Author: Emimar
Chapter 5: Sanctuary Saved
After escaping from the compromised base, Shiba, Sivrak and Dice headed straight for Clagula’s Safe house. They left the speeder bike and swoop about half a block from the Hutt’s Safe house and split up from Dice. She wanted to go with Sivrak, but he had persuaded her to remain behind, which hadn’t been easy. It would confuse any pursuers and hide their numbers. Before leaving her, Sivrak shared a long, deep sensual kiss with her, with a promise of more when they finally got off the moon. Shiba pretended not to notice, checking the power paks on her weapons before they went any further. It was dark now on the moon and most people who had any sense would be asleep, but then Hutts, bounty hunters and the assorted lowlife that hung around with them weren’t most people. The night was the hunting time of the predators, whether sentient or animal, the night meant the same thing. Shiba wondered, rather morbidly, which one of them she would be classed as now. A member of the Rebel Alliance, maybe? She was certainly heading in that direction. And so was Flik. Faster than a ship at point six past light speed. All she really wanted was to live in peace watching her kids grow up in safety and all the other things a mother would want her kids to grow up in, with Flik at her side. She didn’t want to be part of some freedom fighting movement to bring the back the Old Republic. But then, she couldn’t really have all those things with the Empire in charge. Especially what she wanted with Flik. It seemed that she had no choice. Her course had been plotted the day when Alderaan blew, except that it took her a while to realise where she was heading. Everyone who had suffered at the hands of the Empire ends up with the Rebels, it just takes some longer than others to get there. Meeting and falling in love with Flik had ensured that for her, with the inevitability of day turning to night and the age old battle between predator and prey. Dice pulled away from her loving embrace with Sivrak, slackened her coils and slivered away into the shadows. She waited, coiled in the darkness for them to get out and help them in their escape. Already, the temperature of her body was beginning to drop, becoming the same temperature as the cool night air. "Well, let’s go," Sivrak said, blaster in hand. "Time to go hunting. May the Force be with us." Shiba wasn’t sure about the Force being with them, but she couldn’t agree more with his analogy about the hunt as she followed him into the haven of thugs, villains, bounty hunters and down right scum that made up the denizens of Clagula’s safe house. The only hunt that she would have looked forward to more was the one that involved killing the murderers of the planet Alderaan and her husband. But, she realised, she would enjoy killing those who had dared interfere with her search for happiness as much as those who had destroyed it. Almost as much.
***
On entering the throne room, Clagula’s court was seen to be sleeping. Guided by instinct more than anything else, they crept through the sleeping mob until they reached the corridor that led down to the dungeons. Upon getting there, however, they almost blew the whole thing when a guard spotted them. Quick as the cat she took her alias from, Shiba pressed the barrel of her blaster hard into his groin and Sivrak placed an heavy paw over his mouth to stop him from calling out. "If you value your family jewels you’ll do exactly as I say," Shiba whispered, loud enough for him to hear, but low enough not to alert anyone to their presence. "I’m looking for my partner, Flik Sivrak. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll take us to him." Sivrak felt him tremble in fear. But then he thought he would do the same thing if someone had just threatened to burn a hole through his family jewels. He flashed a grin. He was beginning to like her style, decapitation with class. She might not be the perfect killer, he thought but she certainly did it in a new way. She would say to him later "Well it was always my ambition to bring a little sunshine back into the bounty hunter profession. Seduction and disembowelment with a smile." The guard led the way, with two blasters threatening to burn him to ashes, one against the back of his head, the second against his groin. When they reached the appropriate cell door, Sivrak just blasted him in the head anyway while Shiba worked on the door with one of her vibroblades. The door swung open and there, standing before her was Flik. Forgetting that Sivrak was there, she flung herself into Flik’s arms, kissing him deeply and voluptuously on the mouth. In response, Flik wrapped his arms around her slender form tightly, holding her against his durasteel hard muscles. "I’ll have to get captured more often," he grinned at her, lifting her off the ground. "What was that about you could handle those bounty hunters on your own?" she asked him, stroking the fur on his head. His ears twitched and rotated. "Nag, nag, nag," he said, putting her firmly back on to the floor. "Ello Lak." "Flik," Sivrak said his brother’s name, whom he’d not seen for years. It was then that they noticed the Bothan Shara in the darkness. Sivrak showed no emotion at seeing his brother after so many years. He was keeping his emotions in check until they’d got away, unlike Shiba. She must really be in love with him, he thought. "We should get out of here before they realise what’s happenin'," Sivrak said, breaking into the emotion the two lovers felt at being together again. Shiba drew away from him and passed him one of her blasters, their hands momentarily brushing against each other. She gave the other one to the Bothan. Giving Flik one last kiss on his muzzle, Shiba followed Sivrak out into the corridor. They dragged the body of the dead guard into the cell and closed the damaged door. Sivrak led the way back down the corridor and up into the Hutt’s throne room. Shiba was behind him with Flik bringing up the rear. They proceeded with more caution the closer they got to the throne room. Sivrak stopped suddenly. "There’s something wrong here," he said. "It’s just too easy, almost as if they wanted us to…" He didn’t finish the rest. He pulled Shiba down with him as a blaster shot almost caught him. Shiba turned around to see Flik clutching his right arm in pain. The Bothan’s height had saved her from injury. "Are you okay, Flik?" Shiba asked him, her voice filled with concern. "It’s just a blaster burn, Shiba. I’ve had worse," her lover answered. "They’ve got us pinned," Sivrak said. "Use this," Shiba said, handing Sivrak the light repeating blaster. Shiba passed all her spare power paks to the Bothan and using auto fire as cover, moved around to see Flik’s wound. "I’ll be okay, Shiba," Flik told her. "No arguments this time, Flik," Shiba said to him. "I’ve almost lost you once today." She tore off one of her sleeves and folded it into a pad and placed it on to the wound. Blood was already beginning to mat the fur around it. She would treat it better once they got into hyperspace. For now, though, she needed to stop the bleeding. "Hold it there," she told him. The venom in her voice made him obey her without complaint, which was a first. Their eyes met for a moment and Flik saw more than anger in her eyes. She tore off the other sleeve to use as a makeshift bandage to hold the pad in place and to stop the bleeding. She wrapped it tightly around his torn, thick bicep. When she was almost at the end, she tore down the middle of the bandage to tie it off. "You saved my life again," he said to her. "That’s another one I owe you." Shiba shook her head and stroked the fur of his scalp. "You owe me nothing Flik. Just being alive is all the payment I need." With the battle raging about them, Flik drew her closer to him and kissed her on the mouth. Shiba drew away from him, breathless. "Besides, we ain’t even outta this one yet, not until we’re in hyperspace." "If we die together," Flik whispered, his voice barely audible above the whine of blaster fire. "Cena mei neu." I love you. This time, he knew he meant it. "Cena mei neu cha," Shiba answered. I love you too. A blaster bolt that hit the floor in front of them brought them back to the present and they remembered where they were. The Bothan female was loading a new power pak into the light repeating blaster. Smoking corpses littered the corridor. Sivrak killed the last of their attackers. He said nothing about what had happened between them. He knew the emotions and everything else that went with the hunt pretty well himself. "Do you think we can get out of here, now?" Shara asked, impatiently. "I’m considering it," Flik shot back at her as he rose to his feet. There was minimal opposition as they made their way to the exit. Boba Fett was waiting for them outside. A silent message passed between Flik and the other Bounty Hunter. He levelled his blaster rifle at him and was just about to shoot when a coil of muscle lashed out at him. Dice. For once, not even the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy was caught off guard.
