He knocked on the door. He knocked again, more persistently. 'I know you
are in there!' he thought. He knocked again, and then a second thought hit
him. 'I have a master card!' He fumbled in a pocket of his jacket, before
retrieving a tiny silver card, and slashing it through the lock system. A
small light flickered red for a second, then switched to green. The door
slid open for him, and he stepped inside, glancing around the darkened
room. A smile played across his lips as he saw a figure huddled on the bed.
He stepped closer, looking down at the young man sleeping, when he noticed
something. He frowned, and his frowned deepened as he noticed a second
figure pressed up against the young man. 'Who in the- oh…' the man thought.
He felt slightly embarrassed at having walked in on them, and the room was
too dark for him to identify the young woman wrapped in Jag's arms, but he
had a good idea. 'And this would explain why he was so anxious to end our
conversation…' he thought, vaguely amused, and yet shocked and appalled at
the same time. He couldn't see well enough to identify the woman later on,
he knew that for sure, but he did note she had long, dark hair-'Maybe
brown? Or black, possibly? Well, I'll find out sooner or later…' He pressed
his lips into a tight line, and with a shake of his head, General Baron
Soontir Fel snuck out of the room as quickly and stealthily as he had come.
* * *
Jag cracked his emerald eyes open. Jaina's head was pillowed on his right arm, her hair fallen free of its tie, and her beauty stunned him for a second. Then he rememebred what woke him up. 'Which was what?' he thought, wondering. He couldn't see a thing in the darkness of his room, but he thought he'd heard his door swish close. He sat up slightly, gently pulling his arm out from under Jaina's head, trying not to wake her, and he looked around. 'Nothing. How odd.' He thought, and then he smiled broadly as Jaina snuggled closer to him again. He felt her stir, and start to wake up. She sat up, leaning against him. "What's up?"
Jag turned to face her. "Nothing. Just thinking." He looked down and his eyes widened. "What time is it?" he asked.
He could see the rounds of her eyes widen in horror. "I don't know." He gestured for the lights. The glowrods burned on with a bright intensity, and both Jaina and Jag closed their eyes against the light. Opening one eye cautiously, Jaina peered down at her wrist chrono. "Sithspit!" she exclaimed, hopping off the bed.
"What? What time is it?" asked Jag.
"I need to be at the hangar bay in 15 minutes for launch prep. We're probably almost ready to drop out of hyperspace." Jaina searched around for her missing ponytailer, and was unsuccessful, so she leaned over and gave Jag a peck on the cheek. "I'll talk to you later, ok?"
Jag nodded. "I'll see you at the docking bay."
Jaina smiled, and darted out the door.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Lieutenant Jaina Solo strode into the docking bay, her long brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, with her orange flight suit on and a helmet tucked beneath her left arm. She was surprised to note that everyone in Gemini Squadron was there, waiting for her arrival.
"Good morning, or, should I say, good afternoon, by Borleias' time?" she began, the pilots clustered around her.
"Good morning works just fine, Jaina." Said Lan Storm, stifling a yawn.
Jaina shot him a tight lipped smile, before continuing on. "General Antilles as asked if we would mind being placed on active duty upon arrival. That means we will be scouting, patrolling and fighting at the Pyria system for an extended amount of time. I consented to this, and the General has informed me we will be patrolling the Rivian III sector, in the western region of the system. We will arrive on Borleias, and will be given one standard day to freshen up and get acquainted with everyone, and then we will take a long loop out of the system. Anyone have any questions, or problems with this assignment?"
Everyone around her shook his or her head.
"Alright then, and may the Force be with us. Get to your X-wings, and if you haven't already started your preflights, get going, you are behind the group." She smiled, and the group split up, hustling to their XJ-wings. Jaina jogged over to her snubfighter, clambering up the ladder, and dropped into her cockpits. She spared a glance towards the more motley squadron that Jag was in command of, Flare Squadron, as she clipped the chin stap of her helmet. She noticed with a small smile that Jag and his group were all sitting, ready, and waiting to launch. She relaxed for a moment as her droid, Cappie, ran preflight diagnostics, and she listened to the familiar whine and hum of her four engines. She dialed up the squadron's frequency. "Gemini Leader to Gem Squadron. Report readiness by numbers. Gem Lead, four in the green and ready to go."
"Gem Two, standing by."
"Gem Three, ready and waiting."
"Gem Four, ready to dance."
"Gem Five, four lit and green."
"Gemini Six, all systems online."
"Gemini Seven, ready whenever you are, Leader."
"Gem Eight, systems at optimum."
"Gemini Nine, four at 100% and good to go."
"Gem Ten, ready as I'll ever be."
"Gemini Eleven, waiting for your call, Goddess."
"Gem Twelve, in the green and standing by."
