[i][b]"Physical relationships are much akin to trade agreements- you need a healthy amount of dialogue to understand your partners, to progress and reach an amicable, profitable deal; otherwise... you're just getting fucked."[/b][/i]
[i]~ Het Olash, Neimodian Trader[/i]


The steady, low rumble of the [i]Rushin' Roulette's[/i] engines continued to echo through the ship, a sound that Kajex had often fallen asleep to with no ill effect- it had been his home for the last 20 years of his life, even before he had inherited the vessel from his father, and in that time he had slept in every room the in the ship- the engine room, the 'fresher, the cockpit; he had even spent at least one night in each one of the ship's hidden cargo compartments. He had slept with Syrra in his arms expecting to rest a little more easily than he did usually did.

He instead awoke with a gasp, covered in a cold sweat and heart racing.

Had he not had her in mind when his eyes snapped open, he was sure he would have accidentally thrown her off. The images of his nightmare did not vanish immediately- they instead lingered as he shivered, eyes trailing down to his feline lover. He tried to steady himself with an uneasy breath, squeezing the Trianii a little tighter- she had remained in his arms the entire night, head nestled against his chest. A part of him knew full well that his awakening would not go unnoticed.

Whether she had sensed a disturbance, either through the Force or from his own heart rate or positioning, his prediction was validated when Syrra's eyes fluttered open. She raised her head, gazing at the wolf with worry as she brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Kajex... what's wrong?"

He felt bare as he sat up. He [i]was[/i] bare, still nude from when the two had shared their first intimate night together, but he felt indescribably vulnerable, weak, as he reached and embraced Syrra to him again, taking another calming breath. She slid up against him, concern in her eyes as she pressed her body against his comfortingly. Slightly reassured, he closed his eyes, grateful that she could pick up on a change in his mood even while asleep. If only to know she was alive, he wanted her to be awake, for him to see her moving and speaking.

"A nightmare," he replied honestly. "An old one with a new twist."

Syrra rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Facing the answer to the question only reminded him of his nightmare, the images burned into his mind as he felt a pang. It was a question he wanted to answer- and couldn't. "I'm just glad you're safe," he said simply. He was not ready to see her look into his eyes sadly, and despite his words the sense of vulnerability only increased, the wolf turning his eyes away.

"You're hiding something."

The wolf laughed humorlessly. "Believe me... I really am. And I hate myself for it."

She reached, touching his face and fixing him with a gentle stare. "Last night, when I tranced out to loosen my body for you, I was focusing on your eyes." She hesitated. "For all the reassurance, confidence and sparks of life that I saw in them... behind it was a lot of grief and anguish- like the eyes of someone who has lost a lot, and who is afraid of losing again."

There was no sense in denying it, he thought as he inclined his head briefly. It was no use trying to hide what little she saw within him, not when she had him nailed down so well in that regard. A small part of him wondered if it was a bad idea allowing her to sleep with him, even after the night before- a larger, stronger part insisted he would have done it even if he knew this would happen, grateful for her physical presence. He worked to find words to offer, some measure of truth he could give her.

"Syrra... I have to tell you something that I can't tell you."

"Something you shouldn't tell me, don't want to tell me, or put me at great risk by telling me?" she asked. There was no accusation in her voice, no judgment of him injected in her tone as she snuggled against him, waiting patiently to hear his answer.

"I swore not to," he said lamely, hating how it sounded when as said it.

"That's as good a reason as the best," she replied kindly. "One of the few useful lessons Moarn and the Jedi Praxeum taught me was not to make promises I wasn't sure I could keep. What little, or much, that I know about you, if you made a promise you probably had a good reason to make it, right?"

Kajex put a paw to his face, wiping the sweat off his brow. "I'd like to think so... shit, it would be easier to tell you."

"You say that, yet you aren't telling me- if it were easy to spill your secret, you would have done it. You haven't, so you think you have a powerful reason not to." He felt her purr into his cheek as she nuzzled him. "And that's okay."

The wolf's ears perked up, surprised- it was not an answer he expected to hear from her. "Is it?" he asked, hoping she understood.

She smiled at him and nodded. "You put trust in me to defend and protect you in a fight. You're expressing self-loathing and guilt for not being able to tell me, to the point where you're prepared to break an oath you take seriously- just so you could be honest with [i]me[/i]." She leaned in to kiss him gently, the act helping to soothe his nerves. "I [i]have[/i] to believe that whatever you aren't telling me, you have a very good reason to hide." Her paw slid up his chest, brushing lightly against the gem pendant he wore. "Last night you made sure I was comfortable, that my first experience with a male was a positive one and that nothing you did would deliberately hurt me- you could have served [i]yourself [/i]last night, and you didn't. Whatever you're keeping to yourself, I [i]truly[/i] believe that you aren't doing it out of maliciousness or a desire to hurt anyone- me least of all."

He nodded, feeling better with each word she spoke. "Thank you, Syrra. Just... whatever happens, if it ever comes out, promise me you'll give me a chance to explain... well, everything."

"Do you mean to tell me someday?" she asked curiously.

"I hope to, yeah- if what we have between us goes that far," he responded. "I just wish I could offer something more than that."

Silence hung between them as she thought. "Offer me something true."

The wolf cocked his head. "Concerning what?"

"Us," she said simply. "Tell me how you feel about... us."

Given an opportunity to say something to her, to offer her honesty, he reflexively said what came to his mind first. "I'm certain now that I'm falling for you."

She looked stunned for a few moments before smiling shyly. "See... was that so hard?"

