Hearts Are Meant To: Chapter 5
"Mission briefing at fifteen-hundred!"
Genna jerked her head up from the arm upon which it rested as Wedge plopped himself down beside her in the common room. As she regarded him with eyes red and puffy from too much alcohol, too little sleep, and enough self-pitying tears to put a bad holo-actress to shame, she wondered how he could be so cheerful upon announcing this.
"We're going on a mission without our squadron leader?" she asked.
Wedge looked at her as though she'd grown a second head. "No, Luke's gonna' fly with us. In fact he's in charge of the briefing."
"But I thought he broke his ankle," she argued.
Wedge gave her a patronizing smile. "Didn't the Empire have bone-knitters, Cage?" Before Genna could reply with an equally sardonic comment, he continued, "Besides, the mission itself isn't until tomorrow morning. He puts his ankle in a bacta wrap, pops a few pills, and by tomorrow he's as good as new."
"Great, what I've always wanted," Genna countered sarcastically. "A drugged pilot leading us into battle."
Wedge laughed at her cynicism. "Don't worry. He'll be in top form by the time we're ready to go up. It'll be interesting to see what happens at this briefing, though. I walked in on him while he was studying the mission data, and he was pretty out of it. Knowing him, he'll keep pouring over it until either the drugs wear off or the data becomes embedded in his subconscious."
Genna gave an insincere chuckle before shifting her gaze away from him. She really didn't want to hear this guy babble on about the man with whom she'd spent last night. In fact, all she really wanted to do was take a nap. She was likely to fall asleep at the briefing if she didn't get some rest soon.
Apparently, her companion wasn't going to let that happen.
"So what exactly happened last night?" Wedge asked.
"Whatever do you mean?" Genna retorted tonelessly.
Wedge shrugged. "Well, you know. You and Luke spent the entire evening together in our room, so I was just wondering what went on between you two."
Genna fixed him with an icy stare. "About the same thing that happened between you and Wes, I would imagine."
Wedge responded with a lopsided to grin to counter her glare. "Yeah, but last time I checked, neither one of us had any broken bones. So something must have gone on that you're not telling about."
Genna rolled her eyes and held up her hands in mock surrender. "You've got me! I can't keep anything from you, can I Wedge? You know, it's amazing how well you know me after only such a short amount of time! I am truly stunned! You possess the epitome of perception! You have seen through all my vain attempts at dissimulation! Well, I guess I'll just have to come clean, then. The truth is, I pushed him out of bed in a moment of heated passion . . . on accident, of course. I am too enamored of him to injure him on purpose! After all, he is a veritable deity of love, is he not? However, to our astonishment, the subsequent pain only heightened the intensity of the experience. It was really quite amazing! Shall I go into detail?" She then paused, waiting for Wedge's response.
It was not what Genna expected. Instead of reacting with irritation, anger, insult, or shock, he instead reacted with outright laughter. Peals upon peals of laughter shook his slight frame, and his eyes teared with the intensity of it. Genna merely stared at him, puzzled by his odd behavior.
When he finally quieted down somewhat, he remarked, "Oh, poor Luke! If he had to put up with you all night, it's no wonder he was too aggravated to talk about it! It's a wonder he didn't knock himself out to put himself out of his misery."
Enraged, Genna opened her mouth to speak.
Wedge beat her to the punch by standing and putting his finger to her lips. "No, no, save it for later! Your gift with words is far too precious to waste all on me." He gave her a wink before heading out of the common room, chuckling as he went.
Genna bit her lip in silence. Her anger drained in an instant, leaving her feeling cold and strangely empty. Her eyes began to sting, and she closed them, willing herself to believe that it was her fatigue that was causing it, although she knew differently.
Two Rogues down. How much longer until she alienated the entire squadron?
She really didn't want to think about it.
***************************
"Ready, Skywalker?"
