The Nexu And The Wolf Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-one

(note to self- put part of this scene in a later chapter, Firmus doesn't get his tattoo until after he's joined the crew of the Nexu's Nemesis)

Remus Fairfax's long, blue-purple tongue was messily entwined around the base of an icicle, and he tried, vainly, to remove himself.

I looked at him with pain in my eyes, whispering, "I swear I'm going to kill whoever pulled that poodoo. . . . "

I'll go get help." I turned toward the main building. "And kill the sack of poodoo that did this. . . . I'll 'prank' them all right, I'll make sure they won't be able to karking walk for the rest of their karking lives. . . " Reaching into my belt, I held up a thermal detonator. "Too fast?" My voice was ice-cold, completely devoid of emotion. "They won't know what happened, I'll slip this under a bed, trigger it and run."

Fairfax vehemently shook his head in response.

*Oh well. I wish I could.* "I think if you put added pressure on the icicle it'd come free. There's a crack near the base." I reached and took hold of the icicle with both hands, pushing slightly.

Albeit gradually, Fairfax's tongue came loose.

"Whew."

When his tongue was freed; Fairfax was quick to yank down his sleeve; as his left arm was covered by an obscene tattoo of two Krayt dragons buggering each other\* "You did not see that tattoo..... You did NOT see that specific tattoo......"

I remained silent. My hand moved unconsciously to my shoulder.

Fairfax frowned a bit. "Was it something to do with....at-hem..... \*my\* tattoo?" Notably; this appeared to be the first time he referred to himself in the first person.

"No, it's one of mine I don't want anyone to see. . . . I've never shown it to anyone before. Want me to prove it?"

Fairfax raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

I shivered as I hurriedly stripped off my shirt. I extended my right arm up and out to the side, revealing a nexu buggering an acklay from behind. "I. . . the design's one my mother drew. I wanted a reminder of her with me."

Wordlessly, Fairfax stared at the exposed tattoo.

I moved my arm slightly and the nexu seemed to move in a mating rhythm. "She gave it to me before I left."

Fairfax clapped a hand to his temple, clearly not having anticipated something \*worse\* than his dragons. "Er.... You never struck Remus Fairfax as one to \*have\* tattoos at all."

"That's the only one I've ever gotten. I haven't told anyone about it because I didn't know what their reactions would be."

"You ought to keep that covered up." Fairfax shivered in the cold, crisp winter air. "Especially in...." He gave a hacking cough. "Karking low temperatures!"

I shivered and hurriedly pulled my shirt back on. "Kark it, I wish this place was somewhere warmer. . . . "

Fairfax grinned slyly. "Such as . . . Tattooine?"

"I . . ."

"You what?"

"I was born there. My life wasn't much of a life though. I made my first kill before I joined the Academy. It was self-defense."

Abruptly, understanding flickered in Fairfax's eyes. "What led you, exactly, to all of this?"

"My mo-mother. She wanted me to have a better life than the one she was stuck in."

"Well, Remus Fairfax's mother is a dancing girl for Jabba."

"That sack of slime, I'd like to shove a thermal detonator down his throat . . .Mom asked me to do it for her. I swear one of these days I will."

Fairfax frowned a bit, concentrating; and rapidly came to a conclusion about what all of this must mean. "Did....Did you ever know Remus Fairfax previously?"

"I didn't realize it was you until you told me your name. I. . . . I was. . ." I lowered my head as my voice broke. When I lifted my head, my eyes were brimming with unshed tears and I was trembling. "I. . . I'm sorry, I'm losing control." I wiped at my face with the back of my hand. "I try not to let that happen anymore. . . . the karking bastard came after me for dropping a tray, she grabbed a blaster, got between us and she shot him. She. . she didn't know that a Hutt's skin was thick enough to. . . to block . . . " My trembling grew worse. "We tried to run that night but were caught. I was knocked unconscious. She'd given me a blaster. When. . . when I found out, I almost used it on myself. But she appeared to me ju-just as I was ready to pull the trigger. She told me what she wanted me to do."

Fairfax, hesitantly at first, hugged me tightly. "Remus Fairfax is. . . terribly, terribly sorry for your loss."

I returned the hug. "I'm here because I wanted to change the course of the galaxy, hopefully for the better. In her memory. . . in their memories."