Chapter 1: Baptism By Fire

[Princess 35]

Nima stood at ease. "Thank you Lieutenant, but I lost my wingman, got ambushed and destroyed my X-wing. I'm not so sure that's what I'd call a great run."

[Rogue 4]

The taller Twi'lek looked down at her curiously. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is your first Squadron, is it not?"

[Princess 35]

"Yes sir, it is. I joined Starfighter Command after graduating from Coruscant Med."

[Rogue 4]

"Well, you and Officer Meiling were given a scenario where you were given false intelligence on the strength of the enemy, as well as the type of fighter-craft they employed." He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "It was a very advanced scenario, usually not given to fresh new pilots. With all that considered, you and Atzena both managed to keep a clear head, and keep track of eachother on the battlefield. For someone just coming into piloting, you did very well."

[Princess 35]

Nima's lekku twitched nervously. "Thank you sir. The scenario just appealed to me because it was my chance to take out some pirates and make the universe a better place. I didn't realize that it was so advanced."

[Rogue 4]

"That's fine." he said, resting a hand on her shoulder, his lekku curling at the tips as hers writhed nervously. "You'll have plenty of time to practice in the sims. Don't worry if you make mistakes here---here you can learn from them. You're only going to get better."

[Princess 35]

"Thank you sir. Now, you wouldn't happen to know where to find a real cup of caf on this base would you? You know, the strength that gets med students through exams?"

[Drake 53]

From Layla's last quote: "You guys helped the Zeltrons with our revenge against the Tof four years ago as far as I'm concerned. I've just...never met one of you before. I was given the impression that there weren't many of you guys left."

"There are more of us around than most people are led to believe. Mandalorians are a scattered race. There are some remaining on the homeworld, as well. I am sure the most popular one you've heard of is Boba Fett. He was the clone son of Jango Fett and brother to the, now extinct, Imperial Clone Army, who were also Jango's clone."

Takeshi couldn't help but smile at the irony. "Such a tangled web we Mandalorians weave. The Empire that I so hate was aided to power by my own race." He shook his head, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Yes, as I was saying, other Mandalorians are hard to find when they don't want to be found. The only way to get them into one place is a recall order from Mandalore himself. You mentioned the Tof invasion." Tak nodded. "I was there. Well...I ran black ops during the Battle of Mindor. Assassinated a few of warlord Shadowspawn's generals while General Skywalker and Mandalore fought his shadow stormtroopers."

[Rogue 4]

Layla nodded. "Those damn Tof's wwre this close to having control of Zeltros. I'm eternally grateful for each one you blasted apart."

She grinned. "It's funny too. Zeltron has been invaded twelve times...but nobody ever suceeds. Rarely do we ever even see battle with our invaders."

[Drake 53]

"That's because no one can resist your pheremonal charms and your all-consuming desire to party." Takeshi laughed. "You would be fragged if Zeltron was ever attacked by droids!"

He looked slyly at Layla, sitting up on the crate. "You know. It's probably better, for our professional military relationship, that I built up an immunity to Zeltron pheremones."

[Rogue 4]

"You're probably right." Layla said with a smirk, escalating her pheromone output to taunt him. "The last thing either of us needs is more complications."

[Drake 53]

Takeshi took a big, overexaggerated sniff. "Mmm...is that hint of muja fruit, I smell or are you just happy to see me?" He laughed. "Now, how would you like to join me for a caf...or something to eay, perhaps?"

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

Atuarre settled into a corner booth with a large nerf steak and reflected on the days events. She found herself not too sure about her squadmates. They all seemed naive and flighty--particularly the Zeltron, who's pheremones had given her a headache. Still, they wouldn't be here if they didn't possess a hidden talent of some sort. She had seen the kill lists; they were all decent pilots. Far better than she herself was. She knew she couldn't exactly compare her battle experiences with theirs. Everyone fought the war in their own way. This squadron was going to be her family for the forseeable future, so she would find some way to get along with them. It shouldn't be too difficult, provided she could get solitude when she needed it. Atuarre didn't consider herself a difficult being to get along with, there were just certain things she needed to understand and have understood by those around her.

I'm thinking about this too much. We're here to crush the Empire.

The Empire really hadn't been concerned with Trian much, although there were a handfull of stories floating around about Trianii being drug off to the slave camps. One of Atuarre's sisters had vanished with a few members of a neighboring clan and hadn't been seen since. The Ranger's had spent weeks searching for them, but to no avail.

Nakura had a head for politics, so while she was around, Atuarre didn't feel as badly about pursuing a warrior's career. But once Nakura had vanished, her mother had pressed hard for Atuarre to begin preparing to take her place on the yu'nar. Atuarre had set herself up for extra missions and patrols just to avoid the situation altogether. But her mother was relentless, and Atuarre finally had to tell her a definative no. It hadn't gone over well, so Atuarre had jumped at the first chance to get off Trian and away from her mother. Maybe against all odds Nakura was still alive and Atuarre would somehow find her and be a hero. Maybe then her mother would forgive her, but she wasn't counting on that scenario.

Enough dwelling on what you cannot change. This is a new life with new opportunites. And if you don't work on your piloting, it's going to be a very short life. With a sigh she finished her meal and headed back to the simulators.

