Korriban Sector….

Face buried in the scanner; Alex could see it was two small scout class corvettes. A configuration that looked like the typical triangular Sith in design but much more angular than she remembered. They bristled with weaponry. It made sense that the Sith would not send a capital ship to a sector they wished to remain hidden in. Still, three to two, the Corvettes outclassed both her captured Dreadnaughts and ‘The Karolin’. She had no doubt she would prevail, but at too high a cost. Flipping the Comm channel to ‘broadcast’ she smiled wickedly and spoke so the one who sent the message could hear her.

“As far as I understand, the ‘Sith’ no longer exist in this part of the galaxy. How do I know you are who you say you are?” She was goading them, buying time. Her response was met with another barrage of turbolaser fire as the dreadnaught rocked again, shaking the bridge. Looking toward the navigation console, the member of her crew manning it mouthed to her, ‘Closing…’. They were getting closer to the moon, but the Sith were catching up.

“Fool! You have no idea who you are speaking with! I am a High Inquisitor of our Glorious Emperor Vitiate the Wise. You play with Forces you cannot possibly imagine. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded, there is no escape….”

Again, Alex smiled. Sith and their titles, how they loved them. “Vitiate? That guy?!?! I heard of him…wasn’t he a pazzak dealer on Nar Shaddaa?” Alex laughed and quickly flipped the comm switch, closing the channel. Losing the smile, Alex gave her navigator a stern gaze. “How close now?”

“They are closing fast…they will be in tractor range in two minutes, though they don’t have the power to stop us. I can’t say that for “The Karolin’ she’s in their class. However….” The Navigator grimaced, “….they will be in boarding pod range in three--” Alex’s head snapped up, something in the Force prompting her to look aside.

Drawing her sabers, she activated them. Her head snapped to the bridge exit, “No…they are already here…” The hull rocked as she spoke again. It wasn’t a blast from a turbolaser, the hull echoed with the sound of something hitting it multiple times. Landing pods clasping themselves to the outer hull. “Every man to battle stations….repel boarders!!!”

The double door slid open as Alex strode through into the outer gangway, sparks already cascading down from the pod which latched onto the bridge access. As the pod hatch dropped open, Alex thrust a hand out at the first emanation of red light, the Sith blade already coming through carried in the hands of one who knew nothing of the ship or the ship’s captain who was attacking. The Sith dropped his blade, the body hurling into the pod’s bulkhead Forced aside by Alex’s shove. Another Sith attacker stepped over his fallen comrade right behind him. Taking a moment to glance down. Eyes got wide over the rebreather he wore after looking up. Azure blades, a Mirialan, “A Jedi?!?!” His voice was almost excited to say it, his saber up and over his head to swing down.

Launching forward under the blade Alex grabbed the man by his armored throat pushing him into the same pod bulkhead. With a slick finesse rarely seen by her crew, Alex jabbed the blade through the Sith’s chest. Just as smoothly removing it as she dropped the hand on his throat. “Maybe once…” His body slumped as Alex stepped past the pod pointing to the inside for her crewmates following her to see. “Ice it…” Continuing to move she hacked and slashed at the assault droids, the hall vibrating at the detonation of the pod behind her; her crew throwing several thermal detonators into the inside.

“How many Captain?? Do we know?!?!”, Alex glanced over her shoulder at her Comm officer who held the blaster rifle nervously, “I have never seen anything like those guys?!?!”

“Standard Sith protocol calls for Eighteen landing pods for a ship this size…we just got one. Seventeen more to go.” She smiled wickedly turning back around to continue stalking the hall, “We will start here and work our way to the main reactor…. that’s where their headed….”

“How do you know all of this???”

“Trust me….I know….”

--

Republic Main Flagship ‘Valiant’…Korriban Orbit, the Last Day of the Hyperspace Conflict….and the Sith Remnant….

