Author: Hypatia (With some help from libby)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Lucas, just playing.
Notes: This is a fic that has started out Fluffly and light and ended on a slightly serious note. The title has nothing to do with the first part and everything to do with the second.
It's from a quote by Winston Churchill who said in November 1943 at the Allied Meeting in Teheran, "In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies."
I sat staring at the screen trying very hard to come up with a solution to this problem that was economical and effective. The Ship's resources were being eaten up by this private e-mail exchange between people.
Private e-mail isn't a problem normally, but when it is using ship resources to encode it, it becomes my problem. Specifically, there was a ship wide bet. Who ever won it would essentially get a pool of 5,000 credits plus an assortment of knicknacks.
Rumors and guesses were flying but nothing anyone would say was a definitive answer. It was taking up resources that were needed to run other ship sources in a timely manner. It was time to take action.
I stood up, adjusted my dusky grey uniform, walked over to the general's chair and waited for him to finish talking with the engineer. I took this opportunity to observe my General. He was a handsome man, strong chin, piercing changing eyes and smart ass smirk.
Much of the time when he was dressing down the crew I got the feeling he found the situation more amusing than infuriating. His apprentice stood behind him and gave me a smile and a wink. I was recently made a lieutenant of the science corp. Or as most people put it, leader of the rabble of the three fix-it wizards on the ship.
The Republic has always held intelligence in high esteem. When in peace, there were sometimes whole ships consisting of nothing more then a handful of regular crew while the floating lab did its work.
However in times of war, the Republic forces split their intelligence crew into two groups. The first were the traditional espionage core. They were holed up in a bunker where no one really knew where they were. They were the people who were intellectual plodders, who pounded on a puzzle long and hard.
The second group, which I was part of, was known affectionately as the miracle workers. We were people who had more then our fair share of intelligence, but had all the attention span of a quark. We were, for the most part, high spirited and trying to control us was like herding cats. But give us a problem and we will pound it till it's fixed.
We may be a headache to keep in line during slow times, but when the chips are down and the odds are against us, we rally. We live for those moments. We are the miracle workers that allow generals to defeat entire armies while running on half power and leaking like a sieve. We've saved the ship many times over. So we are forgiven if we are caught hover blading in the cargo bays.
Finally the general turned to me in his pitch black uniform and rubbed his face. "Yes Lieutenant Tala?"
"Sir, I have found the source of our resource drain." I said stiffly.
"Yes, and it is?" he replied resting one hand on his hand.
I can't help it if my work when not in a crisis is boring. But I have to report. "People are sending private and encoded messages. Since these messages are encoded and sent to everyone on the ship except one person in question it is eating up resources."
"Oh? And what might these be about?" he asked yawning.
"If I may quote the e-mail, it's a bet as to the size of your wanger, sir."
He tilts his head forward and his eyebrows inch up his forehead, "Excuse me?"
I stood up straighter. "The size of your wanger sir."
"A bet?"
"Yes sir."
"Oh dear. No wonder I haven't been getting anything about this bet. What is it up to?"
"Five thousand credits sir, for the person who can get as much definitive proof as possible."
He arched one eyebrow. "These e-mails are taking up much of the ships resources. Any ideas on how to stop it? Can you put a block on them or perhaps ask the crew to stop sending them?"
"Both I have already tried sir." I replied smoothly, "I can only think of one way to stop it."
"And that would be?" He asked tilting his head to one side.
"Hold up your hand sir. Open it, now lower your middle finger to your palm." I took a mental mark of the place. "Open your hand again." I whipped out my tape measurer, got a reading and quickly walked back to my seat.
There was a stunned silence before the applause started.
I quickly typed out the e-mail and sent it to the crew. I felt my cheeks grow red hot. I had never in my military career had ever done something so audacious.
I was frightened to look behind me, but I could see in the glass, Anakin was coughing hard into his hand. General Obi-wan Kenobi had both his eyebrows at his hairline.
Suddenly I heard him bark, "Lieutenant Tala! My Office in ten minutes."
The applause stopped, and my heart started pounding as he got up and walked off the bridge. A few souls whispered encouragements to me but I could tell, all were glad not to be in my position.
***
I stood in the centre of his office, at full attention. I keep my eyes focused on a picture of the Jedi Temple at Coruscant. The General stalked a full circle around me, and came to stand directly in front of me. His teal eyes pinning me in place.
"Lieutenant," he said evenly, frowning deeply, "I am disappointed in you."
"Sir?"
"Of all my crew on this ship, I should have thought you would be the last to do something so disrespectful. I am appalled that you would do that at all, much less in front of the entire bridge."
