The Sith and The Maiden

Dark Lady

Rating: PG -13.  Sexual customs of the Zabrak are described in outline.
Warning: Why did a man from an out-of-the-way planet become a Sith?
Disclaimer: Lucas and Lucasfilm own the characters, and this is for fun, not profit.
Feedback:  dark-lady@blueyonder.co.uk
Initial posting: DMEB, the original and wonderful Maul site.
Acknowledgements: MaulMaus, as ever.  Thankyou.

Prologue

Historians concerned primarily with the cause of the rise of the Empire under the self-styled 'Emperor Palpatine' have pin-pointed a series of events occurring in the years leading up to the invasion of Naboo, which acted as a focus for pivotal change, and culminated in the dark decades of rule by the most evil despot in recorded Galactic history, the self-styled 'Emperor Palpatine'.

One such event was the death of a little known Jedi Knight who became the consort of Palpatine's Aide, the Zabrak known as Lord Khameir Sarin. While Sarin, a warrior monk,  was a rising star at the court of Governor Palpatine, (as the Emperor was then known), owing to his supreme skills as a diplomat and bodyguard, the Jedi was a roving Knight answerable only to the ruling Jedi Council and the Supreme Chancellor of the day.  A human, she possessed a previously unknown genetic mutation which made possible the instant attraction between herself and the Zabrak, an attraction so strong she fulfilled the Zabrak definition of 'Tai Shan', to which Sarin was compelled to respond, despite the canon of his order which enjoined the practice of celibacy.

Her death, insignificant in itself, propelled the Zabrak into such a state of grief and near insanity, that he swore allegiance to the Sith, Darth Sidious, and dedicated the rest of his life to avenging her.

Such a violent response to the death of a much loved consort, or Tai Shan, is unknown among the Zabrak tribes.  Decline following such an event, when it occurs, is acknowledged to be swift and tragic, but of a gentler nature, not the swift descent into madness and savagery of the kind experienced by this man.

The historian must ask therefore, if more subtle influences than those of sentient creatures were at work during those years. Why should a human female possess such a mutation that she can detect a scent as subtle as that possessed by a Zabrak and respond to it fully in a manner that is not customary to her species?  Not only that, the bio-chemical and physical response between them was fully compatible, suggesting a corresponding mutation in Sarin. An odd state of affairs to exist between two totally unrelated species with different genetic structures and incapable of producing viable offspring between them. Was her reason for existence ultimately her death, to precipitate the vicious revenge and subsequent activities of Sarin, later to be known as Darth Maul, Sith Apprentice?

This question must also be asked - was this series of events a precursor to those which took place when Anakin Skywalker renewed his aquaintance with Amidala, but as a grown adult, when the most powerful Jedi Padawan ever known turned to the dark side because of his frustrated love for the Queen of Naboo?  Anakin Skywalker, or Darth Vader as he is more widely known, was reputed to be the Chosen One, a messiah-like Jedi  who would bring peace and plenty to the galaxy.  Yet passion ruled him as it ruled Khameir Sarin, and pitched him also into the dark side of the Force because he could not control those passions.

Research continues to explore the rationale behind these events.  The interested reader is referred to the Galactic Infonet at encyclopoedia.galactica.net, and the proceedings of the Institute of Bio-Chemistry at Coruscant at inst.bio.chem.cor/midichlor. The Jedi Temple also has researches pertaining to the midi-chlorians and their suspected influence (not always benign) on Galactic affairs, as the Force continually seeks to balance itself in the age-old conflict between light and dark, or, as they are more usually interpreted, good and evil.  Another interpretation might be not conflict, but tension, the tension between creation and destruction, each of which cannot exist without the opposing force to balance and counteract it, and ultimately provide the impetus for those processes which are the very basis of existence and life itself.

A summary of what is known currently about Khameir Sarin and Hanshara Sinn-Tau the Jedi, follows prior to the main text of this book. Information is difficult to obtain about this period of galactic history which, for obvious reasons, is known as the Dark Age, and what there is, is very limited. If you have any knowledge of the events described in these pages that is not covered by the text, the author would be grateful to receive it at dl.midi@galuniv.net. All contributions will be acknowledged by email and in any subsequent texts.