That was everyone. Jaina allowed a small smile, this was her first time to Borleias in months. She opened her mouth to say something, but the stars unstreaked outside the magcon shield, and she switched her command. "Gems, my mark, we launch. Three, two, one, mark!" Jaina's X-wing rose smoothly off the docking bay floor, and she nudged it forward so it skimmed along the bay, accelerating at a steady pace, until she reached the shield, when she gunner her thrusters and burst out into open space. Her comm unit crackled to life. "Welcome to Borleias, Chiss fighter convoy." The communications officer rattled off a bunch of coordinates for the fleet to go to, and Jaina saw a small blip ascending through the upper atmospheres of Borleias, 'Must be a shuttle either with Iella's Intel people on it, or, a shuttle to take Chiss planetside.'
Her comm unit crackled again. "Squadron escorts, please report to base for debriefings. Repeat, return to base for debriefings. Welcome home."
Jaina keyed her comm unit. "Thank you, Control. Nice to be back. As always."
She noticed Jag's fighter group mirroring their descent into the atmosphere, and Jaina smiled. "Geminis, I know we've never done this before, but most of you should know it anyway. Separate into parade formation Three Diamonds."
She grinned as the separate flights broke up, and formed three diamonds, One Flight leading the pack; Jaina in front, Two and Three behind her, and Four right behind them, with Flights Two and Three back and off to starboard and port sides, similarly shaped. She watched her sensor screens, and saw Jag's group maneuvering into an odd shaped formation, but still impressive. Jaina smiled, and inverted her fighter, with the rest of her diamond following her in a tight downward spiral, Two and Three Flights mirroring them, and they pulled up at the last second to skim, full throttle, along the treetops, racing towards the base. She pulled back on the stick, nosing her fighter up into the air in a wide, steep circle, to loop around and re-invert her snubfighter in time to kick in the repulsors and land on the docking grid. She killed her forward motion as she pointed nose to the ground, and leveled out, kicking in repulsorlifts and hovering above the land. She reached up with a gloved left hand, flipping switches, and slowly sinking towards the cleared jungle floor. She noticed with a smile one lone officer standing there, watching the squadrons. She set her fighter down gently, and as her canopy rose, Jaina tugged off her gloves, and tossed her helmet onto her seat. Springing out her cockpit, she leapt to the ground, landing in front of Colonel Tycho Celchu. She snapped a salute, and Colonel Celchu returned it, a smile spreading across his face. "Good to see you again, Lieutenant Solo."
"Good to see you too, Colonel." She replied, turning around to watch the rest of her squadron walk over towards them. Jag's squadron had landed as well, and was making their way over towards Celchu and Jaina. Jaina nodded at her bunch of Jedi, who saluted Tycho, and shot a quick smile at Jag.
Tycho cleared his throat. "Gentlebeings, if you would please make you way over to briefing room, and we'll start debriefings, and get you your bunks and new assignments, and caf. Lots of it."
"Caf and new bunks sound awfully good right now, Colonel." Said Jaina. "Lead the way."
* * *
sorry about the long wait, guys! Hope it's been worth the wait! :D more very very soon!
* * *
Jag cracked his emerald eyes open. Jaina's head was pillowed on his right arm, her hair fallen free of its tie, and her beauty stunned him for a second. Then he rememebred what woke him up. 'Which was what?' he thought, wondering. He couldn't see a thing in the darkness of his room, but he thought he'd heard his door swish close. He sat up slightly, gently pulling his arm out from under Jaina's head, trying not to wake her, and he looked around. 'Nothing. How odd.' He thought, and then he smiled broadly as Jaina snuggled closer to him again. He felt her stir, and start to wake up. She sat up, leaning against him. "What's up?"
Jag turned to face her. "Nothing. Just thinking." He looked down and his eyes widened. "What time is it?" he asked.
He could see the rounds of her eyes widen in horror. "I don't know." He gestured for the lights. The glowrods burned on with a bright intensity, and both Jaina and Jag closed their eyes against the light. Opening one eye cautiously, Jaina peered down at her wrist chrono. "Sithspit!" she exclaimed, hopping off the bed.
"What? What time is it?" asked Jag.
"I need to be at the hangar bay in 15 minutes for launch prep. We're probably almost ready to drop out of hyperspace." Jaina searched around for her missing ponytailer, and was unsuccessful, so she leaned over and gave Jag a peck on the cheek. "I'll talk to you later, ok?"
Jag nodded. "I'll see you at the docking bay."
Jaina smiled, and darted out the door.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Lieutenant Jaina Solo strode into the docking bay, her long brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, with her orange flight suit on and a helmet tucked beneath her left arm. She was surprised to note that everyone in Gemini Squadron was there, waiting for her arrival.
"Good morning, or, should I say, good afternoon, by Borleias' time?" she began, the pilots clustered around her.
"Good morning works just fine, Jaina." Said Lan Storm, stifling a yawn.
