Trouble's Lament

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin only saw Derek fumbling around on the keffi from the corner of her eye, but it still elicited a soft chuckle from the Hapan. They weren’t the easiest animals to ride even for a galaxian familiar with horses or other usual mounts. She had chosen a mare named Tantema with a shiny scarlet hide, and the Knight’s beast was of a similar color but with a wide and shaggy ruff of fur framing its handsome head and neck.

After a bit of stops and starts, the two reached an easy gait together as they climbed the well-worn paths through the foothills. Tmoxin had chosen one off the most picturesque roots with lush foliage, wild flowers lining the path and waterfalls weaving and trickling through the rocks. Her posture was pin straight, and although she did not teach at the school, she often attended the more advanced classes in dressage and jumping.

"I can see why you love riding. Now I thought you had the impression that you were going to beat me?"

“I needed something to pass the time on Annaxes while I plotted my escape.” Prodding her heels into Tantema’s side gently, she held up the riding crop. “In a race or with this?” She ran her hand across the stiff leather of the handle. “If that’s the sort of thing you’re into, it can still be arranged.” She smiled to let him know that she was teasing, but the blush across her freckled cheeks told Derek there was likely a chance she would enjoy putting her taunt into action.

“So you’re not technically a Jedi, but are you part of any formal Order? Or do you consider yourself a mercenary?” The Ren Master problem was still on her mind and with each question, a seed was planted firmer in the soil of her plans to rid her life of him somehow.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Urging his stallion forward with some pressure from his thighs Derek rode abreast of Tmoxin. Turning to look at her as the keffi kept a slow gait he smiled at her taint, noticing the flush in her cheeks.

"Mmm, sounds like it could be fun. But I'm not easy to break. I buck too much for most riders."

He grinned back at her, the euphemism only limited by the imagination. And as he winked at her his imagination was running a bit wild. A glance at the whip held in her hand caused him to swallow noticably before turning his eyes to the flowers lining the trail. Gripping the saddle horn with his right, he leaned over and snagged a closed flower bud with his left.

Transferring it to his right hand he held it out and let the force flow through him, feeding into the bud and accelerating the growth within. As he watched the bud opened into a bright red flower, it's petals soft and the slight fragrance drifting in the breeze. Leaning over, and with slow movements, he brushed a loose strand of Tmoxin's fiery hair behind her ear before placing the flower to nestle along side.

Leaning back into his saddle he laughed lightly to her question before slipping into silence to contemplate her question.

"I'm no more a Jedi then I am Sith. And apparently I'm no longer a Sage. When I failed my mission I fell from grace. When I had a second opportunity to fulfill part of my mission and chose not to, that sealed my fate. I'm an amalgam of traditions. Raised as a Sage, trained by the Shapers, growing with the Guardians ... I'm all of them and yet none of them."

He shook his head lightly.

"For a good bit of time I tried to find my place. It wasn't until I found myself first, that I could find my calling. I strive to be true to myself first, then to my calling. That calling is to find a balance within the grey. So when people try to define me by asking if I'm Jedi or Sith, my answer is I'm Derek. I'm a man with needs and desires that I won't ignore, a man who also won't surrender to the darker base desires that would change me. I'm a man that tries to do the right thing, a man who believes in peace and yet knows that the very ideal of peace will never be all encompassing. It will never be fully recognized universally. So while I believe in peace I also believe that you must be prepared to fight for your beliefs. To fight for those you call friends and family. And while that may sound more like a Jedi to some, I've studied the Jedi, both historically and their current counterparts. I'm capable of darkness that the Jedi wouldn't fathom, but I'm also capable of light that the Sith would shun."

He shook his head ruefully at his long spiel. Looking at the red head he smiled once again.

"And how would you define yourself Ms. Temi?"

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

“But I'm not easy to break. I buck too much for most riders."

Tmoxin snagged her lower lip within her teeth and said, “It’s a good thing I love a challenge. I’m sure I can think of ways to make you roll over and purr like a loth-cat.” Her body was filled with that same giddy feeling as when he'd kissed her upon the Stingray.

