Chapter 5

-The Start of Something New

Gossip spread like wildfire among the slaves at the Black Sun Coruscant Headquarters. Even common occurrences - a murder, a change in leadership, a new hunt - were enough to start tongues wagging for days, spreading the information and creating exciting stories to accompany the hearsay. This particular afternoon was no different.

'Have you seen her?' A female voice asked in response to a comment from one of her companions. A tall scarlet Twi'lek directed the communal gaze of her companions to the female in question. 'Kre Kahn's mistress, from what I hear,' she sneered.

'Is she even old enough for that?' One of the companions asked, causing a small eruption of laughter.

'She hasn't said a word since she arrived,' the Scarlet noted, raising her eyebrows slightly. 'Thinks she's better than us.'

'She's probably just afraid, Mei,' a blue skinned Twi'lek argued. 'Leave her be.'

'Was I talking to you, Rhyna?' the Scarlet glared at the other woman. 'I didn't think so.'

Mei rose and confronted the small Human huddled against the far wall. She lifted the girl to her feet, holding on to the thick metal collar that was clamped around the Human's neck.

'You see this?' Mei growled, directing the Human's gaze to the collar around her own neck, identical to the one each of the slaves wore. 'It means you're just the same as the rest of us. So, tell me your name, Mistress.'

The females seated near Rhyna laughed at Mei's mockery, adding to the taunting. Rhyna watched silently, wishing she could do something.

'You're name!' Mei demanded, backhanding the Human suddenly and sending her back to the floor. As the Scarlet bent to force the Human to rise, a large cold hand clamped onto her shoulder and held her immobile. The Twi'lek spun and tried to back away from the Overseer before she too was sent to the floor, her lip splitting under the pressure of his fist.

'Her name is Indis, Mei,' he informed,' and she is not to be harmed. Is that understood?'

Mei bowed her head, 'Yes, Master,' she whispered humbly.

'What was that?' the Overseer raised his voice.

'Yes, Master,' Mei repeated loudly, her eyes flaring with anger.

Mei glared at the receding back of the Overseer as Indis rose quietly to her feet.

'Watch your back, Mistress. The Master's protection won't last forever,' Mei warned as she spun and stalked out of the room.

As the rest of her companions followed the Scarlet, Rhyna stood and greeted the young Human.

'Don't worry about Mei,' Rhyna assured Indis. 'She thinks she's hot stuff 'cause she's Togos's favourite, but she's a slave, just like the rest of us. As long as he's protecting you, you're pretty much untouchable, at least when it comes to the other slaves.'

'I'm Rhyna,' the Twi'lek introduced. After a long pause, she continued. 'You don't talk much, do you?' She smiled. 'You may want to start, 'cause, around here, it's about the only thing that keeps you sane. Have you been assigned a room yet?'

Indis shook her head.

'Come on,' Rhyna said, taking the Human's hand in her own. 'It could be days before the Lizard bothers with that "small detail." You can share mine and Talin's in the meantime.'

Indis raised her eyebrow, but silently let herself be lead by the slave who held her hand.

Kari slipped quietly into Kavan's room, quickly closing the door against Olimpiu's verbal onslaught. The club had been open six hours already, yet Kavan refused to leave his room. The short Twi'lek stood by the door a moment, her heart swelling with sympathy for the man who had been her brother for so many years. She crossed the room slowly and sat down on Indis's side of the bed. Kavan's back was to her, and he did not stir as she placed her slender hand on his shoulder.

After a time, a fresh sob tore through Kavan, and he curled into a tight ball, muffling his tears in Indis's pillow. Gritting her teeth, Kari wrapped her arm around his chest and pressed her cheek against his back, holding him until his tears began to subside. When they did, Kari released him, squeezing his shoulder gently as she moved to leave, but Kavan stopped her, holding onto her hand as if it were his only lifeline. She sat back down, letting herself look into his haunted eyes.

'Did Wyatt tell you?' he asked, staring at the opposite wall. His voice was hoarse, and often broke as he tried to form words.

'He told Olimpiu that she was captured, but I didn't hear anything else.'

Kavan shut his eyes, the scene before Kahn's palace playing back through his memory.

'I can't help feeling that she's gone,' Kavan confided quietly.

'If there's a way out of anything, Indis can find it,' Kari assured, forcing a soft smile for Kavan's sake.