The Zabrak Warrior - Lord Khameir Sarin

Khameir Sarin was a man of honour.  A civilised and cultivated man, well educated, and trained as a warrior at the finest military school on Iridonia. Always a follower of custom and protocol to smooth the path of social interaction, he especially respected and followed the customs of his forebears, knowing their value and worth.

Innately talented and gifted abundantly with the ability to use the Force, Khameir led a most austere life. He wore only the black robes and accoutrements of his military order, and maintained their disciplines with a fierceness of soul and dedication that was a marvel to his mentor and master, Sidious. He ate simply and sparingly with a thought to maintaining the fitness and health of his body, and readiness for combat.  Despite this, or perhaps because of it, he appreciated simple things such as the clarity and purity of fresh clean water, and being of a carnivorous species, the taste of fresh caught and grilled flesh.  Everything about him was spare and lean, even his quarters were sparsely furnished with little thought for bodily comfort.  He maintained only that which was necessary to enable him to function as his revered master desired, a fighting machine always at the pinnacle of fitness.

To complement his physical gifts, Khameir Sarin had a fine mind, somewhat like a razor, capable of quickly discerning the truth of a situation, and then turning that situation about so that  it benefited himself and Sidious.  He enjoyed the mind-games of politics, and had a dry laconic wit that was rarely expressed, except in private to his master.

An expert swordsman he trained relentlessly to perfect his skill with the double bladed light sabre, a weapon he wielded with grace and finesse to deadly effect.  In his own words, he was 'an efficient killer', and a trained assassin, an expert in covert operations.  Like all his race, he screamed when the occasion demanded, and howled a challenge to battle like many warriors.  Sometimes he growled, but this was considered a primitive response by his species, and was ruthlessly suppressed, only to surface at times of great hostility, when hate itself became his world and dominated his thoughts and actions.

He was reserved, and thought aloof, which suited him, for he cared little for the company of others. He regarded the casual camaraderie of the drinking dens and the false chatter of the diplomatic party with equal disdain. The ephemeral delights of the pleasure houses were abhorrent to him. Taciturn as he was, this did not mean he lacked the ability to make charming and amusing conversation when he deemed necessary, quite the contrary.  This was a fine counter-point to his impatience with fools, and his anger, for which he had a justifiable reputation and which made him greatly feared.

At 29 Khameir had not yet taken a woman and was still virgin. He was unconcerned by this, for as a warrior monk, his order recommended chastity, to enable the mind to focus without distraction upon the vagaries of the Force, and thus more easily learn its subtleties.   Equally, there was also little or no opportunity to meet suitable females, and Zabrak were few and far between in this corner of the galaxy.  The odds against meeting his Tai Shan, or lifelong mate, were long indeed and this was the way he preferred it, for he had ambition, and lusted after power rather than pleasures of the flesh.  A consort would distract his mind from achieving such power as his master held.

Despite the richness of his gifts, under Palpatine's tutelage he was becoming hard and arrogant, beginning to covet Palpatine's power and influence, and thinking to pursue his master's interests at almost any cost, for ultimately they would benefit him.  He would soon be ripe for final turning to the dark side of the Force, and Palpatine was looking for an opportunity, for Khameir Sarin would make a most excellent Sith.

During his short time with Hanshara Sinn Tau the Jedi, there was little change in his demeanour, and towards others, his manner in public was much the same as before.  She, however, he always treated with great courtesy and charm, often lightly bowing when greeting her and softly calling her 'My Lady'.  In the Zabrak culture, the use of personal names is regarded as a private matter, to be kept for intimate moments, and it was only at such times that he called her by her name.  The only public show of affection between them (and this accorded with Zabrak custom) was his habit of taking her hand as if to take her with him, and after a long parting, a light touch of the cheek with the fingers. To the outsider there was nothing to perceive in this short physical exchange, but the erotic charge between them at such a time was immense, and could sometimes be discerned by those gifted strongly with the force.

