The Gamorrean Two-Step - Part Three

Posted on Mon Mar 1st, 2021 @ 7:55am by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Major Cheol-hee "Razor" Lee

Mission: Mission 106: Restitutions and Resolutions
Location: Various Locations - SAR Anderson, Utgarde IV
Timeline: 0900Hrs - October 18th, 2393

Zero nine hundred hours on the day of October the Eighth in the year of twenty-three ninety-two as listed on the human gregorian calendar found Ripcord wearing her full flight gear, while she was preparing for a dogfighting training mission of a two versus two mission. She was looking forward to the chance to fly her starfighter, either in the atmosphere of Utgarde or in space, in or around Utgarde's orbital space.

Ripcord slowly smiled as she handed the PADD in her hands to the crew chief who was handling the bird she would be flying for her training run. "Thanks, Chief, I appreciate all the extra work you and your guys did here," she explained as she smiled at the older woman before her.

"Well, we do what we can. It's always good to know that you, at least, respect the personel assigned here." the older woman answered as one of the other pilots came out a nearby doorway and into the massive hanger where Ripcord, her crew chief and all of the other personel were presently gathered. He came over. "Ripcord!." he yelled to be heard over the noisy workspaces of the hanger. The skippers looking for you." he added, he topo was wearing his full flight gear.

"What!" Ripcord answered loudly, not in anger but to make herself heard over the noise. This was extremely bad timing as she was due to depart in less than thirty minutes. "Okay..."

"I'm here to replace you, the skipper is in his office... I'm fully briefed on the flight ops for today," he added loudly.

Ripcord's anger flared white-hot for only a second, this sort of thing was the kind of thing that vexed her most grievously, it reminded her that she was alone and she truly despised it. "Alright." and with that, she handed Oppy the PADD in her hands, before she turned and walked off. The Chief turned to him, "Seriously?" she growled at him. "Your fucking kidding me right... Ripcord gets yanked less than thirty minutes before a major mission. This is bullshit."

"Yes, Chief. I know... Razor wants her and according to him, the matter can't wait... I was sent to handle this matter while she handed his matter."
Oppy answered with a sigh. "I agree with you... Don't think I don't Chief... Now, where are we with the preparations?" Oppy knew that the entire maintenance team was angry but it wasn't his fault. That didn't help anyway and he knew it.

"We're ready for you to fly ... sir." The Chief answered quietly.

"Alright... Then let's proceed." and with that, he donned his headgear and climbed into Ripcord's bird.

Meanwhile, Ripcord moved through the base hallways at speed as she moved towards her squadron commanders office, as she knew this was important, he would not pull her off of an assignment unless he had no other choice or unless something had come up that required her direct attention on the matter. She reached her destination as the thought about any one of her children or Saki crossed her mind, she knocked on the door and admitted herself when she was given leave to do so.

"Ripcord, take a seat..." as Razor sighed. "I'm calling you because this matter can't wait... You are wanted elsewhere... Apparently, the Heart of the Tiger is looking for a new chief conn officer and your name came up."

Ripcord had looked angry and annoyed but she paused as she heard the name of her husband's ship pop up before her. "Oh..." she answered in a quiet tone of voice. "This was... unexpected," she admitted.

"How so?"

"I had not expected to be offered this assignment, ever... I was expecting to be parted from my husband permanently... Years even..." she admitted. "Our children are with him and he's raising them alone..."

"Okay, answer me one thing before I put this question to you. Just how many children do you have?"

"I have five children, three are mine biologically. Two of his are from a prior relationship and one of mine is also from a prior relationship." Ripcord explained in a rather flat tone of voice. "Oh, I know enough about children to get by," she added, her tone did not change as she spoke.

"Oh... wow, thas impressive," Razor answered before he handed her the PADD. "That's all the details of the assignment."

Ripcord regarded the information displayed upon the PADD, she gave it the once over and then she reread it a second time. "It contains a recommendation for a commission into Starfleet as a Lieutenant?" she paused. "Can that be done?"

"Yes, if you accept the assignment, I'll have to stick in the paperwork for the commission and Captain Hunt has already said he'd honor it, in fact, he mentioned it to me when he asked me about offering you the assignment, he seems to want you badly." Razor tossed at her, without considering the statement.

Ripcord slowly blinked as she breathed out and then back in, she knew Razor was baiting her. "Yes, I also know why too." she slowly smiled, but it was one with neither warmth nor good cheer. "Captain Hunt cheated me out of serving with my husband who I miss... Most dearly. Had he asked it of me, I would have resigned my commission and gone with him as a civilian..."

Razor was somewhat surprised by this statement. "Wow, he must mean-" he started before Ripcord cut him off. "Do not finish that sentence Razor. You have no idea what he means to me... I shouldn't explain... Because you would not understand why..." she answered. "Yes, I accept the assignment," she added as she tapped the face of the PADD once before she handed it back to him in silence.

"I see... Alright then, you are current on all of your paperwork... I'm going to send you home to pack and say your goodbyes." he commented. "I believe Heart of the Tiger will be present by tomorrow morning so you have several hours to get things done... Dismissed Lieutenant and... Goodbye Rachael." as he regarded her.

Ripcord rose to her feet and out the door, she went. She did not say anything as there was nothing more to be said.