***
"Well, we’d better be going," Sivrak said, later. He explained that he and Dice had to meet up with the rest of the Rebels. "I’ll see you when we cross paths again, that’s if you’ve not decided to join." "There are some things we have to do first before we join anything," Shiba said, with a rueful smile. Getting her children was one of them, but now that she had finally sorted her feelings for Flik out, she had one last thing to do before she could really, truly be with him. Sivrak looked at her with a puzzled expression. "It’s something I should have done along time ago." Her cryptic reply only deepened his confusion when she didn’t elaborate what it was she had to do, but Flik knew. "Maybe we’ll meet up again sometime," Flik said. "Maybe," his brother replied. "The Force binds all things. Nothing is as closely bound as the ties of blood or love," Dice said. She coiled her body around Sivrak’s as she spoke. A look of painful recognition passed over Flik’s face when she mentioned the Force, but was gone before anyone could place it. "If the Force exists. There is only one thing I believe in and that’s the hunt. Prey and predator are as closely bond as family. Maybe we will meet again that way. Until then, good hunting little brother." "You too, Flik." "As long as the Force is with us, then the hunt will be good," Dice said. Then they parted, Sivrak, the Lamproid and the Bothan going off to some unknown destination. Flik wrapped his arms around Shiba as they watched them go. The first rays of sunlight began to penetrate the darkness of the night. "Time to go," Shiba said. "Looking forward to seeing your kids again?" Flik asked her. Shiba snorted. "I’m not sure if they even remember me. Chan was just a baby when I left and Jeana was only three. Do you think it would be best if I didn’t see them at all?" "If they’ve forgotten, they will soon remember who you are. You need them as much as they need you," Flik said. "At least they’re still alive. Do you know what made me become a bounty hunter in the first place?" "No. I don’t think you ever told me." "Well it was not long before the Imps took over my homeworld. I had a mate and a son about the age of Chan back home. I used to be a scout, exploring the Outer Rim, looking for new worlds, settlements, that sort of thing. Anyway, while I was away, the Imps invaded. Being away from any inhabited system, I didn’t know that the Imps had outlawed exploration and my com was down because of an ion storm. When I got back home I found the place gutted and my mate and son dead. "Becasue they couldn’t punish me for breaking one of their unjust laws, they’d decided to take it out on my family. Cherys though, hadn’t made it easy for them. There were at least a dozen dead stromtroopers as well." Shiba laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Maybe they would have been easier on her if she’d not killed all those Stormtroopers." He looked at her. He wanted to say, You have no idea what Stormtroopers are, do you? Instead he said, "If that was so, then my son would still be alive. No, they killed them because of their hatred and fear of sentient beings that are not their own." She sensed there was something he wasn’t telling her, but she didn’t pry. "It’s people like that what makes me ashamed to be human," Shiba said, stroking the fur on his injured arm. With his other hand, Flik gripped her free hand. He looked directly into her eyes. "Your heart is Shistavanen. That is enough for me. You know the joys and pains of the hunt, the sacred love between a man and a woman, the love of a family and the emptiness of loosing those that mean something to you to oblivion. If more creatures in the galaxy pursued those ends, then it would be a much better place." "I’m ready for all that again. I am a bounty hunter no longer," Shiba said. "But still a hunter, though it is not bounties I hunt, but the Empire." Flik nodded in agreement. "It’s time we went away from here." "Your arm needs treating," Shiba reminded him. "And your children are waiting for their mother." "Our children, Flik. What is mine also belongs to you now and what is yours is mine." She straddled the swoop and Flik got on behind her and held on to her waist. They were together now and there could be no looking back.
