.
Kenth had been haunting the caf machine when they came, several harried-looking interns entering the room and forcefully dragging him off maker-knows where. He had protested at first when they sat him down in a chair and started applying makeup to him, the Jedi Padawan half tempted to use breath control to keep him from inhaling the noxious clouds of dust. However, once they had finished sprucing him up and making him presentable, they had brought in this beautiful little droid that made its own caf and by the Maker, it was the best thing he had tasted in years.
Was this like some sort of product test that they coerced him into? Would he get paid?
He almost dropped his cuppa when a loud musical cue alerted him that something was about to happen, one of the makeup artists hastily rushing over and, with surprising strength, wrestled the cup of caf from his hands and told him to straighten out his shirt. He finally noticed a man with beady little eyes addressing a small audience and realized he was probably in over his head when one of the holorecorders panned to reveal him in all his glory.
"-TriNebulon News at Night, we're joined by the legendary ace pilot himself, General Maynard Treicolt!"
The audience clapped as Kenth's eyes widened almost comically, a sheepish grin quickly forming on his features as he rested his hands in his lap. "Hello." He blurted, almost too quiet for the sound sensors to pick it up.
The reporter's smile seemed a bit too condescending for the Padawan's taste as he glanced down at the datapad in his lap, "Now it's been a rather long night with two great interviews from Chancellor Chandra and Jedi Knight Karis, and I'm sure a hardened veteran such as yourself would rather get straight to business! What's it like being in the cockpit of a starfighter day in and day out?"
Kenth paused for a moment, he had literally never been in a starfighter before he had acquired the Dire Fate, his career mostly consisting of being a ground-pounder for the GADF. "It's not all epic space battles and formation flying, my friend." He answered quickly, trying desperately to make things up on the go, "Most of my time is spent in the hangars fixing my girl and in hyperspace travel. I will say, though, I never get tired of marvelling at that azure tunnel."
His interviewer nodded enthusiastically, murmuring an approval before looking down at his notes once again, "So, is it safe to say that you've been involved in a few battles with the Sith Empire already, given the state of war?"
"Yeah, I was at the fighting over Felucia, I'd say I downed at least a few dozen Sith squints with my squadron."
"For the viewers at home, 'squints' is Alliance pilot terminology for a TIE Fighter."
Kenth had to keep himself from laughing, as he legitimately hadn't known what a squint was until then. Shifting in his seat, he wished they had at least let him keep the caf so he could steel his nerves. Then again, he suspected they didn't want him to slurp it down like a stranded man that just found water.
"Well, that certainly is fascinating, General Treicolt. Now, earlier we asked Mr Karis about the current state of affairs between the Alliance and other factions in the galaxy, but is there anything you can tell us about the relationship between the Alliance and the Sith Empire?"
'Maynard' gave a solemn nod, once again shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than just a black and white view about good versus evil. While the Alliance has done things it certainly isn't proud of, but the Sith have exterminated entire species and then had the gall to turn around and tell us that everything they do is for 'order'. For some species in the Alliance, this isn't just war, this is survival, and that's why I'm fighting."
The audience once again clapped loudly, Kenth realizing that most of what he said was from his point of view rather than this Maynard guy who he barely knew. Deciding that fortune favoured the bold, he continued.
"A lot of senators have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs when it comes to dealing with the Sith, and I understand that the stability of the Alliance and its people ought to come before pursuing conflict with foreign powers, but I'm dead certain if you ask anybody in the GADF they'd be rearing for a go at those dark bastards, excuse my language."
"Powerful, General. Very powerful." The reporter said, Kenth sensing a strand of unease radiating off of him, "Onto a lighter topic before we take our break, can you tell TriNebulon and its viewers any juicy details about your relationship with fellow squadmate Loske Treicolt?"
The Jedi Padawan felt his ears redden slightly, knowing he knew absolutely nothing about that woman and reaching far to try to find good things to say.
"Well, uh...I love her plain and simple. She's one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy and I'm glad to be her husband. I'm always anxious whenever we fly on missions together, but I'm as confident in her abilities as I am my own."
He paused again, not noticing an intern rushing up to whisper something into the host's ear as he thought of more things to say.
"Every time after a mission, when I see her take off her helmet and unfurl her golden hair, I fall in love all over again. I'm very blessed to have somebody as wonderful as her in my life."
The interviewer gave a smug smile, one of his eyebrows raising in both concern and amusement.
"You'll have to excuse me for interrupting your loving display, but I'm afraid there's been a mix-up and you aren't the real Maynard Treicolt. Security!"
Kenth, realizing the jig was up, quickly rose from his seat and saluted the audience before turning to the approaching guards and igniting his lightsaber to ward them off.
"Avast! Ye scurvy gundarks will never take me alive!"
The last thing the holorecorders captured before being cut was the man slicing a hole in the large window overlooking the city skyline and leaping out with a droid in his arms.
