Part 1: Youth

A young human man, perhaps 17 or 18 standard human years stood outside the entrance to a secret chamber. The outside of the chamber appeared like a simple rock over hang, with no deeper shelter, with the exception of a small metal plate hidden beneath a thin layer of sand. The young man's fair hair fluttered in the breeze, bleached by the twin suns that battered backwater, desert planet of Tatooine. His blue eyes searched the canyon, hoping to see who he was waiting for. His tan farmer's hand gripped a small square of paper, causing more crinkles than his initial nervous habit of folding notes had done. He heard the echo of an approaching speeder.

A young woman, perhaps younger than him on first inspection, brought her transport, the same make and model as his uncle's but in an olive green, to a stop next to the entrance. As she checked the contents of the bag he approached. "Hello there!" he said with a smile. She stood with her bag and he extended a hand to help her down out of the transport.

She wore a faded green cloak with a large hood. When she turned to face him he saw she was quite beautiful because even in the deserts of Tatooine she managed to keep her skin fair as ivory. Her hair was a reddish blonde that tumbled down ever her shoulders in loose ringlets. Her light green eyes twinkled as she smiled broadly and eagerly.

"I'm Luke Skywalker" said the young man. He was pleased with what he saw

"I'm Taryn" she also was pleased. It would make her job all the easier she thought.

Luke nervously looked at the paper, and then one of the suns which began to creep over the edges of the deep canyon they were in. "Well, I found the place, but Biggs said you would have the code" said Luke as they walked towards the overhang. Biggs had told Luke about a girl he called when he felt lonely.

The barren lifeless desert planet did not provide much relief for rural young men in relation to sex. Call girls and prostitutes were not all the unusual. Luke was hesitant to accept the contact info from Biggs, but a moment of weakness brought him to the canyon. Luke called Biggs's girl, but she was unavailable. She recommended a new comer, a girl interested in making some quick cash. Luke liked the idea of a girl who had not been exposed to all the raunchy elements of the seedier side of the local cities. She appeared a pure, clean young woman.

"Yep" she smiled. Her voice was small and quiet. Almost childlike. She pulled out a shred of white paper and searched around for the panel.

Luke crouched down and dusted off the panel "Here" He said "I found it while I was waiting."

"Ah" she crouched down and he admired her smooth looking skin on her arms, and her delicate hands. After she examined her paper and entered the code the door groaned open quickly. They stepped inside.

While prostitution was not illegal it was a personal matter and discretion was preferred, hence the secret meeting place. Luke didn't want his uncle and especially his aunt to know what he was up to. He left his communicator off, told Biggs when his point was to create an alibi, and hoped it would all go smoothly.

They stood in pitch black for a second while the lights slowly began to gain a soft glow. It was very dim at first and then the light began to warm up and softly illuminate the room. It was a small cramped space. It was a storage space long since abandoned by its owner. It had been stripped of anything of value over the years and was nothing but an empty shell used for private meetings and likely nefarious deeds.

Taryn dropped her hood and fluffed her hair before removing her cloak with care. She held it by the shoulders, allowing the billowy hood to drop. "So, is this your first time?" she asked casually as she met the two shoulders of her worn cloak. She looked at him and knew the answer.

Luke shook his head "No, no" he shook his hand for emphasis. "Of course not" he smiled nervously.

She folded the cloak over her arm and said "Oh. Well this is my first job, actually."

His eyebrows were raised with surprise. He stroked his own arm with his opposite hand signaling his nerves to Taryn. She decided to play along. "How do you like it?" she asked.

When his eyes bugged at the question and he stuttered "Uh, the, well, the usual."

He dropped his hands to his side and Taryn approached. She pinched the folds of his eggshell colored Tunic. She followed the folds and slid her fingers down to his utility belt. He swallowed anxiously. She looked up at him and brushed his shaggy blonde hair back behind his ear. He watched her hand carefully as it traveled back down to his tunic.

She whispered "Luke, it's okay. I won't hurt you she giggled "Unless that's the usual for you."

