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Alland's Notes -- Retrieval
The first Tale of Alland's Story

NC-17

The Star Wars movies, their universe, concepts, and characters are the property of George Lucas and whomever else he has licensed. My characters and concepts, unless otherwise noted, are my property. In case of dispute, Lucas wins, no argument. There is no money being made on this story.

The man coming out of Miklinar's office seems familiar. Yes, a lot of Jedi move that way, but... He nods to you as he passes, but then you notice courier's insignia on his uniform. Obviously, he delivered something -- a package or a message -- to Miklinar, and is on his way out again.

"Come in. Calim was just verifying some of my information." Miklinar's smile seems to be a little too fond -- was Calim one of his lovers? Mikli continues, "The story's been cleared for distribution. I was asked to change some names..." Mikli shrugged. "I usually do, anyway, unless I know the person, and ask."

"Does this mean," you ask, "that Lord Vader -- Darth Vader, and his successor -- has permitted you to..."

"Give out details of his personal life? Yes. The senior has a strong sense of history, and the personal aspects make motives clearer."

You hesitate, but the last gives you a perfect reason to ask. "And whose 'motives' are you revealing this time?"

Again the fond smile. "Alland Emmer. He made his way into the beds of some of the highest ranked people of both the Alliance and the Sith."

"Yours?" you grin.

"No. He's also my half-brother and my foster father. For some reason, this made him reluctant to accept any of my offers. His choice, certainly." Miklinar calls up a screen with an assortment of notes. "Alland's a scientist. That means his research notes are valuable to him. Valuable enough to risk his live to retrieve them..."

Alland's Notes -- Retrieval

as told by Miklinar

      "Where are your research notes?" Garn asked. " You mentioned earlier that you intended to retrieve them."

      Alland called up a map. "I made three caches. The easiest one to collect is on Hiborac." Off toward the Rim. "I was finished there, and left a set just for safekeeping."

      Garn nodded. "How many people do you want to take?"

      Alland grinned, "You know my ideal team is unavailable."

      Garn snorted. "Just you and me. It won't happen. Make other arrangements."

      Alland nodded. "I shall. Especially if I hope to recover the other two caches."

      There was a general call for volunteers among the Alliance and former Imperials, no details except some combat experience preferred.

      Alland looked over the crowd. A nice turn-out -- time to do some weeding.

      "Thank you for coming. I'm going to be asking some questions, and choosing my team on the basis of the answers. If you're not chosen, it's not a flaw in you, just my judgement on who will work for this mission. Understood?"

      General murmurs. Alland raised his hand and the room fell silent. "First, are any of you notorious? I know that many of you are technically deserters, but were you conspicuous? Any notable rebels? I can't afford to have anyone with me who'll be instantly recognizable as a problem."

      That lost three Imperials and a rebel, although Alland suspected that the rebel wasn't as well-known as he wanted his friends to think.

      One more major weeding. "We're going to be travelling together for weeks in a small ship." The listeners nodded and murmured. "Are any of you gay?" Alland asked.

      Mutters from "Why would that matter?" to indignant, "Don't tell me this guy's a phobic?" A female in the front row smiled, just a little.

      Alland raised his hand again. "No?" Head shakes. "From your responses, I see that you're willing to be civil -- or at least quiet -- on the subject. But that's in an open environment, not closed. No penalty -- anyone uncomfortable about travelling with a gay male may leave."

      One of the more boisterous ones, "Depends on how cute he is!"

      Alland singled out the heckler, walked up to him. The younger man was not bad-looking, in a rustic way. Quietly, "If you were interested, you should have spoken earlier."

      "Uh... you?"

      "You're nervous. Afraid I'll reward your wit?" The tone of voice wasn’t a threat, but...

      The backwater accent increased, "I don't want no Jedi mad at me. Course, I'm nervous!"

      "I'm not angry. But such a sense of humor might be wearing in a small group, when we can't escape each other. You may go." Alland turned, started to walk back toward the head of the room.

      "Wait! I didn't mean it to hurt..."

      Alland turned. "It didn't."

      "I'd.. I'd like a chance to go with you. On the mission."

      Alland watched him for a moment, then, "Very well." Louder, to the group, "Anyone else?"

      A rebel in pilot gear, "Can you make someone want you? Using your powers?"

      His neighbor jabbed him in the ribs, "Why should he help you?"