Chapter 6: Escape to Corellia
It took them less than twenty minutes to reach the spaceport where the Warrior was docked. Both of them half expected pursuit by bounty hunters but there was none. That didn’t mean that no one was going to come after them. The longer they stayed on Nar Shadda, the more chance they had of being captured. Shiba felt saddened at Flik’s revelation, she had no idea that he had ever been a father or had once had a mate, let alone the cruel, vindictive way he had lost them. She would learn later that she was the only other sexual partner he had ever had. Was it chance that they had found love in each other or was there something else behind it? Was it the Force that had drawn them to each other, knowing that they had both suffered deep losses and that they had found happiness together? She told Lobo to lower the shields and open the swoop hatch so they could get on board. Though there was no sign of trouble, both Flik and Shiba decided not to stick around and tempt fate, even though Flik’s arm was in badly need of treatment. What good would a treated arm be to him if he was dead? Flik was glad to sit down in the familiar padded co-pilot seat of his most prized possession in the entire galaxy. Though Shiba was more important to him, he would never think of her as something to possess. She was a free-thinking person in her own right. He watched Shiba slip into the pilot’s seat beside him. He though it best to let her fly the ship in case they ran into trouble on the way out because of his arm. Shiba ran down the check list to see if everything was in order before lifting off.Usually they had no time to do such a thing, but this time, because they weren’t in any immediate danger, she decided to do it. She thought it would be careless and stupid to die because of something that could have easily been corrected, when they had time to do it. Everything was as she had left it. No gremlins hiding in machinery and circuits here, she thought. "Strap yourself in tight, Flik. Here we go," Shiba said. "Keep hold of your circuits, Lobo." "It is not physically possible for me to "keep hold" of my corrects, Shiba," said the Ship’s computer. "You have no sense of humour, Lobo." "A sense of humour was not programmed into me by my creators," Lobo replied. "We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we my lover?" "Lobo with a sense of humour? I think I’d rather be back in the Hutt’s dungeon," Flik answered. "Well it can be arranged," Shiba said, a wicked gleam in her eye. "The bounty on you must be pretty big by now, but then I’d have to rescue you all over again." Flik flashed her a smile, one that could be interpreted as a genuine, friendly smile or as a prelude to having your throat torn out, depending on whom it was directed at at the time. "You wouldn’t be able to breathe without me," he said. "If I lost you there would be no point," Shiba said and knew that she meant it with all of her being. "Are we going to be sitting around here all day or are we getting off this rock? The sooner we get into hyperspace the sooner you can see to my arm," Flik said, his voice turned low, teasing, inviting, wicked and seductive all at once. "And then we can get down to some real action.""Okay then," Shiba said, finally turning on the engines and began the ascent into space. They had barely got off the ground when they were being hailed. "This is the Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger, to unidentified ship. You have violated Imperial law no 587.1020 paragraph B. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded once you have left the atmosphere." "Sithspawn. I forgot about them," Shiba said. "Hold on to your fur, Flik, this is just about to get interesting." "Interesting is hardly what I’d call it," Lobo said. "Hold on tight to your hull plating, Lobo," Shiba said when they cleared the atmosphere. She didn’t drop her shields but increased speed instead. "Drop shields now or prepared to be destroyed!" Shiba keyed on the comm. "This is a message for your beloved Emperor. Tell him to take every Star Destroyer in the fleet and stick ‘em up his arse." Flik laughed aloud, a rolling. Growling sound. She was tempted to blast the comm apart with her blaster, but why should she destroy valuable equipment because of some stiff suited Imp? She would love to see the look on the Emperor’s face if someone ever told him where he could stuff his fleet. TIE Fighters came swarming out of the Star Destroyer’s hold. Flik transferred control of the ship’s weaponry over to himself so Shiba could concentrate on dodging the TIES. "You truly do love me, don’t you? I’m actually going to get to kill something on this trip." "I didn’t want you thinking I’m selfish, keeping all the kills to myself," Shiba answered him. "Lobo are the calculations to Corellia complete yet?" "It will take another two minutes." "Sithspit. Looks like this is gonna be a close one." "Make as if we’re going to ram ’em." "Are you crazy, Flik? If they hit us with a turbolasor we’re done for." "Just trust me." An expression of pure joy and bitterness of the hunt fixed on his face. He let out a howl of excitement as he snapped off his first shot at the enemy, the laser blast punching through the ball cockpit of the TIE Fighter. It didn’t explode like he wanted it to, but the kill was made. He quickly snapped off more shots in quick succession, carving thorough the TIE Fighters like a vibroblade through flesh. The survivors of the first sweep turned in a manoeuvre that would be impossible to perform in atmosphere. Shiba had to smile to herself when she saw the bridge officers of the Star Destroyer duck when she pulled the stick up, just missing the shields. Behind them, one of the TIE Fighters weren’t so lucky, smashing into the bridge’s shields. Another spun put of control and slammed into the Star Destroyer’s hull. The remaining TIE Fighter wing poured fire into the rear shielding of the Warrior. Sensing the likely hood of a breach, Flik diverted power to those shields, hoping to boost them. "Lobo, we ain’t gonna last much longer back there!" "Keep your fur on. I’m calculating the jump as fast as I can!" Lobo protested. Shiba brought the Heritage round in a wide arch, coming in behind the TIE wing. Flik sent the fighters the same way as their buddies only moments earlier. The Star Destroyer dropped more TIE Fighters from it’s hold. "Lobo, the calculations!" "Almost done. Five, four, three, two, one, mark!" Shiba pulled back the hyperspace lever and they could breathe a sigh of relief in the safe confines of hyperspace.
