He looked out over the beach. Out of all places in the galaxy, he had chosen here to take his shore leave that he was ordered to take by the Emperor himself. The beach was cool, for it was near sunset, the waves calm and the sky was starting to darken overhead.

He stood at the edge of the salty water, taking a deep breath, breathing in the salty air. It had been too long since he was able to enjoy himself, for he had always put his duty first. He looked down at the waves at his feet, watching them move for a minute before he waded out into he cool water.

When he was waist deep in the salty liquid, he then dove under, diving down and swimming out further into the bay. His short hair moves like kelp as he swam, his muscular body coming in handy for it made it easier for him to swim in the denser liquid.

In the dark, even though right now he was surrounded by water, he felt more at home in it, for they had evolved in it. The warmer caves on his homeworld provided shelter from the bitter cold outside them and allowed all sorts of life to exist. They had burrowed deeper into the planer's crust to later build entire subterranean cities, decorated with various gems and other decorative rocks they found as they went. His homeworld was rich in a particular gem that was extremely rare for the rest of the galaxy, and a single piece of it hung around his neck, on a glimmering silver chain, that moved fluidly with him while he swam.

After a while of swimming, his breath ran out, so he surfaced to breathe. Treading water as he did so, he turned and looked back to see he made it quite a ways from shore. Smiling at his abilities that had taken a long time to build, he dove back under to swim back towards the shore.

After he got back to the shore, the sun had long since dipped beyond the horizon and the sky was filled with stars. He walked on the sandy shore, in the now even cooler air, and back to where he had left a towel carefully set so it wouldn't blow away. He picked it up and wrapped it around himself and walked back toward the hotel where he was staying at this particular resort he had chosen.

When he got back to his room, he showered, washing away from himself the salt and sand he picked up from the water and beach. He got another towel and dried himself off and dressed for bed.

For sometime, he laid with , his arms behind his head, considering his time in the Imperial Navy. He spent the vast majority of his waking hours serving the Emperor and in a constant struggle to prove to the others in the Imperial Navy that he was by far from 'some ignorant alien that thinks he can make it amongst humans.' He thought about it for a while and considered that in the end, he was rather lonely, with no hope of a companion; any woman that saw him either rejected him for his not being human or for if they did, they risked being shunned as well.

Sighing, he picked up a book on the bed stand and read from it for a while, until his eye lids felt too heavy to continue, switched off the light rolled over and went to sleep.

The next day, or more correctly afternoon, Thrawn awoke, with the sun in his face and he would have probably kept sleeping if it weren't for it being there. He hated bright lights because they frequently gave him a pounding headache. He rolled over, trying to escape it and found that useless, for it was bouncing off the pale colored walls. He moved to his stomach for another attempt, and found that, even after burying his face in the pillow and breathing becoming an issue, he gave up.

He rolled out of bed and got dressed, moving to put on something he brought with him. He blinked, wondering what happened to it, for he had only been here a day and they couldn't have possible screwed up so early in his time here. He looked in the closet for something to wear and found something that would be more suited to this place, the lighter cloth and colors would help him fit in; somewhat more than he would have is he wore something he had planned to put on. He his head at the appearance of them, he didn't like any of it, but decided it was better than roaming around the area naked. He donned the shorts, light, short sleeved shirt and sandals. He looked in the mirror, combing his hair into place and considered his looks. If it weren't for his pale blue skin, and glowing eyes, he would look rather normal right now.

Cursing the inner society's racist nature, and grabbing and donning a pair of sunglasses he found on the dresser, stuffed his ID and such in his pocket, he walked out of his room and down to the lobby. He strode outside in the unconformable bright sunlight, hoping to find a map of the area that lead to some local museum or something else that he would find interesting. It took time and stopping a couple people to ask, but he found out , to his surprise, that the planet lacked art museums, but he did find his way to a library and stayed there for a while instead.

A woman watched him from a distance as he moved, looking through the stacks for something. She watched his intent statement and his coming disappointment when he found nothing. She then watched him as he moved off, to find something else where. Cautious of him seeing her spy on him, she pretended to look at books for herself as she watched him.

She watched him, admiring his form bend down and pick out another book, and as he stood again to look it over. He added it to the pile he had, then walked to the front desk. Looking around the massive stocks, he found the art section, and started going through it. He hoped to find something he never saw before. After much searching, he found nothing that he had already seen everything there.

Disappointed, he walked to another area of the library to find something to read. He looked around at his different choices. He walked several of his selections into an area of non-fiction novels. He looked through, found a couple things interesting along with one book, which looked lonely on the shelf, it's cover worn and lacked any real description or title on it, which he took also, out of curiosity.

He took them to the front desk, let them see his ID, and he took them with him back to his room. He read through one of them and, by the time he was done with it, the sun had started to set outside.

In the meantime, the same woman had followed him, to see where he was staying. She later found out what room was his and stayed on the beach for a long while, hoping that he would go there, but after finding that he didn't and the sun was starting to set, she started to pack up to leave. Just then she saw him as he walked down across the sand to a point, where he placed his towel so it wouldn't fly away in the rapidly cooling wind. She could watch him from a distance easily without being spotted.

He looks ever better without the shirt, she thought as he walked to the water's edge. She watched as he started out before wading in; seeing his lonely statement. He looks so lonely, she thought, that I just want to run over and hold him. Why is he so lonely?

Thrawn waded into the water, feeling the salty liquid around him again and swam out into the bay for quite a ways. He swam out a little farther this time before swimming back and walking onto the shore.

On this night, he decided to sit in the night air for a while, wrapped in his towel on the beach, watching the sky and waters. Eventually he laid back, to watch the stars and attempt to count the ones he had been to.

He looked to the side of him, in the back of his mind hoping for someone to be there, and saw no one. He was alone as usual. Depressed now, he headed back in, abruptly sitting up, shaking the sand from his hair and quickly walking back inside.

