"So, Boss is Captain Now?"

[Mei]

((this story takes place two weeks after the events of The Battle for Iokath and ”Resurgence”.))

So, Boss is Captain Now?

Ziost Avenger, Hangar
Iokath

Tutix didn’t look up from the floor and swayed side to side in an almost childish, pouting, manner. But the Jawa didn’t want to lose his friend. He lost Boss once when he got lost. And he was lost for five years! Tutix thought Boss was dead. And now… Boss is going again… but this time as a Captain for the Imperial Navy.

“Tut,” Ke’rii Ogasawara spoke softly and knelt down in front of the Jawa. His Imperial uniform pristine and freshly pressed. He still had a bandage on his forehead from the gash he didn’t remember getting when The Shengli was hurting.

He didn’t look like Boss any more.

Tutix finally look up, his glowing yellow eyes meeting Ke’s.

“Boss leave Tut again,” Tut pouted, speaking in Jawaese, which his Boss understood fluently.

“I’m not leaving you like when I disappeared. This is different,” the Imperial Captain began to explain, his tone was still soft, as if he were addressing a small child. “You know me. You know why we even came here. This is bigger than anything we have seen. I need to be here.”

Tut’s gaze went to the floor again, and again the jawa swayed. “Boss here for Sartori,” he understood.

“That’s right,” Ke confirmed. “We don’t know what’s on Iokath, but…” he sighed and looked out the hangar at the manufactured world. “We have to take a chance that maybe there is something down there that can save her.”

“Tut like Sartori,” the Jawa said, still not looking up. “But Tut worried about Boss. Boss good at making enemies with friends.” And at that he met Ke’s eyes again.

Ke’rii had to chuckle and shakes his head. “I’ve changed. I’ve grown up a little,” and his serious expression cracked as he gave the Jawa a lopsided grin. “I’m in a uniform now, but I’m still me. I’m not going to change into some starchy personality and become a stuck up brat.”

Tut was frowning under his hood. “Keiko.”

Ke’rii froze at the name of his daughter. “There wasn’t time to explain this to her face to face. She’s been away on Rishi, and not returning my calls as it is.”

“Keiko mad at Boss. Again.”

“Yes, yes she is. But that’s what happens when you’re a young adult and are told not to do things,” Ke’rii paused. “Believe me, I know exactly what she’s doing. I like to think this is my comeuppance for what I put my parents through. But she’s going to come home, and when she does you are going to be there and you are going to have her call me.”

“Alara mad at Boss too,” Tut had to point out and crossed his arms.

Ke felt worse about that one. “Yeah… I know. Because she knows what I’m doing and where I am, but she doesn’t understand why.”

“She call Boss a traitor.”

“I’ve been called many names, Tut… and she’s called me a lot worse than just ‘traitor’,” Ke assured him.

“What does Tut tell Alara? Alara with Republic. Republic against Boss.”

Ke reached out and placed a hand on Tut’s shoulder. “I’ll call her myself. You don’t need to get into the middle of Boss’s DOA love life, okay?”

Tut nodded and looked down again. “Tut can’t fly Shengli. Tut too small. Tut need Boss to help get back home.”

And Ke’rii knew that was a lie. A ploy to get him off the Ziost Avenger and back home to Tatooine. He sighed softly and looked at his little friend. “Tut, I know you can fly her home.”

The glowing eyes met his quickly. “What if Republic shoot at Tut. Tut can’t save Tut without Boss. Boss better than Tut.”

The Imperial Captain stared into the amber glowing eyes and turned gravely serious. “If that happens, then you let them take the ship and you. You are no match for their Starfighters. You go quietly and you cooperate.”

“And be prisoner?”

“Do you trust me?”

Tut nodded, but said: “No.”

“Tut comes first,” Ke assured the jawa. “And I’ll break you out.”

Still, the Jawa didn’t like this, and once again he lowered his gaze to the foor. He started to shake his head like a child who isn’t allowed candy before supper. “Tut don’t like this!” he protested with a hop and it sounded like he was starting to cry.

Ke stared in shock as his little friend. He couldn’t believe this was the reaction he was getting, but… well… after everything they have ever been through.... Ke was lost and just pulled the Jawa into a hug.

“You need to calm down!” Ke exclaimed, the humor of the situation escaping and he just broke into a laugh. “Tut, my man, you are losing it,” he kept laughing, which only made the Jawa laugh as well. “This is… this is completely not what I expected.”

Ke’rii released Tutix from his hug and fell back onto his rear laughing.

“Boss never tell of this!” Tut exclaimed. If anyone knew he cried over Boss, his reputation would be over!

“I won’t, I won’t,” Ke said, the laughter starting to slow as he waved his hand. He took a few breaths to calm himself. “You’re going to be fine Tut. You are a better pilot than you give yourself credit for. After all, I’m letting you fly my baby home.”

Tut looked from Ke to The Shengli. “Tut take good care of Shengli.”

The Captain smiled and nodded. “I know you will,” he said, standing to his feet and straightening his uniform. He dusted off the dust and dirt from the hangar floor.

For a moment, Ke’rii just looked at the dented metal beauty. Every dent and ding was another story. Every patch a different tale. With another sigh, he looked back to Tutix.

“Love keeps her flying,” was the only advice he had to give his friend. “She’ll take care of you, Tut.”

With one last smile, and one last look at The Shengli, he turned and headed out of the hangar to return to his duties as a Captain in the Imperial Navy.