"Grand Master." Badesh drew very near to Theron and could almost feel his body heat.
"I take it that Theron is your prisoner, Sith?"
It was disappointing that he couldn't feel any emotions from Satele. She truly was a Jedi. Badesh briefly considered to threaten Theron, but he felt that even that wouldn't provoke her enough to anger her.
"On the contrary… Theron came to me on his own accord. He asked for my help."
"A typical Sith lie," replied Satele and clasped her hands behind her back.
Badesh mirrored her gesture and sneered: "Ask him yourself, if you don't believe me."
He felt Theron's bitter anxiety and was surprised to discover that he didn't enjoy it as much as he had anticipated.
"I did ask for his help, but I…" Theron began sheepishly, but his mother interrupted him.
"It doesn't matter. Release my agent, Sith. I regret the path he has taken, but you can't blackmail me. There are greater things at stake than my personal feelings."
"How rude, you didn't even ask my name. Aren't you interested to learn who has our son his custody?" Badesh grew irritated by Sateles neutral attitude and casually put his hand around Theron's neck.
"It's irrelevant. I have seen enough Sith to determine that you are exchangeable, you trust on your brute strength and the mindless obedience of your subordinates. By asking your name I would only imply that there is a personal level to our conversation and give you a sense of self-importance that isn't earned."
Badesh felt how anger boiled up in his chest. He was a powerful Sith! A member of the Dark Council! How did this damn Jedi dare to speak to him like that! "Shall I snap Theron's neck while you are watching?" He intensified his grip.
"Of course not… but it is interesting that you call him by his first name. So you and Theron really worked together, didn't you?"
Badesh snorted; it seemed that the Jedi was quite perspective.
"Whatever you may think of me… I did it to save lives," said Theron in a low voice.
"I know that you believe that, Theron. But nothing good comes from the Dark Side, it only taints everything that it touches."
Badesh's previous fury suddenly disappeared. It was as if Satele had spoken out loud what he had thought when musing about getting closer to Quinn and Vette. Yes, he was tainted… and he would spoil…
"You are wrong!" Theron yelled. "You know nothing of the reality out here in the galaxy. You only sit in your ivory tower in the Jedi Academy and judge people for the choices they had to make!"
Badesh was surprised about Theron's outburst, but so was apparently Satele. Badesh registered something akin to shock on her face.
"Theron… you have fallen far. You betrayed your feelings, I can clearly feel that you have sympathies for the Sith. I question your misplaced affection for this servant of the Dark Side. Can't you feel how twisted and dangerous the Sith is?"
Theron wiped over his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he continued with a throaty voice: "Of course I can feel it. I would even go so far as to say that Badesh is one of the most dangerous force-users in the galaxy. He succeeded against impossible odds and after all I have seen I wouldn't put past him to singlehandedly cripple the republic war effort."
"Yes, he is very strong in the Force…"
"It's not about the Force, mother."
Badesh had been so fascinated by the conversation that he had loosened his grip on Theron's neck and when the agents suddenly jerked himself free and rushed towards Quinn he was about a fraction of a second too late to hinder him to punch Quinn in face and grab his blaster. Badesh ignited his lightsaber, while Vette pulled her blasters. But Theron had already taken Quinn into a headlock and aimed the blaster at Badesh.
"What madness is this? You don't stand a chance against me!" growled Badesh. The sight of a slightly injured Quinn made him livid he had to supress the immediate urge to crush Theron's head with the force lest Quinn wouldn't be shot accidentally.
Theron continued to speak to his mother, but his eyes didn't leave Badesh: "You would be right about the Sith if it weren't for his companions. Badesh is more dangerous than any other Sith I have met because he has friends! Because he has a motivation beyond duty and his own quest for power."
Badesh saw from the corner of his eye how Vette slowly approached the commstation. Undoubtedly she wanted to use the sliced implant to stop Theron.
"Theron… you don't know what you are talking about. Whatever lies the Sith has told you, those entrenched in the Dark Side are incapable of anything beyond superficial affection and caprice."
