Today was the day that would, one way or another, change the future forever but Eliza wasn't about to let a beautiful morning go to waste.
Waking up spooned against the man she loved, she snuggled into his body and closed her eyes for another moment. Listening to him breathe, feeling the gentle pulse of his heart which brought the purest of smiles to her face and to her pleasant surprise, she felt something else too. Nudging against her backside and growing harder through the minor friction of their bodies connecting while Theron murmured in his sleep.
She couldn't help but grin and a spark of arousal fluttered in her tummy when she slightly rolled her hips and heard him groan. The lazy arm draped over her hip pulled her into a firm grip but Eliza cautiously broke free and turned around to look at him.
Dark locks messed up by the pillow spiked in every direction and a warm blush rested on his cheeks. Another groan escaped him and his lips curled into a smirk even while he appeared far removed from reality.
'Must be some dream…' Eliza mused and she let her eyes feast on the rest of his body.
She was intimately familiar with every dip and curve that shaped him and leaned forward to touch her lips to one of his nipples before treasuring the freshest of scars on his torso. Appreciating the fact he wore boxers only and she let a hand caress down his arm, tracing the few freckles buried underneath light hairs.
Her touch reached him, even in his sleep, and he mumbled again while rolling onto his back. Oh, he was such a tempting sight and Eliza instantly recalled a sexual fantasy he'd confessed to her not long ago—one she'd been hoping to bring to life but most days, he'd be awake long before she ever opened her eyes.
Not this morning though.
A small trail of hairs peered beyond the waistband of his boxers and she played her fingers through them before reaching down to let her hand brush over the tightening fabric. Feeling him throb once the very second she did and a damp patch formed against her palm. He wouldn't last long this way and whatever played through his mind had a very real effect on his body, spurned on further by her light teasing.
A moment of hesitation struck—was this really what he'd want from her? But then she recalled the look in his eyes and the fluster on his cheeks when he'd admitted to the fantasy. The shy hesitation and near embarrassment while putting his dirty thoughts into words and her heart soared, as did her own arousal.
Removing his boxers while ardently making sure she wouldn't wake him was a feat all on its own but Theron stirred only once before he settled back against the sheets. Still lost to the world, still mumbling the occasional and incoherent word.
He looked quite vulnerable this way but that only made him more attractive and Eliza nestled her upper body between his legs. Massaging his inner thighs in her hands, enjoying the way his skin felt and the warmth of his body while her mouth found that sensitive spot where his thigh blended into his groin.
His hips jerked involuntarily and she had a difficult time suppressing her smile. There was an odd rush to knowing what she was about to do and the reactions he gave but she'd have to limit her teasing if she wanted this to go right.
Rather than indulge herself the way she would otherwise, taking her time to cherish every part of him, she adjusted her position slightly and took a firm hold of him. A brief moment to savor the taste that tickled her tongue when she wrapped her lips around just the head initially, and a soft sigh escaped her until she sunk her mouth down further.
It wasn't anything they hadn't done before and she knew exactly what he enjoyed most but this time, for the first time, she was without his affectionate guidance or any verbal encouragement. Only the occasional moan rumbling up his throat and the increased writhing of his body gave her any indication of his enjoyment until she felt a hand entwine in her hair.
"Stars… Eliza…" Theron managed to gasp while lifting the covers to find her twinkling eyes staring back at him.
Her smirk hiding half behind the glistening tip. "Good morning my love."
"I didn't think you… hmm… you'd ever… actually…" Words were hard and his mind hazy, and not only due to the fact he'd just woken up.
"Is that a complaint?" She smiled in innocence before her mouth sunk down a second time.
"Oh no, never… don't stop," he grunted in response.
Trying to resist bucking his hips driven by desire but the urgency rose and he wasn't quite awake enough yet to exert any self control. Torn between allowing her to do whatever it was she had in mind and taking over to reach that climax he ached for, but his hunger won out. A surge of pleasure coursed through his body and without intending to, he tightened his hold on her hair, urging her head down while he thrusted upward.
Need and desperation clearly outweighed his otherwise considerate bedroom manners but Eliza welcomed it and easily complied with his unspoken demands. Her lips embracing most of his size as he twitched and throbbed, and she let him drive the pace that pushed him ever so close.
He'd wanted nothing more than to last and stay in this moment for days to come but his muscles grew tense and his hips shuddered involuntarily. Uttering out syllables in his attempt to warn her at least but no decent word came out and without a second more to enjoy the sensations pulling through his body, he peaked, unable to hold anything back.
