Pleasantries over, the newest uncle safely in his quarters on the Blue Level, kids read to and tucked under covers adorned with animated hero's, Talon found himself without excuses to join his wife in their bedroom. He hadn't been this nervous since his wedding night to Breista. No, he corrected himself, this was much worse. Taking the small vial, assiduously purchased only two hours before, he gathered his nerves and entered as if this were just another day, and prayed she wasn't packing. To his relief and surprise, she was in bed, propped on pillows with a datapad in her slender hand.
"Dearest, I didn't want to pull this in front of Quinn." He produced the vial, congratulating himself on his steady tone. After all, the great Talon Karrde doesn't get nervous or scared were his thoughts. 'Oh, who am I kidding,' he almost muttered aloud.
Shada lowered the pad. "Get Uncle Quinn settled and the boys taken care of? You did lecture them that turning the nanny off is forbidden?"
"Yes and I did." Talon placed the vial on the low nightstand by her head, sat and reached for the pad. He started to toss it aside when a word caught his eye. He read a paragraph and she watched him start to smile. He gently placed it beside the vial. "The writer is a novice and needs more experience before writing a how to manual. What is that anyway?"
"What most women read to put us in the mood, or when our husbands are away for too long and we have to take care of ourselves. How will I ever know you're the best unless I have a refresher course once in a while on what other's deem the ultimate sexual experience," she teased as her hand reached for his manhood, pleased to find him ready.
"I give all your refresher courses and will whisper my fantasies in your ear to remember me for those rare times I can't take care of you personally." With each word, his lips moved closer to hers and wandering hands found her breasts.
"Ummp," she pushed him away, both his lips and hands. "I'm getting too sensitive. The doctor instructed me to rest my back for a few days because of you. And you are going to make it up to me….on my terms." Her eyes held a threat as did the stern tone.
The smile remained until he found her spot with his tongue; his pleasure and penitence one and the same suited him.
Nawara was exhausted, but had to speak with his wife and family before turning in. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it back," he began as soon as the link established and he saw Jari sitting directly before him in his families warren. His parents and other relatives crowded behind her into the viewer, supporting her; on the off chance he was injured and omitted it to Kur right after the battle.
"Are you well, Son?" Rown leaned closer, seeing fatigue in his son's eyes.
"Not used to intense fighting, then overseeing repairs for hours. I need food and sleep," he admitted tiredly.
"Can you come here and let me feed you properly?" his mother asked.
"No, I'm in charge tonight, but I will take that as an offer for tomorrow night." He forgot all about the wedding party.
"Tomorrow night is your brother's wedding celebration," Ryma reminded him.
Nawara grinned, eyes on his wife, and the memories of their wedding party back home on Ryloth dancing through his mind. "Unless we're under attack, I would never miss repaying my brother."
Ryma sighed, "Just once, I wish you and your brother acted like mature Twi'lek's, whose surname is listed among the highest ranking, not only on this planet, but as representatives to the entire galaxy."
Nawara exchanged an amused look with his father. They were already planning revenge for his younger brother slipping into his bedroom and replacing his duromilk with a child's drink at his wedding party. He resorted to force by wrestling his brother to the floor and drawing a confession, and little brother sold out their sire and uncle as helping by keeping him occupied so the prank succeeded.
Nawara, still keeping his father's gaze, inquired, "You never….?"
Rown's lekku signaled he never confessed his part to his wife, hoping she missed it. He didn't get lucky.
"No wonder our sons are emotionally immature." Ryma glared up at her husband. "You haven't matured at all since the day we met and you were riding that wild rycrit on a dare from your brother and Hyze'kur, that almost got me killed."
Rown flashed his teeth. "I will miss Chorl not helping tomorrow night. I'm sure Nawara and I will find a most appropriate revenge. And you can't forget what Father and Chorl did to us on the night of our wedding party." He slipped an arm around his wife of over forty years.
"You make sure I don't get embarrassed or you'll be sleeping alone for a long time," his wife ended the discussion, admitting defeat. They discretely left, leaving Jari and Nawara to talk softly.
Hassla'tak brought the Errant Venture out of hyperspace for a course correction at the juncture of the Hydian Way and Corellian Run near Denon, to leave one run and enter the other. Four days after the Bothan's and Twi'lek's agreed to peace, they left Ryloth. After four long days in hyperspace, they collected many messages and a few small ships were waiting to board and a couple departed, one of which was Karrde's Lastri's Ort, making a last Ryll run, as Ryloth was back to using its own ships.
Among those boarding was Samuel Gillespee's vessel the Kern's Pride. He got a message several days before to drop everything, go to Aphran, collect the uncles and Shirlee and come to Ryloth. Talon stated he was on the Venture and would meet him there, but gave no details, which was normal for the boss. While in route and making a course correction, a new message arrived from the boss, asking him to go the Corellian junctures and wait for the Venture and board. He saw Talon waiting as he landed, with Plakhmirakh standing at his side. His personal commlink sounded and he watched Talon's lips move as he issued instructions. He nodded and responded into his end, "Understood." He ordered Rapapor to close up and quickly made his way to the lounge, where Shrilee and Sammy were waiting with Thade and Zed. "Thade, Zed, you're with me."
"What about me?" Shirlee didn't want to be left out of the loop as she was growing closer to Thade.
"Boss wants to talk to them alone," was all Samuel would disclose, not wanting to appear as clueless himself.
"Fine, I'm getting a room and tracking Karrde's son's down for Sammy to play with." Shirlee scooped her son into her arms, shelving her curiosity for the moment.
Gillespee escorted his charges next door to the Wild Karrde, where Talon and his short sidekick were waiting in the boss' office. Talon motioned him to stay with a hand movement, while addressing the uncles. "Sit." The direct order accompanied a stern visage. Gillespee noticed Plakhmirakh moved to block the door and wondered why. He didn't have long to wait as Talon got directly to the point with his first question.
