Wheels Down

Posted on Thu Aug 14th, 2025 @ 6:56am by 1st Lieutenant Drydon 'Roman' Palamas & Major Yaeblos 'Garlic' Nhan
Edited on on Thu Aug 14th, 2025 @ 6:59am

1,264 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave [3-4]
Location: CAG's Office, Docking Ring
Timeline: 1330 - MD07

When Major Nhan called out enter to the guest at his door, he wasn't expecting the willowy Kelpien Yeoman Iandau to be the one who came through the door.

"Oh. Yeoman. Hello. How can I help?" Nhan asked, trying not to be awkward in his surprise.

"I understand you requested to be notified when the Swiftsure was about to arrive. That time is upon us, sir." The Kelpien explained.

"Thank you, Yeoman. I appreciate the personal touch, but a call through the comm system is quite fine."

"Of course, sir. But I've been doing paperwork all morning, and I wanted to stretch my legs." Iandau said with a polite nod. "Good afternoon, sir."

"Goodbye." Nhan said, looking out his window, just in time to see the flash of the Swiftsure leaving slipstream.

He hurried out of his office to Delta Dock, and by the time he arrived, the ship's docking had finalised.

He gave a nod to Captain Eliss as he emerged, he was greeted by Ayol, the Captain's yeoman, together they departed in discussion. A number of other crew alighted, some in casual dress, others in uniform, but Nhan knew it was time to be ready when he saw a cluster of officers in navy blue uniforms with gold piping.

He stood at attention waiting for them, the most senior among them was the First Lieutenant who was wearing some kind of gold wreath on his head. He was visibly confused by that for a moment until he remembered the manifest he'd read, one of them was apparently some sort of demigod. He'd asked several times, and everyone had told him that wasn't a joke.

He chose to remain silent, and let them come to him, hands folded behind his back.

'Major Nhan I presume? Or should just skip all that and start calling you CAG sir' Drydon Palomas stopped infront of his new boss and came to attention 'Detail, Tench Hut!' With the practiced precision brought on by years of performing the action the rest of the group smartly came to attention.

"At ease, everyone." Nhan told the group. "You presume quite correctly, pilot. Either reference is fine. You can only be Lieutenant Palomas. I wish I could say I've never met a deity or their offspring before, but the events of a couple of weeks ago put paid to that." He said it with a smile, in the event it came off as prejudicial. "Have you had a chance to familiarise yourself with operations here so far? If the past is anything to go by, the future is unlikely to be textbook."

'I've done some reading sir. This place is...interesting to say the least. I hear that the Swiftsure isnt just bringing us, but also some new birds for the wing too." Drydon and the others relaxed as he probed the new boss to find out if the rumors were true.

“A couple, yes. But for the next little while we’ll have more pilots than craft for them to fly. And to be completely honest, we haven’t had a lot of real opportunities to get out there. Where are you all joining us from?” Nhan asked.

'Blitzen and I are from SB 420 but i think everyone else is from Earth or the fighter training school at Bernards Star.' Drydon said as several of the others nodded in confirmation.

Toby 'Blitzen' Mackey chimed in, not being able to help himself "Is it true that that anomaly we seen as we were docking actually is a portal to other universes sir?

"Not just the one. In the months since it was discovered, the anomaly has shifted between universes every six and a half days. Fortunately most of them have proved to be quite empty, with any matter an unreachable distance away." Nhan explained, realising after he said it he was probably dashing any excitement with his optimistic caution.

"Wow....far out man..." Was all Mackey could manage.

"In that case, it sounds like we have alot of work to do sir." Palomas shifted a bit uneasily, eager to see his new home and his new birds.

"Indeed we do. The rest of you should be on your way, all your assignments are finalised, the computer should be able to guide you. If you need anything contact the quartermaster, but try not to startle him." Nhan said from personal experience. "Lieutenant, if I might have a moment of your time." Nhan asked, turning to suggest that they would walk and talk.

"Of course sir." Palomas replied. He was getting ready to laugh when his new boss asked him about his wreath crown as was often the case with his COs.

"One of our most recent connections to another universe has resulted in us coming into possession of some alien technology. Not a lot of it is particularly advanced, but it does include a wing of fighter-craft. Our Chief Engineer doesn't think there's too much to learn from them, but I'd like to put them through their paces all the same." Nhan began, scratching at one of his breather implants in his cheek.

"Normally this wouldn't be something I'd ask about so much as add to the duty roster, but one of our new advisors from said universe has let us know that the designers tended to build booby traps and sabotage systems into the fighters in the event they were stolen. While we haven't found any, there's still the risk, which is why it's up to you whether or not you want to be a part of the tests." Nhan said as they continued down the walkway, he kept a pace for Drydon to keep up with.

"Wait...tests on what sir? Are you saying we have recovered extra-universal fighters from somewhere and you're asking if I want to help test them?" The question had confused him at first, but then he started to get excited as he thought about it.

"That's exactly it, Lieutenant, yes. They're called Udajeet, or Death Gliders in the native lingo. Captain Shrath, Lieutenant Kardyn and myself will be taking out a foursome of them, and I think you're just what we're looking for in a fourth pilot for the journey." Nhan told Palamas.

"Count me in sir." He could barely contain his excitement.

"They're designed by a species known as the Goa'uld, many of whom have come through the anomaly. It's probably worth reading up on them, we got a library dump from a human vessel in their universe where the two don't get along, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture. To cut a long story short, they're genetically bred to be warmongers and warped by a narcotic immortality device into kardashev type III-scale assholes, they conquered our entire galaxy for centuries in their universe using stolen ancient technology, and they don't like other people touching their stuff. They blow up their stuff and the entire planet its on before they let anyone touch it." Nhan cautioned.

"I'd reccomend having science, intel and engineering teams go over the ships twice, EACH, before we get in them, but yeah...I'm still in sir. I dont often scare easily." Drydon proclaimed.

"They've looked more than that, trust me. Flights scheduled for tomorrow morning." Nhan assured him. "We're having drinks at the Spot tonight to give everyone a chance to get acquainted. Will we see you there?" He asked Drydon.

"Send the target package to my padd and I'll definitely join you all for a few beverages." Roman laughed as the exited the gangway together.

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