Leslie Walker's love triangle

mainly written by the fomer co-writer

co-writer (cw)

(cw) It was then that Leslie first laid eyes upon the deliciously handsome Major Maximilian Veers.

He was accompanied by a few other, bored-looking officers and several white-clad stormtroopers; taking the occasional drink from their canteens; or else lost in the depths of a celebrity holomag.

He only looked to be a few years older at most; Leslie would place him roughly in his mid or maybe late thirties. He was not wearing a cap, however, so she could see that his hair was a dark brown in color, to the point where it was almost black. It was too bad military regulations probably insisted all personnel keep their hair short- he’d certainly look even handsomer if he grew it out just a bit more…. His eyes were naturally narrow; almost slanted, and were a beautiful steely blue.

Strong-jawed and authoritative in his tight and conformist gray uniform, Leslie realized she found him arousing; and terribly so.

Veers sat, leaning slightly forward in that distinctly uncomfortable-looking chair. He had a contemplative gaze on his handsome face, and was staring out into the distance with his chin cupped beneath one hand.
There was a single blaster strapped to his belt, but holstered; and then it was finally driven home to Leslie the real reason why they were there, and that the Navy really did have no excuse.

Army personnel, at least, could lounge here a while under the guise of protecting senators and senate staff alike from would-be assassins or dissidents; but even they, it seemed had little to do.

Leslie’s heart began to beat at such a rapid rate she almost feared she was on the verge of a heart attack when Veers pushed aside his chair and walked over to her.

“Hello there, I take it you must be Lieutenant Fairfax. And this is your wife, I take it?”

“Future wife,”

Fairfax muttered, blushing profusely at the word ‘future’.

“My most sincere congratulations, then- I’m afraid, though, lieutenant; that you have no real reason to be here. We’re managing the situation as best we can on our own, there’s no need for navy intervention. And I understand that your wife is a civilian, and the Emperor feels strongly about keeping citizens away from the senate chambers except for…. Holidays, and publicity stunts, and the like. It’s absolutely nothing personal.”

Veers dismissively waved a hand, as though fully expecting Fairfax to know what he was talking about- but evidently, he did.

“No, no, Major. I understand. Completely.”

Fairfax gave him a thin smile.

“In fact, my…. My, um, almost-wife and I were actually on our way out and I guess we just had the bad luck to pass through here. No bother, I suppose. Les! Stop staring at the Major, for Force’s sake!”

Veers only chuckled as though in amusement and brushed off Leslie’s dreamy glances as though they were nothing.

“It’s absolutely no matter, lieutenant, I insist….. Now, I don’t think I caught your lovely fiancée’s name?”

Fairfax cleared his throat and began to speak

“Oh, well, her name is---“

Leslie shoved her fiancée aside as good-naturedly as she could and managed a passable curtsy.

“I’m afraid I can introduce myself, Romulus, but thank you. It’s Leslie Walker.”

“Charmed, I’m sure.”

He flashed her a sly, ironic little smile that indicated he was not used to handing out such pleasantries- Additionally, Veers also stooped slightly down to kiss Leslie’s hand, and she felt a brief rush of excitement race through her at the tickle of his lips against her skin.
“We, we’re both sorry for having cut into your time; I don’t think Romulus really thought----“

“No, ma’am; it’s always an honor to meet women with as much class and sensibility as you have. I hope you have a good day.”

“I…The same to you.”

Veers gave Leslie a respectful nod and stepped away to return to his army friends; the sound of his well-polished jackboots echoing slightly on the ornate senate hall floors. It was then she remembered the look of his hands-

They were well-worn, with a crisscrossed network of faded scars. Hands that looked as though they’d seen a lot of work and manual labor in their time, at which Leslie had to raise an eyebrow. Romulus had mentioned that many Imperial officers came from aristocratic backgrounds and were handpicked for their connections.

Veers, it seemed from his hands alone; had apparently not had such a cushy and luxurious life.

