One man's trash is another man's treasure

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''So, this is it then. A dozen starfighters against the largest fleet in galactic history.'' Thanewulf commented to herself upon entering the spacious hangar bay of the Rebellion pride ship The Valiant. She stood at the entrance for a brief moment, eyes skimming the multitude of vessels populating the area. X-wings, Y-wings, B-wings... Some of them appeared to be in pretty bad shape, their respective owners trying to fix whatever damage was done from their last encounter with the Imperial fleet. While others welded together spare parts into wholly new components of doubtable functional properties, others engaged in a game of sabbac or dejarik, betting that little money in their pockets on highly improbable outcomes. Still, diversity of species threading about and languages spoken brought liveliness so rarely seen aboard The Whaladon. Between episodes of guerilla warfare, life continued as usual; gambling, drinking, joking,befriending. Compared to the sometimes grim and cataclysmic atmosphere aboard the Jedi mother ship, this was a real refreshment, a chance to mingle with people who knew and cared little about the Force, its will and the cosmic alignment of events.

Having spent more time around people than books during her time as Watchman, Tionne knew well the nature of people who's services she would require today. Thanewulf knew to look for the loudest bunch, most pompous and attention seeking - this would be the place to find the person who was assigned to her. Visually locating such a clique on the other side of the hangar, the Knight strolled towards them, arming herself with confidence. Clad in black leather pants and a sleeveless top of the same hue, with ginger hair arranged into a braid, the Coruscanti radiated stringency. Her hands were gloved in leather, while an electrum hilt hung incandescent from her utility belt.

The Knight boldly barged in on the group of men gathered around crates, right into the middle of a discussion. Standing in the middle, she assumed a dominant position, hands tactically placed at her waist.
''Which one of you is Lt. Jamo Jakatta?'' inquired the redhead, expecting a prompt answer.

[Jamo Jakatta]

Of the group gathered around the crate, most were wearing the overalls of the deck-crew, the technicians and engineers of the Alliance. Only two were decked out in the orange flight-suits that identified them as pilots: one Bothan, one human. The Bothan looked warily at Tionne - not exactly surprised to see another Jedi, marching about as if they owned the place - before turning his attention back to the schematics that were laid out on the crate. The human gave his comrade a pat on the shoulder, muttering something with a smile, before breaking away from the group. He sized Tionne up with one, cock-sure glance, noting the lightsaber on her hip.

“I'm Lieutenant Jakatta. Something I can help you with, Master Jedi?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''As a matter of fact, yes. I'm looking for a pilot crazy enough to fly right into the heart of the Empire, steal a pair of knickers from the Empress' drying rope and triumphantly parade them around. Out of all the candidates for the job, you seemed most familiar with female undergarments.'' the Knight jested, yet retained a serious face. Still, it was not the kind of humour to expect from a Jedi; the Order's members were often as formal to others as they were to each other. Stereotypes were there to be challenged, Tionne oft thought, hence the semi-formal attitude. If this was the man who would get her past Improcco's tight security, she thought both of them would be better off if he was kept amused.

''They haven't told you, have they?''
A datapad was tossed his way, expected to be caught. They were to break into the underground vaults of the Galactic Museum on Improcco and steal several artefacts belonging to the Jedi Order. Surprisingly, the moon itself had no guards but a laser grid so technologically advanced it would fry a fly if it tried to buzz by. This is why Jakatta's services would be needed, as the Knight was not as nearly a good of a pilot as such a mission required.

''Your superiors gave me a choice - three of you Rogues. I picked you out. And I didn't even see your picture. So it must be love.'' the redhead explained, extending her right palm for a handshake.
''I'd prefer you don't call me Master Jedi. It's a title I hardly deserve.'' she said, smiling wryly then finally introduced herself -
''Thanewulf, Tionne Thanewulf.''