'It was Bultâr,' Kavan whispered, opening his eyes again and looking up in time to see Kari's smile falter.

The club's noise hit Jax as he opened the heavy, old-fashioned door. The bouncer scanned the club's occupants, alert to any possible trouble, though he was off-duty at the time. As he stepped into the crowd, he glanced up at the chrono. Seven. Curious, he looked at the dark stage, but saw no activity behind the thin veil. An old music chip blared music from the worn out speakers, which no one bothered tending anymore. Olimpiu was hollering at Wyatt at the end of the bar, and Kavan was no where to be found.

'What is going on?' Jax muttered to himself.

'Jax!' a familiar feminine voice shouted to him from nearby.

He looked around, quickly spotting a short violet Twi'lek pushing her way through the press of people.

'Jax, what are you doing here? I though you were off tonight,' Dima asked.

'I came to see if I could steal you for a bit, but it looks like Boss-Thing could use some extra help. Why isn't Kavan out here?'

Dima froze, her expression falling rapidly into a blank stare as she turned away.

'Dima, what happened to him?' Jax demanded, thinking about how edgy Kavan had been after Indis left with Kahn. His imagination jumped to every possible thing Kavan could have done to land himself in trouble, and he prayed that that was not the case.

'Nothing,' Dima said quietly, reaching out to take Jax's hand. 'Nothing happened to him. It's...it's Indis.' Her voice dropped to a whisper as she looked up at his gray eyes.

Jax held Dima close to him while they sat on top of an empty counter in one of the backstage dressing rooms. He slowly rubbed his large hand up and down her bare arm, keeping her dark skin warm in the chilled room. She rested her head against his chest, letting one of her long lekku fall down his back.

'So he hasn't left his room yet?' Jax asked softly, grateful for the relative quiet of the secluded room.

Dima shook her head. 'No one saw them come in. Kari only heard because Olimpiu woke her up with all the noise he made. You know how loud he gets when he's mad.'

Jax tightened his other arm around Dima's waist and rested his cheek on the top of her head. 'I'll go and talk with him,' he said finally, imagining himself in Kavan's position. He glanced tenderly at the small female in his arms. 'Maybe I can help.' Jax swallowed and kissed her forehead before helping her off the counter.

'Hey, Jax,' Dima interrupted, stopping him halfway through the door. He turned and looked back at her. 'Thanks.'

'Just keep Boss-Thing away, alright?' he requested.

Dima nodded.

Kari and Kavan had hardly moved in the last hour and did not respond when Jax entered. Kari's eyes were moist with tears, though she fought to remain composed for the Human's sake. She looked up at Jax and silently begged him to do something. Kavan's eyes were blood read, evidence of the tears he had run out of and his lack of sleep.

Jax cringed - concerned was an understatement for the worry he felt for his friend. Kavan was a tender man, yes, but Jax had never seen him cry or even loose his temper.

Jax's eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth. 'Come one, Kavan,' he said after a moment's hesitation, startling himself with the sound of his own voice. 'Let's get some food.'

Kavan shook his head. 'I'm not hungry.'

Swallowing his desire to give into his friend's wants, Jax concentrated on what his friend needed. He silently nudged Kari off the bed and took a firm grip on Kavan's arm, forcing the other Human to look at him.

'You need to stop this, Kavan. You can't change the past,' Jax stated firmly.

Kari gasped and started back toward Jax. He waived his hand at her to leave, watching Kavan's lack of response to his words. When Kari would not leave, Jax looked at her sternly, and she quickly disappeared through the door.

'Kavan, I know you're hurting,' Jax started once Kari was gone.

'You don't have a clue,' Kavan interrupted.

'But she's not dead!' Jax continued, unfazed. Kavan looked away, gritting his teeth.

'Look at me, Kavan,' Jax ordered. He continued only when his friend's eyes locked on his. 'You're like my brother,' he declared. 'And I'm not going to sit by while you wallow in your grief, ignoring the possibility that there's still a chance.'

'You don't know she's alive,' Kavan yelled.

'And you don't know that she's not!' Jax raised his voice only enough to capture the other man's attention. 'She's strong, Kavan. You know that better than any of us.'

Kavan shook his head and looked away, cutting off his friend.

Jax signed. 'Look, do me a favour. Come out and eat something. You'll think more clearly once you do.'

