Star Wars

RI 2000-2002

Disclaimer: I own only this fic

Notes: I slapped this together because I wasn't happy with the place Rebel Stand left off. I won't be happy until Traitor comes out. And then only for the two hours it takes to read it.

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Poluga II was a small stormy world, largely uninhabited except for the half meter, barely sentient bird-like creatures that preyed on non-sentient crawlbugs. From the view port of the Star Destroyer Mon Mothma, it was a swirling sphere of bruised blue-grey.

Wedge Antilles sat in the center of a semi circle of chairs occupied by members of his Inner Circle. "The plan," he said, "is to make repairs here using what we can, then rendezvous with Admiral Kre'fey's fleet."

Gavin Darklighter of the Rogues raised his hand. "Rendezvous temporarily or for a long stretch?"

"Undecided. We're going to see where the rest of military stands and get updates on Vong activities since we took Borleias."

Wedge's second-in-command, Tycho Celchu, posed a second question. "Do you intend to recruit Kre'fey for the Inner Circle?"

Wedge hesitated. It would be advantageous to have Ke'frey on board, but did he trust the admiral enough? The thought of his daughters in the admiral's hands, or any of his friends' children, confirmed it. "Not at this time. Perhaps later, when I'm more certain of him."

Nods of agreement around the crescent reassured him, especially Luke's. Wedge trusted his old friend implicitly, and though blind to the Force himself, he trusted the aging Jedi's intuitions. " So, no arguments? Good. Now, since Tycho brought this matter up, we'll continue it. I'll have a larger Insider meeting later, but I'll tell you this now: start thinking about anyone you know in Admiral Kre'fey's fleet that can be trusted and might be in a position to help us set up Rebel cells. Commandos, ground crew, techs, search and rescue teams, ground-based pilots or officers--anyone that can mingle with a wide assortment of people in a variety of places without seeming out of the ordinary. The sneakier the better. Also, be thinking about the next planets to be infiltrating. " Wedge looked to the large Gammorean to his left. Piggy was not so much sitting in his chair as slouching in it, appropriately nonchalant. The Wraith pilot caught his gaze. "Yes, General?"

"How are your goddess sessions with Jaina coming along?"

Piggy sat up straight, also appropriately professional. "Very well. She learns quickly and contributes quite a bit. Her ideas aren't always viable, but they are interesting. Sharr and I have hammered out a number of ingenious conceptions based on her ideas."

Wedge sensed that the Gammorean had more to say. He would speak to him privately. "All right, anything else? No? Military, get back to your posts. Start inventory. Gavin, Piggy; you stay."

When everyone else had left and Tycho had shut the door to the small conference room, Wedge turned first to Gavin. "I've got a few candidates for you. Some want out of the units they're in now, and some are the units. Tycho has all the files."

Gavin nodded, sobered at the reminder of how many Rogue Squadron had lost. "Thank you sir. If that's all?"

"That's all, *sir.*"

Faint color suffused Gavin's cheeks. He had been completely mortified to realize after the battle that 'Blackmoon Eleven' was Wedge and Wedge was having a marvelous time of using it at any opportunity. He waved the fidgeting Colonel off and turned to Piggy. "There was something you weren't saying at the meeting."

Piggy blinked his large eyes as if considering his words carefully. "I do not like to intrude upon personal business, but I feel it necessary in this case. You are aware of the Goddess's relationship to your nephew?"

Wedge nodded. Piggy continued, "I fear that it may endanger our efforts at psychological warfare. They are very discreet, but others will notice soon."

"Soon." Wedge frowned. "How many know now?"

"Very few. You and I, Kyp Durron, of course, and Colonel Celchu. Her parents, maybe. Possibly Mara Jade Skywalker."

That makes sense, she was Jaina's mentor," Wedge said. "But that's it? They're a lot better at this than I ever was."

"Most have come to think of Kyp Durron and Jag Fel as Jaina's own private inner court. They do not think it unusual that she would have her manservant and her wingman with her. Or just her wingman. But Kyp Durron attracts less attention than Jag."

Wedge's forehead creased. "I can see that having a relationship to an unknown pilot might hurt this, but royalty often take commoner consorts."

'True enough, but when those commoner consorts are kidnapped or killed as a way to get to the Royalty, their death is meaningless to the royal they pleasured. If a Yuuzhan Vong or an agent decide to use such method to get to the Goddess, they will instantly know he is not a simple diversion to her." Piggy remained still as Wedge started to pace. "Our goddess cannot have weaknesses."

"She's human piggy. Flesh and blood and a Jedi. She's going to have weaknesses."

"They must think otherwise."

"What do you propose?" Wedge made an effort to banish the rising frustration in him. "Forbid their relationship? Isolate her further? Take away everything she cares about and order her to feel nothing?"

"That would be the most effective solution, but not the wisest. I have not found a viable solution yet. I merely wanted to make you aware of this problem."

