"In Depth Negotiations: the Bodyguard's Woes"

James warily stood a few steps behind his hapless employer, who was busy staring slack-jawed into space waiting for the Eldar to arrive. As a bodyguard he did not like that Amadeus Trask had agreed to trade with the Eldar of Craftworld Alaitoc. For James, this meant that Trask again walked straight into the jaws of death as if nothing could go wrong. "Damn huckster, thinking more about his profits than his life. I save him from a genestealer attack on that one ancient asteroid station, and all he can do is rant about 'the wonderful sample of archeotech that he found'. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was trying to kill himself."

However, it wasn't his job to question his employer's sanity, so James kept his mouth shut. And yet he found it extremely hard to believe that his employer could actually trust the Eldar. James was aware of these xenos' reputation for trickery and deceit. As a result of their manipulation, millions of people died - and all to save a few hundred of their kind at most. Damned xenos. He had never approved of Trask's dealings with the Exodites either, but at least they could be trusted to keep their end of a deal.

A faint hissing sound and the report of the auspex officer about the appearance of an Eldar ship moving towards them distracted him long enough to draw his attention towards the xenos ship. It was smaller than the Fearless-class light cruiser that served as Trask's flagship, but surpassed them in grace, agility and firepower. Despite his hostility to the xenos and their technology, James could not help but recognize the beauty and grace with which the Eldar ship sailed through interstellar space.

When the ship docked, James was the  first to step aboard the xenos ship. While the Eldar demanded that they both come unarmed, Amadeus allowed James to take a knife and his Hellpistol in the concealed holster under his uniform. The entrance was guarded by two Eldar Guardians; James was no stranger to their kind. The volley of monomolecular blades from their weaponry could frighten inexperienced PDF soldiers, but the former Kasrkin was not so easily shaken. Living a stone's throw away from the Eye of Terror had a way of inuring a person to fear if they could stay sane in the face of the monstrosities it spewed out.

At the entrance they immediately met Autarch Kayleth. She was in full armor and her weapons were sheathed but visible - clearly a sign that she planned to betray them sooner rather than later. How could his employer be so blind to danger?
When Amadeus slightly bowed to welcome her, James looked at him with disapproval. "How could he demean himself like this? He really is crazy," thought the bodyguard. The alien maiden gestured them to follow her.

They walked through the corridors of the ship, with James remaining in a state of constant vigilance. Although this was not the first time they had met with the Eldar of Alaitoc, the potential for treachery on their part had not diminished as far as he was concerned. The corridors were monotonous, and the alien, almost organic geometry was somewhat uncomfortable for James to look at, even after the first few times he had boarded it.

Soon they came to a meeting room where the Eldar were waiting for them. Among them James recognized one Me'risu, who Trask had mentioned in passing a few times to him. She seemed strikingly different from the rest of the Craftworld's merchants - lively, sociable, and seething with energy and enthusiasm. James wondered if she was younger than the other Eldar present, but since they all looked the same regardless of their actual age one could never tell.

She was dressed in a superficially simple turquoise sleeveless dress decorated with red and golden elements. Two turquoise ribbons were woven in the feathered smooth scarlet hair that framed her face,  contrasting with her emerald eyes that shone with excitement and curiosity. James noticed that she looked at him with undisguised interest and slightly smiled in his direction before she welcomed the Rogue Trader.

James still distrusted the Eldar race as a whole, but her sincerity and kindness made her far more approachable by far than the rest of her kin. He could even say that she seemed friendly, if only by comparison to the rest of her kind.

Over the next three hours during the negotiations, James remained a few paces behind Amadeus as he held talks with the different Eldar traders. The bodyguard did not listen to what they were talking about.  He was more concerned about the inevitable ambush he was certain would be sprung on them sooner or later.He felt like he was sitting between the closing jaws of a trap, even though it was not the first such talk he had been a part of. Several times throughout the meeting, he noticed that Me'risu had been watching him intently, only to turn away whenever he showed signs of noticing her. It was unnerving for him, and not knowing why she would be doing it just kept him even further on edge. 

As the meeting came to a lull and the Eldar started to discuss amongsth themselves, Amadeus began a lively conversation with Me'risu. Apparently, she was genuinely pleased to be able to communicate with Trask - she was very friendly and often asked the Rogue Trader questions about the many sights he had seen as he had travelled across the galaxy. 

Soon, however, their conversation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Autrarch, who curtly announced that the meeting had to be cut short. James was as surprised as his employer; usually these meetings stretched to five or six hours in length. The Rogue Trader and the Autarch exchanged a few words, and she abrubtly ordered him to follow if he wished to speak further.

When Amadeus started to follow the Eldar warrior to another room, James made a move to follow him, but his employer motioned him to remain where he was. While he did not agree with the order and was suspicious of the Autarch's motives, James obeyed and stood still, nervous. That Autarch xenos was bad news, and he wasn't happy with her and Lord-Captain Trask being alone.

Meanwhile, almost all of the rest of the Eldar had left the meeting room except for Me'risu, who had unexpectedly turned to address the Cadian. 

"I greet you!", the Eldar spoke, her green eyes sparkling.

"Ma'am!" James answered, stiffening at attention, his natural wariness spurred by being adressed directly.

"Be at ease, warrior." the young trader laughed in her sing-song voice, "You are here for a parley, are you not? No harm will come to you or your employer, unless you should offer violence first."

"Then why were the talks dismissed so abruptly?"

"Nothing sinister. The Autarch merely wished to remind everyone that it was time to leave, should they wish to return to Alaitoc in time for the Festival. Her abruptness comes from her Path, not her  intent."

"Festival?" James blinked. Even though he hadn't followed everything, he was pretty certain no mention had been made of a festival.

"Yes. For the Eldar, it is the end of the Times of Shadow, hence Alaitoc throws a feast to celebrate this. It happens rarely enough that to force anyone to miss it when it can be avoided is senseless."

"I... see..." he answered even though it was clear he did not. James had never been one for official celebrations much in any case, the Kasrkin training having bludgeoned any sort of frivolous behaviour out of him long before and replaced it with a sense of duty.

"Do they not have festivities on your planet?" the Eldar asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Not really, no!" James answered bluntly, "Home's definition of 'fun' is teaching the youngsters how to field-strip a lasgun, or creep up on a sentry unnoticed."

"Surely you jest..." the trader smiled uneasily, "What good can come of teaching children how to fight?"

"No, ma'am, I am not." James said softly, his stony expression making clear he meant every word he'd said, "Any child who can't field-strip his own lasgun by age ten was born on the wrong planet."

The young Eldar looked at him, horror in her expression. "What planet do you hail from, then, that it must remain crushed in Khaine's grip forever?"

"Cadia." James answered, the single word holding more emotion in its short uttering than everything else he'd said so far. "Home's Cadia. And who or what is Khaine?"

"Kaela Mensha Khaine, the Bloody-Handed One, Lord of Battles." she shivered as she invoked the name of the Eldar War God, "We Eldar rever him for his might and prowess, but we avoid calling upon him whenever whe can."

"Oh, some kind of War spirit, I see." James plowed on bluntly, "Cadia is located next to the Ocularis Terribus. When you live somewhere where you but have to raise your eyes toward the sky to see one big ugly place where your enemy hides, you make ready to deal with him whenever he tries to get out. And since he's always trying to get out, well, you make sure you're always ready!"

James watched as the Eldar shivered at his words, clearly shaken by their impact. "How...", she started, "how is it that your soul is so... tainted by violence and yet I can hear such longing, such peace when you speak about your planet? How can you not hate such a place, where Khaine reigns supreme, where harmony has been broken and which lies almost within... She-Who-Thirsts' grasp?" the last words she said in a whisper, as if afraid of someone or something.

The words made James smile, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. The young Eldar wasn't the first to utter them, or something similar, not understanding the Cadians' peculiar attitude toward war and their homeworld and how they didn't hate it. "It's home, girl." he answered, still bluntly but with a hint of emotion surfacing. "It's where I was born, and Emperor willing, that's where I will die. Cadia is the first bulwark against the horrors from the Eye, and it has stood for ten thousand years tall and proud. If nothing else, that makes her the most beautiful place in the galaxy, the door closed in the enemy's face so others can live in peace behind it."

Quivering on her feet, the young Eldar remained silent for a long moment, clearly troubled by what she'd just heard. James took advantage of the lull in the conversation to once more look around, wondering where his dare-devil of an employer had disappeared. The reassurances of his hapless employer notwithstanding, he'd seen the Eldar she-devil take that Ork leader apart without breaking a sweat and wasn't happy with having her alone with Lord-Captain Trask. Not that he would stand long against her if it came down to fighting, but at least he'd be able to buy Trask a couple of seconds if he was present.

"Ease your soul..." he suddenly heard Me'risu's voice, "I told you, no violence will be offered to your master."

James' head snapped upward and he had to force himself to keep his hand away from his holster. Was the trader a witch, that she could read his mind? "Stay out of my head." he warned, his voice suddenly low and dangerous.

For her part, Me'risu only looked at him bemused, before gently laughing. "I'm not reading your mind, James of house Trask. I'm no Thought-Talker, merely a trader that has learned about humans. Your stiff posture indicates your wariness, your nervousness speaks of concern for your master, and the way you always keep Autarch Kayleth in your sight when she is present speaks of her being a threat to your eyes. The signs are there for all to see without any need for me to pry, even if I could do so."

