Chapter 11

Dro'godda Base, Star System MRE19961610

Cassie didn't like it one bit. She felt like she herself was a captive. They had first made it back to Ord Mantell only to find out that they were to bring the captives to the home base of Dro'godda. That should have and did make her and Doran very happy, that was until they had gotten there. They were received by an organizational lieutenant who instructed them that since they seemed to get along so well with the Chiss, it had become their job to baby sit them. Cassie and Doran eventually became Cleven and Florin's personal guards. But if they hadn't been Jedi they wouldn't have realized that there was a second set of Defel guards, numbering at least four, who were watching them. They had become as much prisoners as their prisoners.

She tuned back into what Doran was saying as he paced across their room which was next to the cells that the Fels were in, "…don't get it. We're good smugglers, what do they want from us? I've babysat those two better-than-thou Chiss long 'nuff. Besides, that half breed just gives me the creeps," he finished forcing a shiver.

"I don't know, Uncle," she followed his movement across the room, her chin rested comfortably on the heel of her hand and she was bored to pieces again. It seemed this entire mission wasn't at all as exciting as she thought it would be. "Maybe they wanna know our politics. You know, before they can trust us."

Doran stopped mid step and turned to smile, a genuine smile, at his niece, "Cass, by the Emperor's black bones, I think you have it."

She rolled her eyes, "Uncle, that explicit is as out dated as the Emperor is. I'll have to find out the next time I see one of the other guards."

He ignored her and sat quickly sat down. He knew as well as she did that every action, every word was being monitored. They played along, communicating as they were now using phrasing that would not be out of character or through their battle meld. Once settled Doran went on to say, more for the listening devices than for Cassie, "You know, I wonder if Dro'godda does have it in for the GFFA?"

Cassie raised an eyebrow, she knew her uncle was playing naive but it seemed so ridiculous, she suddenly wished Bail could see his Master playing stupid. He would get a big laugh at this act. And at the thought of him her heart skipped a beat. No, don't think of him now, she scolded herself. She sighed and played along, "Well…they have been attacking GFFA military ships and they did abduct two Chiss officers, one of whom is the son of their Supreme Commander and cousin to the Chief-of-State, on a GA planet. The Chiss could have easily considered this an act of war."

Doran grinned, his blue eyes twinkled, he really did enjoy this way too much, she thought, and he said triumphantly, "Of course, the Boss wants a war. Should be one, they're good for business. Besides, I don't particularly like that high and mighty Antilles-Barrett. She is too wishy-washy, if you ask me. Any real president wouldn't have given the Fifth Fleet to the Chiss. What the hell was that about, anyway?..." Doran let his voice rise in disdain as he stood and began pacing again. Cassie watched him for a moment wondering if she would ever be as good an actor as her uncle. Not liking politics and knowing Doran's tirade was completely the opposite from what he really felt, she let her mind wonder back to thinking about Bail.

A day later they were sent on a smuggling run to Kuat. There they were to pick up a very illegal and very large procurement of the electronic devices that were installed in starfighters to allow them to cloak. Dro'godda already had several squads equipped with the technology, but Doran surmised it only made sense that the pirates wanted more. They wanted a war. Now, if they could only find out why. Cassie hoped that the Fels were able to gain success at their end.

X

Cleven wondered if Tainer and Florin knew what they were doing. He hoped so. They had worked out the details of their plan before arriving at the base. But several things were working against them: First was the Jedi had been assigned as their guards—no good, since they didn't know any more than the Fels. Second, he and Florin were separated. He knew that she was in the room next to his but if Tainer hadn't told him, he wouldn't have known where she was. He knew that it was just more of the same game the pirates played with them on Tatooine. However, instead of being in an unfurnished, intolerable prison cell, they were in what would be considered comfortable accommodations; except, that they had no idea if the other was even still alive—more psychological torture to break them down.