[Jamo Jakatta]

A lop-sided smirk on his face, Jamo snatched the data-pad out of the air. He skimmed over the contents, picking up on a few key words: frozen moon, infiltrate, underground vaults, laser-grid. It looked like the pitch for an all-action holo - but sure enough, it was authorised. When he lifted his eyes again, the Jedi had her hand thrust out towards him.

“Tionne it is, then,” he said, accepting the handshake with a firm grip. There was a mischievious gleam in her eyes that wasn't at all what he had come to expect from the Jedi, who generally kept their communication with the Rogues down to please and thank yous. He held up the data-pad she'd given him. “You're going to need the Rebellion's best pilot to pull this off. Luckily, you came to the right place. I hope you've got a ship of you're own, though, 'cause the snubs can only carry two.”

Naturally, he assumed that there would be other Jedi coming along for the mission.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''The reason why I specifically asked to be assigned with a Rogue.'' Thanewulf caressed his ego, flashing back a sagacious smile. Appraising comments did wonders to self-confidence of men, especially if their own achievements have made them somewhat...vain. The truth was - the Knight's life depended on Jakatta's skill and prowess with flight yoke; benign flattery could be of no harm.

''It's just me and you, skipper. I've always operated alone. You know the saying - Two is company, three's a crowd.''
Tionne never allowed herself the luxury of relying on others. This was one of those rare occasions when the success of the mission was in the hands of two people, the outcome dependant on their mutual cooperation and coordination. So far, it looked like as if they would get along.

''Besides, the Jedi want to get rid of me. I smoke, drink and generally am a nuisance. Hence, it is easy to relate to me.'' the Knight voiced sarcastically, skimming the selection of vessels at their disposal.
''So, which one of these fine.... crafts are we taking?''

[Jamo Jakatta]

“Rid of you, huh? Well, brass always tells us to trust in Jedi wisdom, so I'll take your word for it.”

With only the two of them to the transport, picking a ship should have been easy. A smaller craft would have an easier time weaving its way through any kind of security, but the smallest and most agile 'fighters were only meant for one – with the exception of the astromech droid, who would ride in the rear. Jamo turned a one-eighty, until he was facing a pair of battered Y-wings.

“The wish-bones have room for a passenger,” he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the bombers as he turned back to Tionne. The Y-wings were mostly used for recon, and since Alliance Command didn't have the combat air group of the Wheel doing a lot besides routine patrols, they didn't get a lot of use.

“It shouldn't take long to get flight clearance with the Commander. How soon did the Jedi want rid of you?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Right away.'' the redhead replied, now showing more interest in the ship than its pilot. She slipped past Jakatta, her analytical eye inspecting the vessel. It appeared as if it was devoured by a metal cruncher and then spat out, outer durasteel casing so rusty and cauterized, one could not tell its original colour. A flying piece of junk, even by Outer Rim standards, it served the Rebellion well. Nevertheless, Thanewulf remained sceptic of the ship's ability to fly. Upon approaching it, a tap was administered against the beak of the spacecraft, a dampened clang resonating through the air.

''If I was to tap it a bit harder... it would fall apart!'' the Jedi exclaimed dramatically, wide-eyed in distrust.
''But hey...look on the bright side. There will be a vast supply of spare parts once we disintegrate somewhere in Improcco's orbit.'' the Knight mumbled as she ascended up the ladder to the cockpit. The hatch was slammed opened and the Coruscanti slipped to the back seat.
''Well, what are you waiting for? A written invitation?'' said Tionne upon putting a helmet on her head.

[Jamo Jakatta]

She was right, of course; the Y-wings had seen plenty of better days. They weren't Jamo's own ship of choice, but with the added burden of a passenger he couldn't fly his trusty X-wing and so the wish-bone was their best option. With Tionne already in the cockpit, a helmet strapped over her head of wild, red hair, it seemed almost pointless asking for permission to launch. Still, Jamo logged the ships ID with flight control, just in case they went astray in the course of their mission. With that done, he hauled himself up into the cockpit and slid down with familiar ease into the pilot's chair. Joker pulled his helmet down over his head and adjusted the strap.

