Kessel's Open Orbit

The change in IFF did not go unnoticed. For one thing, most ships that had an IFF only had one. While it wasn't impossible, or even illegal, for someone that works on the fringes of major factions to have several, it was rather rare. Worrying that he might have started a mess for nothing, the pilot has the co-pilot exchange data packets with expected arrivals to the base.

-Pilot
I'm reading a change in you IFF. Forget to switch it over before you jumped in? Regardless, what is your business with the local base? I'm not showing any third party arrivals listed for the next three days at least.

Awake not long before their ship emerges from hyperspace to come to a dead stop a short distance from the misshapen asteroid-shaped planet they will be continuing on for, Neassa puts her hair up in a tight bun after donning her red and black beskar'gam, and then puts her buy'ce on after slinging the strap of her EE over a shoulder so that the carbine hangs at her side in easy reach. Exiting her cabin, Neassa heads for the crew lounge to see if any of the others are up and around yet so that they can sort out how they want to make the final crew dispositions before continuing on to Kessel. Even with the fact she is heading into combat with a group of individuals she knows next to nothing about, save for Spectre, Neassa feels only a calm sense of anticipation; despite the fact she is more accustomed to operating solo than in a unit, Neassa feels confident about the crew's chances of pulling off the operation they have decided upon given that they would seem to have more experienced warriors than inexperienced.

Seeing that she is the first to arrive, Neassa takes a seat on one of the couches to await the rest of the crew.

Silas hadn't slept much. Something to do with the unpredictable motion of space travel which he hadn't grown used to yet. He had, however, taken the opportunity to shower. Now he dressed, geared up, and moved out into the common area once more. He busied himself momentarily to balance his load, checking that his hand-cannon was nestled securely in its leather holster, and that the sword balanced on the opposite hip. Looking up, he saw Neassa, and asked in a conversational way

Warrior -- this armor of yours. Do you wear it always?

He sits beside Neassa, adjusting a strap and a small pouch at the small of his back, the rucksack lying within easy reach beside him.

This 'Kessel.' Those we face, they will bear the marks of readiness and organization, but it is a farce. They will not bear up under our combined efforts. We will triumph this day.

Wayfarer-class transport, the Midnight Shadow - Cargo Hold

During their trip to Kessel, Erly had spent most of her time sitting cross-legged in the cargo hold of the Midnight Shadow, patiently trying to train the nuna by verbal command.

"No, no, Goofball, I said sit. And I do mean sit! Like me." The creature eventually complied. She was doing fine until she felt the rapid deceleration of the Shadow, meaning they were at Kessel already. She clambered to her feet and tottered over to the door, peeking out wonderingly. She saw that Neassa and Silas were in the crew lounge, and her long blonde hair and head sticking out through the doorway was likely to be noticed by alert individuals like themselves. She ducked back into the cargo hold and looked at the nuna.

"Okay kids, no following me around this time." She herded them back to the secluded corner behind several stacked up supply crates, and there was evidence of some kind of makeshift nest, "Just stay here, and uh...take your time. The longer this takes, the better."

Leaving them to nest, she scampered out into the crew lounge and smiled at Neassa and Silas, sans nuna. "Hey! So, what's up? Has the other ship joined us?"

Jemima had been keeping herself busy bustling about the ship. Though in between intervals, she would disappear into her quarters for twenty minutes at a time, before she came back out, swift and cheerful as ever, and seemingly freshened. In addition to checking on Adrien, the young woman also made a point to see to the health and well-being of the other passengers, whom they were planning to liberate in an elaborate scheme of sorts. Whenever she passed by, she noticed the blonde, Erly Ryzer, had foregone rest in favour of training her little pets in the cargo hold of the ship. Now those little animals were something else, in her opinion. She wondered who was the owner and who was the pet in reality. She eventually returned to monitor Adrien's condition, and that was when Anzhelina chose to find her.

However, Jemima was so absorbed in her task in looking over the captain, that she was completely startled at the "Hey!"

A small digital chart flew right out of her hands as she made a dramatic leap into the air in fright, followed by the audible exclamation of "OH BLOODY NORA!"

She whirled around, a hand over her heart, "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry, Anzhelina."

After composing herself once more and retrieving her chart from the ground, she brushed her hair back and looked up at the Nagai, "Sleep? Oh, yes, I rather think so..." she smiled and gestured casually with a hand, "...twenty minutes here and there, and before you know it, you've had a full eight hours, and still managed to accomplish more than you would with regular intervals."

She turned back to look at Adrien when the Nagai asked about his condition, "Well, right now, I suppose no news is good news. Not much since the last near awakening. But I'm optimistic. He'll wake up when he's good and ready."

Jemima smiled when Anzhelina commented about Erly. Initially, she was going to clarify to her that Erly was actually talking to her pet nuna, but then abruptly bit her tongue and simply smiled while nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I'll be with you in a bit."

She ticked a few things on her chart and placed it back in a pocket on the side of Adrien's bed. Then she trailed after the Nagai quickly.

Neassa's laugh is slightly tinny when emerging from her buy'ce's vocabulator, but no less heartfelt for that as she nods when Silas says that her words had required no translation. Good, she says when Silas agrees to her request, punctuating her sentiment with a companionable punch of his shoulder; she has only known the man a short while, but has already seen that he is a kindred spirit, and someone she will be glad to be fighting alongside.

Not yet, Neassa answers Erly's question about whether or not their companion ship has arrived. It is too early to say whether or not the tardiness of the other ship is anything to be concerned about, and so Neassa's sole comment regarding the absence is, We'll try and contact them once we set down in Kessendra. Neassa doesn't add that they may need to alter their plans after setting down as well should the other ship prove absent and unreachable. Making her way forward to the cockpit to have their pilot take them down, Neassa tells the others, Check over your gear one last time on the way down, and make sure you all have a respirator.

Not long after Neassa enters the cockpit, the Midnight Shadow begins the journey from orbit to Kessel's surface. . .

Continued here.

Not much time passes between Krystal's tightbeam message and the reply, Neassa having been made aware of the receipt of the message from the Shadow's pilot and then patching her buy'ce's internal comlink into the Wayfarer's systems so that she can send her response to Krystal aboard the Sunflower. Midnight Shadow reads you Sunflower. Proceed to the starport in Kessendra, and we'll rendezvous there. Copy?

Ending the transmission after Krystal copies, Neassa resumes her wait for the crews of the two vessels to assemble in the starport so that they can get their mission here underway . . .