~~~PART 1~~~

"Dare I hope that this means I'm to be partnered with my favorite field operative?"

Tio-Kina Neai looked up from where she was perched on one of the benches in the Jedi Council Chamber waiting room, her heart lifting at the sight of a friendly face--the first one in a long while. Shoving her unruly mass of hair out of her face, Tio-Kina rose to her feet and stretched out a hand towards the man approaching her. "Obi-Wan! Last I heard you were on Yavin with your Padawan! Don't tell me you've been called back for a mission too!"

"The Council notified me yesterday that I was needed, though having you here too is a very pleasant surprise." Obi-Wan Kenobi caught up the hand extended towards him, clasping it firmly as his own smile broke out. "Anakin is on his first independent training mission . . . and from what I can tell, more than happy to be out of my sight finally." Releasing Tio-Kina's hand, Obi-Wan heaved a melodramatic sigh. "He's decided I'm horribly old-fashioned and uptight. The teachers tell me that it is normal for a boy his age to feel that way . . . but I never--"

Tio-Kina laughed, ignoring protocol and throwing an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders for a brief hug. "Dear Kenobi . . . your disapproval of your Master may not have lasted for long . . . but it was the talk of the Temple for the two weeks you persisted in believing he was frumpy. I had just become a Padawan, remember--and I was horribly scandalized by the whole thing. You were such a shock to me!"

"I'll deny it to my dying breath," Obi-Wan said solemnly, leading Tio-Kina back to the bench and settling down next to her with more than his usual amount of solicitude. Noticing it, Tio-Kina scowled.

"Don't you start that too, Obi-Wan," she growled, batting the hand away that he had reached out to her shoulder. "I'm in perfectly good health, and I'm so tired of being coddled. If you're going to insist on treating me like an invalid, I'll demand a new partner for whatever fool mission the Council is sending us off on."

"Tio--"

"I had a baby, Obi-Wan. Human women do that, you know. Perfectly natural." Smirking slightly, Tio-Kina leveled a look at Obi-Wan. "Or are you going to try to tell me that you don't know about human reproduction. Because if you are . . ."

"I'm not," Obi-Wan responded good naturally. "I was just worried, Tio. All of us were. The conception wasn't exactly . . ."

"Voluntary?" Tio-Kina snorted. "Trust me, Obi-Wan. If the Council thought I was harboring any residual guilt or pain over that incident, they wouldn't have cleared me for duty again. I've had a year to get used to it and clear up any emotional problems. And despite what you may think, Obi-Wan--it was voluntary." Tio-Kina's eyes went flinty as she stared at the older Knight, her expression stern. "I didn't know what they'd do to me, but I agreed to participate in the ritual. I accept the consequences . . .and I have a child, Obi-Wan." All steel faded from Tio-Kina's face as her voice became soft, haunting. "A beautiful baby girl, who is going to be a Jedi some day. Like her mother."

Obi-Wan stared at the woman in front of him for a few moments, unsure what to say. The ritualistic rape of a member of the Jedi Order could very easily be considered a diplomatic incident . . . and whispers of the fate that had awaited Tio-Kina had become increasingly loud over the past year. A master of diplomacy, if not of war, Tio-Kina had sacrificed herself for the peace of a planet--and much to the anger of the Jedi Council, had refused to let the Healers purge her body once it became clear that she was carrying the child of a known political rebel.

The birth of that child was the Council's worst kept secret. Knights and Masters had discussed her choice loudly, both behind closed doors and in open hallways. It had become something of an academic question . . . a topic for debate. In all the furor about deciding the moral ramifications of what was now being called 'Neai's Choice'--very few had stopped to think about the affect it would have on the woman who had made that choice.

Obi-Wan had, having had some affection for the girl he'd tutored in math during his younger Padawan days. She'd been a quiet student, quick to learn once something was pointed out, but never quite able to figure it out on her own. Obi-Wan had berated himself more than once for not going to her after he'd heard . . . but it had seemed like the last thing he should do--and truly, he wouldn't have known what to say.

Besides, he would have had to get in line. Everyone suddenly wanted to spend time with Tio-Kina . . . who didn't want to spend time with anyone as she tried to make it through something few Jedi women ever underwent--a pregnancy.

Tio-Kina was uncomfortable with the focus of so much attention. Unlike Obi-Wan, who had always been in the center of things, Tio-Kina was really just an average Jedi. There was little to distinguish her from anyone else, except maybe the extent of her averages in a place where everyone seemed geared towards excellence. Her scores in classes had been neither high nor low, and although she had passed all her classes as a Padawan, she had never done so with exceptional scores. Average in height and build, her sabre skills kept her alive, but would never win her any competitions. Even her looks were quite ordinary--neither her hair nor eyes were of any definable color, both a muddy brownish gold.

Tio-Kina was just an ordinary Knight--who'd been forced into making an extraordinary choice.

"Stop thinking so hard," Tio-Kina's voice muttered, and Obi-Wan felt her jab him slightly in the leg. "I can just /hear/ the gears in your brain turning."

Obi-Wan shifted his attention back to the woman next to him. "I was just thinking about how much I've missed, having been away for so long." Slinging an arm over Tio-Kina's shoulder, he pulled her closer for a hug. "We'll have time to catch up finally, if the Council means to send us on a mission together."

"I don't know, Kenobi," Tio-Kina said, her voice self-depreciating. "You're a little out of my league, as far as Jedi Business goes." When Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, she waved her hand. "No, I'm one kind of Jedi, Obi-Wan. You're another. In fact--sometimes I think you are your own type of Jedi." Smiling, she pulled back, ducking out from under Obi-Wan's arm and moving away slightly. "I have a feeling any mission that you're going on is not going to be run of the mill."

Any response Obi-Wan could have made was cut off when the Council doors slid open, revealing the ancient, nameless Master who had been conducting people to their interviews with the Jedi Council for as long as Obi-Wan could remember.

"The Council will see you now," he intoned.

Obi-Wan climbed slowly to his feet, unable to explain the sudden foreboding in the pit of his stomach.

