The REH'TAEF

by DarthSidious04

let's just say you will get a few laughs after reading this.

THE REH'TAEF

By clean kitchen

Disclaimer: this is not my story, it is clean kitchen's. I just thought this would be a good story to share with you all.

1: STRANGE MARKINGS

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Jedi Padawan Tora Lundo knelt in the middle of the now empty room. Upended furniture and violently arranged clothes and bed coverings told the story of a recent struggle. Torn curtains billowed in the breeze blowing through a broken window. Tora's eyes traced the path of the intruders from the window to the bed ... there had been a violent struggle ... one of the assailants had been injured ... but the intruders had prevailed. Senator Amidala was now their prisoner.

Tora's attention shifted to the strange markings left by the intruders. It was a very windy day on Coruscant, and the broken window had allowed a significant amount of dust and debris to enter the senator's bedroom. The only footprints, however, were the petite slippered prints left by Amidala. Even these disappeared near the window. The senator must have been carried out of the room.

The only other markings in the dust were strange wispy traces that looked more as if someone had lightly trailed some string along the floor. Tora had never seen anything like it.

"Greetings, Master," said Tora without turning to look. She knew the presence of Jedi Master Kara Luun well.

"Greetings, Padawan." Replied the elder Jedi, removing her hood. "What have you found."

Kara could sense the confusion in her padawan, which only added to the strangeness of this situation. Tora was exceptionally bright and not easily bewildered. In fact, Kara knew that Tora would soon be ready for the trials, and it saddened her. Jedi are not supposed to have familial ties, but Kara considered Tora more like as daughter than an apprentice. Both were Murilian, and more than one stranger who saw the similarity in their dark hair, athletic builds and pretty features had thought them to be mother and daughter. This indeed had served them well on more than one occasion...

Kara knelt beside her student, masking her somewhat conflicted emotions.

"The situation is quite clear," offered the young padawan, "except for these."

Tora pointed to the markings and immediately sensed a change in her master's demeanor. The suddenness and depth of the change in her master alarmed the young Jedi. She had never known her master to be flustered by even the direst of circumstances. If Tara was scared, the padawan knew that she should be, as well.

"The Reh'taef," wispered Kara.

"The what?" Tora turned to look at the now solemn face of her master.

"Senator Amidala has been taken by the Ret'heaf."

"I thought they were just a legend invented to scare schoolgirls into behaving." Kara was familiar with the stories of creatures that kidnapped naughty little girls and tickled them silly. She never really thought the stories to be all that scary, and certainly didn't think they were true.

"I assure you that they are quite real," replied her master, quietly.

Kara rose and pulled her hood over her head as she turned to leave the room. "Return to your quarters. There is nothing more to be done here. I will send instructions about what is to be done next."

"Where are you going, Master?"

"I must speak with Master Yoda."

Tora found herself once more in the middle of a now empty room, and with no more answers than she had before. Tora knew from experience that answers would present themselves with time, but right now she wasn't sure she wanted them.

2: OLD FRIENDS

-------------

Senator Amidala was led down the dark metallic hallway of what she supposed was a starship. The turbo doors gave their usual "swish" as two guards brought her what seemed to be a large empty room. A blind fold kept her from being certain. The fact that she still wore the silken blouse and pants of her bed clothes made her all the more uncomfortable. It was difficult to negotiate from a position of strength while wearing pajamas. She wasn't certain that negotiation was the purpose for her "visit," but she knew that was the only real weapon in her possession.

"Ah, it's good to see you again, Senator," came a deep and distinguished voice from somewhere in the room.

"Forgive me if I don't return the sentiment, Count Dooku." Amidala remembered that voice from their last meeting. She had attempted to negotiate with Dooku and his allies, but the result was an order to execute herself and Anakin and ultimately the first conflict of the Clone Wars.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she said to herself under her breath.

"You are undoubtedly wondering why I have invited you to join us," Dooku continued as Amidala was led to the center of the room.

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"It turns out that you have something I want, and I have invited you here so that you can bring it to me."

Amidala's mind searched for anything she thought the deranged count might want. And what did he mean that she would bring it to him? She couldn't very well bring him something if she were here with him, and she had nothing with her but the clothes on her back.

"What is it that you want?" asked the puzzled senator.

"That is none of your concern." Dooku could sense the confusion in his captive. All the better, he thought. Not knowing her fate would make her experience only more intense, and that would work to his favor.

"Prepare her," commanded Dooku, and the guards began their work.

"I cannot face them again," Kara confessed to the diminutive Jedi Master standing before her.

"Can, and must," Yoda replied. "Know I do your fear, but face the Reh'taef once more you must."

"It seems silly to be afraid, but I am. I just can't describe how bad it was."

Yoda could sense the conflict in Kara and he understood why. He closed his eyes and reached back in the Force to when Kara had stumbled across a Reh'taef hiding place. The vision was blurry, but the content was clear. Yoda saw flashes of Kara unclothed and restrained, face contorted in screaming laughter as the Reh'taef expertly administered their special form of torture. Yoda remembered when Kara was at last found and rescued. It had taken months of counseling before she could return to her duties.

"Very real your fears are, but conquered fears must be."

Kara nodded. She knew that Yoda was right.

"And Tora?"

"Accompany you she must."

Kara's heart sank even more. It was one thing for her to anticipate facing the Reh'taef, but another thing to imagine her padawan falling into their clutches. But she knew, as always, that Yoda was right. Tora could not be expected to overcome fears she may have if her master was unable to overcome her own.

"Master... will we be..." Kara could not bring herself to finish the thought.

Yoda furrowed his brow in concentration and reached out with the Force.

"Yes."

3: SHE WHO LAUGHS FIRST

-----------------------

Tora sat across from Sari, a trusted friend and fellow padawan. The Twi'lek was roughly the same age as Tora. They had been friends since their earliest days of Jedi training.

"You're right, that is strange," Sari agreed as Tora recalled her conversation with Master Luun, "I thought that the Reh'taef were just a legend."

"Me too," Tora repeated for about the dozenth time. "It's almost too strange to be true."

"Maybe it isn't," offered Sari matter-of-factly.

"Huh?"

"Maybe it's a test of some sort -- to see if you're ready for the trials."

Tora pondered this for a moment. She had heard of things like this before, and she was approaching the end of her apprenticeship, but it seemed a bit too contrived.

"But why make up the Reh'taef story?" Tora thought aloud. "There are thousands of scarier things in the galaxy than some childish tickle monster."

"Maybe the strangeness of the situation is the test," replied Sari, "and maybe they want to see if you can withstand torture without actually hurting you."

"Torture?" replied Tora mockingly. "It's just a little tickling."

"Oh, so you don't think tickling can be torture?"

"No. It's just silly. Besides, I'm too old for that kind of stuff."

"Have you ever been tickled? I mean, REALLY tickled?"

"I guess not."

"Well then don't knock it. It was enough to scare Master Luun, unless she was faking it."

"Good point. I think an experiment is in order." Tora had learned as a good Jedi to attack a problem from the simplest perspective, working to the more complicated. It seemed that the first piece of this puzzle was to learn more about being tickled. Testing this with her close friend would grant her safety from any alleged ill effects that tickling might offer.

"Would you tickle me, so I can see what it's like?" Tora asked Sari.

"I guess so, if you think it will help."

Tora removed her robe and the rest of her clothes down to her bra and panties. She knew that tickling involved light touching of the skin, and so she needed her skin to be exposed. Besides, the closeness of her friendship with Sari and the nonsexual Jedi mentality left little need for modesty.

Tora sat on the couch and held her arms out to her sides in a "T". "OK, do your worst," she said, mocking the pseudo-torture that Sari was about to inflict.

Sari reached out and danced her nails on Tora's bare stomach. Tora squealed and doubled over in defense.

"Waoh!" Sari was surprised by the reaction. "Still think it's not so bad?"

"It just startled me, like an insect crawling on me." She once again sat upright and raised her arms. "Try again," she commanded.

This time Sari started by wriggling her fingers on Tora's sides near her hips and worked her way up her sides and along her ribs. Tora stifled the laughter for a few seconds, but quickly shrieked and brought her arms down to protect herself.

"That's worse than I thought," Tora giggled, "but it's still just tickling. It's still not something that I would be afraid of as a real torture."

"I guess there's only one way you can know for sure," offered Sari. She thought this was silly, but she was enjoying it nonetheless. "It's one thing to be tickled for a few seconds when you can protect yourself. It may be another to be restrained and just have to endure it."

That made sense to Tora. "I guess you're right. Get some rope."

The guards had completed their task, simple though it was. Amidala now stood in the middle of the room, her wrists bound to a chain attached to the ceiling. Her arms were stretched straight up, pulling her nearly off the ground; her feet touching the metal floor, but just barely. The guards had removed the blouse of her pajamas, leaving her in her pajama pants, slippers and bra. Their last task was to remove her blindfold.

The senator blinked and squinted to see her surroundings. She saw only Count Dooku standing before her, but much of the room was dark. She didn't need her eyes to feel her bonds and understand her predicament. She didn't know what Dooku had in mind, but she was sure it would not be pleasant.

"It's now time for you to bring me what I seek," said the Count.

