Be Careful What You Ask For (Part 1)

Posted on Sun Mar 27th, 2011 @ 6:56pm by Lieutenant JG Malia Jacy

Mission: Episode 2.1 - "Unanswered Questions"
Location: Starbase 386; Fighter Bay
Timeline: Shoreleave 01; 1230 hrs

ON: [[Fighter Bay, Starbase 386, 1230]]

Terry yawned and decided it was time for a break. Too much paperwork and no play makes Walsh a dull boy. He left his office and headed down to the hangar bays to see what was going on. Once inside, he started strolling around as the few personnel that hadn't gone to lunch turned to see what he was doing. Major Walsh realized that he really needed to get down here more often.

Velia (PNPC) would have normally just stayed on the ship, taking advantage of the fact that it was near barren except for the fact that she was bored to tears. Shoreleave for her was obviously going to perpetuate what one could call cabin fever. Plus, she'd never spent excessive time on a starbase before and her need to finally explore something that she wasn't viewing on a screen just got the best of her. 'Ants in her pants' as her mother would have put it, and she couldn't help but sourly smile at the thought. She'd cruised past the busier parts, uninterested in the bustle and noise. She'd skimmed the information on 386's offerings and the fighters had caught her eye. There was no love lost between Velia and every pilot she'd ever met. Or most marines she'd met either, for that matter. But the Pandora's lack of a fighter wing bolstered her interest in the sleek flyers and she wasn't about to pass up a chance to snoop around if she could manage it.

Once she'd made it to the fighter bay she was doubly pleased by the lack of attendance. God bless lunch breaks, she thought to herself and began crawling around the stationary fighters, peering and prodding where she could. Like every other Academy ensign, she'd taken and passed a few rudimentary flight courses; but they were all starship based ... fighters were a different matter entirely. It occurred to her while she ventured about that she really should try her hand at a fighter holodeck program. It could possibly be something close to fun.

Lunch break would be a good time for him to inspect some of the work that had been done on the fighters. And maybe, just maybe, someone took an early break because they wanted to work in the quiet of the bay. He paused for a second before continuing to walk. It was pretty quiet down there. There weren't that many sounds to be heard and that was refreshing to Terry. He was used to the hustle and bustle of the bay when he walked down take a fighter out. He continued his stroll among the Mustang class fighters, inspecting as he went. As he rounded the corner, he noticed a lower torso sticking out from one of the fighters parked a few spots down. There was that early lunch person. He started walking up to the fighter and called out, "So, what's the problem with this one?"

"Ah son of!," Velia finished her exclamation in Italian. The voice had startled her and instinct to move upward had been a poor choice on her part. Glaring, she crawled out from under the fighter, yanked her ponytail ends out from the collar of her hooded sweatshirt and fixed her gaze where a normal person's face would have been. Instead she found herself scowling at a very large, very broad chest. Her eyes climbed northward until her neck was cranked. "I could make an attempt to tell you," she huffed as she rubbed at the top of her head with one palm trying to calm the sting, "but you look like a man who likes to find out for himself. Be my guest. It bites."

Terry looked at the young woman coming out from under the fighter. He’d never seen one of the maintenance personnel wearing a hooded sweatshirt before. Then he noticed the gray color of her uniform. A smile crept across his face and he chuckled a little. “You’d be surprised…that happens quite a bit out here. Of course, now I’ll try it on one of my own. Keep them on their toes, you know.” He paused and looked at the Ensign rubbing the top of her brunette covered head. “Seriously, though, you okay? There’s an emergency medkit on the wall over there. And sorry to have startled you like that.”

Though seemingly impossible, Velia's eyes narrowed even further. "Yes, I'm fine. Do you always sneak up on others, Mr.???"

She’s a feisty one, Terry thought. “Not usually,” he stared down at her eyes, “but in this case, I’m glad I made an exception. Say, I haven’t seen you around 386. But then, it’s a big Starbase. I’m Major Terry Walsh. And you would be?”

