Just as they thought, Corso and Moira flashed their ID tags at the guards and were given access to Maximum Security Section without so much as a second glance. When they were inside, Moira was about to remove her helmet when Corso said, "Hold on, Captain. Look; there are cameras everywhere."

Moira groaned and rolled her shoulders. "How do you wear this stuff all the time, Corso? It weighs a kriffing ton!"

Corso chuckled. "How do you think I got so big?"

Moira snickered and they continued further in. There were more guards but the thing that made them really scared was the appearence of what could only possibly be a Sith. Dark armored robes, yellow eyes and a silver cylinder swinging from a belt that was unmistakebly a lightsaber gave it away. Moira and Corso forced themselves to relax and continue at a measured pace as if on a patrol or making their way to a post. Every now and again, Moira would check her datapad to check their progress. It wasn't long before they came to a pair of heavily armed Imperial Soldiers. One of them lifted a hand and said, "We can't allow you to enter here. There are some kinds of stange monsters loose in there and they've already taken one patrol apart."

Corso stepped up and said in a surprisingly good Imperial Dromund Kass accent, "We have orders from the Warden - mission is to clear out the pests and find who's responsible. He implied we could do whatever we wanted with the culperite."

The two guards looked at each other. "They said they would send a clean up crew. I just thought it would be bigger;" murmured one of them. The other just shrugged. "Well if they want to go in, they can be my guests."

The two guards stepped to the side and Corso and Moira marched right in. It was dark inside. The power had been cut so Corso began fiddling with some of the switches on his helmet. "Let's see what kind of vision enhancement this bucket has;" and he began to sing a little ditty as he toggled through before whispering, "Ahah! Pure Sabaac! Okay the fourth setting is night vision, Captain. Use the middle switch on the right side of your helmet just around where your ear is. Yup, right there."

Moira followed his directions until she found it. "Wow! That's trippy! Okay. Um... can I have your blaster pistol, Corso? I want to ditch this rifle but I'd feel under armed with just one."

Corso pulled the leg holster off the belt and handed it to her. She gave him the extra blaster rifle and buckled the holster on. The pistols were Imperial military issued and were bulky and heavy, not at all like her own trusty blaster pistols, hidden securely away wrapped in her duster with their clothes, armor and other weapons. Even so, she was sufficiently armed and they continued in. If it wasn't for the darkness, Moira would have ripped the helmet off her head but they didn't have any glow rods so she had to keep it on. Suddenly, their was a skittering noise in the darkness and they both froze. "Corso..." murmured Moira, her voice suddenly sounding small. She could handle mercenaries, bounty hunters, Imperials and any intelligent enemy in the galaxy but some how the strange fauna of varying planets often unnerved her, such as the Rakghouls of Taris. A strong hand patted her back, the duraplast of his armor clacking against her own. "I'm right here, Captain. We're doin' just fine. Come on. Let's go get the Hutt's creature back and get the hell outta here."

Moira took a deep breath and readied her blaster pistols, keeping them low but ready. Corso's hand stayed where it was, a comforting weight on her upper back. It wasn't long before they discovered the origin of the sounds and even Corso shuddered. They were the ugliest things that either of them had ever seen, and that was saying a lot. As soon as they spotted Corso and Moira, they attacked. Moira fired quickly, squeezing the triggers as quickly as she could while Corso fired his weapon in a burst fire setting, dropping one creature after another. After they cleared that first group, it became an advancing fight for the two of them. Moira brought up the rear while Corso blazed away at any who showed up in the front of them. It seemed like an eternity before the creatures stopped and they came to a laboritory door. Inside stood an aging man with a mostly bald hid. His eyes were lit with utter madness but his face had the expression of a grieved parent. "My beautiful children - you killed them all! Why?"

Moira ignored the question as she removed her helmet. Corso followed suit and Moira said, "You have something that belongs to Drooga the Hutt."

Suddenly, from a cage to the right came a pitiful moan. "Please - kill me!"

Corso looked grim. "Captain, it's that girl from the holo - Momi Andrell. What did this sick, filthy person do to her?"

The girl whimpered and said, "Leshae used me for experiments - did terrible things. I'm dying."

Moira's face was hard and she growled, "He'll pay for what he's done to you."

