KDY - Anthelion - Captain Zharra's office

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

"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?”

At that question, the captain gave her XO a slight raise of one ‘eyebrow’ and a stern look.

“No…hold that thought. I’ll retrieve your needed paperwork first.”

”Please do, Mr. Elrune.” she replied over the top of his ‘maybe we’ll talk about it’ as a means of clearly stating she wasn’t about to talk about it yet. Watching him leave, she would turn her eyes back to Sev and Tieres as she gently smoothed down the fur across her cheeks with a hand again. The fur on her back would flatten in time. ”Of course. Gentlemen.” Seeing as neither of the remaining two had any further questions she had meant that as a final dismissal, only asking Tieres to send the courier in as he left before sitting down once again.

---

The time she had with the courier was less that fruitless and she had sent him away soon enough, setting to work once more. By the time Tyros returned with his paperwork she was speaking with several more of the crew…the one of the other wing leaders and one of the two from the bridge crew. The others hadn’t yet arrived apparently, but they were slated to arrive by the start of last dog watch. It would have to do. With a motion of one hand she offered Tyros a seat silently as she continued to listen to the reply the first wing leader was giving her. Satisfied by what she heard, she dismissed the two in her office and stood, stretching lazily. It was nice to finally have some of the work done and be able to have a good stretch.

With that very important bit of business out of the way (and yes, I mean the stretching), Zha turned those hazel green eyes to Tyros. ”Well Mr. Elrune, I assume you have the paperwork I require as well as having put in the order for the Venom as I requested?” Assuming both answers were yes, she would take his paperwork…and if he didn’t have it this time, she was going to be a very unhappy kitty. Luckily for him, he did have the requested forms and shuffled them into the files in her desk. ”Very good…now, shall we go and see to our pilots? I could do with a walk right about now.”

Chuckling to herself, those ears would perk forward, tail shifting lightly behind her as she straightened her coat and smoothed it out again. It wouldn’t do to have a rumpled looking captain. Not that she looked it to anyone but herself. Certainly she wasn’t as compulsive about it as Tieres was, but she (like many Farghul) was quite conscious of her appearance and whished it to be as pristine as possible. Not giving Tyros a chance to protest (not that she believed he was going to), Zha unhooked her datapad from the consol and slipped it into one of her belt pouches all in two swift and practiced movements before stepping lightly out the door and locking the office with the press of a button.

Despite her already lengthy strides due to her long legs (she was, after all, fairly tall), Zharra walked a a light and brisk pace that had her covering ground surprisingly swiftly. The oddest thing was that she made it look so effortless and natural, especially when combined with the constant movement of her ears and easy movement of her tail behind her. As they reached the lift, she’d stop and press the button, turning to face Tyros once she did. ”So, Mr. Elrune, what do you think of the Sergeant thus far?” Stepping into the lift, she’d press the button for the flight deck (of course, it also held the bunks for the pilots as well as the simulators and pretty much anything else the three wings would need to continue their job properly).

---

The chat on the way down the lift and along the flight deck was simple and short. To be perfectly honest, Zharra hadn’t been expecting her XO to accompany her and it had put some of her plans and typical way of “inspecting” off balance, not to mention the fact that she still didn’t like the fact that he was a force user. That last part always put her off of talking, not that she had much to speak about anyway. Not at the moment. So, she had focused on simply getting there and taking the still sparkling interior of the Anthelion in as much as possible while all was still relatively quiet. It had the effect of making the journey seem far shorter than it was…not that her brisk pace had nothing to do with the time lapse either, because it certainly had.

Coming up on the fighter bay, she gave her coat one final adjusting before stepping through the broad doors, eyes immediately sweeping the area. Her ears followed the various sounds (and slight echoes) of the cavernous room as she walked deeper in. Honestly, she had to work hard to keep herself focused and not simply be amazed by the fighter bay. Certainly she’d been in similar ones but, like her time at the windows before, there was just something different with this ship. Fortunately, Zha was good at keeping herself narrowed down to the task at hand, even if it was at odds with what she wanted to do or pay attention to. She wouldn’t have made as high up the ranks as she had without the ability, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t still take effort. She was only mortal, after all.

Keen eyes caught sight of Sev first, then she took in the others around him. An Echani, two (by appearance) humans, one of which all but screamed mechanic by the clothing he wore (it helped that she recognized him as Jennings)…that must have been the rest of the fourth wing then. And so she made her way over to them, Tyros in tow.

[Jazen]

When Tyros had returned with the paperwork she requested, he found he was not the only one that had entered the Farghul's office. A new pair of soldiers had taken the place of Tieres and Sev, one to either side of her desk. When she saw him returning, she gave him a wave with her hand in the direction of one of the remaining seats; an indication that she would speak with him when she had finished with the two before her. Tyros nodded sharply back, letting her know that he understood her gesture, then retreated to the back of the office near the door, where he choose to stand instead.

He calmly listened to the men converse with Zharra in the same manner he and Sev had undertaken, filing the key points to memory for later use. The one on his left was another of the wing commanders, like Sev, while the one on the right was a member of the bridge crew, where Tyros and Tieres would be serving. Their names, ranks and faces were marked and dated into the void that was his mind and he scrolled through their files on his data pad as Zharra repiled to them in kind. Tyros had to admire something about her so far; her body language either spoke nothing or spoke volumes. And she was clearly able to make it only one or the other. In fact, had Tyros not had the Force(which only those trained to resist it could hide from its prying fingers), he would have found the Captain very hard to read. Again, he made a mental reminder to lessen his use in that regard when around her. This would be the last time he would do that....for today at least.

Finally, Zharra dismissed the two men, who gave Tyros a quick salute and hello as they exited, something he returned in kind. When they were gone, Tyros turned to move towards Zharra's desk. As he approached, he watched with an eyebrow perked as she quite literally stretched out in his chair. He'd never seen his previous captain do that. However, his mind quickly rememebred this was not his old captain and his eyebrow faded back to its normal position. It was understandable at least; she had been sitting rather stiffly for a while now. Putting that aisde, he shuffled forward to present her with the paperwork, gently placing it in her hands. When she inquired about the order for the Venom, Tyros nodded slowly, showing her on the data pad that the order had been sent, recieved and was being contemplated even as they spoke.

"Aye Captain. I sent it as soon as the matter came up. Assuming all goes well, we should have the Venom within a matter of days.

”Very good…now, shall we go and see to our pilots? I could do with a walk right about now.”

"Aye ma'am."

With that, he waited calmly for Zharra to rise, noticing that the first thing she did after standing was run her hands down on her uniform as well as lightly shaking the whole thing by tugging on the collar. It looks like we have have a thing about maintaining a proper appearance. How rather.....peciluar. He kept the thought to himself however, as well as the lingering question he wanted to ask. He wanted to incquire more about the courier and the letter he had given her, but seeing that Zharra obviously did not wish to speak about it at the moment, he held his tongue. He was good at knowing when to keep silent and when to press a matter; this was one of those times that silence was golden. He held his ground until she moved passed him towards the door, then fell into quick step just behind her, his hands clasped firmly at the small of his back.

Tyros had no problem keeping pace with the spirited feline as they traveled to the lift, even though her strides were much longer than his. His pace was just a little faster, his steps coming in quick succession as he strode with Zharra. To most, it would appear that he was putting forth extra effort to keeping up with her, though this couldn't be farther from the truth. Tyros merely had a naturally quick pace; he liked to get where he was going quick and his body responded to that thought. It took him no more effort than your average person walking slower; most the time he didn't even notice he was walking faster. It was one of those things that people always questioned him about over the years that he was growing weary of explaining.