***
They moved into the galley of the ship for Shiba to see to his wounds. Flik had taken off his shirt so she could check over those he had received during his brief fire fight with the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Most of those were superficial cuts and would heal on their own without much treatment, though she gave him a shot of anti-biotics to kill any infection. Then she unwound the temporary bandage she had bound to his arm and applied a salve over the wound to ease the pain of the blaster burn and then put a bacta patch on top of that to promote healing. She used a bandage, a proper one, to secure it in place and to protect the wound from knocks and friction. The bleeding had stopped and formed a scab. She then cleaned the blood from his fur. Flik was silent throughout, enjoying the closeness of her, her gentle touch as she worked, treating his wounds. Finally she gave him a pain killer. Now that she had finished he kissed her and before he knew it, he was undressing her. When they both stood there naked, Flik led her to their cabin and sat down on the bed. He sucked gently on one breast and then the other, gasps of pleasure and excitement escaped Shiba’s lips. He pulled her with him into the middle of the bed and sat with his legs out stretched. Blood rushed to his penis, resulting in an erection. Shiba sat astride him, bending her legs on either side of his hips. Flik felt himself penetrate her. Flik bent his legs to form a triangle under her buttocks and slowly began to pump his hips. He looked deeply into her eyes and could feel her breath brush against his lips and cold, black nose. He felt all the pain and anxiety over the last two days slip away as he lost himself in her eyes. He ignored the cramp in his legs that had begun to set in, holding out until he ejaculated. He heard her gasp as she climaxed too. He couldn’t being to describe the feeling that had welled up inside him and he sat there, not wanting to speak, even though his legs were cramped and he could feel pins and needles racing up and down his legs after holding the same position for so long. Though they’d had sex many times before, it was the first time that they had made love. Shiba slowly untangled herself from him. His manhood now hung limply. She laid down on her side. Flik slowly stretched out his limbs, wincing a little as he did so. "Are you okay?" she asked him. Flik nodded. "Just some cramp, that’s all," he answered her. After a few minutes he laid down on his back. "It was worth it though. I never knew it was possible for me to feel this way again." She shifted closer to him, moulding herself against his durasteel hard body. She laid one arm across his chest. Flik shifted onto his side and encircled her with his arm. He felt completely satisfied. Though he wanted to do it again, he didn’t want it right now. He kissed her gently on the mouth, drawing strength from her. "I want to ask you something. Will you, like marry me?" he stumbled over the words. "If we want to be a proper family then yes, but where would we go to have it done?" Shiba carried on. "There is nothing I’d like more than to be your wife, but they’d probably refuse to do the ceremony because of you know--" She didn’t want to say the words. "I know. I’m not human," Flik finished for her. "There’s always the Alliance." "Are you suggesting that we join?" she asked him. "My brother and Dice are happy. I’m sure someone would be willing to carry it out." "Let’s look around first, shall we? There are other planets in the Corellian System. There is the planet Drall which have a native species and there’s Selonia. If we have no luck there we can try the Double Worlds because they have all the species in Corellia living on them, Drall, Selonia and human." "And if we don’t?" there was disappointment in his voice. "Then we’ll join the Rebels. I believe in what they stand for, Flik, I really do, but I have to think of the kids. It wouldn’t be fair, putting their lives in danger. I’m not leaving them behind this time." He understood. "But would anywhere be safe? Now that they are looking for us, the kids are in danger too," Flik reminded her. "They could use them to get to us." "After seeing what they did to a peaceful world like Alderaan and knowing what happened to your family, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they did that," Shiba answered. "That’s why we must get to them as soon as we can. It may already be too late." "I promise you, Shiba if anything has happened to your children, then the Imps’ll all wish they died along with your husband and everyone else. They destroyed my family once and I’m not going to let them do it again." Shiba stroked the fur of his back lovingly in response to his words. "I’ll be there at your side, Flik. Hunting with you as I’ve always done," she buried herself deep into the thick fur on his body and he cradled her close to him for a very long time. Soon, the deepness of her breathing told him that she had fallen asleep. Flik felt tiredness come over him too. He pulled the blanket over them to keep them both warm. The last time he had felt this content had been that last night he had spent with his dead mate. She had been deep into oestrus then. That night stayed clearly in his mind. It was almost as if he knew that it would be the last time they’d ever be together. He never found out if he’d succeeded in impregnating her or not. If he had, then the Empire would have murdered three people that day. Sometimes he wished he’d been there to protect them, to give his mate chance to escape. Looking at the human female in his arms he realized he should let the past go. She was his future now and he had a purpose. To protect her and her children, to be something he’s thought he’s lost a long time ago. But most of all, to love them. Sleep came over him before he could think of anything else. His dreams were filled with visions of the future, the pain and hurt of the past long gone, replaced by happiness and love. If Shiba saw him as her sanctuary, then he saw her and her children as creatures that inhabited it, neither complete without the other.
Chapter 7: Corellia
Flik was the first to wake up, disappointed that what they had shared had come to an end, at least for now. He put on clean clothes. He thought about waking Shiba, but decided she looked too peaceful to be disturbed. He went straight to the cockpit and sank down into the nerf hide seat. He checked the ship’s timer. One hour until they reached their destination. He decided to check how much money they had in their account. It would take a lot to buy the marriage visa they would need before they could even think of contemplating it. They had just over one hundred thousand. Shiba, who had felt his absence had woken and entered the cockpit a few minutes later. She was wearing the same baggy shirt, top and skirt she had worn when they met. He thought she had never looked more beautiful. "I’ve had a look at our account and we have just over one hundred thousand," Flik told her. "Have you seen my rings, the ones Chan gave me?" Flik shook his head. He had of course. He had seen them on the table where she had took them off just before she had looked at his wounds. He wanted to surprise her by buying one for her himself, but he needed to know the sizes to do it. "I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve lost them," she seemed sad and Flik regretted lying to her. "Isn’t it more important to remember the other things Chan gave you, the two most precious gifts of all, your children?" "I suppose you’re right Flik," she said but she suspected from the way he said it that he was up to something. There was a deep intelligence in those eyes and she had leant to read his language enough to know when he wasn’t being wholly truthful with her. She decided not to say any more on the matter. Flik would reveal all in time. That she knew. Besides, he was as secretive as a manka cat with a litter of new born cubs when he wanted to be and no matter how much she tried he never let his secrets out until he wanted to.
