A/N: I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TASKING CARE OF TWINS IS AN EXTREMELY EXHAUSTING ENDEAVOR! I HARDLY HAD TIME TO EVEN CONTINUE WRITING WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON!

Nevertheless, just a short chapter today and not much progress with the main Sith storyline. More of character development if anything else. Hopefully things settle down and I have more time on my hands to write the next chapter.

P.S Thanks everyone for the congratulations and well-wishes! My twin girls are doing fine. (Other than driving me up the wall together with my wife, that is...)

READ & REVIEW! REVIEWS ARE IMPORTANT! TELL ME WHAT YOU LIKE OR DON'T LIKE! YOUR OPINIONS MAKE ME A BETTER WRITER!

Aaric sat on one of the chairs in the conference room with both legs on top of the table. Rubbing his chin while perusing the holo of his new ship's data and schematics. The ship was in hyperspace and travelling towards Vaiken spacedock where the twins would be dropped off and make their way back to Nyssa. Said twins were probably lounging in his room waiting for him to arrive, while he surmised that Vette was somewhere around the ship checking out their new ride.

With his family's corporations specializing in spaceship manufacturing design, Aaric was well versed in analyzing how well a ship was produced. In his honest opinion, the Fury-Class Interceptor was absolutely…

"Average." The apprentice scoffed. "Downright and horribly average."

Sure, as 2V had stated before, the Interceptor was more maneuverable than a cruiser and more heavily armed than a typical starfighter. However, that meant cruisers and other larger vessels could outgun him in a one on one fight, and regular snubfighters were faster and more agile than the Interceptor.

His ship was somewhere between the two classes and it would definitely need some upgrades to cover its weaknesses. Aaric made a mental list and put it away to the back of his mind. He would have to request for his ship to undergo a complete overhaul if he were to survive in a pitched space battle.

Having had enough, the apprentice waved away the hologram and made his way towards the cargo hold which was situated in the starboard wing of the ship. The doors slid open to reveal a mostly empty interior…

Except for a frowning pink-skinned twi'lek still strapped to the same pleasure table who was trying to burn holes through the Ysalamir in its cage beside her. The same gaze turned towards her captor when she noticed his presence.

"Like my new ship?" Aaric questioned.

Only silence was returned. Said captor merely chuckled and started circling the padawan. Yadira knew she was taking a risk by going along with the Sith's schemes, but it was better than being imprisoned in a planet full of imperials. Until she could find her chance to escape, Yadira would do her best to resist whatever he was going to do to her.

As Aaric stepped behind her and out of her vision, Yadira closed her eyes and attempted to center her mind; bring her focus back to the force.

I am one with the Force. The Force is with me. I am one with the Force. The Force is with me.I am one with the Force… Damn this stupid ship! Can't concentrate with the cold!

"Keeping silent will not help you," Aaric barked. "and when I ask a question you will answer. I do not take being ignored lightly."

The apprentice leered at the padawan's tight, pink form. He was fully aware of the cargo hold's cold interior having an affect on her body; most noticeably her hardening nipples.

"Guh!" Yadira jerked as a warm hand snaked across her pubis, its digits trailing and circling ever closer to her sacred area. A finger rested ever so lightly on her labia, but it was enough to cause her to shiver as memories of what the dastardly twins had done to her came back to the fore. It was not something she wanted to experience again.

Now, Aaric was boring his gaze into her instead. "Now. I'll ask again… how is my new ship?"

"C-cold!" Yadira stuttered, then she jerked once again and bit her lip as a single digit slipped inside of her. "MMMMMMMFFGGHH!"

"When I ask you a question, you end it with master, my lord or sir." Aaric growled. He had to teach this youngling her place. She wasn't a prisoner of war, she was a slave. His property.

"Y-you will not… get away with this!" Yadira panted, renewing her heated gaze at her warden. "My master will find me… a-and they'll - EEEK!"

Another digit joined the first inside her warm passageway in tandem with a sharp pinch of her right tit by the Sith apprentice.

"You will learn to obey and submit when I tell you to, Slave!" Aaric growled, leaning close. "If you think you have any chance of escape or being found then you are horribly wrong. Eventually you shall find that I am not an unkind master. But if you do not show me the proper respect, then you will face the consequences of doing so."

Fishing out a remote from his back pocket, Aaric pulled out his fingers and retreated a few steps away from the table. Yadira could only watch in fear as a mechanical arm tipped with a large, black phallus swung around and edged toward her nether regions.

The Padawan's eyes widened in fear. "W-What's that?! No! D-don't come any closer! Stop this madness!"

Her captor remained impassive and silent as the phallus finally made contact with the Twi'lek's perineum. As it pushed she felt it trail downwards until it sat right atop the star shaped bud of her anus. Finally realizing what was going to happen, she wailed. Jerking and tugging helplessly against her restraints.

"I can train you to easy way…" Aaric sported a maniacal grin, "Or I can do it the easier way. The decision I leave up to you."

