Over a Thermos of Coffee

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2020 @ 2:28am by Colonel Anthony "Ironhide" Raynor & Brigadier General Jorge "Noble Six" Sinclair-Di'Tomasso

Mission: Mission 71: Orion's Hounds
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1430Hrs, March 22nd, 2392

Flight Master Anthony Raynor sighed softly, he was seated at one of the half dozen tables in the pilot's lounge for his wing with a Large PADD before him, considering how the exercise had gone down and how the midair collision had gone, he had very nearly been killed and he had heard that two others had been killed. Now he was stuck mentally as he replayed the scenario in his head over and over again, had he done something wrong?. Had he done everything right and what was the case about the other ship involved?. Ironhide simply did not now the answers to the questions that bothered him.

To make matters worse for him, his wife had left him citing she wanted to retire and he had refused and she wanted to be free of the burden. Ironhide had simply decided not to fight her on it and let it go, however she wanted to fight him on it and this was what had been angering him recently.

Ironhide sighed softly, while he lifted the thermos of coffee he had selected with his lunch earlier to his lips before draining a large mouthful of the caustic dark brown liquid. He then placed it back down on the tabletop before he lifted the PADD with both hands.

Ironhide regarded what he had written so far. It was a quick and clinical report on the midair collision between himself and a Delta Flyer class runabout that had caused the loss of the Flyer and the near loss of his own bird. It was short but he needed to flesh it out but he had no idea whatsoever of how to do that.

The door opened behind him as the human set the PADD back down on the table. "What the hell were they thinking?" Ironhide muttered to himself. "Awww fuck who knows.." he added moments later.

Wukari and K'miras walked into the room, with K'miras asking Wukari. "So how did the drones do."

Wukari went to grab a drink from the replicator while answering. "Well, they did about as well as student pilots, but they managed to not do anything stupid like shoot down allies or anything like that. I feel that the basics for them are down and further refinement of the technology should make them ready."

K'Miras nodded. "Well that good news at least." He then noticed Ironhide sitting at the table prompting him to comment. "Comrade, Whats with the long face, we have won a great victory here today."

Ironhide regarded K'Miras with something of a suprised look on his face. "If you call this victory then I'd hate to see defeat." he commented. "But still.. I am alive... I guess thats victory... Such as it is.."

"Its a victory because Xiaxx is no longer in charge, his presence on the corps is now removed," K'miras explained. "On top of that, two if his idiot lackeys were kind enough to remove themselves from the gene pool."

Ironhide processed what he was being told. "Wait... the two guys who nearly got me killed in that midair a couple of hours ago were his lackeys?" he sighed. "I need a vacation."

The Caitian nodded. "Yep, Strelk and Yaish Ragit, both of them were complete idiots. In fact it was Strelk whom was dumb enough to apply the nerve pinch on Alaska's deck boss so they could fly off the hangar deck in that deck queen flyer. Waste of delta flyer if you ask me. so those two willingly flew off the deck in a broken, warp plasma belching bird."

Ironhide shook his head. "Unbelievable." he sighed. "So I nearly got killed because of those two idiots.. " he sighed. "I hope I never cross paths with the idiot who ordered them out into that ship... because I will..." he stopped right at the last second. "do nothing its best I don't say it."

K'Miras brushed his tail up against Wukari to get her attention. "Hey, Ironhide here put in for a transfer right."

Wukari podded, then grabbed a padd and pulled up his file. "Yeah here you go."

K'Miras took the padd and looked it over, then said to Ironhide. "Well if your interested. I can get you a transfer out of this unit."

Ironhide recalled sticking in that request several weeks earlier before the thing with his divorce got stupid and as a result, he had completly forgotten about it. "Where would I be reassigned to?" he inquired.

K'Miras looked over his roster. "Well you would get a promotion and assigned to Strelk's old position as a brigade staff officer, since the idiot Vulcan kindly vacated himself from that spot. Basically you would be in charge of my staff. Its a bit of a desk job but that doesn't mean you won't be able to fly every now and then."

"Very well. I accept." Ironhide responded evenly. "When do you want me to report for my new job?" he added. "Also where is the unit based from?"

"Most of the unit is in the midst of transitioning to this planet in B Kayor system," K'Miras answered. "However the situation can change fairly quickly."