***
Flik brought the Warrior down in the spaceport of Coronet, the capital of Corellia. They decided to leave the swoop inside the ship and travel by hover bus. Concealed under her shirt was a blaster. They decided to split up before going through customs and meet a block or two down the road. It would give them a better chance of not being discovered by CorSec, or worse, Imperial Intelligence. Flik went first, with Shiba two dozen paces behind. When he came to the customs desk, Shiba spotted a news stand and went over to it, pretending to be interested in the news, keeping an eye on Flik as he passed his fake ID to the man behind the desk. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of storm troopers near by, clad in their characteristic white armour. Her stomach twisted and she readied herself for the possibility of a fight. Glancing at Flik, she saw by his body language that he had also seen them and was ready if it came down to a fight. The man kept Flik at the desk for what seemed like a worrying amount of time and Shiba expected the storm troopers to descend on him at any moment. Finally, the man let him go on his way and Shiba let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Something on the news stand caught her eye. It was about her and Flik. She read through it, hoping to learn something about him she didn’t already know, but only got the bounty that had been put on their heads. The Empire had put fifty thousand on each of them and Clagula had placed double that. She pressed the cancel tab and went to the customs desk. She passed the customs officer her fake ID. "Let me just check this out miss-" "Ms," Shiba corrected him, just enjoying being awkward for the button bashing desk jockey. "Ms Drallen and you can be on your way," he swiped the card through. "Can you tell me what your business here is?" She wanted to say, none of your damn business. "Just visiting friends, maybe try to find a job. Do you know anywhere that might take me on?" "There’s a cantina not far from here looking for someone." "Thanks. Maybe I’ll check it out," Shiba took her ID card back from him and walked through the barrier. She didn’t check to see if the card was void or not, thinking he might see her later. As Shiba stepped out on to the street, a man brushed past her deliberately. "Jerk," Shiba whispered under her breath, meaning both the customs officer and the man who’d just pushed past her. "What took you so long?" Flik asked her when she caught up with him. She told him about what she had read at the news stand. "Sounds like we really upset them," Flik said. "Are you hungry? I know I am" Shiba took hold of his hand. "Come to think of it, I could do with something." "There is a cantina here somewhere." "Do you think that’s wise with all the bounty hunters that are likely to be after us?" "At least we know we’d be served there," she replied to his question. He reluctantly agreed and allowed her to take him to it. It was dark, smoky and filled with noise. They chose a table in a dark corner, away from most of the other patrons. A droid trundled over and took their order, a mug of Corellian brandy and a plate of meats for Flik, a some sort of exotic cocktail and a sandwich for Shiba. "I could do with a bath," Shiba commented while they waited. "You look no worse than anyone else here. You look fine to me." Keeping her voice low, Shiba said "Well, since I’m your betrothed, you’re supposed to say that." "I mean it, Shiba," Flik reached out with his hand and clasped hers. He rubbed it between his fingers. Shiba could feel the sharp tips of his claws dig lightly into her hand. She looked into his dark eyes. With her other hand she reached across the table and stroked the fur of his face. The droid broke their intimacy and set down the mug of Corellian brandy and the exotic cocktail in front of them. "Your meal will not be long now, sir, madam," the droid said before trundling off. While they were waiting, Shiba listened to the music being played in the cantina. The current song was about a forbidden love between two people, a Jedi and a senator of the Old Republic. "Isn’t that song beautiful?" she asked him. "Reminds me of us in a way." Flik nodded in agreement. He wasn’t really a music lover, not since, well that was a long time ago. He swallowed when the song told of a great battle, once history, then legend and now myth, in which the two lovers got involved. If only the other patrons knew that on that day the Old Republic died and the Empire was born. When the song ended he became more interested in the person before him. After the next two songs, their meal had still not arrived and Flik was beginning to grow impatient. Had Shiba noticed his pensiveness during that song? He began to wish he’d never agreed to come here. Then half way through the third song, the droid arrived with their meal. By that time, they had finished their drinks. "Can we have the same again? Be quick this time," Flik snapped at the droid for it’s tardiness. "Yes sir, right away." The droid took away the empty mug and glass and came back a few minutes later with the same. Flik washed down part of his meal with a swig of brandy and wiped the excess off on his sleeve. "What caused your change of mood all of a sudden?" Shiba asked. "I don’t want to talk about it, okay?" It wasn’t exactly brilliant but it took the edge off his hunger and finished quickly. After their meal, they left, paying their bill on the way out.
***
They caught a hover bus to the section of town where Shiba’s friend lived. The motion of the bus and the effects of the alcohol combined to make him feel sleepy. Shiba shook him awake when they had almost reached their stop. He stood up and went to the front of the bus and asked the driver to stop at the next terminal, Shiba pressed close behind him. The area in which they were in was rather run down but had the look of the lower middle class of society. "The place hasn’t changed much," Shiba told him. "My friend runs an orphanage, looking after kids with no family, or those who have but their family doesn’t want ‘em anymore. Keeps ‘em off the streets and out of trouble. They are mainly humans, with a few non-human species. She has difficulty finding homes for the non-humans." Flik nodded in acknowledgement. He despised the term non-human, but hated alien even more. "She gives them a home because no one else will. She’s the only chance they have of a future, but while the Empire exists, their prospects don’t look too bright." "I know what you mean. I saw the looks some of the other passengers gave us just now." Shiba led them to a large house with a large front lawn. "She relies entirely on donations to run this place and funds are limited, but if she can find a way to help a kid, she does it, no matter how small." "Is that the personal charity you talked about?" Shiba nodded as she opened the gate and led him up the path. Flik closed it behind him. Shiba pressed the door bell and a few minutes later a woman about ten centimetres shorter than Shiba opened the door. She was in her mid forties and rather plump. "Shiba!" the woman hugged her. "Hi Nova," Shiba said and hugged her back. "This is my friend Flik," she introduced the tall wolfman behind her. "Come in, come in," Nova said, moving to the side so the young woman and the large wolfman could enter. "Shiba told me about you in one of her holo letters." Nova closed the door behind her and led them into a large sitting room where children of various ages were playing. There were twenty children in all, between two and ten years old. Fifteen of them were human the others alien. There was one Shistavanen boy of four years old, a Drall child, a Rodian, a Twi’lek and a small Sullestan. The Shistavanen looked up as they entered. He was playing with a human girl of the same age, with long dark hair like Shiba’s. "Jeana," Nova said to her. "Come here, there is someone I want you to meet." The little girl stood and walked over to them shyly. She looked nervously at the strangers. Shiba bent her knees to lift the little girl into her arms and hugged her. "Jeana, mummy’s home, baby." "Are you really my mummy?" "Yes, sweetie. And this is your uncle Flik," she said, indicating the large wolfman at her side. Flik smiled. He wouldn’t mind being called that, in fact, he rather liked it. "Nova, we need to talk. Where’s Chan?" The older woman moved to the other side of the room and picked up a two year old boy with short blonde hair like his father. Shiba passed her daughter to the hulking wolfman so she could hold him as well. The rest of the afternoon Flik and Shiba watched over the children. They all seemed to love the gentle wolfman who told them stories of his own making, about Rebel heroes fighting against the evil Empire and of long forgotten Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. All of them gave him their undivided attention and the little Shistavanen boy came to sit on his lap. He learnt that the kid’s name was Zak. Shiba, seeing that they would be okay with him, slipped away to help Nova make dinner, which was quite a job considering that there were twenty three mouths to feed. Chan was the youngest child and Shiba fed him before having her own meal. She trusted Flik to look after Jeana. After dinner the older children washed up the plates and things while Shiba and Flik helped Nova get the others ready for bed.
