With a jolt Quinn woke up and realised that he had fallen asleep in Teava's bed. He propped himself up on his elbows and saw that she was sitting next to him, holding a data pad. They were both still naked.

"I'm sorry that I fell…" he began, but she interrupted him.

"You look cute when you're asleep, Quinn." She casually ran her hand through his hair and continued reading.

Quinn sat up as well, he felt embarrassed and wanted to cover himself up, but he didn't dare. This had been the best time in a decade – and yet he regretted it. He had failed, he had become Teava's toy and she hadn't even tried that hard. The best chance to finally achieve something and he had been too weak. Soon she would tire of him.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked cautiously, waiting for a sign of her scorn.

She looked up from the pad and let her gaze wander over his body. "Nope, you can stay if you want."

Quinn wasn't sure what would be the wise course of action after his … lapse. They had enjoyed it immensely but Quinn still felt that he was out of his depth. Why she had deigned to consort with him? He was only a common soldier after all. A failed common soldier at that, he reminded himself. No, that was a wrong assumption. Teava had said it herself, she thrived on passion and he was the only available candidate at the moment – that was all.

From the corner of his eye he looked at her; Teava was scrolling down on her data pad and wasn't looking at him anymore. Even in the dimmed down light of her quarters she looked as beautiful as ever and despite his brooding Quinn suddenly wished that he could kiss her again. A tender kiss that – no, their moment of passion was over now, it would be presumptuous to even think that he was allowed to initiate intimacy.

He slowly got up and when she questioningly looked at him, Quinn said: "I'm going to take a shower and return to my duties, my lord."

"Okay," she said and turned her attention again on her reading.

Quinn awkwardly gathered his clothing from the floor, put them on hastily and left.

ooOOoo

After the shower Quinn headed for the galley – he needed some tea to calm down. Absentmindedly, he put some herbal leaves into a tea egg and dunked it in the hot water. He had to think of something … how was he supposed to salvage the situation? His thoughts returned to Teava, and as soon as her mental image resurfaced in front of his inner eye, he felt the urge to touch her again. The kisses they had exchanges had been rough and wild, but he – no, he had to stop it!

Quinn rubbed his temples and watched how the hot water slowly turned green. Damn it, had he really fallen in love with her? This was just like back then on Dromund Kaas with Eevi. Quinn sighed. There was no sense in lying to himself, he wanted to be with Teava – Lord Teava, he corrected himself.

He pulled the tea egg out of the cup and took a sip. What was he supposed to do?

Suddenly, he heard tiny steps behind him and when he turned he saw a small red gizka looking at him. The creature tilted his head and purred.

Vette quickly strode into the room and picked the gizka up. "There you are, you little rascal!" She petted it and gave it a peck before she set her sights on Quinn.

"Oh … hi there!"

"Is this animal your pet?" asked Quinn with a frown. "It's against navy regulations to keep vermin on board an Imperial ship."

Vette grabbed the gizka a little harder. "Really? And is there also a rule against banging your Sith superior?"

Quinn felt how he turned red. "H… How…"

"I guessed that not even a finicky Imp like you would shower twice in a matter of a few hours." Vette grinned. "And you just confirmed it."

Hot shame burned in Quinn's face and he had to avert his gaze. Damn it, now he was certainly the laughing stock for the rest of the journey.

"Why are you all flustered? Come on – it was bound to happen the way T drooled over you. Geez, are you really such a prude? Or are you shocked that you did it with an alien?"

Up until the last question Quinn had stared in his tea cup, but now he lifted his gaze and hissed: "Lord Teava is not an alien! She is a Pureblood! It's me who's…" he stopped in mid-sentence. Then he continued in a calmer tone. "Her blood is much purer than mine and she is a Sith."

Vette put the gizka on the floor and crossed her arms. "So, let me get this straight – you're moping around because a woman who's out of your league wanted to have sex with you?" She scoffed. "Yeah, I can see your problem."

Quinn banged his cup on the counter. "You have no idea what is was like on Balmorra! Ten years I was stuck on that damn planet! I can't go back! I can't take it!" he almost yelled.

"Balmorra? What has that to do with anything?"

He bit on his lip – he had said too much, but it was too late to turn back. "She will tire of me and if she does she might send me back."

To his surprise Vette started to laugh. "Oh, this is… you're such an idiot! Instead of enjoying a good thing you complain." She stopped laughing, and nudged him. "What's the worst that could happen? That she would want to get rid of you? So what? You'll live and even if you should end up on some hellish planet, what good does it you to fear all this horrible stuff now?"