~~~PART 2~~~

At first, the meeting with the Council seemed nothing special. The two Knights bowed deeply to Mace Windu, the nominal leader of the Council, before straightening to face him, both wearing carefully neutral expressions.

"Knight Kenobi--we have a mission for you." Holding up a small data chip, Mace motioned Obi-Wan forward, dropping it into the Knight's outstretched hand. "This is no ordinary mission--and the dangers presented by it are quite substantial. We believe that only your unique talents have a chance of making success possible."

Obi-Wan bowed before taking step back, tucking the chip in his pocket. His instincts were still screaming that something was not right, but he could not think of any other alternative than to simply wait for events to unfold.

"Knight Neai," Mace continued, transferring his gaze to the young woman. "You have been called before us because Obi-Wan will need a cover on this mission, and you are to be that cover."

Tio-Kina frowned slightly, her eyes confused. "I'm afraid--I'm afraid I do not understand, Master. If this mission is Knight Kenobi's--what part will I play?"

"As I have said, you are to be his cover." Mace drew his hands together, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "The planet he is being sent to is . . . unusual."

"Unusual in what way, Master?" Obi-Wan inquired politely.

"We are sending you to Zyavit," Mace responded.

Obi-Wan stiffened, his gaze seeking out Tio-Kina's. Her eyes were equally wide, her mouth hanging slightly open. Despite her initial surprise, however, it was she who recovered first.

"But Master Windu--Zyavit is not fond of Jedi, and males . . ." She snuck another look at Obi-Wan, comprehension dawning on her face. And something else--something she hid so quickly Obi-Wan wasn't sure he'd seen it. "His cover. I understand, now."

"I'm afraid I do not," Obi-Wan said slowly. "Even if she were to pose as the Ambassador, you know that I will not be allowed on the planet unless I am her--"

The look of stunned comprehension on Obi-Wan's face was so funny that Tio-Kina couldn't quite suppress her smile.

~*~

"According to this, Zyavit had an equalized balance of power up until three hundred years ago," Obi-Wan said, leaning back in his chair and staring at the viewscreen where the information on their mission sat. "There was some kind of epidemic or flu--I'm not sure which one. But it killed most of the population, and of those who were left, only sixteen were women of child bearing age. Those sixteen became the most important members of the tribe, based on the ability to bring new life into the world. After that the social structure became focused around women."

"Mmmhmmm," Tio-Kina said absently, not even glancing up from where she was digging through the box that held their disguises for the mission.

Obi-Wan continued, despite the flagging interest of his audience. "Apparently, about fifty years ago the head of the Ruling Council passed an edict that all men must be property of a woman. There are two castes of slaves--professional and pleasure. The professional are responsible for the menial work of the kingdom, grunt labor and such. They are generally owned by the Ruling Council, unless a woman buys one for stud services. The pleasure slaves are trained . . . well, in pleasure. From what I understand, that's pretty much all they do. Only the very rich or very powerful have their own, but those of lesser means can rent one at Council Approved Houses."

"I am /not/ wearing this," Tio-Kina exclaimed suddenly, tossing a bundle of fabric at Obi-Wan's head. "If men are supposed to be the slaves, there's no reason for me to dress like one."

Obi-Wan caught the clothing deftly, standing up and walking over to where Tio-Kina sat, glaring at him. Shaking out the fabric, Obi-Wan held it up, feeling his eyebrows climbing almost to his hairline. It seemed to be some sort of a dress . . . though what exactly it was supposed to be covering was a mystery. Between the plunging neckline, the web of straps that passed for a back, and the four slits running from ankle to waist, the thing revealed more than it concealed.

And it had the most obnoxiously garish yellow embroidery he'd ever seen.

"You haven't seen my clothes yet," Obi-Wan responded, dropping the dress over the back of a chair and settling down in front of the computer terminal again. "I certainly hope it's warm on Zyavit--or else I'll die of exposure within a few days."

Tio-Kina tossed another article of clothing over her shoulder, still grumbling under her breath. "How about that?" she demanded. "I thought my persona was a diplomat. Exactly what planet am I supposed to be a diplomat from? I can't even think of a climate this would be practical in."

