STF

Pre-Sim - Arrival Of The Fighters

Posted Sept. 1, 2022, 7:31 a.m. by Mar. Captain Siraa ‘IRIS’ sh’Rharror (Squadron Leader, Air Group) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Lunan Farrah (First Officer) in Pre-Sim - Arrival Of The Fighters

Posted by Major Shinzo “Oni” Honda (2IC, Air Group) in Pre-Sim - Arrival Of The Fighters

Posted by Lieutenant Colonel Krin “Hannibal” Lardel (Commander, Air Group (CAG)) in Pre-Sim - Arrival Of The Fighters
Posted by… suppressed (26) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It was nicknamed Godzilla, a gigantic transport and resupply ship, and it lived up to it’s moniker. It’s real name was Halcyon, but not even the crew called it that. Sixty-two decks high and crewed by over a thousand, the massive transport dropped out of warp at the designated coordinates for approach to their cargo’s new home: the USS Chimera, one of the premier carriers of the Fleet. The Commanding Officer of the Godzilla, a lithe woman wearing the red uniform of Star Fleet Command officers, tapped the arm of her center seat and said into the comms =/\= Chimera, this is Star Fleet Logistics and Transport vessel Godzilla. Please confirm arrival and readiness for small craft launch. =/\= As she waited for a response, she tapped a few more commands.

In the cockpits of the Templar Class Marine Fighters attached magnetically to the outer hull, the lights went red and an automated voice said =/\= Warp jump complete. Prepare for deployment. =/\=

In the his own cockpit, Lieutenant Colonel Krin (call sign ‘Hannibal’) Lardel awoke and yawned with no sense of surprise. The Marine could sleep anywhere, but he felt most comfortable inside a cockpit. They had been at warp on the Godzilla for thirty-six hours. Well, thirty-six since he had ordered all Marine Aviators to their respective craft. In a normal star ship, that time wasn’t even noticeable. In the cramped confines and perfect darkness of a powered down Templar fighter? Only a few could manage that. The assault shuttle crews had it a bit easier, what with having windows and a space to stretch out in, but the fighter jocks were left in complete darkness more akin to a coffin than an starship. And Hannibal, the Commanding Officer of Marine Flight Group Two-One-Four, had hand-selected only those who had passed what many called an overly-rigorous selection process specifically for this kind of situation… with help from a small cadre of pilots he affectionately called his ‘A-Team’.

Powering up all systems, he checked the three dimensional display and then keyed his comms. =/\= All right, Two-One-Four. Wakey-wakey. Systems checks and power up. All Squadrons report in. =/\= and he waited to her from the flight team leaders that all was set.’s

Siraa’s (call sign IRIS “I Require Intense Supervision”) fingers flew across her console and her fighter began to hum as it woke up, and her antenna waved back and forth in anticipation. Like Lardel she slept just fine in her fighter. It was dark like the underground caves back home, it was cozy. They were about to fly. She’d had enough sleeping. She was the last to report in, not because she was behind but all 40 troop transports and their fighter escorts reported to her. =/\=Grumpy! Wake up. We’re getting ready to deploy. Don’t you hold us up.=/\=

=/\=Sorry Cpt. Transport 10 is showing some issues with their inertial dampeners. They’ve got it fixed for now.=/\=

=/\=As soon as we dock with Chimera they dock and have the Wingnuts check her out.=/\=

=/\=Roger that.=/\=

Transferring her comms over =/\=Delta Squadron reporting ready.=/\=

Shinzo Honda Call Sign Oni, meaning Demon Spirit in Japanese, also woke up to Hannibals gruff voice. Since he was shorter than the other leaders, sleeping in the cockpit was a little easier for him than others.

=/\=Roger that 214 Leader. =/\= pressing buttons and flipping switches with ease his fighter came to life. Calling his crew to do the same. =/\= Bravo Squadron. Ignite and prepare to move out. =/\= Once they all responded Oni changed the frequency back to Hannibal. =/\=Bravo Squadron ready to move out.=/\=

When his trusted Squadron Leaders had checked in, Hannibal grinned to himself. =/\= Confirmed. Wait launch on my mark. =/\= and he opened channels to the Godzilla and the Group as a whole. =/\= Marine Flight Group to Godzilla. All squadrons ready for deployment. Confirm launch trajectories clear of traffic and all systems green. =/\= There was short pause and the Godzilla’s Captain’s voice came through. =/\= Marine Flight Group, this is the ‘Zilla. All space clear and trajectories synchronized. You are green for launch on your mark. Welcome to your new home, Black Sheep. =/\= Lardel grinned at the use of the nickname for the Group, but his voice came back flat and professional, as was typical for the Zakdorn pilot. =/\= Roger. Two-One-Four, release maglocks and engage impulse on my mark. Three… Two… One… Mark. =/\= and he brushed the controls for both the release of the magnetic locks that held his fighter to the exterior of the transport and took his engines to fifty-five percent. The inertial dampeners kept him from feeling much of the inertia from the ship moving, but his years in the cockpit told him that everything felt fine.