But why? Could their captors hope to weaken them to the point that they would give them information? Since Dro'godda's plan for the Fel's abduction to be seen by the Chiss as an act of war against them by what was considered an organization within the GA didn't happen; if anything, it only served to bring the Chiss more into the GA. If he could believe the reports from the Jedi that said his father was placed in command of the Fifth Fleet.

Cleven was wondering this when the locked door opened. He swung his legs off his bed to sit up and looked at the female Falleen guard, which was clad in a revealing jump suit of black satin, as she entered the room. Cleven regarded the humanoid and smiled slightly. She sat down his tray which had his evening meal upon it on the small table and turned to look him over. Falleen were known galaxy wide for their sexual exoticness and this one definitely knew how to play the game. Cleven instantly felt the lustful pull from the pheromones she was exuding. So, he thought, more torture but of a different sort.

She stepped closer and placed her hands on her shapely hips, her skin color a seductive red. She purred, "I'm your new guard. I thought maybe we should get to know each other a little better. My name is Isalil."

"Where's the smuggler and his niece?" Cleven really was having problems concentrating as he forced himself to think of Florin and to remember that his sudden desire for her was nothing more than a biological response to the chemicals she released. This was only a trick to get him to want to talk, he kept repeating in his mind, and that he was being seduced by a cold-blooded reptile who probably just as easily would kill him as do what she was implying.

"Emm…" she stepped back towards the door and looked over her shoulder, "They were sent on a mission." She gave him her most seductive smile, which Cleven didn't find at all attractive, but with the combination of Falleen pheromones he almost found it irresistible. She added sweetly, "I'll be taking care of your every need. So, just let me know if you need anything in the same way as you would have the Dorans." And with that she exited the door, locking it behind her.

Cleven sat there still reeling from the chemical power that she had over the opposite sex of any species long after she left. He then shook his head and glanced at the food on the tray. But, as his mind cleared slightly he smiled, it was time to put their plan into action, and just maybe the Falleen guard was the thing he needed. Of course, he had to be able to resist her power over his hormones as much as he needed to pretend to want to give in. That, he knew was going to be the hard part. He just hoped it wasn't too hard. Taking one more glance at the food he grimaced, stood and headed for the 'fresher. He needed a cold shower before he did anything. Ktah, I miss my wife.

X

Naboo

Nothing. They had spent the past week on Naboo and there had been no attempts on the queen's life. Unless, one counts two drunken Gungans who wondered too close to the parade as the queen and the upper government officials of Naboo passed by during the Unity Parade, both of them spouting something about a Jar Jar Binks and how he had been wronged. She didn't even know who that was. But if she believed them, he was some famous politician during the time of the waning days of the Old Republic. But if there were plots against the queen, she and Valin were not able to flesh them out and that irritated her. Instead, they found a trail that lead them to Naboo Technologies, the yacht building firm that Valin was pretending to be interested in.

Anakah sat beside Valin, her datapad open and she busily pulled up false informational reports on Starlinger Enterprises as Valin gave his sales pitch to the company representative of Naboo's yacht building firm.

Finally, the heavyset man, who flashed yet another fleshy grin at Anakah, said, "Mr. Starlinger, I like what you are proposing. It actually fits in with what my superiors envision for Naboo Technologies. However, we do not just want to build luxury yachts."

"Oh?" Valin leaned forward a bit. Anakah had to admit he was very good at playing the suave businessman. "What else, if I may inquire, are you and your employers interested in? I," he gave him a smile that said that he wasn't above the law, "also, have what you could call—side businesses."

Farker smiled and chuckled, "That's what my informants told me about you."

Valin only continued to smile and raised an eyebrow. For, they both knew what information Farker had, information that showed that some of Valin's business partnerships were less than legal.

After another glance at Anakah, Farker leaned in as far as his massive girth would let him and said in quiet tones, "My superiors are building starfighters and would like to possibly develop weapon systems to go with them. He has put forth a great deal of credits into their production."

