Disclaimer: This is where I put something along the lines of owning nothing pertaining to SW:TOR.

Reluctance
Chapter One: Double-edged Sword

A newly promoted Captain Malavai Quinn practically raced through the streets of Sobrik, headed straight for his quarters. It was difficult to keep the stupid smile off his face as he clutched the small black box in his hands. When he finally reached his office, he told the protocol droid nearby not to let anyone inside his personal room under any circumstances, and shut the door behind him. There would be no distractions of any sort to keep him from this moment.

He placed the box in the center of his desk and sat in the chair across from it. His gloved fingers traced the edges as he held his breath, anxious. Twenty seven blocked or denied promotions, and nearly a decade later, here Malavai Quinn sat, almost unable to enjoy it. He continued to hold his breath, expecting the worst, expecting the box to be empty, expecting another message stating that Moff Broysc had once again pulled enough strings to keep him in the position of lieutenant.

"Don't be foolish," he said aloud with a small chuckle, "the paperwork has already been filed." And with that, he opened the lid.

Gleaming up at him were the Captain's rank insignia pins and cords. He exhaled a sigh of relief, smiled, and took off his gloves, placing them neatly next to the open box. His index finger traced the smooth ridges of the pin block by block and then ran along the coarse braid of the cords. He would wear them proudly, just as he had nearly fifteen years ago – the first time he rose to the rank of Captain.

He took both items from the box and began fastening them to his jacket. He had worn the lieutenant's insignia for so long, he almost forgot the extra bit of weight the higher rank cords added. The small smile he had been wearing nearly all day persisted.

There was only one other thing to take care of before he could leave the awful rock of Balmorra. Quinn picked up a nearby datapad and began looking over the open positions for relocation. Earlier in the day, he had narrowed down his results to three possible choices, but deciding between them had proven difficult.

His personal holocommunicator rang abruptly, interrupting his perusal. He stood, smoothed his jacket along his chest, and then turned to answer whoever was trying to contact him. He was pleased to see the image of Darth Baras appear before him; it would give Quinn the opportunity to privately thank the Sith for his promotion and relocation.

"My Lord," he began with a deep bow, inviting Baras to speak.

"Ah, Captain Quinn, I see you've received your captaincy in full. Now I must ask you about your choice in relocation."

"My Lord, I would like to give my extreme thanks again for the promotion and the relocation, although I have not yet narrowed down search."

"You have proven yourself deserving of such rewards. I may be able to pinpoint the best location for you."

Quinn's eyebrows knitted together quizzically. How would Darth Baras know where to send me? He asked inwardly. Certainly he knows my talents and skills, but that is only a fraction of the relocation destination. Suddenly, he widened his eyes knowingly. No, he's relocating you for his own gain.

"I feel that you would be best suited serving under my apprentice. I don't often send my apprentices to traverse the galaxy without proper surveillance. I need you to be my eyes and ears aboard her ship."

As Baras spoke, irritation and anger bubbled in Quinn's chest. He tightened his jaw, preparing himself for speaking out to a superior, something he hadn't done in a long time. Babysitting an apprentice was hardly a step up from his current situation. "My Lord, with all due respect, my debt to you has been paid. I would prefer a relocation better suited to combatting the—" he was cut short by a scream from the Sith on the holo.

"Have you forgotten your place, Imperial?!" Baras bellowed, reaching out with his right arm. "I granted you this, and I can just as easily take it away!"

Quinn's throat tightened, his vision blurred, and the drumming in his ears drowned out the choking sounds escaping his throat. He barely noticed being lifted into the air as he grasped at the invisible hands around his neck. In an instant, he collapsed to the floor, his airway no longer restricted. Lifting himself up onto all fours, he took ragged breaths, staring wide-eyed at the floor beneath him.

"Her ship leaves soon; I suggest you make your arrangements quickly. And do make sure you're convincing when you request to join her crew." The communication cut out without another word.

"Right away, my Lord," Quinn said hoarsely to the dormant holoterminal. It had been nearly ten years since he had experienced such bitterness toward any superior. He pushed himself upward, still shaking involuntarily from being choked. At least this apprentice was expected to travel throughout the galaxy; at least he'd finally get off this rock.

The datapad lying on his desk still showed his previous and now no-longer-possible locations for reassignment. Baras was using him once again as a pawn to suit his own needs, but such was the life of an Imperial officer. Quinn cleared the information on the datapad with a sigh, and instead began arranging his personal effects to be sent off-world, to a location he would hopefully be able to see in the near future.

As Quinn packed some small items he would need on the apprentice's ship, he thought back to the young Sith woman. She had called herself Alandra, and she seemed far too young and inexperienced to be handling Baras' spies. From what he saw of her in combat, she was adept in the Force, though he could hardly measure that without sensitivity to it. Diplomatically, she seemed too soft to be considered a Sith; rather than kill a Jedi who had been trying to expose Commander Rylon, she allowed the Republic scum to be imprisoned. Her methods were unorthodox in most Imperial society. She kept a slave with her at all times, yet she didn't require the Twi'lek to wear a collar, and she permitted the blue-skinned girl to say and do things slaves shouldn't have been allowed.

She was however, very eager to assist Baras in his operations, and she was quite attentive when she needed to hear a strategy or plan. It was admirable how well she listened and followed orders. He never really had an issue working with the young Sith; perhaps being aboard her ship wouldn't be such a miserable assignment.

Quinn sighed, gathering the rest of his belongings he would take with him. Regardless of Alandra's abilities, personable qualities, or eagerness to follow orders, he would much rather be stationed aboard an Imperial ship full of men and women like himself – somewhere he would do the galaxy some good, not just play spy for Baras.