She watched the lonely sight from a distance, shocked at how abruptly he sat up and went inside. After he was gone, she finished packing up her things and went home, thinking about the handsome blue stranger she had been following and hoping to catch him soon.

Back in his room, Thrawn tossed aside the towel and took a shower. On duty or not, he hid his feelings, his face a mask compared to what he felt. He finished up, quickly dried himself off and sat lie on the bed for a long while. He stared up at the pale ceiling for a long while, trying to hold it in.

After a long, frustrating hour of thinking over and over about the single painful issue, he reached for the book on top of his pile next to his bed. He picked up the single, worn book that he had taken out of curiosity. He opened it to the first page and began reading. After a while he was a bit shocked, for he realized that this particular book had been misplaced; it was romance, not non-fiction. But all in the same, the woman in the story was also just as lonely as he was and in a very similar situation. He read on, wanting very much to find out how this fictional character deals with the problem.

He woke up the next day, again due to the bright light in his room, finding that he had fallen asleep while he was reading. He closed the book, after putting a slip of flimsplast in it to hold where he was. Then got dressed.

He came out of the fresher, dressed and ready. He grabbed the book and another one and put them into a small bag along with his ID and left, slinging it over his shoulder. He had heard that there was a rather nice garden in the area, and it would be a very nice place to sit and read, rather than to brood in his apartment.

He walked into the garden, to see that it was as good as the locals said it was. The garden was full of lush with vegetation. He marveled a bit at the healthy condition the plants were in, the colors that they created, decorating the place. He slowly walked through it, taking in the design, colors and textures of all the living things around him. He walked for a while, until he found an area, where one could sit, that he felt comfortable with.

He sat down amongst the plants, settling amongst them and pulled out the book that he was infatuated with. He opened to the page he was last at, then back read some to remember what was going on. As he was reading he was once again immersed in the sad story, but at this point, things started to look up a bit.

She followed him to the gardens, hoping he hadn't left yet. She walked around, looking for him, hoping that he didn't see her or that she would be following him. She walked along, looking for him. As she walked by an area, hanging with flowering vines, she saw him. She stared at him, barely able to contain herself. He was sitting reading, surrounded by the deep blue flowering and even deeper green vines, reading from the worn old book she had seen him take with him yesterday. The sight of this handsome blue stranger was breathtaking.

It took him quite a while to realize that someone was staring at him. He looked up, cautiously over the pages of the book. He did indeed see someone watching him, or more like breathlessly staring. She was a small woman, of small build and dark hair that was pulled back in a pony tail that was then braded and dropped down then looped over her shoulder, wearing one of the nicer dresses he had seen so far on any woman in the area. She didn't notice him looking back at her. He definitely noticed it when she gave a heartfelt sigh, while watching him. Had he picked up a secret admirer?

It took an act of will power for her to tear her eyes from him for a minute. When she looked back, she saw that he had noticed her sometime while she stood in a daze. She gasped, and ran off, not wanting to approach him just yet, but in a way, wanting to so badly.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow when he saw her run off, wondering if she had seen him watch her, or if for some reason he had scared her. Or yet again, she reconsidered her attraction to him and ran off knowing that if she did, she would risk being ostracized, or worse.

He watched for a minute, lowering the book at where she had stood, then went back to what he was reading, hoping to forget that sometimes, there actually was people that wanted him for more than his brainpower.

She ran off to a corner of the garden, and sat down amongst some flowers, trying to regain her breath. He had seen me, she thought, I didn't want him to see me so soon. She looked around, hoping that he didn't follow, and relaxed some. She wanted to reach out to him so badly, to crack her own shell that kept out those who rejected her and had been her comfort for so many years.

After a few minutes of reading, he started to think of other things. He wasn't on duty. He had no reputation to uphold here except that he was a high ranking officer on vacation. Here, he would be allowed to cut loose a bit and relax, despite the Emperor ordering him into it, for he didn't want one of this most useful underlings dying due to stress related problems. The best he thought when he got those orders was, gee, thanks. After all this abuse, you finally reward me? But on the bright side, every thing was paid for, if he wanted to go out and get the services of one of the more expensive local harlots and spend his time that way. He didn't even bother because he was better than that and he would prefer a companion that didn't have to be paid to like him.

He looked up from the book, setting it, still open, in his lap, and looked to where she had been standing once again. Thinking of how she had been staring at him and how she just ran off. Tired of his loneliness, and hoping that the woman hadn't reconsidered things, he put the book away, marking his place and stood, walking off in the direction she had run in.

He moved with a purpose, trying to find her, then he came across her, sitting in an area covered with flowers. She was curled up, but modest in her manner of doing so. She looked sad, sitting there, probably thinking over her attraction to him. Just as he stood, thinking about her as she sat, she looked up to see him.

She looked up, at first to see who was walking by her, and seen him. Gasping, she couldn't believe that he had followed her. She sat, staring back at him in shock.

He smiled, ever so slightly as he watched her reaction. He met it so few times that it was refreshing to see that someone existed that did not hold prejudice against him for such a superficial thing as appearance. He slowly started to walk toward her, to sit down next to her. She watched him move, frightened that he might do something that she didn't want him to do.

He smiled when she jumped after he said, "Good afternoon ."

She stuttered a bit when she tried to talk, then gave up, trying valiantly not to pass out.

He smiled slightly at her reaction. "Please don't pass out on me, I don't even know your name yet."

She stared at him, shocked again. "S-s-s- sahara...."

He sorted out the extra bits of pronunciation to come to what her name was, then looked at her. "I should return the favor. I am Thrawn. I am pleased to meet you Sahara." It was difficult for him to keep his cool for she was staring at him in such wonderment and hope. Her eyes roamed over his form, taking in the details. She, in a very shy manner, reached out and touched him, as if doing so would confirm to her that he was indeed real. She gasped when her hand came in contact with his chest feeling the muscle hidden underneath the loose shirt.