Anakah felt Valin's surprise through the Force. But it was not evident as he nodded and grinned; however, he couldn't keep all of the distaste out of his voice as he said, "So, the decrease in yacht production and the seemingly defunct operations is all a show to keep GA hounds out of your books as you secretly convert to making all starfighters?"

Farker who suddenly seemed uncomfortable with Valin's easy assessment or maybe probable displeased tone, but fortunately he assumed it was because of Valin's interest in the luxury yachts instead of what Anakah knew the real reason was, said, "We won't completely shut down the yacht business. We still need a cover, of course. However, we need the production room for the starfighters." After seeing Valin responded with a nod and a smile in what he thought was genuine approval of the plan, he went on, "If we could join with your tibanna gas operations, I believe my superior would be quite pleased and you would enjoy in quite a profit."

Valin pretended to think about it and then said joyfully, triumphantly, as he stood and held out his hand singling the end to the meeting, "Mr. Farker, I think we could have a tentative deal. Have the information sent to Miss Bolie's datapad and I will have a look."

"Certainly, Mr. Starlinger." He smiled and shook Valin's hand. Then he turned to Anakah giving her another lustful, beefy smile as he bowed his head, "Miss Bolie, it has been a pleasure to have your beauty grace my presence."

She swallowed her disgust and gave him the most seductive smile she could muster, "Thank you, Mr. Farker. I will be waiting for those documents."

X

Six hours later found Anakah sitting at the small table in the sitting room of their suite, her hands expertly working over the keyboard of her datapad that was wirelessly connected to an encrypted HoloNet uplink to the Jedi Operations Center on Coruscant. She had been working with the information that Farker had forwarded to her.

Valin entered the sitting room and removed his jacket and his hated tie. He had been meeting with the queen to get a feel for her involvement if any in the duplicity of NT's operations. She looked up and smiled at him as he unbuttoned the top several buttons of his white silken shirt and rolled up the sleeves. She tried not to look at the considerable amount of chest he had bared as he pulled the other chair over beside her and sat down. She brought her eyes back to meet his and said, "So, any thing from the queen?"

He sighed and said, "No. I don't think she knows about any of Naboo Technologies side ventures. She honestly is concerned about the decreasing yacht business and what that would do to Naboo's economy." Before she could answer he leaned into see what she was working on. He read the screen, "They have quite the operation here. Converting to starfighter production and selling to the highest bidders, all the while still turning out enough yachts to act as a cover."

She leaned back into her chair and thought for a moment. She was finding it increasingly harder to focus with him so close. She could smell his cologne, a musky spicy scent that filled her senses. She looked over at him and couldn't help the track her eyes took and peered at his bared chest. She swallowed and said, "But that doesn't make sense. I did a cross check with NT's banking accounts, they only have one buyer and one owner."

Valin stared at her and incredulously asked, "How do you know that for certain?"

She looked at him and snickered, "I simply sliced my way into their banking records."

He looked back at the computer and said, "Oh."

She laughed, "I'm not as good as some but I have done my fair share of slicing."

He smiled a smile that nearly melted Anakah. She honestly could never remember feeling as attracted to a man as she was to Valin Horn. He, noticing the look in her eyes, swallowed and turned to the computer asking, "Do you know who they are?"

She shook her head. "The trail for the owner is a dead end. He must be using an assumed name, Passer Barlay. There is no real record of him anywhere outside of NT and Naboo. Which makes no sense. I've checked the central data banks back on Coruscant and found nothing. Also, it seems that there is only one buyer for the starfighters, which are mostly Eta-5's and Eta-6's, by the way." Valin only nodded and continued to listen, his curiosity more than just a little piqued as he draped his arm over her chair and leaned in. She fought the sensations that his closeness was causing and went on, "I was able to trace the payment history information and it led me to a Corellian financier. From there the trail led me to a name—Lina Doglan." She smiled at Valin's genuine astonishment; she finished by adding, "She seems to be a collector and dealer of ancient artifacts and antique machines of war. She is even reported to be one of the few that have in her collection several artifacts from the Sith Wars. And she is quite wealthy."

