Origins 2 - In The Name of Love

By: Sylvana Lorrdain and Alison Sky

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alison Fel, also known as Alison Sky, looked up at the F.E.S. from the flat of her back. "So, that's how you do that?"

Fes nodded, his shaggy, multicoloured hair falling into his eyes, sweat dripping across the twin scars on his right cheek. He stood and held a hand down to her. "Yes."

She took the hand and stood, then proceeded to fix the bun on the back of her head. "So, next time in stead of bobbing, I weave...."

"Something like that," he used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his eyes. "Wish to try again?"

"Sure," she looked him over. "Aren't you hot though?"

He ran a hand through his hair, "Uhm...."

She shook her head, "In the long sleeved shirt and pants."

He shrugged, "It's no big deal."

"Then let's go at it again," she smiled.

As they squared off, a field agent from New Republic Intelligence walked into the sparring room and stood at attention. "Agent Fel?"

Alison turned around, "Yes?"

The agent said nothing, and handed an envelope to Alison. He then saluted once more and left her to open the envelope and look within.

Fes moved closer and leaned in to look over her shoulder, "What is it?"

She quickly skimmed over the letter, then shoved it back into the envelope. "A mission."

He raised an eyebrow and stepped back. "You're still in training, though," he told her incredulously.

"I know." She folded the envelope and put it in her pant pocket. "Guess this cuts our practice short today."

He brought a hand up to habitually rub at the back of his neck. "I guess so. Uhm... can I walk you where you're going?"

She smiled. "Of course, but I could use a shower first, and you can't follow me there." She reached up to tap a finger on his nose.

He blushed profusely as he about rubbed the skin off the back of his neck. "I guess not!" he managed to squeak out.

"I'll be back in a bit." She grabbed a towel that had been draped over a punching dummy and walked to the shower.

When she left, he smacked his forehead with one hand. "Good one...." He fell back on the mats for a quick rest.

She was one tiring sparring partner.

*******

They walked down the corridors of Intelligence Headquarters, Alison biting the edge of her lip, "I don't know why they chose me."

"Search me," Fes shrugged as he walked beside her. "But then Cracken probably knows more about your abilities than I."

"Maybe." They stopped outside the General's office. "I guess I'll find out now."

He motioned to the door, "Want some moral support?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Cracken doesn't scare me," she gave him her lopsided grin.

He chuckled, smirking slightly, "He scares me."

"Than you scare easily, my friend." She gave him a quick hug, "I probably won't see you now until I get back, so take care."

He smiled and hugged her back reflexively, then pulled away. "You too. I'll be waiting to hear from you. We do have to finish that session," he chuckled.

"Definitely," she lay her palm on the door activator and stepped inside.

*******

She stood at attention in front of Cracken’s doorway, and noticed a young man, one of the younger Wraiths, standing closer to the desk and chatting with the General.

“Ah, Agent Fel, welcome.” Cracken stood up and waved a hand to a seat in front of his desk. Alison nodded and went to sit down, the Wraith seating himself next to her. “You know Agent Latt, correct?”

Alison nodded and looked at the handsome young man. “You can call me Sharr,” he stated, leaning over to shake her hand.

“Alison,” she stated in reply, then looked back at Cracken.

“I know this may seem kind of aburpt, Fel, since you’re still technically in training, but I have a mission in which your skills are the only ones that I can use.”

He pressed a button in his desk, and the shades of the window behind him turned back and blocked out the sunlight. Meanwhile, a display on his desk lit up and the tiny holo of a planet was displayed. “This is Agamar.”

“Agamar!” Alison stated, a bit too loudly. Sharr chuckled and Cracken raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, I’ve just heard some very interesting things about this planet.”

“I’m sure,” Cracken stated in a deadpan. “Anyway, it seems that there is a group of arms smugglers stationed on Agamar.”

“Probably thinking that the world is so out of touch, no one would think to look for them there,” Sharr commented. Alison chuckled.

Cracken cleared his throat, and both agents focused back on him, slumping down in their seats a bit. “What I need for you two to do is go down to the planet, snoop around a bit, find out as much information about their operation as you can, then transfer the info to me and we will pass it on to the armed forces.”

“And are there any restrictions?” Sharr asked.

“You’re a Wraith. Don’t blow anything up.” Cracken stated.

“Aww…”

Alison raised her hand. Cracken nodded. “Why me?”

Cracken smiled. “The same reason I hired you; because you have specialty with lesser-developed lands. You should fit in perfectly.”

********

Inexplicably, the door to Face's office slid open, then shut again. He looked up at the sound, and slanted his eyes. "Hello?"

There was a creaking sound as someone sat in a chair. With a waver of light, Fes appeared. "I've gotta talk to you...."

"Don't DO that!" Face jumped and about landed on his desk.

Fes ran a hand through his hair, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking... and I didn't feel like having to be grilled by the secretary they saddled you with."

Shaking his head, the ex-actor eased off his desk and back into his seat. "Fair enough. What's on your mind?"

"What would you do if someone you uhm, knew, who hadn't finished Intel training... was given a mission assignment?"

"Well, I wouldn't have given them a mission to begin with."

He sighed, lacing his hands and resting them atop his head. "Sometimes I think Cracken's a fool," he muttered beneath his breath.

Understanding suddenly hit Face, and he leaned back with a smile. "OH! I know what you're talking about now. Let's just say that she was the best one qualified."

Fes kept frowning, "I don't like it."

"She's an adult, trained by the Wraiths, and you, and she's Corellian... I think she'll be fine." He paused a moment in thought. "But... if you are concerned, I'm sure we can manage to sneak your invisible self on board."

A smile blossomed on the younger man's face. Quickly, it extinguished. "There's a catch."

"Catch? What kind of catch?" Face leaned back in his seat.

"There's always a catch."

Wraith Lead leaned forward. He pressed a button on the side of his desk and waited until a low tone sounded in the room, denoting complete privacy. "If you want to go and protect her, that's fine by me. In fact, I was going to look for you and ask you to look out for her anyway."

"See? Catch," he chuckled. "I was going to do it anyway, you know, Rikki. Whether you said it was alright or not."

"I know. But now you'll at least get pay."

"Pay is good," Fes nodded with a grin. "Thanks."