"Ensign Velia Moretti," she straightened proudly. "Currently serving on the USS Pandora. Which happens to be docked on your starbase, Major." She dropped her arm back to her side for a brief moment before folding her arms across her chest.

And a proud one, too. “My Starbase…well, I sure hope not. I can’t imagine a Marine in command of Federation Starbase.” Terry straightened to his full height. “But if one were, I’d bet they wouldn’t have to worry about visitors snooping around all over the place. What are you doing up here, anyway?”

"I was bored," she said simply, as though she needed no other reason. "I didn't realize exploring in the Federation had become a crime."

“You’re the only one who said it was a crime. I didn’t hear anyone else say anything about that.” Terry smirked. “And besides, I thought an Intelligence officer wasn’t supposed to get caught doing things they weren't supposed to be doing?”

"I must have failed to see the 'restricted to authorized personnel only' sign that's not hanging anywhere," she returned his smirk with a sharky one of her own. "I thought pilots liked to show off their shiny machines - is that a myth?"

"Hmm, the sign must be in the backshop getting shined and polished." He paused, still looking her dead in the eye. One would think it was stand-off. "As far as getting closer to the shiny machines, I think the top of your head accomplished that pretty good." He wondered if they would still be exchanging quips when the crews started coming back from lunch. But it really didn't matter, Terry hadn't had this much fun since coming on board 386.

"All it showed me is that everything about fighters is a pain," she muttered, refusing to look away from him. "Death traps on and off the ground, eh?" A flash in her eyes ... "So how'd you get stuck with lunch time watch?"

Keeping her gaze, Terry replied, "Lunch time watch...I volunteered." He thought for a second. "Death traps, huh. You up for a flight, Intel? I think you'll see how nice it really is."

Velia snorted. "Listen here flyboy, it's hard to be threatened by someone when you know that in their job, the machine does the bulk of the work for them. I mean, I realize it probably takes some time to commit the ten or so control combinations to memory..."

Terry interrupted. "Is that what you think?" He shook his head, "Listen here, little lady, there's a lot more to it than ten or so control combinations. And I don't think you've got the mental capacity to learn them, let alone remember them. I think the only thing quick and sharp about you is your tongue."

"Oh, really?" She visibly twitched at 'lady'. Her foot started to tap as she considered. "You're on!"

"Great. I'll just switch with Benre. He's got the afternoon patrol lead and I've got the evening. Besides, he owes me." Some of the lunch crew was starting to filter in.

"I hope you have a padded suit in my size." She sized him up and smirked. "You know, just in case there's some 'space turbulence'. I'm sure an uneven flight wouldn’t be any reflection on your abilities."

Terry laughed and said, "Oh, we've got an EVA suit in your size, but finding a helmet big enough is going to be a problem. Follow me, we'll get you suited up. You'll be flying with me."

"Fantastic," she said dryly, biting back a wonderment of whether or not they were both going to fit in the fighter as she fell in long steps behind him. "Let me just write my mother a short note to tell her I love her."

Terry started walking out and passed a Chief Petty Officer. "Petty Officer, where is Lieutenant Commander Benre's fighter?"

"Over there, sir." He pointed to a Typhoon class fighter several spots down.

"Okay, I'm taking his place for the afternoon patrol and Ensign Moretti here will be flying backseat."

"Sir, is that such a good idea?"

"Ensign Moretti is from Starfleet Intelligence." Grinning, he said, "She's here for some specialized, hands on training in 'fighter flight.' Just get this fine tuned instrument ready for me." Terry ushered Ensign Moretti towards Ensign Maktow, one of the female pilots, to help her find a suitable EVA suit. He turned towards Moretti before she walked off, "I'm going up to take care of the briefing and the pilot switches. All you have to do is meet me back down here in twenty minutes. And don't be late. Think you can handle that?"

"Aye aye, Major," Velia said snappily and saluted him. Then she turned to Maktow. "Lead the way?"

OFF: To Be Continued ...

A cross-simm JP

by

Ensign Velia Moretti (PNPC)
Intelligence Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: Lt. JG Jacy

and

Major Terry Walsh
224th Dragonriders
Wing Vice Commander
Starbase 386