A Shadow at Dusk

Chapter 12

The short ride back to the village in the landspeeder was completed in almost total silence. Luke and Mara rode in the front of the vehicle while Talon and Shada sat in the back, Roza nestled between them. The child had fallen into an exhausted sleep with her head resting comfortably in Shada's lap and her little legs thrown over Talon's.

When Mara glanced back at them, she noticed that Shada was also dozing off, her eyes closed and her head swaying slightly on her shoulders. Mara frowned at Talon and motioned toward Shada.

Talon looked over at Shada just as her chin hit her chest. Smiling a bit sheepishly at Mara, he slid his arm around Shada and pulled her gently against him. She didn't awakened, even when her head lolled back until it rested against his shoulder. He tucked the blankets more securely around her and Roza and closed his own eyes. Weariness weighed heavily on all of them.

The village was brightly lit with torches and what seemed to be hundreds of candles when they arrived. A few of the younger people who had not been part of the search parties were gathered in front of the communal hut.

Luke guided the big landspeeder to a gentle halt in front of them. Adah, who had remained behind with the other children, rushed forward to greet them, moving quickly to Luke's side of the speeder.

"Master...?" she started breathlessly, but Luke cut her off, "It's alright, Adah. We have her and she's fine."

The young woman's shoulders slumped in relief and she murmured, "Oh, Master."

Mara smiled and with a wave of her hand brought up the lights in the speeder. Adah peered into the backseat for a moment, then straightened. "She is indeed very fine," she told Luke, a huge smile lighting up her face.

The occupants in the rear of the speeder slept on dreamlessly, never knowing she was there.

*I hate to wake them,* Mara thought at Luke, smiling slightly as she glanced over her shoulder.

*Well, that's all very nice and everything,* Luke grumbled good-naturedly in return. *But I'm tired. All I want is to go back to our hut, clean this infernal mud off of me and climb into bed...with you, wife.*

Mara laughed softly. *That sounds like an excellent idea...husband.* Her smile widened at the term. Sometimes, even after a year, she found it remarkable to think of him that way.

He was watching her expectantly, and she stifled an impulse to reach over and smooth that errant lock of hair that always insisted on falling across his forehead. *Why don't we take our little family in the backseat home and then we'll see about going...to bed ourselves,* she suggested teasingly.

The light in Luke's blue eyes was beginning to burn brilliantly when they were startled by a loud and prolonged noise.

They both turned to stare out the window of the landspeeder. A few meters from them stood Adah, a long, slender animal horn held to her lips. They saw her take a deep breath and then the sound came again, apparently from deep within the horn itself.

"Sithspit," Luke cursed mildly and Mara looked at him questioningly. "She's calling back the search groups," Luke told her, grimacing. "We'll have to wait for them, now."

Mara slumped in her chair, disappointment and weariness surging in her. She glanced at Luke who shrugged at her apologetically.

The horn sounded again, and from behind them came, "What in Sith's hell is that fiendish noise?"

Mara choked off a laugh and turned around to see Shada blinking her eyes rapidly and sitting up as Talon complained bitterly.

"It's an animal horn, Talon," Mara said succinctly.

"Well, do the creature a favor and put a blaster bolt through its head to put it out of its misery," Talon carped. He pulled Roza into his lap as she mumbled in her sleep.

Mara and Luke both laughed, but Shada yawned and said, "It's a person, Talon, blowing on an animal horn. They use them on my planet too. To call people."

Talon still wasn't pacified. "Give him a comlink," he groused.

The other three laughed, as Shada reached over to put her hand against Roza's forehead. The child still felt a little cool, but her body temperature had risen substantially and it looked like she was going to be just fine.

It took almost a half hour for the remaining search groups to start coming in. Vashi and Enee both were in the first one, and Luke and Mara got out to meet them.

"Master?" Vashi asked a bit breathlessly.

"She's fine," Luke said, placing his hand on the young man's shoulder.

Vashi slumped with relief, and Enee's hand stole quietly into one of his. "I've never lost one of my people to an accident," Vashi murmured, squeezing Enee's fingers.

