Project Boussh: A Debate
by Vickie Boyd

Wedge, Dorset, Quiara and Vickie were lead into an elaborate dining 
room. A stormtrooper prodded each of them to a chair to sit. Wedge was 
led to the foot of the table with Vickie to his left and Dorset and 
Quiara to his right. Pol sat beside Vickie. He looked around the room 
trying to tell if Plourr was there. He couldn't tell.

Vickie plopped down in her chair and slouched. Somehow she had to move 
her lightsaber before it fell from her pants. She tried to reach out to 
the Force, but her eyes saw the ysalmiri climbing on what looked to be a 
tree in the corner. She sighed and reached down as if to scratch her 
leg. Unfortunately, Thrawn chose that very moment to enter.

The stormtroopers stepped up behind the "guests" and told them to stand. 
The one behind Vickie tapped her on the shoulder with his rifle. "Ow," 
she said. "I'm just trying to pull up my sock."

"Stand," he said with a stern tone. It was distorted from the helmet, 
but she knew the intensity. She carefully readjusted the 'saber and 
pushed the chair back hard into her guard.

"Whoops," she said with a grin. "Sorry about that." She pushed herself 
up slowly.

"I'd move faster if I were you," a voice said from behind her. She felt 
the tip of a vibroblade against her back.

She cut her eyes to the side and saw a face who looked to be familiar, 
but couldn't recognize. "Leave her alone, General Dlarit," Pol said. 
"She's not as young as most of us."

Wedge glared at the General. "Hello Erisi."

General Erisi Dlarit slid the blade across Vickie's back as she walked 
towards Wedge. "Hello General. So nice to see you again."

"Enough small talk." Everyone looked up to see Grand Admiral Thrawn 
standing at the head of the table. Erisi walked around the table to 
stand behind him. "Let us sit and eat."

Vickie felt the chair shoved into her legs. She sat down hard and looked 
back at the trooper behind her. She couldn't see the grin he had on his 
face. Looking over at Erisi, she noticed the woman was watching her 
carefully.

Several servants brought in covered plates and sat them before each 
person. Vickie took the time to observe everyone at the table. To her 
right, Wedge sat rigid, his eyes hard on Thrawn. Across from her sat 
Dorset. Her eyes stared straight ahead, her face impassive. Quiara, 
sitting to Dorset's right, fidgeted with her dress. She seemed very 
uncomfortable. Thrawn had a thin smile across his lips as he too watched 
his guests. To her left, Pol sat with an egotistical smile on his own 
face. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he really had been 
telling the truth earlier.

The lids were removed from the plates to reveal something that looked 
like steak with vegetables. Vickie took a tentative sniff and raised an 
eyebrow. "What is this," she whispered to Wedge.

"Nerf," Thrawn responded. "I believe it is akin to your cow."

She raised her head to look at the Chiss. His features were just like 
how the Dark Horse artists drew him. She narrowed her eyes then looked 
back at the steak. She picked up her fork and knife and cut a small 
piece. It did taste similar to cow.

"Well, what do you think?"

She shrugged. "It's not bad. A bit overdone."

He chuckled. "Ah yes. I was told most Americans liked their food rarer 
than most."

"Only steak," she responded after swallowing something that tasted like 
potato. "I wouldn't want an underdone piece of chicken."

An awkward silence settled over the room. The only sounds were the 
clinking of utensils against plates and glasses being set on the table. 
Thrawn finally cleared his throat and began to speak. "Well General, I 
would just like to say that I am surprised at you."

Wedge looked up, "Why is that, Admiral?"

Thrawn looked at Quiara and Vickie. "All this fuss over one person. The 
New Republic bringing in two of its best squadrons to search for one 
young woman."

"They came of their own accord," Vickie responded, keeping her head down.

A sinister laugh came from behind Thrawn. Erisi cackled, "The Rogues 
doing anything of their own accord? That is funny."

Thrawn shot her a glare and she stopped. "You are the eldest of the 
'Terrans', correct?"

"Yes, I am."

"And you are not much younger than General Antilles?"

