Omega Sqadron Black Knights
Chapter 16

Soosaan walked through the medical section, giving notes to Threebeefive, worry turning rapidly to despair as she catalogued those still injured with the medical supplies they had left. They were going through stuff more quickly that she had anticipated and the situation was becoming critical. Analgesics and rehydration packs were almost gone, dressings and other consumables were dipping dangerously low. And, more importantly, they still had two soldiers in Bacta tanks and only enough Bacta to last another twenty hours.

On the plus side, Admiral Notrahw had assured her that he would get supplies. All she could do now was hope that they arrived soon - very soon.

“Doctor Soosaan?”

Ettei turned, looking round at the small, green skinned woman, “Yes?”

“I am Doctor Cloudhaven…” She tilted her head at the blank look on the blond woman’s face, “You were not advised that I was coming?”

Ettei shook her head, “No. No, I wasn’t…” She smiled, her worries somehow not as heavy on her shoulders any more, “But, boy am I glad to see you!” She held out her hand, “Call me Ettei.”

The small woman burbled in delight, taking the preferred hand, “I am given the name Desidera. I am happy that it should be shortened to Des, if you would like to do so…”

Soosaan grinned, “Okay, Des...”

“And at my last posting I was given the…” she hesitated as if trying to find the right words, before continuing, “…nickname Bluesky. This you may also use if you wish.”

“Thank you,” Soosaan told her, then asked, “Have you just arrived? Are you ready to start work?”

Bluesky nodded, “I am rested and ready to begin. I am especially a healer of the mind and the emotions, but I have wide medical trainings.”

“Well, we can discuss that later... Right now I need you to heal be a healer of the body.”

Bluesky nodded looking round, making a small sound of dismay, “Indeed. There are many to heal, Ettei.”

Soosaan sighed, wondering if Doctor Desidera Coudhaven had any idea of exactly what she had let herself in for. “Yes, there are. And we’re rapidly running out of supplies.”

“Are they to be moved?”

Soosaan shook her head, “There’s nowhere for them to go at the moment…” She broke of, seeing the puzzled expression on Des’s face. “You haven’t been told about the Regimen Hope?” she asked, her voice heavy.

“I have been in travel for almost thirty hours…” Bluesky explained, “I have heard nothing.”

Ettei sighed, heart heavy as she told her, “The Regimen Hope was destroyed yesterday. There were no survivors.”

The fur on Bluesky’s head rose and she keened softly, “No survivors?”

“None. These people were on their way there and had to return to us.”

For a long moment Bluesky said nothing. Then she looked up at Ettei, large grey eyes filled with tears, “I am ready to begin, Doctor Soosaan. Where do you wish me to start?”

~ * ~

Lainy Kal’Ten sat at the simulator screens, watching the six pilots as the exercise ran in towards its last few minutes. Xen had taken the Elyobs, Xen Emaar and Delhanjo Grandeen to the other sim room to run through simple handling manoeuvres that would get them more used to the T-65, leaving her to run scenarios with the more experienced pilots. Experienced… now there was a laugh. Baz was still little more than a rookie, although for such a low hour pilot he was more than holding his own. And his pairing with Shei was working so well that Lainy was tempted to leave him as Redav’s wingman permanently.

Mas Wovsdaater had been paired initially with Hobbie, Jon Alpelor with Thieer Keei. And despite her innate mistrust of the two ex-Imperial pilots, Lainy was finding it harder and harder not to be impressed by their flying as the sim scores slowly rolled higher - which was doing nothing to lighten the darkness of her mood.

The TIE was faster and slightly more manoeuvrable than the T-65, but both of them had taken to the X-wing like a gundark to a pit-swamp. Mas in particular was showing the potential that was going to make him a damned good wingman. He seemed to know what Hobbie was going to do almost before the other pilot knew himself: which way he was going to turn, how tight he was going to pull the roll to go after the quarry. And Lainy found herself wondering if he would do as well when paired with someone else…

Like me.

