KDY - Anthelion - Captain Zharra's office

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

[open to Anthelion crew]



Standing at one of the many sets of large observation windows, the feline woman gazed out at the ship beyond. Despite her many years of service the shear size of even these smaller vessels never ceased to amaze her. Floating there at one of the many space docks of the Kuat Drive Yards, the Anthelion held a sort of serene power and grace she couldn’t quite explain…even the name seemed to hold the same sort of feeling. Hazel green eyes studied the lines of the frigate, the lights that glistened over it and glowed from within it. Pride…that was what she felt as she stood there looking at her ship, ears perked forward and tail swishing placidly behind her.

This was her ship.

Certainly the Retribution had been home…had been her first true command…but it hadn’t felt like it was her ship. She’d taken over command from another captain after their retirement and it never quite felt like it was a part of her, but this…this was different. Just looking at the Anthelion, Zharra knew………this was her ship. After the longest time of standing there, gazing out at the teams of engineers floating about the vessel to finish it in time for the maiden voyage, the silken furred captain turned and strolled casually down the corridor that would take her to the docking collar, and the ship. Hands clasped lightly at the small of her back, she took every opportunity to gaze at Anthelion before the view ports ended and solid walls began.

Poised as ever, the woman stepped through the large doors to the docking collar as they slid open to one of the main halls several minutes later. Clean silver surfaces and smooth lines met her eyes at every glance and a small smile formed across those feline features. With ears swiveling in every direction, she finally moved her hands from behind her back and pulled a datapad from her belt, bringing up the ship’s schematics. It didn’t take her long to pinpoint the destination she wished to find and followed the directions listed. Catching one of the engineers still working on the inside of the Anthelion, she was pointed to the nearest lift.

Passing through the halls she saw more than a few of the crew she knew from the New Dawn and the Retribution…officers who had followed her from one post to the next, and continued to do so even to this newest station. It pleased her to no end to know that these familiar faces had requested to transfer with her and been granted the opportunity. It also pleased her that they were already starting to become familiar with the ship. Entering the lift, she fought back her desire to go straight to the bridge and see the layout. It was inadvisable at this point, since the electric crews were still working up there and she would likely be more in the way than anything else, but more than that…part of her wanted to wait until they were truly making preparations to leave the KDY. Instead, she settled herself for going to her office, which was the floor below.

She’d had some of the KDY staff move her personal effects to her office and her room after informing them that she would be working from the Anthelion from now on. Keying the code given her into the pad, the door slid open, her boxed items settled carefully near the desk. With a smile and a look around, Zharra decided it was high time to get to work settling in…

…This was home, after all.

[Jazen]

Today was the day

Of the many thoughts flowing through his mind, that phrase stood above them all. Little things came and went, piled upon one another as they found a connection that would deal with them all at once. But that one thought always towered above them and no matter what else came up, it would not be silenced. And for good reason; it had the most significance by far. For today was indeed a very special day; three years ago, the owner of this thought hid himself from the world, taking to the shadows and the unspoken of. And now, the time for hiding was over; it was time to return to the world of light.

For Tyros Elrune, this day was the long expected return to true military service. Yes, he had continued serving for those three years in question, but they, while no less important, were minor duties, tasks he could have done with one hand tied behind his back and blindfolded. More to the point, they were repetitive; get on ship, say a few orders, let the mission run its course, which was usually uneventful. Now, however, the time for personal reflectance had ended; his skills were needed in a place that would make much better use of them. It was time to serve on a real vessel, a warship that would more than likely find itself battling on the front lines of the chaos that was sweeping the galaxy.

With those thoughts in mind, Tyros had awoken early this day, partly unable to sleep because of his uneasiness, partly because that's just how he worked. Even though his new home was still undergoing its final preparations, there was a long list of things to do before that time came and Tyros was never one to let himself fall behind in his duties. So he had risen, packed the items he would need right away(the rest of the needed or maybe even unneeded for this new home he could always come back for later), dressed in his recently cleaned uniform and headed off to inspect the vessel he would serve on.

When his faded gray eyes had fallen on the Anthelion, Tyros had felt something he noticed he'd missed the past three years. The feeling of awe. The Reflection of Dawn, the last frigate he had the honor of serving on, would have been devoured by the vessel he now gazed upon. Recently off the Republic's factory lines, the Ogma-clas frigate was the fifth of its generation, another brain child of the Sark Organization. It packed a small arsenal, could hold an entire star fighter squadron in its belly and while there were other frigates that dwarfed even it, the vessel was by far the most outstanding ship he had the privilege to be serving on. His awe lasted only as long as it needed to. Then his mind snapped back to what needed to be done and he was off.

As he entered details and pulled up reports from his data pad, Tyros continued to glance out at the ship, watching the little lights of worker crews moving along its hull, doing last minute tweaks and repairs as the deadline for its launch day drifted ever closer. When the last view port to the outside passed and endless wall began, Tyros drifted back to his pad, pulling up the details about the ship's inner workings and more specifically, where he would be residing. His feet walked where they needed to go, despite his mind being so many different places at once. But not one detail of his trip was missed; entering the docking clamp into the ship's pristine corridors, identifying a lift that would take him to his destination, the glances from the crew working or mingling about as he passed. With each living being that he passed, that he "felt" looking upon him, Tyros would give them a swift and silent greeting via a nod of his head, but he did not break pace. He would have plenty of time to acquaint himself with the crew later; he was going to be here a long time, he was sure of it.

Finally, Tyros entered through a pair of doors that led to his quarters, a decently sized little abode that would also serve as his work station. It was just as he had requested it to be, at least in terms of its contents. Dropping his bag on the small couch just beyond the door, Tyros had settled into his desk to work on the paperwork he knew had to be done, among other things. Shortly after his meditations, he had sent an message to inquire about when the Captain of the Anthelion would be arriving. To his surprise, he was informed that she had recently left for the ship and more than likely was already there.

In no time at all, Tyros had retracted his reach into the Winds, made sure he was dressed as properly as could be possible and started off down the halls towards the Captain's office. It made sense for the first officer to greet his captain and Tyros had heard a great many things about his new commander. And what better way to get a feel for someone than meeting them in person. It didn't take him long to find her office, its location and that of her quarters something he had already bookmarked in his mind as "remember this". The doors hissed open in response to his presence and stepping in, Tyros's right hand went to his forehead while his left remained flat against his side, a stance he would hold until he was allowed otherwise.

"Ma'am, Chief Petty Officer Tyros Elrune, at your service. A pleasure to meet you, Captain Zharra."

Today is the day

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Had she made herself quite at home? Not yet, but she was certainly working on it.

The desk consol was on and exuding a slight glow in the dimmed lights. Several files were already opened from the crew manifest and layered on the screen, namely the officers she wished to speak to first: her primary communications officer (Tieres Ryal), she ship’s XO (Tyros Elrune), and the fighter squadron’s four wing leaders. Her attention was divided, however, between reviewing the reports on the officers and unpacking. She’d found years ago that shifting between the two allowed her mind to mull over information and absorb it, rather than attempting to cram it in all at once. So, Zharra had put on some orchestrated music in the background and set about her tasks. Books appeared on shelves, star charts were filed away carefully or hung, flimsy reports and schematics were filed away, datapads were linked into the desk consol to transfer files, and with everything else sorted (for the most part) Zharra began settling some of the knick-knacks she’d collected over her years into the two display cases. Tail flicked and swept behind her happily as she went about this last task, and that was how Tyros would come upon her.

Pausing, the Farghul would turn at the sound of the door opening, ears perking in his direction as she studied the man quietly. Well…this was amusing. Zharra knew quite well he was saluting her, but considering he hadn’t even bothered to check the room, he was saluting the wall instead. Or rather…space and the KDY outside the transparisteel window. Smirking, she settled the small kasha crystal disk (from Cerea) on a holder, closed the display case and locked it before walking over to him. Circling around him once, she would stop before the man and snap off a short salute, smirking slightly as she did so. ”At ease, XO, and have a seat. I’ve not had a chance to review all of your fit rep. or history yet, but since you’re here, we might as well get down to business. You have your assignment flimsies I presume?”

Flowing steps brought her swiftly around the side of the desk, the seat out and her in it in less than a moment. Two swift key strokes and a click later his file was on top of the others and she was scrolling through it, cloudy jade eyes scanning swiftly through the report on top with one hand out for the paperwork. ”You served aboard the RMS Reflection of Dawn, I see…hmm.” Those hazel green eyes darkened slightly, ears pressing back just a bit, as she continued to read through the file. A force user…of course they had assigned her a force user as her second in command. The Admiralty had been attempting to break her of her…distaste…for force users for some time now, but this was by far the most daring thing they’d done. Her tail curled lightly around the handle of one of the lower drawers of the desk as she sighed silently and opened it. Taking his assignment documents she looked over them and nodded, closing the small folder again before leaning over to file them away. ”I can’t say I heard much about that incident, but what I did hear was rather unfortunate. From what I’ve read you performed admirably in a difficult situation…”

This was going to be an uneasy post in the beginning, she could tell. Force users hadn’t settled right with her since she was a little girl, and for any number of reasons, but the more she’d worked with them the less she liked them. There was just something not right about another person being able to read your feelings or thoughts and you not know about it. Ah well, she thought, I suppose I’ll just have to make due. No point in belly aching about it.

[Jazen]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm setting you to serve under Captain Zharra, Petty Officer Elrune. You'll like her. Sharp, strong willed, cool under pressure. She's everything a captain should be....."

"I sense a but coming here sir."

"I'll bet you do. And that's exactly the problem. She has...let's say a rather harsh history and a natural distrust for people like you. A sore spot, so to speak"

"By people do you mean my race sir, or the fact that I'm connected to the Force?"

"You know what I mean Elrune. I've been trying to ween her away from that fault. In the days to come, the Jedi and those that are connected to the Force are going to be needed. I'm not an adamant fan of them either, but I give credit where its due and their strength is true. And your the best fit for her because of that strength; you'll be able to read her actions and hopefully, make any risks she may or may not take not so risky after all."

"I make no promises Admiral, sir. But I will do my duty to the fullest."

"I know you will. Dismissed"[/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tyros had made a very clear blunder when he had entered Zharra's office, one which under fire might have been fatal. He had not looked for her before saluting, simply assumed she would be seated behind her desk, working. A poor man's mistake and because of it, he had ended up saluting nothing but empty air and a stand alone desk. Were Tyros one to get embarssed by such a thing, his cheeks might have turned red when he realized his error. Instead, his eyes flickered from their solid gray standing and his mind noted it down to not let this blunder befall him again.

Zharra herself came into view not long after, circling around him once before coming to stand face to face with him, her own salute quick, yet no less than his own. Feline features stared back at him, as one would expect of the Farghul race, jade eyes sizing him up as his were sizing up her. The brief study of one another lasted only a few moments, but for Tyros, it was not merely on the physical plane. As he had learned to do since letting his previous commander fall from grace, Tyros briefly felt her in the Force, getting a sense of her that way as well. Amusement he felt, curiousity, even a hint of respect he thought he could feel. Again, as expected.

”At ease, XO, and have a seat. I’ve not had a chance to review all of your fit rep. or history yet, but since you’re here, we might as well get down to business. You have your assignment flimsies I presume?”

Tyros was quick to lower his arm, not quick enough to look rushed, but enough to see that he wanted that arm to finally relax. "Thank you Captain and yes, I have them, back at my quarters." Tyros took her offer of a seat, dropping himself into one of the chair's seated before her desk. His arms folded over his legs, Tyros leaned slightly forward in the chair, his gray eyes watching Zharra intently as she went to work on something quick before turning her attention back to him. The mention of the Dawn brought a quick but stern "Aye" from him, but otherwise he remained silent as she continued. He took a few moments to admire what she had done with her office, the various items from different cultures, the maps....even a Kasha crystal from Cerea. Quite a collector she was, he mused to himself.