Yadira was panicking. She knew she was going to be tortured the moment she realized she was captured. The Padawan was prepared for pain, but this was another thing entirely! Being subjected to carnal torture was something she was never taught or exposed to back at Tython. The Jedi always preached to detach themselves from the body and away from pleasures of the flesh, but there was a difference between teaching to understand and simply instructing Padawans not to engage in such things at all without explaining why.

In a push to train more eager Padawans into useful knights, certain teachings were truncated to accommodate them. And now Yadira was one of them who would suffer the consequences.

The tip was only halfway through when Yadira yelled. "WAIT! STOP! PLEASE!"

Another button press and the arm gradually increased its pressure, pushing the non-lubricated phallus against the Twi'lek's dry anus.

"'Please' what?" Aaric mockingly put his hand to his ear. The head was now three quarters in and the pain-pleasure was already too much to bear.

"PLEASE STOP…SIR!" The padawan screeched through gritted teeth.

Almost immediately the arm's movement stopped. Aaric was both pleased and disappointed at the same time. Although 'sir' was a far cry from being called 'master' or 'my lord', it was a step in the right direction. If he were to be honest, he had half a mind to see how far he could stuff the dildo up her anal passage. The fact that he was already stiff inside his pants notwithstanding.

Aaric let out an audible sigh. "Well, not what I would have liked. But better than nothing I suppose."

His prisoner could only return a spiteful glare at her captor. "One day… keeping me alive would be the end of you…Sir."

The apprentice could only chuckle in response to her foolish attempt at passive-aggression. He made his way to exit the cargo hold. "You can continue thinking that if you like. As long as you follow my orders like a good little vine kitten you might earn a privilege or two. Enjoy your stay on my ship."

"W-wait!" Yadira yelled, gesturing her head towards he nether regions. "You haven't taken out t-this t-thing from me!"

"Oh! Thank you for reminding me, slave!" Aaric replied in genuine surprise. "As reward for addressing me properly, I won't let it go in any further. But your words aren't befitting of a grateful slave owned by a powerful Sith such as I. So I shall let it remain where it is."

"And as a taste of what's the come for you…" The Sith added as he pressed another button on the remote. "Try to learn embracing it instead."

"What do you me-" The padawan started only to widen her eyes in realization as the phallic object began vibrating in ever increasing strength and frequency. "Wait, wait! No don't leave me like this! EEYYEAAAAGHHH!"

Aaric walked out of the cargo hold as the blast doors slammed shut behind him and blocking out most of her screams of pain and pleasure. The apprentice smirked and turned towards the direction of his quarters.

Only to be blocked by his twin associates. Garbed in semi-transparent nightdresses which left little to the imagination.

"What took you so long?" Tara cooed, pressing her arms together and pushing up her generous breasts together. "We've been waiting a long time you know."

"It's only a matter of time until we have to part ways." Lara stretched, snaking a hand up her thigh and across her shapely rear. "We want to make the best of our remaining time together."

The twins gave each other a knowing look. "Plus, we have a little surprise for you."

Aaric could barely focus and register the conversation they were having. "And what would that be?"

"Come and see for yourself then." The twins replied as they grabbed each arm and pulled him towards his chambers. The doors slid open and revealed a curious sight:

A very naked Vette sitting on her knees atop the edge of his bed, looking down at her hands that were placed on her lap and blushing furiously. Aaric entered the room and surveilled the area. There was a pleasant scent in the air and he noticed a light sheen on the top of the Twi'lek's blue skin.

Some sort of oil or lotion perhaps? Aaric thought. Stepping closer to his first slave, he could see that she was actively trying to avoid looking him in the eyes. The low height of the bed meant that Vette's face was directly in front of his ever-increasing bulge in his pants. Aaric let a hand gently lifted Vette's chin upwards, locking their gazes.

"Did they force you into this?" The apprentice's eyes were hard as steel.

Vette tried to turn her head and look away. "W-well I-"

A sharp tug brought their gazes back together again. Vette shivered at the serious look he was giving her. The man was looking for an answer and wanted it now. "Look me in the eyes and tell me, Vette."

"N-no." Vette replied meekly and shrugged. "More like… they convinced me, I suppose. Y-you've shown me nothing but kindness. So it is my duty as a slave to show gratitude."

Aaric turned to give the twins a deadpan stare whilst said twins acted as if they didn't teach Vette to say those words in the first place. It was obvious since it was totally out of character for her to say such things especially when they were alone.

Sighing and turning back to Vette, he replied. "Hn. Good enough. But I won't be taking your virginity this day. However, another…orifice shall suffice. Today you shall practice orally pleasuring me."

Vette gulped audibly. "O-okay. I'll do my best."

Tara chimed in from one side. "And we'll be here to teach and guide you little Twi'lek."

Lara did the same from another. "You better learn quick, Slave. Our lord doesn't suffer the unskilled, especially when it comes to the carnal arts."

