Chapter Six
As Ezra walked down the ramp of his Pounce's cargo bay, the unyielding rays of the sun immediately bit into his eyes. With a quick forefinger, he flicked his stylish shades off his forehead and over his eyes. Cut off T, flight pants, and boots, he lugged a few tools over his shoulder and walked to the side of his Pouncer. Setting the bag down, he gave the undercarriage of his Pouncer a quick looking over. He ran a hand along the length of the body - nothing jagged of punctured. He steeped next to a wing and squatted until the wing was eye level. With an eagle eye, he examined the surface of the wing, looking for any abnormalities - nothing abnormal. Reaching back, he grabbed the bag of tools climbed the wing and stepped onto the top of the body. He was going to check the left front vent first. He dropped the bag and stuck his hand as far into the thin slot of the vent as he could. He wiggled his fingers around searching for blockage - nothing major, just small grains of sand. No surprise there. Pouncers were designed to handle the heavy sand filled winds they would navigate. He pulled a wrench from the bag and started at detaching the bolts from the vent so he could get a better look inside.
"Hey!" Ezra heard his brother’s voice call out from below. "Hey paisano!"
"What up little brother?" Ezra called out as he stood and walked over to the edge of the Pouncer.
"What are ya doing up there. It's hot as hell. You freaking sun tanning or something?"
"I wouldn’t have to make extra time to do that out her. Ezzy."
"Don't call me that. I'm a grown man. Only ma calls me that."
"What, you get here to the middle of nowhere and become a grown man. Too good for a name I've be calling you your whole life?"
"I've been a grown man for a long time. I'm behind the stick of a Pouncer. I think I've earned my bones a long time ago. If this was the old days, I'd be equal to a made man. You super freaking model looking…."
"What you jealous of my shades?"
"Yeah what's up with the runway shades?"
"They look good on me don't they?" Ezra took a masculine model pose.
"Yeah you’re a real centerfold and shit. We're blowing shit up out here if you forgot. Be pretty when we're done with all this."
"No can do little brother. It don't take effort. I'm always pretty. That's why you always follow me around."
"You wish. Why don't you come down here? Since we aint got no mission planned for today, me and a couple of the other guys are going to get started with our normal R and R little early."
"I'll catch up with you's around the normal time. When the sun goes down."
"Why's that? You take up worshiping the sun?"
"I wanna take advantage of as much light as possible to check out my Pouncer."
"You haven't even got a spit dent in it. What ya checking on it for?" Ezra pointed out.
"Are you joking? Did you see that softball sized hole I came back with after our phase in. A different angle and that could have taken off my head.” Ezra reminded.
"Would've been an improvement if you ask me."
"Ha ha. I'm up here because unlike you I like to address an issue before it becomes a problem. That's the difference between you and me. That's why I'm the older more responsible brother and you're still a young punk rookie."
"OOh, so mature. You're a real role model. A real freakin example to aspire to. Nah really come have a drink with us. Besides that's the tech's job."
"Not going to leave my life in the hands of someone else. Nah really. I'm going to take care of my Pouncer before I relax. Work before play little brother."
"What are you talking about? All of our time here is work. There aint no play. Only a few laughs and a couple of beers."
"Regardless. I'm going to take care of my responsibilities first before we get a little tipsy."
"You're still tight ass. You could be dead tomorrow you know. Alright alright. You take care of your Pouncer and we'll be waiting for you at our normal location when you're done."
"At your Pouncer?"
"You know it brother. Don't stay up there too long. Those pretty glasses won't keep you from getting burnt."
"That's ok. I'll be looking good the whole time. Go ahead little brother. Start the festivities and give me something to catch up to."
"Order received."
Ezra went back to analyzing the vent. Nehemiah was right. His Pouncer was still in pretty good shape but he meant what he said about addressing an issue before it becomes a problem. A philosophy he lived by most of his life.
Nehemiah left his brother to tend to his Pouncer and started toward his to prepare for the nights festivities. A short ways away he noticed Thor and Talia walking towards him.
"You two are headed in the wrong direction. I thought you were joining me tonight?"
"We are," Thor said. 'Well I am."
"Change of plans for me Nehemiah. The commander's got a night op he just dropped on me." Talia informed.
"Oh Yeah. What about you Thor?"
"I'm just going to rinse the day off. I'm definitely coming back to join you. I 'm never going to pass up a chance to laugh and drink. No telling how many days of them we got left."
"Where's your brother. Is he joining you boys tonight?" Talia asked.
"He's back there playing sun god on the top of his Pouncer. Says he's got some chores to do before he joins us." Nehemiah informed. "Thor you hurry up. I aint waiting for you to start and Talia tomorrow you'll have some catching up to do."
"I'm down for that Nehemiah." Talia said with a smile.
"I know Rikki's over there." Nehemiah suggested.
"She's gotten started without you." Thor informed.
"That's a pilot after my own heart." Nehemiah admitted. "I'll see you two later."
"Later Nehemiah." Talia said as she and Thor continued there walk. Ezra's Pouncer sat directly in their path.
"You knew them back in high school huh?" Talia asked Thor as they approached Ezra's Pouncer.
"The brothers, yeah. Met them senior year."
"Has much changed about them."
"Not at all." Thor informed with a laugh. "It's funny; we went our separate ways for a while after high school. When I happened to catch back up with them in the resistance, absolutely nothing had changed. Ezra was still overly responsible and Nehemiah was still… well Nehemiah. I've got more than enough stories to tell about them two."
Talia smiled she could only imagine the humorous stories that would be told with them two involved.
"I look forward to hearing them. I'm kind of envious you know."
"Of what," Thor asked.
"Almost everybody here has some history. I only met you guys before the phase in. I still feel like, you know, the new girl."
