Okay here comes this monstrosity. Clean version will be uploaded here; smutty version uploaded to ff.net when I upload it there.
My Cruel Valentine
or
Between a Sith and a Hard Place
or
The Seduction of Malavai Quinn
He watched her through the window as she sat on the balcony of their temporary quarters on Quesh. She seemed to glow in the light of the ruddy setting sun, eyes filled with an indomitable light, a beatific smile on her face as she gazed into the distance, mind undoubtedly filled with plans for vengeance and domination. Not even a broken ankle dimmed her fire.
His stomach twisted within him. He knew where his loyalty ultimately lay. She was right, more right than she would ever know. But he couldn’t leave her. He was trapped, and torn, and one day soon, he would pay for it, one way or another.
Chapter 1: Balmorra
He stepped forward, jabbing a finger harshly into the soldier’s sternum. “If that’s your best, you’re useless to me, Jillins. I can shoot you right here with a clear conscience. Is that what you want?” Truth be told, there would be a lot of paperwork involved in shooting an underling, even one as incompetent as Corporal Hanson Jillins. Being a lowly lieutenant wasn’t like being a Sith, after all. But Emperor’s bones, Jillins was annoying.
“N-n-no, sir,” Jillins stammered, backing away with trembling voice.
“Then get out of here and fix the mess you’ve caused. Dismissed.”
“Y-yes, sir,” and Jillins fled. Past the unfamiliar woman leaning against the wall by the door.
And that was the moment he first saw her. She was not tall, maybe 165cm at most, but she was striking. White hair to her shoulders, slightly darker skin than Imperial norm, piercing golden eyes outlined in dramatic crimson eyeshadow, scarlet lips curved in what he would soon come to know as her usual amused smirk. Slender, and as she stepped away from the wall and stalked towards him, graceful as well.
And the power he felt radiating off her, the arrogance she projected, it was intoxicatingly sexy without her showing a bit of skin. If he hadn’t seen the two lightsabers clipped to her belt, he would have known her for Sith anyway just by the sheer control she exerted over the room. And yet he hadn’t seen her enter.
Behind her tagged a blue-skinned Twi’lek girl. A slave, undoubtedly, although he didn’t see a collar. He could probably ignore her. “I apologize for the delay, my lord. Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. I’m to be your liaison here on Balmorra.”
“Akuliina Volkova. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lieutenant,” she said coolly, and that was the beginning of the end.
She accomplished the first mission on Balmorra that Darth Baras had set for her, and the one after that, with deadly efficiency, surviving odds and situations he would have considered impossible, and returning in what would probably be record time… if anyone else had been able to accomplish these things at all. Even the other Sith he’d seen on Balmorra would have failed at these. He was impressed, especially since her eagerness for action seemed to betray a certain inexperience. It was impossible for him to accurately tell her age, and he didn’t have access to her records, but she was probably in her mid-20’s. But she was so sure of herself, so in control of her surroundings, that she could have been older and simply appeared younger.
He’d just received word that she’d returned safely to Sobrik after dealing with Ensign Durmat, though he knew she wouldn’t come to his office to report – there was no need, and normally she went straight to her temporary quarters to rest – when the raid siren went off. He grabbed his combat gear and bolted.
His soldiers were forming up as he arrived at his assigned position at the gates. Captain Rigel was barking orders. “So the wretched Resistance sees fit to attempt a frontal assault? We’ll show them the error of their ways, boys! Lieutenant Davril, Lieutenant Thorpe, to the left. Lieutenant Quinn, to the right. Yes? Who are you again?”
“Akuliina Volkova, Captain,” Akuliina drawled. “Unleash me on our enemies.”
“You can head over with the other Sith defending the right flank.”
“Dull,” Akuliina interrupted him. “Let me counterattack, at the very least.”
“Here we go again,” sighed the Twi’lek behind her. “You ever consider that boring might keep us alive at all?”
“All by yourself? Get to your position, lass- I mean, my lord, before the rebels are upon us.”
Akuliina’s eyebrow raised and her expression darkened ominously.
“I think it’s a good plan,” Quinn said, stepping up. “If it was anyone else, I would say it’s impossible, but I’ve seen her work.” In a manner of speaking. “Let me and my men be her support, Captain, and we’ll catch the enemy off-guard.”
She smiled approvingly at him. He kept his face straight. It was a good strategy, after all, and he could turn it into a winning tactic.