"A good leader must always feel responsible for his people," Luke told him softly. "But he is not invincible."

Vashi looked up at Luke, searching his eyes. Then he nodded. "Yes, Master, I understand."

Mara smiled at Luke. Forever the teacher, she thought affectionately.

A noise from the landspeeder drew their attention and they looked over to see the transparisteel canopy folding back. Shada vaulted out and walked rapidly around to the other side. When Talon handed Roza to her, she hoisted the sleeping child onto her shoulder, making sure the blanket was still tucked firmly around her.

Mara couldn't help but smirk. Shada D'ukal, she thought, Shadow Guard warrior extraordinaire, as tender with that child as any mother in the galaxy. An almost vision floated in front of Mara suddenly and her eyes went slightly out of focus. Talon and Shada were standing close to one another, with a small group of children surrounding them. Waves of happiness and contentment swirled around them. Mara blinked, felt her heart leap with...joy? And then the vision faded. "Well, I'll be Kesseled," she muttered under her breath.

Adah had gone over to Shada and the two women were talking quietly. Then Adah reached for Roza and Shada handed her over a bit reluctantly. Adah turned and began to walk away, but Roza awakened and peered sleepily over her shoulder at Shada, the blanket still wrapped securely around her. However, the child didn't say anything and Adah took her into one of the huts.

Another search group entered the village and there was a lot of noise, cheering and shouting when its members learned that Roza was safe and sound. Mara figured they would soon break into some sort of tribal dance, and she moved closer to Luke.

"Let's secure the speeder and go to our hut," she whispered to him. "I don't think I'm up for any celebrations right now."

He nodded. "Me, either."

They walked over to Talon and Shada and explained their plans. If anything, Shada and Talon were more tired than Luke and Mara, so after helping them store the speeder for the night, the two couples disappeared in the directions of their respective cabins.

Talon sighed heavily as he pushed open the door to their large hut. He was tired, but Shada had to be almost to the point of exhaustion. He watched her face as he held the door open for her. Little lines had formed at the corners of her mouth and her eyes squinted from the light of the candles they had left burning.

"Why don't you wash up first," he told her as they entered the common room. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head and without saying anything, walked to the small room at the back of the bedroom that served as a makeshift refresher.

Talon took a bucket of water off the table and put it on the hearth in front of the fireplace. He knelt and threw some kindling on the dying embers, blowing on them to start a blaze again.

Soon, a roaring fire leapt up the chimney, reflecting on his handsome face. Its warmth seeped rapidly into the cold room. He placed the bucket of water closer to the fire, hoping it would heat rapidly.

He pulled over a stool and sat down on it, grimacing at the mud coating his boots. Undoing the lacing took a little time, but he finally pulled them off with a grunt of satisfaction. As he rubbed his tired feet, the unwelcome thought crossed his mind that he was getting a little too old for these types of adventures.

He noticed steam beginning to rise from the bucket of water he had placed near the fire. He stood quickly, grabbed the handle of the bucket and headed for the small room at the back of the bedroom.

"Shada?" he called over the sound of muted splashing. "Yes?"

"I have some warm water here."

There was a short pause and then Shada's head peeked. It was clear she was carefully hiding the rest of her body behind the door.

Talon handed her the bucket, which she took a bit awkwardly. "Thanks, Talon."

He smiled at her then retreated back to the fireplace.

He was dozing on the stool, the warmth of the fire soothing him, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

When he looked up, Shada was smiling gently down at him. "There's still some warm water left," she told him.

He nodded as he shook off his sleepiness. Rising from the stool, he found himself standing very close to Shada who had not moved away.

They stared intently at one another and Talon could see the rosy warmth of her clean skin and inhale the scent of her newly washed hair.

He drew in a sharp breath. He was rather surprised that not only hadn't she stepped away, but her eyes scanning his face as if she were trying to memorize his features.

Her lips parted slightly, drawing his attention, and he felt his lower abdomen lurch nervously. He loved her mouth and had spent hours dreaming about it. It was perfect, the lips full and wide, and the bottom one prone to pout when she was angry. It screamed for him to kiss it, and involuntarily, his head lowered toward hers.

