Project Boussh: The Negotiator
by Brad Corletti

Brad cut his throttle. The fighter stopped, and then gravity caught
it, pulling it gently towards the Earth.

Just another piece of space debris, Brad thought to himself,
plummeting towards annihilation. How very apt.

He knew he'd been far from careful. Everyone with a sensor suite on
this side of the planet probably knew he was here.

His knowledge was confirmed when his comm panel beeped. Another
transmission, this one on New Republic frequencies. He looked at his
sensor panel and saw an X-wing down below, coming up at him. His
sensor suite interrogated the X-wing's transponder and it responded
with a callsign: Rogue Nine.

It was Corran Horn coming to get him. The CorSec Jedi. Couldn't even
wait for the mission to finish before giving me a dose of Corellian
justice, eh, Jedi?

He activated his comm system. "For God's sake, I surrender already.
Haven't you people got anything better to do?"

The voice that replied was very definately *not* Corran Horn's.
"Brad..."



Vickie sensed waves of confusion coming from Brad. "What? Who are you,
and what are you doing in Horn's X-wing?"

She sighed. "It's Vickie. We need to talk."

"Well, since you've blown what little cover I had, I suppose it can't
hurt to delay this mission."

The B-wing recovered from its uncontrolled descent with a skill that
spoke of an experienced pilot. Target lock indicators appeared on her
HUD, and Whistler squealed in shock.

HE HAS LOCKED ONTO US WITH HIS PROTON TORPEDO LAUNCHERS.

"So talk," he finished. "First off, I'm not leaving this B-wing, no
matter what. Don't try to get all 'Negotiator' on me."

Vickie could feel Brad's anger seething barely below the
deceptively-calm surface of his mind. He seemed ready to lash out at
anything that posed a threat, as his torpedo locks attested. Beneath
his anger, however, lay pain. Pain, and guilt. The fear she had sensed
earlier did not seem to be present.

Doubtless because of the reassuring presence of twin proton torpedo
launchers.

"Brad..." she blinked, wondering where to begin. Might as well start
with the basics. "I'm Force-sensitive."

"Well," Brad replied, his voice dry. "That certainly puts paid to the
'conventional wisdom'. Always thought it rather silly. Of course there
can be Terran Jedi. How else do you explain some of the people from
history? So you ticked that box in character generation, did you?"

Vickie smiled. "Obviously. Now, I was in a Jedi trance, and I saw
you."

"Me?" Brad's voice was unreadable, but the sense of curiosity was
unmistakable.

"Yes. I saw your discussion with Dorset Konnair."

She felt waves of grief flood out from Brad's unshielded mind. "Yes,"
was all he managed. And then, softly: "Dorset."