Summary: Rogue Squadron heads back to Hoth to defend an Intelligence Unit. But they get more than they bargained for.
Disclaimer: Star Wars, Rogue Squadron, and the rest are not mine. I write this for my own amusement. Jesina is my own, original creation.
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Chapter 30: Wedding Fluff – and Then Some
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"I think you made a wonderful choice," Winter said approvingly. "I wish I'd had one as nice." She and Tycho had been married in a small, private ceremony a few years earlier, during one of the handful of times they'd managed to be on the same planet together long enough to do it. They'd never gotten around to planning a large celebration – not that either of them seemed to mind at all.
Iella turned slowly, reveling in the feel of the silky fabric of her wedding gown. Off-the-shoulder straps, a fitted bodice, and a flowing skirt that just brushed the floor – all made of a shimmering material and dotted with crystals to catch the light perfectly. It had a hint of blue to the material, livening up the color just a bit. "And it fits perfectly."
"That's what fittings are for, dear," the seamstress droid replied. "Just a couple of final adjustments, and you should be able to pick it up two days before your wedding day."
"You can finish it in three days?" Winter asked.
"For the future wife of General Antilles, we can do whatever is necessary," the droid replied. "I will just go and get the garment bag."
"Someone programmed it to say that," Iella muttered. "I swear." She looked around. "Janson didn't know where I was getting my dress, did he?"
Winter laughed. "You're paranoid."
"I know. But do you blame me?"
"Iella, Wes may be a practical joker, but he's not cruel. He would never do anything to ruin your wedding."
"I know," Iella said again and sighed as the droid returned to help her out of the gown. Twenty buttons ran down the back, in addition to several other fasteners. "You know, Winter, you better plan on being glued to my side that day – because I could never get out of this thing on my own."
"Mirax and I can take shifts," the white-haired woman replied. "Now, go get dressed."
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"Everyone would be pretty mad at me if I went for a normal tuxedo, wouldn't they?" Wedge asked with a sigh, staring at himself in the mirror. He made a face at the dress uniform.
"Well, Iella probably wouldn't…and the Rogues wouldn't mind too much. But everyone else…yeah, they wouldn't be happy. You'd hear about it from Leia for the rest of your life."
"It might just be worth it."
Tycho shook his head. "You look good in the uniform, Wedge. Besides, ninety percent of your guests will be wearing them, too…and I have it on good authority that Cracken hates it almost as much as we do. If you don't wear it, no one else has to. And you wouldn't want to deprive Cracken of that, would you?"
Wedge laughed out loud. "I doubt he'll look as irritated with it as we will, though."
"No, he is a pretty fair actor," Tycho agreed. "But just think of his suffering. And look at it like this – you're in better shape than he is, so you'll look better in it, too."
Wedge glanced in the mirror once again. "It really doesn't look too bad, does it?"
"That's it…let the ego out for a spin."
Wedge turned on him. "I'm going to turn you over to Wes."
"Then who'll keep him under control on the big day?"
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Winter and Iella sat down to lunch, waiting for Mirax and Leia to meet them. "What's next on the list?"
"The florist, and the caterer," Iella replied absently, looking at her datapad. "Is it really only five days away?"
Winter nodded and sipped her water. "Aren't you excited?"
"I'm half expecting Wedge to be called away the night before, or for someone to show up with blasters and start shooting."
"I suddenly don't regret not having a big wedding," Winter replied.
"I wish you had," a voice from behind her said. "I would have loved planning it with you." Leia came around and sat down beside her.
"I know you would have. Don't you get enough of that by being the Chief of State?" Winter asked.
"They don't let me do the fun things," Leia responded with a grin. "Where's Mirax?"
A brunette woman set a shopping bag down and dropped into a chair. "I'm here. Finally." She sighed.
"What's wrong?" Iella asked.
"You have got to talk to him!" she exclaimed. "He won't talk to me, except to apologize, and half the time he just sits in Valin's room, staring at the crib. And when Corran comes near him, Valin just cries!" Mirax and Corran's son Valin was only a few months old.
