Fyvve awoke at an appropriately early hour to find her new roommate dressed, coifed, and examining the placement of her belongings. She blinked groggily at the perky woman and patted down her typical case of bed-fur. The memory of the woman's induction into the Sabres - admittedly without a proper introduction to the squadron as a whole - guiding her to their now mutual quarters, and of chatting idly with her before falling prey to the day's exhaustion quickly returned to Fyvve.

However, this did not fully explain why the woman, Hurana Denalt, was now boxing her as hands in mimicry of a camera to suggest the positioning of her Rage Against the Makaneek poster on the porthole vis a vis the door.

"That would really look best on the closet."

Hurana pivoted on her be-socked heel, grinning, "You're awake! May I? That's really more toward your half."

Fyvve swung herself upright, planting her feet on the cold floor, "I am, indeed, and I'm certainly already sharing the inside of the closet."

Hurana's grin widened and she nodded. As she removed the poster from the porthole, Fyvve stretched. Her muscles awakened, she crowded in next to Hurana, who was re-hanging the poster, and retrieved a fresh uniform from the closet. Then she adjourned herself to the 'fresher.

Once bathed and dressed, she regarded herself in the mirror. Random shuffling sounds from her quarters penetrated the door. She watched as her fur rippled in irritation.
Picking up her brush, Fyvve girded herself.

"So you like Naboo protest music?" she called through the door.

The clatter stopped. "Huh? Oh yeah, Makaneek. Actually, I may be an oddball on them, but I appreciate their spirit more than their music."

Fyvve tugged at a nasty snarl in her mane. "Really? I never had much opportunity to hear them."

A muffled chuckle sounded from the quarter's side of the door. "True. I never did hear of them touring on Bothawui."

Fyvve glared at her reflection and threw down the brush in surrender. Straightening her uniform one last time, she keyed the door. Hurana was sitting cross-legged, with her back resting against the closet facing the 'fresher door.

Tilting her head up to meet Fyvve's eyes, Hurana added, "You have a slight home world accent."

Fyvve nodded approvingly, "Very good. I grew up in the capital city, in fact."

There was a long moment of silence. Feeling the conversation floundering, Hurana reached for the original thread, "So how'd you hear about Makaneek?"

"Savann. She's Naboo and she always finds a reason to get her disks into the lounge music system. The Commander puts up with it for some reason. You should see Emitai's face --" Fyvve broke off.

"Why? Where's Emitai from?"

Fyvve smiled to herself, "I'm starting to see the Commander's wisdom in refusing to introduce you to people who aren't present." Hurana looked at her questioningly. "It'll be easier for you to get to know them if they aren't abstractions and are instead staring you in the face, cruelly scrutinizing your every mannerism."

Fyvve pulled Hurana to her feet, "They should be at breakfast about now, come on."

Hurana swallowed anxiously, "Right."

The commissary was several decks up, placed reasonably far from the bridge to ensure the dining safety of the officers, but close enough that a post-meal dash to one's post would not be too strenuous. It was a blocky, utilitarian space whose primary virtue was the vast bank of transparisteel windows lining the port side.

As Fyvve and Hurana entered, they were afforded a spectacular view of a nearby sun flaring in eclipse behind a gas giant. The nearly insignificant slivers that composed the three other ships in their battle group glinted in the white-orange haze.

Fyvve smiled tightly to herself as she spotted the full array of Sabres situated at their regular table. The purpose of introducing Hurana to everyone would have been somewhat defeated if they had chosen uncharacteristically to miss breakfast. If only one thing could be counted on, it was that where there was food, there were Sabres.

A pair of seats had been saved for them, at the corner and end of the table. Fyvve took the corner seat as both Elenia and Emitai happily waved Hurana to the end chair – she plonked down next Tellan, squeezing into the now-tight space. Tellan watched as she did so, before turning to look uneasily at the gathered pilots. His roommate had clearly 'prepped' him.

"Shouldn't we wait for the Commander?" he asked.

Emitai pretended to think, "Maybe we should. You don't think he could be in -- "

"The hanger," chorused the pilots back on his cue.

