Expensive Taste - 10.012

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Tap tap tap tap

Sasseeri Reeouurra's manicured nails clicked on the surface of her desk while she waited. Waiting wasn't something she was used to doing. If he came in smelling like thousand dollar liquor again she was going to wrap her hands around his neck and slowly squeeze the life out of him.

Then she'd have him brought back so she could do it again. Maybe frozen in carbonite and defrosted and then frozen again? Over and over and over until he went mad.

She tapped her nails on the black lacquered wood, her wall holoscreen on a news station with the sound muted. When her receptionist used the intercom to indicate her lieutenant had arrived, she fixed the door with a baleful stare and waited for it to open.

[Sanis Prent]

I hated this damn door every time I saw it. It was the seal on a Pandora's Box of all my torments, and I was repeatedly doomed to open it over and over again and let them all spill out at random. Only it was never so graceful as a deluge, instead a ruthless controlled drip, like water torture. She knew exactly what she was doing, and me knowing that didn't actually buy me any favors. I was, as always, trapped.

Still, my cage was plenty gilded. It was almost enough to make me fall in love with the bars. Speaking of, I caught a reflection of myself in the far window, automatically making sure my bespoke suit was falling like it should. At ten thousand credits, it damned well should. Further still, it damned well should completely cover the blaster holster I was now *permitted* to tote - a nice illusion of freedom that was. That one was calf skin, and every bit as tailored as the suit, whose fall was thankfully completely undisturbed by the conceal.

I popped a mint out of the thinnest attempt at plausible deniability, coiffed my hair out of habit, and stepped into the Lioness' Den. The first thing I heard as the door parted was tapping, which gave me a pretty good idea of what waited for me.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"You'rrre late," she said, her tone overly calm. "Have a seat, Mjisterrr Prrrent. jI see you have a new sujit, jI assume you arrre keepjing the local tajilorrrs jin busjiness."

Sasseeri didn't wait for Sanis to make a reply, giving her fingernails another run over the desk to cut off any dialogue. "Djid you prrreparrre the rrrreporrrt on the new casjino jin Alljiance space we have been wantjing to open? jI do not want to wajit any longerrr forrr that foothold."

[Sanis Prent]

No sense falling for the bait, so I played it cool. I had an expense account that she kept filling, so if she was even worried about that one she could just turn the spigot and be done with it. I wasn't going to crawl out from under her debt, even if I tried to, so I didn't.

And for more tortures, paperwork. I reached into my suit, pulling a small dataslip free, and holding it in the air between us so that she was going to have to come to me for it. Little rebellions where permitted. And as much as I loathed her, she was a feast for the eyes, so I usually didn't mind when she got close. Usually.

"If by prepared, you mean pitched the details for the number muppets to put into a presentation, then consider it prepared."

Like she expected me to do any of that nerd shit.

"It's pretty boilerplate, boss. The Alliance has developed a newfound stick up their ass, but their not the complete death of fun."

Of course the fun was always cut and dry in Sasseeri's empire. The detail was in the extra fun, the kind that was illegal in just about any interstellar body of government save the seediest tinpot empires and namana republics.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Fjine," she said, leaving the dataslip in his outstretched hand, then impatiently leaning forward and snatching it. Sanis sat back with a satisfied look on his smug face for some reason. Sasseeri didn't look at the slip, but dropped it on the desk in front of her.

The proposed casino was important, because they needed a way to bridge the gap between them and Hutt Space, the gap that was currently filled with billions of pissed off Alliance members. Pissed off, armed, and dangerous. Traveling past the Carshoulis Cluster was not a real option except for legitimate deliveries. A staging area on an appropriate planet was needed - somewhere in the soft center of the Alliance where the authorities weren't going to look too hard.

All this she had already spoken about with Prent, so she didn't bother going over it again. Sasseeri stared at him, knew how much he was into her for, and saw how much he no longer cared. The thing was, she was starting not to care either. The rough edged, hard nosed smuggler seemed to be gone. He'd already been replaced by a cocky Rebel pilot, and now appeared to be lost in his own feathers, a peacock constantly preening for imaginary admirers.

"You know what yourrr prrroblem jis, Prrrent? You'rrre weak."

[Sanis Prent]

I shifted in my seat a little, knowing that despite any attempt at looking nonchalant, that little comment got its claws in me. It was a broad insult, but one that was absolutely true. I'd latched on to the money and the lifestyle I used to think I always wanted, and it never felt anything more than a consolation prize now that I'd gone my separate ways from people I cared about the most.

Petulant silence wasn't moving this along, so she might as well have the pleasure of laying me bare.

"Weak?"

I wasn't even patted down to remove my blaster. Was she that confident in her dominance over me? Yeah, weak was an understatement.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Yes," she said. "Weak of charrracterrr. jIt jis, frrrankly, djissapojintjing." Sasseeri steepled her fingers under her chin and leaned back in her leather office chair. "jI expected morrre frrrom the man jI met jin Cloud Cjity. Morrre challenge.

"But you'rrre soft. Complacent. Eagerrr to take advantage of jyourrr posjitjion's perrrks, and unconcerrrned about the futurrre." Her lip curled slightly with disdain. The more she articulated just what about Sanis Prent annoyed her, the more it annoyed her.

[Sanis Prent]

I pulled my shades off, folding them up but keeping them in my hands instead of slipping them into their case.

"I did the job."

My hands danced around the frames, turning them over a few times before I set the sunglasses on my lap.

"The job you asked me to do. It's front money. Cards face up on the table. If I'm not who you met on Cloud City, that's not the kind of job you'd ask that guy to do."

The gun holster felt noticeably heavy against my ribcage, and I leaned back in my seat, the unspeakably soft leather and plush backing of the chair mocking my frustration as it sighed.

"I feel like a bird in a cage. You take me out a few times, get me to sing a song or two, and I go right back in."

I didn't want to ask. Maybe not all of my pride was gone. But I was starting to realize that I was hungry for something I missed, and Sasseeri had a nose for it.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Frrront money?" Her demeanor slipped from irritated to icy cold. "You arrre frrrolickjing jin large pjiles of my crrredjits, because jI choose to trreat you well, despjite the debt you owe me. At thjis rrrate yourrr chjildrrren's chjildrrren wjill jinherrrjit the consequences of yourrr poorrr decjisjion making skjills."

Sasseeri stopped and took a calming breath before continuing on. True, she had offered the clothes and expense account to him, in order to further cement her hold on him. But this foppish dandy he'd turned into was not really something she was interested in. A rough man in fine clothes is one thing. Sanis seemed to have worn off all his rough edges on his satin sheets - or was very good at hiding them. "You prrretend to hate the cage jI have jimprrrjisoned you jin - then consjiderrr the doorrr open.

"but," she added, "Once you leave you arrre on yourrr own, and the bounty wjill turrrn to a kjill orrrderrr. Perrrhaps you wjill evade capturrre, perrrrhaps not. jIf you choose to stay, jI have a job forrr you."

[Sanis Prent]

"Finally."

The irritation on my face must have been pretty plain. I was tired of getting thrown scraps. We both knew I wasn't leaving, but every fetch trip I ran it made me look at that suicide option a little more fondly.

"Something real this time?"

Hopefully with a ship attached to it.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She arched a manicured brow. "Every job is real, Sanjis. But yes, a verrry rrreal job, just you and me. We'rrre gojing to check up on yourrr homeworrrk." Sasseeri tapped the data slip, sliding it back across to him. "Pack a bag. Nothjing flashy. Meet me on the rrroof jin an hourrr."

She leaned back in her leather seat, feeling pleased with herself. If he'd left it would have been a good, if short chase. But seeing the door open and choosing to remain was somehow an even sweeter victory.