"I don't think there's anything I can do," Iella said. "I've tried talking to him; so has Wedge. I'm pretty sure there's only one person who can do any good – and he's Force knows where right now."
"I actually have some news about that…well, potential news, anyway," Leia interjected. She waited until their eyes were all on her and said, "Mara sent me a message. Apparently, she's learned that Luke is on his way back here – but he's not supposed to know anything about where he's been or what happened to him."
Iella looked at Winter, shaking her head. "I don't need to worry about my wedding being shot up. It'll get bombed."
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Mara sat in the cockpit scowling out at the white lines of hyperspace. "This is ridiculous."
"What is?" Kyp asked, coming up behind her.
She turned her scowl on him. "You weren't supposed to be there."
"Well, I am. What's ridiculous?"
"This whole blasted trip. Someone's having fun with us, and I don't feel like playing along."
Kyp sat down in the copilot's seat. "You have any guesses?"
She crossed and uncrossed her legs. "No. That's the problem. I don't have a clue what's going on." She paused, thinking over what she did know – which wasn't much at all. "We have a dead Skaloc Councilor, two dead Sullustan Senators – all supposedly killed by a Jedi, though it was actually only made to look that way. And this was all by Imperials who then holed up on an asteroid in the Hoth System – for what reason eludes me. Then we have a Jedi Master gone missing, who is supposedly being returned as we speak – but isn't supposed to remember a thing. And nobody knows anything."
"That sounds about right." Kyp was silent for a moment and then said, "It's like someone wants us to know that he's here, but doesn't want to actually do anything yet."
"I think you're right," Mara muttered. "Whoever it is probably doesn't feel strong enough to make a move yet. And it worries me that neither Karrde nor NRI – not that I put a whole lot of faith in them anyway – can pick up anything." She frowned. "Either whoever's behind this is very dumb – doesn't have a leg to stand on, and that's why no one's seeing anything, or they're very smart."
"Probably smart," Kyp said.
"Yeah," Mara agreed. "That's how my luck goes." She sighed. "Next time I go running across the galaxy to find Skywalker, use the Force to slap me upside the head."
"I'm really not suicidal, Jade."
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"You want how many guards?" Wedge exclaimed.
"At least twenty – two for every entrance, and one assigned to wherever Iella will be getting ready, and one assigned to Iella herself. As well as, of course, any we assign to you. She's a great asset to Intelligence, and I'd hate to lose her," Airen Cracken replied.
"I can handle myself. And, in case you've forgotten, every member of the wedding party carries a blaster on a regular basis." He sighed. "Did Iella agree to this?" Wedge turned to look at Leia.
"We haven't spoken to her yet," Leia admitted. "But General Cracken does have a point. This has become a very publicized event. It would be crazy not to have security."
"I…security is one thing. This is a wedding, not a state dinner."
"It may as well be," Cracken replied.
Wedge dropped into a chair. "Why are you bringing this up now?" This was something that they should have hammered out when they first set the date. In fact, he'd been under the impression that they had - that they'd decided that the Rogues and their other armed associates would be security enough. "What's changed?"
Leia sat down beside him and filled him in on what she'd learned from Mara. "The timing…it suggests that your wedding might be targeted."
"Did you tell Iella this?" Leia nodded. "What did she say?"
"That she doesn't need to worry about people shooting up the wedding – that it will be bombed instead."
Wedge smiled in spite of himself. "That sounds like her." He ran a hand through his hair. "Talk to her. And whatever she says goes."
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"When shall the prisoner reach his destination?"
The Captain turned to look at the man in the Admiral's uniform. "Four days, sir. Everything is exactly as scheduled."
"We've retrieved our people in the Hoth System?"
"Yes, sir."
"And how are things on Coruscant?"
"Exactly as expected, sir. They continue to go ahead with their plans. As we last heard, they'd assigned a number of guards to the banquet hall in which Antilles and Wessiri will be wed." He paused. "Sir, I'm afraid I don't quite comprehend what we are doing here."
"Paranoia and confusion can be powerful weapons. Our targets are off-balance, jumping at the slightest sound or movement. And they shall never see us coming."