AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is almost AU. I decided to make it in the
past, as it suits the story's content best. To all the people who have
read the comics pertaining this era in Star Wars history, please excuse
any inconsistencies, as I am not all that familiar with that time.
A 'ysalamiri' crystal is a little vial of fluid filled with ysalamiri blood. These creatures create a bubble in the Force when they are alive.
The words between the // are in italics. ' ' indicate thoughts or telepathy.
AGE RESTRICTION: R for sexual situations, adult concepts and rather graphic violence later in the story. (This is the Sith we're talking about, here!)
This chapter is PG-13.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any names, places or objects you may recognize (Jedi, Sith, the Force, lightsabers, ysalamiri, etc.). I'm certainly not making any money out of this. The character Koja belongs to my good friend Jo-lee.
-HELIOS-
PROLOGUE
It is almost five millennia before the Republic and the Jedi Temple came into existence. Sith are numerous throughout the Galaxy, and the Jedi train in scattered academies.
A lone Jedi Padawan, Koja Jime, has been kidnapped by the Sith while on a mission and brought to the Sith fortress on the isolated world of Helios.
The planet of Helios was almost unknown, situated as it was on the edge of Wild Space. It had a small number of inhabitants and no trade relations to any other worlds. Helios was far from its star, but not devoid of life. It was a cold planet, and plants struggled to survive on the flat, barren plains. The thin layer of unfrozen topsoil also hosted the hardiest species of lichen and mosses. The world did not host a large array of life - be it flora or fauna - because its harsh conditions just demanded too much from its inhabitants.
Large herds of herbivores called steshma antelopes migrated across the wind-blasted surface, to and from breeding- and feeding- grounds. Solitary, bulky gerr roamed their large territories, always on the lookout for an unwary victim. Large, scrawny birds circled the bleak skies, searching for tiny creatures or anything that had succumbed to the cold. Indeed, it was always the strongest that survived. Weakness meant death. But it was not only the animals that struggled to thrive under this harsh plight. The sentient inhabitants of Helios believed in the same.
On the southern edge of one of the three continents, about a hundred kilometers west of one of the frozen seas lay a large, fortress-like building, the only one of its kind on the whole planet. It was built of the strongest, thickest stone to avert the cutting winds and the cold. It had been affectionately named Irrchanor Kag in the old Sith speech, meaning 'Ice Blood'.
Although it was a small academy, it produced good fighters, and prided itself in their elite toughness; for which they gave credit to their planet. Extremely few other people knew much about Helios, except other Darksiders. The Heliosian Sith, however, often left the planet to make raids on neighboring inhabited worlds, taking what they needed. The intimidated, baffled authorities often wondered where these cruel, graceful, grotesque creatures had come from, but had little success tracking their ships as they left on some unknown hyperspace route back to their haunt.
Chapter 1 - Choices
The Leader's Chamber was large and warm. Old, valuable hangings adorned the black stone walls, depicting in golden thread victorious battles and great warlords of the past. Thick, shimmering white gerr rugs were spread over the floor. Five glow torches attached to the walls just under ceilings cast a warm, bright glow about the windowless room.
Taren stood before his Master, eyes respectfully lowered to the ground. He could barely contain the excited shivers running through him.
The powerful old Gornyshian stood before his student, studying the boy's slender form. The Master was one of the dozen or so of his species that had been born Force sensitive. He was one of the only two that had embraced the greater Dark Side. He had shaved his long fur off, and had allowed the smooth flesh beneath to be tattooed . . . something that any other of his kind would never have done, for Gornyshians took great pride in their long, gray fur coat. Master Kashorm, however, had found the long locks to be a hindrance in lightsaber duels, and he had been taunted because of this. Now, however, all respected and feared him, especially now that the two spike-like horns on his elbows and ankles could be seen more clearly. He had sharpened the four curved ones on his temples too for emphasis.
He was rather proud of his student, but did not let any of these emotions to surface. Instead he just kept a tiny bit of almost- satisfaction drifting from his mind.
"Boy . . . the Masters have decided that you are ready for the Initiation Passage. In the adjacent room to your left are the slaves you can choose from. They are all relatively new. You'll be able to keep the one you choose until she does not satisfy you anymore. After you have chosen a slave, you must go to your chamber and prepare yourself. You will be leaving tomorrow early."