[Sanis Prent]

It took every bit of an hour to get ready. Surprisingly, it was easy to assemble a wardrobe of bespoke-tailored suits and accoutrements. Assembling the kind of things I used to wear in another life? I had to ask around to people who had to ask people and so forth. Even then, it felt like I was wearing someone else's hand-me-downs. The blaster in the drop-leg holster of my mechanic's pants felt heavier than it should; the holster felt too stiff for my liking. I wanted the hitting power, so there was no way I was going to handicap myself with the Gentleman's Special I kept for my nicer duds.

I put it all together with five minutes to spare, and had enough time to glance it over in full length mirror in my apartment. It was a strange moment. Like looking back but not remembering something the way you always thought it was. Lightning fast, I pulled my blaster free from the holster, leveling it to bear at my reflection. Still could do that. The stiff holster still felt alien. The blaster's angular features lacked the organic grace of my antique Mandalorian gun. It, much like Cirrsseeto, Lok, and the rest, were relegated to the lost and found bin of the galaxy. I clung to my changeable luck like a tribal totem in the hopes that these precious things would turn up in my life again.

Even if they did, I was changing and so was the galaxy around me.




* * *


She was waiting for me, even though I was a minute early on the chrono. Normally I'd find some reason to be late out of half-hearted need for rebellion, but I wanted what faint opportunity she deigned to offer me now. I'd dance on cue up to a point for that. The ship on the roof was a Corellian YZ-79, and was probably the newest-looking Corellian ship I'd seen outside of the military productions they marketed to the occasional Powers-That-Be. Like almost all Corellian birds of the class, it was overbuilt and modular. The only difference is that YZ's tended to already pack the good stuff that any good smuggler would spend years lovingly cobbling together. It was the kind of ship I imagined a syndicate maven like Sasseeri would prefer - all the sex and a little more, but little of the romance.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

He hadn't used the hour to pack his things and make a break for it, which was good. Sasseeri stood beside the open ramp to the freighter, her tail flicking excitedly as Sanis walked toward her. He was wearing some secondhand clothes and his old spacers boots, a bit of the old swagger already in his step. Probably an unconscious reaction to the old shoes, she mused, a half smile on her lips as he stood in front of her, his eyes bright.

Sanis reached out... and touched the hull of the ship, manicured hand almost caressing the plating. She deflated a little, turning away just a bit so she could watch Tick and Tock in their tan Reeouurra Inc. jumpsuits walking into the ship carrying a pair of totes. "jI thought you'd ljike herrr," she murmured, straightening her cropped leather jacket. Burgundy with cream stripes down the arms, over a black matte sleeveless catsuit. A slightly battered black leather holster was casually belted over her hips.

"She usually takes a crrrew of ejight, but we'rrre managjing wjith fourrr forrr thjis outjing." Sasseeri gestured to the ramp so she could follow Sanis inside.

[Sanis Prent]

Too much of a crowd for my taste...

I stepped back in her direction, the wind on the rooftop whipping up a bit as I drew my coat a little tighter.

"Before we get on board, we need to talk terms. You tell me where to go and what to do, that's fine. But how we get there is on me. I don't fly by committee, and the quickest way to get into trouble if we get people looking or us or shooting at us is to start second-guessing the details from the back seat."

Was I raising my voice? Maybe. It was a philosophy I believed in, and there wasn't much out there that I tended to believe.

"That's my standard boilerplate for customers and employers alike. It keeps us both alive. I want to make sure we have that understanding."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

So serrrjious. Sasseeri merely shrugged. "jIf anyone starrrts shootjing at us, thjis wjill have gone terrrrjibly wrrrong. Yourrr rrrequjirrrements arrre fjine." She liked that he automatically assumed, despite the presence of other beings on the flight that he was to be the primary pilot. To be honest, she would have made it a private trip, just her and him, except that she never went anywhere without her bodyguards and wasn't about to start.

Frankly, even with the twin Twi'leks around her safety was not guaranteed. The whole incident with a Tear, for instance. Sasseeri gestured to the ramp. "Afterrr you, Sanjis. jI trrrust you can get us to the Nanth'rrrji Rrroute frrrom herrre wjithout jincjident. Gyndjine, was jit, the planet you suggested? Orrr Attahox?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Gyndine. Safe enough to be respectable and bring in real money; frontier enough to keep real heat away."

I headed up the gangplank, not waiting around for Sasseeri or her lackeys to follow. She probably didn't care for the rest of the narrative, since I'd farmed out the doldrums to someone else to number crunch.

"We have a day to the junction on the hyper lane, and then a half day's shot off the path."

Taking my time, I cruised through the interior of the ship, getting a feel for the layout as I familiarized myself with the important stuff. Engine superstructure, power array, weapons hard points. My nose wrinkled at the uncomfortably new smell of it all.

"My contact on Gyndine is a Toydarian named Murghk. He fought in the Rebellion with me, but with things going legit he's feeling a little hemmed in. Figures the big guys owe him for keeping the peace in the system."

I doubled back, checking a few storage compartments along the way. A few of them still had their plastoid hardcovers in place.

"He's got a number for his 'services'. Calls it an 'entrepreneuial exploration' charge. I left that out of the report."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Prrrudent," she purred, following him leisurely as he flitted about the ship. Sasseeri leaned against a bulkhead, arms folded across her chest. "Wjith Gyndjine bejing such a securrre planet, once we arrre establjished we wjill be able to use that securrrjity to ourrr advantage."

She shifted slightly as he checked a compartment right next to her. "jIt's gettjing establjished that's the trrrjicky parrrt. jI hope yourrr contact jis as good as you say."

[Sanis Prent]

Stepping into the cockpit, I paused at the vista through the viewports. From the rooftop, the skyline of Coruscant was cast in orange and pink hues of sunset through a sea of clouds. In any other scenario, it would've been quite romantic. Still, the stink of new ship sat sharp in my nose. I hadn't forgotten where I was just yet. Easing into the pilot's chair, the pristine leather sighed as I surveyed the controls in front of me.

"His voice throws a bit of weight around, if that's what you're asking. They haven't set up a government, at least not one with a capital G. Still, he knows where enough of the bodies are buried to be able to have a stake in that, whenever it happens."

I could hear the faintest of purrs in her throat behind me. To drown it out of my mind, I began the pre-flight sequences, charging up reactors in succession to deliver power to the repulsors and acceleration drives. She still hadn't moved from behind me, and being annoyed with the fact, I gestured to the seat next to me. I'd much rather have her beside than behind.

"Anything I should know about this ship's registry? In case anyone asks?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She wave a hand dismissively. "Everrrythjing jis clean. One prrjiorrr ownerrr, no accjidents. No...jincjidents." Sasseeri smiled, sitting down and buckling up the restraints before he could say something ridiculous like "everyone wears a seatbelt or this vehicle is not going anywhere and I mean it young lady!"

Sasseeri sat back and watched him work, her sharp eyes taking everything in.

[Sanis Prent]

Two more leather seats sighed, signalling Sasseeri's ever-present dynamic duo were also aboard. With that, I wasted little time on the rest of the warmups, and we picked up air. The checker-patterned skylanes of Coruscant glittered above, and I followed the nearest buoy to guide into a lane that allowed express ascent to the upper atmosphere, and space beyond it. As pinks became purples and purples became black, the ever-present throng of space traffic over Imperial Center came into view. With that came the inevitable sight of a star destroyer trundling across high orbit. I couldn't help but stare at the dagger-shaped warship as I queued our ship up for a hyperspace exit vector. The harbor master gave our position, and we would be clear to jump in just under three minutes. A long time to stare...and to think. Again, I was behind the stick of a Corellian ship. At Coruscant.

