Star Wars Fan Fiction

In The Blazing Heat

By Kraven Ergeist

A/N: Another side story Star Wars fic concerning another made up character I invented for the purpose of this fic. May be some more well known characters later on. This takes place during the reign of the old republic, except it occurs out on Tatooine, so the influence of the republic is rather small.

Chapter One

Kellen had fallen on some hard times. This had been the third job he'd lost this month, and his funds were falling dangerously low. He had come all the way out to Mos Espa from his parents' moisture farm to put his education to some real use and earn some money for his family to live on. But so far, it hadn't looked too promising. He may have known his way around the holonet, and any kind of problem it could pose, be it programming errors, viral infections, lost data, or missing computer part, but no matter where he went, there always seemed to be a better man, woman or some unidentifiable alien species for the job.

He had skipped over the desperation phase, and was now looming dangerously over despair. He wanted, needed to, at very least, return home with some sort of earning, some token of his achievements, something to show that his efforts had not been wasted. But no matter what he thought of, all he could picture was the disappointed look on his father's face, the poorly masked grief on that of his mother's, and the burden of having failed to meet his family's expectations.

If he were on any planet aside from Tatooine, he'd swear it should be pouring rain. It would suit the image so greatly if it would – the way he trudged home to his dinky apartment-complex, head hung in despair, another washed up nerf herder, failing to get by in this neck of the galaxy.

"Step right up folks! This is a one in a million chance to get your hands on the most dazzling creature on the outer rim!"

Kellen turned his head up to see the long, pointy head of an old looking Anx, and what looked like an entire speeder cart of downtrodden alien creatures, ranging from Wookies, Squibs, Noghri, Ugnaughts, to Humans like him. It made him shudder to think that each of them was bound for a life of harsh servitude followed most likely by a painful, humiliating death.

"This lovely young lady has been groomed to perfection to take care of all your needs," the Anx rattled on his sales pitch. "Her massages are second to none, her dancing promises to leave you spellbound! And she can be yours for the low price of…"

Kellen lost all perception of the slaver's prattling as he laid eyes on the creature at the end of his chain.

It was a red skinned Twi'lek female, adorned in about as few body wraps as were legally allowed, her lekku head tails wrapped to the tip in black leather. Though her head hung low, her face averted from everyone, her eyes came up and made contact with Kellen's for the briefest of moments…

"You sir, you look like a fine, strapping young man, on his way up in the world!" the slaver called out to him. "What do you say to this fine beauty?"

Kellen had to fight to draw his attention away from the gorgeous Twi-lek. "Uh…I'm sorry…what?"

The slaver just smiled. "Stunning, ain't she? The red skin means she's a Lethan Twi'lek, one of the rarest in the galaxy, and this baby has been raised from birth to serve her master. No worries though, she's still untouched if you know what I mean. That particular honor is reserved for-"

"How much?"

"I'm sorry?"

Kellen wasn't even looking at the slaver. He was still focused on the Twi'lek. As gorgeous as she was, it was her eyes that seemed to captivate him the most. Her eyes that were silently pleading, begging to be set free from this life of imprisonment. For her to have only known slavery, for her to be doomed to this for the rest of her life…

It was unlike Kellen to act so impulsively. He didn't honestly think he could afford her anyway. But some part of his brain told him that the least he could do is check to see if he could buy her out of this life of servitude.

"Normally slaves fetch a higher price, but I am a bargaining man, no?" The Anx gloated. "So for this catch, I would say…50,000 credits."

Kellen checked his pockets. Not enough.

His brain told him to walk away. He didn't want to have anything more to do with this. But something in the back of his mind told him this couldn't end here.

"20,000."

"Are you mad!? I've already given you an incredible discount!"

"30,000."

"40,000, if you forgo the package with the chain and whip. No lower!"

"Normally slaves go for over 100,000 credits," Kellen pondered aloud. "For you to offer them at such a discount must mean there is something pretty contraband about these slaves. Maybe they didn't meet the inspections requirements? Or are carrying some sort of disease? Either way, I don't think you want the Hutts digging into the matter."

The Anx's eyes narrowed, his yellow skin taking on a darker hue. "Are you threatening me, sir!?"

Kellen remained calm. "Are you calling my bluff?"

The Anx fixed Kellen with a stern glare that Kellen threw back with equal intensity. Finally, the Anx seemed to grow tired of the ordeal, and let out a sigh.

"35,000. Any lower is theft."

Kellen double-checked his last earnings. He had enough.

"But at this rate, she comes with nothing but the clothes on her back," the angry Anx declared, unchaining the Twi'lek from his speeder cart. "And don't you come back! I don't want anymore trouble from you!"

He muttered a few words in Twi'leki before giving her a harsh shove in Kellen's direction. Kellen caught her in his arms instinctively, and was amazed at how tiny she felt in his arms. Working long hours on his parents' farm had sculpted him into a well-cut young man, and while he didn't consider himself physically fit, he could surely hold his own in a fistfight. As a result, the tiny Twi'lek felt like a starved animal, and when his fingers touched her skin, he could feel she was trembling.

