Jag Fel led the way to Wedge's office, with Jaina right on his heels. I
figure that way I won't find myself trying to hold her hand, and compromise
security…he thought. He spared a glance over his shoulder at Jaina, who
managed somehow to look mildly disinterested, even though Jag knew she was
just as anxious as he was to hear this message. Jag's hand was poised to
knock on the office door, but it slid open for him, and revealed General
Wedge Antilles, who was leaning back in a chair, his boots propped up on
his desk. He swung them off as the two filed in, leapt to his feet and
waved them to chairs; Jag was offered Wedge's seat, and Jaina sat in front
of the desk, and Wedge sat in a chair next to her.
"This feels awkward," commented Jag.
Wedge smiled, "You have no idea." He leaned forward, across his desk, to click a button, and a small holoprojector projected an image in front of them.
Jag's green eyes narrowed as he studied the code prompt image.
Wedge leaned back. "As you can see, it's coded…and, Jag, you must know the code. I'm not sure if it's voice activated or keypad acti-"
"Alpha-code-seven-beta-nirauan-two-fel." Jag snapped, eyes scanning the picture.
As soon as the last word left his lips, the image of his second-in-command, Shawnkyr Nuruodo floated in front of them. Jag's frown increased, and both Jaina and Wedge studied the picture with interest.
Jag pressed a buton in the console in front of him, and the clip began to play.
"This is Lieutenant Shawnkyr Nuruodo of the Chiss house phalanx Nuruodo." Shawnkyr stated calmly, as she twisted the pilot's yoke and flipped switches. "I have been pulled from hyperspace prematurely, by pirates or some other faction, unnamed. They appear to be trying to capture me, or kill me for whatever reasons-" she jerked on the pilot's yoke again, "I have sustained sufficient damage to both my hyperdrive and shields, my nav computer is shot, and I had no warning…there is a planet nearby, one technically deserted by civilizations of any sort, and I will try to land there, and see what I can do," she paused for a moment, "It appears to be the fourth moon of an uninhabited system, approximately 12 parsecs from the Ansion system, and I-" suddenly, the visual cut out, and you could tell the Clawcraft had received a direct hit from an ion cannon. Seconds later, the audio cut out as well and then the transmission ended.
Jag sat there, motionless, staring at the holo. "I…oh, shavit." He murmured, finally.
Jaina shot him a concerned look.
Wedge looked between the two. "I guess I don't really need to issue orders, do I?"
Jag shook his head, and Jaina shrugged."You could if you wanted to, but if those orders were something other than'Go save Nuruodo', I can tell you right now, they will be processed and ignored."
Wedge offered a tight-lipped smile. "Go save Nuruodo."
Jag rose, and saluted.
Jaina stood lazily, and offered no salute, but waited for one from him. "Can't compromise security, General."
Wedge rolled his brown eyes, and offered a lazy salute.
"Is it just the two of us going, or do we get some air support as well?" Jag asked.
Wedge hesitated. "What ever the Goddess suggests."
Jaina offered him a cold, toothy grin. "A small, select group. My choice. Any squadron."
Wedge sighed heavily. "Fine."
***
Jaina Solo shifted uncomfortably in her cramped seat. She cast a glance around the rest of the cockpit's occupants, Kyp Durron, Jag Fel, and Garik "Face" Loran. She caught Jag smirking at her. "What?" she asked, throwing her hands in the air.
"Nothing." He replied, turning back around.
Face was sleeping, she sensed, and though his eyes were closed, Kyp was as alert and ready as ever.
Jaina rose, stretching, and squeezed her way through the small, cramped cockpit of the loaned shuttle, with Jag following her. She crept quietly through the main section of the shuttle, attempting not to disturb the resting occupants.
Wedge said she could take any group, and so she hand picked the her strike team, pulling the best members from each squadron separately. She scanned the area; Kell Tainer was sleeping, Wes Janson was not sleeping, but just closing his eyes. Jaina shivered, Wes still retained that semi-horror- inducing grin of merriment, one of those ones where he's just pulled the worst prank in the galaxy. Jaina decided she didn't want to know what he was smiling about.