***
"Do you have a kid?" Zak asked Flik. "I did have a son, about your age he was," Flik looked away from him as he spoke. "He’s in the Great Forest now." "The Great Forest?" Zak asked him. "You know nothing of our culture? The Great Forest is where we go when we die. My mate is with him also." Flik lifted him out of the bath and began to dry off his fur with a towel. "I miss them both very much." "You love Jeana’s mum, don’t you?" "Yes. I cannot dwell on the past. We are hunters, Zak." "Will you teach me?" Zak asked, hopefully. Flik hugged the boy against him. The last time a Shistavanen child had asked him that it had ended in disaster. "I can’t promise you anything at the moment, Zak." "Will you tell me another story?" "If you do something for me first. Go get ready for bed. I need to talk to Jeana’s mum." "Okay, uncle Flik," he ran off to his room. Flik found Shiba dressing Jeana and Chan for bed. He stood in the door way and watched her until she had finished before saying "We need to talk." "I’ll be back in a moment, kids," Shiba said and went out of the room and closed the door behind her. "This is about Zak, isn’t it?" Flik nodded. "I think we should adopt him, Shiba." "Give me a few days to think about it." "He’s reached out to me, love. I’m as sure about this as I am about marrying you." "We shouldn’t rush into anything, Flik," Shiba told him. "You want a replacement for the son you lost." "And you want the same for Chan. In me," Flik retorted, her words had hurt him very deeply, he almost regretted what he had said before the words had escaped his lips. "It’s not just me, Shiba. He needs a member of his own species to bring him up. I was talking to him just now and he knows nothing of his own culture." "That’s not it and you know it. You’re never straight with me, Flik. You only ever tell me half truths. I want to know what you’re hiding." "I’m not hiding anything." Flik wanted to tell her the truth about his distant past but couldn't find the right words. She would never understand, he convinced himself. How could she? What he had been had destroyed all hope for the galaxy, ripped his family apart, allowed the corruption to develop that had enslaved the people of his homeworld and destroyed hers. "I’ll see you later." Flik watched her retreat back into the room. He knew he had to tell her the truth and soon, only he didn’t know how to do it. If he told her he would loose her and if he didn’t that would still come to pass.
***
All the children were in bed. Zak had fallen asleep while Flik had told him a hunting story, of animals, not people. Then he left the room and descended the stairs. He found Nova alone in the sitting room and he joined her on the couch opposite. "Nova, tell me about Zak." "He came to me not long after Alderaan blew, a couple of months maybe. His mother brought him and he was two years old at the time. She didn’t give me much information about him accept that his father had been a Jedi and the Empire was hunting her. She gave me the child’s name, called him Zak Sivrak. She needed somewhere to hide him and so I took him in. On the official records he is just another orphan." "What happened to his mother?" "I never saw her again, she never even told me her name. He’s a special little boy. He just seems to know things. He can do puzzles that not even some of the older kids twice his age can do. He knows when it’s going to rain days before it occurs and finds things I’ve misplaced and he was no where near the room when I put them down." Flik contemplated his for a moment. He caught Shiba’s scent as she descended the stairs. "I’m tired. See you in the morning, Nova." Flik got to his feet and brushed past Shiba as she entered the room. "I’ll be up in a few minutes" Shiba told him. "So you are going to marry him," Nova said when Flik was out of ear shot. "Flik and I have been through a lot together. It seemed only natural that we should fall in love." "I can see that, but are you sure you’re not making a mistake?" "It’s because of what he is, isn’t it?" "Yes. I have nothing against non humans, but getting involved with one?" "That’s almost like saying they aren’t people, Nova. All I know is that the Empire, humans, destroyed Alderaan and my husband and murdered an innocent Shistavanen child and his mother." "Flik lost his family?" "Yep. He’s only just told me. That’s why he’s so interested in Zak. He’s asked me if I want to adopt him." "Good. I try to find members of the same species to take on the children if I can, so they can be with their own kind. If I can’t well, I try to find a human family but Zak is special. I couldn’t let him go with just anyone. It’s not really safe for him here. I had more non human children before you came, but the Empire takes most of them away if I can’t find homes for them. I’ve managed to hide Zak so far, but they’ll catch on eventually." "What happens after that?" "Slavery? Testing some new weapon on them? I don’t really know. They would shut me down if I didn’t comply and who would help the others?""That settles it then. We take Zak and the others with us when we leave. We have contacts in the Alliance. They will be safe there." "Thanks." "I want to do all I can to help you and the children, Nova," Shiba said. "I’ll see you in the morning."
***
Shiba found Flik in what used to be her old room. After Chan had died she had moved in here for a while to get her life back in order. Most of her old clothes were still there. Flik was laid in bed with his back to the door and he turned towards her as she opened the door. "I’m sorry if I upset you earlier, Flik" Shiba said, taking off her shirt. She sat down on the edge of the bed to take off her shoes. "I shouldn’t have pushed the issue the way I did. I’m the one who should be sorry." "Well, we’re taking him and the other non human children with us," She then told him what happened to the ones that weren’t adopted. "It does not surprise me," Flik said. "Nothing they do would. My species may be violent but we would never harm children." A small furry figure stood in the door way. Flik stood up and walked over to him. He picked him up in his arms. "You should be sleeping, Zak.""I coul dn’t sleep." "It’s all those stories you’ve been telling him, giving him nightmares," Shiba said. Flik felt her arms encircle him. "If I let you stay with us, do you promise to go to sleep?" "I promise." "That’s if it’s okay with you, Shiba." "It’s okay Flik, I don’t mind. We spend too much time alone anyway."Flik sat up in bed, with Zak cradled against his chest. Shiba laid down beside him and went to sleep. Soon, Zak’s regular breathing told him that the boy was asleep and he gently laid him down in between them. He knew Shiba wasn’t entirely happy about the father son relationship he was forming with the Shistavanen boy. Perhaps it was because she wanted him to form it with her son instead. But, Flik thought, Zak had no one except him now and he would not abandon him like he had his own son. Flik saw this as his second chance at being a father. With this in mind, he settled down to sleep.
