Mensis came out of his trance slowly, his mind drifting back to his body gradually as it became aware of intense emotion nearby. He opened his eyes and looked besides him at Sergeant Hamza as the miralian continued her own meditation. He had honestly enjoyed meditating in her presence and wished he could continue but the powerful emotions he was sensing now and so close concerned him.
"Have you finished your meditation?" Sergeant Hamza asked, causing Mensis to twitch with surprise, he hadn't realized she was aware of his loss of focus.
"No, I simply sense something...will you begrudge me if I investigate?"
Sergeant Hamza smiuled and shrugged as she nodded.
"Do what you need to, I will be here for the remainder of the journey."
Mensis wasn't quite sure why knowing that the serene Sergeant would be readily available was pleasing to him but truly it was. He chose to leave his things against the bulkhead as he left the cabin and followed the strong emotions rippling through the Force up to the cockpit. He paused outside as he heard a soft moan from the other side of the door. Was that Knight Kesarah's voice? It certainly sounded like it and she sounded as if she were in distress. Mensis keyed the door release and stepped inside.
"Knight Kesarah are you—" he stopped at the scene he found before him.
Agent Reddes was on his back looking up at Mensis with his pale blue eyes, his pants down around his knees as Knight Kesarah straddled him, her hand on the deck on either side of his head. The pair were very obviously joined at the hips and Mensis had to take a moment to process what he was seeing.
"What is going on here?" he asked, his voice a growling rumble.
Agent Reddes blinked calmly, looking from Mensis to Knight Kesarah and back again.
"I believe it's called sex."
Knight Kesarah ducked her head as she tried to hide her laugh while he lekku rippled. For his part Mensis' fur rippled in annoyance as he growled.
"You're an Agent of the Republic! Have you no shame?"
Agent Reddes again blinked slowly as he watched Mensis' face.
"This is my ship, if I wish to have sex on its bridge I hardly see how that is any of your business."
Mensis snarled as he looked at Kesarah. "And you! You're a Jedi Knight! You are above such passing pleasures! Did this man seduce you?"
Knight Kesarah rolled her eyes as she got up off of Agent Reddes who pulled his pants up, making himself decent once again.
"Please," she drawled. "Don't give me that old line, I know what the Code says and I don't care."
Mensis bristled. "That is dangerously close to the Dark Side."
She snorted and waved her hand dismissively. "So report me to the Council, it wouldn't be the first time and I'll tell them the same thing I do everytime: I don't care about the Code. If I'm going to fight for the Republic, I might as well enjoy myself!"
"You're betraying your oath to the Order!"
"I might point out that you aren't exactly loyal to the Order yourself." Agent Reddes said which drew a baleful glare from Mensis but the Agent simply shrugged. "I do read the dossiers of everyone I work with. I know how much you avoid other Jedi."
"Probably because he's too afraid to develop any attachments." Knight Kesarah said with a smirk.
Mensis' eyes blazed hotly as he looked between the pair of them.
"You expect me to help you when you encourage her corruption?"
Agent Reddes shrugged. "What's worse, that I'm sleeping with Kesarah or that the Sith might be activating an ancient space station?"
"One I know is happening," Mensis growled. "The other I only have your word which we see means little."
"Oh I'm hurt," Agent Reddes said with a smile. "I sleep with one woman and suddenly my word is suspect." his smile turned dangerous. "And you haven't even seen me do my spy act yet."
Mensis sneered in disgust at him and then turned his eyes once more on Kesarah.
"If you fall during this mission I will kill you."
"I'll be sure to watch my step," Kesarah said in a teasing lilt as she waved her hand dismissively. "Now go follow a ball of string pussy cat and let the grown ups have fun."
Seething as his fur rippled, Mensis turned and stormed from the cockpit. He wrestled with his temper as he tried to find the peace he had so recently acquired in the company of Sergeant Hamza. It was little surprise to him that he found himself back inside of her cabin. She was waiting patiently, seemingly aware of his distress as she greeted him.
"What happened?"
"Agent Reddes and Knight Kesarah are," he hissed in aggravation. "Having a sexual relationship."
"Oh," Sergeant Hamza said. "And that disturbs you?"
"She's a Jedi!" he said with fervor. "She is meant to be above such things!"
Sergeant Hamza's dark eyes sat in her green tatooed face as she watched him intently.
"And you believe because she is a Jedi she shouldn't find what happiness she can in sexual companionship?"
"No, if she gives in to such desires she could succumb to her emotions!"
"What is wrong with emotion? You're certainly emotional at the moment." Sergeant Hamza pointed out calmly.
"I am," Mensis hesistated. "I am upset."
"You are, perhaps you wish for the freedom she displays?"
"No." Mensis stated flatly. "I do not. I am in control."
"Well then," Sergeant Hamza said. "If you are in control of yourself, then perhaps you would like to return to meditation?"
"No," Mensis said pensively. "I do not feel as though meditation would help here."
"Well then," Sergeant Hamza said again as she stood up and retrieved a case from by the bed. "You trusted me to meditate with you, will you trust me again?"
Frowning, Mensis nodded. "Of course."
"Good, then come with me and we'll see if we can't help your ease your concerns."
"Do you think he'll leave?" Kesarah asked as Agent Reddes sat down in the pilots chair.
"Where will he go?" Agent Reddes replied. "Until we reach Centerpoint he's stuck here, and I think once he realizes what we're up against he'll decide to help."
Kesarah crossed her arms and gave him a pouting expression.
