Omega Sqadron Black Knights
Chapter 5

The alarm stabbed into Kaz’s sleep. She groaned, turning over, mumbling, "Alarm off!" The warble dropped into silence. She lay for a moment longer, wondering how late it had been before she had finally made it to bed the night before. She remembered her Chief walking along the corridor with her and her asking him to check on Lainy. She sat up, swinging her legs out of the bed, ordering, "Lights."

Despite everything she’d drunk the night before, she felt okay. Tired, but okay. She grinned. Lainy was going to be suffering, though! Knowing it was unkind, but relishing the thought of being able to get a few digs at her friend, she stood up, stripping off and turning on the shower.

The warm water felt glorious, refreshing her. Feeling better than she had done for days, she reached for the towel, her mind already beginning to run over squadron details. Lainy had already taken Shei through the basics of flying an X-wing in the sims and had been impressed at how quickly the A-wing pilot had picked up on the differences and adapted. Notrahw had promised Poom-Bar that another two fighters would be arriving… tomorrow. Which meant that both Xen and Shei could fly.

Flight Enilra had finally given up on trying to salvage Xen’s damaged T-65 – the structural integrity of the wing strut had been too badly impaired to even attempt repairing. First time she jumps into hyperspace it’ll buckle again and the fighter could be ripped apart.

But with two new fighters… She grinned again, remembering Lori’s comment – And how long before they dent those?

She dragged on her uniform, still thinking about the sim exercises that she could do with Shei to bring her up to speed. If Lainy was impressed she must be good, but Kaz wanted to see Shei fly for herself… and if she could persuade Poom-Bar to find a respirator unit from somewhere, Shei could use Lainy’s fighter, get a real feel for flying. The simulators were fine, but there was a subtle difference to flying the real thing. The thought of taking the X-wing out again thrilled through her.

But it also brought memories of the Richlo’s Rest disaster. The pain, regret and guilt were still there, but she found that they had eased slightly. She allowed her mind to drift across the faces of her dead pilots, remembering them as they had been on that last day when they had seen the evidence of Lainy Kal’Ten’s practical joke…

Dismay washed through her.

Lainy’s damned practical joke! Enilra had, quite rightly, insisted to Notrahw that Lainy face court-martial for her actions. Notrahw had started to agree. Then it had been forgotten as the X-wings were launched in answer to the distress call. With everything else that had happened she had hadn’t remembered about it until now…

Biting her lip she hit the door release, wondering if there was any way she could persuade Lori not to press charges… The door slid open, startling the man who had been just about to press the door chime. Surprised, they both stepped back. Then he grinned at her, "Good morning, Ma’am."

For a moment she didn’t believe her eyes, "Wedge?"

"The one and only," he assured her.

She laughed, hugging him, "Goddess, Antilles, it’s good to see you."

He returned the hug, holding her tightly, then they broke away, looking one another over, grinning inanely. "You’ve been promoted!" she said finally, "So what happened to the teenage hot shot I knew on Dantooine?"

"He grew up… But I can see that the tall, red-headed CO is still as gorgeous as she always was."

She laughed again, stepping back into her quarters, "Flatterer! Well don’t just stand there! Come in! How long are you here for?"

He moved past her, "Only a few more hours or so. We’re escorting a transport that’s here to pick up some of the Richlo survivors." He looked at her, "Heard you took some heavy casualties."

"We lost all but three," she told him sadly then turned to rummage in one of the cupboards in the kitchen area, looking for the bag of kaffin she was sure she had. She found it, turning back to him, "I was sorry to hear about the Tantive."

"I’m still reeling," he admitted, dropping into one of the chairs, "I was just getting a handle on it when I heard about Alderaan…" He shook his head, "Sometimes I wonder of this will ever end." She turned away, pouring the powder into two mugs, putting the water on to boil as he continued, "Yavin gave everyone so much hope... But we left so many behind on Hoth. And with Luke and the Princess still missing…"

Saying nothing she walked over, sitting opposite him. Rumours had been rife that the Commander and the Millennium Falcon were still MIA almost three months after the attack on Echo Base. Now she knew that the rumours were true. She reached over, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. He looked across at her, smiling sadly.

Hawkspar had lived through Omega Squadron’s own nightmares, as had Kal’Ten and now Edraa. But Hoth had ripped at everyone’s morale and Skywalker, Solo and the Wookiee were the heroes of Yavin. Somehow that hit where it hurt the most.

"So," she asked quietly, "do you want to tell me how you’ve been really?"

"Better than most," he admitted. "They promoted me to Commander and I’ve been too busy since then to really have a chance to think about it…" The sadness settled a little more heavily around him, "Except when I’m alone at night. It’s always worse at night."

