Welcome Aboard

Posted on 29 Sep 2023 @ 3:51pm by Ensign Orion Belmont & Commander Kristiana Petrova & Ensign Kat Walker

1,728 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Miranda
Location: Deck 14 - Flight Deck

Orion had held his breath upon first stepping aboard the USS Odin, entering into the shadow of the Allfather under far from ideal circumstances. The journey had been fine, the reasoning for the transfer not so much. He had been curious about the name and had read a few things on his padd before his arrival. Mythology had been more interesting than he had at first expected. That had been before, however now he was impressed...and worried, though he tried not to show it.

She was a magnificent ship from what he had seen so far - which had not been much beyond the flight decks and pilot quarters - but the flight deck itself was borderline inspirational for a soul addicted to flight. Still, he hoped that what he had read so far of the namesake for the ship did not leak out into reality. He had looked up his own name, noticing it pop up during his searching, and had discovered a hunter who had died. That had been amusingly ironic. He had cracked a smile at that, despite circumstance, amused as he had stowed his gear inside his assigned quarters, and had been left to stand and admire the Valkyrie's of the USS Odin.

Orion in the Odin...outstanding he remarked to himself with oozed mental sarcasm as he paced around one of the Valkyrie's, fingertip brushing its surface as if by touching they could discern something.

Next on her docket was - oh, guess what, another new transfer. An ensign this time. Oh, a fighter pilot? Interesting. Kris lowered her padd and rubbed her temples, closing her eyes for a moment. This headache wasn't making things easier either. But, duty called. She steeled herself and set out to fighter pilot country, the region of the ship near the fighterbay where all the pilots were bunked. Well, all but one, but that was a special case.

Fortunately the new pilot wasn't hard to find. She'd expected him in the deck, inspecting - or admiring - the Valkyries. Pilots were nothing if not predictable. Once she spied him she headed over. "Ensign Belmont? Mind if I just call you Jester?"

Stunned out of his inspections he turned towards the voice and noticed two things - a serious and stern looking woman, and that she was a Commander by rank by the pips. It took a couple more seconds to sense the aura that people who are used to, and have earned respect, carried themselves. He was always torn at times like this. On the one had his idealism shouted to be a good Ensign, but the other hand of experience spoke to him of conversations past that were less than pleasing. He turned, nodded and came into what was a more attentive and respectful stance, nodding in response to her question.

"Of course, Commander, Jester is fine. Belmont is...well annoying really. Everyone else calls me Jester eventually. I've been told it is more true than I should like it to be," he said carefully, though despite himself he cracked a slight smile, "the Odin is an impressive ship. I was just getting acquainted. Did you have a task for me Commander?"

"At ease, Ensign. No task, just wanted to meet you. I like meeting new officers, get a feel of what we're dealing with," she mused, gauging his reaction. He was built a bit sturdier than her, though with similar tone. Obviously someone who worked out. "Speaking of which, you're getting on a bit in years for being just an ensign. Interesting service record, too," she added, beckoning for him to follow her. Orion settled into a casual pace, following as she walked.

"Came close a few times...never stuck. I think one of my commanding officers said 'He's the best damned pilot, if only he could bloody show up'," Orion cleared his throat and realized he should probably be more serious than he was coming across, "never managed to climb the ladder. Eventually you just stop trying I suppose. I'm a good pilot, one of the best. I love what I do. I'd like to keep doing it. And that's why I'm here, as you probably know. My service record says it all - never fit in unless I'm in the cockpit. That's been said. I don't tell jokes, my life is the joke, has been repeated many times too" he said, trying not to snort in amused agreement, but failing.

The smallest of smirks from Kris, though she dropped it almost immediately. "Fits your callsign, then," she offered. "Well, it's a good thing then we need pilots. Real pilots. Good pilots," she explained, coming to a halt in front of a Valkyrie in need of repairs. And parts. It sat crooked on the deck, some of its outer plating missing, one engine gutted and lying alongside, the cockpit a vacant, gaping hole, weapon parts scattered around, the airframe - though it was generous calling it even that - was in dire need of a serious refurbishment. "Tell me, do you have any issues flying wingman to an alien AI flying a Valkyrie?"

