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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Home In Time for Supper--Wraith Squadron/OCs >>Update! 1/6<<

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction Stories--Classic JC Board (Reply-Only)' started by Xaara, Sep 2, 2002.

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  1. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    *shrugs* Why not--I hope everyone's having a great weekend.

    Oh, and up. :D
     
  2. Jane Jinn

    Jane Jinn Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    A mission, and a difficult one at that? This is getting tense!
     
  3. Guinastasia

    Guinastasia Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2002
    Eee! Great job! Face can get the codes to my room any time!
     
  4. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Thank you, Jane Jinn. Yes, a mission, at long last! :p

    I agree completely, Guinastasia. ;) Thanks for reading!
     
  5. TKeira_Lea

    TKeira_Lea Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 10, 2002
    Dedicated to me [face_blush] *TKL blushes*

    Glad your back. Great post! Right when you were scheduled to return to!

    Though he admitted freely that he did not possess Face's training or Janson's charisma, he did secretly believe that he had a sort of empathy that allowed him to solve problems through his capacity to see both sides of any conflict.

    Oh so true. You really understand Wedge and the other Wraiths! I love it. More soon?
     
  6. Ultima_1

    Ultima_1 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 16, 2001
  7. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    TKeira: Thanks! I had a chance to plan a little while on vacation, so the next few posts are more or less outlined, if not actually written. Wedge is one of my all-time favorites; I'm honored you like my interpretation of him.

    Hi, Ultima_1! :)

    *******************************************************************

    "Sir!"

    Wedge stopped and turned; the man behind him panted slightly as he sprinted toward him, saluted, and handed him a datapad. Admiral Ackbar would like you to carry out these orders effective immediately, sir."

    Taking a moment to adjust his expression to communicate calm interest instead of blatant surprise, Wedge nodded his thanks, returned the salute offered him by the younger man, and moved quickly to his office, closing his door behind him and ordering the lights on medium. They did not respond to his voice, and he manually switched them on, making a mental note to alert the technical maintenance staff of his problem. Typical Coruscant concern with detail.

    Once able to see and reasonably sure he would not be seen, Wedge flicked the datapad on and scrolled through the obligatory letterhead and the subsequent ramble of numbers and letters which constituted the bulk of the order. Skilled as he was in gleaning the meaning of an order from several paragraphs of insignificant formalities?and choosing whether or not to acknowledge that he had in fact understood?it took him less than a minute to comprehend the message. Why in all the Nine Corellian Hells would Ackbar want me to do that?

    Half-thinking, Wedge stretched out a hand and found the edge of his desk, sweeping datacards and file papers to the side so he could sit. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, considering the possible reasons his commanders wanted Wraith Squadron to take today's atmospheric patrol duty. He came to two conclusions: either there was need for a demonstration by some visible arm of the Republic, or there was an attack imminent. Neither one seemed particularly plausible, and though Wedge was known for his ability to reinterpret orders, he did not question Ackbar's decision. If he needed to tell me, he would have. I'm sure there's a reason he's issuing these. Despite seeking to reassure himself, however, Wedge wondered at the validity of the seemingly pointless exercise.

    Startled out of his thoughts by a sharp ringing he immediately identified as the comlink in his shirt pocket, Wedge fumbled for the talk button and thumbed it on. "Antilles."

    "Um, sir, were you aware that Alahna is planning to leave?"

    "Who is this?"

    "Face Loran, sir. I was just walking through the hangar, and I came across some techs doing a last-minute walk-through of the Mynock, and I?"

    "I know," Wedge interrupted.

    He might have imagined the hurt in Face's voice, but Wedge was fairly certain it existed. "Sir, I'm not criticizing your decision, but why didn't you tell me?"

    "You realize, of course, that I have no obligation to share my reasons with you."

    "I understand that, sir, but I don't see?"

    "And furthermore, that my reasons were more than adequate."

    "Yes, sir," Face said, disappointment evident in his tone. Wedge could picture Face's expression?one of confusion and regret?and almost cracked enough to tell Face why he had not warned him of Alahna's departure. I bet you would enjoy hearing your commanding officer tell you that he thinks you're in love with a smuggler who's about to leave Coruscant.