"Thank you. Piggy? Don't say anything to her about this just yet. Advise her to exercise extreme discretion, but don't voice any concerns to her yet. Someone may accuse me of sentimentality, but she is my hold daughter and her mental and emotional welfare is as important to me as her physical care. The same for my nephew. They make each other happy; I'm not going to vape that just yet."

"Yes sir."

Wedge sat back down once Piggy was gone, bone weary and wishing for an interruption so he wouldn't have to face his desk just yet. A moment later the conference room door opened and he got his wish. And it was better than he wished for.

Iella strode up with a secretive half smile on her face and leaned down to kiss him soundly. Wedge wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down into his lap. "You're looking especially beautiful."

"Wedge." Iella blushed prettily and pushed at him until he loosened his hold enough for her to find a more comfortable position. She gave him another gentle kiss. "How are you doing?"

Wedge sighed. "Ask me later. What are you doing here?"

"Spending some quality seconds with my husband. I waited outside the conference room until you were done with Piggy."

"Mm. Not stealthy, but it worked."

"Apparently."

Wedge stroked his wife's back beneath her short jacket and buried his face in the curve of her neck. He felt her hands working the front of his uniform. "Iella…"

"Shhhh." She silenced him with another kiss and slid her fingers inside his tunic. More clasps came undone. Wedge's breath and heart changed pace. He shivered slightly as her exploring touch easily found many sensitive spots. He pressed a kiss to the underside of her jaw, tracing a sensuous path to her neck with many small kisses and licks.

Iella tugged his over tunic off, leaving him in the bland grey shirt that he wore beneath. She saw the conflict on Wedge's face and smirked slyly. "Don't worry about the door. Whistler scrambled the lock. It can't be opened until I give him the signal to shut the program down." Iella took out her comlink and placed it in the pocket of Wedge's discarded tunic. Then she took Wedge's comlink and shut it off. "Tycho has also been made aware that you'll be unreachable for an hour or so."

"I love having a wife who can plan ahead."

"There are many more reasons you love me."

Wedge's breath hitched. "Yes, I remember now," he rasped. "Are you sure about the door?"

"Positive. The only droid on this ship capable of opening that door besides Whistler is Artoo. And he's not going to."

"Why do you say that?"

Iella brushed her hair from her face and grinned wickedly. "Where do you think Luke and Mara found the time to have Ben?"

Wedge blinked. "A side room with a droid-scrambled lock?"

Iella made a noise like a correct answer chime.

No more intelligent words passed between them.

* * *

Corran Horn was walking with Luke, with Artoo trailing behind, when they passed the conference room the Insiders had occupied earlier. Whistler was stationed beside the door, interfaced with the controls. The droid whistled happily at Corran.

The Corellian Jedi frowned at his astromech. "What are doing?"

Whistler *ooohed*. Artoo rolled up and the two droids exchanged chirps and hoots. Artoo made a sound that mimicked human laughter in electronic tweets.

Luke looked around as if appraising the doorframe, then raised his eyebrows. "Is that the gamma twenty-one program, Whistler?"

The green astromech hooted an affirmative.

Mystified, Corran looked at both his droid and his master, who was struggling mightily to keep a straight face. He failed and grinned uncontrollably. "What?" Corran demanded.

Luke shook his head. "I'll explain later. Let's go now."

"But…nevermind. I don't want to know." Corran allowed Luke to lead him away, casting one dark glare back at his droid. Whistler twittered cheerfully.

Around the corner, Face was also struggling not to laugh, but for different reasons entirely. "Do it," he whispered to his astromech. Vape extended his computer interface and plugged in.

"What do you think? Open the door?"

"No," Kell Tainer said. He saw crouched in the shadows, perfectly motionless. His handsome face was still but his eyes glittered.

"Come on. Think about it. We could get holocams, broadcast a good picture of the commander's bare--"

"No," Kell repeated.

"Up to something shady?"

Both men spun to see Wes Janson in the hallway behind them. The merry pilot was grinning.

"We're just uh… checking out the thing…"

"Yes, always good to check out the thing," Wes said. He crouched close to Vape and peered at the mini monitor next to the outlet. "Does Wedge know that Vape has this program?"

Face snorted. "Do you think I would still be in custody of my droid if he did?"

Janson's grin grew. "What are you planning on doing with it?"

"Well, I wanted to open the door--"

"Iella will kill you," Wes said.

"That's what I said."

"Did not," Face retorted. "You said 'no.' "

"You were supposed to understand that meant, ' Iella will kill you.'

"I'm not that smart."

Wes interjected, "I've been telling you that for years…"

"Besides, Iella already hates me. I'm not going to make her any madder."

"True enough, and she *is* our superior officer."

Both Wraiths looked to Wes. The youthful pilot looked thoughtful for a moment before the wicked glee returned. "Lock them in."

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Coming soon: the next installment of this story. Jaina scrounges up some time to spend with Jag.