24 year old Lt. Cathy Littlefoot, a average looking woman with red medium length hair, green eyes and standing up to 1.76 meters, watched as some of her new squad mates joked and carried on in the bar on Borleias. They had just finished a grueling three-month training session for some secret military intelligent team to replace the now declassified and decommissioned Wraiths squadron and that was about all they knew about their new assignment. They were told that they would learn more tomorrow morning when they reported to a certain building at the main spaceport very early, like 0700 in the morning early. They still have yet to met their commanding officer or anyone else associated with the squadron. They did all receive a pointed and dry letter from someone who was the quartermaster asking for a list of supplies they would need, as long as the spelling was correct and proper forms used. The training officer warned them that this quartermaster was a civilian and had a contract, so they had better check their spelling or they would get whatever they wrote.
One thing that they had found out over the course of the training was they were all certified to fly. Even she, who was trained as a medic, had fighter pilot training as a secondary skill. Even the young Noghri, named Ruskin, was a pilot, who surprised her when she first met him, and an expert at hand to hand, which didn't surprise her. Most Noghri tended to stay with their clans on their home world or one of their colonies on Wayland, helping their people with the long process of fixing their worlds from the destruction that seems to follow them around. He was one of the few who were allowed to join the Defense Forces even though his people had long thrown off any chains to the Empire.
Sorr Hun, a Sullustan who about her age, was no surprise. Her people had long been regarded as some of the galaxies best pilots and navigators and she was also a competent slicer. She was relaxing with Kic Foruta, a Rodian flight Officer who was also a weapons expert. He was the most bashful of the group and they had to practically drag him away from the barracks. Ruskin and a Nikto named Uhilka, an Esral'sa'Nikto who had blue gray skin and no facial horns unlike some other sub species of Nikto, were playing a game at one of the table, some kind of computerized hand-to-hand game. Uhilka was a very intelligent if not soft spoken male who could work on just about any vehicle and could operate any air, land, sea or spacecraft.
"Hey doc, can I get you a refill," Jake Killjoy, one of the two human males that had made the cut as he sat down in next to her. He was an 18 year old, about 1.82 meters tall and an over blown sense of his own charm. Although she had to admit he was very hansom and did attract a lot of attention from the ladies in the bar. He was also their explosive expert and all around troublemaker. Cathy wasn't sure who did more punishment him or his bunk mate, Aden High, who was almost a carbon coy of Jake, Jake was a blond hair while Aden was darker and wore a roguish beard just around his mouth. Both had little appreciation for proper military conduct and code, how they made it this far was beyond her. They must be really good at what they do.
"You two want to be care and not get too intoxicated now," she reminded them for the millionth time. It was like talking to a brick wall, she knew that she had brothers, who were way younger then these two and sometimes a lot smarter, but she also knew who would have to take care of them in the morning.
"Relax Lt we made it," Aden said with a grin as he down his drink, "the worst is over."
"You don't know that Aden, we haven't got to our assignment yet," she tried to reasoned with them.
"Can't be any worst then that training program, sith, 31 of us started out, if you count Ruskin late arrival and only seven of us made it."
"I heard the last group of Wraiths had a hundred try out and only two of them survived along with four of the originals." Jake said shaking his head and finishing off his drink. "I need a refill, any one else?"
"Yea, get me one more," Aden said with a slight slur to his voice.
"I'm fine thank you," Cathy said, Jake just shrugged and headed to the bar. Cathy couldn't help but wonder what it was like for those two who survived. They had survived an attack on their base here on Borleias, spent a year fending off attacks from both the Vong and their own government, help destroy the Vong fleet at Ossus and expose a huge scam to drain the fleets dry. She suppressed a shiver coursing through her; she had been there during that battle. First as a medic, having no interest in returning to fighters after Coruscant, then in a X-wing when the battle damage got too bad for her to have any other choice. And by all accounts she heard, the Wraiths did hit and fades for four days before they arrived at Ossus and their Jedi was in a X-wing alone the whole time. She had heard that the Jedi, Tahiri, was now an independent shipper traveling the space lanes alone. After what she had been through Cathy couldn't blame her much, she want to get away from it all too at times.