Luke glanced up from his datapad to see Commander Narra standing in the doorway of his room. He'd hobbled back from the medcenter only an hour earlier, hoping to shake off the last of the painkiller's effects in time to start making some adjustments to Narra's attack strategies. It had worked, but the effort had left his ankle throbbing. It had taken all of his willpower not to take one of the pills that 2-IB had given him, for the droid had told him that the drug would likely make him sleepy, and that was the last thing he needed right now. Instead, he'd propped his foot up on a pillow and drowned himself in his work, hoping to take this mind of the pain. It was working, somewhat.
He smiled, trying to mask his discomfort. "I was just about to come looking for you," he said to Narra.
Narra laughed and crossed the room to sit beside Luke on the bunk. "Well, Antilles came and found me instead. Said if I waited for you, it could be a long wait."
Luke looked down trying to hide his embarrassment. "Wedge is just being Wedge. Trying to make everyone else look bad, especially me."
Again, Narra chuckled. "Well, then, let's take a look at those adjustments you've made."
Luke passed the datapad over to him, and waited as the Commander read over his ideas. His heart thudded in his chest as he watched Narra's face. He never knew why he always got so nervous at this stage, for he'd been doing it long enough to know that Narra was not likely to find fault with his ideas. However, Luke thought to himself, he'd always been more comfortable as a pilot than a leader, and he often doubted his abilities in this area in spite of his experience.
"I notice here that you're not employing Rogue Twelve very much," Narra commented, breaking into his thoughts.
Luke tensed. He'd been expecting this. "Well, with all due respect for her abilities, we've yet to see her in combat. I'd rather get a feel for her performance under pressure before we rely too heavily upon her."
"As we relied upon you at Yavin?" Narra reminded him.
"The circumstances are a little bit different in this instance," Luke argued.
"Yes, Cage has experience where you did not," Narra countered.
Luke struggled not to appear defensive in responding to his remark. "Sir, I don't see the fault in placing the heaviest responsibilities with those who have been tested and proven in combat within Rogue Squadron. This is, after all, our first offensive maneuver against the Imperial fleet in a very, very long time."
"And it's success is crucial," Narra nodded in agreement. "I am well aware of that. But our success at Yavin was even more so. And we still took a chance on you."
Luke looked downward, defeated. "Yes, sir," he said quietly. "I'll make the necessary changes."
Narra placed his hand upon Luke's shoulder. "I'll handle it, don't worry."
For a panicked moment, Luke wondered if Narra had lost confidence in him and his ability to lead the Rogues. As Narra rose from his seat on the bunk, Luke tried to read the expression on his face, hoping it wasn't what he feared.
"In the meantime," Narra said, face full of concern, "I would recommend you taking some of those pain pills you've been avoiding. You've got an hour before the briefing, and that's how long they usually take to kick in."
Luke felt a flood of relief even as he shook his head. "I'm not sure it would help matters any if I fall asleep in the middle of the briefing."
Narra laughed. "Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much, Skywalker?" He tucked the datapad under his arm and looked squarely at Luke. "Sleepiness is an uncommon side effect with that particular drug. Why else do you think they give it to pilots?"
"But 2-1B said--" Luke began.
"Medical droids have to tell you any documented side effects," Narra assured him with a smile. "It's part of their programming. Now, take the pills and I'll see you in an hour." He turned to leave, but stopped himself. "Make that, forty minutes. I want to review the changes I make with you."
Luke nodded, momentarily at a loss for words.
Narra winked at him and started out the door. "Take those pills," he called over his shoulder as he left.
Luke grimaced. He hated being told what to do as though he were a child, and he hated taking anything that could potentially mar his concentration. However, he had to admit to himself that the damage he'd done to the ligaments in his ankle was still quite painful. He reached across the bunk and snatched the packet of pills 2-1B had given him. Mentally crossing his fingers, he swallowed one, and hoped for the best. Or at the very least, he hoped for an end to the constant stream of humiliation he seemed to be suffering.
