A small congregation of Rebel personnel—specifically the pilots of any and all squadrons—met under a GR75 transport surrounded by a multitude of their fighter craft. Beneath it, they spoke of individual battles fought prior to their arrival on Taris, shared maneuvers and tactics picked up during their careers, and also spoke of their frustration being grounded. Being where they were now, huddled together with bowls of gruel and whatever rations they had left, military resources either missing or destroyed, and some squadrons having lost wingmen during their hasty retreat to the planet surface, had not been their idea of a successful liberation. They were waiting for the day they could take the fight back to the Empire, and it wasn’t coming quickly enough. [color=f7941d][b]“Suri,”[/b][/color]A fair-skinned human male looked across the open space among a few rows of seats. Pilots of all races and backgrounds looked up from their meals, attention moving to a Twi’lek swallowing the last of her meal. [color=f7941d][b]“Tell everyone about the first time you flew a Y-wing.” [/b][/color] Suri glanced up, almost immediately narrowing her eyes at him. [color=6ecff6][b]“Reese, you ask for that story every week. Isn’t it time you asked someone else about their first time?”[/b][/color] [color=f7941d][b]“I have been! It’s just not as funny when anyone else talks about it.”[/b][/color] Reese grinned, nudging a Zabrak female on the shoulder who had smiled back. [color=f7941d][b]“Mostly people just talk about their routine or how ‘okay’ it was—no offense Dagg!—but no one else, [i]no one else[/i]—“[/b][/color]he stressed hard, [color=f7941d][b]“—does what you do on the regular. At least no one I’ve ever flown with.”[/b][/color] [color=6ecff6][b]“Every pilot sitting here has earned their place, Reese. I don’t need a pedestal.”[/b][/color] Suri said. Her cheeks betrayed her humble attitude, turning a smidgen darker. Leave it to a member of her squadron to butter her up in front of other pilots. [color=f7941d][b]“No, you just need a ship. What you do speaks for itself.”[/b][/color] Rheese looked around. Other pilots seemed to agree, whether by the gesture of nodding at Suri or softening their stares. Respect in your squadron was one thing, but respect among several different ones was something else entirely. She earned that. [color=6ecff6][b]“That goes for everyone else, too.”[/b][/color] Suri’s gaze traveled to the different faces surrounding her, having committed all of them to memory in the last two months.[color=6ecff6][b] “Captain Thereon’s been… taxed lately. If we can’t find a way to turn this around soon, we’ll have to make a way.”[/b][/color] [color=f7941d][b]“He’s a Bantha’s ass,”[/b][/color] Reese muttered under his breath. A few chuckles near him rang out. [color=6ecff6][b]“He’s one of our best chances at contacting High Command—or better yet, actually winning this fight,”[/b][/color] Suri said firmly. Those laughing silenced themselves. [color=6ecff6][b]“We’ve got the ships and the skills, but sometimes that’s not enough.” [/b][/color] [color=f7941d][b]“Even for Blue Squadron?”[/b][/color] [color=6ecff6][b]“This time even for Blue Squadron,”[/b][/color] Suri nodded. [color=6ecff6][b]“Believe me when I say I would like nothing more than for us—Hawk, Nyx, and all other unaccounted for squadrons included—to take it to the Empire head-to-head. We’ve got some of the best the New Republic has to offer down here. All we need—“[/b][/color] The familiar sound of a small astromech unit drew closer to her. Reese’s eyes wandered, as did all other pilots nearby. Suri looked over her shoulder to see Zee, her affectionate astromech unit, approaching quickly. But it wasn’t alone. Followed closely beside Zee was Thereon’s own astromech known as ‘Bleep’. [color=f7941d][b]“We about to have some action?”[/b][/color] Reese wondered aloud, standing up and moving closer to Suri. [color=6ecff6][b]“With any luck we’ll have something to do at least,”[/b][/color] Suri stood up as the two droids closed the distance. Bleep had begun to relay the message to Suri. Those that could clearly understand Binary felt a surge of excitement, with murmurs going about. Those that could not, like Reese, were left looking to Suri for translation. A squadron leader being called usually meant an assignment, such as scouting or a raid, was being given. Suri, as well as the rest of Blue Squadron, would have taken anything at this point, and that may have gone double for the other pilots with them. [color=f7941d][b]“What’s up?”[/b][/color] Reese asked. [color=6ecff6][b]“Thereon needs me. I’ll be back.”[/b][/color] Suri nodded to Bleep, allowing him to lead the way. Zee had taken it upon herself to follow as well, considering herself just as much a part of this potential briefing as Suri was. [color=6ecff6][b]“Oh, and Reese,”[/b][/color] Suri glanced over her shoulder. [color=6ecff6][b]“Don’t get your hopes up, but make sure your ship is prepped, just in case.”[/b][/color] She turned around, hearing the confirmation of a cheer that brought a smile on her face. --- Suri nodded at the guards posted outside of the makeshift command center before entering herself, Zee still close beside her. She spotted Thereon at his seat, face glued to the console, and came to a stop in front of the desk. [color=6ecff6][b]“You wanted to see me, Captain?”[/b][/color] A sassy beep from Zee prompted Suri to make a quick correction.[color=6ecff6][b] “Sorry, [i]us[/i].” [/b][/color] Zee’s head rotated back to Thereon, playfully satisfied.