The student bowed, but kept his face impassive. "Thank you, my Master." He kept his strides long, resisting the urge to run to the closed door the Master had indicated.
There were about a dozen females in the room; some had been whispering to each other, but all froze when he entered. All of them looked up at him fearfully as he closed the door behind him. He let his eyes sweep over them, keeping a menacing look on his face.
Almost all looked human, but his eyes fixed on a . . . Bothan, he thought she was. He wondered what sleeping with an alien would be like. The female stared at him, intelligent golden eyes boring into him. Her creamy coat looked smooth, and a white fur ruff was just visible above the collar of her low-cut dress slave's dress. Her delicate, paw-like hands rested on her knees. She did not seem to have much in the form of breasts . . . and when she snarled at him he got a good view of her sharp teeth. He wondered how he could get past those if he wanted to kiss her. In the end he decided against choosing her. He was sure Vernko, the Shistavenan Wolfman student, would rather want the Bothan.
Taren swept his gaze over the faces once more. He spotted a pretty, almond-eyed human staring at him. He moved over to her and ran a hand down her cheek. She had hair as black as her eyes, which were now on him, shining impassively. He bent down and kissed her. She responded easily, but flinched when he brushed a hand over her breast. The Sith gave a small leer and moved to the next one, wondering what exactly he was looking for.
The next female was also a human, with long flaxen hair. She had drawn her knees up to her chest and was looking in another direction. He took her by the jaw and turned her head to face him. He didn't like that scar she had on her forehead. Others might have thought it gave her an air of innocence...or strength or something . . . but not Taren. He studied her chest, one of the best he'd seen so far, but he was sure he'd come across a better girl.
There was also slender, exotic-looking alien female. She had smooth, hairless dark turquoise skin and two dozen headtails fell down her shoulders. Her huge ink-blue eyes regarded him dolefully, the stare containing a mixture of repulsion, fear and curiosity. Her small full lips were twisted into a shrewd smile. The Sith had to refrain from frowning. Yes, exotic she was . . . beautiful in a very strange way. But no, she was even less human than the Bothan before her. She didn't even look mammalian.
He went on, touching and examining the females as if they were drought animals for sale at some Agamarian market. Then he got to the third- last girl. This one was smaller than the rest, but no less beautiful. And then he felt it. The pulsing aura she gave off. Yes, she was a Force-sensitive, like him. He laid a hand on her thin trembling shoulder.
"You Jedi?" he asked, voice loud in the silent room. The girl stared up at him. She was not bad looking, like most of the girls in here . . . But none of /them/ were sensitive to the Force. He was sure of that.
She gave a nod before looking away.
This one was a lot more afraid than most of the others. She was not frightened of the /unknown,/ because she /didn't/ know what was going to happen to her, like the others. She was afraid because she knew what would happen. She had been through this before. Taren wondered how she had escaped from her previous captor. He smiled inwardly. He was sure he'd do better than the one who'd had her before. This time, she would not get away from this academy.
"Come on," he murmured. "You're the one I choose."
As they entered the warmly lit Chamber once more, Taren felt the elders regarding him silently. There was an amused glint in Master Kashorm's yellow eyes. The student guessed this was either because the Master had reckoned the Jedi to be his choice, or, that he was surprised by it.
He led the girl up next to him and bowed his head. "Master."
Kashorm nodded. "Good. You know where to leave her for the night."
The younger Sith was about to turn around to leave when Master Jeiltar moved up next to his Master. He knew that the Gornyshian didn't particularly like him. Just then he felt a familiar presence behind him. He turned around.
Jalekk stood in the large doorway. They had never gotten along well, ever since he could remember. They had both competed for the rare praises from the head Master, Zadonn. In short, they had always been competing for the same thing. And none of them seemed to ever have managed to beat the other. Even now. Taren could only take some comfort in the fact that he had been called to the Leader's Chamber first. And that he probably would get back to the Academy first from Initiation. "Student, wait.'' Master Kashorm's quiet command brought his head around again.
The other Master spoke up. "You will both be going onto your Initiation Passage together. Both of you have half the map in your minds . . . If one of you abandons the other . . . getting back will be difficult, to say the least." He smiled, but it was not an encouraging or friendly smile.
Jalekk spoke up. "Masters, Taren and I will co-operate well. And we will both return to the academy."
He had spoken well, keeping any malice or taunting out of his stupid, harsh-sounding, up-sucking voice.
