"So, first mission with the 95th Orbital Division, how're you feeling?"
"... Good. I'm feeling pretty good."
"I gotta say, you're taking to space really well. Most Earth-native pilots take a lot of pushing to accept a transfer off-planet, but I hear you specifically applied for this posting?"
"Yeah, I ... yeah. It's better this way."
"... As long as you're doing OK. If you ever ... hold up, we've got incoming. Looks like it's the Knife Claws."
"Anything I should know?"
"They used to be one of the scarier squads out there, but they haven't been much of a threat since Khumalo took out their ace a couple months ago. Now that bitch was a real piece of work. She loved to let you know she was coming and see if you'd scatter or fight; had this old song she'd always broadcast on comms, it was like her trademark... Anyway, with her out of the picture, this should be a pretty easy fight. ... Uh, newbie? You doing okay?"
"what was the song"
"What'd you say?"
"what.. what was the song..."
"Uh, I forget the title, it went something like..."
staticky guitar intro
"... shit shit shit, no it's fine, I saw Khumalo blow up her mech myself, it's just her buddies trying to spook us, it's gotta be..."
"..."
"... Newbie?"
"On͜ ҉à dark̕ d͝e̴ser͞t̵ highw͏a̧y
̛C͞o͜o͝l w͜i͘nd͟ i̛n ̸m҉y̢ h͟ai̵r"