It was hard not to think about how much my life had changed the last time this came to pass. Something in my head began to confuse the smell of a new ship to the stink of ozone...that acrid smell of burning in a ship in her death throes. I chewed the corner of a fingernail that grew long enough to divert my attention as my eyes remained fixed.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

His eyes were starting to glaze over as he gnawed on his finger, and Sasseeri tsked, craning her neck to the back of the cockpit where Tick and Tock loomed. "jI think we could use some drrrjinks."

One of the identical Twi'leks handed up a glass with two fingers of ruby scotch, which she offered to Sanis. "Thjirrrsty?"

[Sanis Prent]

I could still hear the ghost of Layla ripping her guts out through the ether, and see the spall like a haze in the corner of my eye. Didn't even realize I was white-knuckling the yoke - a redundant task with us slaved to the harbor master's controls. It wasn't her purring words that brought me out of my unwanted flashback. It was the aroma of the contents of the glass she offered. Sanctuary. Rescue.

Was I so simple?

I spoke from a mouth I realized was too dry for my liking.

"I'm on duty."

My eyes moved from the glass to her eyes, back to the glass, and back to my controls. About that time, harbor master released control, and I was left to the hyperspace plot. The new engines growled with robust power, the stars slid back, and we were off like a shot through the ether. A day in hyperspace. This is where I used to feel the most free.

Slowly I stood from my seat, and turned to leave the cockpit with the intention of heading to my bunk. Ten paces in I paused, doubled back, and retrieved the offered drink.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

The glass was empty. Sasseeri raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't go to hyperrrspace wjith a glass of ljiqujid jin my hand." She licked her lips a bit, and unbuckled her restraints after handing the glass to Sanis. "Therrre's morrre jin the galley, jI'm surrre."

She squeezed past him, her tail lingering on his thigh a bit before she continued down the passage.

[Sanis Prent]

"I'm sure too."

Turning the glass over in my hand, I watched Sasseeri pass. Then after a moment's consideration, I took a step, pushing the glass into Tock's hand, and quickened my pace after her. Before she could make the galley, I'd caught up with my boss and had my hand at her wrist to pull her back against the wall next to me. The look she shot at me was wild, and only two things could come of a look like that. The two Twi'leks rushed down the way, and a tense moment passed with the twins mean-mugging me and with my body next to hers. I hadn't the slightest idea what I aimed to do here, but as it stood, it appeared I only had two options. So I took back the scotch that was promised to me off her tongue.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Tick, or Tock, had Sanis's arm twisted up behind his back, and the pilot grunted in pain as he kissed her. She waved off her over enthusiastic bodyguards, and they reluctantly backed off, retreating into the galley. No doubt they would continue to keep an eye on Mr. Prent.

She shoved him off of her finally, eyes sparkling. "Well, Mjisterrr Prrrent, jI thought you werrre going to be all busjiness and no fun."

[Sanis Prent]

I closed the distance once more but didn't press home the assault. We stood there a few moments, my body pressed against hers. Her hot, expectant breath puffed at my neck.

"I'm not weak."

My head dipped down to hers, and I stopped again just short of the mark.

"And I know how this game is played."

I expected a retort to follow, but the next moments her mouth remained still, lips slightly parted with pink tongue just beyond.

Whooosh

I reached just past her to the switch on the wall, tapping the button to open the door to my bunk. Taking a step back to disassociate myself from my wild-eyed employer, I glanced down the hall to the galley, where the twins still had their full attention on me.

"G'nite, boys."

And with that, I headed to my bunk.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

So, it was going to be games. Sasseeri smiled slowly, her back against the bulkhead as the door to Sanis' cabin slid shut. She pushed off the wall and walked into the galley, past her bodyguards and the gourmet ships kitchen to the bar. She retrieved a bottle, poured herself a shot, and studied it. If he thought playing hard to get was enough to make her forget all her prior complaints he was going to be disappointed. Still, it was probably going to be amusing to see how playful he was going to be.

Sasseeri lifted the shot to her lips and the liquor slid past her tongue and burned down her throat. She tossed the shotglass in the recycler, and retreated to her own cabin to do some paperwork.

In the "morning" the smell of frying grubs woke her up. Sasseeri groaned softly, a datapad somehow stuck to the side of her face as she rolled over and realized she'd fallen asleep while going over the Hutt contracts. She peeled the viewscreen off her skin, and stumbled to the refresher. A three minute ion scrub later she was striding out of her cabin, hair loose and lightly curling around her shoulders, leggings and loose tunic over a tanktop creating a decidedly casual look. Tick/Tock looked up from where he was reading something at the dejarik table, while Tock/Tick expertly flipped some grubs at the cook surface. Sanis was absent, but that didn't surprise her. He seemed to enjoy his sleep.

She looked at the clock and saw she'd only slept for six hours after spending two reviewing the details of the reports and contracts Grime had sent her from the Hutt's. Thankfully, a little well placed discrete makeup hid whatever tiredness she might feel from showing itself under her eyes.

[Sanis Prent]

The smell of something cooking was a much better way of waking a man than any kind of alarm clock, and my eyes were open by the time the smell of Twi'lek cooking hit my nose. Still in the dark, I bumped the lumen switch above my bunk, filling the small quarters with warm light. Felt like a hotel room in here. Everything was still just where it ought to be. No mess to remind me of where I laid my hat, so to speak.

I took a turn through the sonics after the refresher, the adopted habits of my recently well-manicured life still following me. Once I was satisfied, my door opened with a whoosh once more, and I stepped into the hallway, already on auto-pilot in search of breakfast.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri looked up from where she lounged against a bulkhead, hands cupped around a mug of caf. Instead of saying good morning she drained her drink, setting the empty in the small galley sink. Tock slid a plate of grubs, tubers, and a side of scrambled Rikknit eggs on the counter next to her. "Thank you," she said, taking it to the booth and sitting across from Tick. Sasseeri speared a grub with her fork, and lifted it up, biting off the maroon colored end that had been the thing's head.

[Sanis Prent]

Now I got a good look at what constituted breakfast for this lot. Not exactly my first choice. Still, years sharing a galley with Cirrsseeto Raurrssatta had managed to turn my hard stomach even harder, and while I'd certainly prefer dewback medallion steak sous vide a la oskare for breakfast every day, I had a bit of experience dining on the wild side, so long as that meant my food wouldn't be trying to crawl off my plate.

I retrieved a plate from the galley rack, and got a bit of stink-eye from the Twi'lek cook, like he thought I was imposing by asking for a helping. Could've been my play at getting fresh with his boss last night, but if so, I had to wonder how many of her other paramours went away each morning with a growling middle.

"Good morning to you, too."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Tock grunted, his lekku twitching, but he supplied Sanis' plate with two large grubs and a helping of tubers and eggs. He and his identical twin brother had no doubt eaten their grubs fresh before anyone else had been awake. Sasseeri didn't mind raw food, persay, but it only took one look at a plate crawling with infantile insects to make it a rule that they never ate in front of her again.

She left half a grub on her plate, but finished off the eggs, the art of using a fork something that her PR team had demanded she perfect. Utensils were all well and good, but sometimes you just want to get your hands into your food. It was all ridiculous, but she had just showered and picking breakfast out of her hair would be time consuming.

[Sanis Prent]

Settling down in the seat next to Sasseeri, I began my breakfast in earnest, spearing the yolk of an egg to toss the fried tubers into. The giant grubs on my plate were mercifully well-sauteed so that if you let your eyes blur a bit, their browned, crackly skin almost seemed like a sausage. Good enough...at least with enough pepper sauce, which I reached over to help myself to.

Awkward breakfast company. I sheared off a portion of grub and went to eating immediately, rather than let my empty mouth invite any awkward conversation. Of course I was sure that was to come eventually sure enough. Even though I paid her no direct attention, I could see in passing that she seemed to get less sleep than I did.

