Fly Little Birdie, Fly (DT-1, Morning, Simulators)

[Andrea DeTroyes]

"I won't lie and say the DeTroyes last name did not help me enter into NAIS. Or that there were an equal number of commoners to nobles at the school, but NAIS is one of the best for a reason and tend to err on the side of producing better students over appeasing the nobility." Andrea chuckles, "Of course with their close ties to the Davion family, they don't have to impress the rest of the nobility."

[Alexei Herald]

"Oh... you don't know how?"

Alexei seemed genuinely surprised.

"If I'd known I would have offered. I can teach her the basics. I haven't flown in a while, but I'm sure it'll come back to me. I wouldn't recommend she try anything fancy, flying straight is hard enough. Pulling any hard maneuvers in a real aero would knock her out, so better to learn those maneuvers that she can safely perform, they're the bedrock of future excellence."

The captain stroked his mustache. "The idea of it actually is a little exciting, all things considered. Haven't flown for a while."

[James Hall]

"Thank you, captain. I must serve the needs of the Fortunate Ones first, but if you wish my help in any free time I have, just let me know." Looking back at the simulator, James shakes his head. "I was taught to fix them. Not fly them. I understand the basics of the controls, but not how to use them in the air."

Mata nods. "I know. I kept hitting the ground a lot. I did fly straight once. Until the wind made me stop." There was almost a snarl when she said "the wind." The wind. The ally of Mata's new hated enemy, the ground.

[Alexei Herald]

"Ah, if you want to fly, you've got to learn the wind."

She got a knowing smile, his thin face curling into a surprisingly paternal expression.

"Too many pilots think to simply muscle their way through on a nuclear fireball, using brute force to get where they want to go. It is... inefficient. The Wind is not your enemy, or your friend. It simply is."

[James Hall]

Mata considered that for a moment. "Oh. I see. It's like a tool for flying."

[Alexei Herald]

"Or a third player in the game you are playing with gravity."

Alexei chuckled, and glanced between the two adults. "I suppose you didn't spend any time with Aero yourself, Miss Detroyes?"

[Andrea DeTroyes]

"Some," Andrea rubs her head, "The AFFS emphasizes combined arms, we did a lot of coordination drills in NAIS. And of course the Prince's favored units, the RCTs, have a full wing of Aerospace integrated into the unit. Even my old Regiment drilled with some independent Aerospace units, not as completely as an RCT does but still I know what you flyboys can do."

She smirked, "Even if you are a subordinate arm to us mechwarriors." Her tone is teasing, the sort of needling that had gone between pilots and mechwarriors for generations.

[Alexei Herald]

"Ah. I suppose they are, aren't they?"

Alexia stroked his mustache, thoughtfully. "I've been out of the cockpit for along time... I had learned how to fly from a friend, so I never flew for a house, or anything like that."