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" _ Why _ ** ** _ don't you come with us _ _? _ _ You _ _'re _ _ pretty good in a fight _ _. _ _ We could use _ ** ** _ you _ . _ " _

~ Han Solo

Syrra looked to her side, holding her laugh in and smiling. "Nervous?"

Talrik swallowed, fidgeting as he ran a brush through his tail. "A bit. It's just been a few months since I've seen them, and I didn't even--" He grunted, yanking the brush through a knot. "I didn't even take the time to groom properly. I guess I was just too preoccupied," he sighed.

"You had a lot on your mind," she said fairly, leaning against the hangar pillar. "I'm not teasing you or anything, the Force is aware of how much worrying I did over Kajex being gone."

"True," he sighed. "But at least you had Jedi training to take your mind off things. I didn't have much except when Garrett came by." He looked up at the dark-skinned human, managing a smile. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Glad to hang out with you," he replied good-naturedly. "Besides, someone had to make use of the captain's holotable. I would've come by more often if we didn't have to study."

The two weeks without Kajex around had felt markedly empty to Syrra, although she found herself surprised by how well she was handling his absence. Since their talk during the first week she managed to keep her spirits up by befriending Talrik, which in turn kept him cautiously positive that things would be alright in the end. It helped that Captain Lynch and Garrett had taken to visiting the both of them when time allowed, giving them both time to focus on anything but the rescue operation (though it also meant that Syrra had to shoo Lynch away from Kajex's noodle stash at least twice).

Without him around to train her in his profession she had expected to study alone, only to find that Talrik had some limited experience in slicing and reading body language; the latter was a skill, he explained, that he'd picked up when trying to identify scoped targets without being able to hear them speaking, and he was more than happy to give her tips to supplement what Kajex had taught her about investigation. She only wished the NRI found his skillset to be as valuable as she saw it- no agency he had contacted seemed keen on offering him employment, something some former Imperial students had confirmed was a difficulty for fresh defectors. It put the fox on a knife-edge thin line where he lingered between hope and despondency.

But things had changed the evening before, when the _Gold Rush _received a message via holonet that Kajex and his team would be arriving the next morning, as soon as the rest of the liberated beings had been delivered to Coruscant. And as the sound of a ship's engine rumbled in the distance, high above the canopy, Syrra could hardly contain her excitement.

She could feel Kajex clearly again- and it was only now she realized how much she missed him.

"Is that...?" Talrik perked up, looking into the sky.

"They're here," she said simply, holding back a laugh as he jumped to his feet, flicking the brush away as his tail wagged anxiously.

Over the course of a minute the sound increased in volume, until at last a massive flock of birds burst from the trees as if to herald the ship's arrival. Second later the ship broke into view over the jungle canopy, gliding toward the tarmac in a smooth descent and touching down gently, before powering down.

Only a minute later, the ramp lowered and four Republic SpecOps agents descended, talking amongst themselves. It was for the other two figures that caused Talrik to sprint towards them, as Etina and Arrik Lye looked uncertainly at their surroundings. The moment she eyes fell on him, she cried out.

"Talrik!"

"Mom!"

His face streaked with tears, he slid to a stop and caught up his mother in his arms, while his younger sibling hugged around his torso. They chirped in their own tongue, purring and nuzzling affectionately with no shortage of joyful tears shed between them, while Syrra and Garrett stood a distance away, respecting their privacy with matching smiles.

"I honestly wish this moment could be recorded," Garrett sighed. "It'd be nice to show people what the Jedi are working for."

"I agree," Syrra nodded. But while she glad for the reunion, she returned her gaze to the ship, beaming as one more figure appeared at the top of the ramp.

Kajex spent only a few moments regarding heartwarming scene with satisfaction before descending the ramp, looking as if he'd prefer not to disturb the family as they wept and hugged. Instead he glanced at Syrra, his smile turning into a grin as the two approached and met halfway.

"Hey Syrra," he said simply.

She smiled. "Hello, Kajex. How did it go?"

He chuckled. "Pretty well."

After two weeks apart the two forwent words, deciding instead to embrace and kiss- though Talrik's reunion was a happy one, it was by no means the only there.

"Of all the things you wanted to do when you came back, you wanted most to take a shower?"

Kajex grinned as his wet black hair covered his eyes. "That's not what I said. I said what I wanted _most _was to hold you in my arms again- and I got that wish. My second wish was a shower. Now I have both at once."