Two spindly creatures appeared from the shadows -- or, kind of appeared. They were unlike anything she had ever seen. Each stood nearly seven feet tall with elongated features. They were dark, but nearly transparent, almost like puffs of smoke. Their feet and hands terminated in long thin fingers and toes nearly a foot long. They seemed to float, walking lightly and silently on their almost stringlke toes. Their fingers waved like blades of grass in a summer breeze.

These were the creatures who had taken her from her apartment.

"I believe you have met my associates, but I doubt you were properly introduced" continued the Count. "Senator Amidala, meet the Reh'taef."

He couldn't be serious. He could just as well have said they were the Tooth Fairy or the Mon Calamari Ghost Eels. Nonetheless, she suddenly had a strong desire to lower her arms.

"That's right, Senator," said Count Dooku, sensing her recognition and disbelief. "These are the very same Reh'taef you have heard about, and I sense that you have guessed what they are going to do to you."

Amidala was silent. She wasn't sure how to respond. Tickling? She knew full well that she was very ticklish, but could this really be so bad? Her sister had tickled her when they were younger, and she had survived that. Surely she could endure more of the same ... couldn't she.

"Did you really bring me all this way just to tickle me?" asked Amidala, trying to sound defiant.

"Yes, I did," relied Dooku as the Reh'taef approached their victim.

4: RUDE AWAKENINGS

-------------------

A hundred thoughts flew through Amidala's mind as the creatures approached, still trying to wrap her mind around the reality that she was about to be tickled by what she thought were fictional monsters. What would it be like to be tickled like this? Could she take it? She thought she might be able to at first, but her confidence was quickly leaving her as the creatures raised their arms and waved their delicate fingers. Her entire upper body tingled with horrible anticipation as if she could already feel them tickling her.

A rush of panic overtook her and was immediately swept away by the first ticklish sensations. Her head flew back, her legs gave way, and she screamed. Her shriek gave way to gales of maniacal laughter.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAH! NO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEEEEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHEASEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Count Dooku grinned with satisfaction at the very first wide-eyed gasp of a woman who just realized how bad this would tickle. The creatures stood on either side of Amidala, running their fingers skillfully up and down her sides and arms, along her bare back and across her tummy. The fingers of the Reh'taef were long and nimble, light as a feather, but with substance -- a strange combination that provided a perfect tickling blend of sensations.

"AAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO! NO! NO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The beautiful senator had lost all conscious thought the moment the Reh'taef touched her. All she knew now was tickling, and all she wanted was for it to stop. She swung from her bonds as best she could, trying to avoid the tickly touches, but the creatures had her from all directions.

"Enough!" Commanded Dooku. The creatures stopped their assault.

Amidala slumped in her chains, panting and giggling. Her head hung down. "Oh my gawd, that was horrible!" was her first thought as reason returned. She had never, ever been tickled like that; those creatures tickled her in a way she didn't even think possible. She hadn't been afraid of the Reh'taef stories before, but she was a true believer after the five minutes she just endured. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

"Very good, my dear," Count Dooku said after a few moments had passed.

Amidala raised her head to look at her tormentor, her hair falling awkwardly along the side of her face. "What ... do you want?"

Count Dooku stepped closer, grinned, and replied, "This," and motioned to the creatures.

"OH, PLEASE! PLEASE! NO! NAAAAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!...."

"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Tora screamed and laughed into the pillow as Sari's nails fluttered across her bare back and up and down her sides.

"AAAHHHHHH! AAAHHHHH! PLEASE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sari was enjoying this. Tora, bewildered by her master, Kara Luun's, reaction to the disappearance of Senator Amidala wanted to learn more about being tickled. She decided to find out what it would be like and asked Sari, a fellow padawan to help.

In order to investigate the sensation of tickling as torture, Tora instructed Sari to tie her face down on the bed with her arms stretched out in front of her. She then instructed Sari to tickle her as bad as she could for ten minutes, even if Tora begged her to stop. If this didn't simulate tickle torture, Tora didn't know what would.

Tora got her wish. Sari had spent the last five minutes straddling her friend's hips and tickling all over her upper body. Her nails skittered along her captive's back and on her sides, producing gales of laughter. Tora held out for several minutes before she began to beg for Sari to stop. Her underarms had made the decision.

Sari, a novice tickler, was quick to pick up on the greatly increased reaction when her nails found Tora's underarms. She now concentrated her attention there. Her fingers performed a torturous dance on the sensitive skin of the smooth hollows.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OHMYGAWDOHMYGAWD! AAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

The tickling sensation stopped, and she Tora could feel Sari shifting her weight. Maybe the ten minutes was over. She couldn't believe how bad the tickling was, and she was surprised at herself that she longed so much for the torture to end. That's right -- torture; she was now convinced that this could be a quite effective form of persuasion.

"Ohmygawd, Sari, that was terribAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The ten minutes was not over, as Tora had hoped. In fact, only about five minutes had passed. She had simply been afforded a brief respite while Sari repositioned herself to face the other direction.

Sari was now working her nails up and down Tora's legs. Tora screeched when Sari found the inside of her thighs. The bonds kept Tora from bringing her legs together, so she found no protection from Sari's fingers. They danced and glided inside her thigh from her knee, nearly to her crotch and then down the back of her thigh, pausing for a moment at the back of the knee.

Sari found that the back of Tora's thigh near her buttocks got quite a response, so she spent several seconds exploring that area.

"PLEASE SARI PLEASE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEASE STAHAHAHAHAHAP!

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Tora let loose a wild scream and managed even in her bound state to buck Sari right off the bed.

Sari had been dragging her nails down Tora's calves when she glided past her ankles onto the soles of her feet. That's when Tora had lost it and Sari found herself on the floor.

"Woah, jackpot!" said Sari as she positioned herself kneeling on the floor facing the foot of the bed.

Tora panicked. "NO! SARI! PLEASE! DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IAAAAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sari ignored her friend's pleas as she had been instructed to do and instead focused her attention on tickling her friend's feet. Her nails danced quickly up and down the bare soles, from heel to toe and back again. She worked around the side, on top, and then back to the arches.

Tora buried her head in the pillow and filled it with screaming laughter. Her body shook, but she had run out of energy to fight. For the final few minutes of the experiment, she just laughed and took it.

Jedi Master Kara Luun sat up in her bed, staring sadly into space. She had been awakened by an overwhelming sense of tickled agony coming from her padawan. So in tune was she to her apprentice that she could almost feel the tickling Tora was enduring, but she was grateful that she could not.

Tora must have sensed her master's dismay at the Reh'taef and decided to find out what it felt like to be tickled. Kara was sorry that she would have to bring Tora into this mess, and that she would have to learn about the torture methods of the Reh'taef, but she supposed it would come up sooner or later.

Kara had hoped that Tora would not be ticklish, but she had no such hope now. She wasn't sure who was tickling her young padawan, but whoever it was was getting her good. It was probably Sari. That's good, she thought. At least her first experience is a safe one.

That comfort was overshadowed by returning memories of her own encounter with the Reh'taef. She felt it wouldn't be long before she was getting what Tora was getting now -- only worse. She hoped that Tora would sleep well tonight. And she tried not to think about Amidala, at least not for now. There was no doubt in her mind that the senator either was or soon would be getting tickled something fierce, and there was nothing they could do about it.

5: SET A COURSE

---------------

Tora had indeed slept well that night. Her friend Sari -- at Tora's request -- had given her the worst tickling she had ever received. She made a mental note that she would have to get Sari back after her mission.

Kara was waiting on the landing platform by a Murilian freighter. They did not always have a choice, but both preferred to travel in ships made on their home world. Being Jedi did not remove the twinge of pride they felt at the craftsmanship of their kinsmen.

"Good morning, Master." Tora bowed and greeted Kara, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Not really," replied the elder Jedi, "but I'll bet you did." Kara shot her padawan a knowing glance.

Tora blushed. Kara must have sensed her little experiment last night. She wasn't sure whether leave the subject alone or to ask her master about the experience. She decided for the former. There would be plenty of time to discuss this on during the trip.

"Indeed I did," was her reply, and the padawan and the Jedi boarded their ship.

"NO! NOT THERE! NOOOOOOOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Senator Amidala had definitely not slept well that night. Dooku's guards had suspended her by the wrist to a chain coming down from the ceiling, removed her blouse, and the tickling creatures had their way with her nearly-naked torso. Count Dooku allowed the Reh'taef to tickle her senseless on and off long into the night.

The Reh'taef were expert ticklers, able to administer unimaginably intense tickling, but skillful enough to keep their victims conscious and -- mostly -- sane. For hours they traded off, one tickling, and then the other, and then together. Sometimes they focused their attention on a single ticklish area, and sometimes they tickled all over her helpless upper body. They seemed to know just how much and how hard they could tickle before giving her a rest.

" AAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Only one of the creatures was currently working on her, but it was more than enough. It stood in front of her and wriggled it's long spidery fingers in the hollows under her arms. Amidala's head hung back and released a solid stream of coarse laughter. She had long since given up struggling and now focused her energy on simply enduring the tickling ... and laughing.

No one would have faulted Amidala for not noticing that Count Dooku had recently been joined by another of the senators ... admirers. Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation watched partly in fascination and partly in confusion. He certainly enjoyed anything that brought Senator Amidala discomfort, but he was unfamiliar with these methods.

"What ah they doing to her?" he asked Dooku.