She watched Derek use the Force to grow a stunning flower, and then he softly tucked it behind her ear, which caused her to smile and lower her eyelids. There was a softness and a yielding quality about the Hapan on her ranch that was not present on the Hutt’s luxury liner. It may have been hard to believe that this was the same woman who mercilessly choked Semprana until his sewer tunnel-like windpipe collapsed.

The Dark Jedi listened to Derek explain the path that came before, the wind ruffling her red hair, causing her long bangs to obscure her face until she could tuck them back inside the helmet. Had they once stood on separate sides of each battlefield? It was likely, though at the moment Tmoxin didn’t care to wax nostalgic about bloody encounters and wartime losses. And so far, the Knight had thought of her as a survivor, even when she’d sacrificed her innocent slave.

“I came upon the Force later in life as my family had been involved in the Ni’Koresh cult for years. Truthfully as a young girl I feared Jedi such and even serving with the One Sith, I was quite terrified of darksiders. Yet I am one today. I suppose I think of myself as an anomaly in the galaxy.”

She quietly laughed because a few years ago she would have described herself in much more hyperbolic terms - ambitious, a leader, power-hungry even. But now?

Ahead of them was a small cave with a waterfall running right through the middle the opening with mossy green ridges framing either side. “This is a great cavern to explore if you want to stop here. Or we could just sit and let the Keffi’s drink.”

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

The evolution of a person was always constant. Every choice and decision affecting the present and the future self. You were never defined by the same parameters as the person in the past. And for that Derek was grateful. Their playful banter made him laugh lightly.

"Challenge accepted."

He winked playfully letting his actions keep the words from being taken seriously .... or rather too seriously. Listening to Tmoxin share some more of her past he nodded slightly as a few more pieces of the puzzle that was [member="Tmoxin Temi"] clicked into place. The fact that many became what they feared was a universal truth. Only by delving into the fear can you overcome the hold it had upon you. Unfortunately for most, many never returned from the nightmare and became the source of new fear for another generation.

"An anomaly and a weight ... We make quite the pair."

His deep laugh echoed out and reverberated back from the cavern they stopped near. Hopping from his stallion he wrapped the reins around an exposed root near the bubbling brook fed by the waterfall. Patting the keffi on the side he sent the mental command to drink and graze. Taking the few steps to the side of the mare he held up his arms, which could be used to assist the High Justice if she chose. Chivalry wasn't quite dead.

"Exploration sounds like a fun little adventure. I'm up for it ... Unless you're worried about getting wet."

His eyes flicked to watch the waterfall flow over the opening of the cave. He was referring to the cascading path of falling water ...

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

After dismounting and tying the Keffi up to a nearby tree, they were ready to enter the cave. The Hapan took a couple of boot steps forward, avoiding thick patches of mud, and this is where Derek’s hand came in handy. She gratefully took it to get past the trail as it lead them directly into the rush of water. Tmoxin let go of his hand.

“I’ve never shaped water, but perhaps there’s a first time for everything,” the redhead said as she dashed through the path of the thin waterfall, splashing water back at Derek as she did.

“It doesn’t go very far, but there’s a pretty little cavern with lots of soft moss back here.” Tmoxin walked forward, having scouted the way before and occasionally tossed a glance back at Derek. And sure enough it wasn’t too long before they were in an expansive cavity with a verdant carpet of moss and even a large ornate tapestry-type rug on the floor. The Hapan Dark Jedi lit a few candles for light and turned her head, a sheepish grin on her pert lips.

“I come here to meditate, okay?” she admitted laughing. “I wasn’t bringing you here to… I mean…”

She trailed off and to distract both of them from her bold, slightly awkward admission of what was on her mind, Tmoxin pulled a half drank bottle of Smuggler’s Red, a dry Corellian wine, from behind a rock. “The keffis aren’t the only creatures who get thirsty.”

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Holding her hand as they traversed through the slick footing along the path leading to the waterfall he was careful to not slip and bust both his butt and his pride. As Tmoxin released his hand and slid through the curtain of the cascade she flicked water back at him. Shaking his head as he moved through as well Derek shook rivlets from his face. Looks like I'm the one who got wet he mused with mirth.

