The wailing alarm blared in Cash's ears. He jolted upright in bed and reached for the shrieking device on his bedside table. He picked it up and hit a button on the side as a small holoprojection beeped to life, lighting the dark bedroom with a ghostly blue light. His eyes danced over the details, and he swore. "Jynx!"
Someone stirred next to him. He suddenly remembered he wasn't alone.
Casting a glace to the figure beside him, her face being illuminated by the light from the holo, he smiled as he took note of her angelic features. The smile vanished as he realised their leave was coming to a rather abrupt and premature end. With a groan of frustration, he climbed out of bed and clicked his fingers. The overhead light blinked on and lit the room with the same pale blue that radiated from the holo. He shut the holo off and strapped the watch around his wrist as he began getting dressed into his military fatigues.
"Hhhmmmm, where're you going Cash?" she asked in a husky, half-asleep voice.
"Sorry baby, but I gotta go," he said, slipping a shirt over his head. "Duty calls, and all that." She mumbled something, as he realised he couldn't recall her name. What had it been, Xena? Xara? Xanax? Jynx, he didn't know. "Sorry I have to bail, babe, but I'll make it up to you," he said, as he pulled on his boots.
"When?" she asked, stretching across the bed, and propping herself up on an elbow.
He smiled down at her, and felt his loins stir again at the sight of the gorgeous woman in his bed. "Er…um…. I'm not sure," he said with a smirk, as the memory of their activities earlier came back to him. "Surprise me!"
She returned the smile. "Ha ha, ok. Well, have fun, I'll see myself out in the morning."
Cash nodded. "Take your time." The smirk widened. "Just don't wait too long to call."
She giggled, "Oh believe me, after a night like that I won't."
He chuckled and tossed her a wink. "My pleasure," he said.
"Oh, and mine," she quipped, with a lick of her lips as he left the room and made his way to the garage where his speeder sat.
The sports speeder cruised through the streets, ducking and weaving around slower moving traffic as Cash navigated his way through the twisting, labyrinthine streets, not speeding, but moving as fast as he could without breaking the law. He was lucky he came from a rich family. It enabled him to live a luxurious lifestyle that the typical commando salary didn't quite allow for. Being single, and without kids also helped.
Wes fumbled around as he scrambled to get dressed. The sudden summons had taken him by surprise and his efforts to prepare for action had been a chaotic mess. He'd tried to keep quiet and not wake anyone as he got ready, but the more he tried to be quiet, the more noise he had made. He tripped on something in the hallway, stumbled and almost fell. "Fuck!" He swore, louder than he had intended.
"Wesby?" A voice called out, as someone approached. "Is that you?"
He stopped in the hallway as he turned to the source of the sound. "Yeah Ma, it's me," he replied.
"What're you doing?" she asked, as she emerged from around the corner, a look of concern on her aging features.
"I gotta go to work," he said. "There's a situation that requires our attention. What're you doing up?"
"Work?" she asked. "I thought you were on leave for a month? It's been two weeks." She paused. "I couldn't sleep and was watching a holo. I heard you rushing about."
He sighed and nodded. "I know, but we're always on call regardless."
"What's happening?" She asked, wringing her hands in worry.
"I'm not sure Ma, but I couldn't tell you anyway. You know that."
She nodded. "Just promise me you'll be careful. I love you."
He smiled. "Always, when am I not? I love you too." With that he turned and made his way to the door. Hitting the button beside it as it slid open with a soft hiss.
"Dad?" a soft voice squeaked.
He groaned inwardly. Great, just what he needed. He turned around to see his four-year-old daughter standing by the door to her bedroom, a teddy bear clutched in one arm.
"Where are you going?" she asked, in a timid voice.
Wes smiled at her and walked over, kneeling in front of her as he took her by her free hand. "What're you doing up, Kady? You should be in bed."
"I heard you and Nanna talking," she said, looking him over curiously. "Are you going to work?"
"Yes, I am."
"You're on holiday. There's no work on holidays."
He chuckled and kissed her on the forehead. "Unfortunately for dad, holidays can end at any time," he said. "Now go back to bed sweetheart, it's very late. I'll be back tomorrow."
"When I wake up?" she asked, eagerly.
"I dunno, maybe. Maybe at dinner, but some time."
She thought about it for a moment. "You promise?" she asked, uncertain.
He smiled and gave her a hug. "I promise," he said. "Now go back to bed. Teddy looks tired."