Their combined pace quickly brought them to the lift doors, which Zharra opened in short order. As they stepped inside, she perked her ears his way and tilted her head to look at him. A question was coming, he felt it coming.

”So, Mr. Elrune, what do you think of the Sergeant thus far?"

"If you mean on a personal level, there's not much I can say yet. I think that if I wasn't on board, he might be the most stiff member we have. He speaks well, gets straight to the point and has a service record that speaks for itself. Overall, I would have to see him in action and talk to him more at length, but my current standing on the man is.......I think we got the best man for the job assigned to us.

There is one thing that has me at a loss about him though. Pardon me for saying so, but I felt him out with the Force when he first arrived. Yes, I know you asked me to restrict that and I intend to do so as best I can. But its been as natural to me as breathing for many years now; it will not be easy for me to adjust right away. But to the point; there's something familiar about him that I just can't put my finger on. Perhaps in the future I'll figure out what that is but for the moment, it just irks at me. Sorry, you probably didn't wish to know that."

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

Tyros remained silent the rest of the trip, listening to Zharra's response if it was given in quiet contemplation. Aside from that, the rest of the journey to the fighter bay was spent quietly admiring the ship's shining interior, that new ship smell still thick around them. Tyros had never been on a brand new ship before, he'd always served on vessels that had been on voyage for a least a small while. The experience was.....intriguing.

As they strode into the fighter bay, Tyros afforded himself a small grin. No matter how new the ship was, some things never changed. The smell of grease, oil and sweat filled the air around them as various beings of numerous specials ran around the spacious fighter bay to attend final checks on things or haul in new cargo. The fighters that had already arrived where being locked into place and inspected by the mechanics, while cargo loaders brought extra parts and supplies to the designated areas for storage. Tyros had to pull his senses in closer to him as they headed for their destination; the mood of the hangar was both uplifting and violent at the same time. People in a rush or upset that something wasn't working right contributed to the latter part, but the general feeling of those around him was a spirited happy.

His dull gray eyes evenly keyed onto Sev as they swept around the hangar to observe the work going on around him. And with the man were three others, the three he had discussed in Zharra's officer above. Quickly, he let his touch in the Force drift around them(minus the Echani, that was a lost cause), getting his general feel for the men before retracting his touch for the moment. He put names to faces as they got closer; Archer, Jennings and Hunter, all standing next to their commander. A closely knit unit; good, that meant they would be more effective in combat. Tyros remained silent as they approached and even still when they came to the four men; Zharra was Captain and therefore would have the honor of speaking to them first.

[Latus]

By the time Sev had reached the main gangway to the hangar his squad had formed up on him. Hunter was directly to his right, Archer and Jennings behind them talking in hushed voices. He hadn't realized that news of an inspection would surprise them to this extent. Regardless, the excitement had faded as each of them fell into a rhythm of what they had intended to do all along. Footfalls echoed in the hangar as each man once more marveled at the scale of the cavernous space. From the entrance they stepped left and into the dry-dock; the mobile platforms that held the damaged or dismantled fighters. Each man among them knew their destination and, as they approached Archer and Jennings grew quieter moving beside their quieter pair until the group was four abreast.

The Warhawk sat on a foot high platform that was mounted on the rear wall of the hangar, massive mechanisms and cogs joining the seams. Great halogen bars cast a shadowless light over the canvas and the pile of crates that appeared to hold the aircraft's wings aloft. The only visible piece of the aircraft beneath the canvas was the twin rotary laser cannons the circular barrels gleaming mightily for all to see. Each man could feel the power that the sleeping beast promised, a true weapon of war, aptly named. The Firehawk was an amazing machine, not one of the four would dare say otherwise. But the Warhawk represented something more. Something dangerous.

It was Sev that knew this better than the others.

Archer, finally unable to contain himself and stepped foreword, up onto the platform. He turned back to the others. Well, lets get the wrappings off her! I gotta see the new Hawk!

Ah! Hold on, Archer. Those clamps need to come off first. Jennings mounted the platform in a heartbeat. In unison the pair set to unclasping a series of small catches that held the tarpaulin in place.

As the younger men scurried about to free the Warhawk from the grip of the pale gray covering Hunter and Sev remained on the deck of the hangar. The sergeant was smiling up at the scene; partially at the gusto his men showed, partially because he honestly wanted to see what had become of his second half. Hunter, however, remained passive; gazing up at the energetic younger soldiers with as much expression of a strict fatherly figure (sometimes he certainly did feel like the squad's father).

Finally with a snap and a buzz the final strap loosened and the pair on the platform each took a wing, the pair looking down at the senior men, waiting for the order. Sev glanced at Hunter who matched the gaze, giving the faintest smile and nod the sergeant had ever seen.

Have at, lads!As soon as the L hit his teeth the tarpaulin flew upward, drawn by capable hands until it fell into a pile just off the stout tail section. And there she sat.

Green as the fields of Corellia, vicious as a mynock, tougher than a rancor.

Every man stood in silence for a moment knowing that this was the only silence the craft would see for a long time.

Frell yeah!

Nice. Hunter's voice characteristically low.

She looks fantastic, lad! Ah think thus'll be th' only time we'll all be able tae 'elp ye work. What can we do?

I need to install a final transfer coupling and we can test calibrate the starboard engine. Jennings paused and gave the pilots a knowing smile. And I think thats something all three of you can appreciate.

Glancing back to Hunter Sev gave a final nod, one which Hunter heartily returned. Well then. Sev stepped foreword onto the platform, rolling up the sleeves on his uniform. Hunter was a single step behind.

Lets get a' et.

********

A surprisingly short time later all but Jennings stepped back, the engine compartment door swung shut by the monkey's deft fingers.

And thats it. All we need is to fire her up.

Who does the honors? Sev? This is his Hawk after all... There was an obvious note of disappointment in Archer's voice. Its only right...

Not this time, lads. A smile spread across his lips as he stepped back. His hand strated from his side to edge across Hunter's. It had been a long time before Sev had seen honest excitement buried in the man's impartial gaze. She's all yers, Hunter. Pushing the echani toward the wing he didn't allow for a response. The sergeant knew that his second needed this. The man was quiet by nature but it seemed to be deepening lately.

Grabbing Archer around the neck he half led-half dragged his talkative partner to the edge of the platform. Jennings followed, a trio of com-link headsets clutched in his hand.

You noticed too? Archer croaked, prying himself away from Sev's grip.

Aye.

As the trio dropped to the deck Hunter jumped from the platform to the flight surface of the wing, walked over the slanted surface and pulled the cockpit open. He had been feeling depressed lately. The anniversary was coming up; always a rough time. With the canopy opened he climbed in and pulled on headset, hands gliding over the strange but familiar controls flicking switches and priming systems.

Ok Hunter, take it up slowly to about twenty percent and hold it there. If she feels right go ahead and shut her down.

Feels right?

Think Waypoint Charlie, lad.

Wayp... oh. Gotcha, boss.

A moment of chuckling filled the frequency as the engine ignited, the relatively quiet hangar gradually filling with a soft din. All of them looked on as Hunter eyed dials and worked in the cockpit.

Fuel sensors green. Primary injection feed green.

Three.

Gradually the roar built, the single engine forcing tens of kilotons of thrust through the bleed-off nacelles blowing the tarpaulin against the far wall.

Fifteen.

Go baby, go!

Sev's face was engulfed by his smile. The sensation of being behind the controls of this craft was something he could not describe. Hunter and Archer both knew this for the Hawk was not just any old stock fighter. She was special, and she held a place close to their hearts. Finally the roar's intensity plateaued and held steady. Each of fourth wing and several other monkeys, pilots, and deck crew had stopped to gaze longingly at the powerful aircraft.