Coming to a stop his curiosity got the better of him and his eyes roamed across the Valkyrie, what was left of it, noting things that seemed interesting and fixes that even someone who had spent years around craft but had no real qualification beyond ad hoc experience could claim, could perform. Still her question brought him up short and, for the first time in a while, had him with his mouth open for a while. His brain worked but didn't really give much answer, wondering if it were a joke. Her expression said otherwise.

"You have an AI pilot?" he asked, the curiosity escaping his mouth before he could wrestle it into submission, followed quickly by the rest to smooth it over, "I can't say that I've ever been wingman to...that. So I don't know. I suppose not, so long as Command says its safe and it doesn't try to tell me how feeble my organic skills are. I'm Jester enough already. But if it means I can fly then I'll replicate it spare parts and buff its Valkyrie"

At his answer Kris now gave a short, honest chuckle. He'd managed to amuse her. "We do in fact have an AI pilot. Deadeye!" she called out. "Front and center, meet your new wingman!" the redhead added.

With a shimmer, a young seemingly human woman manifested, carrying herself calmly and with a gentle smile. Though at closer examination, she seemed just a bit too perfect. "Reporting as ordered, commander Petrova."

Orion was not overly used to holograms but he had enough experience to not immediately jump out of his skin, though he would be a lair if he said that he hadn't wanted to. Instead his muscles tensed briefly and then relaxed as his attention shifted to the new arrival and his head cocked as he listened, trying to put his metaphorical finger upon something.

"Ensign Walker, meet Orion Belmont. Callsign Jester. He'll be your new wingman, once we get Valk #27 back here up and operational," Kris explained, matter-of-factly, motioning to the spare parts machine behind her. "Don't worry, she'll fly true. I'll make sure her refit will be a priority ticket," she added, hoping to sound reassuring.

The AI avatar turned to face Orion, her soft smile warming a bit, in what her subroutines calculated as being 'friendly'. "It's nice to meet you, Jester. I'm Ensign Kat Walker, callsign Deadeye. I'm looking forward to flying with you," she concluded, her voice soft and with a slight sing-songy quality to it.

That's it! Just a bit too...perfect. Illusions are never quite real enough. Or too real, perhaps he told himself as he instinctively held out his hand in greeting and then, feeling foolish after a few moments, retracted his hand.

"Ah...sorry," he rubbed his palm upon his uniform absently before grinning at his foolishness, "Deadeye you say? I like the idea of being wingman to someone who can snipe enemies before I see them. Saves me the trouble," he smiled back once his social skills had caught up, "tell you what, you can snipe and I'll find some humour for those subroutines for the less intense flights. As for flying, put me in the seat now and we'd be out there together. Commander, would you mind if I get started helping to get...Valk #27 was it? In getting it repaired? I know a few things and I'm sure we could...collar...someone properly qualified to do the rest? It's been a while, and we can always work whilst we get to know each other, if uh...Deadeye doesn't mind?" he asked, his need for both flight and access to flight evident.

"Sounds good to me. I'll wrangle an engineer, send them your way," Kris nodded. "Welcome aboard, Ensign."

"I don't mind, Jester," Kat smiled softly. She motioned with a hand, and with a shimmer a detailed exploded view of a Valkyrie appeared before her. With a twist of the wrist and a gesture of a finger, various parts lit up and flashed, parts that #27 needed. "I'm confident I can be of some help here, too."

Jester and Deadeye started to get to work and it was only later that he thought that perhaps he should have spent more time with the Commander before diving straight into flying and related mattes. It was a failing of his and he made a note. Still, with the help of an engineer or two they got quite a bit done. The Valk still needed a bit of work but the core systems were sorted by the time they were done. Despite lingering reservations Deadeye had proven to be nothing but useful and on board with assisting. Orion felt that it would be a strange thing they would forge, this flight pairing, but he was so lost in the idea that he could get flying again that he didn't really think much more upon it.

What he did know is that he could fly again. And given the fact that Deadeye was helping him to do just that he had no complaints in the present. What came tomorrow was a concern for another time.

 

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