disclaimer: i don't own nothing wish i did but i dont.

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chapter 2

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When the time came to meet with his sister Kit couldn't help but feel somewhat happy. It had been months since hearing from the loud opinionated woman. The General and Kit were well on their way to the space station, having just jumped into hyperspace a mere couple of minutes ago. On their way the Commander and General were deep into discussion of what his job would be and going over the people picked for the soon to be born squadron.

When they reached their destination they both were caught of guard at how quickly the lengthy trip seemed to take. They promptly received permission to land in hanger three – oh – one and waited until their craft was through the mag-com field and settled into their assigned spots. As they walked down the cruiser style ship's ramp, Kit looked around the open bay only to find a very new looking x – wing. He looked almost longingly at it until the General interrupted his thoughts.

"Ah Commander this is your squadrons master mechanic, Lieutenant Erik Sell'Borg."

The man wore a simple set of gray overalls with the Lt. insignia over the breast pocket. Kit saluted him, in which it was returned then shook his hand.

"Nice to meet ya, Commander Lee," Sell'Borg said.

"Like wise," Kit glanced at the insignia once again. "I thought mechanics were civilians?"

"I used to be a pilot, but I got shot down and was injured. I tried to resign, but they stuck me here when my command learned of my knack for mechanics."

"Well," Kit said with a smile. "Its nice to have you aboard then Lieutenant. How long do you suppose it will take with the new batch of x – wings?"

"Well, sir," Sell'Borg said as he scratched at the stubble on his chin. "It'll take be about a month to do them all and just in enough time for your squadron to be able to beat them again and again."

Kit grinned, "Excellent, let me know how the progress is going."

They saluted each other again and left the hanger bay to enter a lift. As Kit was about to enter a woman stood in front of him about five foot six inches, brown eyes and hair just like his. Of course the woman's face was all too familiar to him.

"Well it's about time you got here," she said with a frown. "I was beginning to think your sorry ass got lost!"

Although she seemed a little hostile her face soon broke out into a wide smile.

"Ha!" Kit barked out in laughter as the brother and sister hugged. Kei suddenly snapped to attention.

"Oh sorry sir, didn't see you there," she said while saluting. Wedge grinned slightly and returned the gesture.

"Don't' worry about it, Major," he said as he made room for the woman to step of the lift. "I'll let you two get caught up and I'll see you both in the morning at 0800 hours to talk about the squadron."

With that the General walked into the lift himself and left without giving them a chance to give a proper departing salute. Kit turned to his sister and grinned again.

"Well, hey," Kit started. "You wanna get out of here and meet at the cantina after I shower and change?"

"Sure Kit, be there in thirty!" Kei said as she rushed off to discuss something with someone she saw over his shoulder. Kit shook his head and turned to an available turbo lift.

--

When Kit was done getting ready he made his way down to the lower levels of the ship to the staff's cantina, only getting lost twice on his way, which he was very proud off. This place was too large for its own good. Upon arriving at the small bars door he paused in the entryway and quickly scanned the area for his sister.

When his eyes fell on the bar he saw her sitting there surrounded by a couple of empty shot glasses and a half full bottle of their home planets whiskey, Correllia to be more precise. "Hey kid," he greeted with a grin as he gave her a brotherly hug.

"Here," she said as he handed him a shot glass full of whiskey. "From my personal stash."

She said that with a little too much mischievousness making Kit shake his head.

"Really?" he said as he shook his head in amusement. "Ya know I don't' think I want to know how you got this stuff here."

He pulled a face as he sipped down the strong drink and Kei laughed in amusement as she downed her own in one gulp.

"Smooth," Kit coughed out. His sister nodded and fiddled with the empty glass.

"So brother, why am I here?" She asked sounded close to demanding an answer.

"Well, Kei, I'll tell you the truth," He replied. "You know about the squadron I was previously in," he paused while she nodded and then continued. "General Antilles thought I would make a good choice to lead a new squad he's here to put together and you my dear sister are my new Executive Officer."

