2
Ashta was at her desk, papers scattered all about, and the former sitting with elbows planted on the desk, holding her forehead. She hardly noticed when the office door opened and was shut quietly.
"Still feeling sorry for yourself, Commander?"
Ashta didn't bother to look up. "I guess that's what it looks like, Naydys."
Kysal generously seated herself in the chair across from Ashta. "Buck up, Rlgah. It'll all come together." Ashta snorted, but she looked up at Kysal. The former CorSec officer narrowed her eyes, and putting her elbows on the desk in front of her, maneuvered herself closer to Ashta. Her face became hard, like stone. "I know you to be a hard, strong woman. This isn't you." She looked half-imploringly at the silver-haired woman.
Ashta sighed, and picked up a stylus from among the mountain of papers. She began weaving it through her fingers. "I keep having this recurring nightmare. I've had it for the past few weeks now. Same things happen. We're in the middle of a battle, fighting a very crucial battle, and one of my pilots makes a very bad mistake." Ashta spread her hands out, and mouthed the word boom. "Maker knows, I've dreamed of having my very own squadron for years now, ever since I started flying." She resumed fiddling with the stylus.
Kysal watched the Commander closely. "I'm not sure how to say this, but I understand exactly what you mean. I've had the same vision. To have a squadron, to be in a squadron. It's every pilot's dream. To have someone who can count on you." Kysal sighed. "Ash, I have to break the news to you, but I think that you're more afraid of failing them yourself than having them fail you. Talk about every Jedi's nightmare there."
Ashta suddenly stopped fiddling with the stylus. "Why do I have this creepy feeling that you're exactly right?"
Kysal shrugged, nonchalantly, but smiled. "Maybe a premonition? Some 'Jedi' feeling?" A long silence filled the room. Finally, Kysal was the one to break it. "You've only just started with this group. A year from now, a few months, maybe a couple of weeks, you'll be berating yourself for doubting them now. It will all come together." She repeated.
Ashta looked up at her, and suddenly grinned. "Thanks. I really appreciate that. I guess I really owe you one."
Kysal smiled. "I guess so, Commander."
* * *
An hour later, all of the pilots were assembled in the ready room. Ashta sat at the front, a solemn look on her face as all of the pilots seated themselves and whispered questions to one another. Finally, when she was sure that everyone was there, she cleared her throat and stood. All eyes were on her in a hypersecond. Ashta resisted the urge to smile, and looked around the room.
"Most of you think you're probably here for a long lecture," she began. She saw a few faces relax. "And that's only partially true." A few low groans were heard. Ashta allowed a small, tight smile to slide onto her face. "For the next few months, I'd like to get closer to my squadron."
She paused. "I know we've just started, we just recently got scraped this squadron together. You eleven ranked the highest, the most elite of two hundred nominees." Ashta quieted, and slowly scanned the room, watching each face, each smile. Finally, glancing at Zana, she grinned. "I'd like for each of you to come up with an idea for an activity for each new month. A dance maybe. A feast. The ideas are countless. These activities will bring all of us closer together."
She looked down at her feet, momentarily unsure of what to say. "I'd like to ask a favor of all of you." She shifted, then smiled. "I've just gotten news that Corran Horn will be paying a personal visit to the squadron." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Valin scrunch a little lower in his seat. "I'd like to give him a formal welcome. We'll begin dress-training tomorrow morning at oh-eight hundred hours." She smiled. "Let's make him feel at home here."
Ashta leaned against the holo-projector stationed in the middle of the room and looked at her pilots. She drew a deep breath and forced a smile. "I guess our first sim run wasn't exactly the 'cream of the crop'." She blinked, searching for the words to say. "We have hardly two months to scrape our abilities out of hibernation." Ashta smiled as Kysal nodded, barely perceptible from her place. "We'll have sim runs at least twice each day, unless I tell you otherwise. When the simms are not being used, you may use them on your own time." Ashta glanced at the datapad in her hand. "First run will be at oh-ten hundred hours. All pilots must be in their units and ready to go at that time." Ashta looked around the room. "If you're not there, we'll leave without you. It'll mean marks on your profile, so I suggest everyone be there."
"Second run at sixteen hundred hours. Same goes for that too." Ashta shifted her position. "I'm not an easy person to please. It'll take some good piloting to ensure my beliefs that I chose the best, but I believe that you all can do that." Ashta smiled, then nodded. "Dismissed."
* * *
Ashta sighed and looked over her datapad once more, then hit the 'transmit' button. The words on the datapad flew off the screen. A moment later, the datapad beeped twice, signaling the arrival of a message. She smiled.
Zana sat in the mess hall, amongst the rest of the pilots, drinking a hot cup of stim-tea. She smiled as she listened to the excited chattering. Suddenly, the datapad sitting in front of her beeped. She picked it up and looked at it, then smiled. She stood, and got up on the seat. "Hey, everyone! We just got the results in for bunkmates!" Most of the pilots cheered, and began talking again, more loudly. Zana had to quiet them down again.
"Okay, first, the Commander says that if you don't like your bunkmate, or you want to switch with someone, and all parties are willing, speak to her or me. She also says that if at all possible, she wants you to make the best efforts to stay with the bunkmate that she's assigned you to. And without further ado, here's the list. Anakin Solo, Ayen Seltar." Anakin nodded his head respectfully at Ayen, who gave a small smile in return.
"Alex Vanner, Valin Horn." Huge grins appeared on both faces.
"Jaysaan Aarymer, Jarred Fain." Jarred turned his nose up slightly, and Jaysaan, who sat a few tables away from Jarred, rolled his eyes.
"Kale Messin, Miah Kassin." They nodded at one another.
"Dera Donos, and Kysal Naydys," Zana looked up and grinned. "You're with me. That's it, folks!"
The talking began again as Zana stepped down from the chair and seated herself across from Kysal and Jaysaan. "So, the high and great Commander has spoken her decision." Zana smiled.
"You'd better be one of those people that keep their room spotless. I hate a messy roommate." Kysal put her elbows on the table and leaned forward, while Jaysaan snickered quietly. "Sorry, Zana. Guess you'll have to get used to my habits." She elbowed Jaysaan." Zana sighed. "Well, I guess it's a start for all of us."
Chapter 3