Faintness clouded his mind and his eyes drift shut a second time. Riding out the waves of pleasure she'd brought him, gasping again when he noticed her mouth taking all he had to offer and working him until he was completely satiated.
A brazen smile greeted him when he opened his eyes again, her lips tracing every inch of his torso until they found his and she kissed him fervently. Moaning into his mouth when he pulled her flush against his body and met her tongue.
"So that's what happens when I don't rise with the break of dawn," he managed to find his words again at last.
She chuckled. "Mmm part of you did. Was that as you'd hoped?"
"Everything and more." He kissed her again and folded her into his arms. "But now you're going to have to share one of your fantasies so I can repay you in kind."
"Just one? Tough choice."
"Or all of them," he laughed.
"That's a long list, are you sure you could handle it?"
"If we make it through today, I can handle anything."
Eliza flashed him a small pout. "Bah, don't bring that up just yet, save it until after I've showered at least."
He nodded, tracing an index finger down the curve of her spine. "I won't mention it again until breakfast."
"Mm, better."
"How long do we have before the meeting starts?"
"About…" She glanced over his shoulder at the chrono on their nightstand. "An hour."
"Enough time to take you into the refresher with me?" Theron smirked and his teeth nipped at her bottom lip.
"Oh definitely, but don't you need more time first to uh…?"
"Give me a few minutes and I'll show you a fantasy I've had since I first laid eyes on you."
Promising words that he stuck to when he met her in the shower ten minutes later, the both of them enjoying what little carefree time they had left to indulge in each other. For that short time, nothing and no one else existed, just some much needed intimacy and an outpouring of the love they shared.
If all went well, today would mark the beginning of a new peace across the galaxy but at the same time, there was much that could go wrong. From defeat at the Spire, to a victory for the Emperor and potential retaliation following them back to Odessen so plans had been made to cover most scenarios.
"I'm dividing our forces into teams of two," Eliza informed everyone she'd gathered in the war room.
"My team will accompany me to Zakuul, Me'ghan's team will remain here to protect Odessen. They won't have time to retaliate and to the best of our knowledge, our enemies do not know of this location but I won't take any chances."
She circled around strategy console and took a deep breath, watching the sea of expectant and curious faces. "Major Quinn, Darius, Lana, Koth, Kendra, Aric, Corso and Master Timmns—the eight of you are with Me'ghan. Most likely scenario everything here will remain quiet but stay vigilant nonetheless.
"The rest of you—Lord Cytharat, Praven, Theron, Scourge, Jonas, Charlie, Doc, Jenna, and Andronikos—you're with me. We're taking the Gravestone as well, Koth showed Jenna how to fly it and we'll be in greater need of its heavy artillery."
"Mm, that omnicanon is a dream, I'm aching to play with it." Jenna winked.
Aric but slightly cleared his throat, "Commander, what are your orders in terms of the prisoners we hold, should Odessen come under siege?"
"Leave them where they are, your priorities lie with our people. Me'ghan will brief you on our emergency protocols."
"What happens if you don't make it back?" A frown came over Lana knowing the biggest battle would be with the Sith Emperor and not the Knights of Zakuul.
"Throw me on a pyre, seems like a fitting end given my family legacy and all that." Eliza shrugged all too casually but she was the only one who found her comment amusing.
"Commander!" Corso gasped.
"Sorry. Theron, Scourge, Me'ghan and Major Quinn all have their instructions. You are to carry on with the mission to unite the two Empires and establish a peace with the Republic."
"What is your plan once you make it to Zakuul?" asked Master Timmns.
"Myself, Theron and Lord Scourge are flying in with Arcann's vessel to meet up with the civilian resistance fighters near the Spire. Once we've seized control of the main security hub, the Gravestone will be able to dock with the Spire so the others can join us. After that, it all depends on the opposition we'll face from the Knights."
Concerned glances were exchanged among those who knew every detail involved—the words of Lord Dramath and the threat of the Emperor—but others listened attentively while Eliza relayed further orders regarding the protection of everyone involved. After, she excused herself and with Theron following closely behind her, returned to the privacy of their room.
"There is one more thing I have to do before we leave," she sighed and activated her personal holo-terminal for a call home.
The image of her grandmother appeared and seconds later, so did her daughter's. "Mommy! Uncle Therons!"