He held her at arms length and stared at her. Her face, while remaining pointed at the ground, was raised just high enough to sneak the occasional glance up at him. Kellen blushed at the scrutiny, and glanced down at her body. She didn't appear to be unhealthy, she seemed rather scrawny, and if her trembling was anything to go by, Kellen could tell she probably hadn't eaten in days.

"Come on," he said to her kindly. "Let's get you something to eat."

She said nothing. She didn't move.

Kellen held out an arm in the direction of the street. "Come, this way."

This, she seemed to understand, and followed obediently behind him as he strode down the path. Every time he paused to allow her to catch up to him, she stopped, remaining behind him at all times. Finally, he reached back and took her hand in his and practically pulled her alongside himself. At this, she seemed to be confused, but eventually got the idea that he wanted her to walk beside him.

What had he just done!? Kellen had practically wasted the entirety of his funds on this girl, and for what? Just to ensure that one Twi'lek girl go free? Yes, slavery was a horrible practice that still went on despite the Republic's anti-slavery laws. Yes, he found it revolting! Yes, he wanted to, if he could, set every slave free, but the fact of the matter was, he lived in the real world, and if he didn't look after himself, he wouldn't last much long, let alone be able to support even one more hungry mouth to feed.

Which begged the question: What now? Sure, it made sense to buy a slave for the purpose of setting them free, but the horrible truth of the matter was, most slaves didn't know how to live. None of them had any of the basic life skills needed to get proper work and support themselves. Twi'lek females in particular, even those coming from upstanding families, still sometimes sank to the darker corners of the underworld, especially on Tatooine. And this girl, who had been raised since birth for the sole intention of making her a slave…

But something about this girl had struck him. Was it her eyes? The look of tortured desperation in her face? The knowledge that this had been all she'd known in life? The knowledge that this was all she ever would know? Kellen couldn't guess. But he was committed now – the Anx clearly wouldn't be giving him a refund should he change his mind. His parents would most likely not be pleased.

He'd have to get rid of her at some point, he realized. He just simply couldn't support her. If he took her to his parents, begging for alms, they would surely disown him, thinking he had gotten hitched to some back alley bimbo. It made him sad to realize he could do so little for her. At least, setting her free gave her a chance she might live up to something more.

At any rate, he'd have to keep her around for at least a little while. There was a sand storm coming his way, and they'd just barely make it to his shabby little apartment as it was.

"Here," he paused, taking the bantha wool cloak off his back and draped it over her bare shoulders. "We've got to hurry."

She hadn't spoken a word to him, and nothing about the way she acted made him think that she understood a word of what was coming out of his mouth. So, once again, he took her by the hand and hurried along the hard packed sandy path to his rented corner of a sandstone hut on the east end of Mos Espa.

He scanned his data card and the door whooshed open, revealing a sparsely furnished single room apartment complex. With the exception of the refresher unit, the living, dining and sleeping area were all in the same room. Although what passed for a dining area was just a low floor table with a single frozen food box and steamer, and the living area was basically a couch. The holopad he carried with him was about the only source of entertainment, and that was solar powered, so it would only last a few more hours before it shut down.

Kellen opened up the food box and removed two slabs of frozen bantha flank steak and put it in the steamer. He couldn't help but notice the Twi'lek eying the steaming food, occasionally licking her lips. She must have been starving.

After heating it, he set one of the two slabs on a plate with a knife and fork, and watched how she handled herself. Apparently, slaves weren't raised to eat at civilized tables, for she simply overlooked the knife and fork and picked the piece of meat up in her hands and began gnawing on the entire piece.

"No, no…" Kellen said, holding a hand out.

The Twi'lek looked confused and set the food back onto her plate. Her mouth was watering, but she still obeyed the command, probably under fear of the lash.

Kellen sighed and picked up her knife and fork and cut the flank steak into bite sized pieces. She watched in fascination as he skewered a single piece on her fork and offered it to her.

She looked at the metal instrument for a moment, before leaning forward to bite the piece of steak off the fork he was holding. She closed her eyes as she ate – Kellen could see how hungry she was, and could only imagine how good the steak must have tasted to one raised on slave rations. He offered her the fork, and she experimentally skewered another piece of steak, and stuffed it into her mouth. Then another. Then another.

Kellen smiled, and started on his own steak. He was barely half finished when the Twi'lek wolfed down the last of her food, and was eying his hungrily.

He sighed and pushed his plate across the table to her. "Go ahead…"

A look of delight spread across her face, and she gobbled up the rest of his share. Kellen couldn't help but smile. Retrieving two water canisters from the freezer, he opened them both and offered her one just as she was finishing her meal. She took the canister eagerly and guzzled down the precious water. Kellen doubted she'd been afforded much to drink either.

He drank down half of his canister and offered the rest to her, which she didn't hesitate to drink.