"You're confident aren't you."
With a chuckle, Agent Reddes turned to look at her.
"In my line of work you have to be, there's a lot of implied trust."
"Oh," Kesarah said with a sultry smile. "Trust? Is that what all this is? You seducing me?"
"Admit it," he said playfully. "You're enjoying it."
Kesarah's heart jumped in her chest as her lekku twitched excitedly.
"I—I really don't know, I've never let anyone this close before." she gave him a scowling smile. "I've never had anyone force themselves this close before."
"Are you afraid?" he asked her, his cybernetic eyes gazed at her intensely, their glassy blue contrasting sharply against his dark skin.
"About the mission or you?" Kesarah asked in an attempt to divert his inquiry.
He smiled at her, unaswering and silent as he waited for her to answer.
"I'm a Jedi, we don't know fear." she answered finally with a prideful glare.
He chuckled. "I hope so, I'd hate to think that I frighten you."
Kesarah bristled. "Want me to put you on the deck again?"
Still laughing he shook his head. "That excites me far more than it probably should Kesarah."
Taking a deep breath, Kesarah looked at him pointedly.
"You know we were so," she hesitated as she searched for the right word. "Busy before, that I never asked, what do I call you?" regaining some of her playful composure, she smiled at him. "'Agent Reddes' could be fun in certain circumstances but it isn't very intimate."
"Ganz," he said calmly. "You can call me Ganz."
She smiled at him, coming to sit on the arm of the pilots chair, putting her legs over his knees as he looked up at her curiously. She was feeling giddy, lightheaded even. She'd never done anything like this before, as a rule she avoided staying near people she slept with. However Agent Reddes—Ganz—was breaking all her rules and Force help her she was enjoying the terrifying thrill of it all.
"So, since we're busy breaking all the rules," she asked excitedly, pursing her lips and rolling her shoulders provacatively. "Do you want to try for round three?"
Ganz laughed, looking up at her with a charmingly boyish grin.
"Am I that good Kesarah?"
"Don't let it go to your head," Kesarah said as she drapped her lekku over her shoulder, poking him on the tip of his nose with a finger. "And call me Kesa."
Mensis frowned as he followed Sergeant Hamza through the ship to what appeared to be a small gym. Once there he found the three other commandos waiting.
"What took you so long Hamza?" asked a gruff zabrak with pale granite skin.
"I had to bring a friend Duraa," Sergeant Hamza gestured to Mensis. "This is Knight Mensis, meditation has failed him for the moment and so I invited him to join us."
Lieutenant Dar'lya snorted, his fur rippling across his body as he stood up. Mensis noticed that he had another case similar to the one that Sergeant Hamza was carrying.
"We only have four blades Sergeant, you going to give him yours?"
Sergeant Hamza nodded. "I thought he could use his own sabers," she smiled at Lieutenant Dar'lya. "It's a good test don't you think?"
"Swords?" Mensis asked with a frown. "My sabers can cut through blades."
"Not these," the zabrak said as he picked up a case and opened it to display a longsword, assuming a guard stance as he tossed the case aside. "Want to find out?"
"Specialist Duraa correct?" Mensis asked as he pulled one of his sabers from his belt.
"That would be me," the zabrak answered.
Mensis nodded as he ignited his silver blade and readied himself.
"I want you to know that I bear you no ill will, and any injuries you sustain are not intended."
"I'll keep that in mind," Specialist Duraa said with a laugh. "Now let's begin."
Mensis stepped forwards, taking his saber in a similar two handed grip as Specialist Duraa as the pair of them circled each other, both waiting for the other to strike. Mensis sensed the Specialist's eagerness to begin and so waited patiently for his patience to wear thin. He was not disappointed as the commando came forwards and swung his longsword. Mensis jumped back from the swung, twisting and dropping his saber down intending to cut the blade in half. His saber snapped against the flat of the longsword, connecting solidly and hissing angrily as Mensis blinked in surprised and looked up at Specialist Duraa's grinning features.
"Told you it wouldn't cut." he said with a smirk.
The pair disengaged and Mensis extinguished his saber, gazing at the sword in the commando's hand curiously.
"I wasn't aware the Republic knew how to craft Sith swords, or have you taken them from Sith you've killed?"
"Neither," Lieutenant Dar'lya said. "Duraa, show him your weapon."
Still grinning, Specialist Duraa flipped his sword around and offered it hilt first to Mensis who took it and examined the blade.
"It's phrik-weave, similar to the cortosis-weave you see in Sith swords." Specialist Duraa supplied. "A lot cheaper and a lot more common too, we can make more of them than the cortosis stuff."
Mensis nodded, his fascination getting the better of him.
"Then I may join your sparring session without fear of hurting you."
Lieutenant Dar'lya snorted, his fur rippling.
"You worry about yourself Jedi, we'll be fine."
His curiosity piqued by his new companions, Mensis readied himself as the silent Specialist Karelia produced a case of her own and came to join the sparring match. Mensis drew his second saber.
"I will fight two of you at once," he said. "It will help all of us."
"Suit yourself," Specialist Duraa said as he twirled his returned blade. "Karelia and I go first."
The next few hours were passed in this fashion, and the distraction of mock combat had the effect that Sergeant Hamza had promised. It brought peace to Mensis' troubled mental state that had been disrupted by what he'd discovered on the bridge of the luxury craft. Soon Knight Kesarah's indiscretion had completely faded from his mind, replaced by a focus as he danced with his sabers against the blades of the commandos.