The Krytos Trap by Michael A. Stackpole Read Free Book Online Page B

snapped to attention.
    “At ease, Sei’lar.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “You might want to reserve your thanks until you’ve heard what I have to say.” Wedge looked down on her and saw her fur ripple with irritation. “Two things I want to discuss. The first is Gavin.”
    Asyr blinked with surprise that flowed out into her fur. “I was under the impression that pairing among members of the squadron was not prohibited. Nawara and Rhysati, and Erisi and Corran …”
    “I’m not under the impression anything was going on between Erisi and Corran.”
    “But her reaction to his death …”
    “They were close, but not in that way, as I understand it.” Wedge frowned for a moment. Mirax Terrik had been crushed by Corran’s death and had confided in Wedge that she and Corran had chosen to begin dating once the conquest of Coruscant had been accomplished. Though Corran had never revealed his feelings about Erisi or Mirax to Wedge, Corran’s attraction to Mirax had been fairly easy to spot, which led Wedge to believe Erisi was out of the picture.
    “Regardless of what was or was not happening between Erisi and Corran, or what is or is not happening betweenRhysati and Nawara, the big difference between those situations and your situation with Gavin is that Gavin’s barely seventeen years old. He’s very young and hasn’t had the experiences that your education at the Bothan Martial Academy has afforded you. He’s not a stupid young man—he’s actually fairly intelligent—but his upbringing on Tatooine has left him a bit idealistic.”
    Asyr’s violet eyes sank into crescents. “Are you ordering me to stop seeing him?”
    Wedge laughed. “No, not at all. You’ve only been out twice—”
    “Have you had someone watching us?”
    “No, and that’s just the point.” Wedge opened his hands. “Gavin is so taken with you that his enthusiasm isn’t always kept under control. While he remains very circumspect about private moments you have shared, he is very happy to let others know how much fun you’re having together doing all the things you have done. It’s all very innocent and natural, but it’s also a sign of his falling in love with you. He may not quite be there yet, but he’ll be hurt badly if you pull away from him abruptly after too much longer. I don’t want to see him hurt, so if you don’t really care for him, let him down easy and now, please.”
    Asyr’s chin came up and defiance blazed in her eyes. “What makes you think I might be toying with him?”
    “The second thing I want to discuss with you does, Sei’lar. I wonder if you don’t have another agenda that you’re working on.” Wedge met her hot stare unflinchingly. “You graduated near the top of your class from the Bothan Martial Academy but never formally entered the military. Your records are decidedly sketchy, but I would imagine, given your age, that you were recruited into the Martial Intelligence Division of the Bothan military in an effort to replenish the supply of spies who died securing the plans to the second Death Star. The fact that you were already here on Coruscant when our operation arrived suggests the Bothan government had its own goals here on Coruscant.”
    “But you forget, sir, that I did help organize and partidpatein the operations that cleared the way for the Rebel Alliance to take the planet.”
    “I never accused you of being stupid, Sei’lar. Quite the contrary, I think you are very intelligent. You saw an opportunity that had to succeed and you did your best to make it succeed.” Wedge let a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. “That self-same intelligence is why I want you in this squadron.
    “The fact is, Sei’lar, who and what you are makes you very valuable and desirable. I want you here in Rogue Squadron. I think you are an incredible asset to the Rebellion. Flip a bit, though, and it’s easy to see that your Bothan masters also find you quite useful. That means, sooner or later,