"Just when a guy thinks he's seen everything..." A familiar voice came from the open door of Tycho and Wes' assigned quarters.
Both pilots rose from their bunks, with a curious look on their faces.
"Wedge!" They both called at the dark-haired man standing there, mirroring their confusion.
"Just not your Wedge, it seems!" The Corellian reminded them. "I've been thoroughly debriefed about your situation. I got to be honest with you...I was more inclined to believe you were spies, or whatever, sent to throw suspicion and havoc amongst us! They could have just picked up a pair of lookalikes, and fix the differences with some surgery. But General Cracken informed me that all the tests they did, only served to prove you are indeed who you say you are! Which sets another problem for us...Now, we have two Tychos and two Jansons! The first part I wouldn't mind...But if I already have issues putting up with one Wes, imagine with two!"
Tycho covered his eyes with his hand, laughing while Wes threw Wedge a dirty look.
"You might not be our Wedge..." Wes squinted. "But let me assure you, the sense of humor is exactly the same!"
"I'll take that as a compliment!" Wedge smirked. "With logistical nightmare or not, the fact remains that you can't remain stuck here on Home One. We've uploaded your readings of the anomaly that brought both here, and our personnel are trying to decipher it, in hopes that we can use it to monitor space and hopefully, detect another occurrence so you may go back home."
"And you believe you can actually do that?" Tycho asked. His main worry had been that him and Wes were permanently stuck here! "And if you detect another blackhole opening, what can guarantee us that it will enable us to go back? How can we be sure that it won't just send us somewhere else?"
"We have no certainties, for now. But we are looking for any occurrence that is a perfect match to the energy levels you registered on your navdata. Any other anomalies, with other energy variations, will be dismissed." Wedge explained them. All of it was still a bit unbelievable! When the General had first given him all the details, it had seemed so far-fetched...
"Which still means we can be stuck for days...or more!" Wes pointed out. "So, what happens to us in the meantime?"
Wedge scratched the back of his neck, pondering on his words.
"The instructions given to me are to take you with me, to the Endor moon." He told them. "Their first option was to just keep you here. But as you pointed out, we have no idea of when we can return you to your point of origin..."
"Or if it's even possible!" Tycho said.
"Let's not be so pessimistic! "Wedge looked at him in sympathy.
"So, when are we leaving?" Janson asked.
"Grab your things and meet me in the hangar in fifteen minutes. "He informed them. "Then we'll leave for the moon. Friendly warning...your counterparts, are living a very different reality from you! Some things might come as a surprise to you..."
"Like what?" Wes snorted. "How different can they be?"
Wedge offered him a mischievous smile...
"Well, if you really must now...and you would, sooner or later...Our Wes and Tycho are, how can I put this…? Married!"
"So!" Tycho asked. "Like you said, different realities lead to different lives! They're married men. At least that means your Wes is a bit more mature than the one I've been putting up with!"
Wes looked at him sideways.
"Funny guy!" He scoffed at Tycho. "I think the crossing through that thing messed with your brain..."
"I don't think you understood me right!" Wedge smiled openly at both men. "They're married alright... But to each other!"
, Fully enjoying the shocked look and wide eyes of the other men, a laughing Wedge Antilles left the quarters, leaving two very stunned pilots behind.
The voyage to the moon's surface had been filled with an awkward silence.
Since Wedge's revelation about their counterparts' relationship, Wes and Tycho had been trying to come to terms with that information...
Wes thought about his background. His childhood back in Taanab.
If there was a place that was completely intolerant towards same sex couples, that place was Taanab...
Not that he'd ever had any problem about any of his friends' sexuality! It was common knowledge that Tycho bisexual!
No one cared about it. It was simply a non-issue! But his friend's discomfort about the dirty looks he'd gotten from his compatriots, when they traveled to Taanab on mission, had been quite evident!
It was something he'd never even thought about concerning himself. Had there been something drastically different in this Wes' childhood that had prompted him to embrace that sexuality? And what did it mean for him, being his counterpart?
He didn't remember ever feeling attracted to a male, ever in his life. But neither had he ever had a real relationship with any woman!
Sure, he'd had his affairs...less than he let anyone believe, to be honest, but he never felt the need to actually be with anyone! He'd always reasoned that his years in the Alliance had created a wall, that stopped him from wanting a partner.
Why would he bother to fall in love with someone, only to eventually get vaped and leaving that person alone?
But more than the different sexuality this Wes had, it was more the choice of partner that was bugging him.
Tycho Celchu...of all the people!
What had this version of the Alderaanian ever seen in his Wes, that he fell in love and married him?
Sure, thing his Tycho was his friend. But that was it! Sometimes the Taanabian felt like he barely tolerated him, when he went on his wild ways...
Who was so different, that had made possible for such a union? This version of himself? Or Tycho's?
The three Starfighters landed on the plateau, and as soon as they left their X-wings, Tycho and Wes noticed that the personnel was down to the bare minimum. Only their trusted mechanic was still there, the rest of them having been ordered to clear the premises.
No doubt to avoid gossiping about the extra pilots, that just happen to exact 'copies' of the two Rogues that were standing at the end of the landing strip!
Wes felt a knot forming on his stomach. They were being confronted by their counterparts on arrival...
He looked at Tycho, but the Alderaanian was giving nothing away.
They walked to where the other pilots awaited, with Wedge on the lead.
As they reached them, Antilles smiled at his friends.
"Wes, Tycho!" He smiled. "Meet...Wes...and Tycho!"
