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'Where is she?' Syril thought. During the past several weeks that Syril had been stalking observing Dedra, he had learned that Dedra was a creature of habit. Sometimes she worked late, but her schedule was otherwise predictable. She should be along any minute. While waiting, Syril took a deep breath and mentally rehearsed what he wanted to say to her. How do you tell a woman that she means everything to you and that you'll do anything to make her dreams come true? That in fact, the two of you share the same dream and should be working together? Would she even care? Much like himself, Dedra spent a lot of time alone. Did she ever get lonely? Was she content being by herself, or was she waiting for someone – someone like him – to notice her and give her the praise that she deserved? From the first moment they met a month ago, Syril had felt a connection to her. Something indescribable had sparked between them and now he had to know if she had felt it too. Syril anxiously paced back and forth until at last he saw her. OK, Syril. Don’t mess this up, he silently peptalked himself as he walked up to her.
“Syril Karn,” he introduced himself. “I know who you are; what are you doing here?” Dedra asked. “I - I wanted to thank you for the promotion,” Syril answered. “I had nothing to do with it,” Dedra insisted. “Well, my boss seems to think that you did,” Syril informed her. “We simply gave you a clean bill of health. Have you been waiting out here?” Dedra looked around, slightly perplexed as to where this was going. “Yes. I'd never lie to you,” Syril promised. In spite of herself, Dedra was curious. What on earth – what was this? Syril pressed on. “I – I needed to find you and it's not that easy to thank you for what you did – and what you're doing. And to follow on – try to follow on the conversation we had last month.” “That wasn't a conversation. You were brought in for questioning,” Dedra coolly interjected. “Are you stalking me?” she demanded.
Syril knew that she wasn't going to like his answer, but at his core, he was an honest person. “I know you work here and I come sometimes to see if I'll see you,” he earnestly replied. “I am an ISB supervisor. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in right now?” Dedra firmly inquired. Syril wasn't stupid. He knew that he had crossed a line, but he had to make her understand. “I thought I had ruined my life. I thought I was done. After meeting you and discovering you knew how dangerous Cassian Andor was, it just – just being in your presence, I – I realized that life was worth living. I realized that if nothing else, there was justice and beauty in the galaxy and if I just kept going, perhaps my deranged belief that there was something better fated for me in the future -”
Dedra scoffed. Was he serious? Dedra didn't believe in fate; she believed in facts and following the evidence to its logical conclusion. So why had she indulged him so far? Commanding herself to get a grip, she pushed past him - only for him to reach out and grab her! What the hell?! He was still talking. “-it was a dream worth clinging to.” “I could have you arrested; you're aware of that?” Dedra ground out. “I want what you want. I sense it. I know it,” Syril insisted. 'Enough of this,' Dedra decided. “You're out of your mind,” Dedra spat. “I have already given you a second chance. You come near me again, you pursue any of this, and I swear I'll have you in a cage on the Outer Rim.” Giving him a stern look, Dedra brushed past him and brusquely walked home. Syril stood there for a moment before smiling to himself. Things had gone better than he thought they would. Dedra wasn't nearly as removed as she was pretending to be. Otherwise, he'd be on his way to a jail cell right now. Even as she had rebuffed him, he had felt her pulse elevate as he held her arm. Standing close enough to him to kiss him, her pupils had dilated. The ice maiden was interested whether she admitted it or not.
Dedra forcefully marched away from Syril, her peace of mind shattered and her thoughts in complete disarray. The impertinence! The audacity of that man! How dare he accost her and molest her person, all in an effort to what? Woo her? He had posed no threat and at no time had she been afraid, but still! Dedra shook her head and continued on home. As she unlocked her door and settled down to make dinner, she couldn't help but replay their meeting in her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about his beautiful blue eyes. Dedra interrogated people for a living. She could read a person's face and body language as clearly as if that person were a book. Syril had been awkward but sincere. He had meant every word he had said to her. Irritatingly, Dedra was intrigued and a bit turned on by his ardent attention and unabashed admiration.