To both their surprise, the girl shook her head. "I don't care about revenge."

Shakily, she pulled herself to her feet and pleaded desperately, "Don't let him keep the beautiful beast. He's sick!"

The mad doctor snapped at her. "Silence, test subject! The shanjaru is invaluable to my research. I need it."

Corso growled and advanced on the doctor, his hands in fists. "Test subject? That is a living, breathing being you sick bastard."

"Hold on, Corso;" said Moira, though she was clearly as angry as he was, "He'll get what's coming to him."

The Doctor tried to explain. "This species displays evidence of evolving sapience. I must unlock its secrets to engineer my perfect life form."

"Slaves;" shrieked Momi, "He wants to make slaves!"

Both Moira and Corso expression when far hard darkness to utter blackness. They both advanced on the Doctor.

He back peddled, holding his arms out placatingly. "Smart beasts that comprehend complex commands and perform multi-stage tasks. What the buyers do with them is their business."

Moira was trembling with barely controlled rage. In a deceptively calm voice, she asked, "But why did you experiment on this poor woman?"

As if it were perfectly obvious, the Doctor replied, "I certainly wasn't about to use my children. I have no desire for hostilities towards Drooga or his agents. I extracted genetic samples from the shanjaru. They'll have to sufice. The cage is a programmable repulser-lift vehicle. I'll send it to Drooga immediately."

As the cage zipped away, Momi shrieked, "Drooga only wants the shanjaru so that he can eat the last of a species!"

The doctor said, "The Hutt will have his meal shortly. There is no need for more violence."

Corso snorted and Moira growled, "What you did to Momi is reason enough, you Filth!"

She pointed her blaster pistol squarely at his forehead. He gazed levely at her and asked, "How can you take her side? Her kind would leave us rotting in ignorance!"

"The shanjaru's genetic samples are the only way to save the species!" cried Momi frantically. "Get them from Lezhae!"

Moira and Corso looked at each other before looking at the mad doctor. He staggered backwards again, his back pressed against the wall. "Wait! I'll pay whatever it takes to keep these samples! Leave me in peace so I can finish my research."

After just a moment, Moira's blaster came up again and she said in the deadliest voice, "You're extinct, you lunatic."

Corso turned away as she squeezed the trigger. He didn't quite know how to feel about her actions but he kept his mouth shut. Momi sighed and said, "Thank you. Take the genetic samples to the Senator's Tower on Coruscant. A researcher named Daru'da can clone the shanjaru - repopulate the species. It can be my dying legacy. Lazhae injected me with awful diseases - incurable ones."

It was clear that she was in terrible pain. Corso lowered the cage field and she staggered out, falling to her knees. "The pain is horrible. I don't want to live like this. Please, kill me."

Moira shook her head and knelt beside the girl. "Your father is rich, right? He can afford treatments to help you."

Momi winced in pain before replying, "Maybe you're right. I'll... try. Thank you - for everything."

Corso and Moira sedated Momi and strapped her to a hover-gurney. As they wheeled their way out, the guards looked quizzical. "Is that her?"

Corso shook his head, slipping back into his Dromund Kaas accent. "No. This is a victim. We're taking her back to HQ for questioning."

They were both quiet as they found their gear and changed again. When she was back to her regular self, Moira studied Corso as he fastened the last plate of armor on. After a moment, she said, "You didn't protest to me killing Lazhae but you had a problem with me killing that Imperial."

Corso nodded as he checked his weapons before putting them away. "Why?"

Corso had done a lot of thinking about that. With a sigh, he looked at her and said, "I don't know, Captain. Maybe it was that I personally witness the mad doctor's crimes and I didn't witness the Imperial's."

Moira scoffed. "She tried to rape you at blaster point, remember?"

Corso nodded slowly but then shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess since I was trying to seduce her, I didn't look at it that way. Honestly, I don't know, Captain. I just know that, while they both bothered me, killing Lazhae, I can live with. I just don't know if I could killing that guard."

Moira sighed and shook her head. "Corso, if you're gonna survive this galaxy, you need to learn that some people just NEED killing."

Corso cocked a brow. "I survived this long, Captain and I agree with you. I just don't lump an entire society into that category. Come on. We should get back to Drooga."

