Rumours - Part 2
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She sat on the floor of her room, naked and alone, twirling her sabre in her hands, wondering…just wondering what it would feel like…
She paused and pressed the cool metal between her breasts…her finger dancing on the activation switch….wondering just wondering what it would feel like to…
Her comm suddenly chimed, brought out of her almost nightly dance with death she flicked on the screen,
>>To: Neirai.Sofa@ JT.PADAW
>>From: Lyssiason.Valens@ JT.PADAW
>>Thought this might help with your Trials…Sure you’ll get there soon…
>>Don’t listen to those pfassks
Attachment: Trials_Notes.Doc
The attachment was a copy paste job with Valens notes about Jedi trials taken from what must’ve been hundreds of old holo-books…his notes detailed the connecting threads, the most common philosophies tested and the best ways to answer questions. It must’ve taken him months to do this…odd she never remembered seeing him before the coma…
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There was a commotion outside the Gym when she arrived the next morning,
“What’s happening?” she asked Oma,
“huh…oh…check it out,”
Behind the crowd of amused onlookers a Temple technician with a fusion cutter was slicing one of the ducts from the training course that was stuck on Magin – all that could be seen of him was a pair of legs, the duct looked like it had been fused shut at the end…it was more than big enough for him to fit…yet it looked like it had compressed around him. Aryck was nearby nursing a bloody nose and a bruised eye where something had smacked him in the face.
“They were in early doing a practice run together…don’t know what happened,”
“Pretty embarrassing huh,” came a familiar voice behind her.
“Deen…” she turned quickly
Nura’n Deen…tall, dark and handsome, they had gone through most of their years together, been slated to take the trials only two day apart till her coma had robbed her of it. He was Knight Deen now,
“Hey Sof, good to see you again, once you’re done with your lessons why don’t we catch up at the old hang out, I’m only on Cosuscant for a few days between missions,”
“Uh…sure…” she replied as Master Hk’Tn arrived followed by the ever morose Valens.
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Fortunately, even after a few months hidden under her bed, the lipstick was still moist enough to go on smoothly. She dabbed it all off, she couldn’t get caught wearing it in the temple.
The day had been a rush and an eternity at once…she and Deen had been together – well together as two padawan’s could be – before her coma…
He had been one of the few guys who stuck around longer than one make out session…she had even planned after his trial to…well undergo another more personal initiation with him…despite the rumours she’d already frelled half the padawans.
She frowned checking there was no sleep or anything in her eyes, she hadn’t wanted he reputation she’d gotten, no one would. She had just wanted someone to talk to, to spoil her a bit…more than a friend…and she’d found it…but as soon as those first few boys had gotten under her shirt…they just kept pushing and she just wasn’t ready…she wanted someone committed to her.
Every time she’d think this one will be different, and every time it was the same…they’d memorise every detail of her body she’d show them, but wouldn’t know a thing about what she liked, what she thought, how she felt….but as soon as she dumped them the rumours would begin again, that she was just sleeping around, hungry for any kind of male appendage she could get her mouth around…
Pictures, graffiti…and worse the nicknames…Slutfest Sofa, Six Credit Sofa after she allegedly Ryloth-kissed a Sephi who had bought her a Bluemilk shake for six credits. He had bought her the shake but nothing more than talking happened.
At least Deen hadn’t fallen into those rumours. She used her comm holo-picter to take a quick photo of herself from behind to make sure she looked ok from all angles. She needed to look like a woman if not a Knight for Deen.
Then the coma…she and Deen had only being going for a few weeks…now everyone assumed that her coma was a cover story - taking advantage or the real coma’s others had suffered- for her and Deen getting caught in the act.
As she headed out Valens was meandering though the quiet halls of the Temple, seemingly fascinated by what looked like an empty old storage room.
“Hey,” she said,
He seemed not to notice her,
“Hello…Orbital Control to Valens….”