Twenty... feels good.

Right. Shut her down.

With those words the roar faded, the engine dropping from one fifth output to shutdown in a matter of moments. The sergeant's smile didn't fade as Archer, as Jennings approached the platform again climbing up as Hunter removed his headset. Though he couldn't hear Sev saw Jenning's mouth moving as a blur.

Jargon... at least she'll be finished in no time.

That was when Sev heard it.

The footstep didn't match any of theirs and was too light for work-boots but long enough to be taller than most men. His face paled and he spun knowing what he would find awaiting his gaze. Sure enough and several dozen feet away was the feline form of his commander. The sergeant spoke through the com but also loud enough for his squad to hear him.

Captain on deck. Atten'shun!

Archer's voice came through the com very unsure of itself. Ah nuts, sarge. Terrible timing, got grease on the duds.

Archer.

Sorry, sorry.

Every man threw a salute that was crisp and clean as the next. Sev stood on the floor just before the dry-dock platform, Jennings and Archer stood just in front of the wing, Hunter stood atop the wing, one leg still half-way inside the cockpit.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

During the walk she had been mulling over Tyros’ words about Sev. She agreed with his views on the man thus far, but she understood. Coming face to face with the superior officer on board was nerve wracking for most enlisted men and, given the fact that Sev’s fit reps showed him as a man aiming to be the best (and stoic by nature), it was even more understandable. His observation that Sev had felt ‘familiar’ somehow had her curious, however. It would be something to think about, something to ponder. By the time they’d come into the hangar, though, she’d lost track of that train of thought in the hefty roar of an engine. It only made her smile curl into a grin. As they neared her grin settled into something more benign and far less…blatantly interested.

Despite that, those ears were perked about as far forward as possible as she studied them once they all snapped to attention. Coming to a light pause before Sev, she saluted in kind and nodded. ”As you were men. I do, however, want you front and center for a moment.” Turning to Sev she smirked, almost impishly. ”I would have said it sooner if I’d realized, Sergeant, but happy birthday.” She chuckled a bit and twitched her tail as the others hustled to get down to them. Even though she’d told them to be at ease, they still seemed fairly wound up. She shrugged it off mentally and, as a further sign that they should attempt to relax a bit, she allowed her shoulders to slack (just slightly), and her posture to become less rigid (again, just slightly).

”Welcome aboard the Anthelion, gentlemen. I'm Captain Zharra…this is our first officer, Mr. Tyros Elrune. Now, I’ve met with Mr. Jennings, and Sergeant Sevchenko, other than that I only have names attached to faces attached to fit reps. Hardly satisfactory for me since you and the other wings are such a large part of our defenses. Being a mainly solo patrol ship, Anthelion will be put through her paces, I'm sure…and as such I need to get a feel for her crew, her defenses, and her capabilities to see that we all perform optimally in achieving our goals. I cannot do this without getting a feel for you as people.”

She paused for a moment, eying Hunter quietly and twisting an ear in his direction (the other turning back as some of the other pilots shuffled their gear around across the bay) before letting her hazel eyes fall on Archer.

”Unorthodox as it may seem, it is my belief that this will not only assist myself and Mr. Elrune in giving you commands accurate to your personalities and capabilities, but it is my hope that it will allow you to get a feel for us. You won’t see us often, yet you are expected to follow our orders explicitly in a manner that is considerably more dangerous than acting as an entity on the bulk of Anthelion. It is because of this that I choose to speak to and the other pilots in person, and am willing to answer questions you may have about me…within reason.” She needed to trust them as much as they needed to trust her…and so she was here in hopes that getting a feel for them, and meeting them face to face, she would begin earning some of that trust. No, she hadn’t explained the full reason for this ‘inspection,’ or her intents, but that had been part of the point. Get the reaction from all of them at once and use it as yet another gauge on their personalities, as well as saving breath from having to repeat everything twice. Smiling a bit, she let her eyes move from them back to the still partially constructed Warhawk.

”Plus, I'm not ashamed to admit that my curiosity about this ‘Warhawk’ has been piqued. What better way to see her than firsthand and surrounded by her adoring fans, hmm?” A bit of that amusement bled through into her voice at that and she gave a swift wink. No doubt Jennings could gush about the fighter for hours…she just wondered how the rest of the wing would take to her Farghul humor.

[Jazen]

The journey from the lift, down the hallways and through the hangar had been as Tyros had expected it to be; quiet. He had spoken his mind in response to Zharra's question and she, for reasons her own, kept silent in response. Her ears perked to him while he spoke were the only outside indication she was listening. He could have felt her in the Force to try and get a look at what she thought about his opinion, but opted against that path this time. Surely, she would let her thoughts be known sooner or later and when that time came, Tyros wanted to have more to give her in return. Sev was an oddity to him in the Force and although it was a tiny flicker in his mind at the moment, he would look into it deeply in the coming days. He disliked oddities. Especially ones that he felt via the Force; it if felt something was up, something usually was. And he preferred to know exactly what that was.

It didn't take them long to locate Sev and his fellow wingmates, clustered around one of the newer fighter craft. As one would expect, they stuck together as a squad and as such, if you could find one on the flight deck, the others wouldn't be far behind. Or nearby. Or that the said squad mates wouldn't know where to find a particular member of their group. It was like a small family, born in fire and combat, bonded together on a level Tyros had seen many a times over the year. Tyros didn't need to think hard about why such a bond was created; the answer was about as simplistic at they came. It was just something that happened when groups of people spent long periods of time in the same company. Secrets were shared, shy words soon became full monologues, trust was tendered and they ultimately came to believe in the others as if they were their own flesh and blood. It was truly an amazing phenomenon, no matter how many times Tyros had seen it. It was one of the few things that actually shook his stone cold complexion.

As soon as Sev noticed that he and Zharra were approaching, the commander snapped an order to his fellows, who just as quickly snapped to attention. The one that Tyros noted as Archer seemed to actually be the slow one there, his reaction coming just a few seconds after the others. It was an amazing feat that the man's jaw hadn't dropped from the way he looked at them, which bought an eyebrow from Tyros. The element of surprise never ceases to amaze me. Regardless, all four men were suddenly sharp and rigid at attention, a quality that Tyros gave a curt nod to. Sev had trained them well. Tyros saluted in time with Zharra at the men, his hand coming down shortly after hers. As he had intended to do before, Tyros remained in utter silence to let Zharra speak.

But that didn't mean he wasn't doing something. His cold gray eyes darted from one man to the next, recalling their names from the data pad and pinning that name to a face. Sev he knew, was standing just below the docking platform. Up on the platform itself stood the other three; Archer(the talker) and Jenning's(the mechanic) just in front of the fighter's wing while the last one, which he assumed was Hunter(the quiet one), was halfway out of the craft's cockpit. Gently, he rapped against them in the Force for the briefest of moments. A taste would do for now. Archer, he felt, gave off a feeling of unease. Understandable when the top officers on the ship suddenly appeared while your head was up the craft's exhaust pipe so to speak. Jenning's was remotely neutral about the matter, which was an indication he was ready for this. And Hunter....well, Tyros felt nothing from him, just like with Tieres. Another Echani I see. I wonder what their trick is.....

