Outer Hull Survey

Posted on Tue Apr 3rd, 2012 @ 1:32pm by Commander Jaeih Andorzai & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jones & Lieutenant JG Patok Malroon & Ensign Jack Lynch & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sophie Blaise

Mission: Deep Space 19
Location: USS Vancouver - Delta Flyer Class Runabout

[ON]

As he made his way up the ramp which led to the USS Vancouver, safely moored in the Endeavour's primary shuttlebay, he wondered why he'd signed himself up for this. If he told himself the truth it was because he was sick of the sight of the station's interior and thought taking a look at it from the outside might be more rewarding. If he was lying to protect his veil of professionalism, he'd say he was micro-managing.

Descending into the aft section of the Delta Flyer class, he found that th'Ralik's modifications had already been completed and exactly to spec. The usual interior of the section had been all-but torn out and replaced with what could only be described as a mini laboratory.

He pulled himself up the steps to the forward compartment, where he would be spending the next couple of hours and found that he wasn't alone. Ensign Jack Lynch sat in the front of the compartment, casually manipulating the Vancouver's controls, probably running the pre-flight checks.

I'll give the kid points for initiative. He thought as he approached the steps down to the open cockpit. "Keen to get going, Ensign?"

"Always sir," Jack said with a smile as the commander sat down. He keyed up the final sequence for the pre-flight check list, "What can I do for you sir?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'll be joining you on your survey so I thought I'd pop down and make sure everything was ready to go." The Commander looked across the control console of the runabout. It certainly seemed more complicated than the shuttles he was used to flying. "I don't think I've ever been aboard a Delta Flyer-class before."

"I hate to admit this sir, but neither have I," Jack said with a laugh, "It's certainly similar to most things I've flown, but there are subtle differences which I'm sure you don't want me to get into." He hit a few more buttons on the console, "Although I'm glad they never adopted the controls that Commander Paris put into the prototype, since they are pretty cumbersome."

Andorzai gazed blankly at the Ensign for a moment before returning to his usual self. He turned to face the rear of the compartment, clapping the ensign on the shoulder as he did so. "That's very reassuring, Lynch. Very reassuring indeed."

Sophie climbed into the shuttle and looked around for a moment. "Hello gentlemen, ready to fly?" She smiled and studied her environment. She wasn't used to flying like this, but it seemed okay. She had been incredibly busy with all the work the station gave, but was allowed to go out on this trip, to provide a moment of distraction.

"Oh, most definitely. Lynch here tells me that he's never flown this type of shuttle before." Andorzai said with a false look of trepidation crossing his face. "Hopefully we make it back alive."

He looked around at the Ensign before smiling wryly. "Ms. Blaise, I don't suppose you'll have met Ensign Lynch yet. He's our Chief Flight Control Officer and Ms. Blaise here is the one that keeps the Captain in check."

"Yeah, so you better return me safely or you'll have a very disappointed Captain to explain things to," Sophie replied with a grin. She wasn't easily spooked when it came to flying. Her years of budget class traveling had made her pretty resistant against that. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you Ensign."

"It's nice to meet you ma'am," Jack said with a smile, "And don't worry, knock on wood I've never crashed any ship I've flown. Although I guess there's always a first time as my good friend likes to say."

Liz checked with the flight operations controller before heading towards the delta flyer shuttle craft. She wanted to confirm the craft was fueled and prepared by the ships crews. Stepping onto the shuttle the first thing she noticed was the emptiness of the rear compartment. Stepping through the conduit connection Liz walked towards the operations control station "Lt Jones reporting for the away mission Commander. Prep work has been complete by the flight crew and we are ready to go."

"Pleased to hear it, Lieutenant." Andorzai replied with a smile. He could tell Jones was fastidious in her work. "I'd like you to meet Ensign Lynch; not only will he be our pilot today, he'll be flying the Endeavour when we eventually get back underway."

Liz smilled "Hello Ensign, thank you for flying us out today, just consider me your copilot for the voyage. Have a lot of flight experience?" She tried not to sound trepidatious about pilots but she was a do it yourself type of woman and liked flying the Flyer class craft.

"Yes ma'am," Jack responded, "I've flown everything from P51's to an Ambassador class and I've done hundreds of simulations on every ship currently in service. I pride my self to be prepared for everything, and I'm not a boy scout." He smiled, "Well have a seat ma'am, I look forward to flying with you," he said.

"You don't strike me as the boy scout type" Liz said smiling. "Remember that the hanger door is that way" pointing out of the cockpit window. Turning she started to return to the ops station then she paused "What is a P51? I am not familiar with that type of shuttle craft."

Jack smiled as he keyed the final sequence in the pre-launch sequence, starting the main engine, "It's a World War II fighter plane, using a rotating propellor and a diesel engine to provide thrust. It's a fairly elegant piece of technology.

Patok boarded the shuttle, noticing that he was the last on board. This was something that he wasn’t used to. He took it as a sign that the crew was excited to get underway. He nodded at Andorzai. “Commander,” he acknowledged.

Sitting at the ops station "Initiating preflight sequence, Mr Lynch power to impulse engines online, thruster power steady at 100%, Structural integrity field nominal."

"Alright, we're set to go on your command Commander," Jack said, as he looked down at the instrument panel and then at the opening shuttlebay door.

"Okay, Ensign. Take us out and set waypoints to get us to the upper tower of the Station." Andorzai ordered.

The shuttle came to life as it gently ascended of the deck of the shuttlebay. It slowly left the bay through the open bay doors. Jack hit a spot on the panel and the doors closed behind them. He expertly guided the craft in a thruster turn as they approached the first waypoint, "Waypoint Alpha on our starboard side sir," he said.

"Okay, Ensign. She's under your control. Go for it." Andorzai said as he took a seat at one of the rear stations.

"Understood," Jack said as he guided the shuttle under impulse, he leaned the shuttle to show off more of the station through the viewports. In about two minutes, the shuttle reached the upper tower of the station, "Upper tower as ordered," Jack said, "That'll be 25 cents sir." He smiled.

"Watch it, Ensign." Andorzai remarked with a smile. "You know that twenty five cents for that is sheer extortion."

Jack smiled, "Of course sir," he said, "Although the taxi's in San Francisco cost quite a bit more."

Sophie looked out one of the windows. No matter from what side or angle she looked at the station it continued to exude mystery. She had to admit she loved that about it. She laughed softly, "if you think twenty five cents is extortion, you've obviously never had a Ferengi tour guide. He would have charged you to get in, to get here and to get back again."

"We Haliians like to keep hold of our money," Andorzai replied, "it's probably why our government joined the Federation in the first place. No 'money' as such. Meant we didn't have to spend anything externally."

"Oh you're Haliian?" Sophie asked. So far she had assumed he was human, mainly because he looked like one, but this did explain his non-human name. "But yeah, not having to worry about money always is a good thing."

Jaeih felt his hand instinctively wander to his forehead where two pronounced bulges had once been. "Yeah, my Mum was human though. I had... surgery as a kid. Y'know how it is. Kids have accidents."

"Oh yes, I certainly know. And they always have them on the most unfortunate moments," she said with a slight grin. She and her brother had caused her parents some trouble, but the children she had been
the au pair for, had caused her some problems as well. In the end things usually turned out okay, though. "I guess that's one of those things that all species have in common."

To be continued...

[OFF]

Commander Jaeih Andorzai
Executive Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Elizabeth Jones
Chief Operations Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Patok Malroon
Asst. Chief Operations Officer

Ensign Jack Lynch
Chief Helmsman

Petty Officer 3rd Class Sophie Blaise
Command Yeoman