As Alara walked down the narrow hallway, she pondered where Kay might have gone. Knowing her habits, her first instinct was to check her bedroom; she made her way towards their living quarters that were isolated from the rest of the ship. She couldn't remember the last time she'd walked around the ship without wearing her long knee length black leather boots— it was both refreshing and exciting to feel the cold, metallic floors against her bare feet as they guided her across the ship in a familiar fashion.
Moving silently, she slipped through the hallways of the secluded rarely used part of Kay's starship, in which she, as captain had deliberately chosen to have her personal quarters located at. She noted how Kay had found the time to decorate her ship's private part, which was very much what she called home. Luminous tapestries covered the walls, and colourful handwoven rugs lined the corridors as Alara made her way past several unused rooms, each decorated with custom made furniture, rare objets d'art, and other unmistakable signs of wealth, which reminded Alara of Kay's heritage— the daughter of Karras Eclipse, noble bloodline to her family lineage and the once politically powerful House of Eclipse of Cermau.
Alara paced slowly, almost taking her a full minute to traverse the length from where she had entered from, to the opposite side where the quarters that she shared with her girlfriend was located at. As she approached the door to their room, she opened it, stepped inside... but no one was there.
Kay wandered through various lowly illuminated corridors of her ship, poking her head in each room. Most remained empty and dark. A few of them contained a crew member here and there, but most remained deserted. And now that Kay was thinking about it, the ship seemed a little more desolate than usual. It's not like anyone could leave to go explore the cold vacuum of space outside. That would just be suicide without boarding another ship or wearing a spacesuit, and no one had any real reason to take leave. Since, for the time being things were relatively quiet, she assumed everyone was simply just taking advantage of the downtime.
As far as getting much needed rest went, Kay herself was by no means exempt. She needed timeout— from everyone, Alara included. Knowing exactly where to go, she let go of a long held in sigh, then slowly meandered over to the transport shuttle she had used to fly over to the Dagger's Edge.
She sat in the pilot's seat for a few minutes, just staring at the display, her eyes unseeing. She was simply contemplating everything that had happened and had led her to the current moment. The upcoming mission to search for and capture her aunt Valeska would by far, be one of her most ambitious undertakings to date. It would be strenuously demanding, yet she was confident that it was doable, provided Raven's intel was as accurate as she claimed it to be.
Just as she was about to hit the button to raise the shuttle's ramp, she heard the sound of footsteps quickly walking up it. Kay swivelled her chair around, and to her surprise, Alara stood there, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Did you forget something, Alara?" Kay asked clearing her throat, curiously fixing her gaze over her girlfriend and raising an eyebrow.
"No. I came to check up on you. You didn't seem yourself earlier," she said, her voice genuinely sincere, and walking a bit closer to the Jedi. "I couldn't find you in our quarters so decided to check here— and now here you are. Are you okay, Kay?" Alara asked resting her chin on her hand.
"I just wanted to be alone for a little while— from everybody including you, so I figured that I could hide here in this shuttle for a bit." Kay let out a softly deflating sigh; it was as if a tension had lifted, yet left her with a melancholy instead of relief.
"Oh... I'm so sorry for intruding." Alara said clearing her throat and leaning back slightly. "Would you like me to leave?"
Kay stared into her girlfriend's eyes for a long moment, and Alara almost repeated her question. Finally, Kay looked up with a tiny smile, "No... stay," she said, "if you like of course." Her voice was soft, and a bit strained, like someone had hit her in the gut and she was still recovering.
Alara heard a faint gasp. Then, silence followed.
Kay sniffed, a ghost of a smile flickered across her face. She sighed and rose from the pilot's chair. The transport shuttle craft featured its own bathroom, as well as several small cabin rooms.
"Alara, you mean everything to me." Kay said placing a warm hand over Alara's shoulder. Seconds later, Alara found herself tingling with excitement; the soft delicate feel of Kay's hand stimulating that sensation, as Kay had taken her hand and began leading her back out of the cockpit.
"I'm a bit lost in my thoughts," she said letting go of Alara's hand. "Please excuse me a moment. I'll be back in a minute," she added, giving her a faint smile as she then toiled straight past her heading for the shuttle's bathroom.
As Kay glanced into the mirror, she paused and frowned slightly; her cheeks were wet and her eyes puffy. She must have dozed off again, shedding tears again in her sleep and not realised. Her hair stuck to her face, her beautiful sea-blue eyes seemed lifeless and desperate; she was paler than usual. It happened often; even though she didn't always remember her dreams, she could always tell what she was dreaming about: her father's death, the destruction of the family palace, losing all the people she'd grown up with and loved.