"Okay," she said as a waiter droid came to the table to collect the empty glasses and deposit new ones. "But why me?"

He knew very well why she was asking over and over again that question. Kei was not the type that had the best track record, unlike himself. She had been suspended from her last command prior to the one she was at now because she had hit her commanding officer. The man was missing two front teeth and sporting a bruised eye for his efforts of hitting on her. To say that she got along with the majority of the male staff at any post would be pushing it.

"Because you're a good flier," Kit explained as he poured himself another drink. "And because the General said I could have anybody I wanted for the job."

He paused to drink his drink then lowered the empty glass to the table slowly as he looked away. "That and because I heard a rumor that our brother was the one in charge of the attack that took down my squadron."

The words came out in a whisper and he sidles his eyes to the side to see her lean back in her seat with an expression of barely suppressed anger and horror on her face.

"You know what he did in that fight?" Kit asked, but didn't wait for her reply. "Throughout the whole thing I didn't get shot at once…not once," he said in a fierce whisper. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes.

"I think this is why General Antilles wanted me for this, so I can stop him or reason with him."

They both sat quietly for a moment as they thought of the news that was put into the open.

"Right," Kei said as she stood with a easy smile on her face even though Kit knew his sister well enough that smile was not as easy as it looked. "What ever the reason the General wanted you for the job is it must be a good one, but either way," she glanced down at her chrono. "I better get to bed if I am going to make the meeting in the morning."

Kit nodded, "okay sis. I'll see you in the morning."

When she departed he sat by himself ignoring the steady flow of people that came in and out of ships bar.

--

The next morning found Kit Lee in the gym sweating off the drinks from the night before as well as the nightmare that woke him up at the god awful hour of five. He was jogging on the automatic treadmill machine as he recalled what had startled him out of a deep sleep. They had been getting worse, the nightmares, but this time he saw his brother. Even as the black sheep of the family, Kit had to suppose every family had one, but he also wondered if every family's black sheep was as psychotic as theirs.

Their older brother was hungry for power and would take down just about anyone to reach it…even his own family. It was a miracle in itself that he and his sister were alive, with a man like him out playing cat and mouse with their lives. The man loved to torture his pray by stalking them in a way, taking things out of their lives one by one, and even all at once so that it would make them go after the cat personally.

That's where the people who were unfortunate enough to get caught in his games messed up. One really couldn't use the same tactics as his brother, because he didn't have anything you could take away from him. To many he was a force to be reckoned with, a force that hid in the shadows and played the strings to a hundred different puppets.

Kit's feet pounded on the track of the running machine and when he looked down he saw that his time was coming to an end on it, so he slowed down to a fast walk, panting heavily. He finally took enough time to cool down and hopped off of it and grabbed up his bag with his uniform in it and headed for the work out centers showers.

--

After being showered and well feed Kit was in a turbolift with his sister, Kei, and they were both on their way to the Generals office. Kit glanced at his sister to try and break up the thick silence.

"Well kid, excited?"

Kei glanced back at him with a small frown for his grin and crossed her arms. "Well yes," she huffed out making Kit stifle a chuckle. "I just hate to think I'm getting paid for doing this crap."

"I agree," Kit said with a small smile. "I completely agree."

The turbo lift stopped and they exited and made their way to the Generals door only to be met by a secretary.

"Good morning Commander and Major Lee," the highly shinned droid said in its usual monotone voice. "Please go in."

Both Kit and Kei ignored it and walked into the office snapping to salute instantly.

"Morning sir!"

Wedge waved his hand almost impatiently, "Please."

Kit noted that he hadn't even stood as they walked in nor was he completely squared away.

"Please sit down. Sleep well?" He asked.

"Yes sir." The both replied making the General raise an eyebrow.

"Okay!" he said after a moment and clapped his hands together. "Down to business."