Siraa felt a thrill run along her nerves as Lardel’s voice started the count down and then her fighter was free floating for a moment as the maglocks disengaged and then righted as the power of the fighter’s engine growled to life. Her finger danced across the controls and her 3D display showed a clear run of the the entire unit, her squad light up in purple.

After the dampners were off and they were hovering Shinzo pressed the com, =/\=Bravo Squadron. Move out to the Chimera and dock beside Alpha Squadron. =/\=

From the outside of the supply ship, the scene was stunning. As the forty five Templar class fighters simultaneously detached from the exterior of the Godzilla like pollen being blown from a gigantic dandelion; the main cargo bay opened and spewed out dozens of assault shuttles, repair runabouts, and troop transport ships. It looked like chaos, all those ships flying on what seemed like intersecting and conflicting trajectories, but then…

=/\= Two-One-Four…=/\= came the Air Group’s CO’s voice over the comms. =/\= … commence arrival and retrieval operations. =/\= As if it had been practiced for years, even though it was only two months, all almost one hundred ships maneuvered into a cohesive formation directly in front of the massive transport. At the core of the formation, four Search and Rescue ships, bright white and identified by the large red cross on each. Surrounding them, forty troop transport shuttles, each with a full fighter escort. Directly at the front of the formation, three more Templar fighters, each painted slightly different than the rest. And in front of them, a single jet-black fighter with a bright red stripe down the port side running from the fore to the aft of the fighter and up it’s tail. All ships continued to approach the Chimera slowly, the intervals between them never fluctuating.

With a smooth bank and glide Siraa’s fighter slid into place directly aft of the solid black fighter. The Black Sheep crest on the side, Siraa’s shuttle was the blue color of the frozen glaciers of Andoria.

The all black Demon Squad that made up Bravo Squadron came in and landed smoothly where they were directed. Pressing his com to Hannibal =/\= Bravo Squadron cleared and docked Hannibal. =/\=

All the ships had the Flight Group 214 crest on the side; a circle of small, light blue stars bisected diagonally from top right to bottom left by a thick, black line. The stars on the top left were replaced by the profile of a black Earth ram, horns curved back on the side of it’s head and a look of sheer malice on it’s face. At the top, above the circle of stars and mascot, was the front view of the very fighter this Group was now flying: the cutting-edge Templar Class Fighter, looking as if it were coming straight off of the ship it was painted on.

Seeing on his tactical display that all ships were in position, Lt. Col. Lardel keyed his comms and hailed the Chimera. =/\= USS Chimera. Marine Flight Group Two-One-Four, Commander Air Group Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Krin Lardel requesting permission to dock and begin operational build-up and preparation for deployment aboard USS Chimera. =/\=

Lt. Col. Lardel, CAG

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, SQLD

NE Mariah King was running the Ops panel on the CIC as the hail came in, =^=Acknowledged Lieutenant Colonel Lardel, permission to dock is granted, welcome to the Chimera. I am transferring your transmission to Flight Ops to complete your arrival.=^=

King knew from dealing with marines in the past that brevity was usually appreciated. She routed the transmission down to Flight Ops, trusting the sixteen member crew down there to finalize everything that needed to be done.

Once that was done, she tapped notifying messages to both the CO and XO about the arrival of the new CAG and fighter squadron.

~NE King~

Marine Major Shinzo “Oni” Honda, Bravo Squadron Leader

For the next thirty -five minutes, craft after craft made their way in a smooth and coordinated fashion into the Chimera. As they landed, the Marine aviation mechanics scrambled to secure them as a secondary team took notes from the aviators on needed repairs or tweaks, and a third team began prepping them for potential armament and deployment.

The last fighter into the carrier was Hannibal’s. The craft touched down and a few moments later the bottom hatch lowered and the Zakdorn Marine sat up and slid out of the pilot’s seat. “Chief! Where’s Chief Hassler at?” Lardel barked across the commotion playing out across the flight deck. A bulky Tellarite in a dark green jumpsuit shoved his way through the crowd and yelled “Aye, I’m here, Colonel! Whatcha do to my baby?!” Lardel glared and said “She’s mine, and the phase two power relay is lagging again! So are you gonna replace it, or do I have to?!” The Tellarite glared back and started to say something when Lardel stepped up to him, chest to chest, and pointed at the porcine face, his finger only a few millimeters away from the snout of the mechanic. “And before you do… don’t. I am not in the mood. Fix it, get the birds turned around for patrol ops, and then you can bring a bottle to my office and say what you really shouldn’t… got it?” The Chief glared for a minute and then laughed. “Deal, boss. See ya in a few hours.” Lardel grinned and slapped the Chief on the shoulder as he walked past him. Without looking at anyone, he started to head off the flight deck yelling “Squadron leaders! On me!”

