= Shuttle One (Several minutes earlier) =
"Aiyy!" Rosec'a cried out in mild dismay, catching onto the nearest thing that provided some support as the shuttle dived into the cloudcover after the evading Gam'trosha. There was, for the barest moment, genuine fear - though it passed, to be replaced with a nervous smile.
And, naturally, with a quip to Zes'kas: "Think it violates regulation to commandeer the shuttle?"
Zes'kas braced himself against the wall, gripping the edges of the seat, grimacing slightly. He better not do a damn barrel roll. He looked over, "I'm sure it does. Do you have a pilot's license? I don't think it matters, can't be hard pressing buttons and the like." He released his iron grip on the seat, but maintained just enough to not be sent tumbling.
Still clinging tight to her seat, Rosec'a couldn't help but chitter and laugh. "I have two directives, you know! Do no harm, and prevent harm when I can. I'm pretty sure it doesn't count as doing harm when you tranquilize someone, and we could be saving lives... preventing harm... by doing it."
Clearly, not serious. But all the same, an odd line to be laughing about.
"I'm sure I can figure out flying. It can't be that different from vulpine biology, right?"
"You're telling me! I've got those too!" Zes'kas chuckled, "I'm still a medic." He glanced in the direction of pilot, "I'm sure both of us could figure it out if we tried." At this, in response to laughing, he relaxed. He grinned winningly at Rosec'a.
Suddenly the shuttle lurched upward, the voice of the pilot was drowned out by the sound of the harsh winds battering the shuttle. The shuttle rolled onto it's 'back', causing any unsecured equipment to come crashing against the 'ceiling', though fortunately the passengers would've been buckled in.
The sudden battering winds interrupted Rosec'a in the midst of what would surely have been another profoundly witty quip - she instead settled for a yelp of surprise, renewing her grip as bagged gear crashed about her. She shouted something towards the front of the shuttle, though it was drowned by the wind.
She sounded irritated, though. That much, no amount of buffeting and howling wind could drown.
A fitting end, don't you think?
No. Quiet.
Not today, my little one.
She glanced towards Zes'kas helplessly, mouthing the words, he has to be mad. Hopefully lip-reading was something they learned in Laibe-school!
The sudden motion caught the relaxed Zes'kas off-guard. He shouted, against the wind, "I HATE SHUTTLES NOW PILOT!" The surprised Liabe renewed his iron grip to the chair, talking angrily to himself. After calming down, he looked towards the Rosec'a, who, like him, was now upside down. He could barely make out the words, at least, what he thought were the words. He responded in the same manner, a rare frown on his face, "Yes, I'm mad. I am not shouting in joy."
"If you think THAT was bad," remarked the pilot, who had obviously heard what Zes'kas had said. "Wait until you are hot-dropped into a battle field..." the pilot sounded a little frustrated, perhaps due to what was going on.
"No, I meant..." Rosec'a pantomimed the thought, waving her hand next to her head animatedly. "Crazy. Needing evaluation. Right?"
She didn't seem all that concerned about the pilot, and his newfound responsiveness to his passengers. Irreverence was keeping her something resembling calm. She even responded to him!
"Can we not be hot-dropped? I'd rather not be hot-dropped. It sounds like sad times."
Eventually, her voice would give out from shouting. Perhaps then there would be peace.
Zes'kas frown deepened upon hearing Rosec'a change "Mad as in angry, to mad as in crazy". He furrowed his brow, and glared piercing at her, gold eyes showing his anger. He mouthed out, "Now I'm insane too? Sorry for being a bit startled!" His anger was a rarer emotion, managing to break past his usually amiable personality.
(Another mini-JP from Orion and Sham, with a guest for the shuttle, Kyle)