"Emmm—" Valin rubbed his jaw which was beginning to darken with new beard growth, then he said, "But what would an antiques dealer want with new starfighters? That actually has me more concerned than if NT's owner is using an assumed name. Have you been able to find out any more about her?"

"Not much," she sighed and leaned back against Valin's arm and her chair. He went to pull away but she looked at him and he stopped. He was so close to her and as she gazed into his grey eyes she felt herself drown in them. She swallowed her sudden spike of desire and said, "She lives on Corellia most of the time when she isn't out scouring the galaxy for finds, but she is Naboo by birth. And she has a twelve year old daughter who travels with her."

Valin seemed to be thinking as he gazed at her and then he said but Anakah couldn't help but here the slight tremor in his rich voice, "I wonder if she has anyone here that may be able to give us more information?"

Anakah was finding it increasingly harder to concentrate as she looked back at her datapad. She touched a few commands and another page appeared. She shook her head, "I doubt it. Apparently, she ran away from home when she was ten years old. A year later her entire family was killed when their speeder exploded while returning from a holiday."

Valin picking up from where she stopped reading and continued, "And of course, it was determined to be an accident and nothing more came of it."

"Something like that." She turned and met his eyes. They were too close but neither of them wanted to move. The heat between them was rising and Anakah wondered just how close Valin was to giving into the struggle she could see happening in those silver eyes. Finally, she said, her voice just above a whisper, "I think I've done enough snooping for one day." Then she turned back to the computer, hit the save key and then severed all connections to outside sources.

Then suddenly she tensed as she felt Valin's hot breath on her neck and an instant later he whispered into her ear causing a shudder to run through her, "Anakah, what are you doing to me? I can't fight it any longer."

Anakah turned to face him. Their lips nearly touched as she locked gazes with him and whispered, "Then don't."

X

Valin stared into the deep blue pools that were her eyes and he knew he couldn't deny the desire any longer. He had spent too many sleepless nights wondering what touching her porcelain skin would be like, kissing those wine red lips. He was so close to her lips and he could feel her hot sweet breath on his. Her words found their way into his suddenly fogged head and he finally let all restraint go.

He pulled her into his arms at the same time his lips came crashing onto hers. He devoured them and as she surrendered, meeting his passion with passion of her own the kiss became explosive. She moaned as she broke the kiss long enough to catch air and then rejoined. He felt her hands on his chest working at the buttons of his shirt and within moments she was pushing the shirt off his shoulders. Her hands slid over his muscular chest and Valin gasped when she stopped to flick her thumb nails over his suddenly erect nipples. All the while, their lips were locked in a kiss as blinding as the first.

He too found her blouse restrictive and moved his hands from around her and began to undo the clasps. Valin paused suddenly as he began to push the delicate pale yellow shimmersilk garment off her shoulders. For a briefest of moments he realized what he was about to do. She was twenty-six years his junior, only four months older than his son. She was the daughter of two of his closest friends and he had even held her as an infant. In that brief moment he nearly pulled away, disgusted at his weakness. But as his eyes met hers he realized something that shocked him to the core. He suddenly didn't care about their age difference or that her father would probably want to kill him when he found out about them. He didn't care what his own children or his parents would say about this. He didn't even feel betrayal to Tahiri for what he wanted to do to this woman, who ironically enough was named for the man who had first held Tahiri's heart. None of that mattered to Valin Horn.

Because all that mattered was the fact that he had fallen in love with Anakah Durron.

He pulled her to her feet, kissing her again and as she finished removing the blouse, dropping it forgotten to the floor, he rained kisses back to her ear. He nibbled on the soft flesh and then rasped, "Anakah—Force help me, I want you." She shuddered again and brought her arms around his neck, weaving her fingers into his hair.

She then whispered into his ear her voice low, husky and her breath hot, "Then take me."