He picked up a couple of Data Pads and continued, "You are to, as you know, create a squadron with me, and lead it. Try outs will commence tomorrow. The candidates are on the way right now, and will be here at sixteen hundred hours galactic standard time. The we will have orientation, data packets will be handed out at greetings will be had, blah, blah, blah," Wedge growled out.

"What I need from you both is to come up with a elimination process and practice regimen," he stated as he handed Kit and Kei the pads in his hand, which at first glance could be seen as a list of twenty four compiled names along with information on each.

Kit quickly scanned through them and recognized a lot of the names, ten of them in fact. He had served or drank with a lot of the ones he recognized the pilots were a mixture of those straight of pilot school and those who were already seasoned pilots.

Kei looked up when his sister muttered a name. "Who?"

"Oh, Cherriss Ke Hanadi," Kei said looking up.

"I gave her a personal recommendation for the academy, but this is her first shot at a squadron. I think she deserves it the last I heard from her instructors were that she was one of the best to come out of the academy." The General said thoughtfully as Kit nodded.

"Well, I hope she does good then." He said and looked to the man behind the desk. "Okay sir so how do we do this?"

"Do you want to do it they way I did it?"

The brother and sister combo looked at each other then nodded. "Okay then when they start training we put them through every tough simulation that we have. Have them each sit as wing commander to get a better feel of who your better fliers are." He suggested. "Every week put out a list of who will be going home, it should take around 4 weeks, to give time for the rigs to be done up. You can do your math on how many should be eliminated, but make sure not to many go on the first week."

Wedge paused again before going on, "How you choose the pilots are up to you and the Major here."

It didn't get passed either of their attention that Kei was being particularly quiet during the briefing.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I have to push some paper work through. I will see you both in ready room one at sixteen hundred hours," he said as Kit and Kei stood and left his office. As soon as they were out in the corridor Kei let out a whistle.

"This is not going to be an easy decision, Kit." She pocketed the Data Pad. "I saw at least five or ten with prior elite training and if that's any indication form their experience while in flight school…" Kei trailed off as they turned a corner.

"I know I know, but I have a good idea of who is going to make the cuts," Kit said as they made their way to down to the mess hall. "Lets sit down, have a bite to eat, and some caf while we plan the elimination process until we have to go and meet them."

Kei nodded in reply and placed an order when they finally made it to the officer's mess, instantly setting to work on the planning and training routine that would determine the new squadron.

--

After what seemed like hours Kit and Kei came to a final decision on the way they were going to eliminate the bad ones.

"I think this will do it,' Kei said as she powered off her data pad. Kit nodded and checked the time.

"Ah! They should be here; lets head to the briefing room." They both stood and looked down at the mess they had made while deliberating – empty creamer packets and wrappers littered the table, as well as a turned over cup of coffee that Kit had accidentally made Kei spill. Coffee was still dripping from the table to the floor. Kei watched her brother walk towards the door.

"Aren't you going to…?" She pointed towards the mess and Kit shook his head.

"Nope," he said resolutely, and kept walking. "Now come on or we'll be late for the briefing."

Kei finally gave it up and rolled her eyes as she trailed behind the man, "some things never change. You can be such a slob."

Kit beamed somewhat proudly but it was wiped off soon as Kei took a step forward and slugged him in the arm. Her brother pulled a face and rubbed his arm casually.

"Oh yeah that hurt," he said snidely but turned his head and mouthed out on 'Ouch.'

Kei laughed and as they continued to walk they argued over little things, like they always did when they got together. When they turned down the passageway to the briefing room they stopped arguing. When they turned the corner a couple of people where standing there, obviously candidates. They stared at the pair as if they had sprouted two extra heads and Kei coughed and made her way into the briefing room, leaving her brother to follow.

Once inside and behind the podium the people outside and a few stragglers slowly filtered in and chattered until the General stepped in and brushed off the crisp salutes. Before he turned to the audience that was waiting edgily, he turned to the two look a likes behind him.

