FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Jelucan, by all standard records, a fairly unremarkable planet on the outer rim. A mixture of human and alien colonists. It had been a guess, mostly driven on instinct. However, as a wookiee, Kettonnkeurrr was used to following his instincts. He had only a few minutes to pick a destination when he stole a shuttle and it had seemed like as good a random port to try and hide as any. Mining planet, so he would probably be able to find work. Outside of Imperial control and with a mixed population so hopefully, the tall shaggy furred beast would not stand out, any more than he normally did.

Known as Ket to his friends, should he ever make any. It was not that he was particularly unfriendly but more that most wookiees felt uncomfortable around him. White furred wookiees were as rare as force-sensitive ones, only unlike force-sensitive ones they were not celebrated. Their birth was considered a bad omen and some wookiees considered his birth the harbinger of their doom. Culturally it was that a white wookiee had no camouflage, they gave warning to prey and drew in predators. It was surprising how those ancient prejudices survived in the face of all logic and reason.

Given that within a mere thirty years of his birth the Republic had fallen and the Empire had risen, conquered his home planet of Kashyyk and designated wookiees as non-sentient species. Which made it perfectly acceptable to turn them into slaves. Ket could understand why his people had a dislike of him. They needed someone to blame after all. However, it was not like he had wanted any of it, he had been enslaved the same as they had.

Often he wondered if the ancient wookiees may have been right. After all his life had been far from charmed. Lady Luck was a stranger to the big furry creature. That was until the day his transport shuttle had malfunctioned. It had just been himself and two human pilots. With the inhibitor chip in his brain allowing the humans to paralyse him with pain in a heartbeat should he show even a hint of rebellion, it had been considered enough.

However, a random power surge had hit the cockpit. Maybe it was the force, most likely it was bad maintenance and a lack of care. That's what happens when you don't pay your workforce, they have no pride in their work and a lot of pride in doing a substandard job. The bolt of energy had stunned both humans. Long enough for Ket to break his chair restraint and get to the cockpit. Two unconscious humans were no match to a desperate and enraged wookiee. Their bodies had been shoved in the airlock and ejected.

Knowing that he had at best ten minutes, he had made a quick scan of the possible planets within range of the shuttle. Picked one from the outer rim and hit hyperdrive before the Imperials even knew that there was a problem. His plan had been simple, land the shuttle, see if he could sell it. Find a job and place to stay on the planet and... well, live. Though he was still working on the details of what that part meant.

Landing permission had been given freely. In retrospect, he should have known it had been all too easy. Apparently, he was not the first, or last, wookiee to pick their planet. The locals knew he was an escaped slave and more importantly, they knew the Empire had plans for their planet. With a desire to keep on the good side of the dictator, the populace saw Ket and those like him as a way to show they were good neighbours. Poor, small, harmless and on his side. So why invade, when you have already virtually conquered the planet?

Ket had been met by a squad of security on the planet. Stunned, cuffed and shoved into a cell. His escape over just a few hours after it had started. No doubt he would face punishment for the deaths of the two pilots. He sat in his cell miserable and alone, contemplating just how bleak his future was going to be.

As he sat in the corner of the cell. Arms around his huge legs curled up into as small a form as possible. He heard the guards approaching, his heart raced. It was a small cell, maybe he could get them before they hit the activator for his inhibitor chip. They were coming to take him away, he was desperate and if he had to go, at least he could take some of the bastards with him.

"One second, I don't trust that wookiee," the muffled words in basic came through the door. Ket had only a fraction of a second to consider them before he began to spasm and howl in pain. Bolts of pain shot through every single nerve ending in his body and his limbs flailed, his huge body rocking around in uncontrollable agony. It was supposed to be used for seconds, but Ket had seen some slave masters leave it on for minutes, or even hours. To stamp down any rebellion, to remind the wookiees that their friends and families all had chips in their brains and that they needed to please their masters.

The door opened, but Ket could not look to see, for his body and twisted in its agony and he was slowly butting his head against the wall.

"Guys, is this necessary?" Another voice asked and through the pain in his ears, ket thought he heard some genuine concern. "Come on, turn it off. He's learned his lesson. He's not going to try anything. Are you, big guy?" Ket could only respond with whimpers of pain. Then he heard something he did not expect, "do you understand basic?" It was not the question, but the language it was asked in. Badly mangled but recognisable Shyriiwook, his home tongue.

"As my dear old mother said, never trust a wookiee. Unless he's on the floor in pain and knows his place," was the reply.

"Ah, truly she sounds like a remarkable woman. I can see where you got your sociopathic tendencies, and awful dress sen..." a muffled thud and a groan cut through that response. Ket guessed the guard had not appreciated the witty repartee.

"If the bounty on your head wasn't double for bringing you in alive, I'd have killed you and left your body here for this thing to snack on," snarled an angry voice.

"You really are a chip off the old psychotic block, your mother must be so proud... you know between the moments she's sucking stormtrooper di..." Another retort cut short with a thump and a cry of pain.

The guards having finished left the room and Ket whimpered more as the chip remained on. The wookiee was just beginning to fear they had forgotten it, or worse that they had not, when the chip turned off. With a gasp he sprawled onto his back, panting heavily. His limbs twitched as a dull ache settled into his muscles. Through bitter experience, he knew that it would be hours before he was fully recovered from such an experience.

A strange face came into view. For a moment Ket thought it was human, but the eyes were red and glowed slightly. His skin tone was wrong too, the wookiee was sure their skin was not dark blue. Blood was leaking from its mouth, and part of his blue lips looked swollen. Though Ket was not sure, it might have been usual for their species. "Hey there, what's a handsome guy like you, doing in a place like this?" The blue human asked as he held out a hand.

Ket said nothing, his limbs still too weak to stand, he chose to stay on the floor. Until the question was repeated in his own tongue. Clearly, the alien knew his people. Ket's experience with non-wookiee species was mostly limited to the more common ones in the Republic. Human's, Twi'lek, Mon Calamari etc. This was one he had not seen before. Though it was also possible it was just a human with some modifications, or maybe a hybrid. Human's did tend to mate outside their species quite happily.

"Waiting to be taken back to my slave camp, where I will probably be executed," the white wookiee replied with a grunt as he tried to lift himself up onto his elbows. "What are you?"

The alien pulled his untaken hand back and shrugged, "me? Different things to different people. Miner, criminal, friend, lover, that bastard who screwed my husband... that one comes up a lot. Mostly I like to think of myself as a ruggedly handsome happy go lucky scamp."

Bewildered by the response, Ket struggled to get up to a sitting position. Two blue hands quickly came to his aid, helping lift the wookiee up and resting his back against the wall, "Take it easy big guy."

Grunting and nodding in appreciation the wookiee did as he asked, "inhibitor chips, they are designed to make sure you can't fight after being punished." The wookiee muttered.

"Nasty things, I know a doctor or two. There's a big Lasat a few systems over. Very handsome, really huge... hands," The blue alien flashed a lascivious grin as he said hands. Ket got the feeling that he might have been implying something else was huge. However, he only had a limited understanding of other species. "Plus huge prehensile feet. Very fun guy to spend an evening with, if you know what I mean."

Ket really did not know what he meant, and his blank expression said just as much. In his weakened and bewildered state, he found thinking a little difficult and out of sheer frustration asked, "do humans come in blue?"

The stranger gave a smile, "they do when I let them." Quipped the Alien to another blank expression and then he gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm Chiss, not human."

That name did ring a little bell in the wookiee's mind, " a long way from the Confederacy. " Ket observed a little cautiously.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been. Name's Hesk Edeal, not that you asked," retorted the chiss with a shrug as he plonked himself on the floor and leant against the cell wall next to Ket. The wookiee observed he was tall, for a species so close to human. Still nowhere near as tall as a wookiee. Quite broad too, certainly looked like someone who worked out, or maybe just worked for a living.

"Kettonnkeurrr," Ket replied. It was a slightly weird experience for him. Not a lot of aliens he had met could speak Shyriiwook.

"Nice to meet you," Hesk replied and then asked. "Do you understand basic? Because wookiee really hurts my throat and if I want a wookiee to hurt my throat I can think of ways, that are much more fun for both of us, for you to do that."

"I understand basic," Ket confirmed, although he was also starting to understand that there was something else, far from subtly hinted at, in the blue man's words.

"Ah great, well Ket... can I call you Ket? Kettonnkeurrr is a bit of a mouthful. Or actually, from the looks of you, a lot of a very fun mouthful. However, it's a little...shall we say unwieldy for day to day use." Ket gave a nod of acceptance. "What are you in for?"

For a few long seconds the white wookiee stared firmly at the humanoid's red eyes and then, at last, he replied, "I'm a slave."

"Ah! I figured as much. Soon as I saw you I thought; handsome runaway slave," Hesk replied with a smile. "So definitely not a killer, or a rapist or anything unsavoury?" Ket's eyes narrowed and he growled on pure instinct. "Just checking, after all not all the people in these cells are innocent runaways. I assume someone, such as yourself, who managed to run away once might have an escape plan."

Ket shook his huge head, "No, I was just lucky and then unlucky. A shuttle malfunctioned and I overwhelmed the two human's."

"Big chap like you verses two humans, I know who my money would be on," chuckled the Chiss. "I'm sure they deserved it. So born on Kashyyk were you? You must be missing those Wroshyr trees. How's Kachirho doing under the occupation?"

Tilting his head in confusion, Ket asked, "you know my world?"

"Not that well. I went there once, a long time ago." Hesk replied and it may have been ket's imagination but he thought the look in those red eyes grew distant as if he was seeing some. "When I was a kid." The look faded and the Chiss shrugged, "it was a long time ago. I was born on Coruscant. My parents were descendants of a small band of Chiss that left the confederacy a few hundred years ago. My dad thought he'd get a job there."

