Never Talk to Strangers...

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Star Wars universe and I make no money off my stories.

A/N OK, we're starting to get into some really emotional territory for me. I really appreciate feedback, guys because it helps me stay motivated and with material like this, it can be hard to know how I'm doing. So let me know. And without further explanation, the next installment...

Rising Stakes


A’zael pauesed by one of the store fronts. “We need to stop here.”

Aislynn looked at the sign and rolled her eyes. “I am not going in that place. Not with you. Not with anyone.”

“Gods preserve me girl, you’re not that big a prude.” The other woman grabbed her and hauled her inside by the hand. “Besides, you could use something small and sexy.”

Aislynn’s face burned. She tried to make herself look very small and inconspicuous as her friend started looking through racks of underwear. At least Aislynn hoped it was meant to be worn under something.

“So is he leather or lace?”

“What?”

“Your boy. Every man’s got a preference.”

“I don’t... He likes red.”

A’zael gave her an exasperated look. “It’s a start.” They moved towards the back of the store and A’zael’s voice suddenly sounded serious. “Have you told him yet?”

Aislynn’s hand unconsciously stroked her stomach. “I’m not even sure. It’s too early to tell.”

“They have a ten credit test for that, girl. We can drop by after we finish here, and be on our way in time for lunch. But you don’t need to waste the money. I’ve seen enough of my friends get knocked up to know what's wrong with you.”

“A’zael, I don’t ... I don’t know what he’ll say.”

“And you won’t know until you tell him. He left you alone again didn’t he?”

Aislynn picked up something random fro the rack and did her best to study it.

“He might not do that if he knew,” A’zael suggested gently.

“And I have no right ot keep him here if he doesn’t want to be here. It’s been so good having him around this much. This past year has been... I don’t want to rush him.”

“Ash it’s been ten years. The man needs some rushing at this point or you’ll both be too old to enjoy his retirement.”

“He’s been calling me. Every night. He never did that before. He never called me. Not once.”

“You’re not going to be abe to avoid telling him forever, and how will he feel about you keeping it from him. This isn’t a game Aislytnn. This is a child we’re talking about. Your child. His child.”

“I know. I just...”

“You should tell him. Give him an incentive to get you off this rock. You can send us pictures of the kid, and Kip’ll post ‘em all over the bar like a good granddaddy. Mac’ll give us weekly updates on all that unimportant parental crap and you can get on with your life. You deserve it. This pit’s nowhere to start a family.”

“I know all this A’zael. I’m just terrified that he won’t... that he won’t be as happy as I am. That he might...”

“Boy understands the facts of life. If he didn’t want kids, he could have done plenty before now to prevent it. Look, Ash, I know you’re scared. But you need to tell him. He’s coming in tonight you said?”

“Yeah, that’s what he said yesterday when he called. He didn’t sound too happy. I hope nothing went wrong.”

“Something always goes wrong, but he’ll be here tonight, and you’ll be with him, and you’ll make him forget all that. Here,” A’zael reached down and took an outfit off the rack, a red silk number which shimmered in the dim light. She held it up to Aislynn’s form.

“Half of it seems to be missing,” Aislynn said flatly.

“They’re supposed to be crotchless,” A’Zael returned without misssing a beat.. “Now we’ll send you home with this little number, and a bottle of that wretched non alcoholic sparkly that you like, and you can fuck his brains out before you tell him he’s going to be a daddy. Then you tell him to get you off this bloody rock, or aunt A’zael’s going to find someone to kick his ass.”

Aislynn laughed.

“You think I can’t? I know a lot of people, darling,” A’Zael said, laughing as they walked to the register.

“I can’t let you pay for that A’zael.”

“Nonsense. I still owe the two of you. Besides, just consider it an early shower present. You know I wouldn’t get you any of those wretched little squeaky toys...ooh, how much is the robe. I didn’t see that...”

“Don’t you dare!”

~ ~ ~

Boba Fett stormed into the palace as the suns were just beginning to set. Even those unused to his subtle moods could feel the danger emanating from him. Droids and Gomorreans alike moved quickly aside as he swept into the main hall. Two sharp words to Jabba’s Twi’lek confirmed the success of his mission and without bothering to negotiate, Fett stalked back to his chambers.

He was not surprised to find a hot bath drawn. It was one of the few true luxuries Aislynn insisted upon. He tossed his helmet on the floor by the door. She crossed the room and threw her arms around him. The day’s heaviness melted away, along with some of the frustration he felt.

“I should have waited a few minutes longer. I could have caught you naked.”

She laughed. “I had it brought up for you. I heard you were on your way and I thought, after the way you sounded last night, that you could use it.”

“You worry about me too much,” he replied, but wasted no time in stripping down. As he stepped into the hot water, Aislynn gathered up his clothes and laid them in a pile near the door. “I’ll get those.”

“No. You relax. I’m going to send these down for cleaning and then I’m coming back to check for new scars.”

He laughed, then abruptly sobered. “You won’t find any. Not this time.”

She was gone only a moment or two, and when she came back, she was wearing a shimmering black dressing robe of shimmering silk. “You and A’zael went shopping I see.”