Kaz gave him a level, measured look, "And since when did Wedge Antilles start sleeping alone at night?"

He laughed, the melancholy lifting slightly, "Since I discovered that it wasn’t helping me to forget that I’d missed my chance with a certain red-headed Commander!"

"I don’t remember you ever asking!" she pointed out.

He considered her for a moment, unsure how to take the comment, wondering for a moment if it was an invitation before changing the subject, "So, how come they haven’t promoted you?"

The water heater clicked off and she stood up, grinning, "They’ve tried, but I’m not meant for a desk job. Notrahw finally got fed up badgering me about it. And besides, it would mean leaving Lainy in charge."

"Lainy? Lainy Kal’Ten? Is she still with you?" His thoughts drifted back to the quiet, serious girl who had arrived on Dantooine just before they’d abandoned it and he’d been transferred with three of the others into Red Squadron.

"Still with me, still causing trouble and now my Second, for my sins."

"Still causing trouble? She struck me as a mouse."

Kaz laughed, a deep infectious sound that soon had him giggling, "Oh," she sighed finally, "she was quiet and unassuming for a while. Then her true nature kicked back in and I found myself wishing that my Father hadn’t let her join up until she was eighteen. A sixteen year old, away from home for the first time…"

"I remember!" he interrupted, "I was that sixteen year old!" He took the proffered mug of kaffin, telling her, "I’ll never forget the day you put me up against a wall and threatened to kick my butt from here to Coruscant because I was more dangerous to the squadron than the Empire."

"I did?" she asked, not remembering the incident, sitting back down opposite him.

"The day one of my manoeuvres almost killed you, your wingman and my wing-control?"

She stopped, mug half way to her mouth, "Oh… I remember!" She grinned, "I think I used that one on Lainy two years later, you know."

Wedge laughed, then admitted, "I used it on a rookie only the other day! Poor kid was as terrified of me as I was of you!"

"Ah," she told him, "the privileges of rank!"

~ * ~

Aryes Drayke woke slowly, opening his eyes as Lainy Kal’Ten groaned softly. He grinned, looking at her as she dragged her eyes open and groaned again. "Morning!" he greeted.

Startled, she pulled away, suddenly realising that he was there. But the movement only made her head spin, pulling another groan from her and she dropped her head back onto his arm, "I feel awful."

"I’m not surprised, the state you lot were in last night!"

"Shh," she pleaded, "not so loud…"

He grinned again, watching the bemused expression on her face a she tried to open her eyes again, looking up at him, "Where am I?"

"In your quarters…"

"Why are you here?"

"Because the Commander asked me to check on you." He stopped, wondering if he should explain further, deciding that it would probably be for the best, "You were upset. I gave you a shoulder to cry on and you fell asleep."

Memories of the night before returned. "I was drunk," she defended.

"I know," he told her softly. "But you were also being truthful, for once in your life."

Fear and apprehension tightened in the pit of Lainy’s stomach as she realised how much of herself she might just have betrayed to this man who had never made any attempt to disguise the fact that he didn’t have much time for her. And yet here he was lying in her bed having held her as she cried herself to sleep beside him.

Ary saw the confusion and the apprehension sweep across her face and realised once again just how vulnerable she actually was. He got up, walking across to the water dispenser, pouring a glass of the ice-cold liquid. Hawkspar’s words echoed in his head again, She’s not as brave as she makes out…

He had seen that last night. He understood her a little more and now that he did he felt guilty about the off-handed way he usually treated her. He turned, walking back to the bed, handing her the glass.

"Thanks." She took it, sipping the liquid slowly. Her head pounded, she felt distinctly unwell and she couldn’t work out why he was still here…

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I always am," she told him, forcing herself to give him an assured smile.

He sat down on the bed beside her, "That’s what I mean. Are you going to be okay, really okay?"

Tension made her snap at him, "What the hells has it to do with you?" Then she regretted it as her head thumped harder and her stomach flipped.

"Absolutely nothing!" he snapped back, pushing himself abruptly to his feet and heading towards the door. Then he stopped, turning back, "Damn it, Lainy, you were breaking your heart last night! That’s not something I’m going to forget in a hurry! The indestructible, irresponsible Lainy Kal’Ten finally showing a weakness?"

She refused to look at him, staring down into the glass of water, tears welling up. She wasn’t going to do this, she refused to do this in front of him. But she was tired and she was hung-over and she was scared because he hadn’t left yet. And she was still guilty about everything that had happened. And right now she couldn’t take anyone having a go at her, least of all him.

He saw the tear that slid slowly down her cheek and silently cursed his own actions. He walked back across to the bed, sitting beside her, "Lainy?"

