Woman without a Country

"You know, for someone who cooks like you do, you're awfully light. Don't you ever eat your own food?"
Atton grinned, and settled into Ludmilla's arms as they crossed the bridge. "I can't talk and eat at the same time."
"And obviously, a Corellian would rather talk than do anything else," smiled Ludmilla.
Atton laughed, trying to ignore the rushing water below and the swaying of the bridge. "That's not true! But I can't play pazaak and eat at the same time, either."
Ludmilla laughed. "Here, we're across. The others will be just ahead."
Atton sprang lightly out of her arms. "Thank you for indulging me." He tried not to look at the water behind her. "The camp won't be like this, right?"
"It's built on higher ground, it should be fine. The ship will be fine so long as no one opens the doors." Ludmilla frowned up at the sky. "That's assuming that the rains aren't exceptional."
"What happens if the rains are exceptional?" Atton put his arms around her, drawing on her strength and watching her watch the sky.
"Then we'll have to move everything into the main building, and hope the rest of the camp doesn't get washed away." She stroked his back, and let him rest on her for the moment. "We should get moving. I don't like the way those clouds look."
They caught up to the rest of the group just as the rain started coming down again. Atton stayed close to Ludmilla, and watched them struggle with the heavy loads of gear.
"You could help, you know," muttered one of the Mandalorians.
"Help with what?" asked Atton in confusion.
Ludmilla laughed. "We're fine."
Mical was eagerly discussing something with some of the other Mandalorians, and didn't even seem to notice the rain.
"What are you talking about?" Atton wandered up to him.
"The rapids," grinned Mical. "The river here would be excellent for some rafting."
Atton stared at him, then reached out and held up the hair on either side of Mical's head.
"Atton, what in the name of the Celestials are you doing?"
"Now you look more like a selkie than a dog. I think it's all the water." He let go, and Mical's hair flopped back, slicked down again by the water. "Are there golden selkies? I'll have to ask Ludmilla, she'll know." Atton wandered back to Ludmilla's side, ignoring Mical's confused stare and the giggles from the Mandalorians.
"What are you doing to Mical?" asked Ludmilla.
"He likes water," Atton complained. "I think he's a selkie."
"Aquars," said Kreia softly.
"What?" Atton looked at her.
"An aquatic offshoot of Humanity," explained Kreia. "They were one of the earliest spacefarers, and frequently visited undeveloped worlds searching for planets with enough water for their colonies. They are the source of many of those ridiculous peri tales about selkies. You have probably seen some on Coruscant, but their main colony is on Velusia."
Atton frowned at the obnoxiously logical explanation. "You're ruining my dreams, Kreia."
"I know," she smiled to herself, and continued walking down the trail, sweeping gently past Mical.
Mical shook his head, and went back to planning a new raft and testing the river currents.
The rain stopped just before they reached the camp, and the jungle returned to its normal heat and humidity. Atton wrung out his clothes and scampered off to the kitchen to start cooking.
"Does he do anything besides cook?" grumbled a Mandalorian.
"He's a really good cook," grinned another. She set down her load and went to go help in the kitchen.
Ludmilla and the Mandalore went to the main building to go check up on the camp and get updates from Kelborn, pouring water out of their armor as they walked. Kelborn, Mandalore's second, already had Mira in his lap and a stack of datapads for them to go through.
"Heard anything from Onderon?"
"No, Mandalore. There have been troubles lately. General Vaklu has been gaining more support with the Council of Lords."
Canderous grunted. "Things will be coming to a head soon. Any more intruders?"
"No," Kelborn grinned. "I think they've realized this isn't their moon anymore. The armed forces of Onderon have declared Dxun off-limits."
"Fine by me," Canderous sat down, and started going through the reports.
Ludmilla pulled up maps, and they began working together as smoothly as if they'd been doing this all their lives.
Mira watched in silent amazement.
"What are you staring at?" whispered Kelborn in her ear.
"How does she know everything? She just got here. But she knows all the numbers, and where men should be stationed, and how many patrols you have, and everything."
Kelborn laughed. "She's a General. That's what they do."
Ludmilla grinned to herself. "So, Mira, heavy ordnance. Didn't the camp have a slight shortage last time we were here?"
"Oh, yeah, but we ordered more while we were on Nar Shadaa. We should be all set, assuming it's been delivered."
Kelborn pulled out the pad with the information. "Looks like it was. We should probably double-check. Don't want to be short."
