James was already on the Titan deck as the call to arms sounded, working with the mechanics and MRVNs as they fine-tuned some last minute adjustments to Kilo November 7620, or just Kilo for short. As the ever-recognisable voice of Commander Briggs sounded over the tannoy, the pilot patted the shoulder of the lead engineer, and was answered with an affirmative nod as he and his team tightened up the last of the bolts and screws, securing all of the loose parts and plating into place. No words were spoken between the men and women around the war-machine, but a silent agreement was reached all the same.

As Captain James Praetor mounted his Titan, he looked to the other machines around the deck and those that piloted with them, the flesh and blood partners of the steel giants... and the Spectre with a Human mind. [color=purple]'Exceptions of every rule, I guess'[/color]. He saw a wide range of Titan Chassises, most being Gen 2 like Jäger's and Severence's Legions and even a heavily modified Gen 1 Stryder that looked held together by duct tape and pure stubbornness. Kilo was among the few Gen 3, independently developed, Vanguard class Titans on board, one which was partnered with Commander Briggs herself. James shook his head, dispelling his musings as he sat back into Kilo's cockpit and sealed the hatch. He didn't bother partaking in any of the pre-drop chatter; he knew not everyone in that hangar was going to make it back alive, why waste the energy getting to know someone that could die on this rock and become another unremarkable statistic?

He tuned out Brigg's vague briefing as he checked over Kilo's systems for a final time, double-checking the Wingman Elite at his thigh and the Flatline stored at his side before verbally checking on his Titan.

[color=purple]"Kilo, System update."[/color]
[color=violet][b]"All Systems are operating at nominal effectiveness. I am ready for deployment at any time"[/b][/color]
[color=purple]"Understood. That's what I like to hear... [i]Standing by for Titanfall[/i]."[/color]

With Kilo's reassurance, James leaned back into his seat and tighten his grip on the controls as he waited for the sudden drop that was Titanfall. It came without warning, the sudden momentum and then weightlessness, followed by the jarring sensation of the contact with the ground. Shaking his head to clear the slight whiplash, he deftly manipulated the controls so that Kilo grasped his XO-16 Chaingun and readied it for combat. [color=purple]'Once more unto the breach...'[/color]