She looked into his glowing eyes, tears starting to form in her own. "I-I," she tried to say, then paused., gathering her strength. "When I first saw you at the library, I could tell that you were lonely, and wondered why. Later, last night, I saw you swim out from the beach. I saw how desperately lonely you were and wanted to run over to you, but I didn't want you to see me."

Flattered that she had been following him that closely, and at the same time, wondering if his loneliness was obvious to the people around him. Practically speechless from what she just admitted to him, he just looked at her, his statement rather dumbfounded. "Um....uh...," he struggled for words, one hand coming up and scratching the hair on the back of his head, trying to think. "Um....would you...like to...uh....go someplace...ummmm..."

She giggled at his sudden loss of words, "There's a nice cafe near here."

"Yeah, something like that, " he said, agreeing with her. He stood up, then offered a hand for her. She took it as leverage and stood. "It's over here," she said, leading the way.

They walked for a bit, then came to a small cafe, that was sparsely populated at round table that had umbrellas coming out of them to provide shade while one ate. They chose a table, Thrawn pulled a chair for her, and let her sit before he took a seat on the opposite side of the table. A server came over to them and set menus in front of them. Thrawn looked over his choices and didn't really find anything he liked, but instead of not ordering anything, he looked at her and asked, "Do you recommend anything?"

She looked over her menu at him, a bit wide eyed that he had asked her for suggestions. "Um...coconut marinated fish?"

He looked over the menu again, to see something he had missed. He did like fish. He looked at the drink selection, for something to go with it. Pumpu Juice? He had never heard of it, but it seemed to be the popular one there. He looked over at her, seeing that she was ready and was folding her menu.

A server came over to their table. "Are you two ready?"

"I believe so," he said, looking at Sahara to see if she agreed. She nodded, and he motioned for her to go first.

"I'd like the coconut marinated fish, a side of seaka rice and some pumpu juice," she said, trying to order in a calm manner.

In the meantime, Thrawn was trying to not stare at her with a look of shock at the coincidence of what he was thinking of ordering. She looked at him and saw his mixed statement, and smiled. "Um....yes..," he said, trying to find words again. The server smiled, knowing that this was pretty much a blind date, knowing how awkward it can be.

The server looked at him, "You want the same thing, don't you?"

"....yes..," he looked a bit sheepish as he admitted it, getting a giggle out of Sahara.

The server smiled, wrote it down and walked away. Sahara smiled at him, trying to both reassure him and internally, herself as well, and said, "It's okay, honestly it's one of the best things this cafe has." He smiled back, trying return her kind favor of reassuring him.

While the two waited, they sat in silence, both of then trying to figure out what to say to the other. What do you do for a living?, Thrawn thought of a question she might ask, oh nothing, just lead fleets of Star Destroyers for the Emperor. Gods, he thought, like she's gonna want to hear that...most think Imperial officers are a crude, stuck up and, in general, have a bad reputation with women. Hopefully she won't ask me that.

I wonder what he does for a living? Maybe for some reason he's stuck working as the head of the KDY warehouse where he sees no one else everyday and they finally gave him a vacation. Hopefully, he doesn't work for the Black Sun, but then you'd think he wouldn't be so lonely, her thought rambled on, trying to figure out the blue stranger in front of her.

Unable to stand their silence anymore and the question in her head bugging her she asked him, "So, what do you do for a living?"

He looked back at her, a bit of shock coming to his face, then quickly disappearing. "Ummm....,"

"Come on, you have to have a job where you're a lone all the time and you can't get out much less meet anyone of the opposite sex," she said.

"You have no idea," he said, trying to stall a bit to explain to what he did for a living.

"Try me."

//No...not now...I don't want to loose her now....not when I just found her...// " I'm a Executive Officer for the company I work for. We do planet to planet transportation. You?"

"Oooo....," she said to what he did for a living. "I'm a local actor. Although, right now I'm not doing anything."

"Really?" he said, interested. "What kind?"

"Small plays, occasionally musicals."

"Have you ever dreamed of going beyond that?"

"Who doesn't. I'd love to work for someone on Coruscant, but I can't get off this planet, " she said, spilling to him one of her lifelong dreams.

"I could help you."

She giggled. "How's a Executive Officer gonna help an actor?"

"You've seen me in the library right? If you're seen me in the art section it was because art is, well, a passion of mine. I enjoy all forms of art," he said.

Her eyes went wide, finding out that she had just met, not only a handsome man, but a cultured one as well. A true rare catch. "Oh my, " is all she could manage to say to that.

He smiled gently at her, his glowing red eyes meeting her dark brown eyes.

The server came over during that bonding moment and set their food in front of them, along with their drinks. She unrolled the napkin that her silverware was in, pick out the fork and began to eat. After taking a bite, she looked over at him, to see that he unrolled it and set the napkin in his lap before he began to eat.

After they finished their meal and they stood, gathering their things and walked to the register to pay. Walking away, Thrawn came to a decision. He turned to her and took her hand. "Would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"

She looked at him, shocked that he would ask something like that so soon. Looking up at him she thought, how and why would I refuse? "I'd love to," she said with a smile. "Are you going out swimming tonight?"

"Not tonight, after all, I must be ready for tomorrow night," he said with a warm smile.

"Where should we meet?"

"Where do you live?"

"I'm too out of your way. How about at the place you're staying?"

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay. We shall meet there then."

She smiled, "Until tomorrow then."

The two parted, both nervous and excited about the upcoming date.

Thrawn walked back to his room and called it a night early. Sitting down, still interested in the book. He read with a certain zeal now, hoping to find out a few tips on courting human females. He knew how to court ones of his own race, his parents had seen to that, drilling proper courtship rules and etiquette into his head for many years. But even after that, he had no clue on human females. Oh, he had seen the occasional pass from other officers, both ones that were very crude and ones that were more civilized. But that was all. He knew nothing in depth to it.

Wanting to get this right, he looked the time. It was still early, very much so for him. The library was still open. Perhaps he could find something there to help him.

