuous leak of his precum from giving him the means to pull his nectar-coated cock away from his young lover, enough to breed her properly. With his paws keeping a firm grip on her curved hips and her legs splayed to each side, he began to pound his prick repeatedly into her hot depths, causing her to squeak and moan between both him and Syrra.

"F-fuck," she mewled as he hammered her tight folds, "how'd ya ever get used to this cock, Syrra?"

The Trianii did not answer, and it was here Kajex saw the change take place- a brief flash of mischief in the feline's eyes was all the warning he had when Rook suddenly went stiff, her back arching and a strained gasp leaving both her and Syrra. He grinned, slowing his thrusts as he leaned in close and whispered into the otter's ear.

"Can you hear me, Rook?"

"Y-yeah, boss," they both whimpered- Syrra had spoken at the same moment, in the same tone- her head turned and Kajex could see a subtle sapphire glow in her eyes, a glow that Syrra's also possessed.

"Don't be afraid, pup- Syrra wants to enjoy this too. You're still in control of your body," he assured her, sliding a paw up her belly and squeezing her breast- Rook's paw lifted up and covered his, just as Syrra placed a paw on her own breast. "She has you locked in a mind link, so she's feeling exactly what you're feeling."

"So weird," they panted. "So... good." Perhaps quickly realizing how much control she had, the otter leaned in and kissed Syrra deeply, purring as the feline Jedi returned the kiss in full.

Content that she was not upset or fearful, he grunted and bore down on Rook harder, hips battering against her ass hard as he bred the otter with little restraint. She was not silent, reduced to incoherent moaning as she gladly pushed back against his efforts, accepting his cock as it glided repeatedly past her slick inner walls. With every buck of his hips it became more difficult for the otter's vice-like velvet folds to hold him in place, though it put amazing pressure around the wolf's girth as he buried and re-buried it into her pussy. Soon enough it became unnecessary for him to keep a paw on her hips, as Rook (likely with Syrra's aid) seemed to have found the best tempo to meet him with counter-thrusts of her own, causing his heavy balls to slap against her unguarded clit, thumping against her pleasure buzzer and causing both women to gasp from every jolt of hot ecstasy it brought.

The sight gave Kajex an intriguing idea. Paws now free, he made his move; his right paw kept him propped up, while his left dipped beneath Rook and sought out Syrra's untouched pussy- or so he initially thought. The tips of his fingers brushed against her powerful prehensile tail, which had buried itself deep into her cunt. The long appendage speared and undulated into her folds, seemingly keeping in rhythm with the wolf's long and powerful thrusts, yet her clit remained unmolested- until Kajex reached and pressed his thumb against it firmly, making Syrra (and through her mind link, Rook) moan loudly as he toyed with the button.

By now, Rook had started toying with Syrra's vestigial nipples again, with Syrra responding by stroking the otter's bare belly. Yet between kisses, Kajex could hear them speak.

"He's right there," they moaned in unison, as Syrra's paw pressed firmly into Rook's lower tummy, eliciting a groan from Kajex as he felt the extra pressure it put on his prick. "We can feel it in us..."

"Think he'll cum in us?" they asked each other, causing the wolf to chuckle at the odd yet strangely erotic conversation.

"Tell him to put a pup in your womb and he'll gladly do it," they replied.

"Nng... not fair, you guys," Kajex whined, the words doing as much to sap his endurance as Rook's rippling inner walls were. "You know how much that gets to me, Syrra."

They both giggled, causing the wolf to blush harder. "Sorry, love. But we're close... please cum in me," they begged, holding on to each other tight.

Spurred on by the unusual but compelling request (and quickly running short on stamina to keep going), he leaned back and grabbed the Selonian's hips once again, desperate to hilt into the young woman despite the resistance her tightness offered. With his knot formed completely the task of squeezing it past her painfully tight netherlips seemed impossible- until Syrra intervened. Even as he struggled, pulling her ass into his lap and grinding his knot against her folds, he noticed Syrra's paws sliding down the otter's belly, until her palms were just below her navel.

"You need to relax, pup," Syrra said, her voice now separate from Rook's as their lips brushed together. "Let me help you."

