Mercy Mission [Part Two]
Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2023 @ 15:18 by
Mission:
Revelations
Location: DS21
Timeline: During Shoreleave
2457 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure
/ON/
As the crew began their journey to escort the Ironbound, Ruby decided to ask Pete a question. Over the comms she asked, "Say Maverick do you do chit chat whilst you are on a mission? Or are you the sort that likes to keep quiet, when you are working?"
Marjani was curious to find that out as well.
"If I am honest I am used to flying with my TSO Goose. So he and I usually chat away as we are inbound on a mission. It has been quite sometime since I was alone in a cockpit and yet here I am..." It had also been a while since Pete flew anything without a flight stick. Usually he had the controls of his fighters reconfigured to the old flight stick style. There was no time to adjust this old fighter. "...Since it seems that there is nothing better to do at the moment. What would you lot like to chat about?"
"Well, where are you from, Maverick?" Ruby deciding to beat everyone else to the punch.
Badger asked his own question, "How long have you been flying?"
Marjani just grinned to herself as she heard her team start quizzing Pete. She also was keeping an eye on the monitors and also getting an update from the ship they were escorting.
"I was born in Lafayette New Jersey, Earth. It was there that I spent my entire childhood. You could say I have been flying my entire life. As a kid I used to fly model airplanes that were controlled remotely. My Dad was a pilot and so I looked up to him..." Pete's voice trailed off as he thought of his dead father. Something he never forgave anyone for. "...But that is enough about me. How about you lot?"
Ruby answered, "Funny, you and Marjani have some similiarities in your life. Marjani here had been around anything that flies ever since she was born. And she is from Nawlins"
Marjani interrupted Ruby before the lady could go on. "Indy, you know he'd like to hear about what you do and where you are from."
"Nah you're history is much more interesting than mine."Ruby replied. "I was born on Caldos Colony, I don't know if you've heard of it but I lived there until I was fifteen then joined my father's crew with his cargo ship. Which he named Eidenburgh. I was trained in piloting when I was thirteen. Guess you could say I learned early as well, but not as early as you and Marjani."
Quinn then piped up, "Well I love flying and my mom was the one who got me into that. She was one of the best pilots around, well to me she was. She loved to do what was called threading the needle, going through some rather tight places. Boy could she fly. I loved it when I got to be her co pilot." he went quiet after that, thinking about his mom.
A warning came from Marjani's system. "We've got bogies coming in hot and fast." Marjani's voice cutting into the conversation.
"Right, looks like its time to get to work"Quinn commented.
Coming in towards the cargo ship, were two Romulan raptor scout ships, and an Orion vessel.
"Okay who wants what?" Marjani called out. Her target was going to be one of the raptor scout ships.
"Romulans have been and always shall be my friends..." Maverick said in the comms. By the sound of his voice you could tell he was amused by what was unfolding. He began to roll to his starboard to intercept one of the Romulan vessels. He went weapons hot and his shields raised. Maverick knew that he would have to catch the Romulan before they engaged the possible cloak. He was unsure if these scout vessels had a cloak or not. "Don't worry I won't fire until I see the whites of his eyes."
There were some laughs over communications, and then things went into serious mode. Quinn and Ruby went after the Orion ship, to dissuade it from going after the cargo ship.
The Romulan vessel saw Maverick coming and barrel rolled over him. Clearly the Romulan pilot knew there were four dimensions in space. This maneuver was both good and bad in Pete's eyes. Good that they did not engage a cloak, but bad because the pilot had experience. Pete fired his phasers in succession and managed to score one direct hit. "Come one, come on... Turn and face me." He had an idea that he needed the nose of the scout craft for. However, before Maverick could enact his plan the Romulan vessel fired and sped past him. "Crap..." A quick sequence of evasive allowed the Romulan attack to graze his fighter. "...What the hell was that? Where is he? Does anyone have eyes?"
Marjani looked around quickly then called out, "He's coming on your six, Maverick." A flash of light blasted past her, and her attention was brought to focus on her own opponent, "That son of gun wants to play games" she muttered aloud. Sending her own craft into a barrel roll to the left to avoid his attack. Also could be heard coming from her, "Once we get done with this, remind me to upgrade to a stick instead of buttons." Marjani groused.
"Nothing like a stick. I don't fly with anything else." Maverick wheeled his craft around in a wide turn. As the turn completed he picked up the trail of his Romulan scout ship. He sped up and barrel rolled so he was inverted and above the Romulans. He could see into the Romulan cockpit. Pete gave the Romulan a smile and wave and then he hit the proverbial brakes. The Romulan shot forward quickly and Pete hit the Romulan with all his weapons. A bright flash of light and a mess of debris is all that was left of that scout craft.
Marjani could tell that this pilot she was up against, had some serious skills. It seemed like he could tell which move she was going to make, her banking to the left, he smoothly matched her maneuver. She rolled to the right and he still matched her. She did a backwards loop going into a spiral, the pilot matching her once more. Marjani narrowed her eyes, as this person's movements were starting to remind her of someone, someone who betrayed her and her people years ago.
Marjani veered around one more time, to get a lock onto her target. She was hailed by her opponent, "Yes, its me. I can already tell you have realized this. Hello Marjani, long time no see, have you missed me mon petit?"
"No I haven't Baron Samedi. I've had enough of you." Marjani scoffed
"Do you think you can take me down?" Samedi replied.
"Oh but I can," as Marjani headed towards the opponents craft as if to play chicken, and the craft did the same, it looked like it was going to be a crash between them, Samedi breaking off at the last moment, veering to the left. and that was the moment Marjani had waited for, she made a sharp right, Samedi coming into her view and she fired. His craft exploded, and Marjani gave a sigh of relief "Goodbye, Samedi."