Quinn's first impulse was to contradict her – but then it fell like krayt dragon scales from his eyes: Vette was right! There was no sense in letting his fear paralyze him, why hadn't he seen that before? Had the time on Balmorra been so scarring, so mind-numbing?

"I … I think you could be right, Vette."

"You're welcome. So we have a deal, right?"

Quinn blinked in confusion. "Deal?"

"Yeah, I gave you a good piece of advice and you let me keep Chester?" Vette looked around, but the gizka was nowhere to be seen.

Chester? Who in their right mind would name their pet like that? Quinn sighed. "I guess I can overlook this one breach in regulations."

"And you won't tell T about him?"

Quinn almost threw his arms in the air. "What? She doesn't know?"

"I found it yesterday in the spaceport rummaging through the garbage – I don't think that she will be thrilled about it."

"Vette! This creature could have all kinds of diseases!"

Vette just gave him a lopsided grin. "Nah, he's fine!"

"You have to tell her! At least lock it into the cargo bay!"

"Yeah, yeah, I will. Now where is my baby…" she walked out in the corridor and began to call her pet.

Quinn picked up his tea and took a sip. His thoughts returned to his dilemma. That was the solution; he would just continue doing his job – he could rely on his skills. That was the only thing he could do: He had to convince Teava of his usefulness. It was out of his hands now (not that it had ever been in his hands to be honest), there was no point in overthinking it.

ooOOoo

In the morning Teava told them in the conference room that she had received a nightly call from Setsyn.

Vette grimaced, but didn't say anything.

"Rathari is apparently getting angry; he contacted Setsyn and dared us to meet him face-to-face." Teava looked pleased with herself. "Just as planned."

Indeed everything was going as Setsyn had predicted, but it was too easy. Quinn recalled what he had read in Agent Dellocon's file: cunning, highly intelligent, a seasoned agent who had been part of Baras' spy network for almost two decades.

Quinn rubbed his chin. Were he in Dellocon's position he would strongly advice Rathari against an open exchange of blows. But would the Sith listen?

"My lord, might I offer you tactical advice?" he asked in a firm voice.

"Fire away," said Teava with a smile.

Quinn ignored what this smile cause in him and cleared his throat. "We should consider the possibility that Rathari is setting a trap; given Agent Dellocon's track record I calculate a high probability that they will attack at a different place to weaken Darth Baras's operations on Nar Shaddaa. It's standard intelligence procedure to cover the primary mission by a ruse."

Teava leaned back in her chair. "But isn't it their primary objective to stop me?"

Quinn hesitated only a moment. "While you're a formidable opponent, it has always been Rathari's goal to increase his power base – I assume that's why he began to work with Dellocon in the first place."

"Sounds plausible," Vette said, "but what do they really want to attack?"

Quinn shook his head. "I don't know, Darth Baras has many operatives on Nar Shaddaa. It could be any of them."

"No, not any of them." Teava got up and began to pace back and forth. "It's not an intelligence agent we're dealing with – Rathari is a Sith. While he might listen to Dellocon, he also wants to show that he's stronger than Baras. So he will target Baras's most important operation. That would be the slave trade."

"But that's risky – Setsyn's place is well guarded," objected Vette.

"Yes, but imagine how much prestige Rathari would gain if he dealt a blow against Baras's most lucrative business. I'm beginning to think that Quinn is right – we should tell Setsyn at once to fortify her office and the slave pits." Teava stopped behind Quinn and put her hand on his shoulder. "Good job."

Quinn did his best to appear stoic and simply nodded.

"We will go to the meeting as planned. Be prepared for anything."

ooOOoo

Rathari and Dellocon waited for them on an abandoned street in the Corellian Sector. Quinn noted with surprise that they both had shown up – had he been wrong about his assessment? It seemed reckless to bring the agent to the meeting.

Rathari was a tall, pale-skinned cyborg, his strangely metallic voice greeted them when they walked closer.

"Ah, you showed. You lack your master's caution; I applaud that." His lips curled to a cruel smile as he addressed the man beside him. "Dellocon, Baras's lackey is here. So say your piece, and do it before I kill this would-be assassin."

"There is nothing to say – I don't share your flare for dramatics," snapped Dellocon. "Kill her already."

"I agree with him," mocked Teava. "Kill me already – if you can that is."

"Yeah, skip the speech – we've all heard it before. You are the biggest and baddest Sith there is etcetera etcetera," Vette butted in.

Quinn was taken aback; he had been on countless battlefields but never had he witnessed such a nonchalance in the face of danger. Was it all bravado or was Vette really not worried at all? Teava might not find it worrisome to face Rathari, but non-force-users should always be wary when fighting Sith or Jedi.