His talk with the Admiral a few days before suddenly resurfaced when he felt a sudden spike in her emotions. Of course, he didn't need to feel her sudden groan, as his eyes caught her ears perking back, which was usually coupled with distaste in something. Like a cat that didn't want to be touched. Of course, it could have been about anything, but he felt her weariness of him, the slight backing away. He was about to make a comment about it when she turned to speak to him about something else; something that easily could have explained the sudden emotion he felt from her.

”I can’t say I heard much about that incident, but what I did hear was rather unfortunate. From what I’ve read you performed admirably in a difficult situation…”

At the mention of the tragedy aboard the Dawn, Tyros's mind replayed the event in his mind as if it had happened the day before. The sudden madness that had taken ahold of Threndrail, the death of a crewman who tried to stop him, the only course of action Tyros was able to take in that instant as blaster rose to fire. And most of all, the revert of the man he called friend and mentor to himself before he ended his own life. Sad to say, Tyros had relived those events many a time over the years. It wouldn't be the last.

"I did what was needed to protect the crew and the ship, yes. But at the expense of a good man and a friend. An expense I could have avoided. The majority of the details my report gave should be in my file, but if you wish for it I will attempt to fill in any gaps in the story and answer any questions you may have about the event. I can even explain it to you at length and in detail if you wish.

But first, let me speak honestly Captain. I keep no secrets, for they lead to lies and eventually to distrust. The Admiral told me when he handed me this assignment that you would find issue with me, being a user of the Winds or the Force, as you call it. I won't question your ability to work with me despite that, but if there's something I can do to ease you mind about the matter, please, do let me know. I want this to go as smoothly as the Admiral and you would hope."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

“Thank you Captain and yes, I have them, back at my quarters.”

That earned a slight raise of her ‘eyebrow’…technically it was the muscle above her eye, but the colored markings along her fur may as well have been eyebrows for all anyone could tell. Without missing a beat the clockwork whirl of her thoughts had her speaking. ”Not very forward thinking of you, Mr. Elrune. These meetings go so much more easily if we don’t have to repeat them because of missing paperwork. I’ll expect them to be in my hand tomorrow.” Once she’d mentioned the Reflection of Dawn (Reflection from now on, since they both worked on a ship titled Dawn), she saw him pause...if only for a moment…before the wheels in his mind started turning again.

No doubt he was reliving the event, and perhaps formulating his reply as well. Yes, her CO had warned her about this topic (though not in so many words)…that it wasn’t exactly an easy one for the man…but, it was something that would have to be brought up sooner or later. A lot of things would, not all of them comfortable for her either. When he spoke, Zha idly smoothed the fur of her face with one hand before lacing her fingers together and propping her elbows on the desk. She found it to be a rather…canned…answer. She didn’t need the details or a professional report, she needed a feel for this man, but he was about as emotionless as a bag of tea and as chilled as an ice cube.

Blunt to boot.

Without even seeking permission to speak openly about a different topic he continued on about his own conversation with the admiral who had assigned him to the Anthelion. Those ears pressed back once more, just slightly, and she watched him with a calm indifference, taking it in stride. That didn’t mean she was pleased, however, and even before he finished speaking her mind was not only filing away the conversation, but dicing it up and preparing to dish up her reply. Chances were he wouldn’t like the beginning of it. As he finished, those forearms would settle on the desk and she’d gaze at him from across the desk. Not much had changed in her posture, straight and proper as always, but those ears turned only just slightly every once in a while as she continued to naturally scan the sounds of the area. She’d let the silence that stretched out prelude her words and help further emphasize the points she was about to make. After all…sometimes silence said more than words ever could.

”Mr. Elrune, while I appreciate your fervor in addressing topics that hold your concern, and while I also appreciate your honesty, I would like to point out two things first and foremost. One: you spoke out of line and without permission on a topic that had not yet been broached. It’s expected of crew to seek permission to speak openly unless the situation is dangerous, both parties are off duty, or it’s an open forum where such bluntness is requested…while this is one of those situations, I expect your replies to be on the topic at hand. Which brings us to the second point: I was asking about you and your history, Mr. Elrune, I will give you the chance to ask all the questions you like, and I will answer them honestly, but the shift in topic was not yours to make at this point. Do I make myself clear, XO?”

With that said, the stern tension around her bled away slightly. Defensive? Only slightly…the real problem had been just what she’d said. ”Now, to address what you said…I'm not in need of details, Mr. Elrune, I have (or can find) a plethora of them…that isn’t why I brought up the topic of the Reflection. What the reports lack, simply because they’re meant to, is emotion. They’re objective, but I'm not seeking objectivity, I'm seeking subjectivity on the matter. I want your opinions and feelings, not the facts.” Yes, she’d brushed over his secondary topic, deciding that the best way to drive home her point about subject order was to let it settle without any further recognition, she’d be returning to it later anyway. It wouldn’t do, however, to reprimand him, then turn around and acknowledge the very thing that had caused the problem. He’d just have to wait it out and trust her.

[Jazen]

”Not very forward thinking of you, Mr. Elrune. These meetings go so much more easily if we don’t have to repeat them because of missing paperwork. I’ll expect them to be in my hand tomorrow.”

Tyros had to admit, she had him there. He should have brought those papers with him, even if his only intention at the time had been a simple meet and greet. Another mental note to add; his note list was going to grow a few pages today.

And it wasn't the last blunder had made today. Even before the last word left his mouth, Tyros realized that he had made a very, very poor mistake. He had not only spoken out of turn, without asking for permission of his superior officer to do so, he had not answered what she wanted from him and changed the topic to something she obviously did not want to talk about right now. He could feel the silent disappointment and irritation in her at this, and for just a moment, Tyr's eyes had a faded yellow glow. What was wrong with him today? Five minutes into his first meeting with his new Captain and already both his feet where stuck tight in the ground, the rest of him just waiting to sink. This was not like him; maybe he was more nervous about this day than he believed...or allowed himself to believe.

Again, he didn't need the Force to see that he was about to get a tongue lashing. He welcomed it; he was out of place today and he wanted to be put back on his track. Once there, maybe he could start to get on the right track with Zharra before this partnership ended before it effectively began. On the uppermost level, Tyros believed that the reason for this was so that the communication between them was smooth and effective, as it should be between Captain and first officer. But on the lower levels, hidden beneath his solid wall of emotion and years of experience was another; he didn't want to screw up what could be a wonderful friendship. LIke the one he had with Threndrail before.... He didn't get more time to think about the matter before the Captain unleashed her claws; her verbal ones.

”Mr. Elrune, while I appreciate your fervor in addressing topics that hold your concern, and while I also appreciate your honesty, I would like to point out two things first and foremost. One: you spoke out of line and without permission on a topic that had not yet been broached. It’s expected of crew to seek permission to speak openly unless the situation is dangerous, both parties are off duty, or it’s an open forum where such bluntness is requested…while this is one of those situations, I expect your replies to be on the topic at hand. Which brings us to the second point: I was asking about you and your history, Mr. Elrune, I will give you the chance to ask all the questions you like, and I will answer them honestly, but the shift in topic was not yours to make at this point. Do I make myself clear, XO?”

Tyros remained silent in response to her words, his mind taking it all in behind unyielding eyes. Yes, he had spoken out of line and in the future, he would do well to avoid that. She did admit that this was one of those times where he need not ask for that permission, but that led to her targeting how he missed the purpose of her inquiry. And yes he had; it may not have been clear but after taking a second read into it, Tyros noted that she had been leaving the table open for him to speak about his thoughts on the matter. And last but not least, how he had brought up another topic about her when she was asking about him. Gray eyes met her jade ones and Tyros pondered the meaning behind that choice; he finally came to the conclusion that the event on the Reflection and her distrust of the force were sore spots they both disliked talking about. Tyros patiently remained silent as he felt another set of words coming, noting that when she spoke this time, she was noticeably less tense about the matter.

”Now, to address what you said…I'm not in need of details, Mr. Elrune, I have (or can find) a plethora of them…that isn’t why I brought up the topic of the Reflection. What the reports lack, simply because they’re meant to, is emotion. They’re objective, but I'm not seeking objectivity, I'm seeking subjectivity on the matter. I want your opinions and feelings, not the facts.”

"Very well. First, allow me to apologize for speaking out of turn and about something I should not have yet. I will endeavor to avoid that in the future.

So, you wish to know what I felt about the event in question. Very well. In all honestly, I was surprised. Captain Threndrail was a troubled man, who always felt that he was being held back from achieving so that others could. When he finally got that recognition, it filled him with a sense of pride that was matched only by his his genius. I was....proud to be considered that man's friend and colleague.

In the days leading up to the incident, Threndrail was becoming paranoid about losing his position. I did what any friend would do and attempted to reassure him. I thought it had worked. When he snapped and took that young woman hostage....I admit I was at a loss for a time. It delayed my actions; and because of it, a young man died trying to do what I should have done, should have sensed coming.

I'm sorry, I'm getting into more detail than I should be. You wanted my feelings, I"m giving a report. I was hurt that this man I called friend and mentor suddenly became a being of chaos and fear, the opposite of what I had seen him as. But I did not hesitate to bring him down at the first moment of opportunity. I made sure, however, that the shot was not fatal. I believed that he could be redeemed or at least, a way found to give him another chance. When he became my friend again shortly before ending his life.....I was....baffled. It made me re-think the event over and over ma'am; trying to find what I did wrong and what I could do to avoid letting it happen again.

My final opinion is this; yes, I was pained to have to do what I did. But place me in the same situation with the same circumstances and I would not hesitate to do what I did again. Which is why I vow to never let that kind of thing come about again or make sure that on the off chance something similar happens, I can place myself in a better position to avoid a negative outcome. I hope that provides the insight you wished for Captain. I thank you for your patience with me; I'm not used to giving my thoughts on that event on a more personal level."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Even as she spoke she was studying him carefully…she could all but hear his thoughts on the matter as hazel green eyes picked up his body language. What little of it there was. Zharra had to give him one thing at least, he was good at taking criticism in stride. That was a good sign as far as she was concerned. The captain held no delusions that she was easy to get to know or get used to…she had eccentricities, this she knew. There were some things she was very ‘by the book’ on, and other things she would rather say ‘damn the rules’ to than follow them. It drove her superiors up the walls, and while this tended to amuse her it didn’t mean that it was always easy for people new to her command to get used to.

His apology was given a simple nod of her head before she fell still once more, eyes trained on an invisible spot on the new and polished metal desk as she listened. One ear remained constantly trained forward, on him, as the other turned every so often as she caught the sounds from outside the office. After years of duty, she found it quite simple to focus her mind on nothing more than what he said, and the lack of eye contact assisted in that, allowing her to absorb the information without cluttering it with what she was seeing. The inflection from his voice was enough, anyway. Every so often she would nod slightly to show that she was actually listening, but not once bothering to interrupt him. When he apologized again, she smirked slightly and shook her head just a bit to dismiss it. As he finally drew to a close, she’d look up once more, smiling just slightly…knowingly...understandingly…and nod.