Lardel, CAG

Shinzo was talking to his pilots about their Fighters problems when he heard Lardel bark an order. “Coming boss!” He yelled back. Turning back to his crew, “Lieutenant Jeffers will handle everything until I get back. She’ll get you all taken care of.” With that he left for Lardel.

Siraa had excited her fighter with a quick toss of her bag to one of the logistics folks. They would get it to wherever her berth was. She jogged across the flight deck to Transport 10. “Grumpy,” she nodded to the pilot in charge of the wing then turned to the wingnut in charge of the troop transports. “Kevic what’s wrong with it? All the transports checked out before we mag-locked on Zilla. What happened in transit to make it go out?”

Kevic “I don’t know, yet, Cpt. We’re gonna take the system apart and find out. We’ll replace it all as well. The transport will be ready.” Siraa nodded and then went to check in with each of the other wing leads in Delta, until Lardel called and she made a bee line across the deck to fall in.

Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah was intrigued by the concept of marines on a Federation starship, so when he recieved the news that the new fighter squadron had arrived on board, he was eager to make a good impression with the new combat specialists, especially considering he had not had much of a chance to get to know the last batallion or its commanding officer. Strong Raktajino in hand, the Bajoran XO arrived at the shuttlebay, initially taken aback by the amount of buzz surrounding the large hanger, and crossed to Lardel, with a warm smile, “Colonel Lardel isn’t it?” Lunan extended a hand, “Commander Lunan Farrah, First Officer, I trust your arrival on board has gone smoothly thus far?”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

The Zakdorn aviator held up a finger to the XO and said “One second.” and he tunned and stomped off to grab a young mechanic by the collar and walk him over to one of the specialized Search and Rescue transports and out of sight.

Coming up behind Lardel he spoke, “On your six Colonel.” Then seeing the first officer, “Oh. Hello sir. I’m Major Shinzo Honda. Bravo Squadron Leader.”

Major Shinzo Oni Honda, Bravo Squadron Leader

Siraa came up a pace behind Shinzo and nodded to the Major as she fell into place. “On your 8 Colonel.” Then got quiet. These fleet boys always wanted to play buddies. Siraa didn’t think they would last long in the Andorian imperial. They liked too much down time.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, SQLD

“A pleasure Major Honda, I must admit, I have never served on a Starfleet ship with a Marine Corps before, I am very intrigued to see what you and your teams are capable of, how’re you finding settling in so far?”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO

Shinzo looked a bit confused. “Well sir, you tell us. We just landed and now I’m here. I haven’t had time to sit in.”

OOC: Ooooo I sense this is gonna be fun! xD

-Kieron-

BUMP

-Kieron-

BUMP FOR THE BOARD

-Kieron-

Major Shinzo “Oni” Honda Brave Squadron Leader

Siraa was too much of a disciplined solider to laugh, but inside she was having a good belly laugh over Shinzo’s reply. She’d seen it before, people stood there in awe of the sight of the marine’s and fighters coming in. The massive numbers and the utter precision with which they operated. To cover up the the momentary expression of looking like a klazh. Siraa stood hands behind her back, feed spread staring straight ahead, waiting for the ‘niceties’ to be over so they could get to work. They had over 700 people to settle and all the equipment, transports, fighters, and paraphernalia that went with it.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, Delta SQLD

“In which case, let me rephrase, is there anything the crew can help you get into the right place?”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

OOC: Sorry for the delay. Got covid and was out for a few weeks.

IC:

Lardel walked back and up to the XO. “Sorry, Commander. Lieutenant Colonel Krin Lardel, Commanding Officer of Federation Marine Flight Group Two-One-Four.” and he held out his hand. “Just trying to get things settled in and sometimes that requires a rather forceful ‘hands-on’ approach. So… to what do we owe the pleasure of the Executive Officer of the Ship taking a trip to our flight deck?” The ‘our’ was stressed just slightly enough to make sure that the word wasn’t missed.

Lardel, CAG

OOC: Glad you’re doing better!

Lunan shook Lardel’s hand and grinned, “Call it curiosity getting the better of me, Colonel, your flight deck has proved very impressive thus far.”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

“Well, we do try. Now Commander, if you don’t mind… this is an active flight line. U less you know your way around these birds and the deck, maybe we should take this off the flight deck? It would be a damn shame for the XO to get shot out into space our first hour here.” Lardel said with a kind of smile… not exactly forced, but not entirely humorous, either.

