Posted by Mar. Captain Malcolm “Astro” Dawkins (Fighter Squadron CO/Pilot) in Just Another Day at the Office

Posted by Mar. Captain Eleanor “Iron Lady” Carnegie (Recon Squadron CO/Pilot) in Just Another Day at the Office

Posted by Mar. Captain Malcolm “Astro” Dawkins (Fighter Squadron CO/Pilot) in Just Another Day at the Office
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻
“God, this is boring.” It was the third time in the last thirty minutes that Second Lieutenant Dustin Price uttered the same words. “This is not what I signed up for.”

Eleanor looked up from her console at the young Surveillance Systems Officer that had been appointed as a part of her ship’s crew, but said nothing.

“I thought they trained you guys for this.” The voice was that of First Lieutenant James Sloan, the Ranger’s Flight Engineer, he had almost as many years of experience under his belt as Eleanor had.

“They do.” Eleanor chirped from her seat. “They prepare us pilots, and if they don’t prepare Sensor Ops they should!”

“Not like this!” Price reiterated. “Recon is supposed to go out and surveil new planets and their defenses! Gather intel! Serve as the ship’s eyes forward of friendly lines! Not to stand here playing starbase customs!”

Eleanor swiveled her seat to face the young Marine. An eyebrow raised and a worried look on her face. “I’m not sure what Kool-Aid you’ve been drinking Badger, but I suggest you start getting used to it. If you thought you’d be out and about every day in the frontline of excitement, you’re going to be sorely disappointed…”

“I’m sure it is not that bad, Captain.” Price started.

“I suggest you listen to the Lady, kid…” Sloan added almost immediately. “There’s a big difference before what the recruitment posters say and what you’ll actually do…”

“But, during training–“

Without warning, the systems onboard Carnegie’s Ranger sprang to life as the ship’s sensors detected an unidentified craft well inside the Ranger’s Threat Assessment & Detection Zone.

Price’s thought was abruptly interrupted by the computer. =/\= Proximity alert. Unidentified vessel. Proximity alert. =/\=

The TADZ system in concert with the Ranger’s main sensor suite, one that would make an old Constitution-Class look like a popgun in comparison, showed that Carnegie’s ‘guest’ was directly behind them at heading 180 and perfectly level with her craft… at a range of less than 200 meters. It was stationary and was not squawking an IFF, but it didn’t have weapons charged either… of course at that range, the craft could hit hers with a ballistic round. To say the new arrival was dangerously close was an understatement.

Carnegie’s wide gaze met Price’s as the young man scrambled to get readings from his console. She was not happy. Quickly swiveling back to the front, Eleanor armed the Ranger’s phasers and raised her shields. “Where are they coming from?” She yelled at the Sensors Operator over the computer warning. “Right behind us, Ma’am.” He promptly replied.

Alarm klaxons inside the new arrival blasted as the weapons system of the still solidly armed Surveillance craft came online and the full power of her shields snapped into place… dangerously close to his own location.

It was a maneuver she had done many times with the Templars, and a common one many pilots did when trying to see what was behind them. After all, in space there was no up or down. With a swift motion, she pulled on her controls, and before either of her crew members could even say anything, the Ranger flipped upside down, nose now where her tail had been just a second before.

Cpt. Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

Profanity boomed in the new arrival’s cockpit as the Ranger popped a Tactical Vector Reversal, something completely unexpected and totally uncharacteristic of the normal movement styles of the larger, modified bomber. In an instant, the pilot of the new craft slammed a finger down on his Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) System, immediately engaging the Aerospace Craft & Vessel Identification Protocols hardwired into the RISCCS operating system that runs most modern Federation-flagged small tactical craft… resulting in a sudden, and relieving, green glow surrounding the blip on the Ranger’s sensors display indicating a friendly craft.

The IFF code on Carnegie’s display immediately read:

Designation: Marine Assault Alpha Two-Eight-Nine
Class: Templar-Class Heavy Fighter
Pilot of Register: Captain Malcolm Edward Dawkins, Senior Marine Aerospace Aviator - Starfleet Marine Corps

A direct message appeared on Eleanor’s screen:

Didn’t mean to spook ya! Nice TVR… have to show me how you did that! See ya tonight - Astro

Dawkins

“Damn you Malcolm!” The words came under her breath as she disengaged phasers and looked out of the main viewscreen. Yet, she couldn’t help the small smile that crossed her face as she read his message.

