Downtime was buzzing with news of the new additions to the squadron. The noise level only diminished slightly when the blast doors parted and Roy walked through - most of the pilots there glanced his way, but none really acknowledged him. More amused than irritated, Roy made his way carefully to the bar.
"Y-Wing pilots," Jean Havoc greeted him, raising a mug of nondescript, pungent liquid.
"Y-Wing pilots," Roy acknowledged. It was a new greeting or an invitation to commiserate, either way he was prompting for a better explanation.
"You look tired," Riza Hawkeye said with a knowing smile, leaning beside Havoc against the bar. "How did the last set of applicants fly?"
"You were there," Roy murmured, resting his arms against the counter to the left of Havoc and conversing with Hawkeye behind his back.
"Not for very long," Hawkeye said, taking a delicate sip of her drink - some form of tea, from the look o fit. Roy looked longingly at Havoc's beer before ordering caf. He needed the caf more. "Nine snuck up on me - I really didn't see him coming."
"I saw that. Nine's pretty sharp, although he did fly right into the path of an incoming concussion missile. If we can do something about his temper, he'd be a solid addition."
"Are you going to put them both on active duty, then?" Havoc asked, putting his drink down.
"Yes." Roy considered the cup of caf that the serving droid set down before him. It had the consistency of transmission oil. "I know it's probably a bad idea," he said, realizing that Hawkeye was looking at him critically. "Having siblings in the same squadron, that is. But they're both sharp, and sending either of them to Archer's Y-Wing squadron would be a waste of their abilities."
"You're the commander," Hawkeye said pointedly. "Are we going out live, or is there remedial in our future?"
"Up to Ackbar," Roy blew on his cup of caf and finally ventured a taste. "All the rookies need to log more hours in the simulators - I'm still going to keep an eye out for a new pilot to fit Twelve."
"I thought you gave that seat to the Rockbell girl, from Tatooine?" Havoc spoke up.
"Her scores came in on the bottom end of the applicants," Roy replied. "That, and I think she'd be a better fit working ON the snubfighters, rather than in them."
Havoc snorted into his beer as Hawkeye smiled. "She was *quite* enthusiastic, sir."
"So, where's the Wook?" Roy glanced around Downtime. It was odd that Hawkeye was present without her guardian Wookiee. "Gave him the night off?"
"Hardly." His second in command shot a dark look at Roy. "There was a Wookiee pilot in the recruits trying out, remember? Hayate's spending some much-needed time with his own people before the delegation returns to Kashyyyk."
Roy nodded, fingering his cup of caf idly. "Right, the runt. He was a pretty decent pilot, too - he might have made the cut-off if his translator droid hadn't gone on the fritz in the middle of the run."
"Who else made the cut?" Havoc asked. "The siblings, the Rockbell girl, even if she's not a permanent seat - there was one other position open."
"The Shistavanen," Roy said. "The wolfman. I made him wingman to Nine, hope that helps some."
"You're giving a rookie command of three flight? Are you sure that's a ... well, a good idea?"
"Guess we'll find out," Roy said mildly.