"Thats fine." Ironhide responded. "I'll need to sort things out for my replacement and then I'll head to see you planetside then." he explained. "I'll need to see Wukari as to who that will be." he indicated the smaller felinoid in the room.

Wukari looked over at Ironhide. "Well there are a few potential replacements within the group that we can promote."

"May I recommend Cyclops?" Ironhide commented. "He's served as my Exec for sometime now and I know he'll do well. He still has the heart for it considering what Roanoke has been through... I know he was talking about putting in for more training though." Ironhide explained.

Wukari nodded. "Well its one of the considerations." She then noticed Noble Six coming in. "Hey Jorge."

"Hello Wukari." Noble Six commented evenly. "Hows the chow?" he commented as he regarded Ironhide. "Ahh.. just the man I'm after.." he rumbled. "Mind if I sit?"

"Sure.." Ironhide commented with a sigh. "Whats on your mind?"

"You." Noble Six commented evenly. "You feeling alright?"

"I killed two guys... and then I watched as our force got led into a trap by a fucking idiot who I want to hunt down and murder... How do you think I feel?" Ironhide growled.

"Ahh.. Thats about what I thought." Noble Six gently sat back in hier chair before he lifted the PADD form out of Ironhide's hands. "Do you mind?"

"I do actually." Noble Six commented, his accent now really coloring his tone of voice. "You are in no shape for anything resembling work and yet, here you are two hours after a collision that almost killed you."

"Thank you for reminding me."

"Stop blaming yourself for what happened!" Noble Six glowered at the other man. "SHit sometimes happens. As for me. I'm going to go and hug Mikaela and tell her that I love her." he stopped as he realized that he had just lit the fuse and the warhead was about top go off, right in his face. "Don't even think it Ironhide..."

Ironhide looked like he wanted to lose his temper right there as Noble Six waited patiently for what was to come.

"Relax Ironhide. Those two people killed themselves and they nearly killed you, I don't know why you are blaming yourself," Wukari commented.

Ironhide sighed softly. "Yeah... I don't know who these two fools were yet you all are convinced that I'm absolutely blameless and they were completely at fault.."

"Thats because they were at fault... you had the deck and were coming in for a landing, the deck boss had cleared you." Noble Six responded. "You were not to blame.. As you had already been cleared. Your black box and the com records prove this... The accident and investigations guys checked that first thing... You are not a suspect here... Is this because of your messy divorce?"

"Its... part of it."

"She was unreadable and she was not prepared to give you what you wanted, she wanted to take everything as she wanted to retire to some planet somewhere and spend her days sipping on a cup of ice cold lemonade... I know you prefered to advance your career." Noble Six responded.

"I wanted to fly... I used to love it.." Ironhide responded quietly.

"What did you lose?"

"The divorce ... it ruined me." Ironhide sighed softly.

"No.. It didn't... You still love your flying.. I see it in your training. How you treat your subordinates.." Noble Six answered with a nod of his head.

"I treat them with respect... I don't shout at people for no reason and I treat people with civility.."

"I know." Noble Six countered. "You have not changed and your wife.. freed you of some excess baggage.." the massive man commented as he suddenly smiled. "My advice is.. go attend the victory party tonight, maybe you'll find a single female... I hope so... If you do then take her home and fuck her silly. you've earned it. no need to blame yourself for the failings of others..." Noble Six smiled. "You are a good man Anthony, do not let her take that from you."

"You're right.," Ironhide responded with a sigh. "Okay, I'll do that."

"See... and people say I'm unreasonable." Noble Six responded. "Having a couple of drinks will at least help you get the gunk out of your system."

Ironhide smiled. "When is the party?"

"In a few day's time." Noble Six responded. "Everyone is invited.. Apparently we're celebrating the fall of the.. infidel or somesuch..." he shrugged. "I was told the fall of the infidel."

"Sounds good... I'll be there."

"Right... I'll leave you to it... and leave this with me. I'll give it back to you tomorrow... I recommend, you go home and get some sleep.." Noble Six commented. "Come back tomorrow. I'll give this to you then when you are clear-headed and bright-eyed." and with that Noble Six turned and departed, leaving Ironhide alone.