“It’s your neck on the line, Lieutenant. Go on, then.”
It was clear the Captain didn’t take this attack seriously. Quinn turned to Akuliina. “Come with me, my lord. We’ll move under the cover of darkness through the ruins and attack them from the rear.”
Her eyes gleamed. “I like that idea. Tell me what to do, Lieutenant.”
The sight of her startled his men; Jillins turned pale on seeing her lightsabers, Sanderson stared blankly, and Howells took a step back and blushed, at least until Quinn glared him back into line. “Change of plans. We won’t be doing standard defensive formations tonight. We will be escorting Lord Akuliina to a flanking position.”
“Yes, sir!” his squad chorused with excellent unity. He’d been diligent in instilling them with discipline, and this was one place it showed.
They weren’t the stealthiest bunch, moving in a half-crouch through the ruins of the older part of Sobrik, the area destroyed in bombing years ago and never rebuilt. But the Resistance was hardly stealthy either, and when they were about halfway, he stopped, dropping to one knee behind a crumbling wall, signalling his men with a hand gesture. There were enemies ahead, leading their own strike team through the ruins, no doubt trying to get over the mountain cordon and attack the city from another front.
Akuliina had crouched next to him – far too close next to him, almost leaning against him. Surely it was his imagination, but he could almost feel her body heat through his uniform and the armoured vest he wore beneath. He hoped she couldn’t sense how his heart-rate increased at her proximity. This wasn’t the time to be distracted by her. …He could feel her breath hot on his ear. “Let me know when to attack.” Her eyes were wide with anticipation, her legs tensed to spring, her hands loose and steady.
He nodded, adjusting his grip on his pistol. Just a bit closer… closer…
“Now,” he whispered, and in a blink, she was gone. He wouldn’t even have known she was gone if not for the wind that ruffled his hair in her wake. Wait, where did she go?
Red ignited in the night, from a spot nearly three metres above the Resistance forces and falling quickly. Laser fire was tracking up to meet her; she deflected what looked like most of it with one saber while keeping the other steady. He leaned around the edge of his cover and fired into the darkness, and at least one line of fire ceased before she hit the ground. And then he heard the screams.
“Come on, move up,” he barked to the men, jogging to the next bit of cover. In the distance he could hear her laughter and wondered at it. It sounded so free, so joyful.
“Yep, there she goes,” the Twi’lek muttered. “I think she’s a bit bonkers when it comes to fighting, really. Well, and she doesn’t exactly shy away from all the killing, either… Whoopsidaisy! That guy almost got her.” A shot from the Twi’lek’s little gun had felled one of the attackers.
He wanted to ask how the Twi’lek had gotten mixed up in all this. She seemed more of a Republican than an Imperial, yet she followed and defended the Sith apprentice loyally. But now was not the time. He gritted his teeth and fired and fired again, until all that was left were two steady red glows.
She came bounding exuberantly towards him, deactivating her lightsabers. “Are there any more? I’d hate for those rebels to think they can get away with attacking us.”
He felt a rush of pride at her words. She would go far in the Empire with that attitude. “I believe the main attack will collapse quickly once they realize their flanking manoeuvre has failed. You are unharmed, my lord?”
A low, arrogant chuckle. “They couldn’t touch me.”
“Then let us take out their rearguard.”
She flashed a bright, triumphant smile towards him and ran off into the darkness. She wasn’t going to wait for him this time.
She was in his room the next morning, conferring over a private channel with her master, Lord Baras, while he waited in the office. He double-checked the briefing he’d prepared for her: troop numbers, locations, floor plans, points of tactical interest, et cetera. He checked the other terminal, the one monitoring the Republic investigator. No new information.
The lock light on the door blinked green, indicating it was time for him to give his presentation. He entered and she turned towards him, her expression coolly pleasant. “Your final target is the old Balmorran Arms Factory. Resistance forces recently captured it and have made it their headquarters.” He handed her the datapad he’d prepared. “An incursion into the Arms Factory will be a monumental feat. I’m excited by the prospect of you laying waste to that place.” After what he’d seen last night, he had no doubt she could do it single-handed. It was, clearly, not only a necessary task for the Empire, but a test for her by her master; if he’d been ordered to assault the place, he would have asked for the combined Imperial forces on Balmorra and a small legion of artillery. But she didn’t need all that to slaughter every Resistance soldier in the building.