"I'll do it," Mira offered. She took the datapad and jumped off his lap.
Canderous watched her leave. "Are you trying to train her to run an army?"
Ludmilla grinned without answering.
"What is it with you and improving people?" Canderous fumed. "She's fine just the way she is."
"She has potential to be more. I'm just encouraging it."
"You just want more Jedi!"
Kelborn raised an eyebrow. "Wait, she's Force-sensitive too? Is everyone in your little band an untrained Jedi?"
"No," snapped Canderous.
"Well - " Ludmilla began.
"No, they are not," said Canderous firmly.
"To be honest - "
"I said, NO."
Ludmilla glared at him. "You know, all your kids with Visas will probably be Jedi."
Canderous glared back at her for a moment, then laughed. "If they're Jedi like you, I'll be okay with that."
"Wait," said Kelborn slowly, "you mean, you're - "
"NO."
Ludmilla sighed. "Let's just talk about something else."

"No dripping on the kitchen floor," ordered the young Mandalorian woman. "It's a safety hazard. You stay out there. Tess, bring some towels, and take those wet things to the laundry."
Another young woman bustled up, and started collecting clothes from the group of dripping wet adrenaline junkies.
"What did you freaks do? Fall in the river?"
Mical blushed. "Once or twice, yes." He looked over the young woman's head. "Atton?"
"Yes, Mical?" Atton continued working, directing the cooking process for the camp without turning around.
"I do hate to bother you while you're so obviously busy, but what have you done with my clothes?"
"Clothes?" said Atton innocently.
"Atton!"
"If I give you back your pelt, you'll swim away in the water and never return."
Mical closed his eyes, and tried to count to ten before speaking. A Mandalorian handed Mical a pile of clean, dry Jedi robes, and a large towel before he finished. "Oh, thank you."
Atton snickered, and continued cooking.
"Brat," Mical muttered under his breath, and quickly changed into the dry clothes before he sat down to dry off his hair. His two companions joined him, and they all gratefully helped themselves to steaming mugs of cider.
Kreia stormed into the room, her robes dripping wet and revealing an unusually shapely figure for her age. "You."
Mical suddenly wished for Atton's skill at hiding himself, and settled for trying to make himself as small as possible.
"What in the world?" Atton stared at her, then rushed up with a cup of hot chocolate, and quickly waved at some of the others in the kitchen to bring her a towel and some dry clothing.
Kreia glared at Mical without answering, and drank her chocolate in stony silence while she waited for dry clothes. Visas and one of the Mandalorian women nervously led her away to change, and the other quickly dried off the floor.
"What did you do?" Atton whispered.
"We crashed at a very bad moment," explained Mical. "Kreia got a little upset."
"She totally wrecked the raft," muttered one of the Mandalorians who had been on the water with Mical. "And she tried to drown me."
Mical blushed. "It was an accident, really. I had no idea she was that close to the riverbank."
Atton stared at Mical. "Maybe you shouldn't hang out in the room with all the sharp knives today."
"You may be right," Mical murmured, and finished his drink. "I'm sure we can find something to do around the camp. Shall we?"
They grabbed some food, and ran out of the room before Kreia returned.
Atton watched Mical leave with a bemused smile, and set out some pastries and more drinks for Kreia and Visas. More people came in and out, stuffing their faces with the delicious food and drink. Atton waited impatiently for Ludmilla to be done working.
"Hey." Ludmilla walked into the kitchen, and looked around, checking the ceiling.
"I made you some cakes," Atton offered her the tray.
"Oh, thank you," she kissed him, and ate one of the tiny cakes. "These are really, really good," she said sadly.
Kreia looked up from the table. "Is it that bad, girl?"
"Haven't you heard the thunder?" Ludmilla absently ate another cake. "We're going to have to pack up and move to the main hall."
"Well, you can eat these first," suggested Atton. "Then we won't have to move them." He smiled at her, and handed her the tray. "Okay, you heard the General. Box all that up. There's no reason to let it go to waste."
The Mandalorians on kitchen duty pulled out the boxes that Atton had prepared earlier, and started packing away the food as he instructed.
Ludmilla watched in surprise, then smiled, and ate the rest of the tray. "I'm going to go check on the rest of the camp." Atton stopped her, and gave her a bottle of juice. "You're so good to me," she whispered joyfully, and gave him another quick kiss on the cheek before she ran off.