It was a long, quiet ride back. Neither of them said much until Moira suddenly smiled. "I just realized something."

Corso looked at her quizzically. Her smile growing wider, she said, "We're gonna be heading back to Coruscant for a bit. Maybe it would be an excellent opportunity to take a couple days of break after we leave Nar Shadda."

It sounded good to Corso - that is until he remember a certain person who lived on Coruscant. As the name came to the forefront of his mind, Corso's mood darkened. Darmas. Moira caught on to his mood and realized that what had bothered him. To her own surprise, she actually felt kind of bad. Irritably, she shook it off. If the big merc wanted her to stay with him instaed of going to see Darmas, he should say so. Thus far, he hadn't even given her a reason to and she doubted he would anyway.

The Twi'lek majordomo looked pleased and said, "We are very impressed that you survived Shadow Town. Congratulations."

"Did the female shanjaru fly in yet?" asked Moira, jumping straight to business. Ga'ram smiled and said, "The cage made a dramatic entrance during the twenty-seventh course. The Great Feastmaster was excessively delighted by the female specimen's return. As we assured you, his interest in your male shanjaru is renewed. He's already contacted your associate to arrange the details."

Suddenly, a holo-projection of Risha appeared before the dais. "Our shanjaru will be there shortly, Drooga Dear."

The Hutt was ecstatic. "At last I have a matching set of shanjaru! the only surviving male and female of a species are all mine!"

Moira rolled her eyes is disgust. "You really need to find a full time job."

The Hutt chuckled. "My duties as the Great Feastmaster keep me busy enough, Spacer. I have sent your starship engine to the space port, my beautiful Risha. Come - celebrate our deal."

Risha smiled beautifully and said, "I'd love to, but I need to install that prototype engine. Maybe next time?"

The idea of a party seemed to delight Moira. "Come on, Risha. Don't leave this Hutt hanging."

Risha gave her a withering look and the Hutt said, "Next time you are on Nar Shaddaa, beautiful Risha, I expect you to dance with me."

Risha bobbed her head. "It's a date, Drooga. Come see me when you're ready to take off, Captain."

Moira looked disappointed but nodded, her hair tail bobbing. She and Corso were about to turn to leave when Bowdarr strode up. Moira gave him a friendly smile. "Aha - the once-mighty Bowdarr returns! Good! I was almost getting bored."

Bowdarr pointed at the Hutt shakily and roared in anger. Moira's eyes widened. "He didn't!"

"What's wrong, Captain?" asked Corso anxiously. She glared at the monstrous Hutt. "Drooga poisoned Bowdarr!"

Ga'ram lifted his hands dramatically. "The Wookiee's final performance begins. You have affection for the beast, Captain? Unfortunate. The Gambler refuses to repay his debt to Drooga so the Wookiee is now the property of the Great Feastmaster."

Drooga lifted his voice and called to all his guests and pleasure slaves. "Gentlebeings, watch as the Wookiee becomes a meal for my pet Gundark. I have been starving it just for this occasion! Will the gundark swallow the Wookiee whole or chew? If it chews, how many bites will it take? Oh the DRAMA!"

Bowdarr staggered to the fighting area, his shoulder slumped slightly. "Kriff this!" snapped Moira. "Hang on, Bowdarr!"

Her blasters were out and primed as the monster gundark was released. Corso covered the guards that were about to draw on Moira. "Easy, boys. No need to act hasty now;" he growled, a menacing light in his dark eyes. The battle was quick. Bowdarr roared his challenge as Moira blasted away at the gundark, always staying just out of range. Bowdarr drew one of his ryyk blades and leaped in, ducking a massive claw and an equally massive fist before driving his war blade into the creature's skull. There was absolute silence for several moments, the only noise being the low hum of the ryyk blades vibration cell. With a whine, the gundark collapsed sideways and Moira muttered. "Okay - well... that was... completely anti-climactic."

Drooga was enraged. "My Gundark! What have you done, you stupid Spacer?"

She turned her eyes on the Hutt and grinned. "The way I see it, big guy, I'm the life of this party and you should be paying me."

