REF# 008240-3340

Dear Tris,

Title: More than Words: Letters Home 1
Author: Sarina Argus aka Aya
Archive: Sure, let me know where
Rating: will prolly stay PG-13, possibly R
Summary: The letters of Ensign Taren Willette
NOTE: This was inspired by Lori and Wolfling's 'Letters' Series, if you haven't read it yet, you are missing a marvelous work. It won't be as long as theirs, but will hopefully be as entertaining as theirs is. Many many thanks to them for sharing it and for the inspiration
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REF#: 003130-8480
RRV Selin

Dearest Tris,

I'm here, not that's it's saying much. Just reported in and got my billeting assignment. I'm sharing quarters with 2 other women, one from security, one from supply, so getting stuff or getting caught shouldn't be a problem. SD3 Tissa has a weakness for salted cherrinroot, so if you can send some this way, I can guarantee no brig time for at least 20 more hours.

SL2 Karpen is pretty quiet but has a wicked sense of humor. She's also the resident practical joker, which I found out my first few minutes with them. Tissa said she's harmless, but I have a feeling I'm lucky I'm one of her quartermates.

The crew is good, I suppose, I've only just got here and they're coming out of the woodwork to meet me. Fresh meat was my first feeling, but since Selin is one of the deepspace warships, diversions are few and any new face is probably a good thing. A few people have borrowed some of my holos, you know, the old ones I pilfered from your library. When they found out I had the latest vids from Corellia, the S2 'requisitioned' them for the 'Designated Film Night' for all off duty crew members. I joked maybe the CO should have something to say about it, everyone shut up tighter than those Calmarian musclefish. Later I asked Tissa what the big deal was. Boy are you gonna love this.

Our CO is a Jedi Master. Not just any Jedi either; one Obi-Wan Kenobi. I see you shaking your head now, I did the same thing, well after I picked my jaw up off the ground. I'm serving under THAT screggin knight Tris! Gods if I ever get a chance I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind. As it is, I get my first briefing with the rest of the crew in a few hours, followed by one duty shift to get situated then an interview with the dorpus. But before you say anything, I promise I'll be civil to him. Wouldn't do me any good to get thrown off in the middle of hyperspace. Karpen thinks he's ok, Tissa just smiles. Maybe I'm missing something, but blaze, if anyone thinks he's gonna change my mind, they're screggin crazy. That man is reason this war is happening, the reason you and I are apart. And I'm gonna let him know it.

I'll write more later, hopefully not from some jettisoned space pod. All my love, mahal.

Taren.

Dearest Tris,

I got your 'que. I miss you too. We're supposed to have liberty in the next 60 cycles, maybe we'll be able to spend some time together. Glad to hear you passed your evals, you'll out rank me before you know it. Oh yea, guess what?

I met him.

Gods, I wish someone warned me. He was on the bridge when my shift came around. The only reason we even knew he was there was because the lift doors. The ones on the bridge are a little old and need some serious work. The metal squeaked and we all turned and there he was. Half of the crew looked away quickly, getting suddenly interested in the readouts in front of them. I stared like 3 year old.

I'd never seen a Jedi Knight before, not this close anyways. In the fleet uniform, no one would know he was a knight except for one thing. His saber. He wore it like a badge of office instead of a side arm. He wore the regulation blaster too, but 50 credits says he'd never pull it.

He saw me staring and smiled a bit and walked over. I hadn't introduced myself yet, I'd reported in to his second in command since he was on sleep cycle. I guess he figured it would be a bit more relaxed if our first meeting was in a more public area.

I wish he didn't do that. I wish he requested my presence in his ready room.  Or better yet, ignored me. But you know what I wished the most? I wish I didn't have my evening meal first.

Remember how we talked about how those moments are always etched in our memories, that times like that are always in slow motion so you can remember everything in vivid detail? This was one of those times...

Maybe it was the hyperspace jumps and the lags, or maybe the whole reporting in thing. All I remember is that his uniform jacket was charcoal black with small flecks of grey woven into the fabric. His uniform pants were crisp white with a gold stripe down the side, a Corellian blood stripe from what I'd been told. His boots were worn, but polished to a high sheen that would have passed even the toughest inspection. Or at least they would have before I threw up on them.

You should have seen his face, a mixture of shock and disbelief. For my part, I did the only thing that could have followed such a performance. I fainted.

Next thing I knew, I was in the infirmary, Tissa asking me what the Sith had happened. Word travels fast around the ship, but she wanted it from me. The med tech said it was a touch of the flu combined with nerves, and I'd be alright after a few cycles of rest. Tissa and I walked back to our quarters as quickly and as quietly as possible. Kar as ready for us, having thrown drop cloths over all the furniture. We had a good laugh before the meds kicked in.

