Log Date:
	12/27/97 (?)

Log Cast:
	Paul, Shenner

Log Intro:
	Much to their mutual surprise and shock and joy, the relationship 
between Paul and Shenner has advanced to the point that Paul has finally 
professed love for the young redhead who's been tagging along with him hither 
and yon across the galaxy. During their recent time on Caspar, especially, as 
the two of them prepare for their coming trip to Manadalore -- and in which 
Shenner has clung to this unexpected treasure of Paul's affections, with every 
scrap of strength in her being. Now, as another morning dawns, she hopes to 
share with him something of the joy he's shown her....

----------
Safe within the cocoon of their ship and the station dock, time has no meaning 
  for the sleeping lovers. The room is dark, the bed warm and inviting. Sprawled 
  out on his back, Paul sleeps deeply, despite the fact that the sun has indeed 
  risen and it is rather late in the morning. Having suffered from insomnia for 
  several weeks now, the Corellian's internal clock is not at it peak 
  efficiency, and his exhausted body is taking advantage of this unexpected 
  respite. No alarm has been set to wake him, and so the man slumbers on, one 
  arm above his head while the other lays folded across his chest.

Shenner, on the other hand, comes awake with an almost sparkling clarity to her 
  thoughts, her mind and body both restored by contented rest. Paul's presence 
  at her side brings an instant smile to her lips, and she lifts her head, 
  simply gazing at his sleeping form for long moments before her eyes shift to 
  take in the room and the chrono on the wall. It is, she supposes, time to get 
  a move on with the day... but then again... her gaze returns to Paul's 
  sleeping features. _It'd be good, very, very good, to steal another day away 
  for us!_ Memory of the day they'd spent before, sheltered away from the rest 
  of the galaxy, gives her an idea.
But first, she has to get up. Cautiously, Shenner starts to try to rise, taking 
  her time... and watching Paul for the slightest sign of stirring. _Can't wake 
  him up yet...!_

Though the bedclothes shift, puddling down and off of Shen, pulling down and 
  lower on Paul through her motions, the Corellian barely moves. His chest   
  continues to rise and fall in deep even breaths.

_Good._ Shen grins impishly, crawling ever so carefully out of the bed, till she 
  makes it up and to her feet. Once that's accomplished, the girl grabs her 
  green robe and wraps it around herself, and flees as quietly as she can out of 
  the room, heading for the kitchen. Two can play at the Breakfast in Bed game, 
  and Shenner wants her turn. Fruit... maybe a bit of chocolate... maybe a bit 
  of cheese. Humming softly as she assembles a platter  of what she can forage 
  out of the _Hawk's Wing_'s stores, she's busy for perhaps fifteen minutes, 
  till at last she creeps back to the room. Is he awake yet?

The hand that had been across his chest is now off to his side, where Shen had 
  been lying. It's as if he were checking on her presence, or perhaps somehow 
  registered in his sleep the sudden change of temperature with the loss of her 
  body next to his. Other than that slight change in position, the Corellian 
  still seems to be asleep.

Oh good. Shenner places the platter she's brought down by the bed, and stands 
  there for a moment, taking in the sight of Paul lying there, the bedclothes 
  draped low across his form now. And another impulse seizes her. Carefully, 
  ever so carefully, she creeps back onto the bed, settling down to brace her 
  weight on her knees, poising herself just over his thighs. _Careful..._

The mattress gives under her weight gently, and Paul shifts ever so slightly, 
  his head turning to one side and pressing against the pillow beneath it. 
  Nothing more.

_Beautiful..._ Shenner grins down at the slumbering Corellian, and leans 
  forward, just slightly, to place her palms delicately against his abdomen. And 
  once there, she starts rotating her hands in small, light, teasing circles.

If the Corellian knew what she was thinking, he would probably snort derisively, 
  and if he were aware of what she was -doing- he would probably seize those 
  tempting hands. However, he does neither, as sleep still holds him captive. 
  Shen's wandering fingers, however, do begin knocking on the door of his 
  conciousness, his body growing more aware of her attentions than his mind. In 
  accordance, it responds. The muscles beneath her fingers begin to flex and 
  ripple and Paul shifts beneath her, his head turning with a deep breath, but 
  not waking.

