Private "It's in the shop!"

[Michael Angellus]

​

PERSONAL FLIGHT LOG – Entry #1963
Location: – Odessen - Flight Line
Assigned Craft: My X-wing
Astromech Partner: BRED (BB-30)
Current Mood: Annoyed
Background Noise: I can’t hear anything over the spherical Diva.

So, today was supposed to be routine maintenance. You know—wipe the carbon scoring off the nose, check the fuel cells, kick the landing struts just enough to make sure they don’t collapse under me. Nothing heroic.

But of course, BRED had opinions.

Bwoo-dop-zrrrt! [Translation: You fly like a lunatic, and you know it.]

I told him I don’t fly like a lunatic—I fly like someone who knows the difference between skimming a tree canopy at full burn and plowing into it. Subtle but important distinction. He didn’t buy it.

So we spent most of the afternoon tightening the control relays, trying to shave a little of the “maniacal twitchiness” out of the stick. Sure, I can handle it, but maybe the next poor pilot who climbs into this thing won’t have to wrestle it like a half-wild nexu. If the setup works, Guardian Authority might even adapt the design for more production models. Imagine that—my settings, turning into a fleet standard. Dad would’ve gotten a kick out of that.

Of course, it wasn’t just between me and BRED. A couple of people nearby were working on their own birds, and every time BRED chirped something snide, I could hear muffled giggles from down the hangar. Great. Word’s going to get around that I argue with my droid like an old married couple.

But hey—that’s us. He complains, I tweak the ship, and somehow it all comes together. The controls feel smoother already. Tomorrow, I’ll test her in atmosphere, and maybe—just maybe—I won’t have to white-knuckle the yoke through every roll.

Then again, knowing BRED, he’ll just find something else to criticize.

Whoooop-grrtt-preeeeep! [Translation: Don’t crash.]

Thanks, partner. I’ll try not to.

For now, I’ll just test the linkage on the landing struts.





– Michael A.
Not all days of a pilot are that exciting.

TAG: Valery Noble

This is where he is speaking

 

[Valery Noble]

Ship: Link

The scream of repulsors cut across the hangar as Valery guided her X-wing down, the battered starfighter settling onto its struts with a groan of metal that spoke for itself. The hull bore the marks of a mission that had gone longer and harder than planned, and by the time she powered down the systems, she already knew the tech crews were going to have words for her.

The canopy hissed open, and she climbed out, boots hitting the deck with a heavy step. She tugged the zipper of her flightsuit down to her waist, letting the arms of the orange fabric hang loose. The white tank beneath clung to her skin, damp from hours sealed in the cockpit. Her helmet she pulled free with one hand, tossing it back into the cockpit with a sigh before running her other hand back through her dark hair.

For a moment she just stood there, drawing in the cooler hangar air, orange eyes sweeping across the rows of ships and pilots at work. She caught sight of movement not far off, the sound of a droid's chatter echoing between the walls, and her gaze lingered.

"Looks like you've got a smoother setup than me," she called, her tone carrying a faint smirk as she glanced back at the X-wing behind her. "Mine's barely holding together after that run. Think you can point me toward someone who might be able to help before it falls apart on me?"

Michael Angellus ​

 

[Michael Angellus]

​

PERSONAL FLIGHT LOG – Entry #1963
Location: – Odessen - Flight Line
Assigned Craft: My X-wing
Astromech Partner: BRED (BB-30)
Current Mood: Annoyed
Background Noise: I can’t hear anything over the spherical Diva.

It is going to be an interesting day.

We were just about done, and I was just about ready to pack up and go grab some chow when an X-wing was coming in hot. It was also sounding like it had been through a meat grinder.

Wooo-beeep. [Translation: This idiot flies worse than you do.]

Watch your mouth.

Weeep-bwoo. [Translation: I didn’t say anything “bad”.]

Then I saw her get out… and shed a layer…

Chrrp. [Translation: Yeah, I don’t have the problem… you do.]

I didn’t get what he was saying at first until I saw her again… then recognized the face. Master Noble… he’s right… ohhh he’s right.

She’s a married woman… She’s a married woman… She’s a married woman…

Wooo-beeep. [Translation: Pick your jaw up off the floor, she’s coming to us.]

He’s out of line, but he’s right. Why do I feel I’m borrowing a line from a holovid-movie when I say that? Anyway, here comes the boss of this all. She’s coming to see me. Me. Wow. WOW I’m acting like a 16 year old.

Hey! I’m not 16 anymore! I’m 18! … Mostly!

Weeep-bwoo. [Translation: “We can help you, Master Noble. Let’s take a look”.]

Huh? Oh… oh yeah.

Thanks for the compliment. My father… before he died… and my uncle… before he died… they built a model for me… and my cousin. Anyway it sounds like your ailerons are running slow, almost like they’re out of alignment. BRED and I could take a look if you like?

