***Two weeks after Jester and Raiders return from their undercover mission***
Merrick sat in her office, lights out, door locked and close to hundreds of files and data pads strewn across her desk. The dark rings under her eyes had only intensified over the past few days. They had returned to mixed feelings from the rest of the army, Jester having been officially cleared of all treason charges. Merrick herself had come under close scrutiny for her actions, especially her capture and imprisonment for a number of weeks. The members of Raiders squad had been enough witness to assure the powers that she hadn’t divulged any information in that time, and they had finally released her. Fury had ordered her to take some time off, for real this time. But she just hadn’t been able to leave the Jesters at this hard time. They had lost a squad member, in a very risky mission, a veteran that many members of the army, not just the squad, had been quite close to. The funeral was in 4 hours. The weather didn’t even have the decency to reflect the sombre occasion; the sky was callously free of clouds and the sun warm and bright.
---
**Earlier that week**
Pushing past the assistant, Merrick barged into Fury’s office. She had just been released from several days of house arrest and internal interrogation to decide if she had done anything wrong on Da Soocha. She had not slept since leaving the damned planet, and keeping her temper under control during the investigation had taken a lot out of her. Fury dismissed his assistant and offered Merrick a seat, which she didn’t take.
“I told you this mission was a bad idea, we’ve lost one of the most promising troopers we ever had. And now you let them stick me in cursed interrogation for a week!”
Fury smiled thinly. “I’m sorry Colonel, it was necessary. You know the rules, you don’t get to be exempt from them just because of your position. I think you will find that you’ve been released first as it is. Jester squad will be lucky to get out before the middle of the week. And I’m truly sorry about Eviscares, I know he was a good soldier, but Aeos knew the danger when she accepted the mission. Take some time off, calm down and get some rest. Your office will still be there when you get back.”
Merrick knew by now that she was beyond the reaches of her self control. She saluted the General angrily and left without another word. As she departed, Fury’s assistant handed her a folder with an apologetic look. Just what she needed, more paper work. She waited until she was locked in her office to even look at the folder. When she did, most of her anger evaporated and she let out a long sigh. Fury had passed on all the arrangements for Evis’ funeral for her final approval. She pushed over the stacks of work that had accumulated on her desk in her absence, and read every detail several times. Once she was happy that the arrangements were all suitable, she read Aeos’ report of the Da Soocha mission again, re-reading the part about Evis’ death several times over.
---
Aeos came to Merrick’s office as soon as she was released from her “debriefing”. She looked in even worse condition than Merrick had thought was possible, though she knew that Evis’ death had hit Aeos hard. Merrick conveyed Fury’s wish that they all take some time off before handing over a datapad containing the details of the funeral to be held in a few days time. Aeos stubbornly fought the tears Merrick could see trying to surface and calmly handed the data pad back. She stood, saluted, and excused herself before fleeing from the office. Merrick sighed. It would be a long time before the army, and particularly Jester, would recover from this.
---
Merrick did her best to catch up on the work that covered her desk, but it made her want more and more to be back in the field where reports and paperwork meant nothing, and skill with a weapon and a sharp tactical mind really mattered. She made more than her normal trips to the firing range, letting the amount of concentration required for firing her rifle accurately fill her mind and distract her. She declined all visitors except Jesters, attended no meetings and ignored the growing anger detectable in Fury’s messages. She was disobeying direct orders and ignoring the suspension of her duties and throwing herself even more into the physical training she had always subjected herself to, even as a desk jockey. She saw little of anyone else, even avoiding the mess halls during meal times and neglecting the cantinas she had once frequented.
---
After watching the sun rise, Merrick took out her dress uniform. She’d had it cleaned yesterday, despite not having worn it since the last time it had been cleaned. It was stiff and slightly uncomfortable, just like she remembered.
Fitting she thought,
for a funeral.She was early, but a group of people had still managed to beat her there. As she walked closer she realised at once that it was Jester squad. Aeos looked as though she too hadn’t slept since their return from Da Soocha, and many of the other members looked to have at least been up all of last night. They all looked as though they were tired of combat, tired of life as an Imperial Storm Trooper. Merrick wondered idly how many of them would retire in the coming weeks, hoping she was wrong and that they all just needed a break. She promised herself then that they would get one, even if she had to pay for some entertainment for them herself.