As Eleanor flipped the Ranger back to her initial position, the first to speak was Sloan at the Engineering console. “Captain, may I remind you this is not a Templar! The Ranger is not prepared to execute those types of maneuvers.” There was a pause as the Ranger’s Flight Engineer looked to his right and Price pulled up a paper bag and puked into it. Disgust made it into his voice as he continued. “There’s no way I can manually adjust the artificial gravity inside this cockpit!”

“If you don’t like the way I fly, Sloan, you can put in a request for a different ship. I promise you I won’t feel offended. Either that or you can get out and walk back.” The sarcasm was evident in her tone. “But when it comes to my crew, their safety comes first. Fortunately it was a fleet ship, but if it was an enemy one, I’d rather you guys feeling sick than for us being shot in the ass!”

If looks could kill, Eleanor would have been a smoking pile of ash, as her Flight Engineer turned begrudgingly back to his station and furiously tapped his console checking for any damage on the ship. Price silently looked back at his sensors. His face pale as a ghost. “I’m sorry Ma’am. I didn’t see it. I swear it didn’t show up on my scans.”

“Well, now you know to pay better attention, Badger.” Carnegie’s focus was on the tail of Malcolm’s fighter disappearing in the distance. She knew why he hadn’t appeared on the sensors. “Why were you not paying attention to the proximity sweeps anyway?” Eleanor shook her head. It was like she had been given a crew of idiots. She could only hope that he would at least learn on the job.

Finally, after an uneventful last 90 minutes, Sentinel One’s time was up and Eleanor took it back to the Chimera’s Bay. The Ranger had barely touched down and Sloan was already half way through the exit ladder. Price stayed behind, fearful that he might leave prematurely and warrant yet another scolding from his Commanding Officer. He waited what he thought to be a reasonable time before leaving as well.

Finally alone, Eleanor rested her face on her hands for a moment, trying to shake her frustrations away. After a few moments, she did her usual post flight checks, knowing it wouldn’t take long for her Crew Chief to come on her ship.

Cpt. Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

The second he saw the second of Ellie’s crew disembark, Malcolm shot over to the ladder leading to the craft’s cockpit and climbed on up. “I see Junior lost his lunch thanks to your little stunt Babe.” Malcolm began as soon as he was far enough up to be heard inside. “And I must say, that is the greenest I’ve ever seen a…” Dawkins then froze at the top of the stairs and gasped… or was it a gag? “Jesus H. Christ!!! Now I don’t know if it was the inversion or just having to stare at your layout for the last 8 hours!” There was a playful chuckle and Malcolm walked up behind Ellie, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “God I missed you.” He said in a soft, seductive tone.

Startled, Eleanor turned backwards in her chair as she heard Malcolm’s voice. Seeing that it was him, she turned forwards again and shook her head. It was visible that she wasn’t too amused with the Marine. “Don’t you ever go pulling one of those stunts again, Dawkins!” She said rather assertively. But as his arms wrapped around her, Eleanor allowed herself to lean back into his embrace. A small smile crossed her features. “I missed you too, Mal.” Tapping a few buttons on her console, Carnegie swiveled her chair backwards to face him again. “You scared us. Although I guess I should thank you for giving Badger the teaching moment.” She smiled wider and kissed Malcolm on the lips as she got up.

“So, I would assume you committed this travesty to color on… purpose?” He smirked, kissing her ear.

Malcolm

“Color.” Eleanor stated. “Can’t see it right, remember?” Standing, she tapped the console a few more times, ensuring it was fully prepared for her Crew Chief. “Can’t wear my glasses either, or my contacts, while flying it. So… Have to change the color scheme to something I can actually see… I think it’s quite nice actually.” Eleanor admired it for a moment before turning back to Malcolm. “But I seem to be the only one. She tapped the console twice. “Good girl.” She said softly.

“So… plans for tonight?” Eleanor asked unzipping her flight suit ever so slightly.

