Once Adar Tallon had seen that Quantros Starbound was in the best hands he ordered Chu-Shkar to share his research and finds with Tera and her companions. Adar expected a report from Tera covering any details that the Rebels should know about the mysterious man. He also demanded that the four of them remain together where Tera could monitor them for any unusual side-effects or dangers from the ancient technology and unknown man. The four of them returned to the Wookiee's laboratory where Chu-Shkar could check on the last of the carbonite and Tera could give Quantros a full medical examination and offer any medicine to aid the ancient holy man in his recovery from his long sleep. The best prescription the doctor could make was plenty of rest. After the long journey and their training Bron and Tera were tired also. All retired to sleep and continue their investigations in the morning.

The other Rebels got to known each other and find their bunks in the Alabak's Gold. The jumpship was loaded up in the morning and the X-wing tethered by harness and the Alabak's Gold's docking beam. It was only a short flight but a testing one for the ship, which had been jury rigged.

By midday the Alabak's Gold had flown into Neskroff. Rebel engineers claimed the downed X-wing and offered Klyn the use of the repair bay to finish his work on the starship.

Before people could do more runners gathered them all together and summoned them to the Audience Chamber. A ceremony was performed to congratulate the heroes that had defended the Rebel base and the many people that lived in it. Hundreds of troop, technicians and their families watched as Commander Adar Tallon gave his public thanks to the heroes and gave a speech to rally those present in the need for the Rebel Alliance to challenge and defeat the Empire. Tallon dressed as befitted his rank, as a commander of the Alderaanian Defence Force. He took such a uniform in solidarity and defiance of the Empire's slaughter of the peaceful planet's people. He brought many other ideas and idioms with him. In the conclusion of the ceremony and to reinforce the need for the Rebellion to become stronger and more organised Tallon awarded Lyla for her service to the Rebellion and made her Sergeant of the Alabak's Gold, also bestowing the ranks of Corporal on Klyn and Tera, and Private on Rynn.

Later in private after their decoration the heroes were feasted. Bron, Chu and Quantros accompanied Tera and were introduced to the rest of the crew. Quantros now recovered from his temporary blindness. To aid the crew Tallon named Jason Starflare as an ensign to the ship and let him join the celebrations with the others. Daruvvia champagne was served along side what few delicacies the base could offer. For the Rebels it was a real change from the shipbound rations or simple vegetables offered by Oglo's hydroponics.

After finishing off a good portion of the perishable food in the Alabak's Gold and what had been recovered from Wanderer, mealtime ended with Lyla undoing the top button of her trousers, lounging on the couch with her sore feet up, and burping occasionally. She continued getting to know the new crewmembers – and crewmembers they were bound to be – quizzing them on their skills and subtly gauging their temperament for future missions. They seemed alright, though she already knew Rynn after the Handree incident, and Jason Starflare's too-familiar winks were starting to annoy her. Lyla meanwhile was moving herself into a quiet leadership position, getting to know the new team and learning to manage them.

Exhausted, she slept long and deep and dreamless, yet satisfied in body, mind, and soul.

*

The next day, she supervised the last of cargo loading and oversaw the towing of the X-wing, but knew well to let the engineer and pilots manage the technical details as they saw fit. She just kept them moving and mediated the discussion. Otherwise, she helped out in the more basic tasks, unafraid to lend a hand or get it dirt.

*

Despite the rumours, Lyla was surprised to be summoned to a meeting, and surprised still further to find it in the Audience Chamber. She'd been expecting a discreet meeting in the commander's office, not the grand awards ceremony that awaited her. All those people in their fancy uniforms; she felt under-dressed in her working boots, cargo pants, and tank top with bra straps showing. She had more eyes on her now than when she'd taken her clothes off for a living, so she felt overdressed too. She wished she had a uniform, something with braiding and badges, but it didn't really suit their irregular special ops team. She'd have to ask about that later. She couldn't stop fidgeting nervously.

The speeches were long, and inspiration wore thin for her, but she was grinning from ear to ear for all the praise she was getting. From a poor orphan girl of Ryloth, a grubby spaceport street kid, a cantina dancer, a scruffy scout, to a heroine of the Rebel Alliance, Lyla was buoyant with pride, feeling she'd really come far, really made something great of herself. Her parents had been freedom fighters on Ryloth during the Clone Wars. For the first time, she felt they'd be really proud of her now.

Then she got her fancy gold badges, an award for bravery and service, and the rank of sergeant, draped around her neck by old Commander Tallon. Lyla was rather glad they'd rescued him now. She held them, teary-eyed and amazed. She was fascinated by these tokens, these titles, the authority bestowed. She tried out the names. Sergeant Lyl'arahn. Sergeant Lyla Rahn. Sergeant Rahn. Sergeant Lyla. Sarge.

Everything after passed in a dream. She warmly welcomed back Tera with a hug, but she barely registered Bron, the other robed guy, the Wookiee, and the rest, figuring they were Neskroff dignitaries and hangers-on.

