Author's Note: Thanks for all the inspiring reviews, everybody!

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Part Seven (6/2/02)

My relaxation time was short lived. After the crowd had weaned a bit, and many of the party guests began to call it a night or were deciding to have those last few drinks for a comfortable night's sleep, I found myself face to face with Maecenas.

I can't quite find a word to describe his mood towards me after that game. He was angry, sure, but it wasn't quite that bad; I knew I wouldn't receive any punishment that night. It wasn't disappointment; Maecenas didn't care enough about me for that. It was something else; something hinging on those two emotions but, at the same time, wasn't near either one.

"Go get the girl," he told me, an edge to his voice that slightly defined rage. He began to collect my winnings, pouring the various credit chips, jewels, and other fineries into a rather large purse.

I nodded and stalked off to where I had last seen Wiphshun take the slave girl.

During that trip, I suppose, the consequences of what I had done just minutes before began to hit me clearly for the first time.

I had won a person.

And, in all legal respects, the girl was mine. I felt disgusted with myself then, suddenly realizing the emotions I had experienced after winning that game must have been eerily similar to what my master felt when I had lost the race that fateful day on Tatooine.

I stopped and leaned against wall as if I was slowly running out of breath. I placed my head to a chilly window that lined the hallway and looked out into the pitch-blackness beyond.

Was I no better than he, a filthy, low-grade entrepreneur?

I sucked in a small gulp of air and steadied myself, shaking my head the entire time.

No, I told myself. I am not like him.

My thoughts drifted back the cruel mark on the angel's cheek. The bruise, the painful reminder of her condition, which Wiphshun had given her without a second notice.

My mind firmed up into a solid resolve, and I continued down the last stretch of the hallway.

The end bought me into a busy work area – part kitchen, part servant's quarters. Girls dressed in the revealing garments paraded about, trying mostly, to help the cooks clean up the leftover cuisine and the mess the various dishes had caused. All looked tired, sad, and annoyed.

I didn't initially see my girl, but Wiphshun made his appearance known the second I stepped in there.

"Ah, Mr. Skywalker," he greeted, slapping me hard on the shoulder. "She's getting the remainder of her things. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't," I told him, edging myself slowly away from this foul Gran. The air in the kitchen was scorching-hot, and the moisture caused from the boiling water made it incredibly humid – not the most comfortable of surroundings for a desert dweller like myself.

Wiphshun continued to make small talk, ignoring my lack of interest and amusement. "We should play again," he said. "Give me chance to win back some those credits."

"Perhaps," I agreed, my voice carrying the slight husk of irritation. Truthfully, I had no desire play cards ever again – not with Wiphshun, not with anyone. Of course, now that Maecenas knew what I was capable of, he would certainly want me to continue.

"I really wanted that pod," Wiphshun lamented. "She's a beauty."

I glanced at him, but my two eyes never fully focused on his three. I didn't bother, nor found the need, to say anything.

When Wiphshun realized this, he spoke up again. "I suppose this works out for the better," he said. "The girl … good waitress, good maid, but I think her most select services would be better suited to a human master."

That last comment did catch my attention, and I turned to regard him, my eyes composed into tiny slits. He did not notice my hateful, human glare. He continued his ramblings aimlessly, while I locked myself into a new string of thoughts.

A human master, I repeated mentally. It struck me just then exactly who the slave girl's new owner would be.

Maecenas.

A sick, sinking feeling washed over me, and I had the urge to lean against the nearby counter. Why hadn't I thought of this little outcome before? Certainly, like he had bagged up the earlier winnings, Maecenas would have no qualms about taking the girl for his own uses.

The guilt washed over me like a stream, and I was forced to deal with it one drop at a time.

These grievances were cut short, however, the entrance of my new property. A long, black, woolen robe shrouded her. The veils of her bikini were still slightly visible under the folds, and she carried a small bag in her right hand. Her eyes remained downcast as she walked towards us, as if the floor was the most important thing in the galaxy.

"Girl," Wiphshun stepped forward and grabbed her arm. She struggled a bit and then looked up at him. "This is Master Skywalker," he told her. "He is your new owner."

She turned to me, bright defiance shone on her face. There was a gleam of pure disgust in her eyes, directed right at me.

Suddenly, she yanked herself away from Wiphshun, throwing her former master off balance, nearly tripping him.

He caught himself before he fell, though, and nearly backhanded the girl to give her a matching blue spot on the left cheek.

"Wiphshun," I hissed before he did so. My voice held just the right amount of power and anger for him to stop himself. "Do you have the records ready and the transmitter?"