"You seem to be fitting right in with the team. The Wing Commander had to approve you volunteering for the mission for a reason."
"Eclipsed Moon," Talia stated.
"What?" Thor asked.
"You remember mission Eclipsed Moon?"
"Yeah I remember. I was the last pilot the Wing Commander refused to let join the backup mission for it. Four Wing Commanders and their Pouncers destroyed. It was a disaster none of us pilots will forget. Seven Pouncers might have changed things." Thor informed her with obvious contempt. "What about it?"
"Well remember the Compressor Team that was wiped out during the mission?"
"Yeah."
"I was the only surviving member of that team." Talia said subdued. "I was also the pilot who rescued the last two Pouncer pilots."
"You saved Lamp and the Wing Commanders life?"
"They saved mine first."
"How come nobody has ever been told this?"
"I asked the commander not to. I knew trying to forget everything and everyone I lost would be impossible if there was always a reminder; even if the reminder was praise. I desperately needed to forget."
"That much huh?"
"And then some." Talia said "So the commander brought me back. I asked to join the team and he ag
reed."
"We'll it seems like you've been around here since the beginning, so relax. The Wing Commander relies on you and we kind of like you." Thor stopped and turned to her. Without warning he wrapped her entire upper body up in his huge arms, lifted her in the air, and squeezed her gently against his bulging pecs. Dangling in the air she endured his sudden but warm embrace. He set her down, reached out, and ruffled her hair. "Into the pits of hell kid." he said.
Talia smiled from ear to ear. "I'm not a kid, but Thank you Thor."
"What are you like 20 or something?"
"Something like that."
"Whatever. We like you anyway."
"That really means a lot."
"No problem." I'm going to head over to the resource ship and get clean. I'll see you later."
"You go ahead. I'm going to go talk to Ezra before I get out of here."
She watched Thor walk off and reveled briefly in the warm feeling he had left her with, family. She did indeed feel welcomed. Turning, Talia approached Ezra's Pouncer. She shielded her eyes with a hand as she looked up at him.
"What's it looking like up there?" Talia called out to him.
"Not bad. A couple of bumps, but she's still got her baby face."
"Mind if I join you up there?"
"Not at all. I could use the company." Ezra invited her up with a waving hand. Talia mounted the Pouncer, walked over, and sat next to a kneeling Ezra.
"Where you coming from?" He asked as he continued to work his hand around in the vent.
"I was just with your brother and Thor."
"You drinking with us tonight right?"
"Nah, I'm not coming tonight. The commanders got me doing some night recon for a new potential base camp. He says if the soft sand becomes too much of a problem we may have to relocate."
"Where is all this sand everybody keeps talking about?" I haven't run into it yet."
"It’s mostly on the west side of the camp. There's a greater concentration of it a little further out."
"Ok. You going buy yourself or is Rydel going with you?"
"The commander doesn’t want to risk giving away our position or waste too many resources, so it's just me. That's why he's got me going at night."
"You cool with that?"
"I'll be alright, I'm no rookie. It's just a little sightseeing that's all. Besides, if I run into any trouble. I'll have something to brag about once I kick their asses and get back."
"That's what I'm talking about." He reached out with his free hand and gave her a pound.
She let Ezra work on his Pouncer in silence for a moment before giggling softly, but loud enough so Ezra could hear.
"What are you giggling at?"
"Nothing." She waved off Ezra's question. He went back to his Pouncer. She waited a moment then giggled again.
"What, What are you giggling at?"
"Thor was telling me about growing up with you two in high school."
"Oh yeah? What did he have to say about?"
"Not much, but he said he had more than enough stories about you and your brother."
"Now that he does. We got a few stories about him too you know?" Ezra countered wagging his tool at her.
"I bet. He also told me you too had pretty much stayed as he remembered you in high school. He paid you quite the compliment. He said you have always been admirably responsible. Sometimes to a fault but nonetheless admirable."
Ezra stopped, looked at her, and smirked.
"Admirably responsible? Yeah I doubt he used those words."
"What?" Talia said, throwing her arms back mocking innocence. "I promise you, that is what he said." She replied. "Why are you up here anyway?" She changed the subject. "The techs have already looked over all the Pouncers."
"At the moment, wondering what your angle is. You sound like my brother."
Talia giggled. "He said you were up here worshiping the sun."
Ezra laughed. "That sounds like something he would say. That was good one though. Well, I'm going to tell you like I told him. I'm not going to leave my life in anyone else's hands. There's no reason we can't put in a little extra maintenance during down time."
"The wing commander says he doesn’t want us over exerting ourselves out in this heat. Says he needs us fresh." Talia looked around and was reminded of the nonstop heat and humidity. "Well as fresh as possible. I think he's right. What do you think?" She looked Ezra in in the eye.
"That's why we let the techs look over the Pouncers and we rest?" Ezra said with a smile.
"Exactly."
Ezra set his wrench down and sat down next to her.
"I like your approach. Enforcing commands with directly doing so." Ezra reached an open hand across his chest toward her as he looked out ahead. "You got some skills kid, unlike my brother."
Talia grabbed his hand.
"Thank you and don't call me kid."
"My bad. What are you like 20, 21 or something?" Ezra inquired.
"Now you're starting to sound like Thor; just like Thor; and as I told him, something like that."
"Fair. I'm just going to finish up this vent, and then I'll get off my Pouncer." Ezra said.
Talia gave him cock of the head and raised eyebrow of I mean it.
"No really, I'm headed down. Besides this sun is beatting the shit out of me."
"Good. Now that I've done my job…" Talia stood up" Speaking of the sun, It's going down soon. I'm about to head out. I want to get an early start on my mission."
"Alright. I'll see you when you get back."
"I'll see you when I get back. Rested and refreshed right?" Talia reminded as she started off the Pouncer.
"Order received."