If only I could find her… the one responsible for causing it… She sighed again as she brushed her hair and washed her face. It's going to haunt me until tonight. Today has already been a long stressful day…
Sliding the door shut behind her, she walked across to one of the large windows located in one of the shuttle's cabins. From there, she used the Force to stretch her field of vision outside, and across the Kriss' sizeable unoccupied hangar bay. Silently, she glazed out toward the faint blue shimmer of the bay's containment field that prevented those inside like herself, from being sucked out into the vacuum of space.
Standing there in solitude, she looked up at the countless number of stars and celestial objects that lit the blackness of space in the sky. With her head thrown back, she felt the pull of her throat muscles, and wondered, whether the peculiar solemnity of looking at the sky came not from what one contemplated, but from the uplift of one's head.
Wandering back to the door, she was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard the soft knock-knock-knocking on the door. Eventually though, as her focus shifted away from her pensive state and back to reality, she did hear what had to be the softest knock possible coming from the other side of the door.
Her confusion was stifled when she heard a pleasant voice on the other side, her thoughts prompting her memory that Alara had come looking for her earlier, and was still there waiting.
"Kay?" Alara whispered. "What are you doing all alone in there?" Her voice soft and concerned.
Kay's alertness snapped in an instant; realising at the same time that her palms were sweaty. She frantically wiped them on the skin of her exposed legs, before slowly opening the door.
Upon opening the door, Kay breathed a sigh of relief as she was met by wide sea green eyes, and a tangled mop of blackish hair.
"Alara... I'm so very sorry. I left you waiting." Kay responded making a pained, sympathetic face. "That was very inconsiderate of me seeing that you came here caring about my well being."
Psychically Alara could sense Kay's emotions as they stood staring at each other.
"Can I," Alara finally began to say, speaking slowly, "er…" She lowered her head and cleared her throat. Looking up, she continued. "Can I come in?"
Kay became conscious of her thin tank top and shorts, having put those on after she had left her quarters, gesturing for Alara to enter. She had been in the shuttle for some time. Only now she'd become aware that prior to having boarded the smaller spacecraft, that she had leisurely been wandering through her starship's narrow hallways donning those very clothes, feeling somewhat awkward.
As Alara shuffled past her, their hands touched, and this time it was Kay who felt a spark of warmth spread from her fingertips to her toes. She took a deep breath and turned to see that Alara had done the same. With a slight smirk, she leaned backwards against the cabin's door until it shut with a soft click.
Kay walked back by the window, while Alara watched Kay's tall silhouette as she stood by the window, her figure and soft feminine curves outlined with radiant silver light. Kay reattuned to her senses, felt Alara's stare and looked over her shoulder at her girlfriend.
"So Alara, my love, what brings you here?"
Kay tucked her hands into her pockets as Alara cleared her throat and once again said, "You weren't in our quarters. I had a feeling I'd find you here, so here I am."
"I just… wanted to be away from everyone and everything," Kay said in a slow, low voice, not even realising she'd just repeated herself. "You know I'm a Jedi but I can't help but harbour hatred and fear for Valeska. I hate her, and I'm scared to death of her and I'm still devastated about her betrayal. It's because of her that I've never fully turned from the dark side, and until I face her I'll never be able to fully extinguish those demons from within me."
"It could all be over soon. That is if Raven delivers," Alara said, her tone soft, and not missing any of the passion and warmth she'd always exhibited in Kay's presence. "What's the plan moving forward?"
Calmly, Kay explained. "Korra who's been preparing a team of mercenaries told me that Raven has confirmed that Valeska has been hiding on the planet of Lok in the Karthakk System."
"They're going up against a Sith, do you think they'll be able to take her?" Alara raised an eyebrow.
"They're no match for her if they were to fight her directly," Kay said, seeing the genuine concern in Alara's eyes. "Speaking of which, although Raven is neither a Jedi, Dark Jedi or Sith, she is Force Sensitive. I sensed that much when we were in her presence."
Alara's brow knitted in confusion. "Yet she'll still be no match for the likes of Valeska?"
Kay looked quizzically at her girlfriend so she hurried on with her explanation. "Raven has been given access to a neurotoxin known as Senflax. That particular drug can neutralise anyone, including Sith. I also sensed that she has a unique Force ability that I've never come across until now. She has the ability to… let's say dampen an opponent's Force ability to some extent. She tried that on me during my somewhat unceremonious behaviour towards her. Admittedly it did have some of a negative effect on my ability to harness the Force. Hopefully it will work on Valeska and help to administer the neurotoxin because to put it frank, Korra and her team are there only to slow her down and buy Raven the time she needs to do it."
