Saddle Up!

Posted on 20 Aug 2018 @ 7:48am by Ensign Bryan "Cowboy" Davies (Jan 2389 - WIA-TRNSFR to XFY Medical) & Lieutenant Junior Grade Geneviève "Jenny" Lassonde (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War)
Edited on on 23 Aug 2018 @ 6:36am

Mission: Ka Hakaka Maikaʻi - The Good Fight
Location: Briefing theater, module H, USS Devonshire
Timeline: 0900, 17 Jan 2389

“The operation will be carried out in two stages over the course of two days.” Leo explained as the display behind him flashed up diagrams of the upcoming maneuvers. He and Jenny stood at the podium while their two contingents were arrayed on the seats in front of them. “The debris field gives us a unique opportunity to train in a densely crowded environment. So, we are going to take advantage of that by running search and destroy maneuvers on day one, and escort/ambush on day two.” Looking out into the crowd, there were one or two disinterested faces but engagement was higher than Leo was used to. It would seem that the prospect of some real-world time in the cockpit had the flyers excited, as well as the opportunity to show off while engaging in a little interbranch rivalry. Whatever the cause, he was pleased they were paying attention.

“Day one’s mission will have Devonshire’s fighters attempting to locate and disable Hawaii’s fighters in the debris field. Their primary objective will be to evade capture, while their secondary objective will be to disable as many enemy fighters as possible.” He carried on into the nuts and bolts of setting up and deploying for the maneuvers, looking forward to what, in his mind, ought to be a brief and pleasant diversion as his Eagle squadron and their interceptors made quick work of the multirole valkyries they would be hunting. “For day two...”

“A-hem” Jenny Cleared her throat pointedly. “If you don’t mind Captain, I’ll introduce this one.” Noting the set of her features, Leo thought for a moment before stepping aside. “If you insist then that’s fine I suppose.” He replied with affected calm. Jenny Took the podium and began her introduction, glad to have silenced the arrogant marine. Given the competitive nature of combat pilots, it was perhaps unavoidable that a rivalry would grow between the marines and the starfighter corps, up until now she hadn’t put much stock in it herself. Flight Captain Corso however had seemingly proven many of the worst stories she’d heard over the years, he was disorganized, self-centered, cocksure, patronizing, and almost certainly reckless at the controls of his vaunted javelin. In her estimation the man was nothing more than a preening, jumped up bully of exactly the sort that made her teeth grind. “Day two will see me taking command of the Redeemers together with Flight 801 to form the attacking force. Captain Corso and the Black Eagles will play the role of the defending force, tasked with protecting a convoy of runabouts as they traverse zone F of the debris field to rendezvous with XFY”

Bryan sat in his flight suit as the various honchos had spoken. He had been assigned to the Hawaii and this squadron not that long ago. Anxious to actually sit in a starfighter again he thumbed his PADD and almost zoned out when he realized his CO was speaking.

Jenny was then cut off when a klaxon began sounding and the screen replaced the briefing presentation with a message informing them that XFY had just declared red alert. Almost before she could finish processing this information she was jolted by the bellowing voice of Captain Corso.

“Don’t just sit there! That’s a red alert, MOVE! Come on come on, Velocemente!” The Yellowjackets were up and bounding out of the theater in a heartbeat, the Knights took a moment longer to get moving, unsure of what to do on this foreign soil, but were soon cajoled into action.

Finally some action! Bryan jumped to his feet and grabbed his data PADD and headed towards the exit. "Come on y'all!" He called out to his flight

He paused as he spotted someone grabbing his leaders arm.

Jenny was dashing to the exit when she felt someone grab a hold of her arm. She whirled around to look angrily up into Leo’s face. “What the He…” She started to shout.

“You and your flight will launch last, after the Redeemers. That way my flyers can take off in the order they’ve practiced, and the deck crew will have a chance to familiarize you with the launch system. Yes?” Leo explained intently.
“Yeah, that...makes sense” Jenny replied, unable to fault his logic in the heat of the moment.

Bryan approached from behind and stood behind his flight leader. He locked eyes with someone he was rapidly considering a class 1 A-hole for a moment. He smirked in that especially annoying way only he could.