In private, Khameir was a passionate and ardent lover, as was Hanshara. They cared for each other beyond reason and they delighted in frequent lovemaking of the most physical kind at all and every opportunity. This love included a spiritual aspect achieved by very few, and 'touched the infinite', again in accordance with Zabrak custom.

In contrast to the spartan quality of his physical life, Khameir developed the sensual aspect of his spiritual life assiduously, as if he had access to rare books and exotic manuscripts devoted to the concept of sexual congress and its use to heighten the mind, and thereby raise awareness to 'beyond self'.  It is entirely possible that this was so, for in ancient times, both the Jedi and Sith orders used this technique, and not all the Sith books of old magick had been destroyed by the Jedi purges.  This ancient, and now outmoded concept, runs parallel with the Zabrak custom of Tai Shan, where two minds become one, where intense physical pleasure becomes religious experience, or ecstasy.

Thus it was, that to achieve this sublime state with more ease and proficiency, Khameir began using the Force to enhance his personal pleasure - something he taught Hanshara to devastating effect for them both.

The Jedi Knight - Lady Hanshara Sinn-Tau

Hanshara Sinn-Tau was the only daughter of a human couple who had both gladly and sorrowfully given her up to be a Jedi apprentice when she was found to be rich in the gifts of the Force. Her parents were of old Earth origin, and her genetic heritage had not offered her beauty, but a thin and lean comeliness which must have appealed greatly to Sarin.  She was graced with pale skin, liquid brown eyes, and black hair which she wore in a short crew-cut style. She also had an exceptionally keen sense of smell inherited from her father who had been a blender of fine oils. 

As apprentice Padawan to the Jedi Knight Mistress Ledora Ikume, Hanshara had become accomplished and skilled in all manner of things, while discipline and training had given her formidable and esoteric abilities. Her light sabre had been made by her in her mistress' workshop, and was of a standard weight and size, no concession being made to 'frail' femininity, for the Lady Sinn Tau made no concessions, and allowed no compromises. She handled the weapon very proficiently and would stand her ground against any assailant. Indeed, while not yet fully battle seasoned, she bore the scars of many skirmishes fought in the name of peace and justice.

Having recently passed the trials and attained the status of full knighthood, she was seconded to Ledora for a short time as Aide, during negotiations for a hospital station in the Cirellian space lane near Naboo.  The trade route was dangerous, much frequented by pirates who plundered legitimate shipping without mercy.  Mining operations in the nearby asteroid belt were also dangerous, and many died there, or were injured and crippled.  The Jedi order hoped to maintain a hospital presence here, for charity's sake, and perhaps also to discover the nests of criminals and deviants perpetrating these crimes, with the intention of exterminating them.  Ledora and Hanshara were charged with setting the plans for the hospital station in motion, and Ledora had been working on the plan for many months.

Following Jedi custom, Hanshara dressed in simple garments of breeches, tunic, and boots, with a plain flowing hooded cloak of warm brown material. Her light sabre she wore clipped at her belt. Although expected of her in the exalted company of dignitaries assembled on the ship, and those who did not know of Jedi custom and set too great a store by outward appearances and the display of wealth, she wore no court clothing, cosmetics, or personal adornment of any kind, but stood straight and tall, reflecting her inner serenity and personal dignity.

Like Khameir, she was still virgin. The Jedi order did not, and still does not, permit any apprentice a close personal relationship, in the belief that this distracts from training and study. It is also thought that such relationships place the individuals in question at risk of being vulnerable to coercion or force. For this reason, such relationships formed even by fully trained knights are discouraged, and as such, they are few and far between.

It is neither known nor recorded whether she knew of Khameir's predilection for cruelty, violence, and his involvement with the Sith.  If she knew, she must have disregarded it, or blinded herself to the fact, although given her gifts, it is hard to understand how she could not have known.  Unusually, the Jedi Library have little official record of her membership, and are unable to throw any light on the matter, and only the fact of her mysterious disappearance during her mission to Nurius III and the discredited R'ill, has been made public.

