Cad Bane - The Concept of Trust

A Promise broken

Another year passed by. Theirs was a standing arrangement, neither of them ever giving away any hints that there was something personal between them on their common missions, nor any place where there might have been too many prying eyes. Things stayed well and truly in the realm of the professional - until they were behind closed doors. Well, almost. Bane noticed that occasionally her blaster fire cut down attackers who were a threat to him, but it would have been hypocritical of him to judge. He did the same and had come to terms with that in time. It's explicable, he told himself. Makes sense to keep someone with her abilities alive. She is useful. He was also quite sure no one ever noticed a thing, so what did it matter? They both headed on their separated missions , and both came back more or less battered from some of them. It was only then, when Bane noticed her new injuries as they were having each other that something in his demeanour occasionally changed. His grip of her tightened, and thrusts became harder, as if driven by an unfathomed sense of anger that he tried to push aside.

When they were alone it was a different matter. Passing time did not change anything, there was always the same craving, the unwinding of built sexual tension when they met, sparring banter as well as comfortable silences. Repeatedly, Bane found himself wondering what had happened to her in the distant past, as her skin carried an extensive web of old scars that covered most of her back and sides, and it looked like she had been dragged to hell and back. But, she never divulged, nor did he ever ask. It had become clear that this wasn't a subject she was going to open up about, and it wasn't as though Bane would care about the scars. He was just ...curious.

Some months later Bane was waiting. They had agreed to meet at one of his bases in the Outer Rim after weeks of being on their own missions. First day went by. There was no sign of the Dalcassian. Bane did not like how restless he grew towards the evening. Sure, they had agreed to meet within a couple of solar days. And yet he felt bothered, even if he didn't want to think why. Second day passed by. Still no sign of her. Bane considered hailing her, but they had left things flexible, so he kept himself at bay. On the third day the roar of landing thrusters signalled the arrival of the Dalcassian.

"Took you some time," Bane snapped before even thinking.

She raised her eyebrow slightly.

"I came on the third day of what we agreed to. Was not sure if you were here yet, and I wasn't too keen to wait in vain on this rock, locked outside of your base."

"Well, I was here." Bane considered for a second before continuing. "I thought that something had happened."

"Like it would concern you," she said flatly, her voice sharp and a scowl flashing across her face.

Bane sneered at her reaction, his teeth bare, staring at her. The tone of her voice changed immediately.

"That was unnecessary of me. I am sorry. No expectations."

Bane wondered what he should say. It wasn't the words themselves that disturbed him, it was the blunt honesty behind them. She really did not expect anything, even after these years, and she vigorously rebuffed even the slightest signs that hinted otherwise .

His thoughts were disrupted, though, as she walked to him with an all-too-familiar look on her face, and sliding her hands on Bane's rugged jacket to grab the collar, she pulled the Duros down so that her lips almost touched his. She distracted herself, and him, like this whenever there was a subject she did not want to address, and Bane had nothing against it.

"It is bad manners not to give exact dates. Nor professional." Her tone softened. "I promise to give you a precise day and time if possible from now on, and drop a warning if there are any changes." Then she was pressing herself on him, hands already opening Bane's belt, and voice almost murmuring;

"And now that I know you were here I am sorry I did not arrive earlier. I have been waiting to see you."

She kept her word from that day on. No vague times, always letting Bane know if there were any changes to schedules, always arriving in due time. Until the day came that she didn't.

They had agreed to meet at an abandoned spaceport in the Outer Rim. No sign. No message. Bane felt an unwelcoming wrench in his stomach, but put it aside. Snap out of it. There could always be delays, or something unexpected. He did not like the part where he thought of the "unexpected". The evening came. No sign. Bane did not sleep much that night, though he tried to put the feeling from his mind. Why the hell was he even worried? It was one kriffing day. And still, he couldn't ditch the unpleasant feeling, as it was so uncharacteristic of her. Thinking about why he cared annoyed him. Even if something had happened, it was how things sometimes went down. Bounty hunter's work was a risky business, and you died if you were not good enough. End of story.

Next day came. No sign of her. No message. Bane gave up and tried to hail her. There was no answer, no indication that the message even got through. That evening they were supposed to be heading for their next bounty. There was a nice contract on the head of one particularly nasty Nautolan. He could do it alone, all the preparations were done, no problem. Bane dragged his feet to the Justifier's ramp and leaned against the durasteel wall, as if half expecting to see her sudden, last-minute arrival.

"Hell with it."