"Please don’t shout at me?" she whispered, "I really don’t feel very well."

He gathered her into his arms, holding her as she cried again. Then he pulled away, tilting her head up, "Lainy?"

She kept her eyes closed, tears still spilling down her cheeks and he tried again, "Lainy?"

She shook her head, trying to pull away. He swore softly. Damn her, either he stayed here with her, or he left her to it! But knowing that he would never forgive himself if he left her like this, there was no other decision he could make. And besides… He took a deep breath, coming to another decision. Gently, tentatively he pulled her back towards him kissing her lightly on the lips.

Astounded, her eyes snapped open and she stared at him as he broke away. He smiled at her, pushing her hair back behind her ear, telling her quietly, "You are the most irritating, hard-headed, stubborn woman I have ever known."

She looked at him, unable to find anything to say. Then she felt the colour draining from her face as her stomach finally rebelled against the alcohol. "I’m going to be sick…"

The water landed on him as she thrust the glass into his hand, racing for the toilet. He sat, looking at his drenched trousers then across at the bathroom door, shaking his head, unable to stop the laughter as he checked the chronometer on the wall.

She finally reappeared, pale and shaky, walking across to sink down on the bed. "I want to die…"

Still laughing he crossed back to the water dispenser, pouring her another glass and walking back to the bed. He handed it to her and she took it, squinting at him, "I got your uniform."

"It’s only water. It’ll dry. You’ve got thirty minutes before I’m due on duty." He moved towards the door, "Have a shower! I’ll be back in fifteen with something for you to eat."

"No..." she groaned.

"Don’t," he warned, "make me strip you and dump you in the shower!"

Her eyes went wide, "You wouldn’t!"

He stood, arms folded across his chest, foot tapping on the floor, giving her a level try me look. She pushed herself back to her feet, heading cautiously towards the shower, "Okay, I’m going. I’m going."

Ary grinned, turning and walking into the corridor.

~ * ~

The alarm intruded on the nightmare, giving credibility to the klaxon that warbled in the cockpit, warning her that a TIE had locked-on to her as another pulled up in front of her, breaking out of her sights. She tried to follow but it swung round, aiming back towards her, guns spitting laser fire. She tried to push the fighter down into a roll, but her controls froze on her. Panic tore at her. She wrestled with the controls, trying desperately to move out of the line of fire… but her shields were failing… the blaster fire was blossoming against the hull…

Xen screamed, slamming upright as she woke, gasping for breath and drenched in sweat. The lights came on. Terrified, disoriented, she sat looking round herself, the last vague images faded into the darker recesses of her mind

"Alarm off!" she yelled, sinking back down onto the pillows, trying to calm herself. It was a dream, only a dream. She was safe, on board the Home Two. The TIEs weren’t real.

But they had been real at the Richlo’s Rest. They had been terrifyingly real and there had been so many of them. She didn’t remember the wreckage hitting her. She didn’t remember asking the Boss for help afterwards. But obviously her subconscious did. She closed her eyes, taking long, deep breaths. Once she got back into the X-wing, once she was out there again and flying everything would be okay. And the Supply had assured her that a new T-65 would be arriving tomorrow.

She swung her legs out of the bed, sitting on the edge for a moment before heading towards the shower. She would be flying tomorrow. All she had to do was get through tonight.

~ * ~

Kaz laughed at Wedge’s story, standing up and walking to the com unit to answer the buzzer, "Yes?"

"Commander," Maggs Ronnoc’s voice told her, "The Vice-Admiral would like to see you as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said, pulling a face "Let him know that I’m on my way." She turned back to Wedge, "No rest for the wicked…"

He laughed, "There never is. Look," he continued, standing up, "if we’re still here, can I take you to lunch or something, for old time’s sake? To apologise for the pain in the butt that I used to be?"

"Wedge, no apology is needed," she assured him, "But yes, that would be nice…"

They walked into the corridor together, meeting Catterin Poom-Bar coming the other way. She stopped, looking from her CO to Antilles, a slow grin tugging at her mouth. Antilles leaving Hawkspar’s room first thing in the morning…. Well, well, well. She smiled, telling Kaz, "Uh, Boss, we’ve got a new recruit. Came in with Commander Antilles last night."

Hawkspar turned to look at him, and he flashed her a mischievous smile, "Oh, yeh… Sorry, meant to tell you. Nice bloke, Baz Ahtron. Not long joined up."

Kaz shook her head, in dismay, "Another rookie?"

"I got him sorted out with quarters," Poom-Bar assured her. "And told him to be back in the hanger for oh nine hundred."

"Have you seen any of the others this morning?" Kaz asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"No, Ma’am. You’re the first."