Obi-Wan was having a hard time hiding a frown as he watched Tio-Kina continue to dig through their costumes for the upcoming mission, her eyebrows drawn together into a scowl of disgust. Open minded as she was, Tio-Kina had a reputation for being a bit of a prude, which was very uncommon in the open and loving atmosphere of the Jedi Temple. Not for the first time, Obi-Wan questioned the wisdom of sending a woman who was not particuarly fond of sex to a planet where the dominant gender had imposed a rule of sexual submission on the opposite gender.

His reservations--voiced quietly to Master Windu after Tio-Kina made a startling and not particuarly Jedi-like comment about the stupidity of a race who made sexual slaves of half their populace--had been turned aside with the normal evasiveness of the Council. "She has been chosen for a reason," was the only response Obi-Wan was given, and by now he knew better than to try to force the issue.

"I can't do this," Tio-Kina said suddenly, sliding to the floor in the middle of the pile of clothing. "I can't, Obi-Wan. I'm not smart enough to lead a mission--or even to pretend I'm leading one." Holding up one of the scanty garments, she scowled at it. "And I can't wear this."

"Tio . . ." Rising, Obi-Wan padded across the room and sank into a kneeling position in front of the distraught Jedi. "Look at me." Grasping her shoulders, Obi-Wan gave her a gentle shake. "You /can/ do this. The Council believes in you. I believe in you. All you have to do is trust yourself." Plucking the garment from her fingers, Obi-Wan smiled. "And you most certainly can wear this. I know you're a modest woman, Tio--but sometimes we have to sacrifice our own needs to the greater good. I'll make a deal. You put this on--"

"In front of you?" Tio-Kina demanded. "Not a chance."

"Tio . . . you're going to have to put it on in front of me eventually." Smiling as she stuck her tongue out at him, Obi-Wan continued. "You put one of yours on, and I'll put one of mine on. Trust me, Tio-Kina. Mine's worse. Mine is much, much worse."

Tio-Kina sighed. "I suppose we need to get used to them, don't we," she conceded, climbing to her feet and snatching the fabric from his hands. "And despite what you may think, I was listening to you earlier. So which caste of slave are you supposed to be?"

Waggling his eyebrows at her, Obi-Wan grinned. "Pleasure, of course."

~~~PART 3~~~

For humanoid Padawans Tio-Kina's age, there had been a certain ritual so universal it was almost a right of passage. When one reached the age to become interested in the opposite sex--or in many cases the same sex--they invariably developed a crush on one of The Padawans, which Padawan depending only on the gender they were attracted to.

Those who favored women fell immediately for Ilian Bonau, one of the most beautiful women in the Temple. Skilled in every form of combat, death on two feet, so smart that Masters often engaged her in conversation simply to marvel at her wit, and yet caring enough that she often took time to soothe the fears of troubled initiates--Ilian was the most celebrated Padawan of her age group, with only one notable exception.

That exception, naturally, was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Heartbreakingly gorgeous, able to best any Knight and many Master's with the sabre, Obi-Wan was the student every Padawan wanted to emulate. The fact that he was woefully blind to his own prowess only enhanced his reputation--how one so brilliant and talented and kind and beautiful could be totally unaware of his own value was the topic of many a late night conversation between those enamoured of Kenobi's charm.

Tio-Kina, much as she pretended otherwise, was hardly immune. At fourteen, she had fallen desperately in love with the nineteen year old Obi-Wan, mooning about with wide eyes and scribbling bad poetry in her comp pad when she should have been paying attention to class. When he was assigned to tutor her in higher Math, she'd nearly blushed herself to death during their first session, and it took several weeks before the patient older boy could make her relax enough in his presence to learn.

By sixteen, luckily, Tio-Kina had grown up. Her infatuation with Obi-Wan had fizzled after a few months of passionate devotion. She'd very scrupulously erased all of the bad poetry, scowling at the depth of her own foolishness. When Obi-Wan stopped her in the hallways to say hello or ask after her, she smiled and felt perfectly comfortable chatting with him.

She'd even fallen in love with someone else a few years later. Real love this time--not the fanciful daydreams of a fourteen year old.

Tio-Kina could honestly say that she was over her crush on Obi-Wan Kenobi.

And then he prowled back into the room, dressed in his costume--and Tio-Kina was fourteen again.

She felt her mouth go dry as her eyes widened, staring at the man who was slinking towards her, the long suffering expression on his face a sharp contrast to the sinuous way his body moved.

Her eyes drifted down from his face, flittering over his bare chest nervously. There was no safe place to rest her gaze--the smooth muscles of his shoulders and chest were bare, with the exception of only an ornate leather clasp around his left bicep.

And the collar, engraved with a stylized 'K'--which she supposed marked him as hers, since she was to be known only as 'Kina' during the mission.

Swallowing nervously, Tio-Kina let her eyes sink down past his waist to the lose flowing pants, clasped at his narrow waist with an ornate silver belt. The pants themselves were of some wispy, black fabric--which didn't seem transparent when stationary. But when he moved . . .

Tio-Kina swallowed again.

The pants were slid up the sides, clasped only at the waist and ankle, leaving the expanse of his well muscled legs open to her nervous gaze. Blinking once, Tio-Kina let her eyes slide back up to meet Obi-Wan's . . .

Only he wasn't looking at her.

At least, not at her face.

~*~

Obi-Wan had been prepared for many things when he stepped out the door to face Tio-Kina's blatant perusal. His clothing was nothing if not scandalous--especially by the comparatively modest standards of the Jedi Temple.

He'd been prepared for his body to react to her. She was a pretty enough girl, and the dress she had put left very little to the imagination. That he felt his body stirring was no surprise.

What he hadn't been prepared for were the scars.

His eyes fell on her right arm, horror rising up in him as he took in the fine white lines that wrapped around her upper arm in strange designs. Lines that could only have been left by--

"A knife, Kenobi," she said suddenly.

Obi-Wan lifted his eyes to hers, recoiling from the anger in them.

"What--"

Tio-Kina scowled, grabbing her robe off of the floor and pulling it on hastily. "They used a knife."

"Tio--"

"I don't want to talk about it," Tio-Kina said firmly, tucking the robe around her body. "It's past. It's done with. The scars are mostly gone--the Healers say that in a few years they'll be barely visible."

"Who did that?" Obi-Wan hissed, anger rising in his throat.

"He did," Tio-Kina said softly. "They did. It was part of the--part of the ceremony."

"The--" Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide. "You've had those for a year and no one has seen them before?"

"And who was going to see them?" Tio-Kina snapped. "The Healers know, but they don't go telling the Temple gossips about every patient they treat. And my tunics hide them."

Obi-Wan took a step forward, ignoring the way she shied backwards. "Are there--are there other ones?"

Tio-Kina smiled sweetly. "You'll never know, will you Kenobi."

It was totally irrational--and he knew it. But suddenly, Obi-Wan knew that he /would/ know.

How--he wasn't certain.

But he would.