Three voluptuous women on a bed wearing next to nothing and pining for the meat in his pants? It was every hot-blooded male's wet dream. And Aaric was going to enjoy it for real; rightly so as befitting his status.

The twins shed their nightgowns and began their prep work: Unclasping and removing Aaric's armor followed by his pants and tunic to reveal his athletic build. A gentle tug of his underwear and his large member sprang free, almost hitting Vette in the face. It was already hard and her eyes trailed its length as it pulsated and bobbed up and down. Pre-cum was already oozing and dribbling off the tip, the musky smell entering the Twi'lek's nostrils and giving her a curious shiver down her spine.

"Well? Go on then!" Tara urged. Bringing the Twi'lek's focus back to the task at hand.

Seeing Vette glance around hesitantly, Aaric decided to give her a little push. "Remember that shower we had in the Black Talon? Something like that, but without the soap and water. You can start from there."

Vette's eyes widened as she jogged her memories. It didn't take long for her to realize what Aaric wanted. Slowly and surely, she brought her arms up and gently clasped her hands around his throbbing member.

The apprentice closed his eyes and breathed deep at the sensation of her cool hands. Finally, he had the time to start training his first slave properly thanks to the twins. It also helped that Vette was a fast thinker; she started to mimic the washing movements over his penis with his pre-cum replacing the soap and water, pulling and pushing along the girth as well as fondling his heavy balls which were full of cum.

She kept her agonizingly slow pace, but the Sith decided not to push her to go faster. Slowly molding her into the perfect sex-companion was his end goal, so pushing her too quickly would be counter-productive.

Once his entire balls and shaft was slick with his juices, the twins decided they could wait no longer. Together, they latched their supple lips on each side of his manhood and started licking and slurping up and down the shaft; increasing the pleasure their lord and master was experiencing and replacing Vette's hands. Now the Twi'lek was left wondering what to do next.

"What are you waiting for?" Tara snapped. "Open that mouth of yours and get to work!"

"Now now. Tara." Lara gently admonished. "She's inexperienced. Let her explore at her own pace. Vette, try opening your mouth wide and let the tip go in. Lick and suck it like a lollipop."

Vette pursed her lips and gave the angry red head a brief look. She wondered if something that big could even fit into her mouth, let alone go all the way down her throat like how Aaric had done to his previous conquests. Hesitantly, she opened her oral cavity and brushed her tongue against the underside of the glans. A gentle throb and a spurt of pre-cum was her reply and the glob landed directly onto her taste buds.

Immediately she drew back her tongue on instinct and inadvertently got a taste of it. Vette moved to spit it out but quickly found herself unable to do so due to Tara's hand slapping over her mouth.

"Now don't go wasting his precious juices, little Twi'lek." The Mecrosa artisan hissed. "Savor the taste. Aaric hates it when his females spit them out."

Vette raised a brow and glanced towards her owner. She almost flinched seeing the slightly displeasured expression he wore. Slowly, she did as she was told; letting the glob wash over her the rest of the tongue and sampling it's taste. It was thick, creamy and slightly salty and wasn't pungent as she thought it would have been. Once the taste had diluted itself with her saliva, she swallowed it.

"There's more where that came from." Lara cooed as she slid next to her. "And we haven't even got to the real prize yet. No matter, the more you taste it the quicker you'll learn to like it. Now continue."

A gentle hand laid upon the back of Vette's neck and without warning, her head was pushed forward.

"W-wai-glommphh!" Vette muffled as her mouth was filled with cock mid-sentence.

Aaric closed his eyes as his meat was finally given the warm attention it desired. Granted, it was only the first couple of inches but a warm mouth was still better than none. Plus the twins were stroking his remaining length. He knew it was just a matter of time before Vette could take his entire length. For now, he had the twins to give her an introduction-cum-crash course-cum demonstration of the skills expected of her.

Vette struggled feebly at first, but after the first few minutes she finally got into the rhythm, closed her eyes and focused on the schlong that was invading her mouth. Meanwhile, the twins let their free hands roam around the Twi'lek's body, fondling her breasts, squeezing her butt cheeks and massaging her shoulders. This on top of the pleasant scent coming from the oils slathered across her body allowed her to relax a little more. She tried to take in as much of the organ as she could. Alas, she could only swallow the first few inches before it hit the back of her throat and her gag reflex kicked in.

"I-I'm sorry, master." Vette coughed. "I can't-gloomph!" A hand shoved her head down onto Aaric's cock again before she could finish her sentence.

"No apologies, Twi'lek." Tara whispered harshly into her ear. "Just don't stop. We'll take care of the rest."

Vette frowned but let it go as she followed the pushing movements of the hand behind her head. The twins once again latched their lips onto Aaric's shaft, licking and slurping, covering the entire organ with their saliva while fondling his heavy balls. They alternated between their hands and mouths, giving the apprentice a slew of pleasure.

Within minutes, Lara could feel the scrunching of his scrotum while Tara felt a strong throb of his shaft that signaled his impending release. Aaric could have controlled his orgasm to last longer, but he decided to reward the trio for their efforts, especially Vette for the effort.

