And Vega Lights my Way

Chapter 8

Like destiny's children, souls lost at sea.
No room on the lifeboat,
you can hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
– Denver, Destiny's Children

Later that night in the Senatorial apartments, Schurke once again found himself lounging in Kampher's arms. For the second time since they had arrived, they were alone.

"How did we get so lucky, Kam, my love?" he asked as he languidly stroked her cheek. "Alone again! Granted, you could cut the sexual tension in this room with a spoon – and for once it's not ours." He narrowed his eyes and considered. "That Skywalker boy doesn't happen to have designs on my daughter now does he?"

"Aubé can take care of herself, Schurke," Kampher laughed. "And would it be so bad if he did?"

Schurke kissed her softly, the kiss and subsequent touch sending the unspoken message that perhaps they should be talking less and acting on their rare private moment more.

"Kay said he'd be back early," Kampher murmured coyly. "And I don't know how long young Master Skywalker will be… training… with Aubé. Do you want to risk them walking in on us making love?"

Suddenly, Kampher found herself scooped up into her husband's arms. Schurke nibbled suggestively on her ear. "Only if they wander into our bedroom…"

Aubé sighed in frustration, but what she was truly frustrated about she didn't know. Kay'leb was late, at least that much she was sure of. He was supposed to have met her an hour ago, and there was only so much Naboo tea she could reasonably drink. The waiter, handsome young and almost painfully attentive, wordlessly refilled her glass. She had rebuffed his earlier attempts at conversation, yet he still smiled brightly at her, and Aubé half expected to find a com number at the bottom of her bill.

Luke had spent the better part of the afternoon showing her how to actually handle her lightsaber, taking her through the basic forms, and then had followed on with a little light sparring. Ultimately, they had moved on to more physical training with out the sabers, and until this point, he had been nothing but the consummate Jedi Master. Formal, restrained, his full attention directed in the act of training, almost as if the conversation of the morning had been forgotten.

Then she had kissed him.

It had been innocent enough, Luke had placed her in a body hold and told her to free herself using any means possible, and within an instant she had managed to turn her body around to face him. The kiss had been meant to serve as a distraction, but then he had kissed her back.

She had squealed and slipped out from underneath, feigning indignance while Luke laughed at her.

Sorry Nails, he had told her. You should have known I would have seen that coming!

His eyes had sparkled with more than amusement, but she had lowered hers.

I'm sorry Master, she had replied quietly. I'll remember that next time.

And that had been the end of that.

Hadn't it?

Kay'leb cursed inwardly as he rushed to meet his sister. He hated to be late, for being late would lead to questions – questions he really wasn't ready to answer just yet.

Why are you hiding secrets from her? She's your sister!

But would Aubé understand?

She'll have to!

When he reached the door, Kay'leb paused to straighten out his tunic and try to brush away some of the dust that clung to his robes. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but he thought it smelled like blaster residue… and death.

Get a hold of yourself, Kay, he thought to himself irritably. I doubt if there have been many blasters shot off in there for a long time. The only thing that's in there is leftovers from the scavengers and maybe a Star Destroyer-sized dose of memories. It just needs cleaning, that's all.

At last he entered, and when he saw the look of abject misery on his beloved sisters face, Kay'leb decided that now was not the time to worry her with something that was actually so…. trivial after all. It was time to be the brother, the caretaker. He would tell her about his explorations of the abandoned Jedi Temple another time. Instead, he fell back into the role of caring sibling.

"Bé, if your face were any longer people will mistake you for a gungan."

Aubé pulled a face, wrinkling her nose. "There, is that better?"

Kay'leb burst into peals of laughter. "From gungan to dug beauty queen in a milli-second! Bé, you should give up the squadrons and become a holo-star!"

Aubé made as if to hit him. "Gods, Kay – do you always have to be such a frelling cretin?"

"It's my right and duty as your younger brother, my dear," he replied, positioning himself behind her and taking her shoulders into his grasp. Aubé's head flopped forward gratefully as his skilled hands began finding every knot and ache. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"So sister of mine, why the long face? Did you and your Jedi beau have a falling out?"

"He's not my beau Kay." She flinched as he found a particularly stubborn knot. "As a matter of fact, he kissed me."

Kay'leb ran a knuckle down her spine. "And this is a bad thing?"

"It is if it was a defensive move," Aubé sighed. "Besides Kay, in case you've forgotten he is a Jedi Master…"

Kay'leb leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Oh yes dear sister – a Jedi Master he may be, but first and foremost, he's a man, and as such…" He reached over and picked up the nearest utensil – a spoon – and licked it suggestively.

Aubé's mouth flew open.

"Yes, just like that!" Kay'leb grinned. "I'd lose the look of horror though – it would spoil the moment…"

"Kay'leb Canaille!" Aubé hissed, suddenly mindful of the odd looks from the other patrons. "You are – are disgusting!"

He planted a wet kiss on her cheek. "And that, my dear sister, is why you love me!" He placed a few credits on the table and then took her hand. "Come on then, let's go home and then you can tell me all about your first real day of Jedi training."