She stepped away.

"You had better hurry," she whispered. "The water will get cold."

The tone of her words rung in his ears with startling clarity. Suddenly Talon knew that she was being affected by their nearness as much as he was. The revelation stunned him, and it was all he could do not to snatch her into his arms.

"Of course," he managed, walking to the 'refresher' in a daze, his heart thudding wildly in his chest.

He was out in record time, dressed only in a clean pair of pants over his newly washed body. His makeshift bath had renewed him, giving him energy that had been sadly lacking before.

Shada was sitting motionless before the fire and it surprised him. He had expected her to go straight to bed, leaving him to find his own way there. Probably to confront another row of pillows, he thought, his mouth quirking.

He cleared his throat and she turned.

"Enee brought us hot soup," she said and motioned to a bowl on the hearth. "I put some there to keep it warm for you."

He nodded and went to sit on the stool near hers. The soup was delicious and he realized that he was very hungry, spooning it into his mouth rapidly.

He gazed at her from the corner of his eyes, mesmerized by the firelight flickered over her face, outlining its strong, wonderful angles.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

The need for nourishment suddenly unimportant, he put his unfinished soup on the hearth and knelt beside her stool. She turned to look at him in surprise."Shada, I..." he started, but trailed off as her gray eyes darkened to almost black in the dancing light from the fire.

Feeling braver than he was, he took her hand, rubbing his thumb gently across the back of it. "I want to thank you," he whispered."Thank me?" she returned, just as quietly.

"Roza..." he began.

"We did that together," she interrupted, and his eyes locked on hers. He saw her swallow abruptly, and then she whispered, "We were a team."

Those four tiny words sent a wave of emotion through him unlike anything he had ever felt. He knew Mara and Luke still wanted to leave in the morning, and that left them so little time. He needed time to spend touching her, telling her the true wonder of her dark gray eyes, the way a look, a strand of dark hair, a quirk of her beautiful lips made him worship her. This woman could tear his heart from his body by simply looking at him, and he adored her power over him.

She was incredible to him and he ached for her.

He just wanted to touch her, to love her and care for her. He wanted to show her how happy they could be together and keep her safe with him always. He knew that if he could just touch her lips with his own words wouldn't be necessary.

He pulled her up to stand before him. His hands touched her face, caressed the corners of her eyes that were widening in surprise, traced the strong curve of the cheekbone that so defined her inner strength.

He thought she may have said something, but he didn't hear. He was conscious only that her lovely lips had moved. Drawn as if by an invisible force, he bent and covered them with his own, pulling her tall, slender body tightly against him.

He wouldn't have been surprised if she had pushed him away, but she didn't. Her long arms wrapped around his waist, and her lips opened beneath his like a flower seeking a solar flare.

Oh Shada, he thought, if you only knew, and he suddenly understood the desperate love Luke and Mara had for one another, how they craved each other's presence, how being apart tore them to shreds inside.

He felt Shada's long fingers exploring the contours of his bare back, and he moaned into her mouth, feeling suddenly weak in the knees.

He sat down suddenly on the stool behind him, pulling Shada down onto his lap. Their mouths broke apart briefly and it was Shada who feverishly began the kiss again, pressing her open mouth against his.

His hands threaded through her damp hair and he plunged his tongue into her mouth, eliciting a groan from them both.

They kissed desperately as if both had suddenly realized they had very little time. Their tiredness seemed to have flown right up the chimney with the smoke from the fire.

One of Shada's hands caressed his chest, her fingers easing through the fine hair beneath his collarbone.

Suddenly, she broke the kiss and pressed his face into her neck. "Talon?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Hmmm..." he mumbled, pressing his lips against the sensitive hollow at the base of her throat, feeling her rapid pulse.

"Have we...? I mean...?" she started and then stopped.

He sensed her confusion and he pulled back slightly to look into her face. He suddenly understood that she was remembering and he whispered, "Have we kissed like this before?"

Slowly, she nodded.