Smiling wickedly at the thought she reached for the cup of kaffin.

“Lieutenant Commander?”

Lainy looked round. Then she pushed herself slowly to her feet, eyes narrowing in anger as she turned to face Maggs Ronnoc. “Come to arrest me, Lieutenant?”

Maggs kept her face neutral, not reacting to the animosity, knowing that if she were in Lainy’s position, she would have reacted in exactly the same way. She shook her head, saying softly, “I came to see how you and Xen were doing…”

“Really?” Lainy asked coldly. “How public spirited of you!”

Maggs said nothing for a moment, trying to gauge how she should continue. Whatever she said was going to be wrong. But she was genuinely concerned about this Corellian woman who saw Kaz Hawkspar not just as a commanding officer and friend, but almost as a sister. Finally she said, “There was nothing else we could have done…”

“Yeah. Right. And next you’ll be telling me that you did it for Kaz’s own good!”

“I don’t believe it any more than you do…”

Lainy took a step towards the smaller woman, drawing herself to her full height. “Really?” she asked, her voice dripping venom, “So how come you dragged her out of Notrahw’s office in binders?”

“Major Anders doesn’t know her and I…”

Lainy made a small sound of disgust, “Don’t give me the only obeying orders speech!”

Maggs gave her a long, flat look, finally seeing how to deal with the situation. She walked across to Lainy, planting her hands on her hips and looking up at her. Voice calm but edged in ice she began, “Sit down…”

Lainy opened her mouth to protest but Maggs continued, “We can do this two ways, Lieutenant Commander. Either you sit down of your own volition, or I will make you sit down. Either way you are going to listen to what I have to say!”

Lainy looked at the smaller woman in shock for a moment, then gave in ungracefully, slumping into the chair, glaring at the Intelligence Officer. Maggs gave her a long, flat look before continuing, “Major Anders doesn’t know Kaz Hawkspar and I couldn’t persuade her that the Commander is the most unlikely person to be passing information to the Empire. The Major countered with the fact that it was the perfect cover for a traitor…”

Lainy sat up straight, eyes flashing anger, “Kaz Hawkspar is not a traitor!”

“I believe that! But when I protested, Major Anders, calmly informed me that it was entirely possible that my friendship with her was affecting my judgement. And there were other factors that Major Anders pointed out… Like the Richlo rescue quite possibly being a trap to destroy the Home Two. And the convenient escape of an Imperial pilot…”

Lainy looked at her in numb disbelief. “They think that Kaz led the Home Two and the Knights into a trap? They honestly believe that she had something to do with Morrit Pon’Ton escaping?” She laughed - a cold, horrified sound, “She was in the medical section watching Xen fight for her life, for Fates sake! And she took a blaster shot in the chest that was meant for me!”

“The way Major Anders sees it,” Maggs tried to explain, “an Imperial pilot, known to Kaz, mysteriously escaped from the holding area. And was she really trying to save your life? Or was she trying to stop you killing Pon’Ton.”

“That,” Xen Edraa said from behind her, “is the most ridiculous supposition I have heard in my life!”

Maggs turned. Xen was standing in the doorway, flanked by four other Knights. “It’s a possibility they have to investigate,” Maggs told her.

Xen walked towards her, eyes flashing anger, “So let me get this right. They think that she was shot down! Tortured! Broken! Turned! Sent back so badly injured that she had no possibility of flying against the Death Star at Yavin! And since then she’s not only been passing information to the Empire, but she’s led her own squadron into a trap that almost wiped them out, arranged the escape of an Imperial prisoner that she briefly knew five years ago, and deliberately stepped into his line of fire to save his life?” Xen laughed in disgust, “The next thing that you’ll be telling us is that she was the one who betrayed the Princess Leia and the Tantive IV!”

Maggs looked past her to where the other four pilots were standing uncomfortably, exchanging glances. “Lieutenant Commander,” she began, “this is perhaps not the right time or place…”

Lainy rose slowly to her feet, “You made it the time and the place when you came down here!”