He walked into the library, returned a couple of the books he had, and went off looking for something that would help. He went to the romance section, hoping, but instead he found many smutty novels and no help. He walked around, looking through the stacks for a while until he found something. He flipped through some of them , then wondered a bit when he found a book that covered positions. He shook his head and kept looking. He moved down a bit, and found what he was looking for.

He found a few books, each one with the courting, and mating rules of different races. He flipped through a couple of them, putting one back rather quickly, for it was rather gross: both the race it was involving, and what they had to do he found rather repulsive.

He picked out the book that dealt with humans and flipped through it. He seen the information he thought he needed. He walked off with it, checked it out, got a strange look from the librarian there, and went back to his apartment. He sat down and read it, paying careful attention to the details.

Late that night, he finally went to sleep after carefully studying the book.

Sahara went to bed late that night as well. She had called her mother and told her about the man she had met that day. Her mother had advised to watch him for being a player and told her good luck with it.

Thrawn awoke the next day, in the afternoon as usual. He got up and looked into his closet and realized he had nothing formal to wear. Where he had planned on taking her would require something a bit more formal than shorts and a shirt. He also had to find a place to take her as well. He got dressed and went out. He first asked one of the staff for a good place to take a girl out to. He took note of the list, thanked the person and left. As he walked along, he checked out the places on the list of restaurants he had, chose one and made reservations. He got it when he wanted it based on proof he had with him that he was a high ranking officer in the Empire.

Next thing to do was to find something to wear. He called a transport, asked them to take him to a shopping area where he could get formal wear. When he got there, he was amazed at the places available to him. He walked around, finding a blizzard of things, some he'd seen before, others he never had before.

Sahara was walking through the shopping area when she came upon Thrawn. He was staring at a store's window. She had to walk closer to see what and realized what. He was stuck staring at the lingerie store. The window had a couple pictures of models standing, wearing very skimpy underclothing. She giggled and walked up behind him, and tapped him on the shoulder. He was startled, and turned to see her. "Ack!"

She giggled again. "Is it normal to catch you staring at things like this?"

"Um....n- no....it's just..."

She smiled. "You really need to get out more if you've never seen a store like this one." She motioned the place with one hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask the same of you," he answered.

"I'm here to find a dress for tonight," she answered.

"I'm here for the same."

"You're gonna wear a dress?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh...no..oh-no....not a dress, suit," He corrected himself, blushing slightly.

She giggled. "Come on. I'll help you, but you're gonna have to pick you out on your own," He looked at her." Well, don't you want to surprise me?"

"Ah. Then you'd like the same to happen with your dress?"

"Of course silly," she said, smiling at him. "Come on, this way."

She lead him through the area to a place where it was filled with men's clothing and formal wear. She put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him toward the entrance. "Go on, they're not gonna bite."

He looked at her, as if to say 'help.' "She smiled and said, "There's people inside that will help you."

Thrawn walked into the place, and walked toward the formal wear area. He stopped and looked at some things, confused at the odd, plaid material. A sales person walked over to him and asked him if he needed help.

"Um, no, I think I can figure it out," he said.

The sales person, after looking at the confused statement on his face, knew he needed help. "I think you do though. Here," she pointed him in a different area, "these will look better on you." She held up a couple things, looking at them, and him. "Here." She handed them to him. "Go over there and try them on. We can fit it to you when you come out."

Confused still, he walked over to where she pointed him to and did what she asked. He came back out of the place and found out why it needed to be fitted; the cuffs and pant legs were too long for him, even as tall as he was. The sales person smiled and came over to him. "Come here," she pulled him to some mirrors. The woman started to pin them to fit him better and change things. He got rather bored while she was doing so, but when she was done, the suit did indeed fit him better, that he had to admit.

She turned him around and looked him over. "Hmm...I take this is for a formal event?"

"Yes," He said.

"A date, or something going on in the city?"

"A date, " he said.

She smiled. "Then we better got something under this suit, other than the shirt you already have. Stay here." She walked off, leaving him there, confused. When she came back, she held up to him a couple different shirts, comparing them to him. She chose one and said, "This one would look best," handed it to him and walked off again. She came back with a piece of colored cloth. "Go put those on as well."

While changing again, the one major thing crossed his mind; formal wear of his own race was by far easier for him to deal with. At least it was more comfortable. He got to the last thing she said to put on.

He looked at the strip of cloth, confused on what to do with it. He looked it over. It couldn't possibly be a belt. He shrugged and walked out, taking the cloth with him. He looked at her, holding the cloth.

She giggled and showed him what to do with it. "You know, " she said, putting a hand on his muscled chest, "for a good looking guy like you, you must have grown up at an argo combine to not know any of this."

"No, actually, I'm not used to this," he admitted.

"Oh?"

He looked to see where Sahara was, and seeing a hint of her, still outside of the store, sitting and waiting, he turned back to the woman and said, "I'm an officer in the Imperial Navy....I'm not used to dressing like this."

"Oh my! That explains a lot then." She looked him over. The suit did him justice, accenting his form. She nodded her head. "You look good."

He raised an eyebrow and looked in the mirrors, looking himself over. I hope so, he thought. She interrupted him and pointed him back to the dressing room and told him that he was ready as he could get, clothes wise.

He dressed in his clothes and tried to put he suit back on the hanger along with the others. He ended up asking the sales person for help, and she did so as well as put a protective cover over it for him. He walked to the register paid for it and walked out.

Sahara smiled as she saw him walk out of the store carrying the thing that contained what he was going to wear. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

He gave a faint snort and a light smile. "No, but if it wasn't for those working there I might have made a serious mistake."

She gave a short laugh. "Knowing how you were staring at that window, you probably would have. Come on, you gotta see more of this.'

Oh boy, Thrawn thought as he followed her. They walked by a few more stores. They walked by one in particular, that made Thrawn stop and stare again. He tilted his head in confusion.