“Good, now come on.” Leo replied, he exchanged glares with the fleeter ensign for a second before taking off at a run. Jenny dashed along behind him as they rushed to catch up with their units. Red lights were flashing along the corridor as they ran and the space was full of people hurrying to their stations, they passed a throng of deck crew before they reached the entrance to the flight prep room and ducked inside. Most of the fliers were in the final stages of gearing up. Jenny ran over and grabbed her suit out of one f the spare lockers, speeding through the checks. As she sealed her helmet she looked around and saw she had caught up with the last of the stragglers and Leo was exiting onto the flight deck, she moved to follow him. The vast space of the hangar was a hive of activity as the support crew ran to and fro, making the final preparations for launch. Leo cut through the traffic with single minded purpose as he ran for his fighter, the noise of the ship fading into the background as he readied his mind for battle. He bounded into the cockpit, sealed the canopy and flew through the startup sequence.

Bryan bounded across the deck attaching and sealing his helmet along the way. He always liked that satisfying hiss it made as it sealed. He approached his fighter and climbed the small step ladder and slid inside.

He sat in his cockpit for a moment and cleared his head. He shook off the cob webs and punched the control to seal his cockpit. He brought up weapons flight control and communications. In an instant he was connected to everyone in the flight wing.

"Cowboy ready for launch." He wrapped his gloved hand around the control yoke and grinned. He was born for this...

“Caesar ready for launch!” Leo announced into the comms almost simultaneous with the rest of his squadron. “Eagle squadron ready for launch.”

=/\="Redeemer Squadron ready for launch."=/\= the squadron leader announced over the comms. The marine flyers now began to move into position, waiting for launch. The heavily armed craft moving around one another in a choreographed dance.

Jenny sealed her own canopy as the last seconds of her startup sequence ticked down. "Knight One ready for launch, Flight 801 ready for launch." She announced. "Knights move into position behind the Redeemers, we will launch after the Devonshire's wing."

"Roger that Knight One." Bryan replied as he moved his craft into launch position behind the redeemers and next to his co. He cracked his knuckles and sighed. He was missing something....

"Yeah! I know!" He produced an isolinear chip and inserted it into the control panel infront of him.

"Computer play music selection Davies Six One Bravo." He smirked as the computer chirped an affermative and his first selection began to echo in his ears. He watched as the Redeemers began to launch and his fighter moved forward into position. Marty Robbins Big Iron started to play.

The knights were a bunch of seasoned dedicated pros.....Bryan wanted to inject a lil fun into that. As they started to launch Bryan called out.

"Computer patch my music through to the entire flight." He paused and started to laugh. "The Redeemers included."

“What the hell?” Jenny questioned as the first notes of the guitar wafted through her cockpit. “Computer, silence music!” She commanded, she may like Marty Robbins during her off hours, but right now she needed to clear her head. “Cowboy, What the hell is going on!?” She demanded over the comms, figuring it was probably the new guy. In almost the same moment a flurry of surprised chatter, curses, and even the odd guffaw burst over the radio as 20 flyers reacted to the prank.

Bryan smiled and activated his comm. Muting the music in the process.

"Sorry boss,just trying to cut the tension a tad." He turned his head and nodded at his Flight leader.

"Lets get out there before those wanna be Grunts all get themselves killed!"

"We're gonna have a talk when we get back." Jenny proclaimed. "But for now I agree, we've got a fight to win." After the last of the Eagles, the Devonshire's deck crew had efficiently shepherded the Redeemers onto the catapults, and now it was down to the Knights. Jenny followed the signals of the crewman guiding her onto an open launcher and had just enough time to draw in a steadying breath before she was slammed back into her seat by the acceleration. It was a world away from flying out of Hawaii's shuttlebay, in an instant she was out dashing though space and rapidly approaching the edge of the clear zone, a wall of debris loomed up in front of her and she banked sharply to bring her flightpath in line with the marines.

Bryan had never launched like this before. He had heard it was a kick in the pants even in a craft with minimal sif. He gripped his flight yoke tight and smiled as he was pushed back into his seat and slammed out into space.

"YEEHAAWWW!" He bellowed as he banked hard to the left and kicked his fighter inverted to avoid hitting a piece of....something. He hit his maneuvering thrusters and kicked his yoke the opposite way and he was back in formation with his wing.