A warmth built in his heart as he smiled back, pulling her into him and kissing her this time- she shifted as their lips met, climbing and straddling him easily without hesitation, purr into his muzzle as his sheath brushed against her nethers. Kajex hissed slightly from the sensation. "What did I do to you?" he asked softly, adoring her.

"You fucked me and made me love it," was her blushing response, the feline shifting gently and sliding her slit against his sheath, both of them aware of a growing warmth between them as their bodies reacted to the intimate stimulation. Syrra sat up, letting the sheet slide from her back and revealing herself to her lover.

He sat up, staring at her seriously. "Really. What did I do to you?" he asked softly. There was trepidation within him, he realized, as he wondered whether this intimacy was genuine.

There was a pause, though she did look directly at him. Her tone was definite and certain when she spoke, allaying his concerns. "You started treating me like an equal. Taking me seriously. Putting trust in me. Bearing your secrets with pain despite desiring to tell me the truth. And as sappy as it sounds, believing in me. I'm not afraid to admit that all of it attracted me to you."

Another kiss, and Kajex had his paws squeezing her rump, causing her to moan into his muzzle- he enjoyed her chirps, her moaning, her mewling as he broke it off and tended to her neck and chest, akin to an erotic tune in his ears as she vocally reacted to his treatment. His prick was no longer content to remain in his sheath, drawn out of hiding by Syrra's 'singing'. The moment it caressed against her inner thigh, she reflexively reached for it, drawing out a strained groan from the wolf when she squeezed around his thickness.

She was a quicker study than he had been, Kajex mused, as she stroked the shaft, gauging his reaction and adjusting each time she did something he seemed to like. He focused on doing the same as he kissed and nipped her breasts, zeroing on on the weaker spots of her body he had been clued in on the previous night, leaning her back and holding her lower torso up to his chest, supporting her butt as he nuzzled and kissed her lower teats gently. The teasing seemed to have rattled her focus as she squeezed his dick harder in answer. Every downstroke made his balls tingle, forming a bead of precum at the tip- every upstroke that followed caused that bead to trickle down his length, until the underside of his length was slick. Almost abruptly, Syrra slid out of his embrace, to the wolf's confusion. "Everything okay?" he asked in concern.

Syrra nodded. "Just sit back. I want to try something." She lay on her belly, between his legs, looking slightly nervous as his prick throbbed in front of her face. Aware of her intentions, the wolf gazed at her sympathetically and reached behind her head to rub her ears encouragingly.

"If you're going for it, just mind your teeth and work the tongue."

"Personal experience?" she purred, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to answer that," he stated, looking away sheepishly- talking about former lovers was the last thing he wanted to do at this moment.

It occurred to him that she might be losing her nerve, as he watched her stare at his member apprehensively. Before he could tell her she needn't force herself to it, however, she leaned in and slid her tongue slowly against his tip, the slightly abrasive texture making the wolf groan and jerk slightly. She repeated the action, garnering the same reaction from him. It soon became clear that she had kept his words in mind as she ran her tongue around the tip, purring as she took in the salty-sweet taste of precum in her muzzle. She slathered it around his length, using a paw to continue jerking him off- with a gently kiss to his tip, she placed the first inch of his length in her muzzle, suckling gently. Perhaps feeling a little playful she moved lower into the second inch, pressing her teeth very gently against his flesh, making the wolf groan.

"Nng, easy there, kitten," Kajex hissed slightly.

She pulled back. "Too rough?" she asked, worried.

"Far from it- your purring is just making it [i]really[/i] intense," he said appreciatively.

Syrra blinked, then treated him with a mischievous smile. "[i]Really[/i]..."

Kajex's eyes widened. "You're about to pay me back for last night, aren't you."

Before she allowed him to say another word she had slid her lips around his cock, purring loudly and swirling her tongue around the shaft repeatedly, letting out cute little moans each time a jet of precum spilled into her muzzle. She hadn't expected the amount of it to be so copious but worked with it easily, growling playfully around his shaft as she bobbed repeatedly along the length. The wolf's sharp gasps and pleasured growls mixed with her erotic purrs and moans as she tasted every inch of his thick cock against her tongue.

It was easy for her to tell the wolf was doing his best not to writhe and yet was failing, watching from the corners of her eyes as his legs tensed and relax, his paws gripping at the pillow tightly. Clearly she was performing well, causing him to lean back against the wall, whining slightly as he tried to thrust into her muzzle- anticipating this she placed a gentle paw on his hips to steady them, giving him a nonverbal sign to cease.

He obeyed the signal, only to find it far more difficult moments later as her other paw cupped his sizable balls and squeezed gently. The wolf shuddered as an incredible wave of warm lust seemed to pump throughout his blood. Dazed as he was by his lover's newfound yet prodigious skill, he found the willpower to prevent himself from grabbing her face and thrusting, instead settling on feebly running a paw through her hair and rubbing behind her ears as he rode through the swell of pleasure, which seemed to end at the tip of his cock.

The wave came with an extra spurt of pre-seed that splashed against the Trianii's palate. That she was causing her lover that much ecstasy despite being so new to it was thrilling- she couldn't help but toy with her now-moist nethers, twitching slightly as she stirred around her slick tunnel. Relaxing as best as she could, she paused and shifted her position, slowly sliding her entire muzzle down the length, breathing deep as she reached near the base. The tip grazed gently against the extreme back of her throat, angled so she was swallowing around it, but her lips had made it to his sheath- a few seconds later she pulled back, looking up at the astonished canine.

"... How the hell did you manage that?" he asked in wonder.