As Zharra spoke, Tyros turned his attention then to the ship they rested on. It was the one the sergeant had spoken of earlier, the retrofitted Firehawk. Tyros just knew it. He let his eyes wander over its wings, gently caressed its weapons systems with his ever thinking mind and generally admired the craft as a whole If he were the kind of man to whistle, now would be one of those times. After Zharras was done speaking. Alas, he was not, so all he could do was quietly listen as Zharra explain the reason for her sudden visit. Say hi and meet the troops. A good commander did that; a great commander did what she was doing. Learn about her troops and the men under her command; from this point forth, they were like her children, her brothers, her sisters, her family. And if something came about that ripped some of those beings away from the family, then surely the commander in charge wanted to remember something unique about those lost. At least, that's what Tyros read from Zharra and from his previous captain. Tyros himself didn't mind getting to know those serving under the captain and him for that matter; it allowed him to know exactly where to put those people when combat came raining down upon them all.

As Zharra finished her speech, complete with a little of her Farghul humor, Tyros decided to chirp a small bit into the matter before allowing the lads to have at the questions, so to speak. "A pleasure to meet you all. I have heard and read great things about your squad and I look forward, as Zharra does surely, to seeing you in action. I hope to be able to get to know you each personally as well; it appears the Captain has a head start on me there.

I won't say much now, rather I'm going to merely listen for the most part. But I second the Captain in two areas; I like to know who I work with and what they can do and that I am interested as well in this new ship your crew has been deemed fit to test. If its anything like your reputations, I believe a good show is in order. That is all I have to say, for now."

And with that, Tyros once again went silent as he waited for the Sevens squad to speak their mind. He hoped it was as informative as his meeting with their commander had been. Maybe a little more so now that he thought about it.

[Latus]

And for a moment everything was silent. The Captain, suave and dapper as Sev had ever seen a commander, slowly approached their small squad. He couldn't read her as she came within conversation distance (within a few arm's reach). He thought he glimpsed a brief smile directed at the Warhawk but there was no guarantee that it wasn't simply one of reassurance, that repairs were moving along.

”As you were men." Sev quickly dropped his stance to at ease, his hands meeting behind his back. He knew without a doubt that his men did the same; they knew what would happen if they didn't.

"I do, however, want you front and center for a moment.” Sev's eyes narrowed the tiniest amount not knowing what to expect from Zharra now. He knew she was not beyond some humorous or inappropriate things but it would make him ill-at-ease if she said something uncomfortable about him, or any of his men for that matter, out in the open. Sev took a strong stride foreword, nodding and remaining in that staunch and impassive stance.

”I would have said it sooner if I’d realized, Sergeant, but happy birthday.” The comment caught Sev completely off guard and he blinked several times before nodding again to her.

Thank ye' ma'am! Ah'd completely fergot.

He anticipated the voice before it even broke over the coms, Archer's chipper tones spoken in a hushed whisper. He only heard a hint of Jennings dulcet tones. None of it went further than the com on his head, his lads incredibly proficient at communicating covertly.

Cor, Sev. Why didn't you tell us?!

Damnit boss...

Sev gave the Captain the briefest of smiles and nodded, half to her, half to the comlink. As the Captain stepped to address his men more properly Sev found himself eying the trio who still stood on and around the stalwart fighter. Hunter hand managed to pull his leg from the cockpit and was now standing like a silent sentinel on the extended wing while Archer and Jennings stood at attention below him. He found himself marveling at the dedication she showed to all of her men, not just the command structure or those directly under her. When she expressed a desire to get to know the people she would be working with Sev gave another small smile. Hunter would be, well, Hunter and he knew Archer's jaw would be so slack at the appearance of the new commander that he had little at all to worry about.

Or so he hoped. Glancing around he gave XO Elrune another curt nod and smile. There was something about the man as his gaze lingered... again the feeling reached him but it was quickly suppressed. A groundless feeling was nothing to worry about, not at the moment at least. When the commander finished it was the XO's turn to speak. And he did so with conviction, expressing his interest in the same way the captain had. Though the mantra was, "Know your enemy," to know your friends was just as critical. The Fourth Wing would certainly not shirk their responsibility. With the introductions of the commanding officers complete Sev stood a little straighter knowing that, in a way, the hard part was over.

Sev paused for a moment, waiting for his lads to speak but he realized that they were likely waiting for a go ahead as the commander didn't actually ask them a question right out. Stepping back in the direction of the platform he clapped his hands once, hoping to break his men out of their current inactivity.

Well come oan, step to et! Form in front o' th' platform! Double time.

And they did. Three sets of boots took a mere few seconds to scramble to the deck and line up, shoulder to shoulder in front of their Sergeant. Sev smiled in their direction once and stepped off to the side. He saw Archer's eyes wander over to him and the Sergeant gave the barest hint of a smile. It was no surprise that his chatterbox seemed to want to go first though Sev almost though he saw some hesitation; perhaps due to the smear of jet-black engine grease that had stained the front of his jacket. Archer took a single step foreword and took a deep breath.

Vinze Archer, ma'am. Airman First Class. Trained here on Kuat before being transferred to Corellia where I served under Sergeant Sev here and Captain Xavier. I like long walks on the beach, packed dance clubs, and Captains who look as fine as you, ma'am. I'm also the Sergeant's gunner at times but I like flying the Varias.

Sev could almost see Archer cringe as he shot the Wing's youngest member a look of fire and brimstone. Sev hoped that Captain Zharra would go easy on the kid but wished against it at the same time. Sometimes Archer didn't know when to quit although he stepped back with a tiny but cocky smirk on his face. Jennings, the second youngest quickly stepped foreword as if to relieve the potential stress Archer's quip would incur.

Senior Airman Jennings, Captain. I take care of the aircraft that my squadmates use. Uh, I also am the chief mechanic on putting the Warhawk here back together. I am sorry to say, Captain, that I likely told you more when we last spoke than I can repeat here without sounding like a broken holo...

Sev saw Jennings pause. The small glance that he shot Sev produced a tiny nod, acknowledging that he had not gone over the line.

The repairs are coming along; we just performed an engine calibration on the new unit from Kuat, that's what you heard. The 'Hawk is a thing of beauty, Captain. I'm sure the Sarge will say the same but there is no way to describe her unless you are seeing her in action.

Damn... straight. Sev's scowl was sharp and scathing. He shook his head at the youngest member although the end of his gaze was marked by a glimmer and a smirk that he thought Archer caught. For, as inappropriate as the timing was it was impossible for Sev to say otherwise. Unsure of what else to say Jennings gave the commanders a small nod and stepped back, scratching the back of his head. The final silent member of the squad waited a fraction longer before stepping foreword, his silver hair and bright eyes reflecting the hangar lights vibrantly.

Senior Airman Hunter. Venom Pilot. Four stints on RSS Carrier Indomitable; Inner Rim patrol. One stint on RSS Destroyer Bannister. Demoted. Relocated to Corellian Planetary Guard. One stint on RSS Ascension.

Captain.

Saying nothing more, looking at no one other than the captain and a brief glance at Sev, Hunter stepped back into line. His face was passive and Sev was pained that he could not see what was going on behind those eyes. Hunter was the only man who had never opened up, never gave anything about himself to anyone else. Hell, this was the most about his history that Sev had ever heard before. But the sergeant knew that the Echani's conviction was never in question; the man was an ace. With that Sev turned back to Zharra.

Fourth Wing, ma'am. Th' last memb'r es th' craft yeh see behind us. She 'as an impressive service record before our transfer an' ah'm sure she'll be jus' as impressive when she es finished.

Hoping that he had left nothing out he stepped back into line beside Archer, the private exuding an aura of sheer nervousness. Glancing down at him Sev raised an eyebrow before smirking and turning back to attention.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

She had been studying them the entire time, hazel green eyes working over the lot of them and never staying in one place too long. Were they surprised? At least some of them appeared to have traces of it lingering about them. Sev’s reaction to her birthday wishes had her chuckling in her mind even long after the fact. Amused further by the fact that he had to prod his wing into this particular type of action, she suppressed a chuckle as they all suddenly scrambled into motion at his words. Well, at least it was good to see they were all well enough in line to keep from immediately scattering like frightened deer at the first sight of an officer, but she had hoped she’d made it clear enough before that she’d wanted them front and center earlier than this. She didn’t particularly enjoy talking up to people…but then, who did?