Eleanor

Malcolm couldn’t help the momentary… deviation… of his eyes to the top of Ellie’s flightsuit zipper. He bit his lip for just a moment before realizing that ‘that’ currently wasn’t on the menu. “Well…” Malcolm stammered for just a moment, attempting to quickly put his slightly derailed mind back on the tracks. “… Tracer, Siren and I were thinking about going for drinks after work. Some how…” Dawkins blushed. “… I think one of’em figured out about you & I cause they are both rather…” He scratched his chin and smiled slightly with a raised eyebrow. “… rather curious of the chance to meet you. What’dya say Baby?”

Malcolm

Eleanor stopped on her tracks as Malcolm’s words left his mouth. Her expression fell serious for a second. “I… I don’t know Mal.” She shook her head for a moment before sighing. “I really don’t feel like spending an evening being constantly reminded that I’m not one of you guys. Yes, I get it. Yinz fly fighters. I don’t.” She shrugged. “I usually tend to get away from yinzes gatherings if I can help it.”

Eleanor

Sighing, Malcolm walked over and held Ellie close, kissing the top of her forehead. “Ellie, Baby, listen… if they didn’t want to genuinely meet you… I doubt they would have asked. I think part of why they wanna meet you is because of that damn inversion you pulled on me earlier. Hell…” He looked down and smiled. “… half the frackin’ flight deck was talking about it by the time I got back. My girl…” The love in his eyes unmistakable. “… done gone and made a name for herself. Come on Ellie…” Malcolm battled his eyelashes at her. “… please don’t make me beg.” The fanned look of innocence on his face was so played up it hurt and he was doing his best to keep a straight face. “Pretty Pleeease… come get drunk with me & my work buddies.”

Malcom

Eleanor roll her eyes, but she couldn’t help the smile that spread on her lips. She sighed. “Mal, any of yinz can do that. Not a big deal. Only yinzes can do that without having yinzes Sensor Ops person throw up all over the place.” She scrunched her nose. “Speaking of which, let’s leave this cockpit and let the bird air out.” Eleanor said before climbing down onto the deck.

As Ellie mentioned her Sensor Officer’s unfortunate reaction to her unexpected piloting skill, Mal had noticed the smell for the first time and with a nod & turn of his nose, Marine purposely started for the ladder. “Agreed Baby…” Malcolm chuckled as he looked to Ellie with a playfully pained look on his face. “… let’s hightail it and let the Deck Hands do their thing.” Pausing at the top, Malcolm allowed Ellie to level first before following her down.

As Malcolm left the ship, Eleanor continued, laying her back against her own vessel. In the tradition of old bombers’ ’nose art’, she had gotten it a simple new paint job — the name “Lady of Steel” painted in big black and yellow letters with a Steelers logo behind the S. “Oh, on an unrelated subject, I need your opinion. I’m thinking of adding something else here to make it look a little more fierce. Any ideas?”

“Actually Ellie…” He smiled proudly looking at the logo. “… that idea’s kinda bad ass! Since my first deployment, I have thought about doing something similar but they weren’t my Commands. I might have to get with my Chief to come up with something for mine!” Malcolm looked genuinely impressed as he examined the logo on Ellie’s craft. “It’s simple and classy. I mean… you’re a Pitts native, so if you want something more fierce…” Malcolm smiled devilishly. “… maybe add a stylized Jolly Roger behind it with…” He shrugged. “… some crossed sabers?”

Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Oh! A Pirates flag! I love it!” She kissed him on the cheek. “Not the sabers though.” She said with a wink. “Also, as far as I know, nose art is a prerogative of those flying bombers. Even sensor kitted ones.” A smirk settled on her lips with her last words.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Eleanor continued. “Look, if I’m going to spend my evening on the wrong end of your people’s jokes, I need to get drunk first.”

Eleanor

“Ellie… honey…” He smiled warmly. “… as long as we’re together, I will never put you in a situation like that. I don’t know who da’ hell you been seein’, but us Texas boys know better when it comes to how to treat a lady.” Malcolm then smiled a big smile. “And as for us being Fighter jocks, remember two things… first, you, dear /are/ a Fighter pilot and are one of us. Just cause Command wouldn’t like you come play, it doesn’t change the fact that you /earned/ your spot among the best in Starfleet.” The Marine kissed Ellie softly. “So that is nothing to be ashamed of. Secondly, you are one of only four Squadron CO’s on this boat and we should all be able to hang out and have fun!”

