Mercy Mission [Part One]
Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2023 @ 10:18 by
Mission:
Revelations
Location: DS21
Timeline: During Shoreleave
2434 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure
/ON/
Marjani's eyes fluttered open, feeling the warmth of someone next to her. Her mind was just waking up and she was wanting some coffee. Brushing back her curly hair from her eyes the pilot turned onto her side, to find herself looking at her bedmate, it was Pete. Last night wasn't a dream, it was a reality! With a grin she leaned in and placed a kiss upon his lips then moved to get out of bed. Breakfast was in order and so was coffee.
Pete stretched and inhaled sharply as he awoke. "Mornin darlin. What's for breakfast? I never fly on an empty stomach." He smiled broadly as he watched her move to make the coffee. She was a beautiful woman, one may even say exquisite. Maverick knew that he had done a lot more than win a bet last night.
"What would be your pleasure?" Marjani quipped she had just a robe about her. "Bacon, Eggs, Hashbrowns and Pancakes sound good to you? And coffee, how do you like your coffee made? Black as a sinners heart or mocha in coloration. Or... " she looked back at him. Admiring the man and his charming smile, he was quite the handsome devil. There wasn't any indication how long this would last and it would probably be one of those station flings but hey, what a rush and an exquisite time.
"I take my coffee like I take my women dark and sweet." Pete said with a charming smile, of course his coffee order was meant as a compliment to the lady he was with. He sat up in the bed and looked around, the Starfleet officer in him always kept him on edge and wanting to keep an eye for anything that may happen. "All that food sounds great. Once I am fully awake we can plan this mission of yours."
Hanging up would be Marjani's outfit she wore for flight, another hanging up would be her marine uniform with her call sign 'Voodoo' upon it. Beneath the uniforms were her boots she normally would wear when working, A spit shine that would rival a shoe shiner's work enough that things were reflecting in the boots black surface. He'd even notice that his clothing were neatly layed out on a chair, and hers on another one. Near by was her duffel ready to pack and her leave as quickly as she needed to.
At his compliment, Marjani could feel the warmth rise in her cheeks. "Flatterer." she responded with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes. She finished getting breakfast ready, including the coffee and set it out on the table. "But yes plans for the delivery of the supplies, and an examination as well on the cargo."
Pete noticed the clothes neatly laid on a chair, and thought that she was not like other pilots. Most of the pilots that he had come in contact with were a messy lot, himself included. As Marjani laid out the food he got dressed and walked into the other room. The smell of freshly brewed coffee always brought him to the current day and woke him up. Pete often joked that his blood type was caffeine. "I think the first order of business is actually hardware. If you need me to fly wingman than I need a ship to fly. Captain Jones is not going to allow me to go gallivanting in one of the Merlin's fighters."
"Oh don't worry we've got some older ships that will fit the bill. They are the Talon class fighters. I like to work on ships when I am in between jobs. And so we formed our own escort team. Think you can fly one of those babies?" Giving a teasing smile towards Pete. Marjani figured he'd be able to do so, with out blinking an eye. " You've got the chops for it, I am rather certain." taking a seat at the table, with the coffee waiting to be drank and a breakfast to enjoy. " I am rather particular as to who will fly the machines I and my team have brought back to new life."
"Talon Class..." Pete began and then whistled. "...I have never flown in something that old. But yeah I can manage. So how many are in the escort team?" Pete tucked into the food presented to him. The questions he had would normally have been answered in a briefing. However, this would have to do. Besides the scenery here was a thousand times better than any in any briefing.
"It will be four in the escort team. If you weren't going to be able to join, it would have been just me and two others." Marjani stated. "I know its a rag tag team but, hey gotta do the best a person can do and the people I've got with me are really good." eating several bites of her pancakes before speaking again. "The main CO, Pappy is out with others doing their escorting details. Him and those who consider themselves black sheep." Marjani noticed Pete watching her, and she didn't mind as she was certainly looking at him. "I have to say you are the best looking sight, a woman could enjoy looking at during breakfast. An even more bonus would be me and you having breakfast on a balcony looking at a lovely ocean view or a picturesque view in the mountains."
Pete smirked at the compliment, it was his usual response to being complimented. Fact was he was not sure how to handle compliments. "You m'dear are not so bad yourself..." He paused as he tucked into the food before him. "...Right so we are hauling whatever we are hauling to where. I am trying to gauge time as to when I would be back with the Merlin. Not sure exactly how much more time it will be before the ship is ready to go and I would not want to upset the Captain. Once this all behind us, I know a great spot where we can have a view of the mountains."
"I don't think it will be more than a day maybe two days at max. Depending on if they want me to do something at that colony. Sometimes I have been asked to do some extra work, due to my other skills at doing maintenance work." Marjani answered while pushing an stray lock of hair back behind her ear. "And what you had just described, sounds great would like to do that, with you." Her dark expressive eyes lighting up.
The only thing that Pete did not like at the moment. If he did not know any better he would think that Marjani was covering up their destination. However, he thought he would give it one more shot before he jumped to that conclusion. "One or two days would work out great. But, where are we going?"
Marjani's eyes widened when she realized what he was wanting. "Okay sorry I had mistakenly thought you wanted to know how long we'd be away. The planet is called Vshynk and that is where the colony is at and the colony's name is Demeter. I had mentioned the planet last night but that was before we, well, you know." giving a slight chuckle. "But yes, Vshynk is a class M planet a bit of a wild area."
