The Sabacc Shift

Tali's eyebrows shot up at this. "What did you have in mind?"

I took a sip of my drink. "If I win, you have to kiss me. And you have to pretend you like it."

At first, Tali said nothing to this, but the look on her face told the whole story. She was intrigued by my offer. I expected her to ask what was in it for her, but she instead stood and walked around the table to my seat. Damn, I love how she walks. She then leaned in, her face mere inches from mine, her generous cleavage on full display beneath her tank top.

"Look who's playing a dangerous game, now," she whispered, running a finger down my cheek for good measure. With that, she turned and headed for the bar, her luscious ass swaying the whole time.

"Well, I had to try," I said to myself. I'd see if it was enough of a distraction to work.

*****

After relieving myself in the toilet, I was heading back to the table for the final round, but found my way blocked in a narrow hallway by Krah. That struck me as odd, especially when he came up and shook my hand.

"Best of luck in the final round," he whispered. "The great Beelma is hoping for your victory, my friend."

"Um... thanks," I replied.

The hell was that all about?

I shook off any thought of the weird encounter as I arrived back at the table for the final round. Tali was already waiting for me, her face adorned with her usual smile of confidence. After a few minutes, Ayana reentered the room and took her seat between the two of us.

"Congratulations again to our two finalists," she said with a warm smile. "Let us begin the final round of play."

With that, we were off. As one would expect, Tali and I were pretty much an even match, neither able to gain a significant advantage over the other. She was good, especially with her empathic powers, but I managed to shift into a "bored-out-of-my-mind" mentality to counter. This meant Tali was forced to try and find my physical tells, which she was not nearly as skilled at. After an hour, our chip stacks remained nearly equal, but both of us could feel a massive hand coming soon.

"The cards are dealt. Each player will now announce their opening total," said Ayana. "Mr. Grant?"

"Positive 5," I replied, holding a 2 and a 3.

"Positive 13," Tali said.

At that point, I expected Tali to try and force me out with a big bet, but we both just checked through the first round of betting. I wasn't sure what specific cards she had, but she would have a tough decision regardless. She could stay, but my low total gave me lots of leeway to draw until I could surpass her. Conversely, she could draw, but ran a decent risk of bombing out if anything greater than a positive 10 came her way. Still, neither of us were in too deep, so I figured she'd draw. As for me, I had no option.

"Hit me," I said.

Ayana slid a card across the table to me, but I took a deep breath and emptied my mind before touching it. Any flash of emotion either way would tip Tali off; couldn't afford to give her any easy breaks. Once I felt sufficiently bored, I took the facedown card and peeked underneath, finding the only card in the deck to simultaneously be the worst and best card of all: The Idiot.

There are only two Idiot cards in the entire deck, and both carry a value of zero, making them worthless. However, if a player holds three cards, a 2, a 3, and the Idiot, they form the unbeatable Idiot's Array, the only hand capable of trumping Pure Sabacc. After all, only an Idiot would think that a 2 and a 3 made 23. I was now guaranteed to win the hand, but how much could I take Tali for? If I didn't play this right, she'd just junk her cards and let me take her ante.

"Hit me," I heard Tali say, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Very well. Another card, Mr. Grant?" Ayana asked.

I sighed for a moment, attempted to look frustrated. "I'll stay," I said after a long silence.

"I'm good, too," Tali said.

There it was. It was very faint, but I heard the little lilt in her voice. Tali was happy and trying not to show it. She only drew one card to pair with her opening 13, so she had to have something strong, probably 20 or higher. It was my honor to wager, but I decided to take the biggest gamble I had made all day. I checked. In doing this, I put the pressure on Tali and dared her to check and make the winning pot nothing but our ante amounts. But if she had a strong hand, which I was pretty sure she did, she wouldn't be able to resist raising the stakes. The room fell silent as the grave as everyone watched Tali consider her options.

"Raise," she said at last. "4,000."

That was a significant amount, by my estimations. In wagering just over half her remaining chips, she forced me into a difficult call. If she had a hand she was sure would win, she could be baiting me into raising right back, putting me in serious danger in the chip count. With that in mind, I decided I couldn't disappoint the lady.

"All-in," I said.