James shivered, not entirely convinced, but he was spared having to answer by hearing the voice of Amadeus Trask calling for him, "James, where are you? We're heading back to the Chosen of Fortune," followed by his employer appearing at the doorstep in the flesh, alive and unharmed. Stiffly, he nodded to the Eldar woman and made for the door as she graciously bowed her head in return. With the negotiations seemingly having been concluded, he was glad to be getting off this ship and away from the blasted xenos.

As they returned to the ship, James was a little surprised at how agitated Amadeus was - the Rogue Trader walked back and forth and paced nervously around in his cabin, before seemingly coming to a decision and taking out his ceremonial coat from his wardrobe.
 
"Sir," James asked in confusion, "are we going somewhere? I thought we were going to leave this sector by now."

"Not exactly, James. First, I have to finish our negotiations with the Eldar. Due to, well,  certain unfortunate circumstances on their part, I'll need to finish the negotiations personally with Autarch Kayleth rather than in full commitee. Your presence will not be required." The Rogue Trader said without turning, clasping a handful of medals to his breat and sheathing his ornate but very functional power sword in the scabbard on his belt.

James' eyes widened in shock, unable to keep his stoic mask up when he realized what exactly Trask was saying.The Cadian  once thought there would come a time when his employer's antics wouldn't surprise him, but that had been a long time ago. Trask always seemed to find new ways to put himself into danger. Had the Rogue Trader's mind finally snapped that he was considering going back *alone* to the xenos ship? And on top of it, to discuss terms not with the relatively sane-sounding traders but with their arrogant, commandeering, domineering killing machine of a war leader? How could he not see that the only terms such a being could offer would be an unconditional "Do as I say, or die!", with no discussion or other consideration taken into account?

"Sir, are you absolutely sure that this is what you want to do?" James asked, forcing himself to remain calm even though he very much wanted to order the man restrained for his own safety.
 
"Absolutely,"  Amadeus calmly replied, as if he was completely oblivious of the dangers inherrent to going alone on the xenos' ship.

James took a deep breath and tried to make his employer see reason. "With all due respect, sir, I insist that I be allowed to accompany you. We can neither afford nor allow you to go alone to the xenos' ship."

"James, you're not in a position to decide what I can and can not do." Trask answered lightly, "No Eldar would dare to harm me; they are not stupid enough to throw away much needed potential allies such as ourselves, especially not after brokering what they believe to be advantageous deals."

James realized that he could not convince the boastful trader and slightly bowed his head in respect. "I trust that as always you know what you're doing, sir," said the chief bodyguard, the considerable uncertainty detectable in his voice.

"Of course I'm sure!" Amadeus snapped, clearly irritated by his insistance. James knew better than to continue the argument at that point, the more he'd try to make him see reason, the more the stubborn Trader would refuse to listen. A few years ago Trask made him his bodyguard after the Cadian barely survived the death of his squad, and in many ways treated him as his right hand and the most trusted man. Unfortunately, it didn't make his job any easier and when Trask got the idea to do something into his head, he never let go of it, and barred pulling his pistol on him, James could see no way to stop him.

At least, James noticed that Trask was not that foolish as to go unarmed to the meeting with the xenos. The merchant put on his ornate watch that was but a camouflage for his refractor field emitter, and he saw him slip an ornate ring containing a digi-weapon underneath his family seal on his annular on top of carrying the perfectly polished power sword that rested in its sheath on his belt. He knew the digi-weapon was a high-power single-shot device, more fitting for assassinations than for escaping a meeting turning ugly, but if nothing else, he could take some solace from the fact that Trask was not quite as much of a fool as he seemed to be and at least took his precautions to be able to drag the female xenos to the Warp with him if she decided to betray him. 

After Trask was finished with his preparations, the bodyguard silently escorted the Rogue Trader to the airlock gateway that would lead him to the Eldar ship and froze for a few seconds after Trask stepped through to board the xenos vessel. His employer did insist that he didn't need a bodyguard, and yet...

"A good soldier obeys without question. A good officer commands without doubt." surfaced in his mind; it was an old saying from the Tactica Imperialis and it normally would have been enough to stop him in his tracks, but not this time. "To the Warp with the Tactica Imperialis," he growled mentally, "I'm not a soldier anymore... I am going to follow my contract and do what he's lured me away from military life for, whether he wants me to or not," James thought.

Patting his hellpistol in its holster for reassurance, and looking around to make certain  no one could see him, the Cadian slipped into the airlock and saw how Trask was led further into the ship by the two Eldar who always seemed to be standing guard. Luckily, his boisterous employer in his ostentative outfit were loud enough to cover any sound he made, for he did not doubt the two Eldar warriors would have detected him otherwise.

After waiting for a moment for the trio to get a sufficient lead, James began sneaking behind them, holding a sufficient distance so as not to be noticed. The corridor in which they had  walked a few times gently curved with organic lines; the internal layout of the Eldar ship was different from the sharp turns and angular layouts he was used to in Imperial construction, and James was hard-pressed to remember his exact way through the ship. On top of that he was pretty certain the two 'Guardian' warriors weren't escorting his boss to the usual meeting room. Luckily, Amadeus' steps and the jingling of his medals and other decorations echoed loudly in the empty corridors of the Eldar ship, drowning what little noise the experienced Kasrkin made while moving and allowing him to follow and remain undetected without any real hassle.

But all too soon, James' luck ran out and  Amadeus and the Eldar Guardians passed through a door that closed off before James could slip through it. With no hint of controls for the door in sight on the smooth organic-looking wall, James was trumped. "Damn it, there's got to be another away around somehow." James thought, and tried to recall the route by which he went there the first time. He began to check the adjacent corridors and listened intently, hoping to hear the echoing footsteps of his employer. But all his efforts were in vain, and he came to the unpleasant realization that he had gotten lost in the corridors of the ship. James swore under his breath and almost jumped out of his skin when he suddenly heard a soft, sing-song voice from behind him. "James of house Trask? What are you doing here?" 

His conscious mind recognized the voice, but couldn't immediately remember who it belonged to, and it didn't matter. Years of training kicked in and with a fluid movement, the Cadian reflexively snatched the weapon from its holster and turned, pointing the hellpistol at the one who'd spotted him, expecting an ambush. However, instead of an armed foe prepairing to attack him, he finally placed the voice as belonging to the young Eldar Me'risu, who stood alone in an open doorstep, unarmed and thoroughly frightened by the whole situation.

"I intend you no harm, warrior," she added hastily, her voice trembling visibly as she crossed her empty hands across her chest, "please put away your weapon."

Only then did James realize that he  still had his weapon pointed at her-  normally this was a useful reflex, but one which would do more harm than good in this situation. Realizing that she was not a threat to him, the Cadian lowered his gun and put it back in its holster.

"Sorry for scaring you..." James said, feeling awkward and foolish. "Could you please point me to the meeting room?"

"Meeting room?" Me'risu blinked at him, calming her breath,"Why would you need to go there?" she asked again, more calmly.

"I was seperated from my employer, and as his bodyguard I need to return to his side with all due haste." After a pause James replied evasively.

"Is Amadeus Trask here on board as well? I thought that negotiations had ended. We are currently returning back to Alaitoc for the festivities." the young vendor said, looking at the Cadian in disbelief. 

"Lord-Captain Trask told me he still had something to negociate with your Autarch, something they needed to discuss in person."James said, and then reluctantly added - "He said that my presence was not required, but I still followed him - it's my job."

"That's strange. The Autarch has not informed us of any further requests..." the young Eldar mused, "But it is entirely possible, Lady Kayleth would neither need nor request our presence to discuss military matters." She then paused for a moment, assessing him, "Ease your soul, warrior. Your concern and boldness does you credit, but if he came on board at the invitation of the Autarch, no one will harm your master," Me'risu said soothingly. After another short pause she added, worry in her voice, "But you can not be found here. If any of the Steersmen found you, you and all Lord Trask has laboured to accomplish would be jeopardized. You must be hidden, at least until we return to your ship. Come with me."

"And where do you plan to hide me, might I ask?"  James said dryly.

"You should be able to stay in my cabin for the time being. With everyone prepairing for the Festival, no one should bother us. Please, come along," the Eldar said, stepping back and gesturing him to follow. 

After a moment's hesitation, James started to follow her. He was extremely wary, but no other Eldar had arrived to imprison him, and he rated his chances better alone in a room with the young trader than trying to play hide and seek with the crew for the next few hours. Carefully, he walked behind her through the winding corridors of the ship, trying to make as little noise as possible. As they walked, the vendor briefly glanced in the human's direction a few times, but she remained silent. Soon they came to a featureless stretch of wall, that revealed itself to be a door when Me'risu brushed her fingertips on a small crystal that apparently served as a doorknob.

"Quickly, before one of the Guardians see you." - The Eldar hurried and nudged James inside. The Kasrkin went inside and Me'risu quickly closed the door behind him by once more touching a crystal. 
"Well, be my guest until we decide what to do next," she said, smiling slightly. James, for his part remained stiffly at attention, his back to the door. They appeared to indeed be alone in the small room, but while his practical mind checked out every possible nook and cranny where an assailant could hide, the rest of his mind was churning.

"What's this talk about a Festival?" he suddenly asked.

