The room was dark and dingy, a single low power glow panel trying to penetrate the corners and hidden patches of duracrete beneath the cleaning and repair droids. This was the room that Wes and Hobbie found themselves in after some of the other Rogue Squadron members had discovered their, or rather Wes's, plan to force Myri and Ben together. Wes was looking at the droids trying to find a way out, while Hobbie just sat on the floor, glaring at Wes. "What did I do to you?" Wes asked, finally breaking the silence that had prevailed since the two had been locked in the storage room.
"I'm locked in a storage room." Hobbie said without inflection, "I'm locked in a kriffing storage room, with an over grown child. I'm locked in a kriffing storage room, while many of our former squadron mates are out there rediscovering the joy of being together."
"Oh be quiet, I'll get us out of here." Wes said looking at the next droid.
"How many times have you been shot at?" Myri asked as the two sat playing a game of see-who-can-run-out-of-questions-first.
"In a training simulation, or for real?"
"Real, of course."
"Well, a few times, I can't remember really. It's all just such a blur. Have you ever been shot at?"
Myri, was lost in thought as Ben finished his answer, amazed that a kid had been shot at, and almost killed. She was snapped out of her revere when Ben waved his hand in front of her face. "So have you?" He asked again.
"What? No, at least not with real blaster bolts. But stinger bolts still hurt." She reached up and rubbed her shoulder where she had been hit earlier in the day by a stinger bolt.
"I know! I was distracted one day during lightsaber training, and I got hit at least a dozen times. I still have a couple scars from where they hit twice." He reached for his sleeve, but then realized how much like a little kid this made him look and he stopped. "Have you ever seen a nebula up close?"
"No, but I've always wanted too, they look so beautiful." Myri said with a smile, maybe he wasn't so immature after all.
"Yeah, they're really cool. Especially when you shut down the lights. And go dark. Then the cockpit or room is just lit up by the nebula." Ben grinned and thought of a good simile, "it's kind of like when you're near a holo-ad, and it's dark outside."
"Oh, okay, that would be cool to see. I'll have to find a way to go out to Ethos's Nebula."
"You should." Ben watched as some of the more inebriated members of Rogue Squadron decided to begin singing a song of tribute, describing the ways a fighter pilot could die. He laughed as they included more humourous ways such as slipping in a puddle, or tripping as you climbed out of your cockpit.
"Myri!" A voice called out, a female figure was approaching, it was Iella Antilles. "Help me with your father, he's about to prove to the younger members that he can still take any of them in a hand-to-hand fight."
"Okay, mom." Myri stood up and smiled at Ben. "Well, I guess I'll see you around, Ben." She leaned over as her mom walked away and pecked him slightly on the cheek. "It was nice to meet you."
She walked away as Ben sat there, the red in his cheek, matching the red of the paint on Wes's face as he sat down. "What's wrong with you Little Skywalker?"
"I'm just wondering how Myri could kiss a kid like me." Ben said, thinking that Wes would understand.
"You're worried about age?" Wes asked, standing up. "Well age shmage! You will have her, if it's the last thing I do!" He struck a striking pose, making Ben laugh. "Gagh!" He shouted as a woman came up behind him and grabbed him by the collar.
"Wes I don't know why I put up with you." She said dragging him by the collar away.
"What was that about?" Jaina asked as she sat down and drank the lomin ale that Wes had left on the table.
"I don't know, Jaina. I think Wes is going to get in trouble." Ben said as confused as anybody else.
Hobbie was the next to arrive at the table. He was also covered in red paint and looked even grimmer than ever. He quickly had the waiter droid bring him a strong drink and downed it.
"Hobbie, why are you covered in red paint?" Jaina asked as his look softened slightly.
"Wes tried to get us out of that storage room by activating a painting droid." Jaina and Ben laughed at the humour that Wes could still cause, even as an old man.