"Cumming!" Aaric grunted as he tensed up and fired cup-fulls of seed directly into the Twi'lek's mouth.

Said Twi'lek widened her eyes in shock as the voluminous liquid quickly filled her mouth to the brim and she was forced to disengage before she choked on the seed. Her first instinct was to spit it out, but again Tara was there beside her and slapped a hand around her oral cavity to keep her from doing so.

"Don't you dare spit it out, wench!" Tara hissed. "Aaric has decided to grace you with his seed. You'd do well to waste not a single drop!"

Vette nodded and mmph-ed in reply. Slowly letting the batter slosh around her mouth and swallow in small gulps. The taste was stronger compared to his pre-cum and creamier as well. Surprisingly, it wasn't all that unpleasant to consume. Turning towards the other twin, the Twi'lek watched in amazement as Lara continued where the alien had left off.

Once Vette had vacated her spot, Lara quickly latched her mouth onto the still-pulsating organ. In one fell swoop, she swallowed the entire length down into her throat until her nose pressed against his abdomen and her chin slapped against his balls. Aaric grabbed her head and pushed her head deeper as he thrusted his hip forward, shooting his copious load straight down her gullet and into her stomach.

Lara simply relaxed and let her lord and master control her body, relishing in the feeling of the hot semen coating her insides and frigging her nether regions until she herself tensed up came as well. Aaric groaned in pleasure as Lara's orgasm tightened her throat even more and prolonged his orgasm.

Tara released her hand from Vette's mouth once she was satisfied that the Twi'lek had swallowed all of his cum. Then she scrambled over and pulled off the cum-drunk Lara who was still twitching in orgasm. Once again, Aaric's cock was sleeved by Tara's warm throat all the way to the hilt. Without pulling out, Tara busted out her special technique and started massaging the entire length of his meat using her throat muscles alone while sticking her tongue out and licking his scrotum. Thankfully, this made Aaric thrust some more and his balls churned out an extra few large spurts of cum as reward. Tara's eyes rolled back into her head as the familiar feeling returned to her after such a long time apart.

Once his orgasm died down, the apprentice slowly pulled Tara off with a loud 'schluck'. He turned to Vette and motioned his head towards the door. "Your training is done for today. You can go and rest if you want."

For Vette, it was a welcome reprieve. Aaric's girth as well as those few minutes of fellatio had her jaw aching. But somehow, she stayed unmoving from her current position.

"I-If you would have me," Vette mumbled. "I would like to s-stay and w-watch."

"Ooh… looks like we have a voyeur in our company." Lara cooed.

"Fine by me. You can stay by the side of the bed." Aaric nodded, then turned to the hungry, sex-starved twins. "As for the both of you. We have some catching up to do before you return to Nyssa."

Without warning, Aaric pounced on them and started to engage in the first ever threesome that Vette had ever seen in her life. It was voracious, it was animalistic.

It was the most arousing thing she ever experienced through her eyes alone.

By the time they ended their hours-long sex marathon, the twins were covered in cum both inside and out. And Vette would be found passed out at the end of the bed from overstimulation.

"If only we could have stayed longer." Tara sulked with her twin as they stood in front of the ship's entry hatch together with Aaric and Vette.

The foursome had finally arrived back at Vaiken spacedock. There they would meet a smuggler who would transport them back to the Tapani sector in Republic space.

"Alas," Lara sighed dreamily. "High Lady Brezwalt wants our report on your progress."

Aaric smirked playfully. "Hn. I think I've filled both of you up with enough of my seed to last a week."

"You know that'll never be enough." Lara replied before the twins both tiptoed and kissed his cheeks. "Come home soon, Aaric. We'll be waiting for your return."

"Make sure to train your Twi'lek." Tara remarked snarkily. "Wouldn't want you to get stuck with blue balls throughout the galaxy!"

Normally, Vette would have come up with a witty reply, but The Twi'lek could only look away and blush embarrassedly with the events of that night still fresh inside her mind.

After exchanging goodbyes, the twins left to continue their journey home. Only when they were out of sight did Aaric walk back to the ship with Vette following close behind. Soon, the ship left the hangar and entered hyperspace towards Balmorra.

Yadira shivered and squirmed as the vibrating phallus continued to stir up her anus. The intensity wasn't high enough to get her off, but it kept her distracted and made it hard to focus. She couldn't remember how long she had been stuck inside the cargo hold since the dastardly Sith left. But she knew it had to be at least half a day. The muffled sounds and vibrations hinted her as to whether the spaceship was landing, taking off or entering hyperspace. But other than that, she had no idea where the Sith was going.

Now if only she didn't have this black vibrating object sticking inside her butt hole, she could focus hard enough to come up with a plan to escape!

Suddenly the doors slid open and much to the padawan's surprise, another Twi'lek appeared before her. Yadira's breath hitched. Was this her lucky break? Was she going to be rescued? There shouldn't be any reason why there would be another Twi'lek onboard the ship right?

