Star Wars: Kleya, Rebel Ch. 03

Shan balanced the two small stones in her hand to test their weight and texture. Apparently, these stones had been perfectly balanced even with the small runes carved around their base and had stayed that way for the last two thousand years. She knew that she could very easily damage these if they were the real article, but feeling the cool stone conform to the palm of her hand and her clasping fingers brought a balance to her own feelings.

Shan reluctantly let the stones slide from her hands as the tough rope that held them together dangled on her fingers before she dropped the stones into a perfectly sized leather bag. With the rope and stones fully within the bag, she pulled the draw string closed and looked up at her contact, Gagara, a Nikto woman with a ridge of spikes that shot out dangerously but also pleasantly around the edge of her face. Her big eyes flared out in such a way that she looked a bit dopey or naive, but Gagara had a great deal of experience in dealings of artifacts, and Shan had a great respect for her.

Shan nodded as she pulled out a small velvet bag that they'd agreed on using for its perfect shape to hold ten thousand credits nice and tight. "Thank you. This item will round out the shop nicely."

"I know you've been needing something less of a militant item from the sector around Kintan." Gagara's face elongated a bit as the flaps on her face tightened. "These were used by the Cult of M'dweshuu in the waning days before the Hutts wiped them out."

"Do I want to know where you got this from?' Shan asked with a curious twist of her eyebrow as she took a glance around when seeing a group of rugged spacers go by the alleyway near the entrance to the star port that Shan had picked for this meeting.

"You do not." Gagara shook her head and in a defensive gesture, the spikes around her face all pulled in as if to protect her face.

Shan nodded, "Your fee is well earned. I'm sure we'll meet again soon." Gagara hesitated in where their brief business dealings was not in her usual way, and Shan noticed it. "Was there something else?"

"I hate to ask." Gagara hesitated but stood proudly even in showing the weakness of seeking help.

Shan glanced past Gagara to the main street beyond and a quick look to the reflective railing of the fire escape that let her see behind her. With a sign of nothing alarming, Shan let go of the cloak she'd just pulled back over her form fitting jumpsuit to conceal her greater movements. As it fell open, she left her appearance open and more disarmed.

Gagara paused for a moment and looked at the dumpster nearby but out of audible range. "It's my brother. I hoped you might be able to help me with him. I know you have a lot of contacts."

"You know we had a deal. Its artifacts I deal in. If this is about helping a person, I can't help with that. I compensate you well enough to-"

The dumpster opened up and peering out from there was another desert Nikto that strongly resembled Gagara except in more youthful features. A scar over his cheek and forehead hardened his look but otherwise his look was more tender than any Nikto that Shan had seen. "Please, he's on the run. The Hutts want to turn him into a killer, but my brother is not that."

Shan took a few steps back. "I can't help you. If he's here, he's already out of Hutt space. Go find a job working for some imp."

"You know the Hutts have a good arrangement with the all the Imperial governors in the sectors around them. This is his last waypoint before-" Gagara's tone was less business-like, more hopeful.

Shan ground her boot into the damp concrete ground. "No. Look, we all have to protect our own, I get that. But I'm trying to build something new for myself. You have no-"

Gagara stomped her own thick heeled boot into the ground. "Enough. I didn't read you properly. At least do me the honor of not reporting us."

Shan felt a wound deep in her open as she saw the pain in Gagara's eyes. Shan's mouth opened as she thought to retort and she shook her head before responding. "I won't. I won't say anything. Just stay clear of Imperial security. Lantilies Police and security are still not fully under their control, but they are always looking to show that they are effective without Imperial intervention." Shan stepped back and checked her escape route in the reflection. "I'm sorry." She said as she took one more look at Gagara's brother and then turned and exited the alleyway.

The guarded expression of Shan fell away as Kleya came bubbling back to the surface as she walked along the elevated path that followed the populated canal. The path was so clean and pristine. She stopped and looked out over the canal, commercial boats bringing supplies from the space port into the city. The locals she talked to had said this path used to be so dirty, but also so well populated. Now, it was simply a shell for a good display of all the law and order brought to Lantillies over the last 20 years.