Ah, too long as one of the taller people you know, Zha…she mused silently as one of the men (Vinze Archer was it?) looked over to his immediate commander as if for permission. Those ears tilted forward at that, her tail switching back and forth behind her. Did she notice the engine grease? Of course, but did it bother her? No. She had seen what they’d been doing…she would have been surprised if there wasn’t something on him or Jennings afterward. As he spoke those ears perked forward (if possible) even further before twisting and tensing just enough with her sly grin that they almost took on the appearance of horns as her tail twitched slightly. By the end of it she was chuckling lightly…not only at Archer’s comment, but at the look Sev gave him.

She could only imagine what poor, stiff, Tyros was making of it.

The thought had her practically dieing of laughter on the inside, but before she could comment in return Jennings all but hopped forward to cover his friend’s possible error. He needn’t have, but the intention was caught and filed away with a…less devilish and more…pleased smile. In her periphery she caught a slight nod from Sev and flicked an ear in his direction, restraining herself from giving him a sidelong look as well. Instead she kept her attention focused on Jennings and his talk of the Warhawk. Nodding she was, again, swiftly formulating her response when Archer cut in with an enthusiastic ‘damn straight.’ She would have chuckled had it not been for the hesitation in it.

This time she did look over at Sev…fully…her ears twisting back ever so slightly before she turned her attention to the last man of the wing. Those ears perked forward again (or one of them did anyway, the other twisting back fully to listen to the comings and goings behind them) as the echani stepped forward and spoke. Straight, to the point, it was more a miniature version of his military history than anything else…she already had that in her system back in her office, she didn’t need it again, but she took it and with it, she studied him. While there may not have been much to glean from him, and his expressions were neutral to stoic, that was enough for now. He liked his privacy, and whatever had happened back on the Bannister had likely been painful…if not emotionally, than most likely to his echani warrior’s pride. She would have to look into it further at a later time.

With his men having had their say, Sev ‘introduced’ the ‘Hawk…as if it needed an introduction after the testing she’d walked in on. The thought made her chuckle, but she nodded and let her eyes fall on Sev first.

”Remember that aneurysm I mentioned previously, Sergeant? Try not to hemorrhage, please…unwittingly, your Mr. Archer did exactly what I asked, albeit a bit more…candidly…than I had expected.” With that she came to a complete pause before Archer and fixed him with a stern look, her eyes narrowing just slightly, as if she were either attempting to stare him down or see directly into his soul. ”Now, Mr. Archer…I’ve heard about you.” She stated, her tone masking her amusement for the moment, as she perked her ears toward him. ”While I greatly appreciate the sentiment, Airman, I already have one lecherous lump of a zeltron to deal with on my bridge crew…I don’t require a human pilot counterpart. You are relieved of that duty and are free to focus on your other skills.” With that, her stern look melted away into a bemused smile and a chuckle as she reached out to pat the man’s shoulder twice.

Turning, she’d look at the rest of them. ”Now, when I asked to get to know you…I asked to get to know you, that includes your personalities…I can read your histories, more or less, since I have quite a few ways to research you…but for all that I can find and read about you gentlemen, it doesn’t compare to knowing what you’re like, or the dynamic you have with your friends.” She’d smile over at Jennings then, her arms coming to cross comfortably across her chest. ”Like attempting to shunt…or at least delay…some of the possible anger of a superior officer by taking attention onto yourself if appropriate. This isn’t a formal inspection, I'm not here to give you all heart attacks with my surprise visit (though I think I nearly did for some of you), and I'm certainly not here to ‘bust your balls’…God forbid I should need to do that before we even leave port! I'm simply here to learn about you, and allow you to learn about myself, since you won’t likely get this much of an opportunity again…at least not for a decent amount of time. Have I made my intentions clearer this time, I hope?”

Glancing over to Sev, she lift one eyebrow just slightly, her voice lowering so only he and Tyros could hear clearly. ”Please, Sergeant, allow them to be themselves without fearing the end of the galaxy as they know it…I understand this is unusual, but to do otherwise would be an exercise in futility for my purposes. Trust me, I can be quite ferocious should I need to be…I think I can keep them in line for a little while.” With a good natured wink, she’d turn back to the others of Sev’s wing.

”Now, Mr. Jennings…we did indeed arrive in time for the testing of the engine…” With a hand on the mechanic’s shoulder, she started through the line casually, drawing him along with her in the direction of the craft, hoping to start breaking the tension by diverting it onto a unifying common factor…their current pride and joy. ”Perhaps you gentlemen would tell me a bit more about her, or her previous incarnation?”

[Jazen]

Tyros was a mask of complete calm and utter silence as he stood at Zha's side, observing the reactions, actions and words of Sev and his crew. The temporary unease and surprise at their arrival had faded as quickly as it had come; the four of them(well, three since he couldn't really get a read on Hunter) were almost model soldiers in their quickness to attention and order. It was impressive and it served to give Tyros a better picture of how effective this unit would be once on the field. In a way, Zha's surprise visit served to show a very admirable quality about this crew; they adapted and reacted quickly to an unknown. Yes, Zha had told them they would stop by eventually, which could be comparable to being told that enemies were coming. But not telling him when said visit would happen and then showing up relatively soon served to catch the young sergeant and his crew off guard; and they had reacted within seconds of that initial shock. If they reacted as quickly on the battlefield, no, probably faster, factoring in adrenaline and battle awareness, as they did here, then Tyros silently prayed for any foe that dared come across them.

The revelation that it was Sev's birthday prompted an eyebrow from Tyros at Zharra, mainly due to the randomness of the comment. He certainly hadn't expected her to start the interview like that. Still, her approach to matters was quickly starting to become familiar to him. And breaking it down, the well wishing of one's birthday was generally a good way to break tension. It also served to show, once again, that Zharra cared as much for her crew as she did her own being. It was a trait many captains had, yes....but Tyros was noticing lately that one's of her degree were rare. If only he had thought this way, maybe Threndrail wouldn't have......no. He cared for us, that I am sure of. He just....cared for something else more in the end. Tyros silently shut down that thought, his face betraying nothing save for the azure blue hue his eyes took for only a moment. With any luck, they would be focused on Zharra and miss that little falter in his demeanor. But he silently wished that they had seen it; it would mean that they were able to watch the world around them even while focused on something else. Returning to his active senses, he bowed his head to Sev in acknowledgment of the man's birthday. Hopefully the man would catch that was his meaning, anyway.

Tyros settled into a different stance as the three men of Sev's unit went to work introducing themselves. Folding his arms across his chest and closing the gap between his legs, he called upon his Force powers once again. Again, he was reminded that he intended to slack the use of them in regards to reading other crew members, even that he had just told himself he was going to restrict their use for this meeting. But it was harder than he thought to remain somewhat mute to the world and peoples around him when all his life he had let that feeling power his body and mind. He was about to vow to himself that this would be the last time....when he decided it wasn't going to happen. It was like breathing for him; while he could hold it for a while, eventually he would have to release his hold on it in order to avoid suffering for it. Ultimately, the restricting of his powers could be done another way. Physical actions with it that others could see, such as the moving of objects, he could dim down. He tended to prefer hands on to matters anyway. But his attachment to the Force and to its connection to all life great or small, that was something he just couldn't fully part with. And seeing as the Captain herself was not Force-sensitive, she wouldn't know he was silently reading all of them. Not unless he did something that made her feel odd that would indicate his presence in her psyche. It wasn't harming anyone anyway and as the old saying goes, what they don't know won't hurt them. Or get him into trouble.