~~~PART 4~~~

Almost as soon as the set foot on the planet, it became blatantly obvious why the Council had chosen Tio-Kina as Obi-Wan's partner.

She may not have been particuarly intelligent or diplomatic--but she was a born actress. Her talent was so natural that she barely even seemed to notice that she /was/ acting . . .

Which made Obi-Wan a little nervous. The shy, reserved Jedi who was so plain she blended into the crowd was gone. Tio-Kina had become simply Kina, and she played her part as a dawdling daughter from a rich family well. Supposedly she was on Zyavit to try to negotiate the sale of several slaves . . . an example of which was Obi-Wan.

He had to give himself credit . . . he wasn't doing half bad with his own role.

"Obi, do come back here," Kina murmured from across, her voice throaty. Realizing that he'd gotten sidetracked in his musings, Obi-Wan picked up a glass of wine and prowled across the room, sliding gracefully to his knees in front of Kina.

"Surely they're not all like that," the woman who was speaking with Kina said, her eyes running over Obi-Wan in a way that made his skin crawl. He was used to being looked at . . . but not as if he were a prize stud for breeding.

Kina glanced at him, sensing his uneasiness. Reaching out with one hand she slid short fingers through his hair, caressing his scalp in a strangely soothing manner. "Of course they're not," Kina replied, dimpling at the other woman. "My Obi is a fine specimen." Her eyes fastened on to his, and he could /see/ the teasing glint in them. "One of a kind," she purred.

In Obi-Wan's opinion, Kina was maybe having just a little too much fun with this. Of course, their real mission didn't start for another few days anyway. All Obi-Wan had to do for now was make sure that everyone believed that he was nothing more than a pleasure slave--a pleasure slave with not much room for anything else in his mind.

Maybe it was time he started playing too.

After all, it was all in the name of the mission.

~*~

Kina knew she was in trouble when she saw the look in Obi-Wan's eyes. Her nervous attraction to him had been surfacing in all sorts of odd ways, and from behind the protection of her persona she had perhaps been a little forward. But her teasing had helped to unleash some of her nervous energy . . . and she had half-heartedly hoped that Obi-Wan realized that she wasn't doing it on purpose.

When he rose to his knees and begin to slink around behind the pillow she was sitting on, Kina got very, very nervous. She covered as best she could, trying to focus on the conversation she was having with the woman next to her.

Unfortunately, the woman had eyes for nothing but Obi-Wan.

She knew it was imperative that she not react to anything he did. No one would believe he was her slave if she acted as if his touch was something she was not used to--and that would blow their cover and probably get them both killed.

When she felt his hot chest sliding against the skin left bare by her dress, she decided death might come anyway--in the form of heart failure.

His skin was electric. His touch incredible. It was all Kina could do to keep breathing as Obi-Wan curled his body around her, resting his face in her neck and nuzzling softly.

"Is he always like that?"

Kina blinked, trying to focus on the woman sitting next to her. "Oh, yes," she purred finally, curving her spine to mold it to Obi-Wan's body. If he was going to play, she'd play too.

She'd lose for certain--but she'd play.

"I don't suppose you'd lend him to me for a few hours," the other woman all but purred, the lust rolling off of her in waves. Kina felt Obi-Wan stiffen slightly behind her before his body relaxed again, one hand sliding to rest on Kina's thigh.

