[i][b]"Not all mercenary outposts are wretched hives of scum and villainy. Some of them are home to heroes."[/b][/i]
[i]~ Mick Dorland, smuggler from Dakua[/i]


When Talrik Lye woke, it was to the sensation of being warmer than he had ever known. Distant memories of frightened nights spent cuddled between the warm softness of his parents seemed to flutter through his memories- it felt the same in many respects, even if he was an adult now. The key difference between then and now, was that now he was completely bare of any clothing.

His eyes flickered open, adjusting quickly to the dim interior of Kajex's quarters- or as the wolf had said last night, in no uncertain terms, 'our quarters'. His ears twitched as he heard Syrra breathe in and let out a pleasant sigh, snuggled in his arms as her tail draped over his hip. He shifted his head a little and saw it entwined around Kajex's busy gray tail- sure enough, the wolf let out a lazy snuffle into the fox's ear, squeezing around Talrik's midsection as he spooned him from behind. No sheet or blanket covered them, the bedding material having been shifted to their feet as they had decided in their sleep to settle on sharing body warmth with each other.

The events of the prior evening came back to him and Talrik smiled. It had only really begun with Kajex being intimate with him- they had spent another 3 hours in the captain's quarters with Syrra joining in the fun as they explored each other more thoroughly, culminating in a rather exhausting but pleasing three-way with Talrik in the middle of it all. He nuzzled the Trianii in his arms, making a mental note to thank Syrra for being so patient with him; though she had assured him that he'd been a solid lover in bringing her to orgasm, he doubted he would have done so well had Kajex not been whispering advice into his ear while he plowed Talrik from behind. Nevertheless it was great knowing that neither of them minded sharing each other physically in the slightest- he didn't even mind that the ordeal had left his backside sore in the best way possible.

Talrik grinned as he considered that Kajex had been right- the fox [i]had[/i] 'come' between them.

"She's great, isn't she kit?" the wolf's soft voice muttered into his ear.

Talrik nodded. "She really is, Kaj. So are you, for that matter," he added, sliding his paw down the wolf's arm and squeezing his paw.

"Mmph... not so bad y'rself," Syrra purred sleepily as she stirred from slumber, her arms squeezing around Talrik's midsection as she yawned, baring her fangs. "Slept well, my friend?"

"Better than I have since I was a pup," Talrik admitted. "This is a new definition of warm and fuzzy, what I'm feeling here."

"How are you really feeling?" Kajex asked softly, licking the fox's cheek.

Talrik sighed. "Nervous but happy. I'm excited this is all happening, it's just not where I envisioned myself to be 5 years ago, you know? Not that I'd trade any of this for anything in the universe, mind you," he assured Kajex, nuzzling into the wolf's paw as he stroked the side of the fox's face.

"I don't think any of us could have seen ourselves in this kind of position, even half a year ago," Syrra admitted as she licked into Talrik's neck, shifting slightly as her paw found his sheath and made the fox hiss slightly.

Talrik let out a pleasured sigh as she started to caress his genitals, letting out a low moan as Kajex bit into his neck affectionately, pressing against him. "Do you two usually get going like this during the mornings?"

Syrra grinned as she moved lower down his body, nuzzling into his fur as she backed up until she was near the edge of the bed. "It was an idea we came up with to help you out- give you enough time to wake up so you could have hot water occasionally, by fooling around in the morning." She looked up. "You didn't raise any objections last night when we were going at it- but I still think it's polite to ask..."

Talrik reached over and rubbed her ears. "It's kinda hard right now to say no- help yourself." He watched as she dipped low and pinned his midsection down with her paws, running her lips across his sheath and drawing out pleasured groans from him as she slid her tongue against the tip of his pecker. He felt Kajex rest his head on his shoulder, smiling as they watched her go at it, coaxing Talrik's rapidly-engorging length from its hiding place as her tongue lashed it into erectness. A kiss here, a nip there, a tongue all around- it didn't take long at all for Talrik to reach the peak of his maximum length.

"You know," Kajex muttered into Talrik's ear, "a part of me was afraid I might get jealous when you started fucking the woman I love after I said you could. But I couldn't find it in me to be anything but a bit turned on- especially not when you had your tail raised and ready for another go at the same time."

"Are you going to... I mean, I'm still a little sore," Talrik said as he shivered, watching as Syrra dipped into his crotch, moaning around his length as it slid into her muzzle.

"Your butt is safe for now," Kajex responded, chuckling. "I'd actually like to give Syrra a little love- if you're up to it," he asked Syrra politely, reaching to stroke her ears with Talrik. Mouth full of fox-cock, she settled for winking and flagging her tail up while lifting her rump for him. Talrik watched as the wolf sat up, moving in behind the Trianii and getting to the floor, disappearing behind her except for a pair of black-tipped ears.

Syrra reacted with a jerk and an audible chirp as Kajex started to work her up, spreading her netherlips about and kissing them deeply. The wolf knew his feline lover's taste well at this point, yet perceived a difference this time as the remains of Talrik's load sweetened the taste- it was enough that Kajex explored for more of the mixture, swirling his tongue deep into her cleft and lashing against her inner walls with enough vigor to cause Syrra to moan and purr around Talrik's already sensitive prick. A flutter ran through her folds, squeezing around his tongue briefly before he pulled back, licking the corners of his muzzle.