It was with that thought that he actively felt all of them in the Force, of the various men moving about the hangar. He took them in for a moment before settling on two people; Zharra and whoever was introducing themselves. All three of them had finally formed into a solid line, Archer nearest to Sev, with Jennings following him and Hunter the last on the line. First up, and to no surprise to him, was the man known as Archer. He practically bleed eagerness in the Force to go first and with a nod, Sev let him. His introduction was good, up until he ended the first sentence. That eyebrow rose again at Archer's.....rather random comments that followed. The "captains who look as fine as you" got a slight narrowing of the eyes from Tyros, which was mirrored by the one Sev shot the man. It was rather out of line; still, Tyros found a plus in that. At least the man was honest, even if the things he chose to speak about were not related to the situation at hand. He felt Archer cringe a little under the double stare of him and the Sergeant; which was eased slightly by the fact that Zha was chuckling to it. Something must have struck a funny bone in her, as she was a beacon of amusement in the Force....something that Tyros felt he had a hand in, even if he didn't intend to. Jennings was quick to step up to the plate to cover for Archer's mistake, introducing himself in a similar manner as Archer. The difference here was that at least when he spoke of something else, it was related to the matter at hand, or rather, the matter of the craft behind him. Again Tyros's eyes lingered on the ship that lit the background of the squad, pondering just what it would be capable of when it was finished. Especially if the engine was as powerful as it was loud.

Another dual set of scowls locked onto Archer for his following comment, though Sev's was backed by a little grin as well. Tyros's didn't last long either, as there was truthfully, no other way that he could see the men backing up the claim. Damn straight was as final as anything else could be; thought Zha must have wondered about it as she turned to look at Sev in its wake. Tyros kept his head forward, but his eyes darted to the side to give him a glance before locking on the final member of the wing. Unlike his wingmates, Hunter was straight to the point; his name, his rank, his craft and what Tyros could only describe as his active service list. It was the most, in a way, professional way of addressing a captain. Though the lack of emotion behind it even had Tyros at a stall. He thought he caught a wiff of emotion when he referred to his stint on the Bannister when he followed it up with demoted, but it was as quickly masked as Tyros's earlier eye change. The man knew how to keep his feelings to himself and more to the point, he stuck to telling things about his service over little personal details. A man who preferred to keep duty and a personal life separate perhaps. Like Sev's strange feeling in the Force, Tyros would have to find out what happened in that service; the more he knew, the better after all. At least he filled out the squad; a talker and joker, the silent one and the average one, led by one who could be all of them or one of them. Again...he looked forward to seeing this crew in action.

Sev did the final introduction, which added a 5th member to the four man squad; the ship behind them. But of course; most pilots considered their crafts to be more than just tools. He just hoped if the situation arose, that they would be able to part with the ships in order to save organic life. And with that, Zharra went to work. And if Tyros had to put her responses into a category....he would have to label them as effective. A perfect blend of respectful amusement and absolute seriousness; one would serve to indicate that should they ever get out of line, she would put them down sharply and swiftly, yet the other would indicate that she wasn't a total brick wall of strict either. Archer got the dosing of both; a reminder that while his words were kind, they were out of place and a kindly reassurance that he had at least done what she hoped they would do. She followed that up with a short speech regarding the intention she had in mind when it came to the purpose of this meeting. Tyros had to let a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth when she mentioned she wasn't her to bust their balls(most likely, Sev would handle that joyous task later), but rather to let this be a simple learning session.

"Treat it as if meeting an equal rather than a commander.....although to still remember proper manners at least," he muttered to himself, though no doubt her sensitive ears would pick up his words. When she spoke to both him and Sev quietly, whispering that Sev should get his men to lighten up a little and act as they normally would, more or less, Tyros cold only nod his agreement. They were, with the exception of Archer perhaps, putting a shield between them and the officers. A shield that made them tense and a bit fearful to speak their mind. Tyros had no problem with people speaking their mind, he did so himself. He just had a problem with them speaking their minds when it did not contribute to the matter at hand. Or made it much worse for no reason at all.

With that, Zha moved to break whatever tension still lingered over the group by turning their focus to something they all loved. Had to admit, Zharra may not have had the Force, but her instincts were just about as effective. Moving in quick step around the line the crew had formed, a brief nod to Archer and Sev as he passed them, he came to stand just short of the ship's nose. He admired it for a moment in silence, letting the lingering feelings in the Force around the craft touch him; the pride, the enthusiasm, the joy. With that, he turned away from the ship to focus on the others.

"You have a truly....colorful squad Sergeant. And as Captain Zharra said, please, feel free to act as you would. I am glad you responded, for the most part, in a manner that befits the way to act around a commander, but seeing as Zharra has given you leave to act as you please, do not feel pressured to maintain rank. In fact, consider me no different than any other man merely wishing to met and understand you. The time will come when the chain of command will apply and when that time comes, I believe you'll know when its time to be what you need to be.

Yes, I too would like to hear about the ship, her past and future as best as you can give. And perhaps Mr Jennings, you could tell me more about what kind of things we can expect from this retrofit, if I'm not overstepping any bounds of course?" The words were meant for both him and Zha, as it would likely acquire the approval of both of them to speak about the changes they were making.

[Latus]

Now, truthfully, Sev was unconcerned as his men spoke. The tiny smirk he shot Archer was received by a minuscule nod. In most cases Sev liked Archer's antics but this time they were just unnecessary. He wouldn't speak to him about it, maybe whap him on the back of the head once and laugh it off. Then there was Hunter and Jennings, both acting like soldiers of-the-line in the way he had come to respect them for. As for his Captain he expected something much different that he received.

Truthfully, Sev didn't expect what came out of Zharra's mouth next.

"Remember that aneurysm I mentioned previously, Sergeant? Try not to hemorrhage, please…"

For the first time that day Sev almost did a double take, almost laughed in spite of himself. His eyes widened as he realized how critical of an error he had made. Jennings was the most obvious to react immediately to this, his large muscled form giving one of his characteristic twitches; something he did whenever he was caught off guard by something. Then there was the comment to Archer, not one of reprimand but of humorous acceptance leaving Sev to wonder who the Zeltron was on the bridge crew. But as the Captain finished speaking Archer couldn't help himself any longer, laughing a loud and hearty laugh. Sev found the feeling contagious and he noticed Jennings' smile, Hunter's passive smirk.

Well this was unexpected.

They all shored up their chuckling as the captain began again, this time speaking of her real intent of this "inspection." Sev knew she was right, as a captain she would not get this opportunity again so she was taking advantage of it now before she could no longer. She spoke of Jennings taking responsibility and Sev smiled, again in spite of himself, for he knew of what she spoke. But before long she was finished, making her intent crystal clear in the eyes of, not only himself Sev hoped, but the others as well. He saw her lean in and Sev perked his ears foreword (as well as he could) to hear what she had to say).

”Please, Sergeant, allow them to be themselves without fearing the end of the galaxy as they know it…I understand this is unusual, but to do otherwise would be an exercise in futility for my purposes. Trust me, I can be quite ferocious should I need to be…I think I can keep them in line for a little while.”

Sev had to keep himself from chuckling as he whispered back.

Ma'am, ah dinnae think thus was nae a true inspection. Ah'd 'ave no' 'ad them in lien liek thus if'n ah knew. Pausing he turned back to his lads. Roight lads, ye heard her. Sev smiled, letting them know that she was on the level. Slowly he saw them loosen up, the tenseness fading away. Her final comment was one of the Firehawk, the previous service record of their small craft.

