Chapter 2: Forges of Ithyari

[Drake 53]

Tak spun around to face her. "If we're supposed to live up to Rogue Squadron's reputation, we're going to have to." He unbuckled his crashwebbing and stood up. "Care to go check on our passengers?"

[Rogue 4]

Live up to Rogue Squadron's reputation...well, that puts a lot of things in perspective...and doesn't help with the nervousness.

She unbuckled her crash-webbing, rising to join him. "Sure. I can't wait to see the look on their faces."

[Ayingel 24]

Szen closed her eyes and reached in the direction of Captain Fae.

"Please!"

[Vergere 1]

She opened her eyes and smiled softly, gently, and handed over the tablet. "It dissolves on your tounge. Don't swallow. It has a minty taste, too. Always a bonus when you already feel sick." SHe reached over as the girl put it on her tounge hurriedly, and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Hang in there." She snuggled back into her seat, pulling her long legs up to her chest as she looked even more comfortable than before.

[Rogue 4]

"Okay guys," Layla said, walking into the hold and over to the foodprep unit to grab a bottle of vitamin water. "We're safely in hyperspace. Sorry about all the trouble. That blasted bird must have been suicidal. And I swear they put the control labels upside down. Isn't that right Tak?"

[Ayingel 24]

As the medicine dissolved on her tongue Szen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks so much. I guess this is just something I'll have to get use to."

[Rogue 4]

"Birds suicide-diving at the front viewport?" Layla asked jokingly.

[Drake 53]

Tak appeared behind Layla. "Spend a day doing evasive training in an X-Wing and you'll have guts of durasteel." He grinned. "Yeah, the controls were all screwy. Good thing we caught it in time otherwise we all might have been fish-food in the lake!"

[Vergere 1]

She shrugged, "No thanks required. And, hopefully, you won't have to become used to such reckless piloting." She sleepily opened an eye as Layla came in. "Bird, huh? Seemed more like a way to try and get back at those of us that were commenting on your piloting skills." Calm and unconcerned, Brier still had that amused, soft smile on her features, and didn't appear flustered by the ride at all, in stark contrast to Szen.

[Drake 53]

Tak chuckled and said, "I see why they call you Intelligence."

[Vergere 1]

She almost purred out her response, "Also why they call me a Captain and you a Lieutenant." She opened her eyes and smiled, still amused and appearing to laugh with her eyes.

[Rogue 4]

"Ouch Tak." Layla grinned, taking a sip of her drink. "I think she told you."

[Drake 53]

"Everybody has to start somewhere if they want to work their way up." He winked.

[Vergere 1]

"Mmmhmm. I'm proof of that." She just smiled sleepily and contentedly. "I'm not sure if trying to make your passengers sick is the best way to get promoted, however."

[Princess 35]

Nima was standing by her fighter fitting her lekku into the protective sleeves that would protect them if she ended up in hard vaccum. Her magcon field would protect her for a while, but she couldn't let her lekku get cold. She paused as she saw the Mynocks come into the room. Nima straightened as she waited for the accusations and fight to begin.

[Drake 53]

Tak gave Brier an innocent smile and a shrug. "Well, if trying to save the life of an innocent bird will get me a courtmartial, then please, you better lock me up now, Captain."

[Vergere 1]

She shrugged, no malice in her features. "I don't remember saying anything about a court martial, nor alluding to one."

[Drake 53]

"Of course you didn't," Tak said with a smile. "We should be emerging from our first jump in a few minutes. I'll be up front if you need me."

He made his way back up the passage and into the cockpit.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Drake

[Rogue 4]

"Uh yeah, so you guys might want to fasten that crash webbing again." Layla threw them a wink, following Tak a moment later.

"Poor Szen. I think we're wearing her in a little harshly." She said as she entered, a grin on her face.

[Drake 53]

Tak looked up from the controls and smiled back. "She was acting like she's never flown anything faster than a landspeeder. G's in a dogfight can get much worse than that, even with the intertial gravity cracked up. She'll have to adjust sooner or later and I would much rather have it sooner than later."

[Rogue 4]

"Oh believe me, I know." Layla sat down at her terminal, fastening her crashwebbing. "Spacesickness isn't a good quality in a pilot. Do you know if she served with a squadron before, or was she on communications duty on a cruiser or something? The latter would certainly explain her situation."

[Vergere 1]

She just gave them a lopsided, almost Corellian smile as she snuggled back into her seat, cracking her neck before almost falling back asleep.

[Drake 53]

"Would be surprised if I said she was born on a starship and spent a lot of her life on one? That's what her file says. She also went to the academy but never really saw any combat. Apparently her nickname is 'Spin' but it really doesn't seem like she can handle any more than a wobble." A chuckle escaped Tak's lips as he entered in the next set of jump coordinates.

He flicked on the comm for a moment and said, "One minute until realspace."

Edited August 29, 2007 by Drake

[Rogue 4]

Layla flicked it back off. "Never seen combat huh? Well that explains all the nervousness coming from her." She stole a glance at the cockpit door. "I hope she doesn't become a problem groundside."

[Ayingel 24]

Szen closed her eyes and tried to focus. The sims she used at the academy were never this bad. She focused harder, imagining floating. As she continued to concentrate on the floating feeling, Szen felt her stomach settle and get use to the bumpy ride.