The remnant was an appropriate name for them. Zealots who refused to give up the grounds. Holy in their eyes. Those who remained were the Guardians of Forever. With no illusion that they wouldn’t die at the Jedi’s hands. But not before placing a mark upon them that would stand for all time. The desire was to have their own names remembered. Not strong enough to be Darths, hardly worthy of being called Sith. They chose their destiny during the final stages of the war to stand their ground and make the Republic pay for every yard. And they were successful. As the last of the Guardians died from Republic turbo laser fire and orbital bombardment, Jedi; some of them newly minted in their skills set down upon Korriban to take an accounting of what the Sith lost and what the Jedi would now be reasonable for safeguarding. The Republic decreed the entire planet quarantined even before the flag had been planted. Too evil to let anyone roam freely and too historic a find to simply destroy; it would be the Republic’s job to watch over the planet. Ensuring none would ever set foot on Korriban soil ever again.

Holding her arm, Alex was helped off by her Master who beamed a smile, “You did well Padawan…” He gestured at the medics who were standing by in the landing bay, “Quickly, get her to medical and the Sages, we—“ His words interrupted by the ‘swoosh’ and flash of a Sith carrier and several escorts ending their hyperspace jump right on top of their location. The Sith were evacuating, this was the last of the Sith fleet. Their target: The Flagship ‘Valiant’….a holding action to buy themselves more time. Someone in the Sith came back for the Remnant. Almost immediately the flagship began rocking from multiple turbolaser hits, the hull echoing with the sound of multiple landing pods. The Sith were taking no chances, even continuing their own turbolaser fire directly in the path of some of their own landing pods. This was a suicide run.

The Master released Alex and pulled her chin to his, “Concentrate in the Force Alex, deaden your pain…let the Force put it aside.” He looked at the pods landing in the bay unmolested, his mouth getting tight as he stood to his full height, “We are not finished yet.”

The ramp to the pod dropped and droids spilled out of the entryway. Alex’s master didn’t see the red blades come to life behind the swarm of droids. Alex did, just as she opened her eyes, putting the pain of the lightsaber wound to her arm aside. Her hand launched out to grab him, but it was too late. “Master!!!” The red Sith blade came through the crowd of droids, struck her Master and returned to its source. The crowd and the mass of droids moving to the left and toward the hangar exit. Alex and her fallen Master of no consequence to the attacking Sith.

In her arms, she held her dying teacher. He looked at her with wide eyes, almost in disbelief and then relaxed with a smile, “Th-they are headed t-to the reactor…y-you must stop them.” Tears leaked from her eyes for the man who kept her safe since she was a small child, he touched her face his smile getting broader, “D-do not weep for m-me…there is no d-death. There is on-only….” Alex looked up and at the exit, the last of the Sith boarding party disappearing out of the hangar. “…there is only….the Force…”

Alex lowered her Master to the floor of the hanger gently, standing up to look down on him. Her fist got tight as she reached and grabbed the twin sabers with each hand, clutching them in defiance. The Azure blades came to life. Alex completely forgot the pain of her wounds, the pain of losing her Master. Steeped in the Force, it told her what she needed to know. ‘….the Sith typically use twenty four pods for a vessel this size…they always class their attacks in multiples of four….’ Placing some speed behind her movement she launched for the door, headed to the reactor.

--

Korriban Sector…the Dark Side of the Moon…

Every Sith she encountered was surprised to see her. Alex could feel that in them as they caught a glimpse of her blades or sensed her approach. Sometimes the surprise was enough to give her a moments advantage. They were prepared for a Jedi, not the ruthlessness of a Pirate. She fought them like she didn’t care. She fought them as if she had nothing to lose. Her movements sound, she moved from one saber form to another flowing in and out of variations taught to her in the Temple. The forms the Sith used were similar, ancient. Alex adjusted her style to match the heavy handedness of the Sith. The added bonus of a ruthless pirate added the unexpected flair.