"I'll comm you with the info as soon as I can get Shalla to hack it for me."

"And I'll go catch a shower." Fes stood and grinned, "We'll be in touch."

********

Alison had almost finished packing her bag when there was a knock on her door. “Who’s there?” she shouted as she ran to get her toothbrush from the fresher.

“It’s Wes.”

Alison grinned and tossed a shoe at the activator. The door wooshed open and Wes leaned into the doorway. He saw Alison packing, and the shoe on the floor, then grinned. “Going somewhere?”

“Maybe,” she replied. “What you want?”

Wes reached into his pocket and pulled out a circuit pad. “I got something for you.”

Alison turned to look, and then grinned. “You found it!”

“Hobbie and I found it at a used mechanic store. I knew you were hunting for one, so I picked it up.”

“Wes, you’re amazing.” She ran over and kissed his cheek, then examined the board. “Just a few more parts and I can finish it.”

“Just what are you and the F.E.S. building anyways?” Wes asked, leaning his head down onto her shoulder.

“It’s a secret,” she told him.

“Aww, I just found you this all important part and you won’t tell me why… that’s not fair.”

Alison turned and stared at the puppy dog face that Wes was giving her. She shook her head. “But if I tell you, then you won’t be surprised.”

“I’ll still act surprised.” Wes tilted his head.

She laughed and kissed his nose. “When I get back, maybe I’ll let you help.”

Fes heard the last of the exchange as he leaned against the door. "Oh," he said quietly.

Wes lowered his head and sighed. "Great... where one is the other is sure to follow." He turned around. "Hello Fes."

Alison chuckled.

The young man laced his hands and rested them atop his head. "So, whatcha doing here, Wes?"

"I got this thing you and Ali wanted for your super special secret project." He nodded towards Alison, who was examing the circuit board again.

His eyes lit up, "Really? Where in Kessel did you find it?" He pushed past the Taanabian to go and look over Alison's shoulder at the part.

"Hey!" Wes scowled as he got pushed aside. "Hobbie and I found it at a used parts place. What is so special about this anyway!"

"We needed it." He looked at Wes’ glare and shrugged. "Don't get mad at me," he smiled. "She's the brains."

Alison smiled and gave the board to Fes. "You'll be able to work with this, right? I shouldn't be gone too long, then I can help you."

Fes ran a few scenarios through his head, and realised if he left now, he might have just enough time to throw the component where it belonged, and be able to slip into the ship as the door closed. As long as they didn't leave early. "Yeah, no problem." He smiled at Alison, "Have fun." With that, he quickly left the room, leaving two bewildered people behind.

"And you're going where again?" Wes asked.

Alison watched as Fes left in a hurry, then turned to Wes. "I can't tell you."

"Can’t tell me secret hush hush, or Intel secret?”

Alison smiled. “Secret as in a need to know basis, and you aren’t on the need to know list.”

“That translates into Intel secret.” Wes leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You stay safe, and I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Yub Yub.”

*********

Three weeks passed. Alison and Sharr had gotten to Agamar and into their undercover identities fairly easily. Neither were aware of the presence that followed them around the cities.

The “brother and sister” small time mechanics had secured a job in a chop shop, helping take apart stolen vehicles for their boss. They had found that the same man was also one of the main runners for the weapons smuggling. Rumor had it that he would take the arms, secure them in vehicle parts and then transfer those parts into other specific vehicles.

One of the head mechanics had been flirting with Alison since she had arrived there, and she used the fact to her advantage. It was about to pay off, she realized, as the mechanic pulled her into a side office.

Once the door was closed, he pressed her against the wall, hands on both sides of her as he kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck, then stared into his eyes. “Is this all you wanted me for, Jake?” she asked teasingly.

“That and a lot more.” He captured her lips again, then leaned back. “I got you a job with the big man. It’s a lot more pay. A bit dangerous, but I have a feeling you can handle it.”

Alison smiled. “I live for danger.”

Jake nibbled on her ear. “So I hear.”

“What about my brother?” Leaning back, Jake sighed. Alison knotted her eyebrows. “What?”

“Starr isn’t the kind of material that we need. He’s too…” Jake searched for a word in his mind.

“… too simple-minded?” she finished.

“It’s nothing against you, Alein, it really isn’t. But when we set up on Agamar, it was because we didn’t expect the natives to be a problem. Finding you and your brother on planet, it was something we didn’t expect. And your skills with a hydrospanner…”

Alison, going by the name Alein, gave Jake a sly grin and pushed him away. “I can do wonders with more than a hydrospanner, but without knowing my brother is secure, I lose my inspiration.”

“Sithspit, Alein, I’m taking chances enough trying to get you in… your brother will kill any chances of that.”

Alison crossed her arms. “It’s both or none. He and I are a team, and it’s not right to break a team up.”

Jake ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Alison kissed his nose, then turned and opened the door. “Let me know then,” she called over her shoulder as she turned to leave.

“Oh, I will.” He stood in the doorway and watched Alison saunter back over to her brother and climb under the speeder next to him. He licked his lips, wondering what she was like under all that grease.

He took a few steps out of the room, then howled as a hydrospanner landed hard on his foot. He screamed in pain and jumped around, holding his foot in pain. The spanner lay on the floor, having come from nowhere. He looked around in anger, but there was no one close enough to blame.

Growling, he turned and limped back to work.

*******

Sharr watched as Alison appeared by his side. “What did the boss man want, sister dear?” he asked, his voice taking on an Agamarian tone.

“A new position,” she said, reaching up into the wires of the engine. “Something better.”

Sharr turned to her with worried eyes. “And break up the team?” he pouted his lips out.

Alison tried not to laugh. “I’d never leave you behind, little brother.”

“Good.” Sharr turned back to his work. “Dad would be mad if we ever split up.”

“What Dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” she stated.

Sharr looked at Alison, but her focus was on her work. He shook his head and went back to his own, making a mental note to question her on that comment when they got back to their place that morning.

*******

At the end of the shift, Jake pulled Alein into his office again. “There’s no way I can get your brother in on the job,” Jake said, a bit of regret in his voice. “We only have room for one person more, and you’re the one they want.”

Alein put her hand on her hip. “That’s all then, eh?”