He could feel the sudden rush of the Force pass from the Trianii directly into Rook's belly- at the same moment, the vice-like tightness of her tunnel loosened and the wolf's knot slid right in without any further argument, though he had thrust at the same moment and pounded the knot against the otter's g-spot at the same moment and causing both to gasp in surprise. The sudden stimulation caused Syrra, still connected to Rook's mind, to lose control, the otter clamping back down around Kajex's knot. A flutter of muscles squeezed wonderfully along his cock, making him groan loudly as it sapped what little endurance remained.

When the dam burst, it was to the sound of a strained snarl, the wolf hunching over and grinding his sheath and balls against Rook's loins as he claimed the otter's womb. Ten long, incredible seconds of orgasm passed as the wolf's balls and taint clenched; a searing heat built behind his length, pushing thick seed forward through the swollen cum-vein in his prick, expanding his girth and pushing hard against Rook's tightness; so deep in her body, the flood that pumped from his tip could only channel forward into her womb. Ten powerful throbs poured that hot, potent seed into her belly, each jet making both women beneath him chirp and moan in joy as they joined in a simultaneous orgasm of their own. The two generated a hot, moist splash against his sheath and balls as they came, their nectar pooling with the thick, milky white excess that had escaped the seal of his knot and dribbled down his balls.

The ten seconds passed, and the wolf's body unlocked, muscles aching as he kept himself upright. "F... fuck..." he groaned.

"By Mandalore," Rook panted, trembling in Syrra's embrace. "Yer fuckin' too much, boss. Feel's like you outright _poured_a pup into me."

He chuckled, running a soothing paw down her back. "Guess we should feel lucky you're infertile- not that I believe for a moment Selonians could bear a Kanj'Isha's pup."

Rook let out a small giggle, her face red. "I dunno... I mean, I'm not complainin' about the sensation. I kinda like how it feels," she purred.

Syrra grinned and licked her muzzle. "That felt great. You didn't mind me piggybacking with you, did you?" she asked the otter.

Rook shook her head, smiling back. "Nah... I mean, it was fuckin'weird, but I liked it plenty. And as long as you got off, I don't feel bad taking the first load."

"Believe me, I did," the Trianii assured her.

The afterglow lingered pleasantly between the three as the wolf's knot softened, though they took the time to twist Rook around such that her back was resting against Syrra's body. It did not take long for his knot to come loose from her, and once her drew out he was greeted to the sight of an incredibly thick creampie, a ropy string of cum still connecting the tip of his swollen wolf cock to the pool of spunk in her breeding hole.

"It still feels full," Rook remarked with a purr.

"Hold still, then," Syrra advised her, putting a paw just below her navel. The Trianiii pushed in firmly, and at once an incredible deluge of the wolf's spunk poured out past the otter's netherlips, a gentle eruption of hot cum pouring past her labia and down her tail as she mewled and shivered from the act.

"Hnng!Fuck!" she chirped. "H-how the fuck was all of _that_in me?!"

"Talrik probably puts as much in you each time, love," Syrra suggested, kissing the Selonian's cheek. "Kajex is just thick enough, or you're just tight enough, to keep most of it in there."

Kajex did not speak immediately, staring at the sight and swallowing. The effect it had on his libido did not merit a question- it was an incredible turn-on. "Shit... what's wrong with me?" he breathed, gripping his member. "Am I just demented for enjoying this kind of stuff?"

"You're an alpha," Rook told him with a grin as she slid off of Syrra and cuddled next to her. "... Our alpha," she amended herself with a blush. "It's probably instinct to want to nail a good female pregnant, at your age."

Syrra nodded. "We still don't know a lot about your species, and even the Black Tomb pack can only tell us so much. Maybe you should talk with Rexxis, see what he thinks." She sat up, giving him a seductive look and pulling him in. "For now, though... how about you put that puppy-maker to use again while Rook watches?"

He chuckled, sharing a kiss with his fiancee. "Careful, now- you don't want to be an enabler for my naughty habits."

Rook was the first to wake, cuddled between two warm bodies; Kajex behind her, his arm draped over her midsection, and Syrra in front of her, her nose touching the otter's forehead. A pleasant soreness in her loins and limbs lingered from their lovemaking, something that the otter was quickly and gladly getting used to in the mornings. Yet while a part of her would have loved to linger in the embrace of her lovers, not least because she could not nor would not deny the attachment she was feeling to them, a glance at the wolf's wall-mounted chronometer was enough to make her heart skip a beat.