I told you earlier today: the end of this cycle marks the end of the Time of Shadows." the young Eldar answered softly as she sat down, "It is an occasion for feast and revelry for the Eldar."

"Then why would your Autarch invite Lord Trask at this exact moment? And please, don't tell me she intends to allow him to participate. You and the others have made abundantly clear he wasn't welcome on your Craftworld."

"You are right in this, James of house Trask," she mused, "but maybe Lady Kayleth simply doesn't wish to participate. The Path of Command sets her somewhat apart from her kin, close as it is to the worship of Khaine. Her reasons are ultimately not mine to know, but once again I can assure you she will not harm your master."

James still was unconvinced, and he fidgeted on the spot, clearly uncomfortable with his current situation. Blinking, he watched his hostess pull out a bottle of greenish liquid, two glasses and what looked like small fruits. "Join me." she gestured as she laid out the items on the small table in the middle of the cabin.

"What?" James asked, quite stupefied at the utterly unexpected development. He had never attended a celebration of any type as guest instead of as a guard, let alone one where a xeno was his hostess.

"Join me." the young trader repeated. "There is no point to you standing at attention or pacing around like a caged animal. Your master won't leave this vessel until it returns to your ship in half a day's time, and he will be under Lady Kayleth's invite all that time. Sit and have something to eat in the meantime."

Warily, James sat down and accepted a glass of the drink. "What's this?" he asked, wondering if he should say or do something. Etiquette had never been part of his job description.

"Jeyevva juice, pressed from the fruits directly. I do not know its exact name in your language, but it is safe for you to drink."

Bemused, James sniffed at the drink before taking a small sip. The greenish liquid tasted sweet with a slight bitter aftertaste, reminding him of apple juice. With no apparent ill-effects from that first mouthful, he slowly savored the whole glass. Fruit juice was common on a starship, for it helped to avoid the crew getting sick, but it was often a horribly tasting gruel that had been processed and made dry and put back into water again when needed, and he enjoyed the freshness of it.

"So, tell me, James of house Trask..."

"Benson..." he interrupted her.

The Eldar woman inclined her head, looking at him quizzically and he explained. "Benson. That's my name. I'm not part of house Trask, merely in his employ."

"Ah, I see. I apologize, I intended no slight." As the human didn't react, she pushed on, "what I wanted to ask is, how did you came to be Lord Trask's bodyguard?"

"Why do you want to know?" James asked, but he managed to keep his voice soft, reminding himself he was fragged if she decided to throw him out, so he had to try and be as civil as he could.

"I'm curious." the young Eldar answered honestly, "I walk the Path of the Trader, and it is my fervent wish to serve Alaitoc as best as I can. Lord Trask and you are the first humans I have the chance to meet and speak to. I wish to learn more about you and your kind."
 
"I see..." James said. He didn't like the idea of being treated like some weird specimen, but he could see no harm in telling her a bit about himself. "Well, where to begin... As I told you earlier, I was born on Cadia. Like all Cadians, I joined the Whiteshields when I was ten."

"Whiteshields?"

"The Cadian Youth Army." James explained. "Cadia is a Forteress World. You're either training to become a soldier, a soldier, no longer a soldier but still helping the effort somehow, or a corpse."

Me'risu shivered, clearly shaken by the concept of a child army, but gestured him to go on.

"So, well, between my tenth and sixteenth birthday, I was with the Whiteshields. Lucky us, it was the calm before the storm, so we had a quiet time of it. We did see some action, but nothing really major, just a couple of pirate raids or a bunch of idiots getting in their head that the damn Eye is their salvation. Happens all the damn time, sadly enough..."

"You... They do not send out..." she then spoke a sing-songy term in Eldar and hesitated before continuing, her beautiful visage twisting in an expression of morbid fascination, "professional soldiers to deal with such?"

"Hah, no!" James snorted, amused by the idea. "such rabble isn't worth their attention. The real soldiers get shipped out to real war, against the Orks or the bugs or anything really serious. Anyway, I did quite good in the Whiteshields, first getting promoted to Squad Leader, then Platoon Leader. When we finally were officially blooded in action, we were recruited into the Guard proper and I was made Sergeant, in charge of my own ten-man squad."

"You barely started your Warrior's Path and already you were in charge?" To her mind it spoke of folly, those in command of the different smaller parts of a warhost were either Warlocks, who had survived the Path of the Warrior and now walked the Path of the Seer; or Exarchs, the doom-laden priests of Khaine lost on the Path of the Warrior with multiple lifetimes of experience to draw upon.

"Well, I'd already been at it for six years, mind," he answered, "but yes, it doesn't happen very often. As I said, I did quite good, and I was being groomed as a potential officer candidate. But for that, I had to prove myself worthy of the honor, and the best way to do so was for them to put me in charge of a small group and see if I could deal with it."

"And did you?"

"At first, yes. In the first couple of years, we fought around the Gate, holding back the occasional raid. But then... then the storm I spoke of earlier broke loose!" his voice became harsh and full of bile and hatred. "That damnable thrice-cursed whoreson of the Arch-Traitor, Emperor curse his bones, launched another of his attacks. another *Black Crusade*! And this time, it hit home! And we... we were unable to do *anything* as he and his traitors ravaged the whole Cadian Gate!"

"James, please..." He suddenly heard the Eldar's voice shaking him out of his memories. To his surprise she was recoiling from him, curling up in her seat with an expression of fear on her visage. "Your hatred... it is frightening... Do not give in to Khaine's call, for both our sake!"

"I thought you couldn't read my mind?" he snapped.

"I do not need to, nor would I want to. By Isha, I can... taste and feel your hatred and your desire to kill. Were you an Eldar, you would be restrained for your own good. Please, ease your soul and calm yourself."

Taking a deep breath, James tried to do so, but he found it difficult. The memories of being absolutely powerless while his home burned and his parents were killed fighting the traitors throwing in their lot with Abaddon was a raw wound in his soul that he did his best to ignore most of the time.

"Anyway," he growled, trying to get his mind on another part of his memories, "When Home was hit hard, we took it quite poorly, even though we prevailed in the end. When we were shipped out to the Eastern Fringe toward Ultramar to help deal with the Tyranids wreaking havoc there or occasionally convince the Tau to stop expanding by force of arms, we were... changed. Our sensation of safety, of being the bulwark of Mankind against Abaddon and his lackeys had been shattered and we behaved more recklessly than we should have been. I was lucky. I survived, I was suitably heroic while doing so, but I started losing men. Too many men. I simply no longer cared. So they switched tracks, and sent me to the glory boys."

"Glory boys?" she asked, a little more at ease now that he had managed to regain a modicum of control over himself.

"The Kasrkin - our elite stormtroopers. The guys that get dropped in the hottest spots with orders to die making the situation right or die trying." he quipped the well-worn joke about them.

"Did they order you to commit suicide?" she asked, horrified.

"Not exactly. Kasrkin get better training and better gear, but as I said, also get the hardest missions. "Die doing or die trying" is more of a motto than a reality, but even with the better gear, casualties are often quite high. It's not suicide," he assured her, "but the chances of a stormtrooper actually finishing a tour of duty are significantly lower than that of a regular guardsmen, and those are already low to begin with."

"And yet you survived."

"Aye. I had a couple of close calls, but nothing really serious, at least until Cephris Prime. We were supposed to oust the Tau out of the place. It didn't go well. When we dropped in, their battlesuits were all around us, and the assault that was supposed to break them became a meat grinder... until their fleet entered the fray, and then it became a rout, then a slaughter. In the end, I barely made it out, thanks to a couple of people still loyal to the Emperor and a smuggler who had occasionally served Lord Trask. He got me out of there and brought me to the Chosen of Fortune, along with some Tau baubles. As far as Command cared, I was either dead or MIA, so I had nowhere to go back to without being accused of desertion. That's when he offered me a job as a bodyguard, and here I am now."

"It is... frightening." Me'risu eventually spoke. "To my people you would be just a child, and yet you have lived and suffered through so much in such short a time... I do not envy you your life, James Benson, even though I envy your strength."

"Strength?" he asked. He had a feeling that she wasn't speaking about his musculature.

"Yes. Your soul is deeply scarred, and yet you do not succumb to the blood-madness of Khaine or your other emotions. It is a feat worth of praise amongst my people. You are stronger than your master."

"You're certain we're speaking about the same Lord Trask? The one who is fearless enough to stand still in the middle of a battlefield sniping a genestealer for his collection or go alone into an Eldar vessel, no insult intended?"

"Yes we are. Your master is a jaded one. He is dead inside unless he's chasing an new thrill, a new experience. That... is not worthy of respect, although he is strong enough to still be his own master and not a slave to his passions, which makes him more tolerable than most humans."

"You're exaggerating."

"Perhaps... I will admit I judge you by my kin's standards, for such are the only ones I know. But I stand by what I say. You are stronger than he is."

"Wait... that's why the other traders didn't seem to like him?"

"Mostly, yes. In him, they see all that they have been taught to despise about humans."

"And why don't you?"

"I try to look beyond what I expect to see. Your Lord Trask, despite his obvious failings, is a nice enough man. The fact that he chooses to deal with me when most of your kind think us unworthy of life is more than enough to set him apart from the rest of mankind. Even if he mostly does so in the hope of striking a better bargain, I do appreciate it. It is a valuable experience for me as a Trader to actually be able to meet with humans in peace."