The agent put the muzzle of the blaster on Quinn's temple. Quinn gritted his teeth, the expression on his face told Badesh that he fully expected to die. Everything seemed to slow down, Badesh was about to attack Theron, but then the agent lowered the blaster until the muzzle was trained at Quinn's shoulder blade and pulled the trigger. Quinn screamed and Badesh lost the last bit of self-restraint as he lounged at Theron. He let the blaster fall and closed his eyes as if he was waiting for death. With one swift movement Badesh cut Theron's right hand off, in the process he also grazed Quinn's cheek. Theron let go of Quinn who fell on the floor. Blood was swooshing in Badesh's ears as he registered that Quinn was bleeding. Quinn was hurt! QUINN WAS HURT! Badesh grabbed Theron and threw him in the nearest wall. Nobody had the right to lay a finger on Malavai! Theron coughed up blood and looked Badesh straight in the eye as the Sith bent over him and broke his left arm by stomping on it. He screamed in agony but when Badesh was about to slice his throat he suddenly just lost consciousness and slowly slid on the floor. Badesh jerked his head around and saw that Vette stood in front of the console – she had interrupted Theron's neural pathways once more.
"I was right… nothing but mindless passion," muttered Satele. Her face didn't betray any emotions.
"Shut up, lady!" yelled Vette. "Theron was right – you don't know anything about real live! Otherwise you would have realised a long time ago that indifference is much worse than any other emotion, be it love or hate!"
Badesh knelt down next to Quinn who was still bleeding from his shoulder.
"My Lord… I apologize for my inattentiveness," panted Quinn and pressed his left hand on his wound.
"You are mistaken, Sergeant," said Satele calmly. "I am anything but indifferent and that's the reason why I have to make great personal sacrifices – for the greater good. I will mourn my son in my own way." With these words the holocall ended and her picture vanished.
Badesh carefully opened Quinn's jacket to assess the injury. Vette rushed beside him and pulled the kolto-injector from Quinn's belt.
"Stay still, Mal… we will take care of you."
A smile flickered across Quinn face before it screwed up in pain once again. "I know you will… my love."
As soon as Badesh had opened Quinn's bloodied shirt Vette began to vet him.
"It seems to be a clear through and though bullet wound," groaned Quinn. "You just have to apply the kolto at the entrance and exit wound."
"This isn't my first blaster shot, y'know," retorted Vette. "Just lay back and let me work."
Badesh watched how the viscous blood from the graze slowly ran down Quinn's face. He reached out and wiped it softly away, he felt as if this was the most intimate moment he had ever shared with Quinn. He stared at the blood on his fingertips and was thrilled. It saddened him that he felt this way; it made him feel… apart from Vette and Quinn. It was as if there were two souls in his chest which repelled each other: he wanted to be close to his loved ones and at the same time it excited him more than it should to know that he could taste Quinn's blood right here and now.
He watched how Vette bandaged Quinn's chest; he memorised every touch.
Theron started to moan and tried to sit up, the stun was wearing off. Badesh rose to his feet and walked briskly to him. Theron looked miserable, the lightsaber had cauterized his wrist. Seeing him lying on the floor, hurt and desperate, moved Badesh against his will.
"I am surprised that you didn't finish the job," whispered Theron.
"Perhaps I will," replied Badesh in an attempt to summon contempt against Theron. "I don't take kindly to people who hurt my… crew."
"I know," Theron said in a teary voice.
Badesh felt a hand at his upper arm and was surprised to see Quinn standing next to him. Vette had apparently finished the treatment.
"My Lord, we should vet Agent Heian – he won't survive the voyage to Dromund Kaas without medical attention."
He had spoken as collected as ever, but Quinn looked pale. Badesh also registered that he leaned slightly against his arm.
"I agree… it would be a waste to kill him now. But if you want him dead just say the word, Quinn. I would kill him for you," growled Badesh.
"That won't be necessary, my Lord. Agent Heian could have killed me with a shot to the head, but he chose not to. In fact he even avoided to hit vital organs."
Vette stepped next to Quinn and touched his back slightly. "We should all go to the Medbay."