Sliding her hand over Obi-Wan's, Kina tapped her finger three times against his, signaling that she needed his decision. The code they had worked out was simple but efficient--as long as the questions were yes or no. Anything more complicated would have to involve mindspeech--and Kina was really dreadful at it.

Obi-Wan's hand tightened once on her leg, indicating that his answer was yes. Supressing the flashing rage of jealousy--totally misplaced and totally irrational--Kina gave the waiting woman a lazy smile. "Of course you can try him out. I should warn you though . . . he's rather . . . energetic." Tilting her head, Kina gave Obi-Wan a tight smile. "A little hedonist, aren't you my pet?"

Obi-Wan's eyes drooped shut and he smiled slightly, purring against Kina's neck. "If it please you, Mistress, I'd like to . . . spend some time with you first."

So he had something he needed to say. They could only speak mind to mind, but unlike Obi-Wan, Kina could not do it without dropping into meditation. They needed to be somewhere private before they could hold any consultation . . . which meant their rooms.

"It always pleases me," Kina replied, rising slowly to her feet. "You make sure of that." Although she was getting used to it slowly, it still bothered her to have so much of her body exposed by the clothing she was wearing. It was even worse knowing Obi-Wan was right behind her--she could feel his eyes on her.

It was most un-Jedi like of him. He /was/ a man . . . but still.

Of course, in all honesty, she did her share of gawking. Obi-Wan was a creature to be admired when dressed in his Jedi tunics. Outfitted in clinging, transparent pants and little else . . . he was a sight to stop traffic. Which he had already once.

"If you'll excuse me, Lady," Kina murmured, bowing slightly to the dignitary. "If you come by my suites in a few hours, you can pick him up."

"A few hours, eh?" the woman replied. "Looks, manners, and stamina. You sure you won't sell him to me?"

Kina reached up to caress Obi-Wan's bare shoulder. "I wouldn't offer to buy him until after you've tried him. As I said before . . . he can be a little energetic." Smiling again, Kina swept from the room, Obi-Wan a subdued few paces behind her.

~*~

Obi-Wan sprawled out on the bed, smiling as Kina approached more slowly. He had already found the bugging equipment in their room--though thankfully it was audio only. As long as their conversations were conducted mind to mind, they should be perfectly safe.

Kina crawled up the bed, pushing her back into his chest stiffly and lying completely still. Comfortable as she seemed outside of their quarters, the minute the door closed she became her usual, quiet self . . . withdrawn to the point of pain.

Obi-Wan reached up and casually rested his fingers on his temple, using the connection to link his mind with hers. Most Jedi could accomplish this without total concentration--and Kina's lack of ability to do so had already proved an annoyance more than once.

::I'm sorry,:: Kina said softly in his mind. ::I wish I was of more use to you.::

Obi-Wan realized suddenly that with the link already established, Kina had heard his last thought. Sending a quick rush of reassurance down the link, Obi-Wan pressed his face into her hair and brushed a quick kiss against the back of her head. ::No, that was my fault. You are doing a wonderful job--don't doubt yourself, Tio.::

::Kina,:: she corrected. ::Think of me as Kina. I need to keep myself in character, or I'll . . . I don't know. I'll die of mortification.::

Obi-Wan chuckled, the fingers on her temple starting to move slightly in an absent caress. ::You're doing well, Kina. I never dreamed you had such a talented actress in you. Our cover story is almost perfectly established. Give me a few more days and I'll be able to track down these rebels and see what they have to say.::

::Be careful,:: Kina replied. ::I don't like the way some of the women are talking about them. Not just the nobles--but the lower class women. The ones who aren't as tied up in this whole slavery thing. Even though they might have the right cause--these rebels make me nervous.::

::This K'itha woman who is going to . . . borrow me . . . tonight--she seems to be involved somehow.::

Kina shifted slightly, her back rubbing against Obi-Wan's chest and drawing forth a few very inappropriate reactions, considering how intimatly her mind was linked with his. ::She is the most sympathetic. I do not know if this is sincere, though.:: There was a brief pause, and Obi-Wan sensed a little bit of annoyance. ::You saw the way she was salivating over you.::

::Did that annoy you?:: Obi-Wan asked with a soft chuckle.

Kina shifted again. ::Why do you have to be curled around me when we do this?:: she demanded. ::No offense, Kenobi, but I think I have claustrophobia.::

::Jedi aren't claustrophobic, Kina,:: Obi-Wan replied. ::And you know very well why I have to be like this. The servants here aren't big on knocking, in case you didn't notice. And it looks funny for us to be on opposite sides of the room, with you all tranced down so you can talk to me.::

::So what are you doing tonight?:: Kina asked after a long pause. ::Go in there and give her a good time?::

::Go in there, make her think I gave her a good time, and engage in some productive pillow talk,:: Obi-Wan replied. ::Maybe I can get some information.::

::Do we have anything else to talk about?:: Obi-Wan could sense Kina's discomfort, so palpable that it was practically radiating from her. Frowning slightly, he tried to reach out to discover what was wrong.

