Chapter Four

Four hours later, Aerick opened his eyes. It was painful. Very, very painful. He gasped in pain, then groaned as he felt the onset of a crushing headache.

"Aerick?" It was Crystal! He turned his head, gazing at his Executive Officer. For some reason, she was even more stunning than usual. Instead of her usual flightsuit, she wore a green, satin dress that terminated midway up her thigh. She had on a pair of black, thigh-high, silk stockings that were being held up by a band of black lace lining the top. As she un-crossed her legs to stand up, Aerick saw that her stockings were being held up by a black, lace garter belt and also caught a flash of white from her panties. He immediately shook his head to clear it. It didn't help. As she stood, the front of her dress was pulled away from her skin. His gaze fell to the separation between the dress and her skin. Her ample, round breasts drooped as she leaned forward, pulled down by gravity. He saw the black bra that was holding her large breasts in place. His eyes grew wide. That is your XO you're ogling! Snap out of it! He berated himself.

"Water…" He gasped as he felt the desert that his mouth had become. "Need… water…"

Crystal knelt down beside Aerick's bed, pouring him a glass of water from a decanter that was resting on a shelf next to him. He reached out and ran his hand through her hair. "You dyed your hair," he observed, examining the long, reddish-blonde plait of hair he held.

"Yeah. Blonde was getting boring," she said, handing him the glass and watching him knock it back. He coughed as the cold water hit his throat.

"I like it," he managed through his coughing fit. "Where am I?"

"You're on the Medical Frigate Redemption. The squadron has been reassigned here while you're laid up."

Aerick's eyes widened. "Part of General Solo's fleet?"

"Yeah," She patted his hand. "I don't know if you remember, but I was in here yesterday."

"It was you." Again, his eyes widened in surprise. "I thought I was hallucinating."

"I…" Her voice faltered as tears clouded her vision. "I wanted to thank you. For not letting me quit and for lending me your strength." She tried to blink away the tears, but that just caused them to roll down her cheeks. Aerick pressed his hand against her cheek, catching her tears on his fingers.

"Crystal, you saved my life. I can never repay you for that." He was surprised by her response. Her mouth quivered for a second, then she buried her face into his chest and started bawling. Aerick ran his hand through her hair as she cried. He wrapped his arm around her, patting her on the back.

Aerick looked up when he heard the door swish open. An FX droid was preparing to perform routine medical maintenance. Aerick waved his hand and the droid left without objection, surprisingly. The swish of the door seemed to bring Crystal back to the present. She pulled herself together, lifting her head and looking into Aerick's eyes.

"Feel a little better, now?" Aerick asked.

"You're wrong," She sniffed. "You don't owe me anything."

"But you…"

"Please, just listen," Crystal interjected, blowing her nose. She wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat. "While you're right that I saved your life, without you, I would've died twice. If not from the initial collapse, then from the secondary collapse that occurred when I blacked out. If you hadn't interposed yourself, that first chunk of duracrete would've broken my back and the second chunk would've crushed my skull.

"Without your support, I don't know what would've happened. And I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for not letting me quit. Thank you for saving my life. And thank you…thank you for believing in me when I wouldn't."

"Crystal, you're a wonderful officer and, from what your previous commanders have written, a joy to work with. On top of that, you're a compassionate person. If you weren't, I wouldn't be here. I'm glad you were there, and, if I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing. Even knowing that I was injured.

"I can't say enough about what you've done. I certainly can't thank you enough."

"That makes two of us," Crystal agreed.

"We haven't known each other for that long. But you've already had a big impact on my life."

"I see you're the master of understatement," Crystal said, smiling.

"I'm trying to be serious!" Aerick laughed, gently striking her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Let me be straight. I want to get to know you better. So, I'm going to buy you dinner. And I won't take no for an answer."

"Looks like I have no choice but to accept," Crystal said, her smile even bigger than before. "And besides, you already owe me dinner."

"How do you figure?"

"Isn't that why we were at that transfer station in the first place?"

"Good point." Aerick tried sitting up, then felt a stab of pain at the small of his back.  He cried out in pain and lay back down, feeling the pain subside.

"You should be more careful. You really did a number on your back. Got a concussion, too, from what I understand." Crystal brushed her hand across his forehead. "Nasty bruise."

"I just hope I'm able to re-qualify."

"You will. You've got another bacta dunk coming up later. Two more of those and you'll be ready to kick some butt."

"I hope so. While I'm out, make sure the troops get some major sim time."