“You ever ride in a starfigher before?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

With a hiss the cabin pressurized, locking the hatch in place. Curiously sliding fingers over an array of buttons and controls in front of her, Tionne tried to figure out what each one of them did. Her hand fell to a smaller yoke, a control stick of some sort. On top of it, a button glowed in crimson red.
''Better not push that, Thanewulf.'' mused the Knight, figuring it was the ion cannon trigger. One simple push and a beam of energy would penetrate the hull of the Valiant from the inside; not wanting to be responsible for the accidental death of the Rebellion's finest pilots, the redhead retracted her hands towards her and strapped herself in. Given the nature of the flight, one could be easily smeared across the viewport if not secured in their respective seats.

Soon enough, the craft hovered above the ground, making her stomach wobble up and down accordingly. The engines flared up with a roar, exerting thrust threatening to disintegrate the hull, with entirety of the craft shaking before the power generators stabilized.
''Yes. I was assigned with a Jedi stargfighter during the Clone Wars. After I crashed two, they reposted me to Jedi Watchman. Never was much of a flyer.'' the Coruscanti admitted earnestly, quite unaware of the time discontinuity between her apparent age and the period she was referring to.

[Jamo Jakatta]

Half an hour later, Jamo had confirmed the Y-wings flight clearance and was pushing the fighter out of its launch-tube into the darkness of space. The ships computer packages began pouring out data and Jamo jabbed at the controls, filtering out what was unnecessary. Every adjustment was second nature to Jakatta, who had spent the last couple of years doing little else besides flying starfighters.

“I've never seen command sign off on something so fast. Either you must have used one of those Jedi mind tricks I hear so much about, or they really do want us both turned to space dust.”

The hyperdrive was warming up, calibrating the safest flight route to their destination. Jamo looked back over his shoulder.

“On that note, don't touch anything back there. This thing isn't carrying torpedoes, but the laser and ion cannons are fully functional.”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Neither. I slept with your commander.'' the Knight retorted, dead serious - ''Mind tricks don't work on stubborn flyboys, only on the weak-minded.''
It was all that was said on the subject; Jakatta would find out why clearance was given so swiftly soon enough, once they reached the vaults.
Tionne's eyes drifted to the starless void around them, just before the silver streaks of hyperspace dominated the viewport.

''Don't worry. If I was to touch anything, I'd ask for your permission.'' the redhead voiced reassuringly. Relaxing back in her seat, she opted to start some form of verbal exchange. As a Watchman, she valued her social network above all; knowing the right people often saved lives, almost as often as dexterous swordsmanship and prudent command of the Force.

''So, Jamo, what's your story? Why do you fly?'' the Knight inquired curiously, hoping to learn what motivated people to fight a battle many already deemed lost.

[Jamo Jakatta]

It wouldn't have surprised Jamo one bit to here that Kelly Perris – the Commander of Rogue Squadron, who had earned himself the nickname Hot Mama – had bedded a Jedi. At least, if he hadn't been so obviously torn up over one of his own pilots. For all her bravado, Tionne was proving every bit as obtuse as her peers.

“That's good to know – on both accounts.”

Tapping his control console, Jamo adjusted the cockpit's filters. The light of hyperspace was dazzling and staring into it, at full brightness, for too long could have nasty consequences.

“Why do I fly? It's what I'm good at. The squad's just where I belong – someone's got to hold it all together, after all,” he added, smiling to himself as he thought of his wingman and the rest of the Rogues.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Oh, so it would make no difference if you flew for the Empire or the Rebellion?'' the Knight prodded, fiddling with the vizier of the headgear. The darn helmet was too big for her head - obviously made for somebody with a far larger cranium - and the face shield kept falling over her nose. Starting to get irritated by it, Thanewulf silently grunted; her eyes then fell to the back of Jamo's seat and a chewing gum that was stuck there, stashed away for safe keeping. Peeling it off, Tionne rolled the chicle between her fingers then pushed the gum between eyeport gasket and the helmet. Finally, the vizier was out of the way.
There, that's better, the Jedi mused in satisfaction, before focusing on Jakatta again.