She nuzzled under his chin, purring softly as hot water poured over the both of them. "It _is _a pleasant arrangement," she conceded, squeezing around his midsection. "I was just expecting something a little more _raw _from you I guess."

He growled playfully, nipping her neck as he ran his paws down her body, rinsing off the soap lather. "Oh don't you worry, I had plans for the both of us. Just after a week, I started planning out a date where I'd take you to Bespin, see the sights, stay at a pricey hotel, make love to you and even propose in public..."

"Charmer," she teased, though she blushed. "If only you had the credits."

He laughed. "Yeah, reality kicked my ass when I thought of that too. But y'know... maybe I can earn that date with some card nights on the ship," he mused. "Long as I put down some ground rules about no mind reading, I think I could empty some wallets."

"Would be nice to have a few more visitors," Syrra agreed, nuzzling into his neck. "It's empty when you're not around."

Kajex grinned. "Even though you had male company on the ship?"

"You know I didn't do anything with Talrik," she replied, sticking her tongue out.

"Nuh-uh, I'm not a Jedi Master, I don't know what's going on in your head," he teased, his paws roaming around her body, growling playfully. "But I know he was here every night. Did you miss me enough that you gave in to your _wild desires _and let him ravish you like a naughty kitten?"

She tapped his nose. "You know, I almost _did _let him have a turn with me," she joked, purring seductively. "He's a thoughtful and sweet friend, he needed a little comfort- I could've had him i-in m--" she snickered, unable to continue. "Forget it, it's too cheesy to run with."

"Not when you say it," he murmured in her ear. It was tone she'd come to love, one loaded with affection and sincerity, and often paired with words that combined to make her shiver erotically. "Never sell yourself short, kitten- you're beautiful. I'm sure he sees it too."

"Maybe- but I'll save my 'wild desires' for you," she purred. "Now shut up and ravish me the way a naughty kitten like me deserves."

"Aren't we pushy," he chuckled, sliding his paws to her ass and cupping the toned, round cheeks.

"You've been gone two weeks," she moaned. "Can't blame me for being needy."

"And how would my naughty kitten like to be ravished?" he asked slyly.

Her response was to turn her back to him, bend over and brace herself against the wall, flagging her tail up and giving him a clear view of her pouting folds. Warmth that had nothing to do with water temperature ran through him as she glanced back at him with a seductive look in her eyes. Whatever he had done to her to make her this erotic, she'd picked up on it well.

He got to his knees, spreading her netherlips apart and grinning as she shivered and whimpered. "I'd be ready to believe that you _have _been accessing my stash just to pick up pointers from actors, except that you do it differently, and _really _well," he admitted, the scene having caused his prick to engorge far more rapidly than normal. She chirped cutely as he slipped a pair of fingers into her mound, teasing her backside by nipping her tailbase.

"Nng... too fake," she managed to gasp. "Best to just... show what I want. No lame... dialogue..."

"Don't worry, kitten, I'll keep quiet- even if _you _don't," he teased, removing his fingers and pressing his muzzle against her netherlips, growling softly as he lapped her sweet folds, lashing her mound with his tongue as her heady aroma assaulted his senses. Preparing her was always a pleasure to him, she had a distinct taste to her that he hadn't experienced with anyone else. Even better were the cute noises she made while he tongued her cleft expertly, ranging from strained growls, excited feline chirps and long, drawn out mewls. She was the instrument, subjected to her player's manipulation and making the music he wanted to hear, if he would only push the right buttons.

Kajex was already working on the first button, pinching the feline's clit gently with his lips, grabbing her thighs firmly as she jumped and pushed back against him. The effect on her body was rapidly apparent as her mound moistened with more than just shower water- even the bitter taste of residual soap couldn't displace the sweetness of her nectar as he kissed and licked her netherlips, as if he were kissing her face and muzzle. One of his paws slid up her thigh and up to her belly, stroking along her vestigial nipples and making her arch her back, pushing into his muzzle more. His other paw busied itself kneading his flesh, stroking and squeezing his maleness slowly.

Already intoxicated by her aroused scent, the wolf committed fully to her pleasure, driving his thick tongue into her tunnel and swirling it into every corner he could reach. Syrra cried out, reaching up and grabbing a safety rung (for rough trips, Kajex mused to himself) as her legs began to quake. Squeezing inner walls tried to trap his tongue as he pulled back, licking his lips and the corners of his muzzle as he looked up, his tail wagging enthusiastically. He waited patiently as his lover struggled to regain her breath, knowing she had something to say.

"That was... you almost..."