Elenia, dark hair swaying, stood, "Since Lead isn't here, I suppose it falls to the next highest ranking officer to proceed. However, since none of us like him -- " The squadron hissed in support while Mully threw bits of breakfast, with precision and dignity, at them all. Elenia gestured graciously to herself as she continued, " -- then I will take on the burden of introducing the newbies."

She cleared her throat, "Now, you two have already unofficially met a few of us, so I suppose I should put some names to faces. I am Ensign Elenia Tuppins – Three. Quite possibly the only Core civilized one of our group.

"Our illustrious card players from last night, and seemingly every night, are the noble Lieutenants Mully Averro and Fyvve Kal'aya and my darling partner in crime, Lieutenant Emitai Antilles."

Emitai brushed a lock of dark hair from his face, "No relation."

"To whom?" asked Tellan.

"To anyone you know. If we're going to get through this, we can't have any more comments, children," Elenia chided. "Where was I? Card players, right!" She suddenly snapped her fingers at Tellan, "You may want to note that Mully is Five and Fyvve is Nine. Moving on, to the last of those who deigned to join us last night, we come to Four - Lieutenant Keir Neno - my favorite Duro ever."

"You just love me for my body," replied Keir, around a mouthful of rubbery eggs.

"It's true." She waved her hand carelessly at the sandy haired Illazar. "Lieutenant Illazar Dunixi, Seven, was also there, but he was somewhat less conscious than the rest of us, so you probably did not notice. So that leaves those few cards that you did not meet last night."

"May I?" asked Savann, her thickly accented voice wrapped musically around the words. Elenia looked slightly put out as she sat down. Savann herself remained seated, but commanded attention nonetheless.

"My name is Lieutenant Savann Kadru, Ten. It is unfortunate that I was out last night, I would have been glad to greet you both properly." She lifted a delicate hand toward Darius and Raaf, seated across from her, "I am sure that both Ensigns Darius Bes and Raaf Jagur agree with me."

Darius winked toward Hurana, "Of course. By the way, I'm Eleven."

"And I'm Twelve," chimed in Raaf. "Although, it occurs to me that I would have an easier time greeting you both if I actually knew your names."

Savann raised a merry eyebrow in Elenia's direction, "Yes, it seems that in your eagerness you quite forgot to introduce them to us."


Elenia drew herself up with much aplomb, "I didn't forget, I was just saving the best for last. The newest additions to our family are -- " She broke off, turning to stare at Hurana and Tellan, "It now occurs to me that I don't know your names either."

Fyvve sighed.

Mully took the moment to retrieve what was rightly his duty. Additionally, as Tellan's roommate he was actually capable of executing it. He quickly did so, with almost prototypical blandness and efficiency. After the requisite teasing of his manner, the group quickly fell into discussion. Savann's new boyfriend was just the most adorable bridge officer; Raaf had dreamed an entirely new language and tried to replicate the writing with sauce on the table; Lead was doing what to the squadron Aethersprites?

₪₪₪

Anakin Skywalker arrived into the briefing only marginally late, with small grease spots on his cuffs. The room was the disorienting, windowless, boxy sort that could have been on any level of any ship. For that matter, it could have been on Coruscant. The plainness was supposed to allow them to give greater focus to battle strategy and understanding their orders. It made Anakin feel like he was in a conspiracy.

The entire command structure of the battle group was strung around an oblong table. Admiral Channa stood at the end, leaning his hands on the table. His eyes were fixed on the holographic maps and battle plans that flickered before him. Obi-Wan, in an adjacent seat, examined the holos thoughtfully.

Anakin took his seat farther down, next to the Commander of Stave Squadron.

Admiral Channa cleared his throat, tapping his data pad to direct the holoprojector centered on the table to angle the holo-maps vertically, rather than in front of him. As thin spikes of light reshaped before them, casting their faces into hollows of blue and orange glow, the Admiral began.

"This is Haluki 5 – one of the Separatists' primary sources of cubirian ore. Without these mines, the Separatists will lose twenty percent of their durasteel supply. They will be forced to rely on their less productive mines on systems outlying their territories. As a result, their foundries and shipyards will slow production."

"Or they could turn to Af-El; they've made no pledge to the Republic," contradicted Obi-Wan.

Captain Sellis of the Endurance responded, "They could. And they could also pay the Af-El's exorbitant prices for meleenium."

