Book Three – Sands of Time

Respite

"What do you reckon they're doing in there?" Canderous asked Onasi and Zaalbar. After an awkward dinner the three of them had found solace in the Ebon Hawk's workshop. The pilot was maintaining his weapons, the Wookie stowing away some heavy supply boxes and the Mandalorian trying to get the swoop bike left by Davik Kang back to work. Grey and Shan had gone to the captain's quarters, presumably to talk over the mission, but it had been several hours.

Onasi glanced over his shoulder. "They're discussing our plan of action for tomorrow, what else?"

The Mandalorian shot him a wolfish grin. "Don't tell me you can't imagine other activities. I mean, they're taking their sweet, sweet time."

"We're on a mission to save the galaxy," the pilot shot back with a roll of his eyes. "I'm sure they'd rather focus on keeping our crew alive than on procrastination. I'm also quite sure they aren't even doing what your lecherous mind makes up. They're Jedi, remember?"

Canderous barked a loud laugh. "Sure mate, stay naïve! Abstinence, what a joke. Once the hormones start raging not even an adamant mind is enough to stop you. Your innocent ice queen was locked up with a gorgeous Valkyrie for six months, no way nothing happened."

"Come on Ordo, Bastila is better than that. Don't you have something better to do than to spread lame gossip like an old housewife?"

"Protective, aren't we? Or just jealous? They're both as pretty as they are queer."

"Bastila and I are friends," Onasi snapped. "We were never an issue, because I respect the fact she's a Jedi Knight and follows the Code."

"Yet now you know it wasn't the Code that stopped her from dating you, eh? It's your gender."

Onasi turned around and wanted to advance on him, but Zaalbar's strong hand on his shoulder stopped him. "What's going on between them is for them only," the massive Wookie growled at the Mandalorian. "Lady Bastila belongs to Xana. The Jedi Masters told them they're bonded, they can do whatever they want."

"What do you mean, Bastila belongs to Xana?" Onasi asked the Wookie. "Last time I checked Bastila was the master, and Xana the obedient apprentice."

"Xana is an alpha female. She might still tolerate Lady Bastila's command because she's not yet fully confident in her new role as Jedi, but should the need arise she'll let her dominance be known."

"Should the need arise?"

"Should Shan fuck things up with her inexperience," Canderous explained with a grin. "The bitch won't let the ice queen ruin the mission with her arrogance, but take control if necessary."

"Show some respect," Onasi growled, before turning to Zaalbar. "How do you know all this?"

"Wookies live in strongly hierarchic packs. If we don't recognize our alpha quickly we risk being beaten into submission."

"You heard the Wookie. Better bow down to Grey now to avoid her boot up your ass in the near future."

"The same goes for you, senseless asshole," Onasi growled, before slouching away.

"That's a funny way of saying Mandalorian," the gruff mercenary called after him. When he was gone Canderous turned to Zaalbar. "What's his problem? I was just trying to break the ice. Mindless sex talk usually works on men in his line of work."

The Wookie shook his head angrily. "His wife and son died on Telos."

Canderous' mouth opened in a silent 'Oh', immediately regretting his earlier jokes. In retrospect they were rather tasteless to a widower. When Zaalbar quietly left he crushed an unfortunate Gizka under his boot to vent his frustration. All this palpable tension was getting to him.

Mission was lying on her stomach in her bed, ticking away furiously on her datapad. She was stuck on a tunneling script meant to disarm the firewall of the latest v8.1 OS terminals. Every time she thought she had solved the riddle the firewall of her test system detected her intrusion and locked her out. It frustrated her to no end.

She became aware of Juhani entering the girl's dorm – as she had christened the starboard sleeping quarters – but paid her no mind, too enthralled with her riddle. If she solved it Xana would be extremely impressed and sing her praise! The feeling that she mattered and was appreciated was about the best thing that could happen to her.

"Are you going to clean up your mess?" Juhani suddenly asked a foot away from her, making her nearly jump the ceiling while letting out a little scream. When she looked to the right she came eye to eye with the Cathar, whose eyes were completely level with her own. It was kinda creepy that the tall alien could look straight into the top bunk. Mission took a peek over the edge of her bunk to see what the knight was pointing at, to find her footlocker buried underneath a pile of clothes and pieces of electronics.

"Meh, maybe later," she said noncommittally, before turning back to the screen of her datapad.

Juhani let out a disapproving growl. "Out of the bed," she ordered.

The small Twi'lek watched her in disbelieve. "I'll do it later," she rephrased, feeling irritated by the interruption. Why was the woman ordering her around?

