Project Boussh: Ace In The Hole
by Brad Corletti

Somewhere in the Australian Outback...

In the darkness of night, a star burned in the distance. It grew,
until it could be seen through the B-wings sensors to be an A-wing,
surrounded by fire as it penetrated the atmosphere.

Brad squawked his transponder and left his vehicle. The A-wing
corrected its course slightly and streaked toward him, at the last
moment slowing and coming to a gentle landing next to his B-wing.

Brad waved as the A-wings' pilot cracked the canopy. The pilot jumped
out of the aircraft, the baggy flightsuit failing to hide her feminine
curves.

She approached him with a smile, then her gaze narrowed as she took in
his crisp white flightsuit. "You're not Antilles," she said.

Brad bowed. "That's right. I'm Brad Corletti, Terran native and former
New Republic starfighter technician." He straightened, taking the
opportunity to drink in her dark hair and fair skin. "It's a pleasure
to meet you, Lieutenant Dorset Konnair."

"Uhh, that's great," she replied. "But where is Antilles?"

"I honestly don't know," he said with a shrug. "You've been filled in
with Project Boussh's details, yeah?"

"Yes," she replied. "Although I still don't understand why I've been
called in. I'm a fighter pilot. I'm not an Intelligence operative."
She smiled. "I don't have holos dedicated to me."

Brad nodded. "That is exactly the reason I recommended the Wraiths
bring you in. You're an unknown quantity. I'm assuming that our
enemies here have read the same novels we have, seen the same movies.
You get few scenes in the novels and fewer lines. They will not be
suspecting your appearance. You will be our ace in the hole."

She shook her head, the long hair flowing around her shoulders
hynotically. Brad admired the blue starflare tattoo around right her
eye.

"I'm an ace, but what's this about a hole?"