Behind Kal’Ten, the simulators whirred to a stop, beginning to whisper softly down onto the floor. In another few minutes, Maggs realised, she would be facing the whole squadron. She had badly mistimed things, but there was nothing she could do about it now. All she could do was go forward. So she crossed her arms, quirking an eyebrow as the canopies on the simulators clunked forward and hissed open, “Fine.” She looked from Lainy to Xen, “Here and now. What do you want to know?”

The switch in tactics caught them momentarily off balance. Xen looked at Lainy, unsure now of what exactly she wanted to know.

Shei Redav stood up, undoing the strap of the flight helmet and pulling it off her head as she turned to step out of the simulator. The tension in the room stopped her short. She glanced across at Hobbie who looked at her, then shrugged. Mas, Jon and Thierr had dropped to the floor but Baz had also stopped, watching the situation from the simulator.

“What do you want me to tell you, ladies?” Maggs pressed. “That I tried to work this out for the Commander? That I couldn’t do a thing when Anders had her secured? That Admiral Notrahw tried to stop Anders from having her escorted through the corridors of his ship under an armed guard? Because I can tell you that. But I can also show you the information we received from a credible source, telling us that one of our pilots had been shot down and taken prisoner around the same time as the Commanders’ recon mission went wrong. I can show you the information on how that pilot was tortured before being let go. And I can show you the rescue logs and the medical records that have only added to Major Anders’ suspicions about Commander Hawkspar.”

Lainy looked at her, saying nothing. This whole think stank. There was something going on here that she couldn’t work out, something about this whole thing that didn’t ring true. No matter what Ronnoc or Anders said, Lainy refused to believe that Kaz would deliberately lead the Knights into a situation that would get them all killed. Instinct told her Kaz would die before she betrayed the Knights…

“Once it’s all been cleared up,” Ronnoc was continuing, “the Commander will be back as quickly as they can get her here.”

“Is Kaz the only one being investigated?” Xen asked.

“I don’t know,” Maggs told her. “But I can find out.”

“Thank you.”

Maggs smiled at her, “It’s the least I can do.” Then she frowned, shaking her head, “This is all unfounded. I’m sure of it.”

~ * ~

Catterin Poom-Bar rushed along the corridor towards docking bay six. The Bridge Ops officer had only just called her to say that more pilots for Omega Squadron were just arriving on a privately owned ship - the Wild Thing. But he had no idea how many, or who they were. Great, Pumba thought. Just great! Just when you think that things can’t get any more complicated!

She turned the final corner and slowed to a more sedate pace. Wouldn’t do to let newbies think that she was flustered! I am calm! I am perfectly in control! Don’t know where they hells I’m going to put them, but I am calm and perfectly in control!

There were four people waiting at the entrance to the airlock. Three of them, humanoid males, were talking and laughing with one another. The forth, a species that she didn’t quite recognise, was standing alone on the other side of the corridor. Calmly, sedately, she walked up to them, “Pilots just posted to Omega Squadron?” she asked.

The three men turned. “Sure are, Ma’am!” one of them assured her, giving her a grin.

“Lieutenant Catterin Poom-Bar, Black Knights’ Rescue and Resource Officer. Commander Hawkspar would be here to greet you but she’s unavailable at the moment.” She turned her most enchanting smile on the dark-haired pilot who had spoken, “And you would be?” she asked.

“Traykar. Lieutenant Chezz Traykar. X-wing pilot extraordinaire and captain of the Wild Thing.”

“Tray-Car,” Catterin repeated, punching the data into the pad. Then she turned to the other two humans.

“Lieutenant Fram Neilsen,” the blond man introduced.

“Lieutenant Ryven Soieen.”

She smiled at them both, then turned to the last pilot. He was swathed, head to foot, in what looked like bandages, a breathing mask covering most of his face. “And you are?” she asked.

“This one is Gand,” he rasped at her.

“That’s not its name,” Chezz supplied, “that’s the species.”