She grinned. "Your 'collection' was extensive, and I wanted to see if a Jedi padawan could pull it off."

"On your first try?" he laughed incredulously.

"I'm a fast learner," she purred. "It helps that your flavor is... appealing," she added, licking her muzzle and moving back into him, nuzzling gently as she slid back into his lap.

Kajex hesitated. "You're okay with this? With us, I mean- us doing this, in particular."

"It's fast. Maybe a little too fast," she said, echoing his words from the night before. "But if I asked you to slow it down, would you be alright with that?"

"Absolutely," he answered without hesitation.

"Then I'm okay with going a little too fast," she said, smiling. "Just as long as I know I can always go slower."

She leaned in and met his lips once again, reaching down to grab his slick member, shifting in his lap as she raised her hips up. Kajex saw her intent and slid his paws her body, cupping her rump carefully, helping to guide her motions as she positioned herself over his length. The tip grazed her clit and she nearly lost control, breathing deep as she get the length glide between her netherlips, trapping the shaft in her folds and lowering down into his lap once more, shuddering as she impaled herself on every inch, finally breaking off the kiss and arching her back as she ground down against his sheath, forcing a pleasured growl from her canine lover.

"Still tight," he groaned. "In the best way possible."

"Shhh..." She leaned in, moaning into his ear. The difference in position was overwhelming, as he seemed to be embedded deeper in her cleft than he'd ever been, nearly at what she guessed would be her internal limit. The fit seemed perfect to her, every natural curve of his length pressing just right against her internal walls- she imagined she could feel every one of the wolf's heartbeats, matched with hers, every throb pushing gently against her nerves and sending ripples of pleasure through her. Once the wait became unbearable, she began to move again, leaning back and moaning as she started to slide vertically along his maleness.

The wolf's paws worked with her motions, raising her buttocks off his lap and lowering them in rhythm with her flexing legs- his hips drew as close to her as they could each time she descended down his shaft, hips quietly bumping against her backside with enough force to send gentle jolts of enjoyment through both of them. Kajex glanced up and for a moment, their eyes met and he could see nothing but adoration for him in her sapphire-hued eyes. Despite the haze of lust he was immersed in, her look of sensual appreciation was enough to compel him to lean forward and begin attacking her breasts with gentle licks and suckles, tending to her vulnerable nipples affectionately.

She arched her back in response, her ample chest heaving as she breathed in and let out long moans of approval, gritting her teeth as she began to feel the knot form at her lover's base. Stars seemed to pop into her vision as she ground her mound against it, mewling as the effort applied moderate pressure beneath her clit, causing her to twitch as the nub. Her legs nearly ran out of strength, and she felt Kajex taking control, bringing the Trianii in close and kissing her deeply as he used his upper body to lift and lower her along his prick.

He rolled his hips upwards and as he brought her down a final time, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her into his lap as hard as possible, coaxing anxious, incoherent chirps of bliss from her as he pushed his knot hard against her netherlips. The immense pressure of her vice-grip on his cock made that much harder to progress, eliciting lustful growls from the canine as he nevertheless yearned for the deliciously silky grip around his knot. He snapped his head back and snarled the moment it sank in, every nerve on the bulb subjected to the incredible pressure of her crevice bearing down on nearly every side as she climaxed with a sharp cry.

The torrent of cum that shot from his cock seemed to feel like it was blasting against what she imagined must be her cervix, the sensation of his seed flooding her core strangely taboo and erotic. Inwardly she knew no pregnancy would occur from his seed but the knowledge did nothing to prevent her from feeling distinctly satisfied with the feeling of her womb containing that essence of life in her even as the searingly hot load seemed to boil within her. She could only vocalize her contentment with a relaxed moan mixed with a purr as she road out her own orgasm.

The wolf shifted, laying on his back and bringing the Trianii down with him, pulling her into him as he ran his paws up and down her back, enjoying the feeling of his load leaking down his balls and his lover's gentle purrs rumbling against his chest, the sensation oddly soothing to him. He didn't want to pull back this time, instead holding her close, trying to hold onto those positive feelings he had only just obtained, trying to forget why he had awakened.

Yet it did not last. The intimate moment, as comforting as it had been, seemed to only remind him of his nightmare. It worked long enough that his softening prick had slid out of her cleft, but after that point the dream seemed intent on haunting him, despite not wanting to experience it with his waking eyes. Cold shivers ran through him as the image of her unmoving face and lifeless eyes flit into his mind, and he hugged her tighter. Expecting that the Force would clue her in on his cold fear, he was unsurprised, though grateful, when she nuzzled him comfortingly.

"Hey... I'm right here," she encouraged.

Kajex reached up and stroked her face. "I know. And that'll keep me going. I just wish my dream didn't seem so real- I'd like to know for sure that it's [i]just[/i] a dream, and that it remains that way," he said quietly.

She nuzzled into his paw, bringing her lips to his and kissed. She didn't need to say a word- to the wolf, it was as if she had used her muzzle to convey words of comfort and assurance to him, leaving a warm glow where the chill of fear had been moments ago. Relief settled through his nerves as he returned her kiss.

Before too long, she broke from his muzzle, her warm smile allaying his fears further. "Now that we're both awake... I suppose we really should get back to work, shouldn't we."

Kajex sighed forlornly, smiling back- he had forgotten that she was here because he had been hired for a job. "Yeah..."

She leaned in, pressing his nose against his. "Hey, it's not so bad, captain."

"No?" he responded skeptically, an eyebrow arched as he wondered how she had come to that conclusion.