Alara said nothing, but simply nodded, as if understanding perfectly.
"Once they have her they will leave that world and fly to the Dead Moon of Antar," Kay continued, "and deliver her to what was once a penal colony known as the Antar Dungeon. We will then go there— not in this starship, but with either mine or your personal ship. I haven't exactly told my crew here on the Kriss that I intend to reopen the prison."
"But the prison has been closed for decades. You sure it's a good idea to open it again?" Alara glanced at Kay, and the Jedi saw her girlfriend's eyes clouded with concern.
Kay sighed and tried to be reassuring. "Oh don't worry, once I've interrogated, tortured and then killed Valeska, we'll leave the prison and close everything up again."
Alara frowned but nodded. "Kay I think this is all too much for one day. We should go back to our quarters," she said, kissing Kay on her nose, her forehead, her neck, the spot behind her ear that suddenly made her squirm.
Alara felt Kay take one of her hands in hers and squeeze, the warmth of the action comforting. "You're right, Alara. It has been a long day."
Alara leaned forward, kissing the words away, and then rested her forehead against Kay's. "If for only the rest of the night, let's not worry about anything, yeah?"
"Yeah," Kay said, brushing Alara's hair off her forehead and leaned down to give her a gentle kiss. They smiled tenderly at each other for just a moment before finally exiting the shuttle.
This time it was Alara who took Kay's hand, and she led her behind several other vessels, away from anybody's prying eyes. Alara glanced at the exit to the hangar and then checked to make sure nobody was around. A minute later, they were on the opposite end of the starship and grateful they hadn't bumped into anyone. They strolled nonchalantly through several more doors, and into a small secluded corridor.
After a short walk through the Kriss' isolated hallways, they reached their quarters. Alara opened the door which slid open, and they eased themselves in.
Kay stared at the ceiling for an interminable time, once again puzzling out her feelings. Finally, she gave up and sighed deeply. She slowly rolled her head from side to side, testing her neck muscles, by which time Alara had walked around to her front and was reaching down to the buttons on her shorts and unbuttoning them.
Alara was in her panties. Kay never even noticed she had taken off her clothes. Kay's eyes travelled up to Alara's face and her eyes were heavy, keeping them focused on her shorts as she slid them down her legs.
"I need you to step out of them, Kay," she said softly when she reached her feet. Kay grasped Alara's shoulders with her hands and took one foot out of her shorts, then the other. Kay kept her hands on Alara's shoulders and her eyes trained on her silky hair. Kay mechanically reached over and slipped her fingers over a strand of her girlfriend's hair, it felt nice in her fingers.
Alara looked up and then stood straight up. Although she was a little shorter than Kay, she was only a little lighter than her, and most certainly strong enough to lift her. She lifted Kay into her arms, then swiftly carried her to the shower. She set her down at the opposite end of the showerhead, then stepped in with her and turned the water on. She closed the shower curtain once the water was warm, then she turned to face her and grabbed her wrists. Alara pulled Kay to her and turned them both to where Kay was standing under the warm stream of water. When the water splashed Kay in the eyes, she gasped and sucked in a huge breath of air.
Alara reached down to the side of the tub and grabbed the bar of soap. She leaned out of the shower and pulled back in, holding a facecloth. Alara rubbed soap and water into the facecloth, then pressed it to Kay's cheek. She began gently wiping Kay's face and she squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. Kay wrapped her arms around herself and remained as still as possible under Alara's hand..
"Look at me, Kay." She opened her eyes and Alara placed her fingers lightly on Kay's shoulder. "I'm going to take off your bra now, and then I'm going to wash your hair, okay?"
Kay began to pull the straps of her bra down, then just pulled the bra over her head. "Yes please," she said quietly and quickly, leaning her head back into the water, attempting to saturate her hair by running her fingers through it under the stream.
Alara grabbed her wrists again and pulled them away from her hair, then wrapped them around her own waist. "Hold on to me and relax, Kay."
Kay pressed her head against Alara's chest and tightened her hold around her. Kay could smell the shampoo as she poured it into her hands and brought the liquid to her hair, spreading it around with her fingertips. Alara scooted them a step closer until the water touched Kay's head that was pressed into her shoulder. Alara massaged and scrubbed Kay's hair, rinsing it repeatedly.
Once Alara was finished, she turned them around in the shower until she was under the stream of water and she ran the shampoo through her own hair. Kay released her hold from around Alara's waist and backed away from her. She looked down at her stomach and hands and then she looked back up at Alara and she was scrubbing her face and neck with a fresh facecloth. Kay stood there, watching her calmly and when she was finished, she opened her eyes and looked up at Kay.