Atton grinned, and walked to the door, to watch her go. He stopped in shock at the sight of the water pouring down from the sky. The Mandalorian camp was rapidly turning into a pond. Muddy slush covered the raised footpaths, and the water was rising everywhere else. Atton shrank back from the touch of water at his feet.
The Mandalorians walked out fearlessly, carrying their loads of food and drinking water to the main hall, set high above the ground and built on the slight slope to the east. Kreia and Visas were carefully levitating a heavy tank of fuel so that they could keep the generators in the main hall running.
Atton looked around again. Mical and Bao-Dur were doing something with the shields, or possibly another generator. It was hard to see through the driving rain. Atton gritted his teeth, and tried to steel himself to step outside, into the rushing water, so that he wouldn't be left alone here, forgotten and abandoned. Another crack of thunder ripped through the camp, followed by a spectacular display of lightning, and the rain started coming down even harder and faster than it had before. Atton found himself curled up in a chair by the oven, shaking, and not sure how he had gotten there, or how long he had been staring at the open door, and the stream of water slowly trickling into the room.
"M'adouin!"
"Atton!"
He looked up in surprise, as both Ludmilla and Mical came running in, but couldn't move or speak.
"There you are!" Ludmilla pulled him out of the chair, held him close. "I'm here, Atton," she whispered. She could barely sense Atton beneath the turmoil of his fear, but knew that he was very close to losing himself entirely. "Let's go. We'll be safe."
"Let me," said Mical, gently. "Close your eyes, M'adouin," Mical commanded softly. "Sleep." Atton closed his eyes, obediently trusting, and slumped into Mical's arms. Mical wrapped Atton in his robes, covering his face so that the water wouldn't wake him. "I've never seen anyone so afraid," Mical murmured softly. "It almost makes me frightened."
"He didn't think we would come back," she said, trying to keep her anger out of her voice. "Who would do that? Who would do that to a child?"
"I don't know." Suddenly Mical smiled at her. "I'm actually quite glad that I don't know anyone like that. I don't think I would be able to restrain myself if I did. All for the best, then. Shall we?"
Ludmilla laughed, then kissed Mical. "Thank you." She opened the door, and supported Mical and his precious burden as they fought their way through the rain and the wind to the main hall to join the others.

Atton sighed, but didn't open his eyes. Mical kissed him again, and ran his fingers through Atton's hair. Atton knew that he was lying on Mical, but couldn't quite tell if they were on a bed or on the floor.
"I know you're awake, M'adouin."
"I hate this world," said Atton wearily. "It pushes all of my buttons. Can we leave, and never come back?"
Mical laughed softly, and kissed Atton again. "Come help me, Ludmilla. He won't get up."
"You keep kissing him," laughed Ludmilla. "I wouldn't get up, either."
Atton opened his eyes slowly. They were in one of the rooms in the main building, lying on a bed made from crates and boxes. "Where is everyone?"
"Cleaning the camp," said Ludmilla brightly. She tossed a grape into the air, and caught it in her mouth. "I got sent to bed and told to stop working for a bit." Ludmilla was sitting on the floor, watching him, and she was half-naked, as usual. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and still slightly damp.
Atton sighed miserably, and wondered what to say. Thanking his lovers for saving his sanity didn't seem right.
"Did you know you kiss people in your sleep?" asked Ludmilla conversationally.
Atton glanced at her. "What? No, I don't think anyone has ever mentioned that before."
"Must just be us," she grinned. "Makes for interesting naps."
Atton watched her as she ate more grapes, tossing them into the air in twos and threes before catching them.
"Are you hungry?" asked Mical, gently caressing Atton as he spoke.
"What? Oh, no, a little thirsty maybe. Which is weird, for someone who's so scared of water. But hey, there you go."
Ludmilla handed Mical a bottle, and Mical carefully sat up, still holding Atton in his arms.
Atton considered pointing out that he could move on his own, and decided against it. "Thanks." He took a sip of the icy cold juice, then offered it to Mical. "Want some?"
"Thank you," Mical took a sip, then returned the bottle to Atton, who finished it. "Are you feeling better, M'adouin?"
Atton swallowed nervously. "At least I didn't start screaming. I hate when that happens."
Mical held him, and wished that he could do something to take away the pain in Atton's voice.
"Why didn't you?" asked Ludmilla softly.
Atton looked at her in surprise. He hadn't been expecting the question, and saw the answer in her eyes.
"Say it," she urged gently.
