Title: Inner Demons, Outer Evils
Summary: A tragic event sets Rogue Squadron on the path to the truth...and sends one of the Rogues on a collision course with himself.
Disclaimer: Star Wars is, quite clearly, not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is not written for profit.
A Note: I know a lot of people will take issue with what I do with the main character, but it is entirely plausible. Wedge, Tycho, Wes, and Hobbie have all, at this point, spent fifteen years fighting to survive – and taking lives in the process. They've all lost friends and/or family, and all just push their pain (and guilt) aside. Sooner or later, that would be bound to catch up with at least one of them.
* * * * *
Chapter 4: "I Killed a Friend"
* * * * *
As Jesina had predicted, a clerk at the hospital was waiting for them, as was a nurse. Wedge noticed there were no droids in sight. It was odd, but made sense. Droids just couldn't comprehend human emotion. As such, they had no place in a mental facility.
"Tycho Celchu?" the nurse asked. When he nodded, the young man consulted the datapad in his hand. "Right this way, all of you."
They followed him to a large room that looked unlike any hospital room Wedge had ever been in. There was a regular bed, unlike normal hospital- issue cots. A chair and chest of drawers and carpeting on the floor completed the room's furnishings. It looked like it was designed for someone to stay there for a while. The nurse motioned them into the room. "Please, sit down."
Once they were sitting – Tycho on the bed, with Wedge and Jesina on either side of him – the nurse took the chair. "Now, who might you be?" After they identified themselves he asked, "Are you family?"
"Close friends," Jesina replied.
He frowned. "I'll have to ask you both to wait outside."
Wedge glanced at Tycho and, seeing the panicky look on his face, said simply, "No."
"It's policy, sir. Only family–"
"Let's get something straight here and now," Jesina interrupted. "In the absence of his wife, who is currently off-planet, close friends are the closest thing he has to family in the galaxy. Furthermore, all either of these men has to do is snap their fingers and you'll be out of a job."
"But as long as he does have family, policy is policy."
Jesina glowered. "In a place like this, I'd think a person's comfort was slightly more important than policy. What's a nerf-herder like you doing working in a hospital anyway?"
"I ask myself that every single day," a female voice said from the doorway. Glancing up, Wedge saw a petite woman with short brown hair and a scowl on her face. "Lieutenant Jaxom, I suggest you remove yourself from my presence immediately. I'll decide tomorrow what to do about you."
The now red-faced nurse stood, saluted, and left all in one fluid motion after handing the datapad off to the newcomer. Wedge didn't think he'd ever seen anyone move that fast, outside of a starfighter, anyway.
The woman stepped into the room, allowing the door to close behind her. "I apologize for him. A politician's son who doesn't belong in the company of anyone other than politicians." She glanced at Wedge and Tycho, eyes finally lighting on the blond man. "Mr. Celchu?" He nodded and she held out her hand. "I'm Doctor Ishana Lur. I'm the therapist tentatively assigned to you. If at any point you feel uncomfortable with me, just say something and we can and will find you another doctor."
He shook her hand and nodded. "Thank you."
She smiled and set the datapad down. "These are your friends, if I heard correctly?" When he nodded again she turned to them and asked for their names. After the introductions she returned her attention to Tycho and asked, "Would you prefer them to stay?" Again, he nodded.
"All right. I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you feel uncomfortable answering, you can let them do it. But I do need answers, all right?"
When no one spoke, she continued. "This says that you're suicidal. Have you ever actually tried to take your own life?"
"Not unless you count twelve years of flying with Rogue Squadron."
She smiled. "All right. But you've seriously considered suicide?"
"Yes."
"How close did you come?"
He looked past her. She guessed he would have turned away but for the fact that he then would have found himself face to face with either Wedge or Jesina. "I put the blaster to my head."
She nodded and made a note on the data pad. "Where is that weapon now?"
"In the hangar."
"Do you have any other weapons on you right now?" He shook his head and she glanced between Wedge and Jesina. "Do either of you?"
"They're at the hangar," Wedge replied.
"All right. Good. Just so you know, no weapons of any kind are allowed in this building." Jesina and Wedge both nodded and Ishana again returned her attention to Tycho.
"What stopped you?"
His expression told her that he was taken aback by the blunt question. "I...I don't know."
"All right." She looked thoughtful. "Is this recent? Did something happen within the last month or two to cause this?"
"I killed a friend."
This time it was her turn to be surprised by his bluntness, but she recovered quickly. "Tell me about it?"
He began to explain what had happened with Corran, but finally gave up. It was still far too difficult for him to talk about, so he allowed Jesina to finish the story.
Once Jesina fell silent, Ishana made a few more notations and then looked up, looking over Tycho from head to toe. "Let's try a few easier questions, shall we? When was the last time you ate? A real meal, I mean?" Tycho just shrugged. "Do you drink alcohol?" This time he nodded. "And when was the last time you got a full night's sleep?"