"Mission briefing at fifteen-hundred!"
Genna jerked her head up from the arm upon which it rested as Wedge plopped himself down beside her in the common room. As she regarded him with eyes red and puffy from too much alcohol, too little sleep, and enough self-pitying tears to put a bad holo-actress to shame, she wondered how he could be so cheerful upon announcing this.
"We're going on a mission without our squadron leader?" she asked.
Wedge looked at her as though she'd grown a second head. "No, Luke's gonna' fly with us. In fact he's in charge of the briefing."
"But I thought he broke his ankle," she argued.
Wedge gave her a patronizing smile. "Didn't the Empire have bone-knitters, Cage?" Before Genna could reply with an equally sardonic comment, he continued, "Besides, the mission itself isn't until tomorrow morning. He puts his ankle in a bacta wrap, pops a few pills, and by tomorrow he's as good as new."
"Great, what I've always wanted," Genna countered sarcastically. "A drugged pilot leading us into battle."
Wedge laughed at her cynicism. "Don't worry. He'll be in top form by the time we're ready to go up. It'll be interesting to see what happens at this briefing, though. I walked in on him while he was studying the mission data, and he was pretty out of it. Knowing him, he'll keep pouring over it until either the drugs wear off or the data becomes embedded in his subconscious."
Genna gave an insincere chuckle before shifting her gaze away from him. She really didn't want to hear this guy babble on about the man with whom she'd spent last night. In fact, all she really wanted to do was take a nap. She was likely to fall asleep at the briefing if she didn't get some rest soon.
Apparently, her companion wasn't going to let that happen.
"So what exactly happened last night?" Wedge asked.
"Whatever do you mean?" Genna retorted tonelessly.
Wedge shrugged. "Well, you know. You and Luke spent the entire evening together in our room, so I was just wondering what went on between you two."
Genna fixed him with an icy stare. "About the same thing that happened between you and Wes, I would imagine."
Wedge responded with a lopsided to grin to counter her glare. "Yeah, but last time I checked, neither one of us had any broken bones. So something must have gone on that you're not telling about."
Genna rolled her eyes and held up her hands in mock surrender. "You've got me! I can't keep anything from you, can I Wedge? You know, it's amazing how well you know me after only such a short amount of time! I am truly stunned! You possess the epitome of perception! You have seen through all my vain attempts at dissimulation! Well, I guess I'll just have to come clean, then. The truth is, I pushed him out of bed in a moment of heated passion . . . on accident, of course. I am too enamored of him to injure him on purpose! After all, he is a veritable deity of love, is he not? However, to our astonishment, the subsequent pain only heightened the intensity of the experience. It was really quite amazing! Shall I go into detail?" She then paused, waiting for Wedge's response.
It was not what Genna expected. Instead of reacting with irritation, anger, insult, or shock, he instead reacted with outright laughter. Peals upon peals of laughter shook his slight frame, and his eyes teared with the intensity of it. Genna merely stared at him, puzzled by his odd behavior.
When he finally quieted down somewhat, he remarked, "Oh, poor Luke! If he had to put up with you all night, it's no wonder he was too aggravated to talk about it! It's a wonder he didn't knock himself out to put himself out of his misery."
Enraged, Genna opened her mouth to speak.
Wedge beat her to the punch by standing and putting his finger to her lips. "No, no, save it for later! Your gift with words is far too precious to waste all on me." He gave her a wink before heading out of the common room, chuckling as he went.
Genna bit her lip in silence. Her anger drained in an instant, leaving her feeling cold and strangely empty. Her eyes began to sting, and she closed them, willing herself to believe that it was her fatigue that was causing it, although she knew differently.
Two Rogues down. How much longer until she alienated the entire squadron?
She really didn't want to think about it.
***************************
"Ready, Skywalker?"