"I know- that's why I stopped," he said with a grin as he got back to his feet, letting his prick prod against her tender folds and causing her to wiggle slightly. "I need to have my share of the fun, too." Feeling there was no point in waiting to give her what she was trembling for, he obliged easily, sinking into her velvet interior. A lazy growled escaped him as he sheathed himself in her slick depths, his hips connecting against her butt with a wet slap. The Trianii beneath him gasped, squeezing around the rock-hard intruder and fighting to keep him inside as he pulled back halfway. The wolf waited patiently until she began to shift her hips back into him again, bucking up into her and nailing her hard as she chirped and shuddered. She slid her legs apart farther, still clinging to the safety rung above.

Even after more than three months together, Kajex marveled at how tight she was- inwardly he conceded that she had been right to say that whatever species he belonged to, they were clearly not designed for sex with a Trianii of her size. Nevertheless, it didn't prevent him from being a perfect fit for her, if her fluttering and clenching inner walls along every subtle curve of his bestial length were indication enough. He was certain that she felt similarly, as he tightened his grip on her waist and began to hammer the spike into her depths drawing out mewls and moans each time his tip speared against her cervix.

Enough time had passed since they had started sleeping together that he was sure she'd let him know if he was hurting her, but as he slammed against her rear with brutal force he had to marvel at her tolerance, if not enjoyment, of whatever pain she might be feeling. To say he was not worried would be untrue, despite her pleasured vocalizations- he could not be sure he wasn't going too far.

He slowed his pace for a moment and leaned in, growling into her ear. "Hurting any, kitten?"

"Nng, gods no," she moaned, meeting his thrusts with eager counter-motions and pushing up against his hips, her tail snaking around his waist and squeezing tightly as if to prevent him from leaving. Satisfied that she was well he hilted again, sheath caressing against her gash as he ground heavily against her backside. Placing a paw on the overhead safety rungs and holding tight, he pulled back and jerked his hips forward again, adding in his arm-strength to the rough fucking, pushing Syrra up against the wall of the shower and pinning her in place as she arched her back, leaning her head backwards against her shoulder and crying out with each blow.

Minutes wore on as he bred his lover passionately, the atmosphere of hot water and steam making the mood nothing short of carnal as their bodies met in copulation. For every thrust, she chirped; for every grind, she mewled; and for every moment where he slowed down to let her savor his throbbing cock embedded in her cleft, she whimpered. Before long her grip weakened and she slipped, Kajex catching her just in time, the immediate threat of injury startling him.

"Whoa, easy there!" He held her tight. "You okay, kitten?"

She panted, looking up at him, smiling. "I'm awesome, thanks..."

Letting out a sigh of immense relief, he picked her up in his arms, kissing her and pinning her to the wall firmly. He broke off, nuzzling her. "I think we should cross sex in the shower off our list, kitten- just to be safe."

She smiled and nodded, offering herself to him by grinding her mound into his abs. "That's fine, you still have the rest of the ship you haven't taken me in."

He grinned, reinserting himself and lowering her enough so she was impaled on his length. "Haven't done the cockpit, yet... or the engine room," he said softly as he rocked into her carefully, spearing up into her tunnel with aching slowness, the heat and ache in his balls building.

"Nnn... did the training mats... but not the lounge table," she responded, hissing slightly as he dipped into her chest and attacked her nipples with light kisses and suckles, wrapping her legs and arms around his body, squeezing her thighs around his midsection each time he buried himself inside her. She felt the gradual swelling of his knot at his base, purring loudly as she tried to squeeze around it each time the half-formed bulb sank into her depths.

"Did three of the six bunks in the crew quarters," he whispered into her neck, fully aware that the idea of his sharp teeth near her jugular was turning her on- ever since she'd realized her fetish for domination, he'd tease her this way. "Didn't get to the galley table," he growled softly, rolling up into her hard and grazing the tip against the narrow entrance to her womb.

She blushed hard as she felt the incredible tingle of his flesh rubbing gently against her cervix. "G-got away with... doing it on the ramp..." she whimpered, grinding herself into his hips as his knot completed inflating within her, locking her in- she began tugging around the base of his prick desperately. "T-that was.... so wrong." She mewled, feeling a light trickle of precum seeping around the seal of his knot and her inner walls.

The wolf growled pleasantly into her ear as he flexed into her, driving his now-stuck wolfcock as far as possible. "A-as I recall... that was _your _idea, kitten..." He groaned loudly, the pressure becoming unbearable, a heavy load nearly ready to spill. "Gonna... cum..."

