Star Wars_ X-Wing 05_ Wraith Squadron - Aaron Allston [38]
Kell shrugged. “So-so. But Piggy’s the navigational genius.”
“That’s right.” She turned to walk away, but called back over her shoulder. “That’s why we can be sure Wedge will forbid him to help.”
“You know,” Face said, “she’s right.”
Phanan looked glum. “I hate it when that happens.”
The file appeared on Admiral Trigit’s datapad, its title “Recent Morrt Project Data-Gathering Results and Conclusions.” Its listed author was Gara Petothel, the code-slicer who had been so useful to him in providing information leading to the demise of Talon Squadron.
He brought up the file and read its contents, then skimmed them again. Finally he crooked a finger to summon his XO.
“Prep the TIE squadrons,” he said pleasantly, “do full diagnostics on our weapon and shield systems … and tell Night Caller to prepare a load of the new Empion mines. We’ll plant them in the unoccupied systems closest to Commenor, and then head on to Commenor system itself. It looks as though the Rebels are staging from the moon Folor … and I think it’s time for us to put an end to it.”
8
Over breakfast, Kell told her, “I think I’m in love with you.”
They sat again in the officers’ cafeteria, but this time it was Kell and Tyria alone at one of the smaller tables, early enough that only Face of the other members of Gray Squadron was eating at another table; there were a few of the A-wing pilot trainees about. Kell had arisen early, adjusting himself to Tyria’s hours in order to catch her alone here.
Something like exasperation showed in Tyria’s eyes. “No, you aren’t.”
Kell nodded. “I know you think I’m probably kidding. Like Ton Phanan always does. But I’m not.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re not kidding. You’re just wrong.”
He laughed. “How could you possibly think that? How could I be wrong? Love is love. You’re not making any sense.”
She stirred listlessly at a nameless green puddinglike mass on her plate, then shoved the plate away. “All right, let’s hear your reasons.”
“Reasons?” He stared at her, genuinely surprised. “Reasons why I love you?”
“Reasons why you think you do, yes.”
He sat back, the cold of panic beginning to spread through his gut. She was not responding the way he thought she would. He’d prepared himself for acceptance, for refusal, for confusion, and let’s-talk-about-it-later, but not this cold-blooded call for analysis.
He took a couple of deep breaths to steady his nerves and organize his thoughts. “Well, it boils down to this: You’re everything I want in a woman. Smart, talented, brave, beautiful. I’ve been attracted to you since that first simulator run.”
“Yet you’ve barely talked to me.”
“Well …”
“You’re aware I have no family?”
“Well … yes.” Face had mentioned that to him in passing, that her family had died when her world of Toprawa had fallen, that she had survived by her ranger skills for years until a New Republic Intelligence reconnaissance mission had brought her and a few other rescuees offworld.
“Now, what I want to know is this. Is my lack of a family a draw because I’ll bring you no in-laws to complicate your life, or because you get to bestow me with the boon of your own family and make me happy again?”
He drew back. “That’s uncalled for.”
“Not the sort of thing you’d expect me to say, is it?”
“No.”
“Proving my point that you don’t know me. You’ve just decided that I match the concept in your mind of what your perfect mate should be, so now you’re in love. We’d be the perfect couple. I’m tall, so you wouldn’t have to bend over too far to kiss me, and we’ll look good on the holograms together. I’m a pilot, so we can be partners. I assume, back when you were in the commandos, that your perfect mate would have been a commando. Right?”
The coldness in his gut solidified into a solid block of ice. “You’re wrong. You’re wrong about me.”
“Then tell me,” she said, “how much time you spent thinking about me yesterday.”
“What?”
“That’s a simple