Star Wars Character Cafe - Trix Chapter 4

TRIX

CHAPTER 4

“Those turbolasers on that Marauder Corvette are something else,” Lo said appreciatively as she kneeled on the top of the Wild Nerf’s hull and probed the crater the hit left in the Nerf’s upper plating with her fingers.

“A turbolaser’s work is never pretty,” Maxx replied solemnly. “During my first year with the Nerf, I once happened on a Rebel attack on a Star Destroyer. Just as I was preparing to turn around, I saw a couple of Y-Wings fly into a turbolaser bolt. There was nothing left of them that was recognizable.”

Lo looked up at Maxx, who was standing next to her.

“How do you know it was the Rebels?” she asked, feeling instantly curious.

Maxx sighed.

“Who else would be crazy enough to attempt an attack on an Imperial Star Destroyer with a bunch of snubfighters?” he asked rhetorically. “Sith, who else would be crazy enough to take on a Star Destroyer period?”

Lo nodded sagely, she may have lacked Maxx’s understanding of galactic affairs, but as an engineer, she could appreciate the difficulties involved in attacking the Empire’s premier capital ship.

“How did it end?” she asked.

“Don’t know,” Maxx replied distantly. “I turned around and jumped out of there as quickly as I could, still, it couldn’t have ended well for the Rebels.”

Lo nodded.

“You’re probably right,” she replied.

“Turbolasers are nasty things,” Maxx replied thoughtfully. “That your shields allowed the Nerf to survive a direct hit says a lot for their design.

Lo frowned as she returned to examining the crater in the hull plating.

“It was a close call,” she answered distantly. “I scanned the plating from inside and it was only a millimeter or two thick in the worst areas. I’m afraid that we’ll have to slice out the whole area and weld in new plating.”

Maxx nodded sagely.

“I’ll talk to Eva about it,” he replied. “She said that she should have us spaceworthy in a day’s time, two at the most.”

Lo nodded.

“That’s Eva,” she replied with a smile.

***

Trix and Aayla were anxious as they waited for Maxx, Lo and Trouble to return from talking with the outlaw techs about repairs. Trix felt bad about dragging her old friend into these troubles that she didn’t even know she had. Now Maxx’s beloved Wild Nerf was damaged and Maxx would soon be facing expensive repairs. Aayla felt scared and confused. Since she had been purchased by this Trix, she had learned of a plot to kidnap her, had been subjected to two battles and was now facing the prospect of spending a few days in this outlaw’s haven. Aayla knew that Trix meant well, but she couldn’t help wondering if she wouldn’t be better off if Vardun Cantrel had won the bidding war instead.

TC-23J brooded as she looked after the two Twi’leks. It seemed as if everything she had been working towards for the past twenty eight years was in jeopardy. As she poured Trix another cup of herbal tea, TC-23J knew that she would have to talk with Maxx. Her only question was whether she could afford to wait until the Twi’leks were gone. She wondered what Mistress Kjell would have wanted her to do.

Suddenly TC-23J heard Maxx’s voice over the comlink. She walked over to the engineering station and checked the camera and scanners by the starboard boarding ramp before lowering it. She raised the boarding ramp as soon as the trio was onboard. Soon, Maxx, Lo and Trouble appeared in the ship’s lounge.

“I hope you don’t mind my having a drink,” Lo said wearily as she plunked herself down next to Trix.

Maxx smiled.

“After dealing with Eva Maru, I’m half tempted to join you,” Maxx replied as he sat next to Aayla. “I’ll have tea with honey.”

“Three fingers of Whyrrens in water,” Lo requested.

As he watched TC-23J steep his tea, Maxx let out a sigh. It had been a long day.

“I’ve got good news, and not so good news,” he said as he looked across the table at Trix. “Eva says that she can get the Nerf ready to lift off in forty eight standard hours. The problem is that we’re going to have to evacuate the ship while the work is being done.”

Trix nodded thoughtfully as she listened.

“How much will these repairs cost?” she asked.

“More than I want to pay, but much less than I can afford to,” Maxx replied with a wolfish grin. “We’re going to have to vacate in less than two hours.”

Maxx took a sip of his tea as he thought about the things they were going to have to do. He pulled out his datapad and jotted down a checklist. Lo gazed at Maxx as she sipped her drink. She knew that he wouldn’t want to talk while he worked.

As soon as he drained his cup, Maxx glanced at the datapad and stood up. He briskly walked over to the equipment locker and started pulling out blasters, holsters and gunbelts.

“I believe that you’ll know what to do with this,” Maxx said as he handed Trix a graceful looking blaster pistol.

“Do you think this is necessary?” Trix asked as she examined the weapon.

Maxx nodded.

“It’s possible that our enemies may have figured out where we are. Our rooms will be much less secure than the Nerf and Eva Maru has never been much for securing her compound. As far as I’m concerned, we’re on our own.”