”I appreciate your candor on that topic, Mr. Elrune. The loss of a friend and captain is never easy on the crew serving under them. I would imagine it to be less so for the situation you and the Reflection went through.” Her tone turned to one of a more upbeat quality at that point, unclasping her hands and scrolling through the file a bit more she’d continue on. ”Perhaps luckily, the crew that’s followed me came from a slightly similar situation…not quite as traumatic, but the New Dawn lost her captain as well. It may prove to be a bridging factor for the two.” With a quietly purring sort of ‘hmm,’ she really didn’t notice much of anything else that concerned her. ”You realize, Mr. Elrune, that I’ll be expecting not only typical reports, but I like to know my crew’s emotional and….gut…responses to situations. This means you’ll have to take that into account. I'm telling you this now so that you can start getting used to the idea.”

Pausing, she’d stand, letting the movement ease her energy out again. She wasn’t one to sit around all day, she liked activity and stood or moved consistently if she could help it. ”You’ll find that those who knew me from my first officer position on the New Dawn, as well as my three years on the Retribution, know when to balance the two fairly well. I…attempt…to keep things light and comfortable, but when I'm business chances are you’ll know it…especially being a force user like you are.” Her ears pinned back again as she looked out the window to the stars, planet, and KDY rings beyond it. Behind her that tail twitched and flicked near the end. Finally she’d look back to him and sigh slightly. ”To get back to what you were saying earlier…it isn’t so much that I find issue with you as I do you’re your abilities. I have a high distrust of force users mainly because of what I’ve seen them do time and again, as well as what they’ve done to me. Do I mind you being here? No, I don’t know you…am I finding it difficult to find the desire to trust you? Admittedly…yes…again, by no fault of your own.”

Fluidly she moved toward the window, studying the shuttle coming toward the Anthelion before continuing, her ears shifting around to listen back at him. ”As much as I attempt to…make peace…with the idea of working with force users, I can only do so on a case by case basis. As I get to know you I will likely find myself trusting you further, but for now I can only tell you that I require a greater amount of respect from you…personal respect, that is, aa’kua as the Corellians call it. My thoughts, and those of others on board, should remain their own unless you consult me first because you believe it is a matter of security. To do otherwise is the worst kind of invasion of personal space. Also, you will not use your abilities to physically subdue or touch another person on this crew unless it’s a matter of safety for yourself or another. This also goes for mind tricks or whatever other tricks you may have up your sleeve.”

Shaking her head a bit, those ears would press against her hair, partially frustrated with the situation and partially frustrated with herself. It really wasn’t fair to him that she was so put off by anything that even mildly resembled a jedi that she felt the need to state such simple, basic, principles…but it was habit. Jedi seemed to need those reminders constantly, dark jedi she didn’t even try to give the chance to get the reminder, and greys…she simply attempted to avoid them, even if they were in the military. What in the galaxy was the brass thinking when they decided to put him under her command? Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh and turned to face him, green eyes watching him steadily once more. ”My apologies, I don’t mean to imply that you would do these things…you have a good service record, better than most…but caution and past experience has me covering my bases before something might possibly go wrong.”

[Jazen]

The brief silence that followed in the wake of his speech gave Tyros a chance to go back in time, taking the actions she had performed while he had been speaking and analyzing them. Again, even without the Force, Tyros had been able to tell that she had been listening, despite having burned a hole into her desk with her eyes during it. One of her ears had been trained his way, the other changing direction as it responded to a noise every now and then. It was interesting to see that even though she was intently focused on him(he could feel her attention in more ways than one), that she was still about to remain alert to the world around her. That was much like him, although while he used his eyes and the Force to take care of that task, she merely used the gifted perks her species was granted.

Her mind was a flurry of information at the end of his confession, like a computer sorting through a new chunk of data and sorting it appropriately. It was impressive how fast she took stock of what he had said, as that silent lull was soon broken. She finally lifted her head from the point she had been so intent on and, jade eyes glowing, gave him a smile. He knew that kind of smile; it was one that said she understood. Whether that was towards how he had felt about the situation or the understanding of an incident like that, Tyros could not say. He could have probed gently with the Force again to find out, but for the first time during this meet, he retracted from her in the Force; not completely, he was still able to feel her presence. But he wasn't able to read into her emotions anymore. Now it was her turn to talk and his turn to listen.

Hearing that the Captain of her previous vessel had also perished caught Tyros by surprise. He hadn't heard much yet about any of the others he was serving yet, minus the crew that was coming over from the Reflection. It would be a small portion of the ship's large staff, but just having people you knew and trusted around was a comforting thought. You also knew their capabilities and strengths; something that would come in handy when a situation arose. And as she said, perhaps having two crews who knew the pain of losing a commander joined together would help them unite more fluidly. He wanted to inquire about how their captain fell, especially since it would give him some insight into how her crew acted, but that could wait for now. There was more to be said.

The words concerning reports was no shocker, it was a part of his normal duties. His eyes flickered at the mention of having to admit his feelings more often; it was not something he had done for a fair amount of time. Still, if by doing so he made this partnership more effective, he decided it would be worth trying. He wasn't completely cut off from his emotions, despite what his eyes said; just reluctant to show them to the point of being almost cold and direct in his dealings. He liked being blunt; why sugar coat something for someone when it could go to their head? Best they take the hard truth there and now, rather than realize they were mislead or groomed at a later date. That usually never ended well; anger, disappointment and bitterness had been what followed in Tyros's experience. He also made another note to learn what he could about her following crew was like; they likely would provide the best insight and advice in his future dealings with Zharra. Again, the more he had, the easier it would be to work with her.

When she switched the topic to talk about Tyros's earlier words regarding her distrust of Force users, Tyros's eyes gave a noticeable flick. He had been paying attention intently before; now any slight distraction that might have broken him from that would find him unmovable as he tuned himself completely to her. This is one of the things he wanted to know without question; probably one of the most important. If they couldn't get past the fact that he could use the Force and she disliked those who could, they could never work as a true Captain and first officer. These next few moments were crucial.

”To get back to what you were saying earlier…it isn’t so much that I find issue with you as I do you’re your abilities. I have a high distrust of force users mainly because of what I’ve seen them do time and again, as well as what they’ve done to me. Do I mind you being here? No, I don’t know you…am I finding it difficult to find the desire to trust you? Admittedly…yes…again, by no fault of your own."

Tyros nodded solemnly as her words sunk into him like the claws of some great beast. She bore him no ill will, that was a good start. But no matter how impressed she was with his records or understanding of the path that brought him here, she wouldn't give him her absolute trust. At least, not until he had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could be trusted. This Tyros had to ponder greatly, one of his hands coming up to grip his chin as his mind went to work on this new development. Certainty, it would not be hard to prove his worth; but his Force abilities were something he used daily, or at least, the ability to read those around him to get an understanding of where they at. It was that skill he had neglected by mistake on the Reflection and it had lead to disaster. But that had been with someone he had known for longer, someone he had grown to trust like family. And look where that had led. He calmly remained quiet, his gray eyes following her every move as he waited to be sure she was done. She wasn't, and her voice sang once again as she gave one last set of instructions.

”As much as I attempt to…make peace…with the idea of working with force users, I can only do so on a case by case basis. As I get to know you I will likely find myself trusting you further, but for now I can only tell you that I require a greater amount of respect from you…personal respect, that is, aa’kua as the Corellians call it. My thoughts, and those of others on board, should remain their own unless you consult me first because you believe it is a matter of security. To do otherwise is the worst kind of invasion of personal space. Also, you will not use your abilities to physically subdue or touch another person on this crew unless it’s a matter of safety for yourself or another. This also goes for mind tricks or whatever other tricks you may have up your sleeve.”

Ground rules in the use of his powers; he should have expected as much. His eyes met hers as she turned to face him. It was all business when it turned to him, but it softened just a little as she offered her apologies this time. He nodded to her final words; there was nothing wrong with caution and more so when previous experiences had showed you what might happen if you didn't show that caution. He let the silence linger for a moment more, so that both of them could let her words sink in and the tension settle just a little. Finally, Tyros stood and clasped his hands behind his back as he spoke.

"Yes ma'am, I understand. I look forward to meeting those that served under you; if they were the one's who helped you pull off what is said of you, then I imagine I'll be meeting some outstanding men and women. I may not be the best person when it comes to giving my personal feelings on matters, as I tend to stick to the objective. But, if I'm to get along with you, and this crew, I can only strive to follow their example in that regard.

It's honestly a shame to hear that while you find no fault with me, your past experiences with Force-users makes you distrustful of us. I can't speak for all of them, perhaps even any other than myself, but I can say that I use my abilities only when I see the need for them. Being able to read one's emotions may help me sense a threat or situation coming, but this can be achieved just as well by watching their actions. I can't make the promise that I won't at least be aware of the crew's mental condition through the Force; I didn't notice Threndrail's change coming because I neglected doing so. But I will comply with your orders to not invade the personal thoughts of anyone aboard this ship or otherwise, unless the situation absolutely calls for it or I am given leave to.

The same applies to using it to subdue someone; unless its absolutely necessary or the solution that brings the least collateral over all else, I will refrain from using it. And do not fret about mind tricks ma'am; I for one am not one to use that to get my I need done, nor do I think anyone on this ship would be weak-minded enough to fall to them. They are, after all, your crew; I suspect that you chose some of the best to follow you onto this assignment and the best are never weak.

And please ma'am, there are no apologies needed. Were the situations reverse, myself in your place and you in mine, I would have done and said the same things. Being cautious is never a bad thing, so long as you don't go overboard in its use, which I'm well aware that you will not. I look forward to seeing you in action and that one day, you'll be able to openly say I have your full trust." Pausing, Tyros stepped to the side and made a motion with his hand to indicate the door. "Would you like a tour of your new ship, Captain Zharra? That is, if you haven't already and you wish to continue our talk while stretching our legs."

[Latus]

(Name Colors; both for my benefit and yours.

Archer
Hunter
Jennings
Sev)

Hey.... h-hey guys! Look, there she is!

Where? These shipyards are so crowded I'm surprised you can see anything in this mess.

Its the shade of the hull what gave it away. Right there, eleven o'clock, next to the Hammerhead.

*pauses* By the force... I see her, she's a beaut. That bank on the fore-quarter must be the I-cannons.

...

Well ye best get a good look 'a her, lads. We'll be sittin' pretty in 'er holds soon enough.

What was once the Seventh Squadron gazed out of the bridge view-port of the heavy-lifter craft; some more speechless than others. There were four of them, three pilots and a grease monkey, talkative Archer, silent Hunter, stoic Sev, wide-eyed Jennings; Republic soldiers all. No matter their standing, rank, or duty, they knew that they were looking at their new home.

There she sat, the Ogma-Class Frigate Anthelion. Like a gun on a rack she looked, even at rest, like she could do some damage. To the men aboard the shuttle, it grew larger by the second until the viewport was filled by the dark steel hue of the hull. The Sevens were all smiles, save Hunter who remained as passive as ever. Even the consistently serious Sev allowed himself to quirk a small smile. Amidst the dull gray of the shipyards over Kuat the Anthelion sat like a glimmering jewel, portholes viewing windows, even running lights were all lit up. As they watched another heavy lifter came into view, a small blocky vehicle exiting her ventral docking bay and moving back toward the primary structure of the planet sized ring. Their own lifter, carrying something very close to their collective heart, was next in line to enter the frigate's hangar.

Each of the four men hung on as the lifter decelerated against its own momentum until it hung still in space. The next instant it floated upward into the brightly lit hangar. Archer's breath was the most audible of them all as each peered out at the hangar in all of its glory.

"Here we are, the Anthelion. Grab your osik and get out, I gotta drop your package and scoot. I'm almost at bingo."

Thanks fer th' lift. First roond's on meh when we make port agin.