Chapter 8: Family and Love
They stayed a week, helping Nova care for the children. Time spent not caring for the children was spent trying to think of a way getting the alien children off the planet. There was, like with every major planet and system under Imperial control a limit on non human immigration between planets. It was on the seventh day when Flik and Shiba gathered her children and Zak together to tell them what was going to happen. "We will be leaving Corellia soon and you will be coming with us." "Zak too?" Jeana asked. She and Zak were close friends which had been another reason to adopt him. Flik nodded. "You’ll be coming too, Zak. That’s what’s taken us so long to sort out." "There is something else you need to know," Shiba said, beckoning Jeana to come and sit between her and the wolfman. Chan was sat on her knee. "Flik and I are getting married. We will be taking some of your friends with us. There may be some danger, but don’t be scared. If you do exactly what we say, then you will be safe. Understand?" "Yes mummy," Jeana said. Zak just nodded his head. Chan was more fascinated with his mother’s hair. "Trust us. We won’t let anything bad happen to you," Flik promised them. He hoped he could keep that promise. They were all depending on him. "We will be leaving tomorrow. We can’t take all your toys, so you’ll have to choose the ones you want to take with you," Shiba informed the older two. "No more than four each." The two children went to their rooms to choose what to take with them. Flik stood and glanced at Shiba, wondering if he should tell her now. He couldn’t hold it off much longer. Instead he said, "We need to lock the weapons on the ship away so they can’t hurt themselves." "Do it, Flik. I have to pack for Chan and the others’ clothes. See you later," Shiba stood up as she spoke and Flik encircled her in a hug. She felt his lips brush lightly against hers. With her free hand she stroked his back. Flik ruffled Chan’s hair as he pulled away. "I’ll see you later," he was just about to exit the room before turning back. "We need to talk alone when I get back." "Out back," she answered, gripping his hand. "See you then, lover," Flik pulled his hand from her grip as he moved away. His hand reached inside the pocket that contained the ring he had bought her earlier in the week. He planned on giving it to her tonight, before they begun their new life together. After he told her the secret that could tear them apart forever. "Bye Flik," he heard her say as he walked away. The sound of her sweet voice aroused the sexual urges inside him and he missed their love making. He knew now that they wouldn’t be able to make love as often as they liked, but he could live with that.
***
Flik sat in the cockpit of the Warrior. He had finished locking away the weapons and was contemplating his next move. He removed the panel of the secret compartment and pulled out a cylinder the length of his upper arm. He stared at it, dark memories flashing through his mind. His gaze shifted to the view port and he looked up at the sky. It would be so easy now just to pilot the ship out of there, so he wouldn’t have to face up to his terrible past. Bile rose from his stomach and he became aware of the presence behind him. "You know what you must do." "How can I tell her? That I could have stopped the destruction of her world but did nothing?" "You know what you must do," the voice repeated and the presence vanished into the nothingness that it came from. Flik dreamed of a time long ago in a place far, far away.
***
Shiba hadn’t told Flik the entire truth. She had things to pack, but it wasn’t the kids’ clothes because she had done that last night. No, what she was packing were some of her old belongings that she had left behind two years ago, when Chan was born. There was a holo of her and her husband the day they had got married, a holo of her, Chan and Jeana before he died and finally, a holo of her and her son just hours after his birth. She packed them into a box, tears coming forth as they had so many times before. Tears for Chan, her lost husband and father of her children. Tears for Alderaan and finally tears to say goodbye. Shiba heard movement behind her. She turned and saw Nova in the door way, holding Chan in her arms through her tears. "Let it all out," Nova said to her. "I thought I was just about all cried out," Shiba said. "Coming here, seeing the kids again brought it all back." "There are a lot of memories here, Shiba. The pain and hurt will fade in time, the memories go as well, but the love remains. Always remember that." "And Flik, what about him?" "That Shiba is what you need to work out for yourself. All I know is that Chan would want you to get on with your life. Life isn’t worth living being sad and miserable. It’s self-destructive. If being with Flik makes you happy then go for it. Chan loved you enough to want you to be happy." "Really?" "Yes, really. But do it for yourself. Sometimes, Shiba we have to put ourselves first. People my not like your decision, but that is their problem. You deserve to be happy." "You are right, Nova. Why is it you always know what is right?" "Experience, Shiba. Flik is nicer and kinder than most humans I know." "He can be a monster when he wants to be. He’s good with the children, though. They seem to love him." "That Shiba is why he is right for you." "You think so?" "Yep. He’s more suitable for you than most humans. Tell me something, is he good?" "He’s passionate sometimes and gentle. He totally blows my mind away." "He loves you greatly, that I can see," Nova sat down on the edge of the bed. "He would die for you." "I know, Nova. And I for him. I know him better than anyone in my life, but I still miss Chan’s father. I still love him, I guess." "You always will, Shiba, you always will. There are many kinds of love and we all have the capacity to feel them." "Some of us, anyway," Shiba said. "There are some I know who wouldn’t be able to love if it slapped them round the face." "They have just forgotten how to." "I did for a while. But something connected between Flik and I and I don’t know how or when. It just did." "I’m thinking of baking a ryshcate this afternoon." "I’ve not had any ryshcate in ages. That would be good." "Do you think that big wolfman of yours will like it?" "He’s liked everything else you’ve done and he’s better because we’re having it when we get married." "By the way, where is he this morning?" "He’s doing something on the ship. Locking stuff away that we don’t want the kids getting their hands on," Shiba answered. "There is something I’ve got to tell you, the reason I am here," she told her everything, about Agar and the Hutt. She kept out the fact she’d had sex with Agar before killing him. "Do you think someone will have tracked you here?" Nova asked. "I don’t know. If they have then they are shy about showing themselves. Chan and Jeana are better off with us though because eventually the Empire’ll realise who they are and where or a bounty hunter will and use them to flush us out. We can’t let that happen because of you and the other kids. Neither the Empire or the bounty hunters are particular about who they kill. Flik and I both know how they work." "What should I do if one comes snooping round after you’ve gone?" "Just tell them the truth. We’ll not tell you where we are going." "In the mean time while you’re still here?" "Do the things you’d normally do. They pick up on things like differences in behaviour. If they turn up while we’re here, take the kids round the back and let Flik and I deal with it. We’ll pay for any damage done." "I’ll go start on the ryshcate."