      Good. They were picking on each other now, like comrades. "Some Jedi could," Alland admitted. "My father took my mother that way. And for that reason, I can't, won't. I have never committed that kind of assault. It will not happen."

      Alland walked back to the front of the room. "Any other questions? I can answer very little about the details of the mission, I'm afraid, until I’ve chosen a team, and then only to them."

      A few off-topic questions were asked and answered, though. One actually provoked a smile. "How did I end up here? I fell in love."

      "And she was with the rebellion?"

      Alland frowned slightly, shook his head. "You've heard nothing that I've said. You're out. Sorry." The questioner stood and stalked out.

      The same question was pursued by someone else. "He joined the rebellion?"

      "Some would say so. Or the rebellion joined him. The current Lord Vader."

      Lots of mutterings and whisperings. Timidly, "I thought Garn was courting Leia."

      "Note that I did not claim that Lord Vader was enamored of me. And while Garn's marriage to Leia would be superb politically," Alland agreed, "such marriages often spawn less formal couplings on the side."

      "You're with him a lot. Every time he's on the WorldNet, you're in the scene."

      Alland shrugged, smiling slightly, "So I am."

      Alland's final selection was based on Force-perceptions of what elements he would need on the mission. There were six males and three females chosen by the end. "Thank all of you for volunteering. If my team would follow me, please?"

      A small lounge instead of the larger meeting room, with food and drink. "Relax, fill a plate, find a chair." Alland filled a glass, sat down next to a display console.

      Young, bright, fit, with fewer prejudices than an average cross-section of the Fleet. It was a good start. Now, if they would only follow orders at need... Alland smiled to himself. In one very real sense, it was his first independent command.

      Everyone settled.

      One wall lit up. Alland rose. "My name is Alland Emmer. I'm a researcher in the area of Jedi history, especially the history of their science. I have the University rank of Academician as well as a commission. Lord Vader has given me leave to reclaim my research materials from my last stations."

      "You're a Jedi yourself."

      "Yes."

      Different voices. "...deserter..." "...Palpatine's..." "...trust him?..."

      Alland raised his hand. "One at a time." Pointing, "You."

      "Are you Lord Vader's lover?"

      "I can't answer that one. Neither to confirm nor deny it. Lord Vader has little enough privacy in his life. I will not diminish what remains."

      "But you'd be willing?"

      Alland almost glowed, "Oh, yes." Pointing to another, "You. Your question?"

      "You're a deserter, but that's not uncommon here. What was your Imperial rank?"

      "Commander. But my desertion might not have been officially recorded yet. I hope to use that -- it will make retrieval easier."

      A voice, almost shrill, "They haven't noticed you're gone yet?"

      "My duties often had me out of contact with my nominal commanding officers for months. Oh, if I couldn't justify the absence, I might not have my expenses paid, but no further penalty would be administered." Alland paused, "Unless those orders were cancelled. That's the risk I'm taking, going back to get my notes."

      "And Lord Vader trusts you to come back here?"

      Alland grinned, "To my knowledge, the only living Jedi are here. I am a scholar. Studying Jedi is my life work. Why should I go anywhere else?"

      Laughter. Alland continued the briefing. “I left three different caches of work. The most recent location has the complete set, but is the riskiest. We're retrieving the older two and sending them back here, before we try for the third..." The screen lit with base diagrams and planetary maps.

      The first retrieval was trivial. The commanding officer had been Alland's lover years before, and it had been an amiable parting.

      "Pull up my current file, would you?" Alland asked, masking his nervousness.

      The older man laughed, cooperating. "You know I can't authorize back pay for you. You were transferred out of this command, years ago."

      "I don't expect you to. I just need to know if they've changed my contact instructions. The last year or so, I've been shuttled all over the Empire."

      Alland walked back onto his ship with a small bundle of records and artifacts. "We're done here. Pilot, set course for 'Flanna."

      Protest from one of the rebels. "This is absurd! Why did you bother to gather a group of us? You waltzed right in, by yourself, and..."

      "If someone else had been in charge, or if my name had been flagged as a deserter, you might have had to come in with blasters firing, to rescue me.

      "And that was only for the first leg. Our next stop..."

      "I need at least three of you who can act like serious University students."

      "And the rest of us sit on the ship?"