Unsurprisingly, to Sev at least, Mr. Elrune spoke next, reiterating the Captain's statements and making everything that might not have been so very simple in terms of their situation. It still struck Sev as odd, though. He never mew a Captain who had even half the caring attitude as this one.

As they moved in the direction of the Warhawk none of the Fourth wing knew what to say. For a moment, however they all stood there; even the chatterbox Archer didn't have anything personal to add for he had already accomplished his goal.

Capt'n, I don't think they really know how to answer. The smile on Archer's face was massive as he rocked back and forth, dropping the uniform's "casual" stance; Jennings followed suit. If Sev wasn't such an old-timer he would have too, likely the same story with Hunter. E's right, ma'am. Ye're a saint fer doin' thus an' ah'm a' a loss.

For another silent moment they all stood, Sev's hand wandering up to scratch his chin in thought. Then Sev got his second surprise of the evening, the quiet Hunter's voice broke the silence.

Captain, if I may. Such a request is highly unorthodox and I doubt any of us really know what to say. We each work as a team. Each man does his duty as he needs to. No disrespect, ma'am, but I think you will need to see us in action and make our personalities out for yourself.

The way we fly is identical to the way we act. Oh, except Sev.

Ever silent Hunter said no more, took a step back and resumed his at-ease stance in peace, not minding the strange looks he was getting from Jennings and Archer. Sev, on the other hand had gotten over his surprise in the first few words. It had been ages since Hunter had spoken like that; in fact it was while they were still in the Sevens. The perspective made Sev smile.

Well Captain, e' said et.

Bullseye, Cap.

Its true...

The smile was overwhelming on Sev's face as he waited for the jubilation to die down. Sighing he took a step toward the platform and jumped up, walking over to the nose of his broken apart ship.

There's no' much ah can really tell ye tha' ye've no' already heard or seen in yer files. She es one o' a kind. Each o' us had our own Hawk; Archer an' Hunter ah mean. There's nae better craft fer everythin' ye need. Et carries anti-aircraft an' anti-ground missiles standard, mounts a foreword pair o' laser cannons an' can be fitted fer all situations be et ground attack n' support or air superiority.

Et has only thus pair o' mounts, see? He reaches up to grab the port hard-point. One AMRAAM here, one on the other side. Our service record es impressive wit' them, too. Hunter there made ten confirmed kills oan a single day.

Sev couldn't see it, no one could, but he was sure the silent pilot was blushing inside. That was his crown day of piloting. Smiling he stepped down toward his squad, and his captain.

Jennings, will ye' tell them wha' ye've go' planned?

Sure, Sarge. Almost as if he knew it was coming Jennnings stepped foreword and climbed onto the platform.

The main changes are that the new craft can fly and fight in space bringing the tactical capabilities of this unique craft to the final battlefield. The engines were changed to accommodate the larger chassis and small repulsors were installed into the wings, there should be no loss of maneuverability from the size.

We will lose airspeed but gained a stock energy shield. The wings are expanded and will house a third and fourth hardpoint for additional munitions without having to gut the mechanical systems in the wings. Finally we are changing the avionics in the cockpit to allow for a gunner to have more control.

Captain, when this craft is finished I can assure that you will not have seen anything like it.

Sev was nodding, as he had been throughout the whole speech. Some of it was confirmation while the rest was taken up by a sense of pleasure that this fighter, his Warhawk, would soon be one of the hottest fighters out there.

Any more questions, ma'am?

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Tyros’ mumbling was caught, yes, but she wasn’t particularly interested in interrupting his personal musings, be they out loud or not. Sev’s reply, however, earned an understanding chuckle and a slight nod. Of course he hadn’t known, she’d made it a point to keep that to herself…she had, of course, tried originally to ease them into a bit more of a relaxed position. However, things had turned out wonderfully despite the intent being lost on the get go. It was likely better that way anyway, now she thought about it. It gave her a good feel of what they were like when they were under inspection. Now, the fact that she’d blundered slightly in not making her intents clear originally…Zharra would keep that under her hat, instead exuding a sort of “this was all part of the plan” air in both mannerism and her amiable, if now more neutral, expressions.

As her second commented after her, she simply shook her head slightly. How very original, Mr. Elrune…what other surprises can I expect from you today? She was, of course, being sarcastic…even silently. Especially silently. After all, it wouldn’t do to have her say something like that out loud. Even she had standards to uphold. “Capt’n, I don’t think they really know how to answer.” Perking an ear in the direction of Archer, she smirked at his grin. He certainly did settle right into the situation didn’t he?

“E’s right, ma’am. Ye’re a saint fer doin’ thus an’ ah’m a’ a loss.”

Now that made her laugh…the sound bubbling up gently before blossoming into the full spectrum of her amusement. ”A saint? Oh Sergeant, I suggest you never use that word when referring to me again…it would be an utter waste. Though I'm surprised you don’t know what to say since I did ask a relatively straight forward question about your Hawk. I would have thought you would all have quite a lot to say.” Again she laughed. Did Zha know what they had meant? Of course, but she couldn’t help but poke fun. It was a freedom rarely granted, and once the day was done who knew when she’d get the chance again?

One ear swiveled around toward Hunter, the moment he spoke, her eyes following shortly after. Perhaps surprisingly to the others around her, she was more than pleased with Hunter’s statement…a soft smile forming on her face. It held as the others agreed. ”Believe me gentlemen, I don’t expect to get to know you completely from one meeting, though that may seem to be what I'm asking of you.” There was more to her comment…more to her and her talents, and far more going on in her mind, than they might have expected, or have been able to guess about. Behind those hazel green eyes she took every look, every word, ever tone, every motion they made, and filed it away under more than just ‘conversation’…she also filed it under ‘personality’. Living beings, with deliberate cognitive abilities…those beings that could think and reason…humans, togruta, selonians, ect…they were all made up of subtleties. Clues that others could read and tap into to help garner information on the personalities and tendencies of those around them…but always somehow seemed to miss, more or less; Zharra, however, attempted to make it a point to tap into them whenever possible.

She had done so in her ‘previous lives’…and she was still doing so, right down to this very moment.

They were giving her everything she needed.

It was, at least, a very good start.

One thing Hunter said, however, stuck in her mind: “The way we fly is identical to the way we act. Oh, except Sev.”

That bit of echani wisdom (as she called it) was filed away under ‘high priority information.’

Allowing Sev and Jennings to continue, she allowed her attention to turn back to the fighter for the most part. Her peripheral senses brought her everything else she needed…the shifts in the men’s stance, the sounds behind them, the vibrations in the floor of the hanger through her boots as items were shifted around…but suddenly her attention was drawn away in the middle of Jennings words. Those ears lay back, her tail switching behind her in mild annoyance as she pulled the datapad that had just vibrated out of a pouch on her belt and eyed the message on it. Those ears flattened further and she suppressed a sigh.

“Any more questions, ma’am?”

When she looked back up to Sev the change in her demeanor was not only obvious in her posture, but it was practically palpable around her. It didn’t take much for her to snap right back into business mode. ”Not at the moment. Thank you for your time Sergeant, gentlemen, but I have business to attend to and a ship to prepare for launch. You are free to move between Anthelion and Kuat’s surface for the next two days, on the third you are expected to remain aboard since we’re due to launch on the fourth. Enjoy your time while you can, men. Sgt. Sevchenko, I'm sure I can count on you to have things well under control. With that, I must excuse myself.” With a curt nod to the 4th wing as a whole, then to Tyros, she turned on her heel and, while replying to the message on her datapad, swiftly made her way from the hangar.