''With your talent, the ascension through Imperial ranks would be swift and glorious. You'd probably have more money than you can spend, more holomodels waiting in line than you can shag and more champagne than you can ever drink in a lifetime.'' Tionne remarked, probably correct in her estimation of Jakatta's progression if he would enter Imperial service. There had to be something apart from the love and respect for his wingmates that kept him where he was - perhaps a common ideal?

[Jamo Jakatta]

Jamo scoffed a snort of laughter. “Not likely. The way we vape those goons, I'd be lucky if I had time to pop the cork on the champagne, let alone get drunk enough to fall into bed with some frigid Imperial chick.”

Even as he spoke, Jakatta kept his eyes on the starfighters read-outs. Multi-tasking was essential with a wingman like Iyar Thiled.

“Maybe in another lifetime.. if I'd been born without a spine. The difference between the Rebellion and the Empire is like... the difference between the Jedi and the Sith. You use the same tools, but you're parsecs apart.”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''Well, the Empire and the Rebellion sometimes use the same tools, don't they?'' the redhead quizzed rhetorically, ready to give her insight on the matter and shatter that stereotypical impression of Jedi as being deluded by the Force, pangalactic justice and celibacy. Quite ironically, it was the most opinionated of Jedi that survived the Purge, those being able to adapt and blend in, into a world there was no awe, no recognition for wielders of swords of light.

''The Rebellion has had their share of raids, these often resulting in substantial collateral damage. Since your numbers are not great, guerilla warfare is sometimes the only option left. Suicide bombers, attacks on civilian vessels... this is the Rebel method too. Not that I have to right to be judgemental - the Jedi engaged in the Clone Wars, as Generals and Commanders of the Republic. In that sense, we've broken the vow of pacifism. Not me directly - as I've always been far too clumsy around droids - but my peers have. And see where this has gotten us...''

A melancholic sigh was let out, slate coloured eyes distantly gazing through the shaded viewport, at the endless explanse of hyperspace.
''Ultimately, the point of view matters. Jedi view the Sith as usurpators of cosmic balance, while the Sith think of the Jedi as protectors of those who aren't strong enough to fight the natural battle of survival. The Rebellion sees the Empire as oppressing, while the Empire views the Rebellion as an anarchy, a synonym for chaos and uncertainty. In the end - just shades of grey.'' the Knight explained, a worried look on her face. Prospects of the future weren't too bright, with so many conflicting sides.
''If the Order knew of my opinion on the subject , they'd probably expel me. Which is good...in a way... Then I'd do what I always wanted - own a bar.'' she admitted with a chuckle, rummaging through the pockets of her pants in search of her pipe.

[Jamo Jakatta]

Jamo's jaw tightened in the pause that followed. When he spoke, his tone was undeniably sarcastic.

“Tell you what, once we're done with this little blue milk run, we can swing by the Alien Protection Zone on Coruscant and you can see just how great the Empire's idea of peace and justice is.”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

There was no point in elaborating further; Jakatta grew up in a galaxy shackled by a speciecist ideology, while Tionne had the luxury of tasting fruits of democracy. And what a sour, bitter taste it had! Corroded by corruption, endless political games and the reign of lobbists, the Republic became but a shadow of its former self. Under the weight of multiculturality, freedom of voice for anybody and everybody, it slowly died over centuries, as the general populace was falsely lulled in a pretence of peace. And the Rebellion wanted this all over again? Thanewulf was not so sure whether democracy was an optimal solution for the tortured galaxy, if all the oppressed species would ever forgive half a century of humiliation, torture or even near-extinction. Thus she remained silent for the remainder of the trip, bemused. And somewhat pissed, having left both her pipe and tobacco aboard The Whaladon.