“Huh…oh…sorry I was just watching the Jedi…” she peered into the empty room, there was nothing there at all
“Nevermind…”
“Right, well I wanted to thank you for that info on the Trials, really helpful,”
“Oh of course, no trouble at all…we’ll both be going soon I think…umm you’ve been doing really well in the gym lately…you might want to do more work on your left leg though, you’ve been favouring your right a bit…”
“Umm, thanks I’ll do that,”
“Oh I uh got you…well not just you…everyone…this…” he fumbled around his robe and pulled out a small badge with a cute black and white furry creature, an ewok she though with the words “Hug Me I Need Help” on it.
“That’s soooo cute…what’s it for…”
“Oh it’s a fundraising thing for um youth suicide…it’s like…it’s hard for people to admit they have a problem…so you like wear this instead…its easier for younger kids….probably older ones too though….”
That hit her hard as she remembered the night before…her sabre to her breast…her eyes started to tear up as she looked at the pleading sad little ewok on the badge…black and white…just like her colouring
“Umm…sorry,” she sniffed, “Thanks…that’s really cool,”
“No trouble at all…umm you better go…”
“Oh yeah don’t want to be late!” she said recovering herself.
Only when she was a few corners away did she wonder how Valens had known she was late for anything….he must’ve noticed the make-up…but she’d wiped it off hadn’t she?
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The usual place was a quiet part of a nearby mall they’d often hung out together when they got a day off. Deen was waiting for her, dressed like a dream.
“Sofa…wow you look great,” She’d put on her make-up and tossed off her robe to reveal her more casual two piece outfit as soon as she got past the temple plaza.
“Thanks,” she replied pushing a stray lock from her eyes trying to look sultry,
They headed to the food court nearby as he told her about his missions, so far fairly simple stuff, low levels smugglers mostly. Still it was so exciting to her stuck in the Temple…she’d been on dozens of missions with Soryu…but to be the one driving it from start to finish no one looking over your shoulder…as much as he loved Soryu…she needed that freedom.
“so how have you been,” he finally turned the topic to her
“Oh me…oh I’m fine, getting there I guess,”
He reached across the table to take her hand,
“I’ve missed you…your face, your voice…everything about you….”
With that she was putty in his hands as they seemingly flew back to the Temple to the Temporary room where Knights stayed between missions. Sooner than she could consciously take in they were kissing, his hands trailing up her back.
“Maker Sofa…” he whispered into her ear and he tugged at her belt, “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this…”
“Me too,” she whispered,
“You’re mine now Sofa…” he said nibbling down he neck,
“All mine…no more fooling around with little padawans, you’ve got a real Knight to satisfy.”
Everything stopped in her head,
“What…” she felt her self seize up
“What…”
“what did you just say,”
“You’re my girl now,”
“No the bit about padawans,”
“What…just that…I don’t want you making out with anyone else, we should be exclusive,”
“Who said I was making out with anybody!” She said pushing him off,
“Come on Sofa, I’m not deaf, I know what you’re like, but I don’t care, come on…” he pulled her back over,
“No…not until you at least apologise, I can’t believe you believe those rumours,”
“Oh for frells sake Sofa…I bet you weren’t this bitchy with Magin, or Aryck”
She pushed him off again,
“OK I never slept with Magin…Aryck is a perve who felt me up”
“Whatever, I don’t want to talk about this,”
“No I want to talk about this, I want to know what you really think about me!” she started to yell,
“Keep your voice down, someone will hear us!”
“Don’t ever tell me what to do!” She stood up, “I’m leaving, I’m sick of this dren…sick of it…”
He leapt in front of her standing between her and the door, his eyes on fire,
“Would you shut up! You’re sick - I’m sick of this, I’ve waited long enough! Waited while you were unconscious, waited while you were in rehab...now I want something to show for it!”
