Private The Marvelous Mimic

[Inanna Harth]

“No getting high on the job,” Inanna said, wagging her finger. Her tone was fairly light, and there was a little smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth. This felt almost too easy.

The vigilantes’ control over the situation was abruptly and violently wrested away as the doors were slammed open. Moonlighter was flung backwards. Inanna turned, first to make sure that he was okay, then—was that an Ewok riding on the back of a Wookiee?

Something heavy slammed into the side of her head, nearly knocking her over. Disoriented, Inanna saw the factory workers scrambling to retrieve their weapons, taking advantage of the distraction. “Oh no you don’t!” she yelled, thrusting out her hands. A powerful surge of telekinetic force sent them flying in all directions.

“Stun these jokers and let’s get the hell out of here!” she called out to Moonlighter, breathing heavily. Her constant use of the Force was becoming taxing.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Listen to that sweet honey a' yours. Get the hell out!" The Ewok said. The wookiee friend cocked his head to the side, mumbling something to him in incoherent shyriwook. The Ewok blinked, "Ey! Wait! She's talking about us!" It seemed he had been corrected by his friend/mount on interpreting Inanna's words, "Only jokers gettin' stunned today is you!" Daringly, he retrieved a pouch from his string belt, and scattered its contents in front of the Wookiee's face. It was a deep orange red powder…

"Aw, shit."

The wookiee huffed it eagerly, his dark pupils dilating and a streak of blood gradually trickling down his nose. He roared with a newfound intensity, and charged. Cato tried to jump away, but was barreled into, knocking the vigilante through several racks. Meanwhile, the Ewok drew his heavy blaster cannon, and began to fire it towards Inanna. Each shot had heavy recoil on his small body, forcing him to readjust his aim every time.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

With the workers taken care of for now, Inanna turned her undivided attention upon the furry Master Blaster duo. Just in time to watch the Wookiee huff Blood Spice and charge at Cato.

She ran toward them, crossing the factory floor with superhuman speed. The Ewok fired at her, but she dodged the shots. Her body began to rapidly change, sprouting greenish fur and claws, until she had taken on the form of a Dulok, one of the Ewoks’ natural predators.

“C’mere you little chit!” she roared, seizing the Ewok’s leg in one of her claws and attempting to drag it off the Wookiee’s back. If successful, she would then swing the Ewok like a weapon, beating the Wookiee with it.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato was recovering from the impact when Inanna charged in, taking on an intimidating new form. It seemed to strike the Ewok's fears in particular, as he reacted with a squeal before being yanked off his perch. The little fuzzball was promptly swung about, knocking his Wookiee friend in the chest, causing more surprise than actual injury. Cato stood up and fired his grappling hook at the larger beast. It tangled around him, tying his arms to his side. Before he could break through (which he might very well have, given his strength) Cato launched him backwards with a power Force telekinetic grab, throwing him through crates, shelves, and eventually, the wall.

Cato went to the new window he had created and looked down, to see the wookiee had fallen unconcsious after hitting the ground. Even the Blood Spice couldn't save him from that concussion. He seemed stable though. His wookiee constitution was probably enough to keep the Blood Spice from outright killing him.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

While Cato took down the Wookiee, Inanna wrapped her arms tightly around the squealing Ewok. “You’re a fighter, eh?” She bared sharp teeth in a grin and licked her lips. “I like fighters! They taste better!”

This provoked quite a lot of screaming and struggling from the Ewok, but Inanna held firm. She was admittedly getting a kick out of terrorizing the rabid little teddy bear. “How about you tell us everything about your little operation here, and maybe I won’t eat ya. Make it fast—I'm already feeling a little peckish.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

The Ewok raised his hands in futile self defense. Without the wookiee to defend him, the little creature was hardly a physical threat, "Alright alright!" He squeaked, "I's don't know much about it. But I know Pops used to lead this place. He brought his science buddies here to do some experientation. He wanted to test the spice on people without gettin' in trouble. Wanted to test other stuff too."

