Disclaimer: Okay I know you all know this already but here it is again. . .(clears throat). . .George owns everthing except whats mine.

Reminder: This story is rated M for it's language, violence and it's mild adult content.

Chapter Six
Secret endeavors

The Millennium Falcon emerged from hyperspace ten seconds after Luke's X-wing. The Jedi veered his one man fighter to the right to avoid going into the asteroid field that greeted him upon his jump exit. The Corellian freighter followed close behind the X-wing and then passed it when Luke turned his ship around and brought it to a stationary position.

"Well this explains why we couldn't plot a full course to Zirus Five," said Luke, more to himself than his droid. "Hey Artoo is there any way around this mess that isn't going to take us hours out of our way?"

Artoo-Detoo scanned the field, while he tapped into the ships star charts, then shook his dome and answered with beeps and whistles.

Luke read his answer, then looked over his left shoulder when the Millennium Falcon's cockpit came up along side him and maintained it's own position.

"It doesn't look like there's anything we can do but go around it," Han's voice came over the X-wing's comm. He looked out of his cockpit at Luke with a skeptical expression.

"It'll take a long time to do that," Luke sighed.

"Maybe too much time," Leia's concerned voice agreed next.

An idea struck Luke as he gazed out at the asteroid field. One that would insure that his friends only be on Zirus Five just long enough to pick up the rebels in need.

"Hey Han, why don't you take the Falcon around this."

"And where are you going? " Solo asked suspiciously.

"I'll go on ahead and meet up with you on the other side."

"Oh no Master Luke, please don't throw your life away! " See-Threepio exclaimed in alarm.

"It'll be alright Threepio, I've got my good luck charm with me. You won't let anything happen to me, will you, Artoo?"

Artoo-Detoo shook his dome and gave his master a serious protest.

"Artoo is quite right Master Luke," said the translator's worried voice over the comm, "if you go in there you'll be smashed into scrap."

"Nonsense Threepio, you worry too much. It's no different than flying Beggers Canyon back home and I could do that in my sleep."

"This isn't Beggers Canyon kid,"Han cautioned seriously and then he surprised See-Threepio with his next comment. "I'm going to have to agree with Goldenrod on this one. Going through there is suicidal."

"Thank you Captain Solo," the droid replied, greatly relieved that he wasn't alone in his anxiety.

Luke saw the droid look out the Falcon's cockpit window at his X-wing, "You see Master Luke, I'm not the only one who thinks it's delusional. Oh please don't try it. "

"Look we don't have time to discuss it. Every minute that we waste here is another minute that the Empire could catch up with Rogue's Gambit," said Luke, his intent quite clear.

"Don't do it Luke," Lando cautioned next, when he saw the rebel hero hitting switches and rechecking his flight harness. "We can go around."

Chewbacca's growling bark of agreement came over the X-wing's speakers. It was a sound translated warning that Luke read on his comm and then promptly ignored.

"Artoo, hold on tight," Luke's command flooded the Millennium Falcon's cockpit and made everyone's blood run cold.

"He's going to do it," Leia whispered disbelievingly.

"You're not going through that, Luke," Han firmly declared. But even as he looked at Luke, he knew that it was hopeless trying to talk him out of his decision.

The Jedi gave them all a little smile and a short wave, "I'll see you on the other side."

"Luke wait! " Princess Leia cried over Han's shoulder, but it was too late, the rebel X-wing shot forward and plunged headlong into the asteroid field.

"Master Luke come baaack! " cried See-Threepio frantically.

Han's slightly blurry eyes scanned the asteroid field ahead of them while he sharply barked, "Chewie set 271."

"Oh no, not again," exclaimed the golden translator with a startled jump, "This is madness! "

"Leia! " Han barked again and she leaned over and switched the worried translator off. See-Threepio's frantic protests slurred as his photo receptors dimmed and he leaned forward, his metal body motionless in his seat. Leia then strapped him in.

"I'll go man the loft guns," Lando said, jumping out of his chair and exiting the cockpit.

"Good idea. Chewie you take the belly guns," Han ordered as he threw switches and rechecked his console. "Leia take Chewie's seat and strap in."

The Princess sat down in the copilot's seat after Chewbacca vacated it.

"How's your sight?" Leia asked cautiously, meaning no offense.

"I need you to be my second eyes," he grudgingly muttered.

"You think you can do this?"

Han gave a cavalier smirk that did well to hide own anxiety and sighed. "We'll find out shortly, sweetheart."

Leia strapped in, completely shocked that Luke would make such a reckless move. It was not like him to act so hastily of late. Even when learning where Jabba's palace was, three months after Han's capture, he had exercised great patience in planning out every detail of his friends rescue and showed how much he had grown from his encounter with the Dark Lord of the Sith. Now here he was acting as impulsive as he had on the day when he had entered her cell to rescue her on board the first Death Star.

"Jedi or not, I'm going to tan his backside for this," Han muttered as he flipped more switches and then rechecked his star charts again. "He's not going to be able to sit for a week when I catch him."

Silently Leia agreed with Han's quiet grumble while she braced herself for the inevitable.

One more time Solo tried to get through to his insane friend. "Luke, I know I owe you one, but I'm really not looking forward to going in there after you. So save me the trouble and get your tail back out here! "

"I know what I'm doing Han," came Luke's confident response, which was echoed by Artoo-Detoo's frantic beeps and whistles of warnings. "No Artoo keep the s-foils in lock down--watch out-- you okay back there? "

Han and Leia exchanged a deeply worried look after hearing an impact explosion over the comm. They breathed easier when they heard Artoo-Detoo answer Luke with a sharp series of whistles.

Chewbacca and Lando's voices echoed over the comm next, informing the Corellian Captain that they were strapped in and ready to go. Han looked at Leia, "You ready to test my luck again?"

