Azzy worked through the sleep period, repairing the Hornet, with Jack jabbering on constantly. It was as if the AI didnâ€™t trust him or the other techs to do the work right. Offering advice and systems updates. There was a lot of damage to the mech, more than he had anticipated. And repairs were not easy for him. The webbing between his fingers got in the way fairly often. But he didnâ€™t trust anyone else to take care of it, not without his supervision at least. Neither did Jack, for that matter, though Azzy hardly cared for that opinion.<br/><br/>He spent the hours climbing up and down the machine, jumping back and forth with spectacular leaps that would have sent most men tumbling back down to the floor. But Azzyâ€™s long, sharp nails would catch on the edges of paneling, allowing him to hold on. He stopped only once to get himself something to eat, then returned to his work.<br/><br/>He was exhausted and nowhere near finished when the alert went off. This struck Azzy as more than just simple annoyance. His slight irritation deepened when he saw that even the alien would be helping out. The siren blared in his sensitive ears, and Jack took the time to inform him that all pilots had been scrambled. Only, the Hornet still wasnâ€™t in operating condition. There was still a crack in the hull and the thrusters were barely at forty percent capacity. Both he and Jack wanted to be out there, even if it wasnâ€™t one of his primary duties. Jack was always one to takes unnecessary risks, and Azzy wouldnâ€™t stop him. It was the most fun he ever really had.<br/><br/>The bat watched the other pilots run around like frenzied ants for a moment, then went right back to what he was doing. It was the best way he could serve, by trying to get himself and his machine ready for combat. Because the combat never stopped for good. Even though he was missing this fight, there would be another, and another, never ending. â€œSometimes I tâ€™ink â€˜m gettingâ€™ too old fer â€˜is.â€ Jack actually laughed, a sound he so rarely heard from either himself or the AI. â€˜<span style="font-style: italic">If all goes well, youâ€™ll be doing your job for at least another twelve years, Asmodeus.</span>â€™ Yeah, if he didnâ€™t die first. And even though he didnâ€™t voice that thought, he could hear the sigh from Jack.