"Wait a minute... You never met any of us before?" James blurted out as something clicked in his mind, "And you were berating me for being put in charge of a squad of soldiers while unexperienced?"

"It is not the same thing, James Benson." she smiled, "Inexperienced as I may be, the worst I can do is offer too much or fail to obtain something that is needed. I do not hold the lives of my fellow Eldar in my hands like a military leader."

"Uh-uh!" he grunted, clearly disagreeing but not willing to press the point further, "so, how did you become a trader anyway?"

"I have always been curious, ever since I was a young child. Do you know of the Paths?"

"Uh... that's what you Eldar do in life, yes? Your 'jobs', so to speak?"

The words made Me'risu giggle. "Crudely put, but yes. When I came of age and had to choose what I wanted to do, I first started on the Path of the Dreamer. I don't know if I can really explain what it entails to you, but in essence, it teaches one to remain lucid while entranced, allowing him or her to percieve the world with the mind unfettered."

"Uuhh... I don't think I understand."

"Do not mind. Let me just say it seemed like it would allow me to slake my thrist for new sights and experiences, and I wasn't wrong... at first. But all too quickly, the Craftworld started to feel to small, too stifling. I was young..." she giggled, "I'm still young, but I rebelled, my wish to see the rest of the galaxy growing stronger each day. But... that is something we Eldar do not indulge in lightly."

"Okay, you wanted to get out, yeah, that I can imagine. What happened then?"

"I seriously considered throwing caution to the wind and join a group of free spirits as an Outcast for a while. Luckily, Autarch Kayleth chastised me and put me straight before I could make any foolish decisions."

"Are you two related?"

"We have common ancestors, but those are far in the past. No, I just happened to live close to where she does, and she was kind enough to tell an unruly and overeager child about the places she'd seen while leading the warhost. As a child I idolized her. Today I respect her and look up to her. When she saw that I was about to do something stupid, she intervened, reminded me sternly of my duty to my kin and Craftworld, and told me to consider the Path of the Trader instead. It would grant me less opportunities to slake my wanderlust, but I would be able to do so in a much safer manner *and* in a way that would benefit Alaitoc rather than deprive her of one of her daughters. And here I am."

"Hmm, I see..." James answered, and he remained silent for a moment digesting what she'd said before asking his next question. "But still, you've piqued my curiosity: What exactly is this 'Time of Shadows'? I still don't quite understand."

''The 'Time of Shadows' is..." she then switched over to Eldar, uttering a string of eerie terms James could not hope to understand. Frustrated, she shook her head, "I do not know how to say this in Gothic. I do not think there is a term for it in your tongue. Simply put, it is the period of the cycle where the Eldar remember those that have died."

"What, you can't do that whenever you want?" James asked, bemused.

"No, we do not. We cannot allow ourselves to fall prey to our emotions, unless we do so in a tightly controlled manner. Such are the constraints of the Path. During the Time of Shadows, those rules are... relaxed, allowing us to... vent. It culminates in one night of carousing and revelling, one night where we can indulge in whatever our hearts desire..." the young vendor blushed slightly and looked away saying this, and James had no difficulty imagining exactly what she was referring to, "but only for one night. And the next day, during the Festival of Illuminations, we solemnly take up our Path and its strictures once more." 

"Well I'll be... what prevents you to have some fun whenever you can?" - James asked, very surprised that the Eldar only allowed themselves to indulge themselves once in a year.

At that, Me'risu shivered uncontrollably and hesitated a long time before finally answering in a tiny voice. "She-Who-Thirsts... the Great Enemy..." the Eldar whispered after a deep breath,"When we give in to passion, we risk attracting her attention and lose our very soul. But this one night ... we can indulge in our passions and love freely." After saying that Me'risu looked away, shaken and confused. Invoking the spectre of Slaanesh had rattled her, and discussing such intimate topics with a human was becoming increasingly embarassing.

"Okay, I think I get it." James said softly, "For what it's worth, I apologize for preventing to go have fun with your people with my presence here." 

"Do not apologize, James Benson." Me'risu said softly. "Your presence is no burden, and I was reluctant to go to the feast in the first place."

"Why, if I may ask?" 

"I..." the young vendor hesitated, not daring to continue, "I do not wish to insult you by burdening you with my trivial problems compared to what you've been through..." 

"Tell me!" the Cadian said, putting a bit of his old officer's bite in his voice, "Let me judge if I'm insulted or not!"

"Very well..." the Eldar continued in a slightly trembling voice. "I have no desire to go to the festival, because I lost a close friend. She and I were friends since childhood. A few years ago... She too was restless, and she decided to walk the Path of the Outcast, joining one of the Ranger troupes on their foray... In my folly, I used to think it was a brave act, but a couple of months ago Autarch Kayleth ... gave me the news that my friend had perished, her Soulstone lost. That is why I agreed to follow the Path of the Trader. I did not want to share her fate..." She shivered, her body trembling as the raw emotions threatened to overwhelm her, her mental defenses not yet restored after the end of the Eldar commemoration period. "I'm sorry for wasting your time by telling you this... It is nothing next to what you have been through, and I'm here grieving, unable to come to terms with a single loss..."

To her surprise, far from deriding her for her weakness, James merely stood and awkwardly hugged her, trying to reassure her. "It's all right, girl," he rumbled, "There's no shame in feeling grief. The moment you stop feeling grief is the moment you should start reconsidering your life!"

Taking a deep breath, Me'risu straightened, schooling her visage once more to a mask of calm. "Thank you..." 

"You should just leave and go have a good time, girl. You really need to get your mind off these thoughts, and relax every now and then."
 
"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion plain in her voice.

"Do you know how we deal with loss in the Guard?" he asked, and wasn't surprised when she gently shook her head in response. "We live. We wait for the next moment we get some leave, and we make sure to enjoy it to the absolute maximum. And that, depending from person to person, can go from picking fights with civilians or regiments from other planets, to getting smashed drunk, to... uh..." he interrupted himself, trying and failing to find a more polite way to describe the act of hiring a whore. "Anyway, anything that will have us dragged before the commissar and flogged."

"That is... a bit... unrestrained. Barbaric." Me'risu said hesitantly.

"That's how we make sure we're still alive." James laughed. "If we wait for our hypothetical Settling Rights after being disbanded to start enjoying our lives, we won't  live long enough to enjoy it. So, we commemorate the fallen guardsmen by living our lives to the fullest. Here, try this." James said, unfastening his breastplate and pulling out of the inner breast pocket a small flask. "It's an amasec ration." he said at her inquisitive look, "We call it the 'coping mechanism'. Although I think it needs to be diluted a little, it can be rather strong." After these words, James picked up the two half-filled glasses of juice and refilled each with a generous dollop of pungent, amber liquid.

"Here, try this." he repeated, holding out the glass in which he poured a little bit less than his own, being sure that the young Eldar was not accustomed to strong drink.

Me'risu took the glass and gently sniffed the drink. At first she only registered the fruity scent of the juice, but it soon mingled with the harsher, sharper one of the human beverage, tickling her nostrils.

Raising the glass to her lips, she took a small sip of the pungent mixture. Once the liquid touched her tongue, she felt a slight tingling slowly spreading through her mouth. While he was certainly right about how strong it could be, the act of mixing it with the Eldar beverage had made it somewhat more palatable to her taste.

After taking a few more sips, she licked her lips slightly and turned to James, who was watching her intently, waiting for her reaction. 

"Amazing, I did not expect such a pleasant taste from a human beverage." Me'risu smiled slightly as she poured a little more juice into her glass. After that, she held it out to James for a refill, and he obligingly poured another measure of amasec from his canteen.

"Please pour a little more,"  She said. James raised his eyebrow, but duly obliged his hostess. Much to his surprise, she was able to down the next glass in only a few sips.

James sipped a bit from his own glass and was somewhat surprised to feel the vendor wrapping an arm around his broad shoulders. She moved a little closer to him; the Cadian noticed that her formerly pale cheeks had become slightly flushed. Me'risu never took her gaze off the Cadian, her emerald eyes glowing as the drink lifted her inhibitions.

They clinked and drank from glasses together allowing themselves to let go of their worries behind for the time being. James was somewhat surprised to feel the slender fingers of the Eldar slipping into his black hair; taking a moment to set down the glass, he looked with astonishment at the Eldar now clinging to him. Me'risu's cheeks had turned a shade of bright pink, and  as she addressed  the increasingly awkward Cadian, she did the best she could to sound seductive.

"Well, I think now is the time for us to begin properly celebrating," the vendor said, her smile growing as she spoke. Without giving James even a second to reply, she pressed her lips against his in the most passionate kiss he had experienced in his life.

Shocked, James barely had time to realize what had just happened, but the feeling of her soft, sweet lips carried away any thought of resistance from his mind. A few moments later, he  returned the kiss and gently embraced the xeno while Me'risu ran her fingertips through his stubble,  enjoying the unfamiliar roughness of it.

Slowly, the yound Eldar sat back down, pulling the human along with her without breaking off their kiss. Surrendering to the passion that she'd bottled up for too long, she gave in without restraint, uncaring that she was enjoying such intimacy with a mon-keigh. It was unbelievable - none of her kin would have imagined  doing such things, not from the effaced and calm young woman that had seemingly come to terms with the turbulence of her childhood. But, like was the case for many Eldar, her wild side had meely been repressed, and now that she gave it free rein, she willingly gave herself to the Cadian, enjoying the gentle embrace of his strong arms and their passionate kiss. Me'risu had never dreamed that the second man in her life would be a mere mon-keigh, but that thought was swept away by the passion that filled her mind like a tsunami.