Malcolm

Crossing her arms over her chest again, Eleanor listened. “It’s not who I’ve been seeing Malcolm. It’s my experience with fighter jocks. And believe me, I vowed not to ever date one of them. I know better.” She paused looking at him. “Or at least I thought I did…” She added under her breath.

“Oh really now…” Malcolm said with a smirk. “… I hear that can be a problem.” With a playful puff of his chest, shoulders back and gazing to the ceiling, Malcolm said in an obnoxious deep tone. “Because the fighter corps are the true heroes of Starfleet… fleet… fleet!” The smile on his face was frozen.

Slumping her shoulders forwards, Carnegie sighed. “I hope your friends are of the same opinion.” She sighed again. “Besides, you might know that I qualified for the Templars, but they don’t. They are just going to treat me like they are above me.” She paused looking at the Marine for a moment. “You’re the first fighter pilot I know that never treated me like that.”

Shrugging, Eleanor finally said. “I guess… and if it means that much to you, I’ll give it a try.”

Eleanor

“I promise…” Malcolm smiled warmly. “… those two are the last people in the galaxy to give you a hard time. Siren’s dad was a Transport AC during the war and Tracer is Prior-Infantry, so neither would be inclined to mess with you.” Dawkins then nodded toward the doors leading from the ship. “Come on, I’m sure those two slackers are already there.” A soft, playful chuckle escaped him before smiling once more. “I booked a table for four in the O-Lounge… a little quieter and not as crowded as the Crew Lounge.” As soon as they were clear of the Hanger, Malcolm slipped his hand into Ellie’s and the moment they passed a quiet corner… he pulled Ellie into it for a bit more passionate kiss.

Eleanor hoped that he was right. Her personal experience had never been the best, but that didn’t mean it had to always be that way.

As the hangar doors closed behind them, Eleanor’s fingers welcomed Malcolm’s. Playing their relationship down in public had become rather tiresome, but both knew it was for the better. So it came as a surprise to Eleanor when Malcolm pushed her against the bulkhead on a rather passionate kiss. Not that she was complaining. Deepening the intimate gesture, Eleanor leaned into the kiss, her arms pulling him closer as he pressed her against the wall.

When the kiss broke, smiling like an idiot but with more than a little hunger behind his gaze… Malcolm said softly. “I’ve waited for that all damn day!” He was slightly breathless and blushed as they continued their journey, stepping into a TurboLift. His fingers tight with hers, he ordered the lift to the Observation Lounge and off they shot.

A drunk smile settled in Eleanor’s face. Looking at Malcolm through the corner of her eye, she didn’t say a word back. Instead, when her fingers laced with his again, she squeezed his hand in a more aggressive fashion, letting him know that she desired him in the same way he did her. Her face was a slightly darker shade of pink than usual.

In about a minute, the lift opened to the corridor outside the O-Lounge doors. Walking in, Siren waved from a table by the starboard windows as the Attendant asked for his reservation. “Captains Dawkins & Carnegie… the rest of our party I believe are already here.” He nodded to the table just as Tracer joined Siren. “Of course Captains…” The older Attendant smiled. “… welcome to the O-Lounge.” Malcolm then led Ellie to the table.

Malcolm

As Malcolm spoke to the attendant, an officer waved at them from a far away table. With smooth dark skin, the woman was drop dead gorgeous and as she tried to get their attention, Eleanor found herself looking down at her own body and wrinkled flight suit feeling suddenly quite self conscious. She was sure the woman would look good in the oldest of rags without adding anything else. Carnegie assumed she was Siren. As she looked, or rather stared, at the woman, a man joined her at the table. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him, except the fact that his build was slightly bulkier than what Eleanor would expect of a fighter pilot. For a moment, she allowed herself to admire the man’s physique, as her thoughts wondered places she didn’t mean for them to go. As she realized the more carnal nature of her thoughts, guilt washed over her and her cheeks blushed brighter. Her fingers held harder onto Malcolm’s almost apologetically.

Insecurity filled her conscious in the overwhelming way that only insecurity can, and Eleanor held onto Malcolm’s hand as they walked. With her free hand she took her glasses from her chest pocket and put them on, only to realize that if she already looked boring next to dazzling fighter pilot, she would look even worse with the old spectacles perched on her nose. Slowly, Eleanor took them off and put them back in her pocket. At least without the glasses, she would have to admire the full color beauty of the woman the whole time.

Eleanor