Saga Reporting Live--a year's journal of an undercover reporter in the Alliance--Updated finally!

I like this a lot.
Only a hand full of girls, one busy with the Solo/Organa Show and nothing to pimp a clandestine meeting.

The narrative voice of the girl is wonderful, too. I like the way she sees the world.

 

AvenKiel--Well, what else?

KELIA--LOL, thanks. Glad you're liking.
*****
DAY 6

Okay, so it was better than I expected. He's much more uptight than most of the pilots around here, but it made him the perfect gentleman and he managed to even crack a smile. The date mostly consisted of us having an entire table to ourselves in the mess hall and some real food for once. Apparently, he won it in a sabacc game.

We had a near miss today, since some Imperial ship made a routine stop in the system. I'm not sure if the commander got a message out about us before he jumped outsystem, but everyone was on tenterhooks, waiting for a transmission to be detected or for the ship to fire on the base. The shield isn't up, so we probably couldn't have withstood any bombardment more powerful than a hand grenade.

I don't know what we're going to do about it. The ships aren't ready for a ground battle and I'm not sure my X-wing could get started if Vader showed up during the night. The higher-ups haven't been seen in a full six hours and we're certain that they're arguing about whether or not we should panic.

Blast, I just realized that I've spent this entire entry talking of the Alliance in the first person plural rather than third person plural. I don't even know if I have enough loyalty to do that or if I've just got stardust in my eyes from having a decent date for once.

 

DAY 7

Not much to report today. Actually, I'm typing this one-handed and I'm on a few kinds of drugs. See, I was working on the modifications for my ship and something must have gone wrong because the port engine that had been overheating ever since the last pilot to use it got a little overenthusiastic decided it couldn't take any more abuse.

Translation, it exploded. I was lucky enough to be climbing down the ladder on the opposite side and was turned away to talk to my wingman when it happened. Still, I sort of got hit by a lot of the blast. My flightsuit caught on fire, I hit another X-wing and broke a few things, my commlink included.

But what adds insult to, ow, injury is the fact that the bacta tanks aren't working yet. They gave me enough painkillers and antiseptics to keep me from doing anything drastic like dying, but there'll be no quick fix until they can fix the bacta situation. I'm being confined to the medcenter for a week because they want to work on the burns and make me as comfortable as possible. Well, at least the medical staff of the Alliance is nice. It could be worse.

Wait, what am I saying? I'm drugged up to my eyebrows, a few of my bones are in several pieces and if I lose control, I might slip up and say what I'm really doing here. That could get all sorts of complicated.

 

DAY 8

I had a nice visit from my wingman and her...um, she's attached to someone somehow. Can't remember his name, but weird-looking kid. Four heads and everything. Or maybe just one of them is his head. It would explain the eight arms. But he's got crooked teeth, too!

Or is this the corephem talking? Gods, I hope so. I am flying high right now and not making much sense, but it's the nerf's fault. He's been head-butting me all afternoon and won't stop singing that stupid song about his speeder. Can nerfs drive speeders?

Wingman...I mean, um, oh, Taia, what IS her name? Note to self, figure that out before she comes back. I think it starts out with an Aurek. Or maybe...

Yiana! That's it! Wait, I thought it started with an Aurek...

Blast, I'm going back to sleep.

 

The old attachtment gambit.. huh? Is this .. attachment really that interesting or is this the drugs talking?

 

Nice perspective, good story so far!

 

Not THAT kind of attachment, Noelie. And thanks, dm1.

*****
DAY 10

Okay, okay, so I haven't written in two days, but it's not my fault the medics decided I needed a sedative that would keep me from being awake enough to hallucinate. I'm now feeling mostly really achy everywhere. (Great adjectives, don't you think, for someone who spent more than half her life in school?) They say I can get out of here in two more days.

Meanwhile, Hobbie finally came around while I was conscious. Nice guy. You go on one date with him and he feels attached enough to you to come see you in all your blotchy, unbathed, charbroiled glory. At least he made me smile, if nothing else because he had no idea that he had a piece of tuber stuck between his front teeth the whole time.

Anyway, it was nice to have some company. After I get out of here, I still won't have duty for three days because they don't want me straining anything. I think I'll go hot-wire my climate control and see if I can't make the temperature go above freezing.

