"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Vette said, settling slowly into a chair.
"Difficult training?" Mau'te asked.
"New instructor," Vette said. "She's a little intense."
"Anything that helps."
He examined and separated his new clothes. He had purchased more Sith Lord looking robes and divided them into casual, combat, and ceremonial. Mostly black with the occasional red or silver mixed highlights. He looked a little too good in them, not that she would tell him that.
"You can stay home tomorrow, if you like," he continued.
"Sparring or more droids?" she asked.
"Sparring, and I have a meeting with Barras. I know you don't like those," he answered.
"What was up with those droids, anyway? I didn't think droids could rebel."
"They can't," he said. "Someone is using them as a distraction. We don't know why yet."
"How many more people do you have to challenge?" she asked.
"Five more Lords, then I move on to the Darths." He watched her wince reaching for a drink. "Would you like me to fix dinner tonight?"
"No," she said quickly. "I can do it."
"You can barely move."
"I'll be fine."
"I thought you didn't like domestic work," he said.
"I'm getting used to the cooking part." She whimpered a little while trying to stand.
"I'm not that bad," he said.
"No, no, but I can do it."
"What if I order something?"
"That's a great idea," she said, sitting down again.
"I'm not that bad."
"No," she said. "But you should order something. That's a really good idea."
He rolled his eyes.
"What's the thing with Barras?" she asked.
"I don't know. He hasn't cracked the S.I.S. agent yet. This is something else."
"Any money in it?" she asked.
"If there's combat," he said. "Assuming you don't die."
"Cool. I'll get my stuff ready."
He gave her an odd look and ordered dinner.
"Ten more," the agent said.
"Ten?" Vette replied. Sweat dripped from her nose and the tips of her lekku. She groaned and shook and managed another push-up and collapsed. "How many do you do a day?"
"Two hundred and fifty," the agent said.
"I hate you." Vette groaned and did another push-up.
"This isn't hate," the agent said. "Squats are hate."
Vette's communicator beeped.
"Gotta get that," she said.
"Eight more when you get back."
Vette groaned again. She reached a quiet spot and answered the com.
"How is it going?" Mau'te asked.
"I hate her."
"Good. That means it's helping."
"Tell me there's combat," she said. "I really need combat."
"Actually, I'll be doing this mission on my own. I shouldn't be gone more than two or three days. I'll see you when I get back."
"What?" she said, but he'd already switched off. "I hate him. That son of a bitch."
"Problem, Vette?" the agent called out.
"He's got a mission, but he's doing it without me."
"Good. I don't think you're ready yet. Eight more.
Vette sighed. "You're as bad as he is."
The agent's eyes narrowed, and her face froze into a hard mask.
"I doubt that," she said in a soft, scary voice.
Vette thought, I'm going to regret that. "Eight more?" she ventured.
"Yes," the agent said, still in that soft voice. "Then squats."
Oh, yeah. Lots of pain tonight.
She was still pissed, and sore, three days later when he got back.
"I brought dinner," he told her.
She scowled.
"And dessert."
More scowling.
"You wouldn't have liked this mission." He set the food on the nearest table and started tearing open the bags.
"You know I need the money," she said. She could smell at least three of her favorite foods, but it didn't stop her.
"Not from a mission like that," he told her.
She scowled at him again.
"Did you do something to my instructor?" she asked.
"I haven't met your instructor," he said.
"She acts like she hates you."
"Maybe she doesn't like Sith," he suggested.
"Yeah. I understand that."
He sighed. "You wouldn't have liked that mission, Vette."
"How do you know that?"
"Some missions are too... Sith for you."
"Are you trying to keep me here?" she asked.
"I wouldn't do that to you."
"How would I know that? This was our first real mission. I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to show you what I could do. I wanted-"
"I would have had to kill you!" he said. "When the mission was over. Barras wanted you dead. That was the kind of mission it was."
She watched him, waiting for the punchline, but he continued tearing open bags.
"I thought you needed me," she said.
"He told me, 'Get another one. You can find plenty on Korriban.'"
"Oh," she said. Stupid, she thought. Fucking stupid. He's a fucking Sith Lord. "What... kind of dessert?"
"That thing you had after the tomb."
"Reka," she said. She watched him with the food and noticed he barely moved his left arm. "Is something wrong with your arm?"
"It's a minor injury. I'll be fine."
She scowled at him again. "Sit down. I'll get the food ready."
He shrugged and sat down.
"Don't expect this every time," she said, going through the bags. "Injury is a special exception. You wouldn't be injured now if I'd been there. I'm just saying. And don't think I'm easy to kill. I could get away from you if I wanted to. I'd be on the run from the Empire, but we both know that was going to happen anyway. I've survived a lot worse than one clumsy Sith Lord, I'll tell you that."
"You're right," he said. "You're very slippery."
"You got that right." She sat down and started eating.
He watched her for a little while before picking up his utensils.
"The medic that worked on me offered to check my wound tonight," he said.
"Oh. You get that a lot, don't you?"
"One of the benefits of being a Sith Lord."
"Right," she said. "Sith Lord."
"I'll stay if you wish. If you need me for anything."
"No," she said. "I'm worn out from training anyway. I just want to go to sleep after this. Go collect your benefits."
"The training is going well?"
"It's tough, but it's helping," she said. "Thanks. For not killing me."
"You have a valuable skill set. I don't want to see it wasted."
"Shut up and eat," she said. "Your food's getting cold."
He shut up and ate. He finished. He left. Vette curled up on the couch and thought, What the fuck was I thinking? At least he didn't get to see her cry.