"Everyone alright?" Marjani called out to her people.
"Yes, the Maurader has been chased away." Ruby and Orrin answered.
"Yee haw... I just got out of the shower. Haven't had that much fun in some time." Pete answered the call. "Although it would be nice if the rest of this escort had little to no more surprises." He took a mental note to ask Marjani about this Samedi character. Pete knew that the comms was no place for a conversation like that.
Marjani smiled when she heard the reports. "Okay lets get them home."
Marjani was certainly going to need a drink or two or three once they got to Vshynck, and the colony of Demeter.
Vshynk/Demeter
All was delivered, the cargo ship, The Ironbound was safe with the crew unloading her. Marjani patted the hull of her ship after doing her last minute check ups.
Ruby and Quinn came over to where she was, "Hey Voodoo, we're going to go grab a few drinks and some dinner. Going to join us? "
Marjani smiled,"Maybe later, I still got a few details to work out and maybe our next job. Plus Pappy's probably going to want a report."
Ruby and Quinn gave a nod of understanding. "No rest for the person in charge." they turned towards Maverick, "Hey Maverick want to come to get a few drinks and dinner?"
"Yeah I think I can use a drink and some food. I am going to have to get back to the Merlin in the morning. I am sure duty is calling by now." Pete said with a smile toward Ruby and Quinn. He briefly turned to meet Marjani's eyes. The look on his face said that he would see her later.
Marjani noticed the look Pete had given her, and she gave a slight nod in answer.
Ruby linked her arms with Pete and Quinn, with her being in the middle and smiling. "Aren't I a lucky woman being with two handsome men for drinks and dinner. We'll see you later, Marjani." Ruby giving a teasing wink towards Marjani who cracked a smile.
"Have fun you three." Marjani called out before her attention was taken by a call on her radio. "Yeah Pappy?" Marjani walking away in the opposite direction, away from the trio.
Mamie's
Mamie's was a local restaurant which boasted good home style cooking. And it lived up to its name. During the meal, Ruby did her best to be lively and entertaining, teasing both Pete and Quinn. "You know Pete, I caught a glimpse of your fight with that other pilot, I was worried about that fight. I was really relieved that you were able to deal with that pirate."
"Pirates are fun... Predictable but fun. The secret is they will always keep coming. They cannot afford to retreat, their ultimate goal is to get the goods and that means going through you. The minute that you as a pilot realize that is the minute you own them." Pete talked of these facts as if it were simple mathematics. Something that should have been learned years ago. He took a few bites of his chicken fried steak. "You know working with you folks is a breath of fresh air."
Quinn looked at Pete, after he had taken a drink of his beer, "Oh in what way? We're just a group of pilots who are out to fly by the seat of our pants, just earning our living."
Ruby was listening closely while she was working on her meal, a plate of chicken wings with a side of coleslaw. She had a wing in her hand when she echoed Quinn's sentiment, "Yup just a group of crazy pilots who like working." she laughed before sinking her teeth into the wing.
"And sometimes that is better than pilots in my line of work. People who have to follow orders and push buttons. I can't remember when I had this much fun. So tell me where did you learn how to fly?" Pete was genuinely interested. He learned from his Dad and in flight school at the Academy. He often wondered where pilots who did not go to the Academy learned how to fly.
"Well I learned from my mom, who had been in StarFleet, then she left to run her own ship. She wanted me to learn everything there is to know about flight and the ins and outs of maintaining the machines. She was called back into service when the war came about." Orin gestured towards Ruby, "Ruby and I met due to our parents as my mom and her dad were part of the same company."
Ruby picked up the tale. "I learned how to fly when I was thirteen, joined my dad's crew when I was fifteen as his co pilot. I've been flying ever since." the red head stated. She looked around, "I wonder if Marjani is going to arrive, kinda want to know what is what with her"
After Ruby spoke, Marjani arrived, walked over towards the bar and ordered a bottle of alcohol. She also ordered a sandwich. The bottle she bought was a bottle of whiskey, grabbing four glasses she came over to the table and plopped herself down in the empty chair, seated next to Pete. And set the glasses and whiskey down on the table. "Looks like you've eaten some good food. My food will arrive shortly. What have you all been chatting about?"
"Just where we all learned how to fly." Pete said with a smile as he looked at Marjani. Now that she was there he only had eyes for her. She was stunning, that was the best way to put it, stunning. "I hope everything is in order and you lot got paid what you were supposed to."
"Yes we've been paid well. And the Ironbound had nothing but great words for our work. Pappy's happy as well. Pappy has also said to take some time off. We've been working hard, so he figured that we're due some down time. He doesn't want us to over work ourselves and lose our edge. I will have to agree with him on that. Besides this will give me time to change out the controls to a stick." she opened up the bottle and filled the glasses up, with the whiskey. "Drink up, I salute you!" raising her glass in the air towards those at the table.
"Are you going to work through your down time? When you've got handsome there right next to you?" Ruby gesturing towards Pete.
"Well..." Marjani looked at Pete and gave him a wink. He was rather handsome, probably the best thing that had come across her way. "I won't start work as of yet." reaching over and placing her hand upon his. "Well that also depends on him as well." giving Pete's hand a squeeze. " I don't assume..."
"I think I can spare a few hours before I have to head back to the Merlin." Pete said with a smile and squeezed her hand back.
Marjani could only smile at that.
END
First Lieutenant Marjani Smith
'Voodoo'
Leader of rag tag bunch of Pilots
NPC LTCMDR Mathias McPhee
●● Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
Chief Flight Control Officer
Commander Air Group
USS Merlin