"H-hey! Y-you there! Help me! I… wait a minute." Yadira tapered off, squinting at her fellow Twi'lek before widening her eyes in realization and anger. Momentarily forgetting the phallus lodged in her butt. "YOU! You're with the Sith back at the Brentaal Star!"

Vette shifted nervously and gave a small, awkward wave. "Um… Hi?"

Yadira, however, continued to rage on. "How could you serve the Empire?! Don't you know their stance on aliens? They'd enslave you as much as look at you!"

"Look, I-" Vette raised her hands in an attempt to placate her fellow Twi'lek.

"Wait!" Yadira gasped, cutting her off. "You're a prisoner here as much as I am aren't you? He must be using something as leverage. Don't worry, we can work something out. We can be free of him and escape together!"

"Hold up. You don't understa-" Vette was getting a little antsy now.

"I can't imagine what he's doing to you. I know you're scared… just find a way to free me and- GYAAAAAAHHHH!"

The Padawan jerked her body upwards as the vibration in her anus increased five-fold and broke her focus. Vette simply watched with a deadpan stare as she held the remote in her hands. To be honest with herself, she didn't know what the buttons on the remote actually did; she just pressed a random one and wanted to see what would happen.

And for some strange reason, something tingled inside her.

Depressing another button opposite the one she just clicked, Vette sighed in relief when the Yadira relaxed. For the Padawan, the vibration went back down to its usual levels. As the imprisoned Twi'lek refocused her vision onto her irritated counterpart, she opened her mouth to yell but was cut off.

"Now look here you… namby pamby goody goody!" Vette snapped, even though in her head she was mentally berating herself for giving such a childish insult. "That Sith has a name and he's called Aaric! I'm travelling with him willingly and he's not holding me hostage or whatever. He's different… and compared to the rest of the Sith I've met so far, he's like a bucket of sunshine! So it would be nice if you didn't judge a datapad by its cover screen!"

Yadira, however, just narrowed her eyes at Vette incredulously. "All Sith are the same. Aren't I living evidence of that right now?! I'm strapped to a table with t-this black thing vibrating and violating my insides! Who knows what else he'll do to me? And who knows what else he'll do to you once he's finished using you?!"

Vette shifted uncomfortably. The possibility was always there. Before she met Aaric, the reputation of the Sith was that they were infamous as bloodthirsty and sadistic killers. Her new master changed that perception quite a bit. But that wasn't to say that she didn't have her reservations. Would Aaric really toy with her feelings just to throw her away?

"Well, maybe if you did as you're told he'll let you off?" Vette shrugged. "I'm just a slave in name only, and I get to do things most slaves can't like holding weapons. I stay by his side and fight, and in return he gives me an adventure of a lifetime! I think I've made the right choice."

"The right choice?!" Yadira spat. "The Empire has slaughtered millions! Enslaved our people! What would your family think-"

"Don't you dare talk to me about our people or my family!" Vette shot back. "Since when had the Jedi or the Republic ever helped our people?! Did you even read up on our history? As soon as the Republic discovered Ryloth our own government started selling us females off as slaves!"

That shut Yadira up quickly, who could only turn away. Whether in shame or denial, Vette could care less.

"Did the Jedi or anyone in the Republic tried to stop the slave trade?" Vette raged on. "No! They didn't! They only cared about the credits in their back pocket! Do you know how many priceless historical and cultural artifacts our government allowed to be sold or smuggled offworld?!"

Vette was on a roll and nothing Yadira could say would stop her. "Well guess what miss Jedi? This was what I was doing before I got caught by the Empire: I ran a little band that helped to liberate our people's cultural artifacts from these unscrupulous collectors so we can return them to Ryloth permanently where they could be kept safe. At least I'm doing my part for my people. Which other Twi'lek can say the same? You?"

Yadira flinched at the accusation. Sure, the Republic had it's faults. But wasn't the Empire worse? Having had enough, the blue-skinned Twi'lek turned towards the entrance and huffed. "I thought you of all people would understand. I'm done talking to you unless you decide to be a little nicer. Enjoy that stick up your ass."

"W-wait!" Yadira cried. Even though she knew she had offended her fellow Twi'lek, there was still a chance she could turn Vette over to her side with time. "Can I at least have your name?"

Vette glared at the padawan, softening her expression lightly. Even though Yadira was ignorant, it didn't mean she was wholly a bad person. Plus she was still a fellow female Twi'lek. Perhaps she had her own past to tell? If she managed to pull that stick out of her ass… figuratively and literally.

"Vette." She bit out before stepping out the door and letting it slam shut behind her.

The Twi'lek flounced into the bridge where she plopped herself into one of the empty seats, put her boots atop the console in front of her in frustration and stared out the windscreen as the ship sped through hyperspace.