Pragmatic to a fault, Dedra prided herself on facing life as it was. Dedra knew that she was not a beautiful woman. She still vividly remembered coming home crying after a boy in her class had called her ugly. Running straight to her father, she had asked him directly. “Father, am I pretty?” Dedra's father, while not being particularly demonstrative or prone to show his affection, loved his daughter all the same. For this reason, he thought it best to be straightforward with her. “No, Dedra, you are not,” he gently replied. “However, you are brilliant, which will stand you in much better stead. Looks fade. Those who are weak are swayed by them. Those who trade on them grow old and fall into despair. You have an excellent mind and you can do anything you set your mind to. I have no doubt that you will grow into a strong and formidable woman,” Dedra's father reassured her. Heartened by this, Dedra stopped crying and committed his words to memory. From then on, her appearance no longer bothered her. Beauty, she had since learned, was useless; an ephemeral trait often disregarded once the consumer grew accustomed to it and subsequently became bored with it.
And yet, Syril had used the word “beauty” while talking to her. She had to admit that that was the last thing she had expected coming from him. Admittedly she had not given Syril any further thought since she had submitted the results of his interrogation. However, she had not forgotten him and she was pleased to learn about his promotion. Excellence and diligence should be rewarded. So often Dedra dealt with incompetence, laziness, and negligence when it came to her co-workers. With the exception of her very capable assistant, they were content to sit like fat cats, slowly blinking as they manned their stations and failed to see the obvious right in front of them. And then along came Syril – passionate, dedicated to his job, and determined to achieve his objective no matter the cost. If only her colleagues had that kind of initiative and drive!
Syril's interview had been most informative. Dedra had begun to suspect that there was a connection between the seemingly isolated incidents that were occurring galaxy-wide. As a precautionary measure, Dedra had started monitoring and investigating any unusual events. The incident on Ferrix in the Morlana One sector was deemed as such. When Dedra read Blevin’s report, something hadn’t added up. She sensed that key information had been omitted. Noting the witness’s signature as Syril Karn, Dedra ran background on him to schedule a debrief. Dedra discovered that Syril had filed several false inquiries on a man named Cassian Andor. Syril was clearly fixated on this man; why? Her curiosity piqued, Dedra called Syril in. Passionate, intense, and earnest, Syril interested her. What was his objective? His once promising career had already been derailed by his single-minded pursuit. Why not give it up? Dedra was sure that the answer lay in the missing details of the report. Once Syril told her that he hadn't seen the report and had signed it under duress, she felt compelled to allow him to read it. This was not common practice, but she sensed that any information that Syril could give her was important. Thanks to his persistence, Syril had provided her with their best lead concerning a traitor designated as Axis who was suspected of mounting a rebellion against the Empire. With Syril’s help, she had finally acquired the evidence needed to launch a manhunt for both Cassian Andor and Axis.
After her successful meeting with her superiors, Dedra went back to Syril to conclude the interview and warn him off. Now that an official investigation was underway, she needed to impress upon Syril the importance of dropping his requests for Andor. Andor and Axis needed to believe that they had gotten away in order to continue their activities. Syril’s interference would get in the way of the Empire’s handling of the matter. To Dedra’s surprise, Syril requested that he be involved going forward. His stance gave her pause. Few people had the fortitude to stand up to her or the Bureau. Syril knew that he had stumbled upon something much bigger than a double murder. He insisted that as deputy inspector, he could be a valuable asset. Undeterred, Dedra decidedly shut him down. She did however give him a commendation on his record that would give him a professional boost. When Dedra walked out of that room, she assumed that that would be the end of her contact with Syril. It never occurred to her that she had the ability to engender that kind of passion in any man or stir his emotions.
It had been such a long time since Dedra had felt truly seen and valued as a woman. Her gender had proven to be a hindrance in a professional capacity and she had often lamented not being taken seriously due to it. At the other end of the spectrum, her boss was not fixated on her gender. He saw her as a valuable employee and rewarded her efforts, but his appreciation was not personal. It was apparent that Syril saw past her uniform; however it wasn’t to demean her but to make an effort to connect with the woman underneath. The fact that he shared her professional goals only enhanced his appeal to her. She had told him to stay away, but would he? Would he be discouraged by her rejection or would he keep doggedly going down this path no matter the consequences? He seemed much too invested to just give up. She was intimately acquainted with the feeling. Ambition, the hunger to rise above one's station, was a powerful motivator and in this, they were kindred spirits. She wasn't a spiritual person and yet maybe destiny had allowed them to meet after all. Regardless, Dedra hoped that Syril would continue to watch her from afar. With that last satisfying thought, Dedra went to bed.