“This one is named Keeveancolt,” the Gand told her. “This one is of the lowest rank. This one has not long been of the Alliance.”

“That’s not a problem,” Poom-Bar assured him, punching the data into the pad, repeating, “Keeve… ancolt.”

Gand… Gand… With a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach she remembered what she knew of the species… The most important thing being that they didn’t breathe air. Hence the mask… She’d better let the Flight know… “Well, gentlemen, if you’d all like to follow me, I’ll take you to straight to the sims to meet the rest of the Squadron. Then I’ll organise your billets. I had no warning of your arrival I’m afraid.”

“Is the Wild Thing going to be okay there?” Chezz asked as he dropped into step beside her, Fram, Ryven and Keevancolt following.

“I’m honestly not too sure,” she admitted. “As I said, we had very little notice of your arrival, so nothing has been arranged. I’ll talk to the Ops officer and if it’s not I’ll get something sorted for you.”

~ * ~

Aryes Drayke looked on almost in disbelief from the top of the T-65 as five more X-wings glided in through the mouth of the hangar, turning lazily on the marshaller’s instructions and descended gently to the floor. “Where the fates are they getting their hands on all these fighters?” he asked Andi Sedalbi.

Sedalbi pulled himself free of the X-wing’s innards, looking round, “Beats me…” He frowned, scrutinising the T-65s. “Paint work is new!”

“Or the rumours are true and Incom have managed to supply enough clandestine parts to start a new assembly line…”

Sedalbi looked up at him. Incom had been one of the first companies to have the Imperial stranglehold pulled tightly round their necks because their sympathies lay with the Alliance. Yet despite that, a steady stream of Incom parts had found its way into Alliance hands - sometimes from production lines Incom had supposedly been forced to shut down. And now here was what looked suspiciously like five brand new T-65’s landing in the hangar.

“Could be… Could be…” he murmured, scratching his head with the hydrospanner and turning his attention back to the coolant flange they had newly installed in Hawkspar’s fighter. “So,” he continued, tightening the last of the bolts, “what’s the gossip on you and Kal’Ten?”

Ary jerked his attention away from the newly arrived T-65s, “What?”

Sedalbi’s voice floated out from the X-wing’s innards, “Don’t act all innocent… What’s going on between you two?”

“Nothing!” Ary denied, knowing that his was face was colouring and hoping that Andi didn’t look round.

His hopes were shattered. Andi extracted himself, looking up at his friend, grinning. “You never were a good liar, Drayke! Way too honest for your own good! Your ears always go pink when you lie. So spill the gossip!”

“There’s nothing really to tell…”

“Yeh, right! Come on Ary, it’s me here. Your best friend, remember!” He pushed himself to his feet, brushing imaginary dust from his coveralls. “And besides, I knocked on your door last night and there was no answer. I knocked on your door this morning and there was no answer.”

Ary sighed, knowing that Andi wouldn’t give up until Ary had given him the information he was looking for. But he also knew that if he asked Andi not to say anything, Andi would be as good as his word. “There isn’t honestly that much to tell…”

“But you are together?”

Ary sighed again, admitting, “Yes…”

Andi whooped, punching the air, “I knew it! I knew it!”

“Keep it down!” Ary hissed at him, aghast.

Andi grinned, shaking his head, “You old dog, Ary! How the Fates did you get round Hawkspar?” He saw the look on his friends face and his own face fell, “You haven’t told her?”

“Not exactly…”

Andi’s good humour evaporated, “You are having a relationship with the Squadron Third and neither of you has told Hawkspar?” He groaned, rolling his eyes, “Ary, do you realise how thin the ice is underneath you right now?”

“I know…” He sighed. “It wasn’t our fault. It just sort of happened. We can’t change it. But neither of us wants transferred off the squadron.”

“Keep this from Hawkspar any longer and you’ll both be kicked off the squadron… Ary, you know what she’s like about this! You’ve got to tell her! Or get the Flight to tell her!”

