Project Boussh: Epilogue: 2030
by Majick

Morning had broken. Mike had blamed Elassar. Pash had
pointed out it was just the way the clouds were
obscuring part of the sun.
The men of Bantam Squadron had reconvened once all
around them had passed out. The drink had flowed,
though all were avoiding PK's vodka. Russell Crowe had
imbibed heavily of the fabled liquor, and was now
being used as an impromptu bench by Corran and Face.
PK had not been happy.
The courtyard was littered with empty bottles,
discarded plates, and a few dozing members of the task
force. Somewhere, an Ewok was yubbing, quietly.
The party had wound down around four. The last of the
drunken revellers had made it upstairs to bed around
half past.
Bantam Squadron, reinforced by the previously
teetotal DJ, had begun drinking around 4.45.
"It's like, a second chance," Pash said, as everyone
else groaned. Along the way, the half dozen warriors
had lapsed into surfspeak. No-one was taking the blame
for it, so they'd all had to drink a triple JD as
punishment.
That had been around six.
Mike looked at his watch, and gave up. It probably
wasn't still three in the morning. By law, he was
allowed to keep drinking until he fell over.
As he was laying on his back, he was expecting a long
innings.
At least, unless the floor decided to let go. Then
he'd fall into the sun, high overhead. With all the
alcohol he'd drunk, he'd burst into flames.
"Poooff," he said. And took another swig of...
something.
"May be a second chance, dude," Elassar said, his
head hanging between his legs. "But it's about the
fiftieth time we heard this story."
"It's great, and all," Corran said.
"Totally," Face cut in.
"But if you show us the love bite one more time..."
the Rogue trailed off. Pash surreptitiously refastened
his flightsuit.
Mike sat bolt upright, and started laughing loudly.
The other members of Bantam Squadron joined in as they
remembered watching Crispy and his lady friend head
off together, and the bellows that had come from the
east tower a while later.
That had been around five.
There was a smell of cooking, and Elassar's head
swung upright, his tongue playing hungrily over his
lips.
"We'd just dilute the 'cohol," Mike said, reasonably.
The others agreed, and they watched the sun rise. A
lone TIE cruised over the castle, its engines barely
disturbing the cool morning air.
"P'pl be getting up soon," Russell murmured.
"True," Face agreed, a few minutes later. "But s'
what?"
"Food," Elassar commented, after a while.
"Aye," Mike alllowed, when the sun was slightly
higher in the sky.
"Shall we?" Corran asked.
"Means standing 'p," Elassar said, after a pause for
consideration.
"Point," Russell said. "Still..."
"'K. You first," said Face, not moving.
"'K," Russell replied.

Eventually, Vickie came and ordered them to
breakfast. After a brief spell of confusion, sorting
out whose limbs were whose, the six men managed to
stand again.
Elassar and Russell hung limply between their
comrades as the group wandered lazily back inside. A
rich smell pervaded the air, and the men followed
their noses.
At first, they ended up in the Ewok quarters, that
smell being markedly stronger than any other. However,
with a little ingenuity on the part of Corran -OK, he
just followed Tyria and Inyri- they made it to
breakfast in the great hall.

The scene that greeted them was one of supreme
weariness. The members of the various groups were
scattered around Eugor Atner's great dining table,
their heads bowed, their voices muted. The air was one
of mighty hangovers, until Mike spotted Kelly, and
moved over to her, noisily dropping Pash in the
process.
"You don't wear glasses," he said.
"You dropped my boyfriend," she replied, cooly.
"Cool," he commented, and snatched a slice of bacon
from her plate. 
He stepped back, inadvertently treading on Pash's
hand -"Yelp!"- as the Ace crawled sheepishly towards
his lady. Munching contemplatively on the bacon, he
cast his eyes around the grand room.
"'Spensive," he commented, around the bacon.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Corran muttered as
he stumbled towards Mirax. His wife fended him off,
ordering him to find some soap, and, and I really mean
this Corsec, some mouthwash before coming near her
again.
Elassar wandered over to the buffet that the castles
servants were constantly replenishing. Momentarily
halted by the feast before him, he shrugged, grabbed a
platter, and helped himself to a little of everything.
Face, trying to hold up Russel by himself, shot his
most winning smile at Dia. The Twi'lek woman ignored
him. Mike surmised that she was willing to forgive him
a lot of things, but staying out all night with the
lads? No chance.
Mike was just thankful he wasn't in any sort of
relationsh-
A tap on his shoulder spun him round. His legs
tangled together, as the message took a few seconds to
reach them. Eventually, they sorted themselves out,
and all of Mike was now facing Shalla Nelprin.
Silently, she held up a hand in front of his face,
and stormed past, choosing to sit with Mirax. And Dia.
And Kelly. Oops.
PK entered. She stopped dead on seeing Russell
slumped in Face's arms. Glaring at him briefly, she
stormed past, head held high. She too sat with Mirax
and the others.
Elassar had found an empty table, and was grinning
wickedly at his squadmates. Egg yolk oozed from the
corner of his mouth, and was trickling down his chin,
but he was clearly perfectly happy with himself right
now.
Then one of the Finches entered, a box under her arm.
Strutting angrily over to Elassar, she dumped it in
the middle of his breakfast, showering him with goo.
She slapped him, and strutted off. Coincidentally, she
sat with Mirax and co. as well.
The membes of Bantam Squadron gathered at Elassar's
table, and Face used a napkin to wipe egg yolk from
the lable on Elassar's box.
"Gilding set," he said, simply.
The men sat quietly. They avoided one anothers eyes,
and were soon tucking into breakfast supplied by the
servants.
Then Josh Nolan entered, looking very, very sorry for
himself (and somewhat covered in hair), and the
Bantams paused, forks halfway between plates and
mouths.
They exchanged looks, and burst out laughing.