Unlike the Sith, Alex moved with a quiet confidence and slickness rarely seen by her crew. They knew their Captain was ruthless, rageful. Alex was always the first one through, the one leading the charge. She led them down the hall, but there was no rage or aggressiveness. Alex seemed to be waiting on the Sith as they attacked. They watched her slide, parry and then strike. Each one a death blow before she moved on to the next. Multiple attackers only changed her speed. Taking the first with a swipe and a jab, then sliding into the others to parry or perhaps pull them in close. The sound of clashing sabers and groans in death the only thing alerting the other attackers that Alex was approaching.

The Sith parried her thrust and as Alex brought the other saber around. The attacker kicked sideways disarming her other hand. The blade deactivated and clattered to the floor. Alex could sense the pride from the Sith at having disarmed a Jedi. Part of the ruthlessness came back. The Sith met the business end of the blaster. Without pause, Alex drew it from her belt immediately after dropping her saber. Punching the suppressor into his face and pulling the trigger. Alex stepped over him before the body completely fell. Knowing the Sith were almost to the reactor.

“Damn…” The crew following her looked at one another. This was a side they had never seen. Alex was silent, contemplative as she moved softly; almost floating on air as she concentrated. Proceeding to the ship’s reactor room. Her crew would blast the droids from behind creating a path for her, but backed up every time a Sith blade came into view. Stopping at the door, Alex laid a hand on it closing her eyes.

“They are moving back to their pods. The reactor has already been set to blow…” Looking behind, her eyes snapped open. “…quickly, tell the slicer crews and the extraction teams to get what they can off the ship and move to the breach point. Have ‘The Karolin’ pull up alongside…get the men to ‘The Karolin’….”

“C-captain…?” Alex had already turned back around, her hand back on the door as she slowly closed her eyes, “…we will wait for you at the launch.” She spoke softly, deliberately; her voice with a slight edge to it as she continued to concentrate on the lone occupant still in the reactor room.

“No. This is my fight. There is nothing left for any of you to do here…” She sucked in a breath and activated one of her sabers again, “GO….NOW!!!”

--

The door slid open on its own. The lone occupant in the room opening it for her.

“I heard there was a Jedi onboard. I never expected it to be a Jedi Master…” Alex stepped into the light at the voice. The other’s red blade glowing brightly in the dying light of the reactor room. His eyes got wider as he saw Alex enter, smoke ebbed from her hair and clothing. Remnants of the fight it took to get that far. Dreads and beads; the smoke. It made Alex look nightmarish in the low light. The Sith actually backed up a step, not as magnanimous as before after seeing her. “Not a Jedi…”

“No.”

Raising the blade, he placed it between himself and the nightmarish figure that approached. Sensing nothing in her but hate, he almost smiled, but held his features taught. There was no need to provoke her, “A pirate? Really? Why would a Jedi…” It was a ruse to try and break her concentration. The Sith Commander didn’t care.

Lifting the blade in a quick motion over his head she was almost in striking distance. Alex dropped the one saber reaching for the blaster on her belt. She unleashed the full complement of the power cell toward the Sith Commander. He quickly lowered the blade blocking one, two, three shots--The rest of the incoming bolts hit him; sending the Commander careening toward the control terminal. Propping himself up to a knee, the Sith laughed slightly. Alex grimaced, finger pressure tightening on the trigger. Sith were animals. They deserved to die like an animal would. “And what are you?!?!” The Sith called out, as if reading her thoughts. Alex didn’t respond. Smoke encircled her head as she grimaced and glared down at him. “It doesn’t matter!!! You and all of your crew are DEAD!!! And none of this material will ever see the light of a planetary sun….”

Raising the saber with her other hand, she placed it at his throat speaking softly before melting the skin and the rest of what held up his head all the way through.

“I was dead the moment I signed up for this…we are all dead men and dead men…have nothing to lose.”

“Lose?!?! Lose??? You have gained everything!!!”

“No. I lost everything…”

The head rolled away from her as the lifeless body of the Sith Commander clattered loudly to the floor. Alex sat with her knees under her, her head down and slowly closed her eyes to await the inevitable. The feminine voice of the computer, her only solace as it continued to countdown. The end was near. “There is no death…there is only the…” She stopped the thought, “Kriff it…I’m ready….”