Aaric, sitting on the Captain's seat, said nothing as he observed his slave from the corner of his eyes. Unbeknownst to the Twi'lek, he heard every word that was said inside the cargo hold thanks to the intercom system which allowed him to remotely access from his console. It was interesting to note Vette's past, but he was mainly glad that he had a firm grasp on Vette's loyalty… for now. He surmised he would have to be careful in case Yadira tried to turn Vette against him.

For now, he had some punishment to mete out to his most recently acquired slave. Observing Yadira on the console screen in front of him via a security cam, the apprentice turned a dial on his right armrest and he smirked as Yadira jerked violently in a silent scream as the vibrator increased its strength ten-fold.

When the ship finally exited hyperspace and entered the Balmorra system, Aaric immediately contacted Darth Baras via the holoterminal.

"Ah, you've arrived on Balmorra. Excellent." Baras nodded. "Your contact there is Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. One of my agents there."

"Must I endure lowly imperials?" Aaric rolled his eyes. He didn't like lower ranked officers and non-coms since they always tried to kiss up to him. Female ones though, he didn't mind.

Baras simly chuckled. "Heh. Don't let the low rank fool you, apprentice. I promise you, this particular lieutenant in question is an exceptional officer. Quinn will meet you at Sobrik headquarters. We will speak again as soon as you are briefed."

"Understood, Lord Baras." Aaric bowed as Baras cut off the transmission. The apprentice was curious now. For his master to make a promise to him meant he had the utmost faith in this lieutenant's capabilities. If he was this good, there must be something which held him back from promotion.

Either way, he was going to find out.

As the ship landed, both slave and master observed the immedeiate landscape surrounding the city of Sobrik. It was nothing less than a warzone. The entire city was protected with shielding which was occasionally pounded by enemy artillery fire. Aaric mentally flipped through what he knew of Balmorra's history through the data packet he requested from the Mecrosa Order.

Balmorra was a factory world that was located within the Balmorra system, situated in a strategic position between the Colonies and the border of the Core Worlds. Due to its intense industrial manufacturing it was known as one of the most important foundry worlds in the Republic's space, where some of the most advanced weaponry and battle droids were constantly produced throughout most of the planet's history.

Since Balmorra was very rich in iron and other minerals it gradually became one of the most recognizable factory worlds in the Galactic space. Large parts of Balmorra's surface was covered in industrial wastelands, which still contained most of the earliest assembly lines and refineries on the planet. Although manufacturing weaponry was the primary profit for the Balmorrian economy, the planet's atmosphere suffered greatly from the high pollution, which was emitted from the countless industrial plants.

During the Great Galactic War the Sith Empire resolved to seize Balmorra due to their military manufacturing plants and strategic location close to the Core Worlds. The Republic immediately sent soldiers to prevent that from happening. As the Great Galactic War continued and the Sith Empire's control continued to spread, the strained Republic began removing forces from Balmorra for redeployment to more important conflicts. This continued until the Treaty of Coruscant was signed.

Following the treaty and the beginning of the Cold War, the Republic was forced to officially end its support for Balmorra. However, a small underground Republic force was left on the planet to aid in a resistance against the remaining Sith Empire. However, most Balmorrans shared the view that they had been abandoned by the Republic. Surprisingly, the remaining underground resistance prevented the Sith Empire from ever taking complete control of the planet.

In the years since the signing of the treaty, the Republic began reintroducing Republic forces to the planet and while the Balmorrans were receptive to the assistance, their resentment of being abandoned in the past remained. At the same time, the Sith Empire attempted to escalate their presence on the planet in a further attempt to claim Balmorra's battle droids and weaponry.

Aaric surmised that if he could assist in the consolidation of Imperial control on Balmorra, it would help him gain more influence within the Sith council as well as the military. That opportunity conveniently presented itself when the pair was about to exit the spaceport. A Imperial Captain strode up to Aaric once he was sighted and saluted the apprentice.

"My lord. Welcome to Balmorra." The Captain snapped to attention. "I hope you like bombed-to-pieces mudholes. Captain Rigel, Imperial Conquest Consolidation Corps. When the Empire invades, we're the ones who seal the deal. Don't suppose you're aware of the situation here on Balmorra?"

Aaric deadpanned at the cheesy corps motto. "I know we took this planet in the last war. How's the occupation proceeding?"

"Unfortunately, we've been spinning our wheels in the mud ever since." Captain Rigel sighed. "Resistance fighters think they can drive the Empire off Balmorra. We're here to prove them wrong."

"So how can you succeed where the Imperial army has failed?" Aaric enquired.

"We are the army, too." Rigel puffed out his chest. "Other soldiers just don't have the capability to handle our kind of specialized missions. Some of which would need the specialized skill set a Sith of your caliber to complete."

Aaric nodded. "Alright then. You have my attention. But I expect to be properly compensated, understand?"

"Of course, my lord! We'll ensure the proper rewards are routed to your account once the missions are complete." Rigel smiled. "Let me give a little more background: So the Balmorran government-in-exile, backed by Minister of Defense Vol Argen, is giving us fits, backing a strong faction of the resistance. The minister is safely off-planet, but if we break his allies here, we break him. We break him, we break the resistance."