"Yes, Mr. Skywalker, in my office," Wiphshun said. He harshly and nearly threw the girl towards me.

I caught her and held onto her arm to keep her from falling. Her forehead accidentally landed on my shoulder, causing every nerve in my body to twinge in anticipation. I attempted to ignore this feeling as I felt my face go red. It took a moment for her to steady herself, but, when she did, she found a way to step away from me, completely out of reach.

"Let's go, then," I told Wiphshun flatly. I looked over the girl's shoulder, noticing that there was an open door to a back alley – most likely for the servants to take out the large amount of garbage.

Wiphshun nodded and began to walk towards the office, urging me to follow.

"Stay here," I told the girl, nodding gently in the general direction of the door, hoping that she would understand. "I'll be right back."

Although Wiphshun didn't actually notice my hidden escape directions, he was still concerned about my treatment of the girl.

"Mr. Skywalker," he said, turning back around, "I suggest that you take her with us."

"Nonsense," I chided, trying to sound as arrogant and snotty as possible. "I wish to speak to you in private about the transmitter." I raised my eyebrow suggestively, as if it were a hidden joke for the "masters." Wiphshun nodded in understanding.

I smiled loosely at the girl before joining Wiphshun, not bothering to snick one last look at her before I left.

~

"State-of-the art."

Wiphshun was telling me while handling the girl's transmitter. I watched intensely as he explained how the device worked. "This here increases the range in a radius by meters," he said, touching the upper-middle button on the small, black remote. He pointed to the next button, "and this one decreases it." I nodded. "And this one turns the remote off and on," he said of the top left switch. "This one is the destruct. It has a thirty second delay, just in case you change your mind." He laughed as he pointed to the top right switch.

"Sounds good." I was trying to act casual, but, until now, I had never actually seen a transmitter up close before. I was beginning to wonder if all remotes - including the one that was hooked up to my body - had a "destruct button." I shuddered at the very thought.

"That's everything, then," Wiphshun said as he handed me a datachip with all the girl's information. "Looks like we're done going business, lad."

"Looks like," I said coolly. "Until next racing season, Governor." I turned to leave his office, hoping that no further words would be exchanged between us.

Thankfully, there weren't, and I went off to "retrieve" my property.

Pity she'll have ran away by the time I get there, I sarcastically reminded myself as I walked down the hallway to the kitchen.

When I figured no one was looking at me, I neatly fumbled the left button, causing the transmitter to deactivate itself. Good luck, Angel.

My warm feelings of vicarious freedom, however, were crushed painfully when I walked into the kitchen.

Maecenas stood there with the girl, rage seething through his every pore. He saw me, his hateful eyes boring into mine. I attempted a half smile and a shrug in greeting.

"She tried to escape through the back door here," he told me, gesturing to the slave. "I caught her right before she broke out in a run. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"

"I was getting the remote and stuff from the Governor," I said truthfully. "I told her to stay put." I put on my best, cutest face and looked at Maecenas with soft, wide eyes. "I didn't think she's try to run away. After all, we have a transmitter; she would have been killed."

Maecenas, annoyingly enough, had learned all my acts along time ago.

"Give me the remote," he grumbled, stretching out his hand. I did as he bided. "This thing isn't even on!" he nearly shouted after seeing it. He grabbed my collar, barely aware that there were still people around who believed me to be free. "What are you trying to pull, Skywalker?"

"Nothing," I answered innocently, gasping for breath. "Wiphshun just gave the remote to me, he didn't tell how to use it, I swear!"

He released me, still not believing my story. A flick of his finger turned the left button back to the on position.

I turned to regard the girl. Her eyes were wide and struck with fear. She was confused at the scene she had been privy to witness and afraid of what the immediate future under this new ownership held. She stood her ground, however, her large, brown eyes taking in all.

"Let's get out of here," Maecenas ordered, suddenly aware of the stares we were getting. "It's late; I have a meeting tomorrow morning."

He led the way out of the now silent kitchen. I followed and hoped the girl would, too. I had inwardly refused to grab her by the arm the way the others had.

Fortunately, she did follow, and, in a few minutes, the three of us were seated in Maecenas's landspeeder, driving away from that mansion.

The slave girl stared at the house in silence as we left, perhaps wishing her old home fair well, lamenting the loss of that life, joyously mocking it, or, more likely, simply accepting the change as one more step in her difficult journey.

I watched her, but she refused to even look at me. So, was I repulsive to her? I leaned back into my seat and joined her, accordingly, in the quiet vigil.

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