Chapter 1: Baptism By Fire

[Princess 35]

Nima groaned when she saw that the shelf was totally destroyed. She piled up all her texts in the corner and set the crate next to it. She put her diploma on top of the crate and made a note to get some new glass for the front of the frame since it cracked when it fell. She looked at the pile of the broken shelf and REALLY wished that she had any Force powers whatsoever to clean that up. Nima sat down on the chair behind the busted desk in the center of the room and pulled up her datapad so that she could refresh herself on the different species that were in the squadron, especially the feline ones, when a broken spring poked her in the butt. She made a mental note to scrounge up a new chair somewhere and then focused on the data in front of her.

[Mara 29]

Artie beeped a thanks and went off to find some power to recharge himself when Kaden motioned him away.

"Actually, sure, yes, there was."

He took a deep breath. Okay, Tash.. if you really want me to...

"I wanted to apologize for being short with you and Captain Tunon yesterday. It had been a long day, but I shouldn't have let that get out into the open.

And I'd like to explain myself, as well, for my actions in the sim, Sir. It's been over a year since I've flown an X-wing, and I just wanted to get some practice in myself before taking on a fuller mission with others, Sir. I didn't want to put anyone in danger because I might be a little rusty.

I'm sorry, Sir, and it won't happen again."

[Rogue 4]

Nat nodded, a lekku curling around his shoulder. "You're appology is accepted. As for your explanation...I want you to understand something, Officer Staal. Everyone here is here because they have something to offer this unit. For some it is their piloting skills, for others it's their more ground-based skills. A good portion of this squadron has minimal flight time in an X-wing. You may be a little rusty, but now is the time to work together to clean off the tarnish that comes with years of unuse."

He paused, looking over the group. "I trust you'll take Captain Tunon's advice, and participate with the rest of the squadron. You have tricks to teach them, and they have many tricks to teach you."

[Mara 29]

"Yes, Sir." Kaden saluted and then turned, going to the back of the room to see what the other pilots were up to. He walked up slowly to the group of Layla, Tak, Arlan and Jya.

He had to get to know his squadron mates sooner or later and now was the perfect time for some casual conversation.

Reaching them, "So are you headed to the sims?" he asked.

Edited June 25, 2007 by Mara

[Ender 8]

Jaim stood up, stretched, and walked over to join Tak and Layla's group. "I'll go for the gym, yeah."

[Rogue 4]

Layla smiled at him. "Hey Kaden! Haven't seen you since the shuttle! Where've you been hun?"

Pleased that Kaden seemed to be getting the idea, Nat decided to go check up on a few loose ends. The first thing on his list of things to do was to go make sure Officer Secura was settled in in her new office. He walked down the halls until he finally found the office that had been issued to her.

It was really, not much bigger than an oversized supply closet.

He knocked in the doorway. "How's the new office, Dr. Secura?"

[Princess 35]

Nima jumped up and whacked her shin on an open desk drawer. "Lieutenant Riamor, sir. The office is fine. Well, it will be as soon as I can get that broken shelf out of here and maybe find a seat that doesn't have springs that poke my butt everytime I shift around. I was just brushing up on feline anatomy and then was going to inventory all the supplies. Can I do anything for you?"

[Mara 29]

Kaden let himself smile a little bit. It was hard not to. "Yesterday I was in the sims for a few hours, then it was time to bunk down for the night."

He paused and realized he didn't know some from the group. He only knew Layla from the shuttle and the other man, Arlan, he thought, also from the shuttle.

"I'm Kaden Staal." He lifted his right hand out of the pocket of his flight suit and held it out.

Edited June 25, 2007 by Mara

[Rogue 4]

Nat gave her a toothy grin, stepping into the office. "Yes, but first I want to appologize. I'm certain this isn't anywhere near as grand as your office on Coruscant, but if it makes you feel any better our office isn't much better."

[Princess 35]

Nima's lekku twitched with Nat being in such close proximity to her. She gave a nervous laugh. "Actually sir, this is better than the office that I shared with 5 other physicians at Starfighter Command. And I'm sure that this will be a little more exciting than doing physicals on every new recruit."

[Rogue 4]

"Believe me, it will be much more exciting. As much as I wish it weren't so, we're going to require you're medical knowledge in the field." Nat reached a hand up to calm a lekku. "Which brings me to the reason I came here...I'm writing a report to Coruscant, hoping to acquisition the supplies we require. I was hoping you could give me a list of supplies that you will need."

[Drake 53]

Takeshi nodded at Kaden. "Burning the midnight starfighter fuel, eh? So did you win?"

[Princess 35]

Nima reached up and pulled her lekku to hang back down her back, shivering a little from Nat's touch. "That's very kind of you. Let me make a quick once over here and I'll have a list ready shortly." Nima squeezed past Nat and accidently rubbed against him in the small office. She grabbed her datapad and started going through the inventory in the infirmary.

[Mara 29]

Kaden took his hand back and replaced back in his pocket. "It wasn't all too late. And I only succeeded on the first one I ran."

[Rogue 4]

"Congratulations then." Layla smiled brilliantly at him, her pheromones as strong as ever. "We won our run too, though we might have been a bit overwhelmed if it wasn't for Tak."

Edited June 25, 2007 by Rogue

[Mara 29]

"Thank you."

[Drake 53]

Tak grinned, "Oh please, you're going to make my ego even larger. Well...I guess you would have been lost without me.. He laughed.

[Mara 29]

"What was the mission?" Kaden asked, curious as to what the others had been up to while he was running his own simulations.

[Rogue 4]

Layla punched Tak playfully. "Who said I was lost? And if it wasn't for me that eyeball would have turned you into simulated space dust!"

She laughed warmly. "Oh, we were doing the battle of Dubrillion."

[Drake 53]

Tak poked Layla in the stomach. "Our girl here vaped the hangar with a nice shot to the fuel supply. Took down half the base."

[Mara 29]

Kaden nodded, wondering if the two of them had known each other before meeting up at this base. They were pretty friendly with each other.

"Nice work."

[Rogue 4]

Layla smirked slyly at Tak, waving a dismissive hand in Kaden's direction. "Oh that? That was just a lucky shot babe."

She turned to face the pilot, tilting her head curiously to the side. "So you're not much of a talker, huh?"

[Mara 29]

"It just takes me longer to warm up to new aquaintances, I suppose. Old habit." He shrugged.

[Rogue 4]

Layla grinned. "I think I understand that. But the way I see it...we can't all just be aquaintances. I mean. we're going to have to trust everyone else to watch our backs right? So it'd be kinda foolish if we didn't take the time to dazzle eachother with our personalities, dontcha think Handsome?"

[Mara 29]

"Of course."

He paused a moment, trying to figure out how much about his past he wanted to reveal.

Kaden smiled. "Well, I don't think my personality is all that 'dazzling' really."

Just then something bumped into the back of Kaden's legs and tootled. He turned around to look. "Artie! All charged up now?"

The green and black astromech whistled.

"Good..." Kaden moved over so that he could be a part of the circle. He smiled wryly at Layla and the rest. "Sorry, he likes to be included in everything. He's very attached to me."

[Edited: Forgot a word, lol....]

Edited June 26, 2007 by Mara