"Did he?" Ket asked his curiosity about his cellmate growing. Mostly it was just nice to be speaking with someone. Few wookiees wanted to engage him in casual conversation.

"Yes... I suppose. I don't really remember. I got selected for this fancy school thing. My parents thought it was a great opportunity and they sent me away." The chiss replied and for a moment that distant look returned. "Well, then I failed and they sent me back. Nobody can keep Hesk Edeal under control. I didn't get on with then and so I ran away from home. That was just near the end of the clone wars. Did a few things that I'm not so proud of, a bit of stealing, smuggling, sexual favours for cash, or a ride to the next system. That sort of thing. Then I started mining asteroids. Came to this place to sell up, only to find out that they have recently started checking backgrounds for Imperial warrants, arrested at the port, my ship impounded and there you have it. Hesk Edeal's life story, the abridged version you could say."

Unsure what he should say, Ket remained silent. His own story was far shorter and no less tragic. However, his blue cellmate was not the sort to sit quietly for any length of time. "So, what about you? How'd you wind up in this bloody dump of a backwater planet?"

Turning to look at the Chiss, Ket was suddenly faced with the ordeal of having to summarise and explain his life to a strange, "Born on Kashyyk, raised by my parents. Taken as a slave to work in an Imperial shipyard, escaped and recaptured."

"Bit of a sad and short story. Needs a bit more romance and drama, maybe some thrills and then a happy ending," chuckled Hesk. "Could use a happy ending myself. I only come planetside once every few months. I was rather hoping to drop off both my cargo and a few loads into some locals before shooting off again."

"No happy endings, not anymore," sighed the wookiee, his shoulders slumping dejectedly.

"Oh no! That will not do at all," replied the blue alien. His voice firm and brimming with confidence. Hesk leapt up to his feet and he offered his hand to the beaten wookiee. "Come on, you've been on the floor long enough. Time to get you onto that bench. I want you rested and fighting fit for tonight."

"Great, so I can be fully rested when the Imperial shuttle comes to take me back to the slave camp," the wookiee replied. A yelp escaped from his lips as a blue finger bashed lightly off his nose. Ket shook his head in shock. Even his slave masters had been careful about hitting wookiees. His species' natural reaction was to remove the arms of people who treat them with such casual disregard to actually bop their noses like they were some errant pet.

"Enough moping, you wookiees are supposed to be fierce mighty warriors. All this self-pity is really not on," Hesk replied, grasping the wookiee's hand and putting his shoulder under Ket. With effort from both the wookiee was lifted to his feet. "Now, stand tall, Kettonkeurr, and be the proud warrior you should be." As the chiss stepped back, Ket felt his weakened muscles start to collapse and he began to fall. Hesk stopped him and helped him to a bench mutter, "ok then, sit tall until your muscles are back under your full control. Then stand tall and then help me escape this place. Then we party and with any luck both of us will get a happy ending. Assuming we can make a stop at the local massage parlour."

As he sank down gratefully onto the bench the wookiee's heart raced. Escape? Was that possible? "How? We are locked inside the cell and they turn my inhibitor on when they come in."

"Details, details. Don't you worry your pretty head about that. I am working on a plan." replied the Chiss with a shrug of his shoulders. "Step one, we wait until night. Well into the sleep period so the streets are empty. The spaceport isn't too far away, and they won't have moved my ship yet. Step two, we steal my ship back and step three we escape into hyperspace. I have a place we can hide while any hunting goes on for us."

Ket looked around the small empty cell. A small waste extraction unit, bench and door. It was a cell clearly intended for one person. Although, the guards had made it very clear they did not consider him a person. Somehow, he knew Hesk's outgoing personality would have annoyed them. They probably put him in with the wookiee just in the hopes that Ket might do something rash. That way they had full immunity when their bosses had to accept a lower bounty and he would be the one who was punished. However, none of that would be helpful in trying to escape. There were no windows or vents. Just a door that locked from the outside and was strong enough that even wookiee strength could not force it open. Not without making a lot of noise and getting his implant activated.

"Just relax, trust me. We're getting out of here," Hesk said. The chiss's voice was so filled with confidence that Ket felt himself actually relaxing. Then he yawned. "Probably a good idea to get a little sleep while you can. It'll help you recover and we might need to fight when we get out of this cell, so I want you at full strength. You take the bench and lay down. I'll just sit over here in the corner and have a good think."

Doing as he was told, Ket lay back grateful on the less than comfortable bench. It was not designed for larger species so his legs were so far off the end his knees bent and his feet practically touched the floor. However, despite everything he managed to fall asleep. Ket was doubtful that they would escape. Step one was likely to prove impossible. Thoughts of escape, however, were a nice dream. His dreams were the one thing the Empire could not take away from him.

He slept peacefully for a good few hours as the sun went down. The lights in the cell turned out automatically. Leaving them both in blackness. It was in the pitch dark that the wookiee was woken by a gentle shaking and a low voice, "hey, Ket, come on. Time to wake up. I'm ready for step one."

With a snort, the wookiee awoke. Sitting up felt much easier. The fatigue in his muscles was gone. "What's the plan?" He asked with a low series of growls.

Hesk's voice whispered to him out of the dark. Ket's heightened sense of smell helping him pinpoint the Chiss's location, by the cell door. "Well, it's late. Like several hours after this planet's midnight. A good few more to morning. So there will be minimum staff. Once out of the cell we need to be quite. No talking, no trying to release other prisoners. Just follow me, ok? With luck, there'll just be one guard working the room at the end of the cells. If we take him out without him hitting your inhibitor then it's just out that room, down the hall and straight out into the street. With any luck, we'll be off-world before they even know we are out of our cell."

"How will we get out of the cell?" Ket asked as he got to his feet and moved over to the door, as quiet as any hunter could move.

"I... have a little trick, don't worry." Hesk's enigmatic response was far from satisfying. However, Ket knew that the worst that could happen was they failed to open the door. He was very much aware he had nothing to lose by putting his faith in the strange blue alien. "Are you ready?"

"Ready," Ket confirmed and he waited in the darkness. His eyes fixed on where his nose told him the chiss was standing.

A second or two past and then there was a soft click and his eyes suddenly burned as the light from the corridor outside burned into eyes that had adjusted to pitch blackness. "How did you do..."

"Less talking, more escaping." Replied the chiss instantly as the blue alien glanced out into the corridor. "All clear. Come on." He whispered.

Feeling hope springing into his breast, Ket followed him out. They were at the end of a small wing of the local jail. Just a line of cells. Ket wondered who else might be in the other cells. Were there any other poor souls like himself just waiting to be shipped off for what was laughingly called Imperial justice? However, Hesk had been clear no trying to save other prisoners. Besides, there could be real criminals locked up in the cells. Certainly, people who might make a noise and get them all caught.

So he followed as the blue alien moved. Hesk was dressed in blank pants, with a dark blue shirt. Along with his dark blue skin, the chiss hid easily in the shadows. Ket mourned that his white fur made him stand out like a wookiee at a bothan's birthday party. He was at least able to move like a hunter, his feet had natural large soft velvet fur pads. So despite his huge size, each step barely made a sound.

Hesk had reached the end of the corridor and Ket watched as he glanced around the corner. The chiss gave him a smile and held up a single finger. Just the one guard on duty. Then the Chiss put his hands together and leant his face against them, closing his eyes. On guard, that was sleeping on duty. The force was surly with them. Maybe it had decided that it owed the wookiee one for the last few years.

The chiss signalled for him to follow. Ket did, peering around the corner to see the guard, feet up on a console, hands behind his head making soft snoring noises. He watched as hesk covered the few steps to the guard. Deciding it was best to wait, two people moving doubled the chance of the guard waking. A blue hand grasped the guard's own gun from his holster. The chiss glanced at the setting and there was a soft sound and a blue light briefly in the room.

A single stun bolt and Hesk caught the guard before he could fall, leaving him in his chair. The stun bolt would keep him out for a good hour, it was possible someone might come in and try and wake him. It was also possible the guard might just wake naturally not even knowing he'd been stunned. Just that he had woken up with a headache feeling oddly tired. "I got his keycard, my stuff's in that locker over there." The chiss whispered, before handing the wookiee the blaster.

While the chiss opened a locker, Ket walked over to the guard. Finding the inhibitor activator in his pocket he crushed it in his fingers. Little sparks flying and slightly stinging his paw. However, any pain was as nothing compared to the deep satisfaction he felt actually destroying one of those hateful devices.

"Bastards stole my credit chips," the chiss mumbled as he strapped a far fancier and more expensive blaster in a holster around his waist. He pulled out a jacket as well and fished in the pockets. "Ha! However, they didn't take the activator key for my freighter. She ain't nothing fancy. However, she's big enough for two and runs like a dream. Not much in the way of armaments, single quad mounted turret up top."

Ket gave a shrug that somehow clearly said that he was not going to be picky about the ship that got him away from a life of imperial slavery.

"Alright, handsome, I'm ready. Let's go." Hesk said, drawing his blaster and moving over to the door that would lead outside. Ket followed, blaster at the ready. It was not a big facility, freedom was just twenty meters away. Hesk pulled out a keycard and swiped it. The two fugitives jumped out blasters drawn. Only to find the corridor empty. "Luck be my lady tonight." Muttered the chiss with a grin. "Come on, let's go before she runs out on us, or we find out she has just given us genital warts."

The two jogged as fast as they dared down the corridor. Past a series of doors and windows that looked in on empty offices. The lights were out in them all and it looked like the place really did just have one sleeping guard on duty. At least, it looked that way until they neared the end. The last two offices had windows lit up. Hesk pulled up short and got down onto his knees. Ket saw him gesture for the wookiee to do the same.

They crawled their way past the last obstacle and were just getting to the doorway and freedom when lady luck decided that she had better things to do with her time. The door to the outside opened and two security guards stood there, with a detainee in manacles between them. Staring in shock at two prisoners, on all fours just a few meters from the exit, the two security men froze. Hesk did not, two blasts were fired. And the guard's fell down stunned. However, their prisoners cried out in shock.