    "Is there anything else?"

    "No, sir."

    "She said to tell you goodbye. Antilles out."

    Wedge ran a hand through his hair and over his eyes, then stood from his perch and palmed the door open. He would give Face another half an hour to try to convince Alahna to stay; he suspected Ackbar could wait that long, and the normal patrols were supposed to change in an hour. You have thirty minutes, Face. Make them count.

    *******************************************************************

    It wasn't love, Face knew. He cou
     
  8. Jane Jinn

    Jane Jinn Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    Whoa, what is the matter with Alahna? I've been reading back over the story and I'm not sure I can find a reason for this sudden cruelty, bringing up Face's past and throwing it in his face like that.

    Edit: I have been thinking about this and I wonder if there's something in Face's past that makes Alahna feel threatened or scared? Some parallel to her own life that she doesn't want to face?

    And why is she really leaving? My best guess is that she is suffering from Han Solo Syndrome, also known as the Reluctant Hero Attitude. I can't help hoping that she moves on to the next stage soon, though, from "reluctant" to "hero".

    That's the Wedge that I know and love, always willing to give his pilots the benefit of the doubt even if it means delaying orders for half an hour. What exactly does Ackbar want them to do? It sounds serious!
     
  9. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Jane Jinn! It's always nice to have an analytical reader. ;)

    I'm glad you don't want to throttle Alahna before she gets a chance to explain herself. As for her motivations...well, I can't tell you much now, but I will say that they exist. Interesting theories, however. *clamps hand over mouth* I need to stop typing now. :D

    Ah, Wedge. What would we do without him? He's such a steady character; he more or less forms the core of much of the Alliance and Republic. Thanks for stopping by.
     
  10. TKeira_Lea

    TKeira_Lea Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 10, 2002
    Wow! That was heavy! Sock it to him, huh? No pulling her punches. Nice job. Short on time. Can't wait for more!
     
  11. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Thank you, TKeira! My next post should be coming up fairly soon, but of course you never know... ;)
     
  12. Guinastasia

    Guinastasia Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2002
    Oh man! Poor Face! He needs someone to cheer him up!

     
  13. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

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    Jun 30, 2002
    I agree completely, Guinastasia. ;) Thanks for reading!
     
  14. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Happy Easter update, everyone! (Or, if you don't celebrate Easter, happy recent Passover. Or, for that matter, if you don't celebrate anything this week, have a great weekend! :) )

    *******************************************************************

    The hangar became much smaller when so many pilots entered at once, Kell reflected, even as he ran in the direction of his snubfighter. He had discovered that by concentrating on small observations, he could suppress some of the biting dread that took him prisoner every time he entered his cockpit in preparation for any sort of flight. Of course, his real fear was that he, like his father, might run from combat. It would have been easier had Kell been unable to visualize himself turning from a fight; unfortunately for him, the picture of his X-wing fleeing from a battle displayed itself vividly throughout his start-up procedure.

    When his checklist showed green, Kell leaned his head back against his ejection couch and closed his eyes, taking deep, relaxing breaths. His eyes fluttered open when his comm buzzed and Wedge's voice came through, firm and clear. "Wraiths, check in."

    The squadron ran through the acknowledgement procedure, indicating that each Wraith was indeed in place, and Wedge ordered a takeoff by squadron number. Kell's position as Wraith Five did not allow him a great deal of time in which to think; he was in full control of his fighter by the time he again paused to reflect.

    "Wraiths, this is a routine patrol duty. Break by flight and stick in a diamond formation: one in front, two in the middle, one in the rear. For now, this is an exercise in close flying as you head for space." Wedge sounded calm and collected, not as if the patrol he usually took had just been pushed up four hours.

    "Sloppiest flight buys drinks when we get back," Wes chimed in. "So watch your wingmates, folks"

    "Cut the chatter, Eleven."

    "Yes, sir."

    "Flights, break."