"No, you'll do it now. I need the room for my training and your belongings are in the way." When Mission made no sign of leaving the bed she frowned and grabbed the girl's arm. "Out of the bed, now."

Mission paled from the intensity of her words. "Wow, calm down. You're not my mum." When she received an angry scowl she quickly clambered out of the bed, muttering, "Alright, alright." She stood before the Cathar, who towered a good two heads above her. "Why are you so freakishly tall anyway?" she asked lightly to clear up the mood. "That's super scary, you know?"

Juhani folded her arms. "Cathar's relatively low gravity coupled with an evolutionary sidestep. If that doesn't quench your curiosity you can look it up after you've cleaned up your footlocker."

"Woah, hold your Banthas, I'm doing it already." She quickly got on her knees and started stuffing her clothes into the container.

After cramming the third shirt into an empty nook she felt Juhani's hand on her shoulder. "If you aren't going to do it properly, don't do it at all."

Mission looked up at the Cathar uncertainly. From her spot on the floor the woman was absolutely humongous. "What'cha mean?"

"Empty your trunk, fold up your clothing neatly and place them back in an organized manner."

The thief pouted. "That's gonna take ages! Why are you doing this to me?"

"Order and discipline are essential on a spaceship. I'm doing you a favor by teaching you those, don't you agree?"

She didn't agree at all, but was too frightened to voice it. The current Juhani was much different than the one she befriended in the Enclave, much more tense. Then again, all of them were tense from being locked up together. She heaved a resigned sigh and started doing as she was told.

Juhani watched her a moment longer to make sure she was doing it properly. When she was satisfied she moved to the center of the room and started doing her workout routine. Mission watched the muscled woman go through a series of brutal exercises from the corner of her eye. She was clothed only in a sleeveless sweatshirt and sweatpants, both clinging to her body tightly. The Twi'lek couldn't help but feel awed at the pure physical prowess.

She looked down at her own measly arms and frowned. Unlike all other women in their company she was thin and lazy with an unhealthy appetite for snacks. Even Bastila had some basic muscular strength and a very good condition. Did Xana look down on her for that? Would her big example love her more if she started working out a bit too?

Before long she finished repacking her footlocker and glanced over at Juhani for approval. The feline was too engrossed in her training though, so she shrugged and clambered back into her bunk to get back on her code. She had to fish another cute Gizka out of the sheets to be able to lie down. Low grunts and pants continued coming from Juhani as she worked, and she found her eyes wander to the Jedi Knight. A sheen of sweat was making the woman's arms shine, only pronouncing the ridges of her firm muscles. The sight interested Mission, but when Juhani's yellow eyes landed on her she quickly looked back on her datapad, feeling caught.

About ten minutes later the Cathar was done and slumped down on the floor, resting her back against the bulkhead and breathing deeply. When her breathing returned to normal she buried her face in her hands and sat in silence. At first it didn't bother Mission, but when Juhani still hadn't moved a muscle five minutes later she got worried. She climbed out of the bed and carefully approached her. "Miss Juhani?" she asked tentatively. When she got no response she repeated, "Miss Juhani? Are you alright?"

The tall feline finally stirred and heaved an unstable breath. "Nothing you should be worried about."

Well that didn't answer anything. Mission crouched down and tried to look into the woman's eyes through the gaps of her fingers. "But you look so down! Are you hurting?"

Juhani dropped her arms to be able to meet Mission's gaze. Her face was angry, but when she saw Mission's genuine concern her features softened. "The first days are always the hardest. Being separated from your mate."

"Oh, you miss Miss Belaya. You're homesick." The feline scowled and looked the other way. Clearly there was more on her mind than her just missing Belaya, but she didn't or couldn't express it. "When I'm feeling down I usually go to Xana or Big-Z for a hug!" Mission replied brightly. She opened her arms and gave the kindest smile she could muster. "Want one?"

Juhani glanced her over cautiously, with a hint of curiosity and amusement tugging at her lips. "You're a good kid." The tall alien slowly got to her feet and stretched. "Your future mate should be grateful for having such a loving wife." With that she casually undressed in front of Mission, giving her the full frontal view, before stepping into the shower like nothing in the world was wrong with showing your naked body to an unsuspecting, pubescent girl.

The Twi'lek could only stare after her, the image of a very naked Juhani forever imprinted on her retinas. Why did the Cathar have to be so bloody comfortable in the nude? She was started by Xana's hand patting her shoulder. "Hey Mission, you caught a sunburn or something? You look bluer than normal."

"S-shaddap!" she squeaked nervously, before pelting off to hide herself in the darkest corner of the ship, kicking some Gizka out of the way in the process.

Such wonderful ideas you have Bastila, she thought sarcastically.