She looked at the bear, and then back at her father with a frown. "Dad, Teddy's not alive. He doesn't get tired."
He stood and laughed. "Yes, you're right. How silly of me. Back to bed anyway. I love you Kady."
She smiled up at him and nodded. "Ok daddy, I love you too." Before she turned around and plodded back into her bedroom.
Wes smiled as he watched her go and let out a sigh as he turned around and left the apartment. Being a single parent and part of an elite military unit was hard work, he was fortunate he had his parents to help with Kady when he was on deployment, attending to academy duties, or engaged in the unit's heavy training regimen. The responsibilities of his work and homelife meant he was always busy and had very little time to himself, but he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
His wife had passed away two years ago, killed in a speeder accident after the repulsorlift engines on a vehicle a few lanes above failed and it dropped like a stone into the lanes below. It had been a tragic, freak accident that had taken the life of his wife and three other people. He thought of her as he headed for "The Tetrahedron" the name for the military HQ that Revenant Squadron called home. The heart of the Federation's armed forces. Like the name implied the main complex was a massive pyramidal shape of black obsidian, polished steel, and glass, with many accompanying offices, divisions, and academy buildings surrounding it in a rough square formation.
Wes pushed thoughts of his personal life aside as he focused on getting himself into the zone for the mission to come.
Grim groaned as the alarm went off. The horrible noise penetrating through his brain like a drill as it roused him roughly from a peaceful sleep.
The lieutenant rolled over and shut off the alarm, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he sat up and ran a hand through his hair, noting it was beginning to get a bit too shaggy for military regulation. He'd let himself get lazy over the past two weeks, and not quite knowing what to do with himself he had wasted a lot of time not doing anything productive. There was only so many hours a day you could work out before it became unhealthy. So, he had spent far too much time in front of the holo projector, watching TV and wondering what to do with himself. The silence of his one-bedroom apartment got to him after a while and he found himself going on frequent walks around the city, when he wasn't frequenting a local bar and talking with the bar flies he had befriended a few years before.
He began dressing into his fatigues, actually glad to be back on deployment after the mandatory holiday, that had been, in his opinion, too long. Two weeks was plenty of time, an entire month and he would've gone insane. The men in his unit could use the time off, they needed it, unlike him. Unlike him they had normal lives and commitments outside of their roles in Revenant Squadron. For First Lieutenant Garath Dazitz, the military was his life. He'd been in the army for the past twenty-seven years, the entirety of his adult life, and for him there wasn't much outside of it that had much appeal to him. He had interests and hobbies sure, but they were a means to an end. Just something to fill the time between military duties. The family life had no appeal to him. He'd had a few girlfriends sure, but nothing overly serious. The relationships had been mostly friendly and sexual in nature; friends with benefits as they called it.
Grim left his apartment and made his way to his speeder, keen to get back into the thick of the action where he felt most at ease. Even though his life was constantly in danger, there he felt safe and secure, because there he knew what was expected of him. There he knew what to do.
Dex swore as the alarm interrupted his dream, reaching for it blindly he fumbled about for it on the bedside table, muttering under his breath as he wrapped his fingers around it and shut it off.
His wife groaned next to him. "Not already," she rasped, her voice choked with sleep.
He grunted in response as he read the glowing blue text that scrawled across the projection. "Yep, I'm afraid so," he said after a moment. "Great."
He pulled himself out of bed with a sigh and shuffled into their walk-in robe, the light coming on automatically as he began to get changed. Dex sighed as he pulled up his pants. He had been really enjoying the time off. They had all needed it thanks to the gruelling schedules they worked of deployments, training, intel briefings, administrative work, and any of the myriad of other tasks they conducted related to their profession.
He blinked back sleep from his eyes and yawned as he tried to force himself to wake up. Emerging from the wardrobe he strolled into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. He gasped with the shock of the icy cold water hitting his skin, but it did as intended, pushing the last vestige of sleep from his brain as things became clearer.
He turned to see his wife had followed him out of bed, a nightgown draped around her naked body. Dex smiled, the nightgown failed to hide the curve of her hips and the swell of her breasts. His smile faded to a smirk as he noticed the look of worry on her face.
She raised an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled sheepishly.
She couldn't help but grin in return as she moved towards him and enveloped him in a hug. "I know I say this all the time, but please be careful, and come home to me safely."
He nodded and leant down to kiss her. "I will, I always am."
