Dorn: A Star Wars Story

16. Old Friend

"I can't believe that I have to work with Pryde again," Sevens wrinkled his nose as our fleet travelled to a rather savory bit of coordinates deep in the Unknown Regions. "Old Guard. Everywhere I go there's the Old Guard... They're like a plague I cannot seem to get rid of."

I paused and slowly turned to look at him, "Aren't... we technically Old Guard, Sevens?"

At the revelation, his look of disgust faded to one of abject horror as he whipped his head to me, "Oh, by the stars..." He turned back out the viewport of the bridge and shuddered. "I have lived long enough to become the very thing that I had sworn to destroy..." There was a beat of silence that passed comfortably between us before he furrowed his brow and looked to me, "Have you met Enric?"

"Just once or twice."

"Really?"

"He was friends with Thesh," I shrugged. "I met him when I went with him to Alderaan."

Sevens nodded, "I do miss Admiral Ahuff. He was a good man, cunning, and a good leader."

"A better friend," I nodded in agreement and meant it. Thesh was an amazing leader, but he was an even better friend. "I never got to serve under him when he was a hotshot leader, though."

"Oh, his Wing! His Wing was phenomenal, some of the best trained and well-maintained pilots in the whole of the Fleet. His original ISD, Pride of Juran? Gorgeous ship. In battle, he was nigh unbeatable. The number of commendations he earned that meant less than a nerf's hide at his court martial would have put many senior Imperial Admirals to shame."

"Who would have thought?"

That seemed to surprise Sevens enough, because he turned to me and cocked an eyebrow, "You mean... you never knew?"

I shook my head as I watched the stars swirl by as we traveled through lightspeed, "I think it was a sore spot, honestly."

"Yeah... That I can understand."

We snapped out of hyperspace and found ourselves staring at a fleet of destroyers. They were new, more advanced, and I could tell that Sevens was already trying to figure out a way to get one for himself. I can't even lie, so was I.

"The guns on those ships..." Sevens muttered quietly as he passed a hand thoughtfully over his chin, and I had to snicker. "Dorn, I think I'm in love."

"Welcome to the fleet, Resplendent. General Pryde is waiting for you on the deck of the Steadfast, when you have readied yourself."

I looked at Sevens, "Orders, Admiral?"

"Don't be an idiot," Sevens shrugged.

Those were orders I could follow.

We made our way to the shuttle bay and from there took our shuttle to the Steadfast where Pryde was waiting for us. I saw several shuttles inbound from other ships, so I figured that we were in for quite the meet and greet as I slipped my helmet on and sighed heavily. 

"I hate these," I muttered as Sevens chuckled beside me.

"Just look intimidating and brooding. You're good at that."

The moment we touched down and disembarked, there was Pryde. Like all other officers in my life, his only change was that he was older than he was before. I reached up and took my helmet off, and at the sight of me he gave half a smile. "Ah, Titian's old friend - Ruana, was it? I am happy to see that you decided to stay loyal to the Empire."

"She's the only home I know, General."

"And you, Admiral Kaine," he turned to Sevens and extended a hand that Sevens took with a smile that I knew from a glance could only be half-genuine. He didn't trust Pryde as far as he could throw him. "It is good to have more senior officers here. We've had to promote so many junior officers with no combat experience into leadership roles that I am beginning to worry about out futures here, and, of course, the future we have against the New Republic."