Captain Biron clutched his collar shut as well as he could against the snowy wind. His gloves were so thick he wasn't sure he was doing much good. A snowstorm was obviously rolling in soon and he had caught sight of a small bunker with a generator up ahead. He could camp there until the storm passed. Hopefully there's no pirates in there. He checked to make sure he had his blaster and his cold weather pack, for about the fifth time. He'd been right to get the Republic's aid in dealing with the Hailstorm Brotherhood, but he was having pangs about having to fight them in twenty-four hours. That Mirialan woman had been very impressive. She'd been gorgeous too, he hadn't escaped noticing that. He was freezing, but the thought of her saying impertinently, with that taunting grin, 'If you ever want to defect, you know who to call' sent a surge of lust through him. He'd been stuck on Hoth without any women he could spend time with for far too long. What is it about alien women that makes them so exotic and sexy?

The generator outside the bunker was humming, thankfully. He'd be warm enough to survive and could call for a team to get him out whenever the storm ended. The door was sealed shut, which meant there was someone inside. This was Imperial ground, but it could be anyone. He drew his blaster and opened the door.

The Mirialan woman from earlier blinked up at him, her blaster pointed at his head. He noticed her other hand had a knife in it.

She looked confused, "Captain? What are you doing?"

He jerked his finger back towards the outside. "Snowstorm coming. I needed a place to camp out until it passes."

"Why haven't you made it back to your base already?"

"The team they sent to escort me got mixed up; I ended up trying to make the hike on my own."

"That wasn't very smart." She eyed him up and down, shrugged and holstered her blaster. The knife had vanished somewhere as well.

He shuffled in and sealed the door behind him. He palmed the code in that would lock it. He turned back towards her, the air in the bunker was warm enough to keep them alive, but by no means comfortable. In the dim light, he could see her knife was back in her hand, although her blaster was still holstered.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "Just trying to seal in the heat, make sure no pirates can just walk in."
She relaxed marginally and resheathed it. "Sorry, not really comfortable around Imperials."

"Yes, well, we'll see how long I get to remain an Imperial once I get back to base. Communicating with the enemy and all that."

"You saved lives."

"Not really the angle the Empire goes for." She nodded thoughtfully and he changed the subject. "Why are you in here?"

"Got caught by the storm. My backup is going to be so worried. I left him back at base."

"Why'd you venture out alone?"

"It was just supposed to be a scout, head back, no danger."

"Nothing's ever that simple on Hoth."

"So I learned," she said wryly.

"Do you have any supplies?"

"I have rations, bedroll. I did bring a pack with me just in case."

"Well that's good. It's going to be cold in here."

"How is it so cold with the generator?"

"It has to work hard just to keep it warm enough for us not to freeze to death." He sat down across from her and pulled his bedroll out, laying it along the wall.

She was shivering, he noticed immediately. She was keeping it pretty well hidden, but she was shivering with cold. He could see the movement.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"I wasn't expecting to get to sleep," she said, not really answering his question.

"Because you couldn't lock it?"

"Pretty much."

"Then lay your bedroll out, climb in." He stripped his jacket, boots and socks off, sliding into the bedroll. Once he was in, he removed his uniform, pants and underwear.

"What are you doing?"

He looked at her in confusion, squinting to see her, "Staying warm?"

"It looks like you're stripping."

"I am. Basic cold weather survival. You get into your bedroll naked, it traps heat and keeps you warmer. Didn't they give you a basic rundown of how to survive planetside?"

"I vaguely remember someone saying that. Something about body heat? I didn't think I'd be in this position."

He eyed her, "Your clothes are wet too, that'll keep you cold."

She paused, shivering harder.

"The best way to stay warm is to share body heat, actually. What I'm telling you to do is nothing compared to that." He made sure his face was bland.

"Why do you have to be Imperial?" she muttered softly.

"What do you mean?"

She seemed to struggle with herself briefly and then gave him that electrifying grin, "If you weren't, I'd just climb in with you."

His body was warm enough to react to that. It didn't help that the next thing she did was strip off her cold weather gear, revealing the leather armor she was wearing underneath. Then she shrugged out of most of that, leaving her in a thin shirt. She unrolled her bedroll, which was practically up against his in the small space. She slid in and then moved around a bit, finally pulling out her pants, shirt, bra and underwear. He sat up and palmed off the lights to save energy. He rolled so he was facing the ceiling and managed to pull his thoughts back to what he'd have to do when he returned to the base. He could feel her still shivering in her bag.

"If you lied to me," she said, her teeth chattering.

"I didn't," he interrupted. "But you may just be that much colder." He offered, "I could open up the bedrolls and link them so you get some of the heat I've started."

She said, almost pitifully, "Please." He reached over and managed to get them fastened together in the dark.

He sighed, feeling her shake. "Just, come wrap yourself around my back. It'll warm you up much faster."

She paused and then, when he rolled to face away from her, she slid against him. Her skin was chilly, but he could feel how soft her breasts were, although her nipples were stiff because of the cold, and how her body curled around his. She pressed herself closer when she discovered how warm he was. It had been a few months since the last time he'd been with a woman and he was hard at her touch. He shifted uncomfortably, but let her move against him. When she went to reach around him so she could press against him fully, he grabbed her hand and put it against his chest so she didn't accidentally brush against his arousal.

She was shivering less now and when she relaxed, her breasts dragged across his back slightly. He was able to not move somehow.

"It was Captain Biron, right?" Her hot breath on his back made his voice a bit ragged.

"Yes, I'm afraid I don't remember your name."

"Captain Ryli," she said, with a smirk in her voice. "I usually get someone's name before I'm naked against them."

Her voice was so sultry. He would not turn over and pin her against the floor, he told himself sternly. For one thing, rape wasn't something he got off on, regardless of how much of an effect she was having on him. For another thing, if it was the Republic who found them first, he'd be in serious trouble. And for the final and most key thing, there was the matter of her knives. She'd probably gut him if he made a single move. He wasn't much good at seduction either, so he couldn't talk her into it. He shifted uncomfortably, aching.

She moved and started to draw her hand back and her elbow grazed the tip of his erection. He sucked in a breath and she froze.

"Sorry," he muttered, not sure what else to say.

"Never had a guy apologize for being turned on by me before," she said, amused.

"It's been awhile for me," he said, as an excuse.

"How long?"

"Months," he said curtly.

"I thought they shipped slaves in for you soldiers," there was a note of distain in her voice.

"I don't sleep with slaves."

"Too good for them?"

He was quiet a moment, "No, my mother was one."

She sounded apologetic, "How is that possible?"

"My father is Imperial military."

"But you were raised with-"

"I was raised with a mother who took better care of me than anyone and was rewarded with servitude to my father."

They were both silent.

"I have a sister who's a slave in the Empire," she said hesitantly.

"I'm sorry."

"My back is cold," she said suddenly.

"Just shift over and press it against mine." She shuffled and then her ass was pressed against his, which wasn't helping at all.