"But he's dead now?" Cato asked, "And why are you here?"

"We's was experiments of his too. Pops poked our brains. Made mine bigger, he said. We broke out and killed him fer hurting us."

"And the wookiee?"

"Dunno." He shrugged. "But we brokes loose and killed him. Turns out this business a his makes lotsa credits though. So we keeps it running."

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna exchanged a glance with Cato. “After all the pain and suffering this ‘Pops’ did to you, you two săte’fut decided to inflict it on others?” she asked incredulously. “All for money?!”

The Ewok’s was a sad story, one that would’ve inspired sympathy if only he and the Wookiee had made better choices. Inanna was reminded of her own experience with a cruel master. Vanessa Vantai had wanted to break and remake her in her own malevolent image, to spread her evil like an infecting virus. Escaping her clutches had been one thing; making sure she didn’t turn out like her had been another, longer and more complex process. If she had been alone, with only another wounded and scarred victim to console her, and they both stood to gain from continuing Vantai’s vile work…

She forced those complicated thoughts down. Did it matter at this point if all that had once stood between her and evil was a hot Zeltron husband and a supportive friend group? She had lost them all to the war. Hal and the kids, Arimanes, Pygar, Red. Yet here she was, playing vigilante with Moonlighter, refusing to kill her foes even when she felt like they deserved it.

Instead, she knocked the Ewok out with a blow over the head. “You and your friend are going to jail for a long, long time,” she said. Assuming the Narsh legal system didn’t fail as often as the media made it seem like.

Laying the Ewok on the floor, she turned to Moonlighter. “What now?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

The Ewok glanced to either side of him, then shrugged, "…Yeah?" Apparently growth of empathy did not factor into the experiments on the little Ewok's brain. He and the wookiee were content to continue the cycle of abuse for the sake of a few extra credits. They didn't even seem to grasp their progenitor's "justification" for poisoning the people of Nar Shaddaa, as twisted as it was. They simply kept it going because that's how things were. Simply selling spice instead would still have been criminal, but at least that was nothing new to Narsh. Perhaps the other scientists had egged them on. Either way, it was done with now.

Inanna knocked the little teddy bear out, then made a comment. "I don't think he can hear you," Cato quipped. "Now, I guess we call the authorities. Local bigwigs won't take kindly to their business being undercut and their customers being killed. I think they'll be as happy to put these guys away as we are."

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

While he spoke, Inanna shifted back into catsuit-clad vigilante form. She was still making minor adjustments when she said, “Or they’ll want the Blood Spice for their own ends. It may not be fit for conventional street use, but they could sell it as a weapon.” She shook her head. “We should destroy this place. Can’t risk it falling into worse hands.” Even if it meant destroying evidence.

She heaved a sigh. The high of adrenaline had worn off, leaving her tired and aching. “Is this what you do every night?” she asked. Looking at him with even greater appreciation, she laid her hands on Moonlighter’s shoulders, rubbing his muscular upper arms before pulling him into a hug. “I’d kiss you, but the air is still contaminated here. I’ll save it for later.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Inanna made a good point, which Cato had failed to mention himself, "Right. I wasn't saying we should leave it." The lack of evidence might make it harder to get these guys jailed, but it was probably more worth it to get the goods off the street altogether. Perhaps the process for making it would be destroyed in the process.

"Most nights," He clarified, hugging her back. The prospect of a kiss was enough to get him moving, "Well, let's wreck shop then and get the hell out of here." He set to dragging the unconscious crooks out (leaving them to burn or blow up wasn't exactly heroic), letting Inanna tend to compiling evidence or anything of value, before they took the building down. He tied the stooges up together with wires, leaving a note explaining their presence when someone else inevitably arrived on the scene.

"We ready?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Of course. Cato was smart, and he’d been in this game for much longer than she had. Poor man was working his ass off trying to keep this planet safe from itself…

While Moonlighter tied up the criminals outside, Inanna set the charges and grabbed any datapads or electronic devices that might contain evidence. She handed this collection off to her partner when they met up on a nearby rooftop.