--

It started to come down around her, the ship shook and rattled. Alexandra opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the reactor room; a huge grin on her face. Thoughts turned to Felucia. Two lost daughters. And finally, Bernard. Bowing her head, she did something she hadn't done in a long time. She prayed.

“Ancestors...it's been sometime since I have come to you. Unity's Light, I am soon to return. Accept me, with all of my transgressions. I know Bernard and my daughters wait for me. To them I say: Soon baby….soon….I am coming back to you…”

Alex always thought her end would be more dramatic. Lightsaber battles ended quickly. Depending on where you were struck, you either suffered or died instantly. She shrugged. A ship blowing up around her wasn’t half bad. It was much better than a disintegration or being hit by an orbital strike from space. Overall, that death was not a bad one by her estimation. One she could be proud of. It had elements of everything she would have wanted in the ultimate death. Heroic victory, sacrifice…Alexandra laughed to herself; she even got to monologue to a villain before she severed his head from the rest of his body. But the biggest thing was giving her life to save her crew. She had never been a Captain before settling in with the White Maw, had never led troops in battle. Even though she was a veteran of war. As a Padawan she followed her Master’s lead. But if she had been a combat leader, if she had the chance to lead troops or command men in conflict; this is what a true leader would do.

Be willing to sacrifice themselves for the welfare of their men….

All of it was ripped away, just before the ship came down around her. Wrapping his powerful arms around her; Drogan pulled Alex from her seated position and up to her feet. She was in a daze, so much that even as Drogan threw Alex over his shoulder and ran from the Reactor Room; she still wasn’t sure what was going on. She didn’t start hitting or cursing at him till they were almost at the airlock.

“GET GOING….MOVE, MOVE, MOVE…..NOW!!!”

Drogan tossed Alex through the airlock door and closed the hatch behind him. The the sound of bent and twisted metal followed them; ‘The Karolin’ moving quickly away from the Dreadnaught snapping and bending the breach lock connected to their ship. The explosion tossed ‘The Karolin’ to the side as the ship hurled toward the hyperlane. It was a tumultuous moment. Alex and Drogan rolled into each other’s arms as the ship was being launched sideways. Sounds of screams from the bridge echoed from the ship wide comm system. Either happiness or utter disaster. Turbolaser blasts from a pursuing Sith Corvette continued to rock ‘The Karolin’. Neither of them could tell what was worse; Drogan looked at Alex lying on his back. His arms wrapped around her; smiling up into what he considered the most beautiful face he ever seen.

She promptly slapped him and spat at him angrily. An act which not only caught Drogan by surprise, but actually made him laugh. Crawling to her feet, she slammed her foot down like an insolent child, “You had no right Drogan…NONE, what so ever…I was—“

“About to die? Yes…and thank you so much for saving my life Drogan…” He retorted in a mock version of her voice, wiping the spittle off his face, “Are you some kind of loon or something?!?! I just saved your kriffin’ life you stupid—“ He stopped himself.

“What?!?! Say it! You were about to call me a Bitch weren’t you???”

“CRAZY ASS!!! I was about to call you a crazy ass…why do you always take things so serious? I thought I had a problem understanding women, my problem has nothing to do with understanding women at all. IT’S UNDERSTANDING YOU!!!”

“NO ONE ASKED YOU TO DROGAN!!!” She screamed back in response, finally dipping her head a little.

“Look, it’s been a long day…I’ve lost my ship and now find myself on yours after coming to see what was going on out here. Let’s just get away from one another and we can talk lat—“

Grabbing him, Alex pulled the taller man into a forceful kiss. The both of them falling into the bulkhead with Alex pressing into him. Drogan couldn’t tell if he was being kissed or attacked, the kiss was so forceful. Alex backed up after tossing Drogan away. The pirate prince started to speak, Alex slapped him again.

“That’s for rescuing me and interrupting my destiny. I was all ready to join with the Unity. I said the prayers and made my peace. And then YOU…busting in like—” It was Drogan’s turn. Grabbing Alex, he forced her into the opposite bulkhead. Kissing her again. After a long forceful second kiss, Drogan looked bashful. He started to apologize.