Now, Leslie was far from classist- She herself had been brought up to believe in the American Dream and thought that a man could be handsome and sexually attractive regardless of his financial standing.

True, of course, there was always the fact that he could be married (although she had seen no ring on his finger, and that was always a good sign); or perhaps even gay, but she would only cross that bridge if and when she came to either of them. If she came to them.

## (future scene)

(cw) Fairfax only watched her, saying nothing as she floated smugly about in a pale blue nightgown with its ruffled sleeves and bodice. He had known, suspected for quite a while now that some stiff-dicked and hot-blooded lover had bought that pretty dress for her. Things like that cost creds; creds that Fairfax would have wasted on other, sensible things.

Her hair hung against her back and shoulders, long and loose; straddling some attractive netherworld between brunette and blonde. A fetching caramel. Here, in the moonlight; she looked even lovelier, and yet her personality was monstrous and even unbecoming- And yet, Fairfax was unable to tear his eyes from that lovely, seductive visage as she continued to run the horsehair brush through hair that was already flawless.

“I just want you to realize, Romulus, that it didn’t start out that way. It really does hurt, you know, that you would think that.”

Fairfax remained stone-faced and unmoved, wordlessly listening as she droned away.

“The first time I met Max I wasn’t sure what to think, really. God; he was handsome, but I’m not so hormonally-driven that the only thing I care about in a man are his good looks- I started talking with him, and then I found out he was a widower with a seven-year-old little boy. Practically drowning in his own misery. It was pathetic. So I figured he needed a friend; someone to get him through the hard times. You know what I mean?”

“But friends don’t fuck each other, do they Lady Les?” Fairfax chuckled, smiling slyly at what he thought would be a victory for him. “Surely you could have said that you weren’t interested.”

“The poor man was so weak, Romulus; so goddamn full of despair. He practically begged me to sleep with him one night, and well….Who would I have been to turn him down?”

“Please, you could have said you weren’t----“

“I do have my reasons! Max is good to me, Romulus. Very, very good. Shouldn’t you of all people know how far a man will go; to have a pretty face who can make you feel like you own the world?”

Fairfax could not respond to that. He sighed heavily and cupped his face between his hands- that was low. She had hit him where it hurt. “You’re fucking perfect for this; an officer’s mistress…. Perfect for someone who needs someone pretty to worship him and stroke his ego. Hanging on his arm…. But you know, I wish it didn’t have to come to this. Don’t you realize I did my fucking best to satisfy you; but if you told me I needed to do better than I would have? I wanted to make you happy, Les. God, I tried. I…. I wanted to have you in my life. I thought you were so beautiful. I was drunk, and I was horny; and I thought you could teach me how to love. I was quite apparently proven incorrect.”

“And what would you like me to do about that, Romulus?”

“I’ll tell you what I want…..”

Fairfax rose from the bed and began to pace.

“If you think, Leslie, if you think that Veers can treat you better than I do and that for whatever karking reason he has something that I don’t- then be my guest. Go to him. Take everything you own, and get the hell out of this house and away from my daughter.”

“Your daughter, Romulus?”

“DON’T PLAY THAT GAME WITH ME!” Fairfax roared, his entire body twitching and shaking in his rage. “You heard what I said. I want you to leave, leave now, and I don’t want to see your face again you….. scummy. Fuckfaced. VIXEN!”

And in an instant, Leslie was tearing through the closet; hurriedly filling two average-sized suitcases with as many dresses and elegant nightgowns as she could fit. Going to the dresser, she also shoved in several sets of bracelets and rings that gleamed and shimmered in the wan moonlight.

(end CW)

The second Leslie left the house, Fairfax slammed the door behind her and used every lock on it to fasten it. If she had stayed one more second, he knew he would have killed her.

He allowed himself to slump against the door and slide down to the floor.

"Daddy?"

After a moment Fairfax looked up. Katie stood there looking down at the floor. "Katie, I. . . I'm sorry you had to hear that," He reached and took Katie in a hug. "I love you so much, baby."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh Katie it's not your fault."