Shenner's mouth curves into another grin. She keeps up those soft, teasing 
  patterns with her palms for a time, striving to keep her touch light, seizing 
  on the mental image of trying to ripple the top of a pool of water without 
  letting her hands go under. All around his abdomen, spreading out to each of 
  his hips, she mirrors one hand's movements with the other.

A tremor runs through his frame and a soft dark sound escapes from Paul's 
  throat, as if the body were trying to let Shen know that it approved of her 
  ministrations. Sleep keeps a tenacious hold on his conciousness, but his 
  breathing alters, gradually moving from long deep breathes to shallower more 
  rapid ones.

Well, _this_ is promising. Encouraged by her success so far, Shen lets her hands 
  range farther, one moving up towards his sternum, the other... down.

Frowning slightly, conciousness now getting the distinct idea that something is 
  going on here that it should be paying attention to, Paul rumbles something 
  incoherent, his body igniting as her hands begin to widen the circle of their 
  attentions. His growing arousal is more apparent by the moment, and arching 
  slightly under her touch, he rises with virile grace, his hands shifting on 
  the bedclothes, fingers unconciously tightening on the fabric beneath them.

Shen's grin widens, her eyes glimmering with both mischief and pleasure at what 
  she's accomplishing, even as she blushes a bit to see the sheet still draped 
  along Paul's lower half beginning to shift intriguingly under her hands. Her 
  hand down below is rejoined by its mate, as she focuses what she's doing, 
  fingertips only now, following the contours under that sheet.

The hands grip the sheets more tightly at her intensified attentions and a there 
  is a decided skip in Paul's breathing pattern, his hips twisting beneath her 
  tormenting fingers. Eyes open slowly, dazed and confused by the blanket of 
  sleep that has been disturbed by the alarm clock of desire. Blinking 
  uncertainly, Paul stares up at the ceiling, trying to gather his thoughts. His 
  body, which knows -exactly- what's going on, trembles again at Shen's touch, 
  which in turn clarifies what is going on to Paul's conciousness. Head rising 
  fractionally from the pillow, Paul looks down at Shen, those hazel eyes both 
  bright with surprise and dark with need. He opens his mouth to breath her 
  name, but at another stroke of her hands, he finds he needs it to take a sharp 
  breath instead, his eyes closing at the pleasure shooting through his nervous 
  system.

As Paul's eyes flicker open, Shenner positively beams. Rolling her weight 
  slightly forward on her knees, she slips first one hand and then the other in 
  under the sheet, not letting up on what either of them is doing as she does.

Her change in strategy is rewarded by a darkly strangled moan and another arch 
  of his hips. "Sss-sshen?" he manages to hist out softly, his voice charged and 
  rough. "Wha ... what ...?" Clearly he knows -what- it is that she's doing, but 
  he doesn't quite understand the why of it, her actions bolder now than they've 
  ever been before. Perhaps if he had woken sooner, he might have tried to stop 
  her, or take control of the situation. Now, however, his need is too great to 
  allow him highly concious thought or action. His body is no fool ... this is 
  far too good to interupt, and it won't allow his mind to ruin it's pleasure. 
  Muscles in Paul's thighs and abdomen tense against another wave of delight.

And all this is just fine with Shenner. Her eyes clear and warm and bright, her 
  gaze never leaving Paul's face, she works to keep her hands' touch matched to 
  the responsiveness of the flesh beneath them. And she's been learning well, 
  from the Corellian who's schooled her in this particular form of education. 
  "Good morning," she whispers huskily, resisting the urge to press herself down 
  to him. No; _this_ is for Paul, and she'll keep at it until her gladly assumed 
  task is completed. 

"Good doesn't begin to describe it," he rasps in return, those eyes opening 
  again to stare down at Shen, still not quite believing that it is her crouched 
  over him. "Ah!" he gasps out, body arching and head snapping back as she 
  begins to drive him over the edge. His hands scrabble at the bedding and he 
  starts to reach for her hands with one of his own, his intent clearly to stop 
  her attentions before it gets completely out of control.

