Project Boussh: Red Two, Where Are You?!
by Vickie Boyd (special assist by Majick)
Extra special thanks to TGie #1 Shelonei for the title

Pash Cracken was home. The cockpit of his A-Wing was so comfortable. He
knew where everything was and exactly what to do. He settled back and
flicked on his sensors. A swarm of green surrounded him. He cycled
through and saw more green blips and red ones coming slowly into view.
The red were his adversaries.

Punching a few buttons, he lit Red Two in blue. He watched as Vickie
formed up with Red Lead, Three and Four. He brought his fingers to his
lips, kissed them then touched the screen. "Good luck, my sweet." He
then reached up and slapped his visor down. "Alright Aces, you know the
drill."

A chorus of replies came over his comm. He smiled. Yes, this was home.
"Ok, our mission is to keep those TIEs off our big friends behind us.
Everyone pair up and let's move out."



Another TIE dropped under his blazing lasers. He had just received word
that the B-Wings had completed their objective of dropping the shields.
One of the two Star Destroyers had already jumped from the system.

He smiled at a job well done. Cycling though his sensors, he saw that
they had done well. He had lost two pilots in his squad. Not bad against
Imperials. Something was missing, however. He went through the sensors
again. Where was Vickie's ship? "Two, I'm going to check and see how the
Reds are doing. You take it from here."

"Roger, Lead."

Pash turned his A-Wing towards where the group of Rogues, Wraiths and
Terran pilots fought. He commed Wedge as he approached. "Red Lead this
is Ace Lead. Where is Red Two?"

"We've lost contact with her, Ace Lead. But before that, she was acting
strangely. She fired on me, and Red Four was forced to return fire."

Pash's mind reeled. "Lost contact? What do you mean? Where is she?"

Wedge switched over to a private frequency. "Ace... Pash, all we know is
that she's no longer on our sensors. She doesn't have an astromech to
query."

"Damnit, she can't die! I made a promise! Red Four, what did you do?"
The red haired pilot was seething.

"She was firing on Red Lead. I did what any other pilot would do."

"No, you didn't," Pash replied quietly. "You couldn't!"

"Woah, woah!" Josh's voice was strained. "I disabled her craft. Last I
saw, she was heading towards the _Admonitor_."

"Pash, there's nothing you can do for her." Wedge felt the all too
familiar sense of loss building in his gut. "Either she made it to a
docking bay, or..."

"Or" was a word he didn't want to hear. She couldn't die. He had
promised Rich he'd look after her.

"If it helps any," Josh added. "It looked like she was under some
control before I lost sight of her."

Pash quickly pointed his ship towards the belly of the _Admonitor_. He
had to find her. He paid no attention as Wedge tried to get him to stop.
Suddenly, the emergency frequency came to life and Terra Lead's voice
came across loud and clear. "Now hear this..." And he waited.