Trix nodded solemnly, stood up and put the gun belt round her waist, being careful to adjust it so that it fit well and positioned the blaster correctly. Lo stared in amazement as Trix slipped the sleek pistol into the holster and practiced drawing it. She found it hard to believe that graceful Twi’lek could be familiar with anything so deadly.

“I used to carry a Westar 34 just like this one when I worked as a courtesan in the outer rim,” Trix said in response to Lo’s puzzled stare. “I still have it and train with a remote, just in case.”

As Lo listened to Trix, she felt Maxx caress the back of her neck with his fingertips. She quickly turned around and was handed a standard BlasTech blaster pistol and holster. Lo carefully attached the holster to her tool belt, examined the blaster and holstered it. She had been practicing with a remote, and while she wasn’t as talented as Maxx, she had learned enough to be dangerous.

Maxx then turned to Aayla.

“Do you know how to use one of these?” he asked.

Aayla nervously shook her head and shrunk against the wall. Maxx nodded thoughtfully before pulling out the crude looking blaster carbine that Lo had built for him. The weapon may not have looked pretty, but it was a perfect fit for Maxx’s lanky physique and had greater power and accuracy than most production carbines. Maxx also appreciated the ion barrel that was slung underneath the standard barrel. He never knew if he would have to disable a droid or other technological device some day. He examined the weapon, slipped fresh power packs and slipped it into a holster that was slung on his back.

Maxx sighed as he contemplated what was going to take place before the Wild Nerf would be able to lift off. The next forty-eight hours were not going to be easy.

***

Lo heaved a sigh of relief as she stepped up to the door of the small apartment that Maxx had rented from Eva for their stay. She had spent the last ten hours watching Eva Maru’s crew as they sliced the damaged portion of the Nerf’s hull using fusioncutters, and searched several local salvage yards for a wrecked YT-1300 from which they could slice a repair panel. She then patiently watched as the techs carefully shaped the panel and welded it into the hull. The repair was a thing of beauty in Lo’s eyes. Not only was it nearly impossible to tell where the patch ended and the original hull started, but her scanners indicated that the weld was solid and contained no flaws.

Lo chuckled when her former boss complained that she had changed from an annoying subordinate to an annoying customer. Lo reminded Eva that, given the price they were paying for repairs, Lo had every right to be demanding. Eva smiled back at her. Lo knew that Eva Maru would rather deal with a demanding customer than a cheap one any day.

As she slowly opened the door and stepped in, Lo was surprised to see that the room was dark. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw that the apartment’s large durasteel table had been upended and that Trix was crouched behind it, leveling her blaster on the door.

“Shut and lock the door!” Trix demanded.

Lo quickly did as she was told and then walked over to the upended table. She saw Aayla cowering behind the table, trying to curl up into a ball.

“What the Sith are you doing?” she asked Trix.

“Trying to create a little cover,” Trix replied, not taking her eye off the door. “Where’s Maxx?”

Lo climbed behind the table and sat next to Trix.

“He’s checking on the arrangements to get the Nerf into the paint shop,” she answered. “He should be back in about fifteen minutes

Trix winced as she listened.

“I’ll be glad to see him return,” she replied. “I could use a rest.”

“Do you really think this is necessary?” Lo asked as she stared at the door.

“I hope not,” Trix replied wearily. “One former courtesan, one engineer and two blasters won’t amount to much against an armed assault.”

”But still, won’t it take time for our enemies to find us and then to ship mercenaries all the way from the Corporate Sector. Even with a point six hyperdrive, that would take time.”

Trix frowned and bit her lip.

“Are you sure that you used to live here?” she asked, fighting to keep sarcasm from creeping into her voice.

“Yes I did!” Lo replied feeling indignant, “and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“You must have kept your eyes closed,” Trix replied. “Ord Mantell is a legendary haven for criminals. All Vardun Cantrel needs to do is hear from a local informant that a gray YT-1300 sporting turbolaser damage on the upper hull landed here and he could hire all the local muscle that he needs. For all we know, his men could be waiting outside as we speak.”

Lo shivered.

“Who is this Vardun Cantrel?” she asked.

“Vardun Cantrel was my main rival at the auction, a mining executive of some sort. Maxx believes that he was the one who pulled a few strings to keep me stranded on Etti IV and the one who sent those mercenaries. I imagine that he is well connected enough to get what he needs here.”

“Oh,” Lo replied as she stared out into the darkness.

The minutes seemed to drag on as the trio waited for Maxx’s return. Trix’s eyes were tired and she longed for the chance to drift off into a peaceful sleep. As she pinched her lekku in an attempt to remain awake, she spoke to Lo.

“How did things go with Maxx?”

Lo sighed contentedly as she leaned back against the wall behind the upended table and grinned.

“I just can’t believe it,” she replied. “How could something as simple as a kiss produce so many tingles?”

Trix allowed herself a smile as she held her blaster on the door.

“I guess its just one of the galaxy’s many great mysteries,” she replied warmly. “Did you tell him it was your first kiss?”

“No time,” Lo replied. “Max just told me how beautiful he thought I was then I asked him to kiss me and he did. I only wish we had a little more time together before Trouble sounded the alarm.