Sahara kept walking a bit more before realizing that he wasn't behind her. She turned to see where he wandered off to and seen him stopped and staring confused at something. She walked back and saw what He was confused about an adult store. The sign said: holos, datazines and paraphernalia. She giggled and waked up to him. "What are you confused about this time?"

He looked at her. "What do they mean by this?"

She had no choice but to laugh this time. "It's a porn store! It's full of pornography and sex toys."

He raised an eyebrow. "Toys?"

"Oh gods, you don't know?"

"No....what kind of toys and why are they used for sex?" He had images of children's toys being used in perverted ways in his mind and had to restrain a shudder.

"I'll have to explain it to you later, the sidewalk isn't a place for this one."

"Ah," he said, agreeing, though he made a mental note to figure this one out, then followed her. They came to a store with mannequins wearing women's evening wear. She turned to him and said, "My turn. You stay here."

Sometime later she came out carrying a package, apparently her dress was in it. She walked up to him and smiled, after watching him for a bit as he looked out with great curiosity over the market. She tapped him on the shoulder. "You *really* need to get out more."

He raised an eyebrow. "My work rarely lets me out."

"Well, while you're here you should. You could use it."

She started off, him following her. "Where are we going now?"

"Come on....you've been a good kid....I'll get you a toy...," she said with a giggle. He tilted his head at her. She smiled, "you'll see." he followed her to a store that was at the full attention of children and adults trying to control them. She grinned and told him, "A toy store."

He raised an eyebrow, very confused at this. "Go on, you big kid you." She gave him a gentle shove toward the entrance. He went, wondering why she was pointing him here. He went inside to find a plethora of things for children. Things were often brightly colored and made of all sorts of durable materials. He walked around, coming across the isle with action figures in it, most based on holo- cartoons. He looked them over, studying their design and construct with interest even though he had never bothered to watch any of it.

She smiled happily as she watched him, totally thrown off with it, but then he got into it rather fast. After a while she had to pull him out after buying him one that he seemed to particularly like, and to his protest that he didn't need any children's toys.

The rest of the afternoon quickly went as the two soon parted after words to go home and do what they needed.

Thrawn took another shower, just in case and got dressed in the suit. The hard part for him was tying the cloth around his neck, trying to recall how the sales woman did it. He eventually got it, after much trying and thought. He finished getting ready then looked over the books he had taken out again to refresh his mind on what was proper etiquette. He looked at the clock and knew she would be here soon. He stood, and made sure he was still in proper form before grabbing his ID and things, pocked them and left. He rode the lift to the ground floor and looked for her as he walked out. She walked into the door just as he walked out into the lobby.

She walked in, saw him and stood looking him over as he was her. She was wearing a black dress, the seams and folds of the cloth ran to accent her slim form, leading up to just above her breasts and was left strapless. Her long hair was done up, all of it pulled up and into a weaved design that accented her face.

He looked at her, knowing that not only he had found a woman that was beautiful physically, but a breath of fresh air in his life; something that he didn't want to loose.

She looked him over as he stood in a black suit, the white shirt under it both contrasted and complimented his blue skin. The way that it was made accented his form as her dress did her. She smiled and knew that he had to be hit on by a lot of women over the years.

He was the first to move. He walked over to her, smiling, genuinely, the first time in a long time and for a good reason as well. She grinned as he walked toward her, looking up at him as he offered his arm for her. She took it and they walked out to meet the transport she had taken over there.

He opened the door for her and let her sit before he got in. "Where are we going?" she asked him.

He smiled to her and looked to the driver. "Emerald Garden."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?" she asked, wondering if he could handle the bill for that particular restaurant.

"Yes, I'm very sure," he answered, as the transport took off.

"How did you get a reservation? You asked me out last night...you can't get one there that fast."

His smile changed to a grin. "I have connections."

She raised an eyebrow. "And good ones at that."

A while after words they arrived at the restaurant.

He got out and waited for her, shut the door after her, then paid the driver. The transport took off as they stood there.

He offered his arm again and lead her into the place. After they entered she had been in awe at the lavish surroundings, something he was used to having been to Coruscant many, many times. He lead her to the place where he would claim his reservation and was lead to a table. He pulled out the chair for her before he took a seat as well.

The round table that they sat at was plenty big for two, but was cozy enough to allow them to get close. In the center of the white table cloth that was laid over a deep blue one, was a silver vase that has a couple of flower arranged in it that complimented the colors of the surrounding area. Next to it, on both sides, were matching candles that went unlit. In front of them sat placemats, of the same deep blue as the under-cloth, with white napkins surrounding their silverware.

As she sat, she looked the place over in wonderment, as if she had never been in something as upper class as this. He smiled as he watched her. "You've honestly never been in a place like this?"

"Not anymore than you've ever been in a store before today. You definitely turned the tables on me."

He continued to smile as a waiter walked over and gave them menus.

The waiter handed them both menus and waited for them to decide. He looked it over, seeing a variety of things, this time some he recognized. Feguin Stew was one of them. He had that before and he enjoyed it. Choosing that and then flipping to the drink selection, he saw the lack of his favorite, Florvish Ale, but did find another that was acceptable, Tyrinian Spiced Ale.

He looked over at her, and saw her watching him. "Are you sure?"

She was about to say something else when he said, "I'm very sure. Order what you like." She looked at him wide eyed for a minute, then set down the menu, and looked at him again. "Ladies first," he said, gesturing.

She turned to the waiter and ordered, her speech and manner a bit sheepish for she felt guilty of the cost of what she wanted. Thrawn ordered after her, the waiter jotting it all down and then walked off. After he left, she turned to Thrawn "Are you really sure?"

"Very. Don't worry, everything is covered."

"The company you work for must be huge then. What was the name of it?" she asked.

Thrawn paused for a minute. "Come on, what am I gonna do? Run to them and tell then that you actually went out and took someone to dinner?"

"Wen Redor Shipping Company," he answered.

"I've never heard of them."

"We're getting larger in recent years, that's why many haven't. Of course I've been very busy trying to remedy that."