Following the woman through the darkened cavern he listened to her words as she described the cave. Everything about this planet so far was enthralling and scenic. Beauty seemed to be everywhere his eyes fell. And of course at the moment his eyes were following the nimble and lithe red head. Every few moments she would look back perhaps checking to see if he was still following, perhaps to see if he was having trouble navigating the shadowed interior, perhaps to gauge the growing emotional rollercoaster of wanton thoughts upon the man's mind.

As the cavern opened up into a larger portion of the catacombs that divulged deep into the mountainside he turned looking at the beauty that nature afforded. Seeing the large rug located centrally and cushioned by the thick pelt of moss he raised his eyes as Tmoxin explained, somewhat defensively, for it's reason of being there. The sheepish expression on her face made his chest pound slightly as he, too, grinned.

As she collected the wine from it's cache hidden within the recess of the rocks he moved toward her, his right hand gently falling upon her left that held the wine.

"I have my moments of being diplomatic. But sometimes I'm blunt. And, I am thirsty."

Raising his left hand he gently brushed her cheek with the knuckles of his hand before sliding his fingers back into the nape of her hair. His thumb lightly brushed her lips, a precursor to him leaning in to taste her lips once more.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin removed her riding helmet and fluffed up her copper-red hair with her hand. Beads of sweat appeared upon her forehead, and the cavern was uncomfortably humid, but now that she and Derek were getting closer by the minute, she realized that vulnerabilities would be shown, although she could find none within the Knight so far.

Her mind was calm, focus clear, but perhaps that was a Hapan trait. Once she accepted a man into her emotional milieu, she tended to treat them like more of an equal as her matriarchal forebearers had before her.

Yet the kiss caused a gasp when Derek’s lips touched hers, though she did not pull away. Regardless of whether she was teasing or not, he’d responded affirmatively with his body and Tmoxin replied in kind, her soft hands wrapping around his sturdy waist, slipping her fingertips under the waistband of his pants, seeking more skin than she had any right to demand from him.

The wine bottle had since dropped from her hand, the scarlet liquid spilling across the mossy floor below them. Normally the Hapan would be cross over losing any of her valuable wine, but as the kiss deepened, she thought nothing of alcohol. Derek’s heated kiss was the only intoxication she needed.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

He was half expecting to be rebuffed by the Hapan woman, but the change in her composure fueled his own actions. As he felt her fingers sliding across his bare flesh he wrapped his right arm around Tmoxin's waist pulling her closer. Lightly he nipped her lower lip as he drew his face back a few inches, a toothy grin on his face.

"Now where did you put that whip?"

He winked as he smacked her rear teasingly, disengaging from her exploring hands to put several feet between them. Sliding the jacket free he popped the buttons on his shirt to drop both items of clothing to the soft , mossy floor. Slowly he pulled the boots off and let them fall, the hunger in his eyes betraying the methodical movements.

Stepping up to her again he leaned in to invade her space, the muscles of his upper torso rolling as he gripped her hips and leaned down once more. Lightly he nuzzled her jaw to her ear, a nip on her lobe with sharp teeth. He whispered into her ear.

"I think a swim is in order."

Leaping from her he looked over his shoulder as he trotted the way they had come. The playful game initiated as he ran ahead and with a powerful leap dove through the waterfall and down into the river. His head surfaced and he shook the water from his hair as he looked back, waiting to see if the intimate game would continue.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Their bodies colliding together increased the heat in the cavern as though a furnace had been turned on. Then Derek stepped back asking about the whip, and the Hapan was all too ready to comply, especially after he snapped her shapely derrière, but she merely watched as the Knight stripped off everything but his trousers.

His skin, hot under her fingertips, provided a temporary exploration, and she traced his muscles as though lines on a map. After another sultry kiss, he strode back, breaking into a run and leapt into the riverbed. The only noise around him was the relaxing sound of water hitting water and the snorts from the keffi.