Behind him, Taren quickly nodded and turned, taking the slave with him.
Taren wanted to whip out his lightsaber and slash the closest statue to smoking granules of byrnstone. He hated Jalekk, and now, to go on Initiation with him . . .! He gave an irritated growl, which was supposed to have been a sigh, and strode on down the gloomy passage.
"You don't like him, do you?"
He looked at the slave. "Is it that obvious?"
She nodded quietly and didn't speak further.
He glanced down at her. "So, how old are you?" He wanted to get his mind off the next week or so.
"Seventeen standard years," she replied.
"Good. That's as old as I am."
Finally they came to a silver door decorated with stylized engravings of snarling gerr. 'Rather fitting.' the Sith thought as he tapped it twice. A nice reminder of what was out there, during Initiation.
A tall woman a few years his senior opened the door. She bowed. "Master."
He looked at her haughtily and said, "Tomorrow this one's coming with me to Initiation. You know what to do."
The raven-haired woman nodded. "Of course, sir."
Then Taren turned and left for his own sleeping chambers.
The woman gently took Taren's slave by the arm and led her into the large room. She gave a small smile as she looked into the girl's face. "I'm Sitah. What do they call you?"
She smiled back. "I'm Koja. Koja Jime."
The woman nodded. "Ah.'' Her eyes fell on the small vial attached to the girl's silver necklace. "Jedi, no?"
Koja nodded.
Sitah gave a small chuckle and sighed. She motioned to a few comfortable-looking chairs. "Sit."
The Jedi did as she was told.
Then Sitah moved over to the small thermal grid in the corner and poured some steaming drink from a triangular pot. She placed the beverage down in front of Koja on the large stone slab that served as a low table. "Drink,"
Koja stared at the woman. "How long have you been here?"
Sitah moved to the far wall to a large cupboard. "Me? Must be about ten rotation cycles, now . . . " she chuckled again. "And a cycle here is longer than a standard year, let me tell you that.'' She opened the cupboard and removed a pile of synthplas-covered clothing.
The Jedi took a sip of the beverage - it tasted of herbs and was dark green. "What is it you do here?"
Sitah pulled the white synthplas sheets off the garments. "Well, I just outfit all the slaves that need to be with stuff to go on Initiation . . . And hope the males don't get sick of me and run me through any time soon. Although that wouldn't be a bad option . . . " She rummaged around, sorting all the different types of clothing into heaps on a large, russet couch. "You look rather small . . . Maybe this cloak . . . and these boots . . . "
"What exactly /is/ Initiation?" the girl wanted to know next.
The other woman looked up. "Full of questions, aren't you, my dear? Well, it's all right. I prefer your company to one of theirs' . . . " She laughed again. "If you know what I mean. Anyway, Initiation is one of their fancy words for, well . . . " she paused. "When a young Sith comes of age, don't ask me how they figure that out, they take a long trip to some place, and come back again. Rather pointless if you ask me. Anyway, this young Sith is given a slave - and since they haven't, well, been to bed with anyone yet . . . They do that on Initiation . . ." She smiled again. "And if they don't, well, their Masters have ways to find out with their little hocus-pocus tricks . . . " She stared hard at Koja. "You ought to know." Sitah picked up a long, thin black shirt. "Come here, girl . . . "
The Jedi set down her mug and walked over to the other woman.
Sitah held the shirt against the Koja's shoulders to see how it fit. "All you have to do is pray you don't run into a gerr and keep the guy's pants happy."
Koja smiled thinly and nodded.
"This seems to fit," the woman said, tossing the shirt onto the closest chair.
Next came a long-sleeved coal-black dress, which buttoned down the front. Then Sitah chose a thick pair of tights, dark gray trousers, long thick socks; a thick hooded parka lined with gray fur. Then came a red fur-lined cloak, also with hood. Lastly were knee-high waterproof boots, snow goggles, long mittens and a black scarf.
Koja could only stare at the huge pile that had accumulated on the chair.
Sitah grinned. "Believe me, you'll be thankful for all of that. It can get rather /cold/ out there."
Just then there was a loud, heavy knock on the door. The other woman quickly moved over to it, and worked the controls - it slid open to reveal a Sith and another girl.
Koja watched as a curt exchange occurred between her and the Darksider. Then he left, leaving his new slave in the doorway.