I didn't get a much improved look from the other Twi'lek sitting across from us. These two had the personality of a peanut.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

If he wanted to continue in silence, she would oblige. Except he'd sat next to her, effectively locking her in place in the booth. Standing up and stepping over him would be amusing, but probably childish. "Let me out," Sasseeri said, bumping his shoulder as he tried to get a runny forkful of yolk and tuber into his mouth.

[Sanis Prent]

Missing the shot wide and managing to catch a blob of yellow at the corner of my mouth, I eased my fork down and stood up to let her pass.

"Sure thing, boss."

I took a few steps to allow her clearance, giving her an amused expression despite me being the one with egg on my face.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

At least he hadn't immediately fallen back into his old habits of showering bi-weekly and wearing the same clothes every day. Sasseeri sniffed as she passed him, but only caught a whiff of his deodorant. She placed her plate in the sink, and took Tock by the elbow before he could reach in and grab it. "jI trrrust we have fjish forrr lunch," she hissed. The pale Twi'lek raised his brow and nodded once.

Releasing his arm, Sasseeri walked back toward her cabin and the mess of datapads she'd left on the bed. She needed to clean that up, at the very least. After that it would be a short....ten hours...to their next jump. Her ears drooped a little. Negotiating contracts was fun, but more fun in person than simply writing a counter offer and then sitting on ones hands.

[Sanis Prent]

I returned to my breakfast, packing it in without a whole lot of time to mull over what I was eating. The fried grubs were edible but I wasn't about to sing their praises for being my new favorite. I'd nearly finished when the proximity klaxon sounded from the cockpit. Quickly swabbing my mouth with my napkin, I headed to the pilot's seat to see what the fuss was about. We were just past Cato Neimoidia, headed to the badlands that led into a buffer sector between Imperial and Alliance space.

"I'm dropping out of light speed."

The YZ-79's realspace shimmy was muted and brief, a testament to the newness of the ship as freshly-calibrated dampeners made the transition feather-light. Ahead of us was empty deep space, but I continued on sublights for a while until I could suss out what caused the proximity to trip. Boosting power to the long distance sensors, I combed a full field around us as we cruised.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She tossed her 'pads into a drawer, making sure it latched closed before heading up to the cockpit. She didn't exactly hurry, but she didn't dawdle, either.

"Perrrhaps I errrred, assumjing when you sajid 'one day' you meant an jImperrrrjial Standarrrd Day, but why arrre we out of hyperrrspace alrrready?" Sasseeri sat in the co-pilot's seat, and pulled up the astronagivation screen in front of her. "We arrre not at the second jump pojint."

[Sanis Prent]

"No we're not."

I didn't explain. Not immediately - I was busy. There was a mass field ahead, alright. Sixty million kilometers at bearing three-five-one mark zero-one-nine. Unsticking the display from my master screen, I 'drug' it into the holographic GUI above my work station, allowing the blip to float in the air beside me while I brought up other tools.

"Proximity tripped. Could be nothing, but we're close to the border, so..."

The mass field displacement was at least 50,000 tons. At our distance it could be a ship, or it could be a group of ships.

"Could be Imperial border patrol."

Or it could be pirates...but I wasn't ready to cry wolf.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri sat back and watched him work, her sharp eyes taking in the information he was displaying on the console and GUI. There was no use talking and breaking his concentration, and she wouldn't be much help anyway. Situations like this were why she hired bodyguards and rakishly good looking pilots.

If it were Imperials, they had nothing to worry about. If it wasn't, however, it could get a little dicey. Sanis did so love to gamble, though. Sasseeri pulled her fingers through her hair, drawing it over her shoulder as she lounged in the synthetic leather seat.

[Sanis Prent]

"Whatever it is, it's moving our way."

Nothing good could come of this. Nobody plied the hyperlanes in deep space on sublight unless there was something wrong, or they intended for something to be wrong.

I started pulling up the navicomputer, looking for an alternative course to get us back into hyperspace and off the main hyperlane.

"Strap in. Just in case."

As if on cue of my bad feelings, the GUI hologram started to calve off smaller blips which continued on the original's heading, but with a faster rate of speed.

"Fighters, shit!"

I abandoned any pretense of our cruising vector, peeling off 90 degrees. Predictably, the small blips made a match. Already at a full sublight burn, we weren't accelerating, but we were now at least trying to put distance on them.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri silently did as she was told, securing the crash webbing around her body just as he changed their flight vector. Inertial dampers took the brunt of the maneuver, but she was pressed back lightly into the comfortable seat as the ship began to run from whoever it was that was headed for them. A glance at her screen indicated the incoming blips were using transponder skips, their ship IDs completely blank.

This could end up being quite expensive to buy their freedom, if the pirates didn't simply murder them when they realized the ship held nothing of value other than basic supplies. Well, and the ship itself had quite a bit of value, of course. Sasseeri inhaled deeply, noting the lights on the display that indicated her two Twi'leki guards had also buckled up in the galley. "You do know how to show a gjirrrl a good tjime, Sanjis. jI was begjinnjing to wonderrr." She smiled wryly.

[Sanis Prent]

My comms integrity turned to slush about the time that my sensors did. Whatever was after us was throwing a whole lot of electromagnetic snow into the ether to make sure that we weren't about to tell tales. Not that I had anybody to run and tattle to.

"Well, it's all fun and games until we get our tailfeathers cooked. Or is that how rough you like it?"

Before my scopes went completely snowy, telemetry came back on a make for the mother ship as a Marauder Corvette. That told me exactly nothing about who were now suddenly after us, other than I was now certain it wasn't the Imperials. The navicomputer was quickly threading together a course correction at least, and once we hit light speed our pursuers would be up the creek without a vector to follow. We just had to outrun the fighters, which were gonna be on us fast.

"Their jamming software is strong, whoever they are. I can't even weapons lock."

Scrambling, I reached the far console to power the rear deflector to double screen. We were gonna make it, but the next few seconds might be just a little bump -

...the ship shuddered as laser fire started in, just as the navicomputer finally output a solution. I wasted little time slamming the motivator into action, and we were gone.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Well," she said, releasing her restraints, "That was... jinterrrestjing. Perrhaps the Empjirre should be a little morrre vjigjilant of the mirror borrrderrs." She didn't really mean it, of course. The wilder the borders were, and the more cold the relations between the Alliance of Free Planets and the Empire, the better it was for business.

She looked over at Sanis. "Got yourrr blood pumpjing?"

[Sanis Prent]

I fell back in my seat a bit, breathing more heavily than I wanted to let on. Of course, I was already undone, so there wasn't much use in lying. I missed flying - especially when the chips were down. Sasseeri certainly enjoyed getting a rise out of me.

"It's been a long time. Feels like a lifetime."

Enough wistful crap. I sat up in my chair and analyzed our altered course.

"We'll be behind by an hour or two with the detour at Ailon."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Grrreat," she muttered, her ears lying back a little. Delays could not be avoided, but really. "Well, jI have a contrrract to wrrrjite up." Sasseeri pushed herself out of her seat, brushing by Sanis as she headed out of the cockpit.

[Sanis Prent]

Checking systems status, I made sure everything was all green before leaving my seat. She was suddenly in a hurry, wasn't she?

"What's the rush? Like I said, you've got an extra hour or two."

I caught up with her again in the corridor leading to the back of the ship, a little mad at how flippant she was the moment we were out of danger. Didn't she know I just saved her ass? I wrapped an arm around her middle, drawing it up the contours of her abdomen. We were playing the same game as before, and I didn't know why. Freighter jocking felt right, even if the fix was temporary.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"The soonerrr jI fjinjish thjis contract wjith the Hutts, the soonerrr busjiness wjill rrrresume." Sasseeri stopped and faced him in the passage. "But rrreally, they'rrre just about done."

She studied him, her hand on her hip, eyebrow raised. "Keep yourrr mjind on yourrr job, Prrrent. Anythjing we need to be prrreparrred for wjith thjis Toydarrrjian of yourrrs?"