Smiling, Tmoxin stripped down to her underwear as she was not going to ruin her riding suit and joined him, not diving, but slipping into the water, step by step with her arms held high. She swam over to Derek and embraced him…

… after the rejuvenating escapade in the water, the pair of them lay on the tapestry rug that decorated the floor of the cavern, the candles burning down to creamy, wax stubs. Again as she draped her arm over his chest, the Hapan thought briefly of admitting she had a daughter, but then again, she didn’t want Derek insisting that she look for her or by the seven moons, adopt the girl back from…

Kyrel.

Perhaps that would be the best revenge she sought? To take away his newest toy?

“I haven’t been completely honest with you, Derek. I have a daughter named Varas, though I don’t get to see her.”

She purposefully let the words hang, wondering what his response would be.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Laying on his back as his pulse slowed from their "acrobatic" swimming he couldn't help from smiling. The arm draped over his chest was warm, but not quite as warm as his own skin that felt almost fevered. The spray of the waterfall disguised the steam that rose from the creek earlier. The fire that always seemed to smolder within him tended to find escape when he lost control. It was one of his reasons for maintaining balance.

Turning onto his side he propped his head with one arm as fingers lightly traced a pattern on her hip which was drying slowly in their reclined position upon the tapestry. His eyes lingered on her form as the shadows from the flickering candlelight revealed tantalizing views of the Hapan's curves.

Eyes raised to hers as he sighed contentedly. Within her eyes was a guarded look which made him wary suddenly. Then her quiet revelation cut the ambiance of relaxed silence the two were enjoying. Remembering who she was and what she was he allowed a self deprecating smirk to cross his features as he lay back once more.

Staring at the stalactites adorning the ceiling he calmed himself and viewed the situation logically. Here he was, a man without an order, no responsibility as of yet, a mere soldier for the cause. A man who utilized both the light and dark. A man with morals. A man who was expendable. Perhaps what they had shared was real and this was just the next step in a relationship. Perhaps this was just a fling and what followed was only small talk. Or perhaps this was a manipulation of an expendable asset with abilities, skillset, and enough morals to toe a line and follow along with the script that utilized an individual who just became more malleable due to the intimacy recently shared.

He closed his eyes and for a moment wished he didn't strive for balance. Wished to be free of inhibitions. But his conscience would not allow him. Opening his eyes he laced his fingers behind his head.

"Then why don't we go see her. You have the down time at the moment. I've learned blood isn't everything, but it does mean something."

He felt the pause that had invited him into the conversation. Like a feinting thrust between two swordmen beginning a sparring match. It mirrored their verbal sparring from before, but lacked the playfulness. Maybe it was an innocent baring of her past. Or maybe it was more. The only way to find out was to engage in the verbal duel.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

How did she feel right now? Blissfully exhausted, of course - always a sublime feeling. Happy, even joyous?

Tmoxin was especially good at contentment in the short term - an expensive new toy, a luxury vacation, tailored gowns and rare gems to sparkle on her soft lobes - but true and deep gratification had eluded her for most of her life.

While the Hapan had stopped moving so fast, she’d never tired from the thrill of the chase, nor did she stop pursing what she wanted.

A soft hum of a sigh escaped her lips as Derek’s fingertips traced the shallow divot of hip.

Yet Holy Queen Mother of Hapes, here you are still chasing, Tmoxin. While you should be enjoying yourself and reveling in the attention from this stunningly attractive man.

“But perhaps I’m still just chasing revenge,” she said aloud, her thoughts tumbling out quite raw and unfiltered now. “I’ll tell you about Varas over an early dinner and how she came to be."

She rolled over onto her belly, raising up on her elbows but still nestling closer to the Knight to let him know she wasn’t about to go anywhere. “Speaking of downtime, I suppose I should feel proud of stealing yours. Where do you go next from here, Knight Dib?”