The newcomer was a brunette, with ice-blue eyes and was slightly taller than Koja. She looked rather unsettled, and quickly pulled the strap of her dress back onto her shoulder, wiping a long strand of wavy hair behind an ear.
Sitah took her by the arm. "Are you okay?"
The girl's eyes flashed. "The damned sharrit!'' she spat in accented Basic, using a word that probably described some foul animal from her home world.
"Hey . . . it's okay." The older woman said quietly. "You should get used to it . . .?"
"Kairal . . . Vornei si Kairal,"
"Get used to it, Kairal dear . . .'' Sitah looked at Koja.
The other girl sunk down on a chair, a scared, confused look on her face. "Who are these people? What do they want?"
The Jedi caught Sitah's eye and moved over to the girl's chair, kneeling next to it. As best she could, she gave Kairal an explanation of the Force, Jedi, Sith and their rituals; trying to stay as brief and uncomplicated as possible, which wasn't easy.
After Koja had finished, Kairal looked at her, unbelieving. She was fighting hard to stop from crying, the Jedi knew. She stood up slightly and hugged the girl. "It's not as bad as it sounds . . ." 'It's worse.' But until now, her friends had always come to get her. Hopefully they'd do the same now. Sitah handed the girl a cup of the brew.
After Kairal had finished her drink, the older woman called her over to give her the clothes and accessories.
Later, when Sitah was in one corner packing something, Koja and the girl were both sitting on the couch.
Kairal still looked worried, perhaps more than before. The Jedi leaned forward to look at her. "Hey . . . can I give you some . . . tips?"
The girl nodded sullenly.
"Usually a Sith is always in a hurry - you know what I mean - so make sure he doesn't make the move too quickly. Stall for as long as possible, if you can, and it'll hurt . . .less . . . when he does.''
Kairal stared at her blankly, then she nodded. "I understand."
Koja reached over and took the other girl by the wrists. "Please . . . when it happens . . . try to relax, and at least try to enjoy it physically. Everything will be a lot easier that way. Don't make him angry, he'll only hurt you more."
The other girl nodded again and swallowed. "Okay." She gave a tiny watery smile. ''Thank you for the advice."
Koja didn't smile. "I can't say it was a pleasure."
Just then Sitah walked over to them. "Come on, you two. Time to get some sleep. Those two beds are for you . . . I'll take the couch. Hurry now. Tomorrow's a big day."
A 'ysalamiri' crystal is a little vial of fluid filled with ysalamiri blood. These creatures create a bubble in the Force when they are alive.
The words between the // are in italics. ' ' indicate thoughts or telepathy.
AGE RESTRICTION: R for sexual situations, adult concepts and rather graphic violence later in the story. (This is the Sith we're talking about, here!)
This chapter is PG-13.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any names, places or objects you may recognize (Jedi, Sith, the Force, lightsabers, ysalamiri, etc.). I'm certainly not making any money out of this. The character Koja belongs to my good friend Jo-lee.
-HELIOS-
PROLOGUE
It is almost five millennia before the Republic and the Jedi Temple came into existence. Sith are numerous throughout the Galaxy, and the Jedi train in scattered academies.
A lone Jedi Padawan, Koja Jime, has been kidnapped by the Sith while on a mission and brought to the Sith fortress on the isolated world of Helios.
The planet of Helios was almost unknown, situated as it was on the edge of Wild Space. It had a small number of inhabitants and no trade relations to any other worlds. Helios was far from its star, but not devoid of life. It was a cold planet, and plants struggled to survive on the flat, barren plains. The thin layer of unfrozen topsoil also hosted the hardiest species of lichen and mosses. The world did not host a large array of life - be it flora or fauna - because its harsh conditions just demanded too much from its inhabitants.
Large herds of herbivores called steshma antelopes migrated across the wind-blasted surface, to and from breeding- and feeding- grounds. Solitary, bulky gerr roamed their large territories, always on the lookout for an unwary victim. Large, scrawny birds circled the bleak skies, searching for tiny creatures or anything that had succumbed to the cold. Indeed, it was always the strongest that survived. Weakness meant death. But it was not only the animals that struggled to thrive under this harsh plight. The sentient inhabitants of Helios believed in the same.
On the southern edge of one of the three continents, about a hundred kilometers west of one of the frozen seas lay a large, fortress-like building, the only one of its kind on the whole planet. It was built of the strongest, thickest stone to avert the cutting winds and the cold. It had been affectionately named Irrchanor Kag in the old Sith speech, meaning 'Ice Blood'.