Cat-quick, Shenner allows _one_ of her hands to be distracted -- and then only 
  to seize Paul's fumbling one, and bring it up to her mouth so she can nibble 
  on his fingertips. Her other hand keeps right on about its business.

His breathing is now sharply erratic, and as her mouth lavishes attention upon 
  his captured hand, Paul releases an almost helpless moan. His body twists 
  under her, at times as if he thought to escape her pleasuring touch, and at 
  times in desperate arching entreaty for her to bring him to completion. Head 
  pressed back against the pillow, eyes shut, Paul groans again, the hand at her 
  mouth delving back to catch the nape of her neck, tugging there as he manages 
  to open his darkened golden eyes, his slitted gaze burning with need. "Shen," 
  he manages to growl ... to plead ... "please ..." and he pulls at her again, 
  urging her closer.

Her expression melts at the hoarsely voiced entreaty, and only now, unable to 
  deny him what he requests, does Shen begin to draw down to him. Her hands 
  move, but only to be replaced as she captures him down there between her 
  thighs, freeing her arms to take her weight, while she leans over him and 
  lavishes kisses to his throat, his jaw, his lips.

Crying out hoarsely at their joining, Paul's hands clutch at Shen's hips, 
  holding her to him tightly as they move together. As her lips finally range to 
  his lips, one hand abandons it's desperate grip to reach up, delving into her 
  red hair to hold her to his mouth, his returning kiss edgy and hungry and 
  burning with desire. His entire frame trembles with need, and the urge to 
  drive her further, harder, deeper causes the Corellain to surge, trading 
  positions and shifting her under him, burying a frantic growl between her 
  parted lips.

Slender as she is, she can hardly prevent him from flipping her about, but Shen 
  can, and does, place her hands where she's learned will please most -- one 
  hand up mostly to bury in his hair, just where her fingertips can repeatedly 
  stroke just behind his ear, and the other hand to aim five little sparks of 
  fire along his side.

_Gods!_ he manages to think ... just barely ... as Shen drives him insane with 
  her knowing hands. His body is out of his control now, ancient primal needs 
  and instincts driving him into a demanding rhythm. He tries to give Shen 
  coinage in return, his hands shifting to the tender underside of her breasts, 
  tantalizing there as his torso brushes against her nipples with each thrust 
  forward, his mouth refusing to release her.

Ah, but Shen has the advantage of having cajoled Paul's hormones into a head 
  start -- thus, she retains a corner of her own control, determined that this 
  will be For Paul, and bent on keeping up doing what she's set out to do until 
  her gift reaches its electric conclusion. That he's starting to set off small 
  bonfires throughout her senses is, well, a side benefit.

Paul's hands tremble against her skin, their normally assured touches more 
  awkward and fumbling as control slips out of his grasp completely. Finally the 
  Corellian is forced to conceed defeat, and bracing himself against the bed he 
  takes Shen's body, her generosity, and her loving touches, helpless to do 
  otherwise. He shudders violently, crying out again as the pleasure and 
  sensations overtake him, claiming her body with almost a mindless fury before 
  suddenly collapsing against her, his back rising and falling with great gulps 
  of breath, his head dropping to the nook between her neck and shoulder.

_My work here is done._ Shen just barely manages to stifle a giggle; fan of 
  holo-thrillers that she is, she's always wanted to say that, though she keeps 
  herself silent now. More than content, she enfolds Paul in her arms, bringing 
  one hand up to tenderly stroke his hair. _Isa chaiya ke amor..._

Paul, on the other hand, can barely keep himself from gasping. His body still 
  trembles in the aftermath, his earlier unslaked passion combining with this 
  seductive attack from Shen making him far more susceptible. He realizes 
  dimly, somewhere in the back of his mind that all of his weight is on Shen, 
  possibly crushing her, and that he should get off. However, what he realizes 
  and what his body is willing to do are two different things. It takes awhile, 
  but once his breath is finally caught, he manages to get his arms underneath 
  him and raise up slightly. His head untucks itself from the crook of her 
  neck, first to rest it's brow upon her shoulder, and finally to raise up 
  high enough that he can look down at her, his eyes still golden embers from 
  what just happened between them.