    The three groups of four fighters peeled away from one another, Kell leading his section to their right, Wes leading his to the left, and Wedge continuing straight away from the old Imperial Palace. Maneuvering in the heavy atmosphere of Coruscant occupied Kell for the time it took him to adjust to his sudden speed. Sixty degrees to his left, he noted a bank of murky clouds, shooting bolts of sizzling electricity into the lighting rods that adorned the top of all the surface structures.

    Pulling up slowly on his control stick, Kell eased his X-wing into an upward curve that would carry him into space. He noted with some satisfaction that his flight followed him with a precision that belied their few weeks of practice. "Good job, Two Flight," he said. "At this rate, we're not going to be the ones buying drinks when we get back to base."

    "That's a good thing, Five," Ton said. "I don't think I could afford to pay for the kind of drinking I've seen some of those pilots do."

    "Isn't it unethical for you to accept drinking so casually, Seven? You're a doctor; you must have seen some pretty bad cases of people who crashed while flying under the influence," Face said, his tone artificially light. "FUI charges are serious around here, where there's so much to hit if someone loses control."

    Kell frowned; Face's words rang bitterly through the comm system. He thought better than asking Face what the sudden problem was, resolving to address it once he returned to base. I suppose he could just be having a bad day.

    The atmosphere thinned steadily as the flight ascended, and soon Kell could feel his fighter respond more smoothly to his control. "Two Flight, we're going to meet up with One Flight and Three Flight in roughly twelve seconds. Keep your courses and stick together."

    What a thrilling patrol, Kell thought sardonically. We haven't even targeted any ships to inspect yet, and we've been up for almost five minutes. Usually, the local police force performed such routine tasks, but Wedge had insisted that his pilots fly patrols to keep them sharp and
     
  15. Jane Jinn

    Jane Jinn Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    Hilaire and Zamir? Alahna's mentioned those names once before -- wasn't that part of the reason why she joined forces with the squadron in the first place? I wonder who they were and what happened -- it sounds rather depressingly permanent, whatever it was. Alahna sounds like she's really agonizing over what she did to Face -- what is the truth that she should have told him?

    I liked the conversation between Kell and Runt about the "bored minds". :) And the defection of the Star Destroyer was a surprise. I hope it turns out to be a pleasant one.
     
  16. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Yes, Hilaire and Zamir were mentioned once earlier, and yes, you will find out what happened to them. (I'd love to answer all your questions, but unfortunately, I can't...at least not right now... ;) )

    Thank you! Runt's always fascinated me--wouldn't it be neat to be able to function on that many different levels? (I can just imagine: a school/homework mind, a boring note-taking mind, a sleeping mind, a housecleaning mind, a running errands mind... :D )
     
  17. Admiral_Lelila

    Admiral_Lelila Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2001
    I like how this story is developing.

    ~Lelila~
     
  18. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Thanks Lelila. Hope you enjoy the post!

    *******************************************************************

    The Star Destroyer occupied much of the space above Myn, and he could not suppress his feelings of both dread and awe at the massive ship as it rotated slowly. He supposed that the general broadcast sent by the Imperial commander had been redirected to more secure and less accessible channels, and he took a moment to wonder who might be talking to the starship. The sticky feeling of sweat coursing between his shoulder blades alerted Myn to the fact that sat more stiffly than seemed necessary; he took a deep breath and let it out between his teeth to alleviate some of the tension. Something's not right here.

    Despite Wedge's orders to stand down until further notice, Myn kept a wary eye on the ship floating above him. He had instructed his astromech droid, Shiner, to alert him to any anomalous changes in the space surrounding the Imperial vessel, and scanned the area visually to assess the possibility of a covert launch. His sniper's instincts warned him that his position was inherently dangerous?there was very little space between him and the large weapons of a presumably friendly but outwardly hostile ship.

    Nothing seemed amiss, and that very observation troubled Myn. Why would someone fly all the way to Coruscant just to defect? There are plenty of Republic-controlled worlds all around the galaxy?why chose this one, the most sensitive and the most heavily guarded?

    Wedge's voice cut into his thoughts. "Wraiths, you will be escorting the shuttles that will soon be departing the Star Destroyer. If they veer even slightly from the appointed flight path, your orders are to blow them out of the sky. No exceptions. Go by wing pairs, starting with Eleven and Twelve and moving backwards. Leader, out."

