Wes Janson woke up on medbay, feeling somewhat nauseated and confused. The taste on his mouth was unmistakable…
Bacta!
He'd just been on a Bacta dip!
He couldn't even precise how much time he'd spent there…he doesn't know anything at all...
It's all fuzzy.
One moment he was trying to dodge a missile, his husband's and Hobbie's voice in his comm, and then…nothing!
How long had it been? And where was everybody?
The room was dimly lit, and the only sound was the beeping of the machines keeping tags on his heart rate and his breathing ratio.
He felt like a Stardestroyer had just landed on him…
When Rogue Squadron arrived at Distna, what was supposed to be a snoop and scoot, had turn into mayhem!
It had become painfully obvious that the whole thing had been nothing more than a ruse, a trap conceived by Krennel to drag them out there…and slaughter them!
One squadron against six was suicide! They had all realized that on the spot, but they weren't exactly known for giving up, were they?
Flying as best as they could, and taking as many TIEs with them as they managed, the Rogues faced their impending doom, swallowing down their fears!
Krennel wanted a piece of them?
Well, he was going to take heavy losses as well, if it was up to them!
It hadn't even been the thought that this time, their luck had run its course, and that his time had come, that had shook him to the core…
What had wounded him, had been knowing that Lara would be alone!
No Dad…
No Daree…
Their daughter would be left an orphan, if neither him nor Tycho managed to escape the carnage.
But he was here, on that bed! And the last memory had been of Tycho's voice booming through the comm, yelling at him…
"Pull up! Wes! Pull up now!"
And then he'd lost consciousness. He didn't even remember pulling the EV handle.
It must have been Zapper, for sure! For a moment, he wondered if his R2 unit had made it. Probably not…
But he'd heard his husband's voice. That he knew!
He was so tired... Everything still hurt badly… As he felt himself slipping out of consciousness, he knew the automated anaesthetic device had reacted to his pain levels rising.
The Taanabian felt himself more relaxed. He wasn't so sore; his body was healing properly.
He still had no idea how much time had passed, had his eyes were slightly unfocused, but he felt a presence at his side.
More than one really!
Hazy silhouettes floating in front of him.
"Tycho…" He whispered. His voice raspy, and his throat dry. He focused his eyes, and he knew instantly something was wrong!
Tycho's not there…
Nothing of those figures was him…
But his sister his there, with her husband clinging to her hand.
He can hear Max comforting Mia. But, why would he?
Mia is gazing at him…so much pain in her eyes… He feels someone coming to his side…but it still isn't whom he wished it was…
General Airen Cracken is standing there. Gravely eyes, looking intently into the Major's eyes. His hands gripping each other tight.
He knows that expression, he's seen it before! It's the expression of a man who's been giving the harrowing task of handing bad news to someone.
He knows that…
He's already done it sometimes…
The word 'No' echoes in his mind…
He doesn't want anyone to hear it… He doesn't want to face it…
"Tycho…"
They swore they'd be together until the stars burn out…
"I'm very sorry, Major Janson…" He closes his eyes.
"Please, Tycho…please…"
The rest of the General's compassion discourse gets muffled.
The pain rages in his ears, makes his heart beat faster, his breath lacks…
…Alone…
He's all alone.
His husband is gone.
His Tycho!
And suddenly, he does what he'd never done before in front of anyone else but his husband.
The pain is too much.
Tears he can no longer hold back flow freely from his eyes. He doesn't care what they'll think of him. He can't even stop himself.
Tycho was the love of his life, and he lost him…