Tali studied my face for several seconds, which was definitely a worry. She knew she was a bit behind me in the chip count and would have to risk everything to call. The longer she thought about it, the more she might convince herself that I had her beat. But if she had more than 20, which I figured she did, she would know there was no way I could beat her having only drawn one card. Except, of course, with my unbeatable hand. Soon, a little grin spread across her delicious lips.

"Call."

Before Ayana could even give the official command, Tali flipped her cards over.

"Miss Haru shows positive 23, pure Sabacc!" Ayana announced.

Tali had played it perfectly. Dammit, it almost broke my heart to shatter her perfect play. Almost.

"Nice hand," I smiled, flipping my cards over, "but not good enough."

"Mr. Grant shows an Idiot's Array!" Ayana said. "Mr. Grant wins the tournament!"

Poor Tali's smile disappeared in an instant. As cheers erupted from the onlookers, I stood and extended my hand to her. She sighed in frustration, but shook my hand after a moment.

"Well played, Kyp."

"Thanks. It was a hell of a game, and you're one hell of a player," I replied honestly.

*****

"She's a thing of beauty, Leecam," I said, admiring my prize.

"Indeed, sir. I shall begin installing the hyperdrive at once, though the work will take several hours to complete. I will need to uninstall the previous unit, after all."

"No prob. With how late it is, Beelma gave all the remaining Sabacc players rooms here for the night. I'll get some shuteye, and we'll leave in the morning."

"Very good, sir. Sleep well."

I left Leecam to his work and departed the hangar, heading for my quarters for the evening. I was exhausted, yet in better spirits than I had been in a long time. After all, I'd been after a hyperdrive unit like this one for years! Getting one in excellent condition essentially for free? Jackpot! I had a feeling this was gonna be a major turning point for my career. Little did I know how right I was...

"Evening, Kyp," I heard a voice say.

Turning around, I saw Tali coming down the hallway behind me.

"Hey, pretty lady," I replied with a grin. "Come to congratulate the winner again?"

Tali grimaced at that. "Damned Idiot's Array..."

I shrugged. "We've all lost a big hand we were sure we'd win."

"True," she replied. "You turning in for the night?"

"Yeah. Been a helluva day. My room's down the next hall."

"Well, how 'bout that? So is mine," Tali said with a grin. "Walk with me?"

How could I say no to an offer like that? We walked in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. As we went, I couldn't help but notice that Tali walked very close to me, closer than I expected she would. Once or twice, she even let her hand brush up against mine. Maybe it was the pheromones, or maybe it was the events of the day, but whatever it was, I couldn't shake off my growing fondness for this girl. She really was the perfect combination of confident and sexy.

"This is me," said Tali, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah. So, Tali, just thought I'd ask about our little side bet?"

She rolled her eyes at this. "I don't recall ever agreeing to that side bet, mister."

"Maybe, but it's never too late," I shot back with a grin.

With a smoldering look on her face, Tali leaned in. "Oh, Kyp... do you really think you could handle me?"

"Only one way to find out," I replied.

Tali didn't move for several glorious seconds, keeping her face mere inches from mine. The tension in the air was so heavy, I could've sliced it with a knife. At last, just as it looked like she would pull back, Tali moved forward and pressed her lips to mine. The kiss was short, less than a second, but it was clear from the look on her face and my heavy breathing the impact it had made on us.

"Night, hotshot," she said before entering her room. Just before closing the door, she gave one last wink and hair flip.

"Damn..."

I entered my own room, feeling a very uncomfortable erection in my pants; I'd have to take care of that to get any sleep. Shouldn't be too hard, though. Tali still danced around in my head. Her rockin' body, her soft skin, the hair, the sultry voice... shit, it's a wonder I managed to resist her for long enough to win that tournament! As I was about to get undressed, a soft knock came at my door.

"Please, be Tali. Please, be Tali. Please, be Tali," I whispered to myself.

I slid open the door and found myself both disappointed and excited. It wasn't Tali, hence the disappointment. But seeing the lovely Ayana standing there in her silver gown was definitely a pleasant sight.

"Good evening, Mr. Grant," she said with a warm smile.

"Hey, Ayana," I replied, not sure what she was doing here.

"I trust the arrangements for this evening are suitable?"

"Very. Please, thank your master for me. His hospitality has been humbling," I said, still wondering what her intentions were.

"Splendid! This pleases me," said Ayana, still not moving from my doorway.

I cocked my head a bit. "Is anything wrong, Ayana? You seem... nervous."

