Chapter 10
The room was dark, as all the others undoubtedly were, maybe Rydell was awake, but everybody else would be sleeping an hour after midnight local time. It was times like this, in the middle of the night that Xan realized how alone in the Galaxy he was. His father had been shipped off to the Unknown Regions, the friends he had made from the first time he was at the Academy could not be trusted. He had no family, and only three other people knew who he really was, a fugitive, a target.
Realizing the high value target he was Xan had shut himself off from personal contact. It wasn't right to bring his problem down on other people. Rydell had always been the one person that Xan could trust, and Mar had come along side him, but Xan still felt wrong. When the Imperials or bounty hunters caught up with him, Mar and Rydell would find themselves staring down the barrels of E-11s.
Not allowing himself, for even a moment to drop his guard had made him very lonely, just Rydell, Mar and to a lesser extent Haara and Makazu, but he needed someone to love, and the only person that seemed to make sense was Marnist, lying no more than a meter and a half away, but she was in the unit making things that much more difficult.
How many nights, Xan wondered, had he been awake in bed like this, how many more nights would go the same way over the course of his life? Would he live long enough to be plagued by these nights? Xan rolled over on his side, and eventually slipped into sleep.
•••
It was two days before all the IPEC volunteers had arrived at the Academy. Except for the four Katalians the group personnel was wide ranging, with cadets hailing from Corellia, Corulag, Etti, Alderaan and Cloud City to name a few. Dim-Ilek-Vors had shown up and recognized Xan when he was heading for his billet with Darick Noo-gin.
The billet to the left of Xan and Marnist was occupied by Major Davic, apparently the ranking officer for the unit. Rydell was a Captain and Xan was a Lieutenant. He was about the same height as Xan, but of slighter build, and with an almost whining nasally voice. Xan and Mar didn't like him. Rydell and Makazu made him a target.
•••
Xan and Haara strode between the rows of reporters on either side as they headed towards the ballroom. Rydell was in front of them with the Major in front of Rydell. With all holos and news footage being taken Xan never for a moment doubted that he would be recognized. He took a deep breath, held his head high, and moved onward.
Haara patted his hand, and looked up at Xan. "Nervous?" She asked.
"Of course not. When you've been through what I have, things like this can't even make you think of being nervous." Xan whispered back before smiling for a reporter and photographer. "Besides, it'll all be over soon."
Xan, Rydell, Marnist, Makazu and Haara were all seated at the same table, with other members of the unit, reporters and dignitaries, and high-ranking Army and Navy officers being dispersed around the room. Of course an all-human band played classical selections from many cultures.
Haara was stunning, far beyond what Xan had thought possible. She was wearing a dark blue gown, with dangling earrings and a necklace too. Underneath the holonet company lights her eyes seemed to sparkle even more. She was beautiful, the type of girl Xan would have taken home before he'd left the Academy. . .
There was dancing before dinner, mostly waltzes from the Core worlds. When the band struck up the chords of an Alderaaninan waltz Haara gazed at Xan, before he finally asked her to dance. Again the fact the she knew how to waltz amazed him, and when she started dance signing. . .
Noo-gin made his way over to the table just as Xan and Haara got up to dance. Rydell watched them, they looked almost perfect together, roaming back and forth across the dance floor, gliding and spinning, and dance signing?
"Uh oh." Rydell uttered.
"Uh oh what?" Mar almost jumped across the table to grab him by the collar, but stopped when she remembered where she was.
"Darick, did you see that?" Rydell asked.
"I think so, but I was never taught all the dance signs." Noo-gin's gray eyes were fixed on the couple out on the dance floor.
"What's dance signing?" Mar asked a growl in her voice.
Rydell looked at Noo-gin and then back at Mar. "It's a kind of courtship thing." Rydell said vaguely.
"You mean like dating?" She ground out.
"I guess." Rydell shrugged.
"Exactly." Noo-gin interjected. Mar shot him a turbolaser stare. "Xan doesn't see them though, he hasn't responded." Noo-gin answered.
"No he sees them, he's choosing to ignore them." Rydell said. Mar pulled out her DL-44 and checked the power level.
"I don't think it's anything to get messy over. Xan's not even paying attention." Noo-gin offered.
"Hey Noo-gin, throw this at Davic." Rydell tossed a roll across the table to the Alderaanian, to provide a distraction, because if Noo-gin ever told Mar what that last sign had been Mar was liable to shoot Haara right there and then.
Noo-gin tossed the roll in the air, and tried to look inconspicuous as he glanced around the room hoping no one would notice him, or the hunk of bread that would be flying across the room. With a quick flash of the arm the roll was in-flight, eventually connecting with Davic's head, knocking his hat over his eyes. Everyone at the table turned away, stifling laughs, like nothing had even happened.
As the last few notes of the waltz drifted into the night the lights dimmed, and a voice began to boom over the public address speakers. A holograph of a Blastboat appeared in the middle and began to rotate slowly.
"This is the Seinar Fleet Systems GAT 12e Skipray Blastboat. A half a dozen of these long range E models have been issued to this brand new IPEC squadron." An officer wearing the regular slate gray uniform was speaking. He wore Admirals insignias.
"The mission laid down by Emperor Palpatine for this Independent Planetary Expedition Company is that the group be able to remain independent from the Imperial fleet or planetary base for four standard months. They also must be able to explore, map, and catalog any new species they come across.
"The Blastboats array of weapons will allow the group to defend themselves against any hostile natives, or on the off chance they encounter a Rebel stronghold." He bowed his head. "One of the first missions our expeditious young men and women will undertake is finding a suitable planet for the survivors of the Rebel destruction of Alderaan." The holoprojector began to shows scenes of Alderaan's beautiful sprawling grass plains, and land locked oceans. "To assure we find a suitable Alderaan substitute Darick Noo-gin, an Alderaan native will be among the founding IPEC members. Tonight, it is my pleasure to present to you and the entire Empire the founding members of IPEC."