"Whither thou goest, so goest I," she recited an ancient Alderaanian prayer, with a nervous breath and placed her hand on his knee.

"Yeah let's just hope I don't lead us straight to hell," Han muttered and he punched the control to the Millennium Falcon's engines. Like the Jedi's ship before, the freighter plunged head long into the heart of the asteroid field.

"On your right Han!" Leia warned and he turned the ship on her left side and narrowly missed a mid size rock.

With his eyesight still not up to par, Han had to rely on her directions and Chewbacca and Lando's skillful shooting. They shot as much of a clear path as Han's crazy seat of the pants flying permitted. In no time it seemed that they were catching up to Luke's small ship.

Leia pointed out the cockpit, "There's Luke."

"I see him," growled Han, pulling the Falcon into a hard climb to avoid a collision.

Luke's X-wing swerved skillfully around a large spinning rock, then rolled over as it dropped beneath another hidden by the first. Artoo-Detoo beeped his concerns and reported the damage the ship was sustaining as a result of his master's insanity.

"Just try and lock it down again," Luke answered as he banked the ship hard to the right, narrowly avoiding a smaller asteroid camouflaged by an oncoming giant.

A smile broke across Luke's face, he was having the time of his life, dodging the spinning rocks. He was one with the Force, it guided his every move showing him the best path to take as it had on so many occasions back home, whenever he raced through the great canyons. Only now did Luke understand and fully appreciate how he had been able to beat all of his friends through Beggers Canyon in numerous runs. It was the one thing that had always made him feel truly free and happy on that Desert planet, he once called home. The love of a speeding flight was a thrill that was unequaled. Luke was back in his element, flying freer than he had ever flown before. His talented piloting skills was something that he knew he had inherited from his father.

The giant sped towards the tiny ship and still Luke did not alter his path.

"Watch out Luke! " Han warned as he followed several ship lengths behind.

Artoo locked down the loosened stabilizer and then gave a mechanical cry of alarm, his solitary photo receptor flashing bright red, when he turned his dome back around and saw the giant looming directly ahead of them.

"Hang on Artoo!" Luke exclaimed with amusement and then sharply spun his X-wing over and skimmed the surface of the giant. He dodged up and over jutting outcroppings of rocks, while firing at smaller asteroids in his path. Then he flew into a crevice, with his astro mech droid shrieking in alarm the whole way.

"LUKE! " Han and Leia both shouted in shock over the comm when he disappeared from their view.

"I'm still here," he chuckled.

"He's okay," Luke heard Leia breathe anxiously.

"He's not going to be much longer if he keeps taking chances like that." Han's angry trepidation was clear over the X-wing's speakers.

"You're beginning to sound like Threepio, Han," Luke teased.

He couldn't help but smile more when he heard the Corellian tell the Princess, 'If we all get out this alive, remind me to kill him when we land! '

Luke flew his ship through the crevice and into an oncoming cave, which swallowed him up and took him on a winding path through the center of the giant. With his natural piloting skills he zoomed around the narrow maze, like he'd run it a thousand times before. His X-wing's engines whined when he kicked it's speed up another notch and pushed her faster.

Han let out his breath in an explosive rush when Luke's X-wing emerged on the other side of the giant completely unharmed. "Don't you do that again! " he yelled at his young friend and then cringed when Luke's ship just missed another asteroid by mere centimeters. "Since when did you go crazy on me Luke!"

"That was nothing, watch this," Luke exclaimed with an obvious grin and then he purposely flew in close to another huge asteroid.

"Luke this isn't a game!" Leia shouted, in a terrified voice. "You're going to get yourself killed if you're not careful!"

This more than anything else made Luke focus more on getting through the asteroid field as quickly as possible without injury to life and limb. He pulled his ship up and flew in front of the Millennium Falcon with a sincere apology to the Princess.

"Follow me Han, I'll show you the safest route out of this."

"Famous last words kid," Han smirked, relieved that he had at least listened to the Princess. "I think we're going to need more than your Force to get us out of this in one piece."

"Don't sweat it Han," Luke said, shooting another rock in his path into dust.

Solo's doubt grew, still he followed the path that Luke plotted through the rest of the asteroid field and to his great relief and that of his crew they emerged from their ordeal without a single scratch.

Soon after that the two ships once again disappeared into hyperspace. Their speeding flight bringing them ever closer to the rebels in need and the coded plans that would in time assure the future of the galaxy's freedom.

Keirdan and Freya had walked into the hanger where Stilmon Tavers housed his ship and froze, staring at the old vessel. She was not the most beautiful thing that they had ever seen, in fact she was just the opposite. Like a patchwork quilt, large, different colored steel panels made up the hull's exterior. In some places on the landing struts it seemed that she had some signs of rust.

Though the Corellian didn't show his disappointment, Freya felt it.

"Now, I know what you're thinking," guessed Stilmon as he stepped forward.

"She's a piece of scrap metal," Freya muttered out of the corner of her mouth to Keirdan.

"But looks can by deceiving, which is the case here," explained the old tavern owner. He walked up to his ship and opened her landing ramp and then motioned for them to enter first.

"We're going to leave on this thing?" Freya asked skeptically when Keirdan took the lead up the ramp.

"Sure, why not? We're brave," he answered with casual derision.

"You'd have to be to even consider boarding her," muttered Freya, glancing around at the shabby interior. "He can't seriously think that this thing can attain lightspeed without breaking up, does he?"

"We can worry about that later, right now I seriously doubt that she can even break orbit," Keirdan finally said, giving his opinion on the worn out looking ship. He grinned faintly at Stilmon when the old man passed with a proud smile on his face.

"This way to the Cockpit," Stilmon said and led them down a short corridor and into the four chaired cockpit.

Keirdan stepped through the door and then sat down at the dust covered control console.