She continued looking at the other members of her team; Piggy, and Sharr, both members of Twin Suns; and Jedi Knight Corran Horn rounded out the rest of her quickly assembled team, all resting.
Jaina tiptoed past Wes, hoping he wouldn't notice, but her attempt at stealthiness failed miserably, and Janson's eyes snapped open. "Are we there yet, O Great and Glorious One?" he asked.
Jaina held a finger up to her lips and shook her head 'no.'
Janson's face fell. "How bout now?" he asked, brightening considerably.
Jaina mock-glared at him, and continued past, to the far corner of the shuttle.
"Are you sure?" Wes called after her. Jaina shot him a look.
"How did we get stuck with him on our strike team?" Jag asked.
Jaina shook her head sadly. "He came so highly recommended."
Jag assumed a look of surprise and shock. "By who?"
"Colonel Darklighter and General Antilles." She said.
"You've got to be kidding me." Jag said, and
Jaina shook her head. "Well," he amended, "The only logical reasoning behind recommending him is, I guess, to get him out of their hair."
"And I fell for it." She whispered.
Jag nodded, a glum expression on his face.
"Is it too late to turn back?" she inquired.
Jag narrowed his eyes, and elbowed her in the side.
"Sithspit. So, we're stuck with him then?"
"I can hear you!" Janson called, his voice sing-songy.
Jaina sighed, resting her head against Jag's chest. "Make it stop." She murmured.
"I don't know how." Jag confessed. "Did it come with an owner's manual? Or at least an on/off remote?"
"Nope! Or, I'm sure Gavin and Wedge woulda found a way to exploit it," Janson stage-whispered, eyes closed once again. "Are we there yet?"
Jaina sighed, and Jag glanced around, making sure no one was looking, and slid an arm around her shoulders. She snuggled against his side, hoping to catch a few hours' rest before they were insystem.
***
Thanks for all the reviews, *cough pengwin-jibberish, Xaverii Jade, Youngest Knight (loved the salute! Rotfl!), Lindsey, December Wind, auruarkal, Kayla, SparkleAnne, Haley J. the Bat, and Jacy2412, cough* I appreciate it! More up pending reviews, so review review review! :D
"This feels awkward," commented Jag.
Wedge smiled, "You have no idea." He leaned forward, across his desk, to click a button, and a small holoprojector projected an image in front of them.
Jag's green eyes narrowed as he studied the code prompt image.
Wedge leaned back. "As you can see, it's coded…and, Jag, you must know the code. I'm not sure if it's voice activated or keypad acti-"
"Alpha-code-seven-beta-nirauan-two-fel." Jag snapped, eyes scanning the picture.
As soon as the last word left his lips, the image of his second-in-command, Shawnkyr Nuruodo floated in front of them. Jag's frown increased, and both Jaina and Wedge studied the picture with interest.
Jag pressed a buton in the console in front of him, and the clip began to play.
"This is Lieutenant Shawnkyr Nuruodo of the Chiss house phalanx Nuruodo." Shawnkyr stated calmly, as she twisted the pilot's yoke and flipped switches. "I have been pulled from hyperspace prematurely, by pirates or some other faction, unnamed. They appear to be trying to capture me, or kill me for whatever reasons-" she jerked on the pilot's yoke again, "I have sustained sufficient damage to both my hyperdrive and shields, my nav computer is shot, and I had no warning…there is a planet nearby, one technically deserted by civilizations of any sort, and I will try to land there, and see what I can do," she paused for a moment, "It appears to be the fourth moon of an uninhabited system, approximately 12 parsecs from the Ansion system, and I-" suddenly, the visual cut out, and you could tell the Clawcraft had received a direct hit from an ion cannon. Seconds later, the audio cut out as well and then the transmission ended.
Jag sat there, motionless, staring at the holo. "I…oh, shavit." He murmured, finally.