Known facts about Iridonia and the Zabrak

In it's early history the climate of Iridonia was warm and wet, allowing life to flourish and develop quickly. The atmosphere was more dense than that of Coruscant standard, but the oxygen available for life processes is around the same as it is today. Mammalian creatures bearing live young never evolved beyond a small species which lacked vigour and became extinct almost as soon as it attained a viable population.  The Zabrak race of beings are descended, many millennia ago, from an aggressive carnivorous reptile-type ancestor which inhabited the edges of the great forests which, in that  far distant past, almost covered the planet from pole to pole.  The species is warm-blooded, and bear live young, yet they are hairless and from birth, feed their young  on fruit and meat masticated by the mother.

To survive, these early reptiles and amphibians adopted highly colourful skin patterning to frighten potential predators, which was carried down through the ages to their descendants. When the need for combat arose, the use of sharp hooked and pointed teeth and claws determined the bloody outcome, defining the strong imprint of aggression so evident in the warrior race of today.

Zabrakian ancestors were successful in the competitive struggle for food and territory and thus became the dominant race, developing intelligence and speech at the same time as a complex social structure. Particular physical attributes also carried down to the present inhabitants include an acute sense of smell, and particularly fine eyesight as befits a hunter. Eye colour generally complements the skin colour, yellow with red being dominant although sometimes green and yellow arise. In the atmosphere of Iridonia, language is liquid and fluid, but the composition of a standard Coruscant atmosphere causes the voice to be 'breathy'.

The planet is now harsh and arid, and life is difficult to sustain.  Many reasons have been postulated for this, including internecine nuclear conflict, denudation of the forests and prairies by a previously unknown civilisation, and climactic change.  None of these hypotheses have been proven, and it is as easy to give credence to the old legend of a primordial conflict between a Sith goddess and rapacious Jedi knight, as it is to one of these theories.

The Zabrak race is now very ancient, and it's reproductive vigour is under threat as the sun becomes more active in its current cycle of development, throwing off increasing radiation and heat.  The radiation has lead to an increased rate of mutation, and thus to preserve genetic purity, offspring must sometimes be abandoned to die in the old manner.  The custom has developed of the ritual question upon the birth of a child, as to the child's viability, and if the child is not fit ti live, it is the hard and sorrowful duty of a father to perform the rite of 'passage to the infinite'.  To avoid this distressing duty, for the Zabrak love their children, many leave their homeworld to conceive viable children on other worlds, returning only when the fetus is developed and the danger of mutation has passed.

Pairing involves the custom of Tai Shan, which is based upon the use of the acute sense of smell to recognize compatible pheromones secreted by a female (and rarely a male) as a subtle scent or musk, which leads to a rapid attraction and then to successful pairing for life. Matched pheromones create chemicals with powerful aphrodisiac properties which lead to very rapid courtship and stable life bonds being undertaken. Under certain conditions, these bio-chemicals cause mind expanding drugs to be manufactured within the bodies of the paired couple. When ingested by each from the other, the drug enhances power derived from the Force and generates a transcendental state of being which reinforces the pair-bond during the mating process. It is the responsibility of the male partner to initiate the activities which create these bio-chemicals and to aid their ingestion.

Such is the immediacy and power of this attraction, and realisation that each is meant for the other, that In very ancient times the 'courtship' frequently consisted of acts approaching 'consensual rape' and sexual violence, which transmuted to a deep and abiding love once the female had submitted. It is the suddenness and violence of the act which is distressing, for the female is less able to resist the violence, even though she is in the same state of need as the male, who often, in his confusion, will heedlessly beat her senseless lest she fail to accept him.

