drabblewriter

Title: A Noble Endeavor
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: G
Word Count: 545
Characters/Ships: Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar
Summary: Young Wedge is getting into space!Duolingo; Ackbar has a better idea.

Red Squadron is due for a briefing, but it'll still be a good twenty minutes before the rest of the pilots show up. Wedge has developed a habit for being early, and he smiles to himself as he takes a seat on the floor outside the door of the briefing room. He doesn't mind having the extra time; he has a way to keep himself occupied.

Wedge pulls out his datapad and flicks it on, paging over to the language-learning application he's started using regularly. He selects the Mon Calamarian module he's been working on most recently and sees a list of phrases in both Basic and Mon Calamarian. Beside each is a button that will play the phrase in language he's learning. Once Wedge has pronounced the phrase correctly into the datapad's pickup, the button will change color, and when he's gotten them all, he can move on to the next module.

The first several are easy. They're simple things one might want to know in any language: Hello, my name is; thank you; I'm sorry; I don't understand...

Then comes one that's harder. He pushes the “speak” button and frowns. Pushes it again and tries the pronunciation himself. The button flashes red – he's gotten it wrong. Wedge's frown deepens as he listens to the pronunciation a few more times, then gives it another go. Red again. He just can't seem to get his mouth to replicate the one his ear hears.

Wedge doesn't notice the footsteps stopping in front of him until a gravelly voice repeats the phrase he's been trying to say, slow and deliberate – perfect. The light on his datapad flips to green.

“Where is the refresher?” the voice translates, clearly amused.

Wedge looks up – and finds himself staring at Admiral Ackbar. He feels his face going red as he stammers. “Y-yes, sir. I-” He tries to scramble upright, even as one hand comes up into a sloppy salute.

The Admiral makes a sound that clearly conveys amusement. “At ease, pilot. So you are learning Mon Calamarian?”

“Yes, sir.”

“A noble endeavor. Though I do not believe a datapad application is the best way to go about it.”

“No?” Wedge doesn't know what to say.

“No.” Ackbar fixes him with a thoughtful look. “It pleases me to see this sort of urge to learn in one of our bright young rebels. I would be happy to tutor you, if you would be interested...Antilles, isn't it?”

“Yes, sir. And, yes, I would like that very much, if it's not too much trouble.”

The Admiral's mouth drops open in a smile. “I always have time for eager learners,” he assures. “I'll get back to you, and we'll settle on times, yes?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

Ackbar glances at his chrono. “I must be going, but I will look forward to our meeting, Antilles.” He waves a finny hand and walks off.

Wedge watches him go, not exactly sure why he'd agreed, but finding he's excited as well. Learning a language will be easier from someone who actually speaks it, rather than a machine that can't answer questions or give him tips, he supposes. Little does he know that this meeting is also the first step in a lifelong friendship.