Investigate

The thumping noise came again, louder and more insistent, echoing through the tangled yard of scrap. Fennec froze, her exposed skin prickling with a mixture of anxiety and humiliation. Every cool bead of water on her bare flesh reminded her of how utterly **** she was, and yet, some stubborn part of her refused to cower completely. Swallowing her embarrassment, she straightened slightly and stumbled out to investigate.

Her ridiculous platform heels made each step a precarious gamble as she wobbled toward the noise, making her more self-conscious with each uncertain step. The rhythmic thumps seemed to come from an old food storage pod marked with rust and dents, wedged between stacks of corroded deck plating and a mound of disused swoop engines.

“Hewwo?” she called hesitantly, her swollen lips mangling the word into something laughably juvenile. Heat rushed to her cheeks as her voice echoed back at her, mocking her in the stillness.

There was a muffled clatter from within the pod, followed by a frantic voice. “Hey! Is someone out there? Get me the kark out of this thing!”

Her swollen lips parted in disbelief as she recognized the voice, but from where?

“Okaaay, wait a thecond,” she muttered, wobbling forward to fumble with the pod. Long, pink nails made every movement awkward and clumsy, forcing her to slowly jab at the buttons with exaggerated care. “Hold on,” she muttered, frustration bubbling. “Thupid nailth…”

Finally, the pod’s door gave way with a sharp hiss. Before Fennec could step back, a large figure tumbled out, hitting the wet ground with an ungraceful thud. The man scrambled to cover himself. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. Completely naked, his hands darted strategically over his notable manhood as he looked up, wide-eyed.

Fennec clamped one arm across her chest while her other hand was pressed over her hairless crotch. She pressed her knees together, trying in vain to preserve some shred of modesty.

For several agonizing seconds, the two stood frozen, dripping and utterly exposed. Fennec felt her stomach churn with a heady mix of mortification and… warmth. She pulled her arm tighter over her chest, only to realize how ineffective the motion was at covering her glittering piercings.

The man blinked, his expression shifting from shock to recognition. “You! You’re the woman, that angel in the evening gown!” His eyes widened as he pieced it together. “The one shooting at Black Sun!” His eyes traveled her bare body noting the pink pigtails, giant hoop earrings, and golden piercings that weren't there before. "Whoa! What happened to you?"

Fennec’s cheeks burned brighter from embarrassment and thrill. “I’m hafiing a run of thpectacularly bad luck.”

“You and me both,” the man muttered, his own discomfort clear as his gaze darted away. “They caught me after you fell out of my speeder, **** me to land, stripped me naked, and locked me in that pod. Said they’d be back to, uh… 'deal with me' later.” He smiled sheepishly, "I'm glad we met up with you and…" His voice faltered as his gaze swept over her again, taking in the pink pigtails, glittery piercings, and hectares of exposed skin.

Fennec turned away in embarrassment. The motion made her pigtails sway and sent water droplets sliding over exposed skin.

“Well, thanks for saving me, Candy," he continued, "My name's Ofe, Ofe Clodpole and they sure didn't have anything like you back at the university."

She spun back to face him, eyes wide. "Candy? Where'd you get that name?"

His face went crimson. "It's… it's on your back tattoo."

She'd forgotten about her new tramp stamp reading 'Hello, I'm Candy' among hearts and stars. Her stomach flipped, the humiliation hitting harder now that she was under scrutiny.

Fennec knew she should correct him, but, for some reason, she couldn't. She told herself the fake name preserved the reputation of Fennec Shand, the feared assassin. It wasn't like she was really Candy, the bimbo, after all. Somehow that reasoning didn't feel as compelling as it should have.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, both painfully aware of their mutual nudity and the way the rain slicked their skins, leaving nothing to the imagination. Fennec felt a strange mix of indignation and exhilaration as his eyes darted over her exposed skin, then flicked guiltily away.

“We should get out of here,” Ofe stammered, clearly trying to sound self-assured. “Before those thugs come back.”

Fennec tried to lead the way, but her heel caught on a piece of scrap, and she pitched forward with a startled “Eep!” Instead of hitting the mud, she found herself cradled in Ofe’s strong arms.

“Careful,” he said, setting her upright on her platforms again. His hands lingered for a fraction of a second longer than necessary before he pulled away, his face redder than ever. Ofe smiled down at her. “Stick with me, Candy. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Fennec swallowed hard, her heart skipping a beat as she looked up at him. Despite the mortifying circumstances, she couldn’t help but feel a spark of warmth.

“Oh! Okay,” she whispered timidly, falling into step behind him.

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