If I wasn't an officer, with years of training and experience, I would have squirmed. As it was, I fought against the urge to flinch.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" He demanded.
"It worked," I said before I could stop myself.
"Excuse me?" He arched an eyebrow. I was on dangerous ground, I knew, but I also knew it was too late to back out now.
"You wanted me to determine the cause of the resource drain; I did," I explained. "You wanted me to stop it; I did."
"Be that as it may," he said, "you did not behave as an officer just now. To help you remember how an officer does behave, I am going to assign you triple shifts for the next week."
"Yes sir."
He stared at me for a moment longer, and I did everything I could to avoid meeting his eye. "Dismissed," he said finally.
***
I was reciting the rules of officer conduct to the time of my swings of the mop.
"Chapter Fourteen *grunt* Sexual conduct." I said as I tried to get a particularly nasty piece of glob off the men's work out room floor.
The entire ship had at one time or another patted me on the back or said I had balls of solid rock. I was an unsung hero of the ship. For someone who was usually either ignored or never accepted this was quite an achievement.
"Sexual contact between officers of different rank are strictly prohibited and punishable by court marshal." I said. I had at that moment to look up and see Kenobi with his shirt off working out on the parallel bars. I blushed many shades of pink and FOCUSED on my mopping damn it!
"Hey Tala!" one of the guys in my group said handing me a data pad. "Your prize money."
"Huh?" I said wiping the sweat from my eyes. It was my last day of punishment and I had gotten only four hours sleep at any one night. I was looking forward to collapsing into my bed tonight.
"Message from the Lone-Wanger." he grinned, "The head of the bet. Says to meet them at the Galley at midnight."
This was bad. Galley at midnight was strictly prohibited, not to mention that was right in the middle of my last shift. If Kenobi caught me shirking I would get two weeks. Besides, I still had the last two decks to do.
He simply waved it off at the look on my face, "I'll do them. It's right when the General sleeps. Besides, just go for ten minutes, come back. If he catches you say you were double checking to make sure you did the galley. After all, all of the floors start to look the same.
I glared at him, "You realize the General is across the room and a Jedi."
"And you realize you have had a thing for him for months."
I sputtered. "What?"
"Come on, admit you got the hots for him like the rest of the girls on the ship." he teased.
I simply picked up my bucket of dirty water and dumped it on my subordinate. Why is it that I have been getting a lot of applause lately?
I saw out of the corner of my eye that General Kenobi had dismounted from the parallel bars and was toweling off, watching me.
"Sir, remember to treat your commanding officers with respect. A lesson I have learned recently myself." I said. "Now wash up and make sure the hyperdrive is working. That thing NEVER works when we need it to."
He simply smirked at me and bowed out. "Yes, oh fix it goddess."
I swiped at him with my mop, "Loon!"
***
It was midnight, and most of the ship was asleep. My subordinates had simply stolen the mops, buckets and soap from me, saying I was to go collect my reward. I tip toed my way to the galley, trying to look as if I was going to the supply closet.
I got to the galley, and saw that I had managed to arrive before the mysterious Lone Wanger. I decided to walk the length of the galley before turning around and going back to my duty. I was about halfway to the far wall, when I heard the door open and close behind me.
I turned, ready to meet the Lone Wanger, and get back to work. And froze.
"Good evening, General," I managed to croak out.
"Checking to make sure you mopped the galley?" He asked, a sarcastic smile on his face.
Aw, hell, I figured. "No sir," I answered, "I received a message to meet to head of the bet about your anatomy here."
I was in deep enough as it was. He nodded, his face half covered in shadow of the dark galley. "Really. You left your duty to collect on your bet?"
I looked him dead in the eye, "No, my crew volunteered to take over for me while I collected on my bet."
He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms, putting him completely in shadow, making him a lithe creature of the night, silent and deadly.
"Quite a loyal crew you have inspired, willing to take your punishment for you while you receive a reward." he murmured after a seeming eternity. "It's a wonder I never saw this in you before. But I suppose that makes you even more ideal. You can be invisible if you wish."
Ideal? "Pardon sir?"
He walked forward, arms crossed and leaned close to me, his nose nearly touching mine, "You didn't complete your punishment. What should I do with you?"
"Give me an even more severe one sir." I replied roundly.
He nodded, "Alright then. I am promoting you to captain and you are now my personal assistant."
My mind came to a screeching halt. "Wh...what?"
He leaned back, "Anyone who has the cleverness to find a solution to the resources problem like that, AND have the guts to ask me the size of my private anatomy in such a way as you GOT an answer, and the leadership skills to inspire a crew to help you collect on the winnings has shown all the skills necessary for the job of my assistant."