''Don't freak out, Lieutenant.'' she warned after a while, her fingers sliding across the console upon connecting the motherboard to her datapad.
''Just need to scramble our signal. I hope you know all your controls off by heart.''
In a split of a second, the console began glowing green, Nubian symbols replacing standard Aurebesh markings. With system override like that, patrol vessels would mistake them for a Nubian starship.
''Prey that the Imps don't make visual contact. They might have a hard time believing this tin can is a H-type Nubian Yacht.''

[Jamo Jakatta]

As far as olive branches went, that little foray into computer slicing was not the most successful. Jamo frowned down at the console and tapped at the console, quickly acclimatising himself to the changes his back-seat driver had somehow forced onto the system.

“Who's piloting this thing, me or you?”

He suppressed a sigh at the sharp sound of his own voice.

”When I want you to interfere with this ship, I'll ask.”

At that moment, the Y-Wing trembled as the newly configured computer threw up an alert. They were within minutes of their destination, an in-flight recalculation having shaved twenty minutes from travel time. With scant little warning, the kaleidoscopic lights of hyperspace shrunk down into pin-point stars, as the starfighter burst into the Coruscant system.

Every ounce of Jamo's focus and concentration was on the ship's readouts then, eyes and ears open for any sign that they were – stars forbid – not alone.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''You should thank me, Jakatta, for not having us fly by the bastion of the Empire emitting a jolly Rebel jingle over the comms.'' said the Knight in a rather sarcastic tone. She knew the trip would be shorter than expected, the Force warning her even before the computer had recalculated the route. If there was time to ask, she would have - despite all that was said, Thanewulf respected Jamo's authority on the subject of interstellar flight.

The light of the Coruscant Prime hit the rear of the vessel, while on their right side, a planet emerged. It's dark side glimmered in the celestial darkness, an almost endless stream of spacecrafts flying from and towards it. Tionne's heart warmed at the sight, her lower lip trembling. Home.

Raising a hand upon sensing Jamo was about to voice his concerns, Tionne than placed on his shoulder, squeezing in reassurance.
''No. Just slide by it. We are in the buzz, white noise. They can't detect us now.'' she said, enchanted by the regal crescent of her home planet. Indeed, it was the crown jewel of the Core - sadly enough - of the Empire as well.

[Jamo Jakatta]

The sight of Coruscant did nothing to lighten Jamo's mood. He looked sidelong out of his cockpit at the glittering planet, starships swarming in its orbit and atmosphere. Coruscant was everything that was wrong, and right, about the galaxy, all smashed into one. Forcing himself to look away, he took manual control of the Y-Wing and powered down all non-essential systems as he guided the fighter towards the ice-ball that was Improcco.

Thrown out at the edge of Coruscant Prime's orbit, the planet was a rarity in that it was uninhabited. So much of the Core Worlds had been colonized that it was rare you caught a glimpse of somewhere untouched, yet there it was, with its equally frigid and inhospitable moon in orbit.

“Which hemisphere are we landing in?”

If his passenger could provide directions that would allow them to land without resorting to the use of sensor equipment, all the better.

“And just how much do you know about this.. laser grid defense?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Their journey turned into a peaceful glide through the Coruscant system, nothing to guide them but the sight of a frozen planet looming over the viewport. Distance from Coruscant Prime and the subsequent lack of sunlight kept Improcco eternally chained in ice, it's moon having an equally unfavourable climate. However, there was something beautiful in the arctic whiteness of glaciers spanning across the surface, eroded and creased by meteoric showers that oft plagued this part of the Core.

''North. You'll see a landing dock in the largest crater, on the dark side of the moon.'' the Knight instructed, pointing to the dot on the viewport that was Improcco's frosty celestial companion.