"Do it," she chirped into his ear.

As if the words were an ingrained voice command, he groaned loudly, his loins reacting to the order. A searing wave of bliss running through his member as he creamed her interior with several jets of alabaster seed, his legs shaking with each throb of his cock as he struggled to remain upright. He jerked his hips up hard, the feline still attached around his waist squeezing around both his waist and his cock, trying to milk the latter of every drop his balls possessed as she sang for him, a long, blissful moan rising from her chest and matching with the wolf's erotic voice.

The water still running, Kajex sank slowly to his knees, holding Syrra close as they rested on the floor of the shower. The two resorted to simple signs of unspoken affection, nuzzling each other gently as they both caught their breath. Syrra looked up at him, gazing into his loving eyes.

"I missed you... more than I missed this," she confessed.

He smiled. "I missed you too, kitten."

He leaned back, sitting on the floor with her still attached around his knot, letting her snuggle into him as the spray of the shower doused them, both lovers feeling exhausted but satisfied. "I'm wondering," he said softly with a grin, "maybe we should space out our sessions a bit- since you seem to get extra randy when you're kept waiting."

Her response was to bite him firmly on the shoulder, shaking her head. "Mine," she purred, a paw reaching down and stroking her slim belly.

"Oh?" he chuckled. "Sounds like you're keeping me on a leash. I thought Jedi had to give up material possessions."

"Nuh-uh," she purred into his neck with a muffled voice. "I'm only like this because you were gone so long."

"I'll try not to keep you waiting next time," he murmured into her ear, rubbing her back. "Consider your puppy on a leash for a few weeks."

"If you're on my leash, then maybe you should do it whenever I like," she teased.

"Oh yeah? So where should your pup breed you next time?" he smiled.

She giggled. "Ever had a lover on the cannons?"

They hadn't stopped once they were fresh out of the shower. By now it was past sundown, and with no classes for Syrra to attend she had the rest of her time to herself. Kajex was more than pleased that she had decided to spend it with him, as both agreed that they had been doing enough to merit a break in studying and training.

But nor were they going to spend the whole evening making love. While Syrra was certain she could keep up with his experience and stamina, she enjoyed it better when he opened up to her, sharing more of himself with every discussion. Whenever she offered bits of her life, he seemed eager to match it by speaking of his own past, or at least as much as he allowed himself to reveal. She never pressed for more- she could sense when the topic strayed too close to his personal enigmas, and she was always satisfied with whatever honesty he could give her.

They were now nude and in bed, propped up against the wall with modern jatz playing from a bedside speaker, still talking- this time about the mission Kajex had come back from.

"It's crazy," Syrra sighed. "Of all the people to run into on the op, who could have expected that bitch?"

"I'm just glad we came to some kind of understanding," the wolf nodded. "I get the feeling that whatever she had been talking to Etina about mellowed her out a bit. She was almost civil to me when I left."

"Probably because she didn't want to anger Locke," she muttered bitterly.

"Maybe," the wolf considered. "But we got the measure of Locke wrong when we met him. I'm wondering if Keris is the same."

She didn't say anything immediately, leaning against him for a few moments before she did. "… Did Etina tell you what they were talking about?"

He shook his head. "No. And I knew better than to ask. You told me Luke had said not to view Locke as an enemy so much as an obstacle we might have to face. Maybe it's like that with his apprentice- maybe we shouldn't look at her as an enemy."

The Trianii regarded him carefully, hearing the slight emphasis he'd put in his words. "This is about earlier, with Talrik, isn't it?"

"I was wrong," Kajex admitted with a sigh. "I saw the kid as an Imperial first. Of all the reasons that someone would have a career as a stormtrooper, I didn't once think of forced conscription to be one of them. I don't want to make that mistake again. I already did it with Talrik." He paused, shame setting in as he looked away from her eyes. "And you."

"Hey," she murmured encouragingly, nuzzling his jaw. "I get it, love. You don't find it easy to trust people. I don't blame you for having little trust for people aligned with the Remnant. And my being a bitch didn't help either. But you moved past it with me; maybe you can with Talrik." She shrugged. "And... maybe you're right about Keris and Locke, too."

"I guess it helps that his mother had nothing but good things to say about him," he chuckled. "If I get a chance, I'll pull him aside and apologize for putting him through all that stress."

"He'll be ready to hear it," she nodded. "He's a sweet guy, once you get him to open up. And he's helped me out a bit while you were gone."

"How so?"

