Chapter Three
Sentinel sat back in her chair. She had been going over the structure of the building they would have to infiltrate. She had been going over the information available on this planet, and this stronghold in particular, for hours. Her head was starting to throb.
She tilted her head back, and closed her eyes.
Without warning, her door opened.
“What are you doing?” Vader asked.
She sat up straight. “M’Lord, I was going over the plans for the upcoming assault. The layout of the building, the surrounding territory, the culture of the natives... attempting to understand what we will face when we get down there.”
Vader merely stared at her, which started to unnerve her. Then she realized that maybe he wasn’t staring at her... how could she tell when she couldn’t see his face? And to support her conclusion, he asked “What are you listening to?”
“M’Lord, this is my own eclectic collection of songs... ranging from contemporary to what is known as industrial, with some operatic works thrown in.” She suddenly felt the need to defend her interest in music. “The music helps me concentrate... it provides exactly the right level of distraction, of background noise.”
“Hmmm.”
Whew, she thought. Then, “M’Lord, if I may ask, what music do you listen to?”
Vader continued to “stare” at her, although she sensed his concentration was now upon answering her question. “I enjoy mostly operatic pieces from the Moldovians.”
She noticed Vader had turned her music down, using the Force, so that they could speak, but had politely not turned it off. She had neglected to do that herself, caught off guard as she was, but Vader hadn’t seemed to mind.
Just then, an especially racy song came on.
“I also do enjoy more contemporary and harsh pieces of music...” he rumbled.
She reached with her mind to mute the song, but Vader gestured with his hand, unmuting it immediately after, and said “No, I’d like to hear this song.”
If you want a lover, I’ll do anything you ask me to.
If you want another, kind of lover, I’ll wear a mask for you.
Sentinel proceeded to turn bright red.
If you want a partner, take my hand, or
if you want to strike me down in anger,
Here I stand. I’m your man.
“M’Lord, this is rather...”
“Sshhh..”
Are the moons too bright?
The chains too tight?
The beast won’t go to sleep!
I’ve been running through
these promises to you
that I made and I could not keep.
Ah, but a man never got a woman back,
not by begging on his knees.
For I’d crawl to you baby,
and I’d fall at your feet,
and I’d howl at your doody like a dog in heat...
She couldn’t stand it any longer. Maybe he would throttle her once more, but she was slowly dying as it was! She stopped the player with the Force, and clearing her throat, stood up, and turned to fiddle with something in her knapsack.
“So, this is the kind of man you like?”
“M’Lord?”
“A man who will 'howl at your doody like a dog in heat'?”
“M’Lord! It’s just a song! I has no bearing on my... on my preferences.”
Vader just stood there, and this time she was sure he was staring. What she couldn’t sense was the enormous ear-to-ear grin he was wearing.
“Liar.” he said, and abruptly left her doorway.
She stared after his retreating back, until her doorway auto-closed behind him.
I think he just TEASED me, she thought.
Is this a good thing?? This can’t be a good thing. Can it?
Goto Chapter Four
Author's note:
The song lyric's quoted above are used w/o permission. They are from the song "I'm Your Man", by Leonard Cohen, from the soundtrack to the movie "Secretary".
She tilted her head back, and closed her eyes.
Without warning, her door opened.
“What are you doing?” Vader asked.
She sat up straight. “M’Lord, I was going over the plans for the upcoming assault. The layout of the building, the surrounding territory, the culture of the natives... attempting to understand what we will face when we get down there.”
Vader merely stared at her, which started to unnerve her. Then she realized that maybe he wasn’t staring at her... how could she tell when she couldn’t see his face? And to support her conclusion, he asked “What are you listening to?”
“M’Lord, this is my own eclectic collection of songs... ranging from contemporary to what is known as industrial, with some operatic works thrown in.” She suddenly felt the need to defend her interest in music. “The music helps me concentrate... it provides exactly the right level of distraction, of background noise.”
“Hmmm.”
Whew, she thought. Then, “M’Lord, if I may ask, what music do you listen to?”
Vader continued to “stare” at her, although she sensed his concentration was now upon answering her question. “I enjoy mostly operatic pieces from the Moldovians.”
She noticed Vader had turned her music down, using the Force, so that they could speak, but had politely not turned it off. She had neglected to do that herself, caught off guard as she was, but Vader hadn’t seemed to mind.
Just then, an especially racy song came on.
“I also do enjoy more contemporary and harsh pieces of music...” he rumbled.
She reached with her mind to mute the song, but Vader gestured with his hand, unmuting it immediately after, and said “No, I’d like to hear this song.”
If you want a lover, I’ll do anything you ask me to.
If you want another, kind of lover, I’ll wear a mask for you.
Sentinel proceeded to turn bright red.
If you want a partner, take my hand, or
if you want to strike me down in anger,
Here I stand. I’m your man.
“M’Lord, this is rather...”
“Sshhh..”
Are the moons too bright?
The chains too tight?
The beast won’t go to sleep!
I’ve been running through
these promises to you
that I made and I could not keep.
Ah, but a man never got a woman back,
not by begging on his knees.
For I’d crawl to you baby,
and I’d fall at your feet,
and I’d howl at your doody like a dog in heat...
She couldn’t stand it any longer. Maybe he would throttle her once more, but she was slowly dying as it was! She stopped the player with the Force, and clearing her throat, stood up, and turned to fiddle with something in her knapsack.
“So, this is the kind of man you like?”
“M’Lord?”
“A man who will 'howl at your doody like a dog in heat'?”
“M’Lord! It’s just a song! I has no bearing on my... on my preferences.”
Vader just stood there, and this time she was sure he was staring. What she couldn’t sense was the enormous ear-to-ear grin he was wearing.
“Liar.” he said, and abruptly left her doorway.
She stared after his retreating back, until her doorway auto-closed behind him.
I think he just TEASED me, she thought.
Is this a good thing?? This can’t be a good thing. Can it?
Goto Chapter Four
Author's note:
The song lyric's quoted above are used w/o permission. They are from the song "I'm Your Man", by Leonard Cohen, from the soundtrack to the movie "Secretary".
posted by Sith Snoopy at 6/06/2006 08:28:00 AM
3 Comments:
Oh my...
I think I'd melt into the floor if that happened to me.
LOL, poor Sentinel.
Nice interlude!
Two things here. First I'm not sure Vader would say "sshhh." He seems more of a "Silence" or "Be still" kind of guy. Second, are you planning to replace the lyrics with originals, either ones you write or commission for this story? I'd say it's not a high priority but something for a rewrite to-do list.
Yeah, maybe Vader wouldn't say shhh. :)
Not planning on changing the lyrics at all. I was listening to that song while typing that chapter. ;)
If this ever becomes a real book, I'll be needing to arrange a business agreement with Lucasfilm... there's obviously some arrangement people make, else there wouldn't be so many Star Wars books!
As for the song... yeah, I'd have something different written if it gets published. But again, I kinda associate that song with this chapter. Hee-hee. ;)
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