X-wing: Asynri's Song
Part 5
by Jessa

As soon as we got back to our suite, I went looking for something to drown my embarrassment in. I didn't find much. Just a bottle of something called Shazrak, obviously a beverage native to Kylari. I grabbed a tumbler out of a cabinet, walked out into the main room and sat down on the sofa.

I could hear the faint sound of water running in the 'fresher as I knocked back my first glass of Shazrak. And gasped. I'd known it was alcoholic, but I hadn't expected it to be anywhere near that potent. I'd had a sip of Mad Mrelf once and, while definitely not that strong, this Shazrak was definitely stronger than my usual Corellian liquors.

I poured myself another glass and turned on the holoprojector. I'd been flipping through holodramas for several minutes, unable to find anything that captured my attention, when I noticed Wedge standing beside the sofa. I had no idea how long he'd been there, just standing and watching me.

I gestured for him to sit at the other end of the couch. And noticed, as he deliberately sat right next to me, that he was wearing black silk boxers and a towel draped over his shoulders. So much for keeping my thoughts under control . . .

"Sorry. What did you say?" I asked, jerking myself out of my thoughts.

"Do you mind if I have a drink?" he repeated, looking at me as if I'd lost my grip on sanity. Which I more than likely had. I mean, I was a Wraith, for crying out loud. None of us has the best grip on sanity.

"Oh," I said, handing over the bottle. "Sure, go ahead. Good stuff, this Shazrak." I grinned and downed the rest of my glass. By this time, I'd found Win or Die, a holo starring none other than Garik Loran, and decided to watch it. I was starting to feel quite warm, obviously beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol (or at least that's what I told myself), and pulled at my collar.

We watched the rest of the holo, laughing here and there at the stupidity of Imperial filmmakers. I don't really remember much about what happened; I guess we were both a little on the drunk side. One minute, we're watching the holo, the next, our lips were locked.

I think we both realized what exactly we were doing at pretty much the same moment. I pulled away, my hand flying to my lips, while he sat there and kinda stammered, apparently searching for appropriate words.

I got up and fled to the 'fresher for a shower and some time to myself. I sat on the floor for a while afterward, feeling very embarrassed about kissing my CO. He came to the door once, knocked, and said he needed to talk to me. I ignored him.

The lights flickered a couple of times while I sat pondering what had transpired between us. My mind kept wandering back to the sweet softness of his lips and . . . Ack! There I go again! I suppose it wasn't really all his fault. I mean, that Shazrak was pretty powerful. I guess I could forgive him this time. But the thing of it was, I wasn't sure I'd really wanted it to stop. Anyway, I finally got up the courage to leave the 'fresher. As expected, Wedge was waiting for me outside the door. "'Ryll, I'm sorry," he whispered.

I gave him a weak grin and said, "Already forgotten. Don't worry about it."

He just looked at me with an odd expression, as if he didn't really believe me but would take my word for it. His expression only got odder as he tried to stifle a yawn and only half succeeded.

"Go to bed," I ordered.

"Yes, mother," he answered with a cocky grin. "Are you going to tuck me in, too?"

Oh, don't tempt me...

oOoOoOo

I was cursing the name of Antilles come the next day.

"Why do we get stuck with guard duty? It's raining banthas out here. I'm soaked to the bone and starting to get cold. That wind's not helping any either." We'd come out to this farm to find our contact. I still didn't like the idea, but since there wasn't much I could do about it, I just tried to keep my mouth shut and go along with the plan. Guard duty hadn't sounded too bad, but then a sudden storm blew up and now I was drenched.

"Quit griping, 'Ryll. At least there's no hail or tree branches flying or snow falling. It could be a lot worse," Gavin Darklighter said.

I fell silent, sulking, but pondering his words. My comlink buzzed. "Asynri."

"'Ryll, we've got possible stormtroopers heading for your position. Loran and I are going to check it out. We just wanted you to know."

"Okay. But be very careful. Don't let yourselves be seen. As soon as you confirm, report back in person. Got it?"

"Got it. Don't worry we'll be fine. And careful. See you in a few. Starsearcher out."

"Stormies coming here? We should be all right for a while. This place is in such a deep valley that it'll take some time for them to climb up the hills- -or ride up, or whatever--then orient on this farm."

"Don't forget, this is only a possibility of stormtroopers. Soon's they get back I'm going in to tell the commander about our situation," I said.

"You sound like there are stormies coming for a fact."

"I'm almost sure there are. I don't know. I've got a suspicion hanging at the back of my mind, but I can't make it come into view. I've also got a very bad feeling about sending Face and Darian out there with no backup."

"'Ryll, there's no backup to give. There's only you, me, Corran, and Wedge here, with Face and Starsearcher out there."

"I know. But I still feel awful about it."