"I'll start off with the introductions," he said quietly. "Then I'll hand everything over to the both of you for your introductions. Remind them of what they are here for and give them the basic information, okay?" Kit nodded as he began to gather his thoughts. By no means was this the first time he was talking in front of a crowd such as this but it never hurt to be mentally prepared.

While everyone started to receive their packets chatter gradually rose to a dull roar. Finally all twenty-four candidates found their seats and only quieted down when Wedge actually step up to the podium.

"A-ten-hut!" yelled a staff sergeant that until then Kit hadn't noticed. Kit then turned his attention back the General who had already begun to speak.

"Welcome," he began. "For those of you who might not know me, I'm General Wedge Antilles, and I would like to be the first to welcome you here. I will also apologize for the blind folds, but this is a secure facility and for those of you who actually make the squadron will be filled in on all the current things going on around here."

Wedge paused and ran a hand through his hair that Kit noticed was already disheveled as it was. "Now, you are all here because I chose you for some reason or another not because you're the best, its because I saw something that might be critical to an a elite squadron." He scanned over the room once looking over the crowd.

"Don't get a big head on your shoulders just because you are here you could easily be going home tomorrow. I will assure you now that you think that just because I founded and flew with the Rouge squadron that I will this time, that is not the case, I am simply an extra set of hands on this. Make no mistake impressing me is still a priority, but impressing the commanding officer of this Squad is mandatory," he said only half way seriously.

"With that let me introduce your commanding officer, Commander Kit Lee," he said and stepped down just in time for the staff sergeant to call everyone back to attention.

"Top that," Wedge said as he passed Kit making him smile a little and nodding.

"As you were," Kit said flatly and began to talk when they sat back down. "I would like to welcome you all here again, but lets get past all the pleasantries. As soon as we are done here you are going to be competing against each other for ten open spots on my squadron.

"Like I was saying, though, tryouts will last four week. Rules are simple: Show me your best, and your particular skills that got you here and you're basically in." Kit paused to gauge their reaction, and was pleased to see their expressions not wavering. "Now the elimination process works like this – week one four people are going home, week two four people, week three four people, and the final week two. That is a minimum number that will be going each week. Remember don't push when things need to be pulled or you will find yourself on the quickest ship out of here."

When that was said their was a quiet mummer around the briefing room that was hushed when the staff sergeant cleared his throat.

"How do you stay?" Kit asked. "Don't score the lowest, that's all. Now," Kit paused again and pointed to a droid waiting at the back of the room. "You should all be getting to bed, but first you will report in to the squadrons Yoeman Droid Tee Dee One for bunk assignment confirmations, and gear issue. Once again I wish you all good luck as I look forward to seeing your best." Kit nodded to the staff sergeant as Kei, the General and himself walked down the center isle to the door just in time to hear the sergeant start to bellow out commands.

As they all three walked towards a near by lift Kit kept looking at his data pad, "General?"

"Yes Kit?" Wedge said as he punched for the lift to open its doors.

Still looking down at his pad Kit went on, "I have an idea to see how good these pilots are right now, but I need your authorization to do it."

He looked up to see the General somewhat confused.

"Let me explain, sir, in my last command we simulated attacks at 0200 in the morning and we trained to improve readiness time," Kit said and saw that the General finally understood.

"Sounds good, but we don't have x – wings for that test," he said and Kit nodded his head.

"We won't need the actual x – wings sir we've got simulators. What I want to do it this…" Kit started off as they stepped into the lift.

--

"Less chatter!" The Sergeant on duty bellowed. "My name is Sergeant Riley!"

His voice boomed out over the gathered crowed, as his com link chirped. When he picked it up he answered with a hushed "Yessir?"

"Okay sir, will do, Riley out."

The sergeant pocketed his communicator and turned once again to the crowd. "You twelve over here, the rest of you go with Tee Dee One, and he will explain," Riley instructed. The prospects all muttered to themselves as they did what they were instructed.

"This is the x – wing simulation room you twelve will be in here."

"What about the others?"

Riley couldn't see who had spoken out, but he answered anyways.