Freya took up the copilot seat next to him and blew off the years of accumulated dust. She coughed and covered her mouth, waving her hand in the air to try and clear it.

"Sorry," she muttered after meeting Keirdan's mildly annoyed glance.

He turned back to his console with some approval. "Well she may be old, but at least she's Corellian made."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Keirdan looked at her with his customary devilish grin. "Corellian's only get better with age, sweetheart." He then threw the switch that started the ship's engines.

To his and Freya's great relief the engines sounded amazingly good.

"This is more like it," said Freya when her console sprang to life with lights and sounds.

"I told you she was more than she looks," Stilmon said, glancing fondly around at his ship. "This old girl and me have a lot of history together. She's never let me down."

"She sounds good, but how does she fly?" Freya asked checking an alarm that suddenly went off on her console. "She's got a burn out in the aft--" Stilmon slammed his fist into a dented spot on the ships interior wall and the alarm went off. Freya glanced over at the proud tavern owner. "Never mind it's better now."

Stilmon went and sat down in the chair behind Keirdan. He leaned forward with a gleam in his old eyes, that hinted at the reckless man he had been in his youth, "Let's take the old girl out for a spin, so you can get a feel for her."

Keirdan smiled and pulled the lever that closed the landing ramp and locked it down. He ran his hands over the controls and started the ships warm up.

The old man opened a channel to the flight controller. "This is Stilmon Tavers requesting launch clearance."

"Taking the old girl out for a spin?" The voice on the other end asked.

"Yeah I'm going to be using her for supply runs, so I'll be needing extended launch clearance from now on," he casually explained.

"You're clear for take off in ten minutes," said the flight controller. "How long will you be out?"

"Oh just long enough to warm Maybel's engines," Stilmon answered, with a slight flush to his face, when he saw Keirdan and Freya exchange an amused look at the ship's name. It wasn't the first time that a ship was named after a man's wife.

"I'll have your extended launch clearance when you get back then. Have a good run, Stilmon."

"Will do, Tavers out." He turned off the com. "She's all yours Keirdan. Take her out slow until she breaks orbit and then you can strap down and open her up."

"Take her out slow, I gotcha," Keirdan repeated, gradually bring the engines up to their full launch power. "But I don't think this old girl's going to make it out that far."

"Don't judge the old girl, til you've ridden her son." A knowing smile traveled across Stilmon's face, "She's like a high priced seasoned courtesan, her looks are gone but she's still got it where it counts."

Keirdan couldn't help but chuckle at his analogy.

Freya rolled her eyes, men and their ships, she thought then checked the ship's comm when a light flashed on it, "Engines warmed and we've got the go ahead. Whenever you're ready Keirdan."

His hands skillfully traveled over the controls and the ship rose into the air. She hovered and rotated gracefully to face the west. Keirdan gave a doubtful sigh. "Well, let's see if the old girl still knows how to make love."

Lana stretched and ran her hand through her hair in exasperation. "Well this one doesn't have anything that we didn't already know." She removed the disc from the scanner in her hand and tossed it down on the bed, then looked at Terell, who seemed fully engrossed in what he was reading. "What about you, did you find anything?"

"Maybe," he said distractedly.

"What is it?"

She moved closer to read over his shoulder.

Terell pointed at a passing entry in their Captain's personal log book. "What do you know about the Sullust graveyard?"

"Only that it's the Empire's biggest dump sight for their broken down ships, and a monumental waste of taxpayer's money, why?"

"He's mentioned it a couple of times in his entries." Terell pointed out the few passages that he'd read so far.

Lana's eyes rapidly scanned the pages and then she frowned remembering something that Ehker had told her long ago. "That's a decoy location put there in case this book falls into the wrong hands. He wouldn't continue to mention it if it was the Alliance's true location."

Terell glance at her when she leaned against his shoulder with a heavy sigh of, "We're wasting our time."

"We'll find something, we just have to keep looking," he assured.

Lana faintly smiled, then her eyes widened when her stomach gave a very loud groan for food.

"I think that's our cue to take a break," Terell mused. He set the personal log book down and stood, taking her hand. "Come on let's see what our host's tavern has to offer in the way of lunch."

Five minutes later they emerged unobtrusively from backstage and went to the nearest table. The place was sparsely occupied with patrons as the true lunch rush had not yet arrived. Terell waved casually to Maybs and her happy smile slid abruptly away from her face when she saw him and Lana. The person she had been talking with curiously followed her anxious gaze over to them.

Terell and Lana ignored the burly man's examination while they took their seats, facing Maybs and the tavern's entrance. Terell scanned the holographic drink list that flickered and then hovered just over the table top. Lana leaned in and rested against his shoulder on the cozy pretense of reading the list as well. Her eyes focused through the hologram and settled on the man that the tavern owner's wife was speaking with.

"What do you think?" she questioned, pointing at the holo list as though asking Terell his opinion on a beverage.

"He's fine," Terell calmly replied, watching Maybs finish her conversation with the man and then excuse herself. She headed straight for them with a precarious countenance.

"What are you two doing out here! " Maybs hissed under her breath. Her back was to the rest of the room so no one could see her nervous expression. "I thought you were supposed to stay hidden?"

"We were hungry," Lana told her with a pleasant smile that hid well her sudden feeling of foreboding. Her gaze shifted to the entrance when the door opened and a couple walked in from the gray afternoon. Under the table she bumped her knee against Terell's and he followed her glance to the couple. He gave a mild shake of his head.

"I'll bring whatever you want to the back," Maybs whispered, completely missing their silent exchange.

"We much prefer sitting out here," said Terell, casually scanning the open floor plan while he took Lana's hand. "It gives us a chance to keep our eyes open for our ride."

Maybs couldn't argue with that. The sooner they found their ride the sooner they'd be gone and so too would the danger of their discovery. Still she couldn't hide her irritability. "Very well, what do you want?"