"So Doc, any clues as to where we are going?" Aden asked looking around the bar, they had a booth against the far wall so they could see the entrance as well as the rest of the cantina and have no one at their backs. It had been Ruskin's idea, and not a bad one at that.
"I know as much as you do, Aden."
"Come on Doc, you have to know more then this nerf," Jake said sitting down with their refills.
She tuned out their growing bickering as she scanned the room. Some how Sorr Hun had convinced Kic Foruta to go out to the dance floor with her. Kic may be graceful with a blaster but on the dance floor he was anything but, he caught her eye and sent an imploring look to her. She just sent a wave and a smile; he needs to loosen up a bit anyways. She had thought that early in the training, he was good but always so tense.
"Holy Sith! I think I am in love," Aden said as Jake agreed him by giving out a slow whistle.
Cathy looked over at the entrance and saw what the over sized adolescents had seen. Two ladies walked in, the oldest was about her age. She was, Cathy had to admit, one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen. She was slightly shorter then her, and very athletic build, blond hair that was piled on top and spilled out like a fountain. She also had a single lock wrapped in what looked like multiple-color beads but she couldn't be sure at this distance.
The younger and shorter of the two women, who was wearing … white combat armor? And I thought Kic was bad! Sure enough she was wearing a variation of combat armor that was favored by commandos and Jedi because they were flexible and comfortable while offering maximum protection. She wore hers so it covered every centimeter of her except her hands and face, unlike her companion who wore a skintight short dress that exposed a lot of leg and shoulders. She was an athletic blond too, but wore her hair short. They both stop inside the entrance and scan the room. The older one pointed out something that made the younger one glare at her and blush. The slap on the shoulder looked like they had been friends for a long time.
After grabbing some drinks, the younger one she saw had an Eyeblaster in her hand, Cathy was impressed it was a strong drink for someone her size, they walked by their booth. While the two boys were gawking and dropping their tongues on the floor, Cathy saw them give the booth the once over. It chilled her to see their eyes, the younger one had green eyes with a golden tint and the other had striking light blue, but that was not what stuck her the most, it was the pain in those eyes. Cathy's favorite uncle had served during the Warlords period and often told her stories of his exploits, much to her mother's dismay. One thing her uncle told her was that he could always spot a combat veteran just by looking into their eyes. Cathy never believed him until she had served in the Defense Forces. Combat vets always had a look that said 'I seen too much and can't forget'. That was the look the two women had they had seen the beast of war, seen it and survived, and still carried the scars.
"I must have been a good little boy to get a chance to meet her," Jake said, practically drooling over himself as the two women sat down in a booth next to them.
"I don't think you want to mess with either one of them boys," Cathy said quietly and very seriously.
"Nonsense, those beauties look lonely and we have a duty to make sure they have a good time." Aden said finishing off his drink quickly. She tried warning them one last time as they got up to refresh their drinks but boys will be boys.
"What flew up their exhaust pipes," Uhilka asked sitting down in the booth watching the boys run up to the bar.
"They think they going to be charming," Cathy said with a slight tilt of her head to the booth next to them. Uhilka let out a chuckle; those two have tried, unsuccessfully, to hit on just about any human in a dress since they all met. "Where is Ruskin at?"
"He head back, said he was going to go over his gear one last time and then get some sleep before we leave in the morning. I was thinking the same thing but now I have to stay for the entertainment."
The two-wannabe charming flight officers strutted over to the two ladies who were watching them with blank expressions on their faces. Uhilka waved Sorr and Kic over to the table and hurriedly whispered to them what was going on. Jake sat down next to the girl with color beads and gave her a huge smile; she gave him one back that reminded Cathy of a rancor just before eating time. Aden sat down next to the girl in white, flashed her a smile and said, "Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?"
Cathy groaned this was not going to be pretty. The girl in white just sat there with a blank look on her face, her friend rolled her eyes and took a drink.
"I'm Jake, ace pilot," Jake said holding out his hand at the woman.
"And I'm Aden, and you are?" He stopped and added with a sly smile, "well I know you are a angel but I'm hoping to learn your name."
"Are you a pilot too?" The bead girl asked, watching Jake but talking to Aden.
"Yep, sweetheart," Aden said flashing a smile at her then turn back to her friend, "but I need a security officer because baby you stole my heart."