"So much that you never get out?"

"The most getting out is business meetings and dinners."

"Ugh. That can't be any fun."

"No, but it is necessary if we are to gain more prophets How about you? What troupe do you work for?"

"The Cisab Company. It's a small one as well. We've done Arankis Norkas in the last couple months and we're not sure what we're going to do next. I'm not sure how much longer the troupe is going to last because we're low on funds. The last play didn't go well and neither has some of the ones before it...I think we're going to have to disband and find new work," she said, sounding depressed that her line of work was going down hill.

He looked at her, concerned. "What went wrong?"

"We're not very good. Mostly amateurs..... some of us aren't very good and some of us are good enough to hold things together. I know I could be better, but none of any other actors in the other troupe will help me or any of us. We've tried to reach out to them, but they won't. They're too stuck on themselves to help anyone."

Thrawn's eyes narrowed a bit. He knew that actors and artists can be stuck up, but the great ones usually weren't.

The waiter come over with the food and set it in front of them along with the drinks they ordered. Watching her take a bite of what she had, Thrawn spoke again. "Are there any plays going on that you can attend right now? Ones with those same troupes?"

She swallowed and said, "Yeah. But I don't dare show up. They know who I am and I know they'll laugh."

He tilted his head, confused. "How so?"

She paused for a minute. "I just know they will. They laugh at all of us."

Knowing that she had been laughed at one time too many and he wouldn't be able to persuade her opinion any thus he gave up the argument before it could get heated. He ate some before asking her what was currently playing.. She gave him a list of a couple of them, one of which he had been wanting to see, but missed it on Coruscant due to a mission having pulled him away.

When one of the staff walked by, he asked them if they could get information on the play he would have liked to see. The Staff member walked off to comply with his request.

"You can't get in. Not this late. They're sold out by now."

"Trust me. I can get us in," he said with a smile.

The staff member came back with the information. He looked at it. "We have an hour to get there. Where is this building?"

She looked at the name. "It's close by. We have time, but I still don't know how you're going to do it."

He smiled. "Trust me." Normally he wouldn't abuse his authority like this, but it was also extremely rare for him to get a date, much less get out.

An hour later they showed up at the building where the play was being held. "Wait here," he said, leaving her by the foyer.

He walked over to the beings in charge, who were busy greeting people. She watched as he spoke to them, and showed them something. One of them walked off to do something, came back a couple minutes later and they talked some more. Thrawn walked back over o her when he was done.

"Come. We have seats."

She looked at him with wide eyed shock. "How-?"

He smiles. "Come." and he lead her to their seats. Ones in the VIP area no less. It overlooked the huge auditorium. The place was decorated by fine cloths of red and gold.

"My gods, how do you do this?"

He chuckled and said, "Like I said earlier, I have my connections."

Hours later, they left. Of some of the last to leave, the two of them walked out of the large ornate doors that was at the entrance and exit of the place. "I am still amazed that you did that."

"It was nothing. Did you enjoy the show?"

"Oh very much so. After I got over how stuck up they were."

He smiled. "So what do we do now?"

She looked up and saw a large displayed chrono. "It's rather late."

"Where do you live?"

"Umm...."

He remembered one of the major no-no he read in that book and said, "No, not for that. I would like to escort you home."

"Oh," she said. "No, you don't have to. I can get back home, I'm a big girl." /Plus trust me, you'd run if you seen where I live.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure."

A pair of transports showed up and they each took one back to their homes.

Thrawn got back into his room and undressed. He put on a pair of loose pants and sat, thinking about the performance. The troupe that put it on was a good enough group. But he wondered about the group Sahara was with after seeing it.

Sahara got to her home. Her home was not where as good as what Thrawn would have thought it to be. It was on the outskirts of town and was run down. She lived with a couple other people. In truth, the dress she wore was the one that belonged to one of her roommates. She could never afford such a thing. Truthfully, the troupe she worked for was on the edge and they were going to dissolve at the end of the week if they couldn't get a good meeting before then.

She walked in and met her roommate, Asyria. "How did it go?"

"It was great."

"You're still worried about him finding out aren't you?"

She stopped on the way to her room, and slowly turned. "I am. I'm so worried and he will run away knowing that I'm no better than what I am."

"If he starts to really love you he'll look past all that."

"I know. It's just..."

Asyria shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Get some sleep."

"You're right. G'Night. Thank you for letting me borrow the dress."

"It's no problem. I'm hoping one of us can get out of this."

The next afternoon Thrawn got up and looked at the clock. He rushed to get dressed. He remembered that Sahara said that their next meeting was in the afternoon until later in the night He had to get there to see what was wrong with the troupe and possibly help them out for her sake. He grabbed some of his things and tossing them into his bag and left. He called a transport to take him to the building and found himself at a small, not very kept up building towards the edge of the city.

He looked up at it, taking in the details, then walked in. Inside he saw a gathering of some humans and a couple other life forms, all busy doing something. The director had Sahara and another reading lines to each other while others were trying to build the set from what little materials they had. Sahara was in the middle of a line when she saw a figure walking toward the stage.

She stared as he came to stand next to the director. The director turned to him and asked "What are you doing here? This is a closed practice..."

"So I saw, but the door was not locked. I came to see Sahara and see what this particular troupe needed, for I heard from her that you were going under," Thrawn calmly explained.

The director looked at him, then at Sahara. "Is this true?"

She looked to the floor, knowing she was in trouble. "Yes," she said timidly.

He looked at Thrawn. "How can you help us?"

Thrawn turned to the director. "I am Thrawn," he said, holding out his hand, which the director said

Like wise the director said, "Epoiron."

"I am from a shipping company that is also trying to make ourselves bigger as well. I am currently on vacation, but this would be a different project for a change." Epoiron watched him. "I am also a patron of the arts. Plays being one of my many interests. I can help you to improve where you need it and I can also help you fix this place up to attract more people."

Epoiron's eyes went wide. "Funding?"