"Mm-hm. I think it'll be easier working with you now that we have this out in the open, and you have something to look forward to every night I'm onboard." She hesitated, looking away from him somewhat shyly. "Although I'd appreciate it if you kept this away from the Praxeum."

Kajex smiled, sitting up. "I don't think you need to be ashamed of what we're doing- but I understand not wanting to share it. They won't hear it from me, kitten. So... 'every night', you say?"

"What, you think I'd pass up on the chance to enjoy physical intimacy with you? After the stellar performance you gave last night, not to mention just now?"

He chuckled. "I'm not a porn star, Syrra."

"No, you aren't," she responded with a sincere smile. "What we have here is real." She slid out of his embrace, the wolf feeling a little disappointed as she did- she stretched, looking around. "My robes are still in the 'fresher, do you have something clean I can put on?"

Kajex grinned. "Drawers to your right, I have a couple of simple tunics that'll fit you. But... you don't [i]need[/i] to put anything on," he suggested hopefully.

She narrowed her eyes, smiling coyly while deliberately swishing her tail to draw his attention. "I don't- but if I keep showing my ass off to you, you might get tired of it. Now c'mon- if you hurry, we can share your ship's hot water."




It didn't take long for Kajex to figure out where they were- the two-minute jump had brought them to the edge of Trianii space, and their drifting speed once they dropped out of hyperspace had been negligible enough that they were still relatively in the middle of nowhere. Kajex briefly explained parts of the cockpit's systems as he checked navigation and the ship's targeting AI, trying to determine if any ships had been picked up on long-range sensors- Syrra listened intently, keen on making sure if they faced another situation where she would need to fly them out, she would be ready for it. She practically beamed when he said that as long as she was onboard, for the duration of the mission, she was effectively his co-pilot- the look of sheer happiness invoked warm affection in him, and he wondered if Bran had felt the same way long ago.

After that Syrra insisted on checking Kajex's wounds. They expected nothing but the oft-experienced and miraculous healing nature of bacta, and were thus unsurprised (though pleased) when they had removed his bandaging and found his wounds to be nearly healed, the two indents where he had been pierced barely noticeable. Syrra had suggested against reapplying bandaging on the basis of there seeming to be no need- though she did acquiesce to his request to administer a painkiller, as she had correctly predicted that he would be sore even after healing. He in turn checked on Syrra's gash, noting with a little concern that it had not healed as well as his had- she bore a noticeable scar beneath her fur. She dismissed it casually- "It's my first scar, I'll just have to learn to wear it proudly," she stated, her spirits not dampened.

Kajex had been pleasantly surprised with what Syrra had managed to pilfer from the group of thugs from the hangar- she had obviously not bothered to carry the Wookiee's heavy blaster canon, but she had taken a pair of pistols, two reasonably accurate blaster rifles and two vibroswords in addition to a few holodisks, datapads and comm scramblers. The captain suggested she carry a rifle and pistol on her person for pragmatic reasons, setting to work making a couple of simple slings for them to carry the rifles. She relented after he'd made a convincing argument that having something for backup would allow her to defend herself in the event that her lightsaber failed.

A thought occurred to her as she set aside one of the vibroswords on the galley table, a frown setting in as she remembered something from the previous night. "Hey Kajex?"

"What's up, Syrra?" he asked as he fitted the sling around the weapon.

"When that Chiss attacked and you used a vibrosword to ward him off... you were using lightsaber form VI, [i]Niman[/i], weren't you?" She looked up at him. "Where did you learn that?"

Kajex chuckled. "C'mon, you should know better than that. I've had those lightsaber demonstrations for years now. As may you have noticed several times since the start of this journey, my ship has very little in the way of entertaining accommodation outside of decent music, old books and porn." He refocused on his work, though he continued. "Ever been to Denhaven Starport?"

She nodded, confused. "I used to go there to listen to smuggler stories every now and again, when it still had moderate business and hadn't yet been turned into a permanent parking garage. But why is that relevant?"

"That's where I've been living the last 3 years, just about. And even before then, I was using it as sort of a landing spot when I didn't have work- even have a docking bay assigned to me at a reasonable fee per month. But the point I'm getting at is that it was [i]boring[/i]. And when boredom starts to set in, you start doing [i]anything[/i] to get your mind interested. So I studied the holotapes and tried to replicate the motions, pick up on the techniques even though it was meant for Jedi. And after a while I got pretty damn decent with it. I've never had to use it extensively, and certainly not against any Jedi or 'Dark Jedi', or whatever those Imperial Remnant Force freaks are calling themselves these days- but it's saved my ass a couple of times against some well-trained, sword-wielding mercs."

Syrra nodded. "So you picked it up for the same reason you suggest I should carry blasters, then?"

"And boredom," he reminded her. "Pragmatically, I'd rather have a fighting chance with a stick than with nothing in hand. Although mind you, I didn't skimp on hand-to-hand either- Kane taught me the basics of Teras Kasi. It's a standard of a lot of mercs who fight dirty."

"Never heard of it- though that doesn't mean much," she admitted. "What's it like?"

"The name means 'steel hands', it's a fast style that hits pretty hard. Pretty impressive stuff," he stated as he set the first rifle down and started attaching a second sling to the other. "Kane told me it was made by non-Jedi to fight Jedi. There's probably truth to that- advanced training is supposed to give practitioners the ability to shield their minds from Force users. That's why the Empire hired bounty hunters for taking out Jedi- bounty hunters preferred practicing Teras Kasi and made it difficult for Jedi to detect an ambush. So if you ever see someone taking up one of those stances, you might want to consider your options before engaging. Here you go," he added, handing her the second rifle. "You know how to handle that?"