Jake nodded. “You still want to position?”

Dad would be mad if we ever spilt up…Sharr's voice echoed in her mind.

What Dad doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

“Of course. I’d be stupid not to,” she replied with a smug smile.

*******

“What are you, stupid?!” Sharr shouted as he watched Alison carefully pack a small black backpack.

“We needed to get into this group, one way or another. I got invited, and it’s the best so that I’m trusted.”

“You’re also going to be by yourself, without any backup, in the core of the enemy.” Sharr gritted his teeth. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“No I won’t.” Alison stepped away from her bag. “I know exactally how to take care of myself. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I’m not saying you need a babysitter. Maybe a brain or some common sense, but not a baby sitter.” Sharr crossed his arms. “You’re just a trainee, Fel. You have no idea what you’re doing!”

Alison poked her finger in his chest. “Don’t you dare tell me who I am or what I know. You don’t have a clue.” She shook her head and glared at him. “You’re jealous.”

“What?!” Sharr gaped. “Jealous!”

“Because they chose me to join them. Because I’m the one who’s going to infiltrate their inner circle. You’re mad because it. isn’t. you.”

“That’s absurd.” Sharr turned his back on her.

“Whatever.” Alison slung her backpack up onto her shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

Sharr didn’t turn until he heard the door click behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that she was gone. Quickly, he shed his mechanic outfit for the all black jumpsuit underneath. Taking a pack of his own, he opened the window of their apartment and slipped down to the alleyway below.

*******

Jake leaned over the side of the speeder, watching as Alison pulled the panel off the inside of the door. “Great, now make sure that you keep all the nuts handy, 'cause once it’s filled, you have to get the panel back on just like it was originally.”

“Gotcha,” Alison replied. She put the nuts that were on the floor into panel and rubbed the grease of her hands and onto her jumpsuit. “What now?”

“Now we fill it.” Jake walked over and picked up a duffle bag. He dragged it over to lay by the speeder door. “Now all you got to do is fill the panel with this bag, put the panel back on, rebolt it and send it off to the next station.”

Alison nodded and knelt down beside the duffle. “Shove the whole bag in or take the stuff out and leave the bag here?”

Jake smiled and leaned against the speeder. “Take the stuff out.” His eyes, through merry, now held a sizing gaze on her.

Alison nodded and opened the bag. She had a feeling what was inside, and feigned shock as she pulled out a sniper rifle. “Where did these come from?” she asked.

“Around,” Jake answered. “Why?”

Alison shrugged. “It’s a nice rifle. Scope and laser target, not a scratch. Must be worth a good cred.” She carefully placed the rifle into the open door panel, then wiped her hands along her worksuit before reaching in the bag for the next weapon. She examined each weapon closely, admiring the power of each weapon to Jake while mentally checking for origin marks on them. Finally, the last blaster had a tiny white mark on it’s butt with a few digits inscripted.

Once she was done, she quickly put the panel back on the landspeeder door, tightened the nuts, then wiped the panel down with a rag from her pocket. “Anything else?” she asked.

Jake sized her up. “Any questions? Feelings? Concerns?”

Alison shrugged. “When do I get paid again?”

The corner of his lip lifted in a smirk. “Same as the last place. At the end of your shift, in cash.” He motioned for Alison to follow him to the next hovercar. “Let’s get cracking, then. We’ve got a load of speeders and cars to fill tonight.”

*******

Jake watched as the young woman left the building, chuckling to himself. I think I have my next prize in sight, and who’d have thought I would go native?

“Hey Jake, I think there’s something on the monitor that you might want to see.” A younger worker waved for him to come over.

Sighing, the older man pushed away from the doorway and walked to where the younger man was sitting among a bank of monitors. There, one image had taken over the large screen in the middle. It was an outside camera, one set up to view an obscure hallway in the back of their building.

As he watched, he could tell what the younger worker had wanted to show him... though it was more the end of the excitement. He witnessed a few rough kicks to a fallen figure, then two of the guards pulled the figure up between them to drag down the hall. Presumably to dump the body, if it was dead, or to incarcerate the figure, if it wasn't.

"Raise the magnification level, I want to see what they've got." He watched as the younger man complied and his eyes widened a moment before narrowing angrily. "Starr," he growled, slamming a fist against the console. "Comm the guards and tell them to take him to the empty storage locker. I'll meet them there." With that, he strode from the office, thunderheads sounding their presence in the distance.

*******

Jake entered the small room, and motioned for the three guards to step away from the beaten form lying motionless against the wall. He bent down and slapped Sharr across the face a few times until he moaned his way to consciousness. "Starr, what the hell do you think you were doing?"

Sharr blinked and blearily focused his eyes on the figure above him. "I was just looking 'round..." he said weakly.

"Right you were...." Jake motioned to one of the guards, "Gimme that pack, there." Once handed the pack, he began pulling out its contents. "What have we here... recorder, transmitter, spyglasses, trackers..." he looked up. "I think you were doing a whole lot more than looking, Starr. Now, I'm going to ask you one time, nicely. Who sent you?"

"Nothing, I wasn't doing-" before he could finish what he was saying, a fist shot out and slammed into his face.

"Who sent you?"

Sharr closed his mouth into a thin line, his look of defiance spoiled by the blood spilling from his mouth. He hadn't the strength to fight back, and when the blows came he could do nothing to stop them.

They kept raining blows down upon him, long after he'd lost consciousness.

*******

Upon the ending of her shift, Alison found a few more of the origin marks, and memorised them for later investigation. Satisfied that she had done her job well, and for a first assignment this wasn't too bad, she stood and wiped the grease from her hands onto her mechanic's jumpsuit. Now to get paid and go get some sleep before tomorrow.

She made her way to the usual place to receive her payment for services rendered. Jake was waiting for her, as she had anticipated, but there was a glitter in his eyes resembling something more than the lust she'd seen earlier. She shrugged it off. It was late. She came to a stop before him and held out her hand while smiling sweetly. "My money?"

"Just a moment," he leered at her and took her hand in his. "I wanna show you something first."

Alison raised an eyebrow as she followed him toward the back rooms. Inwardly, she frowned. She hadn't thought this would come up quite as quickly as it had. Or had she? They reached a door, when it swished open the room was dark, and she found herself being guided into it.