He traced a finger across her stunning mouth. "Yes."

He felt her lips part and she breathed, "When?"

"The other night."

She sat up in his lap, looking down at him with the beginnings of a frown between her eyes. "Night?" she repeated. "You mean...you..."

He shook his head and said softly, "No,...you."

"Me?"

He felt the fissure of surprise jolt through her body and he gave her time to absorb it.

"I..." she started, but he cut her off by laying a finger against her mouth.

"The fever had made you barely coherent. You didn't know what you were doing," he told her gently. "But Shada...it was wonderful."

He fought a smile as the color eased up her throat into her face.

"We didn't...?" she asked, her face now flaming.

"No," he assured her.

An odd expression flickered across her face, and Talon wasn't sure if she was glad or disappointed.

He cupped her face with his hands and pulled her down to him. "It's alright," he whispered and then kissed her again, chastely, sweetly, his mouth closed.

Shada laid her head on his shoulder and the kiss continued, deepening, until they were caught up in it again. Her hands roamed over him leisurely, as if she wanted to take her time learning how he felt.

He groaned and broke the kiss to bury his face in her throat. "I lo..." he began, but she pulled his head up again and plunged her tongue into his mouth, kissing him frantically.

He pulled her against him, one hand sliding under her thin undershirt to cup a full, firm breast, exposed because she hadn't bothered to put on her underclothes after her bath.

It swelled to meet him, the tip hardening quickly. Shada moaned and pressed herself into his hand, silently begging him for more.

He eased her vest off and then his other hand found the bottom of her shirt and with a little help from her, pulled it over her head and tossed it back over his shoulder.

They pressed their naked chests against one another and moaned in unison.

Shada gripped his head and pulled it down to her, lifting herself to him.

He took a firm nipple into his mouth and laved his tongue around it, thanking the Force all the while that his woman wasn't shy.

"Oh gods," she groaned above him, her fingers running through his hair.

They didn't hear the first knock, but the second broke through their passionate haze.

"Who the hell?" Talon mumbled as Shada pushed him gently away.

Without saying a word, she got up from his lap and began searching the room for her shirt.

A third knock sounded.

"Sith's hell!" he grumbled, grabbing a towel from the floor and wrapping it about his waist, even though he had his pants on.

They were on a planet, primitive by the galaxy's standard, with very few people and he was interrupted more there than he was when he was on the Wild Karrde!

He flung open the door and blinked in surprise.

Vashi and Enee stood there, embarrassment oozing from them. A crying Roza was clutched tightly against Enee.

Talon loved them dearly, but he could have cheerfully strangled them both.

"Talon Karrde," Vashi began apologetically, but Roza suddenly turned in Enee's arms, sobbing loudly.

"Tawon! Tawon!" she held out her little arms to him, her chubby face red from prolonged crying.

Talon took her, trying to soothe her, but she continued to wail.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, trying to keep his temper under control. They had better not have tried to discipline her...

Vashi shook his head. "I do not know, Talon Karrde. She will not go to sleep and she cries and cries...buckets full." He sighed heavily.

"She kept asking for you, Talon Karrde," Enee suddenly said. "And Shada too." She looked down at her feet in embarrassment. "We did not know what else to do."

Talon glanced over his shoulder to see Shada coming toward them, tucking her shirt into her pants.

When she reached them, she said softly, "Roza?"

The child's sobbing stopped in mid-gulp and she opened watery blue eyes. "Shaaada," she choked and held out her arms again.

Shada smiled slightly and took her from Talon. Roza buried her face in Shada's neck, but she didn't cry anymore.

"We'll take care of her," Shada told Vashi and Enee, who were politely trying to hide their relief. "She'll be fine with us."

Talon sighed and glanced at her. Her eyes were dancing as she looked at him, and he could almost hear her saying, "Down, boy!"

He felt his lips twitch, but he moved a bit uncomfortably, his body still swollen in reaction to hers.

"We will bid you goodnight then," Vashi said, taking Enee's hand.

They beat a hasty retreat, fading into the milky darkness of the night.

