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Steve wonders around the flight deck and hanger fixing things. Tag CAG

Posted March 28, 2023, 12:36 p.m. by Lieutenant Steve Johnson (Chief Engineer) (Travis Good)

Posted by Lieutenant Steve Johnson (Chief Engineer) in Steve wonders around the flight deck and hanger fixing things. Tag CAG

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexandra “Little Sehlat” Primage (Commander Air Group (CAG)) in Steve wonders around the flight deck and hanger fixing things. Tag CAG

Posted by Lieutenant Steve Johnson (Chief Engineer) in Steve wonders around the flight deck and hanger fixing things. Tag CAG
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Steven had on his maintenance uniform and safety devices on while carrying his toolbox as he walked into the hanger and flight deck area. He has never seen one before and knew from word of mouth and from the signs around this area to not just go walking around. You could get hurt, killed and get others in the same bad way as you. Looking around he found the CAG’s office. Walking up to it he knocked on the door. The short black haired, white Hoosier with a slender but muscular build stood in the door taking off his gloves.

Lt. Steve Johnson, CE

Her back to the open door, Xandra called without looking. “Hang on… Have a seat. Unless it’s important,” she laughed softly, “then hang on.”

“No problem. I’ll wait.”

She was standing at the back wall that was a large screen with various categories on it. Sections dedicated to pilot roster, flight schedule, which aircraft were in maintenance, and a line up of the hanger bay, were mixed with various other sections covered in notes, photos and diagrams.

That is neat idea. I will have to create one of those for myself when I get time. He said to himself.

If he bothered to check her out, her reddish hair was pulled back in a loose knot that kept it off her collar, but more than a quarter of her hair had come loose and tendrils floated around the makeshift bun as if slowly trying to pull out into a ponytail. She was in a flight suit but the top half had been undone, pulled down and tied around her waist. A white t-shirt, dirty from where she’d been laying on the hanger floor, covered her torso.

His eyebrow raised slightly at the lady before him.

She turned and looked at the newcomer with piercing eyes. Cocking her head slightly, those eyes narrowed. “I don’t know you. Should I?” There was the hint of a grin on the corner of her lips. The left corner of her mouth was slightly red where she’d been worrying her bottom lip between her teeth while in thought.

Xandra
CAG

He took a tentative step back at the look and comment. The look a predator gives its prey is what got him. But he was in her lands so to speak. The tall, lean man with a mane of black, raven colored hair with light blue eyes looked up at her. “Uhh. I am Steve Johnson ma’am. I’m new here. Just arrived last Wednesday. I am an engineer and here to fix some of your problems. Notably the air conditioning. I need to access the Jefferies tube on the other side of the flightline and the one by your aircraft. I did not want to just walk out there as I now I would get hurt, get someone else hurt, get tackled by security or all three. So, I was letting someone know that I was here and perhaps get an escort into those areas. You were the first person I saw before I entered the restricted area. I hope it is not a problem.” He didn’t know what to say after that. He was intimidated by her and yet found her appealing at the same time. This was a tough moment for him. He didn’t even know her rank or position or even who she was.

Lt. Steve Johnson, CE.

Xandra laughed inwardly. She would never get over men, and woman, backing up from her. Ric said it was because she had the soul of a Sehlat, the very demon dog she was named after. It was how she had come by the moniker in the first place. She could be ferocious in her manners when it came to protecting friends, family, crew and ships.

Sadly, it sometimes made her unapproachable, as well. And it meant she had been single since Ric had transferred two years ago. Glancing at this man with midnight hair that flashed with the colors of space, she actually hated herself. It wasn’t how she wanted first impressions with those on board to go. “An engineer, you say?” She looked him up and down a moment and shook her head. “Then I recommend you go change. The Chief may get a little mad you have his tunic top on.” A hand rose to stop whatever he was gonna say. “Sorry, been a rough day. I’m being snide and I don’t mean to be. I’m Xandra, the returning CAG. My guess is you’re the Chief and I am sorry I am being snarky.” She motioned to the door behind him and started moving forward. “Please, let’s get ou where you need to, yes?” She tugged the sleeves around her waist but didn’t slide up the coveralls as she moved towards him, planning to follow him down and left to the hangar floor below.

Xandra
CAG

“It is ok. Yes. I am the Chief Engineer. I just got here about a week ago. This is my first DH post but I will always call myself an engineer unless I have to say who or what I am. I prefer my ability and mannerisms to speak for themselves.” He noticed that when she passed him she was shorter than he noticed at first. A good three inches or so, but that didn’t bother him. Following in line with her he did a typical man thing and “Looked”, but that was it. “It is nice meeting you Miss Xandra. Again, my name is Steve Johnson.” Looking around the place he couldn’t believe he was actually in a hanger. It was impressive. “Wow! This is impressive and colder than I would have thought. But impressive still the same. Have you always been a pilot.....er..aviator…ma’am?”