"What about the rest of the government-in-exile?" The apprentice questioned.

"Vol Argen is the only minister with military experience and also the most vocal." The officer explained. "When we destroy his power base and wipe the floor with his whiskers, none of the others will have the backbone to oppose us. That's why we need to take everything out."

"I understand. While I have my own mission to complete during my stay here, I'll look into completing yours when I can."

The Captain bowed once again. "Thank you, my lord. You support is greatly appreciated. My second-in-command, Lieutenant Davrill, is in Sobrik waiting to brief you on the operation's first mission, if you decide you're in. He's got plans to blow the Balmorran resistance sky-high. I think you'll like them."

When they exited the spaceport, what greeted them was an entire cityscape of buildings of industrial design. There was almost nothing but grey except for the smattering of red from the numerous imperial banners that dotted the roads and footpaths. Overhead was the hexagonal patterned shield which covered the entire city. Imperial military personnel could be seen everywhere with the occasional Balmorran civilian keeping to themselves and staying out of their way. Since Sobrik was situated inside a small canyon valley, the plateaus which towered above the city were filled with anti-aircraft emplacements and hangars.

Sobrik was the original capital of Balmorra before the more advantageous location of Bin Prime was chosen to replace it three hundred years ago. Since then, the city of Sobrik has first shrunk, then been almost entirely obliterated by bombing runs and rebuilt by Imperial engineers. Sobrik was one of the last cities to hold out during the Imperial invasion of the planet; because of this and its close proximity to the state-of-the-art Balmorran Arms and Okara Droid factories, the Empire had made Sobrik the headquarters of its occupation, maintaining tight control over the remaining civilian population.

Vette looked around and could only frown. The scent of acrid smoke hung about the air no matter where they were. Sounds of blasterfire and explosions could be heard in the distance. Even with the city-wide shield overhead, she didn't feel as safe and secure as she would like. The Twi'lek surmised that their stay here in this Balmorran warzone would be an eye-opening experience for her. Hopefully not in a bad way.

Vette shivered. "I guess warzones are on a whole new level. Even safe areas on this planet feel like they could go up in flames at any moment."

"You've never been to an actual warzone before, haven't you?" Aaric replied. "No matter. The sooner you're acquainted with the realities of war, the better."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing." She deadpanned.

Aaric halted abruptly and spun around, with Vette almost bumping into him had she not been careful. She was about to complain when she saw the serious look he was giving her. She gulped audibly. Had she angered him with that simple remark?

"It seems you still do not realise the position you're in, Vette." Aaric stated. "You're with me, now. A Sith in service to the Empire. A civilization that thrives on conquest and war. What you see here in Balmorra will be but a taste of what's to come. This so-called peace is only temporary. Make no mistake Vette: War is coming. In all its horror, in all its glory. And we will be in the thick of it soon enough. I need you to be focused on serving me as I conduct my missions across the galaxy. Can you do that for me?"

The Twi'lek took a minute to process his words and dipped her head in acceptance. She got herself into this mess. Might as well follow through with it. Didn't mean she had to like it though.

"I understand, master." Vette replied somberly. "I'll do my best."

"Good." Aaric turned and continued walking. "That's all I ask."

Soon, they reached the location of Lieutenant Quinn's headquarters. Walking through the corridor and rounding a corner, they entered a generously spacious office. To their right was a set of living and dining quarters while the far right side of the room contained two conference tables. Exceedingly spartan in Aaric's opinion.

But what surprised the Sith most was the scene that was playing out in front of him: A wimpy looking trooper with his head down in shame being berated by an exceedingly annoyed lieutenant.

A very slim and shapely lieutenant. Aaric noted with a devious smirk. If looks could kill then the one the lieutenant was giving the trooper would definitely have frozen hell altogether.

"Ma'am, I apologize ma'am!" The trooper shivered under her intense gaze. "It was the best I could do!"

The lieutenant's arm snapped forward and grabbed the trooper's chestpiece, jerking him forward. "If that's your best, you're useless to me." She hissed. "I can shoot you dead with a clear conscience. Is that what you want?"

"N-no, ma'am!" The trooper stuttered.

"Then focus, Jillins." The officer spat, releasing the poor soldier. "Dismissed."

Said soldier looked as white as a sheet as he hurriedly strode his way out of the office in a hurry without even a glance at the apprentice and slave when he sped past.

"I'm beginning to like her already!" Vette grinned.

Vette's comment drew the woman's attention towards them and she promptly marched over to Aaric and greeted him with a bow.

"I apologize for the delay, my lord." The woman's voice turned silky smooth; a total one-eighty from her earlier demeanor. "Lieutenant Malvai Quinn. I'm to be your liaison here on Balmorra."

