Chapter 8: The Cold Shoulder Is Hotter Than It Seems

Dear Diary,

Mon Mothma FINALLY found me some assistance after promising me months ago. I'm both grateful and relieved because the work load is getting unbearable. She's supposed to arrive in a couple of days, as soon as the next transport can get here. Mon Mothma didn't know her name, though, just said that she is highly qualified in her field and actually has a degree so I'll be getting some help on those areas that are still a little grey. But I've also learned a lot just doing on this on my own, much more than I ever got at school.

Han Solo, the pilot of the Millennium Falcon, and his Wookie sidekick, Chewbacca, have been pretty eager to get out of here. I guess Solo has some old debts to pay off, but they're having a lot of problems with their ship. It's going to take a while to fix them. In the meantime, Chewie consistently beats me at Sabaac. But just between you and me, Diary, I let him win. I don't want to get my arms torn off.

Speaking of Solo, there is DEFINITELY some major sexual tension going on between him and Princess Leia. It's become a pretty big joke with the Rebels, especially those jokesters in Rogue Squadron. Personally, I've sworn off women for the time being. They're way too much trouble and this base is so tiny that everyone knows your business. You can't take a dump without half the base knowing about it. Besides, the few women here think I'm a huge geek who hates smelly taun-tauns and spends all my time holed up in my little lab writing reports. Well, my work is important. And I do have feelings and talents, too. I am creative and sensitive. I'm especially fond of those fiction sites on the Galactaweb and have been known to pen a few of my own short stories from time to time. I just haven't been able write much lately because our transmissions are limited.

Maybe, eventually, someday I will find myself a nice girl and settle down. But for now I'm too busy and having too much fun being single. Gotta run, Diary. I am meeting Wedge and the others in the lounge to watch an action holo someone smuggled in on the last transport. Finally, some R&R!

Dear Diary,

This has been the worst day of my life. My new assistant arrived today while I was going through my daily despised taun-taun training. The beast I've been partnered with is extremely temperamental and I'm having trouble breaking him in. I'm a scientist, not an animal trainer! Taun-tauns have this nasty habit of regurgitating milk when they're mad or angry and spitting it at you. I had fallen off my taun-taun, whom I'd named Vader just for kicks (Han thinks that's hilarious), for umpteenth time when General Dodonna came over with a rather familiar-looking lady.

"Lieutenant Dyson?" he asked, looking over the ice wall of the corral.

"Yes, sir?" I answered, yanking on Vader's bit. The stupid animal promptly spit milk up all over my front. I grumbled and gave him a shove.

The general was trying very hard not to laugh. "I'd like to introduce you to your new associate, Commander Evelyn Sinclair."

DR. SINCLAIR?! What was SHE doing here, now, and on the most remote snowball of a planet in the galaxy? And since when did she join the Rebellion?! Last I'd heard she was dating that Imperial lieutenant.

Now, Diary, I have changed quite a bit from the nerdy college boy that I used to be. The short amount of time I spent in the Imperial Infantry and the nearly two years I've spent serving the Rebel Alliance has pretty much forced me to grow up. But there, standing in front of me, was the gorgeous and highly intelligent Dr. Sinclair, my old college professor and I found myself turning back into the nervous, stuttering college kid that I used to be.

Dr. Sinclair was looking at me rather amused. "Ah yes, Mr. Dyson and I know each other very well," she said to the general. "He was a former student of mine."

"Dr...I mean Commander Sinclair how...um...nice you...I mean..seem...yeah, to see you again," I stuttered.

"Lieutenant Dyson, I can see you haven't changed a bit," she murmured, knowingly. "Well, if you don't mind I'd like to see my laboratory."

"Of course," General Dodonna replied. "But I'll let Lieutenant Dyson show you around so you two can get reacquainted and talk shop." He strode off towards the hangar bay.

Dr. Sinclair looked over at me. "Well?" she asked raising an eyebrow, the kind that professors reserve for students that can't answer the easy questions like, "What's the population of Coruscant?"

"Well, um, I...I need a minute," I answered her. Well, I did! I was dirty and covered in taun-taun puke! "Um...why don't you meet me in the Mess? If you'll excuse me..." I scurried away before she could answer, turning bright red the entire time. I shut Vader back up in his stall and started off for my quarters for a quick shower and to change my clothes.

I must have looked pretty upset because Han stopped me in the West Passage. "Hey, Dyson! Another session with Vader?" he asked. "If he's that much trouble you might try taming another one. Maybe a female, they're not so temperamental."

What would you know about taming females? I thought. You can't even get the Princess to stop arguing with you for more than a day. However, I just shrugged. "No, it's my new associate. She's actually an old professor of mine that I kind of had the hots for way back when."

Han grinned from ear to ear. "Go for it, kid! We could use a little more romance to heat up this ice cube."

Then why don't you be the one to do it? "I'm not like that anymore," I grumbled and hurried off to my quarters.

Dr. Sinclair was not very pleased that we have to share a workspace but she also understands that Echo Base is tiny and every available centimeter is utilized. She looked me right in the eye and said, "Lieutenant Dyson, I hope that you will maintain a professional relationship with me. I am no longer your instructor and we are going to be working in close quarters from now on. Do you understand, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Commander. And I...um..assure you that I've...erm...not...yeah...like that...right..."

"Lieutenant, we really need to get you some speech therapy." And she then proceeded to give me the cold shoulder for the next two days.

I've received the cold shoulder many times over the years, but never has it been so hot.