"The night before Corran died."
Summary: A tragic event sets Rogue Squadron on the path to the truth...and sends one of the Rogues on a collision course with himself.
Disclaimer: Star Wars is, quite clearly, not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is not written for profit.
A Note: I know a lot of people will take issue with what I do with the main character, but it is entirely plausible. Wedge, Tycho, Wes, and Hobbie have all, at this point, spent fifteen years fighting to survive – and taking lives in the process. They've all lost friends and/or family, and all just push their pain (and guilt) aside. Sooner or later, that would be bound to catch up with at least one of them.
* * * * *
Chapter 4: "I Killed a Friend"
* * * * *
As Jesina had predicted, a clerk at the hospital was waiting for them, as was a nurse. Wedge noticed there were no droids in sight. It was odd, but made sense. Droids just couldn't comprehend human emotion. As such, they had no place in a mental facility.
"Tycho Celchu?" the nurse asked. When he nodded, the young man consulted the datapad in his hand. "Right this way, all of you."
They followed him to a large room that looked unlike any hospital room Wedge had ever been in. There was a regular bed, unlike normal hospital- issue cots. A chair and chest of drawers and carpeting on the floor completed the room's furnishings. It looked like it was designed for someone to stay there for a while. The nurse motioned them into the room. "Please, sit down."
Once they were sitting – Tycho on the bed, with Wedge and Jesina on either side of him – the nurse took the chair. "Now, who might you be?" After they identified themselves he asked, "Are you family?"
"Close friends," Jesina replied.
He frowned. "I'll have to ask you both to wait outside."
Wedge glanced at Tycho and, seeing the panicky look on his face, said simply, "No."
"It's policy, sir. Only family–"
"Let's get something straight here and now," Jesina interrupted. "In the absence of his wife, who is currently off-planet, close friends are the closest thing he has to family in the galaxy. Furthermore, all either of these men has to do is snap their fingers and you'll be out of a job."
"But as long as he does have family, policy is policy."
Jesina glowered. "In a place like this, I'd think a person's comfort was slightly more important than policy. What's a nerf-herder like you doing working in a hospital anyway?"
"I ask myself that every single day," a female voice said from the doorway. Glancing up, Wedge saw a petite woman with short brown hair and a scowl on her face. "Lieutenant Jaxom, I suggest you remove yourself from my presence immediately. I'll decide tomorrow what to do about you."
The now red-faced nurse stood, saluted, and left all in one fluid motion after handing the datapad off to the newcomer. Wedge didn't think he'd ever seen anyone move that fast, outside of a starfighter, anyway.
The woman stepped into the room, allowing the door to close behind her. "I apologize for him. A politician's son who doesn't belong in the company of anyone other than politicians." She glanced at Wedge and Tycho, eyes finally lighting on the blond man. "Mr. Celchu?" He nodded and she held out her hand. "I'm Doctor Ishana Lur. I'm the therapist tentatively assigned to you. If at any point you feel uncomfortable with me, just say something and we can and will find you another doctor."
He shook her hand and nodded. "Thank you."
She smiled and set the datapad down. "These are your friends, if I heard correctly?" When he nodded again she turned to them and asked for their names. After the introductions she returned her attention to Tycho and asked, "Would you prefer them to stay?" Again, he nodded.
"All right. I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you feel uncomfortable answering, you can let them do it. But I do need answers, all right?"
When no one spoke, she continued. "This says that you're suicidal. Have you ever actually tried to take your own life?"
"Not unless you count twelve years of flying with Rogue Squadron."
She smiled. "All right. But you've seriously considered suicide?"
"Yes."
"How close did you come?"
He looked past her. She guessed he would have turned away but for the fact that he then would have found himself face to face with either Wedge or Jesina. "I put the blaster to my head."
She nodded and made a note on the data pad. "Where is that weapon now?"
"In the hangar."
"Do you have any other weapons on you right now?" He shook his head and she glanced between Wedge and Jesina. "Do either of you?"
"They're at the hangar," Wedge replied.
"All right. Good. Just so you know, no weapons of any kind are allowed in this building." Jesina and Wedge both nodded and Ishana again returned her attention to Tycho.
"What stopped you?"
His expression told her that he was taken aback by the blunt question. "I...I don't know."
"All right." She looked thoughtful. "Is this recent? Did something happen within the last month or two to cause this?"
"I killed a friend."
This time it was her turn to be surprised by his bluntness, but she recovered quickly. "Tell me about it?"
He began to explain what had happened with Corran, but finally gave up. It was still far too difficult for him to talk about, so he allowed Jesina to finish the story.
Once Jesina fell silent, Ishana made a few more notations and then looked up, looking over Tycho from head to toe. "Let's try a few easier questions, shall we? When was the last time you ate? A real meal, I mean?" Tycho just shrugged. "Do you drink alcohol?" This time he nodded. "And when was the last time you got a full night's sleep?"
"The night before Corran died."