X-wing: Asynri's Song
Part 3
by Jessa

"Let me get this straight. This is a covert scouting mission, so we'll be heading out to Kylari by way of Myrkr. Once we get to Myrkr, we jump ship to Yaga Minor. How exactly we're going to get planetside once we get there is not yet determined. Right so far?" I asked.

Wedge nodded. "For the most part."

"Great. So once we're planetside we pretend to be tourists or something, book passage to Kylari A.S.A.P. and we're off again. This takes probably the better part of a week."

"Actually, it's only supposed to take a couple of days," Wedge responded. "There's no indication-"

"Just finding a way down to Yaga Minor will take at least a day to think up and implement. Then we have to stay away from the authorities so they don't recognize us despite the disguises we'll be wearing. We each should have at least two identities; one to wear and another to fall back on just in case." I looked into Wedge's brown eyes. "I know what I'm talking about. I've done this a lot. Planning missions like this, that is. Trust me. It will probably take the better part of a week. How long a time frame are we looking at for this mission, Commander?"

"About three weeks, a month at the most. Let's just say that the New Republic won't come looking for us until after our month is up."

"What are we supposed to be scouting, the Death Star? This isn't your run-of-the-mill scouting mission, that's for sure."

"You're right. But we're not scouting the Death Star. We're going to be scouting the whole of the capital city, including the Imp's base on the outskirts. We've got a contact there who can help us. Command didn't tell me who it is or what they look like, but that I would recognize the contact by name," Wedge said.

"Great. Now, to top it all off, we've got some mystery contact whom we know nothing about. Look, Commander. I may just be sounding off, but there is a possibility, however likely or unlikely, that we could be walking into a trap. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't-"

"Flight Officer Asynri." There was a danger tone in Wedge Antilles's voice, and the sharp look he gave me didn't make it any better. I shut my mouth. "That will be quite enough. If you do not end this behavior immediately, you will be put on report as well as dropped from this mission. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," I said in a subdued tone. My cheeks had probably flushed chirq red with embarrassment. I'd never been reprimanded like that. Of course, I had never really done anything to warrant public humiliation. I mean, sure, I'd had reprimands and punishments, but they'd always been delivered in private. This was a public place, or at least there were other people here. And these weren't just any people. They were my squadmates and friends. I was sure I'd be dropped from the squadron as soon as we got back from this mission, if not sooner. Not to mention the court-martial I'd probably get slapped with. Things definitely weren't going my way. Things couldn't possibly get any worse, I thought to myself.

I was wrong.

oOoOoOo

"Why?" I wailed, staring in disgust at my new identities. One of them, the one that said that I was a bounty hunter, was all right. But the other one was definitely not my style. To make matters worse, I was paired with Wedge, who, I was sure, by now hated me.

"Something wrong, 'Ryll?" Wedge asked, surprising me with his casual use of my nickname.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but this can't be right. There's no way I can pull this one off," I said, shaking my head vehemently.

"You have to. There's no other choice."

"What about the bounty hunter?"

"As you suggested, we all have backup identities. The bounty hunter is yours. But that's only to fall back on. Remember what you said on the shuttle? 'We pretend to be tourists or something. . .' Well, this is 'or something'," he said with a wicked grin.

"Wedge Antilles strikes again." I turned around to Corran Horn standing behind me. "What is it this time, Wedge? An Agamarian looking for a husband?"

"No. Worse," I said.

"What could be worse than that?"

"His wife."

"That's almost cruel, Wedge," Corran said, laughing.

"I didn't think I was that bad," Wedge said with a faintly distraught look.

"I wouldn't know, sir. I don't know you well enough. Remember, sir, I haven't been with this unit very long. I haven't really been on your good side during that time. The only person on this mission that I actually know is Darian Starsearcher, and he's already got his identities. I'll bet the only reason you did this was so you could keep an eye on me, make sure I don't screw up."

"I don't recall inviting you to speak for me, Asynri. And no, actually, that wasn't a factor in my decision."

"And what was, if I may ask?"

"You may not. In any case, that's the identity you've been given, and that's the one you will stick with, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed." I left the room, but stood just outside the door so I could hear them. Wedge sighed, exasperated. "That woman will be the death of me for sure."

"Oh, no." Horn's voice.

"What?"

"Never mind. What was the reason for putting her in this 'horrible' situation?"

"You can't ask either."

"That's what I thought. You like her."

"What?" Wedge sounded completely startled. "How do you plot that course?"

No kidding. I mean, this is some serious conclusion-jumping. No possible way the commander would show even remote interest in a lowly Flight Officer, especially one as troublesome as me.

"You should have punished her in some way for that debacle with Loran, but she gets off with kitchen duty for a week."

"Two, actually. And I hardly think that a light punch warrants some stronger punishment." He sounded vaguely amused.

"Don't change the subject. Then there's that little habit of yours; you watch her like a hawk-bat watches a granite slug whenever she's around. I can see, you know. For that matter, I think Janson can, too, and I think he's a little jealous."

Now that was interesting. I'd caught Commander Antilles watching me out of the corner of my eye a couple of times, but I'd been sure that he was waiting for me to slip up, make some huge mistake, especially after what I'd come to refer to as the 'Loran Incident.' And that bit about Janson, too… Sure, I'd been doing a bit of extra weapons training with him and I really enjoyed his company, but I didn't think I'd done anything to encourage interest in me.

"All right. Enough. But I'm not admitting anything. Dismissed." Just before Corran passed through the door, Wedge said, "What do you mean, Wes is jealous?"

Corran stopped and turned. "Wes has had his eye on her since you two interviewed her for Wraith Squadron, and then some. I think she'd gotten some weapons training before with him, and they seemed to hit it off well. Anyway," he checked his wrist-chrono, "I'd better get some sleep before we drop. You probably should, too, Wedge." With that he was gone.

So was I, at a dead run.

oOoOoOo

"Mr. And Mrs. Merida. From Corellia. Mm-hm. Your purpose on Kylari?"

"A business transaction, then some sightseeing."

"I see. Everything checks out fine. Carry on. Enjoy your stay." The customs man waved the pair on. "Next."

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Wedge Antilles grinned behind his beard. It was cut short and dyed blond, along with the rest of his hair. He wore a pair of blue pants the natives called "jeans" and a tight gray shirt. He didn't seem to mind the outfit, but I don't think he much cared for the shirt.

I had dressed similarly; black jeans instead of blue, a dark green shirt with a thin, glittery sliver stripe running across my chest just below my shoulders, and a pair of knee-high black boots with the tops tucked under my pants. Instead of my eyes being gray, I had one blue and one green. My flame-red hair was the same, pulled up in a style in which it was nearly impossible to tell how long it actually was. Wedge had argued against leaving my hair red, but in the end he relented.

"I hope the rest of them made it through all right," I said.

"I hope so, too. Let's go check into the hotel."