The lifter pilot smiled and shook his head at the four men who crammed themselves into his bridge and waved them away opening the egress ramp in the process. Each man, packed duffel over a shoulder, quickly made their exit, tromping out of the lifter and onto the robust catwalk that ringed the inside of the hangar bay. Nearly as one they sat their duffels down to take a better look at the interior of the hangar.

Still has that new ship smell and would you look at that; hangar mounts. We'll be right at home!

Almost as if they made her to carry a squadron of Firehawks. Each man, even Hunter, smiled at that and watched as the heavy lifter quickly hovered to one of the higher hangar slots and, with a simple shudder, deposited a tarp-covered form onto a platform that extended from the wall. For a moment all was still, the dull throb of the lifter's repulsors died away as it departed, the engine of the massive ship around them was still unlit, and each man on the catwalk breathed a little easier.

Nice...

They were home. But they weren't Sevens anymore.

Welcome tae yer new haem, foorth win'.

************

Sev's voice broke the relative silence.

Roight lads, we got things tae do. Find yer bunks and claim them. Ah know Jennings's itchin' tae get at th' Hawk an ah need tae report tae th' Captain. Meet back a' th' Hawk in 0300. Dismissed.

Without a word Archer and Hunter turned and departed, exiting the hanger through the nearest hatch. The moment they hit the halls Sev heard Archer's voice. He knew it was too good to last, and smiled. They knew where to go. Sev didn't move, neither did Jennings. Before they left Kuat the sergeant had wanted a talk with his chief mechanic.

So lad. When d'ya think she'll be...

Operational? I don't rightly know, sarge. The retrofit process has never been attempted before. If I don't do it right any number of things can go wrong even with the diagnostic droids I've requisitioned. KDY Experimental were very detailed about the refit; you can't rush art.

Sev sighed at the news. He had agreed to a new project the Kuat Experimental division had cooked up; the fitting of his Firehawk for space combat.

"Project Warhawk," they called it.

I have already added the wing extensions, installed the repulsors into the tips but those servos need to be tweaked, among other things. Hell, I don't even have the cockpit or nose adjusted or...

'Sall right, laddy. Sev smiled his kindest, giving Jennings his best look of "I understand." Ah'll pilot a Varia fer now.

I know you're anxious, Sgt. Sev. Just you wait; she'll surprise even you.

Sighing Sev took a long glance back to where the Firehawk was parked, maintenance droids already pulling off the tarpaulin. He caught a flash of the dull yellow-green and his heart skipped.

Ah'll bet she will... now, go grab yer bunk. An 'ere. Sev tossed his moderately heavy duffel to the muscular grease monkey who caught it with his free hand. Wish me luck. Sev flashed a smile and a flimsyplast folder at the Airman, nodded a smypathetic smile, and departed. Sev watched him go, smirking after the man then, with a reassuring glance at his aircraft, tromped away down the catwalk.

***********

The interior of the Anthelion was spectacular; its halls glowed like a newly formed sun under the light of thousands of energy-efficient LED lights. It took time for Sev to locate his commanding officer but as he walked he also stopped to salute superior officers, shake hands with other pilots, and dodge message droids as they skittered past. He even stopped a member of the bridge staff, a low level Petty Officer to ask directions. This took time but as he moved he learned the ship, its hallways, its special places and important features.

There was no doubt to Sev that this was a top of the line weapon; a gem in the crown of the Republic fleet.

Finally he found the room he sought. A small, out of the way room fore on the ship's center, just below the bridge. It was refreshing to see a forward thinking development team; very logical placement. The door was closed, a strong looking piece of mobile durasteel. Quickly running a hand through his scruffy brown hair he approached the door expecting to wait. To his surprise it slid open and, without thinking he stepped in, his back as straight as a rod. The moment he entered his eyes strayed left, inspecting a very ornate desk in an instant before sweeping right. His eyes found the Captain almost immediately, her lithe feline form standing before a large plastisteel viewport. Seated before her and it was another person and, from the look of the stripes on his lapel, he was of very high rank aboard the Anthelion.

Bollocks...

Hesitating then no longer his heels shot together and he popped a very sharp, very clean salute.

Sergeant Adamar Sevchenko, Fourth Wing Commander reportin', Captain.

[Rugs]

"So this is the Anthelion, eh?"

Tieres Ryal glanced up out of the narrow viewport out of the shuttle that carried him through the massive shipyards of Kuat. Over and under the gargantuan structures they went, easing ever nearer the waiting vessel. She was an Omga-class frigate, and she'd soon be Tieres' new home.

He glanced down as they neared the waiting frigate, checking over his uniform once again, as if it hadn't been clean and straight the last thousand times he'd checked. Well, surely it hadn't been that many times. Felt like it. Maybe just one more look.. He shook his head, almost laughing at himself.

At six feet even, Tieres was a man of respectable height. His eyes were a very pale, powdery blue, and his neatly-trimmed hair as white as fresh-fallen snow. His build was slender, lithely muscular, and spoke of speed as clearly as it did strength, and filled out his uniform well. His face was a just a touch younger looking than his twenty seven years might imply--not that that was old by any stretch of the word.

Today was a big day, a monumental day, even. At least to him. He'd spent his time on the Summit for the last three years. Like the Anthelion, it was a frigate, and they'd spent most of their time in the interior of the Republic, patrolling trade routes. It could be calm, nearly boring at times. And then, just like that , they could find themselves in the midst of a skirmish with some raiders, or chasing after pirates. Tieres enjoyed it. The Summit had become a home, and her crew a family.

But now he was leaving them behind. Leaving his old home for a new one. Trading that old family he'd come to love for another. Of course, they were all one big family in the Navy of the Galactic Republic, but there was a certain kinship that formed on the crews of individual ships. It was a natural thing.

The door on the side of the shuttle opened once it set down within the Anthelion's hanger and the small ramp descended, making a way off and out, onto the ship. Tieres wasn't alone--the shuttle was carrying a number of those that would be joining the Anthelion's crew--and when he hesitated near the exit, they jostled past, eager to find their stations and look about the new ship.

Tieres didn't hesitate because he was afraid. He was just... preparing himself to join this ship, join this crew. A small smile touched his lips and he bent down to pick up his bags and took the first step down. Then the second, and the third, all the way until he was standing on the floor. Well, now I'm home, I guess.

He wasted little time finding his way to his room. There wasn't any unpacking do be done, really; the few personal effects he kept with him fit into the bag he carried, and that was just set down on the bed. A few moments were spared to look the room over. It wasn't large, per se, but it was comfortable enough. It would do.

As he was turning to leave, he paused to glance at himself in the mirror. He gave his uniform a quick tug here and there to straighten it out. "You look fine, Tieres," he muttered to himself and then he made his way out.

He'd always been a stickler for making sure his dress was proper, even back on Eshan. Some things never changed.

Once he was out of his room, he made way for the Captain's office. From the report he'd read before requesting to be assinged on the Anthelion, none other than Zharra would be captain. That had brought a smile to his face. It still made for hints of one, even as he strolled through the halls. He'd served with her years ago, on the New Dawn, until an ill-fated mission. That was the point where most of the crew (her included) transferred to a second ship, the Retribution if memory served correctly. Tieres had considered it yes, but in the end, he let himself get reassigned wherever the brass saw fit to move him. And so he'd been away from Zharra, from that first crew for a while. But now he'd returned.

Perhaps then, he wasn't joining a new family so much as coming back to an old one.

Soon enough, he came to the office and stepped in. It was... a bit more packed than he expected it to be. Zharra was there, of course, as were two others, one standing, one standing and saluting.

Tieres' feet snapped together and he gave a salute of his own, and would hold it until she let him be at ease. "Petty Officer First Class Tieres Ryal, Ma'am."

Almost as if it were a part of what he was supposed to say, a thought ran through his mind.

It's good to be back.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Listening quietly, she would simply nod at him once or twice, those ears pressed back to her head still as she watched him. Yes, she’d apologized but…was the truly sorry? Not for what she’d said, but more because of the fact that it had needed to be said. She couldn’t imagine it was pleasant for him to hear things like this, but whatever he was thinking, he was keeping his expression quite neutral. Inwardly she sighed. Still a solid wall…that would have to change. She hoped he’d grow out of it almost as much as he likely hoped she would grow out of her mistrust. ”What a pair we are…” she said, her tone almost one of amusement, ”myself mistrusting, and you emotionally closed. This will take some getting used to. No…I need to stay here and wait for others who I hope…”

Well speak of the devil…one of them had just….correction, TWO of them had just arrived. As if the first hadn’t made her smirk, the sight of the second certainly did. Snapping off her own salute, she’d smile in earnest. ”At ease gentlemen. Well, well, Mr. Ryal…clean and pressed and immaculate as ever, I see. It’s good to see you again, my friend, it’s been too long. I'm sure you’ll be pleased to you’re your friend, Mr. Nevvan is back as well.” She knew very well that the lecherous zeltron had always been the class clown, and always would be…it was because of this very fact that she’d brought him up to the exceedingly well groomed Echani. Mildly she wondered if he still had the compulsion to check his uniform every minute and a half. Looking up at the chrono, she started the time, giving a mild chuckle. Turning her attention to the second man, she size him up as well. ”So you’re Sergeant Sevchenko, of the Corellian Seventh. Your mechanic spoke highly of you, and I was quite impressed with you and your men’s record of service.”

Striding forward, she’d nod once to Tyros as she passed him and stop before Tieres. Eying him for a moment, she’d smirk and give him the faintest of winks and the flick of an ear before moving to stand before Sev. Both ears perked forward as she watched him quietly, studying him at close range before moving around behind the both of them, tail undulating slightly behind her. ”Mr. Ryal, Mr. Sevchenko, I expect you have your assignment flimsies? And those of your squad…” It certainly looked like at least Adamar had his. She’d pause her movement once again as she stood before the two and dead in the middle. Giving them time to reply, she’d take what they had before continuing. ”This is Chief Petty Officer Tyros Elrune, our XO. Mr. Elrune, Tieres Ryal served under me as communications officer of the New Dawn. Sergeant Sevchenko is wing leader of our fourth wing of fighter pilots, and while I’ve not had the pleasure of working with him or his…that shall now be amended. As I’ve said before, I’ve heard very good things about their service on Corellia, as well as one of our other ships…the…Ascension, correct?”

Her own hands had come to settle behind her back as she looked, first to Sev for his reply, then gazing over at Tieres. One ear twisted back to listen for anything Tyros said or did. Following that ear, she turned her head just slightly to look back at him as well. ”Tieres here saved our skins more than once, we couldn’t do better than him at our comm.”

[Jazen]

"It certaintly will" Tyros thought to himself. They would be an odd pairing, a captain that liked to know what her comrades were feeling, paired with someone who for the most part kept his feelings and thoughts to himself, the latter only being said when he felt those thoughts needed to be said. On top of that, she distrusted force users, like himself, which would be another hurdle they would have to overcome. This assignment was already turning out to be a tough one; still, the first gap had been crossed and with any luck, the others would soon follow.

"Very well; surely a chance to explore the ship in detail will come later. Perhaps then I will have had the chance to explore the ship myself first, so that I can at least give you a proper tour instead of one spur of the moment tour where I'll be learning just as much as you are."

A weak attempt at humor, Tyros knew, but he was again new to this "lighter" mood he had to begin showing. Time would hopefully fix that, at least a little. And as if almost on cue to her words, the door hissed open, prompting Tyros to turn to it, force senses twisted to focus on that area. Yes, he had promised her he would try to keep his little force fingers to himself as much as could be allowed, but breaking habit was never an easy thing to do. And he had a habit of seeing with both his physical and non-physical senses at the same, reacting with the Force almost as quickly as he himself reacted. That, and feeling out something with the Force yielded other results.