"Oh, I apologize! Y-Yes, I am a bit nervous, I suppose. You see... my master bade me to come and spend the evening with you. He wishes me to... take care of your needs."

Now, that was a surprise. It's well known that Hutts collect beautiful women of all species, seeing them as pieces of art to display in their palaces. But while looking at their beauty is appreciated and encouraged, touching a woman belonging to a Hutt is asking for a slow, painful death. I was definitely intrigued by the possibility of sleeping with the gorgeous Twi'lek, but only if it was sanctioned.

"Mr. Grant?" Ayana asked.

"Oh! Right, sorry," I said, snapping out of my trance. "Um, I'd love to spend some time with you tonight, but only if it's allowed. I wouldn't want to insult my host, after all."

She then gave a slight bow. "My master anticipated your response, and asked me to show you this."

Ayana produced a small holodisk from behind her back, which soon projected a tiny image of Beelma's face.

"Congratulations again on your victory, Kyp Grant," the recorded hologram said in Huttese. "You gave us quite the show today and provided excellent entertainment for my guests. Not only this, but you proved yourself quite capable in dealing with that filthy Aqualish. The scum might have even harmed my beauties! But your quick actions ensured that he was the only casualty. This pleases me, and I have seen fit to reward you appropriately. Ayana is yours until tomorrow morning. You may do with her as your please, but she is not to be harmed and must be treated with respect at all times. Otherwise, I will hear of it."

Hearing it straight from Beelma definitely changed things. It was rare for a Hutt to allow a guest to sleep with one of his slaves, but I damn well knew better than to refuse. That would have been an even bigger insult to my host.

"Please, come in," I said to Ayana.

"Thank you."

After sliding the door closed for the night, I took a few moments to look Ayana up and down more closely. The poor girl was shaking, she was so nervous, but the little smile on her face seemed genuine. Maybe Tali had told the truth earlier. Maybe Ayana really was smitten with me. I had to admit, she was quite the looker, even if I preferred my women more on the curvy side.

"How is the view, Mr. Grant?" she said with a giggle.

"Exquisite," I admitted.

"Perhaps... you'd like a better view?"

Before I could even think to reply, Ayana reached for the single shoulder strap holding her dress up. After she unhooked the clasp, the gown cascaded down her body and fell to the floor, leaving Ayana as nude as the day she was born. The teal shade of her skin was absolutely gorgeous, and I saw no blemishes or imperfections anywhere on her thin body. Her breasts were quite small, but high and firm on her chest, just begging to be suckled. Ayana then gave a sexy turn, showing off her perky little ass. As she turned back to face me, my eyes traveled up her long, dancer's legs and found her hairless sex. Every aspect of Ayana's body was perfectly suited to her natural beauty.

"Are you pleased, Mr. Grant?" she asked, her nerves still apparent.

I smiled and walked toward her. "I couldn't be happier, pretty lady. Just one thing: I'd prefer it if you called me Kyp."

"But of course, Kyp."

Hearing her say my name in her exotic Twi'leki accent sent a shiver up my spine. So damn sexy. Before I knew it, Ayana walked right up to me and slipped her arms around my neck. The look in her eyes was so arousing, yet so completely different from Tali's. Where Tali looked like she was trying to seduce me at every opportunity, Ayana seemed so pure and innocent. I felt a pang of regret, knowing what she'd have to go back to after tonight.

"Ayaya, just one thing," I said, rubbing her back with my finger. "I would never insult my host by declining your company, but I want you to know I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. Even if all you want is to sleep and nothing else, I'm ok with that."

"But, if I do not-"

"That would be just between us," I assured her. "If I'm asked, I'll give you a glowing review. But I do mean it; you don't have to do anything tonight, if you don't want to."

Hearing this, Ayana seemed to melt in my arms, smiling and planting a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Such a sweet man," she whispered. "But I'm not letting you off that easy. When my master gathered his slaves and said he wished for one of us to keep you company, I begged him to let it be me. I intend to see this through to the end."

At that, I was powerless to do anything to stop her. Ayana started kissing any piece of exposed skin she could, mostly my cheek and neck, since I was still dressed. After a minute or two, she allowed my lips to touch hers. Holy fuck, was it electric. She was still a little nervous, I could tell, but after a few seconds, I felt her tongue slip into my mouth. Dammit, I was close to blowing my top and I hadn't even gotten her in bed yet!

