Rancor Slam

Part 2

She heard a comm beep. She let the droid answer it. That was part of his job. She laid out of the ramp, allowing decorum to fall away for a few moments of comfort. She was suddenly glad Jan had brought Dec to her, even if he was annoying at times.

"It is Master Kir." The droid called her out of her revere. "He wants to know their squadron designation."

She stretched. "What's wrong with Red Squadron?"

The droid's head tilted to the side as her relayed her comment to Kir. "Wedge approves the name." She heard Kir's voice above her and toward her feet.

She opened her eyes and saw him there, standing at her feet. He leaned down and gave her a hand up.

He then wrapped her up in his powerful arms, crushing her against him. "But there's a feeling of…sadness, longing, in him when he hears it."

"Well, unless he asks you to change it, keep it. If he does ask, change your designation to Knight Squadron."

"Okay, boss." He smiled and kissed her cheek, flippantly.

"What are the shield trios?"

"Myself, Syn, and Nii are Flight one. I am Leader/One. Syn is Two. Nii is Three."

"Lio, Tyu and Des are Flight Two. Four, Five and Six respectively. Lio's their Flight Leader."

"I made Syc, Zat, and Nyc Flight Three, because of their bonds." He sighed and leaned against her. "I didn't like the Idea but it seemed best."

She nodded. "It is." Her voice was strange, but he knew that tone. She knew something about the future, but she never told him about her visions unless she had to or needed to tell someone for her own mental health, with out panicking the Padawans. So he didn't try to pry.

But she'd have to start telling him more if they were going to get close. But she knew that so, again, he didn't say anything, it would be too patronizing. "They are Seven, Eight and Nine, again, respectively. Zat's their Flight Leader."

"Last, Flight Four, is San, Weq, and Ber. Ten, Eleven, and Twelve respectively. Weq is their Flight leader."

"Good. The two young ones will be better off for Weq's experience."

"That's what I was thinking." He nuzzled her hair.

"What's with this?" she asked teasingly. "Why are you being so touchy-feelie all of a sudden? hmmm?"

"Dec congratulated me when he answered the call. I asked him what he was congratulating me for. He told me."

"I need to talk to Dec about running his security programs instead of his vocal synthesizers." She said, her voice stern but playful.

"When do you guys launch?" Her voice was soft, she didn't like that. She hated it when her voice gave away her thoughts. And Kir knew her well enough to interpret her voice when she wouldn't give him anything to interpret through the Force.

"Half an hour. I should be doing a few last minute order checks, but Lio's doing it for me."

"So that you could come hug me?"

"No, I was checking on Wan. But I ran into this real pretty roadblock."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she was laying right in the middle of the walk way."

"Hmmm. She got a name?"

"Yeah, but I didn't catch it. She ran off with that Jagged Fel character."

She elbowed him playfully. "Oh really?"

"Well…" he smiled, "no." He cleared his throat. "Any last orders?"

"Yeah." She turned in his hold. She grabbed his collar and made him come down to look in her eyes. "Come back alive. I don't want to marry Lio." She pushed away and ran quickly up the ramp.

"Marry?" He asked but the ramp was already closing. He smiled. Marry? So she wouldn't refuse an invitation to Marry?

"Kir," He looked back up and saw Cas, concern almost completely clouding her eyes. Her shoulders were trying to hunch in on her. She was playing with her fingers. She looked antsy, anxious and sad. "Tell Syc…and Nyc to be careful… 'kay?"

He nodded and turned away, speechless. What did that mean?

Kir entered the hangar with a small skip in his step, but His head was down. He was probably hiding a smile.

Syn and Nii looked at each other. The Masters had approved Kir the Sire heirs with Cas.

The Two, Cas and Kir, had been through so much. They deserved the happiness their union would bring.

Even if they hadn't figured out that their own happiness could come from this… joint venture.

But Cas had always been blind to the emotions others felt toward her. Well the good one's any way.

Kir? He was just that selfless.

They shared a small laugh. But secretly, each was glad they had a while to wait before coming of age.

You came of age on either your 17th birthday or the day you gain the title of Knight. Which ever happened last.

They didn't want Padawans or children having children, go figure. Besides you meet so many more Knights as a Knight.

The hangar was a-hum with activity.

Shuttles were taking off.

Squadrons were coming on line.

Droids and mechanics were running last minute repairs and disabling useless craft.

The Reds listened slightly pensively as they heard the Shameless get clearance for take off.

The Shameless carried Four Yuuzahn Vong, Four Padawans, a droid and their belongings. Cas and Quwil were flying.

No one was worried about Cas or Quwil. No, those two could take care of themselves. It was the Padawans that worried everyone. They were in the passenger cabin with four Yuuzahn Vong.

Cas was sure they would never hurt the young ones. But for everyone's state of mind she assigned them each a gunner's station. She trained them to use the weapons and put safety locks on the controls so that they couldn't fire on any thing electronic.

The Shameless would fly escort, keeping the evacuation route open.

Kir took a steadying breath. Cas would never let anything happen to those kids. She loved them like she would her own. He smirked, their own.

And Cas was one of those Knights that didn't mind doing really gruesome things when negotiations failed and it was all she could do to protect the innocent. He usually took a strange comfort in that, like he did now.

"Reds, Report status by number. Red One, four on line."

"Red Two, All systems go."

"Red Three…"

This mission wouldn't end soon enough.