"Which one of you sold Bot out to the Bothans?"
Gillespee was stunned; eyes riveted to the men and heard an almost inaudible hiss from Plakhmirakh, informing him the Noghri was also clueless.
Thade and Zed looked resignedly at each other and the elder spoke. "I did."
"I was also part of it," Thade quickly added; neither trying to deny being the spies, or thought to inquire how Talon found out.
"What's Shada's part in all this?" Again, Talon stunned the captain of the Kern's Pride.
"She knows nothing," Thade protested.
"How did you know it was us?" Zed somberly asked.
"Until just now, I didn't." Talon's equally grave response drew surprise from the uncles. "You were the most likely culprits after eliminating my crews. Now, I suggest strongly that you tell me everything."
Gillespee's eyes swiveled back to the uncles. He knew Karrde's sabacc face could mean sudden executions or an invite to dinner and admired the smuggler's unreadable expression.
"As eldest, I take full responsibility," Zed started, his brown eyes drilling into Talon's icy gaze. "About seven or eight months ago we were invaded in the night at the home on Aphran. It was a group of Bothans. They disabled the alarms and woke us with weapons in our faces. We thought they were after you, Shada or the boys and glad you were away. Our lives were expendable. At first, we thought it was the enemies Shada made, coming to finish the job. Instead, they showed us a holograph of Quinn and convincing evidence he lived and was in their custody. They told us if we talked or tipped you off, he would be tortured to death…..very slowly. In exchange for his life, they wanted information on your organization, personnel and holdings. Luckily, you didn't tell us much. They gave us drugs and found out we really didn't know anything. In exchange for Quinn's life, we were instructed to find information for them. We knew they put surveillance equipment on the house and maybe the landing area and your warehouses on Aphran. If you or Shada returned, we would have found a way to tell you about the bugging. We had to give someone fast and Bot was the most logical choice as we didn't think he knew any more than us."
Thade added, "We purposely stayed away from you and felt horrible for the deception, but didn't know what to do or who to trust in your organization. We felt some of your crew might have been bought off. It's a relief having you know and can deal with the Bothan's. We were in over our heads." Thade paused, "If you want to kill us, we understand, but want you to rescue Quinn."
"You put your own niece and the boys in danger." Talon barely contained his fury. He remembered when Melina Carniss betrayed his syndicate and how he arranged an accident after her usefulness ended. He was thinking along those lines when Gillespee read his mind.
"Karrde, this isn't the same as Carniss. Nobody forced her to betray you."
Talon gave his lieutenant a sharp look. "You into mindreading now?"
"I know anyone who's ever screwed you over is dead. These guys aren't in that class. Like they stated are in over their heads even knowing you, and truth serum showed they don't know you all that well. I saw their lives on Emberlene. They are honest people, put in a no-win situation because of you and Shada."
Talon was relieved Samuel Thomas didn't think they willingly spied on him. He looked back to his wife's uncles. "What was the deal with Quinn?"
Both men turned pale, flicked gazes to each other before Zed replied, "We were supposed to get a holovid once a month proving he was alive. The last scheduled vid never arrived, leaving us guessing Quinn is either injured or dead. We heard on the holonews where Bothawui and Ryloth are fighting and something about the Diversity Alliance being destroyed. Details were vague…." he trailed off.
Never taking his eyes off them, Talon lifted his commlink. "Bring him in."
Dankin escorted Quinn into the office.
Talon watched Gillespee's shocked expressions and waited for the brothers to break off squeezing the life out of each other and take seats. While waiting, he quietly poured whiskey and handed each man a glass. He listened to their stories, knowing the truth was most likely being told, even though he was recording the reunion. He nursed his drink, while Plakhmirakh silently left unnoticed by all but Talon. He returned shortly with Shada.
Shada finally noticed Talon was sitting quietly behind his desk; his gaze taking everything in.
"You're quiet." She stopped all talking with her observation and they all looked at Talon.
"Are you going to kill us?" Thade wanted to know their fate for deceiving their benefactor.
"Of course he's not going to kill you," Shada snapped. "What kind of monster do you think I married?" She sounded indignant Thade would even ask such a question.
"One with over two dozen kills for betrayal," Samuel interjected, earning him a glare from Shada.
"Those got what they deserved, and five I took care of myself," she defended her husband, while he remained quiet.
A knock sounded at the door. Gillespee looked at Talon, who nodded, and opened to Booster.
The room got much smaller when the captain entered. Booster looked directly at Talon. "Are you done interrogating innocent men?"
"Yep, the torture is about to begin," Talon finally spoke.
"Oh, this I gotta see." Booster smiled at the men. "Karrde has a most unique way of making grown men cry uncle."
Three identical sets of brown eyes turned to Talon.
With a straight face, he replied, "You are going to babysit my sons until I say otherwise. If they don't break you, nothing will."
Booster, Shada and Gillespee laughed and the D'ukal's looked relieved.
Shada stood. "I think your punishment should begin right now." With a wink to her husband, she led her uncles from the office, heart happier with another uncle for her sons.
Plakhmirakh silently followed and veered to Kyn's to disclose events to his partner.
Booster picked the bottle off the desk, read the label and frowned. "I know you have better."
"Not for anyone I know." Talon held his glass out for a refill, since Booster was pouring. Not to be left out, Gillespee crowded in for his own topping off.
Talon relaxed with the awful chore of confirming what he suspected and, hopefully, his family restored. "Any messages from Luke?" he changed the subject.
"We all have messages from Luke," Booster chuckled. "He was most insistent I get his Jedi back in time for the ceremony."
Talon glanced at his datapad and saw messages each from Luke and Mara waiting for him to view.
