Jag studied the blue skinned Chiss female in front of him, about to say
something, but Shawnkyr held up a hand to ward off any comments. "Colonel,
I know what you are going to say. You are going to say we can send a
holocomm transmission, or we can contact them in other ways, that I do not
have to leave. But, sir, in all respects, I must. It is the only way."
Jag's green-eyed gaze narrowed. "Do you recall our conversation on Borleias, when I told you if you were to die, I would report back to our people? I told you that I believed that by staying here, we are supporting a greater good. Look around you, and tell me, what do you see?"
Shawnkyr looked around after shooting him a brief, quizzical glance. "I see pilots, and I see starfighters, aliens, humans, and droids."
"And what are they all doing here, Shawnkyr?" Jag asked coolly.
"Fighting for their lives, sir."
"Exactly my point. These people are fighting for their lives, their freedom, their galaxy. How can we just run back to our superiors, who are safe and sound, rest assured, while these beings are slaughtered like animals? "
Shawnkyr set her jaw. "Our people have a right to be informed."
"And I'm not disagreeing with you here. They do. But, we cannot deny the fact that we are both superior pilots, and for every Vong we kill, that's another being you see here spared from a hideous death, and the odds change again, even in minute proportions, towards these people and their goal of victory."
Shawnkyr just shook her head slowly. "You have a duty to the Chiss, and you should not have allowed your emotions to come into play. You have sworn loyalty and obedience to the Chiss way of life. And this is the Chiss way of life. And so I must go, because I have not forgotten my vows to my people."
Jag clenched his jaw in an effort to push away his anger. Chiss, as a rule, do not get angry. He told himself. But, then again, am I truly a Chiss? I was raised by their standards, their rules, their ideals, but does that make me a Chiss? "Then, go. Will you return?"
"I do not know. I told you I would stay until Borleias falls, and so it has."
Jag nodded sadly "Your presence will be missed, Shawnkyr."
The blue skinned Chiss nodded once before swinging herself up into her Clawcraft. Jag backed away as she commenced to begin her preflight checks. He sighed.I have a bad feeling about this…
***
Wes Janson bounded into the room, saluting and grinning like the madman that he was. "Major Wes Janson, reporting for duty, sir! Hey, wait, I have a complaint…"
Gavin was smiling when Wes had entered, but upon hearing Wes already complain, his began pounding his head against his desk repeatedly.
Wes looked at him scornfully, but his expression changed, instantly thoughtful and apologetic. "Wedge didn't tell me that the salute changed since when I resigned! Let me try this again…"
He backed out the door, and bounded into the room,. "Major Wes Janson, reporting for duty, sir!" Then he turned and went to the wall, and mimicked Gavin's consistent pounding of his head.
"So, Colonel Darklighter," he started conversationally, still smacking his head against the wall, "When was the salute changed to pounding against a wall?"
Gavin lifted his head from his desk. "Now I know how Wedge must have felt. I'm going to pretend like you aren't doing this." He stated, "Glad to have you back, Major!"
Janson paused from pounding his head to shoot him a youthfully energetic smile. "It's glad to be back with the Rogues. Hasn't been enough panic, trouble and mayhem since I resigned. That's the problem these days-"
Gavin reverted back to pounding his head against the desk, but halted, thinking. "Wes, do you ever grow up?"
Wes paused his pounding, considering. "Why, no I don't suppose I do. I have noticed, however, that you have, and my goodness, is that gray hair I see, Colonel? Too bad for you that you don't have my movie-star looks, or my youthful energy, or my-"
Gavin covered his ears, and still banged his head against the desk.
"Say, how long of a salute is this, anyway?" questioned Janson.
Why did I say ok? Why did I let Wedge con me into this? This is going to be a long day… Gavin thought.
*~*~*~*~
ok, how was this chapter? r&r, thanks for feedback! (
Jag's green-eyed gaze narrowed. "Do you recall our conversation on Borleias, when I told you if you were to die, I would report back to our people? I told you that I believed that by staying here, we are supporting a greater good. Look around you, and tell me, what do you see?"
Shawnkyr looked around after shooting him a brief, quizzical glance. "I see pilots, and I see starfighters, aliens, humans, and droids."
"And what are they all doing here, Shawnkyr?" Jag asked coolly.
"Fighting for their lives, sir."
"Exactly my point. These people are fighting for their lives, their freedom, their galaxy. How can we just run back to our superiors, who are safe and sound, rest assured, while these beings are slaughtered like animals? "
Shawnkyr set her jaw. "Our people have a right to be informed."
"And I'm not disagreeing with you here. They do. But, we cannot deny the fact that we are both superior pilots, and for every Vong we kill, that's another being you see here spared from a hideous death, and the odds change again, even in minute proportions, towards these people and their goal of victory."
Shawnkyr just shook her head slowly. "You have a duty to the Chiss, and you should not have allowed your emotions to come into play. You have sworn loyalty and obedience to the Chiss way of life. And this is the Chiss way of life. And so I must go, because I have not forgotten my vows to my people."
Jag clenched his jaw in an effort to push away his anger. Chiss, as a rule, do not get angry. He told himself. But, then again, am I truly a Chiss? I was raised by their standards, their rules, their ideals, but does that make me a Chiss? "Then, go. Will you return?"
"I do not know. I told you I would stay until Borleias falls, and so it has."
Jag nodded sadly "Your presence will be missed, Shawnkyr."
The blue skinned Chiss nodded once before swinging herself up into her Clawcraft. Jag backed away as she commenced to begin her preflight checks. He sighed.I have a bad feeling about this…
***
Wes Janson bounded into the room, saluting and grinning like the madman that he was. "Major Wes Janson, reporting for duty, sir! Hey, wait, I have a complaint…"
Gavin was smiling when Wes had entered, but upon hearing Wes already complain, his began pounding his head against his desk repeatedly.
Wes looked at him scornfully, but his expression changed, instantly thoughtful and apologetic. "Wedge didn't tell me that the salute changed since when I resigned! Let me try this again…"
He backed out the door, and bounded into the room,. "Major Wes Janson, reporting for duty, sir!" Then he turned and went to the wall, and mimicked Gavin's consistent pounding of his head.
"So, Colonel Darklighter," he started conversationally, still smacking his head against the wall, "When was the salute changed to pounding against a wall?"
Gavin lifted his head from his desk. "Now I know how Wedge must have felt. I'm going to pretend like you aren't doing this." He stated, "Glad to have you back, Major!"
Janson paused from pounding his head to shoot him a youthfully energetic smile. "It's glad to be back with the Rogues. Hasn't been enough panic, trouble and mayhem since I resigned. That's the problem these days-"
Gavin reverted back to pounding his head against the desk, but halted, thinking. "Wes, do you ever grow up?"
Wes paused his pounding, considering. "Why, no I don't suppose I do. I have noticed, however, that you have, and my goodness, is that gray hair I see, Colonel? Too bad for you that you don't have my movie-star looks, or my youthful energy, or my-"
Gavin covered his ears, and still banged his head against the desk.
"Say, how long of a salute is this, anyway?" questioned Janson.
Why did I say ok? Why did I let Wedge con me into this? This is going to be a long day… Gavin thought.
*~*~*~*~
ok, how was this chapter? r&r, thanks for feedback! (