SIMMED WITH MIKE AS MIKE AND MIDDOUR AS TYCHO

*

2335hrs, Anreson got to the lounge, though nearly everyone had gone off to bed for the night. The sole stragglers were Mike and Tycho. Somehow, Mike had gotten a hold of Kettch, and was playing around with the stuffed Ewok.

She grabbed the holocam from a counter and took a still-holo of Mike with the stuffed Ewok. He blinked involuntarily from the flash, then smiled sweetly, hugging the stuffed toy to himself.

"I can't wait to show this holo to Wes and Hobbie, you are just too funny!" she said.

Mike held the Ewok out and made it dance around in his lap, "Look Tycho!"

Tycho looked over and cracked half a smile, "Very funny." He shook his head and went back to reading the file on his datapad.

"Yub yub!" the young man kept entertaining himself with the stuffed Ewok. He made it turn around on him and punch him in the face. "Ow." After Kettch 'punched' him three more times, he fell over, making it look like the Ewok was strangling him. He began making gurgling noises, "H... h... h... help...."

Anreson put the holocam back down on the counter and went over to pick off the stuffed Ewok. "Pfft! Really, Mike," she lifted the stuffed toy in hand, and bapped him with it playfully.

"Gimme back the Ewok!"

She held up a hand innocently, Kettch behind her. "What?" Then she bapped him again with the toy.

"Mine mine mine!" he grabbed the toy's arm and pulled. Anreson tugged, then let go of the Ewok, causing Mike to fall back into the couch.

"Hey you two... settle down or you both get KP for a month!" Tycho said half-jokingly.

Anreson sighed, and looked at him evenly, half-joking herself. "You put me on KP and you get no bacta!" she pointed at him.

He shoved his datapad into his pocket and walked over to her, leaning down, face to face. "No bacta... no pay."

She smiled, non-plussed. "No pay, no bacta, no Doc," she folded her arms.

He grinned, "Don’t tempt me."

Mike sat up on the couch, putting Kettch aside, quietly listening to the impending argument.

She sighed, "I guess I'm just going to have to disappear the extra tanks when I leave then." She shrugged and smiled sweetly.

"C'mon people," Mike got up and pushed his way to stand between the two. "Is this all really necessary?"

"He's being an old grump," she teased with a pout.

Tycho stood tall and straightened his flightsuit. "I hope you survive this squadron long enough to get old," he told her before walking away.

"Just remember that when I'm flying!!!!" she called after him.

He grabbed a cup of caf from the dispenser and tossed her a glare over his shoulder.

She shoved her hands in her pockets and found something she had forgotten was there. She pulled the water-blaster Wes had given her at the circus out of her pocket and aimed it at Tycho. The first shot went past his shoulder, the second hit it.

Tycho mumbled something about a smart mouth not being enough to vape TIE's with.

Anreson adjusted her aim slightly, and grinned as the water hit the back of Tycho's head. He just shook it off, so she walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Lighten up, Celchu."

Tycho pulled out his comlink, "Celchu to Emtry."

"Emtry here, sir."

"Doc is on laundry duty... 'til next year."

"Yes, sir!"

Tycho turned off the comlink and put it away.

Mike went over and hit Anreson over the head lightly with Kettch. She rubbed the back of her head, and glared vibroblades at Tycho before stalking to the other side of the room.

Mike looked back and forth between the Alderaanian and the Ralltiirian, and decided now was a good time to make a quick getaway. He slipped out the door unnoticed.

Tycho turned around to face her, his elbows resting on the bar. "You know something, Anreson? You have a real problem with authority."

"You know something Celchu? Maybe I just shoulda let you go off and get yourself killed before you learned you were okay," she raised an eyebrow and smirked at him.

"That is Colonel Celchu to you, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, sure, whatever Colonel," she smirked again and gave him a sloppy, jansonesque salute.

He sighed, "Look. If you think that bit of detective work, and that stunt you pulled on Tralus is gonna win you points with me...."

"General Cracken got used to me, you will too," she grinned.

"You have another think coming!"

She held up her hands, "I'm not looking for points, never have been."

He took a sip of his caf, "Then what are you looking for, Doc? Why come back to the CFS rotation? To infuriate me?!"