A crackling noise came from the trees on one side of the barn, and out stumbled Face, followed a second later by Darian. They both sat on the soaked ground for a minute to catch their breath, oblivious to the mud.

"You two must have been running, and hard. Stormies confirmed?"

They nodded. "Two squads, headed directly here. They'll be slowed down a little by the hills and all the trees, but they'll be here in about ten minutes. Give or take."

"Hmm. It's that 'take' part that I'm worried about. Let's get inside and tell the commander. He'll know what to do about this particular problem." I started for the barn door, the others following, grateful to finally get out of the drenching rain.

As we opened the heavy barn door, a gust of wind slammed it around on its hinges and it swung all the way open and banged against the outside wall. Lightning flashed, and I could see Wedge, Corran, and a strange woman in the aisle. The woman had a staff snapped to a ready position as we moved toward her and the two pilots.

"Relax, Doran. They're with us," Wedge said, laying a hand on her arm to stop a potentially dangerous situation.

"I see. I recognize Gavin Darklighter and Garik Loran, but the other two elude me."

"Well, then. Lyra Doran, allow me to introduce Darian Starsearcher and Aliryll Asynri. 'Ryll is new to Wraith Squadron and Darian belongs to High Flight. That's probably why you haven't got any information on them."

"No time for pleasantries, Commander. We've got two squads of Imperial troopers closing in on this farm. Darian estimates they'll get here in roughly ten minutes. Less, by now," I said calmly, belying the worried look in my eyes that I knew had to be visible to anyone who looked.

"Stormtroopers? Coming here? I wonder why." That was the Doran woman.

"Maybe they're after us," Corran said.

"Not likely. More like they're trying to intimidate me because I'm a Rebel sympathizer. I'm your contact, by the way."

"I know," Wedge said.

"I hate to break up your little party, Commander-sir, but if we don't think of something quick, we're all going to be Imperial prisoners." Patience is not exactly one of my strong points.

Turning to Lyra, Wedge asked, "Do you have any defenses here?"

"If you consider automatic blaster turrets at the edges of this farm, a collection of antique but perfectly serviceable blaster rifles, and me defenses, then yes, I do."

"The first two I understand, but you as a defense? Explain, please."

The distant whine of gun turrets firing on the advancing Imperial troops could be easily heard. "No time," she said. "Follow me." Lyra led us to the end of the row of stalls. She opened the right-hand door and told us to watch ourselves around the horse inside.

Crouching at the farthest corner of the stall, she brushed the straw away to reveal a hidden door in the floor. Pulling it open, she motioned for us to precede her down the cramped stairway. She piled straw around the opening then started down. Before she closed the door all the way, she tossed some of the piled straw over the door, then whistled. The horse came over to the trapdoor and started nosing around in it. By the time what was left of the Imperials got to the barn, all they would have found was a line of empty stalls with horses in the last two, and nothing amiss.

It was very dark in the hole in the ground Lyra had led us into. That is, until she found a glowrod and turned it on. A muted golden light spilled over the small underground chamber and the faces of the people gathered in it.

"So what do we do now?" Corran asked.

"Now we wait. There are complete living quarters down here for all of the members of my family, which means more than enough room for all of us. I will send a message to one of my friends who lives by the spaceport. He should be able to book passage for you on one of the liners going out. Either that, or he'll run you out himself."

"We can't wait too long, and we do have a mission to complete. I'd just as soon get that done," Wedge said.

"What do you need to do? I'll help in any way possible."

"Well, we were trying to get the lay of the land, then scout out the defenses of that Imperial base."

"You can get the lay of the land when we go to the spaceport. I can give you any and all information on the base's defenses--weapons, fighters, you name it. I've even got some codes to get inside the base itself. I work there, so I have to have some way to get in. Don't know if that will help, but it could for a commando mission."

"Very well, then. You can give that information directly to General Solo."

"What?"

"You are coming with us, aren't you? You realize that if they find out we were here and that you helped us escape, you could be in serious trouble with the local authorities."

"I know that. I was just surprised. I didn't think you'd want me to come along."

"Why wouldn't we? You've been a great help already, and I'm sure we could use you back on Coruscant. The New Republic needs that information, and you're the best one to give it."

"Well, sure I'll go with you. But I have to get a couple of things from the house and make that call. You people can get some sleep while I'm out; it'll probably take a while to get confirmation on the tickets."

"Take your time, Lyra. We'll wait."

"Though some of us won't like it," Corran mumbled. I grinned, completely in agreement. Lyra looked at him.

"There are some hologames in here, as well as a well-stocked kitchen and even an X-wing simulator and a gym. If you get bored, it's your own fault. And I shouldn't be gone all that long." She turned back to Wedge. "He's impatient. Not one of the best qualities in a pilot. But I suppose there are many other qualities that count far more than patience. Oh, well. I guess I'll be going now. See you later." She set off down a long corridor, leaving us to situate ourselves.