"Hi sweetheart," she smiled softly and wished for a moment she could actually reach out to hold her child. "I miss you."
"I misses you toos mommy! I misses every ones! When are you coming home?" Her daughter pouted.
"Soon, hopefully. It won't be long now."
"Then can we goes back to Rishi? I don't like it heres, I miss the sands and waters and it just rains here like, alllll the time but gramsie saids I was born heres, is that true?"
"You were, on quite a rainy and dark night."
"Oh…" Cyara paused and considered her mother's words before deciding, "Oki, maybies rain is not so bad. Uncle Vowawns saids I looked like a princess when I was born but then Shelene saids I looked like an icky blob covereds in goo because all babies do."
"You were beautiful sweetheart, and you still are. Has uncle Vowrawn been to visit you then?"
"Yess! With pressies! Ands I got your pressies for my birfday from the others and Mrs. Cyfarat mades me a robe!" she gushed.
"Mommy, when is soon?"
"I don't know exactly but when I find out, you'll be the first to hear, okay?"
"Okies! Are yous going to fight bad peoples again?"
"Yeah, I have to."
Cyara threw a downcasted look at the image of her mother. "I wish the bad peoples would stop being bad. Uncle Therons you has to keep my mommy safe okies?"
"I'll do whatever I have to, I promise." He flashed the little girl a reassuring smile.
"Thank yous. I have to goes now mommy, Mr. Cyfarat is teaching me histories today about the first Purebloods ever! He knows so much about Sithies like me!"
"He does, I'm sure you'll learn a lot and I'm so proud of you baby. I love you."
"I love you toos mommy! Kick some bad peoples," she lowered her voice to a whisper and twinkled just thinking of the word, "assholes."
"Cyara!"
"Shelene told me the words it's nots my fault!"
A snort escaped Theron and he clapped a hand over his mouth while Eliza scolded her daughter, "Just because Selene used that word doesn't mean it's okay for you to do the same. I don't want to hear you use such language again, understood?"
"Yesss mommy, sorry. Can I goes now?"
"Alright, but behave. Grandma and grandpa will let me know if you didn't."
"I'll be very goods! Bye mommy, bye uncle Therons!"
The toddler vanished from sight with a skip in her step, and Eliza held her tears back while she finished the conversation with her grandmother. The true danger she faced wasn't for Cyara to know—she'd wanted their potentially last conversation to be a good one without troubling her daughter—but those raising her right now needed to be informed of all possible outcomes.
"Are you okay?" Theron wrapped her into his arms when the call ended.
"I will be once all this is over with and I can hold her again."
"Just how many uncles does she have?" Lord Scourge made his presence known, having caught the first true glimpses of his daughter beyond holographs.
Eliza smiled through teary eyes and took his hand when he came close enough. "Basically every person she's ever met and liked, which is just about everyone she's ever met period."
He nodded. "She has your loving spirit."
"I think some of that is her father's as well."
"Hardly."
"You didn't want to talk to her yourself?" asked Theron.
"Not yet, I'd rather wait until I can meet her in person. If I am lost on Zakuul—"
"You won't be," Eliza interjected. "But speaking of losses, do you both still agree? If I cannot defeat the Emperor inside my mind and he takes full control, you will kill him in my body?"
"I know it must be done and I will keep my promise," Lord Scourge vowed.
"I will too and we have to assume that if he does take you over entirely, it'll mean you're lost to us already," Theron added.
It was something the three of them had discussed in detail, all in agreement that the Emperor's demise and the safety of the galaxy came before anything else and regardless of personal cost. They'd even come up with a contingency plan to trap the Emperor temporarily should he rise in Eliza's body—a set of four remote relays that would spawn a ray-shielded prison upon activation—and Theron double checked to make sure he'd packed everything he needed.
"Then it's time to go." Eliza grabbed her bag and turned to leave.
Determined to put an end to half a life spent chasing the Sith Emperor and facing constant defeat. To put an end to his tyranny, one way or another, and she was more than prepared to go down with him if it meant saving all those she held dear.
To her great relief, the maintenance crew had worked hard to remove every trace of her bloody altercation with the ship's previous owner and she settled in behind the navigation console while Theron and Lord Scourge loaded their few supplies on board. Once they received confirmation that the Gravestone was ready to depart as well, they took off and began an hours-long journey to Zakuul.
