Operation Arrakis: Bound For Baghdad by Majick Josh Cochran couldn't remember a time when he'd felt angrier. The plan had been set for hours. They would go to Baghdad. They would infiltrate the operation there. They would sabotage the shield at worst, destroy it at best. Sci and Nat had spent the time rigging their shield component so that it would fail when required. It wasn't the best plan, but it might buy them a little time. The best plan involved them taking the three X-Wings and Mike's TIE Defender and strafing the shield compound, obliterating any trace of the device. The in between plan involved a ground assault that would devastate the shield compound but probably leave a lot of traces of their presence. But it would allow Josh to hit lots of things very hard, which made him lean towards it as a personal preference. Right now Josh was hoping that Mike could be classified as a mission target. Apart from beating up four of the squad on his return to the ship and then tearing apart the mess area, Mike had disappeared from view, taking Noreh with him. The team had been ready to depart for nearly two hours, but both the qualified pilots had been AWOL. In fact, everyone knew exactly where they were. Mike's quarters were locked, their comlinks had been shut off and knocking raised no answers. Josh had taken one swing at the door with his lightsabre before it had cut out abruptly. Brad had drawn his attention to a small sign beside the door that read 'The walls and door of this room have been reinforced with a cortosis ore weave. Piss off you lightsabre wielding goon.' Apparently Mike had taken the precaution after a prank war had erupted between himself and Josh Nolan a few months before, adding an additional layer of protection against the Australian Josh's myriad methods of assault. What it meant now was that the American Josh, team leader of the Arrakis mission and one very upset Jedi, was kicking his heels in the Red Home's medical bay, which had become the defacto briefing room. Everyone knew their way there by now, after all. Becki and Thayer sat opposite him. Thayer was watching him carefully, hand in hand with Becki who was tapping at a datapad. Sci was perched on a bed, apparently staring at nothing but more likely planning and replanning the next stage of the mission. Josh envied the Major's ability to stay cool when the pressure was on. Every minute that was wasted was a minute that the Iraqis had to erect the shield, and no one seemed to know how close they might be. Josh really wasn't happy about that. Cheriss came in, her face carefully blank as she held a rifle on Rouddim and Achmed. The two prisoners had been cuffed, and Cheriss made them sit with Khalil, who was already being guarded by Arrek. The young American glared at the prisoners, a cigarette burning in one hand, a blaster pistol in the other. In one corner, almost unnoticed, stood the man who called himself Fes and about whom Josh knew nothing. He wasn't happy about that, either. Cheriss joined him, and the two conversed in low tones for a few seconds. And then the door to the medical bay swung open once more and Mike came in. * Mike wasn't exactly happy. What he and Noreh had just done was already nagging at him, his conscience reporting that it probably hadn't been the best idea to become so intimate with someone in the group when he was about to leave. Had he mentioned he was leaving? In the excitement of the last few days, it was hard to remember. Then there was the number of blows to the head - often with associated loss of consciousness - that he'd received since the Arrakis mission had begun two weeks before. Five, at the last count. Six, if you counted his head smacking against the medical bay's wall, Josh Cochran's forearm at his throat. Mike reacted the only way possible, kneeing the team leader in the groin. "Gnnngh." Josh hobbled backwards, the mingled look of pain and fury on his face on that mike was sure would keep him warm on the cold nights ahead. Almost since day one of the mission, he'd been wanting to do something along those lines. Almost magically, his lightsabre was in his hand. Josh eyed it carefully. "You called?" Mike said slowly. Josh straightened up painfully, and Mike was impressed with the tall Jedi's self control. He'd half expected to need to be defending himself right now from a Force-fuelled assault. But that would be of the Dark Side, and I'm sure Josh would never let his emotions rule his had, Mike thought with an internal snort. He kept his face placid and still. "You were supposed to be here two hours ago," Josh growled. "You were supposed to be here two days ago," Mike countered. "Instead you decided to go chasing off after shadows and leave us kicking our heels. By the way, Sylvana and Josh Nolan both ended up being treated for injuries sustained while waiting for your useless arse to show up here and Vickie got captured by the Sith you failed to stop. Well done, leader." Josh