His wrist was caught in a tight grip suddenly, his hand jerked away from Kina's head. The girl rolled over and pressed her lips to his ears. "You're a lot better at that mind stuff than me, Kenobi," she hissed. "But don't you dare swim around in my head. I'll know, and it's not right."

Pulling back, Kina smiled sweetly. "Take a shower before you come back to bed," she murmured. "You know how I hate it when you smell like other women."

Before Obi-Wan could reply, Kina had curled up on her side and turned away.

~*~

As soon as the door slid shut behind Obi-Wan, Kina dove from the bed and straight into the shower.

The very, very cold shower.

As the frigid water cascaded down her body, Kina clenched her hands until her fingernails dug into her palms. It was happening--what she had /known/ would happen was happening.

Stupid Council. She had begged to be released from this mission as soon as she had understood her role. There was no way she could act the part of master to the Sexual-Slave-Obi-Wan . . . not and come out of it without being enslaved herself. The man radiated sexuality standing still buried beneath his plain Jedi robes. Even Kina, who wasn't overly fond of sex, even she knew that.

And she wanted him.

Leaning forward, she let the cold spray cascade over her head and down her body. The feeling of his body curled around hers, his heat seeping into her and warming the places left so long cold. The way his muscles shifted against her, the way his fingers fanned over her face. The feeling of his mouth, so close to her neck . . . the feeling of him. Alive. Vibrant. So very male . . .

It was far too addictive. She was getting sucked into the role, sucked into the game. Her blood pounded for him when she was around him . . .

And the mission had barely started.

Groaning, Kina reached forward and turned the controls even lower. Hopefully by the time he came back she could have her body temperature lowered enough to deal with him.

Maybe around the temperature on Hoth.

~*~

"I don't know what /you're/ complaining about," one of the slaves--T'kaul--drawled. "Your Mistress dances to whatever tune you play."

"It's absolutely scandalous," another man--this one Obi-Wan knew was named Obrin--chimed in, his voice high and mocking. Rolling his eyes, the man plunged hit hands into the soapy water, shaking his head. "Really, Offlander. What are you doing down here in the kitchen with us? Your Mistress doesn't seem the type to let you out of her sight."

Obi-Wan relaxed a little, draping his arms over his chest. "Appearances can be deceiving," he said softly. "She seems nice enough . . . but she's a woman. And I don't care what any of them say, it's not natural to have them ruling over us like this."

Obi-Wan held his breath as the two men exchanged glances. He'd been working away at these two for nearly two days . . . trying to wheedle his way into their trust. A little undercover work in the prior week had lead him to believe that these two of all the palace men were the most likely to be able to lead him to the Rebellion . . .

All he had to do was convince them he was ripe for the leading.

"That's dangerous talk, Offlander," Obrin said finally, wiping his hands on a towel. "A man could losoe some of the parts he values most for talk like that."

Obi-Wan forced a smile. "If there's one thing I know, it's that my Mistress won't ever let /that/ happen." Turning his smile a little smug, Obi-Wan leaned casually back against the table. "There are some parts of my duties that aren't all that bad."

"Like I said before," T'kaul growled. "That little slip of a girl dances to whatever tune you play, Offlander." Smiling suddenly, the look in his eyes turned predatory. "I can think of a few I'd like her to dance to, though. Ain't half bad. Not exactly a looker--but she got a body on her that--"

"I wouldn't," Obi-Wan interrupted hastily, supressing the rising jumble of emotions. Irritation and anger, mostly. "She may not look like much, but all she's done for the past twenty five years is learn fighting from her fathers and play with me. She could hurt you, friend."

"Around here, we trust before we befriend," T'kaul said coldly. "Now if you'll excuse us, Offlander . . ."

"I can help," Obi-Wan said suddenly. His instincts told him that it had to be now--had to be this moment and these people. They were the ones who could help him. "If I trust you with something, will you trust me?"

Obrin leaned back, eyes narrow. "If you're asking what I think you're asking, Offlander . . . it'd have to be something mighty big."

Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan tried to center himself in the moment. All his instincts screamed that /now/ was the time for action. He had to take the leap . . .

And if worse came to worse, he and Kina would be fighting their way off planet.

"I am Jedi," he breathed.

He wasn't prepared for the laughter.

"I'm the Grand Duke of Coruscant," Obrin guffawed, slapping his knee. "No, wait. I'm the Supreme Chancellor."

"And I am the Queen," T'kaul snorted. "Tell us another one, Offlander. Your stories make the time go faster."

"Do you really want me to pull some dreadfully obvious stunt?" Obi-Wan asked slowly. "I could, you know. Suddenly levitate you straight up into the air, T'kaul. Or start bouncing dishes around your head, Obrin. Do you really crave proof so badly that you'll destroy the chance I have to help you?"

"There's little enough hope going around as it is," T'kaul said quietly. "We don't need false hope--it just hurts all the more."

"I am Jedi," Obi-Wan said again. "And I am here to help you."

There was a long pause . . . long enough that Obi-Wan questioned the intelligence of his decision. There were so many things that could go wrong . . . so many--

"Well, shit." Obrin slapped Obi-Wan on the shoulder. "Help us finish up these dishes, and we'll talk."