For the next couple of weeks, Dedra walked home alone each evening. Periodically she felt eyes on her, but she resisted the impulse to turn around. The knowledge that he was still watching her was enough to titillate her as she touched herself each night. If Syril were there, what would he do? Would he be slow and gentle, or rough and quick? She would give anything to find out and yet, she had to let him come to her. It was the only way to maintain control. Despite Dedra’s warning, Syril kept coming to watch her. He couldn’t help himself. Even if he couldn’t be with her, he was content to look at her from afar and imagine that someday she might seek him out. It took him weeks to realize that in actuality Dedra was waiting for him to make a move. He began to sense it in her body language; in the way that her steps slowed ever so slightly when she neared their previous meeting place. She never stopped altogether or looked around; nevertheless she seemed to be anticipating him. There was only one way to find out. Emboldened by this thought and certain that Dedra was silently inviting him to follow her, Syril fell in step behind her. Eventually Dedra heard a distant set of footsteps behind her one evening and instinctively she knew who they belonged to. Finally! It had taken him long enough.
She deliberately dawdled and gave Syril time to catch up to her. As she unlocked her door, she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck and he pressed his body up against hers. Shivering and ever so slightly tilting her head back, she invited Syril's kiss. Before he could do so, she stepped into her apartment and left her door ajar. Syril entered behind her and softly closed and locked her door. Dedra, not having looked back once, entered her bedroom. When she reached her bed, she pivoted and looked up into Syril's intense face. She slowly took her hair down and let it tumble around her shoulders. Syril's breath quickened, his hands shaking as they both reached out to undress each other. As each item of clothing hit her bedroom floor, their anticipation grew. When at last they stood naked, Syril opened his mouth to speak. “I-“, he stuttered. “Shut up,” Dedra growled and pounced on him. The Empire controlled every aspect of its citizens' lives including birth control and family planning. Both of them were unmarried and on the professional track. Consequently, they had undergone the mandated inoculations that protected them from disease and prevented pregnancies that hadn't been sanctioned by the state. What was there to talk about?
Pushing him down on the bed, she climbed him as she devoured his mouth with hers. Panting and moaning, Syril couldn’t stop touching her. He ran his hands down her back, skimming her smooth skin. She was so soft! It had been much too long since he had touched a woman like this. His fingers skimmed her damp folds, pleased to find that she was already wet for him. His hands finally settled on her ass, urging her slightly forward. Ready for the main event, Dedra positioned herself over Syril and slowly sank down onto him. When at last he was fully sheathed inside her, she rested and allowed herself to fully enjoy the delicious sensation of being stretched and filled. He felt enormous inside of her and for several long moments she undulated her hips, sending shock waves of exquisite pleasure throughout her nether regions. Dedra’s head fell back, mouth agape. It had never felt this good.
Syril moaned, indicating that he was having the same experience. To hell with teasing, Syril thought as he flipped them over. Hovering over her and intertwining their hands, his hot gaze pierced her as he began to thrust inside her intently. Before long, she cried out, the pleasure rapidly intensifying and making it impossible for her to catch her breath. Syril's guttural grunts filled her ears and he lowered his head to plunder her mouth once more. Pulling her hands away from his, Dedra grabbed Syril's ass and forced him to ram into her even harder. Getting the hint, Syril went even deeper, groaning in deep satisfaction at how tight she was. Dedra screamed as she experienced the most intense orgasm of her life. It seemed to go on and on until at last Syril gasped, “Dedra, I can't – please, I have to – oh God!” Dedra, almost delirious and close to blacking out, could only clutch him harder. Syril pulsed inside of her for what felt like forever before collapsing. Not wanting to hurt her, he quickly pulled out and turned onto his side. Exhausted, they promptly fell asleep.
When he woke up again, Dedra was looking at him intently as though she were trying to peer into his soul. Who was this man really? she thought. Was this a mistake? Unable to fight her longing for him, Dedra found herself not caring. She impulsively pushed him onto his back and climbed him again. As she set back on her haunches and looked down at him, his gaze fell on her breasts. Enticed by the view, he encircled the perfect globes and gently tweaked her nipples. Dedra sighed. Syril smirked. “So, not the cage then?” He sounded much too smug for her liking. For a brief moment, Dedra considered kicking him out in an effort to assert her dominance over him. Then suddenly she realized that maybe she didn’t have to. For the first time in her adult life, Dedra hadn't had to prove or sell herself. He’d been vulnerable and honest about his desire for her. There had been no guile, empty flattery, or attempts to subdue her. Syril had pursued her and made it clear that he wanted to be her partner. Perhaps they could truly be equals. It was a novel concept. “Not yet,” she breathed, leaning down and capturing his lips with hers.