To his surprise, not one but two men entered the room, one in short order after the other. The first through the door was a man about Tyros's height and stature, and like Tyros he was quick to position himself into a military salute once he saw both Zharra and himself standing there. A quick wash of embarrasment came back to Tyros, even if his face did not show it, of how he had not looked for the Captain before saluting. Well, chock that one to "things I will know for next time". As the Force touched the man, Tyros's eyes narrowed for only a moment as he took in how the man felt, singling out what emotions he could. Surprise was there, a little astonishment....and a lingering feeling of happiness. Someone was glad to be here. But there was something else.....something that for the moment, Tyros could not put his finger on. The man felt....familiar to him; not in the typical sense of "oh, I remember this guy" but the "oh, I remember this feeling." Tyros made a note to look into this later as the second man entered in Sev's wake.

The second man through the door was no less impressive than Sev; quick to stance and salute, just like Sev. From first glance, this Tieres appeared to belong to the Eshani, as he knew of no other race with white hair like that(save Mirlukas, but he's got eyes so) and he was most certaintly not an old man either. Tyros raised an eyebrow as he looked the man over, noticing that his uniform appeared to be pressed to the utmost limits that it could withstand. Apparently, this Tieres took his dress about as serious as Tyros did. Well, that was something they could find a connection on. What baffled Tyros about Tieres, however, was that when he reached out to him in the Force, he found nothing where Tieres was standing. Well, not nothing, there was an indication of life....but he could not get a read on the man in the slightest. Confusion let Tyros's eyes as he pondered how this was possible, something that he would most assurely look into later.

Tyros waited for Zharra to finish addressing the men before he made his introductions, the small lisp of a smile forming when she addressed Tieres attention to his attire. Giving her a small nod when she was done, he moved to stand before both men, giving them a quick return salute before extending his hand to each of them for a handshake. As each one in turn shook his hand, Tyros would address them quickly before taking several steps back from them to allow the men access into the room so that they could all speak without having to raise their voices.

"Sergeant, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard good things about the Seventh, and I believe your name came up once or twice. It'll be an honor to serve with you; I look forward to seeing you in action. You and the rest of your boys, if I heard correctly regarding how many of the Seventh were joining us.

And the same greeting goes to you, Mr Ryal. I can't say I've heard as much as I've heard about you as I have the Seventh, but if you served under Captain Zharra before, I'm sure you'll be a great assest to this crew. And if your dress says anything about your attention to detail, then we have the best comm man in the navy. You may give me a run for my money if we have have a "who has the least wrinkles in their clothes" contest. Though I do believe you missed a spot."

Turning back to Zharra, Tyros gave her a nod before continuing. "Aye ma'am, I hope to see him live up to that reputation. Him and Mr Sevchenko. If the rest of the crew is half as impressive as this two are made out to be, then we'll be the scourge the enemy."

[Latus]

There was a small jolt of surprise as Sev realized he was no longer alone in his saluting of his new captain. In the depths of his peripherals he saw another. The person was thin, lithe, just as tall, perhaps a little less than he. From what he could see he identified the newcomer as male but until the captain said anything Sev continued to stand at attention, ready to be the Sergeant he had to be. His attention refocussed to the pair before him, both looking his way. This Captain, supposedly named "Zharra" according to Jennings, was quite easy on the eyes but Sev didn't allow any feelings of that nature to peek through. Then there was the other man, a tall, fit looking man with shaggy hair (he wondered how an officer got away with that) with dark eyes. For a moment Sev had a hard time looking away from him...

”At ease gentlemen. Well, well, Mr. Ryal…clean and pressed and immaculate as ever, I see.

Sev slid smoothly to his at-ease stance, hands behind his back, feet spaced apart. Finally he was able to glance back at the man. His name, Ryal... nope, didn't know the man from a stranger. The captain did, however, and Sev didn't mind the attention drawn away from him. He felt both underdressed and overwhelmed by the trio of officers before him and the desire to return to his wing welled inside his chest.

”So you’re Sergeant Sevchenko, of the Corellian Seventh. Your mechanic spoke highly of you, and I was quite impressed with you and your men’s record of service.”.

Sev's reply was short, forceful.

Yes ma'am. Thank ye, ma'am.

He had no sooner spoke than the Captain moved. She nodded gently to her second, the XO, before continuing foreword to stand before Ryal. He noted the barest hint of a wink, maybe a smile before the face of the farghul was suddenly in his. Her hazel eyes were powerful, commanding but also softer than he had seen in many a commander. Sad to say, at one time or another he had seen all their faces up close. She seemed to size him up in that moment; Se didn't move a muscle. His eye-color didn't change, not an inch of his skin moved. Even his chest seemed to stay perfectly still through his superb use of controlled breathing.

"Mr. Ryal, Mr. Sevchenko, I expect you have your assignment flimsies? And those of your squad…” Zharra stepped back and Sev moved almost as if on instinct; answer your superiors quickly and without delay.

Ma'am.

In an instant Sev's arm extended, holding the folder. A moment later she gently took it from him and the sergeant's arm swung to its position behind him once more. He waited for Ryal to do the same.

"This is Chief Petty Officer Tyros Elrune, our XO. The XO... he was more under-dressed than he though. At least he knew the mans' name now. Mr. Elrune, Tieres Ryal served under me as communications officer of the New Dawn. Sergeant Sevchenko is wing leader of our fourth wing of fighter pilots, and while I’ve not had the pleasure of working with him or his…that shall now be amended. As I’ve said before, I’ve heard very good things about their service on Corellia, as well as one of our other ships…the…Ascension, correct?”

Sev might have felt a sense of accomplishment when the Captain announced not only his duty and rank but also what she had heard about him but instead it envoked as sense of painful nostalgia. Yes he was the Sergeant of the Fourth wing, once been a Seven... but now there were only a handful of them left; even fewer Hawks.

Yes ma'am. Five years as Sergeant in the Corellian Planetary Guard, two years flying Varias and Venoms out of the Ascension under Commander Crassus Vossk, ma'am.

Again his voice was quick, sharp, to the point. If he wanted to say something else to the Captain, to any of them he would most certainly ask permission. As she spoke of Mr. Ryal's previous stints within her command Sev only nodded at points that needed to be nodded at. A moment later, the XO formally introduced himself, Sev shaking the hand that was offered.

"Sergeant, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard good things about the Seventh, and I believe your name came up once or twice. It'll be an honor to serve with you; I look forward to seeing you in action. You and the rest of your boys, if I heard correctly regarding how many of the Seventh were joining us."


Yes sir, thank you sir.

As the man moved both the topic of his conversation on to Mr. Ryal, the comm officer, and then to the state of the crew Sev allowed himself to breath a little easier. These officers were more interesting than others he had served under. Commander Vossk was a character but these three seemed very laid back. He was sure that the casual attitude was situational at best; they reminded him a little of Captain Xavier. He allowed himself to sneak a quick smile at the final comment of XO Elrune.

So there he stood, in the shadow of several glowing officers. In this case he was incredibly at ease. He could tell this was going to be an interesting deployment.

[Rugs]

Tieres relaxed when Zharra gave them permission to be at ease, still standing straight, but comfortably so and glancing at the other two for a moment before he heard the Captain's next words.

"Well, well, Mr. Ryal…clean and pressed and immaculate as ever, I see. It’s good to see you again, my friend, it’s been too long. I'm sure you’ll be pleased to hear your friend, Mr. Nevvan is back as well.”

Tieres chuckled at the thought of that Zeltron. He'd been as lecherous as anyone he could ever remember meeting, and a bit of a goof to boot. "It's good to be back, Ma'am," said he with a slight nod and a smile. "And if Nevvan's still hanging around, I'm sure there will be stories aplenty by the end of our first week." Or their first day, if the Zeltron had kept his edge. I'll have to find him before we leave dock, Tieres mulled as Zharra turned her attention to the other new arrival. See how many rumps he's tried to grab since he's been on board. He couldn't hide the smile.

He was aware of movement and looked up to see the Captain passing by Tyros and moving toward him. Out of habit, he made a quick glance down at his coat, giving a brief tug to straighten it as he himself stood a just a hair taller as she paused in front of him. He met her gaze easily, with a respectful familiarity and allowed the faintest hint of a smile to show at her wink before she moved on.

There was no doubt that Tieres respected her, but she was a friend; they'd served together, and that made for an easy air between them. It was a natural thing when you spent months, if not years, working day in and day out with the same people on board the same ship toward the same goal. Well, it was natural for Tieres anyway. There were the stiffs, of course. As he glanced toward the sergeant, Sev, whose replies were about as short as Tieres could imagine one making them, and then to Tyros, who as of yet had not spoken a word, Tieres found himself wondering if they might prove to be those stiffs, or if they were just being formal for the meeting of a new captain, who'd they'd never seen before. Not that Tieres had anything against formality; he might have been the most relaxed of the three (as far as he could tell), but he still knew where he was and what was expected. Still, time would tell with the other two.

"Mr. Ryal, Mr. Sevchenko, I expect you have your assignment flimsies?"

Tieres nodded once and reached into the one of the two large-ish front pockets on the bottom of his coat. "Yes Ma'am." The flimsy was inside, folded longways. He removed it and unfolded it, holding it out to her once she'd taken Sev's. Once she had it, he returned to standing the way he was, waiting for her to speak once more.

She introduced the other two formally: Sev was a pilot, leader of one of the fighter wings, and Tyros would be the Anthelion's XO. Tieres wasn't familiar with either one of them, but he knew he'd come to know them well enough in the coming months.

Tyros stood then, to introduce himself first to Sev, and then to Tieres.

And the same greeting goes to you, Mr Ryal. I can't say I've heard as much as I've heard about you as I have the Seventh, but if you served under Captain Zharra before, I'm sure you'll be a great asset to this crew. And if your dress says anything about your attention to detail, then we have the best comm man in the navy. You may give me a run for my money if we have a "who has the least wrinkles in their clothes" contest. Though I do believe you missed a spot."

"Not likely," Tieres answered with a slight grin. He glanced over to Zharra for a moment, letting the smile grow a bit. "But I only ironed this uniform fifty times, so I suppose it's possible." He laughed and extended a hand to Tyros. "But it's a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you. Oh, and just 'Tieres' will do when we're not on duty, if you don't mind. I understand the need for formality and the like, but trust me, I'm not going to have a stroke if you call me by my first name when we're in an informal setting."

He turned to Sev then, extending a hand to him as he had to Tyros. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Sergeant. Unfortunately, I've not had the pleasure of hearing of you and your squad, but they only let the best fly for Corellia from what I've heard. I'm looking forward to seeing you and your wing tear some things up."

With that done, he turned to face the captain once more. "And Captain, you flatter me... Were it not for some quick thinking from you, and everyone else on the Dawn, I doubt we'd have made it out of half the trouble we got into. But this is quite the crew we've got here, if I may say so." He nodded once, as if in approval and let the corner of his mouth turn up in the hint of an almost boyish grin. "To go with quite the ship. I don't suppose we could stick someone in a spacesuit with a bottle of wine to christen her, eh? A shame, that."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Oh, the amusement bubbling out of her must have been quite a change for Tyros when it came to his first impressions of Zha. Tieres’ reply about Mr. Keff Nevvan had her on the edge of laughter though she hid it behind that impish smirk of hers as she studied the men before her. Oh you have NO idea, Tieres…none at all, she mused. Well…maybe just a small one. As Tieres moved to check his uniform she noticeably looked up at the chrono again. ”Right on time…” she mused quietly, teasing him. Tieres would know exactly what she was talking about, and that’s what mattered. Poor OCD Tieres, just like clockwork…ah, this station was going to be better than she’d thought, even with Tyros being a force user. Taking the offered paperwork, she paused at the Sergeant’s very…"enthusiastic"…reply.