      "Not all. 'Flanna is a semi-closed world. With my academic credentials, I have permission to do research here, with some of my students. But with the way funding for such things goes, I've also been saddled with a group of 'tourist students.' That's the rest of you."

      He handed out datapads with instructions in basic behavior. "If I've told you not to do something, don't -- at risk of all our lives. Their taboo system is simple but rigid. The old priest and I got along because I was a Jedi. But he's almost certainly dead by now, and his most likely successor..."

      "Problems?"

      "Very likely." Alland shrugged, "I'll know when we get there."

      His earlier perceptions in choosing his team had been true. Alland actually found four who could pass cursory examination as graduate students in anthropology or archaeology, and one with an interest in the psychology of low-tech healing.

      "Excellent. Here are the briefing books. I'll review them with you tomorrow."

      The sky ship landed where sky ships always landed before. Three robed figures came out, carrying baskets covered with cloth drapes. They placed the baskets in the proper line-of-gift, bowed, then retreated into the sky ship.

      Long Stripe sent two of the younglings to bring the nearest basket to him. They struggled with the weight, and spilled it at Long Stripe's feet.

      As always, the sky man's gifts were tiny and glittering and abundant. Needles, knife blades, glass... oh, nice. A bundle at the bottom of the basket was of cloth exceedingly fine, but so tough that Long Stripe's knife couldn't cut it, although the new knives would.

      The other two baskets held spices and medical supplies. Long Stripe cuffed one of the boys who poked at the treasures. "Go to the ship. Say this exactly: 'He will see you.' Not one word more. Understand?"

      "I should welcome them! Look at all..."

      A harder blow. "Do not. There are enemies among the sky folk. Would you welcome one because of mere..." Long Stripe shoved one of the baskets over on its side, spilling the contents, "things?"

      The young one's eyes widened. "Do you expect... him? The one who..."

      Long Stripe spat. "The pervert. The demon-touched. He will return -- I have Seen it. And he will die."

      Alland asked, "That's all the boy said?"

      Owerri repeated it, exactly. "'He will see you.'"

      Alland paused in the careful arrangement of his own formal Academician robes. "Not good. I watched how you set out the gifts -- there was no blame there." Louder, "Everyone, get stunners, please, and keep them where you can reach them in a hurry." Then Alland rearranged his robes, adding more glitter. His eyes blazed blue-silver, and he had lined them with something dark that stood out against his pale skin.

      One of those waiting, in what he had thought was an undertone, "Bright Star, I've seen princesses get dressed faster."

      Alland answered mildly, "Perhaps their survival -- and yours -- did not depend on the precision of their appearance."

      "Oh."

      The lightsaber was the last. Alland stood with it in his hands for a long moment. A gift from Garn's hand, until Alland reclaimed his own or made a new one. "Alright." Alland slid the weapon into the pocket prepared for it. "Students! Formation."

      Two pilots were left behind in the ship, in case a flying retrieval was in order. Three "students" were in academic robes of lower rank than Alland's, the other four were in subdued and rugged outerwear. Alland took his place in the lead.

      The younglings poked each other. "Look! Look! He's coming out!"

      Long Stripe studied the group. So many! He had only expected three or four... He snarled. Yes, their leader was the accursed one. But too many to attack...

      Long Stripe grabbed one of the boys. "You. Go tell Snap to bring three of his men to my house." The boy ducked his head and ran off. To another boy, "Tell the elders that I forbid them to give guest-welcome to this man."

      The other boys were snickering. "Look at him. He's funny."

      "No. He is not. Do you not remember what I told you of Jedi? By his dress, he claims to be one of them."

      "Is he?"

      Long Stripe sneered, "I did not see any powers of him before."

      Alland's procession to the village. There was no birdsong, and only occasional rustle of underbrush. "We're being followed."

      "Of course," Alland answered serenely. "If one of us strays, they want to know."

      "Not an ambush?"

      "Probably not. But stay alert."

      Center of the village. A group of old men sat by a firepit. Alland signalled the others to spread out behind him. Then he walked up and knelt before the chief elder. "I greet you, old one."

      "I see you, sky man. Why are you here?"

      "To meet with my old friend White Eye. He has in his keeping something of mine."

      The elder sat back. "White Eye is gone. We have a new priest."

      Long Stripe pushed through the gathering crowd. "White Eye is dead. Your words twisted his mind, and he could not heal himself. You killed him."

