Jet was too engrossed in filling his belly to fully participate in the animated discussion around him. Instead, he nodded occasionally, his eyes keenly observing as the new recruit grappled with the harsh truths of crew life. With a soft smile, he acknowledged Zane who tucked into his own meal. Lifting the almost-empty bowl to his lips, Jet shoveled the last few granules of protein into his mouth. He sighed softly as he chewed, the meal turning into a paste between his teeth.

After swallowing, Jet finally spoke up. [color=FF0000]"Don’t let it get to ya, kid. It’s pretty cushy here, and you'll earn your keep in no time. Besides, this ship needs all the upkeep it can get."[/color] He chuckled lightly but abruptly stopped himself. [color=FF0000][i]"Crap,"[/i][/color] he muttered, standing up and breaking into a hurried jog. [color=FF0000][i]”The damn power plant…”[/i][/color]

Fel watched Jet leave, nodding silently to himself, having a pretty good notion what was going down. He likewise stood, leaving Zane finishing his bowl, laying his hand on the kid’s shoulder as he passed by. [color=F7941D]”There’s more in the pot, Zee. Feel free, but also know that the leftovers will be there later if you feel the need to graze.”[/color] Fel made for the flight deck. Zane looked up from his bowl of chili as the grizzled soldier took off down the corridor. Looking at the others that were nearby, he pointed in the direction of the “vapor trail” that Jet left and spoke with a mouth half-full of his food. [color=cyan]”Anybody else catch that? Somethin’ about a ‘power plant’? That don’t sound too welcomin’...”[/color] the youth said nervously as he slid out from his seat at the table and meandered off after him.

The doc was at the table, and thanked Fel for the meal, to which the spacer merely nodded, smiled thinly. It weren’t nothin.’ Folks had to eat. And aboard the UA, there were times that were lean. Leaner than he’d like. So when the cupboards were stocked, better to eat up. Wrench was there too, at his usual spot at the corner of the table closest to the galley. The little astromech liked to be able to swivel to see everything, and that spot had the best vantage point fore and aft. He extended his third wheel, ready to follow Fel to the flight deck, but Galdaart waved a hand relaxedly as if to say it wasn’t necessary, and the little droid stopped, tooting its indifference.

Jet's relief was palpable as he swung into the engine bay, shoulders sagging as he saw everything was still, mostly, intact. The thought crossed his mind that this sudden dash might have been the last grain that broke the Eopie's back. He stepped in, immediately pulling out his datapad to check over the vital systems.

Jet muttered to himself quietly as he went over each item. [color=FF0000]“Hyperdrive... coolant leak, should be fine for now. Ion flow regulators... Fluctuations, nothing major. Plasma injectors... Worn out, need replacing [i]Again.[/i] Power conduits... good. Gravitic stabilizers... Slightly miscalibrated, easy fix. Backup systems... all good..”[/color] He took a deep breath, reassuring himself that everything seemed to be holding together, at least for now.

[color=cyan]”Everythin’ all right here, old timer?”[/color] the confused youth inquired, the tension in his tone suggesting he was quite worried with how the older man left the galley in such a hurry. His eyes were wide with wonder as he looked around the engine bay, all of the flashing lights and whirring sounds of machinery distracting him from anything else at the moment. The youth stared around in awe as he waited on Jet to finish going through all of his checklists.

Jet looked up from his datapad, a wry smile crossing his face. [color=FF0000]"Yeah, everything looks good, for now,"[/color] he reassured, his tone calm and steady. [color=FF0000]"Just making sure we keep this old bird flying. These engines have a way of keeping me on my toes, but nothing to worry about."[/color] He patted a nearby control panel affectionately. [color=FF0000]"Welcome to the heart of the ship, kid. Stick around and you might learn a thing or two about keeping her in the sky."[/color]

Jet then returned his focus to the datapad, continuing to review the list of items they needed. The chaos back on Lotho had completely distracted him from the fact that this old makeshift rig required some serious TLC—Tough Love and Calibration.. He reviewed the diagnostics again, methodically making notes of what they 'desperately-needed,' 'somewhat-needed,' and 'would-be-nice-to-have.' The list was short, thankfully. For now.

As he turned to leave, he placed a reassuring hand on Zane’s shoulder and plastered his face with a wide grin. [colour=FF0000]”Maybe, when it comes to it, you could give me a hand? Kark.. It [i]constantly[/i] needs work and..”[/colour] Jet's heart sank for a second, his thoughts lingering on Nova. His voice dropped, somewhat melancholic, his grin faltering. [colour=FF0000]”I like to teach you young’uns.”[/colour]

Fel had that difficult-to-identify, yet impossible-to-ignore need to check the Navacomp that seemed hard-wired into his consciousness. Too many jumps, too many years, too much riding on their success, and mostly – as a smuggler and erstwhile ne’er-do-well, too many custom routes and corners cut to ever feel too comfortable in a hyperspace lane. 

The outlander sat heavily in his seat, and called up their plotted course on the navacomp. Fourteen minutes till sublight, for a final course change, to Abilene. (it was tough to trace a ship’s destination via hyperspace jumps, but you could never be too careful. Fel had heard tell of pirates jumping unsuspecting civilians (or Republic ships) on the standard routes, and there had even been talk of the Empire tracking ships through hyperspace. Fel wasn’t sure how much of that he bought… but when the Empire was concerned, Fel was willing to believe almost anything. 