As civilisation gained ascendancy and a social structure formed,  techniques of self control were developed and taught to all children, and courtship was formalised to eliminate the more violent aspects. The male generally being more powerful and stronger than the female, the custom arose requiring him to exercise great control over his instinctive responses, and ask the female formally for a decision about undertaking the commitment to be his consort, or Tai Shan, and whether she truly wished to mate with him. Custom requires also that this question be asked just before the final commitment to each other and in a state of extreme sexual excitement. This gives the female the illusion that she exercises some sort of final control although in reality, both partners are almost totally controlled by their biochemistry at this point in the proceedings. The female also has certain responsibilities to perform to the male, including ritualistic expressions of love before the male is able to ask for her commitment.

The custom and ritual surrounding courtship is so ingrained into the young that great restraint is exercised as adults, and the natural violent responses are effectively controlled. Even so, the first experience of it's effects can be overpowering and result in temporary physical disorientation.  The punishment for rape, even under these conditions, is final and conclusive.  While some may consider such extreme justice to be immoral and unjustified in these civilised days, consider that for the Zabrak, laxity in this matter has the potential to lead to chaos and anarchy within a very close-knit community, and the disintegration of society.  It should be noted, also, that there has been no need to invoke such punishment for many millennia of recorded history, such is the success of their education program.

Not all males find their partner, and this, combined with the lowering natural birth rate due to the increasing radiation, has forced the Zabrak to develop successful reproductive technologies, particularly in the use of cloning.

Both sexes are human-like, and handsome and graceful in movement,  They are also quick in both physical and mental response with a gift for the use of weapons which gives a natural edge to those taking up the craft of the warrior or mercenary. Teeth are sharp, pointed, and mottled, and these attributes are sometimes accentuated for beauty's sake, depending on the culture of the clan to which the individual belongs. Slender five fingered hands with an opposable thumb end in short black claws. Short jagged horns are present on the heads of the males, and the skin is very sensitive with highly developed nerve-endings. The base of the horns, especially the temple horns, is supplied with very many nerve endings and is thought by some xeno-biologists to be an erogenous zone.  It should be noted that  the Zabrak themselves remain silent upon the matter.

The race long-since developed religion, ethics, writing, and the arts and sciences of the natural world in which they live. Social structure is clan based, with conventional divisions into priest, warrior, scientist, artist, trader, and other. There is considerable movement across these divisions as all members are aware of the mutual dependence of each upon the other, and because of this, respect is accorded to all classes.  The custom of 'Tai Shan' leads to fairly indiscriminate pairings across social boundaries which helps to ensure a more vigorous continuation of the race than would otherwise be the case.

Some things are best told as a story.  Leave the dry academic treatise to record the bare bones of events, and dates, and the names of the protagonists.  Can such a treatise stored in a deserted library of musty papers and scratched data discs convey the feelings, and the passions, which exist between two people?  Can it tell of the deep and abiding love a man has for a woman, or a woman for a man?  A passion that transcends the rivers of time and space, and even the abyss of death?  Can it tell of a passion that changes the galaxy?

The first meeting of Khameir Sarin and Hanshara Sinn-Tau

On the busy conference deck of the Trade Federation battleship 'Oberon', the two Jedi Knights quietly discussed their tactics for the next phase of the negotiations in this charitable matter of the hospital station.  A small matter, of little importance, but one that was close to the heart of the Jedi Knight, Ledora Ikume.  They discussed how the Trade Federation might be coerced into offering concessions on freight fees for medical supplies, without gaining exclusive mining rights on Nurius III - mining rights which seemed, to all practical purposes, to be controlled by one called 'Palpatine', the Governor of the little-known planet of Naboo above which the ship orbited, by his grace and favour.

Naboo. A planet of unrestrained elegance.  Where design meant that form was beautiful and function was well fulfilled in all that was carefully made there.  A planet of sudden interest to the Nemoidians, who had encouraged and developed a discerning market on Coruscant for the exquisitely made artifacts that were traded in the internal economy of Naboo to such effect that the lush planet was rich, and not one of its citizens went hungry to bed.  The Trade Federation was hoping that once the trade with Naboo was more developed, and the demand was established, that the quality of the trade goods could be gradually reduced, and the profit to the Trade Federation correspondingly increased, but the democratic government of Naboo was opposed to this.  Not so Palpatine, who, as his hidden alter ego, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, wanted to control the destiny of Naboo's trade and thus increase his wealth, wealth necessary for his ambitious goal of rule of the Republic, as Emperor.