"A menu would be nice," Lana replied. She squeezed Terell's hand when the burly man began walking over in their direction flanked by a couple of friends.

Terell lightly kissed her temple to cover his whispered, "I see them." He then smiled at Maybs, when she frowned, and held onto his easy going manner. "I think we'll have two Corellian logger teas to start wi--"

"Are these two givin' you a problem Maybs?" asked the burly man in a deep baritone voice.

Maybs turned quickly, alarmed by the man's question, "N-no, Quint, they're fine, just hungry. Go sit down and I'll bring out your drinks after I've taken their order."

Quint eyed Terell with a very hard inspection. The Alderaanian returned his stare with a nod of greeting.

"Bring our drinks to this table Maybs." Quint sat down, which didn't seem to bother Terell in the slightest. "You don't mind do you?"

"Not at all," Terell replied, motioning to the empty chairs at the table. "Your friends are welcome to sit as well if they'd like."

Quint's two cronies took the seats on either side of him. One glared at Terell, while the other closest to Lana finally acknowledged that she was sitting at the table as well with an obvious leer in her direction. She arched her brow in mild disgust, then her eyes traveled over his outfit and settled on a small medallion on his thick leather gauntlet. It had a strange symbol on it that looked like an elongated skull with down turned horns.

Quint regained Lana's full attention when he introduced himself as the city constable and his two men; the leering man as Gavin and the other as Trent, his deputies. He then started questioning Terell. "You're new here, where are you from friend?"

Maybs' face went pale and dropped, "I'll be right back with your drinks," she announced and then turned and left in a hurry.

"Coruscant," Terell answered so easily, that had Lana not known better she would have thought he was telling the truth.

"I thought so--"

"Hey Quint," interrupted Gavin in a scratchy voice, "ask him how much he wants for his woman?"

"No one owns me mister! " Lana snapped crisply, meeting the man's leering eyes with a hard look.

His tempted smile increased. "I like a feisty wench." He pulled out a full leather pouch, that jingled with credits as he dropped it in front of Terell. "You keep whatever's in there and I'll take her."

Gavin then grabbed Lana by the wrist and tried pulling her to him. She moved her hand swiftly around in a tight little circle, which twisted the man's wrist in a way that made it impossible for him to keep his hold. He made another grab for her as she drew back and Terell intercepted him. He seized the man's wrist, twisted it outward and slammed it to the table, where he held it there with little effort by a pressure point.

Gavin felt the strength in his arm diminish, impaired by Terell's firm grip. He tried pulling his weakened arm free and paid for his effort when a sharp pain shot up it's length. Gavin made a grab for the Alderaanian and was effectively stopped when Terell increased the painful pressure on his wrist with his thumb.

The deputy grabbed instead for his own arm and growled in a strained voice, "Get off me, boy!"

"Touch her again and you'll lose this hand!" Terell warned in a dead calm that was almost frightening.

The Constable stopped Trent from getting involved when he made to rise from his seat. Quint was impressed by Terell's quick defensive reaction to his man's advance on his girlfriend. The move gave him an unexpected insight into the mild looking Alderaanian. He had mistaken Terell's easy going appearance. Here was a man who was more than willing and capable of taking care of himself when faced with an aggressor. Quint understood that his calm warning had not been idly made. He watched to see how far he would go.

Gavin, who was bending slightly over the table to relieve the pain, called for help, "Quint, he's breaking my hand."

"It's not broken. . ." Terell coolly intoned, " yet. Now apologize."

"Quint! "

The constable gave a tired sigh and intervened in mild defense of his man.

"Release him, son," he warned, "You don't want to spend the night away from your lady."

Terell relinquished his firm hold on Gavin and pushed the credit pouch back towards him with a dangerous glint.

"She's not for sale--" he announced, protectively placing his arm around Lana,"--At any price."

Lana met Terell's conspicuous eye when he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it reassuringly. She took his silent cue and her defensive demeanor changed to submissive in an instant. As much as she disliked playing the wilting flower, she submissively lowered her eyes and remained silent, leaning her head against the Alderaanian's shoulder.

Rejected and now angry with Terell, Gavin frowned and made to move vengefully on the couple, but Quint caught his deputy by the arm and pulled him back into his seat and then shoved his offering back at him with a growl of warning.

"We didn't come over here so you could score another female. So put your pride away Gavin and don't insult the man again, or you'll be spending the night in lock down."

Gavin's anger was stalled in an instant. Still he leaned back in his seat, folded his arms and openly eyed Lana in a way he thought would unnerve her.

"What is it that you're interested in boys?" Terell asked, pointedly changing the subject.

Quint regarded him for a prolonged moment, then, "Your name, for a start and your business here."

Terell shrugged nonchalantly and only offered minimal information. "We're a part of the band that's playing here tomorrow night, name of Rogue's Gambit."

"How many members in your group?"

"Six, including our manager."

"Where's the rest of your band?"

"They're out touring the city."

"Here are your drinks, lads," Maybs interrupted with a falsely pleasant smile as she returned. She handed everyone their glass, then took out her ordering compad. "Now what can I get you all to eat?"

"We're not staying to eat Maybs," Quint announced, "we just came in to grab a drink before we go on our rounds. We got a report about some unsavory activity over at the Bianary hotel." Maybs shifted uncomfortably which did not go unnoticed by the seasoned constable. He turned his inspection on Terell again. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

Terell gave a declining shake of his head, "This is the first time I've heard of that hotel."

"Well Quint," Maybs interrupted in a more natural tone. "If you like you can take the glasses with you and bring them back later." Much to her great relief they took her up on her offer.

"Don't give Maybs or Stilmon a bad time or we'll hear about it and you won't like that," warned Quint, by way of a good bye. He and his two cronies stood. "I look forward to seeing your band's performance tomorrow night, friend."

