Meeting the Department Heads - CAG

Posted on Fri Aug 23rd, 2019 @ 6:45am by Lieutenant Commander Yarinna "Fanthom" Hawkins & Major Naomi Sylan Griffiths

Mission: Onboarding & Departure
Location: Various
Timeline: Current

[ON]

After the Counsellor, she made her final rounds for now with the Command Air Group, four fighters were not exactly classed as a Group, but there had to be a pilot in charge of the department. So after returning to the lift and instructing it to head down to the main shuttle bay she finally stepped out onto the corridor that led to it and walks through the doors and onto the expansive shuttle bay and wanders over to the scout ship and studies it closely, by now her situational awareness was active, so when she was challenged and this time she did not jump as she turned around with a smile.

"Ah...Major, welcome to my humble shuttle bay. How may I help.you today?", Yarinna said humbly

"Hello Lieutenant, I thought I would make the rounds and introduce myself to the Department heads, I am the ships new First Officer Major Naomi Griffiths, yes I am a marine and yes I will follow fleet procedures," she said looking at the pilot "only covering some obvious questions *sees the fighter and points to it* what fighter class is that?" she asked.

"She is a Valkyrie Mk 3, Major. Would you care to look in the cockpit?", Yarinna asked. " I brought Lt. Cmdr. Sky here in her", she added.

Face lighting up "you bet I would like to have a look inside the fighter, I am only qualified to fly shuttles nothing more, but fighters have always interested me, lead the way," she said in response.

Grinning, "Well Major you are in for a treat....step this way and step where I step", Yarinna said as she climbed up onto the fighter stepping where the footholds were. Watching the Major as she climbed the same way, "Very good Major. You did that like a pro! Now look to your heart's content", Yarinna said chuckling. She sensed the excitement from the Major. "Maybe you would like a ride someday?", she asked the Major.

Naomi followed the pilot and placed her feet in the same areas as her until she got to the cockpit "thank you, Lieutenant, in the Rifles one must be a quick study or one could get their team members killed and that is bad form" she said sitting down on the rim of the cockpit and looked inside. "Okay I may just have to start taking lessons to get qualified for such a fighter" she added "as for the ride, I would love to someday" Griffiths finished looking up at Hawkins.

Yarinnia began to slowly show the major the basic controls of the fighter. "It is like flying a kite only you guide it with a joystick", she said laughing. "I have flown this baby upside down with the canopy barely touching my wingman's canopy in acrobatic flying. Growing up in the cockpit and learning how not to be afraid of falling out was crazy, to say the least, but I mastered it and well here I am", she said smiling.

Looking up at the pilot with a raised eyebrow "indeed, I imagine it is totally different from flying a shuttle?" she asked "my friend Alexandria Somers can fly any shuttle currently in service and a few mothballed, but active shuttles are easier to come by, she can also competently fly a fighter, but I do not think she is qualified for combat in one. I have seen her land a shuttle without a scratch on a rocking deck or in zero gravity in a shuttle bay with debris and not a scratch" she paused and looked wistfully "I wish I could say the same" she laughed a little "may I sit in the cockpit?" she asked.

"Sure Major, be my guest. 'Ghost' isn't going to go anywhere just yet, Yarinna said smiling.

*smiling back* she gets in the same way as she had seen countless pilots do many times and immediately began looking at the controls.

"Nice, what control is which?" she asked looking over the surface controls.

Yarinnia pointed to the joystick," This is the control stick which I call jokingly 'John-boy', this moves the fighter right left up and down", Yarinna said. Next, she pointed to the HUD, "This is what shows you if you are level. It also shows you left, right, up, and down. Just above that is a smaller screen that is your targeting sight. You can lock on using it to guide your weapons fire much like the starship itself", she explained.

*laughs at the term John Boy* "so it is the yoke then, the joystick?" she asked then continued "HUD is Heads Up Display, is it not? *looking where the pilot was pointing as she spoke of each part of the cockpit* So how agile is this baby?" Griffiths asks finally looking up at the pilot.

"Agile? She is a nimble craft. I can do things in her most pilots dream about. But that is only either in battle or flying aerobatic for shows. She is very tight in turning and smoothly too. Fast and graceful and deadly in experienced hands", Yarinna concluded.

"Sounds like fun" Griffiths commented and placed a hand on either side of the canopy and pulled herself up and climbed out of the cockpit. "So you do know that you are essentially our scout ship?" she added sitting down on the shoulder of the fighter.

"Yeah that much I surmised but, I am here also as a fighter as well. Should the situation arise and also possibly a relief helm and shuttle jock. Oh and also recon too", Yarinna added.

*shrugs* "One fighter against a mass of smaller, ships, who do you think you are the next Star Gladiator?" Griffith's asked with some amusement "but in all seriousness, you are more likely to be used as a Scout" she added "not as a fighter pilot, the fact you have a fighter is a boon to you, but I think the Captain will only sacrifice you if he has no other choice" she finished.

"Yeah that was something I was thinking about but it is ok with me. Ya never know what might crawl out from beneath a rock", she said chuckling.

*nodding* "True, very true that, so looks like you have everything buttoned down here and I am satisfied all is as it should be, with that being said I do have other tasks to attend to so I will leave you to your tasks Lieutenant," Griffiths said climbing down off the fighter.

"Well just let me know when you feel up for a flight. I'll take you out for a spin Major", Yarinna said laughing as she got down from her fighter.

Griffiths nodded "I may take you up on that at some point El-tee," she said and held out her hand "now I have other First Officer duties I must attend to" Griffiths added.

Yarinna nodded to the Major as she inspected one of the sensor panels.

With that, Naomi left the shuttle bay and headed to the nearest lift and entered as she turned to face outward she smiled at the Pilot as the doors closed.

[OFF]

Major Naomi Griffiths
First Officer

Lt Cmdr Yarianna "Fathom" Hawkings[P: Sky]
Commander Air Group