Talrik sat up, leaning against the headboard and groaning as the Trianii continued to suck his cock, meeting her bobbing motions with careful upward rolls of his hips- he wondered briefly if there was any point, as she seemed to be skilled at taking his length, pacing herself as her tongue swirled around the thick pole, slathering it with saliva and pre-seed. Despite the slight, pleasantly abrasive texture of her tongue, she seemed to be gauging his reactions with her every action- flicking the narrow tip of his member roughly or pulling away and washing the base of his cock.

"Hey Syrra," Kajex whispered as he leaned over her. "Do what you did to me the morning after our first night together." She pulled back, purring and nuzzling him briefly before obliging- with a soft moan she kissed the fox's cocktip, then slid her lips over the head and down his shaft smoothly, squeezing around the middle for a moment before taking the second half down easily, her lips kissing the fox's sheath easily. Kajex grinned as Talrik nearly went cross-eyed at the sensation of her throat brushing against his tip, her tongue dragging itself against his unformed knot.

"H-how did she get so good?" Talrik gasped, arching his back as she sucked around him, lifting her head up and repeating the motion again, the trace of a smile around the corners of her muzzle.

"After 4 months of being together we figured out a lot of things, kit," Kajex replied good-naturedly as his paws squeezed the feline's bottom with one paw, the other massaging his jet-black prick. The wolf gave Syrra's backside an approving nod, dipping a pair of fingers into her slick slit and stirring her tunnel up. The effect was immediate, the Jedi Padawan whimpering and thrusting her hips back into his paw, trying to force his digits deeper into her depths. Rather than oblige, he removed his fingers and pulled her backside roughly into place, eliciting a chirp from the startled Trianii as he moved into position behind her. She was deliciously warm, perceivable heat radiating from her loins as the wolf's prick slid teasingly along her slit.

It took little more than him angling his prick against her folds and rolling his hips forward for him to glide easily into her cleft and sheath the entire pole into her velvety embrace. A few fluttering squeezes welcomed the intruder's girth as it split her netherlips apart. With the barest amount of hesitation to ensure she wasn't being forced too far forward, Kajex began his part in the activity, beating his hips against his feline lover's ass. A satisfied growl crept from his throat as he drilled into her tight hole, drawing out more mewls and moans with each buck against her backside.

Kajex had been a gentle lover the first time he'd fucked Talrik- he had been decidedly less-so the second time, though the fox had not objected in the slightest (and had in fact enjoyed every moment of it). Now that he was breeding his primary lover, however, Talrik could see that Kajex had been holding back. Each thrust was accented with a crack as his hips collided against her ass, the shock of each blow carrying up her body and into her muzzle. He could only imagine how sensitive her vaginal walls must be, to continue purring and moaning loudly as the wolf jabbed his thick wolfcock into her cleft- despite how harsh it seemed, Syrra seemed to be loving every second of it, matching and countering his blows by pushing back into him as he thrust.

Despite the attention she was receiving from the ebon cock assaulting her sweltering depths, she did not ignore the scarlet cock in her muzzle, continuing to slurp and suckle on the prick as her body was rocked from behind. She mewled again around Talrik's length as Kajex's large paws slid up her body, cupping each of her ample breasts and squeezing. Though her snatch was being vigorously bred by her wolf lover, he was far more gentle with her tits- not that he needed to be harsh, as the slightest erotic touch to her teats was enough to make her whimper and shudder, his thumbs and forefingers pinching each sensitive nipple firmly.

It wasn't long before Talrik noticed the subtle measures Kajex was taking to ensure that Syrra didn't hit her peak too soon. Just as she drew back from the fox's twitching cock before he got too close to climax, so too would Kajex ease up on his thrusts, letting her catch a break before hammering his prick into her folds once again. However adept she was at gauging the fox's arousal, Talrik could easily see that the wolf was truly the one in control, his golden eyes flicking between the chirping Trianii and the groaning Amaran.

For her part, Syrra was in a state of perpetual bliss- a sense of fullness mixed with the slightly painful, incredibly pleasurable hammering blows Kajex laid into her crevasse. The sheer eroticism of this sexual act was incredible, stuck between two attractive males with one delicious cock in her muzzle and the other assaulting her mound- her face burned to find herself in this position, though she didn't regret a single moment of it. Instead she encouraged the both of them, taking Talrik's knot and squeezing it firmly, while her tail wrapped around Kajex's waist and tried to feebly pull him in.

At this point the captain's quarters had the same smell and sounds that it had the previous night, albeit a bit quieter than before. Now Kajex was groaning, as Syrra continued to clench and chew around his thick cock every time the tool was sheathed, his paws now stroking down her belly and caressing her vestigial teats. Each one he glanced over seemed to send a flutter through her body as she writhed around. Her concentration seemed to slip as she put extra effort into her oral activities, whimpering as she caressed Talrik's balls and lapped at his throbbing knot. Her lapse in attentiveness was all it took for Talrik to growl and writhe beneath her, gripping the headboard as jolts of electric bliss ran up his spine. The sensation of Syrra's paw gripping and squeezing his knot had become too much for him, and despite his best efforts his endurance ran out before long, announced by the fox letting out a strangled snarl as he ejaculated.

The ache that had been building in Talrik's loins had culminated into an incredible amount of pressure, such that the first shot of salty-sweet spunk into the Trianii's muzzle caused her to jerk back, swallowing the load quickly as her muzzle left the foxprick. The second load splashed directly against her face, his hot cum caking against her forehead and left cheek as she moaned, letting her muzzle hang open. The third shot, weaker than the previous two, messily marked her muzzle, painting the bridge of her snout white while part of it slid down her chin- what little had landed on her tongue, she swallowed without hesitation. To Talrik the scene might as well have been in an erotic holovid- it certainly affected him similarly, as he was able to grab his length and squeeze one more weak spurt from his tip, the milky-white substance oozing down his prick.

