Star Wars - Series Fan Fiction ❯ X-Wing Knight Squadron: The Battle of Endor ❯ Four ( Chapter 4 )

4

 

Ru Murleen found her CO in Home One's Officers cafeteria, nursing a fizzy drink. Sliding into a seat behind him she said, “I thought you didn't drink.”

“I don't. Alcohol makes me sick not drunk. Besides I can be perfectly melancholy on my own.”

“You're not getting pre-battle jitters on us Captain?” she grinned. Aidan managed a grin of his own.

“It's not that. It's just…I remember how many good pilots we lost to the last Death Star. How many we've lost since. And I get to thinking, how many are we going to lose this time? Will it be Commander Simms? You? Me?”

He shifted in his chair so that he could look her in the eyes.

“I've watched dozens of pilots die around me. I keep having this thought in the back of my head that, maybe it'll be my turn soon. I mean besides dying I could end up crippled for life. Ours is not a profession that lends itself to health or long life. Sometimes I step back from all this and ask myself, what am I doing here? I begin to question my dedication to the Alliance. You know that my home world is on the edge of known space. Neither the Old Republic nor the Empire have ever been particularly interested in Avalon. I got here because I stowed away on one of the few ships that came to our planet. I was so bright eyed and eager when I began my training as a pilot. I mean I had seen the holos that the Alliance had put out about the Empire. But even back then I had some doubts, especially after the Tatooine mission.”

Ru frowned, remembering that mission that Blue Squadron had undertaken just prior to the Battle of Yavin. They'd responded to a distress call from Anchorhead base on Tatooine, which was being assaulted by a Star Destroyer. Blue Squadron had been forced to engage the Destroyer and it had cost them six good pilots, three more of which died at Yavin.

“What are you saying?” she asked, concern laced within her voice as she leaned closer to him.

“I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've never been more committed than I am now. When we flew at Yavin and I saw the Death Star up close, saw the lengths the Empire was willing to go to keep control, something inside me just gave way. I believe now more than ever before that any so-called Empire that could even conceive of a weapon like the Death Star doesn't deserve to be in charge of the galaxy. The mere fact that they would rebuild the Death Star is just one more nail in their collective coffin”

Ru smiled, a smile that lit up her whole face.

“I'm glad you think that.”

“Yeah. I mean, who knows, if we don't destroy this Death Star it might show up at Avalon one day.”

“And that's why we are fighting the Empire now.”

“Exactly.”

Ru grinned slyly at Aidan. “Where you looking for someone to talk to or were you just hoping that I would come by?”

“Not really. But I do seem to be able to talk to you easier than anyone, uh, else, umm.” Just then a new voice broke into their conversation. Aidan wasn't entirely disappointed; Ru's face had been getting a little too close for comfort.

“Are we interrupting something?” said Lieutenant Wes Janson who, along with Wedge Antilles, Hobbie Klivian, and Tycho Celchu, had just strolled into the tapcaf. Aidan frowned at Janson.

“Go away Janson, it's too early in the evening to have to deal with you. And that goes for the rest of you as well,” he said nodding at his former Rogue Squadron comrades.

“I hope that doesn't include me as well,” came a new voice from the direction of the door. The others turned around and saw Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Chewbacca walking towards them.

“Of course not Luke,” said Aidan, “I was referring to Janson and his merry band of reprobates.”

Tycho grimaced. “Any band or squadron under Wes' leadership would suffer chronic mutiny.”

Janson mimed having been shot in the heart. Aidan and the others just shook their heads.

 

-Knight Squadron-

 

After drinks were ordered and the group of Rebel heroes was seated around a table the conversations resumed.

“Our mission is leaving soon,” explained Han, “We just thought we'd come into the mess and grab a bite to eat before we go. As you can see, Chewie here'll probably die of hunger `cause all we've got to eat will be mission rations and local fare.”

Chewbacca let out a roar of what sounded like indignation as everyone else chuckled.

“Wedge did I hear right that that they won't be having the Rogues flying with the fleet?” asked Aidan.

“In a sense they will be. We've just been split up into different squadrons. Hobbie, Janson, myself are still in Rogue Squadron although its been renamed Red Squadron for this attack. I'm Red Leader, Hobbie is Red Two, and Janson is Red Five.”

“I'll be flying an A-Wing in Green Squadron as Green Three,” said Tycho.

“Figures. X-Wings are just too slow for us speed demons eh Celchu?” said Ru with a knowing grin that Tycho returned along with guffaws from Janson.

“Hey, you all just be careful out there okay?” said Han, “We want to see you down on Endor to celebrate.”

“I'll drink to that,” said Aidan as he lifted up his glass.

“And too victory over the Death Star and the Empire,” chimed in Leia.

They raised their glasses and brought them together and then drank deeply, savoring the taste of impending victory.