Those ears perked forward (if possible) even more as one eyebrow raised and that tail switched back and forth behind her. The look only lasted for a split second and she was back to business, taking the folder he offered her before taking Tieres’ as well. The more she spoke to them the more she could all but feel the tension around the poor Sergeant, especially when they faced each other down. He was steady enough, but the fact that he barely seemed to breath had her sighing inwardly. No doubt feeling as a lamb in a den of wolves. Blunt was good, but this was just a bit silly. Well, she’d let him absorb the dynamic for a moment before correcting him…and so she’d continued. While Tyros introduced himself she moved briskly around the desk, each step lively and light. It was natural for her by this point, especially when she was in a good mood. Perhaps it was the dancer in her, or the thief and good natured Farghul, but whatever the case she just couldn’t seem to help it. ”Only fifty times, Tieres? Either you’re losing your touch or I’ve lost your respect. I’ll have to drag you down to the sparring ring to beat some sense into you and earn it back.” The smirk was evident in her voice, even if it didn’t quite show on those glistening, and fur covered, features.

That prehensile tail curled around the drawer handle once more, pulling it out even as she checked the paperwork and signatures on each. She’d partially disappear behind the desk as she filed away the folders. ”As you were men, make yourselves comfortable, no point in being stuffy now that I have your paperwork…oh, and Sergeant, please do relax,” She’d look up with a quirky grin, her ears twisting about to face them again. ”I would hate for you to have an aneurysm in my office before we even leave port.” Standing, she’d chuckle and motion to the chair in front of the desk, as well as the one near the wall and the short couch so they could sit if they liked. ”How would that reflect on me? I can hear the admiralty now: ‘did you hear that one of Zharra’s sergeants had an aneurysm in her office BEFORE the Anthelion ever left the KDY? I told you that woman terrorizes her men!’ And they’d be right, wouldn’t they Tieres? A month of potato duty for putting rocks in the food warmer. But! You’re in luck, we don’t bite…well, I can’t promise about Mr. Elrune but Tieres and I only bite upon request.”

Amazing just how swiftly the captain could come out of her little shell in the presence of just one friend. With her gentle (yes, to her this was gentle) teasing of the sergeant out of the way, in hoped of getting him to relax a bit, she turned her attention back to Tieres, and what he’d said previously. While still in quite high spirits, she was quite a bit less outwardly mirthful, letting her impish grin fade back into an easygoing smile as she lifted a small, rather plain looking, dagger from one of the boxes on the floor with exceeding care and moved back over to the display case and unlocking it. ”I give credit where it’s due, Tieres, you know that…but you’re right, we do have quite the crew. We’ll need it…you know me, anything less than ‘quite the crew’ would be foolish.” Placing that extraordinarily ordinary dagger in the display case, she’d close it once more, turning back and (this time) bringing the whole box with her, settling it carefully down on the floor near the wall the case was attached to. ”And, while we may not have someone go out to break a bottle of wine on the hull, we will have the man who designed the Ogma line here to do some such thing at the airlock to the docking collar for the maiden voyage. That’s what I'm hearing from the brass, anyway.”

Leaning down, she brought out a hard, black, case about as long as her entire arm and with the distinctive shape of an instrument. This she set on the short table nearest the couch before looking to Sev. ”Now, Sergeant, I have a few questions for you, and I want…and would appreciate…you being as candid as possible. First, your last name is almost excruciatingly long…and I mean that in the kindest of ways, believe me I don’t seek to offend, but I wish to be blunt. Is there something else I might call you besides Sergeant? It’s nearly as bad and won’t do in a pinch.

Secondly, your wingmen…do they require any particular fighter craft? I only have twelve of you fighter pilots, and would very much like you all to keep your lives. While I can replace your craft, I cannot replace you. So, it stands to reason that if you or one of your men are more comfortable flying a different type of craft than we have, I need to know so I can have what you require.

Thirdly, I would like your honest opinions of your men and their capabilities. While I can read all I like about them, I feel more comfortable having an honest opinion from their commander. As a side note to that, I’ll be heading down to the fighter bay to inspect it either later today or tomorrow, and would like to meet them, get a feel for them myself. I trust you can keep them from all vanishing planetside in that time? And before you ask, I don’t have a set time, nor will I. Call it a quirk, but I like to try to catch my men off guard for the simple fact of seeing what they’re up to at any given time. Be glad I'm giving you this much warning.”

[Jazen]

After shaking both of the their hands, Tyros had folded back to allow them to speak their minds and to let Zharra continue her inspection of them. While her reaction to Sev had been as much as expected when meeting a new being earlier, her reaction to Tieres caught his attention. Obviously, the two knew each other well, that thought reinforced when she officially said it with words that they had worked together on another assignment. Oddly enough, she looked to the clock for a moment before she continued speaking to them, a move not unnoticed by Tyros. He was wondering what reason she had looked to the clock for when he noted Tieres looking over himself. Oh, so he does take his dress that seriously. I thought she had been joking....maybe she was doing both.

As the direction of the meeting turned towards the newest arrivals, Tyros took this chance to go into his "study" mode, so to speak. He would speak only when he was spoken too, or something came up that merited a reply from him. Otherwise, Tyros's would become as silent as night as both his physical and spiritual senses tuned themselves to drinking in every detail about the men as possible. And of course, they would continue to observe his Captain as well. And by far, the first thing he noticed about Zha was that she was much more lively with the appearance of Tieres. He didn't need the Force to tell him that; she was almost beaming with her body language. Her ears were perked forward, her tail doing donuts in the air just above the floor, her smile from ear to ear across her feline features. The two of them must have shared some good times together; it was the only logical explanation for her new demeanor. Or maybe this was just her normal way of acting and earlier had been her business face. Something to be aware of for sure.

The first of the two men to be targeted by Tyros's observations was Sev. The Sergeant was straight to the point with his words, his responses short and sharp. As unbelievable as it might seem, the Sergeant was proving to be a greater stiff so far than Tyros himself had been. At least his responses had been much longer while no less serious. His body posture was as solid as a rock; if he was unnerved by Zharra being almost in his face, it didn't show. Of course, most of her words to him had been items he could easily answer; she surely had more that she would ask of him that would require more than a three word response. And that's just what he figured from her earlier interrogation of himself. His strict following of protocol told Tyros a few things about him; things that made him respect the man for his sticking to the rules. But, as he'd noticed with Zharra's unique approach to matters, that might turn out to be a problem later. Something he and Tyros shared. Maybe he's just got first day jitters, like I seem to be having. Further observation of him, perhaps when he's with his fellows or not surrounded by three of the ship's top officers, might yield a better understanding of his true aspect.

And while his eyes and ears were watching and listening to the physical world, Tyros was also observing Sev with the Force, once again using the mystical power to try and get an understanding of the man on another level. When he had first entered the room, he had felt like he was out of place, being the lone "grunt" among three officers, even though he was the commander of one of the ship's fighter wings, which made him an officer in its own right. He sensed a hint of pain when she mentioned a previous assignment of his, back from his time on Corellia. Old wounds, perhaps, events that caused him grief and still continued to do so today. Tyros could relate, even if he now had a mute stance on the matters of his past. When Zharra finally moved onto Tieres, Tyros was sure he felt the commander relax and even as his eyes turned to observe his next target, he swore he caught a smile forming on the man's face. And with that, he was completely relaxed in the Force. Interesting.

Now was the time to look at the other arrival, Mr Tieres Ryal. Compared to the stiff sergeant and Tyros's own dulled nature, Tieres was the bright light between them. In fact, if Tyros had to guess, Tieres was most likely the closest in nature to Zharra, meaning that by watching him as well Tyros would get a better understanding of his new captain. This was no substitute for actually observing Zharra herself, but it had its benefits. Such as how they interacted with each other, old friends seeing each other after a long time and happily remembering the times that made their hearts soar. The talk about another one of their old buddies also hammered home that Tyros was going to be the odd one out of what was most likely a tightly knit crew; hopefully in time he would manage to wiggle his way into that knit. As he had already noted when the Captain approached him after looking at the clock a minute and a half ago, the man was very fussy about his appearance. That point was enforced when he admitted to ironing his uniform fifty times before coming here; of course, the man was probably joking but the implication stuck and Tyros allowed himself to smile slightly at the mental image.

When Tieres asked that he be referred to as such when they were off duty, Tyros had only given a short nod; it was certain now that in many aspects so far, Tieres and Sev were opposites of one another. But both men shared a common ground with Tyros in one form or another, ground Tyros hoped would allow for a strong bridge to be built between them. You can't be expected to be a good commander if you don't trust your men or they don't trust you. Finally, the comment about christening the ship had Tyros suddenly finding interest in one of Zharra's star charts to hide the amusement that shuddered briefly though his eyes. He did have a kind of image he wanted to keep up to them until he got better acquainted with them. Like Sev, Tyros had tried to read Tieres with the Force as he watched the man's physical reactions but once again, found himself unable too. Something was blocking him, something Tieres was doing. Questions for another time he knew; if he tried to ask them now, he would already be putting that gap between him and the others again. And he didn't want another lecture, as well meaning as it had been, from Zharra so soon.

Speaking of the captain, he had been observing her as well, taking this chance to see how she interacted with others. Her tone, in general(and when she wasn't baring her claws at poor wording), was upbeat and soft. Threndrail's voice had always been hard with an underlying tone of understanding; her tone that was as gentle as it was caring, along with the humor that tagged along with it was new to him. When she broke into a random rant about Sev having an aneurysm from being so uptight, Tyros's eyebrows raised noticeably as he sudden outburst caught him off guard. Her following comment finally prompted Tyros to break his silence observation.

"I promise you I will not be doing any biting. Unless, of course, all other options have been nullified. Then you might want to start running."

And with that, Tyros went back to his silence as Zharra went about moving a rather normal looking dagger into her display case. From her words, a small feeling of remembrance he felt in the Force and how she placed such a normal looking item into a case of rare items from various worlds, Tyros could only suspect that the events surrounding the dagger had great significance. Something that he could learn about later, if she was ever willing enough to tell him about it. And at the mention of the designer of the ship seeing her off, Tyros almost let out a low whistle. Now that was something out of the ordinary; maybe it was a sign of good things to come. Or a very bad omen.

As Zharra began her probing of Sev, Tyros pulled out a small datapad he had on him, pulling up the files that he could regarding the matters she was speaking of. The first was merely a request to be less formal and a shorter name which to call him by. He had to agree; Sevchenko was a mouthful and in a hot spot, the faster one could call upon another sometimes made all the difference. Of course, Tyros would most likely call him Mr. Sevchenko or Mr. whatever name he would choose to be addressed by. He was stubborn like that. The same applied to Tieres, although when he was in Zharra's presence and she asked for it, Tieres and....Sev perhaps, would suffice. The second was about acquiring the craft Sev and his men preferred; Tyros was ready for whatever Sev requested and the minute he got the nod from the Captain, he would put that order in. Finally, she asked Sev, like she had asked him, about his personal feelings on his men. Files appeared on Tyros's datapad indicating the said men in question; Archer, Jennings and Hunter, but he turned his senses towards Sev in that moment, waiting to here his thoughts as he again chose this moment to chip in.