"We ready?"

She nodded. “Watch this.”

Snapping her fingers, she lit the fuse from afar with pyrokinesis. There were a series of loud pops, followed by a dull crackling noise before the smoke and flames became visible inside the factory. They watched it burn and kept an eye on the criminals until the police arrived, vanishing before the cops could spot them.

---

It was nearly dawn when Inanna swung through the window of Cato’s apartment. Everything was as she had left it. The whole night felt almost like a dream, if not for the weariness that suffused her body.

She turned to Cato. “I believe I promised you a kiss.” Lifting up the edges of his mask, she pressed her lips to his.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

They met back up at a nearby rooftop, and Inanna took the opportunity to show off an extra power of hers by igniting the fuse at a distance. Cato whistled, "Fancy. And I'm sure nobody will expect the shapeshifting lady to also be able to shoot fire." It was an amusing thought. For now they simply watched the fire, until eventually responders had arrived, by this point likely too late to salvage whatever was left.

---

Even after many nights of doing this, Cato himself was also surprised to see dawn already breaking through Nar Shadaa's hazy skyline. He had gotten used to the all-nighters, but he was still tired and sore like any mortal man. But if anything could have soothed it, it was the kiss Inanna gave him. Cato leaned into it hungrily, planting several kisses upon her lips, still catching breaths in between.

"You fill out that costume pretty nicely," He commented, squeezing her tight, "Have I said that yet?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna slowly backed him up toward the bed, climbing into his lap as soon as he was seated on the mattress. “Yes.” She giggled softly, her laughter changing to a husky moan as she arched her back against his roaming, squeezing hands. “I want all of you. Cato and Moonlighter…”

Surging forward, she kissed him again, slow and deep. She was eager to have him, but why hurry? They had all the time in the world. Gently she tugged off the rest of his mask, burying her fingers in his damp hair. Her eyes were barely open as she bent to kiss his cheek and brow, tasting the salt of his sweat.

After a few minutes of making out, she pulled away breathless, her cheeks and parted lips flushed with desire. Slowly, with the sinuous movements only a shapeshifter was capable of, she slipped down between his legs. There she knelt, golden eyes looking up at him as if silently asking for permission. Once it was granted, she didn’t waste any time, unzipping his suit and lowering her head, feeling his pulse against her tongue…

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato dropped onto the bed, not daring to let go of Inanna as he did. His hands shamelessly exploring and caressing the smooth curves of her skin, his lips knotting against hers. The way she spoke, her desires so plainly demanded, immediately filled him with heated excitement. He gasped softly, "I'll… give it to you…" They kissed again, their bodies coiling together in unmatched passion, until Inanna suddenly broke away. At first Cato leaned forward, like a man who'd just had his breath stolen from him, trying to take it back. But she slid down to offer something new. Cato shuddered, and ran a hand through her white hair. Simple, but an answer clear enough.

Then, in the best way possible, Cato felt his soul leave his body.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna’s comlink was silenced, but started to vibrate incessantly against the nightstand sometime early the next morning. Well, early the next afternoon, really—they had gone to bed shortly after dawn, drawing the shades to block out the light of the sun. Lying on her side, she found it easy to ignore the rattling noise at first, utterly distracted by Cato’s slow, sleepy writhing against her back. Force, she loved morning—er, afternoon sex…

Yet her comms kept going off. In the post-coital clarity that followed, it occurred to her that anyone determined enough to reach her that they kept calling for several minutes probably had something important to tell her. Raising a hand, she drew the comlink into her palm with telekinesis and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”

“Inanna, it’s me.” The voice of Enkidu Duran, leader of Maranatha, came through the speaker. “We have a bit of a situation here. I can’t give you all the details now, but we’ve received reports of terrorist operations in Maranatha…”

As he rattled off an explanation, Inanna realized what it meant even before Enkidu had a chance to ask. “You need me to come back.”