[Sanis Prent]

Now that she'd turned, my hand was at the small of her back. I had designs on letting it drift lower, but she was back on business. So we stood there like a pair of perfectly reasonable business associates, pressed close together in half an embrace. I looked down at her changeable blue eyes, then looked past her with a sigh.

"Aside from the markup he asks for on the side? He's still a patriot through and through. He won't help us if it takes anything serious out of the Alliance's hide. As long as it's just vice, he'll look the other way."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Black Sun jisn't poljitjical, not sjince Xizor, anyway." Sasseeri tilted her head back a bit, looking up at him. She narrowed her eyes, and pulled his arm from around her waist, applying a bit of pressure with her thumb in his palm to leverage his wrist. Just enough for him to widen his eyes from the pressure, then she released him.

"You'rrre on a busjiness trrrjip, deterrrmjinjing yourrr futurrre, Prrrent. Yourrr prrrowess jin bed jis not going to decide your fate."

[Sanis Prent]

I eased back enough that we weren't pressed together anymore, but still remained close enough to defy decorum.

"Well lucky for both of us, I'm good at everything else too."

Tired of the games that obviously weren't going my way, I further extricated myself, returning to my station in the cockpit. If we weren't going to bang (on my terms), I had better places to be. Sasseeri was pleasant to be around when she was biting at your neck, with her ankles on your shoulders, and with a sheen of sweat on her skin. At any other time she had all the pleasantness of a Tusken raider.

Sinking into my seat again, I made sure all systems were green. Of course they were.

"Go write your damn contracts then." came just under my breath.




* * *


We arrived at Gyndine precisely on time (well, minus about an hour and a half), and I brought the YZ-79 about on an approach to Nintaca City, the capital. Sprawling towers extended in all directions across a divide between two enormous mountain ranges crisscrossed by gondola cables.

"That's Murghk's tower there. The old Moff's compound."

Indeed, the building we approached had a distinctly Imperial look to it, with brutalist edifices of duracrete and spartan decor. The bare edifice above the landing ramp still had the faintest outline of a gear where the infamous Imperial logo once stood. It had been pried off a couple of years ago, but the sonic blasting hadn't quite taken care of the ghost outline in its wake.

Touching down on the pad, I could see the doors opening ahead of us.

"Well, I hope you got your contracts in order."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri zipped up her leather jacket, and ignored Sanis' attempt at a jab. "jIs yourrr contact meetjing us herrre?" Behind them in the passageway Tick hefted a holdall over his shoulder while Tock pulled his coat over his shoulder holster, concealing his blaster pistol.

[Sanis Prent]

"Here he comes now."

Through the gates at the landing deck, a group of minders walked out. In the midst of them was a Toydarian, his wings flapping energetically to keep him aloft amongst the group. Rising from my seat, I walked to the gangplank exit, hitting the switch to release the walkway. I turned to Sasseeri and her identical minions.

"I'll do the talking to start, and get us to somewhere more discrete to iron things out."

With our plan of attack settled, I led my boss and her entourage out to meet Murghk.

"Che tengo nu wota, Sanis!"

Murghk fluttered ahead of his group the moment he saw me, his arms wide in greeting. I paused on the tarmac, a little less saccharine in my salutation to an old friend, extending a hand for him to shake.

"Not looking too bad yourself, Murghk. Can't fault the new digs, thats for sure."

Reverting back to basic, the Toydarian looked back at his compound.

"This thing? An eyesore. I'd say tear it down and build anew, but alas..."

He held aloft a rubbing thumb and forefinger, smiling as he did so.

"...so, for want of a renovation I can't afford, mi casa will have to do."

Murghk raised an eyebrow as he regarded Sanis.

"This call from you, I did not expect. I didn't know that you had, aha, retired from service?"

An awkward subject, and I shifted on my feet.

"Well, probably something I was looking at doing sooner rather than later. Besides, I don't think either of us are fit to be lifers. Peace is here, more or less, time for the smart ones to make a little money, right?"

Rather than acknowledge Sanis's platitude, Murghk glanced beyond him at the woman immediately to his rear.

"And this is your...investor."

They both knew who she was. No need to speak too familiar here.

"Yeah."

The Toydarian community leader sized her up. Even here, Sasseeri Reeouurra had a reputation. After a moment, he flitted to the side, gesturing.

"Come. We should talk indoors. I'd rather not flap my wings against updraft all day."

A good excuse as any. We moved along.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She was content to let Sanis take the lead, considering him the point man on the operation. If all went as she hoped, he could be filling some very large shoes in her casino operations, and this was trial by fire. Tick and Tock brought up the rear, the ugly Toydarian leading them into his compound without pausing in his stream of consciousness prattle. None of it seemed to have anything to do with the casino deal, so she largely ignored it as they made their way through the corridors to a meeting room.

Sanis pulled out a chair for her, which she took, fixing ...Murghk? in her sights. "My assocjiate will lay out the basjics of what we arrre herrre to prrropose, but jI'd ljike to thank you forrr yourrr hospjitaljity despjite djiffjicult cjirrrcumstances. The Empjirrre let qujite a scarrr behjind."

[Sanis Prent]

At the mention of the Empire, the Toydarian turned and spit on the ground.

"Tu nada. I piss on them. Good riddance."

His eyes seemed to fix on mine, and I gave a stern nod. We may be different people now, but we knew. Stepping forward, I slid a dataslip into the receptacle in the middle of our meeting table. A holoprojector fired up a schematic in the space between us.

"Welcome to Silver Peak casino."

Sliding into a seat next to Sasseri, I manipulated the display and the data around it.

"We'd be looking at a ground-up construction project. There is a plot on the north side of Nintaca City that's close to the commercial district and the spaceport. The price quoted on the plot is two million credits. We want it at one and a half."

A moment to do the math, and Murghk nodded.

"Six months to construct, with estimated expenditure at six million credits. You supply labor cost."

Again, he nodded, knowing that it would keep a good chunk of his people employed.

"We're looking at one hundred fifty levels. Resort, promenade, casino, and all amenities housed within. A one stop shop. If current space traffic levels remain the same, this place should be in the black in around five years."

The Toydarian nodded again, as this was all fairly reasonable to expect. I continued.

"We split cost on consumables and utilities until breakeven, then you cover in full."

Again, Murghk nodded, scratching his chin a little as if he was anticipating something. Here, I paused.

"Do we want to discuss the top levels of the casino?"

The Toydarian remained silent a bit, drumming his fingers on the table. After a moment, he glanced to his entourage.

"Leave us."

We were to discuss the rest in private, as whatever we talked about now had nothing to do with construction. I looked at Sasseeri.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri watched Murghk's people leave the room, and then sat up a little straighter. She met the Toydarian's bulbous eyes, and nodded to Sanis, who manipulated the holodisplay to show there was an undeveloped section in the basement levels, under the counting rooms. A series of numbers scrolled up, large amounts that made Murghk's eyes widen. The display reverted back to the outer view of the casino, rotating slowly in the middle of the table, but the numbers stayed. "jIn rrreturrrn forrr cerrrtajin customs allowances at the spaceporrrt forrr Sjilverrr Peak's supply shjips, you wjill rrrecjieve an addjitjional perrrcentage pojint of the prrrofjits once we arrre jin the black. We wjill be shjippjing and recjiejiving many exotjic jitems forrr ourrr cljients, who value thejirrr prrrjivacy, just as you orrr jI value ourrrr own. Therrre wjill also be shjips comjing thrrrough on thejirrr way to my otherrr casjinos thrrroughout the galaxy. Forrr eyes off those carrrgos, you wjill get anotherrr perrrcentage pojint of prrrofjit. This two perrrcent wjill come frrrom the crrredjits these shjipments generrrate.