~*~

"You did what?"

Obi-Wan's hand didn't clamp over her mouth quickly enough to muffled the enraged exclamation. Very tempted to bite his hand, Kina stared up at him as he glared back down, aqua eyes piercing. "Not now," he hissed, his lips barely moving.

"Yes, now," she hissed back, her voice muffled by the hand still stretched across her lips. Sliding her hands up his bare chest, Kina dug her fingernails ever so slightly into his shoulders as she ducked her hand out from under his hand. "Now," she said very clearly, her voice commanding.

"As my Mistress wishes," Obi-Wan shot back quickly, the anger palpable around him. Observant of the probable surveillance, however, he was dutiful as he helped her to her feet before sweeping her up into his arms. "Faster this way, Mistress," he practically purred.

Kina winced. That was not a nice purr.

Still--she held to her anger. He had endangered them both--quite possibly destroyed any chance of the mission's success. The fact that he was /supposedly/ the Knight in charge meant nothing to Kina now. Even the barest Padawan knew that blowing your cover less than a week into an undercover mission was not the best way to go about succeeding.

But Obi-Wan had done it, without so much as consulting with his partner. Stupid, arrogant male.

Kina's mental tirade cut off with an audible gasp as her back hit the bed with enough force to send her bouncing back up--directly into Obi-Wan's body.

His entire body pressed into hers, pinning her to the bed. One strong thigh slid between her legs, his hands coming up to sink into her hair as he tilted her face up. Every move he made caused rippling muscles to play teasingly against Kina's shivering body. The heat of him as he breathed against her forehead made her light headed.

He paused there for a few moments before his fingers tightened almost painfully in her hair. A slightly stubbled cheek slid down her own until the tempting lips were hovering above her ear.

"Perhaps you've fallen a little too deeply into this role," the silken voice hissed, the exhalation of air tickling against Kina's ear. "Perhaps you've forgotten who is in charge. It isn't you, Kina. This is my mission. My decisions."

"Mindlink me," Kina murmured softly, trying to keep her body stiff beneath his to avoid betraying how very much she liked having him there, stretched out on top of her. Hard and hot and lean and . . .

And pissed. Shaking herself mentally, Kina brought her brain back to the point. He'd almost destroyed their mission--very possibly had--and /he/ had the gall to be pissed at /her/.

"No," the voice chuckled. The fingers tightened again, and Kina gasped slightly as Obi-Wan pulled back, staring at her for a few moments before sliding down to whisper into the other ear. "You don't get to talk back, Kina. Remember that although you are playing the Master, it is I who is giving the orders."

"You were stupid," Kina hissed, wishing she could scream it from the rooftops. His overwhelming arrogance in believing himself right was too much . . . she wanted to make him suffer for it.

How very Jedi of her. Shaking herself again, Kina tilted her head to stare into the livid aqua eyes. "You could have asked me first," she whispered.

"No." Pulling back, Obi-Wan stared down harshly. "This is my--"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as the door swung open. The next few moments seemed to pass in slow motion--or maybe it was fast forward. Kina wasn't quite sure, because the moment Obi-Wan sensed the door opening, he did the first thing he thought of to save their cover.

He clamped his mouth over Kina's and did his damndest to kiss the living daylights out of her.

It was fire--and no gentle flame. True fire. They were still furious at each other--Kina could /feel/ how upset he was as clearly as she could feel her own, equal rage. And yet--whatever else they did--they had to try and salvage what they could.

Kina growled low in her throat as Obi-Wan's tongue swept at her lips. Determined as she was to keep the kiss from getting any deeper, there was nothing she could do when the slippery warmth of his tongue swept across her lips again, this time coaxing. Reaching up to tangle her hands in his hair, Kina let him kiss her.

And he did. On and on and on, even though the door slid shut and they both knew that they were alone in the room. They kissed because they didn't know how to stop--and then because they couldn't stop. As far as Kina could tell, Obi-Wan was suddenly as essential to her survival as air, and she couldn't pull away--much as she wanted to.

What was worse was that with each passing moment . . . her desire to pull away diminished.

