Kylo Ren

XI

Once he had reported on his mission, Poe left to find Geo, who had moved on from growing food to teaching new pilots to fly.

When he had secured Afren a place in the program, Poe went and slept. He hadn't slept since Endor, and that was hours ago.

Meanwhile, Afren was just waking up.

She looked around, panicked, for Poe.  She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

An older girl smiled at her and dropped her hand back to her side.  "Poe went to report.  And then, I expect, to bed for a well-earned nap."

"Who are you?"

"Jess Pava, Red Leader."

"He told me about you."

She raised her eyebrows in amusement.  "Really?  What did he say?"

Afren shrugged.  "Nothing too bad."

Jess put her hands on her hips.  "Really?  'Nothing too bad'?  What does that mean?"  She pointed at the younger girl, "Now see here.  If you don't tell me, I'll storm into his barracks and wake him up to make him tell me."

Then her stern exterior disintegrated into laughter.

"He just said that you were a good pilot."

"Just good!  I thought he liked me better than that."

Afren watched the pilot in amusement. She wondered if she'd have a friend like that in the program.

As if she'd read her thoughts, Jess stopped pacing.  "Let's take you to Geo."

Geo was standing with a group of other trainees, directing them to do push-ups.  He turned when they approached.

His tanned face cracked in a broad smile when he saw Jess. "Testor!"

She shoved him. "This is Afren Bendal. She's a new trainee."

Geo turned to Afren, who smiled awkwardly. He looked her over. "Have you ever flown?"

She shook her head. "But I'm strong, I can climb a tree in about ten minutes."

"She's from Endor," Jess added.

He raised his eyebrows. "Climb that tree."

Afren turned to the tree he was pointing to. It was about three times her height, and skinny. She was used to climbing trees that were so tall she couldn't see the top, so this should be easy.

Hand over hand, she scaled the tree. Forty seconds and she pulled a leaf off of the top.

Triumphantly, she hopped down and handed the leaf to Geo.

"I'm not quite sure how that skill is supposed to be used for piloting, but impressive nonetheless. We were about to start flying, but I think we'd better get you started with some on-the-ground simulations. Marc!"

A black haired boy popped up from where he was doing push-ups. "Yes?"

"Help Afren here with some simulations."

"But Geo, I haven't gotten to fly in two weeks! It's my turn to fly!"

"No, now it's your turn to teach."

Marc trudged over.  He extended a hand.  "Marc."

"Afren," replied the blonde girl.  But just before she shook his hand, he pulled it away.

She sighed.

While half of the class flew and the other worked on second-hand astromech droids, Marc stood next to a stationary X-Wing, grudgingly pointing out what the various levers and buttons did.

Once Jess saw that Afren was, for the most part, settled, she went off to her own patrol.  The blonde girl watched her go.

A pilot in an orange flight suit walked by and she watched him do a double take as he turned to look.  She was climbing out of the cockpit when he reached her.

"Averann!  Averann!  We thought you were dead," the blonde man said, completely ignoring that she looked younger than her sister had.

She barely evaded a massive bear hug.  "I'm not Averann," she said.

He halted.  "Who are you?"

"Afren Bendal."

"Her sister?"

She nodded.  He flushed.  "I'm sorry."

She watched him run off and turned to Marc, who was double over with silent laughter.  She pushed him and he fell onto the ground.

Afren wandered off to find some food.