"Thjis parrrtnerrrshjip wjill prrrove to be qujite lucrrratjive forrr both of us. Whjile we arrre bujildjing the casjino and prrrovjiding the management, yourrr people wjill have jobs for yearrrs to come, and a galactjic drrraw brrrjingjing crrredjits jinto your cjity. You wjill coverrr operrratjional expenses afterrr the casjino turrrns a prrrofjit forrr forrrty perrrcent of the profjits frrrom the casjino."

Murghk leaned forward, his wings flapping as he lifted up a bit and studied the hologram. Sasseeri could imagine his Toydarian odor wafting over to her on the air currents he was stirring up, and worked on not wrinkling her nose. "Sixty percent of the profit, and four for the customs deal." He turned to the Vigo. "We will be assuming a great deal of the danger here."

"And bejing rrrewarrrded handsomely forrr jit," Sasseeri frowned lightly. "Forrrty-fjive and two pojint fjive."

"Fifty and three."

She couldn't help staring at his leathery wings as they flapped. "Fjifty and two pojint sjix."

[Sanis Prent]

It was a generous deal, but Murghk couldn't well just let it stand on the table without a push. I watched the Toydarian study the half-Cizeri Vigo. He looked to me after a moment, perhaps looking to catch something in my eyes that he didn't find in hers.

"This will set you straight no matter how the winds blow from Bothawui."

Which was the whole point of it, I calculated. Murghk didn't want to suddenly be undone by the very Alliance he'd worked hard to fight for.

"The winds, they blow frequently from there these days."

Fluttering over to Sasseeri, he spit in his hand and extended it to her.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She didn't blink, merely spat in her own palm and shook the grubby Toydarian's hand. "A pleasurrre dojing busjiness wjith you. Thjis wjill be a most prrrofjitable parrrtnerrrshjip."

She snapped her fingers, and Tick handed her a cloth which she held balled up in her soiled hand.

[Sanis Prent]

I dawdled as much as I could here. Catching up on old times wasn't what Sasseeri had brought me here for, but I couldn't resist. The boss took time to mingle with Murghk's accountants and lawyers to make sure the details were ironed out, so I walked to his office to chew the fat for a few minutes.

"Drink?"

The Toydarian already had Corellian whisky poured up. I gladly took the offered libation.

"So, how's the whole ruling a planet thing? Not exactly the same as commanding a battalion?"

Murghk floated up and down, the equivalent of a shrug.

"There are similarities. Getting a bunch of people to stop bickering and do roughly the thing you intend them to do. I just don't get shot at anymore, hehehe."

I raised my glass in affirmation.

"Well there's that."

Still, there was something else in the Toydarian's eyes that gave me pause.

"You spoken to Cirrsseeto, since..."

"No."

Murghk's trunk wriggled.

"He doesn't know?"

I half-turned, glancing at a piece of art hung on my old colleague's wall.

"I don't know if he'd understand."

Murghk sipped his drink thoughtfully.

"The two of you were thick as thieves."

I didn't say anything.

"He's a Captain now."

At that, I turned back around, and the Toydarian continued.

"Marauder Corvette. The Novgorod. Seen a lot of action. Matter of fact, they lighted into port a week ago."

I could feel my past reaching out to me, struggling to pull me back into the fold. And as much as I missed my old friend, I didn't like the way it made me feel.

"Captain Raurrssatta."

A sigh, and a feigned smile as I lifted my glass.

"Here's to him, then."





* * *


I finished up my meeting with Murghk and said my goodbyes. I hoped I didn't have to see him again. If this venture went according to plan, I shouldn't have to. Plus, feeling old wounds reopening was starting to get painful.

Stepping back into the conference room, I saw Sasseeri still finishing up with the Toydarian's people.

"We done here, boss? I'm gonna get the ship warmed up."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"jIn a few mjinutes," she said, irritated at being interrupted. Sanis wandered off and she watched him go, wondering what had caused his change in mood. He seemed...glum, when he should be celebrating. This deal would keep him in designer suits for years, if she didn't have him killed first.

An accountant was talking, and she returned her attention to their conversation, making sure his people knew which of her people were going to be in touch and when. The architects needed to go over the site again, just to make sure what they'd drawn up was going to work, and there was a myriad of other details, each more mundane than the last. Finally she was shaking hands and being escorted back to the landing pad by her bodyguards and one of Murghk's assistants.

True to his word, Sanis had the ship warmed up and ready to go, closing up the ramp behind her the second she stepped foot on the deck. Sasseeri sighed, but ignored her pouty pilot problem for something more urgent. A gallon of hand sanitizer. She ducked into the refresher to take care of business before walking up into the cockpit to strap in.

[Sanis Prent]

"Everything's good, then?"

She didn't answer. I didn't have my heart in the question anyways. Of course it was good. She wouldn't come this far if she didn't get exactly what she wanted. I went into the liftoff sequence, the controls of the YZ-79 again showing their newness as the power plant responded with throaty vigor. I flipped the repulsors on to a 50 meter buffer, giving us enough push off the tarmac to allow us to lope into the upper atmosphere on thruster power.

I didn't know where we were going, and I didn't care. Back to Coruscant would be probably be the answer - to get put back in my gilded cage until I needed to help turn another profit. Or maybe I'd lived up my usefulness with the culmination of this deal. As the atmosphere thinned on our ascent into space, any answer would've been taken with the same amount of expectation.

And then, high in the orbit above us, I saw the contours of a Marauder Corvette waiting.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri relaxed into the seat, and caught Sanis staring out the cockpit window out of the corner of her eye. She traced his eye line, and asked, "What jis jit?"

[Sanis Prent]

"I don't know...but it's the same class of corvette we slipped back on that hyperlane."

Not one to believe in coincidences, I immediately plotted a course away from the planet for a full sublight burn. Immediately, the corvette broke orbit.

"Not good. Hit the deflector screen charge over th---"

The ship rocked, shaking furiously in the middle of my words. I looked at my console, expecting bad news. No damage to any systems or hull, but there was a tell-tale sign blinking on the hud:

TRACTOR LOCK

A few seconds of putting my engines at full burn told me everything I needed to know. We were hooked.

"Corellian freighter, this is the Alliance frigate Novgorod. Disengage your engines and prepare to be boarded."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Therrre jis no legjitjimate rrreason forrr detajinjing my shjip," Sasseeri barked over the comm, before Sanis could stop her. "Rrrelease me at once!"

[Sanis Prent]

"I don't think they're in a listening mood."

We were coming up fast, being drawn alongside the frigate. At this range, it would be futile to try and train any weapons on them.

"I don't suppose this thing has smugglers compartments cut into the superstructure?"

Even if it did, it probably wouldn't matter. If what I heard about the ship was right, the frigate Captain was probably fairly good at sniffing those out.

The freighter jostled slightly as the Novgorod's umbilical extended and made a seal at our hatch. I could see Tick and Tock getting weapons ready in the background. Standing from my seat and showing my own sidearm, I gestured for them to take it easy.

"Let's keep cool heads here. Like Sassy says, they have no reason to detain us."

A lie, and I knew it. I walked toward the hatch, and rather than have them burn a hole in it to force entry, hit the button to open her up. A continent of Alliance marines poured through, pressing me against the bulkhead as they slipped stun cuffs on. In turn, they proceeded to round up Sasseeri and her boys as well.

All without a single word.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"jI've alrrready called my lawyerrrs," Sasseeri said coldly, and she had, though there hadn't been time for much more than an exchange of coordinates and a hurried message of her situation. They were probably getting the ball rolling on their end already. Just to be safe she'd left the commlink open and on her belt, so someone was listening in for any miscarriages of justice.