"They are torturing her," he replied.

"It looks to me like they ah just tickling her."

"That, they are, my friend."

The Neimodian frowned. "Thaht's all well and good, but you said I would see her suffah!"

"NONONONONO! PLEAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The second Reh'taef had now taken over for the first and was stroking his tickling fingers up and down the senator's bare back and along her sides.

"I assure you, she is," replied the Count.

Nute Gunray watched the spectacle in front of him with interest. As long as the senator was being tormented, he didn't really care how.

The first Reh'taef rejoined his partner and resumed his tickling assault, mirroring the other creatures pattern on Amidala's exposed front. His fingers skittered up the senator's sides and then trailed across her collar bone, down across her nearly naked breasts and across her tummy. He dwelt for a few moments on the skin of her lower abdomen just above her pajama pants, and then repeated the pattern.

Amidala dangled from her wrists and kicked weakly at nothing in particular with her legs.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OHNOOHNOOHNO! AAAAAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAH!..."

The Count watched the senator with satisfaction. He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force to see if his plan was working.

Across the galaxy a space battle raged. Countless starfighters swarmed around a handful of capital star cruisers amidst a blinding array of laser fire. Just one more battle in the Clone Wars that had engulfed the entire galaxy.

Three droid fighters singled in on a lone Jedi starfighter. The Jedi ship darted up and down and side to side, avoiding a barrage of cannon fire. The Jedi pilot flew straight for one of the large Republic cruisers, reaching out with the Force. Continuing to evade the laser fire from the three droid ships behind him, the Jedi skimmed past the edge of the enormous cruiser until exiting on the other side of the ship. The three droids matched his maneuvers, but they past the edge of the cruiser only to slam into a passing Trade Federation gun ship.

The Jedi pilot righted his fighter and began to scan his display for new enemies to engage, when he was struck with a tremor in the Force. Without so much as a thought, the Jedi pointed his fighter in the opposite direction of the battle and disappeared into hyperspace.

6: CONSTRUCTION ZONE

---------------------

Tora Lundo listened intently as her master, Kara Luun told her of the Reh'taef, of her previous encounter with the creatures, and of the dangers into which they were almost certainly heading. Neither said it, but shivers went up each of their backs when they thought about what must be happening to Senator Amidala even as they spoke.

Yet, despite the seriousness of the situation, Tora couldn't help but be a little bemused at the idea of her wise and dignified Maser Luun reduced to ticklish hysteria. Maybe it would be worth getting tickled herself just to see that?

Kara could sense the lighthearted wonder in her padawan. "I sensed your little session last night. Was that Sari?"

"Yes, it was," Tora blushed again, "That was ... just an experiment."

"I see," replied Kara, "and the results?"

"The results are that I got the snot tickled out of me," admitted the young padawan.

"I know," replied her master. "It's probably best that your first taste of that was with Sari. There's a good chance that we'll both get it worse than that before this mission is complete."

"Really?"

"I'm afraid so. Yoda said we would."

Tora wasn't quite sure what to think of that. Yoda was never wrong. It looked like she would get her wish of seeing Kara get it, but it seemed that she was in for it, as well.

"Be careful what you wish for..." said Tora, absentmindedly.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, I just..."

A sharp jolt rocked their ship, bringing it to an abrupt halt in space. Kara rushed to the cockpit. They were not due to reach their destination for several hours. A flashing light on the console told Kara Luun that their ship was caught in a tractor beam. Outside she saw a newly constructed spaceport, with a number of utility droids working to complete the structure.

Apparently, the Jedi's vessel had stumbled upon an uncharted construction area. The wartime galaxy was dotted with such outposts, and most employed tractor beams and hyperspace inhibitors to protect themselves from starships speeding by. The problem was that there was no way of telling whether this installation was friendly to or hostile towards the Republic.

A voice crackled over the communicator. "Republic craft, lower your shields and prepare to be boarded."

Kara replied, "We are Jedi in the service of the Republic, and we are on an important mission. Allow us to pass immediately."

There was some hesitation from the outpost, and then a reply. "You will not pass from here until you are boarded and inspected."

"Very well," Kara conceded. Sometimes it was faster to comply than to argue.

Kara and Tora, who had joined her in the cockpit heard the sound of another vessel docking with theirs. This was followed by a hissing sound that neither of them noticed until it was too late. The Jedi and the padawan slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Amidala groaned and sat up on the bed. She was in what seemed to be a small cell in which Dooku had allowed her to sleep after enduring several hours of tickle torture. She was able to sleep in spite of herself, so exhausted we she from her encounter with Dooku's torturers.

The guards had given back the blouse to her pajamas, and she was now dressed as she was when she was kidnapped. She wrapped her arms tight around herself, remembering the feeling of those horrible fingers on her skin. She guessed that she would get more of the same today. She didn't know if she could take it, but she knew she would have to.

Amidala had solved Dooku's riddle at some point during her torture. He said that he kidnapped her so that she could bring him something. She realized that it was not something, but someone. He wanted Aniken, and he was going to use her to get to him. Dooku must think that Aniken can sense her suffering and will come to her aid. It was pretty ingenious, she had to admit -- in a sick and twisted kind of way. By using tickling, he could torture her indefinitely, where with other torture she would eventually die from her wounds.

This left the senator between a rock and a hard place. She hoped that Aniken would either be unable to sense her tickling, or that he would be smart enough to sense a trap. If he came, she might be rescued, but he might be captured. The Republic could ill afford that. However, if he didn't come, she would be tickled until they tired of it. Who knew how long that would be?

A key rustled in the lock on her cell door, and it opened. Two armed guards entered the room.

"On your feet," commanded the first guard into the room, and they led her for another meeting with Count Dooku and his friends.

7: LOTS OF LAUGHS

-----------------

"Ah, I trust you had a good rest, Senator," Count Dooku greeted Amidala as she was led into the room. This was a different room than the one she had been in the night before. the room was empty except for Count Dooku, Nute Gunray, a couple of guards, and a table with a contraption that was surely meant for her.

"What's Gunray doing here?" she wondered to herself. It figured that he would be in on this. She hated the thought of being tortured in front of him, knowing the satisfaction he must get from watching her suffer. "Talk about adding insult to injury."

Notably absent were the Reh'taef. Count Dooku sensed her question about her would-be ticklers.

"Don't worry, your friends will join us shortly." He motioned to the guards. "Prepare her for the day's festivities."

The guards removed her pajama pants and bound her arms tightly behind her back at the wrists and elbows. They led her to the table where she sat on the end. A padded belt connected to the end of the table was fastened around her waist.

"Are you enjoying your stay with us?" asked Dooku as the guards rolled what looked like two poles with padded loops at the tops.

"Lots of laughs," replied Amidala as her ankles were secured in the loops at the tops of the poles. The poles were locked in place, and she was now completely immobile from her waist to her ankles with her arms strapped behind her back.

The door to the room opened and in walked the two Reh'taef. Amidala assessed her situation and knew that they were going to tickle her legs. Part of her was glad that her upper body would get a rest, but part of her was nervous. She knew what it felt like to be tickled under her arms, but nobody had ever tickled her legs. Judging from last night, however, she had no doubt that it was going to tickle -- a lot.

"Shall we begin?" asked the Count.

"Bring it on," defied the helpless senator. Gunray was going to get to see these things tickle her, but she wouldn't let him see how nervous she was.

And bring it on they did. The Reh'taef stood on either side of Amidala and traced their delicate, elongated fingers along her slender legs. Each used one hand on top and one hand underneath.

" AAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

A!..."

Amidala fell back on the table and tossed from side to side, but her legs did not move. Up and down and up and down those horrible digits wriggled on her sensitive thighs and calves. She forgot where she was and just laughed, trying in vain to avoid the tickling.

Dooku was enjoying this, but not as much as Nute Gunray. He realized as he watched last night that this was the perfect torture for one such as Amidala. He was growing to love the sound of her hysterical laughter.

"WOAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEASE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The creatures had now changed tactics and were wiggling their fingers in place on the backs of her thighs and claves. It looked to Gunray as if there was a grey fire under Amidala's legs, licking at her skin. He wondered if a real fire could have elicited so strong a response from its victim. She shrieked and sqealed and laughed as she had done the night before, her torso bouncing on the table as much as her bonds would allow.

"Let her rest," commanded Dooku, and the Reh'taef stopped instantly. Amidala lay on the table, chest heaving, still giggling from the tickling sensations.

"I sense that your Jedi friend has taken our bait," Dooku whispered in her ear. "You are doing a splendid job, my dear."

She didn't want to think about it. She knew that she was helping lure Aniken to this fiend, but there was nothing she could do about it. His taunting just made her mad.

"Just shut up and tickle me." she said sharply.

"As you wish," sighed Dooku, nodding to the creatures.

This time only one of the creatures approached her. It stood between her legs, facing her and danced it's tickling fingers on the insides of her thighs. The effect was a steady gale of laughter that left the senator breathless. The creature stopped. Amidala raised her head just in time to see the fingers return to her inner thighs and tickle her again. Another steady stream of staccato laughter.

Dooku watched the Reh'taef with admiration. This could not be going better.