The Jedi were unaware of the Sith involvement in this matter, as Palpatine desired, for the Sith were not ready to reveal their existence as yet, but the Jedi were aware of small undercurrents in the Force, some disturbances in the web that could not be explained.  Sometimes these were centred around Sidious, although but rarely.  Sometimes they were centred around his occasional companion or bodyguard, the feared warrior, Khameir Sarin, who was reputed to read minds and was possessed of a cold and vicious anger.  Hanshara had only caught glimpses of someone she thought may be Sarin, and the two Jedi were always watchful when Palpatine was in the vicinity, for though they did not fear him, they did not trust him, as they did not trust the Nemoidians.

Looking at the assembled delegates during this short recess, Ledora spotted the figure of Governor Palpatine headed towards them.  A dark figure walked behind him, and to the left.  Sarin was surely not acting as bodyguard, for his right arm, or sword arm, would not have been easily free to defend his master if it were necessary.

"Going well so far Mistress Ledora," said the Governor. "Shall we finish tomorrow do you think?"  The Governor smiled a bright politician's smile, and was bluff and hearty in his manner.  Hanshara wondered for a moment whether he might slap Ledora on the shoulder in manly fashion, but fortunately Palpatine appeared to restrain himself.  This was as well, for Ledora would have made some tart rejoinder to the man, if he had.

"Depends on the Nemoidians, Governor. They have this need to extract as much water as possible from stones, but they usually concede at the last minute and we are optimistic."  She returned his false smile with a bright and brittle one of her own.

"Good, good," boomed the Governor expansively, and he appraised Hanshara with a disdainful look, as if he knew what she was thinking.  Hanshara closed her mind, smiled frostily, and turned to her notes.

The dark companion was not introduced, but presented an imposing figure. A warrior belonging to an order unknown to Hanshara, he wore black tunic, breeches, and boots, topped by a cloak with a voluminous hood which rested on his back and shoulders.  Standing to one side of the Governor, he stood feet apart, hands clasped in front of him, looking coolly at the two Jedi.

Lord Khameir Sarin held no brief for Jedi,  and Hanshara felt some of his antipathy sweep over her.  She looked at him in surprise, for why were the two here to negotiate if they felt such a thing, or had they divorced such a patent dislike of the Jedi from the charitable matter in hand?  There must be a larger political gain in these simple negotiations than she had realised.  Suddenly the feeling disappeared, switched off like a light.  She looked back at her notes but covertly glanced at the two men, to find only that their expression and demeanor had not changed.  The arrogant expression of the dark one and the affability of the Governor remained undisturbed by any new emotion.  In fact, there was no emotion at all.  She could sense nothing from them, and the force was undisturbed by their presence, as though they did not exist.

She decided to take control of the situation.  Snapping closed the notes and book, she put them behind her back and held them there, and looked boldly at the silent warrior as if she was appraising him.  At first, she had been taken aback by Lord Sarin's countenance, which was bizarrely coloured with a mosaic-like pattern of red on black. But close up, she could see that his features were handsome, although with a cruel cast, and graced with an arrogant expression. His mouth was finely shaped but his teeth were pointed, mottled, and sharp, and he had a crown of vestigial horns on his head - the epitome of a mythical demon from old Coruscant -  but he had a lethal beauty, of a kind.  Close up, she saw that his hands were slender, also coloured red on black, and that the fingers ended in blunted claws.  Humanoid, not human, but even so, she thought he was very beautiful. His body seemed lithe and powerful, lean and sinewy from the little she could discern, and he moved with a fluidity and grace that was most pleasing to the eye. His most startling feature were his eyes - a glittering yellow and red, a hunter's eyes.  Moreover, there was a very faint musk about him which was other-worldly, and not unpleasant.