James could hardly contain himself either, embracing his hostess as he'd probably never embraced any of his conquests in the past. He had been something of a womanizer in the Guard, being a tall, strong and handsome man amongst his old regiment he had never had any troubles finding company for the night whenever he could; yet he had never been with a woman of such beauty as Me'risu. Her delicate, thin fingers buried in his hair and gently tracing the three scars from the claws on his right temple, the taste of her sweet lips, her soft red hair flowing to his shoulders, her perfect figure and fine pair of breasts pressed against his own chest - she was literally an unearthly beauty, slightly towering over him as she was due to her being taller than him. Some part of him tried to stop him, trying to remind him she was a xenos, that what he was doing was heresy of the worst kind; but their discussion before had already dented his conviction, and his excitement overrode it completely.

Soon, James released her lips and turned his attentions to her neck, tenderly kissing her silky skin. As Me'risu softly panted and pressed her head to his, James could feel the rapid, inhumanly fast beat of her excited heart through the pulsing blood vessels under her skin against his lips.

Me'risu's excitement grew and she soon felt that she wanted more from him than just kissing. Far from abating, the passion burning in her kindled stronger than ever before, even stronger than during her first night with a man. She pushed James back for a bit and with a lightning-fast yet smooth she pulled her dress over her head, leaving only her underwear.

James froze in surprise at the sight, drinking in her beautiful half-naked body. Her figure was inhumanly perfect - beautiful round breasts hidden in her silk cloth bra, flat tummy, finely built thighs and long slender legs. Me'risu blushed shyly - partly due to the intensity in James' gaze, partly due to the novelty of the experience of sitting half-naked in the lap of a mon-keigh.

"Do not look at me like that ... just ..." -  Me'risu managed to say before James interrupted her, kissing her hard and pulling her close to him. Me'risu could only moan with pleasure in his mouth as she felt their tongues entwine with each other.

Meanwhile, the Cadian fumbled with her bra, impatiently throwing it aside once he managed to unhook it. He wasted not time and immediately turned to her hard pink nipples, eliciting a gasp of surprise from Me'risu, and he began to suck and lick them, enjoying the unusual taste and aroma of her skin.

The young trader moaned, unable to hold back the sensation of delight that filled her at the feeling of James' tongue and lips caressing her nipples and the gentle chafing of his stubble. Eagerly, she pressed his head to her chest - these feelings were new to her and she did not want him to stop.

"Mmm, James ..."  she whispered closing her eyes with pleasure. Contrarily to what she'd expected from looking at him, the Cadian was surprizingly gentle with her, at least as far as a human could be called gentle compared to an Eldar. Still, while he lacked the finesse of one of her kind, his caresses were incredibly pleasant. It was obvious that he knew how to treat a woman, his tongue carefully yet forcefully caressed her sensitive nipples, his left hand deeply massaged her right breast, gently squeezing her firm breasts and tugging her nipple with his index finger , periodically pushing or tweaking it as he fondled her.

After a few minutes' worth of caresses and taking a moment to carefully put the glasses aside, James gently lowered the young  Eldar atop the end table. Starting from her lips, he began a chain of delicate kisses that slowly moved down her body towards her stomach until he reached her navel, slightly pushing into it and licking around the circumference with his tongue.

Me'risu looked at the man in surprise, but whatever she intended to say was lost when another moan of pleasure escaped her. Continuing to slowly move down her seductive body, James reached for her crotch and softly kissed her labia that already were standing out through the fabric of her panties thanks to how wet she already was. 

If he ever had any doubt about it, James could now clearly see that he was able to warm her up. Pulling off her silky fabric, he got a closer look at her crotch. Surprisingly, the Eldar's labia were very similar to those of a human woman; it seemed a little more pink, but perhaps  it could simply be the contrast with her pale, milky skin. He also noted that her crotch was perfectly smooth, with not a single hair in sight. 

"You like it?" the young Eldar asked rather sheepishly as she noticed his reaction. She still felt a little nervous, and was worried she would find her body not to his liking.

"Like it?" James growled in excitement, "Much more than like it. You're gorgeous!" he added with a satisfied smile, before burying his head between her legs once more. He delicately went to work, kissing her clitoris and then gently squeezing it with his lips. 

"What are you doi ... Aaaah!" - Me'risu was unable to finish her sentence as she felt the human's lips clenching her sensitive nub, sending a pulse of pleasure along her nerves and driving the memory of what she was trying to say out of her mind. Then she felt herself expanding as his fingers entered her and squealed with delight.  

James, however slowed down. The Eldar woman was tight as a virgin, even though her lack of freezing panic made clear she wasn't, but she was definitely not yet ready for more, despite the excited moans of pleasure she made every time James's finger sank deeper into her folds. James knew he'd need a lot more foreplay before he could go further without hurting her.

As the human began to alternately suck and lick her clitoris and increased the tempo of his ministrations, Me'risu moaned without pause. To her own surprise, she grabbed his head in both her hands and held him fast against her crotch - even though in normal circumstances, what this human was doing to her would have been humiliating and degrading, the young Eldar felt a vicarious pleasure previously unknown to her, and she was ready to willingly surrender to it. Soon, James added his teeth to the barrage of sensations that flooded her as he carefully began to nibble her clitoris and then stuck his tongue between her labia and began to fondle and lick her inside. Me'risu gasped loudly as she felt his tongue caress her sensitive crotch and then repeatedly enter deep into her.

Me'risu's breathing changed to panting shuddering breaths - she was close to climax, a climax from things she had never before experienced and her eyes rolled back in anticipation of this. James stuck his tongue as deep as he could, and at the same time gently squeezed her clitoris with two fingers, enjoying the aroma of her labia and the surprisingly pleasant taste of her juices. His tongue reached her most sensitive point, and combined with the massage of her clitoris, it was enough to push Me'risu over the edge. She screamed and moaned in ecstasy as her juices sprayed directly into James's mouth and face. Her legs convulsively clenched around his head and her fingers for a moment grabbed and pulled at his short curls as she rode through her orgasm. When her body finally relaxed, the human slipped out of her grasp.

After Me'risu recovered from her orgasm, James took off his shirt and proceeded to begin another chain of kisses back up to her lips. After a short and voluptuous kiss, the young vendor turned back towards the human.
 "How ... Where did you learn this?" she asked and then added sheepishly, "I have never experienced such a pleasure ...."

"You wouldn't say so looking at me, but I just know how to treat a lady..." the Cadian winked, "especially one as magnificent as you." 

Me'risu blushed shyly, flattered by the Cadian's compliment. After some hesitation she asked him. "Where did you...?" her blush intensified, and she stammered, unable to continue.

"In the Guard." James smiled. "Human women like men in uniform. Especially when there's a big strong guy inside."

The words made Me'risu giggle. She couldn't imagine it, of course. No Eldar would leave his Warrior Shrine wearing his war-mask unless he was going to battle, and the other Eldar not serving as Guardians would give those under the grip of Khaine's fury a wide berth.

"It would be unfair of me to let you do all the work, James." she whispered.

"Want to 'return the favor'?" He asked playfully.

"I would," she eagerly replied. She felt that she wanted to try and do a lot more with this man. "But I know not what to do. What does a  human woman do as foreplay?" -Me'risu couldn't help but let her curiousity get the better of her, kindling her desire further and renewing her excitement. 

"Well ..." James was confused for a moment, for the first time in a very long while he felt uncomfortable with a girl. "Usually they do what we call a blowjob or fellatio."

"And how do they do that?" - the young Eldar asked, clinging to the Cadian and playing with the hair on his chest with anticipation. In her state of arousal, she was happy to try whatever he might be willing to suggest.

"Well, it's quite similar to what I just did..." James said awkwardly after a pause. "In short you have to... suck my dick." 

"Oh! This is so vulgar..." Me'risu answered, blushing and embarrassed as she looked away for a moment. "We would never do this with our mates ..." She looked down and noticed the big bulge in his pants, which  acted like a magnet on her eyes, and her curiosity was driving her crazy. 

"Well, if you don't want to do it, then nevermind. I would never demand..." James started but Me'risu interrupted him.

"No, no, I really want to try," she said quickly. "Just tell me how to do it." 

"Okay..." - the Сadian said with a mix of relief and apprehension. "Well, the easiest way is if you keel in front of me..."

Obediently, Me'risu got off his knees and knelt before him as he sat on the couch. Plucking up her courage, she unzipped his pants and pulled down his underwear freeing his penis. The young Eldar's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly in astonishment. She had never seen a human penis, and what was in front of her face could really be called enormous. His shaft was almost a third longer than the Eldar male that had been her first paramour, and significantly thicker. 

As she hesitated, James gently guided her hand to his member and urged her to make some movements. "Take your time," he whispered hotly, masking his concerns behind his growing excitement. "start with your hand, and if at any moment you no longer feel like it, just stop."

Me'risu slowly glided her hand along his length and felt it throbbing to the beat of his heartbeat. Then she lowered her head but hesitated, unsure how to proceed.