This is TriNebulon News at 9. Tonight, an exclusive interview with Maynard Treicolt, GADF General.
Kenth had been haunting the caf machine when they came, several harried-looking interns entering the room and forcefully dragging him off maker-knows where. He had protested at first when they sat him down in a chair and started applying makeup to him, the Jedi Padawan half tempted to use breath control to keep him from inhaling the noxious clouds of dust. However, once they had finished sprucing him up and making him presentable, they had brought in this beautiful little droid that made its own caf and by the Maker, it was the best thing he had tasted in years.
Was this like some sort of product test that they coerced him into? Would he get paid?
He almost dropped his cuppa when a loud musical cue alerted him that something was about to happen, one of the makeup artists hastily rushing over and, with surprising strength, wrestled the cup of caf from his hands and told him to straighten out his shirt. He finally noticed a man with beady little eyes addressing a small audience and realized he was probably in over his head when one of the holorecorders panned to reveal him in all his glory.
"-TriNebulon News at Night, we're joined by the legendary ace pilot himself, General Maynard Treicolt!"
The audience clapped as Kenth's eyes widened almost comically, a sheepish grin quickly forming on his features as he rested his hands in his lap. "Hello." He blurted, almost too quiet for the sound sensors to pick it up.
The reporter's smile seemed a bit too condescending for the Padawan's taste as he glanced down at the datapad in his lap, "Now it's been a rather long night with two great interviews from Chancellor Chandra and Jedi Knight Karis, and I'm sure a hardened veteran such as yourself would rather get straight to business! What's it like being in the cockpit of a starfighter day in and day out?"
Kenth paused for a moment, he had literally never been in a starfighter before he had acquired the Dire Fate, his career mostly consisting of being a ground-pounder for the GADF. "It's not all epic space battles and formation flying, my friend." He answered quickly, trying desperately to make things up on the go, "Most of my time is spent in the hangars fixing my girl and in hyperspace travel. I will say, though, I never get tired of marvelling at that azure tunnel."
His interviewer nodded enthusiastically, murmuring an approval before looking down at his notes once again, "So, is it safe to say that you've been involved in a few battles with the Sith Empire already, given the state of war?"
"Yeah, I was at the fighting over Felucia, I'd say I downed at least a few dozen Sith squints with my squadron."
"For the viewers at home, 'squints' is Alliance pilot terminology for a TIE Fighter."
Kenth had to keep himself from laughing, as he legitimately hadn't known what a squint was until then. Shifting in his seat, he wished they had at least let him keep the caf so he could steel his nerves. Then again, he suspected they didn't want him to slurp it down like a stranded man that just found water.
"Well, that certainly is fascinating, General Treicolt. Now, earlier we asked Mr Karis about the current state of affairs between the Alliance and other factions in the galaxy, but is there anything you can tell us about the relationship between the Alliance and the Sith Empire?"
'Maynard' gave a solemn nod, once again shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than just a black and white view about good versus evil. While the Alliance has done things it certainly isn't proud of, but the Sith have exterminated entire species and then had the gall to turn around and tell us that everything they do is for 'order'. For some species in the Alliance, this isn't just war, this is survival, and that's why I'm fighting."
The audience once again clapped loudly, Kenth realizing that most of what he said was from his point of view rather than this Maynard guy who he barely knew. Deciding that fortune favoured the bold, he continued.
"A lot of senators have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs when it comes to dealing with the Sith, and I understand that the stability of the Alliance and its people ought to come before pursuing conflict with foreign powers, but I'm dead certain if you ask anybody in the GADF they'd be rearing for a go at those dark bastards, excuse my language."
"Powerful, General. Very powerful." The reporter said, Kenth sensing a strand of unease radiating off of him, "Onto a lighter topic before we take our break, can you tell TriNebulon and its viewers any juicy details about your relationship with fellow squadmate Loske Treicolt?"
The Jedi Padawan felt his ears redden slightly, knowing he knew absolutely nothing about that woman and reaching far to try to find good things to say.
"Well, uh...I love her plain and simple. She's one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy and I'm glad to be her husband. I'm always anxious whenever we fly on missions together, but I'm as confident in her abilities as I am my own."
He paused again, not noticing an intern rushing up to whisper something into the host's ear as he thought of more things to say.
"Every time after a mission, when I see her take off her helmet and unfurl her golden hair, I fall in love all over again. I'm very blessed to have somebody as wonderful as her in my life."
The interviewer gave a smug smile, one of his eyebrows raising in both concern and amusement.
"You'll have to excuse me for interrupting your loving display, but I'm afraid there's been a mix-up and you aren't the real Maynard Treicolt. Security!"
Kenth, realizing the jig was up, quickly rose from his seat and saluted the audience before turning to the approaching guards and igniting his lightsaber to ward them off.
"Avast! Ye scurvy gundarks will never take me alive!"
The last thing the holorecorders captured before being cut was the man slicing a hole in the large window overlooking the city skyline and leaping out with a droid in his arms.