Before she could lean in to clean his cock, Kajex drew back from his position, prompting Syrra to glance back in confusion and disappointment. Her dismay only lasted a second as the wolf firmly rolled her over, causing Syrra to mew in surprise as she found herself on her back with her legs spread wide open. The sensation of unsatisfying emptiness ran through her as her nethers twitched and convulsed, aching for her wolf's cock once again- she didn't have to wait long, as Kajex slid back in, pressing his toned body firmly against the Trianii's as he started to breed her in earnest. Whatever words she would have spoken or moans she would've made were muffled as Kajex pressed his muzzle into hers, kissing the woman he loved most deeply as he jackhammered his prick back into her searing-hot depths.

Talrik watched with great interest as the two made love, the scene causing his tail to wag excitedly. Deep down, he knew he could not compare to the Jedi in terms of how much Kajex loved the two of them, yet he found himself unable to be concerned about it as the two shared in intimacy- not just because the scene turned him on, but because experiencing a fraction of that kind of love, from [i]both[/i] of them, had been more than enough to make him happy. So he did nothing but smile as he watched, feeling it would be wrong to intervene as their two bodies met in concert, looking into each other's eyes and whispering their love to each other in hushed tones.

He cleaned her face of the Amaran's spunk and shared the sweet taste between them as he rocked into her with smooth, rolling motions, his hips forcing almost every inch of hard wolfcock into the gripping snatch- every inch save the few that consisted of the large knot that had formed. Her athletic legs wrapped around the wolf's waist as she used them to pull him in deeper, moaning the wolf's name as it seemed to have the effect she desired. Talrik wasn't sure he was imagining the sight of her lower belly changing each time Kajex plunged into her cunt, the space below her navel stretching slightly to accommodate his girth- but her chirps and erotic cries made it clear she loved it.

Kajex glanced up at Talrik grinning. "Syrra," he whispered loud enough so the fox could hear. "I'm getting close..."

"Nnn... Kaaaaj," she whimpered.

He growled into her ear, grunting as he strained his knot against her netherlips. "Does it turn you on, knowing Talrik is watching you get bred?"

"That's [i]evil[/i], Kajex," Talrik said in awe, grinning. "That really isn't fair." He regarded Syrra, smirking. "Are you?"

"Y-yes," she admitted, gasping for breath as she pushed back against him, his knot pressing firmly against her sensitive clit.

"Do you want me to tie with you? Let him watch as I flood your cunt?"

"C-cum in me, please!" she begged, wrapping her arms around his neck, offering herself to him by squeezing around his waist and grinding hard. Talrik swallowed, watching with wide eyes as the wolf's massive knot disappeared into her cleft- now the fox [i]knew[/i] he wasn't imagining things, seeing a visible change in the space above her clit expanding slightly as the now-throbbing knot locked the wolf into place with a dominant snarl.

Syrra's eyes flew open as she felt the first fresh batch of thick cum flood her unprotected womb, the heat of his rich seed searing her inner walls and slowly cooling her arousal. The sensation of her lover's cock throbbing with each pulse was matched by her cunt milking the welcomed intruder of every drop he possessed, the Trianii yowling as she arched her back in an orgasmic reaction. Hot tears of bliss ran down her face as she shuddered, still holding onto her lover weakly as powerful waves of pleasure coursed through every nerve in her body, making her spasm every few seconds.

Syrra breasts rose and fell as she inhaled deeply into the wolf's fur, purring as his natural scent flooded her senses and brought her a measure of deep comfort. Kajex's body tensed only slightly as he pulled back, popping his knot free from her vaginal grip and watching in satisfaction as his seed oozed copiously from her cleft, a veritable creampie flowing from her soaked netherlips as she shivered.

"F-fuck... if you were a Trianii I'd be pregnant by now," she purred.

"If I were Trianii, I wouldn't be half as long," the wolf replied, nuzzling her neck. "And I wouldn't be me, either. I'd give up the idea of having children with anybody, as long as I can have you, Syrra."

She smiled. "No fair. You can't say those kind of things, they make me love you too easily."

"I love you too, kitten." He leaned forward, locking lips with her as they cuddled in post-sex warmth. Talrik smiled, scooting closer to them to get a closer look. His movements caused them to look up, suddenly aware that he was there. Within a matter of moments, Kajex had grabbed the fox and rolled him into the fold, snuggling him. "You're not goin' anywhere, kit!"

"I wasn't going to go anywhere," the fox replied with a laugh. "I just wanted a peek, is all."

"Had fun?" Syrra asked, purring as her tongue reached the places areas Kajex had failed to clean after Talrik had painted her face with cum.

"Absolutely. I almost don't remember what happened yesterday that set all of this off, it's like... like all of that was just a bad dream before waking up," he admitted, nuzzling into Kajex's chest.

The wolf looked apprehensive. "If that's the case... would you trust the both of us in the crew showers with you?"

Talrik hesitated, his green eyes staring into the gold of Kajex's- the look of concern and affection was enough for him to decide how he felt. "You know... I think so, yeah. Why do you ask?"

Syrra smiled, leaning over and licking his cheek. "Because we need to get ready for work, and our alpha's shower isn't quite big enough for the 3 of us."






"So now that I'm a permanent member of this crew," Talrik asked as he chewed on a ration bar thoughtfully, "what exactly would my role be on this ship?"