"I'm an ex-Ranger, what kind of question is that?" she shot with a small smile, slinging it over her shoulder.

Kajex laughed. "Yeah, I'm rubbing off on you, alright."

She glanced at the datapad. "Have you gone over the slicer's info yet?"

Kajex shook his head. "Not yet, but I can now." He snatched up the pad and flipped it open. "Shit, I forgot I-- hand me that towel over there, Syrra." She tossed him a cloth, the wolf spitting into it and cleaning the screen of dried blood. "Alright, let's see." He scooted to the side as Syrra slid in next to him. "If our green friend who gave us this little toy survived last night, his employers probably won't be too happy."

A system menu booted up and he tapped the device repeatedly, grinning. When Syrra gave him a questioning look he explained. "This slicer was a novice, and that's to our advantage. He didn't have any access codes to prevent me from booting up, and the fact that it's still working means he didn't have any data-corruption script worked out."

She disappeared briefly from his sight as she brought out a few ration bars, handing one to him. "That's standard, I'm guessing? To prevent other people from figuring out what you accessed or delete compromising information?"

"Exactly. We got incredibly lucky here." Another few taps, and he had brought up recent access attempts. "So like we figured out, they were looking for cargo, departure times, ETA... and logged hyperspace routes," he added, looking surprised.

"Meaning?"

Kajex shrugged. "I have no idea. But that seems kinda useless. I've seen what trade routes look like for the Trian system, everyone uses it to cross into CorpSec space. Why look into hyperspace logs if it was the same damn vector as everyone else's?"

Syrra frowned. "Was it actually the same, though? I mean, what little I learned from Captain Lynch about hyperspace routes is that you sometimes have to fine-tune a flight plan for shorter or safer flight paths. What if they were using an alternative route as a precaution, or one they found more expedient?"

"Good point," he said, taking a moment to scribble down the coordinates logged on the datapad. "Well if they did, Aarn told me nothing about it- though he might not have known, either. I'll check these later, you might be on to something- later, you might want to use my console to send a message to Aarn and let him know."

"Will do. Is there anything concerning cargo? You said that came up too."

He spent another few moments fiddling with the device. "An auto-search term. Makes it easier for a slicer to filter through systems or data logs to find what they need. Term here is... 'kolto'...?" The wolf found himself utterly bewildered by that, brow furrowed in complete confusion.

"It's one of the supplies they were distributing," she reminded him as she tore open the wrapper to her ration piece, taking a bite.

"Yeah, it was- but why was it important to auto-search for kolto, of all things? If these vessels are vanishing because of medical supplies, wouldn't it make more sense to focus on bacta? I thought bacta was much more potent."

Syrra didn't answer immediately, chewing thoughtfully for a few moments before swallowing and explaining. "It is, but the properties of each are different. Bacta is bacterial compound, a mix of Alazhi bacteria and a few other chemicals suspended in Ambori fluid- we both know how well it works, obviously. Kolto, on the other hand, is a liquid that naturally occurs on an aquaplanet called Manaan. It's not bacterial, plant-based or the byproduct of animals, as far as anyone knows. It can't even be replicated synthetically, it's something of a mystery. In any case, it pales in comparison to bacta."

"Anything else?" he asked, paying close attention as he bit into his bar, having little in the way of medical knowledge beyond patching himself up.

Syrra paused again, her brow furrowed. "Well, I learned plenty about it from Iaora and the Jedi Praxeum, it was kinda central to both medicine and the history of the Old Republic. I know it had a lot of value during the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars- it made Manaan something of a hotspot during those conflicts because a loss of kolto would mean a loss in medical supplies for both the Jedi and Sith. Because of it, the Selkath population was able to thrive as a neutral zone. But after the war, 'production'- or more accurately harvesting- suffered and the prices skyrocketed. Once the market for it collapsed, bacta was used as a cheaper and more effective alternative."

"Does it have any comparative value over bacta?"

"No. Well... I'm not sure." She swallowed another piece. "Aarn is one of a handful of medical academics who posit that kolto has hidden properties that make it potentially more powerful than bacta. But the only evidence for [i]that[/i] is in old medical records from a very long time ago."

"Are they reliable?"

"Very, so there's at least a grain of truth to the claim- but ever since the Empire duped the Selkath into subservience there was no real research done on it until they were liberated. Aarn is one of the few who has reliable, friendly contacts that allows him access to kolto- not that there's a huge market for it since bacta does a better job, and why try to research kolto when it can't be synthetically reproduced, and another compound is already doing a better job?"

Kajex paused, mulling it over, then smiled at her.

Syrra cocked her head. "What's up?"

"A few days ago you were worried about not being a big factor in this investigation- and here you are with a font of knowledge to work with, and far bigger asskicking boots." He finished his ration off. "I have no idea what all of this could mean, but if you're this knowledgeable about it, one of us is bound to hit on something."

A soft beeping rang out from the cockpit. Syrra frowned. "Scanners pick up something?"

Kajex shook his head. "No, that's my console- must have gotten a message." He grimaced as he stood, striding to the hall, Syrra following closely. "I hope to hell it's not Liam..."

"Who?"

He glanced back at her. "Just my CSA contact. He's been trying to get me to do a job for him but I've been refusing."

Syrra tensed, stopping in the middle of the hall, looking unhappy. "You... work with CorpSec?" she asked aggressively.