Sure, claiming the captain's quarters just behind the cockpit had its merits. A hydro shower for example, whereas the rest of the crew had to make due with a sonic one. There was something incredibly satisfying about hot water caressing your body after a long day of work, although it could be called excessive luxury when considering the limited water supply of the spacecraft. The large double bed and extra privacy were that too, but Bastila didn't mind at all.

When she had taken this room only Xana had voiced her opinion, and only for the sake of being obstinate. As commander of this mission Bastila had all right to stay here. Yet as she was lying in bed to try and catch some shuteye she became horribly aware of the glaring flaw in her decision: a distinctive lack of her bondmate's close proximity. Ever since their first – incredibly beautiful – kiss their Force Bond had pulled them even closer together. When together their presences seemed to touch, filling her with a most assuring feeling.

Yet she had coldly sent Xana to the girl's dormitory, afraid of what might happen if they were to share a bed. The handsome padawan's intentions were as clear as Manaan's oceans and Bastila wasn't ready for that, shouldn't even want to be ready for it, considering she was a responsible Jedi Knight. That didn't stop her from wanting it, badly, and she feared her traitorous body would give in.

The two had spent the evening together in Bastila's private quarters, discussing their next course of action. After a long conversation with her apprentice about strategies, teambuilding and commitment training she felt like they had hardly even touched the surface. There was an incredible amount of knowledge in Xana's mind and she cursed herself for not learning from her sooner. She felt horribly inadequate.

She rolled over, constantly tormented by thoughts of looming disaster. If only her bondmate were here to ease her mind…

A knock on the door startled her, but when she heard Xana's silent call from the other side a smile crept on her lips. When she opened it she found her apprentice clad in her pajamas on the other side. She looked agitated. "Okay Bastila, I've had enough of this. I can't close an eye with your white noise polluting the Bond. I'm sleeping here tonight."

Silver eyes grew in panic. "I'm not ready for…"

A soft finger was placed on her lips, effectively silencing her. "And I'm not asking that of you," the tanned woman said firmly. "But the Bond is demanding us to be together. It's bloody stupid to watch the ceiling in separate rooms while we could also be sleeping soundly together." Bastila wanted to press her case, tell her apprentice to leave the room, but Xana shook her head. "No Bastila, no more objections. Your fear for us being close is being detrimental to our mission, and I'm not allowing it."

She hated how intimidating the raven haired woman was right now, the fiery green eyes had lost nothing of Lord Revan's intensity. In shame she had averted her eyes and submitted, giving the apprentice a small victory. "Fine," she answered as proudly as she could. "You can stay here for the night."

"Good." The two of them clambered in the bed.

Bastila lay on her side, back turned to Xana, feeling rather nervous and silly. She wasn't a little girl, but the raging butterflies and insecurities told a completely different story. But when Xana wrapped her arms around her, enclosed her with her soft, warm skin and familiar scent, all negative thoughts slipped away. Thanks to the Force Bond she wasn't just being hugged physically, their very essences touched. Her soul was a tiny bubble in a stormy sea, but it was enveloped and sheltered by a much larger one: Xana's.

It was a bit humbling to the proud Knight that Xana's soul felt so much larger and stronger, but it served as a firm reminder that this was the woman who had ended the Mandalorian threat before uniting the exiled Jedi under the banner of the Sith. All that seemingly limitless power still lingered within her, although it had to be polished back in shape. She shuddered to think of what Xana would become once it did.

Being so completely overwhelmed by Dark Lord Revan should scare her, but she felt completely the opposite. The Bond spoke volumes of Xana's need for intimacy and a desire to protect those closest to her. The Council Masters' claims that this woman was evil was completely ungrounded. Distant and cold perhaps, but not to those she trusted completely. She finally realized she herself had been initiated into that group as well. It was only now that that truth finally dawned to her, as Xana's massive presence surrounded her like a fortress.

Xana's hands massaged her stomach and midriff – Bastila was surprised that such strong digits could be so gentle – and she pulled her even closer until her face was buried in Bastila's brown curls. Soft breaths tickled her neck. Their bodies were truly as one now, locking together in a perfect fit. "I can hear your thinking right here," Xana muttered.

"Can you blame me? If my old masters could see me now they'd say I was on the highway to darkness."

Hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, until they lay face to face. Arms wrapped inside the hollow of her back and pulled her close, pressing their stomachs and breasts together and separating their faces by just an inch. "Of course, cuddling is such an evil activity! And we all know these cute little Gizka are Sith spawn, sent to the galaxy to corrupt our hearts with the sheer power of cuddliness."