''My mother designed it, to keep raiders out. It was probably the most advanced defence grid in the galaxy, back in the day.'' Thanewulf explained, tone laced with certain pride.
''The lasers are programmed with a complex mathematical algorithm that taunts reactional responses of the sentient. For instance, if a blast was sent off to your right engine, you would naturally duck left. Laser sensors are set in a way to anticipate your move, thus shooting to the left almost simultaneously. In a way, the system is an artificial intelligence, because it also has the ability to learn of your tactic as you move through the grid.''
Clearing her throat, the Knight continued her discourse, knowing Jakatta would never take an assignment that was virtually suicide. Or would he?

''Basically - you have do outdo yourself on this one. Be less rational, more of a crackpot. Should not be difficult.'' the redhead encouraged and smiled, remembering she had an extra stash of tobacco and a pipe in the vault. A smoke was not parsecs away!

[Jamo Jakatta]

With numerous systems shut down to conserve power and avoid detection, Jamo relied on his eyes and his instinct to judge what lay ahead. Sure enough, just out of reach of Coruscant Prime's rays, there was something on the surface of the moon that caught the eye. Jakatta squinted and cocked his head to one side, trying to make out the shape of a dock. As he mulled over a plan of attack, a strategy that would get him through the laser grid, a thought came to mind.

“That sounds like an expensive, complicated defence system. Has the Empire been powering it all this time?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''I imagine so.'' the redhead responded, a finger pressed against full lips as she mused - ''However, only minimal maintenance is required. It's only power source is geothermal, the entirety of the moon's crust is vulcanically active, deep under all the ice. In a way - the system is self-sufficient.''

Leaning over Jamo's shoulder to see what lay ahead, Thanewulf sighed.
''You have an idea how are we to land without getting fried?'' she asked dolefully, then leaned back in her seat.
''Last time I flew through this thing, I had a Jedi Ace (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jedi_ace) holding the yoke. Unfortunately, the grid knows that tactic, so I opted for something different this time. ''

[Jamo Jakatta]

To her explanation of the security system's power source, all Jamo could offer was: “Damn.”

He wondered whether Tionne's mother had designed the grid on behalf of the Republic, and if so what they could have been hiding that wouldn't have been safer on Coruscant. Sure, a fancy computer system would stay alert day and night, but history had made it abundantly clear to the Rebel's that technology wasn't the be all and end all. The pinnacle of Imperial engineering, the Death Star, had been reduced to a scrap heap by a single, precisely placed assault. That was were technology failed: it lacked the ingenuity, and above all the complete originality, that only a true sentient mind could muster.

“The system is designed to keep raiders out, right? So it must registered intruders somehow... by the electronic signature they emit. But the surface of the moon is covered in meteor impact craters. What if.. we shut down all systems, killed the electronic output? Would the system register us as live intruders, or as just another speck of space debris?”

[Tionne Thanewulf]

''That is correct. Lasers would vaporize any incoming debris. Haven't known my mother long enough to ask her how the system functioned in detail, but your assumption seems reasonable. All I know about it I've read from a manual she left behind.'' Thanewulf said, lips stretched by a satisfied smile. Jakatta was a perceptive individual; soon the curious duo would find out if his flying skills matched his intelligence and resourcefulness.

''Notwithstanding the ingenuity of your plan, you do realize that we are to embark on a free-fall trajectory, nose down. You'll have to straighten us up just a few meters off the ground to avoid crashing.'' the Knight voiced her worries, then leaned back in her seat.

''Not the first time I entrust my life into the hands of a rocket jock. And gods know where those hands have been...'' she repined, waving her hands dismissively - ''Let's do it.''

[Jamo Jakatta]

The thought of where his hands had been brought the grin back to Joker's face.

“You can start worrying about the free-fall after we make it into the moon's atmosphere. Once I power the 'fighter down, there won't be time to load it up again if the defense systems decide to take us out of the sky. We're sitting mynocks, from the get go.”

In his head, the plan was simple. By withdrawing to a distance from the moon, they could build up the necessary speed to push them through the laser-grid and into the upper atmospheres. As he lined them up for their charge, the engines roaring behind him, Jamo drew in a long breath and grinned even wider. “This.. is what I live for.”