"And while we cannot trust that their greed will undo them," resumed the Admiral, "if the Separatists negotiate with Af-El to no effect on the pricing, a rift may be sown between the Mining Guild and the other members. And, ignoring hypotheticals, this attack is aimed at the Mining Guild. After we have taken Haluki, the matter of Af-El may never even occur if the Guild decides to cut its losses."

He tapped on his datapad. The holomap refocused, homing in on the sketched lines of topography and townships to display a unit in the northwestern quadrant.

"Data analyzed from Sabre Squadron's recent reconnaissance of Haluki 5 has given us this representation of their operation. As you can see, the mine is heavily guarded by Separatist droids and soldiers. Additionally, the local militia base intended to protect the mine," the outline of the base flashed white, "has been co-opted by Separatist forces. To take the cubirian mine, we will need to take both the base and the mine so that we do not face ground based reprisals."

There was a long pause. Officers watched the holomap, as if waiting for it to play out their victory; read the data, more extensive and far less positive, stored in their data pads; Anakin watched the Admiral, trying not to touch the Force.

"To this end, we will arrive in-system, 400,000km from Haluki 5, at 1700 hours. We will approach quickly, deploying fighters at 200,000km. Captains," he met their eyes individually, "you will deliver the clone troops to the planet, hover at the highlighted position 8km from the targets."

The four captains tensed slightly. Anakin subdued his satisfaction; capital ships saw little fighting.

"The fighter squadrons will provide additional cover and aerial support as you deploy and then they will return to high orbit to clear the weapons platforms."

Anakin frowned, "That leaves the infantry unguarded."

The Admiral shook his head, "Those platforms are a greater threat than any fighters Haluki may have, of which there is little evidence."

The other officers nodded. Obi-Wan wore an expression of solemn acceptance. Anakin's jaw clenched.

"General Kenobi, the brunt of the mission lies with you. We are expected heavy resistance, defending troops are estimated at 3,000 at the base and 2,000 within the more easily defensible mine. You are to take two divisions, on land and in gunships, to assault the mine and base simultaneously."

The Admiral then rounded out the briefing with situational planetary hazards for Obi-Wan to be aware of, minutiae of accepting surrender and rendezvous coordinates, and the expected timeline for success.

Anakin listened to the droning without hearing. Instead, he watched the holomap and, through the thin lasers, the Admiral. It was not in his heart he felt a constriction, but all over, leaving him with heavy bones that seemed to press everything hurtfully inward.

And then there wasn't droning, only the sharpness of boots on durasteel and clatter of data pads against each other. The officers were clearing out, off to give their own briefings. Obi-Wan was slow gathering his things together. Anakin caught his eye and nodded him ahead.

The holomap shut down. Fighting the surreality of the Admiral's sudden normal face, Anakin cut him off before reaching the door.

"Commander Skywalker, do you have something you'd like to discuss?" Admiral Channa asked sardonically.

"You're sending the army down there to die."

The Admiral stared at him, "Perhaps you'd like to start again, this time with less melodrama?"

Anakin gritted his teeth, "Of course, sir. Thank you, sir." He took a deep breath. You're a Jedi, he reminded himself. Remember the Code. There's something in there about being calm. "Admiral, I don't think confining the fighter squadrons to non-atmospheric aerial support is advisable."

"Why not? Your own recon does not place any hangers or fighters on Haluki."

"I know, sir. But I think it's careless to relegate the squadrons to do little more than sit and wait out the battle. There's the possibility of hidden hangers that we couldn't have detected with a flyby. At the very least, an attack run against the droids would greatly help the ground troops," Anakin said in exasperation.

"Commander, I know that you are young and passionate, but you are also naïve--"

Anakin cut him off, "I am not naïve."

The Admiral's gray eyes watched him speculatively, "No. I don't suppose you are."

"Sorry, sir."

The Admiral appeared to make a decision, "You don't need to be. You're right. While I don't believe there are any 'hidden hangers', the infantry would be better served with you fighters clearing a path into the Separatists."

"But?"

"Pilots are worth more than clones."



Based on characters and situations created by George Lucas, copyright Lucasfilm Ltd. Not for sale, no copyright infringement intended.