Kajex sat back in the pilot's seat, rubbing his chin as the ship drifted through the inert asteroid field. "For the most part, I'd be having you do some repair work, but mostly you'd be preparing our weapons and equipment, making sure we're ready to disembark at a moment's notice. I [i]might[/i] try teaching you how to pilot the ship, just in case we need a back-up co-pilot. If it ever comes to it, I will definitely have you man the ship's cannons. Mind you, though- I haven't been in any sort of space battle for 4 years, now. Last one I was in, it was in pirate territory and it dinged the [i]Rush[/i] something awful."

"How many hours do you have logged in ship combat?" Syrra asked as she used the co-pilot's yoke to steer the vessel carefully past each enormous chunk of rock.

"I'd say at least 400 hours total throughout the last 17 years when I started owning this ship. Bran used to make me run drills in a junkyard to keep me sharp, but I [i]know[/i] I'm out of practice. I really should find another scrapyard and get back into it again, if only so you can get a little time to practice those maneuvers too- flying with the yoke is far more different than flying via computer, as you're no doubt figuring out," he said while gesturing to Syrra.

"Could get a simulation pod," Talrik suggested.

"Those things are too pricey," Kajex grumbled. "Great for training, sure, but I don't see myself ever having anywhere [i]near[/i] the amount of credits needed to get one, much less the reconfiguration programs for a ship as ancient as the [i]Gold Rush[/i]." He glanced up as an overhead sensor went off. "Alright, we should be in visual at some point- just around that biggun up ahead."

They rounded the massive rock- Syrra swore softly in Trianii tongue, while Talrik let out an impressed whistle as Southern Star Station came into view. Some many decades, if not centuries, must have been spent constructing the array, a massive asteroid cluster that stretched many dozens of miles in each direction, with tall artificially-created spires and towers jutting out from many- all of it interconnected by pliable durasteel tube systems and support rods. As they drew closer they could see the gentle pulsating lights given off by the hundreds of large-scale gravity wells, keeping each asteroid and its neighboring siblings in check.

Most remarkable, however, was the Central Rock, a massive white asteroid at the center that held a slew of gravity wells around its axis, holding massive amounts of scrap in the miles-long space between it and every other asteroid closest to it, sectioned off only by the tube system connecting it to the rest of the Southern Star array. Long transport tube systems spread out from multiple orifices and angles to other asteroids, giving it the appearance of a ball caught in a massive, miles-long net.

"It's bigger than it looked in the holographic display," Syrra remarked. "How did they do this?"

"Anti-particle drilling, probably," Kajex suggested, pointing to one of the viewports within the hollowed-out asteroids. "The cuts are too clean for it to be machined work. Either way, it's pretty impressive."

"And well-defended," Talrik added warily, noting that each gravity well had at least 2 automated turbolasers defending it. "You sure we can trust these people?"

"Kyle said we could," Syrra stated confidently. "If they're being led by an Antarian Ranger, we should be fine."

"Unidentified vessel, this is Southern Star control tower- please state your business and bring your ship to a halt."

Kajex nodded to Syrra, who powered down their engines while he slipped on his headset. "Southern Star control, this is Captain Kajex Surnahm of the [i]Gold Rush[/i]. My crew and I are here on behalf of the Jedi Order- we have business with your guild leader, Ray."

"We'll be checking that claim, Captain Surnahm. Sit tight- we're sending a patrol team to scan your vessel. Any attempt to power up your engines and we [i]will[/i] open fire- no hard feelings." The communications line cut out.

Syrra frowned. "That's a little extreme, isn't it?"

Talrik shook his head. "Not really. Any region that wants to remain independent of the Republic and the Remnant is going to be armed to the teeth and willing to be harsh. They probably have a lot of families on-station to think about."

"It's a small mercenary outpost with no affiliation to the larger guilds out there- they probably have a lot of enemies who don't like them having a decent pie in the mercenary business," Kajex reasoned as he lounged back in his seat. "If it's controlled by a Jedi sympathizer, then it probably rejects Imperial contracts on principle- and has to consider defending itself against them as it is." He turned to both of them. "That said, there's no reason to believe the Remnant doesn't have it's own pairs of eyes and ears on the station, so mind who you talk to and don't say anything out loud- at least not in Basic," he added, looking at Syrra.

"Right. On that note, we should probably start teaching Talrik how to speak Trianii." She caught the fox's quizzical expression and explained. "It's a relatively rare language out in the universe- my people are very isolated, so it's rare to come across any offworlders that know how to speak it. Kajex is literally the only non-Trianii I know who not only knows it, but can speak it fluently."

"Only because I lived in Trianii space for a pretty long time. It's not [i]too[/i] difficult to learn," Kajex assured Talrik. "Probably an hour a day, you'll be able to speak it fairly well in about half a year or so. If we limit it to basic phrases just to alert us, that'll be a good start. Just keep your eyes open for protocol droids, they tend to be capable translators." He sat up, looking port-side. "There they are." They watched as a trio of starfighters broke formation and circled the [i]Gold Rush[/i] slowly- one of the vessels came into full view in front of the cockpit and Kajex whistled. "R-41 Starchasers. Not a bad model for a neutral outpost. I don't think we have to worry, Syrra- if they shoot at us for moving too soon, they'll do it with their ion cannons first."

The communications line crackled to life again. "We're detecting something of an armory on your port side, [i]Gold Rush[/i]. Are you hauling illegal contraband?"

"Negative," Kajex answered, annoyed. "I'm a civilian contractor, all my onboard gear is registered with the New Republic- it [i]is[/i] an armory, but you're not going to find disruptors or bio-weapons on-board."