"Training and studying," she replied. "He knows a little bit about slicing, he's around my level of training. Lynch brought a couple of training pistols so I could practice deflection."

"With Talrik?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I saw his marksmanship, he's pretty good."

"Yeah, he is," she laughed sheepishly, rubbing her knee. "Some parts still tingle."

"I'm glad you've gotten along with him," he nodded. "Hopefully he'll get back on his feet soon, find a place for him and his family to live."

"Hopefully," she agreed. "Though... maybe not so quick. I'd like to keep in touch with him if we can."

They had barely napped long when Kajex was awoken by a low tone that sounded through the ship. A decade and a half of hearing that tone had ingrained itself into the wolf such that it roused him from slumber in half a moment, eyes flicking open abruptly and all sense of fatigue disappearing. He started to rise, only to hear Syrra shift beside him, still sleeping deeply.

He had missed her severely when he had left, and while making the decision had been easy due to having given his word to Talrik, enduring it had been sufficiently difficult. Having grown so used to her presence over the months, the nights had felt bare without her. He sighed, leaning over to kiss the side of her muzzle gently.

"Hmm...? Wuzzat...?" she murmured.

"Shh, keep napping, kitten," he hummed into her ear. "I'll go see who it is, and be right back."

"Mmm... dun be long," she yawned.

The tone sounded again and the wolf sighed, pulling away with a grumble and quickly donning a simple tunic and trousers. Taking a moment to look back at his sleeping lover, he reluctantly sealed the hatch behind him and plodded barefoot towards the ramp hatch. He rubbed his eyes with a yawn, triggering the lock, expecting maybe Garrett and/or Lynch having come to spend their free time among friends.

When the blurriness gave way to the sight of the open hatch, he instead found himself staring at Talrik, dressed in civilian clothing and looking nervous but glad to see him.

"Hi, Captain Surnahm."

The wolf blinked. "Oh... hi, Talrik."

"I... hope I didn't catch you at a bad time?" he said uncertainly.

"Well... not really," the wolf admitted. "I can hold off on a nap for a few minutes- what brings you to my part of the hangar?"

The vulpine cleared his throat. "I, uh... I was actually hoping to talk to you- if you have the time for it."

His first impulse was to say no, that he wanted to spend his evening resting next to the woman he loved and hadn't seen for two weeks, but something in the fox's stance and eyes caused him to refrain from doing so. The little signals- a slight flick in his ears, a twitch in his tail, slightly hunched for a trained soldier- almost made it seem like an expression of well-concealed desperation.

With a reluctant sigh Kajex nodded, gesturing him up the ramp. "Sure, come on in."

The fox followed, entering the lounge and looking around. "Is Syrra not here?"

He shook his head, putting a finger to his lips and keeping his voice low. "She's asleep right now. She's got an early morning study session in the ruins, so we should keep it down while in the halls."

He led him to the galley, offering the fox a seat and moving to the cooler, grabbing a bottle of ale for himself. With a moment of afterthought and another to glance at the fox, he shrugged and grabbed a second. "Twenty-three, right? And that's Amaran drinking age?" Talrik nodded, eyeing the Corellian Ale. "Whatever- even if it isn't, I started at fifteen. I won't tell your mother if you don't." He set the bottle before the fox, dropping into a chair.

"Thanks," the fox said quietly. "I guess the first thing to get out of the way... I wanted to come in person to thank you for getting my family off Sua. I know it can't have been easy for you to do."

Kajex waved it off. "Hijacking the delivery transport was tricky, yeah. And we ran into a Sith apprentice as well- another Amaran," Kajex added. "But she wasn't there to kill, and she was... cooperative, enough to let us leave. I'm just happy to have helped, there's no need to thank me."

"But there is," the fox emphasized, a genuine smile on his muzzle. "It would be wrong not to thank you. You need to understand, captain- nobody in the Remnant looks out for us non-humans out there. Even the Republic tends to put humans first."

"Unfortunately," Kajex agreed, looking the youth over. "But either way- I appreciate the thanks. How's your family adjusting?"

"They're doing alright. My mother has a knack for repair, the Order has allowed her to stay as long as she needs to get back on her feet in exchange for working on machinery and keeping them maintained. My brother's been having the time of his life here. He respects the Jedi, wants to grow up to help them, if that's something that the Jedi here allow."

"Like an Antarian Ranger?" Kajex suggested. The fox tilted his head curiously and he explained. "Near as I can recall, they were non-sensitive beings that served along some Jedi, helped them on their missions. They were mostly wiped out during the purge, though I'm sure plenty of them joined the Rebellion."

