Project Boussh: The Beginning Of The End
by scifantasy

Becki waved at Sci, hoping to get his attention. The Terran leader was
crouching in a corner, covering for his team as many of them moved
around the bridge, securing systems, deactivating defenses, communicating
with the various teams...The bridge was a rush of activity, but most of
the fighting had moved or just stopped. Finally Sci spared a glance at Becki,
who motioned him to where she was standing, by the command chair. He picked
his way through the chaos, bodies lying, and bodies moving to her.

"What's up?"

"Wedge ordered a full evacuation. Our work is done--everyone is to get off
the _Admonitor_ ASAP." Sci nodded and moved slowly to where the main comm
was. Activating the comm unit, shipwide PA, and the ship-to-ship intercomm,
he spoke.

"Attention all personnel. Our Moment Of Triumph, Underestimated Chances.
Repeat: Our Moment Of Triumph, Underestimated Chances. Implement immediately.
That is all." Our Moment Of Triumph was the predetermined code to signal an
immediate evacuation, and Underestimated Chances was the signal that Thrawn
was dead. Sci switched off the system as he saw his forces on the bridge begin
to disengage from their posts and make their way towards the exits.

The plan was fairly specific: All units were to find the quickest means of
evacuation. The ships would stay in the docking bays as long as possible,
but would eventually have to go--so anybody who didn't make it to the bays
would be expected to to take escape pods or shuttles.

Not that Sci figured anybody would be left behind if at all possible. In
fact, he knew for a fact that most members of his teams would go out of
their way to ensure that they all made it off alive. As for himself, looked
to the right to see his team--Winter and Iella, escorting Dorset Konnair--
approaching him. Sci pointed toward the door that would lead back to the
_Red Home- and _Gaia_.

As they left the room, they saw Brad standing in front of a group of
stormtroopers lying on the ground. He seemed a little dazed, as if the
events of the past half hour had just caught up with him. When he saw
Sci, however, he snapped out of it and looked like a man facing his own
execution. Sci kept his face strictly neutral.

"Sci..."

Sci looked at Brad. "You were working at cross purposes to us--or at least,
skewed purposes--so as to keep your droid-building business a secret. You
assisted the Imperial units in crewing their ships, providing them with droids
that they then provided to Atner. You had a major inside route to the Admonitor,
and probably came within delta--within _epsilon_--of killing us all, and yourself,
several times over. You also seem to be able to dodge blaster bolts--" Brad's
eyebrows went up; he didn't know anyone else had seen that. He waited for
the conclusion.

"Next time you do that, at least have the good graces to tell me first." Brad
blinked.

"What?"

"You heard me. You deactivated your droids at just the right moment, managed to
take out the ysalamiri, and killed Thrawn personally. It'll probably take some fancy
verbal footwork, but I'll try not to get you executed or anything. Your punishment will
be...You'll be stuck with us for a while to come. How does that sound?"

Brad grimaced. "Stuck with you? Sounds worse than death." Then he grinned. "Fine, I
accept. Now then, let's get back to your ship and get the hell off this hunk of metal."
Sci nodded, but Brad had already glimpsed the face of Lieutenant Konnair, and Sci
decided to let the two of them settle their own problems at their own time. The five
began moving towards the docking bay.