Perhaps Syrra felt the slight twinge of alarm in Rook, for she stirred at roughly the same moment, her eyes flicking open and gazing at the young woman in concern. "Everything alright, Rook?"

She nodded, mastering her alarm and breathing in slowly. "Yeah... just woke up," she said, letting out a yawn and sitting up. "That was great, last night," she purred gently, her words nothing but sincere. "Thanks for havin' me over, boss."

Syrra smiled up at her, squeezing her paw. "Anytime, love. You gonna head back to your bunk?"

"Maybe I'll swing by the galley for a shot of half-caf, get some early training in," Rook suggested, stretching out with another squeaking yawn, cut short as Syrra reached out and tickled her belly and making her giggle. "H-hey, cut it out, boss."

The Trianii laughed softly, hugging her. "Sorry- too easy to pass up on."

The otter turned her gaze to Kajex, still fast asleep. "Poor guy- guess we really did a number on him."

Syrra nodded. "I'll let him get another couple of hours extra today. Anyway, if you're heading out, you might really want to swing by the galley for sure- I sense Talrik's there, getting a mug for himself."

Another heartbeat skipped within the otter. "Yeah... I think I will. It's about time he an' I get to talkin' about what's goin' on." She shuffled out to Syrra's side of the bed, grabbing her shirt and trousers from nearby and getting them on quickly. "You guys sleep well- and let Kajex know I said thanks."

"Will do- good luck with you and Talrik," she offered with a smile.

With a little wave the otter was out the hatch and in the dimly-lit curved corridor of the Gold Rush, padding back to her room only a few hatches away. Though she had every intention of cornering Talrik and talking with him, her initial alarm had more to do with the hour than any prediction that the fox would be up and about. She checked both directions before heading in, quickly keying open her locker and spotting her belt satchel.

It had been twelve hours since her last dose of andris, and while she'd been lucky enough for the withdrawal effects to have not kicked in she knew it was only a matter of time, perhaps minutes, before the sudden effects of withdrawal kicked in. Having no intention of taking any chances, she opened a vial and inhaled from it carefully, breathing out slowly as her senses were kicked into high gear for a matter of moments before settling down. She frowned at the vial; though she'd been using for three years by now, she could distinctly recall when the effects lasted far longer and seemed more pronounced than they were at the moment. Shrugging to herself, she slipped the vial back into the satchel- perhaps she was simply used to the boost such that it was clearly there, so ingrained into her that it only seemed natural these days.

Taking only a few moments to reseal her locker (not that she believed that any of the crew would go through her belongings), she left the room and made a beeline for the galley, peeking around the corner quietly. Sure enough, Talrik was seated at the table with a mug of half-caf and a datapad. Steeling herself for whatever might follow, she took a breath to steady herself before rounding the corner and announcing her presence.

"Hey."

The quiet word was still enough to make him jump slightly. He cleared his throat and straightened up, setting the datapad to the side. "Oh, hey."

She managed a small smile, padding in slowly and gesturing to the seat across from him. "D'ya mind if I...?"

"No, go ahead," he responded. "I, ah... guess we were both thinking to do the same thing."

Rook nodded, though an awkward silence hung between them that she found it difficult to break. "So, uh... I guess I should start with an apology," she suggested, her paws fidgeting slightly. "I mean... I know it was my business, but... I figure it wasn't right to hide somethin' like that from you."

Talrik shook his head. "You had every right. It wasn't my business."

Rook smiled blandly. "Not true. You ain't been anythin' but a sweetheart to me. If givin' a shit about people you care about is one of the qualities I love about you, I should've told you about myself so you wouldn't need to worry 'bout me- or worry 'bout me properly." She swallowed. "And I shouldn't've been avoidin' you like I have these last few days."

He reached out and touched her paw- though she flinched, she did not draw away. "That's as much my fault as yours." She allowed him to hold her paw, enjoying the feel of the fox's affection again. "You told me, our first night together, that you were worried that I hadn't seen you at your worst, and would probably reject you for not being a perfect person. If this is what you meant... I don't think you had anything to worry about."