Chrrp. [Translation: Look, I don’t mind helping, but I don’t like being volunteered.]

Oh, stop being a diva! HIM! Not you!

– Michael A.
Forget BRED, I’m gonna get myself into trouble.

TAG: Valery Noble

This is where he is speaking

 

[Valery Noble]

Ship: Link

Valery crossed the last stretch of the hangar floor with a small smile tugging at her lips. She hadn't noticed the way his eyes had lingered, only the sound of the droid's chatter as she came closer. When he offered to take a look at her X-wing, her brow lifted ever so slightly. He seemed young, but the confidence in his voice was enough to spark a flicker of surprise.

"You think so?" she asked, her tone curious. A faint smirk followed as she tilted her head toward the battered fighter. "If you and your partner don't mind, I'd be grateful."

She crouched down briefly, fingers tightening the laces of her boots. The movement pulled her flightsuit loose around her waist, the white tank clinging to her frame as she worked. With a tug on the knot, she rose again, brushing a few strands of hair back from her face and letting out a quiet breath.

Her orange eyes found him again, steady but warm. "She's been through more than one rough mission lately. If you can get her flying smoother again, I'll owe you both."

Michael Angellus ​

 

[Michael Angellus]

​

PERSONAL FLIGHT LOG – Entry #1963
Location: – Odessen - Flight Line
Assigned Craft: My X-wing
Astromech Partner: BRED (BB-30)
Current Mood: Annoyed
Background Noise: I can’t hear anything over the spherical Diva.

Yeah, I’m not at all surprised that she was surprised BRED and I could fix her ship up. I mean… I’m 18… mostly...and I’ve been working on ships since I could walk. It’s not like I’m some random kid off the street. I’ve got the skills, and BRED is a top-notch astromech. Together, we make a solid team, even if he doesn’t want to admit it.

Then she said she would “owe me”... and the kid in me… girl crazy kid in me…

Wooo-beeep. [Translation: Don’t!]

Yeah, practically born in a cockpit and have been working on fighters since I could walk. X-Wings were my dad’s fav.

Weeep-bwoo. [Translation: Did you just say “fav”?]


I couldn’t help it. I tried to hide it…


Chrrp. [Translation: DON’T!]


I couldn’t stop myself… I slipped a couple of quick glances as she was "tying her show” … I said what I said.


She’s a married woman… She’s a married woman… She’s a married woman…


Wooo-beeep.[Translation: I can’t believe that I have to calm you down!]


I make no apologies, but I know he is never going to let me live this down. I mean though… COME ON… HER WAIST!


Weeep-bwoo. [Translation: “Alright, since you are so wrapped up in he forbidden fruit I’ll do your work”.]


Huh? Oh… oh yeah. He’s right.

Let me slide under here.

Chrrp.[Translation: FINALLY!]

Could you reach for that dampener and put a sock in it!

Code for “Shut up”. Not like it ever works. Anyway, yeah I was under here, and looking through everything, I was in the right spot. I could sneak a glance.

Chrrp. [Translation: Is it Shi’do mating season or something???]

Yeah, this is an easy fix. Will need new parts though.

– Michael A.
Forget BRED, I’m gonna get myself into trouble.

TAG: Valery Noble

This is where he is speaking

 

[Valery Noble]

Ship: Link

As Valery straightened again, she caught the way his gaze lingered. The smirk that curved at her lips was subtle, but very much there. She tilted her head ever so slightly, eyes narrowing with amusement before she turned toward the scarred hull of her X-wing. One hand lifted to brush a damp strand of hair back behind her ear, her voice carrying a playful lilt.

"Quite the view, hm?" she said, tone deliberately vague. Her eyes flicked back to him just long enough to make it unclear if she meant the fighter or herself. The faintest tug of her smile suggested she knew exactly what she was doing.

When he slid under the fuselage, Valery shifted her weight onto one hip and folded her arms loosely across her chest. The chatter of his droid pulled a chuckle from her, but her attention remained on the young mechanic. It was not hard to notice the quick glance he thought he had stolen, and this time, she rewarded it with a slow, knowing wink.

"I can get you the right parts to finish," she said, her tone smooth as she stepped a little closer to the ship. "There should be spares in the hangar. Tell me what you need, and I'll go track them down. Saves you from having to crawl out every time you find a new faulty part."

She let her gaze wander briefly over the battered starfighter again before glancing back down toward him. "Besides," she added lightly, "I'd rather not have you distracted while you're under there."

Michael Angellus ​

 

[Michael Angellus]

​

PERSONAL FLIGHT LOG – Entry #1963
Location: – Odessen - Flight Line
Assigned Craft: My X-wing
Astromech Partner: BRED (BB-30)
Current Mood: Annoyed
Background Noise: I can’t hear anything over the spherical Diva.