8: FINDING NEEBO

----------------

Kara's head was pounding as she came to. She tried to move, but she could not. Binders had been secured around her at the chest, waist, thighs, and ankles. Her arms were pinned to her sides and her legs held tightly together. She turned her head to see Tora laying beside her, similarly bound.

The ship that docked with theirs must have filled the compartment with some sort of knock-out agent. She saw her lightsaber on the edge of a nearby table, but was unable to summon it.

"Don't works, do it?" mocked a raspy voice from somewhere to her left. A man walked into her view. He was humanoid, but not human. His eyes were enlarged and deep black. A large stubby nose, almost like a pig's filled most of the rest of his face.

"These ares the most amazings critters," said the man, pointing to a strange, caterpillar-like creature on his shoulder. "I forgets what's they called, but they's blocks Jedi powers. You just twos normals girl, now."

Oh, great, thought Kara. Knocked out, tied up, and no Force.

"What's going on?! Why can't I move?!" Tora was now awake and not the least bit happy with her predicament.

"Shuts it!" commanded the strange man, glaring at the padawan.

"Who are you, and what do you want with us?" asked the elder Jedi as politely as she could.

"I ams Neebo," declared the man with some pride. "I ams pirate."

Well, that at least told the Jedi what kind of person she was dealing with. Wars always had a knack for producing people who hoped to profit from it, and the Clone Wars were no exception. She could hear the sound of people rummaging through

"I wants informations," he added. "Informations worth much moneys."

"What kind of information?" Tora insisted, drawing a glare from Master Luun. With no Force powers, diplomacy was their only hope of surviving this situation.

"What kinds you gots?" Neebo asked, eyeing his two captives. "Twos Jedis on important missions must haves important informations. Tells Neebo what is so importants."

"You know I cannot do that," said Kara, calmly. "Perhaps if you release us we can reach some sort of arrangement that will profit both of us." What she wouldn't give for a good ol' Jedi mind trick right about now.

"Nos tricks!" their captor shot back, "Yous tells Neebo, then Neebo releases."

Raucous laugher erupted from a nearby part of the ship. A hairy humanoid in a blue flight suit entered the room and showed what appeared to be a data card to Neebo. Neebo laughed and slapped his henchman on the back. Neebo turned to face his captives.

"Is this whats so importants?" Neebo said mockingly, "Yous hunting Reh'taefs?"

Tora must have left a data card out on the table while she was reviewing the mission. at least they had not yet found out about Senator Amidala.

The two pirates approached the women. Neebo spoke. "Theres no tickly monters here..." Neebo paused and thought for a second. A nasty grin crept across his face. "...or are theres."

"I haves an ideas." Neebo knelt between the women. They both already guessed what he was going to say next; they did not need the Force to see this future. "I wants informations, and yous wants tickly monsters. I think we boths gets what we wants."

The Jedi and her padawan exchanged nervous glances. Both knew that tickling was a very real danger on this mission, but neither thought it would become a reality so soon, and certainly not at the hands of some pirate. Their minds raced in search of solutions to this predicament even as Neebo and his henchman removed their boots and socks.

"Oh, no, not my feet!" thought the padawan, remembering how bad it had been when Sari tickled them the other night. She looked over and saw the anxiety in Kara's eyes. As scared as Tora was, she was a little excited about seeing her master get it. Tora looked down to her masters now bare feet. Like her own, they were slender and smooth with high arches. She wondered if Kara's feet were as ticklish as hers.

Kara saw the hairy man sit on Tora's ankles with her feet at his knees. She didn't think that she could bear to watch Tora get tickled, but she was paralyzed by her fear. She just watched as the man began scribbling his fingers up and down Tora's soles.

"NO! NO! NO! AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Tora bucked and twisted, but her bonds kept her in place. The man's fingers danced all across her feet and between her toes. The man's fingers had a rough texture, and Tora couldn't decide if this tickled worse than Sari's nails, but it really didn't matter. Nothing mattered but her feet and the electric sensations they were sending to her brain.

Kara watched in horror as her young padawan shrieked and writhed under the ticklish torture, and was petrified.

Neebo motioned for the tickling to stop. Tora continued to giggle and rub her feet together as the sensation wore off.

"Gives me informations, or the ticklys continues."

Kara tried to muster a response, but Tora abruptly interrupted her.

"Bring it on, you Nerfherder! That didn't even tickle!" she yelled at her captor.

"We'll sees about thats," snarled Neebo. He nodded to his accomplice who renewed his tickling attack on her bare feet. Tora's head flew back and she flopped from side to side as gales of laughter rushed out of her.

"AAAHHHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! IS THAHAHAHAHAHAHAT ALL YOU GAHAHAHAHATEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

..."

Kara couldn't believe her ears. They were tickling the crap out of her and she was egging them on. Either Tora was a lot braver than she thought ... or a lot dumber.

9: BEST FOOT FORWARD

---------------------

"OHNOOOOOHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OHGAWDOHGAWD! AAAAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Neebo's henchman had been tickling Tora's feet for nearly half an hour, and had attracted quite a crowd. All of Neebo's pirate crew had gathered to watch the strange spectacle. all of them -- including Neebo -- had forgotten why they were even tickling this poor girl in the first place.

Kara Luun was both impressed by her padawan's courage and endurance, and ashamed of her own fear. Tora showed no signs of giving in, continuing to shout insults at her tickler through screams of laughter and gasps for breath. She couldn't stand to watch her student tortured in her place.

"Stop!" cried Kara. "Leave the girl alone! Tickle me instead!" Kara could hardly believe her ears, but she knew what she had to do.

Neebo was quite agreeable. In fact, the gang had got so into tickling Tora that they forgot there was another woman just waiting to be tickled. He ordered his henchman to take a break and decided that he would attend to this one personally.

As Neebo straddled Kara's ankles, she looked over to Tora. Tora chest was heaving and there was a tired smile on her face. She whispered, "You don't have to do this."

"I do now," was the reply just moments before Neebos fingers began to fly across her naked feet.

" AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHAHAH!..."

Kara let loose a blood-curdling scream that dissolved into breathless laugher. The tickling was as bad as she remembered -- worse perhaps, and these weren't even the Reh'taef!

Tora watched almost with glee as her teacher was reduced to a pile of laughter and incoherent pleas. Her master most certainly was as ticklish as she was, and Neebo was really letting her have it. She found herself hoping that Kara would hold out for some time so that she could continue to watch.

Tora wouldn't get that chance. Without letting up on his victim, Neebo nodded for his henchman to get back to work on Tora. The entire ship was filled with the laugher the Jedi and her padawan as the pirates tickled their feet.

"OH, PLEASE! OH, PLEASE! OH, PLEASE!..." Amidala panted as she enjoyed a brief respite from the leg tickling she had endured for the past several hours.

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PLEASE! NOT THAT! OH, PLEASE!..."

The guards were unbuttoning the senator's blouse and tucking it behind her still bound arms, exposing her torso to the Reh'taef. The creatures moved toward her once again. Rest time was over.

"NONONONONO! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

One Reh'taef positioned himself between Amidala's legs and danced his fingers up and down her legs. The other stood beside her at the edge of the table, and began tickling her tummy and sides.

Amidala just laughed and laughed, rolling back and forth on the table as best she could. Nothing could be worse than this.

The tickling stopped.

"Nothing, huh?" asked Count Dooku. He had been monitoring her thoughts, enjoying the ticklish anguish his new friends were causing the beautiful senator. He heard her think that nothing could be worse.

"Oh, I think there may be something worse, and I think we both know what it is."

Amidala's mind raced. "Oh, no. You wouldn't. Tickle my legs, my tummy, under my arms, just don't do that. Not today. I can't handle that."

"My dear," replied Count Dooku, "you have had been tickled all over your body the past two days, and every inch of it had been extremely ticklish. But we both know that your shoes are still on." He walked over to the poles holding her ankles. "Perhaps it's time we rectify the situation."

"No, please," she begged as Dooku delicately removed her slippers.

"And perhaps your Neimodian friend would like to do the honors?" Dooku looked at Nute Gunray, who was caught off guard by the suggestion.

"But ... I don't know how," responded the hesitant Gunray.

"You'll figure it out," Dooku reassured him and nodded to the senator's smooth little feet.

Nute Gunray hesitated for a moment, but then approached the troublesome senator with confidence.

"I should have done this on Naboo, your highness," sneered Gunray, "you will now beg me to let you sign the treaty." There was no treaty, but that didn't matter; it was the principle of the thing.

Amidala mustered what strength remained. She really could not handle a serious foot tickling, especially after the insane leg tickling she had just endured, but she would not beg this low life. It looked like she was going to have to take some foot tickling and she was going to have to like it.

She lifted herself to a sitting position and looked Gunray straight in the eye, still panting from her most recent torture.

"I ... will sign ... no ... treaty!"

10: BACK TO SQUARE ONE

Neither Kara Luun nor her padawan Tora Lundo knew how long the pirates had been tickling their feet, but it seemed like days. It had in fact been about two hours. Neebo and his henchman had tickled them first, but soon the entire crew had their turns.

Both women were coarse and their stomachs ached from the non-stop laughter. Kara was in tears from the incessant tickling. She just couldn't take it. Tora, on the other hand, while weakened from the torture, continued to taunt her insulters.