The Sith took a brief moment to appreciate Quinn's appearance. She had an almost ivory skin tone with jet black hair tied up in a neat bun, giving her an exotic look. Her uniform was spick and span, free of creases and all its pins and accolades in perfect order. Finally, a mole dotted her left cheek. A slight imperfection to go with her perfectly smooth, unblemished skin.

And of course, she had a tight bum and a modest rack to go with it. The tightness and lack of creases of her uniform enhancing her assets. Couldn't forget about that could he?

"It's… a pleasure to make your acquaintance, lieutenant." Aaric gave his most charming smile while undressing her with his eyes. "Baras never mentioned you're a woman."

The apprentice noted an almost imperceptible twitch that crossed Quinn's face. From her slight changes in posture, he could tell the lieutenant more than a little slighted by his remark.

"If you're worried that my gender will impede on my abilities," Quinn replied levelly. "I assure you I can perform above and beyond any other male officer within the Imperial military."

Aaric chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "On the contrary, Quinn, I have no worries at all. If Lord Baras spoke highly of you, then I'm confident that you'll deliver."

The lieutenant's eyes' softened. Perhaps Baras' apprentice wasn't an sexist, ignorant asshole?

"I will do my best to live up to those expectations, my lord." She nodded. "Lord Baras will brief you personally, but I'm to acquaint you with the climate here on Balmorra first. Even though the Empire wrestled control of Balmorra from the Republic during the war, we were never able to completely eradicate them. There is a rather sizeable resistance movement. No one wants to admit it, but it's clear that the Republic is backing it."

"Yes, so I've heard." The apprentice replied. "Maybe I'll have time to do something about that."

Quinn had no doubt been informed about her superior's new apprentice and did some research on her own time. Both official and unofficial reports showed that Aaric was strong in both the force and martial ability. However, what separated him from the rest of his brethren was his sound logic and keen tactical mind in the heat of battle. Something many frontline Sith were woefully lacking.

"Something tells me your presence here will leave an indelible impression on the state of things. And I look forward to it." The officer nodded, giving an expectant smile. "I have a secure line to Lord Baras. I'll patch him through immediately."

A few quick taps and Baras' figure appeared above Quinn's console.

"Ah, I see you've convened with my apprentice." Baras exclaimed before waving her away. "Very good, Lieutenant. Leave us."

Once she was out of sight, the Sith lord continued with a lowered voice. "Quinn owes her career to me, but we should keep the details of your mission between the two of us. We must act swiftly. Nomen Karr's Padawan has directed the Jedi's suspicions to my undercover spy there on Balmorra. Do you recall this?"

"Of course, I remember everything." Aaric nodded.

"Good. I'll get to the point." Baras grunted. "My spy is Commander Rylon of the Republic resistance. He is the central contact for all my operatives in this sector. Unfortunately, Quinn is tracking an investigator that the Jedi have sent. That' means we have to cover our tracks before you kill Rylon. Your first mandate is to destroy evidence that links Rylon to the sabotaging of Balmorra's defense systems during the war. To do so, you must break into the satellite control tower. Quinn reports that the tower is a death trap of mechanical security."

The apprentice widened his eyes in surprise. For Baras to have a spy that can infiltrate through the highest ranks of the resistance? It seemed that he was not giving his master enough credit as a spymaster. If anything, it reinforced the notion that Aaric had to keep his guard up against Baras at all times lest he try to subvert or betray his apprentice.

"Understood, master" Aaric bowed. "I'll handle anything that dares get in my way."

"This task is priority one." Baras reemphasized. "The Jedi's investigator could be zeroing in on the evidence as we speak. Quinn has everything you'll need. I'll summon her back. Remember, she is not to know the reason for your mission. I'll be in touch. Quinn! You can come back now. Furnish my apprentice with all the details as necessary."

Without waiting for a reply, Baras' holo cut out. Quinn spun on her heels and faced her current charge.

"My lord, I've prepared what you need for your assault on the satellite control tower." She explained, handing him an explosive device. "In order to destroy the mainframe, you'll mount this charge to the base and arm it. Once you're a safe distance away, contact me and I'll be able to detonate."

Aaric passed the explosive to Vette who stashed it in her backpack. "You're not coming with us?"

"Baras feel my talents are better suited providing support from here." Quinn replied with an edge to her voice. "However, I'm more than capable and willing to go out into the field if necessary. Getting my hands dirty is something I've had more than my share of."

Aaric smirked. It seemed he was going to have fun breaking the ice with Quinn. "Sounds like there's a story behind that confidence of yours. Well in that case, I hope you don't mind if I temporarily store something here while I'm gone."

Quinn returned a confused look. "And what would that be?"

"A slave and an animal." Aaric shrugged. "Nothing more."

A/N: READ AND REVIEW!

P.S Quinn being a woman was something that was on my mind for a very long time. I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea and whether you, my dear readers, would be receptive to this change. I took a risk and now I'll have to bear the consequences. I just hope that a female Malavai Quinn can just be as compelling a character as the original Malavai Quinn.

Cheers!