From there, I decided to take the lead a bit. I guessed from her demeanor that Ayana was a bit of a romantic, so I scooped her up in my arms with our lips still locked together. Her reaction could only be described as adorable. I've never had a girl literally swoon in my arms. Shit, that sounds dorky, but as much as she loved it, I ain't apologizing. In spite of Ayana's height, she was surprisingly light and easy to carry, so I had no trouble depositing her on the large bed against the wall.

"Don't keep me waiting, Kyp," she purred. "I simply must have you."

Well, what can you do when a beautiful Twi'lek tells you that? I must've set a new record with how fast I stripped my clothes off. Well, my jacket and shirt, anyway; my boots gave me a bit of trouble. Hey, you try untying your shoelaces with a beautiful naked girl laying a few feet away. But once those were off, I was in the clear. I gotta admit, it was nice seeing Ayana's eyes widen when she saw my equipment for the first time. I may not be not huge, but I do ok for myself.

That business take care of, I slipped into the spacious bed and found myself wrapped in Ayana's arms. She really was a hopeless romantic, pulling me on top of her and sealing her lips around mine. God, she's a great kisser. I savored her fantastic lips for a few minutes, but then pulled back and decided to do some exploring of my own. I started by moving my attentions to her neck and jawline, all while massaging the bases of her Lekku, her head tails. I knew from experience how erogenous they could be.

"Ohhhhh..." Ayana purred. "Kyp, that feels so nice..."

"Thought you might like it," I grinned.

Soon, I started to work my way a bit lower. I mean, I just had to inspect those delicious little breasts of hers. Even with Ayana flat on her back, they were still perky, especially her dark navy nipples. Each one fit in my hands well enough, but it was soon clear that they weren't a perfect handful. No, they were a perfect mouthful. Ayana gasped and squirmed as I began to suckle her. Geez, every sound she made was so cute and sexy. The feeling of her fingers running through my hair only spurred me on further.

"Kyp... oh, Kyp, take me! Please, take me! I'll... I'll go insane if you don't!"

Damn, she's sensitive. Never had a girl begging like that before. But again, not complaining at all. After all this foreplay, my cock was already throbbing and ready for the main event, as it were. I slid back up face-to-face with Ayana and gave a little kiss to her forehead before pressing my member against her entrance. She gasped in pleasure as I penetrated her; god, the look on her face was priceless.

Ayana's pussy was amazingly tight, almost virginal. Her folds didn't just envelop me, they were squeezing me with everything they had. I had to be careful with my thrusts; didn't want to hurt the poor girl, after all. To my relief, I soon felt her hands gripping my bare ass, almost begging me to pound her harder.

I was no stranger to kinky romps around the sheets with multiple positions involved, but I could tell Ayana was loving the hell out of this as we were. Besides, after all the excitement of today, I was more than happy with a relaxing, lazy screw. And as much as Ayana came from the good old missionary position, I wasn't about to mess things up for her. Hell, she probably had five or six orgasms when all was said and done! Sensitive, indeed.

"Kyp," Ayana panted, recovering from her latest climax, "is it... your turn?"

"Do you want it to be?" I chuckled, savoring the effect I had on her.

"Yes... and no. I don't want it to end, but I'm not sure I'll be able to stay awake if you make me cum again," she replied with an impish grin. "I think... you should pound me until you explode. You've earned it."

Yeah, you try to resist when a pretty thing like Ayana tells you that.

*****

I stirred some hours later, still spooned against Ayana's warm body. A quick glance confirmed it was still dark outside, but once I felt her perky little butt against my cock, going back to sleep was not an option. I decided to test the waters and planted a few soft kisses on the back of her neck. Wasn't sure at first if she even noticed, but her breathing became a bit deeper. Even if she was still asleep, I could tell she enjoyed it. A little brush of the hand against her nipples, and her body at last shifted.

"Mmm... is it morning?" Ayana mumbled.

"No, still dark out," I whispered. "We've got some time."

Ayana rolled over in my arms and kissed me deeply. "Time... we should make the most of it, then," she replied.

A gentle touch was all she needed to push me flat on my back. I could only barely see her silhouette in the darkness, but I felt her mount me and start to grind her pussy against me. I moved my hands to her hips to try and participate, but she instead took them in her hands and playfully pinned them back against my pillow.