[Rogue 4]

"You say you're immune to my pheromonal charms, and yet you still ask me out for caf and eats?" Layla laughed lightly. She pressed her palms against the crate, lifting herself up and dropping herself lightly to the ground. "There's a difference between sensing my pheromones, and being immune to them. The latter requires an extraordinary amount of self-control that only a handful of people possess."

She brushed past him on her way to the door. "That being said, I am definatly taking you up on your offer. I haven't eaten a thing since I left Coruscant."

[Drake 53]

Takeshi grinned, "Who said my offer was bourne from your pheremones? Ever think that you could...say...make a friend just from personality alone? Well...looks too." He laughed.

He turned to his droid and spoke to it in Mando'a, "Wait here until we get a room."

He walked to the door, which automatically opened for him, "After you, milady."

Too lazy to translate anything to Mandalorian right now, lol.

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

is there an online translator thingy?

[Rogue 4]

Layla grinned, walking past him and leading him towards the cafeteria. She wondered if anybody else was done in the sims yet.

[Bad furday 57]

Arlan and Jya sat at a table in the cafeteria, talking.

Seeing that Layla and that new guy ( whose name Arlan couldn't remember) had gone off somewhere, Arlan had suggested to Jya that they both hit the cafeteria.

"To look for that rhyscate, right?" Jya had asked.

The two of them had found rehydrated bean paste, just as Layla has assumed. There was also rhyscate, though it was hard to tell how long it had been there.

And now a piece of it sat on each of their plates.

"So, how did you like the sim?" asked Arlan.

"I haven't flown in a while, so it was quite good to get back in the cockpit" smile Jya. "Is this your first time flying a sim? You did well."

Arlan grinned. "Thanks!"

"So," he said, after cutting a piece of the rhyscate, " tell me about....you're from Commenor, right?"

She nodded.

"Well, I've never been there. What's it like?"

"The planet is a major trading post as you may know. The food and cultures are so varied, it's fascinating to walk along the streets and look at all the shops and restaurants! On the surface, there are multiple cities, five of which are the largest. I'm from Munto...at least, that's what I remember."

Arlan studied her as she spoke. She had almost flawless beauty. Her skin had no blemishes, and her teeth were almost perfectly lined up. The funny thing was, that even when she smiled, her eyes didn't radiate the same warmth. It was as if she were constantly remembering something that she wished she could forget.

"Wait...what do you mean?" asked Arlan, jolted from his observations.

"Well..." Jya's hands cupped the mug of caf. " A few years ago, I was injured in a swoop contest through the swamps. My brain is fine...except when I try to remember certain parts of the past.

I remember working as a smuggler, how to fly a ship, what explosives work well for a situation, etc. I don't recall anything about being young at all."

"That's ..well, I'm sorry about-"

Jya waved a hand.

"Don't be. It's probably best this way. After all, if I hadn't-"

Jya turned, alarmed by a loud crash. This is turn was followed by a crashing and squealing sound coming from the kitchen.

"What is is?" asked Arlan.

His question was answered by the appearance of one of the cooks ( a Snivvian) who was angrily kicking and berating an R5 unit. From the looks of it, the droid had lost control of a large tray of food.

"STUPID, WORTHLESS MACHINE!!" yelled the cook. "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO MAKE THOSE?!" He continued to abuse the little droid, which let out electronic squeals of terror.

"Stop it!" cried Jya, rising up out of her chair. " Stop it! Don't treat him like that!"

"He has ruined two trays of Ko'lunea pastries!" snarled the cook. " Each of which took me two hours to make! I'll teach him!"

"Kicking him isn't going to teach him anything!" countered Jya as the R5 unit tootled something. "The load was unbalanced."

"And how would you know this?" the Snivvian sneered, glancing from the droid to Jya.

With a last glare at the cook, Jya stormed from the cafeteria.

Arlan sat at the now empty table, stunned.

[Rogue 4]

Layla was smirking at the delivery of another witty remark when she saw Jya bursting out of the cafeteria. "Hey Jya! All done with the sims?"

[Bad furday 57]

"That cook," breathed Jya angrily, " I want to kill that cook!"

She then strode off, towards the landing pad.

[Rogue 4]

Layla blinked in surprise, looking after her a moment before leading Tak inside. She saw Arlan sitting at a table and walked over, pulling up a chair. "Hey! Uh...do you know what's up with Jya? She just confessesd intentions to murder the kitchen staff."

---

Nat thought for a moment. "Well, I don't know if it'll be as strong as you're used to, but I heard some techs remarking before about the strength of the cafeteria's caf. If not, I'm sure the Cantina could brew something a little...stronger, up for you."

Edited June 28, 2007 by Rogue

[Princess 35]

Nima smiled. "Rumor has it that only CorSec officers and Senate Staffers drink it stronger than Coruscant Med Students do. Permission to go caffeinate sir?"

[Bad furday 57]

"See that Snivvian there?" asked Arlan conspiratorially, " well, the R5 unit dropped two trays of some pastry that took a long time to make. In his anger, the cook started kicking the droid around and yelled at it."

He paused, remembering.

"Jya was pretty upset by the whole thing."

[Rogue 4]

"Go right ahead. It appears most of the other pilots already had the same idea...or similar at least." Riamor's lips twitched into a smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Officer Secura."

Edited June 28, 2007 by Rogue

[Princess 35]

Nima tossed a quick salute and her lekku twitched. "Thank you sir. And likewise, I look forward to getting to know you more. It's nice to see someone from home."