      Still kneeling, looking at the elder, not the priest. "I did nothing."

      Long Stripe grabbed Alland's shoulders and hauled him to his feet. "White Eye died, and my son died. Your voice, your words, you blighted them."

      In an undertone, Alland, "I know what I am. Do you want all of your people to know that of your son?"

      Long Stripe, full volume, "It is known what you did -- you corrupted him. You will pay."

      Alland, normal volume, but icy tones, "Do you call challenge, then? Priest?"

      "Yes. Now." Long Stripe spat at Alland's feet, "Pervert. Blasphemer."

      Alland bowed, returned to his group.

      "Are you going to fight him? With your light saber?"

      "Bare hands or with weapons he provides. I think I can handle him."

      "What did you do to the old priest? And the new one's son?"

      "The son was curious about my... interests. I talked to him, nothing more." A cloud over Alland's face. "If I had accepted his offer, I could have persuaded him that my way was not his. But I refused him. He bespoke another, the other told the father. Their law has the transgressor trimmed, top and bottom."

      Timidly, "'Trimmed?'"

      Dead calm. "Beheaded. Twice."

      The other gulped.

      Alland shed several layers of robes. He stood for a moment, holding his lightsaber, then handed it to his senior "student." "If I cannot, take it back to Lord Vader, with my records."

      "Yes, sir."

      A stir among the villagers. One of the acolytes brought a small box up to the priest. The priest didn't touch it. "Sky man!"

      "Yes?"

      The priest nodded and the acolyte brought the box to Alland. Alland scanned it hurriedly for traps or poisons, then took it.

      "The Holy One says that only out of respect for White Eye was this not purified by fire. Take it from our world."

      Alland's eyebrow rose, "There is still the challenge."

      "Yes. But if you abide by our customs, your companions will leave unharmed."

      "Thank you. Tell your master that I'm ready now."

      A clearing outside of the village. There were weapons waiting -- man-high staves, with an arm's length of barbed chain at one end.

      "Ugly. You could damage yourself as easily as him."

      Alland signalled, and an elder approached. "Yes."

      "Am I permitted a staff without the chain?"

      The elder shrugged. "The fighting of two priests is a matter of ancient custom. The weapons are the weapons."

      "I see. Thank you."

      Concentration. The link closest to the staff weakened. Alland had only to thrust the staff against the ground to leave the chain behind.

      Formal bows. The spectators stood well out of the way, behind the treeline. The opponents circled warily. Alland took a few practice swings, getting used to the weapon.

      The first real swipe, and Long Stripe's chain barely missed Alland's midsection. Alland drew his belly muscles in hard... felt a twinge. Not a miss? A quick scan...

      Alland danced back out of the way of the next attack. No damage, but he'd forgotten about his precious cargo, his half-brother. He wasn't risking just his own life, but the baby's as well. Time to rethink his strategy. He couldn't permit Long Stripe to land any blows.

      Alland studied his opponent. Long Stripe wasn't using his weapon two-handed; he went mostly for reach. Bad to assume that he couldn't, but... Alland rushed him, too close to swing at, and bowled Long Stripe over onto his back. One of Alland's feet pinned Long Stripe's weapon to the ground, and the tip of Alland's staff rested on Long Stripe's throat.

      "By custom, must I kill him?"

      The chief elder spoke, "The choice is yours. But is it wise to leave an angry priest alive behind you?"

      "This time, yes. Long Stripe, for the gift of your life, I put a binding on you, and on those who follow in your office."

      Snarled, "What?"

      "Those who have yearnings you do not care for. Exile them, but do not kill them. Send them to the village of the sky folk." Firmly, "These 'different' people of yours are under my protection. Am I understood?"

      "Yes." Alland moved the weapon away, let Long Stripe get to his feet. "If they have committed no other crime." Long Stripe spat at Alland's feet.

      Alland nodded. "I do not shield those who commit assault, or the despoilers of children."

      Long Stripe nodded. He looked like he wanted to spit again, but didn't dare.

      Alland raised his knee and brought the staff down across it, hard and fast. The staff broke. Alland dropped the pieces on the ground, turned, and walked off.

      Back in the village, Alland conferred with the elders. They confirmed the exile decree. "I will leave word with the sky folk."

      "We will see that our custom is changed."