"I knew you would save me," he said quickly. "Part of me didn't believe it, though. Part of me was afraid something would happen to stop you, or that it would be too hard for you, or too dangerous. Something. But I knew you would." Atton looked down at his hands, and was surprised to see that he wasn't shaking. "I knew you would come back and find me."
Ludmilla smiled, and watched Mical tilt Atton's head up to his for a deep and loving kiss.
Atton kissed him gratefully, then slid away to the floor, so he could take Ludmilla in his arms. "There are no words for how wonderful you are, you know that, right?"
Ludmilla smiled at him, and kissed his lips while she wrapped him in her warm embrace. She pulled Atton closer to her, pushed away the light robe that he was wearing.
It was only a matter of seconds for her to strip off what little she had on, and for Atton to move over her, his lean and elegant body pale against her tan, slender against her strength. They were too familiar with each other for there to be any awkward fumbling. They fit together smoothly and easily, and in the space of a few breaths, a few kisses, he was inside her, filling her with his passion, filling the room with soft cries of hunger. She wrapped her legs around him, taking him as deep as she could. He moved swiftly and carefully, pacing himself to her breathing, driving her wild with his skill, his careful kisses, the sound of his voice whispering her name.
Suddenly he gasped, buried his head in her neck, moving wildly inside her. No more words, just choked noises of desire wilder than anything she had ever heard from him. Ludmilla held him close, stretched up a little to see what was happening. Atton clutched at her, panting, helplessly wanton, and she saw Mical behind him, slowly and carefully entering Atton while he was still inside her. Ludmilla smiled, and stroked Atton's back carefully, trying to help him calm down, all the while desperately wanting to see him lose control. Atton screamed, clutching at her hard enough to bruise. He couldn't move without being overwhelmed by the sensations of penetrating or being penetrated.
Mical braced himself on his arms, leaned down to kiss Atton's shoulder. "M'adouin," he whispered softly. "Do you want me to stop?"
"No!" Atton cried desperately. He reached out and put his hand on Mical's, trembling with barely restrained passion. Ludmilla shifted, one arm securely around Atton, and held out the other to Mical to help him keep his balance. Mical linked his fingers with hers, let her strength support him.
Mical smiled, and bent down to kiss Atton's shoulder again before he began to move.
Ludmilla gasped at the sensation, and tried not to scream. She could feel every thrill of Atton's body in reaction to Mical, and there were a lot of them. She clenched tighter, and Atton screamed in ecstasy, his body shuddering uncontrollably, making Mical gasp in response. Ludmilla grinned, threw back her head and laughed with joy.
Atton gasped, almost sobbing, and he sank to her breast, still shaking. Mical held Atton's hips still, and slid his full length into Atton's body one final time. Atton cried out again, buried his face in Ludmilla's breasts, still shaking, still trembling, with the intensity of the experience.
Mical groaned at the heat, the tightness, the unbelievable sensation of the contractions of Atton's body around him. The sight of Atton beneath him in Ludmilla's arms. Mical took a deep breath, and tried to steady himself. He heard Ludmilla laugh again, and Atton screamed. It took him a second to realize that she had triggered another one of Atton's mind-blowing orgasms by sliding a finger inside him, next to Mical. That was his last coherent thought before he passed out.
Ludmilla stepped out of the shower, wrapped a robe around herself, and left the room to go find some food. The main hall looked deserted, except for Kreia sitting alone at one of the makeshift tables.
"Oh, it's you," said Kreia in greeting. "The food is in those boxes," she waved to the pile of boxed foodstuffs.
"Where did everybody go?" asked Ludmilla as she dug out a can of juice and a loaf of bread.
"May I remind you that these walls are not soundproofed?"
Ludmilla grinned. "True."
"It does not take much persuasion to convince a Mandalorian to stop working and go have sex, or fight someone."
"Good point." She looked around. "Where's Bao-Dur?"
Kreia sighed. "Some Mandalorian female wanted him to show her some technical diagrams."
"Oh, don't tell me that worked."
"With all the noise you three were making? She could have told him that he had nice shoes, and it would have worked."
Ludmilla laughed, and sat down at the table to take the edge off her hunger.
"You eat a lot," Kreia observed.
Ludmilla looked up at her in surprise. "You just noticed?"
"No," Kreia smiled, "I just felt like mentioning it." She rose gracefully, and walked away, leaving Ludmilla staring after her in confusion.