He groaned and kissed her again as he picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her down on the plush bedding and just stared at her perfect body. She was still clad in black flared pants and a yellow lace bra that hid very little. He climbed up to lay over her and he whispered before he ravished her mouth yet again, not able to get his fill of the honey sweet flavor of her, "I'll burn in the Corellian Hells for what I want to do to you." And with that said he devoured her lips like a starving man who had been set before a banquet.

His mouth moved from hers down her neck to the edge of the bra, there he nibbled on the top of the delicate mounds while his hands expertly worked at the clasp at the center. In mere seconds the garment opened and he flung it to the side. Groaning as he looked upon her perfectly shaped full breasts, he leaned over and lavished her bared skin with fiery kisses. Anakah moaned and dug her fingers into his dark brown locks, wanting more of what he was giving her. Finally, he kissed, nipped and licked his way to the waistband of her pants. Valin let out a growl at the barrier and shifted enough to remove them.

However, before he was able to remove the yellow lace panties, Anakah, not content to just lie there, sat up and reached for the fasteners of his trousers. She smiled wickedly and pushed them off his narrow hips, revealing his stiffened manhood to her. She moved her eyes back up his body and Valin suddenly felt subconscious, but that was quickly replaced when he locked gazes with her.

"Gods, Valin," she huskily said as she ran her hands down over the dark curling hair that dusted his muscular chest and abdomen, tracing a few of the scars he had earned over his years as a Jedi, "you are so beautiful."

Then she stroked the long shaft that jutted out of a mass of dark hair in a way that caused him to hiss and throw back his head, "Anakah—" It was nearly too much for him especially once she began her own assault with her mouth and teeth on the flesh of his chest. She nibbled at the points of his nipples as she continued to stroke him and caress his fullness. He pushed her back onto the bed and she laughed when he grinned and shook his head, "None of that—yet. Remember, I am an old man who hasn't even seen a woman in over a year, much less had sex. If you don't want this to end in a very embarrassing way I suggest you stop that."

She laughed and slipped her hands back between them and began to caress him again and he growled as he caught the evil appendages and pulled them above her head. "Is that anyway to treat a Master who has just given you an order?"

"Oh, you are giving me orders, now?" her seductive laugh continued as he crushed her lips with a lustful kiss. He broke the kiss and moved enough to look at her, her arms were still held his grasp above her head, her chest heaved with the desire she felt and the lacy panties hid the last visage she could offer. He flashed a wicked grin at her and with his free hand he removed the last remaining barrier. He feasted his eyes upon her and groaned, totally mesmerized by her.

He then raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Bald. I like that." But he ached to have her and he couldn't hold out any longer. He shifted to lay over her. "I will definitely need to check that out later." He kissed her again and then whispered in her ear, "But right now I need to bury my cock in you. I don't think I've ever wanted a woman as much as you."

She wrapped her long legs around his waist as she whispered, "And I've never wanted a man as much as I want you, Valin Horn." He stared at her, but he could tell she was sincere; there was something in her lust-darkened blue eyes that spoke the truth to him. She moved brushing against him and he hissed as he closed his eyes and swallowed. She went on to say breathlessly, "Now, take me."

He opened his eyes and met hers and whispered, "That's an order I think I'll obey." Then he joined with her, inciting moans from them both. Valin let go of her hands then and she wrapped them around his neck, pulling him in for a heart stopping kiss.

Their passion detonated sending them racing to the stars clinging to each other gasping and calling out to each other as they exploded when they couldn't go any higher. Then they came crashing down with Valin falling onto her, his breathing ragged and his heart racing. He wondered if he had ever felt anything as incredible. He moved and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and as her long, wavy, black hair spilled over his chest and the arm that held her, he found himself already burning to have her again. She was like an addicting drug of which he couldn't get enough.

Their respite was short lived and before long they were climbing to the stars again.