There was a pause, during which Talrik looked a little anxious. "... My concussion rifle should be fine, right?"

Kajex nodded. "Packs a hell of a kick, but yeah. Keep it with you, kit."

The line crackled again. "Alright, you're clear for landing. You have been granted special docking privileges at hangar bay 3 of Central Rock. The Commander will be on Rock 7, you'll have to make your own way there. For now, follow us."






Kajex had allowed Syrra to perform the landing, and found himself greatly pleased with how she had performed. True, in the grand scheme of things it was no big deal to the average pilot, but it served as a reminder to him how far she had come, both as a Jedi and as his co-pilot. Seeing her serve multiple roles in the universe, watching as she did what every other co-pilot did and being able to see her as just another person instead of being elitist was comforting to him. He really had rubbed off on her, he realized as she smiled at him, getting out of her seat.

He felt Talrik tap his shoulder, turning to see the fox with an amused expression as Syrra moved out of sight. "Time to stop day-dreaming, Alpha- we've got a job to do."

Kajex smiled back and got up. "You got the stuff ready?"

"I put two DL-18 pistols on the lounge chairs, and your vibrosword. I still don't know why you carry those light zappers, Kaj," the fox added disappointingly. "I could've set you up with a nice pair of DC-17s"

Kajex shrugged as he strode into the lounge, tossing one pistol to Syrra while he slid the other into his hip-holster. "I don't like the DC-17's kickback, I might as well be using a military slug-thrower. I've used the DL-18 before, kit- it's not [i]that[/i] bad. And we're supposed to be low-key about all this, it's better if we don't have any weapons that an officer would use. Your C-rifle would probably draw more attention. But like I said, keep it on you anyway," he added. "A mission [i]this[/i] easy, I expect something to go wrong, and it never hurts to have some heavy guns on our side."

All three of them caught the stinging scent of rusting durasteel mixed with the strong odor of mechanical grease and oil as they stepped down the ramp- though the hangar bay was very well organized, the sides and corners of the bay were lined with tremendous stacks of cubed scrap. No fewer than 3 droids were shambling around the hangar, fulfilling their assigned tasks- Kajex regarded these with concern, watching them closely as the trio made for the entrance into the station proper. He didn't hate droids, per se, but found it enormously difficult to trust them due to programming. If he'd had time and isolation, he would have made sure they were safe to be around.

Central Rock was unlike anything any of them, even Kajex, had ever seen- the culture and languages of hundreds of human and non-human species could be seen just in the sector and floor they were in. Professions of almost every kind were noticeable at a glance; smugglers glancing furtively around them, bounty hunters strutting confidently, off-world soldiers jabbering in their native tongues, merchants haggling at the doors of their hangar bays, technicians tinkering with and swearing at disobedient machines, and musicians every few hundred meters playing strange instruments and singing in exotic voices for meager credits. The sounds of hundreds of alien languages mixed with the odors of the dirt, food and natural musks of its numerous cultures- a true cornucopia of the variety of the universe, packed in one moderately wide, extremely long hallway.

Every single one of them seemed to be armed in some capacity, but all of them had their pieces showing, slung to their backs, holstered to their hips or mounted on their wrists. The trio were not out of place in this regard, with Kajex's vibrosword on his back and Talrik's concussion rifle slung over his shoulder- but it did not escape the wolf's attention that more than a few eyes had spotted and followed the lightsaber on Syrra's hip.

That their gazes kept lingering on the Trianii's Jedi weapon was beginning to unsettle Kajex, such that he pressed on with a little more speed. He glanced at a nearby directory map. "We're on track, it's up ahead." Another turned corner and they saw the shuttle- Kajex sprinted, waving a paw. "Hey, hold the door buddy, we got business too!" A well-armed Rodian who nearest the hatch held his arm out, letting them in before allowing the doors to shut- with him were two Human mercenaries and what looked to be like a Cathar bounty hunter.

The green-skinned alien regarded the captain. "<Not many folks have business up at Rock 7,>" he noted with interest as he punched the controls.

"Why, what's there?" Talrik asked.

"<Central Rock is the off-world business hub for most- but Rock 7, or the Polaris Center as we mercs tend to call it, is where the real control of Southern Star Station is.>"

"[i]Usually [/i]strictly mercenaries only," the Cathar intoned. "Though occasionally some civilians are cleared- and you guys look the mercenary type. Lookin' for work?"

"We have jobs, thank you," Syrra replied politely as the shuttle began to move.

The Cathar glanced downwards, noticing her Jedi weapon. "Ah. [i]That [/i]kind of business." He turned to the other three, smirking. "[i]Jedi[/i] business."

One of the humans, a female with short auburn hair, looked between them with a frown. "Jedi? So you're here for that weird armor piece they found a couple of weeks ago?"

Kajex shook his head. "Just need to have a word with the commander on behalf of the Jedi Order, is all. What's this about an armor piece?"

The Cathar glanced out the shuttle's window, gesturing to the scrapyard. "Some Force-sensitive kid was doing some scavving in some of the older wrecks. That one right there," he added, pointing at a large, wedge-shaped battlecruiser that had been stripped down so much half of its hull was missing. "The [i]High and Mighty[/i], it was once called."

Talrik stared at it. "Looks kinda like an Imperial Star Destroyer."

Kajex was frowning at it. "It's not. It's an Old Republic [i]Centurion[/i]-class battlecruiser."

"How do you know that?" Syrra asked interestedly.

"Bran used to tell me about them," the wolf stated simply. "How'd it get here?"