As if to punctuate the moment, she saw two imperial army personnel turn and march down the path, giving her a passing glance.

Kleya sucked in the salty air and brought Shan back to the surface.

With her thoughts still on the canal and her walk there, Shan had invited Bareth out to a dinner at a cafe that bumped up against the path that followed the canal. Before she'd gone to meet with him, she'd tried to look up pictures of the area nearby on the Holonet. In them, she'd found articles about the rampant criminals along with pictures of the area. It had looked filthy, filthy with life and energy. There were buskers, performers, aliens of such variety, and graffiti sprayed across the walls. She was still thinking about what it would have been like years ago, looking out to the clean and barren walkway. She'd lost herself so much in that moment that she hadn't heard Bareth walk up to the table or even sit across from her. It was finally a wave of his arm in front of her face that she turned to regard his handsome, smiling face.

"You seem six parsecs away." Bareth reached out and petted her forearm before confidently clasping onto it in an act of dominance to fully pull her to the present.

Shan melted as she felt his strength dig into her. "I want to be taken away from here." She said as she looked down at where he held her.

"Easy enough. We don't even have to stay for dinner. Just a drink would do. Two Lantillies whiskeys please." He held up two fingers to the waiter as he was just about to swing by. "With a rock for each."

Shan was relieved in giving up on the decision on what to order. After her earlier encounter, she didn't really feel like eating. "I think we can skip dinner. A drink and then we go." Shan looked back toward the canal.

Bareth's eyes followed out as he kept his confident hold on her, massaging his fingers into her skin. "It's amazing how much this area has changed since I was a young man."

"Oh?" Shan's attention was brought back to Bareth's face, how the weathered lines across his skin formed contours that ended in the shape of his ears and the formed mass of his wavy graying hair.

"Oh yes. This place used to be a cesspool. Since the sector governorship switched over, it has cleaned up the image of this place quite a bit." Bareth nodded as his hand petted her to keep her relaxed. Shan didn't interrupt him, just took a measure of him. "Yes, just over there on that ramp, in fact, years ago, a good friend of mine was mugged and beaten. Now, you can really enjoy the moment and go for a walk or a run along it."

Shan nodded then and imagined the scene of some goons beating down and robbing a young man like Bareth. Shan knew better than to take this all at face value, but Bareth might not. She wanted to forget all these problems and as Bareth turned on the charm and the whiskeys were delivered, she relaxed.

Bareth paid the bill as he took a long look at Shan and the way her hair was perfectly put up, giving it extra volume. "You are absolutely majestic today, not different from any day mind you. I get the distinct impression though that this make up you did is just for me." Bareth reached up to cup her face lightly and get a good look into her eyes.

Shan melted against his hand and let her guard down further. "Take me out of here. I don't want to wait."

"I was never touted for my patience either." Bareth empathized with her as he leaned over and kissed her hungrily and briefly.

He stood up and took her hand in his and without much delay, he started to playfully tug at her. Shan shrieked happily as she let the stresses of her day melt away and followed Bareth's lead as he brought her over towards the canal. The waiter, hostess, and bartender all gave a jealous look at them as they practically danced away from the cafe and down the very ramp that Bareth had mentioned a friend getting mugged on. It was empty as the rest of the place had been. The ramp was out of sight of both the upper and lower platform and the businesses along them.

Bareth glided over to the railing that looked over the canal and he looked over at Shan with mischief in his eyes as he pulled her up against the railing, having her face the water as he put a hand around her to hold her against the railing. There was just a hint of panic for a moment, a fear that Kleya had been found, but Shan whisked it away as Bareth whispered into her ear. "I brought a little surprise, but I need you to tell me you're ready for more."

The cool metal of the balcony railing pressed against Shan's wrists as Bareth secured them with what felt like his belt, wrapped firmly but not painfully tight. The night air brushed against her exposed skin, raising goosebumps across her arms. Below them, the city sprawled out in a tapestry of lights, but Shan's focus narrowed to the sensation of his hands on her body.

"Is this okay?" he asked, his voice low against her ear.