He looked down at the ground, embarrassed it was so obvious he had lied. He looked at her outfit and smirked. She wore nothing unusual; it was a rather ordinary tunic dress in the same grayish sandy color that was popular in the area. There was some worn white crochet work around the neck and she cinched the dress with a heavy brown leather belt. He reached up and put his fingers on the crochet work. It was worn, and a bit tattered, but clean and bright white. Everything in Luke's world was worn and tattered, tired and old. His finger tips traced the crochet around her collar and slid up her neck. "How do you stay out of the sun here?"

He was entranced by her skin, stroking her neck. "Most of my work has been indoors, and at night" she explained.

He was becoming more comfortable with her. He dropped his hand and gently stroked her two arms as they hung loose at her sides. She was the one feeling tense now. He could somehow sense hesitation and said "Relax. I won't hurt you."

He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close. Taryn could feel how eager he was and how ready he was through his leggings. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes. He instinctively leaned in to bring his lips to hers and she almost allowed it. She slipped her index finger up between their lips just in the nick of time. She pushed him back a bid and said "Not on the lips."

He grimaced and he nodded his understanding, his eyes still holding hers from under his shaggy blonde bangs. He took her head in to his hands and kissed her forehead. She smiled at the sweetness of his gesture and touched his wrist. He lifted her chin and kissed her ivory neck and pulled her closer. She dropped her head back and his lips traveled to her collarbone. She was enjoying the job. 'I'm lucky to feel this way. Lucky to have a sweet young man. A cute sweet young man. I shouldn't be doing this.'

Luke traveled back up and kissed her neck. He pulled at the belt on her tunic, and it fell to the floor. Their breath came faster. She reveled in his hot breath on her neck. As the light became stronger a bed was revealed by the brighter bulb. It was a full size with a tattered green blanket and two matching pillows which had patches. She fell backwards onto the bed, delighted by its softness. She spread her legs and he lay on top of her. She skittered back and lifted her legs on to the bed. He was right behind her, pulling her tunic over her head. She was nude – His eyes swept her body in the dim light bulb. Her breasts were full and he quickly cupped one in his hand. She enjoyed the fascination which crossed his face and giggled at his reaction. He smiled reflexively and slid his hand down to her thigh.

He gripped her breast and began to suck on her nipple. She hooked her finger on his tunic and slid it downward, opening it up. He reached behind himself and unhooked his utility belt, and pushed it with a thud to the ground. He began to nuzzle and kiss her neck again. She tugged downward on the rim of his leggings. He quickly shed them, kicking them to the dusty floor.

They righted themselves on the bed and lay length wise across the clean blanket. His hips lined up with hers and she felt his erection on her thigh. She reached down and guided him inside of her. He grunted at the unfamiliar pleasure. The act was not awkward, but was quick and abrupt. Taryn knew for certain it was his first time.

They lay side by side on the blanket. "I'm sorry" he mumbled. "I…I don't know what…"

Taryn smiled knowingly and rolled on her side to face him. "Its okay, Luke. That's how it is the first time."

He looked down at his feet which hung out from underneath the blanket. He brought his youthful gaze back to meet hers.

"How about the second time?" He asked in all sincerity. She chucked and said "I think it's a little different. I assume you'll become more um…" she wanted to be encouraging "used to it over time."

As far as Taryn was concerned he had all elements of a wonderful lover. He was considerate, tender and fit. While the experience was shorter than she expected it had been enjoyable. She reluctantly sat up and slid out from under the blanket.

She squatted down trying to hide as much of herself from him as she could, to reach for her dress on the floor.

She picked up and dusted it off, wrapping the sand out with two strong snaps.

"What're you doing?" He asked, propped up on an elbow.

"Getting dressed" she replied.

"Hey, now, I paid for the full hour" he whined.

Taryn was a bit afraid she may have misjudged her innocent farm boy. She saw his bright white smile and relaxed. "Sorry" she said, looking at her watch. She slid back to him, unable to help herself. 'So much for not becoming attached to clients.' She skipped back over to the bed and crawled back in. A while later they lay again spooning in silence. Luke lay behind her tracing her curves with his fingertips. He noticed a few marks on her hips. They were horizontal lines, a bit uneven. They were pink and yet shimmered in the light.