Her golden eyes flicked up lazily from holographic floor plans to meet his. “So… I excite you, do I?” Her voice was low, seductive, one eyebrow raised slightly, and his heart jumped into his throat.
“W-well-” He wasn’t often reduced to stammering and hated that it had come upon him now. “W-what I meant was… when I think of how you will shape the galaxy… I get very excited, yes.” That was no better, was it? She was watching him from half-lidded eyes, intent as a hawkbat that had sighted prey, lips curved in an amused smile. She could sense his racing heart, couldn’t she? She’d flirted with him before, casually in conversation, and he’d written it off as simple teasing. But this… was this so simple?
“How easily you fluster, Lieutenant,” she murmured, stepping forward into his personal space.
“Well, my lord, your question was a bit surprising.” He took a step back to compensate – that was the wrong move, wasn’t it? If she stepped forward again, he’d be trapped against the bookshelf. Wasn’t this sexual harassment? But she was Sith, she could get away with it. And he wasn’t even sure he wanted her to stop. It wasn’t like he was currently seeing someone- No! If he allowed this to continue, her mission might fail, and he couldn’t allow that.
“Nothing should ever catch you by surprise,” she chided him.
“Very few things do, my lord. You seem to have a knack for it.”
She did take that other step forward, one hand reaching up to rest on his chest. “Admit it. You like me, Quinn.”
This was getting out of hand. “M-my lord, is this really the time and place for such an inquiry? You’re putting me in a – a very awkward position.” He hardly knew her. He’d known her three days at most, and most of that time she had been off fighting. Certainly, she was physically and aesthetically very beautiful, and full of power and strength and a certain near-psychotic love of battle that, oddly enough, appealed to some primal instinct in him, but that wasn’t enough for him to confidently respond to such blatant flirting. And when a wrong move could end up in her being displeased and killing him… Although he’d probably proven himself useful enough that she wouldn’t do that… yet.
A slim hand gestured at his room around them. “Aren’t your quarters an appropriate place?” Her gaze lingered on his neatly-made bunk.
“Ah… I grant you that. It’s not the place perhaps, but… ah… rather the time that leaves something to be desired.”
She chuckled, soft and satisfied, and finally stepped back. “No, I suppose such a thing shouldn’t be rushed.”
He finally took a normal breath in the absence of her proximity. “I-if I may continue briefing you on the Balmorran Arms Factory…?”
He spent much of the rest of the day in a distracted state, not only trying to track Akuliina’s progress through the factory, and the Republic investigator – who hadn’t moved since the last time he’d checked – and to monitor his men engaged in repairing the slight damage to the city’s defenses in the last attack, but also trying not to think about how close she’d been to him, the way she’d rested a hand on his chest, the fresh scent of her shampoo. She’d been close enough he could have kissed her red lips easily. He couldn’t have actually done so – how improper – but the thought hadn’t not occurred to him. The look in her eyes had told him clearly enough that she was toying with him, entertained by his agitated response, and yet she’d seemed genuine, even if just a little, when she’d finally backed off.
After that she’d been all business, completely professional, making him wonder if he’d imagined it all. She was certainly good at switching gears in a blink. And here he was, thinking about her again, staring off into space, instead of doing his job. This was pathetic. Beyond pathetic; it was dangerous.
Suddenly, one of his monitors lit up with incoming messages – messages it shouldn’t have been receiving.
“Intruder … cutting through our lines! Reports claim it’s a Sith lord!”
Akuliina’s cold clear voice. “Consider those reports confirmed.”
But – that was the line observing the Republic investigator… Oh no.
He reached for the comm controls, then paused. Calling her now could prove a fatal distraction for her. He cursed himself for not having the foresight to get the Twi’lek’s frequency.
She observed Commander Rylon with interest. “You know why I’m here, I’m sure.”
“Yes. I served for the glory of the Empire, but I knew today was inevitable. I had hoped- but the life of a spy is a precarious one. I knew Lord Baras would have to eliminate me eventually, but I’m proud to have been of service all this time. I am prepared.”
“You have dignity,” she said. “I respect that, and your years of loyal service. I’ll make it quick.”
“Thank you. And – I must know. In love, or weakness, I told my son everything. I’m sure you’ve already silenced him. Did he…”
She didn’t want to tell him his son was a snivelling whining doormat. This man deserved better. “He faced his end well. He did not beg.” Well, he did, but not at the end. She hadn’t given him a chance to.