Although it was a small academy, it produced good fighters, and prided itself in their elite toughness; for which they gave credit to their planet. Extremely few other people knew much about Helios, except other Darksiders. The Heliosian Sith, however, often left the planet to make raids on neighboring inhabited worlds, taking what they needed. The intimidated, baffled authorities often wondered where these cruel, graceful, grotesque creatures had come from, but had little success tracking their ships as they left on some unknown hyperspace route back to their haunt.
Chapter 1 - Choices
The Leader's Chamber was large and warm. Old, valuable hangings adorned the black stone walls, depicting in golden thread victorious battles and great warlords of the past. Thick, shimmering white gerr rugs were spread over the floor. Five glow torches attached to the walls just under ceilings cast a warm, bright glow about the windowless room.
Taren stood before his Master, eyes respectfully lowered to the ground. He could barely contain the excited shivers running through him.
The powerful old Gornyshian stood before his student, studying the boy's slender form. The Master was one of the dozen or so of his species that had been born Force sensitive. He was one of the only two that had embraced the greater Dark Side. He had shaved his long fur off, and had allowed the smooth flesh beneath to be tattooed . . . something that any other of his kind would never have done, for Gornyshians took great pride in their long, gray fur coat. Master Kashorm, however, had found the long locks to be a hindrance in lightsaber duels, and he had been taunted because of this. Now, however, all respected and feared him, especially now that the two spike-like horns on his elbows and ankles could be seen more clearly. He had sharpened the four curved ones on his temples too for emphasis.
He was rather proud of his student, but did not let any of these emotions to surface. Instead he just kept a tiny bit of almost- satisfaction drifting from his mind.
"Boy . . . the Masters have decided that you are ready for the Initiation Passage. In the adjacent room to your left are the slaves you can choose from. They are all relatively new. You'll be able to keep the one you choose until she does not satisfy you anymore. After you have chosen a slave, you must go to your chamber and prepare yourself. You will be leaving tomorrow early."
The student bowed, but kept his face impassive. "Thank you, my Master." He kept his strides long, resisting the urge to run to the closed door the Master had indicated.
There were about a dozen females in the room; some had been whispering to each other, but all froze when he entered. All of them looked up at him fearfully as he closed the door behind him. He let his eyes sweep over them, keeping a menacing look on his face.
Almost all looked human, but his eyes fixed on a . . . Bothan, he thought she was. He wondered what sleeping with an alien would be like. The female stared at him, intelligent golden eyes boring into him. Her creamy coat looked smooth, and a white fur ruff was just visible above the collar of her low-cut dress slave's dress. Her delicate, paw-like hands rested on her knees. She did not seem to have much in the form of breasts . . . and when she snarled at him he got a good view of her sharp teeth. He wondered how he could get past those if he wanted to kiss her. In the end he decided against choosing her. He was sure Vernko, the Shistavenan Wolfman student, would rather want the Bothan.
Taren swept his gaze over the faces once more. He spotted a pretty, almond-eyed human staring at him. He moved over to her and ran a hand down her cheek. She had hair as black as her eyes, which were now on him, shining impassively. He bent down and kissed her. She responded easily, but flinched when he brushed a hand over her breast. The Sith gave a small leer and moved to the next one, wondering what exactly he was looking for.
The next female was also a human, with long flaxen hair. She had drawn her knees up to her chest and was looking in another direction. He took her by the jaw and turned her head to face him. He didn't like that scar she had on her forehead. Others might have thought it gave her an air of innocence...or strength or something . . . but not Taren. He studied her chest, one of the best he'd seen so far, but he was sure he'd come across a better girl.
There was also slender, exotic-looking alien female. She had smooth, hairless dark turquoise skin and two dozen headtails fell down her shoulders. Her huge ink-blue eyes regarded him dolefully, the stare containing a mixture of repulsion, fear and curiosity. Her small full lips were twisted into a shrewd smile. The Sith had to refrain from frowning. Yes, exotic she was . . . beautiful in a very strange way. But no, she was even less human than the Bothan before her. She didn't even look mammalian.
He went on, touching and examining the females as if they were drought animals for sale at some Agamarian market. Then he got to the third- last girl. This one was smaller than the rest, but no less beautiful. And then he felt it. The pulsing aura she gave off. Yes, she was a Force-sensitive, like him. He laid a hand on her thin trembling shoulder.