“Look, someone had to stop that monologue. You were about to recite the entire tenets of the—” In a lightning quick move Alex swung her hand out and slapped him again. “OWWW-EEE!!!” Drogan rubbed his face. “What was that for?!?!”

“That’s for taking advantage of me.”

Breaking off from him, Alex shoved him again and walked away. Drogan wiped his mouth as he smiled and watched her leave, “I can never tell if I want to kill her or kriff her…” Speaking to himself before leaning his head out of the airlock. “And for the record…I DID NOT take advantage of you. I did everything I could to put you to bed!!” Drogan knew exactly what Alex was talking about. It was a continued point of contention between the two of them. One night, what Alex considered a dreadful mistake. He didn’t voice the rest of his thoughts. An all too familiar feeling of warmth easing its way back up to the pit of his stomach. The uneasy feeling, he hated to get. A feeling of love that he was just not equipped to deal with. ‘Damn it, what a woman…’ the part he didn’t say out loud. There was no way he was going to let the men see him falling susceptible to something as insipid as ‘love’. No matter how many mistakes he and Alex made together.

--

Gathering of the Captains…three years, six months into Alexandra’s Captaincy….

It wasn’t her usual fare. There had been only two other gatherings of all the Captain’s and their crews that Alexandra could remember. And she didn’t have much play in those festivities as she was still creating her name. But, the White Maw was growing. It was already vast; a gathering was coming to decide some very important matters. Promotions of some persons to the rank of Captain, a round table discussion with Drogan on some direction and emphasis on what the White maw were looking for, a talk about loot and adventure; perhaps even a sharing of some of the bounty. Most of all it was an excuse for a huge party. The three ‘W’s’, the men would say. There would be friendly competition among the crew; drinking games, combat; anything to put one crew against the other to see who was the best. All unofficial and all in good fun. The White Maw worked hard and no one held a grudge if they played just as hard. Drogan encouraged the kind of healthy competition that came from a gathering of his clan, he enjoyed it. More importantly, the men enjoyed it. It created a bond between all of them that only pirates could understand.

Saying it, without really saying it; Drogan explained to Alex that she was expected to participate in every facet of this particular gathering. Her crew being the top earners of the entire gang. Alex was a name now. They wanted to see ‘Elle’. Size her up. And it was encouraging among the other crews, some of them had women among them; to see one of their own standing toe to toe with the other Captains. Drogan was a misogynist. But he considered himself an equal opportunity misogynist. If a woman could stand toe to toe with her peers, do what they did without any concessions then why not? There would naturally be some resentment from the other Captains that would encourage the ‘friendly’ competition in that regard. The top crew would need their Captain there to answer the call, woman or not. As such, Alex resigned herself to be there though she much preferred not to be.

There were instances of Alex ‘cutting loose’ over the years. A time she got drunk and knocked out her first mate for calling her a name; unintentionally of course. There were several things you didn’t call a woman. ‘Cunt’ was one. Alex didn’t mind that word as much for some reason. The men used it in such a variety of ways in their everyday speech that she would overlook it. There was one other word she absolutely would not stand for when directed at her or any other woman on her crew. ‘Bitch’, that she couldn’t forgive. It was not as common as the other word. And when used in her direction, you were lucky to walk away intact. No one really understood why. No one bothered to ask, it was just understood after the first mate ended up on his back that you DID NOT call the ‘Captain’ that name.

The gathering got rowdy, as expected. The day’s discussions having ended as the Captains all emerged from Drogan’s pre-fab. The different crews all intermingled; laughing, fighting; teasing one another. It was exactly what Drogan said it was going to be, one big party. As the Captain’s joined, Alex was almost immediately called out being the only female Captain among them. She tempered her good cheer trying to remain serious as the first of many of the night’s events revolved around who’s crew’s Captain was truly the best combatant. Most of the other Captains were big burly sorts. All men. Much larger and tougher looking than Alex. Size did not matter to her, she would stand with the best of them. It was with much glee that as one of the rival Captains stood, a bottle of Rum sloshing in his hand, he called out to Alex.