Shenner lessens her arms' grasp as Paul shifts, but doesn't slip them off his 
  back, leaving her contact light and soft there against his skin. As he lifts 
  up to meet her gaze, she offers forth a small lopsided smile, her gaze tender 
  and shining.

"Alright," he rumbles deeply from inside his chest, his voice rough and warm, 
  "Who are you and what did you do with Shenner?" _And what did you do with -
  me-?!_ a part of his mind echoes, but he keeps that commentary strictly to 
  himself.

Shenner can't help but giggle, her eyes crinkling around the edges, her grin 
  widening, albeit softly. She's starting to blush, though, despite her 
  amusement. "I _am_ Shen, silly..."

Strength and control slowly return to the Corellian, allowing him to reach with 
  one hand and cup Shen's cheek without trembling. "Ya could have fooled me," 
  he teases her darkly, leaning forward to lay a feathering kiss against her 
  mouth before drawing back. "You, ah, -surprised- me there," he growls, lips 
  curling into a satisfied smile.

"That was the idea," Shen murmurs, a touch shy, now, after her lips willingly 
  return that brush of a kiss. "I... brought you breakfast, too..."

A rich chuckle breaks forth and Paul murmurs back, "I hope it was just fruit, 
  cause if it was cereal, it's soggy by now, and if it was hot, it's probably 
  stone cold." He drops his mouth to hers again, thanking her in with a kiss 
  what he can't quite say yet.

This kiss, too, is answered, and then Shen whispers back, "Fruit and chocolate 
  and cheese...!"

"I see you thought of everything," he rumbles, his eyes casting over her 
  shoulder in the attempt to catch sight of the food. "Healthy, with a good 
  source of calcium and protein, and an aphrodisac ... what more could a 
  Corellian ask for?" he quips, his eyes lighting back on Shen's for a moment.

Shen gestures with one hand over the side of the bed, to indicate, 'down 
  there'. She smiles broadly, inwardly elated at how well this turned out, 
  though there's still a touch of sheepishness to her expression. "Well, hey," 
  she murmurs, "Call it application of knowledge?"

Dropping yet another quick kiss on her mouth, Paul lifts himself up so that he 
  is straddling Shen, enabling him to reach down and over the side of the bed 
  to retrieve the food awaiting their pleasure. "Always said you were an apt 
  pupil," he notes wryly, taking a slice of apple and cheese and placing them 
  together before offering the tidbit to Shen's tender lips. One eyebrow raises 
  and he murmurs deeply, "I can't imagine what you'll pick up next..."

Shenner's eyes brighten, and she nibbles down some apple and cheese, then 
  swallows and murmurs, "Got a real good teacher...!"

"I'd say you've been doing some studying on your own," he notes wryly, taking a 
  bite himself before offering the last of it to Shen. "I certainly never 
  taught you -that-" he teases warmly.

Shenner lifts a hand to Paul's face, wonderingly, even as she giggles again and 
  swallows down the last of the apple and cheese. "Sure you did..."

Cocking his head to one side, Paul reaches for a orange like wedge of 
  chocolate, nibbling on it thoughtfully before offering it to Shen. "I did? 
  Must have been in my sleep ...."

"You did," Shen affirms, grinning still, not quite willing to explain _how_ 
  exactly Paul went about 'teaching' her... simply by demonstrating to her what 
  a tender lover might do. And she breathes, "You look so surprised...!"

"I was so surprised ...." he confesses, reaching for more food and bringing the 
  plate within Shen's view so that she might pick out what she would like. He 
  does not, however, stop feeding her, as he offers her next a piece of pear 
  with chocolate to sample. "I just didn't think that was something you might 
  be up to just yet .... " _and I couldn't ask_ he notes to himself. There is 
  the warm realization that Shen might grow even more bold in the future and 
  trying other sorts of experimentation. Watching her sample the bite offered 
  brings an image to Paul's mind and wicked smile to his lips..

"Wanted to... give yah back something," Shenner murmurs back just as warmly, 
  before she happily samples the chocolate and pear. She lifts a hand to Paul's 
  rough cheek, lightly.

Reaching up, Paul captures that small hand, bringing it before him so that he 
  may lay a kiss upon the center of it's palm before releasing it. "Thank you," 
  he intones warmly, his pleasure clearly reflected in his hazel eyes.