Of course, she could just be redacted to gods know where and stuck in a deep dark hole on suspicion of her true identity, but legally her name was clean and she worked very hard to keep it that way. Oh, there were always rumors, but one couldn't be charged with rumors. Tick and Tock gave up their weapons and submitted to stun cuffs at a glance from her. "I suppose the Alljiance jisn't a fan of capjitaljism. Orrr tourrrjism."

[Sanis Prent]

We were unceremoniously frog-marched onto the frigate and carried to the ship's brig. Unlike Sasseeri, I didn't have a pithy comment on hand for a change. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop that I knew was coming.

The guards got us into a cage, and removed our stun cuffs. For a few minutes at least, we were alone. I turned to my boss as I leaned against the cell bars.

"You can relax. I'm pretty sure it's not you they're after."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Then perrrhaps they arrren't as stupjid as they'rrre actjing," Sasseeri hissed through gritted teeth. Tick and Tock stood silently in the cell, as per usual. She glared at them.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

The door to the brig slid open with a hiss, and Captain Quez stepped through the doorway. Upon seeing his prisoners, he closed the door behind him, allowing full privacy between himself and the captured freighter's crew. He stepped forward, the pins and cybernetics in his right leg causing a slight hitch in his gait as he did so. It was a nuissance that he'd worked hard to adapt to with dignity, but it certainly didn't prevent him from doing his duty.

"You'rre aljive..."

How long had it been? Nearly a year?

[Sanis Prent]

My grip tightened on the bars in front of my as I leaned against them.

"Cirr."

The last I'd seen of him were in my darkest days. Trying to climb out of misery at the loss of Layla had taken it out of us both. I'd taken shore leave to Gelthia to run away from everything. I had no idea exactly how far that running away would take me.

He looked different. Older. Respectable. Apparently he'd done well for himself. A credit to the uniform and all that. All I could feel was shame.

"Or should I call you Captain?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Touchjing rrreunjion," Sasseeri said. "jI am always glad to see a Cizerack able to rrrjise up frrrom underrr the Prrrjide's thumb, but exactly what rrrjight do you have to waylay prrrjivate busjinesspeople forrr no rrreason? Therrre jisn't a warrr on anymorrre."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr's eyes met those of Sasseeri and his ears angled back slightly.

"Sorraar, Auntjie."

Though mama would surely blanch at him calling the family raasha'kou by the familiar, he wasn't going to abide by Sasseeri playing coy in all of this. The Captain crossed his arms.

"You know why you'rre herre, and what you djid."

How long had he spent looking? How much time between his duties had he spent on this search? Sanis was a brother to him in everything but name, and just like that, he was gone.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Plannjing a prrrofjitable busjiness venturrre wjith the locals jis not a crrjime." She narrowed her eyes at him. Was he one of Taataani's sons? How surprising.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"How about kjidnappjing?"

Cirr took another step, a deep throaty growl coming out as he was face to face with Sasseeri.

"We caught the bounty hunterr you hjirred. You though? You'rre morre carreful than that, arren't you? Don't leave a trrajil. Make yourrself harrd to fjind. Well, now jI have."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Bountys arrre legal, and jI am not rrresponsjible forrr how badly a hunterrr mjight scrrrew thjings up. jIf they brrroke rrrules then punjish them." Sasseeri resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr reached a hand to his chest, pulling his rank pips off his uniform and throwing them aside as he drew a blaster from his hip. He reached through the bars, hand finding purchase on Sasseeri's neck as he pulled her flush with the cage. At the same time, he pressed the barrel of his gun into the pit of her stomach. Tick and Tock both moved in unison, pausing before they could intervene at the sight of the weapon trained on their employer.

"You pajid the bounty. You called the shots. You don't get to prretend you'rre clean. Maybe to some lawyer, but not to me!"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She stared up at him, her eyes cold even as she struggled to breathe against his firm grip on her neck. "jIf you thjink you'rrre gojing to scarrre me, you arrre gojing to be djisappojinted. Ask hjim. Ask hjim why he hasn't," Sasseeri choked a little and the captain loosened his hold just a bit so she could keep talking. "Hasn't been jin contact wjith you. He's been prrractjically frrree sjince he was brrrought to me."

Sasseeri grasped the bars in front of her with her cuffed hands, holding herself up a little to relieve the pressure on her neck. "Orrr just kjill me, jif you thjink you can get away wjith jit. jIf jit's gojing to prrrove somethjing, orrr make you feel betterrr?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Cirr, stop."

I couldn't believe the words were coming out of my mouth. Wouldn't my life be that much simpler if he pulled the trigger.

"Stop!"

I approached where the two of them were pressed close against the bars.

"Let her go."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr looked to Sanis, the shock of what he was saying mingling with the words Sasseeri had thrown at him. His mouth gaped slightly as he released Sasseeri and holstered his gun.

"What?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She staggered back from the bars, rubbing her neck with her hands. Tick and Tock formed an imposing wall of twi'leki flesh between her and Cirr. Cirrsseetto, Taataani's favorite son. What a bastard.

[Sanis Prent]

"Saa hoodwinked me like you said, and brought me back to Sasseeri to pay my debts. But I started thinking about it. About coming back. What would be there for me?"

I'd practiced so many times how I'd tell him if I ever got the chance to do so. All that practice fell apart. I couldn't lie anymore.

"I'm no Rebel, Cirr. There are plenty of good and decent enough people to claim that, like you. And now with the war over, do you honestly think there's anything to come back to for a guy like me?"

My hands were shaking, and I pushed them into my pockets deeply.

"I'm a liar and a cheat. Where would I go but here? What would I do?"

And at the point where I couldn't bear to look at him any longer, I turned to the side of the cell, my head coming to rest against another pair of bars.

"I just wish you didn't have to hear it like this."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri wanted to roll her eyes with how thick Sanis was laying it on. He wasn't worrrth anything more than this life? How fucking bad off did he want Cirr to think he was? He was making her look bad, however, painting her as someone who associated with only liars and cheats who were at the ends of their ropes.

"You can have hjim," she said as the conversation lapsed into an awkward pause. "jI thought he ljiked ourrr worrrkjing arrrangement, but jI cerrrtajinly do not wjish to pjiss off the Alljiance of Frrree Planets. jI rrrelease hjim frrrom my employ. jIn fact, jI offerrred hjim thjis same deal a few days ago." Sasseeri stared evenly at the side of Sanis' head as he tried to disappear into the bars.

[Sanis Prent]

"And I already told you where I stand."

Righting myself. I walked over to where Sass now stood.

"Let us go, Cirr."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

His mouth was dry, and he knew this day was coming for a long time. Everything Sanis had said was true. The Rebellion had swept them both up in the moment. True, Cirr had found his calling in a uniform, but they both knew that it was easy to shoot back when you were being shot at. In a way, the thought of peace over the horizon had always held some kind of special dread.

He knew it was all true and yet he didn't want to say goodbye. Didn't want to part ways.

"Arr'uuhai..." The Cizeri word for 'brother' caught in his throat as he swallowed down his emotions as best he could.

The lock on the cell disengaged.

[Sanis Prent]

I walked out first, pausing as I looked back in the cell at Sasseeri.

"Get back to the ship."

I looked back to my best friend, hoping I wouldn't have to say please let us go.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr nodded, shaking whatever clawhoppers were in his stomach out before tapping his wrist comm.

"Thjis jis the Captajin. Stand down alerrt. Thjis jisn't the shjip we werre lookjing forr."

The response came back promptly.

"Acknowledged. Standing down alert."

"Please escorrt the shjip's crrew back to thejirr frrejighterr."

The Captain terminated the comm, and looked back to Sanis.

"Correlljian Frrejighterr, eh?"

The Cizerack's smile returned, clapping his human friend on the shoulder.

"Shouldn't be any otherr way."

[Sanis Prent]

I returned the smile. It helped salve the sting of goodbyes.