I blinked, my mind coming to some rapid fire conclusions, "You... YOU are the lone Wanger! You started it! Why?"
He grinned, "Better and better! You saw that I was the instigator that quickly! Anakin will be going back to the temple to prepare for his trials soon and I will be left without an assistant. I needed a replacement."
I stared at him, "Jedi are even more devious than I thought."
He chuckled, " Well *Captain* Tala, do you accept your 'punishment'?"
I bowed, "I would be honoured to sir. Oh sir?"
"Yes Captain?"
"About my money..."
***
"Captain?" I heard him say as he entered his office area. I occupied a desk that was just outside of his office door."Yes, General?" I commented idly as I finished writing the new cipher code we would use.
"Please inform the crew that once we are in orbit, week long shore leave will be given in shifts." The general said as he placed a datapad on my desk. Our ship was docking at a space station in planetary orbit for repairs. We had emerged victorious with far more damage done to the ship then to the crew. Thank your chosen deity.
"Yes sir," I nodded, and had a thought. I looked up at him "Sir?"
"Yes?" He turned back to me and I clearly saw the bags under his eyes. All of us on the crew had been stretched to our limits. Our spirit wasn't broken but it was getting close. We all needed this shore leave to remember what it was we were fighting for.
However, as tired as I was, I couldn't help but have my heart give that little skip each time I looked at him.
"When will you be taking your leave?" I asked instead of saying what I was thinking. That involved several colorful scenarios involving body paint.
He arched an eyebrow, and shrugged. "I will discuss that with you later."
If using the Force to idly spy on fellow officers wasn't a violation of Jedi Officer Ethics, I would have thought he had overheard my thoughts.
As it was... "Yes sir." Would you prefer chocolate, caramel or butterscotch?
"Oh, and Captain?"
"Yes sir?"
"Would you please order me a cup of drinking chocolate? I suddenly feel like pampering myself."
Why that little...
"I believe we already established there is nothing little about me, Captain."
Damn..
I managed through years of control training, not to sputter but simply fall back on my father's advice. When in doubt, salute and leave.
I walked out the door and logged the leave to the crew setting up schedules of how many can go at from any branch at any period.
Then I send the order for drinking chocolate to the Kitchen to have it delivered. I walked to my room and collapsed in my bed to stare at the ceiling.
I was getting harder and harder to hide my heart every day. It was a damn good thing Kenobi's padawan was a heterosexual male. Or else there would be many problems. How in the name of all that is holy does one work with a man as wonderful in person as in body as Kenobi and NOT fall in love.
I sighed and rubbed my face. Officer laws said no contact is allowed. But what if you just simply love silently, letting your heart pour out and not receive anything in return.
It's a damn good thing one can't be court martialed for feelings. Else I would have been given dishonorable dismissal long ago.
I sat up and staggered to my refresher to shower. When General Kenobi said "I'll talk to you about it later." in reference to shore leave, it meant he wasn't taking any. Like hell I was going to let that happen. Maybe I could trick him into taking some time off. Or blackmail? Tell him if he works, I work?
Black mail would be best. There were many times Anakin and I, singingly or in concert would cut the general off from work. Usually I would clear the general's schedule and make sure no one would disturb him while his devious apprentice would use the force to send the general to sleep and put him to bed.
The general usually wasn't very pleased when we ganged up on him, but usually accepted the fussing with grace and humor.
I showered and cleansed the grit of the day off my body, rejuvenating my body, wishing it could do the same for my heart.
***
How does one proposition one's subordinate without getting you both court martialed? I had been worrying that question over and again for some time. Every since I had realized that I was in love with Captain Keilah Tala.
My apprentice had laughed himself sick the moment I confessed what was in my heart to him. I suppose I deserved it, I had often sworn my devotion to the force and my duty left me proof from the love god's charms. How was I to know the force would simply prove me wrong.
Chapter Fourteen of the Officer's Code of Conduct expressly forbade what I had been contemplating on a daily basis.
But my heart didn't care about rules or regulations. It only cared that Keilah was so close so much of the time...
...And that I was such a bloody fool that I wouldn't reach out and pull her into my arms. Anakin thoroughly agreed with this analysis and often told me, in graphic detail, what I should do about it.
It was true, I never really did see her before despite the fact she was on the bridge every day. I had heard of her and her brilliant mind. She once saved a crew trapped in a shuttle by using a belt buckle, a wire and a lightsaber powercell to force the door to open.
The Jedi that told me that one even said he couldn't remember what she looked like.