Terell inclined his head slightly. "Hopefully we won't disappoint you." His eyes then shifted to Gavin, who was still lustfully eyeing Lana. "You can stop or you and I may have a problem."

Quint smacked Gavin in the arm and glared at him. "Give it up, and let's go."

The trio then left.

Lana watched them from the corner of her eye and breathed easier when they were gone. Then she smartly smacked Terell on the shoulder and he looked at her. "Why'd you tell them that we were singing tomorrow night?"

"I had to tell them something."

"Well we're not doing it," Lana exclaimed with a hint of protectiveness.

Terell didn't miss this and threw out a pointed inquiry, "You want to tell me why?"

"Because we're not booked for it. And because I don't feel like performing. I just want to get off this rock."

Maybs frowned openly at Lana's caustic response.

Terell's expression turned to one of concern, it was unlike Lana to turn down an opportunity to perform. It usually helped to calm her down. This was the first time that he saw real fear in her eyes at the idea of singing in front of an audience.

"Maybs is right, we should have stayed in the back," she grumbled moodily, once again scanning the tavern's occupants.

She tensed when the door opened and a black cloaked, hooded figure stroll in, carrying a box.

Maybs saw the color drain from Lana's face. "Are you alright dear?" she asked, with genuine concern.

Terell felt the fearful tremble in her hand before she abruptly stood and tugged urgently on his arm.

"Come on, we're going back now! "

"We're going to eat first," he insisted, pulling her back to her seat. She met his gaze with a pleading look that made him momentarily reconsider going back to their hiding place. Then he shook his head, "What's gotten into you?"

"At the bar, black cloak," she whispered, her eyes filled with dread.

Terell focused past her, onto the cloaked figure standing at the bar. "Who is that?" he instantly questioned Maybs.

She glanced over her shoulder, but before she could answer the figure took off the cloak's hood and revealed itself to be nothing more than an old silver protocol droid.

Terell relaxed with a sigh and met Lana's anxious gaze. "Turn around and look."

Lana sat frozen in her seat unable to turn, for fear of who she might see.

"It's alright," he assured her.

"That's our droid," Maybs answered Terell's question.

Lana finally glanced over her shoulder at the droid and laughed with nervous relief. Her entire mood lightened in an instant and she sank back into her seat.

Maybs' hands went right to her full hips in an angry temper, she couldn't contain. "Philks, you imbecile you're tracking in mud!"

She pointed at the cleaning stall and stalked off to the front of the tavern, barking a sharp command. "Into the cleaner with you!"

"It must be raining again," Lana chuckled, now feeling completely embarrassed about her paranoia. She released Terell's hand and took a deep drink from her glass to relieve the dryness in her mouth.

Terell stared at her, not smiling at the abashed hue that had risen on her face.

She met his serious inspection and set her drink down. "What?"

"You thought that droid was the man in your dreams," he guessed wisely. "You saw him killing me, didn't you?" Lana's eyes fell on her drink, avoiding his question, her embarrassed flush vanishing. "That's why you didn't want me going with Keirdan this morning."

She shook her head denying his statement then picked up one of the menus that Maybs had brought back with their drinks and instantly changed the subject while scanning the food selections. "What are you hungry for?"

"I'm not afraid to die Lana," she heard him say softly.

Her face, along with her heart, fell behind the cover of the menu. "I know that," she said quietly.

Terell lowered her menu and regained her full attention. "How is it going to happen?"

Lana felt the painful sting of emotions behind her eyes and admitted somewhat irritably. "I have dreams of us dying all the time and none of them have ever come true." She pulled back her sudden mood and regained herself fully. With a casual air she went back to her menu. "Now I'm not going to waste any more time or energy dwelling on a nonexistent stalker."

"I think it's time we tell the others about this man in your dreams--" he said seriously.

"He doesn't exist outside of them, Terell," she insisted.

Terell disagreed with her and continued with his thought. "--So we know what to keep our eyes open for."

Lana met his serious gaze with a stern look. "Everybody's wound up tight enough as it is. I'm not going to make things worse by adding more pressure--"

"He's real Lana, I know it," Terell interrupted.

"It was just a stupid dream and nothing more," she insisted, fully believing her own words as her eyes went back to scanning the menu. Her paranoia was completely gone now, replaced by a more even tempered mood.

"You've been dreaming about the same guy for weeks," Terell said, giving her a knowing look. "When are you going to stop denying yourself and realize that your dreams mean something?"

"When I see him walk through the door," she casually replied. "Which I highly doubt will ever happen. Until then, the dream doesn't mean anything. It's just a side effect of past events."

"Normally I'd agree with you, but you keep having it," he returned, more insistently then ever before. "And each time it gets worse."

"You'd have the same nightmare over and over again too, if Ehker had asked you to pull the trigger, okay." Once again she met his serious gaze and once again she insisted. "Yes I have nightmares. And yes, everyone dies in them, but I have them all the time, it's an occupational hazard. And when I wake up everyone's alright and nothing happens."

"Did you see Ehker die, before it happened?" he asked curiously.

"No," she answered in a half truth, returning her attention to the menu. Lana felt his inspection on her and ignored it. "I'm going to try the stew, what about you?"

"I'll have the same," he said and then made a casual observation when she set the menu down, "You're trembling."

"Of course I am, some big ugly thug just tried to buy me like I was cattle," she replied, lightly brushing off his concern.

Lana thought of the constable's threat to Terell of spending the night in lock down while she stirred her drink. Her insistence that he stay with her and not go with Keirdan almost cost too high a price. She met his deep blue gaze and was grateful to have him with her. She gently caressed his stubbly cheek and softly apologized for putting him in that situation.

Terell dismissed her apology, "Come on Lana, you know that guys like that are all the same. It was unavoidable."