Once the door swished shut, the lights came on, momentarily blinding her. She blinked her eyes clear and saw that, lying on the floor across the room, there was a figure so beaten and bloody it was difficult to tell who it was.

Then the figure groaned. It was Sharr's voice. Sithspit! She turned slowly, drawing on every ounce of training she'd had over her lifetime. As she did so, she could see several 'security guards' lining the walls. She finally looked at Jake. "What happened to my brother?"

"He was snooping around someplace he shouldn't have been. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" he raised an eyebrow, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And don't lie to me."

Her eyes shifted, and he must have noticed, for the five guards all lifted blasters to her. Exploding into motion, she lunged at Jake, vibroblade appearing in her hand, intent on using him to bargin her and Sharr's way out.

But she wasn't quick enough. Her shifting eyes had given Jake enough warning to bring up his guard, their short scuffle ending when she saw one of the guards pressing a vibroblade against the unconscious Sharr's neck.

"I'd say you've lost, Alein." Jake spoke calmly though she held a weapon to his throat. "There will always be guys like me. I doubt you can say the same for your brother."

Alison growled and lowered her weapon as two of the men came over and held her, taking the vibroblade away while Jake slowly turned to face her. His eyes narrowed. "Wonder if you're wired, girly?" He lifted a hand and grasped at the neck of her jumpsuit, then tore it away, revealing most of her body, from the belt up. Her left arm was bare, and he noted the sheathe from which she'd taken the vibroblade in the first place. With a mockin sneer, he pulled it off.

She spat in his face. Nonplussed he wiped it off, then wiped the saliva from his fingers onto her bra. "Black velvetti, didn't know they had that here."

Alison said nothing, glaring at him with a venom in her eyes not to be missed. He held the vibroblade up before her face, then flicked it on. "So, what was he doing snooping around here, Alein?"

"Maybe he was looking for a 'fresher," she spat back.

"Wrong answer." He brought the blade down to her collarbone, and etched his way along to the inside of her elbow. A slow trail of crimson welled up in the blade's wake, as Alison hissed quietly in pain.

"Tough girl, huh? Maybe this'll make you sing," he reversed his grip on the vibroblade. "Who are you two here for?"

"Go to Kessel!"

The blade came down, stabbing into her shoulder, causing her to scream in surprise and pain.

"TELL ME!"

"NO!"

Sparks began to issue from the lock. Jake and the guards glanced briefly in the door's direction and saw nothing, quickly returning to Alison. He twisted the blade in her shoulder, "NOW!"

She screamed in pain once again, and her eyes widened as she saw, what looked like, a glowing red-orange blade poke through the wall. A section of the door fell forward, revealing nothing behind it, and the blade extinguished itself into nothingness.

"No."

Jake blinked at the unfamiliar baritone growl, but soon knew nothing as he slumped to the floor as though he'd recieved a heavy blow. Blood began to flow freely from his left temple, inexplicably.

The vibroblade pulled itself from Alison's shoulder, then flew to strike the throat of one of the guards. Not stopping to worry about what the Sith was happening, She twisted around and kicked the other guard holding her as hard as she could. When he doubled over in pain, she used her right hand to pull his head down and connect his nose with her knee. He cried out briefly in pain, then a sharp jab with her elbow silenced him.

She stood to ready herself to attack the next of the several agressors, and noted with surprise that no one was left standing. Two were lying on the floor moaning, one mysteriously missing a hand, and the other three lay sprawled and unconscious.

Turning, she made her way to Sharr. There was a wavering of light, as though it were being changed through waves of Tatooinian heat. A man appeared, kneeling before Sharr. He was dressed entirely in black, long sleeved and booted. Something that looked like a silver-finished wood hung from his belt. None of these were familiar, but his shades of fire hair gave him away to her instantly.

"Aren't you supposed to be back home?" she asked, picking up her torn clothing from the ground. She took the fabric and used it to wrap up her left arm and shoulder wounds.

"Hard to be home when you don't have one," he frowned to himself as he checked over Sharr. The young man had many wounds, and it looked like he had a concussion as well. It would be best to take care of that now, let the bacta and doctors take care of the rest. Besides, he would need to see a proper medic for any injuries he couldn't detect with his minimal knowledge. Wordlessly, he put a hand to either side of Sharr's head and narrowed his eyes slightly as he concentrated.

She didn't respond to his reply, instead using her teeth to help tie the knot for her makeshift bandage. Once she finished, she looked up and noticed something strange happening between the two men. "What are you doing?" she asked as she knelt beside them.

He didn't answer, too busy was he concentrating. A subdued orange-read glow seemed to surround his hands, touching Sharr's skin while he did not. She watched in wonder, occasionally scanning the surroundings to be sure they weren't discovered.

After several minutes, the barely-there glow faded, and Sharr's eyes fluttered as he groaned. "Can you move?" Fes asked quietly.

"Sure... once you get the two banthas off my stomach," he replied with another groan.

He chuckled, "Can't help you there. If I help, can you stand and walk long enough to get back to your ship? I think it's time you two bug out." He glanced at Alison briefly before returning his attention to the young man on the floor.

"Yeah, it's not like we're going to get anymore out of these guys. I'll call Cracken from the ship and let him clean this mess up." She kicked Jake's still body for good measure.

Fes helped Sharr to his feet and nodded at Alison. "Yes, call Cracken. Think you can get out of here on your own? We'll met you at the ship if can."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she waved at them dismissingly as she left.

*******

Alison sighed as she carried the bag of supplies over her shoulder, trying not to cringe at the pain in her arm from her own injuries. She was angry, more so than she had ever felt before. Everything was going FINE until Sharr had to go all jealous and stupid. Cracken should have just sent me by myself and everything would have been perfect.

She reached the shuttle from their rental bay, paid the fees that were due, then boarded. She set up some medical supplies by the bunks for Sharr, then slapped on a few bacta patches for her own injuries when she heard voices outside. She moved to the ramp and peeked down.

"...short bit more, then you can sleep all the way to Coruscant," Fes said in a light tone, which he wasn't feeling, while he encouraged Sharr.

The younger man whined as he struggled to put another foot forward. "I better get extra hazard pay for this..." he mumbled, still a bit dazed from the pain of injury.

