If you tell me that I can't, I will, I will, I'll try all night
And If I say I'm coming home, I'll probably be out all night
I know I can be afraid but I'm alive
And I hope that you trust this heart behind my tired eyes
I'm no angel, but please don't think that I won't try and try
I'm no angel, but does that mean that I can't live my life
I'm no angel, but please don't think that I can't cry
I'm no angel, but does that mean that I won't fly
Dido, "No Angel"
Planeth checked his coordinates twice. This was done casually at three hour intervals during his flight, to ensure he maintained his heading. Years on the job had made him suspicious, and the simplest way to dispose of him in hyperspace would be to slowly change his destination. He was vigilant of this threat and watched for it.
Planeth also HATED Corellia. A cesspool of vice on Treasure Ship Row stung his conscience, and the lax culture so conducive to smugglers and bounty hunters burned his intellect. Even the local authorities so often seemed corrupted, taking what they wanted by force instead of letting it be freely given. The planet itself struggled for complete independence from both Republic and the Empire—an oddity in itself that caused Planeth to cringe.
He hated Corellia, yet that was where he was going.
Gara Petothel's file had come to the attention of Grand Admiral Thrawn just over a year earlier when- as Zsinj kept the bulk of the rebel task force occupied- Thrawn had set some agents lazily in motion. The agent watching Solo's force had identified Petothel with some difficulty after her return from Aldivy, and brought her presence to Thrawn's eyes. It hadn't been until AFTER the receipt of her message concerning Imperia treatment of non-humans that she had really been worthy of the Grand Admiral's attention and he had looked into her case finding her "Most Interesting." Since then, he had kept a careful eye on the wayward Imperial operative and found her as she moved to Corellia, every move a perfection: rather than crawl to the New Republic or beg some other warlord, she had started over for herself and created a business- and taken a nonhuman (an ewok, no less!) as her copilot.
Her one true problem with the Empire seemed to be the treatment of nonhumans. Thrawn liked that. So he sent Planeth, always loyal and eager to bring over new recruits, to collect another follower. One who could, perhaps, work to deliver the forsaken Corellian system.
Planeth hated Corellia.
---- ------ --- - - -- - -
Face watched the shuttle touch down, intrigued by the maneuvers he saw. Even in this fog of ice, it slid into place perfectly- no sliding, just precision. The main entry opened, and not a moment later he saw a familiar figure appear in greeting.
The fog was horrific. Due to the chill, the moment it hit a smooth surface it turned to ice. Breathing became painful, unless one covered their face with a scarf or other piece of cloth. Kirney- Lara- did not step into it, but beckoned the four waiting friends into the warmth of her shuttle; this met little hesitation, and they moved forward as a group to come up the ramp. They paused only to meet their former squadron mate at the top and look carefully.
"Lara," Dia began…
"Once we're inside," Kirney directed, walking in.
"We've got three more," Face instructed.
"I'll leave a note for them." Kirney pushed a few buttons, letting the ramp close. "They know where to meet us, right?"
"They do." Shuttle closed against the chill, all figures shed the outer layers of their clothing, happy to warm up…
And finally get a good look at their contact.
Her hair was longer, and a tawny copper, but the face and body type were unmistakably the same. Face grabbed her by the shoulders, thinking a moment, then smiled wide. "Good to see you again," he stated simply, letting her go.
"Good to be seen," Kirney admitted, eyes direct on Face. He'd been her former wing, after all- the person she was closest to. She saw no deceit, just simple joy and relief at seeing her again in person. Slowly, she looked to the others- to be attacked by a hug from Runt. Elassar patted her on the head almost idly, and Dia just laughed.
Until it was time, and Dia asked the question that lurked in the air. "What happened?"
Kirney gathered her wits and cleared her throat as she explained, "It turned out I was already late for an appointment, so I simply commed in and decided to be a little bit later?" She smiled, yet shook her head—trying to dissipate a memory?
"So you've been alone this last cycle?" Dia's voice was low, sympathetic.
"Not quite." None of the Wraiths on board had expected their comrade to break into a gigantic grin and chuckle. "Time for you to meet my copilot."
--- ----- ----------
"We have word that one of the agents working for the turning of Corellia has been become a target for Thrawn's recruiters," Wedge explained to his pilots. "Their identity, and life, are in jeopardy. Cracken commed to ask US to ward this contact and take them into our protection, if need be."
"Rogue Squadron? Why?"
Well, here's the thing… Wedge looked at the men gathered before him, and coughed before answering. "Personal connection. The agent is under a pretty deep cover, and I was already aware of their existence, so I got the job. I was asked to pick those of you who can keep this secret."
Tycho and Myn just nodded, but Corran winced.
"Horn?"
"It's Slane," Corran asked, "isn't it?"
Wedge held his breath, looking at Myn as he replied: "Yes." Surprisingly, Donos had no reaction to the name, as if he hadn't heard it before now. Confused, Wedge dismissed his pilots with a mention of mission time, but kept a hand on Tycho's shoulder to keep him from leaving.