"You Jedi?" he asked, voice loud in the silent room. The girl stared up at him. She was not bad looking, like most of the girls in here . . . But none of /them/ were sensitive to the Force. He was sure of that.
She gave a nod before looking away.
This one was a lot more afraid than most of the others. She was not frightened of the /unknown,/ because she /didn't/ know what was going to happen to her, like the others. She was afraid because she knew what would happen. She had been through this before. Taren wondered how she had escaped from her previous captor. He smiled inwardly. He was sure he'd do better than the one who'd had her before. This time, she would not get away from this academy.
"Come on," he murmured. "You're the one I choose."
As they entered the warmly lit Chamber once more, Taren felt the elders regarding him silently. There was an amused glint in Master Kashorm's yellow eyes. The student guessed this was either because the Master had reckoned the Jedi to be his choice, or, that he was surprised by it.
He led the girl up next to him and bowed his head. "Master."
Kashorm nodded. "Good. You know where to leave her for the night."
The younger Sith was about to turn around to leave when Master Jeiltar moved up next to his Master. He knew that the Gornyshian didn't particularly like him. Just then he felt a familiar presence behind him. He turned around.
Jalekk stood in the large doorway. They had never gotten along well, ever since he could remember. They had both competed for the rare praises from the head Master, Zadonn. In short, they had always been competing for the same thing. And none of them seemed to ever have managed to beat the other. Even now. Taren could only take some comfort in the fact that he had been called to the Leader's Chamber first. And that he probably would get back to the Academy first from Initiation. "Student, wait.'' Master Kashorm's quiet command brought his head around again.
The other Master spoke up. "You will both be going onto your Initiation Passage together. Both of you have half the map in your minds . . . If one of you abandons the other . . . getting back will be difficult, to say the least." He smiled, but it was not an encouraging or friendly smile.
Jalekk spoke up. "Masters, Taren and I will co-operate well. And we will both return to the academy."
He had spoken well, keeping any malice or taunting out of his stupid, harsh-sounding, up-sucking voice.
Behind him, Taren quickly nodded and turned, taking the slave with him.
Taren wanted to whip out his lightsaber and slash the closest statue to smoking granules of byrnstone. He hated Jalekk, and now, to go on Initiation with him . . .! He gave an irritated growl, which was supposed to have been a sigh, and strode on down the gloomy passage.
"You don't like him, do you?"
He looked at the slave. "Is it that obvious?"
She nodded quietly and didn't speak further.
He glanced down at her. "So, how old are you?" He wanted to get his mind off the next week or so.
"Seventeen standard years," she replied.
"Good. That's as old as I am."
Finally they came to a silver door decorated with stylized engravings of snarling gerr. 'Rather fitting.' the Sith thought as he tapped it twice. A nice reminder of what was out there, during Initiation.
A tall woman a few years his senior opened the door. She bowed. "Master."
He looked at her haughtily and said, "Tomorrow this one's coming with me to Initiation. You know what to do."
The raven-haired woman nodded. "Of course, sir."
Then Taren turned and left for his own sleeping chambers.
The woman gently took Taren's slave by the arm and led her into the large room. She gave a small smile as she looked into the girl's face. "I'm Sitah. What do they call you?"
She smiled back. "I'm Koja. Koja Jime."
The woman nodded. "Ah.'' Her eyes fell on the small vial attached to the girl's silver necklace. "Jedi, no?"
Koja nodded.
Sitah gave a small chuckle and sighed. She motioned to a few comfortable-looking chairs. "Sit."
The Jedi did as she was told.
Then Sitah moved over to the small thermal grid in the corner and poured some steaming drink from a triangular pot. She placed the beverage down in front of Koja on the large stone slab that served as a low table. "Drink,"
Koja stared at the woman. "How long have you been here?"
Sitah moved to the far wall to a large cupboard. "Me? Must be about ten rotation cycles, now . . . " she chuckled again. "And a cycle here is longer than a standard year, let me tell you that.'' She opened the cupboard and removed a pile of synthplas-covered clothing.
The Jedi took a sip of the beverage - it tasted of herbs and was dark green. "What is it you do here?"