"Run for it!" Hesk screamed and was off like a sprinter out of the blocks. Ket was hot on his heels. They were out of the door before the alarms began to sound and running down the street. Ket followed the sprinting chiss, his heart pounding. They had been so close to escaping without being noticed. Shouts rang out behind them, as the Chiss ducked off the main road into an alley.

The wookiee followed and found they were in a dead-end as they hit a wall. "Climb!" Hesk hissed, holstering his blaster and jumping to grab a windowsill. Ket took a moment to scan the wall, his eyes picking out hand and footholds. Then he leapt and in less than a second he was on the roof. Turning around he reached down and lifted the blue alien up like he weighed nothing. "Thanks."

The two ran across the rooftops and dropped down on the far side. Straining his ears, Ket could hear their pursuers running past the alley. They were in the clear, for now. "well, that could have gone worse." The cheerful chiss said. "Good thing you climb so well. If not they'd have seen us for sure. Now we just have to get to the spaceport without drawing any attention."

Ket sighed, drawing attention was what a two-meter tall white wookiee was best at. "Buck up, Ket. We're out of that cell and on to step two. Get to the spaceport. My plan is going perfectly. Just trust me." The chiss said, smacking the wookiee on the upper arm. Ket had to admit he was right and it felt good. Even if it lasted just a few moments, being free felt good.

"The port's this way, let's get going," Hesk said and started to jog down the street. Following quickly, Ket kept his blaster at the ready. Glancing down every empty street, expecting each one to be filled with security personnel. However, their luck appeared to have returned, maybe the lady had just had to visit the waste extraction room. Maybe it would just be a little blip, in their escape plan.

However, it was clear if she had returned it was purely because she wanted to watch and laugh as they got to the spaceport to find dozens of guards. "Damn it! I was hoping they wouldn't beat us here. My ships over in bay number five. Over there." As Hesk talked he stalked along the perimeter. "Looks like they don't know it, maybe they haven't figured out who actually escaped yet. The guards must still be out from the stun bolts."

"What are we going to do?" Ket asked feeling slightly panicked. His instincts were screaming at him to fight. However, he knew that the second they shot the alarm would sound. The security forces would be all over them.

"Ok, I have a plan... however, it sucks." Admitted the chiss with a shrug, as they reached the end of the street they were on. "Look, they clearly don't know it's you and me that are on the run. So, I figure if I holster my blaster and we just walk over, all calm and casual, like we're just two law-abiding citizens going about our business. We might get close enough to jump the two guards on bay five. Then we get in, blast the door shut behind us and get the hell out as fast as we can."

Ket groaned at the plan. Maybe it would work if they were both humans or human-like aliens. Ket doubted there were more than a couple of wookiees on the planet and certainly he was the only white wookiee, "that's not going to work. They will recognise me."

"Do you have any better ideas, because I'm willing to be talked out of this stupid idea?" Hesk asked, his voice fully earnest.

The wookiee had to admit. He had zero ideas and he knew the longer they waited the greater the chance of someone finding out who it was that had escaped. Besides, a few hours earlier he had been sure Hesk was a blue human, there was no reason why these people should know that his fur colour was incredibly rare. He gestured for the Chiss to lead the way. Once more he followed the blue alien he had met less than half a day ago. Hesk had asked him to trust him, and he did. Ket just was not really sure why.

"Alright, I'm going to turn and keep talking to you as we walk," Hesk said. "We're just two pilots coming back from a bar. Sober of course, only a fool drinks and flies. Just pretend I said something funny. Let me hear a wookiee laugh." Ket laughed on instruction, hoping that the security would not notice how fake it was. A fellow wookiee would have known it was fake from a good kilometre away.

They were getting closer. Ket could see the guards were turning to face them. Hesk's commentary was continuing, "ok, they've noticed us. Just pretend you don't see them, or that you're not worried. This is our ship and we have every right to be here. Just a little closer, couple more steps then we fire. I got the one on the left you got the one on the right." Ket's heart pounding and his fingers tightened his grip on the blaster. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the other guards watching the main port entrance taking an interest in them. A group of four started to move in their way.

"Ok. These guys are going to have some friends soon so on the count of one, one!" In perfect unison, Ket raised his gun as Hesk drew. The guards spotted their arms moving just a split second too late. Two stun bolts lit up the early morning gloom and the two guards had no even started to fall before the two fugitives started to run.

Hesk shot randomly at the four incoming guards as shouts started to ring out. Return fire erupted around them. Stun bolts flying all over. Fortunately, they were firing at sprinting targets and by the time the first salvo had missed they had gotten to the door. The chiss slammed his keycard into the port and much to their delight the door popped open. They were through in a second. "Lock the door and blast it! I'll get her started."

Ket slammed the lock button and then blasted the door control. With luck that would freeze the system locked. Although there were plenty of routes to bay five through the port building. Turning the wookiee looked at the ship. He recognised the design quickly, as a Corellian VCX series light freighter. Not the best or fastest ship in the world, but between a choice of exactly one ship it was the one he would pick.

Loping along in his long-legged wookiee run he howled in triumph. They had almost made it. All they had to do was launch and get into hyperspace before any local fighters could be scrambled. It was at that moment that he was betrayed. Hesk was coming down the entry ramp, blaster in hand. When Ket's own legs and body betrayed him. He stumbled and fell, landing face-first on the floor. His howls of pain muffled by his own weight as his inhibitor chip was activated. He struggled, trying to claw his way closer to the freighter.

"Shit, I was hoping they wouldn't think of your chip," he heard the chiss say but was unable to respond. "Sorry, big and beautiful, but you're no use to me like this." That was the last thing he heard before he felt something hit the back of his head and he was knocked unconscious.

As he slept his chip continued to work. Giving him pain-filled nightmares. There was no rest had and when he finally opened his eyes he felt like he had just finished a twenty-mile run. Every muscle ached, his fur was drenched in sweat. The only part of him that was dry was his tongue and mouth. His brain throbbed with a powerful headache. Yet, the chip had been turned off.

Too weak to lift his head, he turned it a little to see where he was. Ket expected to have been back in his cell, alone this time. Yet this was not his cell, nor anyone's cell. It was a small room, yes. One door, with an opening mechanism on this side of the door. He was laying in a bunk, with his legs bent at the knees to allow his whole body to fit on the bed. There was a sink and some lockers. Crew quarters of some ship.

That was when he noticed the vibrations, he was on a ship in flight. Suddenly, he heard the sound of metal screaming and the ship lurched so hard the inertial dampers barely covered the turn. A ship not just in flight, but in a fight!

Ignoring the pain and screaming of his muscles, Ket reached out, grasping the frame of the bunk and hauled himself to his feet. Stumbling forward to the wall, his legs trembling and screaming in pain he worked his way to the door. Hitting the release he was thrilled to see it opened. He was not a prisoner and he knew exactly where he was. Or at least which ship he was on.

Stumbling out into a small mess and common area, Ket tried to guess which way the bridge was. Before he could make a decision the ship lurched again and he fell, landing on a small well-used sofa, and bouncing to the floor with an undignified yelp. With a moan, he hauled himself to his feet once more. Hesk had said his freighter had just one dorsal gun turret. With the blue alien flying, nobody would be manning the gun.

Back on his feet, and leaning heavily on the wall he worked his way in the direction he really hoped the bridge was. Following a curved corridor around, to his left, he saw a ladder leading up and a glance up confirmed it was the gun turret. Ket could see flashes of light, no doubt from someone shooting at them.

While every muscle in his body screamed that they could not do as he asked and climb the ladder, Ket reached out and grasped the first rung. As a wookiee climbing was as natural an activity as walking or breathing. Yet the three-meter ladder seemed like climbing the tallest tree in the galaxy. Every single step hurt and his limbs ached and he knew that a strong lurch would probably throw him off.

Lurch the ship did and, on pure instinct alone he clung on. His climbing claws sliding out to grasp even tighter. Then he pulled and hauled himself to the top. Panting and sweating profusely. The sweat still soaking his fur. Ket's head span with dehydration and his mouth felt like he had been gargling Tattooine sand for a week. However, he was in the gunner's chair. Grasping a headset he pulled it on and growled into it," what's going on?"

"Thank the maker!" An excited voice shouted down the com. "We got two T-wing class fighters on our tail. The nav com has some sort of blocker installed. I can't fly and fix it. They don't think the guns are working so, I'll let them get close and you take them out. You get one chance at a surprise shot. You miss and they are going to try and stay beneath us and the Piper is no match for their manoeuvrability."

Feeling punch drunk, Ket growled an acknowledgement. As he started to hit switches, the gun emplacement powering up. Grasping the stick he decided to keep still. If the pilots of those fighters saw the turret move, they would know and he would not get his one free shot. He would need to let them get close, turn aim and fire in a split second. All while they blasted away at the ship. If they were lucky the ship's shields and armour would hold long enough. The shields were probably heavily depleted already from the hits Ket had felt her take.

His warrior instincts flared up and he felt the pain in his muscles ease as his fight or flight hormones pulsed through his veins. While helpful, he took deep breaths, trying to keep under control. His species were known for their high emotional states. Everything they did they did without restraint. Which is why so many foolish aliens ended up losing a limb when they provoked them. It was also part of the justification used to label them as less than sentient. Sentient species are in control of their instincts.

Ket counted down the seconds. Feeling the ship slow. Turning his head he spotted the two fighters speeding in. "Here they come!" Hesk shouted in his ear. "Don't miss!" The wookiee bit his lip so hard he tasted blood. The sharp pain helping, fueling his fight hormones. He thought back to his childhood, to learning to shoot a bowcaster, to hunt. Squeeze, do not jerk the trigger, don't hold your breath, breathe. Aim at where your target will be.

The fighters screamed in closer, blaster shots raining down. A series of hits pinged down, sounding oddly like rain drumming off a metal roof. Until the shield failed and then he heard the squeal of metal armour buckling and superheating. They were close, just another second he told himself. Ket loosened his grip on the stick and took one last breath. Then he yanked the stick hard and the turret spun easily in his control.

In the space of a heartbeat, the wookiee was facing the fighters. They were close, possibly too close. He let loose with the gun, howling all his anger and rage into those shots. Into those shots and that howl, he poured every ounce of his rage, from his years as a slave. For every beating and every time his chip had been activated. Or when he had watched helplessly as some other poor soul was punished. For the parents he loved and who died fighting the Empire's invasion of Lasan.

"Ok big guy, you got them. You're just wasting power," a strained voice broke through his howl and Ket blinked. The view before him was filled with smoking debris. He gasped heavily and slumped back in the gunner's chair. "We're in the clear. I just need a few minutes to get this blocked off the navi-com and we can jump to lightspeed."

Leaning back in the chair, Ket groaned thinking of the climb down that ladder. A few minutes later the ship lurched forward and the stars turned to lines in the sky. They were away and safe. Summoning what little strength he had left he managed to climb down the ladder. This time he stumbled on towards the bridge, the door opened just as he got there and a smiling blue alien greeted him. "Nice shooting, looks like we are free men."

Ket growled softly in thanks and then, felt the world begin to spin around him. He fell down to his knees and then collapsed onto his chest. His eyes closed again and this time he at least did not need a blow to the back of his head to get to fall unconscious.

This time he awoke and he was not alone. Although he was back in the bunk he had woken up in before. "Hey they beautiful, enjoy your nap?" A friendly voice asked and he rolled over to see Hesk sitting in a chair next to the bunk. The chiss held out a bottle of water, "here, I think you could use this."

The wookiee's mouth was so parched he snatched the bottle eagerly and began to empty the contents down his throat just as quickly as he could.

"Easy! Easy! Big guy, don't drink so fast or you'll drown," laughed Hesk. "Sorry about the bump on the head. When they turned your chip on I knew you wouldn't be able to walk and you might just tear something off me by accident as you thrashed around. Figured if I got you far enough away from the activator it'd turn off."

Ket let the last of the water sit in his mouth, swirling it around into every corner to moisten it. The chiss had saved his life and he knew it. "Thank you." Simple words and they did not cover even one-thousandth the feeling behind them.

"Happy to do it. We made quite a team today." Replied the chiss leaning back in his chair and pulling out a small metal flask. Ket's nose told him there was something sweet and alcoholic inside as the chis took a large swig. "I'd offer a nip of brandy, but I think that'd probably not be helpful in your current condition."

"Are we safe? Where are we going?" Ket asked, laying back in the bunk. His muscles were still aching and in his head, he tried to guess how long he had been out.

"Yes and nowhere you've heard of I'm sure," Hesk replied enigmatically. The blue alien clearly noticed the wookiee's lack of satisfaction in that response. "It's an empty system. No habitable worlds, planets or stations. Nothing but a tiny star and an asteroid belt. I have a small one-man set up there." The chiss stood up saying, "I assume you are hungry."

Nodding his head Ket confirmed that he was ravenous enough to eat pretty much an entire bantha single-handed. It had been at least a day and a half since his last meal and that had been just a couple of ration bars he'd found on the shuttle he stole. For a moment he thought back to the shuttle and wondered if the Empire had turned up to claim him yet. Thinking about the security forces telling the Imperials how he and Hesk had escaped gave him a warm and satisfying feeling. Far more satisfying than the selection of meal bars the chiss returned with.

"Afraid I can't offer too much food-wise. I have some actual food at home, I think. However, I was supposed to be doing a trade and supply run when they arrested me," Hesk informed him. That sounded slightly ominous. A wookiee ate three times what a human normally ate and he assumed the chiss probably ate similar amounts to humans. "We'd probably best stay low for a week or two. Then we can do a supply run to one of the other systems. One that isn't looking to lick the Emperor's boot."

While the chiss spoke, a question occurred to Ket, "why are you wanted by the Empire?" He had not finished growling the question before he saw the chiss tense up.

"I suppose I did ask you about your crimes. So it's only fair that you ask the same," Hesk replied and Ket noticed the normal jovial tone and confidence have evaporated from the blue alien's words. "It's... hard to explain. I didn't kill anyone, or do anything that bad." Hesk paused and Ket got the feeling he was thinking ahead, maybe planning what to say. Eventually, he continued, "well, I was not always a miner. As I said, I was a runaway as a kid. I stole to survive, ran with a gang or two, exchanged sexual favours for coin or a ride out of a system. So I have a few outstanding warrants from back when the Empire was still the Republic. I guess there are probably a few people who are still wanting to see me punished."

That seemed reasonable, although this time Ket noticed the comment about exchanging sexual favours for money or a ride in a starship. To hold someone to crimes committed as a desperate young man on the streets seemed unwarranted. However, if the wookiee knew anything about the Empire it was that it was entirely unfair and he could imagine them punishing any transgressor to the fullest extent of what was laughingly called Imperial justice.

For a few minutes, there was silence as the wookiee munched his way through the meal bars that he had been given. They did not taste bad and were enjoyably chewy. When he reached the end of his meal, his stomach gurgled softly and happily. It certainly was not prime cuts of any delicious meat, but it was a far larger meal than he had enjoyed in years. Looking at his uncharacteristically silent host, the wookiee asked, "so what next?"

"Well I just had two months' work confiscated, so I need to mine enough ore to pay for some new supplies," Hesk grumbled and then he smiled. "I know a gungan on a nearby system, he likes me. If I turn on the charm I can probably get him to give us some stuff at cost, or just above. Justa gotta get himsa in a muy muy good moodsa."

"Right. How do we do that?" The wookiee asked earnestly.

"I have my ways, a little private time with him and I'm sure he'll give us a good deal," the chiss replied confidently leaning back on his chair.

"Private time to exchange sexual favours?" Ket asked. It was clearly not an expected question as the blue alien gasped and over judged his leaning. The chair fell back, however, as the room was so small it hit the wall and held stable, saving Hesk a little dignity.

Hesk rallied quickly with a smile, "you got it. It's a win-win as far as I'm concerned. I have a thing for tall alien guys, and he has a thing for having his dick sucked. We both have fun and I get a good deal on some food, he probably makes a few credits, because even if he says he's selling to me at cost I know he's lying. Everyone's a winner. That a problem?"

Shaking his head, Ket let him know it was not an issue for him. Although he also could not help but get a visual on the blue alien down on his knees before some gungan. It was a thought that seemed to be made of glue because it stuck in his mind and refused to move. It was followed by another thought, that he too was a tall alien. As for liking getting his dick sucked, Ket was not sure. Wookiees have very sharp teeth and as brave as they are, the males rarely want oral for fear of what might happen to such soft meat near those very sharp teeth. Ket had never been in the position to ask for it before and he could not help but wonder if he might end up in such a position in the future.

"That's great because I'm not gonna stop sucking dick or riding it no matter what anyone thinks. I'm my own man." There was a definite defensive tone to the blue alien's words and Ket was not entirely sure which of the two of them Hesk was trying to convince. "Nobody takes advantage of me and I don't take advantage of others. Every last guy I've been with has gone away with a smile on their lips and sometimes a limp in their step."

"Understood," Ket growled quietly in response. It was not something he had strong feelings on. Different cultures had different approaches to intimacy and he considered that it was not his place to judge. However, he was slightly confused by the stirrings he had felt before the chiss's defensive outburst. Thus far he had never felt such stirrings, beyond imagined partners when his bodily needs were too high and he had to take matters into paw.

An awkward silence hung over the pair as they avoided each others' gaze. Hesk, as the more outgoing and affable, was first to recover and he proceeded as if the previous few moments had not been said. "Well big guy, I looked through what some people might call the ships medical supplies. Which is to say a few bottles of cheap and most likely expired products that are incompatible with chiss biochemistry. Anything I could actually use myself I did a long time ago, for pain relief and sometimes just to see what they did to me." The chiss pulled a small silver packet out from his jacket pocket.

"The label said to use after food and that they were safe for wookiees. Just some mild pain meds. I figured it might help your recovery," The chiss reached out his hand and Ket reached his up. Their fingertips touched very briefly and their eyes met. For a moment or two Ket felt a strange longing and a soft tingle in his paw. Then Hesk pulled his hand away, leaving the small packet. It may have been a trick of the ship lights, but Ket thought there was a sudden purple hue to the formerly blue skin of the Chiss's cheeks.

"Thank you, my friend," the wookiee replied and without hesitation, he popped the pill. Although he was already starting to feel stronger. Ket wanted to be on his feet as soon as possible. He needed to show Hesk that he was willing to work and prove his worth.

"Not a problem, they were no use to me anyway," the chiss mumbled, brushing his blue fingers through his short black hair. "I... I probably could use some sleep. It's been at least thirty hours since I last slept. We'll be in hyperspace for at least six hours so a good chance for us both to rest up. I'll be in the room next door, that's my cabin anyway this one was always just an extra room. I suppose it's yours now. Welcome aboard."

Ket nodded his understanding and strong feelings of gratitude stirred up inside him, "you saved my life. I owe you mine." The wookiee growled very quietly, so quiet he was not sure the chiss would hear him. Hesk paused in the doorway and then continued on out. A life-debt; it was part of the wookiee honour code. If someone saves your life your life belongs to them until you save theirs.

Sleep came very easily to Ket, maybe because of the pill, however, most likely because of everything else. He was awoken by the sound of an alarm. His eyes shot open and he stretched. Ket's feet instantly pressing into the end of his bunk. His bunk? If it was to remain his then he would need some tools to do a little remodelling. Sleeping with his legs twisted would give him a bad back and a grumpy disposition. Nobody likes a grumpy wookiee, or more accurately everyone hides from a grumpy wookiee.

The alarm was not worrying, it was a standard ship's alert. They were five minutes from the end of their journey. To some star in the middle of nowhere, that his enigmatic new friend called home. At least if they were the only residents the chances of them being discovered were remote.

Standing up Ket practically laughed as the pain and fatigue in his body was all gone. The joy of moving without his body begging him to stay still hit him hard. What hit him next was the realisation; he was free. His life as a slave was over and his new life was beginning.

So it was with a lightness to his step that the wookiee emerged from his cabin. He turned had headed towards the bridge. At some point, he would make himself more acquainted with the Piper. First, he wanted to greet her captain and see his new home. Hesk was already in the pilot's seat as he arrived. "Hey they handsome, all caught up on your beauty sleep I see." the chiss replied with a wink and a wave of a hand at the co-pilot's seat beside him. "Sit down. We're coming out of lightspeed in fifty seconds."

Ket practically leapt into the seat. It was a little too close to the console and his huge paw reached back to find the seat controls. Pushing it back, just as the starlines faded into stars. A small red dwarf star met his eyes. Warm orange light and he checked out the scanners. No worlds, as Hesk had said. Just a well spread out asteroid belt. No energy signals, no other ships or any indication the system was anything other than empty.

"I found out about this place a few years back from an old miner guy. Forty years ago had been some asteroids with high palladium content and they set up a small mining station on one of the larger rocks." Hesk said as he engaged the ship's main engine and started to fly through the system. "The palladium dried up and they thought there was nothing much else out there. They left the station as a derelict. It's so far from the space lanes and on no maps anywhere. Just a tiny blip in the darkness."

"If the palladium is gone, what do you mine?" Ket asked as the scanner picked up an asteroid of unusual size for the field. He guessed it was their destination.

"It's not all gone, just hard to find. However, I have always been a lucky guy," chuckled the chiss giving the wookiee another wink. "I strike it lucky far more than most do. Plus since the war, the price of metals has gone up. There's more than palladium in them there asteroids, my hairy friend. Enough to keep me in food and supplies, and to pay for fuel and the like. I'm not exactly living like a king or emperor. However, I have no masters, and am beholden to nobody."

"Sounds good to me," the wookiee growled quietly.

"Of course, the one thing I have missed out here is some... actual flesh and blood companionship," Ket took notice of the pause and he felt something stirring a little inside him at the possible intentions there. Hesk clearly was a direct person, or on such matters, he was extra direct.

A few seconds later he spotted the asteroid with his own eyes and the small structure on its surface. Nothing much more than a landing platform, some storage containers and a few buildings.

"There she is, just a hunk of junk in the middle of nowhere, but I call her home," muttered the chiss with a smile. "After the last two days, I will be grateful to get back onto her and to have a shower. There are facilities for up to twenty. So you can have your pick of rooms. I already took the big one that belongs to the mine director. However, if the others are too small or anything we could knock a few walls through. Whatever you want really."

Ket said nothing, but he appreciated the thought behind making sure he was comfortable. Compared to the cramped conditions the Empire had provided for their labour he was sure a room to himself would feel like a luxury.

The Piper docked on the platform and a small shield went up. "I turn that off save when landing and taking off. It's probably the only energy signature this place gives off that would be big enough for someone to detect. Plus, unless we are out on the platform it's a waste of energy reserves." Hesk informed him as he powered down the ship. "So make sure to always close the Piper's bay doors after you leave. I forgot once and half the contents of the ship were sucked out. I didn't find out until a couple of days later when I went to take her out again."

With a soft chuckled at that story, Ket got out of the pilot's seat. It was not unknown for people to get just a little too comfortable with technology. The two disembarked and walked across the landing platform to an airlock. Above them, a blue glimmering shield kept the vacuum of space at bay.

"Welcome to your new home, I guess," Hesk muttered as he opened the door and waved Ket inside. The white wookiee stepped inside. Up a small set of stairs, they came out into a fairly large room set with tables. His eyes spotted a good dozen or so sets of unwashed plates and cutlery. Once more the chiss had a purple hue to his cheeks and he muttered, "I keep saying someday I'll buy a droid to just do the cleaning. It can get a little dusty too."

Shrugging his shoulders Ket let him know that he did not care about a little mess. Although he also made a mental note to clean up the mess when he had settled in. Hesk gave him a quick tour, showing the food dispensers, they had a range of food. Most seemed aimed at a more human diet. The chiss insisted he could get some more wookiee appropriate choices when they picked up supplies.

The station had an entertainment room and even a small gym. "This entire place was in perfect condition when I found her. The miners had left the airlock open. So probably a few things got sucked out. However, no atmosphere meant nothing decayed. All I had to do was find the generators and turn them back on."

"A very lucky find," Ket observed. "With the power off, how did you even locate this place?"

Hesk shrugged and looked a little uncomfortable and then replied, "just more luck I guess."

"I have never been lucky," sighed the wookiee. "White fur is considered a sign of bad luck to my people."

Shrugging in response, Hesk said, "well since I met you I have managed to escape from a pretty secure facility and you woke up just when I needed you, took out two fighters to make good our escape. So I'd say you were both good luck and good looking. Those other wookiees can eat my ass if they think I'm wrong. Or... if they are into that kind of thing."

Ket laughed softly at that, once again feeling slightly strange as he was becoming far more aware that the chiss was leaving little doubts about his tastes in men.

Hesk led him into a small corridor lined with doors. "Ok, so this is the crew quarters. My room is this first door. All the others are free, so pick whichever one you want. That airlock at the far end actually lets out onto a small balcony. A rather nice touch, I eat my meals out there sometimes and look at the stars. Oh and this door here," Hesk tapped on a door opposite to his room. "Is the shower room. It was communal, but there's actually a working ensuite in the director's room. So you won't have to worry about me walking in while you shower and checking you out. This one's all yours. We recycle our water, and we are probably good for a while so feel free to linger if you want."

The wookiee was glad to hear that. His fur felt matted and uncomfortable. He wondered if there might be a brush or something in one of the rooms for him to groom himself. Otherwise, it would be an uncomfortable few weeks before he could get one.

With a soft pat on the arm, Hesk said, "well, go pick a room and have a shower. I'm going to have a shower myself and then I'll see what food I can rustle up that a wookiee might enjoy. We can eat out on the balcony. Figure after the last two days we should take a couple of days off before we try and mine something. That sound good?"

Nodding emphatically, Ket agreed. A day or two of no work sounded amazing. The Imperials had liked to keep the wookiees on the edge of exhaustion, to reduce the risks of anyone rebelling or trying to escape. There was a pang of guilt as he thought back to the others who were not so lucky, who would still be working. However, Ket knew there was nothing he could do for them. Not now anyway.

So he glanced at a few of the rooms. They were pretty barren. Empty lockers, empty bunks. Although with at least a mattress in each and they looked bigger than the bunk on the ship. He would actually be able to fit lengthwise in then. With a small amount of space to spare. Ket picked the room one away from Hesk's. Leaving a room between them so that he would give the Chiss some privacy.

Sadly there was no sign of a brush or comb in any of the rooms. So he gave up and went to the shower room. It was made to hold several miners at once. So it easily fit the wookiee and he enjoyed the downpouring of hot water. He had found no fur cleaning products either. So he settled for just rinsing his fur. It still felt good.

When he climbed out of the shower he noticed a distinct lack of any fur drying equipment. Save for a tiny handheld unit attached to the wall. It blew hot air on a small patch of fur at once. Clearly made for human-like species who only have a tiny patch of fur. Rather than a species that was covered head to toe in thick fur. Which must have really annoyed the bothan miners. It took almost an hour to get his fur to a point where it was just damp. Although Ket took advantage of the chance to groom his fur as best he could with his fingers.

Emerging he checked the mess hall and found it empty. Knocking on Hesk's door got no answer. Then he remembered the chiss saying he would prepare food and meet him on the balcony. Turning around he reached the other airlock a few moments later. Noting the atmospheric shield was locked on. Opening it he stepped out into a boundless star-filled void. The balcony was jutting out of the cliff face the ming station was built upon. The planetoid's surface was a good thirty meters below them. However, could only be seen when standing at the railings and looking down.

"Ah, he finally emerges. I was beginning to worry you had drown," Hesk chuckled from his seat, beside a table. There was an array of food trays before him along with a couple of glass bottles and some mugs. "I have some Rodian spring wine. It's a tad sweet but it's all I have besides water or some soda. This feels more like a proper drink kind of occasion."

Ket sat down at the chair opposite and picked up the filled glass in front of him. A sniff or two confirmed both fruity and alcoholic. He tasted it and the warm sweet liquid hit his tongue. It was sweet and sparkling, and Ket tipped the entire rest of the glass down and swallowed it in one satisfying gulp.

"Whoa, slow down this is strong stuff... "hesk paused mid-sentence and Ket could see him thinking things through, he shrugged and continued. "Though you are a wookiee and I have no idea what your tolerances are... so sure, help yourself to more. I have another four or five bottles."

Pouring himself another glass the two began to eat. Ket silently devoured everything in front of him, working almost non-stop and without a word. Until the table was clear. Then he leant back in his chair and placed his huge paws behind his head. The spring wine gave a nice rosy glow to his mind. Though he knew that it would take a lot more than a couple of glasses to get an adult wookiee drunk.

Sitting back the two watched the red sunset behind the tiny planetoid's horizon. Then an hour later they watched it set again. Ket felt relaxed and content in a way he had not felt since he was a youngling. A full belly, some nice drinks and the company... well the company was pleasant. Not bad looking, for a human-like species. Good solid build body, the glow to his eyes had been off-putting at first glance. Now he found it intriguing, he had noted the shade of red seemed to change with his moods. Though he was not sure yet, after so short a time together he would need more to be able to confirm. It might prove very useful if he could work out the shade to the mood.

Hesk had said nothing in almost an hour. Ket got the feeling the chiss was deep in thought. It did not seem strange that someone might end up deep in contemplation after a couple of days like they had shared. The wookiee could hardly stop thinking of how it could so easily have ended differently. If they had not been there at the exact same time, or if he had not woken up in time. If one of the security guards had set his inhibitor off early. He might be on a transport back to the labour camp being punished for running. Or even be dead. Rather than relaxing with a full belly and a future that was, if not bright, a lot less gloomy than it had seemed.

Eventually, after the sunset a third time the chiss broke his silence," look. It's getting late. We should probably think about hitting our bunks." the blue alien muttered and then as Ket stood up he added, "or bunk, if you... would like to share some more private time."

The wookiee froze, he was fairly sure that the chiss was offering something sexual and he knew that he was curious.

"Totally your choice, no issues if you aren't up for it. Or if you want to sleep, or maybe think about it for a few days." The chiss added, his fingers running through his own black hair and his cheeks a royal purple. "However, I mean you know I like big alien guys. Never done a wookiee, but I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. No need for trade or anything and it's not linked to you staying here. Just, I get lonely and I enjoy pleasuring others. So I just thought I'd lay it out there. Open invitation, as they say. So if you want to join me tonight, or any night, you are welcome. If not, totally fine too, happy to be friends who don't get intimate too. I'll be in my room, just come in, if you want to cum in."

As the chiss blurted those words out, he was moving and before Ket could answer he was out the airlock. Ket assumed that was the intention. Give him space and time to think rather than stand over him demanding he chose. Or maybe it was just easier to deal with this way. If the wookiee chose not to knock, they would probably pretend the question had not been asked. Although, it sounded like the offer was not time-dependent.

For a moment Ket thought about just going back to his room. Putting the decision off for a day or more would not hurt. However, as he looked out at the red sun moving rapidly towards the horizon, he could not help but realise this was the first real choice he had had in years. Putting it off for a day or two seemed ungrateful for the opportunity to choose. Plus he thought back to the moment back on the Piper, of their fingers touching and their eyes meeting. There had been longing there, from both of them.

He was aware cross-species intimacy did occur. It was hardly a secret, especially common for humans, who cross-bred quite readily it seemed. So far Ket's entire sexual experience had been one night when he was eighteen. Out hunting and sharing a roost with another of his class. A chestnut wookiee named Rassteern. They'd not done much, Rass had started grooming him and he had enjoyed it. They ended the night jerking each other off. Ket and Rass had made plans to hunt together again in a month. Only before then, the clone wars had started and, they had never been another time.

Taking a deep breath Ket made up his mind. Turning his back on the setting sun he returned inside. Turning the small shield off as he did so. He walked up to Hesk's door and then paused, just for a second before he hit the open button. He was greeted by a very naked chiss, with a big smile on his face and one hand on a blue erection, "Hey, big guy. I didn't think you'd come." Hesk was sprawled out over a double bed, possible the director had a proper bed as a perk, or maybe the chiss had bought himself one during his time there. It really did not matter.

Ket felt his heartbeat suddenly picking up. Fight or flight instincts kicked in. Picking fight, he stepped forward across the threshold and the door shut behind him. Unsure of what to say or do he stood there looking awkward and scratching his head. The chiss gave him a sympathetic smile and slid across the bed leaving one-half free. "It's ok to be nervous. I certainly was my first alien. Just come lay down here and you can let me do all the work. If I do anything you dislike or don't want me to do again. Just say so. We can start out slow, with a little touching and work our way to oral or maybe more. If you want to stop, all you have to do is say so. Sound good?"

It sounded... well it definitely sounded good. Ket would have control of things and that was very comforting. Knowing that he could stop any moment gave him enough confidence to move forward. Doing as Hesk asked, he lay down on the bed. Once more his huge feet dangled off the end of the bed. Hesk rolled onto his side to face him. Ket glanced at him, feeling nervous and yet exhilarated. Just like the time with Rass. It had felt so exciting touching and exploring each other. He could still remember the feel of someone else's cock in his paw.

Hesk reached out towards him and Ket jumped a little as he felt a hand on his chest. "Easy there, big guy. Just a little friendly touching." The chiss's words were purred softly and Ket found himself relaxing. While blue fingers curled through his thick white fur to lightly brush against his skin. A second hand joined, stroking the other half of his chest slowly. It seemed that Hesk was in no hurry. Ket had half expected the blue alien to go straight for his genitals. Though as he thought that he wondered if that was an expectation of his or a desire.

Each stroke of Hesk's hands made his skin tingle. It was very pleasant. To wookiees, grooming is an important part of social bonding. Both with sexual partners, friends and family. Hesk fit into the first two categories. Ket moaned softly as the fingers brushed through his fur, putting his large paws behind his head and closing his eyes. There was something wonderfully relaxing about being groomed.

The bed rocked a little as Hesk moved a little closer, sitting up in bed beside him. Just using his hands and running slightly lower. Ket gulped as those hands dipped onto his stomach and flanks. He knew that Hesk's ultimate goal was between his legs. He wondered what those soft hands would feel like around his manhood. Ket had only ever felt his own paws. However, skin stroking on skin. It sounded so wonderfully exotic and he knew he was willing to let that at least happen.

"I never appreciated just how much fur you guys have. Lots of firm muscle underneath, though," Hesk muttered softly as his fingers danced across Ket's stomach, tickling slightly. The wookiee churred with laughter. "Ahhh I see you are ticklish too, how absolutely charming," Hesk observed, chuckling along with the wookiee. The chiss tickled a little more, but then moved back up to Ket's chest. Clearly not wanting to push his luck.

"Must admit, I was always curious about your species," the blue alien muttered softly. Ket noticed how much quieter he had gotten, somehow the softer tones made the moment feel more private. Although being the only two living beings in a solar system in theory they could have been screaming at the top of their lungs and they would still have done so in absolute privacy. Although that would not have been as pleasurable.

Ket felt Hesk's leg pressing against his. Opening his eyes and looking down, he spotted the blue erect cock. It was a strange shape. Although he suspected that Hesk would think the same of his. It was certainly smaller, but not small. His confidence growing moment by moment he reached out to his new friend. Stroking one large paw down Hesk's broad chest, just savouring the feel of skin against his paw pads. Hesk groaned deeply in pleasure and Ket felt a wonderful sense of pride at making the alien create such sounds.

He stroked again, his fingertips finding a strange little lump on the alien's blue chest. Hesk's voice lifted up loudly as they brushed over it and Ket pulled his paw away, worried he had touched some tender spot. Only for two blue hands to grasp his wrist and pull it back to his chest, "it's ok. My nipples are very much something I like having touched."

Acquiescing to Hesk's obvious desires he returned his fingers to that blue nub. Marvelling at the sounds his alien lover made as his fingers stroked around and across it. A male with nipples and only two; that was unusual to Ket, only female wookiees have nipples and they have six of them. However, it was clear that his new friend was enjoying his touch. Growing more adventurous he reached out with his other paw, this time grasping the nipple and squeezing it. Hesk gave a much deeper groan of pleasure.

Urged on by the sounds, he squeezed both nipples harder, "stop... not so hard!" hesk panted and Ket pulled his paws back nervously. The chiss smiled, "it's ok, I like it when you squeeze them, just not too hard. No harm done. It's all part of good sex, learning your partner's likes and limits. So long as you listen to me when I say to stop you're doing fine. Also, you need to tell me if I need to stop something, good communication is the cornerstone of a great fuck."

Still feeling slightly worried, Ket reached out. This time avoiding the nipples and just exploring the soft shapes and feel of his lover's body. Hesk returned the favour, his blue hands stroking much lower and soon Ket's worries melted away again. "Seems like someone is enjoying himself." The chiss observed and Ket was a little confused and then he glanced down at his own body. Standing clear from his fur was his fully erect cock. He had not even noticed just how aroused the touching had made him.

Before he could say anything a blue hand reached down and Ket cried out as soft-skinned fingers grasped around his shaft. It felt very different from Rass's paw and yet equally wonderful. For someone else to be touching him there. Those blue fingers ran slowly down his cock, stroking over his five ridges. Bands that circled his pink spear, similar to the single band that marked the head of the chiss's cock. Only the wookiee cock's tip was more pointed than round. Length and girth wise he was easily double Hesk's.

"This is beautiful," Hesk moaned and Ket could only grunt in pleasure. His cock drooling precum at the touch of his lover. His ears burned with the next words, "I want to taste it." Oh by the maker how badly he wanted to be tasted in that moment. Ket nodded his assent quickly, wondering what a mouth around your his cock would feel like.

A few seconds later he found out and he almost deafened himself with his roar of pure pleasure. As a warmth surrounded his cocktip and a tongue stroked across his glans. Waves of pure pleasure rippled down his cock and right to the ever-present animal part of his brain. Hesk's lips tightened around his length and he felt that wonderful warmth spreading further down his shaft as Hesk pushed down to his first ridge.

Ket gasped softly as he felt the blue alien start to bob slowly on his cock. An eager tongue stroking and lapping quickly on his shaft. The wookiee understood why the other species engaged in such intimacy. He sighed with content, his hips starting to move a little on their own. Opening his eyes he looked down and watched as his cock slipped in and out of those blue lips. The sight of his pink cock glistening with Hesk's spittal was far more arousing than he had expected it to be.

More surprising was the feeling of strength and dominance that came with thrusting his hips. Pressing his cock into his willing partner. Taking control from Hesk. All Hesk did in reply was suck harder, holding still and let Ket stuff his mouth full over and over. With each passing moment, he could feel his pleasure and arousal growing. His pink length thrusting rapidly, claiming the alien's mouth.

He was surprised by just how hard his primate needs hit him. Wookiees wear their emotions on their sleeves and tend to go with their instincts. Yet none of that had prepared him for just how easily his bodily needs took over his body. Ket's huge paw landed in the chiss's wiry black hair, holding him in place as the shaggy furred brute fucked that blue mouth desperately. His orgasm was fast approaching and he was far too inexperienced to put up more than token resistance.

With a roar of pleasure, he arched his back. Thrusting his cock as deep into Hesk's mouth as he could before he felt resistance. His limbs trembled as his cock began to throb and jet after jet of his cum shot into the chiss's mouth. A softly splurting sound reached his ears and he felt trickles of fluids running down his shaft and soaking into his crotch fur. In a moment of realisation, he removed his paw from Hesk's head and was surprised when the chiss stayed still. The alien's tongue licking around the head of his cock. He felt a strange pressure around his cock repeating and gasped as he realised what it was, Hesk swallowing his cum.

A fresh rush of warmth spread down to his crotch as he thought on that. He was not sure why the thought of his lover drinking his fluids stoked his arousal so much. It was all so new and strange, however, he was finding it wonderful Hesk had said they could stop when he wanted to. Ket knew he was a long way from that moment. Laying his head back on the pillow he closed his eyes. Just enjoying that warm mouth and tongue as they stroked and caressed his cock. Warm blue palms and fingers stroking up and down the rest of his shaft.

Eventually, the warmth disappeared with a slurping pop as his cock pulled free from those hungry lips. Hesk's exuberant voice spoke up, "Well, that was very enjoyable. You have a nice cock." Ket gave out a soft purring answer, no words were in those growls. However, he did not need to speak words to get his message across. He had very much enjoyed what they had done too and would be willing to do more.

"Still erect I see," observed the chiss with a chuckle. "Good, I like it when my lover is a virile fucker, cause I can be a virile fuckee." The wordplay was lost on Ket. However, he was far too relaxed, and yet strangely excited and energised, to care. The chiss grabbed something off a small shelf by the head of the bed. "Ok, now this might feel a little cold." Ket took a shark intake of breath, as he felt something chilly on the head of his cocktip. "However, just relax and it'll feel real good, real fast my hairy friend."

Two hands grasped Ket's cock and he moaned at the feeling as ten digits caressed every inch of his maleness. His hips thrusting up a little into those hands on instinct. "Whoa, easy there big guy. There will be a time for that. For now, I just want you to hold still and let me get your cock ready." Ket tried to follow his lover's instruction holding his hips still. However, his body still begged him to thrust. Opening his eyes he watched as Hesk let go of his cock and straddled across his waist.

It was then that he realised just what was going to happen next. What his cock was being prepared for, or rather where. He was not so naive that this came as a shock. He wanted to say something, to compliment his lover, as he had been complimented. However, everything he thought to say sounded hollow and unworthy of the moment. Rather than risk spoiling it, he kept silent. Save for the pants of excited expectation as he felt a hand grasping his cock again.

"Ok, you big sexy guy, I'm going to start to push down soon," Hesk moaned his blue face leaning over close to Ket. "I need you to hold back ok, no thrusting. You're really big. I can take you, but we'll need to take it easy or it'll hurt. So you just let me get you inside at my pace. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Ket moaned desperately. His cock was trembling with need as he thought of sinking it deep inside his lover. He felt it throb against the chiss's fingers as he jetted some precum onto the blue ass.

Hesk leaned close, pressing his mouth up to Ket's ear. He moaned softly and passionately while he pressed his ass down onto the thick wookiee meat. "For you to show me just how strong a horny fucking wookiee can be," Ket growled to hear those words. His cock throbbed hard to the thought of doing exactly that. Then his voice lifted up in a roar as those thick blue thighs pressed down and he felt a tight warmth surround his length.

Every instinct, need and desire inside him screamed at him to grab hold of his mate and thrust hard. Ket had to fight every last urge, as that tight warmth spread lower. It was unlike the chiss's mouth, somehow far tighter and yet slicker. He heard Hesk moaning above him, felt the Chiss pause. Once more he had to fight the desire to grasp hold of those blue hips and just thrust upwards with all his might. Just a third of his dick was inside his lover and already he was almost utterly lost to the sensations.

"Fuck!" Hesk moaned above him. "You're thicker than you look, and you look fucking thick!" The chiss groaned down at him. Ket looked up with slightly worried and confused eyes. He wondered if the chiss might want to stop, maybe he was just too big. Ket could understand that, if the situation was reversed he was not sure how he would feel. Although, there was a pang of curiosity on what it might feel like. "Just...need a moment to steady myself, before I take the rest."

Holding still was proving to be so much harder as each second past. Ket's needs grew, to feel that warmth deeper. To plunge his thick length right in to the hilt. He found himself whimpering and then just as he felt his control slipping, Hesk moved again. Those blue hips pressed down and Ket gasped to feel that warmth, creeping slowly down. More and more of his shaft being taken in. The chiss groaned as he took Ket's second ridge, "fuck, got to say I didn't expect wookiee dick to be so interestingly shaped." Hesk observed as the second ridge slipped into his ass.

Ket had no frame of reference for other species genitalia. He could have looked it up, but it had never seemed relevant. Although looking down his chest he realised he had a golden chance to do some first-hand exploration. Reaching out, he carefully wrapped his fingers around the smooth blue length. His eyes exploring the cock as his fingers ran over it. The focus helping to draw his attention away from the need to thrust, to breed the blue alien with everything he had.

"Mmm, you like that huh?" Hesk asked softly as Ket felt the blue cock throb under his fingers, a single bead of pre glistening on Hesk's meatus. Gently catching the drip on a fingertip of his empty hand, he nodded. Bringing that finger up to his muzzle, he inhaled the scent, a wonderfully arousing condensed version of the smell of his lover. Then he tasted it, slightly bitter, but still palatable. He wondered what the blue alien's meat might taste of and if Hesk would be brave enough to let him have a taste.

As his paw stroked up and down the chiss's throbbing length, Ket felt the next of his ridges sinking into Hesk's well-trained rump. More than half his length was inside his lover and Hesk showed little signs of stopping. Indeed, the more he pressed down the louder the alien moaned. Clearly, he was enjoying the sensation. Ket found that thought was far more arousing than he expected. To know he was bringing pleasure to another in such a way.

Stroking slowly up and down that blue cock the wookiee focused as much as he could on bringing pleasure. While constant pleasurable sensations ran down his own cock and up his spine. He gulped as he felt Hesk's hips pressing against his crotch and realised Hesk had taken his full length at last. "Damn, I haven't felt this stretched in a long time." The blue alien moan and then Ket cried out as Hesk wriggled his hips. The chiss ass squeezing and teasing his entire aching and needy length.

Ket was desperate to hear that the chiss was ready. However, instead, Hesk began to lift up, letting a small portion of the wookiee's cock slip free then he plunged down hard. Not expecting the sensation, Ket roared with the sudden pleasure as that warmth returned and he felt himself being forced deeper. Every inch of his maleness was being caressed in Hesk's depths. The sensations and pleasure growing. Once more his instincts screamed at him to thrust, to grab hold of his lover and not let go until he had emptied his seed inside.

Hesk lifted up again, moving a little further and then again. Each time Ket cried out as the pleasure almost overwhelmed him. His balls ached with the need to empty inside his lover. His paw on hesk's cock working faster and faster, tugging and squeezing on that dripping meat but as gently as an aroused wookiee could be. The sounds from his lover were all wonderful to hear. Such pleasure-filled moans coming from those blue lips as Hesk impaled himself over and over.

"O..ok, big guy," Hesk moaned breathlessly, "time to show me what you got." Those words had barely reached his ears, before Ket's hips began to thrust upwards. Thrusting hard into the chiss, lifting Hesk up easily. His free paw grasped Hesk's buttock as he began to buck and thrust wildly. Ramming every last inch he could into his lover. Feeling those thigh depths not only around him but caressing his sensitive meat as he fucked desperately.

Unable and unwilling he held nothing back. Using every ounce of strength and energy he bred that blue ass desperately. From above him came a stream of never-ending cries of pleasure and gasps. The cock in his paw throbbed over and over. Ket squeezed that meat, jerking it just as fast as he could. Above him, he heard Hesk cursing and moaning, "fuck...oh yes...fuck.. That's it...oh fuck...just a little...more." With each thrust, the chiss cried out in bliss and Ket's own growls of passion rose up to join those sounds. The room and mining station echoed with the sounds of their love. The old bed groaning under the strain of their weight and actions. Neither of them gave the slightest bit of thought or care to that.

Their passion was for each other. Hesk bent over. His hands were stroking and caressing Ket's broad chest. Their foreheads pressed close, sharing their hot panted breaths. While their bodies thrust and bucked. The chiss lifting and bucking wonderfully in unison with Ket's thrusting. Roaring with desire Ket thrust up desperately reaming those formerly tight depths, plundering every inch of them. While the chiss screamed out in pleasure right into his neck. The sounds of their mating only serving to fuel his growing lusts more.

Ket grasped Hesk and using every ounce of his strength he rolled them. Keeping his hips flush with Hesk's ass, his thick length buried to the hilt in the delicious warmth. With his lover beneath him, he began to swing his hips freely, using every inch of his thickness to ream that tight ass. Every single one of those five ridges along his cock was pulled out and thrust back in. With each thrust, Hesk's whimpers of pleasure grew louder. The chiss's face was mashed into his neck and he heard him screaming with pleasure.

Around his cock the alien was suddenly tightening and squeezing, almost as if trying to force him out. The primal side of Ket howled in defiant rage at such a sensation. Using his brute strength to force himself in deeper and harder, he fucked that quivering mass of man beneath him. Bred those formerly tight depths for everything he could. Each moment he felt his own orgasm growing inside him. The room filled with a strange scent and he felt moisture soaking into his stomach fur. Hesk had cum around him.