Kajex blinked, then held his paws up as he quickly understood the source of her agitation. "Not when I can help it, I swear, Syrra. I won't lie to you- I've done a [i]few[/i] jobs for them in the past, but I generally can't stand how they operate and, more than that, their relation with non-humans." He looked away, feeling a bit ashamed. "It was a time where I really did need a source of income just to keep myself fed."

She sighed and nodded. "I can understand that. I'm sorry for how I reacted."

Kajex shook his head. "You and your people have every reason to be apprehensive." He breathed out. "That said, I'm glad you aren't going to kill me for it," he said, continuing to the cockpit and sliding into his seat. He watched as Syrra hesitate at the hatch, smiling warmly and nodding when she glanced at him, encouraging her to take her seat.

"Gonna check my messages- you can take control if you want to get used to the [i]Roulette's[/i] handling." He watched briefly as she slowly started punching in commands, guiding the ship around with no clear direction, getting a feel for the ship's movements and reactions. Another glimpse of his childhood flitted before his eyes, causing him to smile.

[i]So proud...[/i]

He shook himself out of his reverie. "Open inbox."

"8 MESSAGES RECIEVED."

"How much of it is junk that I don't want to read?" he asked flatly.

"7 MESSAGES FROM LIAM VALCANE."

"Delete. And the last?"

"1 AUDIO MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN VINCENT LYNCH."

Syrra turned abruptly in surprise. "The analysis?"

"It's gotta be," the wolf answered hopefully. "Play message."

"[i]Captain Surnahm, this is Captain Lynch. As you asked I went ahead and took a gander at the wreck of the Truly Sorrier. Black box recorded a gravitational anomaly at some point shortly before the ship dropped out of hyperspace, but for some reason long range sensors didn't pick up on it. Aarn had a team help me collect some of the scrap from the right side of the ship to see what tore her poor wing off, but right off I could see pretty decent-sized rock and iron-nickle fragments stuck in the hull. I know what you're thinkin'- bad luck and an asteroid, right?[/i]

"[i]But here's the kicker- the iron-nickel and other metal bits we dug out were highly magnetized and loaded with Cronau radiation. The first thing only happens naturally in certain places in the universe, and the second thing ain't even something that naturally happens to asteroids, as you oughta know. Worse, one of the Trianii lasses who works as a scientist for Aarn mentioned that the rock fragments looked manufactured and she carbon-dated the fragments, nailing it down to being only a few years old. So whatever clipped the [/i]Truly Sorrier [i]was something trying to pretend it was an asteroid that somehow got magnetized and had recently come out of hyperspace.[/i]

"[i]That's about all we got for now, but it doesn't look like we can get much more out of this. I hope this info helps. At the same time, I have my own ideas about what happened, but on the chance that it sounds too crazy I'll keep my trap shut, as it's your investigation, not mine. Just be warned- this was deliberate, and it nearly cost me and Syrra our lives, so whoever pulled this shit off probably don't care if they kill anyone. Keep safe, both of you, and may the Force be with you."[/i]

Kajex's was looking at his personal console with a blank stare. "I don't even..."

Syrra shook her head. "I'm lost here, Kajex- you're going to have to break it down for me."

The wolf rubbed his chin, feeling slightly unsettled. "Well, no reason to stop fiddling with the ship, you can keep playing with her," he said absently. "Okay, so... Cronau radiation. That's something you only pick up in hyperspace, starships of any size will emit Cronau radiation as they leave hyperspace. You set a sensor for it, you can scan a vessel coming out of it from the other side of a star system. But what Lynch is describing sounds impossible. If they're finding rock and iron-nickle fragments, that alone would say 'asteroid', but asteroids don't go into hyperspace, and they don't typically get magnetized so highly, either."

"Okay, I think I follow- fake asteroids with qualities real asteroids shouldn't have." Syrra glanced at him, punching up a series of flight maneuvers one after the other, experimenting as the ship rolled and pitched, twisting to each command. "I think I'm starting to get this down," she said positively. "This okay?"

Kajex smiled. "Not bad. So anyway, I think Lynch is suggesting someone is manufacturing asteroids and peppering hyperspace routes with them- the obstruction shows up on long-range sensors and bumps the ships out of hyperspace, pirates swoop in and do their thing. But..." He frowned, rubbing his chin. "... See the thing is, It's an old pirate trick that most brigands won't even do these days- most ships these days are outfitted too well to make that stupid strategy even halfway-viable. As far as the radiation, that would only occur on the surface of whatever is traveling through hyperspace- it would have to be the asteroids or whatever it is traveling at lightspeed. And the magnetized metal doesn't make sense, either. I have no idea what could be causing that."

Syrra paused. "What about that hyperspace route you wrote down?"

He shrugged, looking hesitant. "Could try it out, but that's a jump somewhere we don't know about. Could lead to an ambush."

"It's the only other lead we have," she pointed out. "If they're trying to pull some sort of pirate trick on my uncle's vessels, then maybe they used departure times and estimated arrival times to figure out when and where to set up their trap."

"Clever, kitten- and we aren't scheduled to be anywhere," he said approvingly. "Alright, I'm sold. But first you send a message to your uncle and let him know where we stand. If we don't come back from this for any reason, he should at least know so he can send someone to save [i]our[/i] asses. I'm going to double check on our gear before we jump."

"Expecting trouble?"

Kajex sighed. "Nope. But trouble tends to be an unexpected, unwanted guest in my life..."