Sitah pulled the white synthplas sheets off the garments. "Well, I just outfit all the slaves that need to be with stuff to go on Initiation . . . And hope the males don't get sick of me and run me through any time soon. Although that wouldn't be a bad option . . . " She rummaged around, sorting all the different types of clothing into heaps on a large, russet couch. "You look rather small . . . Maybe this cloak . . . and these boots . . . "
"What exactly /is/ Initiation?" the girl wanted to know next.
The other woman looked up. "Full of questions, aren't you, my dear? Well, it's all right. I prefer your company to one of theirs' . . . " She laughed again. "If you know what I mean. Anyway, Initiation is one of their fancy words for, well . . . " she paused. "When a young Sith comes of age, don't ask me how they figure that out, they take a long trip to some place, and come back again. Rather pointless if you ask me. Anyway, this young Sith is given a slave - and since they haven't, well, been to bed with anyone yet . . . They do that on Initiation . . ." She smiled again. "And if they don't, well, their Masters have ways to find out with their little hocus-pocus tricks . . . " She stared hard at Koja. "You ought to know." Sitah picked up a long, thin black shirt. "Come here, girl . . . "
The Jedi set down her mug and walked over to the other woman.
Sitah held the shirt against the Koja's shoulders to see how it fit. "All you have to do is pray you don't run into a gerr and keep the guy's pants happy."
Koja smiled thinly and nodded.
"This seems to fit," the woman said, tossing the shirt onto the closest chair.
Next came a long-sleeved coal-black dress, which buttoned down the front. Then Sitah chose a thick pair of tights, dark gray trousers, long thick socks; a thick hooded parka lined with gray fur. Then came a red fur-lined cloak, also with hood. Lastly were knee-high waterproof boots, snow goggles, long mittens and a black scarf.
Koja could only stare at the huge pile that had accumulated on the chair.
Sitah grinned. "Believe me, you'll be thankful for all of that. It can get rather /cold/ out there."
Just then there was a loud, heavy knock on the door. The other woman quickly moved over to it, and worked the controls - it slid open to reveal a Sith and another girl.
Koja watched as a curt exchange occurred between her and the Darksider. Then he left, leaving his new slave in the doorway.
The newcomer was a brunette, with ice-blue eyes and was slightly taller than Koja. She looked rather unsettled, and quickly pulled the strap of her dress back onto her shoulder, wiping a long strand of wavy hair behind an ear.
Sitah took her by the arm. "Are you okay?"
The girl's eyes flashed. "The damned sharrit!'' she spat in accented Basic, using a word that probably described some foul animal from her home world.
"Hey . . . it's okay." The older woman said quietly. "You should get used to it . . .?"
"Kairal . . . Vornei si Kairal,"
"Get used to it, Kairal dear . . .'' Sitah looked at Koja.
The other girl sunk down on a chair, a scared, confused look on her face. "Who are these people? What do they want?"
The Jedi caught Sitah's eye and moved over to the girl's chair, kneeling next to it. As best she could, she gave Kairal an explanation of the Force, Jedi, Sith and their rituals; trying to stay as brief and uncomplicated as possible, which wasn't easy.
After Koja had finished, Kairal looked at her, unbelieving. She was fighting hard to stop from crying, the Jedi knew. She stood up slightly and hugged the girl. "It's not as bad as it sounds . . ." 'It's worse.' But until now, her friends had always come to get her. Hopefully they'd do the same now. Sitah handed the girl a cup of the brew.
After Kairal had finished her drink, the older woman called her over to give her the clothes and accessories.
Later, when Sitah was in one corner packing something, Koja and the girl were both sitting on the couch.
Kairal still looked worried, perhaps more than before. The Jedi leaned forward to look at her. "Hey . . . can I give you some . . . tips?"
The girl nodded sullenly.
"Usually a Sith is always in a hurry - you know what I mean - so make sure he doesn't make the move too quickly. Stall for as long as possible, if you can, and it'll hurt . . .less . . . when he does.''
Kairal stared at her blankly, then she nodded. "I understand."
Koja reached over and took the other girl by the wrists. "Please . . . when it happens . . . try to relax, and at least try to enjoy it physically. Everything will be a lot easier that way. Don't make him angry, he'll only hurt you more."
The other girl nodded again and swallowed. "Okay." She gave a tiny watery smile. ''Thank you for the advice."
Koja didn't smile. "I can't say it was a pleasure."
Just then Sitah walked over to them. "Come on, you two. Time to get some sleep. Those two beds are for you . . . I'll take the couch. Hurry now. Tomorrow's a big day."
