oom: back 'home'
As Wes steps over the threshold he realises he’s not entirely certain the door will work properly for him. It could just be a nasty joke on Bar’s part. That would be typical. He could be stepping into the unknown-
--or DownTime?
“Okay there, Janson?” Myn Donos, with amusement in his expression. “Going somewhere?”
Wes stops just inside the door and looks round. Yes, this is DownTime, the main lounge shared by all squadrons on base - currently the Rogues and a few training squadrons. And he thinks - he’s not sure, but he thinks - it’s the same day he left.
But it’s been three months.
But it’s the same day…
“Janson?”
He blinks and looks up at Myn, then at himself, and grins ruefully. He’s got all his things - almost all, anyway - and he’s wearing clothes Bar gave him, clothes that look pretty odd on Coruscant. “Fine, Donos. Just, uh, been on vacation.”
“You only got off patrol an hour ago.”
“…it was a short vacation.”
“Did this vacation involve alcohol?”
“…you could say that.”
“Drunk already, Wes?” It’s another familiar voice, and Wes turns round to see Wedge - different Wedge, older Wedge - standing there, sceptical expression on his face. He nods at the bags in Wes’ hands. “Or running away?”
Wes grins. “Well, kriff, I got caught. Guess I’ll go put my stuff away and just come back for a drink.”
He gives Wedge a casual salute and shifts his bag on his shoulder, heading back to the door. For a second, just a tiny moment, he’s disappointed when it takes him to the base corridor and not Milliways.
But the feeling passes, and he’s home, and it’s good, and he’ll never take Coruscant for granted again-
--it’s only got fifteen years left, after all-
--but what does that matter in his time?-
--what does time matter anyway when he’s been to the end of the universe?-
--and as he walks, that feeling returns. And he wonders if, after all that’s happened, home means the same as it did before…
--or DownTime?
“Okay there, Janson?” Myn Donos, with amusement in his expression. “Going somewhere?”
Wes stops just inside the door and looks round. Yes, this is DownTime, the main lounge shared by all squadrons on base - currently the Rogues and a few training squadrons. And he thinks - he’s not sure, but he thinks - it’s the same day he left.
But it’s been three months.
But it’s the same day…
“Janson?”
He blinks and looks up at Myn, then at himself, and grins ruefully. He’s got all his things - almost all, anyway - and he’s wearing clothes Bar gave him, clothes that look pretty odd on Coruscant. “Fine, Donos. Just, uh, been on vacation.”
“You only got off patrol an hour ago.”
“…it was a short vacation.”
“Did this vacation involve alcohol?”
“…you could say that.”
“Drunk already, Wes?” It’s another familiar voice, and Wes turns round to see Wedge - different Wedge, older Wedge - standing there, sceptical expression on his face. He nods at the bags in Wes’ hands. “Or running away?”
Wes grins. “Well, kriff, I got caught. Guess I’ll go put my stuff away and just come back for a drink.”
He gives Wedge a casual salute and shifts his bag on his shoulder, heading back to the door. For a second, just a tiny moment, he’s disappointed when it takes him to the base corridor and not Milliways.
But the feeling passes, and he’s home, and it’s good, and he’ll never take Coruscant for granted again-
--it’s only got fifteen years left, after all-
--but what does that matter in his time?-
--what does time matter anyway when he’s been to the end of the universe?-
--and as he walks, that feeling returns. And he wonders if, after all that’s happened, home means the same as it did before…