***

Later, in the privacy of their suite, she asked Ledora who he was.

"Governor Palpatine's Aide,"  said Ledora. "Lord Khameir Sarin. Fine military training and a superb swordsman."

"What species is he and where was he trained?" was Hanshara's next question.

"Oh, Zabrak I believe, from Iridonia. You don't see them very often, and he was trained at the Officers Training Academy there."

"And what is the relationship between the two of them? That of bodyguard, military advisor, diplomat?"

"Now, that we don't know," said Ledora musingly. "That is very much an unknown quantity and so I do not know how to factor it in when we decide tactics. Nothing is known of his views or advice on any matter at all, or indeed if he even gives advice or opinion." Then she added in a low voice as she turned away, "He has not been seen for some time, and you may sense that he seems to dislike Jedi.  There are some here who say he is a beast and has no soul. Do not listen to them. I find there is sometimes a disturbance in the Force when he is in the vicinity but it is not possible to read it. He must cloak his mind.  We must exercise caution for he may be force sensitive."

*****

Khameir Sarin looked at the younger Jedi witch only once.  All Jedi were abhorrent to him.  He  felt they interfered with the natural order of things, they tried to make life easy where life was meant to be hard, spreading peace and justice when strife and war brought about change and made people strong.  However, they were there, sometimes they were unwittingly useful, and they generally did not interfere with his work, so...  There was something about this one though, that was faintly disturbing. She was not beautiful, not by Zabrak standards certainly, was a little shorter than he, and wiry. Tall for a human female possibly. She moved gracefully and with purpose, she held herself regally. There was something, but what?  The human kind was not sexually attractive to him, no female was, or indeed, male for that matter, and he intended to continue his solitary life without  any entanglements of a romantic nature.  They would distract him from his purpose of attaining true mastery of the dark side of the force.

He turned his attention back to the Governor and said in a low and cultured voice "Rune Haako awaits Master," then for form's sake, nodded briskly to the two Jedi as they walked away.

Whatever his intentions, thoughts of her pre-occupied him for more than a little while, for she disquieted him.

Hanshara put the subject of Lord Khameir Sarin out of her mind until, on reentering the conference room the following day, she found that he was stationed at Palpatine's right hand, which meant he was almost opposite her. This gave each the opportunity to study the other, Hanshara somewhat more discreetly than Khameir, who could have been accused of blatantly staring at her. Not only did he wish to discover what had disquieted him about her, but also because he suddenly found the manner in which her neck curved to her shoulder and was then covered by her plain beige tunic disturbingly and unexpectedly erotic. When she caught him doing this, she shot him a cold look to desist and not embarrass her so, and he had the grace to drop his arrogant gaze and turn his attention elsewhere. For a while, until he decided to look again.

Hanshara was watching to see if he spoke or gestured to Palpatine, giving advice or indication of approval or disapproval in any matter in some way, but this was not the case. Unless, she thought, their communication was not vocal but by more subtle means.

The negotiants pursued the matter of mining concessions on Nurius III which the Senate, in the person of Ledora, were unwilling to concede to the Trade Federation at this time. A recess for refreshments was agreed, and stewards began to patrol the room with trays of comestibles for the assembled delegates, different kinds for the different species.  Plates piled high with crispy roast al'ar grubs for the Nemoidians, breadsticks and vegetable dips for the humans, live swimming creatures in delicate green crystal bowls for the Calemari, a different kind of dainty nibble for every kind of person.

While Hanshara was making her way to fetch a selection for Ledora and herself, a steward stumbled and fell against her, causing her to fall hard against a figure behind her. Plates and dishes flew to the floor, and she felt a surge in the Force as they were deflected away from her.  She was hungry, distracted, and unprepared for the stumble, but she was caught and firmly supported by a pair of gentle hands and strong arms against a black clad chest. She turned, and found Lord Sarin had hold of her, his yellow eyes showing amusement at this turn of events, that a Jedi should fall in front of him.  Momentarily she drowned in his golden eyes, but quickly recovered herself, and bowed to him as she dusted herself down.