She nodded, testing the restraints. Secure, but not cutting off circulation. "Yes."

His hands slid down her sides, tracing the curve of her waist before coming to rest on her hips. He pressed himself against her back, his chest warm through the thin fabric of her dress. His lips found the sensitive spot just below her ear, and she shivered as he kissed his way down her neck.

"You're beautiful like this," he murmured against her skin. "Bound and waiting for me."

His fingers moved to her breasts, cupping them through her dress. The fabric created a teasing barrier that somehow intensified the sensation as he kneaded them, his thumbs brushing over her nipples until they hardened beneath his touch.

Shan arched into his hands, a soft moan escaping her lips. The vulnerability of being restrained, exposed to the night air on the balcony, sent a thrill through her that she hadn't expected. She couldn't remember the last time she'd surrendered control so completely.

Bareth's hand slipped beneath the hem of her dress, his fingers trailing up her inner thigh with deliberate slowness. When he reached the edge of her underwear, he paused, his breath hot against her neck.

"Tell me you want this," he demanded softly.

"I want it," she breathed, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of the city.

His fingers pushed aside the fabric and found her already wet. He made a sound of approval as he began to explore her, one finger sliding inside while his thumb circled her clit. Shan gasped, pulling against her restraints as pleasure sparked through her.

With his free hand, he unbuttoned the top of her dress, slipping his hand inside to touch her bare skin. The contrast between the cool night air and his warm palm made her shiver as he pushed her bra aside and pinched her nipple between his fingers.

"Let go for me," he whispered, his voice rough with desire. "I want to feel you come apart."

His fingers moved faster, finding a rhythm that had her gasping. She felt the tension building, her body responding to his skilled touch with an intensity that surprised her. Her breath came in short pants as she pressed back against him, seeking more contact.

Bareth's teeth grazed her earlobe as his fingers curled inside her, finding the spot that made her cry out. "That's it," he encouraged.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Shan heard and felt her heart race as she felt more noticeably the rope that was digging into her wrist and holding her hand up against the railing. She twisted her head to look at the human security officer that was looking between her face and Bareth's body that was shielding the scandalous behaviors.

"She's alright." Bareth responded for her, "Aren't you sweetie?" His fingers exploring her and digging into her more.

Shan bit her lip and suppressed a sound that would betray what they were doing. She nodded and hoped that would be enough of a response. When she heard his steps coming a little bit closer, she opened her mouth wide and a sharp exhale was first to follow. Then, a little breathless, she responded, "Yes, I'm alright. We are fine. Enjoying the evening air." As her eyes rolled back as her head looked up as if to regard the moon as it shown down over the canal.

"Alright, you both have a pleasant evening." The security officer started to amble away down the ramp as she breathed a little more heavily as Bareth pressed his body against her back and his fingers slid forward more.

"See, no worries." Bareth teased her further, and even as Shan was lost in the moment, a flicker of understanding came to her that they were both human. She wondered for that fleeting moment how it would have been different had they been aliens or dressed in something other than the finery they wore.

Shan only had a moment to worry her mind with that as Bareth took her away with the pleasures of his movements. The forbidden witness sent a jolt through Shan's body. Her muscles clenched as the orgasm hit her without warning, violent and consuming. She bit her lip to stifle her cry, body convulsing against Bareth's hand as he continued his ministrations, drawing out every pulse of pleasure.

Shan's legs gave way. She slid down against the wall, knees hitting the plush carpet as aftershocks rippled through her. Her vision swam, the room tilting as she tried to catch her breath.

Bareth knelt beside her, his fingers gentle as they combed through her disheveled hair. "You're incredible," he murmured, tucking a strand behind her ear. "Let me help you up."

She shook her head, her hands finding his thighs. The hardness beneath his pants called to her, igniting a new hunger. "No," she said, her voice hoarse. "I want to taste you." She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, her hands already working at his belt. "Please."

Something darkened in his expression: pleasure, power, need. He cupped her face, thumb brushing across her lower lip. "Are you sure?"