glared down at the shorter man. The others watched carefully. No one wanted to step between the two angry young men, especially as both were now holding their lightsabres in a manner that, for now, bordered on belligerent. "While you were off getting laid," Josh said in low tones, "the rest of us were formulating a plan. We need to fly to Baghdad. You, of course, are the only person who can fly us there. Would it be too much to ask that you can do that?" The distance between the two men had narrowed, seemingly without their moving at all. They were now almost nose to nose, Josh staring down at Mike, Mike staring up at Josh. "Computer," Mike hissed. "Identify approved pilots of this vessel, please." "Michael Clark, Lieutenant, Terra Group," the computer said. "Vickie Boyd, Captain, Terra Group. Noreh S'ytsirk, Lieutenant, Grace Squadron. Josh Cochran, Lieutenant, Terra Group." "Thank you, Computer," Mike said. Josh glared at him. "Might want to check your e-mails, sir," Mike said. "You've been cleared on this ship since that incident with the council a few months back. "Now, you want to fly? Shall we go? Or shall we keep wasting time like petty minded idiots?" Josh wasn't exactly sure what had made him snap. He'd been burning inside, on and off, since Paris, but it was probably the confrontation with Sahhar that had really made him angry. He'd rejected the Dark Side once, but it wasn't a case of it giving up and going away. The Dark Side is always there, Vickie had told him. Until the day you die, it will always be there to tempt you. Now he knew what she meant. His arm swung up, clattering Mike across the jaw and sending the far-too- arrogant Brit staggering backwards, blood arcing from his mouth like a monotone rainbow. No Force. Just me, Josh thought, narrowing the gap between them again. And very nearly impaling himself on the purple blade that has sprung up between them with a snap-hiss. Almost unconsciously, Josh's lightsabre rose up in his hand and its blue blade snap-hissed outwards, crackling where it lay against Mike's. "Just try it," Mike murmured, his words barely audible over the spitting of their blades. "Try it and I swear that you won't be walking out of here." "You think you can beat me?" Josh scowled. "I'd kill you before you took two steps." "Get real," Mike said. "I could hold my own against Vickie when we sparred, and you could only beat her by falling to the Dark Side. Remember Paris?" Yes, Josh remembered Paris. He remembered how good it had felt - and how terrifying - to give in to the anger that had coursed thorough him. The same anger that was searing through his veins now. It wouldn't take much. Two, maybe three seconds to sweep the arrogant prick up with the Force and push my lightsaber through his throat. "Tempting, isn't it?" Mike said, his voice so low that Josh could barely hear it. "You want to try it, you want to do it. Well, I'll welcome the chance to show everyone exactly what you're like, deep down. Everyone thinks that Jedi are deep and mystical and wonderful. I look at you and I see a screwed up mess of neuroses, negative emotions and twisted desires. You want to kill me? Cheriss will put a blaster bolt through the back of your skull before I hit the ground." "I think that's enough." Sci stepped between the two lieutenants, and the lightsabre blades disappeared abruptly. "Clearly you two have issues with each other. That's too bad. We're down to the bare bones for this mission, and you're going to have to work together, do you understand?" Sci said. They glared at one another. "I'm not asking you to be friends. I will settle, for now, for a lack of open animosity," he said. "Until the mission is over," Josh said, smirking at Mike. "Then all bets are off." "Fine, whatever," Sci said, glaring at them both. "Are we all clear on the plan?" "I'm not," Mike said. "I doubt whether Noreh is, either," Josh said quietly. "Just keep pushing, Jedi," Mike hissed, making the word sound like an insult. "Enough," Sci said quietly. Raising his voice, he added. "We're going to Baghdad. We'll scout around and find the most likely places for the shield to be located. The chances are that we'll be able to detect it on our equipment. We'll strafe the sight with out smaller ships, then send in ground troops to finish the job. We're also planning on sending the Iraqis the part of the shield that we have, but we've sabotaged it and stuck a homing device in it as well." "Double blind safety," Mike commented. Sci nodded. "Fine. The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll be done," Mike said, heading for the door and ignoring the black look Josh was giving him. "Should have thought of that two hours ago," Josh muttered. Mike span on his heel. Sci slapped an arm across his chest. "Just fly us," Sci said calmly. "The two of you can settle this later, understood?" Mike bared his teeth at Josh, who glared back disdainfully. "Fine. Let's go," Mike said. "Baghdad, here we come."