“After what we just did?” Ary snapped. “Yeah! I can just see that! Sorry we dressed you down in front of the entire hangar, Flight, but would you mind having a word in Commander Hawkspar’s ear because I’m having an affair with Lainy Kal’Ten behind her back!” He shook his head, “Lainy isn’t exactly the Flight’s favourite person, Andi!”

Sedalby looked at him, “You don’t do things by halves, do you?”

Ary laughed, shaking his head, “I used to be a quiet, unassuming, normal person until I joined the Knights!”

Andi dropped a hand onto his shoulder, “Ary, old mate, old chum, I hate to be the bearer of even more bad news, but you were never normal! Or unassuming. Quiet, I will however, give you.” He grinned, then groaned as he saw the Flight walking into the hangar. “Damn. Trouble.”

Ary turned, looking in Enilra’s direction. He frowned, “I suppose we really ought to apologise…”

“Yeh…” Andi agreed. “I suppose.”

~ * ~

"Enter apprentice," the rasping voice came from the shadows of the chamber, instantly recognisable as that of the Emperor.

Martellon entered the cavernous room with his usual aggressive stride, albeit somewhat less self-assured than his crew would normally recognise.

"I have awaited the chance to greet you more formally, Master," he said by way of greeting, as he approached the Emperor's dais. Kneeling before his Master, he bowed his head and mentally spoke the ritual greeting of the Sith.

"Your studies are progressing well, for you to be amending the rituals as you see fit, youngster." The Emperor's voice was stern, but Martellon experienced a sudden flash of insight, realising that the tone was edged with approval. The closest I'll ever come to open approval, I suppose, he thought.

His reverie was interrupted as his Master spoke again. "We shall dispense with the pleasantries, apprentice, and get straight to the point. I have a mission for you to complete. It has come to my attention that we have a traitor within our very own Intelligence Section! If this person is of sufficient authority, then they may currently have, or recently have had, access to the plans for our newest creation." The Emperor paused, gazing straight into the eyes of his Apprentice, boring into his skull.

"I suspect that this may have been the source of the leak that lead to the destruction of Tarkin and the first Death Star. I want you to discover the identity of the traitor and stop them from passing on the information about the second Death Star until I am ready for the Rebels to have it.” With that simple statement, the Emperor's plan became suddenly clear to Martellon. He intended to set a trap for the Rebels! He was going to feed them certain information at a prearranged time, in order to draw the cursed Rebels out!

The Emperor's rasp cut into Martellon's reverie. “We have already discovered the locations of many of the hidden Rebel bases. It is only a matter of time before we are in a position to wipe them out completely and so they must be preparing to move against us soon. I have foreseen a confrontation of huge proportion."

He smiled, cautioning, "Be patient Apprentice. The time for your greatest triumph will come soon enough. But be mindful of the moment, you must seize this chance and get as much out of this situation as you are able."

Martellon's elation grew. The Emperor evidently had great plans for his apprentice. How well he would be rewarded for success in this mission.

Martellon asked his Master for a few more details about what was known about the suspected traitor, then was dismissed.

He set about preparing a little trap of his own....

~ * ~

“Damn! He is good!” Xen admitted, looking at Masrya’s sim score data. The rest of the squadron had been dispatched to the rec room, leaving Lainy and Xen alone to look through the simulator scores.

“Hmm,” Lainy agreed, grudgingly.

Xen glanced at her, “Do you still have a problem with this?”

“With what in particular?” Lainy asked sourly.

“The Imperial pilots joining us.”

Lainy looked at her, biting back the caustic reply, forcing her personal feelings into the background. “I can’t afford to have a problem with this, Xen,” she told the other woman, her voice sincere. “I’m Squadron Second. And Kaz was right. They’re both good…”

Xen grinned at her, but her next comment was stopped as the sim room door opened. Poom-Bar walked in, followed by four others. “Xen,” Catterin told her, “these are new pilots for the squadron.” She stepped to the side as Lainy and Xen both rose to their feet, introducing the three humans and the Gand, “Lieutenant Chezz Taykar, Lieutenant Fram Neilsen, Lieutenant Ryven Soieen and Pilot Officer Keevancolt. Can I leave them with you while I work on billets for them.”