The captain had still been checking their gear carefully when Syrra arrived from the cockpit, having sent the details of their investigation to Aarn, as well at the Jedi Order, and helped him prepare medical supplies. He wondered briefly why she had been lacking confidence before as she taught him how to refill bacta injectors, before remembering she has not been put in situations to put these skills to use. The change in her behavior seemed remarkable given it had happened in less than a week, more so that it had resulted in the two sleeping together- not that he minded in the slightest. But it was a pleasant change seeing her regard him with respect and offering suggestions instead of brooding to herself and being abrasive.

Once he was sure they had what they needed he laid out his plan- they would be doing multiple, 5-minute jumps towards the coordinates they had found and check scanners at every stop. It would take the better part of 8 hours if they checked for 5 minutes every time, but Kajex couldn't see how else they could be thorough about it.

"It's going to suuuuuuck," he half-groused, half-whined.

Syrra smiled wryly. "More than it would have if you didn't have me to talk with?"

"Point," Kajex conceded. "Hit it."

She tugged back the lever and brought them into hyperspace, staring into the blue expanse for a while before sitting back. "You don't share this ship often with people, do you?"

Kajex thought back, trying to recall the last time someone had traveled with him that [i]hadn't[/i] been restrained. "Well, aside from the occasional pirate or criminal that I've to bring in, the last time someone was in the ship with me and traveled it was with a friend of mine, Retsa, and her family."

Syrra's head snapped in his direction. "Wait, [i]Retsa[/i]? The Barabel with the noodle stand at Denhaven?"

Kajex blinked. "You know her?"

"Well not personally, but I make it a point to pick up her food anytime I'm there- you actually know her, though?"

Kajex laughed. "Yeah, her food is the best. Might still have some of her grub in my freezer unit- but they're [i]mine[/i]," he emphasized. "I like you, Syrra, I really do- but where Retsa's noodles are concerned you'll have to fight me for them."

"Jerk," she responded, though she smiled. "So how do you know her? I doubt she was in your ship just to cook for you."

Kajex put a paw up. "Bring her out, kitten." The warning diode had gone off and Syrra brought them out, the ship lurching gently as they were brought back into the vastness of space. He checked their sensors intently before continuing. "It was about 6 years ago, I recall, and it was during a time period where the Imperial Remnant was scattered after Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign. During that time the Remnant still had their Dark Jedi or whatever, and they figured that was one of the ways they were going to get back at the New Republic. At the time, the CSA still had money ties with them so the Remnant used that influence to look for Force-sensitive children on non-Republic worlds, to kidnap and train them."

Syrra's ears flattened. "They didn't...?"

Kajex nodded. "Yeah, you see where this is going. Resta's first daughter was born Force-sensitive. She was only 5 at the time, but by that point her medical information had been logged into databases that the CSA were able to access, and she was one of maybe a dozen candidates that the Remnant had targeted and captured. 3 of those targets were killed." He paused looking serious. "They were only children."

There was nothing but silence as he continued scanning the sensors for more readings. Syrra didn't press him for more, though she kept glancing sadly at the captain every so often. Before long he sighed, continuing. "Well anyway... Retsa hadn't known who kidnapped her hatchling beyond them being connected to the Remnant. Mercs back then avoided taking contracts which involved the Empire since they were still a force to be reckoned with- the only way you could convince them was to pay an insane amount of credits, and Retsa and her husband were merely trying to live a simple life away from their homeworld. They didn't have much."

Syrra smiled. "That's where you come in, right?"

Kajex nodded. "I'd already gotten attached to her food, so she told me the moment I had come back from a previous job. I have my own reasons for wanting to stay away from the Empire, but my reservations were outweighed by her situation, so I took the job for a much lesser price. Figuring out who wanted the info was easy enough, but actually getting to the kidnapped children was more difficult. Fortunately I had enough info, and all I really needed was a team. Retsa and her husband, Garsh, were more than happy to help, as was my..." he hesitated, "... my boyfriend at the time, Rik."

Syrra cocked her head with interest. "Rik?"

Kajex smiled at the memory. "Yeah. Great guy, a Lepi adventurer." He caught the Trianii's quizzical expression. "A kind of lagomorphic race of sentient beings- rabbit folks, Bran used to call them."

Syrra smiled. "You have... unusual tastes," she said carefully. "But since you're the only one of your kind you know of, I guess any companionship is better than none."

Kajex nodded. "I met him near the core worlds on a completely different series of adventures that led to use getting close. He didn't live with me, and I didn't want him to- I couldn't do that to him. He had his own stars to follow and I made sure he could follow them, coming with him when I could. But I did love him," he said softly. "When he heard that children were at risk, I didn't need to say anything else to convince him- he was [i]that[/i] kind of person."

"A 'wolf?'" Syrra guessed softly.

"Yeah... a good wolf. A lone one in his own way, but a team-player when he was with others, and a genuinely good person. And faithful- never fooled around with anyone while we were together." He sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing here. Coordinates locked in?"

Syrra nodded. "Yep. Taking us in." Another lurch and they were back in hyperspace. "So you had a team to help you liberate them?"

"The odds were bad with me going alone, but Retsa knew how to handle a blaster and her husband is a retired soldier and hunter- they are also good parents, and a parent protecting their kid will become [i]lethal[/i]. Garsh is a good man, but on the day we infiltrated he was... not kind. At all." He shivered. "Nor was Retsa, for that matter, but she was more stable. Breaking in was easy enough once we found a good place to do it, but halfway during the escape we were forced to split up, with Garsh taking a handful of the kids on one of the Remnant shuttles while Rik, Retsa and I took their daughter and the rest of the kids back to the [i]Roulette[/i]. Just about made it when..." He stopped, pain setting on his face. "... Retsa's daughter had sensed it, moments before it happened. Told us to get down. We didn't know why, until Rik was on his knees with a hole in his chest."