A roar went up from the crowed as if to agree with her statement. Corso put his blaster rifle back on it's magclamp and chuckled, shaking his head at her. After the cheers died down, Moira cocked a hip and said, "Tell you what, I'll take that Wookiee off your hands for free."

Drooga gave the closest Hutt approximation to a sneer. "I should hire you as my knew joke teller. I fed the last one to my savrips because he stopped being funny."

He was quiet for a second but then threw his stubby arms up. "You and this Wookiee are boring and expensive to maintain. Get out of my sight - both of you."

Moira looked at Bowdarr. He was in bad shape, leaning on a decorative pedestal. Standing tall, he strode up to Moira and growled. Corso looked at Moira for a translation but she seemed stunned. "Okay, um... my life is full of trouble, Bowdarr. If you'd like to tag along, be my guest."

Corso frowned and was about to ask something when Bowdarr growled some more. Moira looked at Corso and grinned. "We have a new crew member, Corso. Make sure you give him a proper welcome when we get back to the ship."

Corso wrinkled his knows and said, "Ugh... he smells like wet banthas."

The Wookiee made a ruff ruff ruffing noise that was probably laughter as Moria swatted Corso, aghast that he would say such a thing.

Ga'ram bid them farewell and they headed to the taxi pads.

Back aboard the ship, Corso was whistling as he finished cleaning his weapons and armor before checking on Bowdarr. C2 was in there too. "Hey C2, can you understand Bowdarr?"

"Yes sir. I am a protocol droid, after all."

"Great! Hey Bowdarr, how are you doing? Feeling any better?"

The Wookiee was lying two cots set end to end with double mattresses. He gave a tired growl. "Bowdarr says that he is doing much better and just needs rest and food. He also thanks you for your kindness."

Corso smiled and tentatively patted the Wookiee's powerful shoulder. "No problem, Big guy. There is food in the store room, though I'm honestly not sure what you eat. If you need anything, let me know and I'll do what I can."

More growls and the translation, "He thanks you again, Master Corso."

Suddenly, a door opened down the passage and a chorus of giggles is heard coming there way. Corso's frown turned into a look of shock. There stood Moira and Risha, dressed to go out on the town. Moira sashayed up to him and said, "Close your mouth, Corso. It's rude to gape. Why are you still wearing that? Aren't you coming out with us?"

Corso cleared his throat a couple times before saying, "Sure, Captain. I don't have anything that fancy though."

Risha rolled her eyes and Moira grabbed his hand and began hauling him towards his cabin. "Come on, Farmboy. Let's see what you got."

Hours later, the three of them staggered back aboard. Risha and Moira were both completely drunk but Corso was only mildly buzzed. He had limited his drinking, wanting to have his wits about him even if just a little bit in case of trouble. He delivered Risha to her work area and had to leave as she immediately began undressing without even waiting for him to make his exit before going and checking on Moira. She was already in her customary sleepwear, a light nightgown that never went below her mid-thigh. She was lying on her bed and looking at him expectantly. Corso hurried to the galley, grabbed a large pitcher of water and a glass and several different pills - vitamins and electrolytes. When he returned to Moira's cabin, she cooed to him. "You're so thoughtful, Corso. Thank you. Come here;"

Corso went and sat on the side of the bed and allowed her to pull him into a kiss. She still tasted like alcohol but he didn't care. Suddenly, Corso got an unbidden flash of Darmas, smirking at him just before Corso had left the gambler's penthouse. Gently he pulled away, all desire gone, replaced by a sullen resentment. There was no way in this galaxy that he was going to be used like that just to have the Captain go find some other man to play with. That had happened once and it would never happen again. "What's wrong, Corso?"

Corso sighed, wracking his dulled brain for a good excuse. "I'm pretty drunk, Captain. I don't know if I'll be able to uh..." and he looked pointedly down at himself. Moira just offered a smile and purred, "Sounds like a challenge to me, Corso."

Corso stood and said, "I'm sorry, Captain. I can't do this right now."

He turned to leave but Moira's voice stopped him. "What's the matter, Corso? Is there something wrong with me? Is there something wrong with YOU? I don't get it."

She was sitting up, her face expressionless. Corso shrugged, trying as hard as he could to find some sort of excuse. "It's not you, Captain. It's me. I just got some things to think about is all and I'm not exactly in the mood at the moment."