She tensed a bit as he touched them and he immediately intuited she was self conscious. "Are they scars?" he whispered his lips close to her ear. She giggled and then he felt her mood change again. Sadness swirled in her mood. He wanted to be encouraging and said "I think they're kinda neat, but how they shimmer."

She sighed. Naiveté had its drawbacks "Stretch marks."

"Huh?"

"It's when your skin stretches to catch up with the rest of you."

"I don't understand."

"Like when you're growing or when a woman has a baby. The skin get's stretched too far around the belly or hips and stuff."

"Oh…" he said as he consumed the new knowledge. "Oh!" he blurted realizing she just told him she was a mother "Oh, no!" he said upset.

"Look, it's not that big of a deal" she said getting defensive.

"Sleeping with another man's wife, not a big DEAL? In my book it is! What if he comes looking for me? I don't want a fight. I didn't sign up for that!"

He stopped yammering when he saw her giggling at him. "What's so funny?" He asked suspicious.

"You…their father isn't in the picture anymore." She turned away from him to hide her shame and her sadness.

"Oh," he said embarrassed by his own reaction.

"I think my time is up" she said hugging her pillow.

"Well, okay" he said knowing she was right this time. As she once again slid away to pick up her dress he asked "So, is it alright if I request you again?"

He sat up and inched towards the edge of the bed. She pulled her tunic dress over her head again and said "Well, I…"she was going to tell him that this was the only time she was going to do this, but instead said "sure."

He smiled wide and dressed himself. The two hopped into their transports and left. Taryn felt she had dodged major perils of the profession and her anxiety began to rise. As she drove across the desert she turned on her transmitter. "Hey Shylar I uh…" Her eyes scanned the endless sands around her as she drove. "I'm not doing this anymore. That was my one and only job."

A woman's voice on the other end asked "Was he that bad? Biggs said he was a nice kid!"

Taryn sighed and said "He was nice. The nicest. I just feel like I shouldn't tempt fate. He couldn't have been sweeter. I'm not willing to risk a bad trick in the future. I've got a little boy at home. He can't have a mama who ends up sick or dead."

Shylar sighed and tried to convince her to stay once more. "We have good customers! Referrals only. You know the schpeil."

"No Shylar. I'll go back to dish cleaning or there's that new inn in town, they'll likely need a cleaning lady. I can't, I just can't'."

"Alright" said Shylar. "Keep in touch, and let me know if you change your mind, honey."

"Take care, Shaylar!"

Taryn drove straight into the nearby town of Mos Rina and applied at the Inn right away. A few weeks passed and Taryn was happy with her decision. She was walking home from her morning shift through the dusty markets of Mos Rina when she heard someone calling her name. She looked around and saw Shylar and a few of her ladies fanning themselves under an overhang outside a restaurant. Shylar was a middle aged human woman with a pile of orange curled locks on top of her head. Her skin was worn form life in the desert and she tried to hide the sun damage with white powder. Her other features were painted heavily, red lips and aqua over her eyes. Her eyes were what caught her customers when she was younger. They were a fiery golden color. Shylar earned enough as a working girl to pay off her slave debt and become a madam of her own.

The two other ladies appeared younger versions of Shylar. Taryn was lucky enough to have been born free and only worked for Shylar that one single time.

Taryn approached and Shylar asked "Have you hard, dearie?"

"Heard what?"

"About your customer?" Shylar slowly fanned herself with a bright red paper fan.

Taryn looked around, afraid someone might overhear. She took a few steps closer and said "No, what?"

"He's gone missing!"

"What? Oh, that's a terrible thing!"

"That's not the worst of it. He's probably dead."

"No! How come? Why would you say that?" Taryn was afraid for the naïve young man. Her heart went out to him, wherever he might have landed.

"A vaporator maintenance worker went out on a routine appointment and found the Lars farm burned out!" Taryn was too stunned to reply. "It looked like Sand People, but we all know it had to be the empire. That kid musta gotten mixed up in something' a bit too rebellious if you ask me."

Taryn felt awful for her young farm boy and tired to put it out of her mind. "Terrible" she muttered. "But what can you do?" said one of Shylar's ladies. "What can you do?"