"Do they operate here?" Talrik asked.

"I don't think so, no," the wolf replied. "Although I could see it being useful if they were to reform again. Anyway, what about you? How have you been holding up?"

The younger man didn't speak for a moment, staring down at the table.

Kajex frowned. "That bad, huh?"

"I'm... not doing so well," he finally admitted. "There's not much I can offer the New Republic, my record kind of stands against me. Working with under a Sith Knight doesn't make me look good, even if I had been randomly selected, and the chances of me being attacked in retaliation for both my service and my defection are... well, you get the idea," he sighed. "I can't really ask for employment from the New Republic- which is problematic given my skillset."

"Which is...?"

"I was the top sharpshooter in my class at Teeva Academy, and scored third highest overall in demolitions training. I was trained to understand and speak in a few non-merchant languages, even body language. My profile is public due to my status as a defector- nobody is going to want to hire what they might consider a potential terrorist and saboteur." The fox finally cracked his drink open, hesitating before taking an apprehensive sip.

"I'm sorry to hear that, it's a tough break," the wolf said sympathetically. "Give it some time, though, people will come around, right? If you need a reference, you can ask me or Syrra to vouch for you if you think it'll help."

Talrik shook his head. "It might, but then again it might not. And I guess that kinda leads to the other reason why I wanted to speak with you." He hesitated.

"Spit it out, kid," Kajex pressed. "I'm not Imperial, I'm not going to vaporize you for speaking your mind to me."

"It's just... I mentioned my skills. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that work on some level- not taking lives, mind you," he added hastily as the wolf raised an eyebrow, "just being able to employ those skills towards helping others." He cleared his throat. "The Remnant has done... awful things, as a whole. But I've been assigned to a few duties and missions that have been worthwhile- saving people, putting down pirates and criminals, that sort of thing."

The wolf's brow furrowed.

"… Kinda like what you do," the fox said slowly.

"I'm not sure I like what you're getting at here," Kajex said uneasily.

"I'd like to know... do you maybe need a hand with your missions, you and your apprentice, as a crew-member on your ship? I'm willing to do and learn anything at this point for employment, but I wanted to check with you _first _to see if maybe that would be a viable op--"

He got up abruptly, the movement silencing the fox in an instant as he gave him a hard look. "No," Kajex said flatly. "Absolutely not. I'm sorry, but there's no way in hel--"

"Ahem."

Both of them looked to the doorway where Syrra was now standing, clad in a bedrobe with her paw on the door frame and giving Kajex a direct look.

"Kaj... could I have a moment?"

They had moved back into his quarters, Syrra giving him a critical look as he spoke. "Look, I know you've been spending time with the kid and that he's your friend. That's great, Syrra, it really is. But that's not good enough an argument to convince me he can stay."

Syrra shook her head, feeling slightly disappointed with her lover. "It's your call, Kaj, but he needs your help. You're not going to just let him fend for himself when he has a better chance following us, are you? You heard what he said, he has a skillset that we could both rely on while out on mission."

"What makes you say that?" he asked, folding his arms and looking unconvinced. "If it's my call, then I'm more than willing to hear out my apprentice's reasoning behind taking him on as a crew-member, something I've never done _once _in a permanent fashion."

"Until me," she pointed out.

He went silent. She'd gotten him.

"… Until you," he acknowledged quietly after a few seconds.

"If you need a reason, though," she said, taking control of the dialogue, "we've stumbled onto something far bigger than just your standard Imperial Remnant shenanigans, _that's _why. The last thing I was expecting when I took that mission with you months ago was to come across Sith. I wasn't prepared for it, and neither were you, and we nearly got ourselves killed just trying to get _out _of it. Then our second mission together when we barely made it off of Abaat because of Knight Ulfrice. And then, after about two weeks later, you come across one Sith apprentice we encountered in the past, where you were lucky she decided not to kill you."

"I had it under control," he assured her, holding his paws up.

"I know you did," she agreed. "But that was against Keris, and not Locke or Ulfric- and Locke is the only one I can believe doesn't want to kill you, or possibly even me. Now we know there's an entire organization of them, including a knight who is capable of tanking direct shots from quad laser cannons with _very _little injury. Neither of us could best him in a two-on-one duel. The fact of the matter is that we owe our lives to Talrik for being bold enough to man the cannons and take the shot." She paused, letting it sink in for effect. "We're going to need help in the coming months, until the Jedi Order figures all of this out. The last thing we should be doing is turning away potential allies."