She smiled. "I know. But I just thought I'd better remind you...just in case," she said, as she kissed him back.
Dex chuckled as he broke off their hug and kissed her once more. "What would I do without you?" he said as he turned and left the room.
Dex stopped by their son's room on his way out the door and looked in at the assorted toys sprawled out across the floor. He frowned at the sight. He could've sworn he had told Kit to clean his room before bed. He smiled as he realised that, despite the fact he was heading off on…. what would undoubtably be a dangerous mission, the parent in him still emerged when he was trying to focus his attention on the mission to come; and get into the zone mentally. Carefully walking into the room Dex approached Kit's bed and leant down, placing a kiss on his six-year-old son's forehead. "Sleep well buddy, dad'll be back soon...I hope." he said, in a whisper. The thought that he might not ever walk through the door to their home again always occurred to him, every single time he left. Pushing the thought aside he stood and walked from the room, focusing his mind on what was to come as he began the trek to base. It wouldn't pay to be late.
Cram sighed as he shut off the beeping watch and accepted the message that was being sent. He scanned the message and rolled his eyes at the lack of information it gave. Why bother even sending a message for a summons in the first place if they weren't going to tell them anything? He rolled out of bed, being as quiet as he could as his wife stirred in her sleep next to him. He changed his clothes in the dark, years of practice making it second nature to him, as he knew exactly where everything was. It wasn't long before he was doing up the laces on his boots and climbing to his feet as he walked over, leant down, and kissed his wife as she slept.
She mumbled something in her sleep as he grinned at her, and silently bid her farewell. "I love you," he said softly as he turned and left, closing the bedroom door behind him.
Making his way past his kids' bedrooms as he left the penthouse, he cringed as a voice called out to him. "Sir; is something amiss?" asked the android, as it came walking into the hallway.
"Ssshh! Quiet Three Bee!" he snapped.
"Oh!" the droid exclaimed. Lowering its voice, it added, "I'm sorry sir, but may I enquire if something's wrong?"
"No, everything's fine. I've been called on deployment, that's all," Cram explained.
"Oh? I thought you were on leave?" the nanny droid, N9-3B asked.
Cram sighed. "Yeah, well not anymore."
"I see," the droid replied, not quite knowing what else to say. The droid was an automated domestic servant, programmed to care for children, clean and maintain the residence. Since purchasing it five years ago the droid had been a blessing. Making things far easier for Cram and his wife, who both worked full time at their respective jobs.
"Please tell Jess I'm sorry, but I've been called in for work on a Code Blue," he said.
"Yes sir."
"And that I love her and the kids."
"Of course sir.
Satisfied, Cram nodded, then remembered something. "How's the kids' schoolwork progressing?"
"Fine sir. Catt is doing well with solid As and looks to be in an excellent position for her final exams next year. And Garven is doing well on a C average. He's still having some trouble adjusting to high school, but it's early in the school year."
"Good," Cram said, slapping the droid on the back. "Take care Three Bee," he said as he turned and left.
"Oh, yes. You too sir," the droid said to his retreating back.
Jet dragged himself out of bed with a groan. His side still felt sore and tender from the injury he'd sustained during their last mission. Jax Caskar had come out of nowhere and driven a combat blade between the gaps in his armour, in a sneaky move that'd almost killed him.
With a few grunts he managed to get dressed in the dark without much trouble, being cautious to make as little noise as possible, so as to not wake his parents. Enrolling at the military academy after completing high school and studying there for three years had meant he'd had little time for work, so he still lived at home until he could afford a place of his own.
He made his way out in silence, not wanting to wake his mother, who would no doubt fuss over him and keep him delayed there for another ten minutes. He hated having to sneak out, but time was of the essence, and he had to get to base ASAP. He understood her concern though, not just for his life due to the nature of his profession, but he was still recovering from the injury he'd sustained on their last mission. And she wouldn't like the thought of him going out on another mission before he'd fully recovered, despite the fact he was technically at operational capacity. Not that the fact would've made any difference to her.
He jumped into the flash new speeder he'd purchased since joining Revenant Squadron. Indulging himself in some fancy new toys to show off, like young men are prone to do. Igniting the engines, the repulsorlifts hummed to life as he guided it slowly out of the building and into the skylanes, cruising along the street for a bit before he gunned the engines, and the speeder rocketed through the streets of towering spacescrapers with a roar.