The sparkle in her brown eyes beckoned to him - stay longer on Bothawui, they said - but Toxin was far too proud to ask him to put her interests over whatever business he had.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Why must you question everything? Sometimes a good thing does come to you. It wasn't that he had a bad life, it was just the fact that for the majority of it he was trained to be a tool of justice against those who wished to upset the balance. And there were always many agents of evil at work. But since being discarded as 'faulty' by the Sages he had been trying to find himself. And he had. But it was a lonely road.

When Tmoxin said she would share her story over an early dinner he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. The exposed emotion revealed in her voice touched him. Rolling to his side, bare flesh pressed to hers, he looked upon the High Justice and former Sith Master. He didn't see the powerful and deadly Master. He didn't see the leader of the Geonosian Knights and voice of an entire Force Order. He didn't even see the regal, highborn with proper etiquette and high class veneer.

He saw a woman, beautiful of form, who cared for others and was willing to expose a vulnerable side to a man, a stranger really, with whom she had found a connection.

His lips found the softness of her shoulder while his free hand curled in the mane of her ruby hair. As his lips found her neck he murmured against the skin.

"I have an idea of my next destination ..."

Sometime later ... ​

Arm lay draped over her curves, heated fingers once more drawing designs absently onto her skin, Derek thought back to her question. Where do I go from here? He was a part of the Confederacy, but what else last in store for the man? Rolling his shoulders slightly he smiled, a trait that seemed more pronounced since meeting the red head, and watched the final flickers of life sway on depleted candle wicks.

"Eventually I'll return to the Siskeen system. Since the ordeal with the terrorism attack and my part with the diplomacy team and extraction of the remaining council members I've been elected as viceroy. I guess I made an impression. What about you, High Justice Temi? What do the stars hold for your future?"

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Faulty would not be a word that Tmoxin would use to describe Derek. In fact, he was well-functioning machine in some of the more intimate pursuits that both took part in that afternoon.

“Siskeen,” she murmured, relieved that he would be so close in proximity. In her head she was already calculating the distance between Bothawui and Siskeen and then chastising herself for the folly of it all. “And viceroy even.” She couldn’t suppress the pleased lilt of her voice to hear that he’d been promoted to a powerful position. And while the Hapan entertained the idea of politics, she knew her temperament was not designed to… well, please the masses. “It’s good to know I’ll be able to count on you for sector statesmanship.”

His fingers felt so good, it was difficult to concentrate. What did she want? That was hard question to answer beyond, his lips upon hers again.

“I really don’t know. I used to have elaborate plans. And while I enjoy the role of High Justice, I’m not sure I’m well suited to teach. Leadership I could handle. But teaching and mentoring. It’s the reason I’m not one of the teachers here at the riding school even. I’m far too selfish.”

Admitting her flaws felt less intimidating after their second round of love making.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

A tired satisfaction permeated his body. Slowly he stroked the alabaster flesh as he turned his head to listen to the musings from his lover. Lover? Is that what Tmoxin is? Yes they were now lovers, but they were also allies and confederates, soldiers for a cause where they had shared sweat and blood upon a battlefield. They had also shared aspects of their past that was not readily known to others. Friends? Probably. More? He didn't know and didn't feel the need to define their relationship. Time would tell what they were and what this 'retreat' was. For now he was just enjoying the moment with no expectations.

"Counting on my vote hmm? I may be susceptible to bribery."

With his hand gliding tenderly across her sensitive flesh he smirked. He felt the response her body had to him, just as surely she knew how his body responded to hers. But it was more then that. As Tmoxin spoke about her position and the shortcomings and misgivings she she harbored he acknowledge this want just a sexual connection. They had evolved to a friendship for sure.

It took trust to bare your soul. His eyes wandered the length of the Hapan as he concurred, and your body. Leaning over he lightly kissed her belly before resting his chin there, the stubble of his chin creating little pinpricks of sensation upon supple yet firm flesh.

"I guess my role is somewhat reversed. I never had plans except to serve my Order and do my duty. Now I've got more then I ever expected ... or dared to hope for. I have family. I have a cause. I have responsibility to a people that chose me as their representative. And I have a new found friend who may or may not attempt to bribe me for my vote."