The rest of the army had begun to show up, filling a large area in the extensive cemetery. Jester and Raiders stood together, not speaking to one another or anyone else. Aeos stood closest to the grave, her face set in a scowl of anger and sorrow. It was a surprise to all when Merrick took the podium, rather than one of the platoon commanders or Evis’ squad leader. Aeos looked gratefully at Merrick as the few people who had been speaking in hushed tones quieted down. Fury took his place behind and to the left of Merrick as she cleared her throat to begin.
“Today we farewell a great soldier and a good friend. D’kaleth al bek, better known as Eviscares, was a valuable member of not only Jester squad, but the army as a whole. He will be missed in more ways than just a fellow trooper, but as a friend and fiercely loyal squad mate. Eviscares died in service to the Empire, his life cut short while carrying out an undercover mission of the utmost importance to the security and longevity of his home. Evis, we salute you and the sacrifice that you made to protect and serve the Empire.” At that, everyone in attendance came to attention and saluted the grave, and Merrick stepped away to let Fury speak. She stood behind him, watching the faces of Jester squad as he droned on about honour and glory, serving the empire; all the usual things he said when a trooper died.
Several other people stood to say nice things about Evis, some of them Merrick didn’t really recognise. Others, like Aeos, had opted not to say anything at all, just letting her presence at the funeral and the expression on her face say everything she wanted said. Merrick had thought this a good idea for other reasons; no one wanted an outburst directed at any of the command stuff during such a sombre occasion. Merrick assumed she had also discouraged any of the other Jester squad members from standing up to speak, since none of them had even considered the possibility of doing so.
The speeches finished and the gun salute was soon over. Evis’ coffin was lowered into the ground and covered quickly with earth. The members of the army started to drift off, most of them straight back to duty. Merrick, Jester squad and the Raiders stayed behind until they were the only ones left. As she approached the place where Aeos stood, she could hear one of the other Jesters asking what would happen now, but Aeos didn’t appear to hear. She was staring off into the distance, the same expression of anger and sorrow shadowing her features. Merrick spoke first to the Raiders, but they declined her invitation, saluted and departed together. She had expected as much, and turned to the Jesters. All but Aeos had heard her invitation and nodded. Kami grabbed Aeos by the arm and towed her after them towards the cantina Merrick had booked out for the rest of the day. The Army didn’t approve of the kind of wake that Merrick had in mind, but she and the Jesters were off duty, so as far as she was concerned it was none of their business. She was even paying for it personally.
---
The bar tender was about to turn them away, until he looked more closely at Merrick and finally recognised her.
“Ahh, Colonel, not used to seeing you in your dress uniform! Everything is ready, please come in.”
Merrick nodded to the middle aged man. She didn’t know him well, but they’d exchanged small talk on a number of occasions. The hazard of holding a high rank was that people tended to avoid sitting near you, even off duty, and so she spent her time talking to the business men instead. As per her special request, there was endless food and alcohol available to the Jesters and very few staff around to bother them. Kami sat Aeos at the bar and put a drink in front of her before making some selections from the buffet and returning to sit beside her. Merrick took a seat in one of the booths around the walls and watched Jester squad talk and eat. Aeos finally came out of her trance and threw her glass, still full of drink, to the floor. No one tried to stop her as she pulled away from the other Jesters and went to sit by herself. Kami looked to Merrick, who shook her head slightly. Kami went back to the rest of the squad and her own meal. It wasn’t long before they started to reminisce about Evis and his time in the squad, laughing and joking about his antics.
Merrick moved to sit across from Aeos, who looked up at her with anger still in her eyes. “Come over to tell me to calm down, talk me out of being angry?”
Merrick shook her head. “You’ve every right to be angry, his death was needless and didn’t serve the Empire in any way. I’m not even going to tell you that you should watch your behaviour for the sake of the squad, because frankly they’ve earned the right to see you act human now and then. Just do me a favour and at least try to get some sleep and relax a bit. I don’t want to have to order you to get yourself under control. They can’t afford to lose you too.” She stood and joined the rest of the Jesters to eat, drink and talk about Evis’ life. Before too long, Aeos also joined them. The anger had drained from her face, leaving behind the obvious exhaustion and a touch of sorrow. Accepting another drink, she started a story about Evis, interrupted now and then by the laughter and comments of the others. The bar tender quietly approached Merrick to offer his condolences , but otherwise stayed out of their way unless more drinks were required. She apologised later in the night for keeping him up so late, but he laughed it off, telling her they were welcome to stay as long as they liked.