      Back on the ship. "Why did you break the staff, after the fight?"

      "Because none of them could have. It showed them what I could have done. Now... I'm really tired. Let me sleep."

      Deep meditation. Alland's perceptions sank into himself, into the little one he carried. Still firmly seated, still growing...

      He couldn't risk losing the baby. His notes weren't worth it. Unless he could have one of the others carry the child while he went in... somehow...

      A soundless voice, "No." It was the child! Communicating!

      "No?"

      "I am where I should be. And you have your duty to the Jedi."

      "Yes. To save you!"

      "To save your work. Peace, elder brother."

      The mood was almost frivolous. After all, hadn't there been two successes?

      "I need someone special for this last stop. Male..."

      "Why male? In a uniform, I can pass," one of the females protested.

      Alland smiled fondly, "Yes, you can, clothed. But that's not good enough." He looked the men over. "I need someone who won't mind my pawing them, in front of other men. You don't have to actually enjoy it, but you have to act like you do."

      No immediate volunteers. A voice from the back -- one of the women -- asked, "And if there isn't anyone?"

      Grimly, "Then I'll have to provoke fear instead of lust. I hope that's not necessary."

      Three of the men were willing to fake interest. But two of them flinched when Alland kissed them. "Won't do." He turned to the last possibilities. "You?"

      It was Halify, the man who had made the "cute" remark back during the first meeting. "I don't think I'll flinch, but I don't know how comfortable I'll be."

      "Let's see." The other man was able to relax into the kiss. "Your feelings are clouded. We have to talk. Privately."

      "Is that wise?"

      "Perhaps not. But it is necessary."

      Halify shrugged, half grinning. "Then we talk."

      There were bets laid outside Alland's cabin as to what the two were doing. No one thought that Alland was being pounded -- Halify hadn't had to volunteer, either back at the base or to fake being Alland's partner. Someone actually phobic wouldn't have.

      The question going around was more of whether Alland would "convert" Halify. "Give up females, him? Nah. Worst that will happen is that he'll be chasing everyone now."

      Laughter.

      "Are you worried about your reputation?"

      "No. You weren't my first temptation."

      Alland nodded. "You enjoy the attention, but have no intention of letting it get beyond a certain point. What clouds your feelings is the fear that I can make you want more. And were I someone else, I could use your fear for just that."

      "Jedi ethics keeping Jedi powers in check?" Halify smiled.

      "Lord Vader would find that amusing. The old one or the new."

      Halify blanched, ever so slightly. "I've heard that Garn Anthru raped Luke Skywalker."

      "Oh? I've 'heard' that Garn is a woman. That would make both your rumor and my interest both absurd, wouldn't it?" Alland snorted. "Stories. Rumors."

      Halify relaxed. "What's going to happen on this part of the mission that you might have to 'paw' someone?" he asked.

      "We're going to be entering an Imperial base. One place where I stored my backup records is a storage room used not infrequently for making out. A guard surprising a couple in disarrayed uniforms won't suspect pilferage."

      It took Halify a moment to interpret "couple" as two men. "Oh! That makes sense, finally. How far do we have to go?"

      "That depends on who catches us. If the guard demands a share, you could be raped. And the man doing it will never be punished."

      Halify was stunned. "You won't help me fight him off?"

      "I will try to talk his attention away from you. That includes offering myself in your stead. But I won't risk my life when there's no chance you'll be seriously injured or killed."

      Halify growled, "If he tries to rape me, someone will be hurt."

      Alland's hand slammed against the tabletop, making Halify jump. "No. If it happens, you will submit. Don't give him an excuse to hurt you worse. And once we're gone, you'll have the best healers, the best therapists, anything the rebellion or the Sith or the Jedi can provide."

      Long silence. "You'll do nothing."

      "That's not what I said. Listen to me --"

      Halify interrupted, "Aren't you afraid of being raped?"

      Alland sighed, and his smile was crooked on his usually perfect face. "Right now, it would take an exceptionally unpleasant partner for me to be unwilling. I'm sure I haven't been the only one doing without for this whole mission, but..."

      Halify nodded. Then, "I'm not gay..."

      "I never thought you were. You're curious, and willing to poke anything that will let you, if it's 'cute' enough. Do I make the grade?"

      Halify laughed, "You? You're overwhelming. If you were a woman, I'd have..." he blushed.