His lips curved upwards at his teasing remark. Thinking upon her remarks he sighed.

"Unfortunately from what I've seen of the Galaxy in my time, and from history, there will never be a lasting peace or cease fire. Inevitably war will come for the Confederacy. And then you will find your calling of leader of the Knights put to use in the arena of war. There is an ebb and flow. We just have to see where the tide takes us, and decide when to swim against the current."

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

“Good. I’ll have that bottle of Vistulo brandale and a box of Carababba cigars sent to your office.” She was only half-way joking around as it might be fun to surprise him with a gift after he’d returned to Siskeen. Perhaps she’d tuck in a few risque holo pics as well.

Her body tensed and she laughed as Derek kissed her on the stomach, tickling and teasing, gentler than their vigorous swim. She lay her hand upon the back of his head, stroking his dark bristly hair. Her words came next in a soft honeyed tone.

“I hadn’t expected this either, but it’s a nice development.”

A long sigh escaped her lips as he spoke of war. She entwined her legs with his as though seeking solace both physically and emotionally. “It will come. Maybe from the east. I think our diplomatic relations with the First Order and with Commenor have yielded fruitful results."

And the light inside of him? She worried momentarily that somehow his ying to her yang would find him drawn to the Jedi Order again.

“I’d try to make you useful somehow, but it sounds as if you’ve already earned your place in the Confederacy. I suppose there are other uses, however…” As she kissed his forehead she caressed the back of his neck with her hands, allowing him to move his own lips to where he pleased upon her tender stomach.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Sliding up Tmoxin's body he lay next to her, hand slowly stroking her waist as he closed his eyes enjoying her hand in his hair. This was nice. Very nice. And he laughed lightly as she mentioned sending a care package. Then her words drifted to this pairing. Totally unexpected and yet definitely welcome.

Her words on the war made him nod. It was a certainty. But hearing that the CIS had secured a peace with the First Order and Commenor made him lift a brow. He knew that there was talk of an alliance with the Metal Lords and the Free World Coalition. The inner workings of the Confederacy were not for him to know in it's entirety. And he was okay with that.

A sly smile crossed his face at her teasing comment of his usefulness. Following the gentle suggestions of her hands he trailed down her body before pausing and looking up to meet her eyes.

"I want to show you something."

With a wink he sat up and crossed his legs. Reaching over he drew Tmoxin into his lap, her back against his chest and her bottom on his lap. Pulling the hair from her neck he lightly kissed her ear playfully with a wink.

"I know what you're thinking. Not that, well not right this moment. The Jedi see this in shades of light. The Sith see things in shades of darkness. Each strive to attain their goal of pure light or pure dark. But that will never happen. And that is why I have never been Jedi or Sith, and never will be."

Placing her hands upon his bare thighs he leaned over and blew upon what was left of the wick which cast the cavern into darkness. Not able to help himself her rear his fingers along her thighs teasingly before resting his arms on hers with his palms up.

Breathing in deeply he reached out and touched the force, drawing the tenders into himself. However he left his senses open for Tmoxin to see and feel what he experienced. There was peace and tranquility. Calm. Serenity. These things weren't just Jedi paths, but open to all. Yet this was not what he wished to show her.

Slowly he felt passion begin to fill him. Friendship, love, enjoyment, happiness. His eyes opened and in the dark they radiated like red coals. His palms began to warm, his body began to heat. As Tmoxin lay against him she was enveloped in a field that allowed her to feel what he felt without the risk of burning.

Slowly he turned and looked to his past. Fights, battles, pain, anger, hate, rage, sorrow, loss. All of the emotions combined in him as if a whirlwind. But instead of exploding as the opposite ends of the emotional spectrum clashed, they did something unexpected.

They merged.

As his passion grew, his power raised, the balance he always strive for was acquired. He didn't seem to dwell on the positive or negative but rather let the emotion fuel his passion.

His while body now turned red, glowing from an inner fire and while the Hapan would feel the heat she was not burned. Around them, throughout the cavern, Sparks began flickering into existence all around. Then with a single motion of his left hand a wall of flame erupted around them.