Moira didn't budge. "That kiss you gave me sure told me otherwise. There is something bothering you. In fact, there's always something or another bothering you when it comes to me. What's wrong?"

"I said it's not you, Captain. It's me."

Moira rolled her eyes and stood, crossing her arms. "Corso, the 'it's not you, it's me' speech is how deadbeats break up with their significant others. You're gonna have to do better than that."

Corso pinched his temples between his thumb and forefinger for a moment before saying, "The truth is, Captain, I don't want to get in bed with you just to be tossed aside for Darmas Pollaran when we get to Coruscant. I'd rather not get involved with that."

Moira's jaw clenched. "So what your saying is you want you and I to be exclusive?"

Corso wanted desperately to say 'yes' but he shook his head. "No, Captain. I'm just not anyone's fall back and I'm not anyone's side toy. In fact, I don't want to be anyone's toy. Period. If you want to go and have your fun with Darmas you can go right ahead. It just ain't fair that you expect me to just be okay with it."

The way he had spat the name Darmas gave it away. Moira's eyes grew wide. "You're jealous of him! You're jealous of Darmas!"

Corso shrugged and turned to leave. "Corso, I'm giving you every chance here. Hell, you have more opportunity than Darmas does. What the kriff is eating at you?"

Finally, Corso turned and said, "We all have scars, Captain an' I'm deathly afraid o' mine gettin' ripped open, that's all."

That struck a nerve with Moira. Painful memories flashed through her mind - her own emotional and psychological scars rearing their heads to mock her. Her face turned white and she gritted out. "Why do you even stay aboard this ship, Corso, if you can't stand to be around me?"

Corso's face went slack in shock. After a moment of deep silence, Corso felt tears gathering in his eyes. "Oh Moira... don't you get it? It's not that I can't stand to be around you. It's that I'm afraid of liking it too much."

He was gone then, leaving Moira alone to think.

They were in hyperspace the next morning, Corso in the co-pilots seat, gazing at the blue tunnel outside. Moira studiously ignored him. Neither of them was willing to bring up the night before's conversation. Risha had checked on them a couple times. On the third time, she rolled her eyes, grabbed Corso's arm and said, "Alright, come on, you giant nerf. We need to talk and we need to now."

When they were back in the work station, she glared at Corso. "What did you do, Riggs?"

Corso shrugged and said, "Simple, really. I shot the Captain down again. I told her that I didn't want to be used like any of the other boys she ran into along the way. I don't want to get caught up in her only to watch her run after another boy in every starport we visit."

Risha crossed her arms. "So you want her to settle with you? Just like that?"

Corso shook his head. "No. I just need her to understand where I'm coming from too and she refuses to. That's why I keep saying no. It's not that I don't want to. I'm just afraid to."

Risha nodded and said, "Well then, Corso, did it ever occur to you that you're just stringing her along? How many times did you say you'd finally sleep with her only to fall asleep or just turn her down?"

Corso suddenly looked horrified. "I've never even thought of that before! Oh kriffing hell, I feel like such a blasted jerk! She has every right to be mad at me!"

Risha stifled a smile and lifted a stalling hand. "Hold on now, Corso. Why didn't you sleep with her last night? You sure seemed ready to, or at least she sure thought you were. What changed?"

Corso sighed, looking between his boots. "We're heading to Coruscant. On Coruscant is a flame of the Captains. I guess I don't want to bed her only to have her running off to be with some other man the next night and then running back to me the night after that as if we're all just part of a buffet for her to eat at."

Risha nodded. She had done her share of one night stands, floating from one guy to another. However, she also understood where Corso was coming from. That would really irritate her too if someone did that to her. Grudgingly, she had to admit that Corso was being perfectly reasonable. "Okay well did you explain that to her?"

Corso nodded. "Yeah. She just said that I was jealous."

"Are you jealous?"

"..."

"Corso?"

"Maybe..."

Risha nodded. "Well why don't you give her a reason to stay with you then? Blow her mind and I'll bet she'll stay with you."

Corso blushed crimson and said, "Risha, I'm not an intergalactic bed hopper! I'm no where near as experienced as Darmas. Hell, part of me is nervous that she's going to laugh at me our first time. That is, if we ever have a first time."