 

It could be since I am honestly not sure what attachment fully means


Well .. we have a sick girl which must be inspired by most of the local area these days since almost everyone is wandering around with some sort of cold, flu or otherwise. It was nice of Hobbie to visit, and watch him be as handsome as a Holostar but the name just doesn't quite engender romance in my thinking

Watch. .this is the guy of everyone's dreams.

 

Meanwhile, Hobbie finally came around while I was conscious. Nice guy. You go on one date with him and he feels attached enough to you to come see you in all your blotchy, unbathed, charbroiled glory.

Hobbie's such a nice guy.

At least he made me smile, if nothing else because he had no idea that he had a piece of tuber stuck between his front teeth the whole time.



I really like this OC of yours. She seems very real, and it's interesting to view things from her perspective.

 

The higher-ups haven't been seen in a full six hours and we're certain that they're arguing about whether or not we should panic.

They gave me enough painkillers and antiseptics to keep me from doing anything drastic like dying,

It could be worse.

Wait, what am I saying? I'm drugged up to my eyebrows, a few of my bones are in several pieces

You go on one date with him and he feels attached enough to you to come see you in all your blotchy, unbathed, charbroiled glory.

I think I'll go hot-wire my climate control and see if I can't make the temperature go above freezing.


Those are my faves. He stance is hilarious.

 

Noelie--well, attachment is fine. It's Attachment that you should be worried about. And Liara isn't a Jedi. She's not sick, just sort of at odds with her X-wing. Hobbie is so adorable sometimes, but he just doesn't always get it. And he's not the guy of my dreams. That would be Tycho.

alhana_antilles--He is indeed. Glad that Liara's turning out to be very real.

MsLanna--LOL, thanks! She cracks me up sometimes.
*****
DAY 11

I got another visitor today in the form of Princess Leia. It sort of made me nervous. First I thought she was doing some kind of female bonding thing, since there aren't very many of us around here. Then I had the terrible feeling that she might want to get me assigned to something like tauntaun grooming.

It turns out that she had a slightly more sinister purpose. To whit, she had a recording of me during one of my doped-up moments, muttering about my assignment. I didn't say anything particularly incriminating, but she wanted to know what I had been talking about.

Now, I can't say that these people are bloodthirsty warmongers. Not honestly, anyway. But I can say that I decided to exercise a little-known attribute called self-preservation. I told her the truth about why I'd been sent there and what I thought of the Alliance so far. I even offered to show her my journal.

She took it pretty well. Apparently, I'm not the first person to come to the Rebellion as a product of curiosity. It turned out that she had a record of my communications activity and had no reason to believe that I had been doing something more evil than getting myself nearly killed by my own X-wing.

Then, she asked me if I was intending to transmit any of this. I explained that I was supposed to send a brief on the situation every two weeks. Now, I not only have the authorization to do so, but she wants to bounce it off a signal on one of the Fleet ships rimward so she can use my assignment for misdirection.

My editor would kill me, but I suppose it's better than getting arrested.

 

Princess Leia wants the stories to go out? This is most interesting. I guess it would be a way for them to check that nothing that would pin point their position would be in the information.

 

Well, it is a kind of diversionary tactic.
*****
DAY 12

So, today, I got out of the medcenter and was promptly shown to the Intelligence offices on-base. Luckily, with all the gadgetry they've got in there, I avoided hypothermia.

Organa had given them my situation and they spent a good three hours teaching me how to make it look as if I were being sneaky without being sneaky at all. I think this will come in handy when I get back to Corellia. Of course, I'll never let on where I learned it, but that's another matter.

I need to send out my first report in two days and I'm supposed to have a conference on the matter tonight. I'm wondering if I'll manage to stay awake, since I've still got a few doses of painkillers that need to wear off.

It's later now and I did stay awake. The conference mainly consisted of planning how I'll reporting my position in a different squadron, which is currently in the same battlegroup as the Liberty. That's the ship that's sending out my signal. Since there's no guarantee that Imperial Intelligence won't get a hold of it, they are trying to take advantage of that paranoia and feed them some bogus information.

It turns out that I'm definitely not going back on flight duty for a while because they've declared my X-wing to be a loss. I offered to actually head out to the Liberty, but they think it's best if I stay around here. Would it be too much to ask to have a few more blankets if I don't have a nice warm cockpit to hide in?

 

You are posting faster than I can read.


