"Of all the kriffing places in the universe I would expect to find you, this was certainly not on the list!"
Wedge was bellowing at the top of his lungs as Myri rushed to cover herself. His friends, more like surrogate uncles to her, sat in stunned silence as the event unfolded.
Sirra had rushed in and out of the dressing room quickly enough to grab the both silk robes that Myri draped around herself as her father continued screaming.
"I send you away so that you could make something of your life, and here you are, parading around for men of all species to gawk at!"
Myri had never heard her father yelling so loudly. Or looking so disappointed. But this was her place of employment, and she was well aware that she was just as expendable as any of the other girls.
"Please, save the lecture for when I'm not on the chrono," she said coldly. She didn't want to be lectured at all, much less that very moment. What she desired most was a very cold stint in her refresher. Her comment moved her father only to greater anger.
"I'm taking you from here," he warned her, "After tomorrow night, I'm taking you back home and I'm not letting you out of my sight until you've done a complete turnaround."
Myri exploded at that moment, directing years of anger and confusion into blame for her father's lack of being there for his family, "You sent me away because you couldn't handle the responsibility of being a parent. If it wasn't in a cockpit or in a dogfight, you were useless. How dare you lecture me on my life now, when you wanted nothing to do with it then!"
Everyone except Wedge remained in shock as Myri stormed from the room, grabbing the pay that Tox had left for her and leaving the Mirmount. She rushed to her quarters, craving a lump of stim to calm her frazzled nerves. She unloaded the vial onto her bedside table and inhaled several lumps of the powder. The drug took effect in moments in such great quantity, and Myri changed into a form-fitting dress that brazenly revealed her assets under its sheer crimson layer.
She was mostly calm as she left her quarters, heading to Jurro's, where she knew the tender would supply her with free drinks. Levels above her, Wedge's friends surrounded him in his stateroom to prevent him from overturning any more furniture than he already had.
"Outrageous!" he said to them "She is completely out of control. It's worse than when I send her away!"
Wedge lowered his head into his hands, trying to make everything lose the red tint he had been seeing for the past hour or so. Wes beckoned Tycho away for a moment, out of earshot.
"Hobs and I could go try and get a track on her while you stay here and get him calm. Maybe we can get them to actually talk."
"Sounds like a plan. See if you can get a hold of that Sirra girl also. She may be able to tell us more about Myri."
Wes nodded and beckoned Hobbie to follow him from the room, leaving Tycho to deal with an unnerving Wedge. They walked to the lower levels of the ship and began searching every club and cantina that was still open. Luckily, most patrons had long headed to their quarters, and only the real late-nighters remained.
"I have an idea. Hobbie, see if you can get any information about Myri or Sirra from Mirmount. I'll check out the cantinas to see if I can spot them."
Hobbie gave him a slightly sarcastic salute and headed off in the other direction. Wes smiled as he walked into the first cantina of his quest. So long as he was working, he may as well enjoy it. By the 10th cantina and his 15th Corellian slammer, Wes was almost ready to give up when he spotted her sitting alone at a table in the dark corner of Jurro's. He recognized her supple curves and pouty lips before mentally kicking himself with a reminder that he had seen her in her toddlerunis. His intoxication dealt with that accordingly as he approached and realized that her eyes striking eyes weren't the only thing extremely visible to him.
"Can I buy you a drink?" he proposed carefully, flashing his patented undeniable smirk. When their eyes met, he felt as if a current of electricity had run through his body. Once again, he reminded himself of her goofing around in the simulators when Wedge brought her on base as a little girl.
"It depends on how many you can supply," she answered coolly, leaning forward and letting a dark strand of her hair brush across her bare shoulder. This was going to be harder then the thought; she played dirty.
Wes couldn't catch himself any longer as his perpetual sensuality kicked in and he blurted, "I can go all night, baby."
He detected a fleeting moment of panic in Myri's gorgeous features. She quickly slammed a mask of amusement over it and her eyes sparkled as she replied much more warmly, "We'll see about that, soldier."
Wes slid into the booth beside her, undoing the top of his tunic slightly. Whether it was because he was trying to show off his still toned chest or because he was uncomfortable in the sticky heat of the cantina, Myri didn't know, but either way she was enjoying the view.
Thought he was nearly 30 years her senior, Wes hadn't aged like her father. It must have been the lack of responsibility of remaining a bachelor that kept him looking not a day over 35.
"So, how old are you now?" he asked.
Myri had to laugh, but it came out strongly in her inebriation, "19. What an odd question."
"Not odd at all," he responded with charming smile, sliding ever so slightly closer to her.
Myri's pulse was pounding in her throat as she felt his warmth getting closer to her. Another few moments of staring into those eyes the color of Tanaabian sapphires and she'd be done for.
"My father didn't react very well to see me taking my clothes off for money, do you really think he'd be thrilled to the prospect of one of his closest friends coming on to his youngest daughter?" she asked before gulping down the rest of her drink.
The deterrent didn't work. Wes was almost on top of her now, and his warm breath tickled her neck as he whispered, "I warned him…"
"Oh did you?" Myri asked, calling his bluff and turning her head so that the tension nearly created a visible spark between their lips.
"I told him I was falling in love," he closed the gap between them before Myri had a chance to protest. He knew she wouldn't dare try to as his strong arms slipped around her. The kiss felt like nothing he had ever experience before, and he had drunkenly kissed very many women in seedy, dark cantinas in his time.
It seemed as if light-years had passed before their lips parted. Myri took a shaky breath that tickled his slightly parted lips and caused them to curl into a smile.
"Is this all some intricate plan to make me hear my father out?" she asked breathlessly, moving back so she could focus on his whole face.
"Oh no," Wes answered before pressing his lips to hers once again, "This is all for fun."