      A real, gentle smile from Alland. "Thank you. And even though I'm male, you'd still like to try for me."

      The blush got deeper. "Uh...yeah. I guess you're right. But I don't want you to..."

      "Sh. It's alright. Tell you what -- a week after we get back from the mission, if you're still interested, I'll let you jump me."

      That puzzled the other man. "You'd put up with that? I could do to you, and you wouldn't expect..."

      "Normally, no. But right now, I have a lover who is only being receptive. I need someone to balance him."

      Trying to be casual, Halify asked, "The other guy can't? Who is it? Lord Vader?"

      Alland's face went almost blank -- an Imperial officer faced with an impudent underling. His voice was frosty, "I have already stated that I will not discuss Lord Vader with you, nor with anyone. As for my partner, he's produced children -- recently. Incapacity? No."

      Halify backed off verbally. "Why do I have to wait a week?"

      "Sooner risks the mission, if you can't handle it. Once we're back, and you've thought it over... That's soon enough."

      The utility uniform fit well enough, and Halify let Alland cut his hair to Imperial standards. "Details matter." Alland inspected Halify. Halify braced to an acceptable "attention." Alland nodded. "You'll do, visually. Now, if we can work on that accent of yours..."

      The others were sent back to the Sith world. "If something goes wrong, we'll be in too deep for you to do any good. But my research will be invaluable to Lord Vader. Go. We'll be as close behind you as we can, once we retrieve the last cache."

      "No other message for him?"

     A faint smile. "Tell him... Tell him that I serve. He'll understand."

      Inside the Imperial base, in a storage room. Alland found the box he had concealed. "Data cubes, good..." A sigh, "Lightsaber." The cubes went into cargo pockets, the weapon clipped onto Alland's belt, looking to casual inspection like another tool. "The rest..."

      A noise at the door. Alland shoved his box back behind another, grabbed Halify and kissed him. Halify was too tense to respond by kissing back, so Alland started unfastening the younger man's uniform tunic.

      The door opened. The snout of a blaster, then a stormtrooper's helmet. A filtered voice, "It's Emmer, Captain."

      Alland relaxed -- Halify got tenser. The stormtrooper backed out of the doorway, and motioned for both of them to come out, but dropped his weapon's aim so it was to the floor of the corridor outside.

      The two emerging from the storage room stood blinking in the brighter light. Halify set to righting his uniform, his face a little flushed. Alland, urbane as ever, came to an attention at odds with his utility uniform. "Captain Moji."

      Moji nodded. "Commander Emmer. Back from one of your wild trips, I see." To the stormtroopers standing by, "You're dismissed." The senior stormtrooper nodded, and they left. "And this is?"

      "Lieutenant Halify, sir. He's been assigned to me as my... aide."

      Moji gave Halify a long, appraising look. "Come with me. We can find you some place better than a storage compartment."

      Moji's office had his quarters behind it, something more common to lower ranks. "I'll have you assigned new quarters -- the ones you were in are in use. You left in a tearing hurry this last time. What happened?"

      "A Jedi prisoner. The Emperor wanted me to study her."

      "I heard there was a big flap, but no details have reached here yet. Some rescue attempt from outside?"

      "She escaped, yes. I don't know how outsiders could have gotten to her to help." Alland shrugged, "There was nothing left there to study, so I was sent back here."

      "With a new pet. Your rank has always entitled you to an aide, but you've never accepted one before. Is this fellow special?" A long appraising look. Halify flushed. "Now I see." Moji's hand came up, touched Halify's cheek. Halify blushed deeper. "You're teaching him? This ought to be good."

      Alland laughed, which stung Halify more than the younger man thought it would. "Leave the boy alone. Right now, I've barely got him coaxed into cooperating with me. Scare him off, he won't do either of us any good. Maybe in a few years..."

      "Are you sure he doesn't want it now?"

      Alland shrugged. "Ask him. But if you don't accept a polite 'no', I'll be very annoyed."

      Halify waited. Moji's hand stroked his cheek, then the captain's lips met his. Halify froze when Moji added a bit of tongue, but he didn't panic. To his horror, he started to enjoy the attention. "Well? Do I go on?" Moji whispered.

      A deep breath. "No. Sorry, Captain. I'm not ready."