He drew her hand to his lips and kissed it again, then smiled at her. That simple act released the rest of her tense mood and brought to mind ideas of a more intimate nature. A sultry smile slowly spread across her mouth. "Not for sale at any price huh?"

"Nope," he answered, returning her tantalizing smile. His mind was instantly side tracked by her inviting expression. "You're mine and I won't give you up."

Lana leaned in close to him with an over exaggerated sigh of 'My big hero,' and then kissed him.

Terell pulled her closer into a more passionate exchange, which she didn't mind in the slightest.

"Should you two really be doing that in public?" asked a familiar voice which broke them apart.

They looked at each other in mild embarrassment, then glanced at Keirdan and Freya as they took up the empty seats at their table.

"So how'd your search go? Did you find anything?" Keirdan asked.

"Nothing yet," answered Terell truthfully.

"Where's Bailen?"

"He hadn't come back, when we came out here," said Lana.

"You left him down there?" Keirdan accused somewhat shortly. "He could be lost."

Freya rolled her eyes. "Relax Keirdan he's not alone, Creature is with him, remember?"

Lana watched Keirdan stand with a curious, "Where are you going?"

"To look for him."

"I'll go," Freya said taking hold of his arm and stopping him as she stood. "He'd probably think it's funny not to answer you and give you a heart attack. Besides you're going to have to tell Terell what needs work on Maybel."

"Maybel? " Echoed Terell and Lana in amusement.

"Hey, she's Corellian made so don't knock the name," Keirdan returned as he resumed to his seat.

Freya left them and passed Stilmon, talking with his wife, along the way. She got a flash of angry, fearful emotions from Maybs and paid it very little mind. Five minutes later she was descending the trapdoor ladder.

The faint echoing of Creature's predatory cry met her ears when she reached the ground level. She remained where she was letting her eyes adjust to the dimness of the underground. Her eyesight being greater than that of her friends, she didn't have long to wait before she moved off. She whistled sharply and it echoed down the tunnel.

There was momentary silence after it dissipated, before Freya heard Creature answer her call. She followed the initial direction it came from before the echoing of the tunnel could confuse her. Following that and Bailen's faint scent she past several unassuming doors and then turned right. In no time she was hearing the soft footfalls of someone approaching in the dark.

"Bailen?" she called.

The footsteps stopped.

She stood motionless, straining her ears to hear and squinting her eyes to focus on a stealthy shadow moving in the distance just beyond her sight. Even without seeing him clearly she knew it was Bailen and that he was planning something sneaky. His guilty emotions sang out to her and she remained where she was and played along to see how far he was going to take his little prank. She clearly made out his shadow place, what looked like a bag, noiselessly on the ground before he flattened himself against the wall, disappearing into darkness.

She whistled again for Creature, who answered her at once. Judging from the bounce of his echoing reply he was still much further down the tunnel. Freya sighed, annoyed, wondering why Bailen had left him behind. She started walking again, ignoring the Corellian teen stalking closer. Until he grabbed her from the shadows and spun her around to pin her against the wall.

"Bailen, have you lost your mind?" she asked sharply.

"You knew it was me," he laughed, while holding her arms to the wall.

Her blue/green eyes reflected the tiny lights along the floor. Like a cat's eyes they were softly illuminated when she looked at him. Bailen was suddenly struck by his feelings for her, which he couldn't ignore. His laughter faded away. He stared at her, feeling his heart beating faster in his chest. What had started out as a friendly prank had just turned into something else entirely for him. He smiled warmly at her when he realized that she wasn't trying to push him away.

"It isn't funny, Bailen -- I should just fry your head off."

"You won't," he said and there was a subtle softness in his voice. He pressed his body against hers and met her shocked eyes, while he drew his hands gently down her arms and then tenderly caressed her face.

"Kiss me," he solicited softly, all the while leaning in close to her enticing lips.

Freya's heart now beat faster. He had taken her completely off guard by this. Evidently the darkness had emboldened the youth into doing something he wouldn't normally do. Still, the feel of his athletic body pressing against her brought to mind her long dead mate. It reminded her how much she missed the feeling of being held in the arms of someone who loved her.

This boy loved her, his emotion was more real than any she'd felt in a long time. She couldn't help herself, she fed off that and pulled him to her lips. The emotional high she felt from him as a result was exhilarating. He was handsome and strong and had proven himself a brave companion. If only he had lived more than just eighteen years.

So young. Far too young for me, she thought as Bailen melted into her kiss.

He was very amazed that she hadn't just slapped him for his bold move on her. That fact and the shadows empowered him to finally admit to his feelings when he parted from her lips. "I love you, Freya, and I want to be with you."

"I know," she returned softly. "But you're--"

He stopped her mouth with another passionate kiss that left her breathless and wanting more. When he pulled away again it was to ask her a very private question.

"Do you love me?"

"Bailen--"she whispered his name somewhat apologetically, then admitted, "It's been so long since I've felt that way about anyone. I just don't know if I could--"

"I know you think I'm too young for you," he interrupted. "Contrary to what everyone thinks, though, I'm not inexperienced."

"I do care about you, Bailen. But please try to understand, my kind mate for life," she told him gently.

"So do some Corellians," he confessed quickly, before he lost his nerve to his raising shyness. "It's called Pledging. I didn't think it could happen to me, but it has. From the moment I saw you, I knew that there would be no other for me-- no one but you. You're my life Freya, I can't breathe without you."

Freya was momentarily made speechless by his heartfelt confession.

"Please, say something," Bailen softly pleaded, unable to handle her silence.

"What would you have me say?"

He moved his lips close to hers and they brushed against hers. "Say you love me."

"I'm not sure if I could love you," Freya whispered, almost afraid of her own words.