“Then I can die with a smile,” Rylon said. “Now, I know there’s an investigator on my tail. We have to make this look good. So I’m not going to hold back.” He aimed his pistol at her.
“I’d have it no other way, sir,” she said, smiling, pointing one of her lightsabers at him. “Maybe I’ll even let you get a hit on me.”
“So arrogant… but a justified arrogance. If I leave the Empire in your hands, I’ll be well pleased. Tell Lord Baras it has been my great honour to serve him. Now, enough talk. Let’s get to it.”
She saluted him, he saluted her, and jumped behind the barricade, firing quickly at her. She charging forward with her usual reckless abandon, shots burning through the air past her head and spattering off her lightsabers. She carved through the duracrete barricade like it was made of flimsiplast and blasted it aside with the Force. He’d already ducked backwards, behind a huge metal pipe, and she cut through that too. It turned out to be empty, but the glowing-edged section made a resounding clang in the vast space. He was firing, firing, and the power cell clicked empty.
She had him, and he knew it. He nodded to her, grimly satisfied, and her lightsaber passed through his throat.
She saluted his body once more and turned back to Vette, who’d waited, vaguely unhappily, through the entire confrontation. “Hold a moment, I’m getting a call.” Actually, she’d gotten a call before – when she’d defeated the Republic soldiers and Rylon had first appeared, but she’d ignored it. “What is it, Lieutenant?”
“My lord, we may have a situation. I heard the entirety of your conversation with Commander Rylon.”
“What? How is that possible…?” She frowned, and Vette frowned. She noted that Quinn didn’t seem at all phased that her true goal had been snuffing out an Imperial spy, though he hadn’t known until this point… as far as she knew.
“I believe the investigator bugged Rylon’s command centre at some point- My lord, she’s on the move. One moment.”
She paced impatiently until Quinn’s voice came back on the line. “She’s attempting to make her escape off-planet. I’m systematically blocking her escape routes, especially the ones to Bugtown, to funnel her to Sobrik. However, sources indicate that she is using a lightsaber and is likely a Jedi. My lord, if you don’t return quickly, she will escape. None of the defenses here are capable of stopping a full Jedi.” A full Jedi? She had never faced a Jedi in combat before. The battle was sure to be difficult, and she’d just fought through a tidal wave of enemies robotic, human, and alien. This would push her to a limit she hadn’t reached yet. How exciting.
But more importantly, her mission was on the brink of failure. She’d have to steal a speeder and drive recklessly. She was not going to let a nosy Jedi mess this up. “Stall her as long as you can, Lieutenant. I’m on my way.” She pocketed the commlink and dashed for the exit. “Try and keep up, Vette! We’re not done yet!”
He had his hands full with the technical side of things, and gathering his squad to go in as back-up – not that they’d be much help if Akuliina couldn’t handle things. It felt like he had to do everything around here. What he wouldn’t give for one competent subordinate.
At last, he could lead his men into the spaceport. Please, let her still be fighting…
They were not fighting. Akuliina stood regally over her opponent, lightsaber pointed at her. The Jedi was clutching at her side, her own lightsaber lying in pieces on the floor. But Akuliina hadn’t gotten away scot-free, either. Her face was covered in a sheen of sweat, her chest heaving with exertion and white hair blown awry. Her unassuming armour showed signs of slashes, and at least one had reached flesh on her left arm. Yet she still stood proudly, chin lifted high, not smiling for once.
“Your victory means nothing,” gasped the Jedi. “The information has been transmitted. So, deal the deathblow, Sith. I am at peace knowing that the greater good has been served.”
Ohoho. This could not go uncorrected. “I hate to burst your bubble, Jedi. No, that’s a lie. I’m reveling in it.” He strode forward, letting his fierce satisfaction break through his facade, just for a moment. “I intercepted your transmission. The Jedi know nothing.”
Akuliina looked at him, golden eyes half-lidded in sardonic satisfaction. “Quinn, I could kiss you.”
She’d caught him off-guard again, and he fumbled for an answer again. “I’m… only doing my job, my lord.” How could she tease at a time like this?
Would you kiss her now? a little voice in his head asked. True, she was also physically appealing all disheveled like this, but now was not the time.