"I'll put in some words for you," Fes replied with a slight chuckle as they made their way up the ramp.

"Yeah," she muttered, having overheard them. "Then I'll put in a few words for you to get a brainscan as well."

"For what?" Sharr asked.

"For your damn stupidity! What the hell did you think you were doing following me?! I can take care of myself!"

"I was doing my job, not acting like some hot shot, wanna be-"

"ENOUGH!" Fes raised his voice to a point neither had heard from the softspoken man before. "Stop it, both of you. Try to be professional here. Sharr, don't rise to the occasion, and Alison please stop being angry with him until he's at least gotten some actual medical treatment." He nearly shook with restrained anger as he pushed past her to bring Sharr to the bunks.

"Fine. Just strap him down and shut him up. I don't want to speak with him until we're back home." With that she spun on her heel and stormed to the cockpit to begin preflight.

Fes sighed to himself, causing his frustratioin to evaporate. It wouldn't do for him to allow himself to become hot-headed as well.

"She's something, ain't she?" Sharr stated, walking slowly with Fes.

"A regular firebrand."

"I'm just glad she's on our side."

"I think we all are," Fes smiled slightly and helped Sharr into the bunk. "Try to get rest, okay? I think you've got some internal injuries."

"And if not, I'm sure I'll have them by the time we get back. Are you sure you can't stay and protect me from her?"

"I think she's professional enough to leave off beating you to the bad-guys," he chuckled as he pulled out a sedative laced painkill patch and affixed it to Sharr's arm. "You'll be alright, kid."

"Thanks Fes," Sharr stated. "I owe you." His eyes fluttered, then closed as he drfted to sleep.

As he slept, Fes affixed bacta patches to the various stabs and cuts along his body. Soon, he made his way to the cockpit to be sure Alison was calm enough to get them back in one piece.

She sat at the controls, pounding the buttons on the console with much more force than necessary.

"Breaking the ship won't likely help it much."

"You rather I take it out elsewhere?"

"It'll likely take several minutes for the ship to warm up," he leaned against the co-pilot seat as he regarded her. "You can take it out on me," he offered, "we never did get to finish that sparring session."

She shook her head. "No, that's fine," her voice wavered slightly.

He picked up on it, but said nothing. "Will you let me look at your arm then?" he asked quietly.

"It's fine."

"A vibroblade dug in and twisted is not fine, let me look at it. Please."

She shrugged, then winced at the movement. Gently, he reached out and took her left arm in hand, gently undoing the bandages. His heart cried for the damage done, "Oh, Milady Fel...."

She turned the chair to face him, trying to keep her face tight. "I got hurt, it's part of the job."

Gently, he probed the stab wound and along the gash down her arm checking to see if anything vital had been harmed. "It's not part of mine," he mumbled to himself while he noted her soft whimper as his touch caused her pain. "You're a little too brave for your own good sometimes, I think."

"I get it from my father and uncle."

"Probably." He decided her wound was something he could take care of himself without worrying he'd miss things. "I'm going to do something here... try and stay still."

She nodded, and watched as he held a hand just short of touching her skin. She could feel a warmth preceeding a dull orange-red glow that seemed to appear barely within visual range. Ever so slowly, he followed the sliced skin from bicep to collarbone. Slowly, the wound knitted in his wake. She closed her eyes as a warm feeling took over her body. She felt dizzy, but knew she was safe. Her arm tingled and the pain slowly faded away, leaving behind the feeling of a soft touch... like a gentle caress.

After a while, he rested his hand just over the stab wound. He frowned slightly as his concentration increased to heal her, probing in a place the Force did not acknowledge... a place where life was just as important. Finally, he sighed in relief and looked in Alison's face, her eyes closed with gentle feeling. He half smiled.

"I have to go now. Get back to Coruscant safely." He touched the place where the stab wound had once been, where flawless skin had taken its place, briefly, then kissed her forehead gently.

She gasped slightly at the kiss and opened her eyes, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Fes?" She looked around, then saw sign of movement out the cockpit window as he ran across the hanger bay. She sighed as he disappeared around a corner, then let her hand run across her now smooth skin. "Thank you," she whispered to the empty air before finishing her pre-flight.

After about ten minutes longer, she had finished, and gotten her permission to depart. She lifted the boarding ramp, then blasted for home.

She sat thinking for a time, after they'd hit hyperspace. With nobody around, she could let down her guard some. The recent events had really shaken her, and she wondered... What if Fes hadn't appeared, would we even be alive right now?

She shook her head, it wouldn't do thinking about 'what if's'. What if's like that were what had kept her alive. What if the Fel clone hadn't found her on the Admonitor? What if she hadn't gone back to Terra for university? What if her mother and father had never met in the first place? These were but few in a large list.

It wasn't worth it.

She yawned. Being shaken up tired her out, and there really wasn't much of anything she'd have to do between here and Coruscant... an alarm would sound when it was time for her to go to the cockpit to revert to realspace. Tiredly she grabbed up a shirt and tossed it on, then she climbed into her bunk.

It wasn't long before she'd fallen to sleep.

Several minutes later, when he was certain she had fallen asleep, Fes climbed out of the cargoe bay where he'd hidden himself in rest. He moved to the cockpit to be sure everything was in order, then back to the bunkroom where both of the ships official occupants lay deeply asleep. He moved to look with secret fondness down on the slumbering Alison.

"You're such a warrior woman, Milady Fel, but you've got a good heart. You don't have to be hard all the time. You don't," he whispered to her sleeping form. Gently, he brushed a strand of hair from her eyes behind her ear, and unable to stop himself, he leaned over to softly lay a kiss upon her lips. He pulled away and smiled as he stepped back almost guiltily. "Forgive me, I couldn't help myself," he whispered.

She moved slightly in her sleep, and quickly he hid himself from vision. None too soon, for her eyes opened, and she looked around as though she thought she heard someone. Unconsciously, she lifted a hand to her lips. For some strange reason, she felt as though she may have just been kissed. Must have been in her dreams. With a slight yawn, she fell back to sleep.

From the shadows, he smiled.

