Karrik woke long before her alarm was due to beckon. Snuggled against Wedge, head on his chest, she lay still, listening to the sound of his slow, even breathing and the thud of his heart beating against her cheek. Finally she moved her arm, checking the timepiece on her wrist. Another twenty minutes and she'd have to go. Sighing she decided not to take the chance that he might wake before then and slipped quietly out of the cot.
Shivering silently in the frigid air she turned the lights up to a dull glow, dressing as quickly and as quietly as she could. Then she checked her timepiece again. Enough time to grab something to eat before the final briefing, not that she was terribly hungry. She walked to the door, forcing herself not to take that one, last look....
The door opened, spilling light across the floor.
"Karrik?" Wedge asked sleepily, his voice hardly more than a murmur.
She could still go, she told herself. No one must know what's happening until you've gone, Derlin's voice quietly reminded her in the back of her mind. But she found herself turning crossing the small space to sit on the cot, the door hissing closed.
He reached out, still half asleep, resting his hand on her leg, "What's the time?"
"Nearly oh-four hundred."
He groaned softly, "Loads of time before anyone's about. Come back to bed..."
"I have to go..."
"Karrik..." he began.
But she interrupted, "No.. Wedge... I have to go."
To hell with what Derlin had told her, she wasn't just going to walk out and leave him like this..
"Go?" he sighed, "Where?"
"I really wish I could tell you...."
His eyes snapped open. Fully awake, now, he sat up as she explained, "…but I can't Wedge. Please don't ask me. No-one's even supposed to know that I'm going..."
He had known there was something going on. It wasn't every day that a fighter pilot was suddenly pulled off the Flight and into the ranks of the Intelligence section. She'd never told him why she'd been transferred. He had his suspicions but he'd never put her on the spot, never pressed her for an explanation. Now, however, he asked simply, "Anders?"
She nodded.
"When will you be back?"
"Four days, maybe slightly longer." He was beginning to shiver, his chest bare to the frigid air. She smiled sadly, running a finger lightly across his collarbone, trailing it down his chest. He caught her hand.
"Karrik..." he began, then stopped, wondering what in the hells he was trying to say. Finally he began again, "I lost the only woman I ever loved, the woman I had planned to marry, when Alderaan was destroyed."
He paused again, awkwardly, trying to find the words, "Since then I've shared a lot of beds... trying to forget her, I suppose..."
Karrik pulled her hand from his, not quite sure what he was trying to tell her. Was this a brush off after all that had happened? She stood up, not wanting to deal with this now, attempting, "I understand…"
He grabbed her arm, pulling her back, "No! You don't! I didn't! Not until now.... and... Karrik, I don't want you to go. I don't want to lose you like I lost her..."
Swallowing, Karrik gazed at him, apprehension and joy washing over her in waves as he went on, "I've been with you for less than five days... yet it seems like I've known you a lifetime!"
He searched her face, asking desperately, "Do you feel something for me or am I making a complete fool of myself?"
Laughing, shaking her head she dropped onto the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms round him, kissing him deeply. He returned the kiss, lying back, drawing her down.
After too short a time she broke away, "When I get back, we'll talk..."
He grinned inanely, "It's a date!"
She stood up, but he held onto her hand and started to get out of the cot. Karrik pushed him back down, "I hope you're not thinking of making sure I've gone?" she smiled, then reminded him, "No-one's supposed to know I'm leaving! And besides, there's a briefing before we go."
She bent down, kissing him gently on the lips. His hand snaked behind her head, fingers twining through her hair. She broke away before they got too involved, "When I get back!" she promised. She turned, a brief silhouette framed against the corridor light. Then the door closed leaving him alone in the semi-darkness.
~ # # ~
Derlin and Anders were already there as she walked into the briefing room. The Commander looked up, smiling at her as Derlin told her, "Take a seat, Karrik. Captain Solo will join us after we've run through the final details."
Karrik nodded, sitting down at the conference table. Anders sat down opposite her. Derlin remained standing, sliding a bulky package across the table to her, "Civilian clothing." She pulled it over, opening one of the seals, taking a quick look inside.
"Don't worry," Anders assured her with a smirk, "I dealt with the clothing. You're reasonably safe." Karrik grinned back at her.