“Gloat all you like, it means nothing,” the Jedi interrupted. “I remain at peace. And Nomen Karr and his Padawan will still defeat you. I am resigned. Strike me down, I offer no further resistance.”
Akuliina’s eyes brightened. “Gladly, if that’s your wish.” She raised her lightsaber.
“There is no death, there is the Force.” The Jedi closed her eyes as the blow fell.
As his men disposed of the body, he turned to Akuliina. “How bizarre. She just closed her eyes and accepted death.”
Akuliina rolled her eyes, just as confused as he. “Sheer idiocy, I think.”
He nodded. “No matter. The threat is ended. Lord Baras will be anxious to learn what became of this. When you’re ready, I’ll contact him from my office.”
“Then let us not keep him waiting.”
A promotion! At last! One that couldn’t be blocked, since it came directly from a Sith lord. The Moff would have no chance to keep him down again. And a transfer, wherever he wished. He almost couldn’t believe the fact that he’d finally be able to leave this accursed place.
Where would he go? He opened his terminal and pulled up a list of possible postings. To return to Dromund Kaas, the throneworld, was tempting… but undoubtedly too bureaucratic for his taste. He wanted somewhere where he could see action as well. Not that he hadn’t seen action on Balmorra, but it had been a slog; his actions, his intellect had meant nothing. Where else…? Taris? No. Voss? Commenor? Corellia? That could be a good place for his ambitions. What was this, down at the bottom?
“Some officers may be assigned to the personal retinue of a Sith Lord-”
He didn’t need to read any more. Something about the circumstances of being assigned such a posting, the structure of such chain of command and the politics involved with rival Sith lords, he read every word but it didn’t matter. She was going places, bright and fast and far, and if there was a chance he could go with her, he was going to take it. He’d meant what he said about her being the epitome of the Empire, with her balance between discipline and order, and pure, unadulterated freedom.
And what if she keeps teasing you, distracting you, as she’s already begun? asked the little voice in his head.
A chance to truly make a difference in the galaxy was worth a little sexual harassment. Besides, if he kept his cool and didn’t respond to it, surely she’d grow out of it.
He grabbed his most important gear, his most personal belongings, and ran for the spaceport.
He arrived there before she did. He’d forgotten she might want to eat dinner in a place that served relatively fresh food, rather than whatever her ship was supplied with. It was a beautiful ship; brand new, and clearly state-of-the-art. Lord Baras treated his apprentices well. He hoped she would let him fly it. He’d spent enough time in the sims he ought to be competent at it.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned, pleased to see it was her and her Twi’lek. “My lord. I hope you don’t find my appearance here obtrusive. I beg an audience.”
She smiled neutrally at him. “I will always welcome you, Quinn.”
“It pleases me to know that, my lord.” He bowed to her and began to pace, trying to keep his thoughts in order. “As you know, Lord Baras enabled my reassignment anywhere I choose. It is an evolution I’ve longed for and assumed would never come. Aiding your mission on this planet has reawakened the ambition I began my career with – to make the most profound impact possible for the Empire.” He came to a stop facing her.
She smiled more broadly at him, approving. “Welcome back to life, Quinn.”
That was it. That was exactly it. How she knew, he could not say, but- “That is how it feels, my lord. And I cannot think of a more glorious and honourable way to make a difference in the galaxy than to serve you.” He knelt at her feet and saw her eyes widen with interest. “I’m here to pledge myself to you. I’m ready and willing to serve in whatever capacity you see fit.”
The smile was threatening to turn into a smirk. “Whatever capacity I see fit? How… exciting.” Was that innuendo again?
“More like nauseating,” the Twi’lek chimed in. He should probably learn her name.
Akuliina pointed towards the blue alien girl with an eyeroll. “She thinks she’s funny.” The girl pouted. Interesting. So she wasn’t just a slave, as he had surmised before.
But more important, he needed to convince her to say yes. This was his chance. “My lord, if given the chance, I know I will prove myself to you. I’m a top-notch pilot, military strategist, and a deadly shot. I can fly this ship, plan your battles, assess your enemies, and kill them. You won’t find a more tireless and loyal subject. I offer my military prowess and dedicate every ounce of my strength to your cause.”
She nodded, a regal tilt to her head. “I would be pleased to have you, Captain.” She gestured for him to rise in a way that told him she’d done it before and was used to doing it. Who was she, exactly?
He bowed again. “Thank you, my lord. I will submit my reassignment papers as we depart.”