EPISODE I - FIVE: Skyward

A faint glow above the hills suggested sunrise was just starting to appear beyond the horizon when Dex and his team boarded the cargo shuttle to begin their pre-flight systems checks. General Organa somehow happened to procure the craft despite the Resistance's lack of credits. Perhaps it was on loan, perhaps it was stolen. In the end, it made no difference how it was obtained and it was probably better to not ask questions. 

Elsewhere on the landing field, Niono and Feege prepped their T-70 X-Wings, still smarting from the exclusion from the party that was actually setting foot on Aporoth. Their unhappiness stemmed not only from the blatant racism of the First Order but because they knew being on the ground would be far more exciting than waiting on instruction while sitting at a nearby waystation. 

Adria settled into the shuttle's pilot seat, adjusting it to accommodate her height. "Was the last person to pilot this thing a Talpini? I practically removed my kneecaps on the console."

Jaimos laughed as he conjured a mental comparison between the striking female and a squat, grumpy-faced Talpini.

"That's right, Womahil, keep yourself giggling. You're going to need that sense of humor when I'm pulling your hide out of the line fire... again." She continued flipping switches from her assigned position, prepping the life support systems as the engines slowly hummed to life.

"Again?" he snapped. "I lost my footing because I tripped over that munitions crate you left in the middle of my escape path."

"I told you it was there before you walked away. I even saw you look at it," she chided.

Dex clambered up the cockpit ladder, smack in the middle of the conversation. "Am I gonna have to separate you two again?"

Jaimos and Adria paused and then convulsed with laughter.

The commander felt like he was working with errant school children, but he was the ringleader and that's why Trickster Squadron was assembled with these specific combatants. "Yeah, I thought so," he spat back, bemused. "Jai, finish up those weapons checks. We don't have a whole lot to work with here, so we need to make sure what we do have will serve us...if the need arises." He turned to Adria and playfully chastised her. "And I have no words for you."

Dex retreated back to the hold where the astromechs were locked into their power harnesses, the sustained laughter emanating from the cockpit growing fainter as the doors slid closed behind him. 

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PZ-4CO's cool voice came across the shuttle's commlink as the ship's repulsorlift generators whined to life. "Trickster Squadron prepare for takeoff." She momentarily paused as she double-checked the readout on her console. "You will be accompanied to orbit by Trickster two and five. Once you reach orbit, Trickster team will proceed to Aporoth and the fighters will proceed to Brudall waystation. All checks are complete."

"All checks are complete," acknowledged Balagon. He looked over his shoulder to Jai, to Adria next to him at the copilot position and back to the bank of controls ahead of him. He looked out the cockpit window to see the sun starting to break over the hills beyond the landing field. "Everyone ready?"

"We're strapped in and ready to roll back here," intoned Paloame from the hold.

"Weapons are up and hot...just in case," added Jai.

Adria smirked. "I'm ready to take the conn in case you need a 'fresher break, commander."

"Nobody gets a 'fresher break until we've completed the mission," Dex quipped, slowly drawing out his words. "Okay, Peazy--I think we're ready to fly. We'll see you when we get back!"

"Good luck, commander," PZ-4CO said.

With that, the shuttle and the two X-Wings flanking it lifted off and shot skyward.