"Take it easy." the Сadian said as he gently placed one hand atop her head and guided her to his shaft, "Just start with the tip .Don't try and force it in if you don't want to. " 

Licking her dry lips excitedly, Me'risu leaned over and kissed the head of his shaft and then licked it slightly. For a moment she closed her eyes, as if sampling the taste of his flesh. "Mmmm, a little salty, but pretty good," she concluded with a slight smile. Emboldened, she opened her lips and took the head of his shaft inside her mouth before gently sucking on it, getting used to the strange taste.

"Don't hesitate to use your tongue." - James said, and he let out a sigh of satisfaction when he felt her gentle tongue caresses the head of his penis. Hearing his sigh, Me'risu hesitated for a second, but James reassured her. "It's okay, don't worry, you're doing great."

As the young Eldar continued to suck him off, James sat back and relaxed, slightly holding her head and guiding her movements. Despite her inexperience, Me'risu really gave him pleasure as she caressed his shaft with her soft lips and gently tickled the tip with her tongue, playing with him.

Encouraged by his contented sigh, Me'risu tried to take more of him in. The response to her attempt was a satisfied groan from the Cadian. "Oh yess...." James hissed as he felt the head of his penis going deeper into Eldar's mouth, making squishing and sucking sound each time when Me'risu pulled back and then took his shaft in her mouth again.

The Cadian had definitely underestimated the young vendor. Despite her lack of experience, she more than compensated with sheer fervor, enthusiasm and tenderness. Soon James could no longer endure the tender assault and he started to pull a little harder on her head that his head almost rested against her throat. Doing this, he noticed that Me'risu squinting and slightly moaning in protest, and he immediately pulled himself together and took his hand away from her head. "Sorry..." he apologized, "Sorry, I forgot that you're not experienced enough for that."

 "Not experienced enough for what?" the young woman asked as she caught her breath, having released him completely.

"To take the tip in, as if you wanted to swallow it,"the Сadian explained. "It takes some practice to get it done right... Since your caresses were insanely good, I mistakenly thought that you were ready for this..." 

"Ah, I see..." Me'risu said, flattered by the fact that she was able to give him enough pleasure that he'd get carried away. "But ... maybe I still should try?"  she asked, playful sparks dancing in her eyes.

"Okay, but be careful. It's very difficult for ... beginners." James' warning fell on deaf ears when less than a second later the Eldar virtually pounced on his cock with abandon as if he hadn't spoken, causing him to gasp in surprise - she definitely took it as a challenge to be able to suck him off properly.

She quickly began to drive her hand along his rigid shaft and suck with such enthusiasm that James gritted his teeth so as not to moan with pleasure - it was definitely the best blowjob of his life, bar none. No human woman had been as enthusiastic as Me'risu as she sucked with delight, closing her eyes and reveling in the taste that was new to her, moaning slightly. Soon she paused for a few seconds and then slowly began to try to cram the head of his shaft into her throat. As soon as the tip of his penis touched her throat, she stopped for a few moments, and then pushed it a couple of millimeters deeper in before stopping again. Shutting her eyes against the weird sensation, she pushed his shaft a little more inside, but then felt it was simply too much for her and she pulled back, releasing his cock as she gagged for breath. 

Not willing to give up just yet, Me'risu gave it another try after catching her breath. This time, she managed to take in almost half his head, but was soon forced to released his member again when she felt that it got too hard to breathe and her eyes began to tear.

James exerted superhuman effort to keep himself under control, his free hand grabbing at the couch cushion with such force that his knuckles turned white with tension. Meanwhile, the young Eldar again started to swallow his cock, and this time she was able to swallow the head of his shaft albeit with difficulty. As she did so, James let out a shuddering breath. The sensations were just incredibly gratifying. After Me'risu released the head of his shaft from her throat, she continued to drive her hand gently along it and caress his head with her lips and tongue with incredible tenderness, and James felt that he simply couldn't hold on and would erupt soon.

He wanted to warn her, but the sensations were too pleasant. Instead, he just gritted his teeth and suddenly grabbed her head with one hand and pulled her head so that the head of his shaft again came into her throat. Me'risu moaned in protest because of such a sharp invasion and attempted to move her head back, but the Cadian held her in a gentle but immovable vice and she simply couldn't pull back until he released her head with a loud sigh. When Me'risu pulled the head of his member from her throat once more, his hot semen filled her mouth, causing her cheeks blushed deeply. His seed had a strange, unfamiliar taste, slightly sweet and the young Eldar gradually swallowed it. Releasing his cock out of her mouth with a wet sound, she caught her breath and looked up with a look of slight reproach to human.

"Don't think that I didn't like that. It's just ... to be honest, that was the best blowjob in my life. And once again I'm sorry,"James hastily apologized as he caught his breath. The rebuke in Me'risu's eyes disappeared and she blushed and smiled slightly, flattered by his words. But the smile was gone as soon as her eyes fell on his fading member.

"I'm glad that I could give you pleasure, but it looks like I missed my chance ..." the vendor said with a little sadness in her voice.

"Uh... what do you mean?" the Cadian asked, confused.

"You already finished ... I was hoping that we could..." she hesitated and blushed beet red before continuing, "share intimacy. You humans really lack stamina."

"Wait... Do you mean that your men can keep it up for a long time, but can only climax once?" James slowly grinned as understanding dawned on him and he thought about the implications of what he had just heard. 

"Um, yes... Can humans ... deliver multiple times?" Me'risu asked with widening eyes. Such a feat was unthinkable to her, an Eldar male would simply be exhausted from sensory overload after finishing.

"Well, for such a beautiful lady as yourself, I am definitely ready for more,"  the Cadian said and winked.

Upon hearing this, Me'risu literally pounced on the human, like a Howling Banshee or Striking Scorpion would jump out of ambush, wrapping herself around him and drawing him in an incredibly passionate kiss. "Well then,", she said once she pulled back to take a breath, "you'd better be prepared to do a lot more, because I definitely want to experience everything with you."

"Is it my turn to please you again?" James said with a sly smile and kissed her again. Their tongues intertwined once more and they both moaned in each other's mouths with pleasure. Reluctantly, James broke their kiss and then began to kiss down her neck while his hands massaged Me'risu's breasts and her hardened nipples, feeling his own arousal begin to increase once more. 

But soon the young trader stopped him "You are so entranced with my breasts ..." she giggled, "It's really pleasant, but you never even touched my ears ..." 

"Your ears? Are they that sensitive?" 

"Very." The Eldar blushed as she responded to him.

Then she threw her thin leg over his head and sat down in his lap with her back to him. Smoothing her hair aside so that it wouldn't be in the way, she added, "Here, try it."

The Cadian slightly stretched his neck and started gently kissing the tip of her ear. When Me'risu closed her eyes and moaned softly, he slightly tickled her earlobe with his tongue and kissed the tip of her ear again before gently squeezing it between his lips.

Me'risu slightly gasped and moaned as she felt the man's tongue slowly and gently exploring the curves of her ear. Pulling her closer, James began to caress her other ear with his free hand, his every action eliciting a satisfied moan from the young Eldar.

Seeing her reaction, James soon began to suck her ear starting from the tip, pausing slightly to tease with tip of his tongue. The whole thing was quite the novel experience for him. He'd heard about people enjoying these kind of things, but had never experienced it before, and seeing Me'risu bite her lip in pleasure as his caresses stimulated every nerve ending in her sensitive ears with each stroke of his tongue or pinching of his lips was deeply satisfying. James paused for a moment to lick the fingers of his free hand and began to caress her right breast, squeezing and pinching her nipples gently between two fingers. As he did so, the young Eldar began to moan loudly, her breathing became ragged gasps of pleasure and she began to fidget atop of him, unable to contain herself. Meanwhile, the Cadian sensed his own excitement begin to grow again and his member began to rise once more, as if it could sense the eagerness of the Eldar's pussy, glistening as it was with her own sweet juice, which slowly dripped onto his shaft. Soon his member stood at attention and he started tracing his head against her wet pussy lips, and every time Me'risu fidgetted on him with excitement, James could feel how her wet folds gently glided over the head of his shaft, which aroused him immensely. Continuing to fondle her breasts, James licked her ear with more strength from lobe to the tip, enjoying the unusual sensation of her silky skin and her melodic moans and sighs. 

As he did so. Me'risu tilted her head back on his right shoulder and moaned loudly. "Ah James, I ... please ... take me ..." she whispered between gasps from the incessant caresses. She took his shaft with one hand and slowly began to drive her slender fingers along its length while squirming with her hips, eager for even more. As James sucked on her ear with force and lust as if it was the best thing he'd ever tasted, she raised herself slightly and began to drive the shaft of his head against her reddened labia. Gently, she lowered herself and started inserting very tip of his head inside, but she hesitated and stopped, not daring to go further. 

Understanding that he'd need to take the initiative, James gently pried her off him for a moment and stretched out fully, lying down so she could kneel on top of him. Allowing her to ride him would be easier for her to take him in at the right pace, and he would be able to help her control the proceedings more easily.

Positioning herself atop of him, Me'risu slowly guided his shaft in between her lower lips, wincing slightly as she did so. James took hold of her by her waist and gently held her weight, allowing her to lower herself slowly as the head of his tensed member started to stretch her tight pussy.