"It's a bonus," she laughed. "I came back because I was told to... or rather asked."

He groaned, "Well, we'll just see about that."

She just shrugged as he turned his back to her again. "Well, if I go back to being a shrink, I hope you never end up in my office, Colonel; and good luck on finding another with training for Gamorreans and Gands."

He slammed his cup down and turned to face her angrily. "I'll tell you this once, Lieutenant, so listen and listen good. You may be our new CFS, but you are NO Ton Phanan.... Never will be!!!"

Her smirk froze in place, then she looked down. "Yes, Colonel," she said quietly.

He considered her reaction and filed in memory for later. He turned his back to her again, "Wedge and I run a tight ship here.... Get used to it, or get packing."

"Yes, Sir," she said through a clenched jaw.

Tycho moved to the window and stared out over Coruscant. He sipped at his caf slowly, wondering where all this had gone wrong.

Anreson sighed and, with elbows on knees, she put her head in her hands.

He moved over to sit on a lounger in front of her, regarding her closely. She noticed his presence and looked up.

"What?" she asked as she leaned back, folding her arms sullenly.

"You knew Ton... didn't you?"

"Yes...," she regarded him through narrowed eyes. She was tired, she didn't want to talk about this right now.

Sitting back, he sighed, "He was a great man... and a good friend."

Anreson simply nodded, listening quietly.

"You know," he put the cup down on the caf-table. "He and I saved each other's skins many times..." his voice trailed off. "Captain Loran was a wreck when he died... we all were..."

She looked away from him then. Only recently, not even a week ago, had she learned of Phanan's death. Now, only now, were things wound down enough to give her time to think.

Tycho sighed, "How well did you know Ton?"

She looked back at him, her mask of indifference firmly in place. "We served together on a medical frigate, up until Endor. After the battle, I was one of the surgeons to help reconstruct him. One day..." her voice trailed off as she waved a hand wordlessly. She sighed, "I tried to get back in touch with him, but I never got any response. Then..." she shrugged.

He regarded her a moment, then looked down at his hands. "I'm sure you have suffered his loss as well." He got up and went to the dispenser for another cup of caf. Soon, he returned with his own cup, and another for her. "Here, drink this. It'll settle you down a bit."

"Thanks," she said quietly, accepting the proffered cup.

Tycho sat back down and leaned forward, elbows on knees. "You two were very close... were you not?"

"You're awfully full of questions, Colonel," she replied defensively before taking a sip of the caf.

"Never mind. You've already told me the answer to that one," he said.

They were silent a moment. "How did he die?" Anreson asked with a heavy sigh.

He got up and paced to the window, cup of caf in hand. He closed his eyes, "He died a hero.... That's all you need to know." He looked out, once again, to the city-world's skyline. He took a sip of the caf, "Tell me, Lieutenant. Have you ever been the CFS for an active duty combat squadron?"

She was thankful for the change in subject. "Yes, I have."

"How long?"

"A few years."

"Well, Doc, I don't know how that went, but I'll tell you this. The Rogues and Wraiths are a tight knit family here. We do anything for each other. You will come to know a lot about all of us, and you might even find someone here that you can connect with on a more... personal level. Just keep in mind one thing."

She looked down into her mug of caf, "What's that?"

"Any one of us could be gone tomorrow. Always, always remember that." he was silent for a few minutes, thinking back to all those who had come and gone in the squadron. he sighed, "That's why I try so hard to keep my feelings on a short leash. I suggest you do the same," he stopped then, taking a long drink of the dark-amber liquid.

"A short leash?" she looked up to him questioningly.

He turned, "Don't get too attached. It hurts less that way."

She frowned slightly and thought a moment about what he'd said. Could be gone tomorrow.... Don't get too attached.... That leaves only two options, living for the moment and distancing yourself. She nodded as she made her decision. "I'll remember that."

Tycho put his cup down, and grabbed his gloves off the bar. "I'm headed to bed, you better go get some rest too, Lieutenant."

She finished off her caf and stood. She put her mug on the caf-table as she watched him walk out the door. With a sigh, she tiredly got up and headed to her quarters.

Her roommate didn't wake up when she entered and, without changing her clothes, she fell to her bunk... exhausted. Soon, she was asleep.

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