Without any other word Badesh grabbed Theron and threw him over his shoulder. He groaned and Badesh shortly regretted to have handled him so roughly.
ooOOoo
About an hour later Theron had been vetted and Vette brought him into the cargo bay since the Fury didn't have any prison cells. Quinn sat on the bedside – Vette had removed his jacket and his shirt – he looked better now, he had even treated himself with additional drugs and palmed the now completely healed injury on his shoulder. Badesh tried not to stare, but every attempt to focus on anything else than Quinn failed miserably: Seeing him made Badesh nervous and content at the same time.
Vette returned and sat also on the bedside. "Theron and Kalda are both in the cargo room; I double-checked their shackles." She gave Quinn a peck on his cheek. "I'm sorry, Mal. But I still feel sorry for them."
"I understand, as stated before – he obviously didn't want to kill me. It was an act of desperation."
Badesh drew closer and leaned against the bedside. "We can't let them go; it is imperial law that every force-sensitive should be brought to Korriban."
Vette stared at him. "What? You want Theron to become a Sith? He would never do that – heck, he is even too soft to be a spy."
"I know…" replied Badesh and wiped his face with his right hand. It was an unfortunate situation – he wanted to let Theron and Kalda go, but they simply knew too much.
"My… Badesh, there might be another way to deal with the agents," Quinn stood up from the bed. "We could discredit them with the Republic in a way that would make it impossible for them to ever work the SIS again."
Badesh felt heat crawl up his cheeks as he looked in Quinn's eyes. Then he forced himself to look away. By the Force, he wanted to touch him… he loved him. Of course Quinn had an answer – like always. "What do you have in mind?"
"We should commend them officially for their service for the Empire and make sure that the SIS learns about it."
"But they will never defect," objected Vette. Badesh had thought that avoiding Quinn's gaze would calm him down, but seeing Vette only added to his arousal. To feel her caring hands on his skin …
"That's not necessary – the point is that they can't return into republic service. Should they ever be back in the graces of the SIS their information about us will be at least obsolete." Quinn allowed himself a coy smile as he looked at Vette.
She smiled back and caressed his cheek with her hand. Her slender fingers moved across his jawline, Quinn took a deep breath and stepped closer to her. Vette stood up from the bedside and put her other hand on Quinn's face – he embraced her. Badesh felt his arousal rise, the Medbay seemed to heat up. He was suddenly keenly aware of his close proximity to Vette and Quinn. Vette's hands were still on Quinn's cheeks when she set her sights on Badesh. She didn't smile, she simply looked at him. He registered that his breathing became slightly ragged, the look on her face… He should go! Leave while… but his train of thoughts was derailed when Vette finally turned back to Quinn and kissed him passionately. Quinn's eyes slid shut and he kissed her with a ferocity that took away Badesh's breath once more. He stood there unable to move, his lasciviousness rose even more as he continued to watch his friends caressing each other. Finally they broke their kiss and let go of each other. Quinn turned to Badesh, he put his hand on Badesh's chest. The touch electrified him and Badesh was now completely enthralled by him, gone was every thought of leaving. Quinn stepped closer until their faces were but centimetres away from each other. Badesh breathing became heavy as he watched how Malavai drew even closer.
"Permission to kiss you, my Lord?" Quinn whispered in his adorable voice, his lips only millimetres away from Badesh's mouth.
Badesh leaned down to the smaller man and kissed him as softly as possible. Feeling Quinn's lips on his set his chest on fire. With shaking hands he embraced Quinn and began to explore Quinn's mouth with his tongue. It was absolute bliss. After a while he became again aware that they weren't alone. Badesh ended the kiss softly and turned to Vette. The way she looked at them left no doubt that she was aroused by simply watching them. Badesh let go of Quinn, reached out and pulled her close to him; Badesh caressed her lekkus with his right hand before he shyly kissed her. She replied his advances with unexpected passion and surprised him further when she opened his tunic after a short while and let it glide onto the floor. Suddenly he felt Malavai behind him, he placed kisses on Badesh's spine, trailing his muscular form with his fingertips.
Badesh closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations.