DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. The character of Ardeth Fey is from the movie "The Mummy" which belongs to Universal Pictures. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
The lyrics are for the song "Charlie Smalls", as sung by Stephanie Mills.
You've been her bodyguard for one hour and she is already a handful. The duchess was not in the office like they said nor was she anywhere in the building.
You continue scanning the grounds of the town hall. The desert wind stings your unprotected face. Your eyes squint in the failing daylight. A tingling sensation runs across the surface of your skin, you pant feeling a wave of energy flow behind you. You double back, crouching around a corner. You spy a glance seeing a tall slender woman with long black hair looming over a humanoid valet barking out commands.
//The duchess.// You surmise recalling her holofile. //She's even flashier in real life.//
The stout humanoid cowers and nods while she motions toward an open transport.
//That stupid--.// You grit your teeth and pull out your mini blaster and shiv. //Both operational and raring to go.//
You replace the mini-dagger but grip the blaster. The hair on the back of your neck rises. Something wasn't right. The valet reaches behind him. He's grabs for something. You skillfully fire off a shot and bound for the shocked duchess.
She shrieks hysterically. You drag her toward the transport just as a speeder rounds the corner. You use a wall for cover. A woman and two men hop out of the speeder and examine the valet's slumped body. They pull a mini-blaster out of his back pocket.
//Shit// You turn and mouth—"Follow me."
You manage to take out two of them before the woman responds. She gets off a shot, you push the duchess into the open transport and volley off a couple back at the assassin. In a split second you decide to take the woman out, it was that or risk her following you home. Three steps and four shots later, you slump in the co-pilot's seat next to the duchess. She stares at you like an Eopie caught in a hunter's trap. You wince as you program the navicomputer to fly sub-orbital. It'll take you straight into the Sa'ered, the deep desert.
Instinctively you hold your side. You pull away your hand and glance at the blood on it.
"You're bleeding!" She shrinks away from you.
"Yes, I know this." You sigh. "I'll be fine. We will be home soon. I need you," You point behind you, "to check the tracking system right there. It's important that we aren't being followed."
"How--?"
You interject, "It's already on. The computer will show if there are any ships behind us or if we're being scanned." You sigh feeling weak. You need a medkit and quick.
She bobs around the station nervously and then says, "We're fine, no one is following us."
You don't answer but reach for the medkit on the wall behind you.
"You don't look so good," She says returning back to the co- pilot seat.
You glare at her as you enlarge the hole in your dress and apply the bacta to your wound. The cool ointment feels good on your wound. You dress it as well as you can and settle down.
"Don't pass out on me. I can't fly this thing."
"It will fly itself and land itself." You drift off.
[ Master Qui-Gon Jinn's back is to you. He stares out over the desert. He'd been standing there for the last ten minutes. Just staring. You turn around and look at Knight Ardeth Fay sitting rigidly in a dining room chair. His tall frame dwarfs the piece of furniture. His brown eyes peer at you. Though his expression is impassive, you know he like Qui-Gon, is quelling his anger.
"Please try to understand," you plead. "I have no choice."
"There is always a choice." Qui-Gon replies behind you.
"In this case there isn't." You lick your lips. Your mouth is as dry as the desert, "I must obey."
"Why?" Ardeth growled, his brown complexion melds with the incoming sunlight.
"That doesn't matter." You reply figuring there was no need of making things worse by admitting the real reason.
"It does matter." Qui-Gon turns around. His arms are clasped behind his back as he moves toward the table. "Why do you choose to work for a man who has no regard for your life?"
"Because I have to! I signed a contract." You rub your belly feeling a flutter inside, "That's what you do when you work for the Security Force. My life, my time belongs to them for one more year."
"That is insane." Ardeth hissed.
"Why are you two acting like this?!! When we bonded you knew all about my life."
"Things are different now." Qui-Gon answers with irritation.
"You can take a leave of absence. The work is too dangerous." Ardeth shifts in his chair.
You shake your head. The room is awashed in hostile emotions. You notice that the ceramic centerpiece on the table is shaking.
"Why not?" Ardeth asks, the anger in his voice now evident. "Why are you protecting that worm Xiloft?"
"I'm doing it for us. I'm protecting us."
Qui-Gon's eyes narrow, "How?"
You don't answer.
"Chana how?" Qui-Gon's voice is a low rumble.
The centerpiece rattles furiously upon the table.
"He says if I refuse this assignment, he will know that you two had a hand in my decision making. And then he will go to the Jedi Council and lodge a complaint requesting that you be reassigned for exercising undue influence in local affairs."
Qui-Gon flew passed you. He opens the patio door and walks out. Blowing sand drifts on to the floor.
Suddenly you feel as if you have committed a capital crime, "Not once have I questioned your lives!" Tears roll down your eyes, "Why are you doing this to me?"
Ardeth leans forward, "He has interfered in our lives long enough. I am tired of it."
"He is my boss!"
"We are your husband!" He barks back, "You will not go on this assignment."
"Have you been listening to me? I'm going. I have no choice."
"No you are not."
"Yes I am. What would you have me do? Risk losing you?!!"
"Over the life of my child?! YES!!" He slams his hand on the table. The centerpiece shatters into hundreds of pieces.]
The duchess shakes you awake. She points to a star filled night. The ship has landed and powered down. You wipe your sweaty brow and shakily stand up. You check the coordinates on the navicomputer.
//Perfect, only a half an hour away. //
"Let's go." You say weakly.
"Where?"
"To my home, where your bags are- hopefully." You answer disembarking from the ship.
"There's nothing here but sand!" She protests..
"And if we don't hurry up we'll be buried in it. This is Sand Lake. There are many sandstorms on this plateau. The ship will be buried soon."
You enter your home greeted by Swee, Cato and Micki.
"Your room is over there." You point to the door just off the living room and head towards your bedroom. You need rest. Sleep. And time to heal.
"Mistress!" SW-40 declares noticing your wound. You ignore him and go to bed.
Jedi Knight Ardeth Fay's raven mane grazed the top of his shoulders. The hair's gentle curls waved in the desert night air. He closed his eyes and exhaled as the repulsors on his hover cycle hummed to a stop. As he dismounted from his craft, the billows of his coffee colored Robe flowed around him. Silent and still, he stood in front of his home. The massive adobe structured lay half buried beneath the ground.
Ardeth scanned the desert terrain more out of habit than concern. His senses were still on alert. He was tired and morally exhausted. Hatred and bigotry often drained him more than any sword fight ever could. Except this time he had to deal with both.
All he wished to do now was rest. Rest in his own bed, next to you his lifemate of five years. He believed that whenever he came home, all was in balance. There was only one other place in the galaxy where he felt safer—the Jedi Temple.
He mentally reached out searching for you and Qui-Gon. He immediately sensed your sleeping self but no sign of the Master.
//Mission.// He sighed again palming the lock to the house.
He entered darkness and silence. "Light one-eighth." He growled taking off his robe. The dusty garment floated toward a basket in the corner for SWee to clean in the morning.
Ardeth let the peace of his home surround and penetrate him. The waves of the Force spoke to him. His head pivoted towards the guestroom.
He frowned, "A woman." He made a mental note to ask you about her later but now he wanted to shower.
The fatigued knight easily dried his taught muscular frame. Tight tendons and sore appendages obeyed his command albeit grudgingly as he made quick work of his drying. Finished, he tossed the towel aside and slid into the enormous bed behind you. His naked body snuggled next to your clothed one. He pressed his chest to your back as he enjoyed the scent of your hair and body. He drew you closer. Your expression is of sweet innocence.
//I love you so much.// He stroked your hair and caressed your face. //All the time I spend away from you is torture.//
Ardeth's hand wandered over to your freshly dressed wound. You stirred as he held you closer. His warm breath tickled the skin on your neck. Your lover grimaced feeling your pain through your shared your link. He carefully lifted your shirt and studied your wound.
//My love.// You lean into him and wince. Your eyes fluttered open. //Please.//
You gasped as he tested its severity. You quivered.
"Shh. Be calm now. I will not hurt you." Ardeth closed his eyes and refocused his feelings. He let the anxiety of you being hurt dissipate and concentrated on healing you. His breathing calmed as the Force was channeled through his hand to your wound. You sobbed quietly as the heat eminating from his hand opened the wound briefly. A feeling of pins and needles dashed through the area as you healed from the inside out.
The pain increased as your cells regenerated, severed nerves repaired, restored and reawakened. He would not let you pull away as you cried openly pleading him to stop.
He caressed your chin and kissed you chastely on the lips.
"You will be fine now. Sleep. We will speak of this tomorrow."
Ardeth wrapped you in his arms and gently compelled you to sleep.