"Your pardon, Lord Sarin. No offence was intended. I trust there is no hurt to you."

"None, lady," came the whispered reply, as with his help she righted herself. There was a slight smile on his face she noted, which looked well on such a severe countenance. Then Lord Sarin's eyes flickered as if a shutter had quickly fallen across and gone. His expression changed, he was no longer amused. He gave her a tight smile and a curt nod and turned away. She was annoyed by this discourtesy, even, for some strange reason, a little hurt, but decided to treat it as of no importance, and continued on her errand.

*****

Khameir Sarin, however, was most disturbed. The Jedi witch had been close enough for him to smell her, and the faint womanly scent of her had momentarily overwhelmed him.  To possibly find his Tai Shan, here, and not only a different species but a Jedi Knight?  The fit of 'Tai Shan' had come upon him!  He had hoped to avoid this, and thought not to experience this in his whole life.  He wondered whether she was aware of what had befallen them. He doubted it. He could detect her lingering scent even now. It was exciting and arousing, his body was responding to it in spite of the control he was imposing. He wanted her and he would have great difficulty dancing attendance on his Master now. Only once did he look in Hanshara's direction over the next few hours, and to try and ease his discomfiture, he outwardly paid no attention to her at all.

*****

Hanshara collected a plate of food sufficient for the two Jedi, and fruit juices to slake their thirst. Walking back to Ledora, she saw that Lord Sarin was gone from the vicinity, for which she was grateful. Then a wave of intense sexual desire surged through her body, directed at no one, just there, of itself. Her pupils widened, her heart started racing, and a pink flush spread up her neck and face. It was a delicate pink. She flowered like a rose, as the colour spread across her skin. Hanshara was startled, and quickly made her way to her seat to recover, where she fanned her face with assorted papers as she sought distraction in the study of clauses and amendments.

Over the following hours, concessions were made, clauses redrafted and agreed, and contracts re-written. The Trade Federation put aside the question of the mining concessions until the next phase. The pace was now fast moving and Ledora saw the hospital station within her grasp. Once, Hanshara looked up to meet the eyes of Lord Sarin, who she felt was looking at her with some sort of speculation, and perhaps, something else, which intrigued her.  She was not normally intrigued by the casual attentions of men, and this in itself made her curious.

*****

Later, as day was turning into night on the planet of Naboo, Lord Sarin studied the changing vista spread out before him from the deserted Gallery in the ship, high above the planet. At this time of day, there were few, if any, visitors. There was time to reflect, to plan for tomorrow, perhaps even relax a little from the service of his master. Now though, he was focused within himself, ordering his thoughts, planning the steps he needed to take regarding the Lady Sinn-Tau and this new awareness that had burst upon him.

His body ached for her even now. All he could do was control what it was possible to control and hope that would be sufficient for them both. For the Zabrak there was nothing to discuss, nothing to decide, it must be accepted.  He had not wanted or expected this ever in his lifetime, but this compulsion has been in Zabrak blood for millennia upon millennia, nothing would be different for him. He must respond to its demands, and he was unconcerned now with the fact that she was a Jedi, he just wanted her with every fibre of his being.  He was rather concerned with how a human female would react to him, for this cross-species attraction was unknown in the annals of his people.  She was not hostile to him certainly, but being of a different species, a relationship such as this required a commitment beyond that normally expected of a female, for even in this enlightened era there were those who preached racial purity above all.

And what of his master?  Palpatine was a jealous god and not always predictable, that he had learned in his years as his assistant and Aide. If he was not told about this he would find out, and then there could be danger to them both from a wrath and anger that was unsurpassed by anything that he had ever witnessed elsewhere.  Moreover, the punishments his master sometimes thought to inflict were cruel beyond measure.  Punishments that scarred the soul, and sometimes the body until death mercifully intervened.  Some of these punishments Khameir had inflicted in the course of his work, and merciless man that he was, he shuddered at the thought of them happening to her.

To be continued... 

Feedback to:  dark-lady@blueyonder.co.uk