Bastila chuckled, feeling silly now for believing the masters. The tanned woman was right, of course, but she had been so confident in her masters' judgment when she was young and naive. Sharing love wasn't wrong, Juhani and Belaya were living examples of that.

Xana placed a gentle kiss on Bastila's lips, sending shivers through her face. She felt a hand trail down over her hip towards her thigh and she felt a surge of panic. She wasn't ready for this. Xana must've sensed her discomfort, because the exploring hand immediately snapped away and cupped her cheek. "Hey, relax. I promised to let you decide the pace. Trust me."

"I-I'm sorry." She dipped her face. "My hesitance must be frustrating. But it's not because I'm not interested, not at all."

"Bas, I already know that if it weren't for the Jedi indoctrination you would've utterly ravished me on first sight. 'Interested' doesn't even begin to cover how much you want me."

The cocky comment earned her a playful swat to her head and they both laughed freely. Bastila shook her head and said, "Your inflated ego is…"

"…totally earned," the apprentice interrupted with a grin. "I'm almost as hot as you. Almost! Nothing beats you in the heat department."

A blush appeared on Bastila's cheeks, she wasn't used to such direct compliments. She had never considered herself to be beautiful, the thought simply never dawned to her. She was a warrior of the light side, nothing more. That didn't mean she didn't like it, quite the contrary. Her hands wandered to the base of Xana's breasts. "Hmm, I don't know. I'm not as well-endowed as you."

Xana snorted. "Since when is breast size in any way related to beauty?" A hand clasped her ass, making Bastila cry out in surprise. "A tight butt however…" She gave a naughty wink.

"I can't remember giving permission to touch that part of my body," the knight said sternly, but she was unable to suppress a little grin. Slowly she became more relaxed about Xana touching her more intimately. It felt good, actually.

A pout appeared on the apprentice's face as she removed her hand. "Sorry mistress. Let me know when that body part is released for touching, it's one of my favorite. Right after those shapely thighs and that gorgeous little face of yours."

Bastila felt her face turn into a buoy, and she could only stammer like a juvenile girl. "I-I'll let y-you know." Her voice had gotten low and husky, not quite how she had wanted to sound.

It only fueled Xana's predatory grin, making the knight shrink back feeling like prey caught by a hunter's gaze. "My innocent, little Bastila," she whispered hoarsely. "You are so mine." Their lips met in another tender kiss, this time complete with tongues exploring each other. The sensation was almost overwhelming, partly because the Bond pressed their souls together once more. Xana's soul possessively took hold of Bastila's and she was unable to resist. Didn't want to resist.

They just lay there for a while, enjoying the taste and texture of each other's mouths. When their lips finally parted Bastila took a deep breath to center herself. No matter how good this felt, she had to keep their mission in mind. "This is nice," she began.

"Definitely!" came the greedy reply.

"But you invited yourself in my bed to cure our insomnia, remember?"

"Oh right, you had me so captivated I almost forgot." The playful wink sent another bout of butterflies assaulting her belly, Xana was such a handsome woman. The apprentice yawned, before pulling Bastila's face into her neck and wrapping her arms protectively around the brunette. The gesture was almost careful, like she was handling something frail. "Let's sleep then, Bas. We got another busy day ahead of us."

Bastila felt herself obey without question, and within seconds she fell asleep in Xana's sweet embrace. The last thing she was aware of was Xana chuckling fondly and gently petting the top of her head.

When Xana told Mission why she had disappeared the previous night, the little Twi'lek stared at her in disbelief. "You are like super weird, you know big sis?"

"Why am I weird this time?" the padawan asked defensively.

"One moment you're the badass marine who's so heartless even I'm not sure what side you're on, the next you're all lovey-dovey and the perfect gentlewoman." Mission watched her with a mixture of awe and exasperation. "Do you have a multiple personality disorder or something?"

"Mission…" For a moment the strong woman faltered. "In prison… I learned the hard way acting weak is just an open invitation for people to exploit you. If we don't act like a cool bitch sometimes we won't end this blasted war for decades to come. But I can't be that cold bitch forever, I need some lovin' too, right? And Bastila? She's just so bloody cute when she gets all flustered when I treat her like the beauty she is. I can't help myself, she just melts my heart." She briefly stroked the thief's lek. "Just like you do, my friend."

The girl grinned widely. "So in reality you're a big pussy, you just put on a mask when you step outside the ship!"

Xana returned the grin, but briefly squeezed the lek in her hand, making the girl yelp. "Not so rude, missy. I'm still the senior here."

Mission stuck out her tongue and ran away giggling. Xana shook her head with a happy smile, before walking after the girl into the central area of the ship to instruct the crew about this day's work.