***
Flik didn’t come back until dinner time. "You’ve been gone for a while. See anything unusual?" Shiba asked him as he sat down opposite her in the chair next to Zak. Flik shook his head as he chewed on some meat. he swallowed and said "Nothing" For the rest of the meal Flik and Shiba ate in silence, though the kids more than made up for it. Flik enjoyed the meal. It was the first thing he’d had all day. After they had all finished and cleared the plates away, Nova revealed the special surprise for them all and served up the ryshcate. There was some left over and Nova put it to one side, planning on giving it to Flik and Shiba when they left in the morning. "That was wonderful Nova," Flik said. "Good. I’m glad you like it, Flik, because that’s what we’ll be having at our wedding." Flik smiled at her. "I knew there was a reason why I love you." Some of the children snickered at the revelation until an angry look from the wolfman silenced them. Then they went through the nightly ritual of bathing the children before bed time.
***
Night had fallen now and Shiba and Flik went outside into the back garden. The night was clear and the sky was filled with the twinkle of stars. Shiba pointed some of them out to him. The biggest ones to be seen weren’t stars at all, but planets. "I’ve not felt like this since the last time I was with my family," Flik said to her, gripping her hand in his. "We are your family now." Flik turned to face her. He lowered his gaze so he didn’t have to look at her. "There is something I must tell you and I hope you can forgive me for keeping this from you. If you don’t want to be with me after I’ve told you this, then I understand." "What can be so terrible that I’d want to break up with you over?" "This." Flik reached inside his jacket and produced a cylinder. He activated it and swung the green blade through the air. It hummed and hissed with every movement. Shiba looked at the weapon in shook. "Flik, that’s a lightsabre! Then you are--" "A Jedi Knight. Or at least I used to be. Cherys wasn’t my mate either, but I did have one, her name was Auoura. Twenty Four years ago we had a son, Tek was his name. It was forbidden for Jedi to marry, to fall in love and I did, with her. When she became pregnant we couldn’t keep it a secret and I was forced to leave the Order. That is not the worst thing. Just before I left, a group of us, my father and my Master were on the verge of uncovering a Sith plot to take over the galaxy." "Wait. I thought you said Jedi weren’t able to marry." "Let’s just say my father was much better at keeping secrets than I was. My Master was killed in action and my mother became pregnant again, with Lak. This time she was unable to keep it a secret and when Palpatine took full control of all decisions, rendering the senate useless, she pulled the Uvena System out of the Old Republic. A three way war ensued, the Republic and the Jedi on one side, the Confederacy on the other and Uvena III caught up in the middle. My people were defeated. My father refused to battle his former colleges, the Jedi and tried to warn them what was happening. The Jedi, even the Masters were under the influence of the Sith Lord. It was too late by the time they realised what was happening. "The Jedi scattered throughout the galaxy and were picked off one by one. My father was one of the last. When he died, my son desired revenge and so he went to confront the Vader and his Emperor. They turned him to their side and he killed his mother. I was forced to kill him. As he died, he told me of a female Shistavanen, Cherys. She was carrying his child." "Zak." "Yes." "Flik, I had no idea--" He kissed her. "It seems strange to find peace in a galaxy torn apart by war and hatred and oppression." "We find it anywhere we can Flik and with who we can. It is what the Rebels are fighting for." "Even after all I’ve just told you, are we still going to join?" Shiba stroked his face with her other hand. "Do you still want to marry me?" Flik looked into her eyes and stroked her hair. "Yes," he said after a while. "That is the answer to both questions, then." "Well, we’d better do this properly then," Flik said. "I have another confession to make. I borrowed the rings Chan gave you so I had the right size," he reached into his pocket and took out the rings Chan had given her and pressed them into her palm. He closed her hand around them and watched as she put them away. "I’m not sure if I’m doing this right, but here goes," he went down on one knee and reached into his pocket to take out the ring he had bought. "I want to ask you if you will be my mate, my partner in the hunt forever." He took hold of her hand, kissed it and slipped the ring on her finger. "You did it just fine," Shiba said to him. He stood up and she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, passionately, lovingly. "I’ll take that as a yes." "No," she said. "You’ll take this as a yes." She took hold of his hand and led him into the house, up the stairs and into her room. She closed the door behind her and took off her clothes, all the time kissing and teasing the wolfman. When she was ready, she knelt down on the bed with her hands clasped behind her neck and her breasts resting against the pillow. Flik, already undressed, got on to the bed behind her and pushed his hips up against her buttocks. Shiba felt him penetrate her deeply as she hooked her legs over his, puling him towards her with her feet rested against his bum. He pressed down on her shoulder blades as he pumped his hips back and forth. Shiba rocked with him, the excitement building up inside her. Half way through she felt him fondle her breasts and wanted to shriek from the shear joy of him pumping and straining and plunging inside of her. When it was over, she collapsed and rolled on to her back so she could look up at him. He rested on top of her. "Do you think anyone heard?" she asked him. "That was some answer he said, still shaken up with joy in the wake of their love making. "I’m not finished yet," Shiba said. "That’s if you aren’t tired." "Still fresh," Flik told her, a wicked smile on his face. "Pass me the other pillow," Shiba said. "Please." He obeyed her and Shiba slipped it under her hips. This time he went slow, savouring every moment before penetrating her again.
***
It was the deepest, darkest part to the night when they woke up. They had made love twice more before going to sleep and Shiba lay on top of him in the same position as they had made love, too exhausted to move off him. What had woken them was the small figure of Zak. Shiba had woke when she felt his small hand on her shoulder and moved off the sleeping Flik. Her movement caused him to wake. "What is it, a nightmare?" Shiba asked Zak. In the darkness Shiba saw Flik’s silhouette sit up and shake his head. "It’s the Trandoshan bounty hunter, Bossk. I’d recognise his scent anywhere." He sniffed again, his keen nose detecting another all too familiar presence as well. "Fett. Fett’s here." Flik stood up, glad of the darkness. "They know you are here," Zak said, even though he wasn’t sure why he said it. Flik slipped on his trousers to conceal his modesty and picked up his blaster. "Wake Nova and the other kids and bring them here. Don’t turn the lights on and keep them quiet. Stay with them." "What about you? As I recall the last time you and Fett met you came off worse." "Don’t worry about me. While they’re running around trying to catch me, the kids are safe." "Be careful Flik." He bent to kiss her, drawing strength from her. "I will. Look after her, little hunter." "I will, uncle Flik." "Cena mei neu." Shiba repeated the words and Flik left them and went out on to the landing. Read Chapters Nine Through Twelve of 'Hunter's Conscience': The Conclusion!
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