Jaina shot him a tight lipped smile, before continuing on. "General Antilles as asked if we would mind being placed on active duty upon arrival. That means we will be scouting, patrolling and fighting at the Pyria system for an extended amount of time. I consented to this, and the General has informed me we will be patrolling the Rivian III sector, in the western region of the system. We will arrive on Borleias, and will be given one standard day to freshen up and get acquainted with everyone, and then we will take a long loop out of the system. Anyone have any questions, or problems with this assignment?"
Everyone around her shook his or her head.
"Alright then, and may the Force be with us. Get to your X-wings, and if you haven't already started your preflights, get going, you are behind the group." She smiled, and the group split up, hustling to their XJ-wings. Jaina jogged over to her snubfighter, clambering up the ladder, and dropped into her cockpits. She spared a glance towards the more motley squadron that Jag was in command of, Flare Squadron, as she clipped the chin stap of her helmet. She noticed with a small smile that Jag and his group were all sitting, ready, and waiting to launch. She relaxed for a moment as her droid, Cappie, ran preflight diagnostics, and she listened to the familiar whine and hum of her four engines. She dialed up the squadron's frequency. "Gemini Leader to Gem Squadron. Report readiness by numbers. Gem Lead, four in the green and ready to go."
"Gem Two, standing by."
"Gem Three, ready and waiting."
"Gem Four, ready to dance."
"Gem Five, four lit and green."
"Gemini Six, all systems online."
"Gemini Seven, ready whenever you are, Leader."
"Gem Eight, systems at optimum."
"Gemini Nine, four at 100% and good to go."
"Gem Ten, ready as I'll ever be."
"Gemini Eleven, waiting for your call, Goddess."
"Gem Twelve, in the green and standing by."
That was everyone. Jaina allowed a small smile, this was her first time to Borleias in months. She opened her mouth to say something, but the stars unstreaked outside the magcon shield, and she switched her command. "Gems, my mark, we launch. Three, two, one, mark!" Jaina's X-wing rose smoothly off the docking bay floor, and she nudged it forward so it skimmed along the bay, accelerating at a steady pace, until she reached the shield, when she gunner her thrusters and burst out into open space. Her comm unit crackled to life. "Welcome to Borleias, Chiss fighter convoy." The communications officer rattled off a bunch of coordinates for the fleet to go to, and Jaina saw a small blip ascending through the upper atmospheres of Borleias, 'Must be a shuttle either with Iella's Intel people on it, or, a shuttle to take Chiss planetside.'
Her comm unit crackled again. "Squadron escorts, please report to base for debriefings. Repeat, return to base for debriefings. Welcome home."
Jaina keyed her comm unit. "Thank you, Control. Nice to be back. As always."
She noticed Jag's fighter group mirroring their descent into the atmosphere, and Jaina smiled. "Geminis, I know we've never done this before, but most of you should know it anyway. Separate into parade formation Three Diamonds."
She grinned as the separate flights broke up, and formed three diamonds, One Flight leading the pack; Jaina in front, Two and Three behind her, and Four right behind them, with Flights Two and Three back and off to starboard and port sides, similarly shaped. She watched her sensor screens, and saw Jag's group maneuvering into an odd shaped formation, but still impressive. Jaina smiled, and inverted her fighter, with the rest of her diamond following her in a tight downward spiral, Two and Three Flights mirroring them, and they pulled up at the last second to skim, full throttle, along the treetops, racing towards the base. She pulled back on the stick, nosing her fighter up into the air in a wide, steep circle, to loop around and re-invert her snubfighter in time to kick in the repulsors and land on the docking grid. She killed her forward motion as she pointed nose to the ground, and leveled out, kicking in repulsorlifts and hovering above the land. She reached up with a gloved left hand, flipping switches, and slowly sinking towards the cleared jungle floor. She noticed with a smile one lone officer standing there, watching the squadrons. She set her fighter down gently, and as her canopy rose, Jaina tugged off her gloves, and tossed her helmet onto her seat. Springing out her cockpit, she leapt to the ground, landing in front of Colonel Tycho Celchu. She snapped a salute, and Colonel Celchu returned it, a smile spreading across his face. "Good to see you again, Lieutenant Solo."
"Good to see you too, Colonel." She replied, turning around to watch the rest of her squadron walk over towards them. Jag's squadron had landed as well, and was making their way over towards Celchu and Jaina. Jaina nodded at her bunch of Jedi, who saluted Tycho, and shot a quick smile at Jag.
Tycho cleared his throat. "Gentlebeings, if you would please make you way over to briefing room, and we'll start debriefings, and get you your bunks and new assignments, and caf. Lots of it."
"Caf and new bunks sound awfully good right now, Colonel." Said Jaina. "Lead the way."
* * *
sorry about the long wait, guys! Hope it's been worth the wait! :D more very very soon!