Talon took a long, deep breath. "Shada, I'm taking a walk."

She looked at him in astonishment. "It's freezing out there."

"I know. I need the cold."

He stepped through the door, took the towel off and slung it over his bare shoulder. He disappeared into the night in the opposite direction from the one Vashi and Enee had taken.

*********************

A shaft of bright sunlight crossed Shada's face and she jerked awake, staring in disbelief at the window far up on the wall. It had to be nearly mid-morning for the planet's sun to be that high in the sky. What was she doing still asleep at such an hour?

She turned quickly in the bed and saw that both Roza and Talon were still deeply asleep, the child nestled in against Talon's arm.

Shada hadn't even heard him come in the night before. Once she and Roza had lain down in the bed, both had gone almost instantly asleep. The events of the night had finally caught up with them, especially for the child who had fallen quickly into an exhausted sleep.

Roza moved a little as Shada watched, a chubby arm finding its way across Talon's chest.

Shada swallowed when she saw that chest, their time before the fire coming forcibly back in her mind.

She closed her eyes and sank heavily back into her pillow. What had she been doing? How could she have ever let that happened?

With an audible groan, she swung her long legs out of the bed, careful not to disturb the others. Just as quietly, she padded into the refresher. Leaning over the tiny makeshift sink, she splashed some very cold water onto her face, appreciating its briskness as it shocked the last remnants of sleep from her.

Pulling a coarse towel over to her, she wiped the residual water off her face and, with a sigh, peered into the tiny mirror that she had brought with her from Mara's ship, the Jade Sabre.

There was still a tiny amount of water on her eyebrow, so she leaned closer and wiped it with the small section of the towel. As she was pulling away, she noticed something.

Her body stiffened sharply, her eyes widening until they appeared as huge gray pools in her sculptured face.

Shakily, her hand lifted and then touched the base of her throat. A memory, sharp and clear as vertex crystals, invaded her mind and she could feel Talon's mouth on the hollow of her throat again. His soft, warm breath caressing her as his tongue licked languidly across her skin. Then, only seconds before they had been disturbed by the knock on the door, his kisses had become more aggressive as he pulled the delicate skin into his mouth and sucked on it demandingly.

And right there now, before Shada's horrified gaze, was the result of that passionate moment. Nestled in the hollow on her throat was a small, angry-looking bruise, not all that noticeable unless one was looking closely, but clear as transparisteel against her ivory skin to anyone who did look.

I'm going to kill him, she thought, and it's going to be a slow and agonizing death. Panic began to rise in her. There was no way she could hide it, no way that she could explain it for anything other than what it was...a love bite, she thought furiously. And it was not as if there was any hope that someone as perceptive as Mara Jade would not notice it. What could she do? She had not brought any shirts with her that would cover her neck that far up and she couldn't very well go around wearing her flight helmet.

"Shassa" she snarled, the old Shadow Guard battle curse coming to the surface in her angrier moments.

She quickly dressed and then stomped out of the refresher to run smack into Talon who had been tucking his long shirt into his pants.

"Whoa," he said, laughing. He grabbed her arms and steadied her. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

When she didn't answer, he smiled gently. He lifted a hand and caressed her face, then whispered softly, "Good morning." He lowered his mouth toward hers but then gasped in pain when Shada casually ground the heel of her foot onto his little toe.

"Awwww..." Talon exclaimed, letting her go and hopping to hold his foot with his hand.

"Oh, so sorry," Shada said, sweetly, and moved to go around him.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him again. "Oh, no, you don't. What was all that about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered, taking his hand off her arm and moving into the common area.

After glancing at Roza to make sure she was still asleep, he followed her, limping a little as his toe still stung painfully.

He decided to be blunt. "Why didn't you want me to kiss you?"

Shada whirled around, anger rising in a flood inside her. If he had been closer, she would have knocked him out cold. "What makes you think you have the right to kiss me whenever you feel like it?" she snarled viciously.

Talon experienced the strangest feeling, as if his heart suddenly decided to shrivel into nothing inside his chest. Don't do this, he thought; please don't do this.

