Chapter 2

With a long sigh Gabel flopped onto the lower bunk. He rolled over onto his back and tucked his arms under his head.

Tilyer rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Sure, I don't mind sleeping on the top bunk."

"Huh?" came Gabel's mumbled reply.

"Never mind," Tilyer said with a sigh as he surveyed their new living quarters. It was a drab three by three meter room furnished with a small desk attached to one wall, a computer terminal, a pair of plasteel chairs, a refresher unit, and a cramped closet built into one of the blank gray walls. He silently resolved to find something to cover up the blank space no matter what imperial regulation said, but then again, violating regulation seemed to be the order of the day. He'd never heard of an officer and an enlisted man having to room together.

Tilyer was actually quite put out that he had been quartered with the large crewman. Commander Venka had rather venomously informed them that no other officer of comparable rank to Raan had a free bunk, and thus he would have to room with a crewman instead. Ensign Taulin probably received her own room. No, she definitely did get her own room. Otherwise this situation with Gabel wouldn't exist.

That thought reminded him yet again of that vehement commander. Venka's name suited him, Tilyer had decided on the short walk to their quarters. He knew it wasn't right to ridicule fellow officers, even in thought, but the Commander's demeanor could only be labeled as cruel. He said only a few terse words the whole time, but the perpetual condescending sneer on his lips spoke volumes.

With a shake of his head, Tyler dismissed those thoughts and turned to unpack his things. Anyway, Venka was probably just trying to break in the new crewmembers like the instructors at the academy. He had said their orders would be arriving soon, and Tilyer wanted to have everything stowed away properly before he started on active duty. As he reached into the bag, his hand touched something hard and cool. With a reminiscent smile, he drew the small circular device out of the duffle. Turning slightly, he set the object down on the table next to the computer terminal and hit the blinking button on the side.

A small three dimensional picture sprang up over the glossy disk, flickering slightly and then steadying into a clear image. The small holo showed Tilyer, his parents, and his brother Mikal standing at the base of the grand stairs of the Imperial Academy. Everyone beamed excitedly, especially Mikal, resplendent in his graduation uniform. Graduation was the pinnacle of happiness for the Raan family. Everyone was so proud of Mikal.

Tilyer sighed, studying the faces of his mother and father. His parents had been staunchly against it when he wanted to join the navy. He could understand why, though. They didn't want to lose another son, but Tilyer felt it was something he had to do. His departure from home was less that happy, and though his parents had attended his graduation, it seemed to Tilyer that there was a hint of sadness to their proud smiles.

The chirp of his commlink disturbed him from his reverie. He plucked it from his belt. "This is Raan." His own words made him shiver with delight. It was something an action hero in the holovids would say, totally unlike him but thrilling none-the-less.

The male voice on the other end was unfamiliar and officiously cold, "Flight Officer Raan, you and Crewman Thahlwin report to the docking bay for further orders."

"And . . . where is that?"

There was a long pause before the other man replied tersely, "Look up the ship schematics on your computer terminal, but be quick about it. Bridge out."

"What's up?" Gabel intoned excitedly

"Orders."

"Oh good! Where to?" he replied happily

Tilyer ignored the larger man. With a few hurried taps of the console, he found the information he needed. He printed it out on a sheet of flimsiplast and dashed out the door with Gabel in tow.


Tilyer attempted to smooth his uniform as the fighter bay doors hissed open, not wanting to look mussed for his first day of real duty. He stopped short though as he caught sight of the docking bay. It was a little hole in the wall barely big enough for the pair TIE fighters perched on the launching rack above and a few maintenance stations. Currently one of the TIE's solar panels lay on the deck where a trio of technicians and several pit droids were hard at work on it. One of them, a wiry older man with barely a few wisps of iron gray hair on his shining pate, shouted angrily, berating the droids as if their performance could improve with a slew of insults their tiny processors couldn't comprehend.

Tilyer frowned as he walked into the bay. He hadn't really known what to expect, but this certainly wasn't it. Everything at the academy was so grand, the architecture fine and detailed. It inspired its students with awe and pride at becoming the officers of this magnificent navy, but an officer of this? Everything on this ship seemed cramped and spartan. He was expecting something more fitting of an Imperial officer, but the more of the Enforcer he saw, the more he began to wonder just what that was.