“No, no…heim noh gonna fight ‘er…I migh’ try ta kriff ‘er…buh heim noh gonna fight!!!” The others all laughed at his comment as Alex very gently sat down in the circle flipping her coat out behind her. She smiled condescendingly at the comment and the Captain that gave it.

“That would require something on my part would it not…Captain?” Her pearly whites showing as she forced the smile, “You would have to be moderately attractive to me…which you are not.” The sounds of ‘ooooo’ and ‘ahhhhh’ cascaded around the fire pit as the one sloshing the rum looked around; a little red in the face before sitting down. The words got close to calling for combat. But none of the big, burly men hazarded that close. Alex was a name. Not only a name, her legend preceded her to the circle. No one wanted to fight a Jedi.

“Ya may be able ta fight…” Another Captain leaning over her shoulder said in a drunken haze, “…Buh can ya drink?!?!” he slammed the bottle down, everyone’s eyes moving to Alex as the other issued the challenge. A cheer went up, the peer pressure. The jeers directed toward her. She was about to say no, but as she looked around her eyes locked with Drogan who was watching her intently. He shook his head slightly so that only she would notice. Alex couldn’t tell if it was a ‘no’ or ‘yes’ but either way the challenge hung in the air.

“Well…” Alex smiled and looked at the bottle, “…I’m no Zeltron, but I can hold my own…”

Snatching the bottle into her hand, she kept her eyes on Drogan as she upended it and downed a full third of the harsh tasting rum. A cheer went up among the crowd again as Alex stood and shoved the bottle back into the hands of the offending Captain, “You’re on, Mate!!”

--

The night wore on and as the offending Captain was long past drunk and ‘under the proverbial table’ by Alex, she stepped over her defeated foe and stumbled back to the log she was sitting on; bottle still in hand. Giggling to herself, she pointed down at the passed-out man and screamed, “Weak…assssss ‘bitch’….” Alex giggled again and nearly fell off the log as she righted herself, laughing outloud. Drogan watched the whole thing and was amused, but also concerned. He hadn’t seen Alex in that state before.

On one other occasion, Alex and Drogan drank together till the sun came up. He found himself bleary eyed and confused. The two literally drinking themselves through a full case of Corellian Scotch only to see Alex looking as if she hadn’t drank a thing. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Drogan…” Alex said. “…Jedi can purge things from their blood. Every drink, I burned it out of my system. The only one drinking was you.” Alex hadn’t done that, not this time. Or if she had it wasn’t working. It was the first time Drogan actually saw the woman fully intoxicated.

Usually a model of concentration, seriousness and control, he caught the looks of the other crews. Some of her own crew starting to unconsciously gravitate toward their Captain as a shield. The ‘vultures’ were starting to circle. Alex was drunk enough to be reckless and some of the others, licking their lips and gazing at her were starting to notice.

She felt the arm slip around her waist and pull her to her feet as she drunkenly looked up and over at her boss; most if not all of the men were in a state of being passed out or would shortly be unconscious. Giggling again, Alex threw her arm around her bosses’ shoulder, “Droh—gaaaaaann.” She laughed.

“Come on…time to call it a night Captain. You’ve had enough…” It was his attempt to rescue her from the ‘vultures’ but also let her save some face. He was a study of people and had he asked, Drogan was pretty sure what Alex’s answer would be concerning the amount of times she had been drunk in her life. Most likely Drogan could have counted them on one hand. Reaching over she ran a drunken finger over his lips.

“Awwww…you puttin’ meh ta bed?!?! Lightweights….” Alex frowned and looked at the mass of men at the fire pits, “Yur all lightweights!!!” There was collective laughter as sounds of ‘Good night Captain’ and ‘Sleep well’ were heard. Alex had proven herself, taking a big step in participating and besting some of the other Captain’s at their own games. Drogan was proud of her, but at what cost? His pride turning to worry as he stumbled with her toward her pre-fab. She seemed to have a moment of clarity as they moved away from the fire pit and toward her own domicile, breaking free from his grasp.