"I...last night..." he began.

Shada cut him off. "It was a mistake. It won't happen again," she said coldly as she turned her back on him again. Damn him, damn him, she thought. Why does he have to make me feel this way? She was shocked to find that her hands were shaking. She couldn't allow herself a relationship with Talon Karrde. She must have been out of her mind the night before. It had to have happened because of all the emotions they had expended over Roza almost drowning. It occurred in a weak moment, but it could never, ever happen again.

Talon sighed behind her. "Shada, you and I...I thought..."

Shada shook her head violently, her dark hair flying about her face. "It's not going to happen, Talon. Don't you understand? It shouldn't happen. You're my employer, my boss. It's not professional."

"Not professional?" Talon repeated, as if the whole idea was a foreign concept.

"Yes," Shada literally snarled. "I've never had that type of relationship with an employer before, and I'm not starting now. I don't want a cheap affair with my boss."

The fissure of sheer rage that ripped through him startled Talon. Why was it that this woman was the only person who could make him lose his temper? "Is that what you think it would be? A cheap affair?" he demanded viciously.

"What else would it be? Everyone from here to Coruscant thinks I'm your whore anyway. It would just become a fact," Shada spat. She was surprised at herself. She was close to losing control, something she always prided herself on never doing.

Talon took three quick steps to her and gathered the front of her shirt in his fist, lifting her onto her toes. It was a very brave thing to do, considering that Shada could snap his neck like a twig before he had realized that she had even moved.

"Damn you, Shada D'ukal. You don't have a clue, do you? I love you. Do you know what that means, woman? I want you, my body burns for you, but I won't have you until you tell me you love me too."

He stared furiously at her. Then he flung her away from him, turned on his heel, and disappeared out the door.

Shada closed her eyes, visions of Talon's broken and battered corpse lying at her feet floating pleasurably on the back of her eyelids. Shassa! When had her calm, collected employer become so impossible?!

She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and went back into the bedroom. She was relieved to see that Roza still slept soundly and had not heard any of the argument from the common room.

A beeping from her side of the bed caught her attention, and she hurried over to it, grabbing up the comlink before it woke the child.

"D'ukal here," she said, walking quickly back into the common area.

"And good morning to you, too," Mara's dry voice came over the comlink.

Shada's mouth twitched. "Good morning, Mara. A little late, aren't we?"

She heard Mara sigh heavily. "Yes, we are, and Luke's not pleased about it."

Shada grimaced. "I'm sorry, we overslept."

"No, not your fault," Mara reassured her. "It's mine. I woke in time, but Luke was so exhausted, I let him sleep." There was a pause, then Mara sighed again. "He's not very happy with me right now."

Shada scoffed silently and murmured under her voice. "Join the crowd."

"What's that?" Mara asked.

"Nothing," Shada said. "It's not important."

Mara waited a moment and then said calmly. "Luke wants to leave within the hour. Do you think you and Talon can be ready?"

"I think so. But Talon's not here right now. I'll tell him as soon as he returns."

"He's not there?" Mara's voice was curious.

"He left a little while ago. He...I...," Shada faltered, and then murmured reluctantly. "He was a little upset."

There was a pause and finally Mara asked softly, "With you?"

Shada sighed and decided to admit it. "Yes, we had a...eh...discussion... then he stormed out. I don't know where he is or when he'll be back."

"Ahhh...must be something in the air this morning," Mara said wryly. "Luke's not here either. Maybe they'll find each other and talk about us. That should make them feel better." Mara's familiar sarcastic tone was back.

Shada forced a weak laugh, then said, "I'll have everything packed. We'll be ready when you are, I'm sure."

"Sounds good. Jade out."

Shada turned off the comlink and retreated back into the bedroom. She sat on the corner of the bed, staring at nothing. What an unholy mess, she thought. Here we are, about to go off on a trip with the Skywalkers, and we're probably not even going to be speaking to one another.

She touched the hollow at the base of her throat again. I couldn't let it go on, she thought sadly. I just couldn't.