When I woke up, there was a message on my com. From the CO. "I hope your feeling better." That's it. There was a small grin on his lips when he said it, so I really don't know what to make of it. At least no space pod for now. Tomorrow maybe.

That's pretty much it for now. I haven't been demoted yet, but if I am you'll be the first to know. Love you mahal.

Yours,

'Chuck' (my new nick)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
REF#001040956

Dear Tris,

You've probably heard by now, but we had our first skirmish. Runners from the core heading out of Republic space opened fire on us. We were totally blindsided.

I can't tell you too much about it, the security here is pretty strict but then you already know that. We almost didn't make it out. But then that's probably common knowledge by now. I have a feeling it's not gonna be the last time we get into this, but one things for damn sure. I would rather go into battle with this bunch. And that includes our CO.

I've heard all about tactics classes and all the other nonsense the Jedis are supposed to have learned, but Sith Tris, unless you see it in action, you haven't seen anything. He had us trying things that were just theory in the Academy, and they worked for scregs sake. Though half of the crew was probably crossing themselves or needing some new smallclothes when it was over. And get this. He led the boarding crew.

That captain was in for it. It was me, SD3 Timus, SD3 Keltor, AN Niels and Kenobi. The captain was pretty insolent until he caught sight of the General. Then he started jabbering so fast, I swore his brains would have spilled out. The captain and his officers were being transferred to the Selin for transport to HQ when all Sith broke loose. One of the crewmen opened fire on us. I would have been dead Tris, except for one thing. General Kenobi. Cool and composed as humanly possible, he drew the sword.

Remember all those vids we'd seen about the old order and their weapons? Throw all that away, Tris, you haven't seen anything unless you see that saber in action. He had that thing drawn and deflecting bolts before we even hit the deck. I'd have sworn the man had ice water in his veins, it was that mechanical. The crewman caught one of the deflected blasts square in the chest. He was dead before he hit the ground.

So Kenobi goes and turns the man over, checking for a pulse. I mean the guy's obviously dead, but he does it anyways. Then, he arranges the guy's hands, closes his eyes, smoothes his hands over the man's face and says, "There is no death, there is the Force, may your soul find peace." I mean he's saying death rites over an assassin! We didn't know what to think of it. The captain seemed pretty impressed, he ordered the rest of the crew not to resist and to cooperate fully with us. Talk about strange.

I asked Keltor about it later. He said it didn't really surprise him, after all, Jedi's are brought up respecting life and all that, so it made sense. I asked if the General did that all the time, but Kel said he didn't know. General Kenobi debriefed us, then told Giolla (our second in command) he'd be in his quarters. At first, I'd have sworn the general could have cared less, but there was a definite droop in his shoulders when he left the bridge, you'd think it bothered him more than he let on.

One thing's for sure Tris, my CO is a strange man.

We'll be at HQ in a few cycles, hopefully you will not have been assigned by then. The XO promised us a few cycles of shore leave once we dock and I know I for one need it.

More next time. I'm up for watch. Love you mahal. Stay low.

Love,

Taren

REF# 005140-006540

Dear Tris,

It's my turn on watch, so I thought I'd drop you a message while it was slow.  Figures. we get into port and you get assigned and are out. That's how my luck has been going so far. Dropped off those crew people today. Picked up some diplomat, we get to run him home and then shore leave. The crew is tempted to kick in for double shifts in order to get us there faster, just so we can get off this crate.

I probably shouldn't call it a crate, Selin has some of the best stuff our guys have to offer. Very fast for a crew ship. Not that that idiot diplomat would know. I mean don't get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for anyone that can face the Imperial Senate and hold his ground. But Sith Tris, someone needs to slap his 'eminence' around a few times. This is not a hotel or a royal barge, this is a warship.

I think the CO has had enough of him too. He's spent a lot of time in his cabin the past few days. I wonder what he does in there. Is it a secret Jedi ritual or something? No one's ever seen the inside of his cabin since he came aboard. Not even to deliver messages. Not that I'd volunteer, mind you. He's a weird one; pleasant and witty one moment, severe and withdrawn the next. I still don't know what to make of him, but I'd back him in a fight that's for sure. And I'd never play Sabaac with him. He doesn't smile much. Rarely laughs. Probably a Jedi trait. Like that surprises anyone.

He does have a nice smile, thought. Lights up his eyes, makes him look young again. Now stop giving me that look, Tris. You know you're the only one for me. A girl can look though, and add to the equation he's a Jedi Knight, no way. They probably don't even know the meaning of fun. Serenity and peace, isn't that what that old chip said?