"Don't you worry about the what the others are doing you only worry about your own ass's for the time being! Understood?"

"Yes Sergeant!" the group called out loudly.

"Good," Riley muttered pulled out his com link once again. "All pilots to a cockpit now and don't worry about a helmet," he instructed as he dialed in the number for the commander. He waited until he heard the commander's voice before talking again.

"Everything is ready to go, sir." He stated and turned it off just in time for the lights to shut off and send to room suddenly into darkness. After only a short moment red lights flashed on and a very loud buzzing filled the room and a wall panel slide slowly open. There in a window stood Wedge, Kit and Kei looking amused. Kit picked up the IMC mike, pressed a button labeled R1 and announced in a loud voice. "Scramble all fighters, scramble all fighters…incoming TIE, closing in fast, estimated contact time, five minutes." Kit replaced the mike and looked down at the screens to see twenty-four slightly confused, but still alert prospects.

"You know Kit that is pretty cruel having them fight against each other without them even knowing," Wedge said lightly with a smile, in which the commander returned as he stared at the screens split into two groups.

"So brother what are we looking for?" Kei asked as she leaned back in her chair.

"Well we are looking for the ones that don't freak out and that can get organized the quickest. Oh Kei would you monitor the other side please?"

"Sure, sure," she said as she turned away and started to issue out orders, and mission outlines. Kit was laughed softly at his sisters crude language and sharp orders but was interrupted by a voice over the com.

"What's going?" a slightly panicked voice asked and before Kit could say anything another voice boomed over the airway.

"Get yourself together! This is a test, get under control, power up and follow my lead, damn it!" The voice commanded. Kit nodded approvingly the same voice could be heard issuing wing assignments and so on.

"So general," Kit said as he sat down at the simulator battle screen, "care to take any guesses?"

--

The simulation was over and almost every one of the candidates looked rung out as they sat in the simulator cockpits awaiting orders. Kei grinned and plugged in her data pad to the computer console to down load the results of the mock fight. Of course no one had lived. It was one of the most advanced simulated fights the system had to offer.

Kei laughed again as she watched some of them nod off. The 'fight' had gone on for nearly three and half hours, far longer then any of them would have expected. She detached the cables from the console and followed her brother the General out of the room to the where the candidates were being rounded up.

"Good job," Kit said to them all. "That exceeded my expectations. Now you all must be ready for bed, but don't get too comfortable, we will be mustering at 0800 in the morning. Still get as much rest as you can. Good night."

With that she followed the men out of the room with her data pad tucked in her arms. She was just as tired as the newbies behind them, but she knew she wasn't getting any sleep.

"Kei will you have the results ready for when we muster?" her brother asked and she nodded.

"Good see you at eight."

"See you, brother. General." She nodded curtly them both and headed for her own room. Once there she kicked off her boots and pulled off her uniform jacket and tossed it to the side. She wasn't to worried about it because she planned on wearing her overalls. Once she made herself a cup of the strongest coffee she could find she sat at computer console and plugged in her data pad to the receptor port.

Kei only had to wait a couple of moments as the information was transferred to the larger screen and she watched with mild interest as the results showed one by one along with the candidates pictures. She was about to raise her cup to her lips again to take a long drink when something popped onto the screen of one of the candidates.

Raising an eyebrow she lowered the mug and set it aside to lean in slightly to read.

Natas Treadwell – eight out of twelve kills, assigned wing commander in M.S.B (mock simulation battle) Level Ten. Assigned support Talon Dalton, Dep Von Klemp, Pall Perkin.

Kei was slightly impressed by the results of those four as they had lasted the longest and tallied in the most kills.

"Hmm," she hummed and started in calculating the scores based on performance results, and so on. The group that had caught her attention had with out a doubt made top marks for what they could do with out any real flying or battle experience, but they were worth keeping an eye on.

authors note: ok its been a while i know. the action will be in soon enough still trying to work in the characters. please read and review

T.F.M.