Winter has Begun - Part Three

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:08am by Admiral Jake Yamaguchi & Commander Nalla Furban

Mission: Mission 116: All Along the Watchtowers - Part One
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard / Utgarde IV
Timeline: 1400Hrs, December 5th, 2393

Admiral Jake Yamaguchi was just pulling on his uniform jacket as he exited his office. "Thanks, James. Look after things for me. Please.?" Yamaguchi commented. Commander Nalla Furban approached. "Admiral?"

"Nalla. Right on time." Yamaguchi answered. "Shall we?" he inquired of the small-framed female before him.

"We shall," Furban answered with a nod of her head. She followed the Admiral out the door as he made his way to the nearest hanger. The name was stencilled on the door as the two entered. "I don't live on the Starbase. Nalla." Yamaguchi explained. "I live planetside," he added.

"Indeed?" Furban answered, this was something of a revelation for her.

"My ride's right over there." Yamaguchi indicated the old shuttle that looked out of place among all of the new modern shuttles present in the hanger. He did a quick walk-around as one of the enlisted guys came over. "Afternoon Admiral. My guys and I gave her the once over, she'd good to fly."

"Any concerns with her?"

"No sir." the man answered with a nod of his head. "She is due for inspection and overhaul... When do you want to do that?"

Yamaguchi paused. "Tomorrow morning, as soon as I get in," he commented. "After that, she's all yours, for as long as you deem that she needs work. Do not feel the need to rush on my account. I'll borrow one of the other shuttles." Yamaguchi smiled. "Do you have any questions or concerns for me?"

"Not really Admiral." The man answered. "Other than actually having her present."

"She will be," Yamaguchi answered. "Alright. Well. I gotta get home... Pick the kids up from school and daycare."

"Oh, right. Sorry Admiral. I'll leave ya to it." and with that, the two parted company as Yamaguchi went into the shuttle. There he found Furban sitting in the co-pilot's chair as she was busy with doing the pre-flight checks. "We have clearance for departure and we're almost ready to go."

"Sounds good." Yamaguchi didn't argue with her. He simply took a moment to check but all was in order. Moments later the shuttle was flying out of the hanger and out into the orbital space around the Starbase and over Utgarde IV.

"I should make you aware of a few things while we're flying up here," Yamaguchi commented as if he was reading the Federation News Service. "I have Noble team. You remember them?"

"I do," Furban answered. "I found your felines to be very delightful."

"There will be a grand total of seven children and two very large dogs who like Torilla a heck of a lot more than they like me," Yamaguchi explained. "Torilla is also going to be present as well. So. She will be making arrangements for the dogs and the kids. So you won't feel too crowded. Bethany has a lot of attention on tap so if she wants to play with others. She has Paul. Tressa and Diamond to hang out with, in addition to the four Caitian kits that I'm fostering." Yamaguchi explained. "Torilla will keep the kids away and the dogs will be outside so you won't need to interact with anyone," Yamaguchi explained. "Should you not desire it. If you do then Torilla and I can make arrangements."

Furban nodded her head in silence. She turned back to her panel as she assisted with flying. "I do not wish to cause further problems."

"It's not important Nalla," Yamaguchi answered. "Alright. We're in the right area... I'm going to start our descent into the atmosphere." Yamaguchi added after a moment.

Furban watched the displays. "You fly this shuttle to the Starbase every day?" she asked of him.

"I do. I herd all the kids in here. It's quite a process and then I take them to school or daycare, then I head off to the Starbase for a full days work and then I pick the kids up or arrange to have other family members handle the matter for me." Yamaguchi explained. "The four kits handle matters for themselves and they also help with my other three. I keep telling them that it's not needed but I suspect they were conditioned a certain way." he then shrugged. "Gabe and Savannah have been assisting as have Ouros and Selendis," he added. "Time to destination... Eight minutes, five seconds."

Furban watched as the atmosphere outside thickened from black to a dark blue as the shuttle entered the upper levels of the atmosphere. "Altitude ninety-nine thousand," she reported.

"Confirmed," Yamaguchi reported. "Destination in six minutes," he added. She split his attention between the displays and the view out the front of the shuttle.

Yamaguchi watched as the shuttle began to stabilize out of the glide path as he resumed flying the shuttle. He tapped the display once. "Yamaguchi to Homeplate. Tee. You there?"

Torilla's voice came back. "Yes... I'm here Jake. Is all well?" she inquired of him.

"I'm four minutes out and I have Nalla with me. She's here to see Bethany. Proceed as planned." Yamaguchi explained.

"Confirmed. I will see you soon. Homeplate out." and with that, Yamaguchi tapped the display once. "Alright. Here we go. One minute out. dropping to the deck." and with that. Yamaguchi slowed the shuttle down as he passed a thousand feet. Before he brought the shuttle in for a landing at his home.