"I can think of at least three other people I could call in if we needed help that desperately," he started to say.

But she had anticipated this. "I have no doubt you know a handful of people who are probably better qualified than Talrik," she acknowledged. "Now tell me, how many of them are ex-Imperial? How many of them are willing to part from their families so they can fight Sith? How many of them can drop what they're doing at moment's notice, walk from potentially comfortable jobs to engage in missions where they'll risk their lives, for your pay?"

Kajex didn't answer and she continued. "I do this because I'm capable as a Jedi. You do this because you're far more capable than I am and I need guidance... and because you love me enough to follow me. Do you remember how you came to trust me like that?"

He paused, then nodded, looking slightly abashed. "I gave you the chance to prove yourself, and treated you fairly."

Syrra smiled, walking up to him and hugging him around his midsection. "All I'm asking you is to give him _that same chance. If not because you trust him, then do it because you trust _me."

The wolf groaned, before smiling wryly, rubbing her ears affectionately. "Alright, fine. I'll at least give him an opportunity to show his stuff." He chuckled as he looked down into her eyes. "Damn... you shot me down pretty damn fast, kitten."

"There's a chance you could regret it, but I don't think you will." She nuzzled him. "I just want you to give him the chance you gave me."

"I've... reconsidered."

Talrik cocked his head. "It kinda sounded like you were going to toss me out of the ship five minutes ago, Captain," he mentioned apprehensively.

Kajex sighed, half-smiling and walking back to the table. "Chalk up my change of heart to Syrra. So... I'm going to go out on a limb and give you a chance. She makes a compelling argument on what she and I are facing." He paused and seated himself, looking the fox dead in the eyes. "Consider that before you commit to this. You saw what that big bastard did, I'm sure you saw how he fought- are you willing to lend a paw to the both of us to shut that kind of evil down, even if it means risking, or giving, your life?"

Talrik wore an expression of determination that the wolf had never seen in him before, and before the fox even spoke, he was convinced he was ready.

"You two spared my life, gave me medical attention, offered me a means of asylum; and you personally, captain, risked your life to get the only two remaining members of my family off-planet. I've seen what the Sith can do, and I'm not afraid to meet that kind of end if I can go down swinging, as long as my family is still safe. I owe you absolutely everything, right now. I intend to pay that debt in full."

Kajex spared a look to Syrra- she nodded to him. Satisfied with the Amaran's stout response, he nodded as well. "Alright then." He leaned forward. "Please understand that I've had a less-than-stellar history with working alongside others. Syrra is one of the few exceptions. So I'll give you the same thing I gave her- a chance."

The fox let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Captain, you won't regre--"

"But just one chance," Kajex cut him off firmly, holding up a finger.

"Anything, Captain."

"Good. I'm going to give you a paid probationary period to see what you can do. You're going to help us keep the _Gold Rush _in good shape and help Syrra to train- she could always use an extra gun so she can practice blaster-bolt deflection, which we _are _going to work on, kitten," he added sternly as she groaned.

"Kaj, really? Shouldn't I focus on dueling?"

He shook his head, his brow furrowed. "This is more than Sith, it's Imperial Remnant too- we're going to see a lot of blaster bolts. So you're going to put focus on _Soresu _and _Shien _to cover your deficiencies. I may not be a Jedi Master, but Skywalker still put me in charge of your education, so that's what we're doing, alright?"

"Fine," she groused, slumping back in her chair.

He turned his attention back to Talrik. "While we're doing that, I'm going to keep an eye on how well you function with us, how good you are at following my directions, and study alongside her for investigation and slicing. And when we're finally tapped for it, you'll come with us on the next mission we're assigned. That'll be your test. If you pass... I'll hire you. And I'll make sure the Jedi Praxeum adds you to their payroll.

"Thank you, sir," Talrik said happily, putting his paw out.

Kajex shook it once, but held on and gave him a stern look- he had to be firm if this was going to happen. "I want to go over a couple of ground rules first, though."

"I'm ready to hear them."

"First off- right now, the only person I trust to be able to control this ship aside from me is Syrra. You're welcome in the cockpit whenever either of us are in it, but under no circumstances are you to pilot this ship unless things are desperate or I tell you to."

"Fair enough," Talrik nodded. "I can understand you not wanting to put such a large investment into another person's paws. And... I can't operate a starship this size," he added.