Kay's eyes were redder than before. She'd been crying. A sob broke out of Alara and she slapped her hand over her mouth as Kay pulled her to her chest and pressed her lips to her hair. Alara was also now crying, holding on to her girlfriend, wishing her misery could simply just wash away in the shower. Kay was holding her so tightly, she could barely breathe. But Kay needed this. She needed Alara to feel her pain right now.
Kay took every single memory she'd ever had of her aunt Valeska and attempted to cry them out. She didn't want to remember her face. She didn't want to remember her voice. She didn't want to remember how much she hated her and she especially didn't want to remember how much she once loved her. There was nothing like the guilt you felt when there was room in your heart to love evil.
Kay moved one of her hands to the back of Alara's head and pressed her face into her shoulder. Kay's cheek pressed against the top of Alara's head and she could hear Kay crying now. It was quiet and she was trying so hard to hold it in. Kay was in so much pain because of what her aunt did to their family. Alara curled her hands up behind Kay's arms and gripped her shoulders. Alara lifted her cheek and turned her mouth toward Kay's neck, kissing her softly. "We weren't supposed to talk about this for the rest of the night but it's hard not to."
Kay gripped Alara's arms and pushed her away from her with such force, her eyes widened and she flinched when Kay spoke. "It's hard because it's all I ever think about." Kay released her hold and swiftly brought her hands to Alara's face, gripping her tightly. "One way or another we won't have to ever talk about any of this again after it's all over." Kay's eyes were desperate and full of tears.
Alara nodded. "I hope so," she said weakly.
Kay never looked away, but Alara couldn't take the look in her eyes, so she threw her arms around Kay's neck and hugged her. Kay tightened her grip around Alara and held her with pained desperation. They clung to each other with everything they had. They were both allowing everything to escape through the tears they were crying in each other's arms. Kay finished trying to be strong. The love she had for her father and her family and the anger she was feeling over what happened to them was pouring out of her.
Alara knew Kay's father and the rest of her family would need Kay to feel their heartache, so she didn't even try to comfort her with words. They both cried for him and everyone else now, because they had no one to cry for them then. Alara kissed the side of Kay's head, her hands gripping her neck. Each time her lips touched hers, Kay held her just a little bit tighter. Kay's lips met her skin and soon they were both attempting to kiss away every ounce of the heartache that neither one of them deserved. Kay's lips became adamant as she kissed Alara's neck harder and faster, desperately trying to find an escape. Kay pulled back and looked into Alara's eyes, her shoulders rising and falling with every breath she was attempting to find.
In one swift movement, Kay crashed her lips to Alara's with an intense urgency, gripping her hair and her back with her hands. She pushed Alara's back against the shower wall as she slid her hands down behind her thighs. Alara could feel the despair pouring out of her girlfriend as Kay lifted her up and wrapped Alara's legs around her waist. Kay wanted her pain to go away, and she needed Alara to help her.
Alara wrapped her arms around Kay's neck, pulling her against her, allowing her to consume her for a break from her heartache. Alara let her, because Kay was wanting to forget about everything else.
With Kay's body pressing Alara into the wall of the shower, she used her hands to grip the sides of Alara's face, holding her still as their mouths anxiously searched the other for any semblance of relief from their reality. Alara was grasping Kay's upper back with her arms as Kay's mouth moved frenziedly down her neck.
"Tell me this is okay," Kay said breathlessly against Alara's skin. She lifted her face back to her girlfriend's, nervously searching her eyes as she spoke. "Alara, right now I want you more than ever."
Alara gripped Kay's hair with her hands and pulled her closer, covering her mouth with hers, kissing her with such conviction that her words weren't even needed. Kay groaned and separated Alara from the shower wall, then walked out of the bathroom to the bed with Alara still wrapped around her. Kay wasn't being gentle at all with the way she ripped off the last two items of clothing between them and ravished Alara's mouth with hers.
Kay was standing at the edge of the bed leaning over Alara, her mouth meshed to hers. She broke apart momentarily to grab a double-ended dildo from the bottom of a nearby drawer. She gasped as she pushed the sex toy inside her, then she grabbed Alara's waist and pulled her to the edge of the bed with her. Kay lifted Alara's leg behind the knee and brought it up to her side, then slid her hand underneath Alara's arm and gripped her shoulder. The moment Kay's eyes fell back to Alara's, she pushed herself into her without a moment of hesitation. Alara gasped from the sudden force of her as an intense pleasure took over. She wrapped her arms around Kay and moved with her as she gripped her leg tighter, then covered her mouth with hers. Alara closed her eyes and let her head sink deeper into the mattress as they used their love to temporarily ease their hatred and despair.