No one asked questions when Arcann's vessel—the Edrys—dropped out of hyperspace to dock with the Spire. No alarm sounded and by the time anyone realized that the crew did not include their beloved Emperor, they'd already fallen at the hands of Lord Scourge, Theron, and Eliza.
"It's been too long since I've bloodied my blade," Lord Scourge smirked and in his way, delighted in the havoc he'd wrought.
Theron adjusted his communications frequency and signaled the civilian fighters. "I'm going to meet with Indo and his people, you get the Gravestone docked," he told Eliza.
"Will do. Bring the detonators and spare weaponry for those who came unarmed. I won't risk innocent lives no matter how badly they want to fight for their home."
She gave him a quick kiss and thrusted the duffle bag into his arms. "And be safe, alert us if any more Knights show up."
"What about us?" asked Lord Scourge.
"We're going to hail the Gravestone and meet up with the others. Post yourself outside in the hallway and let me know if anyone is coming." Eliza established an open line with Jenna.
"Their cries of agony should be warning enough."
It clear he was in his element. Even as only half a man, he made for a formidable fighter and one wouldn't think that not long ago, he'd been on the brink of death. Too weak to carry himself let alone do battle.
Eliza smiled when she caught him twirling and twisting his blade around in hand, eyeing down both corridors thirsting for another opponent while she relayed her instructions to Jenna and the rest of their team.
"Platform five, let's go," she told Lord Scourge afterward.
Unfortunately for most, and fortunately for others, the Gravestone drew far more attention. Minutes after Jenna, Andronikos, Lord Cytharat, Praven, Jonas, Charlie, and Doc deplaned, more of Zakuul's forces showed up ready to seize the intruders.
"I don't think they're happy about our arrival," Jenna called out from cover and used Andronikos' shoulder to stabilize her aim, firing at a pair of Knights.
"Yeah, you must be disappointed Commander, no red runner or champagne," Charlie joked.
She and Jonas stood back to back, spraying blue and pink blaster bolts across the platform in such rapid succession no fighter came close.
"Indo promises a grand gala for his new Empress," said a stranger rushing to join the crew and closely followed by Theron.
Eliza took a hot second to observe the scrawny, tall, strawberry blonde man who looked like he ought to be walking a fashion show rather than find himself amidst heavy fire. "And you're Indo?"
"I am, at your service, Empress."
"We're not quite there yet. You any good in a fight?"
"Hardly, but fireworks are my expertise." He winked with a grin and the very second he finished, a massive explosion erupted in a flashy, golden and silver burst.
A brand new battalion of Knights was blown from the platform and heavy smoke covered the team's advance toward the inner sanctum of the Spire.
"Not bad," Theron told the stranger.
"I've been aching to get my hands dirty which you could say is quite unusual for me, if you knew me," Indo preened and swiped a speck of dust from his shoulder.
Lord Scourge sized him up with a hint of disdain. "I believe you."
"Halt!" A Knight Captain approached when the elevator brought them to the top level. "Outlander! Where is our Emperor?"
This man was one of the few who knew Arcann had left bringing two prisoners with him and he'd quickly assessed Arcann wasn't with this group now.
"He died by my hand and I am here to claim the throne as the new, and rightful, ruler of Zakuul," Eliza told him in calm and she was the only one to sheathe her blades.
"You? What proof do you have?"
"This." She held her right hand up displaying Arcann's signet ring on her middle finger. "I've also brought visual evidence and an autopsy report, if you'd like to dig into the gory details."
The Captain held his step and though his helmet didn't show it, he narrowed his gaze on the ring, recognizing it immediately. "Murderer! I challenge you, for my Emperor's honor and glory!"
"The honor and glory of a dead guy?" scoffed Jonas. "I've never understood that."
"Silence rat! This is between me and the Outlander! Do you accept?"
"I do," said Eliza and she reactivated her blades. "But if I win, you submit and recall your troops."
"Agreed, but you won't and if you lose, you will be publicly executed for your crimes against Zakuul."
Theron grabbed her elbow and pulled her back. "Are you sure about this?"
"None of these guys have ever been impressive." She glanced over her shoulder.
The Captain prepared himself, loosening his shoulders and removing his helmet to reveal a face adorned by cybernetics and mid-long, brown hair tied together in a ponytail. He had a strong physique and rage sparked in his brown eyes but he failed to bring Eliza any reason for concern.
"I doubt this guy will cause me to break a sweat."
