Star Wars_ X-Wing 03_ The Krytos Trap - Michael A. Stackpole [150]
Ultimately Wedge’s reservations about the celebration came from the past. He remembered well the celebration on Yavin 4 that followed the first Death Star’s destruction. Our joy was this transparent, this unguarded. Then we evacuated the base and began running from the Empire. I know it’s stupid to associate a victory and celebration with impending disaster, but …
Borsk Fey’lya cut through the milling crowd and nodded his head toward Wedge. “I wanted to congratulate you, Commander, on a game well played.”
“I beg your pardon?”
The Bothan tapped claws against the barref of his lominale mug. “There was a report concerning Rogue Squadron’s intervention at Alderaan. I understand it has been classified as ‘Most Secret.’ ”
“Indeed it has.” Wedge suppressed his desire to smile. “It struck me that the information about the situation at Alderaan could have compromised our rylca operation. I suggested that classifying the report that highly would be a good thing.”
Borsk Fey’lya’s creamy fur rippled up the back of his head. “Good for you.”
“No, Councilor, good for you.” Wedge let his voice drop into a low growl. “You would have found the report less than satisfactory for your ends, which would have prompted you to try to destroy one of my people. I can assure you that would have caused problems.”
“If you want to play at politics, Antilles, I would welcome you onto my battlefield.”
“I don’t want to play at anything, thank you. I didn’t join the Rebellion to play.” Wedge opened a hand and pointed to the various members of the squadron. “My job is to make certain my people do their jobs and stay alive. What I do isn’t about me or garnering power, it’s about people: my people and the people we defend by going after the Empire.”
“And doubtless you see politics as some dirty enterprise beneath your notice.”
Wedge arched an eyebrow at him. “And you can convince me otherwise?”
“You’re intelligent enough, Commander Antilles, to convince yourself I’m right. You already know everything is political. You know, for example, that what you have done for the Rebellion has granted you power—power you might well wish to use to advance your own plans and desires. You have things that will require support to accomplish, and building a coalition of support is political.”
Wedge’s brown eyes narrowed. I had hoped to advance the Vratix case for joining the New Republic, and I thought hard’s taking of Thyferra would make that job just that much easier. Is Borsk Fey’lya trying to suggest that something so obviously right and necessary might flounder because I’m not going to play his game?
Anger began to build in Wedge, but before he could give it vent, he felt the weight of a hand on his right shoulder. His fury drained away as he turned from the Bothan and began to smile. “As stars live and die! I didn’t think you’d be here, Luke.”
The tow-headed Jedi Knight enfolded Wedge’s hand in a firm grip, then he pulled Wedge forward into a backslapping hug. “I wouldn’t have missed it for all the Tibanna gas on Bespin. I was a bit late because, quite frankly, the Jedi exhibits your man found in the Galactic Museum are, well, absorbing. I’ve been chasing all over trying to locate traces of other Jedi, then it turns out a repository of a lot of stuff is on the planet from which I’ve been basing my searches. While very little of it deals with training, there is a lot of material that lets me piece together some history.”
“Corran mentioned he’d found quite a haul. He said it was rather macabre.”
Luke Skywalker nodded solemnly as he stepped back from Wedge. “Once the Emperor isolated those rooms, they became his own private playground. As the Jedi in there were hunted down, the Emperor defaced their monuments. There’s enough evil there to be palpable, but I think things can be set to rights again.”
Borsk Fey’lya came around on Wedge’s left side. “The Council is already discussing an appropriation to allow for the rehabilitation