Xen nodded, “Thanks Catterin.” Poom-Bar turned and Xen grinned at the new pilots, “Welcome aboard, Gentlemen. I’m Xen Edraa, Acting CO of the Knights. This is my Acting Second, Lainy Kal’Ten.”

Chezz frowned, “Acting CO…?”

“Commander Hawkspar has been…” Xen trailed off, then realised that there was no point in telling them anything other than the truth. “Alliance Intelligence have taken her in for questioning over information they’ve recently received. Something to do with a mission that went wrong.”

“Taken her in for questioning…” Chezz repeated.

“You mean they’ve arrested her?” Ryven asked.

There was a soft, musical lilt to his accent that Xen couldn’t quite place, but she knew that she recognised it. She nodded. “In effect, yes.”

“They think that she’s been supplying information to Imperial sources,” Lainy told them.

Chezz looked at her open mouthed, “You can’t be serious…?”

“Unfortunately, we are.”

Chezz shook his head, not quite believing what he was hearing, “But my cousin flew with her… She was his boss for a while on Dantooine…”

“Your cousin?” Lainy asked.

“Yeh. He died at Yavin. Biggs Darklighter…”

Lainy grinned at him. She remembered Biggs vaguely from their time on Dantooine. He hadn’t been with them long before being transferred to the base at Yavin at the same time as Wedge Antilles. “You are Biggs Darklighter’s little cousin?”

Chezz looked at her, “Yes.”

“Biggs left Dantooine owing me ten credits!” Lainy told him.

“He left Tattooine owing me fifteen!” Chezz grinned. Then he sobered, looking back at Xen, “They’re wrong… about Kaz Hawkspar, I mean. They are wrong, aren’t they?”

“They said that it was simply a precaution,” Xen assured him. “The evidence needs to be fully investigated…”

“But,” Fram put in, “if what I’ve been told is right, it was Kaz Hawkspar who rescued Mon Mothma from Coruscant… How could they suspect her?”

“Because she is the person everyone would least expect…” Ryven said slowly. “It’s almost like hiding something in plain view…” He shrugged as they all looked at him, “Sorry. My father was in the militia. I tend to think like a policeman.”

~ * ~

Elhen Anders looked up as the young Lieutenant cleared his throat to attract her attention. “Captain’s compliments, Ma’am. We have thirty minutes to run to the rendezvous point. We’ll be dropping out of hyperspace shortly.”

Elhen smiled at him, “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“Would you like me to wake Commander Hawkspar, Ma’am?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He nodded in acknowledgement then turned, disappearing down the corridor. Anders turned back to her data pad. She had briefed Kaz Hawkspar for nearly six hours, going over every detail of the plan, ensuring that Hawkspar knew everything inside out, both of them drinking copious amounts of kaffin. Then, as the Commander had begun to yawn yet again, Anders had packed her off to get some sleep. All that was left now was a final run down. And by the time they had finished that, they should have reached the rendezvous with the ship that would take Hawkspar to Coruscant.

And then would come the worst part of any mission, for Anders at least - the waiting. From the moment Kazlyn Hawkspar left this ship, they would be unable to call the mission off - there would be no way of contacting her. And on this mission there were so many variables that could go wrong, none of which Alliance Intelligence would be aware of until it was too late. Had the engineer been discovered? Had his contact been unable to hand over the blueprints? Had some other security measure been put in place that would make it impossible for the engineer to get off Coruscant?

But if the mission didn’t succeed, if they didn’t get hold of the blueprints now, the Alliance would have to wait months before they were this close to getting hold of the information again. If they didn’t get the blueprints now, they would be forced to infiltrate the Naval dockyards on the Bothan homeworld - by which time it might be too late.

Because the information this engineer was bringing to them was the only hope the Alliance had of destroying a second Death Star that was being built.