      Moji stepped away. "Not yet, then. Maybe in a year or so... Emmer? Separate quarters? Attached?"

      "No need. We won't be here that long. There's another rumor of Jedi activity, and I'm just awaiting details before we're off to track it down."

      Moji nodded. He leaned over the commconsole and secured it. "Lieutenant, I have to talk privately with Commander Emmer. Find yourself something on the ent-channels to amuse yourself."

      Moji was the kind of military lover Alland liked: non-possessive, inventive, and discreet. "Your boy out there isn't gay."

      Alland was still catching his breath after the workout. The exercise had been more than welcome -- Alland had found himself almost desperate. "I know."

      "He didn't explode when I teased him. That surprised me."

      "Halify's not phobic, just not really interested. Although I think he wishes I were female," Alland smiled.

      "I can understand that. Then he and you..."

      "I have other uses for him -- he's got a twinge of Force-sensitivity. He's going to help me hunt Jedi."

      "Ah. That's why you finally accepted an aide." Moji rolled over onto his back. "I'd like to see you with him."

      "No. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.I told you -- he has other uses. I won't risk losing that, not over mere sex."

      Moji snorted at the word "mere." "Very well." Moji reached for the commconsole, and something next to it. A wall lit up. Moji rolled back, a blaster in his hand, pointed at Alland. "Commander Emmer, are you a deserter?"

      "Legally, no."

      Moji nodded slowly, but the blaster didn't waver. "Can you explain this?"

      A hologram of Garn's investiture. Clearly in the shot were Garn, Darth Vader, Leia, Luke, and Alland. "My orders are to track down reports of Jedi activity and investigate them and study them. Those are the only known living Jedi."

      "These orders give you unprecedented autonomy. When you leave here, are you going back to him?"

      "Pardon?"

      Moji pointed to Garn. "That one. I can tell by the look on your face in the picture. I've seen it before, when one of your friends made Admiral -- a combination of pride and lust. Are you going back to him?"

      "Since I haven't exhausted my study, yes. Of course."

      Moji laughed, "Of course." The blaster went back into storage. "Can I come with you?"

      "My orders won't cover you, Captain."

      "So?" Moji asked. "I dare say they don't cover Halify either."

      "Irrelevant. I'm not going to urge any man to desert. If you decide to resign -- you don't have enough time in to retire, do you? -- you can find me."

      "You'll be with him. Lord Vader."

      Alland inclined his head -- acknowledgement enough.

      The float pallet held several boxes of Alland's belongings, including what remained in the storage room. "Take care of yourself, Commander. Drop me a message once in a while; let me know what you're up to."

      "I will."

      Alland was very tense until they reached orbit. "Scan us for homing beacons."

      Halify initiated a scan, remarking, "I've already run it twice. And for explosives. You don't trust him?"

      "I want to. I don't quite dare. Let's get going."

      The instant the ship entered hyperspace, the viewscreen lit up. "That's an interior source," Halify reported.

      Moji's image and voice. "Commander Emmer.Thirty days from now, I will file desertion procedures against you. You can dispute the charges, or submit your resignation." Half a smile, "I recommend the latter, especially with the amount of evidence against you. End message."

      Halify was furious, "Why that..."

      Alland sat back. "Be at ease, my friend. If he were my enemy, he's have held us there under arrest, and started proceedings at once. Against me for desertion, and against you... He walked a fine line between his duty and our friendship."

      "Will he turn you in anyway?"

      "I will not stress his conscience that far." Alland recorded a short message, resigning his commission, and encrypted it. He then beam-squirted it to Captain Moji's office comm. "There. That's done."

      Halify grinned, "I trust he has the decode?"

      Alland quirked an eyebrow at him. "An unreadable resignation wouldn't stop him from filing charges."

      Halify laughed, "I'd have sent him the key once I was well away. Let him worry about the contents."

      "That would be a poor payment for the mercy he showed us."

      Garn didn't even need the subspace message to tell her that Alland had successfully retrieved the last of his materials. She was surprised that the other Jedi didn't remark on the new star in the sky.

Miklinar is smiling shyly as he finishes the narrative. You're grinning, too, but it's more than a little from embarrassment. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did Halify come back in a week?"

Miklinar's eyebrow rises. He touches the keyboard a few times and then removes a datacrystal. "You'll be happier hearing it in private. 'Halify's Reward.'"

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