Aves' face showed his surprise. » I'm a dead man walking, why ? What did
I do ? And whatever you think I did, I swear, I didn't do it... I'm just an
innocent bystander, a Jawa in a Tusken village, a.. »
« You told Josie about.. about last night.» Shada said menacingly with a hint of blush still on her cheeks. Karrde blinked. His suspicions were confirmed. He tried to act nonchalantly and not stare incroduously at the two. He tore his gaze from Shada and decided that staring at the wall, floor, anything but her, would be decisevely safer. Safer for Aves.
Josie stepped a few steps back to be able to observe the Captain without him noticing it. Shada's mention of last night had brought a vacant look into Karrde's eyes, but not before a brief flash of pain had flitted across them. It was so brief that if Josie hadn't been looking so carefully she might have missed it. He seemed to retreat back into the cold mask of the chief smuggler he had so often done before. Josie mentally cursed. Not good.
She felt like shaking the two of them, hard. Maybe she should sent a personal request for Jade to come back, and perform one of those famous Jedi mind tricks on the two of them. But then again, it would be difficult since Karrde and Shada were nothing but two strong-willed individuals. Shada was one of the most stubborn people she knew, not including Jade, of course. And Jade had come to her senses, hadn't she. It had taken ten long years, but she had done it.
« Oh, that I did do. » Aves replied with a big, satisfied grin. « Last night was something else, Shada.» He added teasingly.
Shada felt like slapping that silly grin off his face, but then again, she didn't want to embarrass herself more in front of Karrde. Karrde, her mind seemed to scream. She stole a glance at him. He had stepped a few steps back and was staring intently at the wall with a stony expression on his passive face. Panic flared in Shada's mind. Oh Force help Aves if he had told him. He probably had. Why else would Karrde look so.. unforgiving and cold. She decided to try and mend the situation. Salvage what little she could.
She turned towards him. « Karrde, I don't know what you've heard about last night, but I'm afraid it's true, and.. well, what do you think of.. of me and..? » She asked him while looking at him with her big emerald eyes. She seemed so vulnerable and trusting, standing there awaiting his approval. Karrde had a sudden urge to take her into his arms and confess his true feelings to her. But she wasn't his, never would be so he would have to pretend the burning feelings didn't exist.
He felt a bit puzzled though. Why would she ask him whether he thought sleeping with Aves was the right thing to do ? Unless she had deduced his feelings for her and pitied him for them. He felt his face harden. He would not be pitied, ever.
« I fail to see what you do on your time is any of my business. « Karrde replied with barely hid scorn and disapproval. « As long as it doesn't effect our business arrangements, I don't care how you spent your time or who with. » He replied and turned his back on her. How could that usually so sweet woman do this to him on purpose. Play with his feelings. He had had enough. He'd never let himself open up again. It only brought more heartache and pain with it.
Shada lowered her head. So, this was what it felt like when your world stopped spinning and your reason for living was lost. She felt empty and hollow. She felt her eyes glisten. She had to get away, before embarrassing herself further. Before she could escape she heard Karrde's voice.
« Rest assured, Miss D'ukal, your behaviour on board this vessel, shall not remain unnoticed. You are a second-in-command on the [i] Wild Karrde [/i] and your conduct should be exemplary all the time. Futhermore..»
Shada felt her fury rise. How dare he rub it in. How dare he. How dare he! Before she knew it, she had slapped Karrde, hard. Karrde lifted a hand to his now broken nose. Blood was oozing out of it and in an instant his hand was covered in the thick red blood.
« Oh Force. » Shada whisperes horrified. « I'm so sorry. » Her hand was slapped over her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. «I'm so very sorry. » She took a frightened step back and ran out of the room leaving a battered Karrde sitting on the floor where he had sunk after Shada's slap. Aves and Josie, who had watched the scene unfold, with stunned expressions, looked at each other, trying to decipher what exactly had happened. They looked at the door, each other and finally at Karrde who was sitting on the floor, hand over his bloody nose, staring amazed at the door with an admiring look. They heard his muffled comment. « She sure knows how to punch.»
