Dorn: A Star Wars Story

8. Soldier

I had the box sitting on my desk and watched it quietly. For some reason, whenever it was around I swore that I could feel some small whispering in my ears from somewhere far away. It was an odd sensation as I sat there with my hands folded in front of me, leaning forward to look at the strange little object sitting quaintly inside of a moulded compartment. How could something so small be the source of so much... general strangeness? It was one of the reasons I liked to keep away from Force nonsense when  could.

All of it was too far above my paygrade.

After a moment, I sat back and passed a hand over my chin. I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Keeping it was my only option, but I wasn't looking too forward to having it just sitting there and staring me in the face constantly. Even shoved in a drawer somewhere where it was nonintrusive still had that odd sensation that someone was standing behind you menacingly and just watching.

It wasn't long before I heard my door shift open and I saw Freis, her casual fatigues changed out for a crisp grey uniform, standing in front of my desk also staring at the box. "I heard about the incident with that, Major."

"Yeah, can't say I'm thrilled," I muttered as I picked the box up and shoved it into one of my desk drawers with a sigh. "I take it that Sevens gave you the grand tour?"

Freis furrowed her brow and then asked, "Uh... who, sir?"

"Oh, right. Admiral Kaine... That sounds awful."

"He did. This is a wonderful ship, sir. The Summa is also impressive considering how old she is..." She paused and looked to me tentatively before she asked, "Did you really fight in the Battle of Yavin in that?"

"That better not have been a jab at her, Freis. That ship has seen more combat missions than half of the New Republic's fleet combined." I sat back in my chair and watched as she took a seat across from me. "What's on your mind?"

"It's just... This Venn... Are we equipped to fight someone like him, sir? He has a lot of experience..."

"So do I."

"I know, sir, it's just..."

"Call me "sir" again, Freis, and I may just smack you."

"Right, Major...? Or Vengeant? Also, why does the Admiral call you Dorn?"

"Long story. Just pick a title, but just please don't use sir. Makes me sound too respectable."

She grinned back at me and even I couldn't help but smile, "Alrighty, Major. It's just that he managed to out maneuver Lorias Dorne - an Imperial Cipher Agent. No offense, but the fact that he's still here shows me that he must be good." She paused for a second before letting her shoulders fall and adding, "Damned good," with a resigned sigh.

"Maybe," I shrugged and crossed my arms over my chest, "but I put together one hell of a team. Not to mention the return of Vengeant has him on edge."

"True. I just hope our edge is enough - oh! Right! The other reason I'm here," Freis quickly produced a datapad and handed it to me. Upon closer inspection, it was a request for flight clearance for one Jagged Montferrat. "He asked me to get this signed by you for him."

"Still the representative, eh?" I asked as I smirked up at Freis. She was always the one who got shoved into asking me questions day in and day out when the other cadets were too nervous to do it themselves or needed a favor. "I'll sign, but the second he scratches any of my TIEs, he's grounded."

I knew I didn't have to worry. Jag was one of those kids who was born to be a pilot. Putting him behind the controls of a TIE was going to be something to see so long as I could convince Peavey not to throttle him for glancing at her ship wrong.