"When you're quite finished, Ladies," Derlin chided, handing over a small blaster and side holster, "Not that we think you'll need it. But better safe than sorry."
Karrik took them, inspecting the weapon briefly, before sliding it into the holster, placing them both on top of the package. "False ID," Derlin continued, pushing more stuff across the table at her, "travel papers, wallet and credits."
Anders stood up, snatching them back before Karrik could reach out for them, demanding, "Your name?"
Karrik hesitated for only a moment before dropping into the character she and Anders had worked out, levelling the other woman with a cold stare, "Corin Seerzhe."
"So, Corin Seerzhe, what's your occupation?"
Karrik sighed, leaning back nonchalantly in the chair, crossing her arms, "I'm between jobs at the moment."
"That's not what I asked!"
"Pilot. Freelance. Legit business only, for the highest bidder." She grinned, wickedly, "You looking for a pilot?"
"And you're last job?"
Karrik sighed, as if in boredom, as if she'd had to go through this a hundred different times with a hundred other jumped-up officials, "Working for the Shiram Consortium, running out of Alderaan to wherever they wanted me to go. Then from their new HQ on Prymuus. I stayed with them 'til they folded last year. Now I'm freelance."
She paused, giving Anders a level, measure look before repeating, "Legit stuff only."
"And how did you get here?"
"Hitched a lift on a freighter."
"How convenient. I don't suppose you remember the name of this freighter?"
Karrik shrugged, "Ooryen-something. Or something-Ooryen. Might even have been Oorian," she added, shifting the inflection subtly.
"Really? Where is it docked?"
"It isn't. They just dropped me off and went on their merry little way."
"Freighters don't usually give people rides."
"Their First Officer got himself killed. They needed a new one."
"So why did you decide to get dropped off here?"
Karrik sighed again, heavily, "Heard about a possible job. It's proving to be a wild rumour."
Anders smiled, "Thank you, Commander Tennan."
"The name's Seerzhe."
Anders sat back, grinning, "You'll do." She pushed the pile of papers back across the table towards Karrik.
Derlin nodded, "In that case...." He sat down beside Anders, beginning, "Solo will take you to the contact point in Treliasano, on Ord Mantell. You'll be met there. This," he handed her a datapad, "is the identification. Learn it. Get it wrong and they won't take you. And if they get it wrong, turn round and get back onto the Falcon. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Your contact will have your travel arrangements for the journey from Ord Mantell to Merrion and into the city of Norrin Pelaas itself. When you reach the city, go to The Grand Imperial hotel. You have a room reservation under your alias. Your cousin will meet you there. So far he hasn't contacted us again, but we'll get the confirmation message to you on the run from Treliasano to Norrin Pelaas. Once you've made contact with your cousin, get to the South Terminal of the city space port and reclaim a bag from the left luggage area. Your contact on Ord Mantell will have the ticket. Inside you'll find a transmitter. Activate it, hand the bag back into left luggage, return to the hotel and wait for the pick up instructions."
"Understood."
"If your cousin doesn't arrive within forty-eight hours, unless you get further instructions, forget it and go for the pick up. He should have arrived long before that." He paused for a moment, then asked, "Any questions?"
~ # # ~
Wedge lay back, eyes open, sleep eluding him as his emotions raced, thoughts of Karrik twining with memories of Ilyana. He'd wanted Ilyana to come with him when he'd left Alderaan to join the Alliance. But her mother was ill and she'd wanted to stay with her, promising to join him within the next six-month and he couldn't fault her for wanting to care for her mother. Then he'd lost his brother on the Tantive IV. And then Ilyana and everyone else on Alderaan.
He clenched his jaw, biting down on the tears that threatened in his throat as he suddenly realised that he couldn't remember what Ilyana looked like... all that he could picture was the fall of golden curls down her back.
Damn it! He wasn't going to let Karrik go like this! He'd never forgive himself if... he pushed that thought away, climbing out of the cold, empty cot and reaching for his uniform.
~ # # ~
Leia stood anxiously beside the Falcon with Chewbacca, waiting for Han and Karrik. Movement from the far exit drew her attention, but it was Wedge Antilles who sauntered in. Turning to Chewie, Leia said, "I'll be back in a minute," then walked across to Wedge. "Lieutenant Commander, how are you?"