"I will not be mocked by the likes of you," Rathari yelled, then he began to Force-choke Vette, lifting her up in the air as she tried to pry the invisible hands from her throat.

Teava quickly lunged at Rathari and when he had to parry her strike, he let go of Vette. She fell hard on the floor and coughed while Teava force-pushed Dellocon out of the way and entered a heated battle with Rathari.

Quinn kept an eye out for other combatants and knelt down beside Vette. At first scan her larynx seemed intact and so he quickly headed to Dellocon and held him at gunpoint.

A scream and a smell of burnt flesh made him jerk his head around. Teava had cut Rathari's left leg from under him. The Sith lay on the street, screaming curses. With one quick stab through his chest, she silenced him.

Vette rose to her feet and approached Quinn and Dellocon. She glanced at Rathari's corpse and grimaced while holding her throat.

"Asshole," she whispered in a coarse voice.

"You should know that it is dangerous to provoke a Sith," said Teava.

Vette just continued to rub her neck and didn't respond.

"That damn fool!" Dellocon got slowly up and faced Teava. "Let's get over it."

"Not so fast – I'm curious, this was a rather blunt approach for a man like you. Why?"

"Because of his bloody Sith arrogance! He was so certain that he would best you that he didn't even bother to listen to me!" Dellocon angrily replied.

"Thank you." Teava beheaded Dellocon with one swift movement of her lightsaber. The headless body fell with a loud thud on the ground, while the head landed about two meters away.

Quinn and Vette recoiled and took a step back.

Teava smiled at them. "What?"

"Sometimes I forget how cold-blooded you are," cawed Vette.

Quinn had to tear his sight away from Dellocon's head and felt the need to admit his failings. "My lord – I apologize for my miscalculation. I overestimated Rathari."

"Don't apologize, Quinn. You heard the man – Dellocon had indeed planned something; only Rathari's stupidity prevented his plan."

Quinn bowed. "Yes my lord."

ooOOoo

The galaxy map in the cockpit of the Fury painted everything in a bright blue light. Quinn was hunched over it. He was plotting the course for their next mission – Darth Baras had been very pleased when Teava reported the success of her mission. Now they had to track down the Padawan who caused this purge. According to Baras's sources, the Padawan was born on Alderaan.

There were several routes to the planet but which one was the most efficient? He was calculating the usage of fuel and the distance when Vette stepped into the cockpit.

"Hey, we're heading to the cantina for a drink."

Quinn looked up, and wasn't sure what to make of her statement. "Er… good." He continued to calculate – there wasn't much of a difference –

"Aren't you coming?"

Taken aback he stopped again. Quinn put the pad down and straightened his jacket to win a little time – his first impulse was to tell her that he had work to do, after all he had to prepare for their departure. But after a moment's hesitation he surprised himself when he said: "Be right there."

ooOOoo

This cantina was quite different from the one they had first visited on Nar Shaddaa: It was sleazy, filled with loud music and a sweating, dancing crowd. The air was hot and muggy; within minutes Quinn's uniform was glued to his body – it was as if he were in a steam bath.

Vette and Teava had already gulped down two drinks and were dancing together on the dancefloor. Quinn stood by the bar and still held his first, now lukewarm, drink in a hard grip.

He let his gaze wander over the masses and felt completely out of place. At the same time, he felt strangely relaxed. The loud music and the heavy air made him feel numb and tired.

Quinn stared at Teava. She was shaking her head to the beat; she seemed strangely bumbling compared to the way she gracefully moved when she was fighting. Vette on the other hand was almost elegant in her movements. They were both laughing. For a fleeting moment he wished that he could join them, but the very thought made him almost flinch: He would look ridiculous.

What was he doing here anyway? He realised that he had vaguely hoped that they would talk and that he could – could do what? Tell them about the history of Taris? He almost scoffed. By the stars, he really was a bore. Quinn took a sip of his drink and checked his chronometer. 01:23 local time.

"You're right – it's late!" Teava yelled right in front of him.

Quinn hadn't heard her approaching, which wasn't surprising given the noise level, and twitched when he saw her.

"As you say my lord!" he yelled back.

"You want to go back? Already?" screamed Vette next to them. It seemed that she had shaken off Rathari's attack.

"The next mission is waiting!"

"Aw crap!"

ooOOoo

Quinn's ears were still ringing from the music when they reached the Fury about an hour later.

"I can't believe that we're already home!" moaned Vette. "Sleep is overrated!"