"Make sure they’re all awake, can you? And then introduce them to Baz. I’ll be with them as soon as I can. Notrahw wants to see me."

"Yes, Ma’am." She turned walking back along the corridor, hearing Antilles tell the Boss, "I’d better go find my lot. Don’t forget lunch!" Grinning, she quickened her pace. Wait till the others hear about this!

~ * ~

Lori looked across at the pilot who was still sitting on a pile of crates watching the engineers work on the Rogue X-wing’s blaster cannon. Finally she gave up, walking across to him, demanding, "Should I be insulted that you don’t trust my crew, or are you genuinely interested?"

He stood up, grinning, "No, Ma’am, I’m genuinely interested." The grin faded, "I only arrived last night. The Supply said that I should be here at oh-nine-hundred, but I sort of woke up early and as I don’t really now my way round I thought I’d just arrive a little…" He grinned again, amending, "…a lot early."

"You must be Baz?"

"Yes Ma’am."

She tutted, shaking her head, "Forget the Ma’am, Flight will do. How much time do you have on the T-65?" From this enthusiasm he had to be a low hour Rookie, Goddess help him.

"Minimum…" he admitted.

Oh, Boy! she thought. Then she asked, "This is your first posting?"

"Yes…" he told her, the grin fading slightly, apprehension lurking behind his eyes.

She patted him on the shoulder, "Don’t worry about it. You’ll get more experience than you ever wanted soon enough. If you’re not flying for real then the Commander will have you flying in the simulators. She expects you to work hard, but she lets you play hard… Just," she warned, "don’t ever turn up for duty with a hangover or she’ll have your guts."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Which reminds me, Don’t ever go up against Hawkspar in a drinking match – she’ll win. And don’t ever go up against Kal’Ten – because Hawkspar is fed up scraping her off the floor afterwards!" She saw the apprehension on Baz’s face growing towards a distinct uneasiness and relented, giving him a smile, "It’s not that bad! I’m just giving you a… well… call it a friendly push in the right direction, okay?"

He grinned at her again, "Yes, Ma’am…" Then corrected, "Sorry… Flight."

"You’ll be fine!" she assured him. "Give as good as you get, especially with Kal’Ten – she’s balshy, but stand up to her and she’ll respect you more." She thought for a moment then warned him, "They may not turn up this morning at nine."

"The Remembrance Ceremony?"

She nodded, "Yeh... It kind of hit us hard."

Someone shouted for her from the top of the Rogue Squadron’s T-65 and she glanced across then turned back to him, "One last thing… If the Commander yells at you after a sim session or if you’ve been out, it’s probably because she likes what she sees but you’ve done something stupid. So don’t let it get to you, okay?"

He nodded, "Okay. And… thanks Flight."

She smiled then turned, heading back to the engineering crew.

~ * ~

Kaz walked into the Vice-Admiral’s outer office. Notrahw looked up from where he was talking to Maggs at her desk, flashing Hawkspar a quick grin, searching for any after-effects of the previous night’s indulgence. And finding none as he told her, "Commander, I’ve got good news for you!"

She gave him an even, measured look, "Why do I get a bad feeling about that?"

He laughed, accusing, "Anyone would think that you didn’t trust me, Commander?"

Kaz looked at him, then across at Maggs who shrugged, quirking an eyebrow at her. She looked back at Notrahw, "Do I have to reply to that?" Then amended, "Sir?"

"No!" he told her quickly, pulling at his uniform jacket as he straightened.

"Then," she informed him, "no comment!"

He glared at her in mock anger, growling, "My office, Commander! Now… before we both say something we’ll regret!" He turned his attention back to Maggs, "Send that through, Lieutenant. If there’s a problem let me know."

"Yes, Sir," she assured him as he turned and followed Kaz into his office. She was standing in front of his desk totally at ease. "Sit down, Commander," he ordered, "before you fall down!"

She dropped into the chair as he walked round his desk sitting opposite her. He leant forward, resting his elbows on the desk, "So how are we this morning?"

"Me?" she asked brightly. "I’m fine."

He looked at her for a moment, then pressed, "I hear they had to carry you back to your quarters."

She shook her head, "Not me, Sir! Xen… most definitely, Lainy… probably! But not me, Sir! Disgraceful behaviour, Sir."

"One of these days, Kaz," Notrahw warned, "you are going to wake up with a hangover. And you’re going to regret it!"

She grinned, acknowledging, "Yes, Sir!" Then countered, "Hasn’t happened yet, Sir!"

He shook his head, throwing up his hands in mock disgust, "Agh! I give up! On your own head be it!"

"Yes, Sir," she told him sweetly.

