"To leave my world was like being offered wings only to find out it hurt each time I flew…"
Bror closed the book, involuntary sighing. He ran his hands over the carefully preserved book. It was a beautiful ancient thing! Over two thousand years old, still made with archaic methods on real plastipaper, a method that had fallen into oblivion with the mass advent of holobooks and cheap, improved digital technology throughout the galaxy.
The book in question described the voyages through the galaxy of Xenoanthropologist Calla Jace, one of his ancestors. Her phrasing of how it had felt to leave Thyferra all of those centuries ago had only served to increase his anxious mood.
He was leaving in the morning.
And this time he had no way of knowing if he would ever come back…
Light footsteps echoed behind him, but he didn't turn to welcome the woman that had entered his study. She rested her right hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
"You shouldn't be up this late." She admonished him gently.
He grimaced, turning just slightly to grab one of her fingers removing her hand from his shoulder. "You are not my mother."
Her crystalline laughter made him pout even harder. She walked to the desk, picking up a chair to sit in front of him. "It won't do you any good to ignore me, Bror."
He rolled his eyes, finally looking at her face. Her blue eyes seemed more amused than annoyed. "And what piece of wisdom can my sister offer me at this hour?"
"None." She shrugged, brushing her finger through her brother's cheek. "You're a damn fool and I don't want you to go!"
"Thanks, Nara." Bror chuckled. "But either I leave or something drastic will happen! He's our father, but… " He shook his head with a dejected look.
"I know…"
"I have to leave this place. Make a life outside all of this." He waved at their surroundings. "I can't go on just being Dorv Jace's rebellious son! I'm tired of being correlated to the Jaces instead of being just me!"
"And becoming a Rogue is the answer?" Her concern permeated through her words.
"Either I'll gain a name for myself and my irrevocable independence from father's rules, or I'll be dead! In whichever case, I'll have my freedom!"
Nara stood up, casting a steely look upon her brother. "And what about me? What about mother?"
Bror set the book on the table by the couch, getting up to meet her eyes. "Nara! Dying is not my objective there. But I'm not going to pretend it will be a walk in the park. Someone had to go, might as well be me! I want to come back!" He smiled shyly at her, holding her hands on his. "Don't you trust my piloting skills?"
Nara rolled her eyes. Bror was right about that. He truly could fly! It was one of his greatest passions!
"Promise me you won't be reckless beyond what's strictly necessary…"
"I'm joining Rogue Squadron… not Moderate Squadron!" He smirked.
"I don't think Antilles & Co. survived the thick of the war by being thoughtlessly reckless!" Nara chided him. "Now, go to sleep. You have a long voyage to wherever…" She kissed him on the cheek, before leaving to her own quarters.
Bror carefully stored the book back on the vaulted shelves, heading to the massive balcony that served his quarters and his private study. It was big enough to park his luxurious red and gold speeder. Security was never an issue in the family estate, with its personal small army standing guard! The huge compound of amber towers meshed with the Gloan trees, gave it an exotic feel that Bror had always appreciated. The estate had been built around and including the age-old trees in its architecture, keeping with the organic look the Thyferran's had always maintained.
Respecting this worlds nature had been the only way to survive, but also to keep their source of income flourishing. In a way they had been indoctrinated by the world itself into becoming a nature loving people.
It was said that, if you opened the door to leave home one hundred times, ninety-nine of those times it would be raining! And true to the saying, outside another storm raged on. Heavy rain poured over the forest canopy and lightning like spiderwebs ran through the dark skies. He stepped into the center of the balcony, looking up, protected from the elements by shield individually surrounding the buildings. He took a small silver remote from his shortpants, pressing the button that would open a small window through the shield. With an almost childlike satisfaction, Bror stuck his hand out the window, letting the rain soak his hand and forearm before closing the window again. He smirked at sight of his wet hand.
He could only hope that, wherever the ultra-secret training facility was, it was in a world resembling his!