He stepped back as the two pairs of pilots awkwardly shook each other's hands. If no one was the wiser, he could have sworn these men were two pairs of identical twins!
To avoid any confusions, his friends had come in their civilian outfits. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, as the four men cast evaluating looks at each other.
"This really is the most awkward thing I've ever even heard of, much more seen..." The counterpart Wes broke the silence. "Do they know?" He turned to Wedge.
"Oh yeah! They know!"
"I bet you were dying to tell them!" The other Tycho added. Turning to their counterparts, he signaled them to follow him. "I guess you have many questions racking your brains right now! But first, let me show you your quarters. Since we're still knees deep in constructions here, you must settle with common quarters, though we made sure you'll have your own space. For obvious reasons, at first, we believed you'd like a single quarter for both. But since your...situation...is completely different from ours, "He pointed at his husband. "He made sure you'd have fitting lodging."
"Thank you. "Tycho nodded at the other man. It was the most awkward feeling, to be looking at his own face like this. He wondered how much they could really have in common...
As they expected, they quarters were simple and pretty much devoid of any other comfort than two beds, separated by a wooden folding screen so both could have their own private space.
Which didn't make it any less strange, given the knowledge about their counterparts!
In a way, Tycho knew that it had come to change the way they viewed themselves.
He feared it would inevitably make a dent on their friendship. Wes already seemed to be less at ease around him.
In the past, the Taanabian had never shown himself to have any issue with his sexuality, even stepping in to defend him from less tolerant individuals. For that reason, Tycho couldn't accept that Wes had suddenly stopped accepting him for who he was! No, it had to be the fact that their counterparts were married.
Somehow, that was messing with him. He could feel it! Even the way Wes had gazed at the other men, their obvious complicity, the way they so naturally walked side by side with their hands locked together.
His natural curiosity almost made him want to ask Wes what was the real issue here! But then again, it was maybe for the best if he didn't!
"If you need anything, just...you know...comm us!" The other Wes informed them.
"Sure." Tycho replied.
As the other two men were leaving, Wes put down his things on the bed, turning to them.
"Can I just...ask you something?" He spoke, his stance somewhat reluctant.
The other Wes gave his husband a knowing smile.
"Of course!"
"My family..." He stammered. "Well, your family...are they...alright?"
A flash of pain crossed the other Wes' eyes.
"Mia is! Last time I checked, she had followed her Imp of a husband back to Denon. I don't keep in touch with her..."
"Mother? And Derrit?"
"My mother, died a year ago, and Derrit...I don't know about yours, but mine died as hero of the Alliance! He single-handedly managed to bring down an Imperial Stardestroyer! An Imp One, but still..."
"Yeah..." Wes whispered. "Mine did the same...but my mother died thirteen years ago. She...uh...died at my father's hands..."
The other three men stood there looking at him. But none seemed more shocked than Tycho!
In all of these years, Wes had never once discussed what had happened to his mother. All he knew, was that she'd passed away when Wes was twelve...
"That sounds like something that bastard would do!" The other Wes clenched his hands. "In my version of the story, I was the one who almost died at his hands..." His husband slipped his hand towards his, holding it tight. "I still carry the scars on my back!"
"I guess there isn't a version of us out there, that might have had the chance to go through a normal childhood..." Wes muttered.
"Oh Hell! I hope there is!" The other man replied.
"What do you mean, your Mia married an Imp?"
"That's the truth, unfortunately... My brother-in-law is none other than General Veers himself!" He bit off. "I don't know what she saw in him..."
"Damn..." Wes gaped at him. "Mine is divorced. She left her husband, Jax, two years ago. She lives with her two daughters on the farm." He smiled. "So... you're married..."
"Oh yeah!" The other Wes pulled his husband closer. "And we have a daughter! She's not even eight months, but she's bright little thing!"
Tycho looked away, trying not to giggle.
Well, that answered his doubts about similarities...
Because that glowing smile from the other Tycho, was enough to hint that they shared the same biological trait!
What also didn't escape him, was the quick smile that appeared on Wes' lips!
If there was one weakness about Wes, it was kids!
The way he just doted on his nieces, whenever he had the chance to seem, was quite evident...
If he stopped behaving like a kid himself, and one day managed to settle down, Wes Janson might actually prove himself to be a good father!
He'd probably spoil his kids...but nevertheless.
The other two men left, leaving them two to settle on their new quarters.
Wes couldn't help a smile, when Tycho tried to remove his stuffed nerf without letting the Taanabian see it.
Like he didn't know he carried it with him everywhere!
"This Tycho is much nicer than you!" He taunted his friend.
"You say that because, for some weird reason, he likes this Wes a bit more than 'I'like you!" Tycho told him.
Wes stopped what he was doing, and turned to his friend with a naughty smile.
"A bit?" He asked. "Just...a bit?"
"Wait...that didn't come out right..." He replied. "That was not what I meant! "
"You're not going to start getting all soft on me, are you?" Wes mocked him. He was so easy to bait...
"Come again?"
"How can I come again, if I haven't even left?" He smiled.
Tycho grunted, picking up the pillow from his bed and throwing it at the Taanabian.
"Shut up you!" He bit off. "Or I'll tell everyone your hobby is peeling tubers!"
"Spoilsport!"
"Laser-brain!"
Both men laughed. At least that initial unease had passed. Tycho had been fearful that this adventure, would eventually damage their friendship.
He should have known that Wes was a bit of a wild card, but he never turned his back on his friends that easily!