Syrra said nothing, though her expression was sympathetic. She did not press him, and Kajex silently thanked her for her patience as he struggled with that painful memory.

"Anyway... I was the next to take a hit, right to the chest too. Retsa managed to shoot the sniper who was trying to pin us and helped us back onto the ship. She had a bit of piloting experience, and I couldn't prevent her from lifting off anyway."

Syrra remembered the scar on his chest. "How did you survive?"

Kajex smiled sadly. "Retsa's daughter, Arah. That kid... she's something powerful. She saw that we were both dying and got the other kids to start stabilizing me and Rik using the Force. It was enough that the wound healed slightly, enough that I could face Rik." He was silent a moment. "He was not as lucky. The other kids were trying their hardest to save him, but they were just kids, they couldn't do anything but give us enough time to say our goodbyes." There was a moment of silence, and Kajex stared off into the blue ether, pensive as he reflected that moment. He cleared his throat, brushing his face briefly before going on.

"After that, we didn't go directly back to the Trian system or CorpSec-controlled space. We traveled to Coachelle Prime to find Rik's warren and deliver his body to their family, stayed to pay our respects and alleviate any concerns that he had died for anything less than a noble reason. I owed him a lot, and his family deserved to know that he had given his life for a greater good." The wolf smiled despite the pain, a warmth growing in its place.

"It sounds like you had every reason to love him," she replied kindly. Feelings of sympathy and sadness filled her- but she didn't feel a trace of jealousy, not after how he described his past love. "I'm sorry you had to suffer something like that. And I thank you for feeling that you could share that with me."

Kajex shrugged. "You asked, after all. Sure, I'm still sad he's gone. It's a pain that'll never go away, but at the same time... I knew him. That can't go away, either."

Before Syrra could ask what he meant, the diode lit up again and they sailed back out.

"... Damn. Still nothing." Kajex sighed, looking up from the sensors. "Imagine doing this for the next 7 and a half hours."

"Were the children okay, at least?" Syrra asked, still interested in his story.

"Oh yeah, they were fine- though the ones on the [i]Roulette[/i] were upset they couldn't save Rik, but Arah was a little font of wisdom even back then, getting them to calm down and telling them... and me... that he'd live on as long as someone remembered him. Call it a childish notion, but I believe the core of it. They even insisted coming with us to say goodbye to Rik, which did a lot to comfort me. Afterwards we spent about a month tracking down the their parents and delivering them back one after the other- a lot of happy endings, which also gave me peace. Gave me time to recover, grieve and grow closer with Retsa and her family- exceptionally so," he added with a grin.

Syrra cocked an eyebrow. "How close?" she said shrewdly, smiling.

Kajex laughed. "Put it this way- she wanted-- [i]still [/i]wants me to be her second mate, since she hasn't found another one of her kind to take up that role- and Garsh is still all for it, he thinks I'm great. But I've said no." He paused. "I think she might still feel responsible for Rik's death, but I've let that go, and I've never blamed anyone for it. I do love her as much as I could love a friend, yeah, but... she isn't who I'd like to spend my life with."

Syrra nodded. "Ever met anyone you have?"

Kajex hesitated. "Rik was one, but... since after he left...?" He glanced to Syrra. "I dunno... I guess I'm still deciding," he answered, smiling to himself.

The feline blushed, but looked pleased all the same. "Did Retsa send her child to the Praxeum, then?"

Kajex shook his head. "Barabel respect the Jedi a lot, but Retsa was never really comfortable with the old habit of them... 'stealing' children. Now I know what you're going to say," he said, raising a paw as Syrra moved to speak, "that it's a practice your Grand Master doesn't endorse, and I think that's great- but I didn't know that until Aarn told me back at the estate, and Retsa doesn't know either. If I told her, I'm sure she'd give them an opportunity- it would give her peace to know she would still be able to see her child, and that matters."

Syrra frowned. "Did the Jedi Order steal children, though?" she asked, recalling the wolf's claim that he had been alive before the Clone Wars. It seemed a difficult thing to swallow, but Master Skywalker's words months ago seemed to indicate it.

The wolf hesitated. "Technically, no. The way I remember it, Republic law gave them the authority to take children to become Jedi, so it wasn't really 'kidnapping', per se. But I also remember that there were enough people unhappy with it that when the Empire was established it wasn't hard to turn that fact against the Jedi." He sighed. "I'll admit that I let my perception of the old order taint what I thought about the new one you're a part of- and that I'm wrong for doing it."

She waved it off with a gentle smile. "It's fine. Though..." A thought occurred to her. "... I [i]hope[/i] you consider visiting the Praxeum. Maybe come see what it's like?"

Kajex frowned. "I dunno..."

"I'll be there," she added hopefully.

He laughed. "Okay, now you're just using yourself as a huge draw for me."

"Is it working?" she asked coyly.

He smiled. "If we finish this... alright, I'll at least consider it." The thought of how much time it would take made him sigh. "[i]If[/i] we finish- this could take a mind-numbingly long time."

Syrra nodded. "Wanna break this down in hours, then? Take a breather around hour 2 and relax for a bit?"

Kajex arched an eyebrow. "Define 'relax'."

Syrra smiled. "Not that I'd say no- but it doesn't [i]have[/i] to involve coitus."

Kajex laughed. "Good- I have my limits, as pleasant as it is with you."