Kay's hands moved to Alara's waist and she pulled her against her, digging her fingers deeper into her hips with each frantic, rhythmic movement against her. Alara grabbed hold of Kay's arms and relaxed her body, allowing Kay to guide her in whatever way could help her right now. Kay's mouth broke away and she opened her eyes at the same time Alara opened hers. Kay's eyes were still fresh with tears, so Alara let go of her and brought her hands to Kay's face, attempting to sooth her pained features with her touch. Kay continued looking at Alara, but she moved her mouth to the inside of Alara's palm and kissed it, then dropped herself on top of her, stopping suddenly.
They were both panting for air. They had the ends of a double-ended dildo inside of them, and that allowed Alara to feel Kay inside of her, still needing her. Kay kept her eyes locked with Alara's as she slid her arms underneath her back and pulled her to her, lifting them both up. They never separated as Kay turned them around and slid herself down to the floor with her back against the bed, Alara straddling Kay's lap. Kay slowly pulled her in for a kiss. A gentle kiss this time.
The way Kay was holding Alara against her protectively now, trailing kisses along her lips and jaw— it was almost as if she was a different Kay than the one she had just thirty seconds ago, yet still wholly passionate. One minute she was frantic and heated… the next minute she was gentle and coaxing.
Alara could feel Kay wanting her to take control now, and hence she moved her hands to Alara's waist, slowly guiding her, barely moving her on top of her. Kay was watching her earnestly, making sure she was still here with her. And she was. Alara was so completely here with Kay right now she could think of nothing else.
Kay brought one of her hands to Alara's face, still guiding her with her other hand on her waist. "You know how I feel about you, Alara," she said. "You know how much I love you. You know you are my only relief against all my pain, right?"
Alara nodded, because she did know. And looking into Kay's eyes right now, seeing the raw honesty in them, she knew she'd felt this way about her for years. Everything about Kay, from her voice to the look on her face, became tortured. Alara would do whatever it took to take that away from her. She laced their fingers together and covered both of their hearts with their hands, working up the courage to show her how incredibly much she loved her. Alara stared her straight in the eyes as she lifted up slightly, then slowly lowered herself back down on top of her.
Kay groaned heavily, then closed her eyes and leaned her head back, letting it fall against the mattress behind her.
"Open your eyes," Alara whispered. "I want you to watch me."
Kay raised her head, looking at Alara through hooded eyes. Alara continued to slowly take control, wanting nothing more than for Kay to hear and feel and see just how much she meant to her. Being in control was a completely different sensation, but it was a good one. The way Kay was watching her made her feel needed like no one had ever been able to make her feel. In a way, Kay made her feel necessary. Like her existence alone was necessary for Kay's survival.
"Don't look away again," Alara said, easing herself up. When she lowered herself back onto Kay, her head swayed slightly from the intensity of the sensation and a moan escaped Alara's throat, but Kay kept her tortured eyes locked firmly on hers. She was no longer in need of Kay's guidance, and her body became a rhythmic reflection of hers.
"The will of the Force has brought us together for a reason," Alara said. "We were meant for each other." Alara continued her rhythm as Kay watched her fervently. "Understand that I'll always be with you." Alara pressed her hand harder against Kay's chest and moved herself in closer to her, wanting her to feel every part of her. "No matter what happens."
Kay opened her hand that Alara had pressed over her heart until Kay's palm was flat against her skin. Alara did the same to Kay. Alara lowered her mouth to Kay's and kissed her softly. Kay closed her eyes and began to ease her head against the bed again. "Keep them open," Alara whispered, pulling away from her lips. Kay opened them, regarding Alara with an intensity that penetrated straight to her core.
Kay released a vast breath and it was almost as if Alara could see the pain literally escaping her. Kay's hands tightened around Alara's as the look in her eyes instantly changed from an intense hopelessness to a fiery need. Kay began moving with Alara as they held each other's gaze. The two of them gradually became one as they silently expressed with their bodies and their hands and their eyes what their words were unable to convey.
They remained in a connected cadence until the very last moment when Kay's eyes grew heavy. She dropped her head back, consumed by the shudders that were taking over her release. When her heart rate began to calm against Alara's palm and she was able to connect with her eyes again, Kay pulled her hands from Alara's and gripped the back of Alara's head, kissing her with an unforgiving passion. Kay leaned forward as she lowered Alara back to the floor, trading dominance with her, kissing her with abandon.
They spent the rest of the night taking turns expressing how they felt without uttering a single word. By the time they finally reached the point of exhaustion, wrapped up in each other's arms, they both began to fall asleep.