Star Wars_ X-Wing 03_ The Krytos Trap - Michael A. Stackpole [18]
Rhysati Ynr, the blond woman sitting next to Nawara Ven, raised her hand. “Do we just fly cover when the assault shuttles go in, or are we going to land and go in-station, too?”
“Right now we’re just flying cover. If things change, you’ll be the first to know.” Wedge sighed. “We’re heading out in twelve hours, so you’re now all under security quarantine. Report to your quarters, get your gear, and go to the hangar. Once there you’ll get a more specific briefing and run through a basic simulation of the exercise before we leave. Any other questions?”
Gavin looked around nervously, then nodded. “Sir, won’t Nawara’s heading out on a mission compromise Captain Celchu’s defense? I mean, shouldn’t Nawara be here setting things up?”
A question I asked myself. “Your concerns, Gavin, are valid, but not terribly important in the face of what we’re doing here. We’re already one pilot light because of Corran’s death, so we need everyone we can get. The fact is that obtaining the bacta is far more important to the future of the New Republic than Tycho’s trial, so that is our priority.”
“Besides, I have Whistler and Emtrey doing a lot of computer fact-finding for me right now.” Nawara sat forward and slapped Gavin on the shoulder. “The lawyering part of all this comes later. It occurs to me that if we do get the bacta and things begin to calm down, someone might start listening to reason instead of political pressure, and this case will be dumped in some black hole, where it deserves to be.”
“May the Force be with you in that regard.” Wedge smiled openly. “If that’s it, get going. Everyone should be in the hangar in an hour at the very latest.”
As the pilots started to leave the room, Wedge caught the eye of a black-and-white-furred Bothan female. “Sei’lar, if I could have a moment of your time.”
“Yes, Commander.”
He watched Asyr as she waited for the others to leave, then walked toward him. There was no overt challenge in her stride, though the fire in her violet eyes did reveal a strong streak of Bothan pride running in her. Splotches of white fur covered her from throat to belly, gloved her, and slashed down from her forehead over her left eye to her cheek. They almost succeeded in diluting the predatory power in her petite frame. She stopped before him and snapped to attention.
“At ease, Sei’lar.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You might want to reserve your thanks until you’ve heard what I have to say.” Wedge looked down on her and saw her fur ripple with irritation. “Two things I want to discuss. The first is Gavin.”
Asyr blinked with surprise that flowed out into her fur. “I was under the impression that pairing among members of the squadron was not prohibited. Nawara and Rhysati, and Erisi and Corran …”
“I’m not under the impression anything was going on between Erisi and Corran.”
“But her reaction to his death …”
“They were close, but not in that way, as I understand it.” Wedge frowned for a moment. Mirax Terrik had been crushed by Corran’s death and had confided in Wedge that she and Corran had chosen to begin dating once the conquest of Coruscant had been accomplished. Though Corran had never revealed his feelings about Erisi or Mirax to Wedge, Corran’s attraction to Mirax had been fairly easy to spot, which led Wedge to believe Erisi was out of the picture.
“Regardless of what was or was not happening between Erisi and Corran, or what is or is not happening between Rhysati and Nawara, the big difference between those situations and your situation with Gavin is that Gavin’s barely seventeen years old. He’s very young and hasn’t had the experiences that your education at the Bothan Martial