"Of course!" Crystal kissed him on the forehead and left.

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Lieutenant Commander Krinuv'ani sat down at the bar in the pilot's lounge and ordered a lomin-ale. Her lekku were draped around her neck, reflecting the orange and blue light of a neon sign advertising a Coruscant drinking establishment. She had a slender, lithe figure that betrayed her physical strength. Her penetrating red eyes were menacing, but soft. She partially lifted her mug in a silent toast to her fallen comrades, and took a long pull. Lieutenant Dojan Reas sidled up to the bar next to Krinuv'ani.

"I'll have a lum." Reas called to the bartender. He looked over at his wingmate. "Can I get you anything while I'm at it?"

"No." She stood and prepared to walk away. "I have a sim run in five."

"I just don't see the point in all this sim work."

"What? Are you kidding?"

"No, I just don't get it. We know what we're doing. We serve under the greatest commander in the fleet. I just don't get it."

"How did you ever get here?" Krinu practically screamed. "You're ignorant! I just don't understand how you actually graduated from the Academy!"

"How dare you!" Dojan yelled. "I have just as much a right to be here as you do!"

"Then why are you questioning all the sim work we do?"

"Because it's unnecessary!"

Krinu kicked the stood out from under her, rising to her full height. "You just don't get it, do you? If you don't like being here, then get out! Drag your pathetic carcass into the CO's office and resign!"

"Why should I?" Dojan asked, pulling himself off his bar stool. He was surprised to note that Krinu was a head taller than he was. "I don't know who you think you are, but you are NOT my Commanding Officer!"

"Maybe not, but I AM the XO," Crystal's voice bellowed over the crowd of onlookers. She squeezed through the crowd and placed herself in between Krinu and Dojan. "Now, what in all the hells of the Sith is going on here?" There was a flurry of words as the two verbal combatants laid down their versions of the story. "Shut up! Both of you! You're both confined to your quarters until further notice!"

"But I have a sim run in two minutes!" Krinu whined.

"Then report to the simulators. As soon as you are finished, you will remain in your quarters until your next sim run. Now, Lieutenant Reas, you are to report to my office in two hours. At that time, you will explain to me what happened here and why I shouldn't kick your sorry tail out of this outfit."

"But…"

"DISMISSED!" Crystal bellowed. "And the rest of you. This isn't a circus! Now, break it up!" As the crowd dispersed, Crystal sat down at the bar and ordered a mug of lomin-ale.

"How's the Captain doing, ma'am?" A voice asked from beside her. Crystal turned and saw Flight Officer Kyrn nursing a lum next to her.

"Please, when we're off duty, call me Crystal."

"Of course, I keep forgetting that you prefer a little familiarity."

"That's right, Gaern. And, to answer your question, he's doing fine. He should be out in seventeen hours."

"Assuming he just went in for a swim, and we normally dunk for eight hours or so. Two more bacta dunks for him, eh?"

"How did you know that?"

"My father was a doctor. He taught me all the tricks. When Captain Needa interviewed us, he said that he was glad to have a practicing doc on the payroll."

"You mean?"

"Yup, Not only a pilot, but also a doc. I honestly thought you knew that."

"No. I didn't. Do you have your certification?"

"No. I had just graduated from secondary school when I decided to join up on my 18th birthday.

"That's incredible. And, what are you going to do after you've served your term?"

"Go back to med school, I guess."

"Why didn't you do that at the Academy?"

"It was either med school or pilot training. I chose the latter."

"Obviously. And do you regret choosing what you did?"

"No. I'm content with this choice. After all, someone has to do what we do. And, if I can protect someone else by taking this job, it makes me feel good."

"I know what you mean." Crystal sipped at her drink and sighed.

"I heard about what happened with you and the Captain," Gaern commented. "You saved his life, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Crystal sniffed. "But, he saved mine too. I'll never forget that."

"I'd love to hear more about this, Crystal. But, I have a sim run coming up."

"Yeah, me too. C'mon. Let's get going." As the pair walked towards the door to the lounge, the ship was rocked by a nearby explosion. Every person in the lounge was either bounced out of their seat or knocked to the floor. Crystal and Gaern stood, then were knocked to the floor again as the ship undulated with a second explosion.

A voice started squawking over the intercom. "All pilots, report to your ships! All pilots, report to your ships! Gunnery crews, to your stations! This is not, repeat, NOT a drill!" Crystal and Gaern rose to their feet and started running towards the docking bay.