With a jerk of the joystick, he throttled the fighter forward. It roared across the stars, the cockpit shuddered as velocity doubled then tripled. Jamo kept his hands on the steering yoke, determined to keep the 'wing on it's flight path. They were seconds away from the invisible web of the laser-gid when he punched the emergency shut-down, all of the starfighters systems dying in an instant. The craft lurched, the precise angle of its pitch and yaw immediately faltering.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Tionne's gut twisted from the acceleration as the vessel embarked on a descending trajectory that became more and more vertical every second. Elementary physics and fundamental law of gravity dictated the most massive part of the ship would fall first, the centre of mass shifted towards the nose. Its metallic beak ripped through layers of air, the temperature of the hull rising to yellow heat, alloy threatening to melt.
The entirety of the ship shook from friction, the shape of an X-Wing not entirely aerodynamic when posing as a meteor. Thanewulf grabbed the back of Jamo's seat to hold, clutching it with all her strength to avoid being tossed through the lid of the cockpit.

A thousand thoughts flew through her mind, last one sticking for several moments; she thought how it would be utterly stupid to die like this, pretending to be an asteroid. There were two kinds of deaths the Knight envisioned for herself; the hopelessly heroic and the tragicomic. First would involve a mightly Darksider and an epic battle - ultimately earning her a statue in the Jedi Temple post mortem, while the second involved choking on a mint used to cover tobacco scent from her pipe before going on her very first date. This was neither, thus the Jedi refused to die.

''Jakatta!'' she shouted over the tumble upon seeing the ground approach at dazzling speed - ''Either erect this ship or you will never have an erection again!''

[Jamo Jakatta]

The Y-Wing turned end over end, the world beyond the cockpit rushing by in a nauseating blur. The g-force pinned Jamo against his seat though the grin that stretched his cheeks was all his own doing. The free-fall was exhilarating to the point that the adrenaline rush was completely over-riding the sane and rational impulse to right the 'fighter and begin a steady descent to the surface of the frozen moon. It was only the voice behind him that pulled Jakatta back from the precipice of madness, as he punched the starfighters engines back to life and sent the Y-Wing suddenly springing forward. Lights and displays began powering up one by one, as Jamo resisted the urge to continue the roller-coaster ride by throwing the Y-Wing into a barrel roll. He levelled the trajectory and angle of descent to something not quite so suicidal and continued to grin, finding himself left breathless by the fall.

[Tionne Thanewulf]

Deeply exhaling, Tionne took a few moments to calm herself, still hysterically clutching to the back of Jakatta's seat. The adrenalin rush made her knees quiver, as her heart throbbed in her temples in a sensory overload. Surprisingly enough, both of them were still alive due to Lt's maverick flight skills. Once again, Thanewulf thanked the Force for picking the Corellian space jockey out of three pilots the command had offered for the mission.

"I don't know if to thank you or to punch you, Lieutenant." said the redhead after finding her voice again - "Preferably both. Never been so pointlessly afraid in my life."

A finger was pointed towards a landing dock that lead to the catacombs of the vault - their intended destination. The landscape around them was sheer ice, bathed in twilight from the distant glow of Corusca Prime.
"That's the entrance. Land there." she suggested and leaned back in her seat, silently enjoying the rest of the ride.

[Jamo Jakatta]

In his euphoria, Jamo had barely noticed the planetoid below. Rising up to meet them was the shadowy surface of Improcco's moon. What little light reached the dark side of the moon glittered on the jagged frozen terrain, as if the entire landscape was merely a carpet of broken glass. Though the interior of the Y-Wing had a regulated atmosphere, as the starfighter neared the moon's surface Jamo could feel the chill of the world beyond his cockpit.

The landing dock was a narrow strip, just big enough to support the Y-Wing. Jamo eased off on the engines and brought the fighter in to land, with the same smooth precision that had earned him his place on Rogue Squadron in the first place. As the landing struts lowered with a soft thud, he exhaled a breath that felt as if it had been held in for hours.