Luke glanced up from his datapad to see Commander Narra standing in the doorway of his room. He'd hobbled back from the medcenter only an hour earlier, hoping to shake off the last of the painkiller's effects in time to start making some adjustments to Narra's attack strategies. It had worked, but the effort had left his ankle throbbing. It had taken all of his willpower not to take one of the pills that 2-IB had given him, for the droid had told him that the drug would likely make him sleepy, and that was the last thing he needed right now. Instead, he'd propped his foot up on a pillow and drowned himself in his work, hoping to take this mind of the pain. It was working, somewhat.
He smiled, trying to mask his discomfort. "I was just about to come looking for you," he said to Narra.
Narra laughed and crossed the room to sit beside Luke on the bunk. "Well, Antilles came and found me instead. Said if I waited for you, it could be a long wait."
Luke looked down trying to hide his embarrassment. "Wedge is just being Wedge. Trying to make everyone else look bad, especially me."
Again, Narra chuckled. "Well, then, let's take a look at those adjustments you've made."
Luke passed the datapad over to him, and waited as the Commander read over his ideas. His heart thudded in his chest as he watched Narra's face. He never knew why he always got so nervous at this stage, for he'd been doing it long enough to know that Narra was not likely to find fault with his ideas. However, Luke thought to himself, he'd always been more comfortable as a pilot than a leader, and he often doubted his abilities in this area in spite of his experience.
"I notice here that you're not employing Rogue Twelve very much," Narra commented, breaking into his thoughts.
Luke tensed. He'd been expecting this. "Well, with all due respect for her abilities, we've yet to see her in combat. I'd rather get a feel for her performance under pressure before we rely too heavily upon her."
"As we relied upon you at Yavin?" Narra reminded him.
"The circumstances are a little bit different in this instance," Luke argued.
"Yes, Cage has experience where you did not," Narra countered.
Luke struggled not to appear defensive in responding to his remark. "Sir, I don't see the fault in placing the heaviest responsibilities with those who have been tested and proven in combat within Rogue Squadron. This is, after all, our first offensive maneuver against the Imperial fleet in a very, very long time."
"And it's success is crucial," Narra nodded in agreement. "I am well aware of that. But our success at Yavin was even more so. And we still took a chance on you."
Luke looked downward, defeated. "Yes, sir," he said quietly. "I'll make the necessary changes."
Narra placed his hand upon Luke's shoulder. "I'll handle it, don't worry."
For a panicked moment, Luke wondered if Narra had lost confidence in him and his ability to lead the Rogues. As Narra rose from his seat on the bunk, Luke tried to read the expression on his face, hoping it wasn't what he feared.
"In the meantime," Narra said, face full of concern, "I would recommend you taking some of those pain pills you've been avoiding. You've got an hour before the briefing, and that's how long they usually take to kick in."
Luke felt a flood of relief even as he shook his head. "I'm not sure it would help matters any if I fall asleep in the middle of the briefing."
Narra laughed. "Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much, Skywalker?" He tucked the datapad under his arm and looked squarely at Luke. "Sleepiness is an uncommon side effect with that particular drug. Why else do you think they give it to pilots?"
"But 2-1B said--" Luke began.
"Medical droids have to tell you any documented side effects," Narra assured him with a smile. "It's part of their programming. Now, take the pills and I'll see you in an hour." He turned to leave, but stopped himself. "Make that, forty minutes. I want to review the changes I make with you."
Luke nodded, momentarily at a loss for words.
Narra winked at him and started out the door. "Take those pills," he called over his shoulder as he left.
Luke grimaced. He hated being told what to do as though he were a child, and he hated taking anything that could potentially mar his concentration. However, he had to admit to himself that the damage he'd done to the ligaments in his ankle was still quite painful. He reached across the bunk and snatched the packet of pills 2-1B had given him. Mentally crossing his fingers, he swallowed one, and hoped for the best. Or at the very least, he hoped for an end to the constant stream of humiliation he seemed to be suffering.