X

Anakah was the first to awaken as the bright sun shown through the large window of Valin's room. She was still wrapped in his arms and laying on his chest. She could hear his gentle breathing and the steady beat of his heart. She turned her face upward to look at him and was amazed at how wonderful it felt to be so content. Of all her lovers that she had over the years, she had never experienced the fulfillment she felt in Valin's arms. He was a fierce, passionate lover, but yet he was considerate, making sure she found her pleasure.

She watched as the morning light played over his stubbled face. His dark brown hair falling over his forehead making him look roguish. She nearly laughed. Maybe she was her mother's daughter after all. But it was more than Valin's rugged good looks, his sense of humor or his old fashioned gallantry that attracted Anakah to him. There was just something about him that seemed to call out to her. At first she thought it was his sadness, his grief. But over the past few weeks he seemed to move past that. She suddenly wondered what had happened to cause the change in him. Could it have been her? His desire for her?

She stumbled over that thought and rejected it. Valin was not the type to be swayed easily. He had loved Tahiri. They had a bond within the Force that was nearly as strong as the one her parents shared. No, his desire wouldn't have caused him to move on as he had. Something else affected him.

Then she thought about herself, what exactly did she feel? She was shocked by her answer. She knew that she had never felt this connected to anyone before. She knew she had never felt this contented before. She knew she had never felt the need for someone like this before. Not just a need for sexual pleasure, she realized, but the need to just be with someone as much as she needed Valin.

Then as Valin opened his beautiful silver eyes to meet hers she realized what it was. She had fallen in love with him.

She met his almost shy smile with one of her own as he said softly, "Wow. Last night was incredible."

She shifted so that she would be positioned over him more, allowing her to look down into his eyes. "Yeah, it was." Then she leaned over him and captured his lips in a passionate kiss while his arms encircled her holding her lithe body tightly against his.

When the need for air finally broke them apart, Valin hoarsely said, "I'm not sure I will ever be able to let you go, Anakah."

"Then why do it?" she huskily countered.

Valin laughed and said softly, "Two words: Kyp Durron."

She added her gentle laugh to his, "You worry too much. I'd be more concerned about Corran Horn."

They both laughed and then became serious as they lost themselves in the other's eyes. Valin spoke first, his voice full of emotion as he reached up and gently stroked her cheek, "Anakah, you are my savior. I was wallowing in a sea of self pity and grief that I never thought I'd ever be able to escape. I drank myself to sleep every night, trying to find a way to dull the ache left in my chest when Tahiri died. I haven't had a drink since we began this venture. I am able to smile again, I feel again and it is all because of you. Anakah, I won't lie to you. A part of my heart will always belong to Tahiri, but you—you salvaged it and now you possess the larger part." Anakah gasped at what he was saying and then held her breath as he smiled and traced her lips. "Anakah, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I fell in love with you. Force knows what we will do from here. But I know I can't imagine my life without you somewhere in it."

Anakah felt the sting of tears. She couldn't believe she wanted to cry. But the tears were happy ones, she had shed many sad ones wondering if she would ever hear those words honestly spoken to her, and now that they were said she couldn't imagine anything sweeter. She leaned over and placed a tender kiss on his lips then as she looked deeply into his eyes she said in a husky whisper, "Valin, I don't know what you have done to me but I have never felt this way about anyone. I haven't lived the most straightforward life and I've done many things that I'm ashamed of but I want you to know that I—" She paused and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. Then she softly said as she stroked the silver hair at his temple, "I love you too, Valin."

He pulled her to him and she straddled his waist. He kissed her with renewed passion and as she found him respond to her and to their love she broke the kiss and whispered, "Make love to me, Valin."

He grinned and said, "It would be my pleasure." Then he flipped her over onto her back and as he positioned himself over her he couldn't help but snicker, "Sith, you are going to kill me though, girl."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, "See. There you go again calling me a Sith." But before he could respond she pulled him to her and kissed him with an explosive passion that left them breathless and wanting more.

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