“NO!! Nigh’ ain’t ova…” Alex flipped around and started walking back the other way, “Got ta be more rum ‘round here sumwhere….” Drogan ran to catch up with her, placing his arm around her waist again.

“Oh no…it’s beddy bye time for you young Jedi….”

She broke free again, pointing her finger at him. A faux serious look on her face as she stumbled in the snow, “Young?!?! I will have hugh know…” Alex started laughing as she fell down landing hard on her butt, “HA!!!”

Drogan tried to reach out for her again. Alex rolled away eventually getting to her feet and taking off at a run. Giving chase, Drogan called out, “Hey!!! Where are you goin’?!?!”, She didn’t answer, continuing to run as she landed hard against the door to his pre-fab. Her hands slipped down and squeaked loudly against the outside of the door. “Alex…seriously?!?!”

“Thas ‘ELLE’ to hugh….Mister…hugh gave me tha’ name….” Alex’s words drifted into giggles. Finally, she flipped around to face him. “Get meh sum rum…”

“No, I’m not…” Drogan reached past her to work the controls to his door. He was close, very close as Alex melted into him. Sniffing loudly, almost animalistic she ran her nose up his neck until it found the bottom of his chin. Her lips absorbed his bottom lip; sucking on it. Drogan felt like he drank himself under the table suddenly; his knees getting weak at the surprising gesture. Shaking his head, he pushed away. The door was already open. Grabbing his hand Alex pulled him inside and kicked the door to close it. Nearly falling backwards on the floor. Drogan caught her. Her words were soft as she threw her arms around his neck.

“Geh me sum rum….” It was a breathy and hot request. Alex’s hands drifted south. Drogan felt the snaps on his pants start to come undone. “Or I fin myself sumthin’ else ta drank….”

‘It shouldn’t be happening’, he told himself. Alex fell back against his desk pulling him with her. Already crawling backwards on top of it. Wiping her hand across the surface, she cleared some space. Things Drogan had on his desk falling off noisily and hitting the floor. Grabbing his collar, Alex pulled him close; wrapping and surrounding him with her thighs. She tightened her legs around him, digging the heels of her boots into his pants to pull them downward. Drogan bit his lip fighting the urge. This was his last attempt. But he knew he had to try. Pirate though he was, he respected Alex too much to just let her go on with what she was doing.

“Hugh need to go to bed…”

The belt of his pants was already undone and being pulled down his legs. Alex pulled them the rest of the way down with her heels. A wicked smile ensconcing her face as she did so, “I am…” Looping her fingers around his neck, Alex pulled his mouth into hers.

That was it. Drogan gave up. In his mind he actually saw himself toss the huttball over his shoulder. There was no need to lie to himself. He wanted it as much as she did at that moment. His only worry was her impairment. ‘Kriff it’, he thought to himself. Deal with the aftermath later.

Hands went down and under her wrap. Drogan found the strap and balled them between two fingers, snatching them violently away. He tossed them over his shoulder as her eyes flashed wickedly. Words were done, eyes were talking. Drogan thrust into her almost as if they had been doing this with one another for years. The first was always the sweetest. Alex slapped a hand behind herself to steady from falling backwards; with a slight whimper and release of pent up breath. Breath that she been holding for years waiting on that moment. A moment she reserved for someone worthy.

The fury and violence went on for a moment. Drogan just need to get a taste. Alex rocked back and forth with him to his movements; her nails digging into the back of his neck. Drogan’s mind burned, he saw himself on fire getting consumed. Alex had him now. All of the care and the concern for her and her well-being were gone. Drogan was back to being a pirate. She wanted it, she asked for it.