Shan nodded, fingers deftly unfastening his pants. She couldn't explain the fierce desire that had overtaken her. After years of control, of calculating every move, the surrender felt like flying. Her body still hummed from her climax, but she craved more, craved the weight of him on her tongue, the sounds he would make.

She freed him from the confines of his underwear, wrapping her hand around his thick length. He was larger than she'd expected, the skin hot and velvet-smooth against her palm. She stroked him once, twice, watching his jaw tighten.

"You don't have to-" he began.

Shan silenced him by taking him into her mouth. The taste of him flooded her senses with a salty, masculine presence. She closed her eyes, focusing on the stretch of her lips around him, the heaviness on her tongue. His hand tangled in her hair, not pushing, just holding.

"Fuck," he breathed above her.

She leans forward, her lips parting to take the swollen head of his dick into her mouth, her tongue swirling around the sensitive ridge in slow, deliberate circles. Berath groans, his hips twitching forward, his hands gripping the railing above her as if to steady himself. Shan's lips stretch wider, taking more of him in, her cheeks hollowing as she sucks him deep, her tongue flicking and teasing the underside of his shaft.

"Fuck, Shan," Berath growls, his voice low and ragged, his cock twitching against the back of her throat. She moans around him, the vibrations sending jolts of pleasure up his spine, making his toes curl in his boots. Her hands, cuffed and useless, twist against the metal, her body trembling with the need to touch him, to feel the heat of his skin under her fingers.

She pulls back, her lips slick with saliva, her eyes locking with his as she drags her tongue along the length of his cock, from base to tip, tasting the pre-cum that beads at the slit. She licks her lips, savoring the salty tang of him, before diving back down, taking him deeper this time, her throat relaxing to accommodate his girth.

Berath's breath comes in short, sharp gasps, his hips thrusting shallowly into her mouth, his hands now tangled in her hair, guiding her movements. "That's it, take it all, you fucking slut," he growls, his voice thick with lust. Shan's eyes flutter shut, her pussy dripping wet, her thighs trembling with the effort to stay still as she pleasures him.

She can feel him getting closer, his cock swelling even more, the tension coiling tight in his balls. She pulls back again, her lips swollen and bruised, her chin glistening with spit, and gives him a wicked smile. "Cum for me," she whispers, her voice hoarse, her eyes dark with hunger.

Berath doesn't need to be told twice. With a guttural groan, he grips his cock, stroking it furiously as Shan tilts her head back, her tongue out, ready. The first thick spurt hits her face, painting her cheek in hot, sticky cum, the second lands on her forehead, dripping down into her hair. The third and fourth splatter across her lips and chin, and she licks it up eagerly, her tongue darting out to catch every drop.

Berath collapses against the railing, his chest heaving, his cock still twitching as the last few drops spill onto her tongue. Shan grins up at him, her face a glistening, cum-streaked masterpiece.

*

Shan strolled back to her apartment, having parted ways with Bareth after a physically pleasant evening. As she headed into the sky scraper that she lived in, she took a peek up and down the street. Something still lingered deep in Shan's heart. She did enjoy Bareth's company and she wanted to seek out more of her surrender to him. There was still that bag with the two stones that she could feel in her breast pocket. And that brought her mind back to Gagara and her young brother. She'd dismissed an associate, and someone that could be a friend. It made her heart ache deeply that she'd walked away.

As she entered her apartment, she pulled the bag of stones out of her pocket and then slid the stones from inside the bag and into her hand again. It was said that the Nikto Cult that had crafted these stones used them in meditations on balance in a time in which their people were often at odds with themselves and the galactic community. It was from a violent time on Kintan where the Cult tried to retain political control, inciting much violence. Some of the priests had retreated to solitude and reflection, and these stones were often seen as a tool for this reflection.

"Couldn't hurt."

Kleya pushed Shan away and put her into the back of her mind and sat with her legs crossed and balanced a stone in each hand, the rope only long enough that her hands had to remain out in front of her and close to each other.

Kleya thought about Bareth's attitude as well as what she'd seen by the canal. She balanced that with Gagara and her younger brother and the struggles that they knew. The representation of that struggle was born out amongst so many just as Bareth's view of change bore out across the population and those that accepted Imperial rule.