"I hope you are a better pilot then you are at making up pick up lines," the bead girl said.
"What are 'pick-up lines'?" The girl in white said looking at her friend with a confused look on her face.
"They are simple lines that are design to make you think he is charming and witty, he is hoping to engage you in conversation in which he will be able to make you swoon over his over blown estimate of his intelligence and good looks."
"And the point of this is?" The girl in white said still looking confused.
"To take you some where private and … you know?" Still the girl gave her a blank look and her friend rolled her eyes and took a drink before answering, "you know." The girl stared blankly and then started blushing; she reached over and slapped her friend's shoulder.
"You could have just said it was a mating ritual Rat."
"I could have Vo … kid, but this is more fun," she said laughing. When Jake and Aden exchanged confused looks, Cathy figured that they finally realized that they were not going to get anywhere. At least she thought that until Jake leaned forward and whispered something to Aden, the girls kept talking as if they didn't exist.
"So I am supposed to do what?"
"Swoon, you know act impressed and pretend that you are interested in what he has to say," the bead girl said and then pitch her voice in a high voice. "'Oh that is such a clever thing you are too cute', that kind of thing."
"Are you sure?"
"Trust me, I done this before."
"Ok because I haven't and don't want to get it wrong or anything," the one in the white said in a serious tone.
"Have I ever steered you wrong? And before you say it, I told you a million times I was sorry."
"Did I say anything?" The one in the white said then schooled her features to one that Cathy had seen on the holo shows, an exaggerate look of excitement at the prospect at meeting Aden. "Oh, a pilot, and he is so hansom and witty! I am so lucky tonight," she let out a little giggle. She then looked at her friend who gave her thumbs up. "So I did that well?"
"Prefect, ma'am."
"Thank you, Rat."
"No problem ma'am that is what I am here for."
Aden had a confused look as the girl in white leaned back in her seat and by the blank look on her face she forgot all about him. Jake, however being a little slower, leaned forward to the girl on his side, flashed her a sweet smile, while the girl lean towards him, her eyes open wide and a smile on her face.
"How about you baby, what do you …eek!" Jake had dropped his hand below the table as he spoke; she on the other hand had a blade under her right wrist, which sprang out after his hand disappeared. She smiled; Cathy hoped that Jake understood it was not a friendly smile. Cathy and the others tensed to help out their friends if they needed to but the one in the white was one step ahead of them.
"You can't kill him Rat," her friend said off handily drink her Eyeblaster, "you know what the commander said."
"Why not," the one called Rat said making the blade disappeared and turned back to her friend; again they ignored the two men completely. "He said to have a good time?"
"He also said we were not allowed to kill anyone, he is tired of having to bail us of the brig out every other week."
"Oh please, I haven't been to the brig in weeks, heck I didn't even try to break you out last time."
"True, I don't know who was more surprised him or me." The one in white said with a grin, "but we have to behave tonight."
"But …"
"Nothing, Rat, unless you want to wait another year before we get our next night off," the one in white said. As the two girls argued Jake and Aden made their escape muttering something lame but neither girl seemed to hear them or even notice that they were gone.
When they sat back down, Kic made the universal crash and burn motion with his hands, while the other two rubbed it in. Aden titled his head to one side and froze, a way people say the droids who were short-circuited in the main computer processor and to show that someone was not quiet right in the head. Maybe that was just sour grapes after being shot down and dismissed so rudely but either way Cathy was glad that they didn't get far. She would hate to have to clean up any messes they left behind.
"You know what I hate about your merging, you can eat all you want and not gain a gram and you can drink all night," Rat said from across the desk as Tahiri filed the last of the flight plan that would get them to their first jump point. Tahiri looked at her friend with some sympathy but not much, she had wanted to leave long before Rat drank that much. "You can drink all night and not get drunk or have a hangover, that is so unfair!"
"I have just the thing for your hangover Lt. Bora," Squeaky said walking in the room with a sickly colored drink in his hand. Rat took the glass and gave it a sniff, the face she made prove to Tahiri that is smelled as bad as it looked.
"Ewe, what is it?"
"It is my own special recipe to help the pilots under my care to relieve themselves of the pain suffered from ingesting greater quantities of alcoholic beverages then their fragile bodies can handle."