Shen's gaze couldn't be warmer, and she cups Paul's face in both her hands, 
  revelling in that simple contact. "You're welcome...!"

With a sigh, Paul lowers down, kissing the redhead beneath him, tasting the 
  fruit and chocolate on her tongue, before rising up again and shifting over 
  to give her more room. His change in position places the food between the 
  twosome, as well as gives Paul a better view of the room ... and the flashing 
  red light on the comm unit. If it were flashing any other color, Paul 
  wouldn't give it a second glance, but red is red for a reason. Leaning over 
  he takes up another piece of fruit, dropping a quick kiss on Shen's brow as 
  he starts to rise from the bed. "Gotta message," he explains as he slips out 
  from beneath the sheets and blankets.

Shenner awws, but only to herself, letting Paul move as he will and watching 
  him with pleasure as she does so. It doesn't occur to her that the red light 
  means anything -- _her_ attention is on Paul, and the chocolate wedge she's 
  nibbling.

Not bothering to throw anything on, Paul casually ambles over to the com unit, 
  leaning against one arm as he hit's the play button. A screen scrambles and 
  then starts to play it's message. The face on the screen are hidden by Paul's 
  form, only the light of it flickering against his face. The sound of it is 
  low and indistinct, but there is something about the voice that seems 
  familiar. As it drones on, Paul straightens slightly, his frame tensing 
  first, then relaxing. The light fades and he hits another button, standing 
  there silently for a moment.

Shen swallows down a bit of chocolate, and then pauses, noting the shifts in 
  her beloved's stance, her relaxed expression beginning to yield to a touch of 
  concern. "What is it...?"

He stares at the com unit, the emotions rifling through him reflecting both his 
  excitement as a scientist, his suspicion and concerns as a smuggler, and his 
  regrets and worries as a lover. Turning with a shrug, Paul settles himself 
  back down on the bed, glancing down at the breakfast that he greatly fears he 
  is about to spoil. "That was Kairne ... it's time to go to Mandalore. They'll 
  be here today."

Green eyes blink in initial uncomprehension; then, Shenner blurts, "What...?" A 
  beat, and then cognizance spreads across her gaze. In a much smaller voice, 
  looking down at the chocolate in her hand without really seeing it, she 
  appends, "Oh."

"There's time ... no hurry," he counters gently, realizing that despite his 
  words, the moment has been broken. Climbing over her, Paul settles back down 
  on the bed, reaching of a piece of orange and chocolate, taking a bite. His 
  golden green gaze rests steadily on Shen's and leaning forward he takes her 
  mouth captive for a moment. It's a bittersweet kiss though ... as if he too 
  realized that it would be one of their last for awhile.

Shen answers that kiss with a sudden edgy fervor, and when she pulls back, it's 
  with an expression she's clearly trying to school into calm. "How... long?" 
  she asks, awkwardly. "Did he say?"

Uncertain of what she is asking, Paul probes, "You mean how long till they get 
  here? Sometime this afternoon or evening it seems."

The girl nods, once slow, once rapidly, as if trying to make the second nod 
  more assured than the first. "Yeah, well..." She smiles momentarily, but 
  it's a weak smile. "Don't want 'em catchin' us with our pants down, yah 
  know? I mean... since you said..." She lowers her eyes, then.

"Yeah, I know what I said," he murmurs lowly. _Well, then this is it then... 
  might as well get into the right mode now. The moment's been lost anyway._ 
  Sitting up again, the intimate moment irreparably cracked in Paul's opinion, 
  he takes up a piece of cheese, downing it as he considers Shen for a moment 
  and then slides toward the end of the bed, this time donning his robe.

She lets him do it, her gaze still lowered; a moment after, she abruptly moves, 
  off the bed, towards the refresher room. Water can be heard to run in the 
  sink, and the girl remains in there, saying nothing.

Paul stands there for a moment, his eyes on the door which is open a mere 
  crack. Part of him argues that he should just let things lie the way they 
  are, or make it worse later. But he cannot in good conscience let this 
  fateful morning finish on such a bitter note. Crossing over to the 
  refresher, Paul rests his hand upon the door, pressing it open and looking 
  within.