"Easy, girl..." the human whispered as he felt her twitch and shiver. By the Emperor, she was incredibly tight, even a human virgin could compete with her in that and despite his excitement, he was concerned about hurting her if they went too quickly. With minute increments, he started to let her lower herself until he was able to fully insert the head of his penis in her folds. 

The young Eldar grimaced a little as she tried to accommodate the the organ within her, letting out a low moan of what sounded like pleasure. Closing her eyes and licking her lips, she stopped for a few seconds, and then continued to lower herself on his hard, thick rod, feeling it pulsating inside her. It had been some time since she had last slept with a male, and even then her last partner was nowhere near as big as the mon'keigh proved to be. Still, in spite of the tight fit, the foreplay had been enough and he had no major difficulties sliding further into her welcoming folds, gently stretching the walls of her vagina, the pain she had expected and dreaded failing to materialize beyond a gentle ache. 

When she felt as if his length wouldn't go in any deeper, she opened her eyes and almost gasped when she looked down at her crotch. By Isha, only half of his member had entered inside her! There was no way she could take him in fully, not feeling as stretched and full as she already was.

Seeing the surprise in her eyes, James smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry," he murmured in a reassuring tone, "ease back up, take your time and allow your body some time to get used to the size."
 
Taking a deep breath, Me'risu did exactly as he suggested, slowly pulling back up a bit and lowering herself once more. After a couple of such careful movements, her body eased up and stopped resisting the large organ demanding entrance inside her, she managed to gradually lower herself further, biting her lip as she felt like he would fill her up completely. In spite of some discomfort at first, she eventually managed to sink down to the hilt and she let out a shuddering sigh of relief and pleasure. For a while she didn't try to move, simply enjoying the feel of him inside her, and allowing her body to get used to his size.

Rising up on his elbows, James gently pulled her to him and they shared a sweet kiss, both enjoying the sensation of the kiss and simply being connected in such an intimate way. The Cadian lovingly stroked her back, gradually descending lower and lower until his hands finally reached her elastic buttocks, squeezing them tight and at the same time gently.

The trader moaned softly when James caressed her buttocks, reveling in the feeling of his strong arms running across her body. When their parted from their gentle kiss after a long moment, they gazed into each other's eyes and saw in them a reflection of their lust and desire, bereft of any mistrust or wariness at holding an alien in their arms.

After kissing her lover again, Me'risu began to move slowly, gently rising and falling on his shaft, feeling it gently stretch her passage despite how hard it had seemed to her at first. Gradually she began to increase the amplitude of her movements, gradually climbing higher along his shaft, and when James looked down he could see his member covered with her sexual fluids. James, feeling the excitement taking control of him, could do only one thing to please his partner.

He turned her head and began gently nibbling on and caressing one of her ears with his tongue, while with his free hand he began to stroke her other ear. The sudden extra simulation burned through Me'risu like an electric discharge running along her nerves and setting her whole body ablaze, and for a moment she stopped moving just to keep herself from losing control too early. She could feel the divine pleasure, feeling as if she was in the loving embrace of Isha. Lost in the intense sensations, she squeaked slightly each time the human played with her sensitive ears and uttered a loud moan of ecstasy each time his shaft re-entered her.

Not wanting to wait any further, she began to pick up her pace and the room filled with the sounds of her flesh slapping against his. The human's pubic hair tingled and tickled her clitoris a bit, adding to her pleasure. Soon she started literally bouncing on his penis, and her loud groans of ecstasy that filled the room excited James that soon began to lose control of himself once more. Grabbing the Eldar woman by her buttocks once more, he decided to take control the process himself and he used his arms and hips to speed up their rhythm even further, practically spitting and reaming the young Eldar with his rod in a frantic rhythm as he panted in her ear. Almost losing himself to his passions, he barely managed to keep gently sucking on her sensitive ear. It was enough to make Me'risu suddenly arch her back and utter a loud shriek of pleasure that filled the room as she climaxed. The walls of her vagina began to clench convulsively, and her fingernails left a few scratches on James' chest as she glared at him sharply.

Eventually, the young Eldar came down from her high and her whole body relaxed, and she laid down atop James' chest in relief, recovering after another orgasm. James let out a sigh of satisfaction as he felt the walls of her vagina stop to contract convulsively and the nails that just dig into his skin being replaced by the soft touch of Me'risu's fingers. But he felt that he wasn't satisfied yet. "Perhaps now would be a good time to take control of things," he thought with a grin as he envisioned exactly what he wanted to do. Gently propping himself up on one elbow, James sat up, picked up the young Eldar, and carefully put her down on the low table, all without letting go of her, and turned her on her stomach.

Kneeling behind her, he leaned in again and kissed her ear and began to caress it, causing Me'risu to purr with pleasure, slightly jerking her shoulders. Without stopping his caresses, the Cadian guided the head of his shaft and gently traced Me'risu's labia, now thoroughly soaked with her juices. Tenderly pushing his way back in, he could swear that her folds felt even tighter than before.

The young Eldar moaned through her pursed lips as he went deeper. Part of Me'risu was scandalized that they were mating like animals, the decadence of the act too much even for the Time of Shadows, but her thoughts were quickly swept away by a wave of pleasure as James began to work his hips and began to gradually pick up his pace.

Soon, the Cadian pulled her closer towards him and began to massage her breasts, without stopping to lick the tip of her ear. The barrage of sensations was too much for her and she no longer managed to restrain herself. She began to moan and scream with the pleasure that filled her with each thrust, James caressed her ear tenderly in a way she certainly did not expect from a mon-keigh. His strong and rough hands tightly yet gently squeezed and massaged her perfect breasts, forcing the Eldar to keep moaning gently, and she felt his shaft sinking into her deeper with each thrust. Her pleasure built, and and soon she rolled her eyes back and started to moan without stopping.

After a few more pushes she closed her eyes and squealed as she felt the head of his shaft poke against her cervix. This was completely unexpected rather than painful, but James still slowed down, mindful of her reactions and not wanting to hurt his lover.  With each of his thrusts forward, the young merchant felt like his penis was gently rubbing the bottom of her womb. In spite the passions that overcome James, he was careful enough to avoid hurting her.

Me'risu felt another orgasm blossoming deep inside her and, she welcomed it with all her being, reaching out with one hand and massaging her sensitive clitoris. It was enough that, combined with James ministrations, to push her over the edge and she threw her head back for a loud and long shriek as she rode out her orgasm.

James was almost deafened by the Eldar's loud scream, and felt the walls of her vagina clenching around his cock so tightly he didn't know if he could even pull out even if he wanted to. Unable to hold out any longer, he shot his hot load deep into her folds and Me'risu felt a warm wetness spread out inside her, much more than she had expected; any more and it would have flooded her vagina completely.

Exhausted, James pulled out of her and fell back on the couch, closing his eyes and catching his breath. Me'risu wearily sprawled on the table, still slightly stroking her clitoris and enjoying the sensations. Her hand lowered, and her nimble fingers darted into her reddened vagina. As she withdrew them from her drenched passage, she saw they were covered with a mixture of James' seed and her juices. On a whim, she decided to sample the taste of their fluids. She couldn't say she was expecting it to taste so...peculiar; it somehow tasted salty and acidic at the same time, yet wasn't in itself inherently unpleasant. She licked her fingers clean and again plunged them into her slit, wanting to sample more of the unusual flavor.

As she did so, she glanced at James, who was sprawling on the couch recovering after his orgasm and Me'risu noticed that his penis had not yet deflated completely. Grinning a wicked, predatory smile the young Eldar moved over and  leaned down upon the member of her lover. Licking her  lips with anticipation, the young vendor again took his shaft in her mouth, eliciting a gasp from the human at the unexpectedly pleasant sensations.

His eyes fluttered open in surprise, and with a mischievous  glint in her eyes as she looked straight into his eyes, she gradually began to take more and more of his cock into her mouth, lapping up their mixed fluids with her tongue. When the head of his shaft once more reached her throat, the young Eldar stopped for a moment and then she swallowed it completely, her throat gently squeezing on his head. Holding it there for a few seconds, she slowly released his cock from her throat and mouth, gently licking the remnants of liquids from the entire length of his softening rod as she did so. 

"Well, now I've done everything right, isn't it?" She asked James with a grin, as she leaned into the human's chest. 

"Yeah..."  James said as he wrapped his arm around her body, "you are really good at this," and then added with a sly smile, "although you might still need some ... training to hone your skills even further."

In response, Me'risu gently kissed her human lover and hugged him, draping herself atop of him as she got comfortable. The excitement of their coupling was dying down, giving way to fatigue and a deep sense of satisfaction."You were right..." she whispered softly.

"Hm? About what?" he asked sleepily, evidently just as tired as she was.

"Your way of dealing with loss... I feel better now." she chuckled softly, "I never thought it would take a human to make me see the errors of my way."

"Glad to have been of service." James quipped as he embraced her closer, and the two settled in a wordless, cuddling embrace; merely satisfied by one another's presence. Soon they fell asleep in each other's arms, tired but satisfied at last.


After a few hours of deep, restful sleep Me'risu and James woke up and spent a long moment just laying for a while in a silent embrace, just enjoying each other's presence. Then, the young Eldar yawned sweetly and gracefully slipped from the loving human's embrace and walked to the shower with an easy gait. Still reclining, James watched her swaying her hips and butt for his benefit. Me'risu knew that he was looking at her and clearly enjoyed to feel his gaze burning in her back.