Jaina shot him a concerned look.
Wedge looked between the two. "I guess I don't really need to issue orders, do I?"
Jag shook his head, and Jaina shrugged."You could if you wanted to, but if those orders were something other than'Go save Nuruodo', I can tell you right now, they will be processed and ignored."
Wedge offered a tight-lipped smile. "Go save Nuruodo."
Jag rose, and saluted.
Jaina stood lazily, and offered no salute, but waited for one from him. "Can't compromise security, General."
Wedge rolled his brown eyes, and offered a lazy salute.
"Is it just the two of us going, or do we get some air support as well?" Jag asked.
Wedge hesitated. "What ever the Goddess suggests."
Jaina offered him a cold, toothy grin. "A small, select group. My choice. Any squadron."
Wedge sighed heavily. "Fine."
***
Jaina Solo shifted uncomfortably in her cramped seat. She cast a glance around the rest of the cockpit's occupants, Kyp Durron, Jag Fel, and Garik "Face" Loran. She caught Jag smirking at her. "What?" she asked, throwing her hands in the air.
"Nothing." He replied, turning back around.
Face was sleeping, she sensed, and though his eyes were closed, Kyp was as alert and ready as ever.
Jaina rose, stretching, and squeezed her way through the small, cramped cockpit of the loaned shuttle, with Jag following her. She crept quietly through the main section of the shuttle, attempting not to disturb the resting occupants.
Wedge said she could take any group, and so she hand picked the her strike team, pulling the best members from each squadron separately. She scanned the area; Kell Tainer was sleeping, Wes Janson was not sleeping, but just closing his eyes. Jaina shivered, Wes still retained that semi-horror- inducing grin of merriment, one of those ones where he's just pulled the worst prank in the galaxy. Jaina decided she didn't want to know what he was smiling about.
She continued looking at the other members of her team; Piggy, and Sharr, both members of Twin Suns; and Jedi Knight Corran Horn rounded out the rest of her quickly assembled team, all resting.
Jaina tiptoed past Wes, hoping he wouldn't notice, but her attempt at stealthiness failed miserably, and Janson's eyes snapped open. "Are we there yet, O Great and Glorious One?" he asked.
Jaina held a finger up to her lips and shook her head 'no.'
Janson's face fell. "How bout now?" he asked, brightening considerably.
Jaina mock-glared at him, and continued past, to the far corner of the shuttle.
"Are you sure?" Wes called after her. Jaina shot him a look.
"How did we get stuck with him on our strike team?" Jag asked.
Jaina shook her head sadly. "He came so highly recommended."
Jag assumed a look of surprise and shock. "By who?"
"Colonel Darklighter and General Antilles." She said.
"You've got to be kidding me." Jag said, and
Jaina shook her head. "Well," he amended, "The only logical reasoning behind recommending him is, I guess, to get him out of their hair."
"And I fell for it." She whispered.
Jag nodded, a glum expression on his face.
"Is it too late to turn back?" she inquired.
Jag narrowed his eyes, and elbowed her in the side.
"Sithspit. So, we're stuck with him then?"
"I can hear you!" Janson called, his voice sing-songy.
Jaina sighed, resting her head against Jag's chest. "Make it stop." She murmured.
"I don't know how." Jag confessed. "Did it come with an owner's manual? Or at least an on/off remote?"
"Nope! Or, I'm sure Gavin and Wedge woulda found a way to exploit it," Janson stage-whispered, eyes closed once again. "Are we there yet?"
Jaina sighed, and Jag glanced around, making sure no one was looking, and slid an arm around her shoulders. She snuggled against his side, hoping to catch a few hours' rest before they were insystem.
***
Thanks for all the reviews, *cough pengwin-jibberish, Xaverii Jade, Youngest Knight (loved the salute! Rotfl!), Lindsey, December Wind, auruarkal, Kayla, SparkleAnne, Haley J. the Bat, and Jacy2412, cough* I appreciate it! More up pending reviews, so review review review! :D