This girl was going to start straining his resources pretty soon. He had maybe enough food and water for another week or so. If he didn't get rid of her, high tail it home, or find another job by then, he was bantha fodder.

"So, do you have a name?" Kellen asked, making conversation as he wiped her face clean with a towel. There was obviously a lot he'd have to teach this girl.

She didn't respond. She just looked at him, curiously. No doubt, she was wondering why he was being so generous with her. That or calculating how much she could get out of him.

"What is your name?" he asked again.

He was wasting his time – she didn't speak basic. He'd have to find a translator droid if he wanted to make any headway with this girl. Maybe he could find a program on the holonet.

"Look…" Kellen put his hand on his chest. "Kellen."

He put a hand on her shoulder, trying to get the message across.

Obviously, it wasn't working.

"Kellen," he tried again, tapping his chest. "Kel-len."

Again, he placed his hand on her smooth red shoulders. Again, she said nothing. Gods, why was she wearing so little? She was bound to freeze at night so much skin was showing. And it was awfully distracting, the black leather body wraps covering her feet, waist and chest. Not only did they not leave much to the imagination, but the black complimented her red skin gorgeously, clouding his mind with unholy thoughts.

This did not bode well. He wasn't about to share his bed with her. That just wouldn't do. It'd be no different than had he bought her with the intention of actually using her as a slave. She would have to take the couch, but it was doubtful he'd be able to communicate this to her. Gods, the girl didn't understand him at all.

Giving up trying to get her name, he took her by the hand and stood up, pulling her to her feet. He then led her to the couch, and gently sat her down on it. Pulling the bantha wool cloak off his back once again, he draped it over her so that she wouldn't freeze.

"So…it's time to go to sleep now, so…" he made a gesture with his two hands under the side of his face. "You can sleep here tonight, ok?"

She just looked back up at him, curiously.

Kellen sighed, making his way over to his bed on the other side of the room and kicking his boots off before plunking down on the bed. He glanced back at the Twi'lek, who hadn't moved from her sitting position with his cloak draped carelessly over her shoulders.

"So…goodnight…" Kellen waved before hitting the light switch on the wall next to his bed. He laid his head down and went to sleep.

In a matter of moments, he heard a rustling sound over by the couch, and he smiled. She must have gotten the idea after all.

Then he felt something in his bed with him, and he immediately switched the lights back on.

Stang, this girl could move fast when she wanted to!

"Hey!" he yelped at the Twi'lek, who had settled in right next to him on his bed. "What are you doing here?"

She said nothing. She did nothing. She just stared up at his face, a look of pure innocence on her face.

"Get back on the couch," Kellen pointed. "There's not enough room for two on this thing."

She just stared at him.

"Go!"

She didn't move.

Why wasn't she listening to him? He was pointing, she must have realized what he wanted her to do. She had obeyed his instructions earlier over soothing her own hunger, what was making her stop now?

Kellen let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine…"

He got up out and bed, leaving her there, and settled down on the couch himself.

"Good night!"

He flipped the lights off and rolled over.

Moments later…

CLICK.

"Oh come on!" he groaned, seeing her this time curled up next to him on the couch. She was barely staying on, clutching his body for support, which she promptly lost as he got back to his feet.

"Make up your rutting mind!" Kellen growled, making his way back to his own bed.

He kept his eyes on her this time, waiting for her to move. She still sat there on the couch, looking curiously at him.

"You stay there now…" Kellen pointed again. "Stay!"

After a short pause, he lied back down on his bed and turned off the lights.

Sure enough…

CLICK.

"We're really gonna have to work on this, missy…" he sighed as he stared down at the still innocent look on her face. She was practically on top of him now. Each time he switched beds, she had drawn a little closer to him. Was that what she thought he wanted? For her to sleep closer to him? It's not that he really minded, but her skin just felt so smooth, and the contact was driving him mad! Her body was so warm to the touch, and he wouldn't have possible been able to get to sleep with her holding him like this.

As though in the hopes of pleasing him, she then wrapped her legs around his waist, further closing the distance between them. The conjoining of her legs met him squarely in the lower abdomen, and her barely concealed breasts were pressed up against his chest.

"Gods…" he clenched his eyes shut. "You're impossible…"

He couldn't have guessed why the Anx trader had given him the discount he had. Maybe he was trading damaged goods, maybe he wasn't. Whatever reason the slaver felt this girl had fallen short, it was not for her lack of sexual appeal.

"I'm not doing this," Kellen muttered down at her still innocent looking eyes. "You understand? I'm not about to go through with this. As soon as I find you some decent work, you're out of here. I'm not your master, and you're not my slave. And I'm not about to take you, not now, not like this."

The Twi'lek blinked, before unwrapped her arm from his back and placed a hand on her chest.

"Talia…"

Kellen blinked. "What?"

Her eyes glimmered, and for the first time since he first saw her, she was smiling.

"My name…" she said in a soft, waxy voice. "Is Talia."