A Man and a Woman

The dark-haired woman who had kissed him was there the next evening when Slick came up on the speeder. He didn't get off the speeder. He had no more credits for a drink and had only come to see if she was there. He just wanted to catch a glimpse of her. Maybe he'd catch her eyes and maybe she'd smile at him.

Just maybe...

She came up to him, as if she'd been waiting for him to arrive, put her hands on his armored chest then sliding them up until he took off his helmet and her fingers touched the skin of his lips. There was only a moment for a quick kiss that put his pulse into overdrive before she went back to the bar but she had whispered a message for his ears alone.

Tonight at the 3rd hour. Here.

Even after a second double-check of the perimeter for droids and seppies, he was nervously early. She was there, waiting in the darkness with a blue shawl around her shoulders, and Slick's breath caught in his throat.

Neither said anything as she climbed on the speeder behind him, her arms around his waist, her head against his back, and the thick shawl twisted around her shoulders. He took her to one of Crystal City's taller buildings, secured his speeder and led her up to a room with windows all around.

It's a beautiful place. He had thought that when he had first found the room, a crystal floor surrounded on all sides by seamless, domed glass - like a transparent bubble. He had shared it with his brothers and they had declared it wonderful and made it theirs. Sometimes they had lain on the floor looking at the night stars overhead as their minds wandered and they discussed their lives; bright and fleeting, like the meteor showers they watched.

Now he'd brought her here to share it. The crystal buildings around them gleamed in the moonlight which seemed almost low enough to touch. Above them, brighter than the stars, but not as bright as the moon, were the asteroid belts of the Hammers and The Barren.

She stood, staring straight up, awed by the view as he set some food and drink he'd taken from the mess on a broken table. There were no chairs so she spread the shawl down for them to sit on. To lie on, he realized and, again, his breath caught at the thought. He removed his helmet then, with trembling fingers that caught clumsily on the locks, the rest of his armor.

As they dined on trooper rations and water, she talked about Christophsis and being a student at the university. She had studied crystal structures and energy matrices. Slick listened, mostly, as he admired the graceful movement of her hands.

As they sat on her shawl, she pressed herself against him and he put his arms around her to hold her warm. Her skin was smooth and there was the scent of flowers in her hair. This time Slick initiated the kisses.

"I'm not very experienced," he murmured into her ear when he thought it was time. "Absolutely none, if fact."

She smiled at that, a sparkle coming to her eyes and a mischievous smile to her lips. "Christoph men don't admit to being virgins. They think it unmanly to have no experience."

Slick had merely shrugged and kissed her. In the short time he had known her, he had become very good at kissing. "Everyone starts with no experience. There is no shame in it."

"And a great deal of pleasure," she whispered as she looked into his eyes, her fingers on his chest pressing him downwards.

"Teach me," he said laying back on the shawl, his arms coming up to surround her. "And I will become very good," he promised with a grin.

Slick fell in love.