Open to All Jedi
“… and another thing, Tionson, if you think I’m just going to let you take those shuttles without seeing how far you’ve improved you’re piloting skills you’re in for a rude awakening!”
This?
This was bullshit!
He was a Master of the Jedi Order and yet here he was, getting a dressing down from the Jedi Master responsible for the maintenance of their meagre fleet of shuttles. Master Belatan was a cranky Zeltron (which was an odd mix to be sure) and he ran his hangers as though they were his own personal fiefdom. Padawans knew well enough to be afraid of the Master as there were stories about him drumming people out of the Order for leaving some power converters just laying around and not in the correct storage areas.
Which was why it was even more bullshit.
He was getting dressed down for coming to the Master and requesting a complement of the shuttles to be assigned to a different area of the Order. Sure, he was taking ships from the other man’s hangers but it was for the good of the Order. Wasn’t like he was some cocky knight going joyriding in a shuttle they’d found the activation keys for.
“Master Belatan, the ships will not even be piloted by myself.” He explained, trying his best to not become increasingly exasperated, “We’ve secured the services of pilots much better than myself or most other Jedi.”
The hanger Master glared at him.
“Liar.”
Max bristled at the naked insult and questioning of his character. Master Belatan seemed to recognize that he had stepped over the line but he was far too stubborn to actually do anything like apologise. Or drop it.
“Pamarthens.”
There was a pause.
“Alright so they’re good but I’m not letting you take a single shuttle without proving you know how to fly them. That’s always been the case.”
It was a rule made up so that PADAWANS couldn’t check out a shuttle before they were ready to be flying them. But because Max had done his own testing BEFORE BELATAN WAS EVEN A PADAWAN it apparently didn’t count. Likely only because Belatan hadn’t seen it himself. He rubbed at his face with his free hand.
“… is that anyone else who needs brushing up on their piloting skills? I’m not wasting fuel and time if there’s just me.”