"Drop Ship Advantage, we are approaching the coordinates. Prepare to disembark," a voice said over the comms.
"Command, this is Frost. Disengaging docking clamps now," Lieutenant Himoto said.
"Frost?" Devon asked.
"That's my call sign. It was originally Ice Queen, on account of my winning personality. They changed it after I expressed my extreme dissatisfaction over such an unoriginal moniker."
Nova smirked. "She means she beat the other pilots up."
Devon blinked in amazement. And a little confusion.
"Not all of us are as lucky as the Phoenix to be named after something cool." The lieutenant flicked several switches on the console in front of her. There was a thump as the docking clamps released and then a sense of weightlessness as the ship drifted out of the landing bay, its engines still off. "Isn't that right, Tank?"
"What are you talking about? I love my name."
Himoto snorted. "That's not what I heard."
"They gave me my call sign because of the way I plow through everything like a tank," Tank explained to Devon at his questioning look.
"You don't choose them?" the boy asked.
The Tuann were paying close attention to the conversation, their faces creased in interest.
"Lord, no," Tank said with a laugh. "Call signs are given. Never chosen. Often a little insulting and based on something you've done."
"How did you wind up as the Phoenix?" Joule asked Kira.
"That's not the call sign she started with." Tank's mouth quirked. "What was the original one again?"
Kira tried to stare the other man down.
Raider covered his mouth and coughed. "Red."
"Thank you very much, asshole," Kira told him, glaring.
He dropped his hand and grinned. "Just keeping things real, Nixxy."
She rolled her eyes before focusing on the question on Devon and Joule's face. "Okay, fine. Yes, that was what they called me before."
Talon snickered. Even Finn had to fight the smile that threatened to crack his stoic expression.
Graydon didn't bother, looking over at Kira with a smirk.
She huffed at him. "It was that or Mad Dog."
"Because you were a little mad?"
Raider snickered. "Try insane."
"Thanks, Pastor," Kira said sarcastically.
The amusement dropped from Raider's face at the reminder of what he'd almost ended up with. He was lucky they'd changed it to Raider after the incident with the pirates.
"What is my call sign?" the J1N asked.
Odin looked up from where she was working in the corner, her gaze shooting to the drone. "Come over here, Jin. I need your help with something."
The J1N didn't argue, drifting toward the Sye and letting Odin attach a few wires to his internal system.