Without warning the ship-wide commlink suddenly crackled to life. The crewmen paused as the captain's voice boomed throughout the hanger. Strangely, it didn't sound like the same man Tilyer met just minutes before. His voice seemed somehow more vibrant and full of purpose.

"Attention all hands. It is my great pleasure to relay the joyous news we have just received. The Empire has just struck a mortal blow against that band of criminals known as the Rebellion. Lord Darth Vader's Star Destroyer fleet has located and destroyed their base of operations, and now nothing stands in the way of Emperor Palpatine's benevolent hand and Imperial supremacy."

The technicians erupted into a chorus of jubilant cheers. Tilyer felt himself get caught up in the frenzy as he pumped his fist into the air. He didn't even mind when Gabel gave him a hearty slap on the back, nearly sprawling him across the floor. He could barely make sense of the flood of emotions that surged through his senses: joy, relief, even a little disappointment that he had not been there to witness it himself, but also something else. Before he could think more on the unexpected news, the captain's voice began again.

"We shall be departing for the Outer Rim within the hour. We must stop for further resuply in the Corellia sector, and then make for Belsavis. There we will aid in rooting out fleeing rebel elements. Prepare the ship for hyperspace, and man your stations. That is all." The comm clicked off.

"I'm glad to see you're in such a good mood for your first day," a rumbling voice announced with a chuckle.

The speaker was a dark-skinned, well-built man clad in a bulky black flight suit. His skin didn't seem to be pigmented naturally, however, as if he had been subject to intense radiation at some point of his life. As soon as Tilyer's eyes fell upon the Lieutenant's insignia upon the man's chest, he snapped to attention.

"Flight Officer Raan reporting for duty, sir!"

"Huh? Oh!" Gabel clumsily followed suit.

The other pilot gave the pair a dismissive wave, "Don't bother yourselves with that kind of formality. It takes a bunch of people to keep a fighter in the air. Without one of us, none of us would succeed. We're all equals down here." He grinned and extended a gloved hand first to Tilyer, "Lieutenant Jerrol Del'Goren."

Tilyer didn't know what to do for a moment. It was as if he had suddenly stepped into a different world; cramped, cluttered, and informal. With nothing else to do, he meekly took Lieutenant Del'Goren's hand.

Del'Goren smiled, "Flight Officer Raan, nice to finally meet you. We've been short a pilot for several weeks now. Flight Officer Hurdiss managed to find his way into the engine wash of a star destroyer while on patrol around Coruscant. I hope you have a little more sense than him."

"I'm sure," Tilyer said a bit warily. He still couldn't understand this sudden deviation from protocol.

Lieutenant Del'Goren turned to Gabel, "And Crewman Thahlwin, good to have you as well." He pointed to the older mechanic as he went back to cursing one of the pit droids, "That is your superior, Chief Sucha. Go over and introduce yourself."

As Gabel headed off, Del'Goren turned back to catch Tilyer looking up at the TIE fighter suspended above their heads. He smiled, "Kinna makes your heart jump just looking at it, huh?"

Tilyer smiled and nodded.

The Lieutenant patted Tilyer on the back, "Believe me, it never fades, and that first flight?" He shook his head wistfully, "Your gut stays up in your throat the whole time." The pair looked up at the fighter in silence for a few moments before Del'Goren spoke again. "That one is yours." He pointed to wingless fighter hanging overhead.

Tilyer's spirits suddenly fell.

"Don't worry," Del'Goren assured him, "it is just routine maintenance. The Chief said there was some kind of fluctuation with the energy converters or something and he wanted to check it out. Nothing to get excited about."

Tilyer nodded, but the explanation still didn't help his mood.

"Anyway, I just got out of the sims. You want to give it a whirl? I know you've probably had your fill at the academy, but you can't log too many hours."

"Yessir, I'd enjoy that," He replied with some measure of relief. They made their way to the door to the rear of the hanger as the technicians roared with laughter at some unknown joke, Gabel laughing hardest of all.