"Got brought in about 3 years ago by hyper-tug boosters, found it on the edge of the Anoat system," the other human, a thickset blonde man, explained. "So this kid, Randi, she goes out and decides to poke around to see if the wreck has any more goodies in it that she can sell for credits. It's a common practice, poor kid didn't have parents and it was her way of making a living. She used to come back with a lot of nice stuff."

"'Used to?'" Syrra asked.

"Right, so she'd been hitting a couple of undiscovered hatches that had some valuable scrap- Old Republic-Era datacards and credit chits, some antiques. She was making a nice little bundle from it, made a lot of the merchants happy with what she found. But a couple of weeks ago she'd come across a high-security vault with corrupted programming, and managed to crack the thing in one go. When she did, she came across a bunch of war artifacts- armor, blasters, even a couple of lightsabers. One of the items was a couple of pauldrons. She said she picked them up and then her hands caught fire, melting through the vacuum seal of her suit. Can't see [i]how [/i]a fire could've started in the vacuum of space, but the burns were there when they found her."

"By the Force..."

The Cathar nodded solemnly. "She survived, but only barely. Medical boat caught her emergency signal and found her half-dead, with her palms covered in vacuum sealant. Poor girl had to have both her hands removed- even afterwards, she wasn't out of the clear."

The Rodian let out a sigh. "<Used to know that girl when I was younger. Always used to treat me decently. After what happened to her she was like an entirely different person- paranoid and scared of everybody, like she didn't know who to trust. She attacked a couple of her friends and she had to be taken to the infirmary to be heavily sedated about a week ago.>"

The trio looked between each other, trading significant glances. "Sounds like something we'll have to talk to the commander about, then," Kajex decided.

"Well, if you're going to see him," the Cathar replied warningly as the shuttle slowed down, "you may want to keep in mind that he does not appreciate being lied to. He respects Jedi, but he also makes it a point not to take everything they say at face value. If you go in there to talk to him, you deal with him straight, savvy?"

"We'll remember that," Kajex acknowledged respectfully, just as the shuttle came to a full stop. "Thanks for the advice."






They had been told to wait in the main suite while the commander addressed some on-station matters. None of them spoke as they waited, though they did take in the full view of the asteroid array from the windows encompassing the suite, gazing at the scrapyards many derelict vessels and vehicles. Despite the wolf's calmness, Syrra could feel a twinge of unease in the wolf's mind, despite the suite's rather plush interior and calming calming from an ancient music-playing device. She said nothing about it- Kajex would not have lived as long as he had if he didn't possess some measure of wariness, and if she had to be honest the story about the armor piece had unnerved her as well. Talrik seemed to be calm, though focused and alert.

Before too long, the hatch to the suite opened and three men stepped in- two of them were well-armed and armored in matching uniforms, holding their blaster rifles in a low-relaxed position as they flanked the third; a tall, athletic and clean-shaven man in a light teal jumpsuit, with braided white hair and brown eyes.

He smiled genially at the trio. "I was told to expect you sometime today," he said pleasantly. "I'm Commander Ray, I manage mercenary operations on Southern Star Station. Master Skywalker told me of you three- you're Talrik Lye, Imperial defector and expert sniper, obviously. Nice weapon, by the way," he added as he firmly shook the fox's paw. "And of course this lovely Trianii must be Syrra," he said, politely squeezing her paw. "And..."

The wolf turned, his golden eyes staring at the commander intently- there was no smile on the wolf's face, just a look of concern. For a moment, Syrra thought he saw the commander's smile falter. When he addressed the captain, though, it was with the same tone of pleasant friendliness. "Captain Kajex Surnahm, am I correct?"

She turned back to the wolf, who was smiling at this point. "That's correct, Commander."

The man waved dismissively. "No need for pleasantries, just 'Ray' will suffice. Well, come closer and have a seat, we have plenty to discuss. I'm glad you three were able to make it without any trouble. Plenty of dark whispers going around these days- always feels like the Jedi or New Republic are about to have more on their plate."

"What have you heard?" Syrra asked.

"My mercenaries hear and say all kinds of things," Ray explained as he reclined in a rather expensive-looking executive chair. "We tend to pick up jobs that allow us to supplement law enforcement on smaller, unaffiliated planets where the New Republic has little influence. When you look into the cracks of the universe, you can often see the scum that accumulates within- and lately, that seems to be of the Sith variety, whether that means Imperial Remnant nosing around, or evil-lookin' folks with lightsabers tearing up places for no reason. You start thinkin', 'when I get home I'll be safe,' but then you return and sometimes that scum starts to show up on the HoloNet News feeds." He paused, looking somber. "Nobody's come up to me just yet to tell me they're concerned- but you can see it in their eyes. I'm willing to bet plenty of folks saw you walking around with your lightsaber thinkin', 'is she Jedi or Sith?'"

"Must be a cause of concern for you, being the station's leader," Talrik reasoned.

"Absolutely, kid. Not a day goes by I'm not thinking of how best to help the people here. Never thought I'd have run of a place like this while I was serving the Republic- now I've got roughly 95 thousand lives to take care of. But it ain't all bad," he said with a sincere smile. "The people here treat folks honest, regardless of race- you need to find anything or stay hidden, you'll find it here and here you'll never be found. Have any of you ever been to this station before?" They shook their heads. "Really? A shame. If we didn't have business to attend to, I'd actually like to show you around, but I'm sure you'll want to deliver the artifact we've found back to your Jedi Order, after you've heard about it a bit."