The Admiral bowed and began to clap, when the glow panels came back on at full strength the twenty-four members of the IPEC squadron stood.
"Tomorrow these gallant volunteers will begin training for their mission, now sit back, and enjoy the meal and the rest of the night."
•••
After brining Haara back to her home that night Xan headed straight back to the IPEC compound, head low. Marnist had been waiting for him prepared to berate him at any second. When she saw him though that all changed. He looked tired, and almost lost, when he went straight for bed she knew something was wrong.
Xan flicked the glow panels off, and lay in bed trying to get to sleep, but it refused to come. Two hours later he found himself still staring into the dark. The night had been wonderful, except for that niggling about the Rebels destroying Alderaan being a boldfaced lie. The problem was Haara. She was amazing, beautiful and funny, and somehow she was making Xan fall for her, regardless of how many times he told himself not to get involved with her. He would only hurt her in the end, maybe even get her killed, and he could never live with that.
Xan rolled up on his left side, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. She had been dance signing, at the time Xan had pretended not to see, but she kept doing it until she gave him the sign saying she would accept a kiss, Xan had done nothing. To many people were already involved in his problem for him to justify endangering another.
In the middle of all his thinking there was a sudden soft taping on the door. Xan flicked on the glow panels and headed for the door. He opened it only to find Rydell, Makazu, Klown, and Noo-gin standing on the opposite side, all with slightly worried faces.
"Didn't think you would be awake." Rydell whispered as he pushed his way into the room, the others quick on his heals.
"What's going on?" Xan asked.
"We're in a little trouble if we don't find a place to hide."
"What'd you guys do?"
"We'll tell you latter, just hide us." Noo-gin pressured.
"Fine get in the 'fresher." Xan said as he closed the door. Rydell yanked Mar out of bed.
"Come on we're going to need you in here." He said.
Xan turned off the glow panels and jumped back into bed. Five standard minutes later there was a strong knock at the door. "Open up Hodgins." A voice boomed.
"Hey, shut up I'm sleeping." Xan barked disgruntledly
"No, you get your carcass out here now."
Xan got out of bed, and opened the door for the Imperial security officer, standing next to one of the IPEC members, skinny underneath his uniform, black skin glistening with perspiration.
"What's going on?" Xan asked faking a yawn.
"A few of your colleageus have been causing some trouble. I want to see if they're here." The security officer said.
"Not in here." Xan responded. "But you're welcome to look around." Xan motioned them into the room.
"Where's your roommate?"
"She's in the 'fresher." Xan answered.
"Alright then, we'll check back in the morning. Goodnight Lieutenant, try to find something out." The security officer and the other man left without another word, almost immediately the fresher door opened and Mar shot out.
"Who touched my butt?" Mar demanded,
"It was a tight fit in there." Noo-gin said. He quickly wished he hadn't. Mar wound up and slapped him across the face.
"Hands off!" She barked, and sat down on her bed.
"Thanks Xan, we owe you one." Rydell said.
"Anytime." Xan smiled.
"What did you guys do?" Mar asked.
"Don't answer that. Those slugs are comin' back here in the morning and I want to be able to tell them with a clear conscience that I have no idea what happened."
"Alright, I'll tell you at breakfast tomorrow then." Rydell winked.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Xan smiled. "Now get out of here."
"Hold on." Rydell got a sinister look on his face. "Davic's room is next door right?"
"Yeah, what's your point?"
"Oh nothing." Rydell ran over to the wall, followed by the other three and began to pound on the wall. As soon as a muffled yelling started from the other room Rydell and the others ran from the room, closing the door behind them. Seconds latter someone was pounding on the door, again.
"Lieutenant Hodgins, what was that banging just now." The Major demanded in his nasally voice.
"I didn't hear anything, how 'bout you Mar?" She shook her head. "See nothing, I bet it was thunder." Xan leaned against the doorjamb. "Why don't you go back to sleep."
"I am your superior officer Lieutenant, you will show me the respect I deserve." Davic whined.
"You may go back to sleep Major, sir." Xan said, throwing a sloppy salute.
"Such insolence will not be tolerated in my unit, this will stop immediately or I will have you thrown out of the unit."
Xan closed the door, Davic went on ranting for another minute or two, but he quickly gave up. When Xan turned around Mar was sitting up in bed.
"You weren't asleep were you?" She asked. "What's wrong Xan?"
"Nothing, just worried about what's going to happen to me, how being born my fathers son is going to hurt anybody who knows who I am." Xan shrugged. "Especially how they're going to come down on you and Rydell. Maybe I should just turn myself in and except my fate in the Unknown Regions."
"No Xan, I'm here for you every step of the way."
That was when he saw her, not as a friend, or even a cute friend, but as the beautiful and devoted young women that she was. The way the light played across the strands of gold in her hair. Her intelligent blue eyes. He walked over to where she sat on the bed, and put his hands in her shoulders, the skin was soft, smooth, amazing.
Mar was what I needed , Xan thought. He needed someone besides Rydell, and it wouldn't have been right to involve Haara. Mar was already involved, and she loved him. Xan sat down next to her on the bed.
"You know I care about you." Mar said. "And I know Haara does too." Mar lowered her head, placing a hand on Xan's leg. "I realize I can't make you love me, so I just want you to be happy."
"That's good, because I want that to be with you." Xan leaned down and kissed Mar on the lips, he pulled away and looked at her, and could almost see the joy radiating from her face. A dainty mechanics hand ran across Xan's cheek, pulling him back to her. This time she kissed him passionately. Together they fell backwards onto the bed.