Tycho met his commander with a new question. "More I need to know, Wedge?"
Just a nod, an understanding that what happened next was between friends. "There is definitely more you need to know."
--- ---- ---- -----
Laughter filled the cockpit of Talon's Revenge. Kolot relished the sound, looking from face to face. Kirney herself seemed quite calm and at ease, relaxed amongst friends. She sat at the communication board, waiting to see when new arrivals approached, but leaned back to banter with her old companions. Everyone had found a cozy spot, and pure good humor ran through the shuttle.
"So then Kolot here, he grabs my hand in the middle of this ritzy-man's garden, looks right at the CorSec agent, and turns to me. And calmly asks if I would marry him." Kirney finished with a flourish. Kolot looked at her and chuckled at the memory- they'd had to think fast, confuse CorSec so that they wouldn't know the shipment accepted from Rostek Horn. An ewok proposing to a business woman was the most confusing thing Kolot could think of…
"What did Investigator Horn do?"
"Gave us bonus," Kolot supplied, as Kirney nodded in appreciation. "Big bonus," he added.
"And how was the wedding?"
Kirney snickered. "Oh, unfortunately I was unable to accept. Kolot wouldn't allow it."
"Kirney too young for Kolot," the ewok explained.
"Alas!" Kirney continued, "For I am quite taken by your fluffy grin."
A beep on Face's direct link broke the resulting hysterics. "Lead here."
"Project Losee is in a bit of a bind." The voice on the other end belonged to Tyria, not Kell. "Could use some help here, if it won't interrupt teatime."
"Location, Losee?"
"31, 25, East 9. Acknowledge"
"Acknowledged, Stand by." Face looked up to meet Kirney's eyes, considering how to put his next request. "Lara, my dear friend, how do you feel about ice?"
--- ----- ---
Tyria kept the comm. in her hand, looking briefly to where Kell and Shalla blocked a large tunnel entrance. They had gotten themselves unequivocally stuck in this hallway to nowhere, and were trying desperately to get out with the data hard card that Tyria now had in her pocket. It had too much information to be relayed over a comm-pad: planetary defense patterns for over a dozen different planets, plus some interesting tidbits on Grand Admiral Thrawn's artistic ramblings.
The trick was getting it into Republic hands when they were being pushed into this corner wave after wave. Demolition would seal the entrance, so instead Kell and Shalla were defending as best they could hand to hand. Tyria, for her part, was attempting to get back up between sensing attacks through the Force. So far, it was working well… if she was successful in getting back-up soon.
"Lead to Losee team. We're on our way." The message filled Tyria with joy—and, for some reason, fear.
-- ------------- ---------- --
"Calm down," Kirney repeated. "I am, you will remember, a fair pilot."
Face wrinkled his nose and sighed. "You're right."
"Strap in and hold on." As Loran took the copilot's seat, Kirney motioned for Kolot. "Ko, prepare to open the bay and pull in some wayward Wraiths. But hold on to something- I really don't know what I'm doing."
"Yub yub," Kolot responded.
"WHAT?" Face exclaimed.
Kirney shrugged and lifted off. "Hey Targon, feel like it's a lucky day."
"Yep."
"Good." And with that, they were in the air hovering just above the buildings, in the middle of a freezing fog. The ship collected ice, but Kirney kept going even as the obvious visuals disappeared. She was down to logic and calm thought, yet handled the shuttle as if it were just a large speeder. Her heart caught in her throat, and she found she had to let out an exclamation of joy as they moved. "Why am I doing this again?" she whispered.
"Well," Face began…
Kirney didn't take her eyes off the sensor as she said, "Don't. It's better for SO many reasons if I don't know exactly why I'm doing this."
Face shut up.
"Where did you say they were?"
"Western quadrant, corridor three, main arena."
"Got it. Kolot, open those doors and reel them in now." The last was said over the radial, echoing in the ship. And faint in the background, a door opened…
---- -- -- ----
"Tyria, cab's here."
Tyria let out a breath of relief and rushed forward. Kell and Shalla took out the last few attackers, the large man pulling Tyria along as they leapt into the awaiting shuttle. They kept their hold, rolling smartly as the port closed.
After a few deep breaths, Tyria opened her eyes to study the alien presence she had felt. Her jaw dropped.
"Kell," Tyria whispered carefully.
"Yes?"
"Have you gotten a look at our saviour?"
Kell twisted. He glanced. He squeeked.
Shalla followed suit and blinked. "Force!" she surmised. "We've been rescued by Kettch."
"That's not all." That voice was familiar. Very familiar. "Kolot," it continued, "go forward and help Dia take us into hyperspace."
Kell, Tyria, and Shalla stood up and glared at the new arrival. Face stood behind her, obviously ready to back her up.
"Hi," Lara said, blushing.
"Hi," Shalla echoed… raising a fist and sending it directly into Lara's midsection.