I'd still back him in a fight and follow him into battle. I can't really explain it, but he has this 'energy' to him, a mysticism that follows him, hangs around him like a cloak. I really can't describe it any better than that. When you meet him, you'll see what I mean. And yes, you are going to meet him, Tris, if I have to cuff you and drag you to him myself.

Ah well, I have to deliver our new orders to our CO. Probably more recon in the outer rim. Same old thing. At least we get to catch up with you on Alderaan when we kick Organa off. I hate diplomats. See ya later. All my love mahal.

Yours, Taren

I'm getting the feeling this is a plot. One night on Alderaan. That's all we got to spend before you were off again. I think its Command. They're afraid I'll use my secret Zaurian tricks to distract you from your missions. And since they can't lose their best new pilot... At least we had one night. I loved waking up in your arms, feeling your warmth. It was C'haln, paradise. And at least we have more chances to grab liberty together.

I'm on the bridge right now, catching a moment of peace. The ship is pretty vacant right now. Shore leave will last another four cycles, then probably another deep spacer for us. And are we looking forward to it. Boo Hiss...

I went planetside with Tissa and Kar last night. Three women out for a wild night on Alderaan. I didn't drink much, since I had first watch, but I still had a good time. Anyway, we were walking and thinking where to go and decided to go to this dive. Before you start growling, it had the best music playing and Tissa is our assistant weaponsmate. We figured we were covered. Well, we were, mostly.

We'd just sat down when this screggin goon comes over and starts hitting on us. We told him to get lost in 5 different languages, Tris, but he just wouldn't take a hint. Finally Tissa is about to flatten him when our CO comes over. Oh Tris, this was classic. He looks at the guy and smiles. 'You want another drink,' he says, gesturing with his glass. The goon says 'I want another drink,' then Kenobi says 'You apologize for disturbing these ladies.' And the guy looks over to us and says, "Sorry for bothering you." And he leaves!

The guy goes and we're staring at our CO. He ditched the uniforms this time for something a bit more non-descript, black pants with a gold stripe down the side and a loose white shirt. He looked like a pirate or a smuggler, anything but our CO. Finally Kar remembers her manners and invites him to sit down. And I'm thinking, 'great move, lets get drunk in front of the Boss.' But ya know, he's a pretty nice guy. Wicked sense of humor. And he has lots of incredible stories. Places he's been that don't exist anymore, people he's met, things he's seen. And he matched Kar drink for drink, which is no small feat. Finally, four bottles later she's drooling in her glass, I'm giggling like a loon, Tissa is just out, and he's not even phased. Must be another Jedi thing. Wish he'd teach me that, my head is killing me.

So he loads us in this transport back to the ship and is about to get in with us when this other transport comes up. With royal markings. And before you can skin a temmil, I'm carrying a message to Giolla that the CO is going to the palace at the request of King Bail. I knew the Jedi used to be well connected, but Sith.

He came back early this morning with the rest of the crew. Most of our senior officers are suffering from the same form of incapacitation as the crew. Tissa was not a pretty sight this morning, and poor Kar spent the morning in the fresher. I was the most functional of the three of us and that isn't saying much. At least first watch was relatively uneventful.

I do get to deliver some good news to the general. The palace just sent word that the queen gave birth to a baby girl. Princess Leia Organa. Isn't that a pretty name? So I get to tell him about her and to deliver our new orders. A run to the rim. Figures doesn't it, from civilization to the wastes. Oh well, no one said this would be glamorous.

Well off to the General's quarters. The work of the message girl is never done. I'll send more later. Stay safe mahal, remember: Bank, reverse thrusters, fire. And duck.

All my love Taren.

Dear Tris,

Heard about your scuffle, Gods, Tris, be careful! I'm in a warship, we can take a few hits before we start worrying. You're in a fighter. I worry just as much about you, maybe more. This war is one on one for you, I don't want to lose you.

We finished our trip to the rim, Hutt territory. Actually we didn't hit the rim, we stayed in secure space. I can't tell you much else about it, other than our CO is a nut.

I had to run his orders to him before he took off so I ran from the bridge to the hanger, hoping to catch him before he takes off. I turn the corner and I swear I hear voices. One of them is the Boss, the other was... I don't know how to describe it. Rich, deep, but not all there. So anyway, I turn the corner and the CO is talking to himself. At least he had to be, since there was no one else there. But he's stowing his gear and saying, "Yes, master," "No, master," and nodding like an idiot. So I'm thinking, "Great, the boss has lost it." I clear my throat, getting his attention. He looks up and smiles, I mean really smiles, and now I'm thinking, "Ok, what's the joke?" I give him the orders and start backing away slowly, but before I left the hanger I swear I heard two people laughing. That and a baby crying. I've got an appointment with our medic after my watch.