He leaned back from the Navacomp and caught sight of a flashing red light on the console. Nothing to be concerned about, just one of many hull temperature sensors (that one had been on the fritz for a few weeks) but he allowed his mind to wander, focussed on that red light, and before more than a heartbeat had gone past, he was in the seat of his TIE/IN once more, different red lights flashing all around him, and that comm chatter… the screams… that acrid, burnt smell… his thumbs hovering over the triggers… sweat stinging his eyes and the fire… the fire… 

He startled away from the memory, hand falling instinctively to the sidearm that wasn’t there. He calmed his racing heart and steadied his breathing. Wiped a hand over his four days’ stubble. Checked the Navacomp. Three minutes to sublight. 

Leaning back, staring at nothing but the swirl of the vortex out the view-port, the deep-spacer punched a button on the arm of his chair, activating the internal comms. [color=F7941D]”We’re dropping out of hyperspace in a minute, folks. Could be a bit of turbulence for a few tics. Then on our last jump to Abilene. Should be planetside by just after skydark, local time. Just under an hour’s flight time from now.”[/color] Pressing the button once more, the comms clicked off, and Fel thought how nice it would be to not have to rack down aboard ship that night. An actual bed, and fresh air, would do just fine. Now – if only he could avoid getting shot by a local, they’d be in great shape.

Jet finished reviewing the list with a practiced ease, already running through the mental steps of what needed handling first. He slid the datapad under his arm and made his way back to the galley.

As Jet entered, he glanced around the room but didn’t spot Fel. The empty chair where the spacer had been moments ago told him everything he needed to know. The walk was short, one he’d made countless times before, and as the cockpit door slid open with a soft hiss, there was Fel, just as he’d figured. The spacer was sunk into the pilot’s seat, staring out at the swirling vortex of hyperspace, his expression distant.

Jet stepped inside, his boots lightly tapping against the decking. He didn’t say anything at first, just crossed the small space and pulled out the datapad, setting it down on the console where Fel couldn’t miss it.

[color=ff0000]"Got the list,"[/color] Jet said finally, his tone easy, matter-of-fact. [color=ff0000]"Injectors are shot. Stabilizers are drifting—not bad yet, but you’ll feel it soon enough. Coolant patch from earlier is holding, but you know how those go. Nothing we haven’t handled before."[/color] He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms as he studied Fel. [color=ff0000]"Figured you’d want to know before we hit Abilene. Market’s probably our best shot to grab what we need. Question is, you want me on that, or are we splitting the joy?”[/color] Jet smirked faintly at the thought, his tone light but steady. [color=ff0000]"She’ll hold for now, but it’s creeping. One weak link’s all it takes,"[/color] he added with a small shrug.

[color=F7941D]”Always something, kark…”[/color] Fel looked over the list, only then realizing that his tension and the fevered memory he had only just snapped out of had left a sheen of sweat on his brow. [color=F7941D]“Wonder if Abilene’ll even have half this stuff. Ain’t no starport. We might have to make a stop at a shop. If Abilene has this gear, any of it, it’ll be ours for the taking. If she don’t, we gotta go elsewhere for it. Hell, can’t be without ‘jectors or stab’s.”[/color] He cursed again, but as much because of the weight of the situation, the crush of people who relied on his ability to succeed, to pull in paying work… as the added cost of doing business. And maybe the memory was playing havoc on his nerves. Maybe. 

He didn’t have to think much to do the mental math. [color=F7941D]“We don’t get this from the boss lady… and I don’t imagine our luck is that good… this takes five large off the cuts before we even get to fuel. I’ll shoulder ten of it out of my take, split the rest amongst the rest of the crew, ‘cept the Doc. He has no stake in our ship. But even if Abilene has the goods, I can’t have you on repairs while we’re her ‘guests.’ I don’t trust her, and I need your eyes on our backs… no, we’ll have to set down elsewhere, or stop at a dock to do the repairs after Abilene. …Kark.”[/color] 

He rubbed at the back of his neck. The frustration wasn’t with Jet, and the Spacer hoped he knew that. 

Jet chuckled and gave Fel a hearty slap on the back, trying to lighten the mood. [color=ff0000]"Don't sweat it, Fel. We'll manage. We always do,"[/color] he said with a reassuring grin. [color=ff0000]"I'll cover the costs with my share, too, no problem. Between the two of us, we can shoulder the whole expense. No need to worry about splitting it with the rest of the crew."[/color]

Jet took a step back, his stance more relaxed. [color=ff0000]"We'll get what we need, one way or another. And you know I always have your back. Just point me in the right direction, and we'll sort it out."[/color] He glanced out the viewport at the swirling vortex of hyperspace, then back at Fel. [color=ff0000]"We'll be fine. Just another day in the life, right?"[/color]

Fel smiled good-naturedly. [color=F7941D]“Yeah… just another day, living the dream.”[/color] He thought about the fifty different ways they could have got dead in the last twenty-four hours, the host of issues surely to come, the tense dealings to come with Abilene, getting paid (or not getting paid) and the, well, cat issue. Dream. Right. Better than any day under the yoke of the Empire, though. Silver linings…