It was obvious that Kes had been preparing himself for this conversation, and he makes his way over to the stove to put the kettle on as Finn joins him. "Take a seat," He says, motioning to the little table in the kitchen while he fiddled with the kettle. He was silent for several moments as he waited for the water to boil.

"... It isn't easy. Being with someone who... every time they go up, every time they're in a cockpit, you know they might not come back." His words are even and measured. Practised. "It's different, even, than with soldiers. We're never alone. We're with our squad, with our platoon. There's always someone at our back. It's not the same, in the air."