*******

Two days later, Alison Sky-Fel stood stiffly at attention in front of Cracken’s desk. Cracken was still looking at the debriefing reports that she and Sharr had filed when they had gotten back. Sharr was still floating in a bacta tank, his body repairing itself from the injuries that had been inflicted by the chop shop gang.

Alison, of course, was without a scratch because of Fes’ healing. Fes…her inner mind still growled at the thought of him following her on her first mission. She couldn’t help being grateful, because she and Sharr would technically be dead if it wasn’t for him.

But his presence there was a double edged sword. While he had saved her life, it also meant that someone didn’t think that she could handle the job. And because of that, she was angry beyond belief. When she found out who had sent him…

“So, the ones who went in to clean up after you found all the evidence that they needed,” Cracken stated, putting the datapad and papers down onto the desk. “All in all, it was a successful mission.”

“Successful?” Alison asked, her eyebrow raised.

“When the mission is completed and my agents come back alive, I consider it a great success, actually.” Cracken leaned back in his chair. “What I would like to know, though, is why you allowed the F.E.S. to come along with you?”

Alison blinked. “I was going to ask you the same thing, sir.”

“You mean you didn’t ask him to join you?”

“No Sir. I was just as shocked by his appearance as Sharr was. I had thought that you sent him to watch over my first mission.”

Cracken leaned forward on his desk. “I’m a General of over a thousand agents on a hundred different worlds, Agent Fel. I do not have the resources to provide ‘babysitters’ on my new recruits. If I did, half of Wraith Squadron would probably be working desk jobs.” He chuckled to himself as he leaned back again in his chair. “I think that Fes was sent by someone who wanted to watch your welfare privately, after all that IS the line of work Fes usually has.”

Alison worked her jaw slowly. “I think I understand, sir.”

“Good,” Cracken stated. “You’re dismissed, Agent. I’m giving you a few days leave so you can collect your thoughts, and let your partner heal.”

“Partner? You mean…?”

“Yes… I think both you and Sharr need to learn a bit of respect for teammates. I’ll be keeping you two together until you learn, or until you both kill each other.” Cracken smiled smugly. “Dismissed.”

Alison snapped a salute, then turned on her heel and walked out the door. She instantly turned and headed towards her uncle’s office on the next floor. He had some explaining to do.

How DARE he send a babysitter with me? Didn't I prove my worth back on Terra? Why does he think that just because there is now some blood bond between us that he has to... to... CODDLE me?!

Forcefully, she pushed her way past an assistant outside Wedge's office, and slammed her hand against the door panel to open it. Startled, he looked up from his desk as the door opened. "Alison?"

"Just what in the Nine Corellian Hells did you think you were doing?!" she shouted as she stormed across the office, slamming her palms down on his desk. "I am NOT a baby!"

Utter confusion crossed his face as he looked up at her scowling face from where he was seated. He cleared his throat carefully before he spoke, determined to be the rational one in this anything but rational conversation. "I don't know what you're talking about," he told her honestly.

"I'll be sent to Kessel if you don't. You sent a babysitter to watch over me on that mission... a BABYSITTER! How could you do that? I mean, after everything on Mendellia, I would have thought that I had proven my worth in being a warrior!"

As she paused to take a breath, the General jumped in. "What the Sith are you talking about a babysitter for? Alison, I know you can take care of yourself," he looked utterly confused as he rose and tried to decide whether it was safe to walk around his desk to comfort his newfound niece.

She blinked, "What?"

"You don't have to prove anything, you've done that-" Wedge paused catching her eyes with his own, showing her he meant every word. "MORE than done that," he corrected himself.

Now it was Alison's turn to look confused. "But, what... who... how?" she looked around the room to see if the answers to her questions were written on the walls.

"I guess I'd like to know that myself, but it seems you have the advantage of some knowledge I don't access," he raised an eyebrow as he stood before her, his arms crossed comfortably in a non-threatening manner. "What makes you think I'd send someone after you? I honestly didn't even realize you had been gone - I thought you'd been spending the last while off acquainting yourself with the 'finer points' of Coruscant life, or something of that sort."

Alison leaned against the desk, her organic hand slapping her forehead. "I thought you would be afraid I couldn't handle my first Intel mission... that being why you sent the F.E.S. to watch over me. Someone who could be there... and not be seen."

"Fes?" he shook his head in disbelief. He would have gone on to say that the young man had more than shown he had a mind of his own, when it came to such things, when Face entered while looking over his shoulder at the aide who was getting a bacta patch put on her forehead.

"Hey Wedge, I've been thinking..." his voice trailed off as he saw Alison staring at him with one eyebrow arched curiously. "Uh...."

"Yes...?" Wedge asked patiently, drawing the word out.

A lightbulb clicked in the back of Alison's mind. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Face, not saying a word so her facial expression could carry her full ire.

"Is this a bad time? Cause, I can come back y'know..." Face jabbed his thumb at the door behind him. Sithspit... I'm in deep....

"Nice to talk to you again, Uncle Wedge," Alison stated simply as she started moving toward the doorway.

The Wraith stepped aside to let her pass, hoping she was leaving and not heading toward him, but he had no such luck to dodge. Just as he thought he had, perhaps, escaped, Alison turned quickly and punched him straight in the jaw with her mechanical fist.

Wordlessly, she left.

Shock rode his features as Face raised a hand to work his, now throbbing, jaw. When the door closed behind her, he looked at Wedge. "What'd I do?"

Wedge just threw his head back... and laughed.

*******

A week after they returned, Fes sat on the floor working intently at connecting the final few delicate wires within the chest of a custom-built Human Replica Droid. The HRD had been patterned to look like a Corellian Male, and these final touches would give him the personality of one, as well.

"Done yet?"

He looked up and over his shoulder to where Alison was playing with a vibroblade. "I'll never get this thing done if you don't let me concentrate, Milady," he grinned.

"Well... concentrate faster," she smiled back.

He chuckled and shook a finger at her before turning back to the task at hand.

"Done yet?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

A few minutes passed. "How about now?"

"No."

Another few minutes, "You done yet?"

"MILADY!"

Alison's laughter rang out behind him, and he smiled at the sound as he shook his head ruefully and worked on connecting the last few tiny wires.

Five minutes passed. "Are you finished?"

Silence.

"Fes?"