"Whatever you need," Thrawn said.

Epoiron looked from Thrawn to Sahara, who now was also shocked by his offer. "You don't have to do this for me."

Thrawn stood his ground. "I do. But first I would like to see where you need help in you stage performance."

"Are you an actor yourself?" Epoiron asked him.

"No, but I do a know about acting and can do so myself, but it is not my career choice."

"Ok....people!" he shouted, gathering the actors to the stage. "Take it from the top."

The play went on, Thrawn carefully noting mentally where different beings needed help. A couple hours later, Thrawn knew what to do and he asked Epoiron to meet him the next day. He was going to start them with them then.

Weeks passed. Thrawn rearranged who had what part in the play and funded the set, some repair to the outside and seating as well as the costumes. They were almost ready for their first play in months and hopefully it would be a success. And between all the work on the play and such, both Thrawn and Sahara had come closer.

"Come on," Sahara said, tugging on Thrawn's sleeve. "You should come."

"As I said before, I do not like parties."

"So? You really should come. The rest of us are going to be there and we'll have our own celebration while the city has one as well."

"It is too early to celebrate. We do not know if the public is going to come or if they're going to like it," he answered.

"So? You've giving us some hope. We wouldn't have this new start if it wasn't you."

He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get out of it. "All right," and followed her out the door.

They quickly arrived to the beach party and met the other cast members and production people from the play. /Oh boy/ Thrawn thought as he was dragged here and there, to talk with different people about various things, then pulled from that to dance with different females from the troupe. They had to show him to dance in a more informal dance style, which he didn't take to very well, but did his best as usual.

At last Thrawn and Sahara was together dancing when they were pulled aside for yet another activity. He had to watch a couple others go through it before he thought about doing it. Epoiron pulled him into the line and forced Thrawn to do the limbo for the first time. Others cheered him on as it quickly became a contest between him and Epoiron to see who lasted longest. Thrawn's fit body easily allowed him to do this and won.

After much partying Thrawn and Sahara went to his apartment. It was late at night, and both of them were tired. Shewas laughing some while he opened the door to find the lights on. He looked around suspiciously, remembering that he hadn't left any of them on. He looked around as Sahara came into the room.

Over by the window, looking at them stood Ysanne Isard. She was dressed in a rather alluring manner as she stood there, looking at Thrawn at first happily, but after seeing Sahara, turned to an statement of anger. "Is this what you do when I'm not around?" she said in a demanding tone.

Thrawn was caught, shocked at her words. Sahara was suspicious of her. "Who are you?"

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Isard said, walking over. "I'm his wife. I trusted him to go on vacation by himself and this is how he repays my trust."

"What?!" Sahara exclaimed, looking at Thrawn who was coming out of being stunned like that.

"What are you talking about Isard? You're not my-"

"Oh shut up. You're always cheating on me."

Sahara looked at Thrawn, feeling her heart break as the two argued. She couldn't hear their words, but knew one thing. He had been using her while he was away from his wife. She ran from him, out of the building and back home.

Thrawn didn't hear a thing until he heard the door slam. He turned to Isard. "What are you up to," he said, his voice low.

"Nothing. I've been watching the Emperor's pet. The the Emperor may want his little pet happy and not die from exhaustion by giving him a vacation, but I've been watching you. I know everything you've been doing. You've been helping that little rat. I want you to know something about her. She lives in a house towards the edge of the city. A house that's as run down as her little troupe. The Emperor's pet shouldn't be going out with gutter scum like her," Isard said.

Appalled by her words, Thrawn stood there, retraining from the urge to do something rather violent to Isard. She laughed at him. "I know that's not your reason," he said in a menacing manner.

"Of course not. I want you to be lonely, miserable and stressed out. I want you to leave so I can be the Emperors little pet. No alien should have that right," she said, emphasizing the word alien.

"You disgust me. Get out of here now!" he said.

She laughed and walked toward the door. "Enjoy the rest of your vacation. You only have a week left." She laughed as she shut the door.

Thrawn dropped to the floor. For once he had a companion and wasn't lonely and Isard wormed her way in and ruined it for him. He had suspicions of her having something to do with things that have happened to him in the past. The current events only proved it. He thought about doing something about Isard, but he was too over come with grief.

He crawled over to the bed and climbed in. He curled up and tried to hold back his grief but quickly lost. He reached over and picked up the toy she had bought him. A colorful thing made of some durable plastic. He moved it around a bit, tears starting to loose from his eyes. He hugged it him while a blizzard of emotions swam through his head.

Sahara quickly paid the transport and ran into her home. Asyria watched as she ran crying into her room. Asyria walked over to knock on the door, "What's wrong?" No answer. She listened to the door and heard her crying. She opened the door and walked in. "What happened?"

"H...he...he was using me...."

"How?"

"I met his wife.....she said he had been using me while he was away."

Sahara went back to crying.

"I know there isn't much I can do to help you right now, but one thing I can tell you. I don't think he was using you. Not with the way he acted at the party and at the meetings. If he is playing, he's really good about covering it up. But I don' think he was."

"But I saw his wife," Sahara said.

"Did you see the rings?"

"Nooo...I wasn't looking for that."

"Well, give it time, if he was real he'll be knocking on the door anytime now. If not, he's there still arguing with his wife."

Sahara cried more, hoping that Asyria was right about him.

Thrawn sat up, his thoughts a raging blizzard in his head. One thing had congealed. If he could find out where Sahara lived, he could explain everything to her. He had all of the troupe's comm numbers, but not where all of them lived. He picked up the comm unit and dialed the number for Epoiron.

He answered. "Do you know where Sahara lives?"

"Wha-? What happened?"

"I don't want to explain, but I need to know."

Epoiron gave him the location. "You don't sound too good."

"I know. I have to straighten some things out quickly. Thank you." He switched the comm off and got up to compose himself. He knew that she wouldn't answer if he tried to comm her, so he had to go in person. He picked up a couple things, called a transport and left.