He glared at her, then informed her, "You have a batch of pilots arriving over the next few days. We’ve had another influx of Imperial personnel and they’ve been earmarked for Omega."

She leant forward, "What experience do they have?"

"Mostly ex-Academy," he admitted, "but… there’s two seasoned TIE pilots, although they haven’t yet been converted to the T-65."

Kaz could tell by his tone of voice that there was something more. She looked at him, knowing that he would explain everything in his own good time. And then he surprised her by getting straight to the point, "One of the pilots is Xen Emmar."

Kaz frowned, not recognising the name though it obviously held some importance. Again Notrahw surprised her by getting straight to the point as he explained, "Xen Edraa’s sister."

Astounded and completely floored, Kaz simply looked at him for a moment, then admitted, "I didn’t even know she had a sister."

"An older sister, joining us from the ranks of the Empire…"

"One of the TIE pilots?"

"One of the TIE pilots," he confirmed.

Kaz leant back in the chair, "I’m impressed… There again, Xen’s one of the best… Must run in the family."

"They’ll arrive here in five days. I’ve already sent word to your Supply Officer, so things should be in hand. Oh, and a pilot arrived last night with Antilles’ lot."

"Yeh, I know - the Rookie. Wedge told me over kaffin this morning. At least he’ll have time to settle in before we get inundated. Are the fighters still arriving today?"

"This afternoon. Fifteen hundred was the last estimate."

Kaz grinned, "Good, that’ll give Lainy time to get over her hangover."

Daav quirked an eyebrow, "Have you seen her this morning?"

"No," Kaz admitted, then laughed wickedly, "but I know from experience. She’s probably throwing up in the shower right now!" She saw the expression on his face, the reserved, calm look that always boded ill and her heart sank. Hazarding a guess, she asked, "The Flight’s still pressing charges about the target?"

"No," he told her, surprising her. Then astonished her by confessing, "But I am."

"Sir…" she began. But he held up a hand, silencing her.

"Lainy’s a good pilot and she’s proven your faith in her as a Second. But the X-wing incident was downright irresponsible and getting rookie engineers from your crew involved was unforgivable. I can’t overlook it this time, no matter how much I want to. The incident after the Imperial’s escape I let go because she was almost at breaking point..." He stopped, seeing the quickly concealed expression on Kaz’s face, "She hasn’t told you?"

Kaz sighed wearily, "No."

Notrahw shook his head, finding himself starting to laugh as he remembered the details, "Oh, Kaz, it was priceless…"

"What?"

"Lainy had her back to the door. I walked into the office just as she announced that she ought to be in the med section with her commanding officer… instead of cooling her heels here waiting for some jumped up Vice-Admiral."

Kaz groaned, sliding down in her chair, cover her face with her hands, "What did you do?"

"Reminded her that this jumped up Vice-Admiral was her commanding officer and that she would do exactly as I ordered her to." He grinned, "Then I reminded her about the Wookiee incident."

Kaz’s eyes went wide then she groaned again, shaking her head, "She’s going to kill me."

"I doubt it," Notrahw told her, his grin growing, "I filled her in about your run-in with the militia the time we were supposed to be meeting the Correllian arms dealer."

"I," she defended, "never did throw that first punch! And if you’d ducked like I told you, there wouldn’t have been any trouble!" She laughed with him as she shook her head. Then she sobered, asking him, "So what do you intend to do? About Lainy."

His laughter faded his face suddenly serious as he admitted, "Pull her rank and her position in the Flight. And, with your permission, put Xen Edraa in as Acting Second…"

~ * ~

Lainy was nursing a pounding head, but hadn’t thrown up again. The door chime went and, dragging on her blouse, she walked carefully to the door expecting it to be Ary. Instead Poom-Bar gave her a bright grin, surprised that Kal’Ten was even awake, let alone up and dressed. "Morning, Lieutenant Commander! Commander Hawkspar asked me to check that everyone was still alive."

Lainy forced herself to return the wide smile, even though the lights in the corridor were too bright, announcing just as cheerfully, "Alive and ready to go. When have we to meet?"

"Oh-nine-hundred in the hanger, but the Commander’s with Vice-Admiral Notrahw so she will probably be late. Oh, and a Rookie ear marked for the Knights turned up last night with some of Rogue Squadron…"

"Rogue? Is Skywalker with them?"

"No," Poom-Bar admitted, "But I’m sure that Commander Hawkspar will be able to fill you in on any information Antilles has."

Despite the hangover, Lainy caught the tone in Poom-Bar’s voice and smelled intrigue. "Why?" she asked, slowly.

"Well, they must have been talking all night."

Lainy looked at her for a moment, then pressed "And you say that because…?"