Shen's leaning over the sink, the water running full force, and she's scrubbing 
  vehemently at her face. Her eyes are squinched shut.

Entering in silently, Paul draws up behind Shenner and gently wraps his arms 
  about her waist from behind, drawing her against his form and he leans into 
  her back, pressing his face against her neck and placing a kiss there 
  tenderly.

The young redhead starts, but presses readily back against the Corellian's tall 
  form; her own has gone tense, and her voice is rougher than it should be as 
  she quips wanly, "Lousy rotten timing... wonder if Mandalorians hafta go to 
  school to learn that, or if it just comes natural..."

Chuckling softly against her shoulder, Paul murmurs goodnaturedly, "Could have 
  been worse ... they could have arrived unannounced." Turning Shen about in 
  his arms, he enfolds her in his arms, his mouth pressing a kiss to her lips 
  again. "We've been loving on borrowed time Shen," he murmurs against her 
  mouth. "We should be grateful for the time we've been alotted ..."

Something in those words causes a sharp pang across Shenner's chest; she 
  swallows hard, thrown out of the rhythm of kissing and being kissed, and she 
  wraps her own slender arms around Paul, to embrace him fiercely. She makes no 
  reply, but only buries her face against his front, and she starts to shake.

Bending down, Paul lifts Shen up easily, cradling her against his chest as he 
  carries her back into the bedroom, laying her down tenderly against the 
  touseled sheets and blankets. Climbing in next to her, he sheds his robe, 
  pulling her back to his front yet again, his arms wrapped about her in a 
  sheltering cocoon.

_I am -not- gonna cry,_ Shenner swears to herself. She keeps her eyelids 
  clamped shut, unprotesting as she's carried off and laid down, though she 
  does roll over to wrap one arm around Paul once more. Torn between trying to 
  make herself stoic -- wondering wildly how the hells she can prepare herself 
  to go to Mandalore -now- -- and a desire to meet and match the words he'd 
  uttered and sung to her on the beach the night before, she whispers 
  hoarsely, "I know... I am..."

Shen can feel Paul's mouth curl into a smile against her brow at her words, 
  holding her close to him. His eyes flutter closed as he offers her comfort 
  and safety in his arms, murmuring, "Then rest easy Shenneret."

The wild hope that perhaps this time, like the last, something will happen to 
  delay the journey, springs up within Shenner. But right on its heels comes 
  the cynical order, _Get real, you think you're gonna be that lucky twice? 
  Deal with it, street rat..._ Paul's breathing of the full form of her name 
  sorely tests her resolve to go without tears, and his other words keep 
  resonating through her thoughts. _Grateful for the time allotted._
Suddenly remembering the hawk necklace she'd given him, and her own voice 
  saying "I thought I'd never get another chance" after the first time they'd 
  made love, that time all at once seems unutterably exquisite to her. But all 
  she allows herself to say is, "Can't... not too long...."

"Long enough ... struggle not, darling. That's an order," Paul rasps against 
  her throat, pressing his lips there delicately, his hands stroking over her 
  slim form.

A bit of a noise that might be laughter briefly escapes her, and after a 
  moment, Shenner whispers plaintively, "I love you, Paul."

"I love you too Shen ...." the Corellian rumbles against the column of her 
  throat. _Perhaps more than I should or more than you'll know ..._ he muses a 
  touch darkly, a familiar friend in fear setting against his heart with a 
  cruel smirk. Despite the chill of forboding, Paul snuggles against Shen, his 
  mouth possessing hers in a soothing kiss.

It's the time, Shen decides raggedly, the unexpected time bequeathed them since 
  the first time they'd thought they were due to go to Mandalore. The time and 
  what's happened within it, that makes her view the pair of warriors coming to 
  rendezvous with them as captors coming to haul them off to... her mind reels 
  for a suitably awful place, and settles for a cross between the Death Star 
  and Tatooine. She can't bear to repeat the plea she'd made to Paul that 
  previous time, either. But she curls up close against her beloved, willing 
  to accept the haven of his arms, and she viciously beats down the dark 
  little voice in the back of her mind that whispers, _Better get it while you 
  can!_

[End log.]