Risha nodded, keeping her face completely composed, though she would have liked to laugh. "Well I really don't know what to tell you, Corso. You have three options: deal with the fact that she's gonna keep doing what she's doing and sleep with her anyway, decide that you're not going to sleep with her or give her a reason to stay with you. Whatever choice you make, stop leading her on. That's not the gentlemanly thing to do."

Corso nodded as he chewed his lower lip. With a sigh, he stood up and headed towards the cockpit, formulating an apology in his mind as he went. Moira looked at him levelly as he took a deep breath and began. "I'm sorry that I kept givin' you my word an' goin' back on it, Captain. It wasn't fair of me an' I wasn't bein' a very good friend or member of your crew when I did it. I'm sorry that I kept gettin' your hopes up an' dashin' them. That was wrong of me."

Moira was speechless, her jaw slackened. Corso stood there awkwardly for several moments. When he turned to leave, she jumped up and said, "Wait, Corso."

He turned to look at her. She bit her lip and said, "I'm not angry about that, Corso. I just don't understand why you won't. You like me at least as a person and you're my best friend. Why is us sleeping together such a big deal to you?"

Corso replied, "Because, Captain, I've been used and discarded before and it hurts worse than almost anything. If I go through that again, I couldn't stay on this ship. I'd rather it not happen at all than happen and our friendship be damaged."

Moira nodded. "We've had this conversation before, Corso. I guess I just didn't understand how deep those scars go for you. You really loved that mercenary of yours back in the brigade, didn't you?"

Corso chewed his lip again before answering quietly, "I don't know, Captain. I really can't answer that question."

Moira looked down at the supple leather of her boots. After a pause, she asked quietly, "Have you ever been in love before? Ever at all?"

Corso shook his head. "I don't know, Captain. I had a fiance back on Mantell before my family was killed. I was pretty fond of her but I'm not sure that I was in love with her."

Moira's head shot up and she lifted a hand. "WOAH, Woah, woah... did you just say 'fiance', Corso? You had a fiance and I'm just hearing about this now? What the kriff?"

Corso couldn't help it. He gave a tired chuckle. These conversations were so damned draining. "Yes, Captain. I had a fiance. First we started out courting - a couple of chaperoned dates - and then we started doing things together unchaperoned. After awhile, I asked her father for her hand in marriage. He said yes and I proposed and she said yes. After the Separatist attack, I just sort of left. I left her a letter trying to explain everything but..." and he trailed off at the look of indignation on Moira's face. "You. Just... LEFT? YOU JUST LEFT HER?"

She rushed forward and pounded on his chest. "How could you do such a thing, Corso? She LOVED you! She wouldn't have said YES if she didn't! She LOVED you and you left her behind! What kind of despicable man are you?"

Corso was taken aback. Of all the things he had expected from Moira, this emotional outbreak wasn't one of them. There were tears in her eyes. He winced as she caught him on the cheek with her fists. "Captain, hold on a minute..."

"GET OUT OF MY COCKPIT! GET OUT RIGHT NOW! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU, HEAR YOU - I DON'T WANT TO EVEN KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE RIGHT NOW! GET OUT!"

She pushed him out and slammed the doors. Corso was shocked. He had no idea what had upset her so much. Inside the cockpit, Moira was weeping uncontrollably and cursing the stupid, stupid, STUPID farm boy. "How could he leave her? How could he? He should have treasured her while he could. How could he just leave her?"

She shuddered and rocked and wept but it wasn't long before she was saying, "How could you leave me? How could you leave me alone like that?"

Even as she asked, she knew it was an unfair question. She didn't blame him. She didn't blame Aaron. He hadn't left. He had been taken. All she wanted was his arms around her. She wanted to feel his warmth one more time. She wanted one more memory to treasure. But Aaron Raul was gone and he would never come back. He was gone and she was ruined - her world, over. All that was left was for her to live her days as best as she could - alone. "No matter how many people I surround myself with, I'll always be alone in here;" she patted her chest over her heart. Her heart was empty. So, as she always had ever since that fateful day, she tightened the locks around it, leaving the emptiness closed off so that nothing would ever get in it again. If nothing could get into it then nothing could be torn out of it.

Updated 12.18.2017