Then there was a feast. No twi'lek could turn down an offer of food; there were whole codes of hospitality about it. And much of this was richer and finer than she'd seen or imagined before, from days of hunger on the streets and in the wilderness. Loading platefuls and emptying glasses of champagne, she sampled and ate much of all she could; it was only polite. Between the feast and emptying the ship's stores, Lyla had quite definitely restocked after the last few day's exertions and deprivations. She steadily filled three stomachs and converted the rest to fat, which a twi'lek could live off for days. This would be padded largely around the lekku, with a little more distributed around the bust and bum, so where Lyla was delightfully curvy, she would become more delightfully curvy. The next day would see Lyla up a cup size and with a few centimetres more tail all around. 'Mmm, th'zsh good schtuff.' she managed around mouthfuls.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:57, Thu 08 Oct 2015.

Standing in the back of the award ceremony, Bron is wearing his best robes. Watching everyone he takes mental notes on the ongoings. Noting the advancement of rank bestowed on Tera, he thinks to himself this seems to be a rather interesting group, that I have fallen into. I may have to pay closer mind to them.

After the ceremony comes to a close,  Bron congratulates everyone, before finding his way to the dining hall. Bron had never seen so much food in his life, there was enough here to feed the orphans in the village on Kesh where he and his old Master visited when they came out of the wilderness. Enough to feed them for a full lunar cycle, if not longer. Eating minimally, Bron could not stomach much, when he knew there were many going hungry out there.

Bron went to find Commander Alan, and see what he could do about getting the left overs delivered to an orphanage or somewhere, that all those in need could be helped.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:36, Fri 09 Oct 2015.

Jason kept quiet for most of the ceremony, he hadn't actually been around for any of that after all, but he's sure they earned it and he's pretty pleased to be working with them in the future.

"I know we just came from a big celebration, but I just wanted to say congrats myself as well. You deserve it. I just hope I get to be a part of your next adventure"

After congratulating the others he takes a glass of Champagne and takes a seat, satisfied to let the others celebrate and enjoy the rewards for their efforts.

Tera grinned as she received the promotion. From outcast, even among the rebels, where there had been a certain amount of distrust over the charges laid against her for genocide to Corporal in the rebellion. "Congratulations Sergeant Lyla Rahn" she said after the newly announced promotion.

Tera spent the time introducing her new companions to the rest of the team, before mingling with the large group of people present. It was always good to know people they might work with or that could help them in the near future.

Chu-Shkar stood restlessly at the back and waited impatiently for the ceremony to end. He never had liked large gatherings. Preferring instead to spend time alone slicing code. He wished all of his fellow rebels well, but still wanted to leave the ceremony. Ah well it will be over soon enough. he thought.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 18:12, Fri 09 Oct 2015.

'And congratulations, Corporal Tera Inkari.' Lyla returned to Tera, a big smile glued to her face. She congratulated all her team, even the newbies, trying out and playing with their new ranks and titles. She was sure she'd spotted T3-M8 in a polished and gleaming case rolling about as well. 'Thanks. I hope the next adventure won't be such a hard slog. I could do with infiltrating a Core-world holiday resort, myself.' she said to Jason. Team members had come and gone over the last two missions, either deserting or being called away to other duties, with others stepping in to help out here and there. But now, with ranks and accolades all around, a formal organisation, she felt they were a proper unit, a team. She hoped they'd stick together.

It was with a loud sigh of relief that Klyn saw the Gold finally land.
To be perfectly honest, he hadn't be entirely certain his makeshift repairs would hold... especially with the extra burden of the X-wing.

But as he was getting ready to REALLY work on his baby, he was forced to be present for a 'big ceremony'...

Killing time by making mental engenerring plan to add the recovered parts to the Gold, he nearly missed the calling of his name.

"What? corporal? " was all he could mumble.  He had absolutely no idea of the various military ranks, so he made a mental note to ask Tera or Jason. As former imperials, they had to be used to such things.

Despite his first plans, he somehow got caught in the 'niceness' of the moment and stayed much later than he had expected, sending his project to the next day.
"I wouldn't mind a mission which sees the Gold staying in one piece..." he added to Lyla's comment.

Quantros had spejnt time making sure he recovered well before the ceremony had been called. Now that his eyesight had returned he focused on two things, repairing his lightsaber, and memorizing the names and faces of those who first met him when he thawed. During that time, he learned more about the galactic events that had taken place. Alderaan's destruction, and the subsequent destruction of the Death Star. The second was most troubling. A weapon of that magnitude was on par with the Star Forge. That the Empire could build something with that kind of destructive force...

Quantros pushed such thoughts away. They served no purpose at the moment. For now, he just focused on the ceremony. He was happy to be awoken during a time of celebration. Now, he saw the faces of not just his future companions, but of the rebellion as a whole. People who only wanted to live their lives in harmony. People who did not want to fear the ones who brought order. He felt the happiness of these men and women, and hoped it would last.