'I love you,' he had said. No one but members of her family had ever told her that. No man, for sure. At least one who meant it, and Shada had a feeling Talon meant it. She swallowed abruptly and put a hand to her face. Talon, blast you. Our lives were perfect and now this...

"Shaaaydaa?" Roza asked softly and put her arms around Shada who hadn't even heard the child awaken and slide across the bed. "Shaayda sad?"

Shada pulled her around into her lap. "I'm fine, baby."

She ran a hand through the silky blond hair, pushing it back from Roza's face. "How do you feel? Do you hurt anywhere?"

Roza lifted her arm and showed Shada some faint scratches that hadn't even broken the skin.

Shada smiled and raised the arm, placing a soft, lingering kiss on the largest scratch. "Now, is it better?"

Roza nodded happily.

"Too bad I don't have a scratch," Talon's deep voice interrupted.

Shada shot him a dirty look, but didn't say anything because Roza squealed his name and held out her arms.

He took the child and hugged her. "Hello, Roza. Did you have a nice sleep?"

Roza didn't answer, just burrowed against him, her tiny arms hugging him tightly.

He looked at Shada over her head, and they stared at one another for a long moment.

Shada moved uncomfortably and then said, "I talked to Mara. She and Luke want to leave within the hour."

Talon nodded and shifted Roza to a more comfortable position. "I saw Luke at the landspeeder," he told her. "He's anxious for us to get on our way."

Shada looked at him closely, Mara's comment about the men talking about them came to mind, but he didn't say anything else.

A sudden sniffle from the child caught their attention.

"Roza?" Talon asked, pulling her back a little so he could see her face. The child's eyes were screwed tightly shut and she was whimpering.

Shada stood. "What is it, baby?"

"You leavin'," Roza cried, a sob breaking from her.

The two adults exchanged startled and dismayed looks over the child's head. Why had neither one of them thought what their leaving would mean to tiny Roza who had grown so attached to them both?

"Roza," Talon began carefully, only to be interrupted by a loud and prolonged wail.

He looked helplessly at Shada who, with a sigh, took the child from him. "Baby, it's okay," she whispered, hugging Roza to her.

"Mama!" Roza cried, her arms tightening around Shada in a death grip.

Shada blinked. Surely the child wasn't mistaking her for her mother again.

She sat down on the bed, holding Roza against her. "Roza," she said softly. "Don't cry. It will be all right. I promise you."

Roza's wails reached a new, higher octave, and Shada was conscious that Talon had moved closer. She looked up at him, surprising a rather strange and thoughtful expression on his face. He stared at Shada for a long moment, causing her to swallow abruptly and look away.

Talon sat down beside them on the bed. "Roza? Roza, look at me."

The child continued to wail for a moment and then turned her face to him, her head still pressing tightly against Shada's shoulder.

Talon took a small chain from around his neck. From it hung a tiny blue medallion.

He showed it to the child. "Roza, Shada and I have to leave," he began and the child's bottom lip started to tremble again. He put a long finger delicately against it. "But I need someone to keep this for me. You see, I'm really afraid I'll lose it when we go on our...little...eh, trip." He caressed the child's cheek. "Will you keep it for me until I get back?"

Shada looked at him sharply. What was he saying?

But Talon just shook his head slightly at her, warning her silently to be quiet.

Roza stared at him with huge blue eyes very similar in color to the medallion. "You come back?" she asked in a watery gasp.

"Yes," Talon whispered, leaning over to kiss her softly on the cheek.

"Shada too?" Roza asked, tightening her grip around Shada's neck.

Talon looked up at Shada. His eyes were cautious, but Shada sensed the pleading in them.

She shot him a stern and disapproving look. There was no use in getting the child's hopes up like this. But then again, she had known Talon for quite a while. He probably was planning on coming back. She took a deep breath and said, "Yes, Shada too."

Roza suddenly sat up in her lap and planted a smacking kiss on Shada's cheek. Then she reached over and took the chain from Talon. "I keep," she said, a tiny smile flickering across her little mouth as she pulled the medallion over her head. "I keep for you."

End of Part I

On to Part II