Alliance Intelligence had suspected its existence for over a year. They had only had proof for a few months - and even then were unsure of its exact location. They had also been warned about an energy shield that protected the Death Star. And unless they could knock that out, there would be no way to destroy the space station. The engineer had the blueprints and the location of that shield generator.

Elhen looked up from the pad again as Kaz appeared in the doorway. Elhen did a double take. The tall, intimidating redhead who now walked across the room was almost unrecognisable as Commander Kazlyn Hawkspar. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and down her back, the black make-up made her skin look paler and the way she carried herself in the black and purple jumpsuit and long black coat hinted at someone who could handle herself, someone you really wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of.

Kaz dropped into the seat opposite Anders, swinging her long legs up to perch booted feet on the table. She leant back, crossing her hands behind her head and grinned at Anders, “So will I do?”

Elhen blinked. “It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said that you should blend in…”

Kaz’s grin faded slightly, “Well, it’s so long since I was out of uniform… I can lose the black make-up if you want, tie my hair up…”

“No…” Elhen said slowly, “I think you’ll be all right…”

~ * ~

Lieutenant Commander Xen Laruna stretched luxuriously then whistled softly in appreciation as the shower was turned off and Max stepped into the room wearing only a towel. He grinned, giving her a little bow and padded across the room to her, sitting on the edge of the cot. “So,” he asked casually, “when are you on duty?”

She grinned, “Oh… not for another hour at least…”

“Damn shame I’m due on the bridge in fifteen minutes, isn’t it!”

She groaned, slapping him across the head, “Tease!”

He reached for her. But any other action was cut short as the coms unit in the corner started buzzing. Swearing, Laruna sat up, swinging her legs off the bed and reaching for a robe as she stood up. She sidestepped neatly as Max tried to slap her backside, wiggling her hips seductively as she walked across to the unit. Hitting a switch she announced, “Xen,”

“You have an incoming recorded transmission,” the automated unit announced pleasantly.

Laruna frowned and dropped into the seat, “Play it now.”

The image fuzzed into existence on the screen, crackled a few times then solidified into the smiling face of her cousin, Edraa. “Hey, Lana!”

Laruna watched the emotion flit across Edraa’s face and frowned, leaning forward as her cousin continued, “Look, this is a bit complicated, but I really need your advice. And you were always closer to Em than I was…”

“Em?” Laruna thought, frown deepening.

“It’s kind of like this,” Edraa was continuing. “I’ve been thrown in at the deep end as the Omega Squadron CO. And you’ll never guess who’s just been posted in as one of the Knights…”

Laruna’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t be serious, could she? She couldn’t mean that Em…? On the screen, Edraa laughed awkwardly, “I can picture your expression right about now. It probably mirrors my own when Kaz told me…” The laughter faded from Edraa’s face, “Lana… Em really didn’t take it too well when she found out that Aunt Bel had been covering for us for so long… And I’m not sure what to do. To be honest, things have gone a little crazy here. I’m having trouble just taking in the fact that my big Sister, Little Miss Imperial Propaganda, has come over to the Alliance… And with Kaz gone…”

The image of Edraa sighed, shaking her head, “Lana, I’m sorry, I just… I could really do with some advice… I’ll talk to you when you get a chance. Thanks.”

The screen fuzzed then went black. Laruna leant back in the chair, folding her arms across her chest… Emaar had joined the Alliance? Been posted to the Knights? And what the hells did Edraa mean “with Kaz gone…” Had Hawkspar resigned or something?

Max, now fully dressed and ready to go on duty, dropped his hands onto her shoulders, asking, “Problems?”

Lana turned looking at him, “Possibly.” She forced a smile, telling him, “Nothing too drastic though… I hope.”

He bent down, kissing her on the forehead, “Okay. I’ll see you in an hour.”

She nodded, turning back to the screen hitting a button on the com unit and ordering, “Replay last message,” as he walked to the door and out into the corridor.