Soul's Guilt

[Sieb Tevv]

“It’s stressful,” the Zeltron cooed, fingers massaging into his back, kneading all the right places. Sieb, pants halfway on, closed his eyes and paused.

“You have no idea.”

“Come back to bed.”

“No,” Sieb straightened his shoulders, pulled his pants all the way on, and stood. He pulled out roll of cred coins and set them on the desk. “I’ve got work.”

“More of that K-whatever project?”

Big black eyes widened and Sieb turned his head around sharply. “Where did you hear that?”
“You talk in your sleep.”

 

[Sieb Tevv]

“Hm.” He’d forgotten about that, which was very troubling. How had he let himself become a security risk so easily? This habit… it wasn’t something new. So many weeks spent in the cold depths of space mining asteroids, or directing machinery at dig sites. It got to him after a while. Didn’t really recall the first time he’d hired one of them, but once he started he couldn’t really stop.

Some days he just needed to get away from the home, the job. It had been hard at first, but repetition dulled the guilt. Now it only niggled at the back of his mind, made it so he didn’t linger too long.

The Admiral pursed his lips. “K-project. It’s a mining site. We’ve discovered a wealth of ore on one of the nearby asteroids. A friend told me about it yesterday.” He tugged on his shirt.

Misdirection and misinformation would hopefully put her off the scent. No need to have her poking around. If she sold her body for coin, Sieb could only imagine what she might do with secrets that weren’t hers to keep.

“Goodbye,” he said stiffly.

“Until next time,” she grinned coyly, laying there all wrapped in silken bed sheets like some exotic queen.
Sieb walked out the door before he could do anything else he might regret.

 

[Sieb Tevv]

Back at the shipyards, Sieb stood near the chief engineer as they discussed the finished project. The K Project was actually not entirely under wraps, but Sieb would rather not have hookers knowing about military projects. That would be disastrous for his career, not that he was much of a careerist, but it would destroy his life.

“How is it progressing?”

“Well enough, we’ve procured the additional funding necessary to procure the Vanir Technologies designs. With those additions I believe you will find the K-wing more than capable of fulfilling its mission roles.”

“Very good, Eleb. You’ve done good work. When will the first batch be ready?”

“End of the week.”

Sieb smiled. “Very good news. We’ll have need of them.”

 

[Sieb Tevv]

The Tevv household was unusually quiet.

“Where are the kids?” Sieb asked, setting down his briefcase near the kitchen island.

“At their aunt’s. I told you yesterday.” She seemed frustrated, holding something back.

“What’s wrong?”

“You didn’t come home last night.” She’d crossed her arms now.

“I had to work late. The Alliance needed me to oversee something.”

“Well I need you too! Do you have any idea what it’s like, trying to take care of both of them alone? I can barely do what I love.”

Oh, the event had been yesterday hadn’t it? He’d forgotten. He always seemed to forget. It got him in so much trouble.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t remember. They-”

She sighed and went to sit on the couch, anger spent and turned instead into sadness. “I know your excuses. I’ve heard them before. I just wish you cared more about what my job. Event planning is difficult, I have people counting on me too and because of you I had to let them down yesterday.”

Sieb nodded and moved to sit beside her. “Yes, I apologize. I do care.”

They looked into each others’ eyes and she leaned forward against his shoulder. “I just wish you were more supportive of me. I know what you’re doing is important, but...”

He rubbed her arm. “It’s ok. I’m here now.”

 

[Sieb Tevv]

The way she groaned sent him over the edge and the rhythm came to a shuddering stop. Sieb rolled away and stumbled for the bathroom door, leaving her in a tangle of sweat soaked sheets. He cast a glance over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of flawless pink skin.

Pursing his lips, Sieb shut the bathroom door and flipped on the shower. Water poured over his body, washing away the stink of pheromones and… everything else. He leaned his head back and let the scalding hot water carry him somewhere away from the crushing responsibility.

"Music."

The complementary hotel built-in stereo began to play a charming classical number. Sieb couldn't quite place the name. Perhaps it was better he didn't know, couldn't criticize the composer that way. The music played on, strings and wind instruments joining together harmonically, rising and falling in a manner Sieb found mystifying. For a few minutes, Sieb let it all just slip away, like water down the drain.

 

[Republic Engineering]

The night was young and filled with life, but despite every bone in her body aching to partake in the revelry, there was work that had to be done. She rubbed the crust that begun to form at the edge of her eyes, and had followed her instincts in searching for the wayward Admiral. He was supposed to be at their meeting over an hour ago, and with the Alliance begin in a high state of readiness, it was unusual for one of her superiors to shirk his duties.

Thus, instead of sitting around and waiting, Astarii had risen from the table and took off into the city of Byllurun in order to find him with a datapad in hand. She weaved through the flowing streets of locals and Alliance military personnel alike, homing in on a reactivated beacon in the Admiral's personal communicator.

As the pulsating rune had steadied, the Hapan roused her attention from the crystalline surface of the slate and rapped her knuckles against the exterior of the door.

| [member="Sieb Tevv"] |

 

[Sieb Tevv]

The door slid open, revealing a fully dressed, but very confused Rear Admiral.

"Captain Saren, this is unexpected..."

He stepped out into the night air, door sliding closed behind him. The Hapan might have caught a glimpse into the interior, but as she was a Hapan he thought it unlikely, poor night vision and all.

"Has something happened with Project K?"

[member="Astarii Saren"]

 

[Republic Engineering]

When the door had withdrawn into its housing, Astarii's augmented eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room beyond, picking out various details with a casual glance over the Admiral's clothed shoulder. A discarded bottle, tussled sheets, a subtle tremor beneath the piled sheets.

Well, she thought, at least I know why he never showed.

Blinking and turning her gaze towards the Sullustan standing before her, Astarii had snapped to attention and proffered a crisp salute.

"Aye sir, something has happened. You failed to report to the observation deck when they were testing the Turbolaser replacements on the Aerofortress." She paused for a moment, before dropping her arm to her side. "Several of the technicians are still back at the base, waiting for you to sign off on the progress they've made on installing the VanirTech Particle Gatling Cannons."

"That being said," Astarii stated with a mischevious smirk. "You could always field-promote me to the rank of Admiral, and I could take care of the Signature's for you." Tilting her head forward and managing to wink with a straight face, she pointedly gestured towards the writhing figure shrouded in the dark. "Meaning that you could carry on with the task at hand."

| [member="Sieb Tevv"] |