"He was in her quarters when I called there this morning to let her know that Baz had arrived and that Notrahw wanted to see her."

"Baz?" Lainy asked, her mind still pondering the implications of Wedge Antilles having spent the night in Kaz Hawkspar’s quarters.

"The Rookie."

"Oh…" She vaguely remembered Wedge from the base on Dantooine – dark-haired bloke with a ready smile and a quick, if dirty, wit. Kaz wouldn’t have… would she? There again, from what she remembered of Wedge and from some of the things Kaz had said, he had been quite a ladies man… And they had all been through a lot…

No, she decided. Poom-Bar had stumbled on an innocent conversation and had jumped to the wrong conclusion... Probably…

~ * ~

Kaz looked at him in horror, "Sir… You can’t!"

"Well, who else do you want as your Second?"

"You can’t bust her!" she repeated.

"I can," he contradicted, "And I will. She has to learn, Commander. If she hadn’t involved your ground crew I would, in all probability and in light of the recent circumstances, have forgotten about it. But her practical jokes have to stop. Ell Mo has to realise that her actions have consequences!"

He saw the quick frown that flashed across Kaz’s face at the Correllian phrase and asked, "You did know that she’s known throughout the ship as The Joker?"

Kaz sank back in the chair, completely at a loss, "No, Sir…"

Somehow he hadn’t expected her to take his judgement so badly. And he could see that the last revelation had completely thrown her. For a moment he thought of relenting, reconsidering his decision. Then duty pushed at his conscience. He stepped back into his rank and he made himself forget that Kaz was a friend, forcing himself to think of her as Commander Hawkspar. He had made his decision, Lainy Kal’Ten had to face the consequences of her actions. "You see why I have to act on this?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes, Sir."

"Good. Then I expect you back in this office in half an hour with Lieutenant Commander Kal’Ten and Lieutenant Edraa."

She stood up, "Yes, Sir." Turning, she started to walk towards the door.

"Kaz?" She turned back, looking at him, "I’m truly sorry."

"I know," she told him. "So am I." And Lainy Kal’Ten damned well better be! she thought, turning away and stalking out of the door.

~ * ~

Xen walked nonchalantly into the hanger, ignoring the headache that was already beginning to disappear under the weight of the painkillers she had taken. She scanned the hanger, looking for any of the Rogue squadron pilots whom Poom-Bar had said arrived the night before. They were no-where to be seen. However, the Omega engineers had stripped the blaster cannon off one of their X-wings and were standing looking intently at wiring diagrams. Xen saw the look of consternation on Flight Enilra’s face and decided that it probably wasn’t a good idea to disturb them.

Then she saw Poom-Bar and Shei on the far side of the hanger, chatting to a young man. She walked across and the Supply welcomed her with a grin, introducing, "Lieutenant Xen Edraa, the squadron Third. Pilot Officer Baz Ahtron, newest recruit for the Knights."

Xen shook his hand, returning his smile, "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks."

Poom-Bar glanced at the chronometer on the hanger wall, "Sorry guys, I’ve got to run." She flashed Baz a grin, "Talk to you later." Then she turned, walking across the hanger, throwing Lainy Kal’Ten a brief salute as she and Aryes Drayke walked into the hanger

One of the engineers said something to Enilra, who turned, then bellowed, "Chief Drayke, get your butt across here! Now!"

Ary swore under his breath, glancing at Lainy before running across the hanger to where the Flight Engineer waited for him. Lainy grinned, watching him as she walked across to join the other pilots.

Xen glared at her as she approached, accusing, "Either you’ve taken almost a bottle of painkillers, or you’re going to die for getting me so drunk last night!"

Lainy’s grin widened further for a moment and then faded as she admitted, "Painkillers. And the Supply’s cheery wake-up call didn’t help!" She gave the young man they had been talking to the once over, then stuck out her hand, "You must be the Rookie!"

Baz heard both the other pilots sigh softly, saw Xen rolling her eyes and remembered the Flight’s words. Giving Kal’Ten his most wining smile, he took Lainy’s proffered hand and deliberately gave her a rush of over-enthusiasm, "That’s me, Sir! Baz Ahtron! First posting! They said Omega was the best! And I’m so completely thrilled to be here, you can’t imagine. One of the Black Knights…? It’s like a dream come true, Sir! It really is!"

Lainy retracted her hand warily from Baz’s grasp, glancing at Edraa, "He hasn’t met our Revered Leader yet, has he?"

"Which," Xen put in, dropping into gossip mode as she saw a certain Rogue Squadron pilot walking into the hanger, "reminds me!" She dropped her voice as she realised that he was walking across towards them, "Did Poom-Bar mention anything to you about Wedge Antilles being in the Boss’s room this morning?"