The grey uniform washes her out, making her unruly brown curls that never seem to behave seem dull and lifeless. It made her skin paler.
I once saw her on shore leave laughing with her friends wearing a simply cut burgundy wine colored dress. Between her high spirits and joy brought color into her cheeks. The dress merely highlighted the change, complimenting her colors. I was tempted to proposition this intriguing civilian for the night until someone called her by her name. Keilah.
I flung myself onto my bed that night as I did every night, thinking of all the things I wish I had done to Keilah... during the evening... on my desk.
I chuckled, it was a damn good thing she wasn't a Jedi. I was projecting loud enough that if one WAS in the area I would have been called on it.
I rolled onto my back trying desperately to sleep, when all I saw in my mind were a certain pair of brown eyes.
***
I sighed as I read the note, Poor Andala.
"What is it, Captain?" the General asked from where we were wading through paper work up to our asses. Literally, there was paperwork strewn in piles that came up to our butts. And sort through it we had to.
"I just got a note from a friend of mine in the academy. Ensign Andala. She's gone and secretly got engaged to her Lieutenant."
He stared at me for a few seconds, "Are you reporting them?"
I shook my head sadly, "Andala lost her entire family in this war. Her lieutenant, whom I have met, is just as bad off. I can't report them, not in good conscience. They have so little else besides love." I sighed softly and erased the note as Andala asked me to, no evidence anymore. He kept a steady gaze on me. "You are aware..."
"Of Chapter 14? Only too well," I said. "But love is a rare and precious enough as it is."
He nodded, if only imperceptibly. "Some would say that the army is long on rules and short on compassion."
I shifted uncomfortably. "Some could say that, I suppose," I said, and buried my nose in the nearest data pad.
He stood, walked over to me, and plucked the pad from my fingers.
"General..." I stammered.
He sighed. "Please, call me Obi-Wan. In all these months that we've been working together, I don't think I've ever heard you call me by my given name."
I swallowed thickly. "Alright, Obi-Wan. May I have my data pad back please?"
"No."
"No, sir?"
"No, Keilah. Not until I tell you something."
I was suddenly very nervous about what he had to tell me. I nodded as I looked at him. Slowly, he leaned close, his lips so close I could feel the warmth coming off them. And he stopped. Hovering so close.
He was waiting for me to accept. I leaned forward those last few centimenters and brushed our lips together. It was the barest of touches but very far from chaste. Just when I thought he would deepen it, he pulled away.
"Not here." He whispered softly. "Good lord above, I wish otherwise, but not here."
I nodded, "Fourteen?"
He gave a flicker of a smile as he pulled away. "Precisely. On the ship, the walls have eyes and ears. I've arranged for our shore leave. I leave for mine tonight. Yours starts in two days. As my personal assistant, you will be given my location."
I smiled brightly, "Yes."
I saw a small smile flicker on his lips, "You don't have to do this if you do not wish. I will respect and hold you just as dear if you said no."
"My answer still stands." I whispered, "Besides, I want to see if my measurement is accurate."
A happy look appeared on his face only to be smoothed over as he backed away to sheer professionalism. The stoic Jedi mask was back. To anyone watching or listening to us, it would seem as if we were simply leaning close to talk.
But I caught a small glow of happiness in his eyes that wasn't there before.
***
I stood nervously outside of his cabin by the sea. I was carrying a pad of the latest repair updates. I had taken my camping gear and chatted with several of the crew that I was going to relieve my stress by getting lost in the forests. My general's cabin was so close to the planet parks I was planning on hiking that I had made a quick run into the woods, dropped off my com-unit by a rock cave.
I sighed as I looked at the cabin door. It wasn't too late to walk away. I could turn around, go camping as I planned, and simply forget about this madness. By doing this I was risking his career as much as mine. But I also realized it took two to tango. He gave every indication of being willing to risk it all for this.
I found my hand knocking on the door before I was consciously aware of it. The door opened under my fingers and my breath caught at the sight that greeted me. My general was wearing only a small pair of black swimming trunks. I could see every muscle, every inch of silky skin, every pore on his body.
"Where are your clothes?" He asked softly when I stepped inside.
"In the woods. Camping. I've set up a small relay to signal me should the com unit go off. It will then bounce the signal to me here." I said as I placed the small device on the table near the door. I placed a second item on the table that looked like a small pyramid.
"What is that?" He asked.
I smiled, "connects to my wrist chrono. Makes me invisible to everything but plain sight. If it's surveyed by anything other then the naked eye, I'm not here. As far as anyone watching the planet is concerned, I'm holed up in a cave for the week."
Obi-wan looked outside, "Good thing, looks like it will rain all week. You've thought this out, haven't you?"