The content of his words shocked her more than the anger with which he delivered them,
“What you think because you waited you’ve somehow earned having sex with me, is that it! Like just hang around long enough and I’ll pay out! Go get your lightsabre and shove it up your…”
Her head snapped to the side her cheek flushed and stung from the slap,
“I told you to shut up,” he seethed as he towered over her,
She was in shock she didn’t know what to do…she crumpled t her knees staring at the indifferent ruddy brown floor…
Try and fight back…he was twice her size
Or just give in…play along until she could get out.
The door suddenly whooshed open,
“Oh sorry wrong room….” Came a familiar voice…a pause
“Sofa…are you alright…what’s going on…”
“Get lost you weasley little dren licker before, this is none of your business,”
“Not unless Sofa leaves with me,”
“I told you to get lost or I’ll put your face through the wall,”
“Try it - I dare you,”
She looked up just as Deen smashed Valens in the side of the face with a heavy, no doubt force enhanced, fist. His head snapped around…then slowly turned back to face him only slightly bruised.
Deen hit him again…and again…and again…every time it was the same…even as the blood dripped from Valens nose he stood his ground indifferent to the punishment.
“Are you finished?” Valens asked with cool detachment…any trace of the bumbling odd outcast she had seen over the last few weeks seemingly gone.
She could feel Deens utter confusion in the force…short of taking a lightsabre to him there was no way Valens was going to back down…yet to do that would end his career and land him in prison. Yet to let Valens go would result in exactly the same outcome.
The sabre flew across the room, but it wasn’t Deen pulling it…it landed in Valens grip, with unnatural strength he crushed it in his bare hand, metal peeling around his fingers, the crystal cracking with a hideous screech.
Deen just stared at him wide eyed. Valens crouched a little and offered his hand to her…she grabbed it faster than a Hutt would grab a credit chit.
As she stood Valens dropped the ruins of the sabre to the floor,
“You ever bother her again, that is what I’ll do to you,”
Deen was visibly shaking as the door slid closed.
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She hated it…all of it…
There was no way she could make a formal complaint without getting in trouble herself…She was lucky that Soryu didn’t believe the rumours and after a few training sessions recommended her once more for the trials.
She wished she could talk to him about it…but she just wasn’t sure how he would take it.
She flipped the button in her hand, the cute little ewok staring out at her as the winds picked up across the balcony.
She pinned it to her tunic
“Hug Me I Need Help” she whispered along with the poor ewok…
“Uh…are you…” she jumped as the voice startled her,
“Frell, Valens…trying to scare me to death,”
He suddenly looked terribly anxious, “No, sorry, I’ll leave you alone…”
“No wait…” she called,
“Congratulations, I heard you passed the trials!”
“Hmm oh…yeah well…that was…ok…are you…you alright…no one’s been bothering you…”
Oddly no one had, things seemed to have eased off dramatically over the fortnight since Deen left after having to build another sabre, claiming his was ‘lost’, embarrassing for a Jedi…but less than she thought he deserved. It was the rumours, the memory of those rumours that was hurting her still.
“No it’s just…” she looked down at the badge...making her choice she placed it between her fingers and flickered the suns reflection against its glossy surface.
He stood stone still…not seeming to take the hint, she began to worry he thought she was a slut just like everyone else…
“Umm…are you sure…I wouldn’t want to…that is I do want to but…” he struggled with his words,
“I’d never touch you without your permission first,”
He was so sweet!
“ha, fine,” she laughed, “you have my permission to hug me,”
He slowly approached, if she didn’t get up and move toward him it might’ve taken a year for him to reach her…His hug was at best stilted and formal.
“umm…Yoda and I are…going away for a while…” he said as they parted
“But…I was wondering if I could…maybe, with your permission, message you every now and then....”
“I’d like that,” she nodded,
“We’re not leaving straight away…so…what do you need help with now that I’ve hugged you?” he asked,
As she started talking for the first time ever she felt like she would finally be heard.
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