[b]IC: [color=0072bc]Juliana Winters[/color] - Airstrip.[/b]

[i]Dark. Cold. Quiet. [/i]

As she peered down into Banjo's cockpit, Juliana rolled her shoulders, flexed her fingers, and exhaled heavily, before clambering inside and pulling the ceiling hatch shut behind her. Her earlier nervousness swiftly succumbing to anticipation, she settled back in her seat, and strapped herself in. 

[color=92278f]"One minute to drop point."[/color]

Juliana powered up the reactor, and in an instant Banjo was transformed from a lifeless lump of metal into a living, breathing force of devastation. The darkness dissipated as lights and buttons and panels lit up throughout the cockpit. The cold was washed away by a mild warmth as the mech's systems began to charge. The quiet was shattered by the melodic thrumming of machinery eager to be unleashed.

[color=92278f]"30 seconds." [/color]

She skimmed the readouts as her HUD came online. Everything seemed to be in working order. All of her fellow Tigers were registering on scanners, and all of her weapons were online. Ammunition counts were sufficient. Reactor temperature was normal. Heat distribution subsystems were all checking in as fully operational. 

[color=92278f]"10 seconds."[/color]

A small smile flitted across Juliana's face. This part, brief though it was, was one of her favourite parts about being a pilot. There was nothing more satisfying than being at the controls of a few dozen tonnes of mechanised murder machine as it dropped from the sky. In that moment of freefall, with the wind whipping past, the world rushing up to meet her, she felt untethered, indomitable, free and undefeatable. People looked up at the sight with wonder in their eyes. Allies saw hope. Enemies saw doom. 

The moment was over in an abrupt, jarring instant, as Banjo slammed into the airstrip, legs bending to absorb the impact. Similar impacts rocked the landscape as her remaining companions landed around her. Juliana checked her display, making sure that nothing had been damaged or dislodged in the drop.

Once she was satisfied, she spoke into her mic, [color=0072bc]"This is Winters. Banjo is ready to tango. Nice of you all to drop in."[/color]