It wasn't just a wall however. It circled them where they say as if in the eye of a down storm. The illumination from the fire brightened the cavern where they could now make out what was hidden. But there was still darkness around them. As the flames swirled around he reached down and took her hand before stretching out and brushed the swirling fire. You contact it wasn't any specific emotion that rushed through the contract but all of them united in what Derek called passion.

Allowing her to explore the fire if she willed it he fueled the Whitewood for several minutes, finding his self within the flames and yet finding peace with the woman in his body's embrace.

Slowly the fire drifted and went out, the last flickers relighting what was left of the candles.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

"I want to show you something."

As if Tmoxin’s interest was not already piqued by the words, when Derek pulled the Hapan into his lap, she wondered just what he had in mind. “While I enjoy nontraditional positions the last time I took gymnastics was when I was eighteen…” His kiss to her ear silenced her teasing protestation.

His hands were warm and inviting on the skin of her legs, his warm breath caressing her skin as it passed her to reach the candle.

Blackness. Feint light coming through the entrance of the cavern. Then a tickle upon the dimple right above her derirre, to which she squirmed.

Derek began to meditate, openly, allowing Tmoxin a place to come inside if she chose. The Dark Jedi hesitated momentarily as the lightness inside of him was almost too much to bear.

Will it burn me with its white hot promise of complacency?

Eventually the passion lured her in, its familiar essence something she could revel in. His mind was defenseless, and Tmoxin slipped right inside, but did nothing, only observing. And then she closed her chestnut eyes as the warmth enveloped her and Derek together, the Knight putting on quite a pyrotechnic show. And explore she did, just like the first time that the Darkside of the Force had been shown to her.

Yet during that time, she’d been cold and barefoot and following the stronger Force user, lost in the frigid woods like a hungry wolf hunting for prey.

She tentatively lit her own flame and conjoined it with his like two torches becoming a rising, scarlet flame.

The fire felt like a hearth. Home.

She suddenly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly and then gave him a peck on the cheek, whispering: “We’ve got to get back. Sundown comes fast on Bothawui and while the keffi know the way, it could get chilly. Especially if we’re still a little damp."

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

When she joined her flame to his he turned to look into her brown eyes. None had ever wove their fire with his before. And while he was open, showing her a part of him he never truly shared, he smiled. But then something changed abruptly and he blinked for a moment as Tmoxin pecked his cheek. Nodding he slowly rose from his seated position noticing that the cave was warm and with the extra display of dancing fire he was completely dry.

In the near darkness he collected his clothes, sliding the undergarment and pants on followed by shirt and boots. Derek arched a brow at the red head, but from the sudden ending to the display he figured maybe she needed space. Things were rapidly evolving between the two.

Resisting the urge to watch her dress he moved through the cavern giving her privacy and coming to the curtain of water. Leaping through he moved to where the keffi were grazing and lightly brushed their silken costs as he watched the sun dipping across the horizon.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin did not mean for the lack of flame to turn so cold and chilly. But she was cautious. She hoped to make it up later to Derek again, inviting him into her bedroom, spending the night with the heat of her body against his.

But the Hapan was slightly terrified of her feelings at this very moment, the plummet of her stomach as she fast forwarded to visions of a life with Derek two… five… ten years from now. Her poised face betraying none of what she was experiencing inside, however.

Mounting her keffi in a fluid motion, she was grateful for the low lack of light as dusk fell upon them like a heavy shroud. Her riding outfit was no longer pristine and white, but stained with mud and still slightly damp. She was quiet, but it was not an uncomfortable silence, at least not to Tmoxin. This was her ranch, her land and she owned everything within ten miles of the radius of her domed retreat.

Even if Derek went back to Siskeen, and she never saw him again, at least she could pretend for this very moment, the entire galaxy was hers, including the man now that she desperately wanted to keep for awhile.

The Force only knew what tomorrow would bring, but this tonight she planned to enjoy every sublime minute of her time upon Bothawui, and allow their fires to conjoin once more.

[member="Derek Dib"]