Ivy Mike - Part One

Posted on Tue Oct 31st, 2023 @ 1:44pm by Fleet Captain Heather Walking Bear

Mission: Mission 120: All Along the Watchtowers - Part Two
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard / Utgarde IV
Timeline: 1300Hrs - January 19th, 2394

Commander Heather Walking Bear was slowly doing a walkaround of the shuttle she was planning to use to fly up to the orbiting Starbase. Walking Bear tapped the PADD in her hands. "Mmmm. Slight blemish on the Starboard nacelle," she muttered to herself while she typed it onto the PADD in her delicate-looking fingers.

Walking Bear went back around to the aft side of the shuttle before she boarded it. She then closed the aft-hatch behind her. The preflight checks are now complete and the shuttle met with her approval. "Tower. This is Shuttle Two-Seventeen. Do you read me?" Walking Bear inquired as she slid her lithe form into the pilot's chair. She then began to power up the various shuttles systems.

The response from the tower was instant. "Confirmed. Two-Sixteen. Status check over?"

Walking Bear smiled. "Preflight checks are good, In flight systems checks are good. I think we're ready to go." she produced a small PADD which she would need in a moment. "So, with that said guys. Permission to depart?"

"Please upload the flight plan and stand by." came the response. Walking Bear went about uploading the plan. She slid the PADD into the port. She then tapped several keys on the display. "Uploading now," she reported.

The response she was expecting came back almost instantly. "Understood, Two-Sixteen. Clearance for departure granted. Smooth sailing." came the response. "You are free to depart out of door two."

Walking Bear brought her systems online, she tapped the displays as she went about sorting things out for the flight ahead. "Copy, door two," she commented back to the tower control center. "Request permission to taxi to launch site?"

"Confirmed. Proceed at your discreation." came the response. Walking Bear tapped the displays. Now she was in her element as she taxied the shuttle over to where the launch area was. The doors opened before her. She gently guided the shuttle out of the hanger. Once she was free from the constraints of the hanger, she activated the engines. The hanger departed from sight as did the ground.

Walking Bear activated her main engines. A wide grin appeared on her face. "Starships were meant to fly... Stand up and touch the skies...Oh Woah oh woah." she sang as the shuttle flew almost straight up. Walking Bear loved the power of flight, it always reduced her to tears as this was her true first love. Her career and rank were simply a result of this. Her family was also an effect by this.

Walking Bear considered that her house was a very full house. She had three families worth of people sitting with her these days. She had her husband and her own children, along with Jennifer's two and Patricia's four. So there were twelve people living in her home. Yet Heather had space for two more should it become needed to take in more people.

The skies of Utgarde IV faded to black. Just like that Walking Bear knew she was now in low orbit, as she regarded the massive orbital facility before her. Walking Bear was always impressed by these massive facilities. The orbital space around the Starbase was full of various starships, orbital drydock frames as well as smaller ships of all kinds. Both Starfleet and civilians alike.

Walking Bear activated her com system. "Starbase Vanguard, approach control. This is Shuttle Two-Sixteen. Requesting permission to land?" she inquired.

The response was instant. "Shuttle two-sixteen. Say state and souls aboard?"

"State is good, one soul aboard, over?" Walking Bear answered automatically.

"Copy that, two-sixteen." came the response. Walking Bear took a moment to look over at the skeletal drydocks, each one had a starship inside, and several of the larger ones had multiple ships inside them. Walking Bear had not heard much but she knew something was going on. There were a lot of ships present.

A voice interrupted her reverie. Walking Bear tapped the display once. "Confirmed. I'm entering the pattern for hanger sixteen," she commented. "I have the beacon. Beginning my approach, preparing for landing." as she guided the suttle to where it was required to go. Moments later she was in the process of starting her landing. She disengaged her engine as the base tractor seized her in its tractor beam, which then would land her quickly. She turned off all of her systems while the shuttle was being landed. Walking Bear tapped her display. "Thanks for the welcome, tower. Walking Bear out."

The tower answered after a moment, Walking Bear unbuckled herself before she stood up, she then retrieved her bag from where she had stowed it earlier. She then stepped off of the shuttle without a backward glance. Several mechanics approached her as she did so. "Ma'am, we're here to look after and handle your shuttle." he handed her a PADD with his orders on it.

Walking Bear smiled. "Thanks, guys. Carry on." as she handed the PADD back to him. She then walked out of the hangar and into Vanguard's population centers. She had a meeting to attend and while she was early, she didn't want to be late.