She looked up into his kind green eyes, unable to help smiling. "Knock it off, fox-boy... before you get to me."

He shook his head, getting up and sitting next to her. So close to the man she had become so involved with, she leaned her head on his shoulder with a soft purr. "I mean it. I don't want you to _be_perfect. I just want what we have to be genuine. And you taking combat andris isn't going to change what I think of you, if it has no effect on how you treat me and everyone else."

"Not for a moment," she answered, nuzzling him, stifling a giggle as he nuzzled back.

"The only thing I need to ask," he continued, "is if you want me to keep this secret from everyone else."

She straightened up and sighed, considering the question seriously. "Well... no sense in hiding it from Miles, since he already knows."

Talrik nodded. "He told me as much. It's thanks to him I figured out what to say."

She grinned. "I doubt you did that much thinking while you were moaning under him."

"Maybe not," he admitted with a smile and deep blush, "but he helped me put things into perspective afterward. This is _your_secret to keep, Rook, and if you want my help in keeping it then you need only ask."

She didn't speak for about half a minute, a twinge of worry building as she considered. "... Would it be wrong for me to?"

"I don't think Kajex or anybody else would judge you harshly for it- or at all. But if you have a good reason..."

She nodded. "Then I'll come around to tellin' them later. I just don't want this getting back to my old man before I'm ready to confront him. He's... really the biggest reason I want to keep it to myself. I don't my reputation to be tarnished, for word t' get back to him that his lil girl is an addict." The was a painful silence as she tried to choose her next words. "We ain't touched on why I even started takin' combat andris in the first place."

Talrik nodded. "I'm ready to listen if you need me to."

There was a long pause as she leaned forward and collected her thoughts, taking a deep breath before starting. "I told you about Resol'nare, the Six Actions of the Mandalorians: raise children as Mandalorian; keep and maintain armor; defend yourself and your family; remain loyal to and aid the clan; teach and learn Mando'a; and answer the call of Mand'alor. Three of those Actions deal with loyalty, as you probably noticed. Loyalty to clan is dead important, and that loyalty's gotta extend to_Mand'alor_. But loyalty is empty if y'don't have any reason to_feel_ it, y'know? Like how a lot of planets were 'loyal' to the Empire, even though they had no love for it," she explained.

"I know that feeling," Talrik responded quietly.

"I'm blessed to live in a time where me an' my clan respected the fuck_outta _Mand'alor. Fenn Shysha will probably be known to most as just another good man that helped the Rebel Alliance, in his own way- but to alot of Mando'ade, he got us back our honor, after the Empire squeezed it outta us. He didn't just save our homeworld, he saved our culture, our way of life- and to a Mandalorian, our culture is our soul; our purpose for existing. My clan is loyal to him out of gratitude and love, even if some clans are only loyal to him outta tradition. So when he called on some of us smaller clans to do our part, Clan Kiif was more than happy to oblige- 'specially since the job had to do with Death Watch. I mentioned 'em, right?"

"You did," Talrik nodded. "Barbarians among your civilization."

"You said it perfectly, love. Anyway, this would've been after my verd'goten, my coming-of-age trial. After I succeeded- with a lot of struggle- dad left to answer Mand'alor's call, then came back sayin' he had a task that needed tending to by the youth of our clan. He'd set up a team an' figure out who would lead by havin' a great hunt- the winner would earn the right to lead, and three ingots of beskar for whatever they wanted to use it for. Dad told me he had faith in me to come out on top, that I was a Mandalorian through-and-through." She sighed.

Talrik frowned sadly. "Was that when you first took up spice?"

"Actually, no," she laughed humorlessly. "He was dead right. I--" she stopped short. "... I know I act like I'mma badass, and I really think I am. But... under that skin of mine, I'm tremblin' and sweatin', and wonderin' how the fuck I'm going to survive. And I do, because I got the skills and trainin' to make it through anything I set my mind to. I proved it back then, when I was fourteen, usin' a makeshift spear, traps, cunning, and natural strength to bag a bull rancor."

"Wait- what?!" Talrik yelped. "A bull rancor?!"

She blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. And it was actually easier than you might think. My clanmates were stupid enough to think that usin' concentrated blasterfire would be enough, but I knew better than that. While everyone else was trying to avoid getting eaten, I snuck into the fucker's den and found one of its teeth- they tend to lose those a lot, but it's only because their teeth are a good hundred times tougher than their gums, and they're one of the few things that can naturally puncture a rancor's own hide- and unlike some of my clan, I paid attention to our hunters when they talked about weak points. I strapped that fucker onto a metal shaft, waited until its hands were in use, then jumped out and stabbed its eyes. Thing was livid, but because it's got a thick hide it didn't feel the teenaged Selonian climbing on its back- I got lucky with the first strike, nailing it right in the nerve center and fucking up it's motor abilities long enough for me to keep stabbing till it was paralyzed, then finishing it off."

Talrik gaped at her.

"... I, um... I was a desperate pup," she said quietly.

"You are fucking badass," Talrik said simply.

She smiled nervously, blushing from the praise. "Maybe... but I was terrified the entire time. Maybe dad was right, maybe I _am_Mandalorian in an' out, somethin' that springs out when I need it most."

"Maybe facing fear instead of running from it is what makes you Mandalorian," Talrik suggested.

"Maybe," she repeated, feeling grateful for his support. "An' maybe I was_meant_ to lead my clan's team afterward, even if the other, older clanmates were disgusted with the idea that the runt of the litter would be leadin' them on one of the most important missions ever, issued directly from someone considered a savior among_Mando'ade_- to take the fight to a re-established Death Watch cell, on Nal Hutta."

"The Hutt homeworld?"

"The same." She paused. "I told you that Mandalorians have no word for 'hero', because that's only what's expected of one of our own- but we do have a word to describe the worst of cowards:hut'uun. That word is derived directly from the word 'hutt'- the worst kind of cowards, those who pay credits to get the shit they want done instead of gettin' their own greasy fuckin' fingers dirty. An' yet somehow, this Death Watch cell managed to stoop even_lower_, by throwing in with the Hutts and using their credits to establish themselves. It was a fuckin' disgrace. The old Death Watch would've rather died instead of resorting to that shame. An' these scumbag fucks had targeted three other small clans and wiped them out."

Talrik frowned. "You couldn't let that go. You shouldn't have let that go."

"An' we didn't. Me an' my team got to Nal Hutta and started to root them out, starting with their Imperial connections. We managed to get the leads we needed, but..." she trailed off, shame overtaking her as her throat tightened. "... We lost some kin. On our first raid, we came out on top, but... three of our own bought it during the mission. Our oldest fighter started chewin' me out, told me it was because of my leadership that they died. More outta despair than anger, I told him they jumped the gun and didn't follow my orders right... but I could tell the rest of the team felt differently. I was angry at myself, for lettin' them die."

She felt the fox squeeze her paw. "You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "... Wasn't it? I could've done somethin', anythin', to get them to take me seriously. I could've taken their places instead, done extra planning. I could've_been stronger_ than I am, and maybe they'd be alive instead."

"Or maybe you did the absolute best you could in a bad situation," Talrik insisted strongly. "Maybe there was no way to get the job done without loss of life."

The smile on her face felt tremulous, as she wiped away her tears impatiently. "Maybe," she repeated once again. "But while everyone took some rest, I stayed awake, beating myself up over what had happened. Went to the store room the Death Watch bastards had set up, started wrecking the place out of frustration."

"Then I saw it. A small vial of white powder. I'd heard of combat andris before, of course, but I'd never tried it before. I didn't try it then, either. But I took it with me. An' for an entire week, while we gathered leads and hunted down men, I had nightmares of the clanmates I'd failed. The other three clan teams quickly heard word of my failure, an' I had to convince them to let us be a part of the final raid. Out of spite, they put us in the thick of it- into a situation where I knew I was gonna lose another clanmate."

"Five minutes before we executed the raid, I remembered about the combat andris. Before the call was issued, I made a choice and took a huff. It was amazing, everything slowin' down, lookin' so much sharper; and when I moved, it was like I could feel the air around my armor. Even though I was leading the charge, I was movin' so quickly that nobody could hit me, and within the first 30 seconds I'd put down ten thugs and Death Watch traitors with my glaive and pistol. My team was meant to be a distraction, but I'd done the job so thoroughly that we were able to meet up with the other teams and see the job be done completely. That night, we celebrated- that night, I had no nightmares."