Note to self: Never, ever volunteer to work on Valery Noble’s starfighter again. Not unless I’m ready to spend the entire time giving myself Jedi-level pep talks while my droid heckles me.

She came in, fighter scarred up bad, top half of her flight suit peeled off because the hangar was hot. She asked if I could take a look. Me? The kid with grease on his face and a wrench bigger than my arm? Sure, no pressure.

"Bwoo-dreeee-chkchk!" [Translation: You’re dead, kid. Don’t even try it. [BYou’re[/B] the one who offered!]

I ignored him. Told myself this was just routine maintenance. Nothing unusual. Except then she bent down to check the hull with me, smirked when she caught me looking, and—Force help me—winked. I nearly brained myself on the fuselage. Yeah, she caught me. I’m not THAT crazy.

I crawled under the intake so I could focus… yeah right..


… rattled off part numbers like I’d been doing this all my life.

I need a Piston rod legs LEG… and no wait. I need two legs…

Keep it professional, keep it Jedi. Easy, right? Nope. She leaned in closer, brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, and said, “Quite the view, hm?” deliberately vague. Fighter? Or her? Even I’m not that naive.


Of course, my 18-year-old brain screamed one answer. My honorable Jedi brain screamed another.


"Wheeee-brot-zrrp!" [Translation: She means the fighter, idiot. Don’t blow a fuse.]


I muttered something about faulty couplings, like a responsible mechanic. But my voice cracked halfway through. Real smooth. Dad’s legacy, ladies and gentlemen. Then I caught a glance of her walking away… Distracting…


"Hooonk-prrrr-wreee!" [Translation: Distracted? He’s toast. Someone get a fire extinguisher.]


Then she offered to fetch the spares for me so I wouldn’t have to crawl out every two minutes. Thoughtful, right? Except she said it with that tone—playful, teasing—and then added, “I’d rather not have you distracted while you’re under there.”

"Hooonk-prrrr-wreee!" [Translation: TOAST!]

I swear, if an intake fan had spun up at that moment, it would’ve sucked me straight in.

So yeah. Fixing her fighter. Staying “honorable”(mostly). Didn’t combust yet, at least not visibly. But next time? I’m wearing a blindfold.


– Michael A.
What if she is OPEN to “owing” me? Naww



TAG: Valery Noble

This is where he is speaking

 

[Valery Noble]

Ship: Link

It didn't take her long to track down the parts he had asked for, and when she returned she crouched down beside the fighter, leaning in to offer them to where he was working. The faint smile on her lips lingered as her orange eyes caught sight of him beneath the hull.

Yeah, she had him sweating a little.

"Here you go," she said lightly, extending the components into his reach. "And thank you again for doing this. If I had to wait on the regular crews, I'd probably still be stuck in line tomorrow."

She rested one hand briefly against the cool plating of the starfighter, her gaze running across the battered frame before turning back toward him. "You've already saved me a lot of time."

Michael Angellus ​

 

[Michael Angellus]

​

PERSONAL FLIGHT LOG – Entry #1963
Location: – Odessen - Flight Line
Assigned Craft: My X-wing
Astromech Partner: BRED (BB-30)
Current Mood: Annoyed
Background Noise: I can’t hear anything over the spherical Diva.

When she walked away, I couldn’t help it.

"Bwoo-dreeee-chkchk!" [Translation: Stop it! You’re gonna get your teeth kicked in… THEN her husband will show up!]

I couldn’t help it. She’s … ugh… I need a… I need a lot of things. When she walked away, you noticed… when she walked back… you noticed.

"Hooonk-prrrr-wreee!" [Translation: At least work while she’s gone!]

I am, I am.

Luckily the work wasn’t that hard. I couldn’t do much about the frame at the moment, but that is just a mallet and a welder. I just have to work FAST so I can justify…

"Wheeee-brot-zrrp!" [Translation: What? Justify what? You’re oggling? Get yourself in trouble, don’t drag me down with you.]

I muttered something about glitchy receptors, then, speaking of “down”. She leaned… she leaned in a way that almost made me lose all auditory control and just freak out. It’s like this was a test, and not her testing my composure, like it was a command test. A test to see if I could hold up…

"Hooreee!" [Translation: Yeah, you want to hold something “up”.]

I’m memory wiping him, I swear.

Absolutely glad to help you with this… with ANYTHING… not that I am not willing to help others… I mean… I like helping beau… I like helping people. I mean, who WOULDN’T like helping people, you know? I…

"Hooonk-prrrr-wreee!" [Translation: Oh my word… you are a lost cause!]

Shoot me now.

If you want, I’ll see what I can do about fixing the bad parts of the frame? I’m pretty good with big tools.

"oooogh!" [Translation: Yeah, you use a “tool” every night. I’ve seen your bunk sheets!]

Oh, he is so deactivated.
– Michael A.
What if she is OPEN to “owing” me? Naww


TAG: Valery Noble

This is where he is speaking