With an exaggerated sigh, he closed the panel on the HRD's chest, and turned to look at her. "Now, I am finished."

She hopped down from where she'd been seated on a workbench and slowly made her way over. He couldn't help but admire the catlike grace with which she moved, and quickly looked back to the droid when he felt the heat of a blush beginning to rise on his face.

"So, what do you want to call him?"

Alison shrugged as she leaned over, placing her hands on her knees, "Dunno. I haven't thought about it."

"Well, now's the time to think about it," he chuckled. "Everything needs a name."

She thought a moment, "Well, what about 'Bob' then?"

"Why Bob?" he turned and looked at her curiously.

"Well, whenever my friend Sylvana couldn't think of a name for something, she'd call it Bob."

A flicker of something crossed his eyes, if she had been looking, she would have caught it. He nodded, "Bob it is, then."

"Speaking of names," she smiled, leaning back as he lifted up the droid's torso and brought it over to the workbench. "What is your name, anyway?"

"It's Fes, you know that, Milady," he told her as he connected the torso to the hips of the HRD.

"No, I mean your real name, not what everyone calls you."

He shrugged and reached to pick up the head before working on connecting it to the rest of the body.

"Okay, new approach," she moved over and leaned against the bench as he worked. "What did people call you before they called you Fes?"

"Kurt Haindl."

She laughed, "Clog man name."

"I suppose so," he glanced at her and smiled.

"That's not your real name, either... is it?"

He shook his head, then shrugged again as he finished attaching Bob's head.

"Okay, let's have it."

"It's not important. I'm Fes now, isn't that enough?"

"No," she pushed away from the workbench. "But, you can keep your secrets for now." She reached up and squeezed his shoulder, "Let's turn this bad boy on."

"Would you care to do the honours?" he stepped back and motioned to the HRD.

"Of course!" Alison jumped forward and reached under the droid's synthetic hair, finding the small button hidden there. She twisted it on, then stepped back.

The droid jerked upright from where it sat slumped over. The eyes blinked a few times to indicate its being on. "Cells activated, memory upload complete. Welcome to your new T-55 skyhopper. Before we begin the introduction of uses for your skyhopper, please remember to put the brake pedal on."

Alison looked at Fes, "What did you do?"

He put up his hands as though in surrender. "Don't look at me, I just put them together - I don't programme them!"

"Remind me to kill Wes sometime later," Alison muttered, reaching for the off switch.

Suddenly, the droid's arm grabbed hers and twisted it back. "I don't think you want to touch that button, lady," a calm and collected Corellian voice came from the droid.

Fes stepped forward, "Let her go, Bob," he said in a menacing voice.

"Who's Bob?" the droid replied.

Alison took the moment to twist her arm free and rub her red wrist. "Man, he grabbed the organic one too," she whined.

"You are Bob. She's your owner, and I put you together. So, if you'd like to stay in one piece," a small explosive sphere began to grow in Fes' left hand, "I suggest you get a clue."

Bob blinked. He looked between the two, then focused on Alison. "Momma?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "Something like that."

Fes let the sphere disappear, soaking back into his hand, then brought that hand up to hide his sudden smile as his shoulders shook in silent laughter.

"MOMMA!" Bob shouted, jumping down from the bench and wrapping his arms around Alison.

She blinked as the droid hugged her. "I'm really going to kill Wes now," she muttered.

Fes couldn't help himself any longer, and threw his head back in laughter. "I'll hold, you punch," he gasped out.

Alison grinned suddenly. "No. I've got a better idea...."

*******

Wes walked into the hanger bay a little later to see how Fes and Alison were doing on their secret project. He saw her standing by her ship, and smiled. "Hey beautiful," he said.

"Hey Daddy," she replied.

"Daddy?" Wes asked, stopping in his tracks. "What?"

"Congrats, it's a droid," Alison stated as she stepped aside. Bob, now dressed in a New Republic flightsuit, saw Wes and smiled. "DADDY!" he shouted as he started to run toward the Taanabian.

Fes moved out from where he was hidden behind the ship, and draped an arm across Alison's shoulders while they laughed as the droid caught Wes up in a wampahug. "Congratulations, Wes."

He tried to breathe as the droid crushed his lungs. "Thanks.... I think...."

******THREE WEEKS LATER*******

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Alison said from under the fuselage of her TIE bomber. "Wrench."

"It's not that I don't want to talk about it, it's just that..." Wes reached into the toolbox and pulled one out, giving it to the hand poking out from beneath the ship. "Well, she's your friend, and you're never allowed to see her again. I don't want to upset you."

"So you made it seem to Sylvana that I'm dead?" A few klinks from the wrench punctuated her words.

Not like we wanted to... it was orders, he thought glumly to himself. "Yeah, she didn't take it too well," Wes sighed. "Luckily, Hobbie was there to console her."

"My best friend is dating Hobbie Klivian, and there's no way I can gloat," Alison pushed herself out from beneath the ship and wiped an oil-stained hand over her equally oil-stained face.

"We can always bother Hobs," Wes said with a glint of mischief in his eye.

She laughed, "Yeah. Heap on the teasing for the both of them. I don't know if Hobbie'd survive."

"We have to be concerned about that?"

"Gods, if my best friend was like you, I'd have no best friends!" Alison laughed out loud.

Wes got down and straddled Alison, leaning his face over hers. "That's why I'm not your friend," he whispered playfully.

"Oh? And just what are you then, Mister Janson?" Alison put on a serious look, propping herself upward a bit upon her elbows.

Just as Wes was about to reply, the sound of a toolkit slamming down on the table by the door interrupted him. The startling sound caused both to look quickly over and briefly see Fes frowning as he turned his back to them and started noisily going through his box of hydrospanners and other such things.

Wes smiled knowingly and rolled off Alison. "Yeah, I think that fuselage is about as tight as you're going to get it. Any tighter, and things might burst."

She shook her head and kicked herself back beneath the ship.

Fes growled to himself as he finished setting aside, in a smaller box, the tools he'd need for what he was planning to work on. Quickly, he pulled a work jacket over his long-sleeved shirt before grabbing the small box and moving to the other side of the ship silently. He jumped up to settle himself atop the bomber, and put the box down beside him before glaring down at the oblivious Wes Janson.