Aves shook his head. Force, Karrde had it bad for her.
« You told Josie about.. about last night.» Shada said menacingly with a hint of blush still on her cheeks. Karrde blinked. His suspicions were confirmed. He tried to act nonchalantly and not stare incroduously at the two. He tore his gaze from Shada and decided that staring at the wall, floor, anything but her, would be decisevely safer. Safer for Aves.
Josie stepped a few steps back to be able to observe the Captain without him noticing it. Shada's mention of last night had brought a vacant look into Karrde's eyes, but not before a brief flash of pain had flitted across them. It was so brief that if Josie hadn't been looking so carefully she might have missed it. He seemed to retreat back into the cold mask of the chief smuggler he had so often done before. Josie mentally cursed. Not good.
She felt like shaking the two of them, hard. Maybe she should sent a personal request for Jade to come back, and perform one of those famous Jedi mind tricks on the two of them. But then again, it would be difficult since Karrde and Shada were nothing but two strong-willed individuals. Shada was one of the most stubborn people she knew, not including Jade, of course. And Jade had come to her senses, hadn't she. It had taken ten long years, but she had done it.
« Oh, that I did do. » Aves replied with a big, satisfied grin. « Last night was something else, Shada.» He added teasingly.
Shada felt like slapping that silly grin off his face, but then again, she didn't want to embarrass herself more in front of Karrde. Karrde, her mind seemed to scream. She stole a glance at him. He had stepped a few steps back and was staring intently at the wall with a stony expression on his passive face. Panic flared in Shada's mind. Oh Force help Aves if he had told him. He probably had. Why else would Karrde look so.. unforgiving and cold. She decided to try and mend the situation. Salvage what little she could.
She turned towards him. « Karrde, I don't know what you've heard about last night, but I'm afraid it's true, and.. well, what do you think of.. of me and..? » She asked him while looking at him with her big emerald eyes. She seemed so vulnerable and trusting, standing there awaiting his approval. Karrde had a sudden urge to take her into his arms and confess his true feelings to her. But she wasn't his, never would be so he would have to pretend the burning feelings didn't exist.
He felt a bit puzzled though. Why would she ask him whether he thought sleeping with Aves was the right thing to do ? Unless she had deduced his feelings for her and pitied him for them. He felt his face harden. He would not be pitied, ever.
« I fail to see what you do on your time is any of my business. « Karrde replied with barely hid scorn and disapproval. « As long as it doesn't effect our business arrangements, I don't care how you spent your time or who with. » He replied and turned his back on her. How could that usually so sweet woman do this to him on purpose. Play with his feelings. He had had enough. He'd never let himself open up again. It only brought more heartache and pain with it.
Shada lowered her head. So, this was what it felt like when your world stopped spinning and your reason for living was lost. She felt empty and hollow. She felt her eyes glisten. She had to get away, before embarrassing herself further. Before she could escape she heard Karrde's voice.
« Rest assured, Miss D'ukal, your behaviour on board this vessel, shall not remain unnoticed. You are a second-in-command on the [i] Wild Karrde [/i] and your conduct should be exemplary all the time. Futhermore..»
Shada felt her fury rise. How dare he rub it in. How dare he. How dare he! Before she knew it, she had slapped Karrde, hard. Karrde lifted a hand to his now broken nose. Blood was oozing out of it and in an instant his hand was covered in the thick red blood.
« Oh Force. » Shada whisperes horrified. « I'm so sorry. » Her hand was slapped over her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. «I'm so very sorry. » She took a frightened step back and ran out of the room leaving a battered Karrde sitting on the floor where he had sunk after Shada's slap. Aves and Josie, who had watched the scene unfold, with stunned expressions, looked at each other, trying to decipher what exactly had happened. They looked at the door, each other and finally at Karrde who was sitting on the floor, hand over his bloody nose, staring amazed at the door with an admiring look. They heard his muffled comment. « She sure knows how to punch.»
Aves shook his head. Force, Karrde had it bad for her.