Project Boussh: Casualty Of War
by Josh Nolan

Agony.

There was a white light, a brief impression of movement, and then pain.

Part of him wished to fall to the ground, to bury himself within the
earth, to escape the pain.  But the excruciating hurt held him up, kept
his feet from the ground, filled his world.  There was the pain, and the
screaming void around it.  The agony was all.

It seemed his life before was less substantial than a dream.  Memories
of times when the pain did not exist fled before the blaze of agony.
For the first time, he truly lived.  For the first time, he truly wished
to die.

Something brushed his face - something furry - but the sensation was far
away, meaningless.  All that mattered was the pain.

Suddenly, the hurt let him go, let him fall - but it did not leave.  He
felt the hard comfort of the ground below him - but still the agony
lingered.  Finally, the oblivion he craved swallowed him.

Blackness.

Something was climbing down his throat.  He fought to resist, heedless
of the pain, trying to remove the intruder, to no avail.  Something held
his jaw open, the pain screamed inside him, and whatever it was lodged
itself in his throat.  He wanted to choke, but could not.  The pain
suddenly doubled, overwhelming him.

Blackness.

The waters swept up around him, welcoming him, soothing the pain,
leaving him empty and peaceful.  It brushed his skin tenderly, calming
him, and he drifted off into sleep.

He dreamed of flying.

*******

"Wraith Eight, this is Rogue Ten.  Come in.  Over."
"Rogue Ten, this is an unsecured channel.  Switch scrambling to
Yavin-Epsilon-3 on my mark.  Mark."
"Wraith Eight, this is Rogue Ten."
"Wraith Eight receiving, Rogue Ten."
"Thank the Force.  Ten is currently grounded some three hundred klicks
of last position, bearing 325 magnetic.  Ten has captured an
eyeball."
"Roger that, Ten, what is your situation?"
"Not good.  The hired help is swimming in a tank.  Ten hooked it to the
bottom of the eyeball, but it will be at least two days before it is
safe to remove him.  And Ten is an Ewok carrier, too."
A Gammorean snort came over the comlink.  "Roger that, Ten.  Was the
mission a success?"
"Affirmative, Eight.  Thirty confirmed kills.  Five Ewoks down, one
human wounded.  Uploading captured comms data."
"Roger, Ten.  Do you require assistance?"
"Affirmative."