"Hydrospanner."

"What size?"

"Depends on how big a one you've got," her laughter rang out from beneath the ship.

Smirking slightly, he held his hand up a moment as a small red-orange sphere, flecked with miniature lightning and the size of a small Terran bird's egg, grew in his palm.

Wes grabbed the largest hydrospanner in the toolkit they were using, and knelt down to give it to her. "I don't think they come that big," he quipped, only to get an oily rag in his face. He laughed as he began pulling it off.

Fes threw the tiny sphere to the pilot's feet, causing a miniature explosion not unlike a Terran fire-cracker, then smirked to himself as he went to work on the ship as though that was what he'd been doing the entire time.

Wes had barely gotten the cloth off his face when he yelped, and jumped back in surprise. Then, he growled as Alison's laughter rang out from beneath the ship once more. "Fes...."

The young man popped his head over the edge of the canopy, his hair shaggy about his downturned face. He grinned innocently, "Yes...?"

Wes sighed, waving a fist playfully at Fes. "One day, kiddo...." He shook his head and knelt down to speak to Alison, "I think your little friend wants to play."

A sigh of frustration could be heard somewhere above them as Fes went loudly back to work.

She turned her head sideways, "Be good boys," she called out, "If you scratch my ship, I'll kill you both."

"As you wish, Milady Fel!" Fes' voice floated down, as the banging suddenly ceased.

Wes grinned, "You're evil, Ali."

Alison blew Wes a kiss from where she was beneath the ship. "Have fun playing, boys. I have a ship to work on."

Fes sighed and looked down over the edge of the bomber before tossing another, much smaller, lightning sphere at Wes' feet. "I'm not playing... I'm working."

The pilot smirked up at him, doing his best not to jump at the firecracker. "I think someone's jealous."

"Speak for yourself, flyboy," Fes muttered to himself as he worked at sealing the plate he'd found loose in the wee hours of that morning.

"Somebody likes Alison," Wes taunted. He heaved himself up on the wing to be face to face with Fes. "Just watch your step, kiddo, cause when there's something I want, I don't step aside easily... especially for a few fireworks." With that said, he smiled, hopped down, and walked away.

Fes glared at the Taanabian's retreating back. "You're the one who'd better watch his step," he muttered under his breath. "Experience doesn't always equal success," I hope....

Alison pushed herself out from under the ship. "I don't hear anything from up there, Fes boy. You going to help me here or not?"

“As you wish, Milady. Soon as I'm done locking down this panel," he called back to her.

"Good, cause I don't plan on being the only one covered in oil down here tonite," she chuckled as she kicked herself back beneath the fuselage.

*******

There was an urgent knock on his door, and wonderingly, Captain Loran got up and moved to palm it open. It barely was so, when a flustered and frustrated Fes almost knocked him over as he entered. "Woah, calm down - what's under your skin?"

The younger man ran a hand through his mop of hair, then rested his hand on the back of his neck, "I need some advice, Garik."

Face blinked and closed the door behind him. "You called me Garik, it must be serious. What's wrong?"

The younger man paced a few moments before finally leaning to rest his hands on the back of a chair. "I'd best just come out and say it. I'm in love with Alison."

Face chuckled. "This runs in the family, I think..." he ignored Fes' raised eyebrow as he straightened up. "What about her?"

"I beg?" he looked at the Wraith in confusion.

"Alison... what does she feel... about you," he exaggerated his words in slow speech, as though speaking to one who barely knew Basic.

He looked down. "I don't know... she likes me well enough, I guess. As a friend."

"Have you ever asked her?"

He looked down at his hands and started playing with a piece of thread that was fraying from the chair. "No. I... I dunno what to say!"

"How about something along the lines of, 'Hey Alison, I like you!'?"

"You make it sound so easy!"

"It is!" Face grinned. "I've never had this kind of problem, dear boy, because I have one thing that you obviously don't."

"Lack of class?" Fes smirked.

"No...." Face went over and gave him a noogie. "Confidence! You're too Sithin' shy for your own good."

"I know!" he sounded defeated as he pushed his cousin's hands away. "I don't even know why I think she'd give me the time of day," he sighed.

"If you think that way, then why do you think you like her?"

"Ever since I first saw her and wanted to make her feel better about whatever made her so sad, I've cared for her.... The fire in her spirit, her strength, her tenacity..." he blushed. "Of course, she's beautiful too."

"Salmar Anorhen Loran, my dear dear cousin. That describes half the women in the New Republic corps. No - what is it about her that REALLY makes her special to you?"

The younger man smiled as he looked down at his hands. "I love her laugh. Her smile is like the sun to me. Just being around her is intoxicating. I want to spend all my time with her, and the only reason I don't is because I don't want to scare her away."

"You do realise that Alison is probably the most headstrong, egotistical, self absorbed person on the planet... aside from Wes Janson. You sure you can handle that?"

"I wouldn't change a thing about her. Be honest, could you see me with someone like your sister?" he raised an eyebrow, then frowned. "Wait, don't answer that," he sighed.

"I could actually see you more with someone gentler. Sith, Siee Janson is gentler than Alison."

Fes shrugged, "I don't know Siee."

"Want me to introduce you?"

Leaning over, he let his head hit the back of the chair he'd been resting his hands on and let out a wounded sigh.

Face looked over his cousin's shoulder and noticed some movement. "Well, I think your best bet is to take the plunge. Tell her what you feel and see what happens. What have you got to lose?" Face put his arm around Fes' shoulder and started to lead him away to the door.

"But HOW do I tell her?" he protested.

"You move your lips and let the words flow."

:"That's what you do?" he looked over and raised an eyebrow.

"In more ways than one, and more than just words." Face looked over his shoulder and pulled Fes more toward the door. "You need to let yourself feel free, actually LET yourself tell her. Hiding and skulking around, acting like nothing's there is only going to make her pissed off. Trust me, I know."

"I'll do my best..." he let himself be pushed out the door, wondering why Face was so eager to get rid of him... then he sighed. I only hope I'm not too late....

Face waved, "Bye bye! Have fun storming the castle!"

He squared his shoulders and waved a thankful hand to his cousin before he headed down the hall. Alison, I hope you will at least let me tell you... that I honestly, desperately love you.

*