"We will talk again in the morning," Teava said with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm taking another beer from the galley!" Vette started humming and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

Quinn was about to go to his quarters when Teava stepped closer and let her hand glide over his shoulder down to his arm.

"Are you up for some training, Quinn?" she asked seductively.

She didn't wait for his answer and pulled him into a kiss. Quinn had been tired, but her touch electrified him. Teava let go of him and looked at him with an expectant expression on her face.

"Permission to kiss you my lord?" Quinn quietly asked.

"Permission granted, Captain."

ooOOoo

They were lying next to each other, still panting a little. Quinn took her right hand and kissed it softly.

Teava chuckled. "Perhaps you shouldn't look too close at my hand."

Quinn caressed her hand with his fingers, massaging it tenderly. "Why not?"

"My hands are my tools, my weapons – they aren't pretty."

He lifted her hand closer to his face. Teava's fingers had calluses, her nails were short and cracked. On the back of her hand was a prominent vein. When he let his fingertips wander along the palm of her hand, he felt that it was rough.

Quinn looked her in the eye and kissed the hand again.

Teava smiled and caressed his cheek with her left hand. "Did you have many lovers?"

He continued stroking her hand and returned her smile. "No."

"Why not?"

"It's simply not something I … I was in a relationship for a couple of years, before Druckenwell."

"What happened?"

Quinn let go of her hand. "I was demoted and she was sensible enough to move on."

"I see."

They were silent for a few moments.

"Don't you want to ask me about my lovers?" inquired Teava.

"I would rather not," Quinn replied quietly.

She laughed. "Why in the galaxy not?"

For a moment he was tempted to say 'it reminds me too much how little time I have with you' but he pulled himself together and said: "I'm not interested in the past, I prefer the present."

"Fair enough." She got up from the bed. "I'm going to the refresher."

Teava grabbed a dark robe from a cupboard and put it on. She turned to face Quinn and smiled at him. "You can stay the night if you want."

" … gladly."

She left for the refresher and Quinn stood up. He collected his clothes from the floor and started to fold them neatly. The prospect of spending the night with Teava made him truly happy – he had enjoyed lying beside her, kissing her hand. By the stars, he really had fallen in love with her! Quinn put the clothes on a chair next to the bed and sat down at the end of it. For a moment he felt scared; it would … hurt when she was going to leave him. Then he remembered Vette's words – there was no point in dreading something that hasn't happened yet, instead he should enjoy it as long as possible.

Should he tell her that he had feelings for her? No, that would be too importunate and precipitous. Quinn started to fold his clothes again. Perhaps he should've told her that he thought that her hands were beautiful? He didn't have to tell her that he had fallen for her, he could just compliment her.

On second thought – Teava certainly knew how breathtaking she was, and complimenting someone always implied that one is a position to validate someone by telling them that they were smart, powerful, stunning … and he was way below her. It would be presumptuous.

Quinn sat down on the bed again and checked his chronometer: 3:05. Soon he had to return to his duties, he still had reports to prepare.

In this moment Teava returned, she still wore her robe and rubbed her wet hair with a towel. "Your turn."

Before he could stop himself, Quinn had already muttered: "Yes, my lord."

"I wonder how many times we have to sleep together before you start using my name," chuckled Teava.

Quinn didn't know how to respond, so he quickly put on his underwear and hurried into the refresher outside of Teava's quarters.

On his way back to Teava's quarters Quinn stopped at his locker in the crew quarters and took a set of fresh clothes with him – luckily Vette was already sleeping, otherwise she would certainly made some titillating awkward comments.

When he entered Teava's room she was already asleep, a data pad had fallen out of her hand and the lights were still burning. Quinn placed the fresh clothes next to the bed, and slid out of the towel he had wrapped around his waist. Then he quickly put on his pyjama pants and started to put out the lights. Finally he picked up the data pad and put it on the bedside table.

Quinn returned to the other side of the bed slipped with care in and was relieved to register that Teava was still sleeping. She had her back turned to him, Quinn moved closer until he could feel her body heat.

His thoughts returned to his musing from before. Perhaps there was a way to tell her how much he admired her without having to resort to flattery? Her beauty and greatness were, after all, not something subjective; they were facts. Yes, he could write a comprehensive report about her – or perhaps only about her hands? Argue (with facts of course) that her hands were pretty. Quinn liked the idea – it was a foolproof way to show her that he cared about her and there was no danger of an awkward impulsive compliment. He could work on the report until it was perfect!

He snuggled himself slowly into her back and kissed her neck. She didn't wake up.