Lardel, CAG

Lunan smirked, “Good point!” He whirled and carved a path out to the Deck Corridor, “To be honest, I wouldn’t mind getting inside one of these myself.”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

Siraa’s antenna waved back and forth with humor. She waited. Those in hearing distance continued to work diligently but we’re still listening. She wondered if Lardel was about to give the pilot vs aviator speech to the XO. Certainly no one not trained, cleared, and Ok’d by her was getting anywhere near her fighter. They were not toys.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, Delta SQLD

OOC: LOL I don’t know why that made me chuckle as much as it did!

-Kieron-

The CAG just smiled slightly, his flight leaders knowing the smile was one reserved for VIP’s that inevitably wasted the Squadron’s time with what Hannibal called ‘dog and pony shows’; practice exercises where politicians and dignitaries would sit in bleachers and watch the Black Sheep do fancy flying maneuvers. “Well Commander, not until you have a few years of Marine Aviator training and about five hundred hours in the simulator. But I’m sure the Chimera’s holodeck wouldn’t mind you trying it out. Now, how about we go to my office and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee?” and he began moving to the exit.

Lardel, CAG

“Flattery will get you everywhere Major,” Lunan replied with a sly grin.

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

Siraa’s face stayed passive though her antenna moved about. It would be hard to tell what that meant unless the person was familiar with Andorians or Siraa specifically. Those that knew her would recognize the movement as slight confusion overlaid heavily with disbelief. As Lardel led the way out with the XO she fell into step slightly behind Shinzo. She would much rather stay and over see her squad and the repairs to the transports. Though she didn’t appear it, the issues with Transport 10 were bothering her and would nag at her until they got it taken care of.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, Delta SQLD

Glancing around at the rest of the Marines, Lunan grinned, “You know you don’t all have to meet with me at once right?”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

It seemed Siraa’s attitude had been kept in check as long as it could, her discipline cracking a bit. “Of course not Lt Cmdr Lunan. However Lt Colonel Lardel ordered all squadron leaders ‘on him.’ So until he orders otherwise, we go where he does.” Really they did not take orders from Fleet boys.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, Delta SQLD

Inside, Hannibal grinned. Outside, he simply said “Iris is right though, Commander. And the second you and I are done we have to go through our arrival debrief and then these Aviators will be right back here getting their teams set and their birds ready for duty. No sense wasting time walking back and forth.” and he led the small group off the flight line to the single stair way that went up to the CAG’s office.

The use of her call sign outside of flight was always a 50/50 for Siraa. In this case she wasn’t in trouble, but she was very careful not to grin. She brought up the end of the small procession on the narrow stairs and filed into the office.

The office hadn’t changed much since the last time Lardel had been in it, it was just lacking the finishing touches. To the right of the room was a desk. The desk was set perpendicular to the window that looked out over the flight deck; that way the CAG could work and see flight operations simultaneously. In front of the desk were four chairs, each comfortable and typical of a flight Ready Room. The left half of the room was filled with chairs set before a speaker’s platform and holo-display panel. This was for large scale briefings. And on the bulkhead to the right of the door was a double hook, which Lardel hung his helmet on without looking.

Moving behind the desk like it was an everyday occurrence, he gestured the First officer to a seat and then said “Oni, grab another chair.” and he took a seat. “So, Commander. Formal introductions. I am Lieutenant Colonel Krin Lardel, call sign ‘Hannibal’, Commander Air Group. This is my second- Major Honda, call sign ‘Oni’. He leads Bravo Squadron. And this is Marine Captain sh’Rharror, call sign ‘Iris’. She is in charge of Delta Squadron.”

Lardel then leaned back and said “So tell me, Commander… have you ever served with Marine Aviators before?”

Lardel, CAG

“Will do Colonel.” As Oni grabbed a chair. “Anyone else need one while I’m getting one?” If there were answers he got them one as well and waved to the Commander when his name was called.

Major Shinzo Oni Honda

“Please, Major.” Siraa had been in her fighter for awhile, and would prefer to stand and stretch, but sitting seemed more prudent for this moment. Taking a seat, Siraa nodded her thanks to Shinzo, setting her helmet in her lap and crossing her arms over her helmet. She lifted a hand and gave a nod when Lardel introduced her.

“I’ve only been in Starfleet for a couple of years Major,” Lunan said, “So I haven’t had the pleasure thus far.”

-Lt. Commander Lunan Farrah: XO-

Siraa sat listening to the conversation, but from her seat she was watching the activity on the flight deck as well.

Mar Cpt sh’Rharror, Delta SQLD


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