"Secondly, whatever goes on within the hull of this ship _stays _in the hull of this ship unless I say it's okay to talk about it. There's no sense trying to hide things from Jedi, but not everyone set against the Order is going to be Force-sensitive, so keeping our muzzles shut should be priority." Talrik nodded and he continued. "Third, you _will _follow my orders. I'm not going to be harsh about it if you make a mistake, but I've got a decade and a half of experience over you- I usually know what I'm doing, so if I tell you to do something it's probably something that's going to make life easier if not save our lives, alright?"

"Yes, sir."

Kajex sighed. "Fourth- stop calling me sir, already. It's just 'Kajex', or 'Kaj' if you want. Call me Captain Surnahm only in polite company- which I don't have over often."

"Alright s-- Kajex. Is there anything else?"

"You're welcome to any resources on this ship; holovids, music, porn, food- but I will stress this only once, the preserved noodle bowls in the freezer unit are mine. If I find you with one that I haven't offered you, I will toss you into the escape pod and launch it into deep space."

Talrik paused, regarding Kajex seriously. "I'm... not sure whether that was a joke or not, so I'll play it safe and agree anyway."

The wolf gave him a half-smile. "Smart. Just follow those rules, put in your best effort, and I think you'll do alright here. I'll talk to Master Skywalker tomorrow and let him know you'll be accompanying us. Other than that... welcome to the team."

Ambient temperature on Star Destroyers were generally set to below average in living quarters and offices, a comfortable climate for most humans and other races not-possessed of thick fur. Stifling warmth was a relative non-issue to Locke even on hot planets, but there were few moments where he actually felt truly cold on the enormous vessels.

He was feeling a bone-chilling cold around him as he knelt before his master- and it had little to do with ambient temperature.

Inquisitor Voyde was in deep concentration, a small, slightly luminescent purple gem suspended in mid-air before him. Complete silence surrounded the both of them, such that the Sith Knight had been able of hearing his own pulse for several minutes already even without aid from the Force. His eyes narrowed and locked on the remains of the damaged hilt of Mace Windu's lightsaber, and a twinge of unease grew in him as he wondered if his suppositions had been incorrect.

As if this thought had been the trigger to awaken the old man from his trance, Voyde's eyes flickered open, a leering grin on his face as he reached out and let the stone float into his palm. "You've done well, my apprentice. The power of Lord Sidious has indeed impregnated this crystal. It will no doubt be useful to our studies."

Locke bowed his head feeling a twinge of relief- it was rare for his master to express satisfaction, but such moments were reprieve to his usual harsh (and painful) criticism. "Thank you, Master Voyde."

The frail-looking human stood, approaching the white wolf and bidding him rise. "We have been in need of a breakthrough of late. As much as a boon as this is, I admit I have concerns about this Jedi involvement. I'm told Knight Ulfric encountered two Jedi Knights on Abaat- is this not correct?"

Locke shook his head. "She was no Jedi Knight, my lord- the Trianii named Syrra who interfered with our previous operation is but a Padawan. She is untrained, unskilled, although my apprentice and I can feel vast untapped power within her. That she should be able to match Ulfric in single combat is not impossible."

Voyde's brow furrowed. "It is rare, but not impossible," he agreed. "Only she did not match him, not in single combat"

Locke blinked. "My master?"

"She had help. I am told another came to her aid, wielding lightsabers with unprecedented skill. Not enough to overwhelm Ulfric, but enough that this individual was not killed in the battle."

The white wolf frowned. "I'm not aware of any other Jedi having been involved. Who was this other person, Master?"

Voyde narrowed his eyes. "One who looks almost precisely like you, a gray lupine being with black hair."

Locke's eyes widened. "Captain Surnahm."

"Perhaps you'd do well to explain this, Knight Locke. You told me of this name before- is this man a Jedi? And if he is, why was I not told of this?"

Locke shook his head. "No, he is not a Jedi. I would have felt the stirrings of the Force within him, I searched for it when I became aware of his existence. The Force does not flow through him." He paused. "It may well be, however, that his time spent with the Jedi Syrra has culminated in him learning to wield a lightsaber proficiently. It is not unheard of, for a non-sensitive to match a Force-adept in lightsaber combat. She may very well be his partner, providing him tutelage in exchange for his services."

Inquisitor Voyde regarded the wolf shrewdly. "Perhaps that is so. Be that as it may, his continued involvement is unacceptable. I am well aware of your hesitation to dispatch this 'Kajex' you have become interested in; indeed, I can even understand it. But your loyalty is to the Circle first. If he stands against us, I expect you to cut him down like anyone else, are we clear?"

Locke sighed, feeling a little colder now than before. "... As you wish, my master."