"Oh, yes!" Lainy admitted, brightly. "But I’ve been thinking about it and I think she’s got it completely wrong! I mean, can you imagine our Revered Leader with Wedge Antilles?"

Xen’s eyes were growing wide, but Lainy didn’t notice. Nor did she notice Shei shaking her head slowly in warning as she continued, "I mean, Antilles wouldn’t stand a chance if he and Kaz got together! She’d kill him… Antilles wouldn’t be able… to… walk… for…" She trailed off, finally seeing the horror in the other pilots' faces. Dismay dropped through her stomach as she asked, "And he’s standing right behind me, isn’t he?"

The pilots nodded and Lainy closed her eyes, grimacing. She turned, treating Wedge to her most winning smile, "Wedge, how nice to see you again! Haven’t seen you since… Dantooine!"

Wedge looked at her, trying desperately to keep his face straight and not to dissolve into laughter at her discomfort. So, he thought, Kaz Hawkspar would kill him, would she? He didn’t stand a chance, did he?

In a sudden flash of wicked inspiration he took another step towards Lainy, slipping his arm round her waist and pulling her to him. Voice husky and before she could recover from her surprise he told her, "Lainy, my darling…. You’ve only grown more beautiful!"

Then he kissed her soundly on the mouth, wresting stunned expressions from the Knights and a muted cheer from the other Rogue pilots who walked into the hanger at exactly that moment. He pulled away and felt an evil rush of satisfaction as he saw the stunned shock on Kal’Ten’s face. He held on to her, grinning mischievously at her, "Hello, Lainy. How have you been?"

"Put her down, Commander!" Alissha Downhigher told him. Then one of the other pilots apologised to the Knights, "He doesn’t get out much – for exactly this reason."

"Oh, that’s all right," Wedge told them, breaking away from Lainy, "Kal’Ten and I go way back!" He grinned at her again, "Don’t we?"

"Dantooine…" she managed as he stepped away.

"Heard it, Commander!" Ali derided, then finished, "Oh, and the Vice-Admiral wants to see you."

"Thank’s Ali. Introduce yourselves!" he told them all, turning and walking away, "I’ll be back when I can. And," he called over his shoulder, "play nicely!"

Walking into the corridor he dissolved finally into fits of laughter, giggling like a child as he walked along towards the repulsor lift. If that was the usual sort of occurrence from Lainy, he could understand now why Kaz had laughed when he had called her a mouse. Life certainly wouldn’t be dull with Lainy Kal’Ten around.

The lift door opened and Hawskpar almost walked straight past him. Still laughing he caught at her arm, stopping her, "Kaz?"

The look she gave him wiped away the light-hearted mood. He grasped hold of her other arm as she tried to pull free of his grasp, "Boss, what is it?"

"Leave it!" she told him.

But he held onto her as she tried to pull away again, demanding, "Commander, what the hells is wrong?"

Her eyes flashed and she yelled at him, "Everything! Every single bloody little thing!"

Two engineers had walked into the corridor further down and turned, looking towards the pilots. Wedge saw them and dragged Kaz into the lift. He let her go, turning to hit the hold button and when he turned back she was sliding down the wall to sit on the floor, head in her hands.

He stood for a moment, looking at her, unsure what to do. And then he heard her say, "Goddess, Wedge, I’m sorry."

He laughed softly, sliding to the floor beside her, "Want to talk about it?"

"Too long and way too involved…"

"Always is…" he quipped. Then pressed, "Will you at least tell me who you were about to kill?"

She grunted in disgust then sighed, "Lainy…" She sighed again, a deep, weary sound that Wedge realised was ripping her apart, "I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I’m fed up with being responsible for people…" She laughed coldly, "Maybe I ought to take up that desk job."

"A desk job would kill you!" he warned. Then he tried, "Tell you what, you tell me what Lainy’s done to you and I’ll tell you what Lainy’s done to me."

Kaz lifted her head, giving him a stricken look, "Oh, Goddess, not you as well. I am going to kill her!"

He laughed, "It wasn’t exactly her fault…"

"It never ever is exactly her fault, Wedge. But it’s all caught up with her. She’s a bloody good pilot and a more than capable Second… but she’s so damned irresponsible at times. I know why she does it, I understand why she does it. But there’s nothing I can do this time…"

Kaz shook her head, frowning, telling him, "She’s been busted, Wedge. And she’s been stripped of her placing in the squadron. Just when I need her the most, I’m going to have to break in a new Second…"

Antilles whistled softly, "That must have made your day."

She laughed, "Yeh, and it isn’t even oh-nine-hundred yet." She looked at him, "So what did she do to you?"