Indis glanced at her reflection, tugging at the collar around her neck. The one around her ankle was easier to ignore, but she could not even turn her head without being pinched by the thick metal. She sighed, trying not to think about what lay in store for her. Instead, she let her mind drift to Kavan, hoping that he was not too worried about her disappearance. She smiled as she pictured Olimpiu storming around the club, cursing Kahn for keeping her so late.

Well, Boss-Thing, you won't have to worry about him anymore. Her smile fell as the thought brought her back to her situation.

'Don't be nervous,' Talin soothed, appearing behind Indis and starting to tighten the back of the corset Indis wore. 'And don't fret about the collar, he'll take it off.'

Talin was an average sized Human from Chandrilla. She and her family had been captured by pirates in an ambush past the Outer Rim four years before the Clone Wars. She had been the property of a Twi'lek slaver on Tatooine until he lost her to a band of mercenaries, who in turn sold her to an ascending Black Sun vigo four years ago. She liked to talk, and she talked a lot. Indis found it mildly surprising that none of her masters had silenced her permanently. Yet, Talin had a kind heart, and her constant chatter was a refreshing distraction from Indis's thoughts.

Indis expanded her lungs while the other Human finished tightening the back. The corset was already several sizes too small, and was as loose as it could be without leaving Indis completely exposed at the sides. Fortunately, however, the front was clasped, rather than laced, though Indis still could not see the purpose of simply wearing a corset. Men with power seemed to have an insatiable lust for pornography and sex. Since her relationship with Kavan, seeing the way he treated her, as if her body was a sacred temple, not a toy to be violated, Indis found it difficult and degrading to 'play along' with men such as Kahn.

Once she was finished, Talin secured the knot on the sheer wrapped skirt, using the folded top to cover the hard edge of the small undergarment.

'Togos is a gentle lover,' Talin continued after she had completed the last task. She brushed Indis's hands away from her hair and put it up for the girl. 'He won't hurt you if you don't fight him. Not like Kahn.'

Indis caught her breath quickly and looked questioningly at Talin's reflection.

The older woman smiled knowingly. 'I was Kahn's slave until last year. He gave me to Togos in an attempt to pacify him.' She forced Indis to look straight forward as she continued. 'I still have scars from where he would bite me.'

'Togos doesn't bite,' Rhyna informed Indis as she entered the cramped quarters with a pile of garments to fold. 'Well, at least not hard enough to leave marks.'

'Just don't fight him, Indis,' Talin warned as she finished and turned Indis around to examine her appearance. 'He'll get mad.'

'That skirt's not gonna last long, honey,' Rhyna commented as she dropped her burden onto her narrow bunk.

'Uh uh,' Talin agreed. 'But leave it on until he takes it off, otherwise one of the guards might do something stupid.'

Indis fought to keep a blank face, still trying to deny what was happening. Rhyna noticed her struggle and put compassionate hands on the girl's shoulders.

'Try to think of someone you care about. Don't think about what's happening,' she advised.

Jax managed to get Kavan to eat a small portion of meat and a glass of water as they sat at the bar. Kavan's attitude was slowly improving, and, while he was still concerned, Jax was relieved to see a spark of anger ignite behind Kavan's dull gaze.

'I don't know what would be worse,' Kavan said finally, 'if Indis is dead or if she's a slave.'

'Well, only one of those has any hope in it,' Jax pointed out.

'I just wish I knew.'

'She's alive, Son,' Wyatt said, appearing briefly between customers. The evening was nearing it's lull - after dinner customers and before nighttime drinkers. 'I can feel it,' the big creature placed on of his hands over where his heart was located, 'right here.'

Kavan shook his head, a burst of animation returning to him. 'I have to find her. I can't -'

Jax cleared his throat, glancing over Kavan's shoulder and mouthing 'Boss-Thing.'

Kavan turned on his stool and looked up at Olimpiu's giant form. His tiny eyes bored into Kavan as his face broke into what was either a smile or a scowl.

'You get yourself mixed in with the Black Sun, and you'd better look for a new job,' Olimpiu threatened.

Definitely a scowl, Jax thought, assuming, with mild irritation, that the issue would be dropped. Kavan rarely countered a direct threat from Olimpiu, though, on this occasion, he surprised himself, his boss, and the two coworkers behind him.