The knowledge that he had fucked his lover to orgasm was all it took to push him over the edge. Delivering short savage thrusts with brutal passion, Ket drove his thick cock as deep as he could. Howling with triumph as he throbbed inside his lover and rutted desperately trying to shoot as much seed as he could. Not stopping until he felt that every last ounce of his strength had been used.

Collapsing, drenched in sweat and cum, his cock still hilt deep in the flooded ass of his lover. Ket panted and moaned, against the chiss's neck. Licking that skin, the salty sweaty taste slightly coppery and pleasant. He lapped over Hesk's neck as they lay together, bodies entwined lewdly, and wonderfully. They panted and gasped, both utterly spent at least for that moment. Ket's eyes began to close and he could not fight the need to sleep.

How long he slept, he was not sure. Ket had no idea what time they had eaten or started to make love. With no frame of reference and a sun that set so often that there was no real day or night. All Ket knew was he woke up feeling warm and happy, refreshed in a way he had not felt since he was taken from his homeworld. He felt arms around him and opened his eyes to see Hesk's red glowing eyes up close. "You snore, just as loud as I thought a wookiee would snore." The chiss observed with a chuckle.

Unsure if that was an insult or a compliment, Ket said nothing in reply. He stretched out his long limbs and sat up in bed, "what time is it?" As he spoke the wookiee's stomach grumbled loud enough to be heard alongside his growls.

"Well, judging by the sounds your stomach is making. I'd say it was time for breakfast," laughed the chiss and then he nodded to a small door. "If you want to shower you can, while I see what I can whip up for breakfast."

"You have a fur dryer," Ket asked quickly, not wanting to spend another hour slowly drying himself off with the tiny pathetic device he had used the previous night. "One made for species with actual fur."

Hesk laughed and nodded, "I think the last mining director was a bothan, there's a one in that locker." Hesk pointed to one locker in a set along the wall. "I'll be on the balcony when you're done."

Relieved to hear he would be able to dry himself this time, Ket headed to the shower. Unlike the communal showers, the ensuite had barely enough room for him to stand inside and close the door. The heat and power of the shower did more than make up for the lack of space. The water blasted down onto him soaking him in seconds. As he scrubbed his fur, once more without any soap or cleanser, he thought back on the previous day, or night, or whenever it was.

It had been unexpected and yet wonderful. Clearly, Hesk had a thing for other species and Ket could understand why, after the previous evening. Still, he was not sure what was going to happen next. Hesk was clearly a guy looking more for fun than anything romantic. While Ket was not sure what he wanted. Until the previous evening, he would have put romance down as something that was only likely to happen to others.

Knowing that they were going to have a while alone and that they would almost certainly be repeats of the previous evening, Ket decided he could figure out what was going on later. For now, Hesk was fun and Ket figured the galaxy owed him a little fun. Besides, after his experience last night he knew he had two choices: be alone and horny, or be horny with Hesk. The latter seemed far more desirable and that was enough for then.

By the time he emerged dripping from the shower, his only thoughts were on breakfast and on what they could do afterwards. The possibilities seemed enticing and he was half erect and very distracted as he approached the lockers. Pulling the locker door open and grasping the device inside. Glancing at it, he froze. It was no fur drying device and he very much doubted it had belonged to any bothan mining director.

A metal cylinder, with a clear handle and a single switch. Maybe it was just a tool or a toy, something made to look like what Ket thought it was. Toys of the like were far less common since the clone wars. However, they had once been quite popular. Pressing the switch and pointing the guarded end away from him. A soft hiss and then a crackle cut through the silence as the room filled with a blue glow. Extending from the hilt was the long glowing blade of a lightsaber.

Flicking the switch again the blade vanished. There were a few possibilities that ran through his head. Hesk had found it, it was something left behind by the miners. Those options seemed highly unlikely. Lightsabers were as rare as the people who wielded them. No miner was likely to own one and owning one would have a lot of risks. Hesk was unlikely to keep hold of one even if he found it. Not unless he was attached to it in some way.

Water still dripping off his body, he walked out into the hall and out onto the balcony. Hesk was sitting with a mug in his hand. He glanced up and smiled, "Hey there, big..." The blue alien's red eyes glanced at the object the wookiee was holding. After a long awkward pause, the chiss muttered, "I pointed to the middle locker. That's where the fur dryer is." the chiss got to his feet and took the lightsaber from the wookiee's unresisting paws.

Ket followed the lightsaber with his eyes, "were you a..."

"Jedi?" Hesk finished his question for him. "I'm no Jedi knight, believe me. They are not supposed to do what we did last night." The chiss replied with a forced chuckle. He sat back down in his chair and waved to the food. It was a small selection of ration bars. "I left you most of the high protein ones."

The wookiee took his seat, but his appetite had vanished. "How did you get it?"

For a long time, there was silence. Hesk did not move a muscle, just stared out at the sun as it hurtled rapidly towards the horizon. As the natural light faded he finally moved, "look. I didn't lie before. I told you I was selected for a fancy school."

"The Jedi temple?" Ket asked, the awe heavy in his voice. His people had many legends about the Jedi. Very few wookiees were strong with the force and the few wookiee Jedi featured heavily in their stories and legends. Without a moment to think, Ket could rattle off a dozen or so of the stories he had been told as a youngling.

"It's not as great as you think. I mean, I was three, I barely remembered my parents. Then it's lessons all day every day, training to hone your skills and testing. All the time you are tested," there was a slight growl in the chiss's voice as he spoke. "Everyone thinks that Jedi are so amazing. You have no idea what it was like to be so young and have your entire life just planned out ahead of you. You're told you're special and that you are going to be a hero."

The chiss put his glass down and lifted up the lightsaber, "I had to go through a ritual to get the crystal for this, and build it. I was all ready to be a padawan, to move on. Then it was, sorry, you're too emotional, no Jedi master for you." Hesk was breathing hard as he spoke. Ket guessed it was a long time since he had told this tale and every word seemed to come out dripping in venom. "Just pack your stuff and off you go home."

Hesk looked over to Ket, "thirteen. I was thirteen and not good enough! All that they had told me about myself, all I had devoted my entire life to was just ripped away and they sent me home. To parents who I barely recognised, who I hadn't seen since I was a baby. Plus, I was strong with the force. They had taught me to listen to feel the emotions around me. Thirteen years old and these strangers I am supposed to call my parents are trying to tell me they love me and all I could sense was how... disappointed they were. Disappointed that I had failed, disappointed that they had to look after me now, disappointed in... themselves."

Ket sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. Although, he now could guess how the chiss had been able to open their cell door. Probably how he had managed to carry a collapsed wookiee onto his ship. Another realisation hit him, "the Empire is after you..."

"Yeah, when the Jedi temple was stormed, they took all the Jedi records. Went around killing all the guys like me. Lest we try to reform the Jedi order." Hesk confirmed reaching out to take another ration bar. "Luckily for me, I'd already run away from home and was living in the outer rim by the time they started looking. So there you have it, the slightly less abridged version of my life. Any questions?"

"Why did you keep the lightsaber?" Ket asked as he finally took some food for himself and nibbled on it. The weapon marked the chiss as a force user and a target for the Empire. He knew it was unlikely that Hesk was plotting to rebuild the Jedi order in hiding, finding other survivors and bringing them all to the hidden station in the middle of nowhere. However, the youngling inside him, the one who had gasped in awe at every story his parents had told of the Jedi knights, he wanted to believe it was possible.

"It's mine, I suppose," was the only answer the chiss had for him. Ket knew that Hesk had probably not shared this story with anyone. "This gonna be a problem?" Hesk asked, giving Ket a firm look. "Don't go thinking of me as a hero, or saviour. I'm just looking to get through life as comfortably as possible. I just want to live my life quiet and happy. Enjoy some food, and fucking. Hopefully, plenty of both. That's all. If you expect more, then prepare yourself to be disappointed. You ok with that?"

Nodding, Ket confirmed that he was able to accept his new friend for his limitations. The least he could say for his new friend was that he was direct and honest. Ket started to eat some of the meal bars Hesk had laid out for breakfast. He looked forward to getting some better supplies from a planet, hopefully, some fresh meat he could roast. Even better if he could find some spices.

As he thought of food, Ket noticed his friend had not moved. Hesk was staring at the lightsaber in his hands. The wookiee wondered what might be going through the chiss's mind. He was not sure how long that sabre had been hidden away. Only for his first-ever guest to find it and confront him with the past, he was clearly running from. "You ok?" he asked after finishing the last of his breakfast.

Hesk took a breath and nodded slowly, his eyes not pulling off the sabre, "yeah it's just... I said I kept this because it's mine. That's not entirely true. If you are going to stay with me, I suppose maybe I should let you know." the chiss took a deep breath and continued, "someday, someone is going to come looking for me. Not a security agent, or even a stormtrooper or any of the Imperial forces. Someone who wields a lightsaber is going to come to find me... and when they do..."

The wookiee waited patiently to see if Hesk would finish what he had started to say. People who wield lightsabers tend to be force users, and Ket was sure that Hesk was not talking about another runaway Jedi student. Someone strong with the dark side, possibly even Lord Vader himself, or one of his inquisitors that had been scouring the galaxy clear of force users.

"When they do..." Hesk repeated quietly. "I failed my training to be a Jedi. I certainly do not live like a Jedi. However, I'll be fucking damned if I won't die like one." There was a flame in the chiss's eyes as he spoke and Ket did not doubt his words.

"You will not face them alone," Ket stated and he had never meant anything more. He owed Hesk a life-debt and more than he felt a strong attraction for the charismatic man. Not just a sexual one, even in their short time together he had developed a respect for Hesk. Ket was not sure what he would do against a force user. However, he would do his best to protect his new friend. Hesk did not reply, but Ket was sure he saw gratitude in those red eyes.

I just published an Ebook of sexy orc story series, The books can be found at the links below.Thanks for reading

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