Climbing a stack of crates in the Republic’s hangar, Alera sat down on the top, her legs dangling over the edge. Her yellow eyes watched the various clones working in the room, their white armor shining under the bright lights. An alarm beeped from the other side, the sound a faint echo to her, and one gunship rose into the air to head out from the planet. With a smile, Alera jumped down from the crate tower with ease when another gunship arrived in the hangar, the sides painted with a pale red color, the same as Derek’s helmet patterns. “Master,” she said, bowing when Master Dyarron disembarked, letting go of the strap from the gunship’s ceiling. “It’s good to see you again.” “Yes, Alera.” He nodded to Derek, who slipped his helmet off. Without another word to his Padawan, Master Dyarron stepped away, his blue eyes troubled. “Had any fun without me, kid?” asked the clone while the pair waited for the other clones to step off. “I beat Ahsoka Tano in a duel,” Alera replied with pride. “It was just bowstaffs, of course.” “I gotta admit, that’s impressive. Come on, let’s head to mess. The boys can take care of the rest here.” She nodded, looking in the direction where Master Dyarron had disappeared. “Is Master alright?” “It was a long mission.” Derek put his helmet back on, hiding his tight expression from Alera, and they crossed the hangar together. Alera sat still on her bed, legs crossed and eyes shut, her face peaceful while a gentle night breeze blew in from the open window. “Hello, Master,” she said, opening her eyes when the door slid open. She shifted, tucking her legs underneath her, and held out her hand, the window shutting with a firm click. He smiled, sitting at her desk, and toyed with the open files she had been studying. “You’ve worked hard in my absence,” he remarked after a moment. “I promised.” “Yes, you did.” Master Dyarron sighed and slipped his hands under his heavy robes. “How have your flight simulations gone?” “Very well. Master Nu says I have a talent for it.” She fidgeted with the sleeve of her tan robes. “Then you shall fly a real starf1ghter tomorrow.” Master Dyarron rose and made for the door, but he glanced over his shoulder to see her wide yellow eyes. “I’m sure we’ll both be looking forward to it.” Alera walked slowly through the hangar, knowing Master Dyarron was most likely watching her. His red Jedi starf1ghter sat waiting, with Derek beside it. “Hey, kid.” He smiled when she approached him. “Heard that it’s time to see you in the air.” “Are you teaching me?” “Not really. I should though, but the general insists on being the one to show you how it’s done.” She smiled and sat on the f1ghter’s wing. “How long have you known him?” “Since the Battle of Geonosis, I guess,” he said, voice uncertain as he scratched the back of his head. “Or since I left Kamino. I was assigned to him from the start of this whole war.” “That’s a long time.” “Sure is,” he answered with a grin. “How was Rodia?” The clone’s face hardened, and he lifted up his helmet, saying, “Rough,” as he put it on. “Ready, Alera?” asked Master Dyarron, sneaking up behind her. His face appeared worn, weighed down by exhaustion. Smiling, she nodded. “Absolutely, Master.” While the cockpit slid open, Alera glanced at the astromech in the droid port. “I didn’t know you had a droid.” “Ah, yes, this is G-11, Alera,” said Master Dyarron, and he drew Derek away for a moment. Alera patted the cool dome of the droid’s white and gray head. “Nice to meet you, G-11. Can I call you G for short?” The astromech spun its head, beeping cheerfully at her. “I’ll be Master Dyarron’s new commander soon, when I’m battle ready.” “Change of plans, kid,” Derek announced and rejoined her. “The general has other business to attend to. Looks like you’re learning from me.” “The best then?” she teased. “You’ve got it. Now hop in.” Alera jumped up from the ground, sinking into the seat with ease. Her fingers tingled while using the Force, and she grinned and touched each button in the controls. “You know what you’re doing?” Derek leaned over to check several alarms. Alera nodded, and he took off his helmet to reveal a mischievous grin. “Well, G-11 has you covered, so have fun.” Her stomach dropping, Alera felt the f1ghter rise up in the hangar. “Derek, wait! You can’t leave me by myself!” He laughed and shouted, “You said you were ready!” Alera closed her eyes, breathing slowly to calm her nerves. “Okay, G, you ready?” The astromech chirped in agreement, and she wrapped her blue fingers around the controls. The f1ghter responded slowly to the nudges, and she steered out of the hangar with ease. “That was just the beginning,” she muttered, glaring one last time at Derek before pulling up into the planet’s atmosphere. Alera smiled and looked out of the foggy cockpit glass to see the swirling mist. “It’s beautiful up here, isn’t it, G?” The droid agreed before sounding an alarm beep. Alera’s yellow eyes scanned the radar.
“It’s just a transport, G. I see it.” Chills slid down her back as she maneuvered away from the large public transport, the f1ghter moving a second after her every touch. The comm system crackled to life, Derek’s voice breaking through. “Looks like you got this handled.” Swerving her head, Alera spotted his gunship to the right of her f1ghter. She pressed a finger into the button opening the comm, and she answered, “Just like you said, commander. I was ready.” “You said you were ready. There’s a difference.” Alera rolled her eyes. “Yes, commander.” She continued forward at a simple pace to allow Derek to follow her. “I won’t get arr3sted, will I?” “The f1ghter’s cleared. No one’s stopping you today.” “Good.” Alera released the comm button and turned her head. “G, I need you to reroute power from the w3apons to the engines. I’ll need to adjust things on the ground, but we’ll manage up here. You got that?” She watched the power levels change on the panels, but G-11 followed it up with nervous beeps. “Of course I know what I’m doing. This ship’s too slow.” Pressing the top buttons on her controls, Alera grinned as the f1ghter shot forward, maneuverability becoming easier to her as the ship moved at her every touch. “That’s better!” she shouted over the droid’s loud, warning chirps, which settled into silence as she continued. The comms crackled in an instant. “Kid, what do you think you’re doing?” Keeping one hand on the controls, Alera turned on her comms. “This f1ghter wasn’t fast enough for my taste. I’ve got this, captain.” “If you crash the general’s ship–” “I won’t, Derek!” Alera released the connection button and settled back in her seat, yellow eyes darting around as she steered through several ships entering the planet’s atmosphere. Easing off of power, she let the f1ghter come to a stop, the nose pointed up so she could see the stars. “It’s incredible, isn't it, G? All those planets and stars around us?” There was a single chirp, and Alera smiled. “You know, G, I think I really like flying.”