"Are you sure it works," Rat said looking at him very dubiously and sniffing it again.
"Oh yes, Lt. Bora, no pilot has ever come to me for a second glass. The secret is, of course, to drinking all in one gulp and quickly."
"Come on Rat, you did ask him to help you and he did make that specially for you," Tahiri said, cupping her chin in her left hand and tapping her writing instrument against her chin, when Rat looked at her with a look that seemed to implore Tahiri not to let her drink, whatever it was that Squeaky made.
"Ok, I guess I'll give it a try," the face she made as she drank it was comical; Tahiri wished that she had a holo recorder with her to show Commander Loran when they got to base. After she finished she was sputtering and gagging, as the face she made got more twisted. "How is this supposed to help me, I haven't tasted anything that bad, ever!"
"Wow, worst then your cooking?" Rat just glared at her, as she grabbed Tahiri's water bottle.
"Of course it tastes awful that is the point," Squeaky said as Rat looked at him with a quizzical expression. "No pilot has ever wasted my limited and extremely valuable time with such frippery request after one taste." As Rat threatened to rewire him into a street sweeper, he informed her that the new recruits were arriving.
"Ok, we need them to go through the gear that they requested before we load up," Tahiri said closing down her computer connections and packing her case. "Were you able to get everything for them?"
"Of course, however Flight Officer High and Killjoy tried to pull some kind of practical joke on me. I assumed that I could do a satisfactory job at showing them the errors of their way but after observing the two of you since you joined our little family I am sure you could excel in that area."
"Did Squeaky just compliment us," Rat asked still trying to wash out her mouth.
"We meet them last night at the bar, Squeaky."
"Which ones were they again?"
"The two without a clue," Tahiri said standing up.
"Oh that narrows it down," Rat said rolling her eyes and gathering up her flight jacket.
"They were the first two," Tahiri said putting on a red jacket over her gray combat suit. "Lets go see the new kids on the block." Tahiri was interested in meeting the Noghri that Squeaky told her about this morning. He was a late arrive due to a mission he was on for Talon Karrde, he hadn't been part of the original screening due to the Defense Fleet lingering reluctance to accept Noghri's in to their ranks, regardless of the good they had done the Solo's and the military in the past. Face had always wanted to have one in the ranks of the Wraiths; he had seen them in action many times. Not only were they fearless warriors but extremely discipline warriors.
"Also Captain, I was able to find the crystal for you at a reasonable cost. It arrived last night," Squeaky said as they crossed the hanger.
"Thank you Squeaky, how much was reasonable?" Now that she was no longer answering to the Jedi Council and light sabers were not standard issue for the military, she had to pay out the cost for the focusing crystal out of her own pocket. Even though they got back pay for the year that they were listed as 'missing presumed dead' it wasn't a great huge amount of credits. One never got rich being in the military.
"The bill was paid Captain, that was all you need to know." Squeaky said.
"Squeaky," Tahiri growled out. She knew he had to use some 'shady' contacts to get supplies not only for her but also for the squadron but this was different to her.
"Think of it as a Life Day gift from Poster Boy, Squeaky and me," Rat said smirking.
"You guys didn't have too …"
"Of course we didn't but we did so there," Rat said sticking out her tongue at Tahiri. "Besides, I want to see how you, miss can't fix a data pad, can build your own light saber without killing us all."
"I built three of them in the past you know," Tahiri said looking up at the older woman and then pushed her case into her hands. "Here, store this aboard and start the pr-flight. I'm going to met the troops."
"Gee, make her captain and she makes me her slave," Rat said with fake scorn as she grabbed the case.
"Oh thanks for reminding me, peel me some sun fruit and do a better job this time."
"I live to serve," Rat said giving her a salute with only some of her fingers, but she ran up the shuttle's ramp to complete her assignment. Tahiri shook her head as she walked over to the new replacements, once again thanking the Force or the gods for allowing her to meet someone like Rat. Sure, sometimes she did get on her nerves and did act like a kid but she was as loyal to Tahiri as Tahiri was to her. Rat looked out for her like a sister might, got her into more trouble then Anakin ever did, and was smarter then the droids. She was everything Tahiri need in her life right now; she wouldn't know what she would do without her around.