"Well that wraps that up." Pete scarfed a few more bites of food and smiled. "Sounds pretty simple. But I'll warrant nothing is that simple. The pirates I am sure want the cargo and are sure to come try to take it." He laughed as he ate some more of the food. "You know sometimes I wish my life was not so much like a storybook."
Eating a few more bites herself, and taking a drink of her coffee, Marjani paused in the middle of her second drink, then lowered her mug setting it down on the table top. "Your life is like a storybook? Enlighten me if you would, Pete." her elbow on the table and her chin cupped inside the palm of her hand.
"Pretty girl in trouble. Have to help her defeat the evil menace. Things like this happen all the time." There was a large tone of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke, but he continued. "Someone in this galaxy has to be the hero and it seems that has to be me. Always saving the damsel in distress and all that." Pete smiled.
Marjani gave a chuckle, moving from her seat going over towards Pete, and draped an arm over his shoulder, leaning in close to whisper in his ear, her dark curly hair draping over his shoulder, "I've saved plenty of knights myself. I am though glad, that it was you to come to save me." giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Pete smiled as he still felt the warmth of the kiss on his cheek. He finished his breakfast and got dressed. "Right then I guess the only thing left is when do we leave. It does not seem like this should take too long." He added with confidence in his voice.
Marjani gave an answering smile and went to finish her breakfast
When they were ready to go, Marjani looked at Pete, "Okay lets go double check the cargo and manifest, and then we get to our ships." She walked up to Pete, and gave him a nice long kiss, "For luck." giving a wink.
At the cargo ship, the manifest was handed to Marjani. who went to pull out her tricorder to look for anything untoward in the goods that were being sent. From what she could tell everything was on the up and up. "Okay, if you want to check as well, let me know." turning towards Pete.
He looked over the manifest and found everything to be on the up and up as well. Pete turned to one of the spacedock workers. "Right get her loaded up and we can be on our way." He was eager to get underway and get back out in the stars. Like most pilots being grounded for too long made him a little twitchy. Pete's unease could also be caused by this being the first time in years he was going out there without his wingman Goose.
"Lets get to the ships then" she led the way and glanced at Pete. "Are you going to be okay on this? I know its not the usual set up." Giving a rueful smile. As they rounded the corner there were two others waiting for them. "Okay looks like we have enough people." Marjani stated. "This here is Lieutenant Pete Mitchell he's kindly agreed to fill in."
"How's it going" were some of the greetings. One of the other pilots came over she gave Pete the once over. "Where did you pick him up. He's definitely out of your league."
Marjani laughed. "That maybe so but he is fabulous. He is out of your league as well Ruby."
Ruby pouted at that. "Well I'll just ask him."
The male pilot came over. "I'm one of the relief. I am Quinn." he said in greeting holding out his hand to shake Pete's.
Pete took the hand offered. "Are they always this rambunctious?" He indicated the ladies, he would refuse to admit it but he rather liked the women fighting over him. "There is plenty of me to go around. And you all can call me Maverick." He winked at Marjani to indicate the jest.
Quinn laughed giving a firm shake. "Yes they are that rambunctious." giving bit of a wink towards Marjani.
"Quinn, I oughta." Marjani giving him a bit of a playful glare.
"Yes, you oughta give me a kiss." Quinn making kissing noises towards Marjani.
Ruby squawked. "Hey what am I, chopped liver?" glaring at Quinn.
"I'll save some kisses for you as well Ruby." Quinn joked back.
Marjani laughed. "Okay let's get into our birds, we need to get our butts in gear and get going."
Pete nodded in agreement and hustled into the fighter that was to be his. Within moments he was in the cockpit beginning flight check. There was a moment where he sat there and stared at the controls. It had been a really long time since he was behind the stick of one of these old fighters, and he had to give himself a moment to get reacquainted. "Preflight is underway and all seems to be green at the moment." He spoke into the comm system for all to hear. Although he enjoyed all that had been occurring thus far he kept a watchful eye on Marjani and this group of pilots. Sometimes things could be too good to be true. he thought as made sure to watch his own six as it were.
Marjani answered in reply over the comms. "Sounds good, and for your information Maverick, since I forgot to mention this earlier. Meet Ruby Jones callsign Indy. And Quinn Jacobs, callsign Badger. And mine in case any of you forgot, is Voodoo. Alright final check everyone showing green?" Marjani checking her own once more, and finding it all lit up in the green.
Indy and Badger chimed in, "Its all green across the board."
Marjani said to Maverick. "Maverick, you're going to be my right wing man. Indy my left and Badger you'll be covering our six." she went silent for a moment then there was a signal. "Okay we're good to go, lets get out there and do our job."
Just outside DS21 the cargo ship, SS Ironbound waited for the escort vessels that would be accompanying it.
No sooner did Pete hear the words from Marjani then he had his fighter at top speed and heading out the hangar. "I feel the need, the need for speed. Wheeeee doggie!" Once he was clear of DS21 he took up station on Marjani's right side.
There were answering Yee haw's from the other pilots, as the pilots took their positions.
Marjani gave a chuckle at hearing this, then her attention went towards the Ironbound, Coordinates were locked in place and then they were off. Marjani kept a look out for any approaching unknown ships. Currently though, the first part of the journey going away from the station it was uneventful.
TBC
1stLT Marjani 'Voodoo' Smith
NPC: LTCMDR Mathias McPhee
●● Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
Chief Flight Control Officer
Commander Air Group
USS Merlin