"You can," he insisted, his breath now thick with passion for her. He kissed her deeply, then softly caressed along her neck with his lips. His tender advance set off a flood of desire in her blood for him.

"What you're asking for is for life," she breathed in his ear and then couldn't stop herself from kissing his neck in return.

"That's not long enough for me." He took her hand and boldly slid it down his front to rest on his excited body. "I want to be with you forever Freya, no other mate will ever love you more than me."

"My controller won't like it," Freya reminded him almost fearfully, even as she gently caressed him.

"Who says she has to know," Bailen whispered back, pushing himself against her opened palm. "Besides Lana won't care, anyways."

"You're too young to know what your asking," she replied, more to herself than to him, and then pulled her hand away from him.

"No I'm not," he said, seriously meeting her eyes. He took her hand again and placed it to his racing heart. "You're the empath, so you know that I'm not just saying this idly. I've already Pledged myself to you long ago. Will you complete that bond and have me as your mate?"

Freya fed off his deep emotions for her and was carried away by them. She gently ran her hand over his muscular body and then pulled him back to her lips, passionately answering him with her kiss. She thrilled at his tender touch when he continued his advances on her and opened her shirt to draw his caressing hands over her body. Though he was young, the Corellian knew just how to heat the embers of her desire to their breaking point. She feverishly pulled open, first his belt, and then his pants. While he did the same to her.

Their lower clothing was soon shed in the dimness of the tunnel. No one witnessed it when Bailen took Freya in his arms and lifted one of her legs up to rest on his hip. She breathed delightedly when she felt him push himself inside her.

Their excited breath and short gasps of fevered ecstasy softly echoed of the tunnel walls.
Bailen was lost to all else but Freya, while he made love to her and reveled in the feel of her body like he had no other. She filled his thoughts as well as his heart; he would do anything for her. His Pledge would forever have his complete loyalty, so long as he lived he would make sure no harm would ever come to her.

Freya felt his complete devotion for her and knew that she had chosen well by accepting him as her mate. She met his loving blue gaze until he closed his eyes in dreamy pleasure and pulled her closer to himself while he increased his rhythmic pace.

They took pleasure in one another's intimate touch. Neither one of them would ever forget this very private moment, which lasted to its natural conclusion without interruption. They held onto each other, breathing hard, neither one wanting to break their physical connection after the rapturous wave of ecstasy crested over them.

Though initially satisfied, Bailen's youthful appetite for Freya was insatiable. He wanted more of her and from the desirous look glinting in her eyes she wanted to feel more of his intimate embrace. Bailen resumed a slow pace until he felt his desire for her regain it's full strength. Then he smiled invitingly at Freya and she returned it with a little nod of agreement and then kissed his lips.

Over an hour later, Keirdan looked up from the corner of the bed where he was sitting, going over one of Ehker's old discs, when the trapdoor opened and Bailen returned. He turned and offered Freya a hand up through the door and she continued to hold onto it once she was out. Lana and Terell looked up from what they were going through when Keirdan chastised the returning pair.

"Well it's about time you two got back here. I was beginning to think that the both of you--were--lost--" Keirdan's sentence trailed off when Freya, not Bailen, unexpectedly blushed at his teasing.

Freya withdrew her hand from Bailen's and he took a slight step away from her. For now they wanted to keep the change in their relationship to themselves.

"What have you two been up to?" Keirdan asked suspiciously.

"Uhh-gg! Creature what is that!" Lana suddenly exclaimed when he flew through the trapdoor straight to her and deposited his mangled prize in her lap for her approval. He was covered in large splotches of blood and apparently very happy about it.

"Looks like one of those rats," said Terell examining the remains. He picked it up by the tail and Creature tittered and followed after him as he walked into the bathroom. Creature hopped onto the edge of the tub with a questioning trill.

Terell gave a declining shake of his head and placed the rat carcass in the tub. "Sorry, boy, but you'll be dining alone."

Creature pounced on his meal and began tearing off bite sized pieces of meat.

"Enjoy your feast," Terell said while closing the door. "That'll be a real mess to clean up, when he's finished," he told the others as he rejoined them.

"Tell me about it," Lana scowled, moodily getting up to grab a change of clothes from her bag.
Freya followed the Corellian woman with an insistent, "I'll help you Lana."

Keirdan watched her disappear into the other room and then turned a keen eye on his younger brother. "So what took you so long in getting back?"

"It took Freya awhile to find me," answered Bailen with a half truth, "and then once she did, we had to wait for Creature to finish his hunt."

"And what did you do, while you were waiting for Creature?" Keirdan interrogated.

"We made love in the dark," Bailen told him completely deadpanned, knowing full well that his brother wouldn't believe the truth.

Keirdan stared dubiously at him for a second and then he burst out, "Yeah right! " He exchanged a jovial look with Terell as he mercilessly teased Bailen's shyness, "Not in a million years, sonny. You can barely look at her without blushing."

"Leave him alone, Keirdan," chuckle Terell, who had curiously noticed the pack that Bailen held in his hand. "Did you come back for that while Lana and I where in the tavern?"

"No, I took it with me when I left," he answered, avoiding Terell's eyes.

Keirdan recognized the munitions pack at once. "No you didn't," he stepped forward and tried to take the bag from his brother. But Bailen moved around him. Keirdan turned with a serious inquiry. "What have you really been doing down there?"

Bailen went to the table when he saw the two bowls of stew sitting on it. "I'm starving. Is this food for me and Freya?" he asked while sitting at the table and stowing his pack next to him. He purposely changed the subject after Terell handed him a spoon. "So how bad is this ship of Stilmon's?"

Keirdan was automatically side-tracked. "She's not as bad as she looks. She needs some work done on her hyperdrive motivator, but if there's a real need for the ship's hyperdrive it will make it to the next system. Apart from that there's a few replacement parts needed for her engines," he explained. "The rest is all cosmetic."