"A few mercenaries in the shuttle told us it caused considerable injury to a young scavenger on the station," Syrra said with a measure of concern in her voice. "Whatever this artifact is, it sounds dangerous."

Ray nodded solemnly. "You're correct about that, ma'am- they told you right. After that little incident occurred, we had a few of our technicians look at some of the datacards she had salvaged earlier to find clues as to the nature of the ship. Wasn't until a week and a half ago, around the time I contacted the Jedi Order, that we discovered the [i]High and Mighty[/i] had been a vessel missing in action since long before the start of the Jedi/Sith Cold War. Alot of the hull's been stripped away, but we determined the ship used to be part of Revan's Sith Empire."

"Revan?" Kajex repeated, his ears perking up in interest.

"A Jedi Knight of great power who led a group of fellow Jedi to aid the Republic during the Mandalorian Wars," Ray explained.

"But... you said 'Sith Empire'," Syrra responded, confused.

"Well hold on, Miss, it's a long story. I'll try to shorten it up a bit- it was 'round the time the Mandalorian War kicked into full gear. The Jedi Order back then didn't do anything to stop it, despite being asked by the Republic several times. Revan was one of those Jedi who didn't like waiting around while the rest of the universe burned, so he defied the Jedi Council and convinced a pretty large following of Jedi to come with him and aid the Republic. He ended up becomin' the Republic's Supreme Commander, leading them to victory. Story goes that somewhere after the war, he and his buddy came across the Sith Emperor himself and were seduced by the dark side of the Force, becoming Sith themselves. Eventually he and his friend, Darth Malak, attacked the Republic and sparked the Jedi Civil War, killing or converting Jedi while re-establishing a Sith academy on Korriban."

"Why was it called the 'Jedi' Civil War if the Sith were involved?" Talrik asked.

"Because back then the Sith were basically unknown to the universe at large," Ray replied. "So when the Republic saw a couple of guys with lightsabers doing battle with other Jedi, they just assumed they were Jedi with different philosophies. The general public sure as hell couldn't tell the difference. Anyway, the Jedi fought back and managed to injure and capture Revan- but rather than kill him in his weakened state, they used the Force to wipe his mind and gave him a new life as a soldier, under the care of a young Jedi Knight named Bastila Shan."

"I've heard this name before," Syrra said softly, her eyes widening. "She was a master tactician and charismatic leader of the Republic's forces, a legend among Jedi."

"That's exactly right," Ray acknowledged. "So after a while Revan started getting parts of his memories back, right as they were trying to end the Jedi Civil War by taking out Darth Malak, and the Jedi allowed him to become a Jedi again even though he didn't know he'd been Revan. Eventually he figured it all out, decided to stick with the light side and managed to take Malak down, ending the war. Now, I'm telling you all of this because I think it's important you realize the extent of how evil Malak and his part of the Empire was- they were the ones that bombed Taris into the wasteland it still is today, killing billions in its orbital bombardment. That kind of darkness is appealing to very few, and any ship captain who was a part of that would probably be drawn to items of dark-side sway."

"You think this artifact, whatever it is, is all the more dangerous because the Sith Empire possessed it?" Kajex asked.

"Absolutely. Whatever else the Sith may have done throughout history, they ain't never been interested in trinkets." He turned his eyes to Syrra. "Master Skywalker probably told you that I served alongside the Jedi as an Antarian Ranger. It's true. I was right there with them during the Clone Wars, and the entire time I worked with the Jedi, I saw some of the strangest things in the universe- and some of the darkest. The Force doesn't flow through me like it does you, kid," he gestured to her, "but that doesn't mean I ignore those bad feelings I sometimes get when I spot something that looks decent on the surface, but gives off a vibe that puts the fear in you. This thing here hurt a girl only a few years younger than you- and I get the feeling it also drove her crazy. I can't have something like this remain on the station where it could influence or hurt other people."

"We intend to practice as much care as possible," Syrra assured him.

"Well, I suppose there's no sense in keeping you three in suspense." He ducked behind his desk, extracting a narrow steel case with several latches and setting it on the desk. The case seemed to hiss every time Ray disengaged a latch, starting from the sides and working into the center- he lifted the lid and a louder, serpent-like hiss seemed to emanate from the pressurized case, a brief puff of cool air blowing through the cracks, revealing two mangled pauldrons of medium size, made of a blackened metal alloy and lined with a red trim.

Talrik frowned. "That's it? Doesn't look like much."

Syrra shivered. "You may not feel it, but I do. It feels dangerous- very cold." She turned to Kajex, whose expression was unreadable. "What do you think?"

Kajex didn't answer immediately. "They look ancient. Check the inscription on the red trim- that's... I dunno what kind of language or script that is. But I'm thinking Kyle Katarn was probably right- this is likely a Sith artifact." He shuddered a bit. "Close that thing, it's starting to give [i]me[/i] the willies..."

Ray obliged, snapping the case shut- the latches resealed automatically with several clicks, followed by the sound of the case re-pressurizing itself as he sat down. "I'll be frank with you three- taking these things off my hands is not the only thing I want you to do."

Kajex raised an eyebrow. "Something else?"

"Some[i]one[/i] else. The girl that was central to all this, Randi." He looked hesitant, peering at each of the trio as if he were measuring them up. "I want you to take her with you to Yavin 4. We've tried several times to rehabilitate her using sedative compounds and therapy sessions- Southern Star Station isn't wanting for high-end medical centers, we tend to have a lot of injuries as a scrapyard and mercenary hub. But her scarring is deep- I'm thinkin' a touch of the dark side hit her when she picked these things up, made her lose her mind. I don't think we can help her anymore- but maybe the Jedi Order can."