She detested impromptu conferences….

…Especially with her superiors.

[Jazen]

If there was one thing Threndrail had told Tyros he needed, it was a better sense of humor. That included being able to get a laugh as well as being able to laugh. Tyros could never find reason to debate the matter; it was always something he silently shrugged off to attend to later. Thinking back on it now, he had never really finished attending to that matter before Threndrail's untimely end. Nor had he thought once to think about it during his three years of self imposed exile on lesser ships. He was never on those ships long enough to make any real connections with the crew anyway. But now he had what was supposed to be a long term assignment upon the Anthelion; these were the people he would be serving alongside for an undetermined amount of time. It could be a while; and even he knew that spending a long period of time with someone who was as stiff as the stance he held would not help his relations with them. Especially with Zharra's unique approach to her crew members and her seemingly playful nature. It was just another thing he would have to work on. And what better time than now.

The sergeant certainty was letting his stiff stance fade in response to her actions and words. Oh, he held his stance well enough, but Tyros noticed that his eyes widened for a moment as the words effect hit him. The feeling was carried among his fellows, minus the silent Hunter. Archer finally let out a laugh Tyros had felt him holding back for a while, Jennings twitching in what could possibly be surprise which was quickly faded as Archer's hearty laughter. Taking a glance at all of them during this made Tyros realize that all of them were grinning. And then he realized he was starting to grin a little too. He quickly hid that, but his form did relax a little.

Sev's response to Zha's request was one that made Tyros nod in agreement. Normally when a Captain and the first officer can down to see members of the crew, it could be thought of as an inspection. But Zha had made it known before that she had intended to get to know the men. Maybe she hadn't made it clear that it was going to be a little more loose in terms of formality, but the basic idea had been there. Tyros tallied that to being her first little blunder. It brought a small weight off of Tyros's shoulders; even the Captain was possible of making mistakes, albeit little ones. That was good; he felt less embarrassed by his slip ups earlier in her office now. They still turned his cheeks a shade of red in his mind, but it wasn't as bad on his mind. So long as these mistakes happened when they were off duty like this and not in the heat of battle, they were acceptable.

The matter about learning to show a little emotion got its first start when Zha responded to the silence all of them had when asked about the ship. Here were four men that lived and breathed fighters and fighter combat, yet when asked about it, they found their tongues were hiding in their mouths. They had loosened up a little, Tyros had felt them do so in the Force(minus Hunter again), which was a good start. It might have just been a matter of confusion on how to answer the question, or they were unsure if they should answer the question with their normal enthusiasm or with a more refined tone. That alone had Tyros suppressing his amusement and disappointment, his eyes flicking green. When Zha laughed at being called a saint, claiming it would be an utter waste, his eyes took on a full green hue as a smile creaked at the corners of his mouth. And a very out of place thought came to mind. Well, now was a good a time as ever to try that humor.

"I wouldn't say its an utter waste Captain. Compared to how some captains might be, your methods could be considered saint-like. In fact, I think you might be the first captain I've come across that's been so open with their soldiers. Maybe that's why they are unable to answer; the cat has caught their tongue? Save Mr Archer of course."

It was pretty weak as far as humor went, but Tyros hadn't used his funny side for years. And at least it was an attempt. As quickly as that amusement came, he hid it behind his mask again, although his expression wasn't as tight as it was before. Hunter's sudden speech caught him a little by surprise, at the Echani had established himself as the quiet one of the group. However, Tyros had guessed earlier that the man spoke when he felt the need too and when he did, he got straight to the point. Such was the point now, as he both gave Zha a way to relate to them that would make them all more at ease as well as save his fellows the pain of trying to figure out this odd situation. Only Sev and Zha were able to grin in the aftermath, Archer and Jennings both at a loss at their comrades sudden use of his mouth. Tyros himself liked the man's response; it would allow them to see them in combat and learn more about them in one fell swoop. Hunter had chosen the right time so speak his mind.

Tyros was taking in as much as he could from his meeting, as he was sure Zha was. She may have said otherwise, but a Captain didn't get to captain by ignoring the little details. And Zharra so far had caught everything that had happened around her, even things that were not directly related to what she herself was focused on. It served to grow that tower of respect Tyros was building in his mind for his latest commander. If she was this attentive in a simple meeting, she must have been a devil in battle. The thought was comforting. That vast amount of information he was getting from these meetings was carefully being sorted in his mind, logged in the same manner as a vast library. There were sections regarding their body language, they way of acting, the emotions and state of minds when they were presented with something that required some thought. Mr Archer had the biggest file so far, out of the squad anyway. Zha had the largest overall....and there was no doubt in his mind that they were give him more as time passed for those little personal files in his mind.

Now he turned his attention to the explanations Sev and Jennings gave for the Warhawk behind them. Sev was first, giving more or less the technical specs of the ship's predecessors. The ship was impressive to say the least. It could handle air and ground attacks, well equipped for handling either of those tasks and could be fitted to fit what the situation called for. Tyros had never seen them in action himself, but from the way Sev described them, they were a force to be reckoned with. It was a jack of all trades ship in terms of uses; but it mastered in the area it had to watch over at the time. That was good, useful. But as Sev had mentioned earlier and as the file stated, the ship was meant for in atmosphere combat. Which was something they might have to do at some point, but the Anthelion was meant for space combat. What good would a ship meant for plantary combat do them there?

Jennings answered that in short order, describing what they intended for the experimental ship before them. First and foremost, it was going to be adjusted for space combat. Good, that solved the only problem that Tyros could really see. The specs were changed to accommodate for the difference between space and atmosphere flying conditions, along with the addition of a needed energy shield and increased firepower. All in all, they were really only giving up some of its speed in order to bolster the craft's overall effectiveness. And if it worked the way they described it as, the ship would be a menace to their foes. He wondered to himself whether or not they would add a paint job that would assist in that image, but before he could field a question, something caught his attention in the Force. Turning his head to Zha, he noticed she was looking at her data pad, which brought about a sudden change to her, not only in the Force but physically as well. Gone was the teasing and cheerful mood Zha had been in, replaced by a feeling of annoyance and a quick switch to a more serious state of mind. She must have found a fault with whatever message came through on that pad, for she was quick to end the meeting.

The news that they were leaving in four days surprised Tyros, but it was not unexpected. The ship was practically ready to go, save for minor touch ups, final inspections and testing of certain systems and the arrival of the remaining crew. Tyros realized with a silent sigh that there was much work that would have to be done in that time. For all of them. Luckily, Tyros had long ago learned to be indifferent to long hours of paperwork and the like, which meant it was no bother to him at all. He would be hard pressed to do that on top of his other duties however, but Tyros had always been good at managing his time. Well, there was much to do and seeing as how this meeting was at an end, it was time to get a head start on that. He saluted to Zha as she turned on her heels to leave, then turned to the four of them.

"Thank you Sergeant for your time. You and your men. I have learned much from you today and hopefully, will have the chance to do so in the future. Please, if there is anything you, or any of your men for that matter, feel the need to ask me, the door to my quarters is always open." To Sev though, he added in another part that only the Sergeant would be able to hear. "Sergeant, when your time is free, I would like to meet with you in private. There is something I have need to ask you. This is not an order, but a request. I hope that time manages to give you leave to attend it. Turning back to the the four of them, he gave them a final salute. "As you were commander. Good day to you all." With that, he turned to follow after Zha, though he kept his questions about the message to himself as he came alongside her to the lift. He knew when to leave things alone and at this moment, whatever Zha was heading off to deal with feel under that category.

He had a pretty good guess as to what it was anyway. Well...Threndrail and her have something in common after all. I think I pity whoever sent that message.