The pirates tickled the women ably, but lacked the skill of the Reh'taef. As the torture approached hour three, both women finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

Light years away, Padmé Amidala had also lost consciousness. Nute Gunray shared the pirate's zeal and lack of skill. Weakened from her previous tickling, Padmé had lasted only a little over than an hour.

The senator awoke on the bed in her cell, curled in a corner. She realized that she had been bathed, most likely by one of the service droids. A plate of food sat on the floor next to the door. They were keeping her strong so that they could tickle her more. She considered not eating, but knew they would probably just tickle her to make her eat.

At least she hadn't begged that scumbag Gunray last night. She didn't remember much besides the tickling, but she knew she hadn't broken, choosing unconsciousness to defeat.

It was a small battle, but she knew it was not as heroic as all that. When Dooku removed her shoes, she knew her feet would be tickled, whether Gunray did it or not, and whether she gave in or not. She just decided to make the best of a bad situation.

Her toes curled as she remembered what the Neimodian had done to her. He claimed he didn't know how to tickle her feet, but he could have fooled her. It didn't help that her feet were so ticklish, but he really let her have it.

Was it a victory? Partly. She didn't beg, or agree to "sign the treaty" as he kept insisting. But he did get to tickle her. He probably didn't care whether she broke or not.

But she did, and that was enough for now. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. They would be back for her soon.

Kara and Tora awoke on the beds in their sleeping quarters on their ship. Their bonds were gone, though they were still barefoot, and overturned shelved were the only sign of the Neebo and his pirates.

Kara sat up. "Who are you?" she asked. Her Force powers had returned and she sensed the presence standing outside the bedroom door.

A gruff-looking man stepped into the room from the hallway. "The name's Yuri. How are you guys feeling?"

Kara looked over to Tora and then back to Yuri. "We're fine. What happened to the pirates?"

Yuri recounted the tale of how he and his crew were on their way to the Outer Rim when they came across this illegal outpost. The pirates had attempted to stop their ship, as well, but they were able to fight them off.

"So many of the pirates were in your ship," he continued, "that they didn't have enough men left to fight. We boarded your ship and took the rest of them completely by surprise. Most of them escaped. When we searched the ship, we found the two of you, bound unconscious. We figured they must have been torturing you for information."

"Yes, they were," admitted the Jedi, not sure what he knew of their ordeal. She was more than a little relieved that the pirates had not managed to take her and Tora with them as they fled. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about it.

The Jedi's ship left the outpost, having thanked and said their farewells to Yuri. They headed once again in the direction of the senator's secret implanted tracking device.

"I am impressed by your courage under the torture," Kara said to Tora, once they were well under way and the autopilot was engaged.

"Thank you, Master," replied the padawan, "My little experiment with Sari hadn't prepared me for that." Tora curled her toes at the memory.

"You didn't have to taunt, them, though," continued Master Luun. "I think that made it worse for both of us."

"I'm sorry, Master, I'll remember that next time."

Next time. Both of them remembered their mission and knew there probably would be a next time.

Kara was more puzzled by her padawan's reaction to such intense tickle torture. She tried to read Tora's emotions through the Force, but was unable. That was strange, but Kara dismissed it. Her perception must be clouded by her own strong feelings about the tickling. She also knew her padawan had much to learn. Even the horrible tickling they just endured did not compare with an encounter with the Reh'taef. Kara decided to let Tora remain confident.

Beside her in the cockpit, Tora sat with closed eyes and a slight grin on her face. Her mind replayed visions of her master getting tickled. Tora wondered what it would be like to see her master get it, and now she knew.

She liked it.

11: The Calvary Arrives

"NOOOOHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Padmé Amidala's shrieking laughter had become a common sound aboard Count Dooku's ship. Today the senator was back on the edge of the table. Her ankles bound to the same poles where Nute Gunray had tickled her feet the night before. This time, her blouse and slippers had been removed, leaving her barefoot in her pajama pants and bra. Her hands her bound to the far end of the table so that she lay on her back with her arms held high above her head.

Yesterday the Reh'taef mostly tickled her bare legs before Dooku took her slippers off and let Gunray have her feet. Today it was the Reh'taef's turn at the senator's bare soles.

Amidala's eyes were squeezed tight in screaming laughter her head shook from side to side. She thought Nute Gunray had tickled her feet bad, but it was nothing compared to this. The long, delicate fingers of the Reh'taef glided up and down and around her soles, wriggling occasionally in place when they found a particularly ticklish spot.

"OH PLEASE! OH PLEASE! AHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHA! NONONO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The creatures were relentless, never pausing, wringing a continuous gale of laugher from their victim.

"Enough," commanded Dooku, and the Reh'taef ceased their torture. Padmé gasped and giggled, chest heaving as though she had just run a marathon. "We wouldn't want our guess to pass out like she did last night."

"Oh, thank you ... thank you...," panted Amidala. Even a brief respite from the tickling was worth something. That foot tickling had easily been the most ticklish stretch of her imprisonment here. "Please ... I can't take anymore..."

"I am a compassionate man," replied the Count with mock charity, "I suppose we can give your feet a rest." He nodded to the two Reh'taef, who left the senator's feet and took positions on either side of her outstretched form on the table.

Amidala sighed, resigned to her ticklish fate, and grimaced as the tickle monsters lowered their horrible fingers toward her helpless sides.

Dooku watched with satisfaction as the creatures applied their skill once again to Padmé's upper body. A steady stream of high-pitched laughter filled the room. Her reaction to this tickling was somewhat less intense that of the foot tickling, but the count was quite satisfied that it was quite unbearable, nonetheless.

His plan was indeed working. He reached out with the Force to a nearby presence. A sinister grin crept across his face.

Aniken Skywalker had arrived unnoticed on Dooku's ship. The Jedi were skilled at using the Force to approach other ships without being noticed. He easily dispatched the few guards he encountered in the hangar and felt out with the Force to find his wife.

He found her. She was in agony, though it was of a type he didn't recognize. He also sensed another familiar presence.

"Dooku," he said under his breath. He owed the count for the loss of his arm during the battle on Geonosis. His duty bound him at that time to pursue Dooku, even at the price of loosing Padmé. The former Jedi had escaped, and Aniken lost his arm, but at least Padmé had been OK.

That fiend once more stood between him and his wife. He had her somewhere on this ship and was doing something terrible to her. Aniken knew that it was probably a trap, but he didn't care. If Dooku was hurting Padmé, he was going down. He hadn't been able to save his mother, and he was determined not to fail a second time.

Still, Aniken didn't quite know exactly what he was dealing with. What sort of army might Count Dooku have laying in wait for him? He decided uncharacteristically that stealth was the best move for now, so he hoisted himself into an air duct and followed his senses to the woman he loved.

Aniken honed in on Padmé and sensed that she was in the room at the far end of the shaft he was in. He draw his lightsaber but did not ignite it; he did not want to reveal his location until he was good and ready.

As he moved closer to the end of the tunnel, he heard a scream. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach dropped. That was Padmé. Moving even closer, he discovered the the screams were constant, as if they were continually torturing her. His anger boiled and he resisted the nearly overwhelming urge to explode out of the vent, saber ablaze.

Rage yielded -- reluctantly -- to curiosity as he reached the vent. She wasn't screaming in pain; she was ... laughing? He peeked through the vent.

There was Amidala, bound as if for torture, and there were two very strange creatures, one on either side of her. But they weren't beating her or burning her, they were ... tickling her.

"What the...?" he said, almost aloud. He sensed that she was in distress, but was unable to tell what kind of distress. She was laughing her beautiful little head off, but they didn't seem to be hurting her. He had seen Padmé's sister do this to her on a couple occasions, though not to this extent of course. She seemed to enjoy those little tickle fights. Was she enjoying this?

He was intrigued, and if he were honest, something dark inside of him kind of enjoyed seeing his wife "tortured" in this way. He decided to watch for a while, and wait to make his move.

Dooku could sense his prey, and the conflict within him. The count decided to further confuse the young Jedi.

"Enough," he commanded, walking over to the senator. He leaned down close to her ear.

"Please, no more," she breathlessly half-laughed, half-begged.

"I'll give you a choice, my dear," he said queitly, "The Reh'taef can continue to tickle you up here," he wiggled a finger in under her arm, eliciting a squeal, "or Mr. Gunray can tickle your feet. Which will it be?"

Padmé nearly wanted to cry at this wicked proposition. Her feet were the most ticklish part of her body, but the Reh'taef were much better ticklers than Gunray. She couldn't decide which would be worse, and it was definitely a lose-lose situation.

"Well?" proddded Dooku.

"Gunray ... let Gunray tickle my feet..." she said, still breathing heavily. Maybe it was a mistake to give up her feet, but she needed a break from those creatures.

Dooku stepped away from the table. "What was that?"

"Gunray can tickle my feet," she said a little louder. The Niemodian was already relishing a second shot at tormenting the former queen of Naboo.

"I still can't hear you," replied Dooku, "if you don't choose, I'll have everyone tickle you everywhere."

"I WANT GUNRAY TO TICKLE MY FEET!" yelled Amidala in frustration. She was in no mood for games.

The only part of the conversation Aniken had heard was Padmé's request for that Trade Federation goon to tickle her feet. What was going on here? Did she want Dooku to be doing this to her?