"And your point, *Admiral*?" She tried to put as much contempt in her 
voice as possible.

"Most of the 'Terrans' are quite a bit younger than you. Ten plus years, 
is that not correct?"

"Admiral, I don't want to play your games. Just say what you want and 
get it over with." She slammed her fork down on her plate.

Wedge looked over at her sternly. "Careful," he whispered.

She cut her eyes at him. "General, I am tired of everyone pointing out 
the age of this group. Yes, I am the oldest and Emily is the youngest. 
So what? Those kids down there care about that young woman over there." 
She waved her hand at Quiara. "We are a close-knit group that gives a 
damn about each other. If it hadn't been for Quiara, we never would have 
known that Wedge and the others really are real."

"Well, General, they are even insubordinate. How could you associate 
yourself with these children?"

That was the last straw for Wedge. He pushed his chair back and stood. 
"You do not know them, Admiral. They have more intelligence than the 
entire Empire put together. Those 'children' as you call them, are 
determined to get their friend back. They will succeed."

Erisi quickly moved around the table. Vickie saw her and kicked her 
chair out as the General passed. It caught her in the leg and she 
stumbled. "Why you little..." She turned her attack towards the Terran.

Vickie crouched beside the table with a smile. She couldn't feel the 
Force, but she still had her own skills. The other woman came at her 
with the vibroblade. She pulled up the fork she had palmed from the 
table as the blade neared her. Easily, she deflected Erisi's attack. 
"Oh, like I'm going to let you attack Wedge."

The Bacta Queen growled and came at her again.

Vickie dropped to the floor and rolled under the table. She came up 
between Dorset and Quiara. Grabbing a plate from the table, she hurled 
it at Erisi. She jumped up on the table as the stormtroopers came 
towards her.

Thrawn held up a hand to belay them.

Erisi ducked the plate, then swung at the Terran's legs. Her opponent 
jumped to avoid the swipe. Suddenly, she felt herself falling backwards 
as Vickie kicked her in the chest.

"That was for Corran," she hissed. Jumping down from the table, she 
dodged the next attack, smacking Erisi on the rear and into the table. 
"That was for Mike Stackpole."

Erisi hit the table with force. The wind was knocked from her. This 
woman was infuriating. She turned and crouched with her blade in a 
defensive position.

Vickie nodded in approval. "Well, it took you long enough."

"What are you talking about," the Imperial General asked.

"I believe," started Pol, "that she was referring to you finally 
defending instead of attacking."

"Did I ask you, McEwok?" She growled at the man. "So, shut up."

Vickie laughed. "You really are a bitch." She came at Erisi with two 
forks. One she used to block the knife and the other went into her 
opponent's hair. She twirled the fork as if she was eating spaghetti.

Erisi screamed as her hair was entangled in the fork. She struggled to 
untwist herself and pull her knife away.

"ENOUGH!" Thrawn stood and waved the troopers to intercede.

Vickie dropped the forks and stepped back. The trooper that had been 
behind her all evening grabbed her roughly. She turned and glared at the 
white mask.

"General," Thrawn said with venom. "Please go to my office and wait for me."

Erisi glared at the Terran Jedi. "I will have my revenge, Terran."

"I look forward to it." Vickie met her glare with one of her own.

Thrawn followed Erisi out with his eyes. "I apologize for the General's 
actions," he said after she disappeared. "She is still very..."

"Insane," Vickie offered.

He glared at her. "Out of control. Now that dinner has been 
*interrupted*, I believe you four should go back to your rooms."

Wedge nodded to the Chiss. "We appreciate your cordialness, Admiral. I 
do hope this whole ordeal will come to a peaceful close soon."

The troopers escorted the prisoners back to their cell.

"That went well," Pol said sarcastically after they left.

"Commander McEwok, please leave now before I do something I regret." 
Thrawn dismissed him with a wave.

Pol stood and walked out with his escort. "I think General Dlarit has 
finally learned a lesson," he said down the hall.

"And what is that," replied his escort.

"Don't piss off a Jedi."