"Too new for my taste. I'll have to put a few dents in her to break her in."

A glint of metal caught my eye, and I stooped down to retrieve Cirr's captain's pips. Raising up, I eased them back where they belonged.

"Never thought I'd see the day. Captain Raurrssatta."

I took a moment to look him over. Somehow, authority fit my old friend like a glove. He looked born for it.

"You look ridiculous in that uniform."

Conceding with a nod, I smiled.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm proud of you, kid. You have no idea."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr's ears raised ever-so-slightly in the wake of rare praise from his friend. He was doing his best to keep it together.

"jIt's Captajin Quez now, actually. You rrememberr Lyanjie?"

An awed "No shit?!" escaped Sanis's mouth as he took in the bombshell. Cirr, however, still felt unease.

"jI've spent so long lookjing and worrryjing. And now that jI've found you jI'm just gonna lose you agajin."

The Captain blinked hard, daubing at the corner of his eye with a fingertip and quickly dispelling the moment of weakness.

"You'rre my brrotherr and my best frrjiend. Wherreverr you'rre gojing and whateverr you'rre gojing to do, jI hope you fjind what you'rre lookjing forr. jI just hope thjis jisn't goodbye."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"jI hate to jinterrrupt," she interjected, "but can we have these off?" Sasseeri raised her stun cuffed wrists.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr paused in his goodbyes, tending to the bindings of the two Twi'lek males and his aunt. No sooner were the stun cuffs off the halfbreed then he clamped a hand over her wrist.

"Rrememberr who saved yourr ljife today." He spoke low to her, away from Sanis.

"Trreat hjim well enough so that he may do jit agajin some day."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She stared back into his blue eyes, wanting to be defiant, but instead she nodded. "He has not been mjistrrrreated, Captajin." He released her, and she walked out of the detention area with her bodyguards, rubbing her wrists. Alliance navy soldiers or officers or whatever they were called were lingering in the passageways. "Take me back to my shjip," she snapped at the first one she saw.

[Sanis Prent]

She was going. That meant I was going too. I followed after Sasseeri as she made her way back to the freighter. Pausing in the doorway of the brig, I turned back to my friend.

"I'll be seeing you again, Cirr. Count on it."

I knocked on the metal bulkhead nearest me. There wasn't a scrap of wood on a starship, so sealing the deal on durasteel would have to do.

And with that, I followed Sasseeri back to the ship.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She followed the navy officer back the way they'd come in, Alliance marines flanking their little group. Njice and frrrjiendly, she groused, but at this point there wasn't much to say. Her time as the ...guest... of the crazy ex-Inquisitor Tear made this whole experience a little more nerve wracking than she'd like, and looking at how Tick and Tock were carrying themselves she wasn't the only one to make that connection.

Sasseeri looked backward at Sanis, and then slowed so he walked beside her. She took his arm, slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow. She murmured up at him, "Would thjis have gone betterrr, orrr worrrse, jif you'd been wearrrjing that shjiny sujit frrrom the other day?"

[Sanis Prent]

It was an interesting question.

"He'd probably feel like I was betraying him."

I had the sneaking suspicion that Sasseeri Reeouurra, of all people, was trying to deliver some sort of morality story.

"We go way back, me and him."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"So jI gatherrred." Sasseeri patted his arm. "You handled the sjituatjion well. Having frrrjiends jin the Alljiance jis a good thjing." Especially when one was trying to start a business venture in the middle of Alliance space.

[Sanis Prent]

I expected no less spin from my boss on the subject. In this line of work, you always looked for an angle.

"I take it then you'd rather I keep those friendships cultivated."

After all, that's how we'd gotten here to begin with. Finding the right friendly face who was amicable to doing business. Being in the Rebellion hadn't made me forget how to hustle. Now the game was just a little different.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She smiled, looking straight ahead. "jIt does make you a morrre attrractjive employee." She resisted the urge to pinch his ass. "jI have plenty of contacts wjithjin the jImperrrjial burrreaucrrracy, but the Alljiance of Frrree Planets jis new. Uncharrrted terrrrjitorrry."

[Sanis Prent]

I didn't want to ask where here loyalties lay, because I had a feeling I already knew. We had to be an apolitical lot, after all. Credits Rule Everything Around Me. This was the philosophy of making it big, after all.

"Well, then I'll make sure to keep you well acquainted with the right people."

It made sense, and I didn't feel begrudged to say it. This was where I could shine, and could make a name for myself. That it happened by Sasseeri's fickle graces was secondary. She needed an inside man, and I could certainly fill the position.

We walked back to the ship, suddenly having an understanding that I'd missed in the months since I'd started working for the boss lady. Moving on from Cirr and the old life was bittersweet, but maybe that door wasn't closed all the way after all.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"jIndeed," she purred, releasing his arm as they reached the area where their ship was sitting with a guard by the attached umbilical and airlock. She wrinkled her nose with distaste, ready to be quit of the Alliance's tender care.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Sanjis, wajit!"

Cirr came bounding down the corridor leading to the umbilical as best as he could, causing a few guards to take a step back to clear the way. Tucked under his arm was a wooden case. He paused at the end, wincing at the exertion taken on his right leg, and held the box out to his friend.

"One last thjing beforre you go. An old keepsake."

The Captain shifted a bit, and his ears lowered slightly.

"Someone once told me therre's the kjind of luck you have, and the kjind of luck you make. jI want you to have both."

[Sanis Prent]

Turning back, I saw Cirr approach once again. The box in his hand needed no introduction at all. It too was a relic of my old life. A welcome one. Surprise was plain on my face as I took the box from him, gentle with it as if I were holding an infant. Only the Captain's words broke my sense of shock. They were my words. Said a long time ago.

"Whoever that someone was, sounds like they just like hearing themselves talk."

It caused Cirr to smile, and I smiled in turn. Careful with the wooden box, I tucked it under my arm and extended a hand to my friend.

"Ja irra korra'nai, Captain. Hope to see you soon."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr took the handshake fully, pumping twice.

"Soon, arr'uuhai. Safe trravels."

With that, he let Sanis part. Let his friend take his own path. May Saanjarra bring them both together again.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She crossed through the airlocks into their ship, suspicious that she'd find more Alliance marines inside it. Everything looked empty and as they'd left it, but all that meant was the Alliance had been careful when they'd searched it. She folded her arms over her chest, and sat stiffly in the copilots seat, waiting for Sanis to say his good-byes to his former lover, or whatever nonsense it actually was.

[Sanis Prent]

Making sure the airlock seal was sound, I stepped away from the door, heading back to my pilot's seat. Sasseeri still seemed bothered and cagy, but I couldn't blame her after what might have been a close call.

Reaching the cockpit, I gently sat the wooden box in the seat beside me as the Novgorod's umbilical detached. A few thruster bursts later, and we were going our separate ways once more. I watched the Marauder glide past as she picked up speed. Cirr certainly had himself a good looking ship.

"No worse for wear, boss. I count that as a win."

Looking back, I had a smile on my face. For once, it was genuine.

"Where to?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Bespjin," she said, returning his smile with a small one of her own. "jI hope thjis jincjident wjill not jeopoarrrdjize ourrr deal wjith Murrrghk." Sasseeri raised an eyebrow, and Sanis shrugged, shaking his head.

"By the way," she added, reaching for her restraints, "You wjill have use of thjis shjip jin the futurrre. Feel frrree to name herrr, jI'll have the tjitle changed."

[Sanis Prent]

I had no idea what Sassy had in store for me at Bespin, but the tone of it all seemed to be one I liked. It didn't hurt one bit that she felt like letting the line run slack enough to trust me with a ship. I breathed air that tasted a little sweeter. The gilded cage seemed long past me. Even if I was trading in a long silver leash, it felt good.

"Don't take this the wrong way, boss...but you're a wonderful human being."