The other thing I learned that he has balls of pure duranium. He flew the ship out by himself, you know the kind, the hi-tech recon ones that seat one uncomfortably and are built for two. I have no clue where he went, but when he came back he had a couple of runners on his tail, coming in hot and loaded. Giolla scrambled our own fighters real fast, but I could have sworn Kenobi was a dead man.

Oh Tris, he can fly. I mean he can really fly. Every aerobatic maneuver known, he pulled it off while our fighters struggled to keep up with him. The recon ship had no arms, but then you know that. Still he was dancing around these guys, setting them up, and our fighters just lined up and pulled the trigger. We watched the whole thing from the bridge. Gods, it was amazing.

Timus and I were the first to the hangar. They were already pulling the blast door off the side of his ship. The outer skin was scorched so much the paint flaked off in sheets. The cockpit glass was starting to bubble up. Finally they got the damned thing open and he hops out, covered head to toe in soot, grinning like a mad man. And he sees me and laughs. "Wills," he calls to me, "Gods, that was wizard!" Then he starts gushing like a 6 year-old to the pilots that landed with him, who true to form, gushed right along with him. Part of me is thinking, 'He must have hit his head,' and the other part of me wants to gush too. Pretty soon I'm grinning like an idiot too. Then Doctor Argus shows up and breaks up the party. But for a few moments there...

Anyway, I've got to get to mess before the good stuff is gone. Send me holos from your base, and I'll think about sending the holos Kar took on Dantooine. Love you mahal. And keep an eye on your afterburners.

More later, "Wills"

REFERENCE # 006150-9331

Dear Tris,

Just bumbling in from our ship's movie night. Giolla finally found time to grab everyone's vids, along with a few he grabbed on Alderaan and turned our mess into a makeshift theatre. There was the usual delicious Navy food (ack ack) and by some gift of the Gods, we actually had kjerner, something I hadn't had since I got assigned here. I grabbed a bag and flopped on one of the chairs, where Tissa instigated an ost fight ( We won I'll have you know), but a terrible waste of ost. No worries, you can send me some, right?

The night opened with an animated short with a guy in a cape and cowl running around with his kid sidekick chasing this pasty-faced purple-suited nut with a red and black clad woman. I absolutely adored it and am putting it on my care package wish list (hint hint). Then we watched this old Terran movie, comedy, about this guy who kidnaps this girl and they fall in love. Kinda hokey, but cute in a demented way. The third movie was from Corellia, with guys in dresses running around saving the world (so you see a theme developing here?) After the long-haired guy dropped his skirt to jump in the water, I decided to go for a bit of air.

Giolla was in the hallway, so I thanked him for the diversion. He nodded and said it was the Boss' idea. I asked where the Boss was, thinking he was meditating or doing some secret CO type stuff. Giolla shook his head and smiled. "He's on the bridge." I stared at him for a moment then peeked back into the mess hall. Almost all the bridge crew was there. "Doesn't he like movies?" "Yeah, but he said he wanted you all to enjoy yourselves. I'll be relieving him in a bit."

I stared a bit longer then the 'Star Scout' in me took over. Confiscating a few drinks and three bags of fresh kjerner, I snuck out just as the fight broke out (on-screen). Before you get any ideas, I was trying to make up for that um... involuntary decoration of hisuniform. They never got that door fixed, but I'd bet credits he knew someone was on their way to the bridge before the door even opened. I did surprise him with the snack. He kept saying I didn't have to do this, all the while munching handfuls of food. I laughed, handed him a soda and took my position at ops. Me, him, the service droids, and the stars in front of us. Good company, good food, good scenery...

He talked about Skywalker. What kind of kid his padawan was. Big eyes, big smile, big heart. Loved to fly, tear things apart. Even though he lagged in some of his studies, always wanting to do well enough to make him proud, make 'his master' proud. And he did, right up to hisknighting.

I asked him what happened, why the change. He gave me a look that made his whole body droop. "Palpatine." One word, something we in the fleet knew all along. He joined the fleet to make right what he sees as his final failure to the order, to his family. General Obi-Wan Kenobi is in a position to find Vader. And Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi wants to save the man that was his bright eyed apprentice. And he feels the galaxy blames him. For creating the monster that started this war.

I don't. Not anymore. I told him so. Everyone makes their own choices, chooses their own path. But Kenobi still feels responsible. He blames himself and won't stop until he either saves the man, or stops the monster. I don't envy him the weight he carries.

Gods, this is depressing. Sorry, I'll write more later. I can't right now. Stay safe.

Love you Mahal. Taren