Set about a year before Vector Prime

Feeling suddenly tired, Shada leaned against the wall of the turbolift taking her up to her apartment. Karrde had hosted a dinner and a night of sabcac for Booster Terrik, Han Solo, and Lando Calrissian, so she had gone alone to a gathering that Leia Organa Solo had organized. She had lingered at Leia's long after the other guests had left, not wanting to intrude on what she secretly called the Old Smuggler's Club. She hoped they were all done by now.

"Welcome home, Mistress Karrde," Booster's voice called out as she stepped through the door.

She saw he was alone, lounging in a chair in the conversation area smoking a cigarra. If Booster was still here he must be planning to avail himself of their guestroom. She could hear Karrde directing the housekeeping droids in the dining room.

"Booster, it's good to see you." She smiled at him stepping down into to the sunken area around the fire place. She leaned down to give him a hug, but he pulled her down so she was sitting on the arm of his chair. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders holding her close. Booster was one of the few beings she knew that made a tall woman such as herself her feel small.

"You've got that husband of yours well trained," he whispered in her ear. "He wanted to make sure you didn't come home to a mess." Louder he said so Karrde could hear, "Shada, sweetheart, when are you going to ditch that old bandit and run away with me?"

"I don't know, Booster. What have you got to offer?" she asked playing along.

"A Star Destroyer that will take you anywhere you want to go in the galaxy."

Karrde came into the room just then, a good natured grin on his face. "Booster, are you trying to steal my woman?"

"Of course! You don't deserve such a fine lady."

"I'm sorry, Talon. I'm leaving you for Booster. He's giving me a Star Destroyer."

"Giving- That's my ship. Get away from me, you golddigger." Booster pushed her laughing off the arm of the chair and into Karrde's arms.

"I'm not sure I can forgive you for dallying with my arch-nemesis," he teased her.

"I can be very persuasive," she said leaning in closer to him.

"I know you can." Karrde stole a quick kiss, before going to the bar to retrieve a glass for her. "Try this brandy Lando brought. It's exquisite."

She took a sip. "It is very nice."

Karrde sat down on the couch and picked up his cigarra from the ashtray on the table. Shada sat close beside him, his arm going around her shoulders.

"How was the Old Smuggler's Club Reunion?" she inquired.

"A rather profitable evening. How was the Ladies Auxillary meeting?"

"Ladies Auxillary?" She elbowed him in ribs causing him to huff out a laugh. "You'd all be in big trouble without us."

"We would indeed," he agreed readily.

"Ain't that the truth," Booster held up his glass in a toast. "To the ladies that are always saving our asses." Then he picked the box of cigarra's and offered her one. Shada rarely indulged but Booster always had the highest quality cigarras. He lit it for her and she leaned back, Karrde's arm going back around her pulling her to him. She kicked off her shoes wiggling her toes as she propped her feet up next to Karrde's on the table.

This was one of those rare moments that felt she felt perfectly content as if everything was right in her universe. Although niggling in the back of her mind was the feeling that the other boot was about to drop.

She listened as Karrde and Booster exchanging stories of their smuggling days, occasionally interjecting a comment or story of her own. Each story, especially Booster's, seemed more outrageous than the next. After a while she realized that the tabaac in the cigarras were laced with some sort of spice because she began to feel more euphoric than the brandy warranted.

Eventually, Booster made it to their guest room and she and Karrde retired to their own bedroom. The spice gave their lovemaking a strange dreamlike quality, heightening the sensation yet making her feel oddly disconnected at the same time. When she finally fell asleep her dreams seemed to be a continuation and she woke the next morning feeling as tired as if she had been up all night and a little hungover. She was glad that they didn't have the meeting with the High Council today. They would need all their wits about them to deal with President Fey'la.

Shada had just rolled over to go back to sleep when there was a pounding on their door and Booster bellowing, "Stop being lazy and get up. I made breakfast."

Karrde groaned beside her and threw an arm across his eyes, blocking out the morning light. "Remind me again why you told him he was welcome to stay with us anytime?"

TBC