"What are we looking at time wise?" asked Bailen, keeping the focus off himself.

"It won't take too long to fix, just a few days once Stilmon gets the parts."

Freya laid back on Bailen's bed and inhaled his lingering scent in the air. She rested her hands behind her head while replaying the secret intimacy with him in her head and smiled to herself. Some part of her wanted to tell Lana that the Corellian teen was her new mate. But a part of her was unsure how her Controller would take it.

"What are you so happy about?" Lana casually inquired after pulling a new shirt over her head.

"Nothing," she answered, trying and failing to suppress her smile. For now she would hold onto her secret and keep Bailen's Pledge forever in her heart.

"Mm-hmm," replied Lana, while changing out of her pants. It was clear that she didn't believe her, still she respected Freya's privacy and didn't press her. "Listen I want to know what your impression of Stilmon's wife is. Can Maybs be trusted or not?"

Freya sat up at once, a serious expression replacing the smile. "Why -- did something happen while Keirdan and I were gone?"

Lana nodded, pulling on a clean pair of pants and explained what happened when she and Terell sat down at their table.

Freya listened to her tale and then somberly admitted, "She doesn't like us being here."

"Yes I got that impression when we first met yesterday," said Lana, sounding somewhat annoyed.

" It would be wise to watch her," Freya said than asked pointedly. "What's your instinct tell you about her?"

"I think you're right, I don't think we should trust her. She's just too jumpy and her friends-- there's something about them that bothers me."

"You mean aside from the fact that one of them wanted to buy you?" teased Freya.

"No, it's that symbol I saw on Gavin's gauntlet." Lana stood for a moment in deep thought, going over in her mind what that symbol meant. She sighed, her mind was too cluttered with other, more important things. Eventually she knew she would remember the answer, at the most unexpected moment, for such was the workings of her photographic memory.

"Oh well, it'll come to me later, when I don't have so much on my mind. Two o'clock in the morning, yeah that's when it'll hit me," she joked derisively.

She looked back at Freya, who was again lost in her own thoughts, a wistful smile back on her face.

"You sure you're alright?" she asked again. "Cause you're acting really strange."

"No I'm not," said Freya, much too fast.

Lana paused in interest and examined her empathic friend.

Freya's insides shrank back some under her Controller's inspection.

"How am I acting?" she questioned, trying not to look guilty.

"Like you've got a secret," replied Lana with sly dry humor.

Freya's face fell to an almost fearful countenance.

"Hey look, if that's what it is," began Lana, taken aback by her friends reaction to her implied guess, "you don't have to tell me about it."

"Bailen-kissed-me-down-in-the-tunnel," Freya confessed before her hand clamped over her mouth. Fear immediately rose in her blue/green eyes as she waited for her Controller's response, expecting the worst.

Lana stared at her for a moment in shock and then a slow smile broke across her face.

"Is that all?" she chuckled, sitting on the bed next to her friend. Freya flinched when Lana put her arm around her shoulder. "Easy," Lana soothed, surprised by her reaction. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Freya lowered her hand and asked a timid question, that nevertheless held a hint of defiance in it. "The Controller's okay with this?"

"The Controller? " exclaimed Lana in a sudden exasperated mood. "Freya how many times do I have to tell you, that I'm not your Controller? "

"The psy-com makes you my Controller," Freya stated somewhat sadly.

She was speaking of the alien bio-organic psy-com, which was fused to Lana's spine. It all happened five years earlier on board Freya's derelict living spaceship, when Rogue's Gambit had found her and Creature. Lana was the one who had placed her hand on the palm shaped control switch that opened Freya's stasis tube. By that simple move alone were the microscopic, bioengineered organisms shot into Lana's bloodstream through her palm. The alien organisms raced, unnoticed at first, through her veins to her spine to permanently attach themselves to each other while they fused to the base of her skull. Thus was born the mental link between Controller and servant.

"The psy-com only connects us mentally," Lana insisted, getting up from the bed in exasperation. She walked away to give herself a moment to think and then she spun around to explain. "Look Freya, I didn't ask to have the psy-com placed in my head and if I could remove it I would. Then maybe you'd believe that you're free and I would be rid of the headaches it gives me."

"You want to be rid of me?" Freya asked, her eyes filling with unexpected emotion.

"No! " Lana exclaimed, feeling very frustrated, "I don't know how else to explain this to you so you'll understand. Accept this; I don't want to control you, I have never controlled you, and I'm never going to control you. You are free to do whatever you want! "

"No, I'm not," Freya said quietly, looking misty eyed at the floor. "You can't erase years of race programming. You are my Controller and nothing you say is going to change that fact."

Lana sighed, deeply annoyed and disappointed that Freya clung to a way of life she hated. She went back to the bed and lifted Freya's chin to met her eyes. "I am your friend, your sister in arms and nothing more. I've never asked you to do anything that I wasn't willing to do myself. Well... except maybe levitate," she grinned slightly and picked Freya up by her shoulders, "And you do it because you understand this."

"I do it because that's what I was bred for," Freya somberly admitted. "I'm a warrior for the Quintarian Forefathers, I know no other way of life."

"I'm Corellian, not Quintarian. And the only thing I expect of you is your friendship."

Freya gave a respectful little bow, "You have that and my loyalty of service."

Lana took her in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Someday, Freya, you're going to unlearn your race programing and know the truth. You are free to go where you want, and to love who you want. If that choice is Bailen than I'm happy for the both of you."

Freya wrapped her arms around Lana, after feeling the Corellian's happiness for her and Bailen. She felt greatly relieved, but still some part of her was grateful that Lana had chosen, for reasons of her own, to keep her psy-com connection to her closed. It was a quiet break from the mental link that they shared which Freya truly appreciated now, more than ever.