 When she reached the bathroom, she clung to the curved half-open door and turned to the Cadian, smirking as she saw his violet eyes were fixed on her body as she had expected.
Winking at him and beckoning with an elegant finger, she entered the shower, leaving the door open in a clear invitation. James didn't need to be told twice and he immediately jumped up, crossed the small room in a couple of eager steps, and entered the shower where Me'risu waited. With a thirsting, expectant gaze in her shining emerald eyes, she approached him and wrapped her thin arms around his powerful torso, entwining with him in a gentle kiss. The strong masculine scent of his body combined with the sharper whiffs of the remains of sweat and other fluids after "celebration" tingled her nostrils pleasantly.

In response, James immediately deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around her slender body, pressing her to him possessively as he gently stroked her hair and back. James felt the taste of her sweet, soft lips and the floral scent of her flaming scarlet hair. Several times he broke their kiss and buried his face in her silky hair, reveling in their scent before Me'risu eagerly pulled his head back and pressed against his lips with a renewed passion. But soon James found a moment and again reared away with some reluctance from their voluptuous kiss only to turn his attention to her ear as he gently squeezed the tip with his lips. 

This caused a slight moan from Me'risu and she slightly giggled. "Ah, it looks like you've learned something, too," she purred, gently stroking his strong back and neck with her thin fingers. 

"I really learned a lot from you." The Cadian replied with a grin. "How about this?" he asked as he suddenly licked her ear along its entire length, gently and slowly, using only the tip of his tongue.

In response, the young Eldar gasped and twisted in his arms as he was doing so, her nails slightly digging into his back. "Aaah, you certainly ... umm ... you know how to give pleasure to a woman," she said as one of her hand slipped beneath his stomach to his hardening shaft and the other hand turned the shower on, warm jets of water beginning wash over their bodies. Then she turned her back to him with her hands pressed on the wall.

"I think we could train a bit more... we still have a few hours left..." - she purred playfully while turning her head and running her hand along the length of his rod which has stood under her wet pussy lips.

"Aye, agreed, I think we have to consolidate our skills." James nodded completely deadpan, bending to her lips and sending the head of his shaft in her eagerly waiting vagina. The door to the shower room closed, muffling the sound of streaming water and the melodic moans of the young Eldar. They could afford a little fun while they have time.

After a few more hours of lovemaking, Me'risu accompanied James to the gateway between the ships and on the move they discussed possible options for how to explain his presence on the ship to Rogue Trader. In the end, James agreed to tell his employer the truth, remaining silent about the details of how he spent time with Me'risu.

The thought of what might happen to him if anyone ever found out what he was doing on the Eldar ship gave him no peace. If James would have still been serving with the Imperial Guard, the violation of direct orders would have sufficient for his execution on the spot at the hand of the regimental Commissar, without any care for the exact circumstances, and the fact he'd consorted with a xenos while doing so would only have given the black uniformed enforcer more reason to execute him. These dark thoughts caused a chill to run down his spine and James involuntarily clenched his fists. Noticing this, Me'risu gently touched his cheek to calm the Cadian, wordlessly offering him support.

Soon one of the doors opened, revealing Amadeus Trask and Autarch Kayleth. Noticing surprise in the eyes of the Rogue Trader and stiffness in the eyes of Autarch, Me'risu decided to speak first, trusting her voice to be more convincing.

"It appears that your bodyguard is ready to follow you no matter what you ask of him. I found him sneaking on the ship after you came here," the Eldar merchant said with a slight smile. 

"I'm just doing my job." James hastened to add, with an outward calm he was far from feeling.

"Your zeal to fulfill your duties, even against my express order, will be discussed later, James," Amadeus snapped, his tone light but his annoyance clear. Then he turned and bowed slightly to the Autarch. Once more, the Сadian wondered how he could bow to a xeno, but then his inner voice reminded him of what he just did a few hours ago, and he pushed these thoughts away.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Autarch Kayleth. And I apologize for my bodyguard's actions. I should hope that this does not affect our relationship."

James felt the predatory gaze of the Autarch drilling through him like a Hades Breaching Drill, and he kept his face rigid with tension under her fiery, unwavering gaze, making every effort not to give the slightest hint of what he had been doing for the past several hours on the ship. Hearing the Autarch's dismissing the matter lightly after an intense moment of scrutiny, he felt a little better, but despite this, he still expected being punished for disobedience by his employer. When Amadeus and the Autarch finished talking, James' and Me'risu's eyes met for a few seconds and then the Cadian broke eye contact and followed after his employer.

*****

An hour later, James came out of the private chambers of Amadeus Trask and as soon as the door closed he allowed himself a deep sigh of relief. Everything had gone better than he could have dreamed - he'd escaped with a verbal warning instead of the bullet to the head he'd dreaded (and accorded to the Lex Imperialis, deserved at least a dozen times over).

Reassured, he returned to his humble cabin near the luxury suite of his boss. He collapsed on the bed and for a long time just laid there, thinking about what he did today. His mind immediately flicked to Me'risu, and his heart warmed as her beautiful smiling face rose before his eyes. He realized that he had fallen in love with the Eldar, as crazy as it sounded... and at the same time, he realized that all the horror stories about the fey xenos that were often told to children on Cadia to scare them were nothing but old wives' tales. 

Eventually, he fell asleep once more and this time, his dreams were not filled with nightmarish pictures of his past, and he did not have to drive away obsessive, repulsive hissing servants of the Ruinous Powers as he relived his struggles to defend his home. For the first time in many years, he slept with a smile on his lips and in his dreams was only his beloved.

At the same time Me'risu was in her appartments on Alaitoc, sitting cross-legged on a motley carpet with her eyes closed and measured breathing as she once more brought her mind under control. She was waiting for the imminent arrival of the Autarch Kayleth, who had requested to speak with her, and despite all her efforts, over and over again her heart did not obey her commands, treacherously quickening with fear at the thought of what the Autarch might possibly say or do if her affair had been discovered...

For a moment, her thoughts flicked once again to her human lover ... and she felt as if he was thinking about her at this moment. Her heart beat faster at the realisation, disrupting her concentration and she opened her eyes. She was not sure what it was - either her psyker potential manifesting, or it was just autosuggestion. Eldar could communicate telepathically with each other via the Infinity Circuit of the Craftworld, but she shouldn't be able to feel James' thoughts through it. After all, he was neither a psyker nor an Eldar. And yet, the idea that her lover was thinking about her right now caressed her soul and pleasantly warmed her heart, driving away the nervousness of the emergency meeting with the Autarch.

Soon Autarch Kayleth came to her and Me'risu politely bowed to her as a sign of respect. After greeting her back, the Autarch immediately went down to business.

"The Seer Council asked me to give reply to you about your request. Despite the fact that the Council sees great potential in you, all of its members are now much too busy with more pressing matters to train you in the ways of the Path of the Seer."

The Autarch threw a glance full of bitterness for a moment through the window of the room, from whose vista it was evident that many of the majestic spires of the Craftworld were still not restored, and the wood groves near the core had still not recovered. Ten years had passed, but the scars of the human invasion of Alaitoc had yet to heal. 

Me'risu sighed softly, in part because of the negative response from the Seer Council, and in part due to the view from the window, which reminded her every day about the dark side of humanity.

"However," the Autarch continued after a short delay, "I was able to persuade a Farseer, recently arrived on Alaitoc to train you. She has accepted to serve as your mentor, teaching you what you will need for a deeper understanding and ultimately full acceptance of the Path of the Seer. You will stillserve as a merchant for the time being, at least until you have been judged able to be fully inducted onto the Path." Kayleth for a second stared into the eyes Me'risu before continuing, "I hope you're not lying to me about what the mon'keigh was doing on our ship?"

"Of course not, Autarch." Me'risu answered softly, schooling herself to utter calm like she'd learned to do as a trader, "He was lost in the corridors of the ship when I found him, and I believed him when he said he wanted to protect his master. He has been looking at you as a threat for the whole length of our meetings."

"Hah!" Kayleth smirked, "The arrogance. If I were a threat to the Mon-keigh trader, neither would have lived to speak of our encounter. What happened next?"

"Then I brought him to my cabin out of sight and watched over him personally until you were finished with your negotiations. I am sure that he could not do much harm to the ship if that was ever his intention, but his presence would have made things awkward if not impossible. I merely avoided complications." 

"You did well. Let us speak no more of it. The Farseer will waiting for you tomorrow near the Spire of Everlasting Glory." 

"May I ask who she is?"

"She is from Craftworld Saim-Hann. Though she is as ...tempermental as most of her kin from that Craftworld, her wisdom is well-known and I trust her to be a fine mentor for you." The Autarch made a short gesture as she said this, showing that she had no intention to discuss the matter further right now.

Me'risu slightly bowed and escorted the Autarch to the exit. When the lady Kayleth left her chambers, the young Eldar allowed herself a sigh of relief. Her life was taking a new and unexpected turn and she had never been so excited. Returning to her room, she sat on the edge of her bed. Reassured, she lay on her back and stared at the ceiling simulating the night sky. Again, she felt like her heart warmed up, and this time she was sure  that James was thinking about her right now. She touched her soulstone feeling as it warmed in response to her feelings. Relaxed ,she fell asleep with a smile on her lips, knowing that her beloved was thinking about her, and she had a feeling that they would meet again in the future.