“Why did it have to be the two of us?”

“Because she’s the only one who could have talked you into buying something like that.”

She muttered something he couldn’t hear and her face turned red.

“I missed that.”

“Never mind. How was your trip.”

“Profitable. Wretched. I had to kill a friend of mine.”

“What?”

“Not a friend exactly. Someone I used to partner with a bit when I was first learning the business. He knew I was going after Rigel and figured he could get there first. He was wrong. It was either him or me.”

“Oh Boba, I’m so sorry.”

“Idiot. All he had too do was turn around and go home. I would have let him leave. Hell, if he needed the money that badly, I would have let him have the kill. But he had to go all balls to the wall. What the fuck is wrong with us, Ash?”

She knelt beside the tub and reached around to rub his shoulders. He never talked this much at a sitting. She could tell that in spite of his angry words, this death had affected him deeply. So she stayed silent and let him talk.

“I been thinking a lot lately, you know. Too much I’m sure. But I’m getting old, Ash. I’m over thirty now.”

“Ancient,” she said drily.

“In this business that’s damn near ancient history. Most are worm food by twenty and the rest are smart enough to retire and do something else by twenty five. And here I am and where am I going? I got a good girl. I got a good ship. I could go anywhere in the galaxy, and I’ve got you tied up in this shithole.”

She started working her fingers through his dark hair as he continued.

“I always wondered why my father, why a man like him would want a kid. Why he went to so much trouble to have me, and that’s a story I don’t want to get into tonight, but he went to a good bit of trouble. I think I’m starting to understand. A man gets to a certain age I guess and he looks back at his life and wonders What has all this been for?

“The thought of dying has never bothered me before. All this time, I’ve had you waiting for me, and I never thought about it. It’s always been about the next hunt, the next thrill, the next payoff. I’ve always been good at playing the selfish bastard. ” He fell silent, staring at the water. She finished with his hair, and brought him a towel.

She had food waiting when he walked back into the bedroom, wearing only a long tunic. “Don’t miss any of the details do you?”

“I consider dinner to be significantly more than a detail. Eat.”

She leaned back against the pile of pillows, watching him. “You’re not eating?”

“I did. Earlier. I didn’t know exactly when you would be in and I was hungry,” she was twisting the tie of the robe between her fingers nervously. Each time she did, it slid lower down her left side, revealing tempting bits of flesh and...

He never finished a meal so quickly in his life. That wretched woman had talked her into buying lingerie. The empty plate clattered into the sink and he joined her on the bed. “Why are you so nervous tonight? Have you and A’Zael been plotting again?” he teased, reaching for the robe. She tried to slip away from him, but he pinned her easily.

He let the robe slide onto the floor, and smiled. “That wretched woman,” he said, sounding anything but displeased.

He skimmed his hands lightly over her body, moving them lower as he leaned in to kiss her. She arched her back as he reached between her legs.

“That is certainly interesting,” he murmured, against her lips.

“Glad you...” she gasped sharply, as his fingers moved within her. “Approve.”

“So long as you don’t start wearing those skirts she wears,” he reached behind her to remove the bra. She shifted her hips against him and heard him catch his breath. “If you wanted soft and tender, this was not the way to go about getting it,” he growled.

She nipped his shoulder in answer, hard enough to make him flinch. He released her only long enough to shed the shirt. She wrapped her legs around him as he thrust into her, burying himself in her warmth. He cast all worries away and lost himself in the feel of her body and her cries of pleasure.

He gave up all hope of control thrusting into her with wild abandon, feeling the vortex build between their straining bodies.

The final moment came too quickly and afterwards, he lay on his back in the darkness, wondering which one of them had turned off the lights. He ran his hand through her hair, damp with sweat. He wanted to burn this moment into his memory, fill his mind with such moments until nothing else remained.

Time suddenly seemed so precious to him. He knew he needed to make a choice before the chance slipped away from him forever.

“Aislynn?”

“Mmmm...” she murmured sleepily.

“Do you know why I have hidden my face all these years?”

“No,” she blinked and looked up at him, eyes wide and suddenly worried.

“Only a few people have ever seen my face. You. Kip, once or twice. Now A’zael. But most who could fit my face with the name Boba Fett is dead.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I have some money saved up. It’s not a lot but it should be enough.”

“Enough for what?”

“Enough to find a place, away from here. A place with blue water, green grass, and dark earth.”

“Horses?”

“Or whatever the local equivalent is. Yes. Somewhere on the edges of nowhere, where no one knows my name. Where gangsters, Rebels, and Emperors be damned, we can be happy. If you would spend the rest of your life with a stubborn, murderous old bastard like me. I know I don’t have any right to ask you, but... ” he trailed off.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes. Say you’ll run away with me and we can find that castle in the sky. Or build it, or whatever. Say yes.”

“Yes,” she managed to gasp before she burst into tears.

He pulled her against him, and she wept, soaking his chest with her tears. He could live forever and never understand women. He knew she was happy, but... eventually she slept. He lay awake a long time, holding her in his arms, reviewing in his mind all that needed to be done.