Arriving at her home he saw that Isard was right. The house was rather run down, but he didn't care. He walked up to the door and knocked. Another woman answered the door and let him in. "So you're not fake."

"I would never do that to someone. Where is she?"

"Over there," Asyria said, pointing him to Sahara's room.

He walked over and knocked on it. "Sahara?"

"Go away!"

"I'm not going to leave until I get to talk to you."

"I'm not going to talk. You lied to me!"

"I'm not lying to you. The other woman did. She isn't my wife, I'm not married to anyone," Thrawn said.

She opened the door. "I don't believe you!" Then she slammed it on him.

Thrawn stood there, quiet, trying to hold it in. Asyria walked over and guided him to a chair. "I apparently lefty her in there to think for herself for too long. Tell me, are you really married?"

He looked at her, the pain half hidden in his statement. "I never married anyone, " he said quietly.

"The woman that was there is out to make my life miserable."

Asyria shook her head. "You should go home and get some rest. I'll do my best to talk to her. I know both of you from the way she talked about you were pretty lonely and I think you two should be together

He nodded absently, as she called a transport to take him home. He later arrived in his apartment and went straight to bed, tossing away his clothes and crawling under the covers. He reched over again to pick up the toy, and despite it being a rather hard object, he hugged to him and fell asleep.

The next night was the play and he went anyway, hoping that Asyria had talked her. Word had gotten around about the troupe having gotten help from someone and many came to see if the help had indeed been what they needed. He had gotten up, showered and tried his best every step of the way to compose himself, going through mental exercises to calm himself while he got dressed. He wore a bit more informal version of the suit he had.

He called a transport and arrived at the show on time. He stayed the whole time, watching and thinking about Sahara. At the end, he moved to meet her, the people there, knowing him and let him backstage to meet her. He knocked on her door and she opened it. "Aah! What are you doing here?!"

"Apologizing for something that I didn't do and I want to explain the whole thing to you."

"You don't have to say a thing. I know you've had Asyria talk to me because you got her to believe you. Well I don't believe you no matter what you say!" She slammed the door again on him. Heart broken, he walked away. The stagehands knew what was going on and felt sorry for him and offered him support, but he tried his best not to be rude, thanked them and returned to his apartment and to bed.

The next day he laid in bed, staring at the holonet and watching whatever was on, mindlessly, flipping through the channels and languages. Towards the end of the light, he finally rolled off the bed and dressed in something then went to the beach. He walked out on the sandy shore set aside his things and went for a swim.

When he was done, he walked onto the shore, laid out his towel and flopped strait to the ground, not minding how cold the wind felt against his wet skin. He started out in the nighttime sky. He made out some shapes in the stars, basic ones and sometimes more complex ones. After a while, his mind began to wander again. He thought of her. Just then, he sat up and started back to his room and showered, trying to erase the pain from his mind.

He flopped back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a bit. He looked on the nightstand and saw the book he had been reading, then forgotten about. He picked it up and started to read again. He was half way through it, having gotten to the part where the main character in it had met the man and they were beginning their courtship. He had soon become too busy to read more beyond that.

He picked it up and began to read again, taking his time on how the characters had settled the obstacles that come into their path. He read on, the events in the book mysteriously taking the same turns as his relationship with Sahara have been so far. The very odd similarity was how that the break up of the two were similar to what had happened to him. Once again, he read on, hoping to find a solution to what was going on.

The days dragged on before he had to leave for duty. He had spent his days doing very little, having been too depressed to really do anything. He packed his things, slowly, and had returned the books he had borrowed, including the one which he had read with so much interest. The ending in that book was a happy one, unlike the one he would have for his vacation.

He dressed in his uniform, slowly putting himself back together and mentally preparing himself for duty. He heard a quiet knock on the door and he went to it, thinking it was one of the lieutenants that was supposed to help him back to the shuttle. He opened the door and saw Sahara there. She was looking up at him.

"I thought you did not want me," he said, not wanting this to go one longer than needed.

"I.....I was thinking about what Asyria had been saying to me and what you've been trying. I admit, I was wrong and I'm sorry. I just...."

He pulled her into the room. She was still looking at the floor when she said, "I just...was thinking too much and I thought up all the wrong thing...I'm sorry..."

She looked up at him and for the first time she saw him, almost fully dressed in his uniform. The pristine white against the soft colors of the room. The cut was unmistakably that of an Imperial uniform. "You.....you're a..."

"I admit to you as well. I've been hiding from you that I am serve the Emperor. I hid it from you because many fear us for many other high officers have given all the Empire a bad reputation with women. I...didn't want to frighten you."

She looked at him with awe. "You're nothing like the stories I've hear about then though. Who was that other woman?"

"She is a colleague....she is another agent of the Empire that is out for me because of my position with the Emperor and the fact that I am not human," he explained.

"Why?"

"No one in the Empire wants to see an alien succeed, as I have," he realized he was talking to her in such formal tones. He had not been very formal with her since three days after he met her, then he had let his military demeanor drop. She was here to apologies to him and he was treating her like a civilian she was. Changing his out look he gently grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. She was looking up to him as he brought his lips to hers and kissed her. At first she was shocked by this, but then she responded.

When the kiss finally broke, she was still looking up to him. "Come with me," he asked.

"Where?"

"Come with me to my ship. So we can be together there."

She smiled. "Am I allowed there? It's not the place of civilians to be on military ships..."

"I will make it your place." He smiled. "Go pack your things. I will send someone over to help you bring them to the shuttle as well."

She smiled and started to become antsy. "Okay," she said. "I'll try to not be very long." She quickly left quickly, very happy and went home to pack her things.

Hours later, they were both on the shuttle headed for an Imperial Star Destroyer that was in orbit to receive him. Their things were below in the cargo holds. Sahara curled up with Thrawn as they sat together in a cabin by themselves. She was rather nervous about this new life she had ahead of her, but she didn't care; she had Thrawn.