Dark Matter: Episode 1

Sheefa turned, looking through the wall behind her, through the hull, toward Tython, and wept as they jumped into hyperspace.

***

Epilogue

Sheefa clung to Vaux'avh's back as they raced through the jungles of the Sith homeworld, Dromund Kaas. A fierce downpour surrounded them while wind whipped at her, threatening to rip her free and deposit her in the dense maze of overgrown flora below. Their speeder whined, its engine reaching a pitch that burrowed into her ear and rattled her head. Vaux'avh laughed, a sound that would have been completely lost to the world around them were it not for their helmets and comms.

"A bit different than you are used to?"

Sheefa locked eyes with something, shrouded in shadow, as they flew, and clung tighter. She suspected that there were creatures here that would make a Flesh Raider soil themselves. "Yes," she replied, proud that her voice was steadier than she felt, but the laughter that came back said Vaux'avh saw right through that.

"The animals out here are the easy part. They're predators, yes, but they make no claims otherwise. In that sense, they are very pure. Predators who can be counted on to be predators. The real danger lies in the city."

Sheefa found little comfort in that.

The rest of the ride was uneventful excepting the moments where the storms were worse. Close proximity lightning strikes, despite the efficient system of grounding spikes placed to draw them, unnerved her, and her legs were very unsteady when they finally stopped and dismounted. Vaux'avh growled impatiently at her when she struggled to keep up during the short walk.

"No one here can be trusted," Vaux'avh said coldly, as the elevator rose higher and higher. "Not anyone. Do you understand?" Sheefa nodded, and then gasped when Vaux'avh moved in close. Face to face. "Not anyone."

"I get it," Sheefa said, curling in on herself.

The door behind her pinged, and Vaux'avh turned smoothly. Sheefa followed her and stopped just inside. Vaux'avh's apartment was more austere than she would have expected. Clean lines with an air of elegance, but not opulent by any means.

"Vulva," Vaux'avh called loudly.

"Vulva?" Sheefa whispered.

"The only name she's ever known," Vaux'avh hissed, and then continued in a louder voice that echoed through the apartment. "Now, Vulva!" Sheefa blinked, and her confusion was only deepened when an older, voluptuous, sad-faced Mirialan woman entered from a small room at the far end of the atrium. She moved fluidly, swaying with every step, and her sheer one-piece gown left nothing to the imagination.

"My baby!" whimpered the woman. Her expression did not brighten, and her sensuous gait did not change, but the older woman turned straight toward Sheefa and wrapped her up in her arms. "My baby!"

Sheefa was flabbergasted, and had barely worked her arms around to hug her mother before Vaux'avh was striding out of the room.

"Come," her mother whispered, taking Sheefa by the hand.

"O... ka— wait what?"

"Come-come," she repeated, more insistently with a thread of fear, as they followed Vaux'avh down a hallway into a large empty room.

Or at least, it appeared empty at first. The far wall was a single, massive window looking out over Kaas City. Her mother let go of her hand, and Sheefa slowed to a stop as she stared out the window. The city stretched as far as she could see, and although she knew it was not as large as the ecumenopolis of Coruscant, it was still impressive. Constant lightning, visually muted by the tempered glass, rained down on the city nearly as frequently as the actual rain did.

As soon as her hands were free, Vulva was slipping the straps of her gown out over her shoulders. It worked down over her curves a little more with every step, and she was fully nude by the time she came to a stop next to Vaux'avh. Her older sister, meanwhile, had also stripped while Sheefa wasn't looking, and sat down in the only piece of furniture in the room; a single armchair facing the window. Immediately, Vulva settled on her knees between Vaux'avh's legs, and began to lick. Long wet strokes, parting and tending to Vaux'avh's folds.

"You have much to learn," Vaux'avh said, as she reclined slightly. Her voice, pitched louder to echo appropriately in the empty space. "I will take you on as my Apprentice."

"Apprentice? But I—"

"Silence!" Vaux'avh snapped. Sheefa's jaw clamped shut, and she took a few steps forward. Chills ran up her spine as she watched her mother's tongue burrow inside of her sister. "You have many skills, Soriel."

Her mother's eyelids became heavy as she worked, and a rash of color broke across her cheeks. Both of their cheeks.

"Many talents. Your tongue does not rank among them, but I will teach you." Vaux'avh's head lifted, and she stared out into the storm. "I will teach you."