He watched as the Niemodian approached her right foot. He placed one hand across her toes and bent them back. He began stroking his fingers up and down the outstretched sole with the other hand. Padmé went nuts! Her reaction startled him and almost caused him to fall through the vent. Man, was she ticklish!

The villain was now skittering his fingers up and down both of her feet, and she was absolutely hysterical. Aniken wondered what it must feel like. At any rate, he was enjoying this scene more and more the longer he watched it. He would remember this the next time the two of them were alone.

Amidala was absolutely beside herself. All she felt was tickling, and all she wanted was for it to stop. She had decided as she rested the night before that it really wasn't so bad, at least not after the tickling stopped. She would definitely survive this.

But right now, with those fingers running all over her feet, her world was a ticklish hell.

12: JAIL BREAK

-------------

The small Murilian freighter bearing Jedi Master Kara Luun and her young padawan Tora Lundo eased closer to the large starship. Kara used the Force to remain undetected. She pointed to an odd-looking craft docked on the far side of the ship.

"That's a Reh'taef cruiser," she explained to her student.

"Great," replied Tora. They both knew what that meant, and they had gotten a taste of it already. Their mission had been inturrputed a day ago when they were captured by a pirate named Neebo. He and his crew found that the mythical Reh'taef were part of the Jedi's important mission and and subsequently tickled their feet for hours. The two women would probalby still be sharing laughs with Neebo if another ship had not rescued them.

Tora's mind was swimming with emotions. The tickling had been worse than anything she had ever experienced, and yet there was something about it. Physically exhausted as she was from having her very ticklish feet tortured, she had felt a strange strength arise inside her. As the pirate unbearably ravaged her soles, she egged him on in spite of herself. It was almost as though she wanted to be tickled, reveling in the maddening sensations, and was a little disappointed when they stopped tickling her to tickle Master Luun.

Master Luun getting it was a whole other topic. Before the mission, she imagined what it would be like to watch her friend and mentor get mercilessly tickled, being forced to giggle and laugh like a little girl. When Tora got her wish, she found that she enjoyed the sight more than she could have imagined.

Kara's view of the experience was much less positive. The foot tickling had been torture in the truest sense of the word. It bothered her that her padawan did not seem to share her horror at the situation, and it bothered her that she could not sense what Tora was thinking on this matter. Mostly it bothered her that she was about to board a ship that for all she knew was teeming with tickle monsters.

The Jedi docked their craft and snuck aboard, one step closer to completing their mission.

Nute Gunray had been tickling Padmé's feet for over an hour now, allowing her short breaks every now and then. He learned from tickling her feet the night before that it was much more fun when the senator was conscious. He was enjoying himself immensely. It seemed to him as if he had been tickling her only a few minutes.

To Amidala, it seemed like days. Breathless and hoarse, she laughed helplessly as Gunray tickled between her toes, along the outer side of her foot, and back up along her arch. Sometimes he gently stoked her soled with the tips of his fingers, and other times he scribbled furiously all over her feet.

Padmé was aware only of the tickling. She's have given anything for it to stop, but she knew that she had nothing they wanted. Except, of course, for her ticklish body which they already had.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OHPLEASEOHPLEASEOHNOOOOOHOHOHOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHA!

"Enough," said Dooku, and Gunray reluctantly stopped tickling the senator.

"I'm sure by now you have realized why you must endure this," said Dooku. Padmé nodded weakly, unable to catch her breath long enough to speak. "Do you think he will come for you and end your torment?"

Padmé gather herself. "If ... he does ...," she said, as defiantly as she could, "you'll ... be sorry." She hoped her husband was smart enough to avoid such an obvious trap, but she also wanted to see Aniken rip this freak apart.

"Oh, really?" the count replied, mockingly, "What if I told you that he is already here?"

"Enough mind games, Dooku, just tickle me and shut up." She was in no mood. She knew anything he said would simply result in more tickling.

"In due time, my dear," said Dooku, leaning closer, "but what if I told you that your knight in shining armor has been here for over an hour, watching as Mr. Gunray so ably tickled your pretty little feet?"

"You're a liar," she insisted.

"Oh really? Observe."

Dooku waved his hand toward a far wall. An air vent burst from it's bolts, spilling Aniken out onto the floor.

"Aniken?!" Amidala couldn't believe her eyes. If it really was Aniken, then she was saved. But had Dooku been telling the truth about his watching her get tickled? She was too tired to sort it out right now.

Dooku nodded to the Reh'taef, who resumed their tickling assault on the senator's exposed upper body, their long fingers wriggling under her arms and up and down her sides. The chamber was once again filled with her laughter.

Aniken lept to his feet, igniting his lightsaber. Dooku did the same, and the two ancient warriors assumed fighting positions. They lunged toward each other in a flash of laser light, amid a torrent of hysterical giggles, screams and squeals.

At the first crackle of the two lightsabers, there was a blinding explosion in the middle of the room. Both men shielded their eyes, temporarily blinded. The din of Padmé's laughter stopped as two flashes of green light cut the two Reh'taef down where they stood.

Aniken was the first of the two combatants to recover and hurled a nearby crate at Dooku with the Force. It struck him in the head, stunning him. Aniken lept the length of the room to where Amidala was chained. A few flicks of the wrist and his lightsaber freed the senator. Padmé clung to her husband and rubbed her wrists as he carried her quickly from the room.

Dooku shook his head and looked to the door. Two figures raced for the exit through the smoke. The count would not allow Aniken and the senator slip away so easily. He raised is hands, hurling streaks of blue lightning in the direction of the fleeing silhouettes. He heard two feminine shrieks of pain. Increasing the intensity of the Force lightning, two women screamed and writhed in agony and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Dooku walked over to the fallen forms to find not Aniken and Padmé, but what appeared to be two female Jedi. They must have been the source of the explosion that allowed his quarry to escape. Had they come with Aniken? Unlikey. Were there more where these came from? Possibly. Would he find out? Oh, definitely. These two would most certainly pay for their intrusion.

He ordered two guards who had responded to the commotion -- none to early -- to take the unconscious Jedi to separate interrogation rooms, and to make sure they were securely bound. He then pressed an alarm button to alert the ship that the prisoners had escaped. The senator and the Jedi would not get far.

"Were you really watching that freak tickle me?" Amidala asked Aniken as they ran for the hangar, adrenaline giving her tired body the strength to keep up.

"Now is not a good time," replied Aniken as his lightsaber deflected a blast from a guard at the end of the hall.

The two fugitives reached the end of the corridor and Aniken seemingly flew into the hanger, cutting down guards in a blinding flurry. It wasn't until he had reached his ship that he realized Padmé was not with him. A guard had grabbed her from behind as they entered the hanger and now held a blaster to her head.

A swarm of guards surrounded the Jedi, blasters trained on him and on his wife. If he were alone, he knew he would have no trouble dispatching the entire roomful of guards, but he wasn't alone. He knew that he could not protect Padmé, and so Aniken Skywalker reluctantly tossed his lightsaber on the floor and raised his hands.

THE REH'TAEF

by clean kitchen

13: Fear ... Anger ... Hate ... Suffering

--------------------------------

Kara Luun awake on the floor of a large dimly-lit room. She tried to move and found that she could not -- at least not much. Her arms were seemingly mummified from her wrists to her biceps. The material on her upper arms ran behind her head and neck in such a way as to prevent her from bringing her arms down from above her head. Her legs were similarly wrapped from her ankles to her thighs, rendering her quite immobile. The wrap kept her from bending her knees or elbows.

She was not, however, tied down to anything, so she was able to move around the room. She flipped up to her feet. The warm metal of the floor told her that her feet were bare, and she immediately knew there was only one reason for that. She also noticed her robe and garments had been removed, leaving her wearing only her underwear, bra, and the mummy-like wrappings.

She started to panic. This was like a nightmare: bound and exposed, able only to wait and anticipate a tickling she knew was coming.

The door opened, and Count Dooku entered. Kara Luun was quite a site. She balanced awkardly in the middle of the room, her arms extended above her head as if tied to the ceiling. It was gratifying to see a high-and-mighty Jedi in such a silly state. It would be equally gratifying to see her beg and squirm under the care of the Reh'taef.

"Good evening, Master Luun," Dooku greeted her. "Let us dispense with the pleasantries. Surely you saw what was happening to Senator Amidala when you interrupted us, and I'm certain you've ascertained from your position what is about to happen to you."

"Eventually," he continued, "I will have some questions about your little raid tonight that I'm sure you will want to answer."

Kara hopped back in fear as two Reh'taef ducked into the room. Her heart sank and she began to look for a way -- any way -- out of here. There was none. All of her nightmares were coming to life. She gave no thought to the fate of her padawan. Her attention was on those long tickling fingers.

Dooku nodded to the Reh'taef and the creatures advanced on the helpless Jedi. "But for now, I just want you to laugh." Dooku left the room, locking the heavy door behind him.

"No. No. No. No. Oh. please, no..."

Kara knew it was no use to beg, but she coulnd't help it. They didn't care. She hopped backward away from the advancing creatures, already giggling nervously, but soon found a wall. She looked back and forth at the creatures as they stopped in front of her and raised their hands toward her. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the fingers wiggled in front of her as they neared her almost naked torso.

Time ceased to have meaning when the tickling hit. The fingers wandered across her belly and up her sides.

"AAAAHAHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..." she shrieked as she crumbled instantly to the floor.

" NONONONONONONONONONONO!AHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

She laughed a high-pitched shrieking staccato laughter as the Reh'taef really set to work, their fingers flying all over her outstretched torso. Her bonds kept for arms straight above her head. When she tried to double over to avoid the tummy tickling, they would tickle up and down her back. She rolled desperately around the floor, but there was no way to avoid the tickling.

One of the creatures stepped on her arms, keeping her on her back while they played under her arms and up and down her entire front. She flopped and squirmed as best her bonds allowed, but mostly she laughed as those terrible fingers found every ticklish spot on her helpless body.

"AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The Reh'taef paused, allowing Kara the briefest of breaks. She was too breathless even to beg. The pirates had tickled her bad the other day, but it was nothing compared to this.

Her eyes grew wide as she felt on the creatures step on her legs, holding them in place. Oh, no! Not her feet! She knew it would come, but until now she held out some hope that they would not tickle her feet -- a hope now dashed.

"OH, PLEASE! NO! NO! AAAAAAAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHA!..."

The creature with its foot on her leg was brushing his long fingers all over her feet: along the sides, between her toes, up and down her soles. She laughed a deep, guttural, silent laugh as her feet were tickled. For the briefest of moments, her thoughts turned to Tora and the tickling she must also be enduring. That thought -- and all others -- were banished from her mind as the second Reh'taef began stroking under her arms.

In another room, Tora was experiencing her first taste of the tickling talents of the Reh'taef. Her wrists and ankles were bound by chains to the ceiling, suspending her face up in a loose spread eagle two meters off the ground, sagging slightly in the middle.

The padawan had been defiant when Dooku visited some time ago, but had not uttered a word since. There had been no room between sheiks and hysterical laughter for even a piece of a word.

"AAAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AAAAAHHHH! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Two creatures attended to Tora, standing on either side of her. They began by tickling the back of her body and legs, causing her to pull herself up parallel to the ground until one of them tickled her stomach, causing her to fall limp.

By now, Tora had lost too much energy to pull her self up any more. She simply writhed and twisted in the air as the Reh'taef traced their feather-like fingers up and down her body.

The young padawan had endured the torture well at the beginning. As with the pirates, she seemed to gain a curious strength from the intense tickling. This far surpassed, however, what the pirates had done to her, and she'd have begged for it to stop if she could.

She also did not get to watch Kara get it as she did last time. That had almost made her own torture worth it. This time, it was just her and her tormentors. The only thing there was for her to do was to laugh and be tickled.

Dooku watched Tora's torment on a monitor in his quarters. He was very intrigued by her reaction. The count had become a bit of an expert over the last couple days as he watched the Reh'taef tickle Padmé Amilada and now Jedi Master Luun.

Outwardly, Tora's reaction was the same; she was indeed very ticklish. Inwardly however, Dooku thought he sensed something quite different. Before being overwhelmed by the creatures, he felt something swell up inside her: a strength that surprised him, almost as if she grew stronger from the tickling. What if he were to unleash that power?

Since he planned only to tickle her anyway, Count Dooku decided that an experiment was in order.

THE REH'TAEF

by clean kitchen

14: A Fateful Farewell

-------------------

"You never answered my question," Padmé said to Aniken through a small opening between their cells after a long silence.

"Which question is that?"

"Did you really just watch Dooku tickle me?"

Aniken had done just that. Upon finding his wife in the clutches of Count Dooku, he was amazed to find that the fallen Jedi was having two odd-looking creatures tickle her. So bizarre -- and interesting -- was the situation that Aniken decided she was in to real danger and just watched. Until, that is, until Dooku had used the Force to pull him unaware out of the air shaft in which he had been hiding.

"It wasn't Dooku who was tickling you," he offered, evasively.

"So you were watching?!!" Padmé was becoming a bit irritated. "Why didn't you make them stop?"

"Why did you ask for more?" retorted Aniken.

"Because that freak Dooku made me. He told me to choose between letting those creatures continue tickling me or letting Nute Gunray tickle my feet. Believe me, I didn't want either to happen, but they were going to tickle me either way."

"Mmm-hmm, sure" Aniken said, almost mockingly.

"Do you think I like being tickled?" The senator said with no small amount of indignity.

"I didn't say that. I just..." Aniken paused, reaching out with the Force. "...somebody's coming."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NONONONONONO! AAAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The Reh'taef turned their attention to Tora's feet, each applying both hands to a foot. They scribbled their fingers furiously all over her feet, wringing a torrent of laughter from their writhing victim. After about a minute they paused, allowing the padawan to catch her breath, and then they attacked again. This pattern had been repeating itself for nearly an hour.

"Stop tickling her!" a familiar voice commanded from the door. The creatures stopped and stepped away from Tora, hands raised.

It took several seconds for Tora to realize that the torture had stopped. She caught her breath and strained to see Master Luun standing in the doorway, lightsaber ablaze. She nearly cried in relief at the sight of her friend. The tickling was over.

"Oh, thank you ... Master," she gasped, still winded from her torment.

"I have stuck a deal with Count Dooku to secure our freedom," she announced.

Tora let herself relax. It wasn't like Kara to negotiate under such situations, but right now Tora didn't care. There would be time to talk about that later.

"Aniken, and senator have been released and are on their way home," continued Kara, "and I will be joining them."

Tora's heart skipped a beat. She didn't like the sound of that "I."

"The price of our freedom, so say it bluntly," Kara paused for what seemed to be an eternity, " is you."

Tora's heart sank. She could hardly believe what Kara just said. Was Kara just going to leave them here?

"No! Please! Don't leave me here!" Tora begged, desperate and betrayed.

"Oh, you won't be alone," said Kara as two more Reh'taef slipped through the doorway. "These are the Reh'taef that were tickling me. Believe me when I say they are very talented. Consider them a parting gift." The Jedi turned to leave.

"Why?" was all that Tora could say, tears forming in her eyes.

"Better you than me," replied Kara, coldly. She nodded to the four tickle monsters who advanced on their victim. She talked to the creatures, looking Tora straight in the eye. "Don't forget her feet. She loves that."

With that, she turned and left the room.

"NO! OH PLEASE! NOT TAHT! NOT THAAAAAHHHHHHHHAHAHAHT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

THE REH'TAEF

by clean kitchen

15: True Colors

-------------

One finger of a Reh'taef would tickle a lot. Five fingers would be unbearable. Ten fingers would be more ticklish than most people have ever experienced. Twenty fingers -- as Padmé, Kara and Tora previously found -- was absolute ticklish torture. Now Tora felt the full effect of forty Reh'taef fingers all over her nearly naked body. The effect was absolutely maddening.

She couldn't even tell where they were tickling her any more; their fingers flying all over her outstretched frame. It felt like they were tickling her everywhere at once. She writhed and twisted and laughed a high-pitched screaming laughter.

Just when she thought she would mercifully lose consciousness, they stopped. A view screen in on the wall flickered to life.

"Greetings, my dear," said the voice of Count Dooku as his face appeared on the screen.

Tora did not -- could not -- respond. Her chest heaved, her body dangled limply from its bonds. She did not even bother to look at the screen.

"We see now the true colors of the Jedi," continued Dooku in a mocking tone. "It seems your mentor and the very woman you came to save have abandoned you."

Tora wanted to cry, but lacked the strength. It seemed her master, Jedi Master Kara Luun, had made a deal with this monster, agreeing to leave Tora behind to suffer whatever ticklish fate Dooku had for her. She didn't know that Kara had made no such deal, and that her recent visitor was merely a holographic image created and controlled by Dooku himself. Kara was, in fact still being tickled just a few rooms away.

"I assure you, your Master did not make her decision lightly," prodded the dark lord, "We indeed tickled her very badly. I gave her the choice of your freedom or hers, and I guess she chose to end her own torment. She didn't even think about it very long..." Dooku trailed off, sensing a change in Tora.

For the first time, Tora felt the full weight of her Master's betrayal. She had trusted Kara with her very life. It was Kara's fault that she even came on this mission, that she let Sari tickle her in the dorm that night, that those pirates tickled her feet, that she was now in the hands of these monsters...

Tora felt a renewed energy creep into her exhausted body. Hatred for her former -- "yes," she thought, "former" -- master gave her a strength she hadn't experieced since her torture at the hands of Neebo and his crew. A strange strength that defied her tickle-exhausted state. It filled her head with memories of seeing Master Luun getting tickled by the pirates, and of how much she enjoyed watching it.

In a mental whilrwind, she suddenly wished for nothing else than to see Kara tickle tortured, helpless and laughing, begging for mercy -- mercy that would not come. The combination of her anger and infatuation with tickling left Tora in a Force-induced haze, not quite conscious, but still very much awake.

Dooku sensed Tora's condition and knew the time was right. He knew didn't know what would happen next, but he was morbidly interested in this young Jedi's physical and mental anguish.

"Tickle her with everything you've got!" he commanded the four Reh'taef standing at her side. "Show her no mercy!"

Tora screamed a silent laughing scream as the Reh'taef let loose on every inch of her exposed skin.

" AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Tora was conscious of every stroke of every finger on her body. It tickled as bad as ever; however, instead of the madding response she expected, she craved every second of it.