Lt. Steve Johnson, CE

Xandra smiled. “I like a man who doesn’t puff behind a title,” she said as he mentioned he was just an engineer unless it was official. “But remember, sometimes, just ‘an engineer’ will cost you as well. Don’t toss your rank around like a lucky coin that will win you everything. But if you just call yourself ‘Chief’, folks will know who you are from the uniform, anyway. “I’m the new Chief here to check out… whatever,” she shrugged, “would have been just as affective. And with some folks, would get you a lot less grief.”

“I get what you’re saying ma’am. I really do, but in my mind no one should have to say who they are to get some respect and decency. And just because someone is low in rank or stature doesn’t mean they should get grief.”

As he mentioned the cold, she laughed. “If we kept the hangar the same temp as the rest of the ship, it would be ridiculously hot in here. Between test burns, equipment and sometimes the sheer amount of folks in here, it can get stifling. But yeah, it’s a bit cooler than the rest of the ship. As for impressive,” she shrugged, “we are pretty impressive. But the huge battleships are far more massive. They have whole decks like this stacked like buildings inside ships. But we do perfectly well with what we have.”

He let out a long lie whistle at her comment about the massive ships. “That would be something to see.” As he checked her out again.

His question about her being an aviator made her almost laugh. “Pilot, just pilot. I don’t think we have called ourselves aviators for generations. Seems to be a monikor saved for those who flew only in atmospheres. In the air so to speak,” she air quoted the word as she mentioned it. “Here is space,” she shrugged, “we’re just pilots, Steve. And yeah… been one as long as I can remember. At least, for the part of my life I count. I still fly, though as CAG, not quite as often. You ever flown? I mean, besides in a shuttle?” She glanced back at him as she halted them halfway across the floor so a tractor could go past pulling a large contraption behind it. The test equipment almost looked like an engine with no way to burn.

Xandra
CAG

Laughing. “No ma’am! I’ve never been in anything but a shuttle or starship. But I mentioned Aviator because although I’m not familiar with flight crews, I do know that some of them prefer that term.” He sipped and chuckled. “Well Xandra. I guess your”… using air quotes…”Just a pilot as you say, like I’m just an engineer.” Looking at the test equipment go by and catching his attention. “Wow! What is that?”

Steve Johnson, CE

Xandra laughed. “There’s a lot of things folks shouldn’t have to do. But honestly, just saying you are ‘the Chief’ here to fix such n such also means we are aware of who and what you are. Not for privilege sake, but anything else. If we need something we know you are the one who needs to authorize it, why bother sending a comm if we know it’s you in here? When you start saying things like I’m Lieutenant Johnson, the Chief Engineer… then we will have issues. Don’t necessarily throw around your rank, but never be ashamed of your position. You earned it.” She hoped she had gotten through to him.

“Ah.. I’m picking up what you’re putting down now.”

She smiled softly, “And for the record, yeah, I’m just a pilot. But I do introduce myself as Xandra, The CAG. Position isn’t flaunting. Pulling rank or position to jam up someone, that’s flaunting.”

“You have a pretty smile. You should flaunt that.” He smirked.

When he gawked at the engine test equipment, she laughed. “It’s very much like a fake engine. We can hook up most of the birds in here to her and she’ll run tests as if the ship were actually running. We also have a chamber where we can test burn without actually lighting the ship on fire.” She laughed again. “Definitely need to get you out on a ride along sometime. If you are up to it, I mean.” She glanced a bit sideways at him and smirked. She wasn’t baiting him. Or at least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

Xandra
CAG

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Then the realization of what she just said hit him and he stopped. “Wait! You mean! I could actually go up and out there in one of those things! With you?!” He smiled. “I would love to! A dream come true. Plus it would be with you. All the better.” He blushed a little.

Lt. Steve Johnson CE

Xandra laughed. “Well, you certainly aren’t a shy one, are you? Yes, I was serious. Lemme know when you have a shift off and I’ll be happy to take you out.”

“And I’ll be happy to go out with you…I mean, up in the air, space… you know what I mean.”

A moment later she had them ducking under a fighter that was so taken apart, it was hard to tell exactly what it was, if you hadn’t seen it beforehand. Then, a couple steps later, the caution tapes on the floor indicated the hatch to the jeffries tube he needed access to. “Here you go. Up one, left and down will put you behind this wall,” she affectionally patted to wall to her left, “and the air unit. I’ll be here when you come out. Just holler if you need anything.”

Xandra
CAG

Looking at all the parts he was fascinated by had to pay attention or get hurt. “Roger that. I can’t wait.... to get to work. I’ll be done in about 20 minutes. If you’re not here, I’ll stand by until you come.” Jackass he thought about himself.

Lt. Steve Johnson CE

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