Bedtime Story

The Wampa's Gut was a large cargo freighter about three times the size of the Nostalgia for Infinity and definitely less reputable, but it had gotten Skavak off of Coruscant and away from the crime syndicates, whom he was still trying to get out of trouble with, thanks to Alico. He wasn't in any position of authority on the vessel, but he had plenty of room to maneuver and organize his plans. It was also where he managed to hire the thugs to open the vault on Taris for him.

Risha could try to cut him out of the deal but their arrangement had been mutual. He knew every detail of the plan. If Alico thought she could outmaneuver him just because she had all of his stuff, she would be sorely disappointed. And if Rocksur and his goons had been worth their weight in credits, they would've killed her like they were supposed to. Instead, he had to watch her walk away with the first prize.

But he knew the plan. He knew what her stops would be. There would be plenty of time to steal his treasures back. And next time, he would hire true professionals to vape the Captain, not two-credit thugs aboard a shady freighter.

Skavak tossed and turned on his bunk in the tiny closet that counted as a bedroom on that smelly ship. He couldn't sleep. He was too angry and there wasn't even a half-decent-looking woman aboard the rust-bucket to work his frustrations out with. And he had plenty of pent-up frustration. Alico's little stunt about the Rot had prevented him from getting any last minute exercise on Coruscant. Just another thing he owed her for. She had stolen his ship, was after his boon, gotten him in trouble with the crime syndicates, and temporarily stalled his getting laid outside of the Red Light District—and Skavak was not one for whores; he didn't pay for what he could con, and he had never paid for a woman in his entire life.

He sat up and put his back to the wall, too frustrated to sleep. He thought about masturbating—something he hadn't done since he was a teenager—but he couldn't stop thinking about that schutta and how she kept screwing shit up for him. Skavak jerked up his compad and did a little digging until he found her holofrequency. He stared at the code and conjured up his cool calm. It wouldn't do to let her see just how much she had riled him up. He would never give her the satisfaction. Then he dialed her.

When her face appeared, he grinned. "Heya, Captain."

"Twice in one day?" she mused. "I think you have a crush on me, Skavak."

"You wish, sweetheart." He was about to make a crack about her appearance and how he wasn't interested in children but he noticed what she was wearing and all thoughts about her body being adolescent flew out the window. She was wearing a tiny yellow nightgown that barely covered her chest and hugged her curves with silken clinginess. It was incredibly sexy, stirring up all of his desire for her he thought he had gotten rid of and doubled his current sexual frustration. "What are you wearing?" he asked, hearing the want in his voice. "You put that thing on just for me?"

"Opening the Vault was a full day," she told him. "I need my beauty sleep."

"I hear you, Captain, only I'm wide awake and lonely after that nasty rumor you spread about me. I'm holding you responsible for my condition." He stroked his chin and let his eyes roam her body. "That nightgown is a good start."

"Aw, did you want a bedtime story, Skavak?"

Now he did. "Only if you promise a happy ending," he said huskily, meeting her gaze. She smiled coyly.

"Once upon a time, there was a dirty, rotten, ship-stealing pirate named Skavak who crossed the wrong smuggler, a beautiful starship captain named Alico. She showed him up at every turn and took her ship back. If he ever stops being a coward and faces her like a man, she'll kick his balls in."

"Mmm," he moaned. "I love it when you talk dirty, Captain."

"Then you'll love how the story ends," she assured him in a sultry tone. "Would you like to help me finish it, Skavak?"

"Love to, Captain. You see, the story ends when this dashing pirate turns the beautiful, schutta starship captain into his groveling pleasure slave before he kills her and takes his ship and his fortune and flies away."

"You have such an imagination, Skavak," she said with feigned amazement. "That's why you're so charming. My stories are always grounded in reality but you—your mind is in the stars. It's amazing, really."

Her insults cut so lightly that he didn't even feel them. She was dressed in a scandalous yellow nightgown and flirting with him, even though there was venom behind every word, and he couldn't even be angry with her.

"That nightgown is amazing. Great material for what's next." He allowed himself one more look. "This was fun, Captain. We'll have to do it again sometime before I kill you."

"Hey, I'm not the one skippin' out on our dates, Skavak." Alico changed positions, drawing her knees up and resting her arms over them. The nightgown slid up her thighs and would've given him a full view of her cunt had she not been holding a blaster that blocked his view. "I'm ready for you," she whispered. "Any time, any place."

"Nice, sweetheart," he said, exhaling a hot breath through his nostrils. "I'll put that one in my personal collection. Sweet dreams, Captain."

He hung up the call but scrolled back through the log ten seconds until the image of her with her legs spread was frozen in front of him. Then, he undid his pants, took hold of his erection, and let the words, I'm ready for you, any time, any place, repeat over and over in his head.