Pulling her from the desk, Drogan flipped her around harshly. Alex landed face down on the desk’s digital surface. But she cooed her acceptance once he went back to work. More bottles and miscellaneous items from the desk hit the ground and shattered. Neither one of them noticing in the low light of the room. Drogan cried out, they cried out in unison. He never knew… he had thought about it, but never guessed in a million lifetimes of what she would be like. It was too late for him.

Alex had become the one he was looking for.

--

Korriban Hyperlane…on route to Hoth and White Maw headquarters….

Wiping her face in the fresher, Alex’s head snapped to the door as Drogan leaned himself on its frame placing an arm up on the top to glare at her, “How much did we lose?”

Alex sighed and backed up out of the fresher. She didn’t say anything, moving to her desk and placing herself behind it. Drogan was the big boss of the White Maw, but this was her ship. ‘The Karolin’, named after the daughter she lost so many years before. Not getting an answer he stepped into the room and was about to ask again as Alex took the implant and placed it on the surface of the desk between them. Drogan picked it up and eyed it with his one good eye, his cybernetic one already analyzing the surface of the small device.

“Implant. So?” He sat it back down as Alex smiled and sat back in her chair.

“We got most of the data off the Dreadnaught” she picked up the device and pointed it toward him, “This….is the key to the universe. With it we can unlock all of that data.” Alex smiled wickedly, “You wanted intelligence…I give you the entire galaxies worth. How’s that for a haul?”

Drogan’s brow went up in surprise. “You did listen to me…”

“What? About intelligence?!?!” Alex scoffed. Narrowing her eyes, she gave Drogan a lazy sarcastic smile. “Every now and again, you have these moments of utter brilliance.” Reaching down, she picked up the implant. “That wasn’t one of them. You think I’m daft?!? I know the value of intelligence.”

“I wasn’t arguing that you knew. I was simply stating that—”

“--No you were arguing!!!”

“What’s wrong with you?!?!” Drogan’s brow tightened as Alex fell silent. “Look, I don’t expect a thank you or an apology. But what I do expect is a modicum of respect.”

Sitting back in the chair, Alex slumped. Putting her head down. He continued to stare until she started speaking again. And when she did, it was with a low soft tone. Reflective of her words.

“A long time ago…I faced the Sith under similar circumstances. I was scared. Angry that they just killed my Master. I had to go back to that place tonight. Put myself back in that ‘mode’ in order to fight them. Only, there was a difference now…” Alex looked up. “…I was no longer scared.” Drogan smiled.

“That’s good. Fear can be a mind killer, make you hesitate when you should—”

“—NO!!” Alex screamed out, then softened. “No. I wasn’t scared because, I didn’t care. I was numb. At any moment, a Sith could have struck me down and I was ok with that. The ship was about to explode, I was ok with that too. Then you showed up and—” Alex looked up at him and frowned. “—I don’t know what I’m doing here Drogan. We steal things, kill innocents…for what? I don’t need anything, I don’t care about the ones I’m killing. I’m like a droid. Just going through the motions.”

“You want to quit?” Drogan pulled up a chair and sat down across from her. Alex shook her head.

“No, not really. This is the only life I have. I don’t have anything else.”

“You have me.” Alex looked up sharply as he spoke. Drogan’s gaze didn’t waver. It made Alex uncomfortable enough that she had to look away. “I’m serious. You do. You have me. You want to leave…I’ll go with you, right here. Right now. You need to stop, I’ll make it stop. I’ll do…whatever you need me to do to make you happy.”

Alex smiled wryly, looking up. “Shut up, no you won’t.”

“I already have. You think it’s coincidence I send you out on runs that ONLY take you a few light years away?” Drogan stood up, opening his arms. He started speaking frantically. “I sit up at night, wondering what you’re doing over there. When you don’t report in—” They both looked at one another. “—well you remember me showing up. And when you get tired, sick…drunk…I put you to bed.” Alex narrowed her eyes. “I know you think it was a mistake. I pray that you don’t, but I know you do. It wasn’t a mistake for me…” They both looked at one another. Drogan making his way toward the door. “I want you to remember something, Alex. I will do whatever you need me to do in order to get you to stay. It’s that important to me…”