She paused, shoulders slumping. "But even though nobody talked shit about me afterward, I knew their opinions of me hadn't changed. We returned to our clan to the sound of cheers for our victory, for showing that we could be trusted to lead our clan right through bravery and skill. My dad was so proud of me." She paused again. "And that made it so much worse."

Talrik cocked his head. "How?"

"He was boastin' about how he'd been right about me, that everyone had the wrong measure of me; that I excelled where others thought I'd fail- that he had been right to... to name me his daughter." She swallowed, trembling. "I was sent on three more jobs for our clan, an' I succeeded in each, proving his point even though they had been tougher. An' his praise for me had never been so high. Then he said one night that I'd shown I had what it took t-to lead our p-people, that if I k-kept on doin' so well he might n-name me his successor, an'--"

She stopped short, choking back a sob.

"... An' I ran away."

Talrik's ears drooped, as he slid his arm around her. "... That's why you take spice. And why it's important for us to get your ship back."

She nodded, finding it difficult to speak. "Y-yeah... I... I wanna go back. Someday. I wanna tell him I'm sorry for stealin' his ship, that I... I just couldn't handle all of it. I just hope when I do, he understands..."

She felt herself being turned around in her seat, offering no resistance as the fox embraced her. "I'm sure he will. If it helps, I would love to be there to help smooth things over, to tell him how brave you've been."

"Stop it, love," she sniffled, chuckling despite herself. "... I'll want you to be there, though. Because things have changed. This pack... mind, it's not just the sex and the adventure, but I feel like I've gotten on better with this pack than I ever did with my old clan, even though I'm a runt. I... shit..." she swallowed. "I'm scared of having to admit to him that I feel more like I belong_here_, than I do there- and I'm glad to be here. That's part of the problem."

"How?"

"It hurts knowin' I'm happy to be here, more than I am back home. I told ya loyalty was important to us, and I feel like I've... turned my back on my clan- even worse, I feel like I've turned my back on my dad. I might not have gotten along with the rest of the clan, but I love him as much as any lass could love their father. I really do. He saw in me what I could be, and even if I'm fuckin' it up by takin' spice... I'm glad he thought so well of me. I just don't want to let him down anymore... if that's even a possibility at this point."

A brown paw lifted her chin- she was more than ready to accept the fox's kiss, purring as she shared in that closeness she'd grown to love over the last two months. When it broke, it was to the sight of the Ranger smiling broadly.

"Rook... I think I speak for everyone on this ship when I say that we're glad you're here too. And hell, I'm not surprised you fit in with a bunch of misfits like us," he added with a chuckle, making her laugh. "But either way... knowing this about you doesn't change how I feel about you. I want what we have here, between us, to continue- to go as far as it can. And if there ever comes a time when you want to go back home, I'll help you get there- we all will."

"Fuck... you're great, Talrik," she sighed, hugging him tight. "Thanks for... everything."

"Anytime," he replied, rubbing her back.

They held the hug for several minutes, simply basking in the warm embrace and enjoying the physical affection without so much as a word. They only broke off as they heard the sound of approaching footsteps, turning together to see a slightly disheveled, shirtless and yawning Kajex Surnahm lumber into the room.

"Ugh... what a night- a great night, but an exhausting one," he yawned, stretching out his neck to one side before noticing the two at the table. "Oh- I, uh... I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" he asked, warily.

Rook glanced at the fox, smiling. "Nah, you're fine, boss."

The wolf smiled back, his tail wagging hopefully. "Yeah? So have you guys kissed and made up yet?"

Talrik nodded, squeezing Rook's shoulder. "Yeah, we're good. We just needed to talk it out."

"Awesome," he replied with a grin. "In that case, why don't we forgo the food synthesizer here and go directly to the _Inspired's_galley, see if we can get Retsa to make breakfast for everybody?"

"I'm in," Rook said, getting to her feet.

"Then afterward, I got some ideas for re-establishing your kit," Talrik followed up, getting up with her and hugging her from behind. "A few pieces of gear, some armor adjustments- just some stuff to make sure our best Mandalorian hunter has the tools she needs."

The otter beamed. "Love, all I need is you and our pack at my back." She paused, then chuckled. "But then again... I won't say no to your offer, either."