Syrra glanced at the wolf, who seemed troubled as he spoke. "I understand the need to get her off-station, but my ship isn't equipped for transporting someone who could be mentally unstable, commander. No padded cells or restraints, that sort of thing. I've only ever transported criminals with binders after knocking them unconscious."

"Well, fortunately you wouldn't need to worry about her being up and about, tearing your ship apart. I'm perfectly willing to part with one of the station's medical stasis pods to keep her in suspended animation until you get to the Jedi Order- you can keep it afterward, free of charge. And I'd be happy to compensate you with a standard passenger fee, Captain."

Kajex waved his paw. "No, don't worry about any fees. This would be the right thing to do." Syrra gave him an approving smile as he glanced at her. "I'm not a Jedi Master, but I'm still Syrra's mentor- and that means the things [i]I[/i] do reflect on her and the Jedi Order as well. As long as this kid is incapacitated for transport, that's fine."

"Great to hear, Captain. It'll take a few hours for her to be officially discharged and sent to your ship. As far the 'package'..." He shifted it forward to Talrik. "I think it's best if this lad were to carry it. If anyone suspects that you're carrying this thing, they'll think either of you two will be the ones carrying instead," he explained to Syrra and Kajex.

The wolf frowned. "Do you expect anyone to know about these things?"

Ray seemed to hesitate a moment before shrugging. "I honestly couldn't say, Captain Surnahm. But as I said before, I have to keep a watch over the goings-on of 95 thousand sentient beings- and it hasn't escaped my notice that a few of them have expressed partial support to the Imperial Remnant."

"And you haven't evicted them?" Talrik asked as he grabbed the case and slipped it into his satchel.

"Kid, politics tend to give me a headache. I put up only with the politics of this station because it's my job to do it. I respect the New Republic for what it's trying to do, and as tyrannical as they are I can see the few positive effects of the Imperial Remnant's territories. I don't want none of that in this region- but I ain't gonna boot out some merchant and his family just because he likes how safe Imperial hyperspace lanes and trade routes are. That said, I know for a fact the Imperial Remnant has a vested interest in locating Force-imbued artifacts, and it would be foolish to assume they don't have at least one agent around here that may have picked up on what's happened recently."

"In that case we'd better get out of your way so we can leave as soon as possible," Kajex suggested as he stood, holding his paw out as Ray also got too his feet. The two men shook hands. "It was good seeing you, Commander. I'm sorry we couldn't stay to chat and experience the station in full- although I might have to come back here for some Life-Day shopping later."

Ray smiled genially. "It's been my pleasure, Captain Surnahm- and you two as well. I'll have Hangar 3 put under high security while they move Randi on-board- you'll be given clearance to every facility on the array while you wait, free of charge."

"It was good meeting you," Syrra said as she shook Ray's hand.

"And you as well, padawan. I'm glad to see Skywalker's students and associates are as decent and dedicated as the Jedi of the old Order. Give Master Skywalker my best regards, and watch yourselves out there."






"Keep that case in front of you, kit," Kajex muttered out the side of his muzzle. "Last thing we want is some light-fingered frakhead grabbing it like an old lady's handbag." He nodded approvingly as Talrik shifted his satchel so it rocked against his stomach while they walked.

Syrra frowned. "We should have just dropped that thing off on the ship," she said tensely.

Talrik flattened his ears. "Hey, I was hungry, Syrra- and besides, I still think it would've been a bad idea to leave it alone on the ship while we were out."

They had decided to grab a bite to eat at a pasta establishment close to Core Rock's single-digit hangar bays, only to be disappointed with the food and leaving early with their hunger moderately sated (and their sense of taste offended). The best that could be said was that at least Ray had been true to his word, and they were not required to pay for their sub-par meal- though Kajex had offered a few choice words to the establishment owner that caused Syrra and Talrik's ears to burn, even if it [i]did[/i] raise approving applause from other patrons. They did all agree, however, that Retsa's frozen noodles were far better- which was a shame given that Kajex had run out the previous evening.

They had been told it would take at least another two hours before their subdued passenger would be transported to the hangar bay, at which point Kajex's presence would be required to get the pod into the ship properly. At this point all three of them were simply looking for ways to kill time without killing their limited wallets. But whether it was because they were too tense to enjoy their surroundings or because the food they'd ordered had left a literal sour taste in their muzzles, they found it difficult to focus on the otherwise positive environment.

"One of us could have stayed on the ship, though," Syrra suggested.

Kajex shook his head. "I'm just not comfortable with that idea, Syrra. We're a pack- the only time we split up is when it's necessary. Besides, we could do with some time to stretch our legs while we look around and do some window-shopping. It's been years since I've had enough credits to purchase a thing that I want rather than need. Just bits of dumb stuff- maybe some figurines to put on the cockpit dashboard or some other fun crap."

Syrra couldn't help but laugh. "Fair enough." She gazed around them. "There's so much life around here. It's almost deafening, trying to keep track of everyone around me- but in a good way."

"Reign it in a bit," Kajex suggested, squeezing her shoulder as they rounded a corner. "Might want to focus just in case we come across anything or anyone unexpec--" he cut himself off as he stopped short, nearly bumping into a figure his size. Turning to apologize to the person, the words died on his lips as he stared into the face of an albino wolf.

Knight Locke's silver-blue eyes widened in surprise as a pleased smile spread across his muzzle. "I'll be damned. If it isn't Captain Kajex Surnahm."