After all, one of Alliance's most important bases had been in Yavin IV, so anything was possible!
As long as it didn't resemble the equally famous Echo Base on Hoth...
Well…
It definitely wasn't like Hoth!
But neither did it resemble Yavin IV…
...It was a rock…
A barren, ugly rock floating through space in the Rachuk sector.
Bror's shoulders slumped at the sight of his new home.
After an exhausting trip trying his best to ignore Erisi's relentless complaints with just about anything, he had now to navigate his way through Folor Base.
He stood in line, accompanied by many other people - hopeful Rogues, no doubt.
The man making the welcome speech had introduced himself as General Salm. The balding man wore the grey flightsuit usually seen on Y-Wing pilots. Other officers stood by his side. Some of them recognizable by the widely spread Wanted posters!
Antilles himself had come to receive them…
The group of newcomers started being called and separated in distinct groups. Bror ended up on a smaller group comprising shortly over twenty members. Not knowing anyone else, he turned to Erisi.
"Where are the others going?"
The smaller, dark haired woman just shrugged. A tan-coloured Twi'lek leaned forward.
"Some are going to the Screaming Wookiees training group, lead by Major Repness. Others are going to the newly experimental Flight School, directly under the command of General Salm and with two former Rogues as their instructors." He informed Bror.
"Which leaves us." Bror nodded. "The aspiring Rogues! There's still a lot in our group…"
"It does not matter!" Erisi spoke with an arrogance to her stance that gave Bror an urge to throw her out an airlock. "In the end, only the twelve best will go through to Rogue Squadron."
"I'm afraid you're wrong there, miss…?" The Twi'lek smirked.
"Dlarit. Erisi Dlarit."
"Delighted." He answered. "I'm Nawara Ven. And like I was saying, it won't be twelve pilots but only ten. Commander Antilles and Captain Celchu will be the head of the squadron."
"I'm still not worried…" She said, picking up her bag and following a female officer signalling the other female cadets.
Nawara turned to Bror offering the Thyferran his hand. "Is she always this charming and friendly?"
Bror shook his hand. "Erisi is… somewhat grating on one's nerves. But then again, she's Xucphra…"
"Xucphra?"
"From Thyferra?"
"Ah! One of the Bacta cartels…"
Bror rose an eyebrow at the Twi'lek. "We prefer the word 'corporations'..."
"And you are?"
"Bror Jace. I was sent here to represent the Zaltin Corporation, which, unlike Xucphra, did not send a minor stockholder representative like miss Dlarit."
"Uh…" Nawara gave him a once-over. "I'm going to regret asking this but, what is your connection to the Zaltin Corporation?"
Bror snorted in amusement. "My family owns it, of course!"
"Of course…" Nawara turned, following the remaining pilots.
Bror looked around. It was all so different from what he was used to… his eyes fell on a more isolated figure in the group. No doubt someone feeling as lost as himself. He analyzed the man walking with a closed expression. He was short of stature. Short enough to probably only reach his shoulders… his hair was black and slightly over the regulated length,reaching his nape. He was fair skinned and seemed fit under what looked like the go-to Corellian clothes.
Light tunic, dark vest and pants. Though his didn't feature the red stripes Captain Solo usually wore.
The man turned his head, like he'd guessed he was being watched, and Bror could distinguish his eyes were green. As green as the new leaves on the Gloan trees!
The man glanced back at him, throwing him an evaluating look, following Bror's whole figure with those fascinating eyes.
He nodded and, with a cheeky smirk he turned away leaving Bror utterly confused.
He had never felt so thoroughly analyzed like that before! Much else with by another man! And definitely not with - what had been that? - shameless appreciation…
And he wasn't a burden on the eyes either! If anything, he looked positively handsome!
Bror made a mental note to introduce himself to that lovely Corellian as soon as possible!
Suddenly the austere looking base gained a new appeal to him…
