The Parting - Part Two

Posted on Sun Jul 31st, 2022 @ 8:01am by Tienn Jaina & Almar Pettar

Mission: Mission 108: Grains of Sand
Location: Various Locations - Daedalus Battlegroup / Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 0920Hrs - November 15th, 2393

Almar Pettar smiled. "Alright. Go ahead and do your preflight checks," he commented with a gentle smile. He took a seat at the display behind Fordragon and off to his left. He would double-check the systems and the like. "Tony. Let me explain a little something. You might know but I'm going to say it anyway." he commented. "So everyone is clear."

Fordragon turned in his chair to face the Cardassian, giving the man his full and undivided attention. "What's that?" he asked with a nod of his head.

"I do not compromise on safety. Everything in this profession revolves around it. Regardless if you are just a bush pilot hopping between homesteads or a Starfleet crack pilot with years of training, hopping between various locations." he paused. "You might think you're ready for the real thing and we will give you a chance to fly the real thing. Granted this is an unusual way to handle it but I know why you are flying now," he commented quietly. "It's because you miss your mother and you need an outlet for that issue," he explained. "All of this will take time for you to process and it's vital that you have a good experience quickly."

Fordragon held his silence. He listened to what the other man was saying. "So because I have no experience in the real thing. You're going to make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Exactly." Pettar smiled. "Think of me as your ghost in the machine. You're backup. I've been doing this for thousands of hours and I've been doing this since probably before your mother was born." He paused. "But, in my book. Experience outranks everything," he commented. "Go ahead and finish your preflight. Then I'll get us clearance for launch. I'll take us out and then I'll pass you the controls when we're clear of the Starbase."

Forragon nodded his head. "Copy that." he looked down at his pannels. "Starting preflight checks." and he began then one after another. "Warp drive initiators. Check," he commented. "Sublights, check. Thruster assemblies. Check." as he went over the thirty or so items. Not missing anything.

Pettar smiled. "Very nice. It's boring and tedious... It's slow and dull. But one day, this check will save your life." the Cardassian grinned as he went about getting the clearance. Jaina closed the hatch before turning to her granddaughters, from a daughter she never knew existed in this reality. "You two ladies good back there.?"

"Yep," Jasmine answered as Raelynn smiled. "We're good."

Jaina smiled. "Let's do this."

Pettar got the clearance. That done, he then got the shuttle airborne and they were clear of the Starbase a few moments later. "Tony. She's all yours.." He turned the controls over to the child before him. "Fly well."

Fordragon tapped the displays as he gently ran his hands over the displays. "Wow. It's crowded out here," he commented. "I'm reading over three dozen Federation starships of various types and classifications. In addition to the Starbase. I'm reading over thirty orbital drydocks. Most of them are full of ships. Starfleet warships." Fordragon paused. "I guess they were serious."

"They are." Pettar paused. "War is coming and the fleet wants to be ready for it."

"Mom's going off to fight." Fordragon sighed with this dark realization. "I hope she stays alright."

"It's the same with all who live to see such times, Anthony." Jaina smiled. "All of my daughters are serving. I took in many of their children, so my home will be a very crowded place." She explained. "But I will explain the rules when we get there. No need to ruin this moment with details you don't need to worry about yet."

"Okay." Fordragon aimed the shuttle for a low orbit of Utgarde Four. He turned to Pettar. "Do you have the coordinates for our final destination?"

"I do. Sending them to you now." Pettar answered. "Don't you want to fly around Anthony.?" he asked gently.

"No. I need to earn your trust first." Fordragon explained. "If anything should go wrong then it will end badly for all involved. Especally if we need to be rescued," he commented. "I'm unlicensed and untrained." he shook his head. "Just no," he commented. "What I can do, is get you guys home and land the shuttle. That is what I will do," he commented. He turned to face Jaina and the others in the shuttle. "I might be willing to risk my own neck but I will not risk anyone else. Never. Safety trumps everything else."

Pettar grinned. Oh yes. Someone had done something right here with this young man.

Jaina grinned. He was liking this young man more and more with each passing second. "Oh yes. I like this guy," she commented. "Have you ever done reentry before?"

"Sims only, ma'am," Fordragon answered. "This will be my first experience in powered flight."

"Take us in then," Pettar answered. "If worst comes to worst. I can take over. I'm right here."