    The transmission ended as the first shuttle emerged and began a ponderous descent relative to the planet. Wraiths Eleven and Twelve turned to follow, pursuing the craft on either side. When the second shuttle appeared, Myn and his wingmate, Tyria, rotated to tail it into the hangar. They arrived with a minimum of difficulty, and settled the shuttle into place before returning to space to assist with the ferrying of the remainder of the Star Destroyer's crew.

    A few minutes short of two hours later, Myn finally landed, his X-wing touching down with a practiced ease that indicated his experience in the field of piloting. He cracked the canopy, clambered out onto his wing, and slid down the ladder supplied for him by an unusually thoughtful member of the hangar staff. Leaning against his fighter, he watched as New Republic guards escorted the Imperial personnel to the temporary detention center, where they would be held until the proper investigations could be made into their sudden decision to defect. Surprisingly, very few of the starship workforce seemed in any way perturbed by the inconvenience or the evident lack of trust by their New Republic counterparts. He turned away before his hate for the Imperials impeded his thought processes.

    Myn caught a glimpse of Kell and Face in a heated discussion, the tail end of a "?none of your concern!" and quickly averted his attention. Whatever did not concern Kell was certainly none of his business, and he did not wish to come between Kell, a large and skilled hand-to-hand fighter, and Face, an agile and capable combatant.

    The hangar emptied quickly, and Myn strolled out, his hands jammed in his pockets. He slowly became aware of a presence at his side and looked up, his expression quizzical. Falynn matched his pace and fiddled with her hands, ill-at-ease with what Myn could only interpret as his continuing presence. She did not speak.

    "Would you like a drink?" he asked, only half-offering it, almost hoping she would refuse. Instead, she smiled.

    "That'd be nice. You want to go to the bar? Maybe we can get Squeaky to find us something good."

    "No doubt." Myn shrugged uncomfortably, hunching his sho
     
  19. Jane Jinn

    Jane Jinn Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    Hmm, that's a question. Why did this Star Destroyer choose to defect at Coruscant? Is it a Trojan Horse or some other kind of deception?

    A detention center -- yes, that makes sense. I've always wondered what happened to defecting Imperials and how they were treated until they were cleared to become Rebels. I'd like to write about that part of Pash Cracken's life one day. But enough about me, on to you.

    Yes, that's Myn, unwilling to live where so many others have died. Falynn is right that he's not good at letting go.

    Oooh, Han Solo! Didn't expect him to show up right there. Loved the way he listened to Alahna's tale of woe, then suggested that they should write a joint autobiography. :D Loved his little speech about freedom of choice and protecting those who were close to him.

    And how in the galaxy did he know about Alahna having made the Kessel Run? That was freaky! There's definitely something in her past that's affecting the present.

    Great job, can't wait for more. :)
     
  20. TKeira_Lea

    TKeira_Lea Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 10, 2002
    I am replying a post behind. I copied the post to my word yesterday and read it in the car on the way to a meeting. I'll do the same so my next reply will be for the latest post.

    I have to say as I read the sequence with the Wraiths I could not tell that it was not written by Allston. I mean, you capture all the parts of each character perfectly, just like they were jumping out of the books! Great job!

    I have already said previously that the X-wing books are great action/adventure books with just the perfect blend of romance and fun. George has prepackaged blockbusters on his hands if he would just make them into movies. I think Starfighters fo Adumar would be the best big screen movie! OK so there's my rant. Keep up the good work!
     
  21. Ultima_1

    Ultima_1 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 16, 2001
    Great posts. Sorry I don't check in more now.
     
  22. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Jane Jinn: Thank you for reading. Yes, a detention center seemed to me to be the most likely place for the NR to hold Imperial defectors--after all, they're really only POW's until their records check out.

    I've always felt bad about the way the potential for a relationship between Myn and Falynn was never really explored. *hint, hint* I like the way they fit together.

    Actually, I have to credit you with the inspiration behind that little Han cameo. (In your last post, you mentioned the Han Solo Syndrome, and I thought, 'Who better to talk to Alahna than that very man?') *bows* Thanks for the idea.

    TKeira: [face_blush] Thank you for your comments. Allston is my hero, and it's really an honor to be compared to him. I agree: SoA would make a great movie. I can just imagine Wes with his flatscreen cape... :D

    Ultima_1: No worries. Thanks for reading!
     
  23. Xaara

    Xaara Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 30, 2002
    An UP for anyone who might be taking AP tests next week. *shudders* Good luck! :)
     
  24. LadyMairead

    LadyMairead Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 20, 2002
    So. I caught up. :D And I must say, I ridiculously glad I did. I forgot just how much I loved this story. In tribute, my reply is going to be far too long and cumbersome. *clears her throat*

    If there were that many seats to be had, did that mean that so many fewer pilots than seats survived the shock of hard vacuum? He shrugged off the thought. Now was not the time for such academic exercises. [face_laugh] What an interesting speculation! That comment is just so insightful, I'm really impressed. I would never notice something like that. Yet again reinforcing your genius, my friend.

    The incident at the mess hall earlier had not ameliorated his ever-present queasiness, and Alahna's leaving had escalated it? Ah, yes. My old friend: Ameliorate. *has violent SAT flashbacks* I must say, I'm desperately jealous of your command of language. Everything you write is so precise. In description, you never seem to have an excess of words; there's always just enough to help the reader perfectly visualize what you're trying to convey. *sighs enviously* If only we could all be so talented?

    It was also in this post that I noticed again your spectacular characterization of Wedge, and of all the characters in fact. In some of the X-wing books, I have difficulty distinguishing one pilot from another in my memory. I tend not to have similar problem in this story. Each character is so vividly unique, from their comments to their observations. Well done.

    Skilled as he was in gleaning the meaning of an order from several paragraphs of insignificant formalities?and choosing whether or not to acknowledge that he had in fact understood?it took him less than a minute to comprehend the message. Why in all the seven Corellian hells would Ackbar want me to do that?

    Again, beautiful characterization that suggests Wedge's particular experience in command, and his inherent dislike for it.

    Wedge could picture Face's expression?one of confusion and regret?and almost cracked enough to tell Face why he had not warned him of Alahna's departure.

    Poor Face, and poor Wedge as well. I've always liked how Wedge cares so much for each of his pilots. They are not merely his soldiers, they are his friends, which is a risk that all commanders are not willing to take. It speaks to Wedge's unique empathy.

    Face did not reply. His still-shocked mind replayed her words incessantly: "?you're running from something you'll never escape."

    "You're running from yourself."


    Very cutting scene with Alahna. I liked their interaction very much. Just because two people are attracted to each other does not mean that they are never cruel; in fact, I think people who are close tend to be nastier, as they are each aware of the others' weaknesses. Excellently expressed here.

    "Thirteen, what's going on?" Kell asked his astromech, who tweeted the equivalent of a helpless shrug.

    I love how you characterize even the droids! (*rolls her eyes as her Autocorrect changes "droids" to "druids." I think my computer is a closet Pagan. It's trying to convert me.) I've always had a problem writing druids, as I'm never sure what exactly to do with them. I see you've solved that problem. ;)

    Alahna finished her start-up checklist numbly, mechanically. She would have liked nothing better than to fly her ship into the Maw and let it slip past the event horizon of a black hole, but she refused to let herself think that way. I had no right to do that to someone, she thought. I had no right to get rid of him that way. He deserved the truth, and all I gave him was the equivalent of a slap in the face.

    She closed her eyes and fought back the urge to break down. I will not cry. This is nothing compared to Hilaire and Zamir. This will go away.


    Interesting glimpse into Alahna's mind and her past. She has very clearly made a mistake, by saying things she regretted to Face even as she way saying them, and in doing so, has proven herself not to be a Mary Sue. Congratulations Xaara! She
     
  25. Guinastasia

    Guinastasia Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2002
    *claps hands*


    Ooooh, poooooor FACE!!!

    Do we get to see the argument with Kell?

     
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