I nodded and felt myself blush, "This truth is so precious it must be attended by a bodyguard of lies."
"And what is this truth?" Obi-wan asked as he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. His golden hair falling slightly into his eyes.
I blushed, "Love."
A blistful smile appeared on his face as he gazed down at me. It was at once tender and fierce. "Yes. Love."
He dipped his head down and kissed me. I reveled in the feel of his lips on mine. It would very likely be a long time before we might get a chance to do this again. Might as well make the most if it.
As if divining my thoughts, he picked me up in his arms and carried me to his bed. He lay me down just as the first rumbles of thunder followed by the soft tapping on the roof of rain.
***
I felt absolutely content as I lay in his arms afterwards, and just be. We had both violated chapter fourteen rather enthusiastically. Instead of looking at it in a negative way, we turned it into a game, seeing how many of the rules we could break in one night.
As I have often said, if one must do something one might as well go for the gold.
I knew that beneath the calm stoic Jedi exterior lay a naturally passionate and sensual man. He wasn't a skilled lover and was, perhaps, a tad clumsy. But his gentleness and enthusiasm made up for that and more. He spent what seemed like an eternity just touching me, with his eyes soft with emotion.
He wasn't a noisy lover. He was given to soft moans and gasps. Rarely spoke a word other then my name. Each time we collapsed in ecstasy, gasping for breath, he'd gently whisper soft endearments. We'd comfort each other in the after shock.
Then just as my body was barely recovering, he'd press against me and start us on that skyward journey all over again. He was an energetic, enthusiastic lover. I don't know if his eagerness to do anything and everything I was willing to let him do came from a naturally generous nature or from the knowledge that in a few short days we'd have to hide this again.
If tonight was any indication of how our few days together would go, I would need the few days separated just to recover enough to walk. But for now, I'll watch him while he slept.
His face is so peaceful. All the worries of his command were laid aside for just a moment to let him rest. He had the longest lashes that tickled me when he kissed me. I could see hairline scars on his body from past fights. His skin was satiny soft and there was a slight post cloital smile curving his lips. The only thing I missed in this picture was his eyes. I loved his eyes most of all. This heavenly color that transformed from blue to grey to green.
Speaking of which his eyes popped open and looked at me. His smile deepening.
"What?" I asked curious.
"I like the way you're looking at me just now." He whispered. "The force is filled with a very pleasant emotion."
I scrunch my nose up in confusion, "How am I looking at you? So I can be sure I do it again."
He chuckled and rolled me underneath him and kissed my nose. "Happy and that I was the cause of much of it."
"I am happy and my inability to leave this bed is proof you did it." I whispered.
He kissed my forehead and toyed with my hair as I placed my hands on his shoulders and massaged them. "I will say this now. Should what we are doing come to light, I am taking the blame."
I opened my mouth to start protesting when he placed a finger to my lips and shushed me. "Darling," He whispered, "I know that you feel that we are equals in this and should share equal blame. I also realize you'd ignore that agreement and say to authorities it was all your fault just to save me."
I frowned, "You know me too well."
He chuckled as he lightly kissed my lips, "Here is the reason I'd take the blame. Firstly, I have a place outside of the military. Were I tossed out in disgrace, I could go home. You do not."
I glared up at him, "I can manage."
He nodded, "I hold no thoughts to the contrary. I was merely thinking perhaps it would be a way to salvage the career you have worked so hard at."
I frowned, "Title means nothing to me. I wanted to be where I could do the most good. If I can't be here, I'll find something else. Either way, if you take the blame we'd be separated."
He nodded, "True enough."
I smirked, "Besides, I've never told you about my mother and father."
His eyebrow quirked up, "yes?"
I grinned, "As you know I am an army brat. What you don't know is my father was a ensign my mother was an admiral at the time."
Obi-wan's eyes shot to his hairline, "Really?"
I grinned, "Yes, my mother has told me that the high command tends to ignore anything that isn't brought to it's attention during wartime. They won't actively seek us out."
Obi-wan sighed, "Only nosey pencil necks who care more about rules and their own advancement."
I kissed his lips lightly, "We'll worry about if we are caught, when we are caught. Deal?"
Obi-wan lowered his head down to my shoulder as he hugged me close, "Agreed. We shall simply have to see who ends up taking the blame."
I wrapped my legs around his and rubbed my feet on the backs of his calves. He groaned as this made his hips sink exactly where I wanted them. "Shall we think of more pleasant things then?"
He chuckled as he nibbled on my neck and I gasped as ripples of pleasure shot through me. "Yes, we shall."
End