I knew Leia had already a plan how to use that undercover reportress. She's a quick thinker. And I wonder what information they will send, and into what trouble she'll get and if Pink Five will turn up for a Lady's night. J/K

But i get the feeling she bit of more than she can chew with this one, she only doesn't know yet.

 

DAY 13

Okay, so I admit I'm nervous. I'm about to do something in favor of the Alliance against my own employers. That could get them in all manner of trouble if the Empire decides that they were being intentionally misleading. No to mention, they'll probably fire me if they figure out what I'm up to. No war is worth that.

On the other hand, it keeps me from being summarily imprisoned for being an Imperial spy. I don't even know if these people have a prison. They probably just lock you out after nightfall with a few scarves and a can of phraigs. If you're still alive in the morning, you're probably either insane or on their side. Maybe it's the same thing.

Maybe I should ask about that sometime.

DAY 14

Okay, my first transmission was sent out, describing in non-socialite detail what I've been up to...sort of. I'm still cold, still working one of those mind-numbing jobs that make everyone say "every little bit counts." Hobbie asked me on another date and we'll be taking patrol together tomorrow, then having dinner.

DAY 15

Great. He stood me up. Even worse, I'm an accomplished journalist and all I can think to talk about is my love life. No, cancel that. I don't even HAVE a love life.

Sure, Rogue Squadron got called off-world for some battle. They're the only ones who have enough functional ships to go on a mission right now. Meanwhile, I'm still stuck at a sensor station, my ship hasn't been replaced yet and the vacuum of space is probably a tropical paradise compared to my quarters.

I got the confirmation that my editor got the transmission. He's encouraging about what I've been doing and wants me to start sending holos. I told him that it would arouse too much attention to send that much data. Truth is, there aren't any convenient holos of anything that isn't covered in ice.

DAY 16

Blizzard again today, so no patrols. Besides, with this weather fouling up the sensors, we wouldn't be able to see anything coming anyway.

 

This inspiration is our cold weather isn't it?

I want to know what she is up to.. and where is Hobbie?

 

Wow, just caught this.

Pardon me for being a guy here, but she's got the male attention not only because of the scarcity of girls, but also because of, by her own admission, her "well-toned butt".

I wonder, is she eventually going to fly again? Have to face Imperial TIE jockeys head-on? Imagine sending a report home about *that*!

It does kind of surprise me that she's not a full blown Rebel already, what with Alderaan. I wonder what it will take for her to go all the way over. Luke minus a hand, maybe? Leia and Han having their fun and games in Cloud City?

I do like the logic of how and why she got caught.

 

No to mention, they'll probably fire me if they figure out what I'm up to. No war is worth that.
Talk about self-preservation....

If you're still alive in the morning, you're probably either insane or on their side. Maybe it's the same thing.


Wait, going on patrol together is a date?
I'm not going to join the alliance any more. I need more romantics.

the vacuum of space is probably a tropical paradise compared to my quarters.
What they never tell you about. I still wonder the women didn't freeze to death on Hoth, I mean most of us are cold all the time anyway. Oh, wait, you said there were only seven (left)?

 

Noelie--Not at all. And you'll see where Hobbie is.

Arcalian--Hey, Arcalian! Welcome! I don't have to pardon you for being a guy here. And yeah, I know what you mean about her attention. I was in the MTC, where there were 300 girls and 1700 guys. She will fly again. And yeah, that would be an interesting thing to have to report home about. Well, she's still got a bit of cynicism. As for what it will take, you'll see a bit of that. Glad you liked that logic.

MsLanna--Yeah, self-preservation a bit... She'd lose her benefits that way and who wants Alliance Medicare? LOL, yes, what else can you do on a secret base? That is kinda romantic. You're risking your life for the other person. They probably saved themselves by hanging out in the command center.
*****
DAY 17

So, remember the Rogues' mission I mentioned? Well, Hobbie got injured in the mission. Since he was nice enough to come see me when I was the human torch, I decided to return the favor.

Luckily, things weren't too bad. His crash webbing sort of snapped during the battle, in the middle of a barrel roll. Before he got his bearings, he got pretty knocked around. He made a few morose half-jokes about me having to spoon-feed him, but but he seemed genuinely pleased to see me. Or maybe, like me, he would be pleased to see Palpatine when he's on corephem.

He wouldn't say where the mission was, only that they won and that "that's what counts." I didn't argue with him and I suppose that it doesn't matter, since I'm Corellia's hottest source of disinformation this side of the ice tray, but I hate not knowing what's going on.