"YEHEHEHESSS! AAAAAHHHHHHHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MORE! NOOOOOO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

The Reh'taef doubled their efforts, beyond what they thought any human could withstand, but still she egged them on through her hysteria.

Suddenly, Tora let loose a deafening scream, and a blinding burst of light filled the room. A blast of Force energy sent the Reh'taef flying like so many leaves. The room fell silent.

Dooku, sensing the massive disturbance in the Force rushed down to the torture chamber. He saw the Reh'taef scattered unconscious on the floor, and Tora lying silently on the floor. The chains that once held her dangled from the ceiling, melted at the ends. There was no sign of the shakles that bound her wrists and ankles.

Dooku sensed a strange, dark energy in the room. Tora had tapped into some untold dark-side energy.

"Arise, my dear," he commanded the still form of the erstwhile padawan.

Moments passed, but slowly the female form began to stir. Small arcs of light red -- almost pink -- lightning crackled here and there across her body. She sat up and turned to face the dark lord. She opened her eyes, and they glowed with pink light.

In an instant, she flipped to her feet and hurled a stream of pink Force lightning at Count Dooku. He raised his lightsaber, which absorbed the blast harmlessly.

"My, my," said Dooku, "what eagerness!" He lowered his lighsaber. "May I suggest that you focus your energies on someone a bit more... deserving?"

Tora lowered her hands, listening.

"It seems," lied the count, "that I am as untrustworthy as your former master. I went back on our agreement and have both her and the senator in my dungeon. I was going to tend to them, but thought you might enjoy seeing Master Luun again." Dooku was interested to see what he had created and played to the revenge sure to be filling Tora's thoughts.

A thin, evil grin crept across Tora's face, small pink sparks jumping from her long fingernails.

"Yes," she agreed, "I do believe that a reunion is in order."

Kara Luun was led into a large room. In the middle of the room was Padmé Amidala, standing with her arms bound above her head by a chain to the ceiling. Her blouse had been removed, leaving her wearing only her pants, slippers and bra. Aniken was bound tightly to a chair in the corner, fully dressed.

Kara was also fully dressed, having been allowed to put her robe and boots back on. She wasn't sure why they had allowed that, and she was certain it wouldn't last.

The guards led Kara to a second set of chains hanging from the ceiling only a meter away from Padmé. She resisted looking at the senator, ashamed that she had come to rescue Padmé but was instead about to share her fate. The guards removed her robe down to the waist, allowing it to hang at the belt, leaving only her bra covering her now outstretched upper body. She didn't have to wonder why she was left standing like this, but she did wonder where poor Tora was. She hoped that Tora would join them, so that she would know her padawan was all right.

"I'm sorry, Padmé," she brought herself to whisper.

"Me, too," replied the senator. There was no use being angry at the Jedi. They had tried to save her -- more than she could say for Aniken -- and she knew Kara was experiencing the same treatment as herself.

"Good evening, ladies," said Count Dooku as he entered the room. He was escorted not by Reh'taef, but by a small figure in a dark cloak. Kara looked closer curious about the new visitor. This person had a familiar presnece, but somehow unfamiliar. Her jaw dropped when the stranger pulled the hood down off her head.

"Tora?!" Kara nearly shouted. She was relieved to see her student alive and well. The more she looked, however, the more she knew something was wrong. Kara felt a contempt flowing from Tora that she had never felt before. And were her eyes... glowing?

"It's good to see you alive," Kara said to her padawan.

Those words almost made Tora sick. How dare she act so friendly after what she did. She flexed her fingers in anticipation. Getting back at Kara was her primary goal, but the bound senator beside her was icing of the cake. Both were going to get it.

"That's what you think," she sneered.

Before Kara could inquire further, Tora raised her hands and fired a stream of pink Force lightning at Padmé. She screamed and writhed, but not in pain. She was laughing as the arcs coursed across her exposed torso.

"AHHHH! NO! AHHHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!..."

Kara couldn't believe it. Was Tora somehow tickling Padmé Amidala with the Force?

"Tora!" Kara yelled over the senator's screams of laughter, "What are you doing?"

"This," replied the once-padawan, eyes aglow with revenge. She pointed one of her hands at Kara, sending pink lightning at the Jedi's legs and feet.

Kara jumped off the floor and danced around as much as her bonds would allow. The lighting WAS tickling her; it was tickling her feet and legs through her robe and boots. It couldn't have tickled more if the Reh'taef were working over her bare feet and legs.

The room was filled with the laughter of the tickled Jedi and senator.

Tora lowered her arms and the lightning stopped. That had been incredible. She had been able to tickle both women from across the room, but she swore she could feel their skin on her fingers. She also found an unimaginable satisfaction watching her two "superiors" get tickled mercilessly. This was going to be fun.

She walked over to where her victims were standing, an evil grin firmly planted on her face.

"Now," she said, standing between the two women, "who's ticklsh?"

16: The Walls Fall Down

-----------------------

Kara panted and raised her head weakly to look at her padawan. The Force-enabled tickling she just experienced was worse than anything the Reh'taef had ever done to her. What was happening? Why was Tora tickling them? Had Dooku turned her? It was all to much, and the Tora's ticking had robbed her of her ability to reason.

Padme was making no such effort to make sense of the situation. All she knew was that this was just going to result in more tickling. When would this nightmare end?

"I can sense your anxiety, senator," came a voice from behind her. "You think you've been tickled? Oh, poor baby. Well, now you're really going to get."

Padme had no time to brace herself for what she already knew would come. Tora did not waste time with playful light touches. She stood behind her victim, fingers gliding up and down the senator's bare sides and back, sparks of pink lightning dancing between her fingers and Amidala's skin.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OHMYNOOOOOOOOHHHHHHOHOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Padme twisted and dodged as best her bonds would allow, but the fingers of the onetime padawan never lost contact with the slender form of the laughing victim. Padme shook her head, face contorted in tickled laughter. Tora's fingers continued their work, skittering in random patterns across the smooth skin of the senator's sides and back, up and down and across and back again.

Dooku watched, pleased with the newfound power and malice of the would-be Jedi. He watched the intensity in Tora's eyes as she almost gleefully administered the torture. Nute Gunray also looked pleased at the suffering of his arch enemy. Dooku glanced at the hands of his guest. They clenched and wriggled unconsciously, eager to join in the fun.

"Ever tickle a Jedi?" Dooku urged Gunray, nodding in the direction of Kara. The Niemodian grinned and walked over to the prisoner. He had tickled Padme on a couple occasions during her stay with them, and he liked it. He hated the Jedi almost as much as the senator, so the idea of getting his hands on Kara was very attractive.

Padme's screams suddenly faded into breathless giggles. "No! The Jedi is mine," Tora half-commanded, half-snarled at a now cowering Gunray. "You can have the senator."

Gunray was momentarily disappointed, but his eagerness quickly returned as he glanced at the panting Amidala.

"Oh, no," said Padme, breathlessly, "No more... Please... I can't..."

Her eyes pleaded with Gunray as he approached, raising his hands toward her outstretched body. Gunray only grinned and made her pay for all the trouble she had caused her.

Padme's screams renewed with nearly the same intensity as when Tora was tickling her. Gunray kneaded and squeezed is way up and down her upper body from her hips to her upper ribs and back down. He learned from watching Tora to vary his pattern to keep the tickling unpredictable.

" NONONONONOAAAAAAAAAAHAAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHA!" screamed Padme, once again lost in a flood of sensation, knowing only the tickling that she wanted so desperately to stop.

"Listen to her," Tora whipered into the ear of her former master, "isn't it beautiful?"

"Why?" was the only response Kara could muster. She watched as Gunray tickled and tickled poor Padme. Hopelessness had swept over her some time ago. It was bad enough to be mercilessly tickled by these goons, but it was made infinitely worse by the betrayal of a woman she thought of as a daughter.

"There is no why," Tora whispered in return. "There is only reality, and the reality is that you're tied up and I want to tickle you like nothing you've ever felt."

"Please don't." Kara pleaded, almost sobbing. She continued to watch Padme twist and scream and beg. Her courage was gone.

"Have some dignity, Master," Tora taunted.

Kara felt a strange courage come over her. Now she was just mad, mad at this whole stupid situation. "Bring it, you nerf herder!" she snarled at Tora.

"Very well," obliged Tora.

No one in the room had ever heard the kind of laughter that poured out of Jedi Master Kara Luun. High, rapid-fire squeals and breathless gasps rushed out of the Jedi as Tora's fingers found their mark.

The fingers danced under the outstretched arms of the screaming prisoner, hands moving only slightly, wandering occasionally down to her upper sides, but staying mostly in the exposed armpits. Kara could only laugh hysterically as those terrible fingers did their work.

Without a pause in the tickling, Tora moved behind her victim and began to give her the same treatment she had given Padme moments before. Her hands and fingers glided and wriggled up and down and around Kara's back and sides.

Kara yelped as she felt a change in the tickling, and then fell back into the begging screams and squeals that only a woman being tickled can make.

The room was filled with the combined laughter of Padme and Kara. Neither could tell how much time passed; each ticklish minute seemed like an hour.

Kara, delirious from her torture, passed into unconsciousness just as a heavy blast rocked the ship. She wouldn't see the Jedi and Republic troopers pour into the room, and nobody would see two dark figures slip away in the confusion.