"When you make that trip, may I request that I join you? I'd like to see these men in action myself, especially since they come highly recommended along with Sergeant Sevchenko here. If I may say so, I believe we have something in common there Captain; we both like to know our comrades in greater detail than simple reports." He quickly apologized if he spoke out of turn, then nodded to Sev as he waited to here the man's responses.

[Latus]

And so the banter continued, the captain speaking not in tones that were "fitting" of her station but in a much more casual manner. Tieres Ryal and Tyros Elune were acting very loose themselves, speaking freely and frankly between the three of them as a brief meet became a conversation. Sev wasn't sure what to think but remained in his stance but breathing quite a bit easier due to the previous order by the captain. His lips curled to smile at the concept of Mr. Ryal ironing his uniform fifty times... now here was a man who aimed to impress.

Thus it came as no surprise to Sev as his arm extended in a greeting, one which Sev gladly took, shaking it firmly and confidently. His comment about his flying for Corellia brought the same polite smile to his lips, eyes shooting a streak of green through them at the compliment.

Thank you, sir. It will be good to fly again.

The captain's voice caught Sev's attention as his arm slipped behind him once more also getting a poke in at the pressed and starched uniform of Mr. Ryal. Her voice became lighter, bringing the mood along for the ride and he could almost feel a comforting swell in the collective mood. As Xavier said, "The rank are at the pleasure of the brass. They say jump, you say how high."

”As you were men, make yourselves comfortable, no point in being stuffy now that I have your paperwork…oh, and Sergeant, please do relax, I would hate for you to have an aneurysm in my office before we even leave port.”

Sev found Captain Zharra's chuckle to be incredibly refreshing and he found himself returning the smile in earnest. However he did not sit, merely dropped the tension in his shoulders and loosened his stance. In the presence of a superior officer he preferred to remain standing.

”How would that reflect on me? I can hear the admiralty now: ‘did you hear that one of Zharra’s sergeants had an aneurism in her office BEFORE the Anthelion ever left the KDY? I told you that woman terrorizes her men!’ And they’d be right, wouldn’t they Tieres? A month of potato duty for putting rocks in the food warmer. But! You’re in luck, we don’t bite…well, I can’t promise about Mr. Elrune but Tieres and I only bite upon request.”

Sev repressed a stupid urge to ask a stupid question and, instead, gave a sincere chuckle. What a change; the captain had a sense of humor. The smile was a change, too, one filled with razor teeth but still capable of a truly mirthful and honestly beautiful smile. Sev caught himself in his thoughts and silently scoffed at himself. He was sure such a thing would not be a problem in the line of duty.

The captain spoke again but this time she moved, targeting Ryal and Elune with her comments. As he stood he allowed himself to be drawn in by the moment pulling the thoughts into his permanent memory so he could remember this meeting for the rest of his life. The simple congregation was truly something to behold... also a court marshal waiting to happen. Sev didn't let the smile from that one shine though. Soon the Captain had finished her task, placing a dagger into what looked to be a fine, custom made display case and withdrawing something. The brief banter about the bottle of wine to the hull and she was finished, the box placed upon the couch beside her.

”Now, Sergeant,Sev's attention was immediately back to her, his back straight as a rod. I have a few questions for you, and I want…and would appreciate…you being as candid as possible.

Sev had no more chance to respond before she carried on. What flowed forth from her lips was a slew of questions regarding himself and his squad. He was, again, honestly but pleasantly surprised by her unique ways; the level of concern she expressed, wanting to know him better as well as the rest of the wing was something that petty officers were responsible for, lieutenants. Not captains. He listened in silence taking in everything she had to say and cataloging each question so that, by the time she ended, he was ready to speak, even after Tyros' comment regarding an inspection.

Aye ma'am. No problem a' all. Ah go by Sev, ma'am. Th' lads though' it worked back on Corellia an et stuck.

He paused a moment before speaking again. Sadly he would have to do the last two questions out of order... the Seventh's personalities reflected the craft they flew.

Mah lads are vere skilled, ma'am. We've all, 'cept fer Jennings, been taegether since th' old days. Th' Sevens ah mean. We started off as five strong; two died.

Airman Vinze Archer's talkative, won't shut up. Makes ye wanna dump im in th' hold fer a month, sometimes. Ah'll say this tho, 'e knows 'is way aroond th' Varia fight'r. E's no th' best pilot oot there bu' ah'd 'ave no one else on mah wing then we're strafin' ground targets, ma'am. E's got jet fuel fer blood liek true Corellians.. mebeh tha's why 'e can't stop talkin'.

Sergeant Will Hunter, ma'am; ah've nev'r seen eh bett'r Venom pilo' in me life. E's Echani, ma'am, an ye know how they read folk through finghtin'? E' does et through flying. Silen' as a bloody Gurlanin most o' th' time though. Arch'r an he complement each oth'r vere well, ma'am.

Jennings... well e's our grease monkey. Can talk fer hours aboot thrust vectorin' an' understands a fighter enough tae take it apart an' increase thrust by ten percent. E's no flyer but no better craft mechanic ah've seen.

As fer ships ah've seen th' compliment o' Varias already aboard. Archer an' ah' can fly those. Ah know Hunter would prefer eh Venom if'n ye could ma'am.

Sev took a deep breath and looked back at his captain; he'd purposely not mentioned the Hawk... until now.

There is somethin' else, ma'am. If ye'll look a' th' flimsys there ye'll see a report from th' KDY Experimental lads. Th' reason we controlled th' air ov'r Corellia wasn't just due to skill. Et was due to an aircraft known as th' Firehawk. Ah requested mine tae be transferred aboard an someone approved et, serial 8fd-031. She's like nothin' ye've ev'r seen, ma'am. However... she's still torn apart an Jennings is puttin' er back taegether; modifications from Kuat. That'll take time. Ah can fly a Varia... an ah'll do so wit' yer permission, ma'am.

Sev's back went stiff again as he hoped Zha wouldn't have thought his monologue unnecessary. The flimsy file still sat on her desk and he glanced at it knowingly. He then realized he had forgotten something.

Ah'll let th' lads know, ma'am. They'll be ready fer ye even when they dinnae expect et. Taking a breath he turned to Tyros and nodded. Ah'd like tha' sir. Th' lads dinnae get aroond much an their social circle es... pretty small. Most o' it involved social drinkin'.

He allowed himself a small smile at that. True enough that he rarely saw his wing off duty but, then again, it was even rarer to find them off duty. Nodding curtly he awaited responded from the other three in attendance, hoping that he had not overstayed his speaking.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Adjusting her coat, clawed hands would smooth the front of it over as Tyros asked to accompany her. A slight chuckle was his only reply at first as she took a heartbeat to mull the possibilities over in her head. Shrugging slightly, she gave a slight flick of her tail before locking the display case and moving back toward her desk, taking a seat once more. ”That depends on several factors, Mr. Elrune, mainly paperwork related…but, over all I don’t see any problems with it. It will simply make catching them off guard that much more difficult. Though I doubt there will be much more action than unpacking and gawking at their new home to catch them at.” Amused by the thought of a wing of men gawking at a ship seemed to amuse her to no end, those hazel eyes narrowing slightly with her smile and quiet chuckle as she allowed the Sergeant to reply.

His reply, this shortened name ‘Sev’, was lightly and swiftly tapped into his file and saved. There would be no further questions regarding that sort of thing. With that done, she proceeded with the same treatment she had given Tyros…she adopted a straight posture that she (somehow) managed to make look comfortable, hands rested atop the desk (clasped lightly), eyes focused on some invisible point near the edge of the desk top and dancing lightly as her mind worked behind them. Those ears had swiveled completely forward, only twitching should some other sound be caught in the distance, and the tip of her tail just barely moving.

She was certain to make a mental note about this Airman Archer and his vociferous ways. It was something she may have to keep a closer eye on, but at least he wouldn’t need any accommodations since he knew the Varias well enough. There was, however, a subtle raising of an eyebrow at one of his men being Echani. That raised eyebrow was swiftly followed by a quiet chuckle. ”Oh yes, Sergeant, I know all too well how Echani do that.” It was another light ribbing of Tieres. She’d have to ask him about the scars she’d given him later. Well, if Sgt. Hunter was as good at flying as he no doubt was at fighting (or better), she was glad he wasn’t an enemy pilot. Sev hadn’t even needed to request the Venom by the time he did, Zha had already pulled her eyes away from the desk to look over at Tyros. Once she was certain she’d have his attention, she’d nod slightly…after all, she hadn’t missed the fact that he’d pulled out his datapad and sat ready enough to put in the request. When Sev finally got around to actually asking for the Venom her eyes were fixed back on the desk. As he paused, she’d look up at him and lift an eyebrow, wondering just why he seemed to have something else to say.

As he continued on, she nodded slightly. ”Yes, I'm aware of the Firehawk, Sergeant. I was the one who approved it. The KDY has already contacted me with the details as well, and the remaining necessary parts are going to be brought up for Mr. Jennings sometime in the next few days. Please inform Mr. Hunter that he shall have his Venom as well.” Unlacing her fingers, one would tap lightly on the top of her desk for a moment as she looked back at the screen of the computer. After a moment she’d look back at Sev. ”I believe you’ll do well on this ship, Sergeant, a bit wound up, perhaps, but that’s to be expected when getting used to a new commander and new ranking officers. Thank you for coming out of your shell a bit…you’ve told me everything I need to know for now. So, with that said a few more items of business and I’ll let you get back to your men.”

Perhaps it would have been closer to the truth if she’d said ‘you’ve shown me everything I needed to see for now’ but that wasn’t for him, or the others, to do more than guess at. Oh yes, she’d caught the smiles and the chuckle from earlier and with his reply, Sev had passed her first test with flying colors (pun not intended). As far as she was concerned, you could tell a lot about a man by how he acted, especially around his commanding officers and around his friends, since the two were often completely separate circles for the enlisted ranks. While Sev certainly wasn’t outgoing, he at least had a decent balance of duty and personality (even if the latter was locked up tight) and he seemed to be a well grounded sort…any misgivings she might have had about the man upon his entry and rigid stance leading to possible problems should she need to speak to him openly had practically vanished. Practically…there was always a chance.

”You will be receiving a comprehensive list of expectations and duties for yourself and your men, as well as typical shift hours and rest days within the next 24 standard hours. However, to give you an idea of some of these, I’ll give you a short run down: I like my ships tidy, you and the other wings will be expected to keep your designated areas of Anthelion as pristine as possible. Alcohol is not permitted; this should be understood as something from typical military standards, but I don’t simply mean while on duty, I mean ever. Alcohol is not welcome aboard this ship, so if you or your men wish to drink, please do so off the Anthelion. Needless to say that, as a frigate, we may see combat at any time, hence this policy. You and your men will also be required to spend a specific amount of hours per month in the flight simulators, just like all the other pilots; however, since I understand that you and your men double as ground combat troops, I shall also require a certain amount of time for combat training as well…be it at the range or in the sparring rooms.”

Pausing a moment, one ear followed the footsteps that came, and left, the hall close by. ”That’s all I can think of at this particular moment, as I said, you’ll be receiving a comprehensive list at a later time. Now, Mr. Elrune, you owe me paperwork. I expect it in my hand in the next fifteen minutes, then put that order through to the KDY for Sgt. Hunter’s Venom. Mr. Ryal, see if you can’t get hold of the other wing leaders for me and get them up here, as well as the new secondary pilot for Anthelion and the two from Reflection of Dawn (other than Mr. Elrune, obviously), I know everyone else on the bridge crew.” Standing, she was about to dismiss them all when one ear twitched toward the door, followed swiftly by her gaze. Not but a moment later a courier from the KDY stepped into the room. Beckoning him over with a hand, she was handed a small, paper, envelope. ”One moment gentlemen…”

With a swift motion, she’d felt the envelope over before opening it and unfolding another sheet of paper. It only took her a moment to read it over, her brow furrowing slightly before she looked up at the courier. ”Wait outside please, I’ll be with you in a moment.” Nodding, the young man stepped outside, letting the doors shut behind him as Zha folded the paper again and slipped it back into the envelope. ”Unless you have further questions for me gentlemen, this applies to you as well Sergeant, then you’re dismissed.”