"Well," he began, grinning, "this really wasn’t her fault. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time… or at least, I was."

"That’s the story of her life…" Kaz told him, "Wrong place, wrong time… and it’s usually me who ends up throwing the first punch!"

He frowned, "I know that feeling. It’s like Janson and me… only he usually ends up throwing the first punch!"

She laughed, genuinely, and he continued, "Anyway, there must be some scuttle-butt going round about you and me because her exact words were: I mean, Antilles wouldn’t stand a chance if he and Kaz got together! She’d kill him… Antilles wouldn’t be able to walk."

Kaz gazed at him in horror, then started to climb to her feet, "I am definitely going to kill her!"

He caught hold of her arm again, "Kaz, wait!"

She glared at him, then suddenly remembered, "Poom-Bar!"

"What?"

"Omega’s Supply, Lieutenant Catterin Poom-Bar! Who just happened to see both of us…"

"Leaving your quarters this morning!" he finished.

"Exactly! It’ll be all over the ship by now! I’m going to kill them both!"

"Kaz!" She looked at him, scowling at the sudden impish smile and the devilment that flashed in his eyes as he suggested, "Why kill them when we can have some fun at everyone’s expense?"

"Fine!" She paused, "Then I’ll kill them!" She checked her timepiece, "Damn, I needed to be back in Notrahw’s office two minutes ago." The melancholy settled round her again.

"You’ve got some breathing space," he told her as they both climbed to their feet. "He wants to see me as well."

She nodded, stepping towards the door, "Fine."

"I meant it, you know, about having fun at everyone’s expense."

She hit the door release, "I’ll think about it. I’ll come back to the hanger to find you." She stepped out into the corridor, not looking back at him as the door closed. He had dispelled her anger, but the weariness was still there. And she had been telling him the truth when she said she no longer wanted to be in command of the squadron – she had had enough. The desk job was looking really good right at this moment. Her collar bone had begun to ache again and she rubbed at it absently as she turned out of the corridor and into the hanger. The Knights were laughing with the Rogues and she pulled herself together, walking across to them.

"Hi, Boss," Xen greeted.

"Greetings, Revered Leader," Lainy smiled. "I don’t believe you’ve met our newest recruit."

Kaz shook the young man’s hand, "Welcome to the squadron, Baz." Then she turned to the others, "Ladies, Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse us, Vice-Admiral Notrahw is waiting. Lieutenant Commander Kal’Ten, Lieutenant Edraa, with me. Now!"

Lainy shot a look at Xen who shrugged as Kaz turned. Then they both followed their Commander across the hanger. "What’s going on?" Lainy asked as they caught up with Kaz.

Hawkspar turned, giving Lainy a look that made her take a step backwards. Kaz stepped after her, closing the distance between them, "What’s going on?" she repeated, her voice cold and dangerous.

Lainy swallowed. She very rarely saw Kaz in this kind of mood, but when she did it meant that someone was in deep, deep trouble. And Lainy Kal’Ten had a sudden, sickeningly sinking feeling that that person was her. The feeling solidified as Kaz continued, "Your Court Martial, Lieutenant Commander!" She stressed the words, ramming them home, "For involving other people in your pranks!"

And then the anger in her Commander’s eyes faded to sadness as Kaz told her, "You’re on your own this time, Lainy. There was nothing I could do." She turned away, walking up to the lift.

Lainy swallowed again, wanting the floor to open up beneath her, suddenly realising how much trouble she was obviously in, suddenly realising how badly she had let Kaz down. Xen laid a gentle, reassuring hand on her arm.

Kal’Ten looked at her, then at Hawkspar’s back. The lift doors had opened and Kaz was stepping inside. Lainy walked towards her stepping into the lift as Xen followed. The doors closed and Kaz ordered it to the Command Deck, Lainy lifted her head, looking at her Commander, "Kaz, I’m sorry."

"I know," Hawkspar acknowledged, not wanting to look at her. The regret and sorrow had been heavy enough in her friend’s voice. She knew that it would be written across her face and right now, even though and she was still so damned angry at her, she couldn’t bear to see that.

"How bad is it?" Lainy asked her, softly.

Kaz sighed, closing her eyes. She knew that she shouldn’t tell Lainy. But, even now she wanted to her shield her: unable to forget the fifteen year old girl who had sat numb and silent in the back of the ship, incapable of taking in the enormity of having everything she had ever known ripped away from her. Maybe that was the problem… Maybe she had tried to shield Lainy too much… in which case this was all her fault.

So she opened her eyes, looking at Lainy as the lift slowed to a halt, the doors opening. "You’ve been busted. And Xen’s now the Second."

~ * ~