Trix nodded.

“Don’t worry, you’re young, you’ll have all the time in the galaxy.”

“I know,” Lo replied. I’m just a little nervous because we couldn’t, well you know.”

Trix nodded.

“Don’t worry,” she replied, “It’ll be great and I should know, I trained him myself.”

“Thanks, I think,” Lo replied. “What do you think I should drink before we get together?”

Trix pursed her lips thoughtfully.

“You should brew a pot of elomen tea,” she replied, “and the two of you should drink it together beforehand.”

Lo frowned.

“Shouldn’t we drink something stronger?” she asked.

“There should be no need,” Trix replied. “As a slave and a courtesan, I often welcomed a stiff drink, but I was often with someone I didn’t want to be with. When I am with someone by choice, the only thing I want to drink is elomen tea. It relaxes the mind a bit, and stimulates the senses.”

“Then it’s a stimulant?” Lo asked.

Trix chuckled in spite of her weariness.

“Not the kind you’re thinking of,” she replied. “It’s not overpowering and it won’t lead you to do anything you wouldn’t do otherwise. It just makes you a little more aware of your body and what its feeling. When you’re with someone special, that’s all you need.”

“I guess,” Lo replied. “I just feel a bit nervous, that’s all. I mean, what if it doesn’t go right?”

Trix smiled warmly and turned towards Lo.

“Don’t worry,” she replied, “It’ll be fine. Remember how it felt when you kissed?”

Lo nodded.

“It will be like that, only more so,” Trix continued. “Just start with kisses, and take your time. Oh, and follow Maxx’s lead, he definitely knows what he’s doing.”

“I’ll try,” Lo replied nervously.

“Then you’ll do fine,” Trix replied, “Just relax and enjoy.”

The two of them stared at the door, each lost in their own thoughts. Trix wondered what was keeping Maxx. She wondered if their enemies on Ord Mantell had managed to get to Maxx first so that they’d only have to deal with the three women. She was feeling tired and wondered how long she could hold out before asking Lo to keep watch. Trix liked the young human, but she didn’t believe that Lo would be able to handle an armed assault. Trix wasn’t sure that she’d do much better. Lo was trying to imagine what it would feel like to be with Maxx. Those kisses were amazing, could sex be that much better? She closed her eyes for awhile and tried to visualize it.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she finally asked Trix.

Trix sighed as she stared into the darkness.

“I just want to repay the debt of gratitude that I owe Maxx,” she replied.

“For flying you out of harms way?”

“That too,” Trix replied, “but really for something that happened years ago. Before I knew Maxx, giving pleasure was just a way that I earned a living. Some times I just endured it, at others I actually enjoyed it, but it never meant anything to me. Then I met this young swoop courier and everything changed. Even before we were lovers, I started having these feelings. I thought of him often and looked forward to his visits so that we could sit and chat for an hour or two. I still treasure the day I learned that he had feelings for me too. He was too young to be my physical lover, but even then he had taught me something important, that I could love and that I was worthy of being loved in return.”

Lo blinked as she listened.

“And do you love him now?”

Trix frowned and closed her eyes.

“I still care for Maxx and I want him to be happy, but we have both moved on. I have since found love with Marshal, and I hope that he is finding love with you.”

“Thanks Trix.”

Trix smiled as she continued to stare out into the darkness.

“Don’t mention it.”

***

Maxx sighed as he walked back to the apartment. He had wanted to return a lot sooner than this, he didn’t like the idea of leaving Lo and Trix alone for so long. Still, right after Lo had left, one of the outlaw techs started insisting that the way Lo wanted the new shields wired into the ship was a waste of time. Maxx had hoped that his explanation that the extra precautions that Lo had added to the wiring had saved the Nerf would satisfy the young lady, but she kept arguing that the extra shielding and the second set of breakers was a waste of time and money. Maxx had to waste time tracking down Eva Maru and having her order the young tech to do the job the way that he, the customer, wanted it done. As he quickened his pace, Maxx wondered if he wouldn’t have been wiser to have just let the kid do what she wanted. He and Lo would have had to put the shields right before their next job, but he would have been home sooner and Maxx had this nagging feeling that he was needed there.

As he walked towards the low building where their apartment was located, Maxx sensed that something was wrong. He reached over his shoulder and drew his carbine. As he turned the corner, Maxx saw that the door to the apartment had been blown open. Maxx used a small portable scanner to check for active threats before flicking off the safety and going in.

As soon as Maxx entered the apartment, it was obvious that he had been too late. Lo and Trix were lying on the floor and Aayla seemed to be missing. Maxx used the scanner to confirm that the women were ok; he then quickly checked the other rooms before returning to the living room. As he crouched down next to Lo, he saw a small saber dart on her left cheek. He plucked it and a similar one from the side of Trix’s face before fishing the comlink out of his pocket.

“Eva!? This is Maxx! We’ve been hit! I need a medic with a good knowledge of toxins and sedatives now!!!”