'Do you think I actually care about this job?' he asked, rising to his feet in order to meet Olimpiu's gaze directly.

'Don't raise your voice to me, son,' Olimpiu growled.

'I'm not your son, Olimpiu.'

Jax looked around them, worried that the confrontation was drawing the attention of patrons. The bouncer's glance was enough to turn away some of the curious onlookers, but if the two got any louder, there would be nothing Jax or Wyatt could do.

'Fire me. I don't care,' Kavan continued to challenge. 'This job doesn't mean a thing to me without Indis, ok? So go ahead!'

While Olimpiu fumed, Wyatt spoke soothingly from behind the bar. 'Don't do anything rash, Son. Let yourself calm down a bit.'

Kavan nodded almost imperceptibly in acknowledgement of his friend's words. Jax reached out to touch his shoulder, but Kavan stepped away quickly, brushing past Olimpiu and stalking out of the club. Jax looked up at Wyatt, and, after receiving an encouraging nod from the bartender, bolted after Kavan. He caught a glimpse of the twins as he rushed out the door, ignoring his boss's threat about following Kavan.

I'm not on duty, you big lug, he thought as the thick outside air hit him. He easily spotted Kavan walking quickly away from him.

'Kavan,' he called, jogging after him. 'Kavan!' His friend ignored him.

Jax darted through an alley and met Kavan around the other side of the column. 'Looking for Black Sun HQ?' he asked casually.

Kavan turned silently and headed away from him.

'Hey!' Jax stopped him, grabbing the other man's shoulder. 'You want to walk the whole way?' he asked, dangling the keys to his speeder bike in front of Kavan. 'Or can I give you a ride?'

Togos eased open the knot that held Indis's skirt on. His cold skin made her tremble as he brushed her thigh with his fingers, holding her to close to him.

Indis opened her eyes, hardly able to see in the unlit room. She could feel Togos sitting on the bed behind her, could hear his heavy breathing as he touched his lips to the back of her neck, all the while feeling an unfathomable despair. She was afraid, truly afraid for the first time in years, though not for herself. It had been almost a day since Kahn had taken her with him, and he had never kept her that long without at least sending word to her boss. Kavan would worry, she knew it. He would look for her at Kahn's palace. When he found it overrun by the Black Sun, what would he do?

The sudden ability to breathe easily pulled Indis out of her thoughts. She could feel Togos pressing against her as his lips continued to caress her neck. Indis tried to take Rhyna's advice, but could not bring herself to equate Kavan with the bloodstained creature that held her.

Why me? she asked herself as Togos covered her mouth with his and gently laid her down underneath him. As he slipped his tongue into her mouth and removed the rest of her garments, Indis's mind was again swept backwards into the past, into a painfully vivid memory.

She was a child, and he was hurting her. Indis was too young to know who the man inside of her was, too young to know why it was wrong, only that it was. Indis had always been the tough tom-boy type, brushing off the injuries she acquired while playing in the streets of the Smuggler's Moon. But she was still a child, and when his fingers had first touched the place she hardly knew existed, she had immediately begun to cry. She had screamed as the rest of him pushed into her. Indis had begged him to let her go, to put her back on the streets where she belonged. But his only response was the back of his fist breaking the skin near her eye.

Indis's screams ceased, and she laid under the large man's crushing form, openly sobbing for the first time in her memory. She could not think. She could barely move. Everything hurt, and she was tired. She looked away, her vision blurred with tears that burned the damaged tissue on her face. There, just beyond her reach was the man's weapon, still holstered on the discarded belt.

A rush of hope surged through her heart as she extended her arm, the tips of her fingers just brushed the muzzle of the blaster. She glanced back up at the man and continued to reach for the weapon. Suddenly, it was in her hand, and he let her go. She could not explain how she had acquired the blaster. She had no memory of using it. But she was free. She dropped the weapon as she stared at the body on the floor, and her instincts took over.

Indis stared into the darkness, her heart pounding wildly, barely able to breathe. She closed her eyes, drawing in a shaky breath and releasing her grip. His body relaxed on top of her, but she struggled to find the strength to move.

She could not think.

When, at last, she had remembered where she was she looked up at what she had done. In shocked disbelief and sheer terror, she shoved Togos's body away from her and scrambled to her feet, searching frantically for a way out.