“I hate to ask,” he said. “After all that you’ve done for us, you deserve more than a few weeks’ vacation. But we could use your experience and expertise.”

She snorted. “I’m not an expert. But I get it.” Her hand stroked Cato’s arm wrapped around her, fingers lacing with his. “All right. I’ll leave tomorrow. Unless you need me sooner.”

“Tomorrow’s fine. And thank you.”

She pulled the comlink out of her ear, resisting the urge to throw it against the wall.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato remained in something of a trance-like state, brought about by a combination of horrendous sleep scheduling and carnal bliss. He kept moving in rhythm even after they were technically done, until he registered that Inanna was turning her attention to the comm. That was then his cue to take a little micro-nap. His head plopped down on the pillow, his hand still brushing Inanna's chest. The conversation only came to him in bits and pieces, but by the time she finished, it was clear something was up.

"What was that about?" He asked, drowsiness overshadowed what would have been a more curious intonation.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"What was that about?"

She heard the drowsiness in his voice and was tempted to put off telling him the truth. Let him sleep peacefully for a few more hours while she tried to rest in his arms. But it was silly, really. She wasn’t going away forever. Just for a few months, at the most. A few months that already seemed unbearable without him.

“Maranatha,” she muttered, trying not to sound bitter. “They need my help again.”

Closing her eyes, she relished the intimacy of the moment. Lying in his arms, she felt safe and secure—feelings which would quickly disappear once she was dealing with terrorists and Mawites and other monsters again. Other, nastier thoughts of Cato forgetting about her and moving on drifted up from the depths of her mind, but she pushed them down. He was one of the good ones.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back. A month from now, if I’m lucky.” She couldn’t quite keep the pout out of her voice. “I told them I would leave tomorrow, so we still have tonight at least.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato had to take a moment to recognize the name Maranatha. He grew more awake as the implications became clear, "You're leaving," He said, not with blame but decidedly with disappointment. They had moved fast in their relationship, but it worked for both of them. At least, if these last few long and sleepless nights were any indicator. They just clicked. Now, it felt like that honeymoon passion was being swept out from under them.

"Damn. Guess you are a busy woman," He faked a chuckle. They probably should have expected this. Part of him couldn't help but wonder if this would be the norm. Even worse, if they would somehow never see each other again. They agreed to try and make it work, but would the galaxy try to get in the way of that? Cato squeezed her a little tighter, "I guess… Let's make the most of it then," He planted a kiss on her neck, and laid there, as if trying to cement her touch and scent in his mind.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

She wanted so badly to reassure him. To tell him that she cared. But she was oddly afraid to express herself. Everything about their relationship so far had been unconventional, and she didn’t quite know how to proceed. It seemed too early for a confession of love, at least.

“It won’t be forever,” she said. “Me having to run off to Maranatha, I mean. I can’t keep doing that. I’ll miss you too much, I think.”

There was a hitch in her voice, and her eyes began to sting as he hugged her tighter. Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes, over the bridge of her nose, staining the pillow. No, she couldn’t possibly stay away. Too early or not, it would be like losing the ones she loved all over again.

Let’s make the most of it. She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and sighed. “What should we do?” she asked. “I mean, besides more of this?” She rocked her hips against him gently, a playful gesture, though in truth she just wanted to remind herself that they hadn't parted just yet.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato managed a slight chuckle, cutting it off as he realized she was crying. It was a rather atypical relationship they had committed themselves to. Neither was quite certain of what emotions to expression, when to express them, or how. So he just stayed there and held her, until she was composed enough to speak again.

"Good question," He sighed, holding her hip gently as she rocked against him, "This is probably going to sound counterproductive, but… we should really get some rest. Just lie here, together." Cato kissed the back of her shoulder, "It's all gonna fall apart if we try to give it our all now. But once we've got a couple hours of rest in us… We'll go all out. Do something crazy. And then tonight, after that, we'll do something even crazier…" He grinned against her neck, "Something to make sure you won't forget me while you're gone."

Inanna Harth​