We mostly played sabacc with the medcenter at stake. I've never played so hard to win, but when I lost, I had to eat his gelatin. It was julaberry-flavored, but not really. It ended up tasting like bacta. Maybe they mixed up the cartons and I'll wake up tomorrow with my bad back fixed.

 

Well at least we know where Hobbie is. Poor guy.

The Bacta jello sounds like the newest hit flavor. I wonder how well that will go with grated carrots?

 

I love her "voice"! Self-referential without self-pity. Makes it real without being whiny.

I wonder where that battle was.....


*shines up a nice B-wing for our protagonist*

 

I like how you've used Hobbie in this. He's so often underused in profic so it's nice to see his character here.

 

DAY 18

Okay, so, I now have an official Rebel boyfriend. It just sort of happened. My mother would be appalled that I didn't find someone with more of a sense of humor, but I like Hobbie a lot more than jokers like Wes Janson or Jhaus.

Hobbie's getting out of the medcenter in two more days and I've been hanging out there after my shift. He's bored out of his mind otherwise, since they don't want to use sedatives on non-critical cases. If I had to do an expose on this operation, it would deal with the fact that the medidroids should be replaced with someone with a bedside manner.

Anyway, "the girls" wanted to hear all about it, since somehow the news got out that me and Hobbie are an official item. It's probably Pali's fault--she was my wingman when I was flying and she doesn't know when to shut up. It was nice to have a bit of a support group, since everyone seems to have dated pilots and can give me all sorts of unnecessary advice.

DAY 19

Today, a new shipment of supplies came in and among them was a new X-wing. They had a lottery to see who would get it and I am now back in Blue Squadron. I never thought I'd be so happy to own a bucket of bolts!

It's actually in pretty good condition, but still needs to be adapted to the cold. Luckily, the techs think they've got that nearly solved. Something about using principles of speeder-maintenance to get them running.

We'll see. Hobbie and I had a good talk about our backgrounds. I'm not surprised his humor is subdued after all that he's gone through.

DAY 20

I had patrol this morning, then went to work on my X-wing. Hobbie decided to surprise me and was already there, grumbling at my port engine. It was very cute and I gave him our first kiss for being so sweet. He blushed rather adorably at that.

The news of the afternoon, though, wasn't so pleasant. There are two people out in the storms and no one's been able to hear from them since late afternoon. Rumors are that they're Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. Given the amount of pacing and cursing that Leia Organa's doing, I wouldn't doubt the rumor.

I hope they make it back. It's a miserable thing to be out there at all, much less stranded all night. I don't even know if someone could survive that.

DAY 21

Okay, so they're back safe and...well, somewhat sound. Hobbie's worried about Luke because he's still in bacta, but at least both Luke and Solo were alive when they found them.

In the meantime, the higher-ups are wandering around looking nervous and we're being given evacuation plans, "just in case." Why do I think this isn't a "just in case situation right now?

My first evacuation. Should be excitting.

DAY 22

Well, the good news is that my X-wing is finally in working condition.

The bad news is that the "just in case" evacuation plan is going to be put into good use. The Empire is apparently on its way. Rogue Squadron is heading up the battle itself to buy the transports time to get off-world, but Blue Squadron has to stay around in case they need backup.

I don't want to think about how many people would have to die in order for us to see some action. Not only that, but what if we can't get off-world at all?

I'd better get going. I want to see Hobbie before we have to get to briefing and things are moving pretty fast now that the evacuation is official.

DAY 23

Well, I'm writing this from the rendezvous point, stuck in the medcenter with me and Hobbie in His and Hers hospital beds. He ran afoul of an Imperial Walker and is still under sedation, but they say he should be fine in a few days.

I ran afoul of stormtroopers, personally. See, Blue Squadron's Three Flight had to create a "diversion" and we decided to, well, um, you see, um...

All right, we mooned Darth Vader and I'm not sure I feel ashamed of it! Well, I'm ashamed because it led to me being shot in a place that made it really uncomfortable to fly, but that's beside the point. We bought the Alliance enough time to get the rest of the transports off-world because the

 

Funny! I love this, Ishy! I'll be checking back for more entries.

Mooning Darth Vader. Really. Hilarious.

 

That happened in "Blue Moon". Glad you enjoyed.