"A lot better thank you, Ma'am. Almost ready to rejoin the Flight."
Leia smiled, "Glad to hear it. What brings you down here at this early hour?"
He pulled a face, "Couldn't sleep, Ma'am. Thought a wander might do me good..."
From the corner of her eye, Leia saw Han and Karrik entering the hangar from the South exit. She also saw the brief wash of joy on Antilles' face that clouded quickly to a frown as he too saw them, turning towards them. It was a few more seconds before Han and Karrik, deep in conversation, saw them.
Han smiled. Tennan stopped dead, a look of horror on her face. Alarm bells began ringing in Leia's head as she saw the reactions from Wedge and Karrik. Karrik had been ordered not to tell anyone that she was leaving. Wedge wouldn't know what was going on…
Antilles had taken a step forward. Goddess, he thought, seeing how the dark, olive-coloured outfit and the cape trimmed with burnt gold pulled out the colour of her eyes. Green, definitely, green... and she looked gorgeous. Giving her a quick wink, not caring if Han saw, he kept his voice cold, "Going somewhere?"
Han glanced from Wedge to Karrik, then across at Leia who was wincing at the tone of Wedge's voice. Leia watched Tennan swallow, floundering for a moment before attempting, "Wedge..."
"Weren't you even going to say good bye," Antilles asked, voice dripping ice.
Karrik had seen the wink, saw the glint in his eyes and knew this wasn't for real. She kept playing her part, looking distraught. Leia hesitated for only a moment before stepping in on the other woman's defence, "Wedge," she implored, reaching out to touch his arm, "don't blame her. She's under orders, she couldn't tell anyone..."
Wedge turned briefly to look at the Princess, then at Han who grinned at him, shrugging. Karrik remained exactly where she was, not daring to move. Finally Wedge walked across to her and she wrapped her arms round his neck, returning his embrace. "I'm sorry," he murmured softly, "but I had to say goodbye!"
"You're forgiven," she whispered against his cheek, then her lips found his.
"How long has this been going on?" Han asked quietly as he joined Leia, indicating Wedge and Karrik with a stab of his thumb.
Leia shook her head, wondering how the gossip had managed to evade him. Smiling, she accused, "You must be the only one in the base who doesn't know about the wild romance between Wedge Antilles and Luke Skywalker's Second. It's the scandal of both Flights and their ground crews. Even though, technically, she's with Intelligence," she admitted. After a moment, she looked away from Han, flushing slightly, realising that he had been gazing at her. And she didn't want to admit that she had been gazing back...
He grinned, "I'd better go." Turning away, he yelled, "Tennan! Let's move it!"
Karrik lingered for a moment longer, then broke away from Wedge. He grabbed her arm as she turned and she looked back at him. "Marry me!" he asked suddenly, surprising himself as much as Karrik.
"What?" she asked, incredulous.
"Marry me? Or at least say you'll think about it?"
She gazed at him, open-mouthed for a moment. Then grinned, nodding, "I'll think about it."
A loud, heavy clunk ricocheted through the hanger as the environmental doors split open then slowly began to rumble apart. There was no wind, but the freezing air swept in, the temperature inside the hangar plummeting abruptly. Wedge leant towards Karrik to kiss her again as Han yelled, "Tennan!"
She placed a finger on Wedge's lips. Then turned, racing across the hangar towards the Falcon. At the base of the ramp she stopped, turning back, calling, "Wedge?"
He took a step towards her and she grinned, "I've thought about it! Yes!" Then she disappeared inside as the ramp slowly hissed closed.
Leia moved a little closer to Antilles as the Falcon lifted slowly from the ground. The ship turned easily as the gear retracted, hovering for a moment before gliding towards the exit. Wedge stood, stunned but grinning inanely as the freighter accelerated down the ice tunnel into the frigid pre-dawn. The Princess turned as the doors halted then ponderously began to roll closed. Shivering slightly she glanced at Antilles, frowning at the undisguised, joyous confusion on his face.
"Wedge?" she asked, dropping a hand lightly onto his arm. He turned, looking down at her, his grin widening even further. "What is it?" she asked him.
He stood for a moment as if unsure then, his voice heavy with wonder, told her, "Karrik just agreed to marry me! I think…"