He was getting to her.

~~~PART 6~~~

It took far too much will power to pull back. Mentally shaking himself, Obi-Wan threw himself from the bed and paced across the room, taking rapid breaths to hide his trembling.

That had not been right.

He could hear Kina's staggered breathing behind him as she fought for control. The room fairly vibrated with emotions--powerful emotions. Anger danced around confusion, trembling with frustration . . . and underneath it all a tiny flame of lust weaving stealthily deeper into him with every breath he took.

And that, Obi-Wan decided, was one of the most foolish things he'd ever thought.

Clenching his hands into fists, Obi-Wan turned back to the bed. "Share your thoughts with me, Mistress?" he asked softly. He had to talk to her--had to actually talk to her. They had to work something out before one of them killed the other one . . .

 . . . or did something much more interesting.

"Of course, Obi," Kina replied, waving a hand at him. "Always." Her tone of voice sounded natural enough--but trained in nuance from the time he could walk, Obi-Wan could sense the tension.

Kissing her had been a bad idea.

A very, very bad idea.

Settling on the bed next to Kina, Obi-Wan dropped his fingertips to her forehead. ::You may not like my decision, Kina, but it was the one that needed to be made.::

Obi-Wan winced at the look in her eyes. ::If you say so, Master.:: The biting chill of her mind voice was harsh.

::Stop acting like a petulant child just because you can't have your way,:: Obi-Wan snapped, perhaps a little louder than necessary. Kina's eyes widened as his voice echoed overly loud in her head. ::You're a Jedi Knight. Act like one, Tio-Kina. I have a rendezvous with the Rebel leaders. You are here as my cover. So cover me, damn it!::

Leaning forward, Kina pressed her lips to Obi-Wan's slowly, her fingernails digging slightly into his shoulder as she slid her lips carefully across his. ::As you say, Master,:: she snarled.

Obi-Wan opened almost against his will, the softness of her lips caressing his too tempting to pass up. He was enjoying the caress in spite of himself . . . so close to responding . . .

And she bit his lip.

Smiling slightly, Kina pulled back. "I'm going out, Obi dear," she purred, her voice a distinct contrast to her expression. "Don't stay out too late. I'll want you to warm me back up when I get home."

Obi-Wan stared, mouth gaping slightly, as she prowled from the bed, shaking her mostly bared hips at him. She smiled once over her shoulder when she caught him staring, laughing as she swept up her cloak and headed out the door.

Obi-Wan was worried about a lot of things. He was worried that she'd get angry and blow their cover. He was worried that her sensitive state would dull her edge. He was even worried that she might finally accept one of the many pleasure slaves who had offered themselves to her in hopes of gaining the favor of the 'foreign princess.'

The one thing he wasn't worried about was her safety. She was a Jedi Knight. She was a woman on a planet where women reigned supreme. She was posing as a foreign diplomat, hosted by the Queen herself and under royal protection.

Who would dare touch her?

~*~

The attack was swift and brutal. Kina--an average warrior with a slow reaction time--didn't have a chance as she was swarmed over by five large men, a force inhibiting collar snapped around her neck as soon as they had shoved her to the ground.

Her face was ground into the dirt as someone kneeled on her back, tying her hands tightly behind her back. Someone else wound their hand in her hair, jerking her neck back painfully as someone slapped a piece of tape across her mouth. The final touch, a dirty rag serving as a blind fold, was tied around her eyes tight enough to give her a headache.

She had barely processed the fact that she had been attacked when a sharp blow to the head sent her tumbling into oblivion.

~*~

Obi-Wan was angry.

With pretty much everyone.

He was angry with Kina for running off without telling him where she was going. He was angry with himself for letting her. He was angry with Kina for not having better mind skills so he could reach her and talk to her. He was angry with himself for not establishing some kind of link so he could track her if it became necessary.

He was angry at the Temple for giving him a uniform that had no place to hide a lightsabre. He was angry with Kina for stalking off with his sabre on /her/ belt.

He was unarmed. He was half naked.

And his partner was missing.

All in all, the mission had just taken a turn for the worse.

~*~

The sound of lightsabres igniting was what woke her.

The blindfold must have been removed at some point, but Kina found herself bound and gagged, strapped down tightly to a chair. The room she was in was dark with no windows, the only light coming from a cheerful blaze across the room.

And from the two lightsabres being twirled by hulking men in dirty clothes in the middle of the room.

"Careful, Obrin," one drawled, examining the hilt of the blade in his hand. "Looks like you could easily take an arm off with this thing."

Obrin was waving Kina's lightsabre around, laughing as the bluish blade left a trail of light in the air. "They're awful pretty though, T'kaul. Are you sure I can't keep one?"

"Hey." The one called T'kaul was looking at Kina, who started slightly. "She's decided to come around. Welcome to the Rebellion, little Jedi," T'kaul drawled. "I hope you'll enjoy being part of it."

Kina stared at him, trying desperately to read his intentions. There was some kind of shadow in his eyes . . . something she didn't like at all. But it was nothing compared to the pure cruelty in Obrin's eyes.

"You're going to have to earn your keep, little Jedi," Obrin said with a shallow smile. "First you can bring us your friend . . . the one who bows to you in public and master's you in private. He'll join our crusade if he knows that's the only way to get his Jedi Playtoy back." The smile grew wider. "After that . . . you can just earn your keep."

The lewd look he gave her left no doubt in her mind how that earning would come about . . .

Kina could only hold one thought in her head as she stared into the vicious eyes.

She was a failure at being a Jedi.

Any real Jedi would have already thought of fifteen different ways to get out, to warn Obi-Wan, to turn this to their advantage. They would be calm. Detached. Ready to face the implications of what their captors had implied.

Kina, already once a victim of brutalization, couldn't still her mind enough to hold more than one steady thought. Her body was shaking with terror. Her mind ready to retreat into itself.

Groping desperately for something to cling to, Kina surfaced with one thought. The one she held to her as more men wandered by her, occasionally groping her or throwing vicious taunts at her. The one she clung to as she saw the type of men left in charge of watching her, and the horrific way they kept sizing her up.

It became her mantra, her promise, her hope.

They will not rape me.

~*~

TBC