[Jazen]

Tyros was as silent as a mouse as Sev started the long task of answering Zharra's questions, his eyes keyed to the two of them and to the pad in his hands. Again, despite being told not to, Tyros reached out his influence in the Force, letting it touch to Sev and to Zharra in turn, listening not only to the words they spoke but to the feelings that they felt as they spoke those words. Tyros still felt this was one of the better ways to get to know someone; it could separate truth from lies, find hidden sorrow behind a cheery disposition, sense if someone had more to say than they were expressing. But he said nothing about either of them during this time. Or rather, since he did not feel anything in particular worth noting, he kept his mouth shut. It would take time for him to adjust to not using the Force to probe others and the Captain didn't need to know that he probably would be unable to do that right away, nor that he was still doing it right now.

Putting that thought aside, he focused on the two of them physically, with his normal senses. He gave a quick nod to Zharra when she responded to his request to join her on her visit to the hangars, a quick acknowledgment of the matter and her answer. As she mentioned them doing nothing more than standing around for the first few days, Tyros quickly made a note on his datapad to have some combat drills prepared for the next day; it would be a good chance to see them in action before they really shipped out, he thought. With that done, he watched them both keenly as the interview process continued. Zharra was in the same position she had been in when interviewing him; hands atop her desk and clasped lightly, her eyes focused on some invisible entity that only she could see at the desk end. Her ears were perked towards Sev to focus on what he said, but every now and then, they twisted to sounds from other places. Tyros confirmed this by making a small grunt just before Sev started to speak, as if clearing a cough. That got an inner smile growing with Tyros; she could give a force user a run for his money in being alert and attentive to the world around them.

Information scrolled across his datapads screen as Sev started to speak about his comrades, giving small descriptions of them in terms of personality and what craft suited their skills. The first to come up was Airman Vinze Archer; his file was up on Tyros's screen before the name had finished leaving Sev's mouth. A native to Kuat, the man known as Archer had a fairly impressive background. High end schooling and a family background in law enforcement stood out from the rest, but why he suddenly transferred to the Corellia's Lucky Sevens was not clearly stated. Something about a mishap, a minor arrest that was followed by his transfer was all that Tyros could find; something to look into for later. Gray eyes twitched in response to learn that the man was a natural chatterbox; Tyros hoped that he would at least know when it was time to talk and when it was time to curb your tongue. He had a sinking feeling he would find that out sooner rather than later, which made him sigh internally. At least the man was skilled with the craft they had available on board; it meant that Tyros didn't have to make any special orders to satisfy his flight needs.

Next up was Sergeant Will Hunter, his file quickly filling the screen of his pad, Archer's shrinking to a smaller window in the corner for later use should Tyros need to access it. Eyes scrolled through his service record before he turned his attention back to the words Sev spoke about him; something that was just as informative as any piece of written script. Tyros was glad to hear that Hunter was much like him in some regards; quiet and most likely to the point should he ever feel the need to speak. On top of that, he was an Echani, a race known for being able fighters. Tyros cast a glance at Tieres at this, noting that now there were two of them on board that Tyros would be dealing with directly...probably more often than not. Turning his attention back to Sev, a thought hit Tyros. Could the reason he was not able to read Tieres have something to do with his Echani background? It was just one possibility, another he would have to consider among all the other possibilities that he had thought up, but out of them all, it was the one that seemed the most logical to him. A hiccup in the Force told him that attention was being directed his way, prompting him to move his line of sight over to Zharra. It didn't take the Force or a genius to read what she was thinking when her eyes met his; the request for the Venom was already on its way.

The final member of Sev's crew was the mechanic, Jennings. Just like the two before him, his file was on Tyros's screen before Sev could say much about him. A regular mechanic, from the sound of it, albeit a good one. Short as his statement about Jenning's was, Tyros picked up several things from it about the man. He knew what he was doing and he had a mind that allowed him to think outside the box should he ever have too; a good combination to have and one Tyros was familiar with. So there was the talkative Archer, the silent Hunter, the "I know what I'm talking about" mechanic and the straight up military commander in Sev; how strange that the combination seemed to find such a unique balance.

The request regarding the experimental Firehawk retrofits caught Tyros's attention for a moment, but as she had been proving so far, Zharra was faster on the draw about such a matter. Of course she would know about it; being the captain meant she was privy to certain information that Tyros was not. If she chose to share the information later was up to her, but most of the time she'd know things long in advance to him if he was told at all.

The captains next words filled his ears, his senses all attuned to her now. And without missing a beat, his fingers were dancing across his datapad, starting to put together assigned times for training and to check that the simulators were up to snuff. Keeping the ship clean and not drinking or bringing alcohol aboard were items he would find no trouble with; his quarters were always just short of spotless, kept clean by his sudden urges to clean that came randomly from day to day. And Tyros did not drink, save one or two for occasions. And even then, that said drink may go unfinished by the end of the night. He disliked having the slightest hindrance to his performance and he didn't want to find out, like some of his cremates before had, what his breaking point was. The rest was standard things associated with being part of the military.

When she spoke to him about the paperwork, Tyros nodded quickly, shifting to leave to retrieve said paperwork right then. That's when he felt someone standing outside the door; or to be more precise, he felt the person coming and the satisfaction that came from them when they stood in front of the Captain's office doors. Obviously this room had been their destination. When the doors slid open to reveal a courier from KDY, Tyros naturally smothered him with the Force, looking for any sign of threat from the young man. When he felt nothing, he watched with intent eyes as the courier moved to Zharra at her beckoning and handed her a single, sealed envelope. Again, Tyros smothered the Force over the envelope, seeing if its contents set off a danger warning in his mind. And again, there was nothing. Zharra inspected the envelope herself before opening it, revealing a plain paper sheet. Paper...not flimsy or a chip or a port key.....old fashioned paper. Whatever was on said paper made Zharra squint, first at the paper then at the courier who had brought it.

As she dismissed the courier, Tyros let his mind ponder why they would use paper. True, it was rare, a unique method of communication perhaps. But more to the point, it was untraceable. No one really used paper anymore, therefore attempting to find a match for the writing would yield nothing in a galaxy with billions of lifeforms, many of which probably never wrote anything on paper even once. Add in the fact that using the proper protection, there would be no prints, no identifiable marks they could focus on. It was a shadow organizations perfect cover; messages that could never be tracked back to them, if indeed that was what this was. Tyros let the others leave, if they didn't have anything else to say, before turning to Zharra, his eyes meeting hers after drifting back to the envelope.

"A paper message.....rare these days. Only those who don't want to be found would use such a method of communication....curious it is. If you don't mind me prying Captain, what does the letter say? No....hold that thought. I'll retrieve your needed paperwork first. Then maybe we'll talk about it." As he promised, he excused himself and exited the room, heading off the halls back to his quarters. Fifteen minutes later to the dot, he returned, paperwork in hand. The papers feel with a light thud onto her desk and he let his eyes find hers again, waiting to here whether he was to stay or leave. With any luck, the time he had been gone had been well spent by Zharra and any thoughts she had concerning the shadowy delivery would be ready to be heard by others. If not, he would move on till she was ready to discuss the matter.

[Latus]

It would be hard to describe the Sergeant as "at ease" at any terms. Though he felt more comfortable around his new commander than any other it still felt claustrophobic to him. In this case it was the ranks overwhelming his better judgment. His training told him that, at ease among these people was enough to get him in and out in the shortest period of time. One positive aspect was that emotions, laughter being foremost, was allowed and even encouraged in the presence of his commanders. To him that made all the difference. So there he stood, a star among galaxies, awaiting for her appraisal of him to be complete. If nothing else positive came of this at least the Firehawk had been accepted on this boat. In a single movement and with a tap of her finger on the computer screen sent his spine ramrod stiff.

”I believe you’ll do well on this ship, Sergeant, a bit wound up, perhaps, but that’s to be expected when getting used to a new commander and new ranking officers."

The proceeded to laud him for coming out of his shell, if only briefly. For a moment thereafter she paused, giving Sev a brief moment to nod politely to his captain. To him this was nothing new; he had simply answered her questions to the best of his ability. There was no sense of achievement, no blushed cheeks or smile. Such things were left to the greenhorns.

You will be receiving a comprehensive list of expectations and duties for yourself and your men, as well as typical shift hours and rest days within the next 24 standard hours. However...

Everything was soaked up, committing every aspect of the requirements to memory. Most was not news; a restriction on alcohol, a list of duties and expectations, mandatory simulator time for everyone (save Jennings). For his monkey, Sev suspected that there would be no shortage to available work; glowing review possibly increased the mechanic's workload. Again very little was news if anything at all. The frigate was run similar to the Ascension is many ways save alcohol; there was a "rec room" on his previous assignment that had a limited bar. However, drunkenness was never a major problem.

He could trust his lads for that.

Finally her gaze passed away from him and off to her second, melodic voice ranting off commands and a desire to meet with the rest of the command staff. A knock resonated through the cabin and with a command a man looking to be a courier was ushered in and handed the Captain a paper envelope; Sev stepped back so he was out of the way. When the captain finally spoke again it was music to his ears.

]”Unless you have further questions for me gentlemen, this applies to you as well Sergeant, then you’re dismissed.”

Sev saluted sharply, more than happy to be leaving the company of the commanding staff.

"Nae questions, ma'am. Thank ye.

With that Sev turned and quickly marched out. As the door slid open he nodded to the courier, whom he noticed was from KDY and, thinking little of it, returned the way he came. The barracks were, thankfully, on the way to the hangar.

**************

Sev smiled, his teeth showing as his boots reverberated on the durasteel flooring. He had no sooner reached the barrack's sector on the ship when he heard the very unique sound of Archer's voice. He could detect the accent even though floors but that was not what had him aglow. The fact was that as he turned the final corner before the actual barracks room all went quiet. This had Sev shaking his head; it was uncanny how they could all tell it was him even from several hundred yards away. The smile vanished as he turned into the bunk-room, beds lining every wall and in rows along the floor. What he saw almost made him relapse; there they stood, all at perfect attention.

At ease, lads.

As the d and the s hit his teeth Archer, unsurprisingly, piped up as he went at ease. Maybe too at ease.

Well boss, how'd it go? You're early, only 25 minutes, we were just about to head down to the hangar.

Fine lad, jus' fine. Ye saved meh a bunk ah take et?

Yeah, Sev. Its a single; all yours. Jennings gave his own smile as he motioned toward a single bunk set into the wall, Sev's duffel propped against the wall. What's the captain like? Is she a looker?

Archer laughed, Jennings grinned, and Hunter, Sev noticed, gave a slight sigh. Oh, aye. She's a looker all roight, bu' she's go' claws an she'll bite if provoked. Might want tae keep yer heads aboot yeh when aroond 'er... she's comin' tae inspect th' Warhawk, lads.

Their expressions, save Hunter, went from bright to one of shock. Sev, turning on a heel strode back through the door jamb.
Dinnae jus' sit there wit yer' mouths open, get ah move oan! The smile returned as he heard a trio of footsteps fall in line behind him.

They had an aircraft to prepare.