Getting the Wings In Order

Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2020 @ 4:03pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Captain Edward Tuck & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan
Edited on on Tue Feb 25th, 2020 @ 4:05pm

Mission: Mission 15: Old Ghosts
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1100Hrs, December 6th, 2390

Phoenix, after seeing the third pilot being strung up by the crane, was growing tired of the washouts pissing off the deck gang. She learned long ago that to get your fighter serviced quickly, you never pissed them off.

That was mostly why Phoenix called a meeting with the senior flight and fighter department heads. A good wing did not function without a cohesive deck gang and pilots. So here she was, sitting on the wing of one of the Valkyries, eating an apple while she waited patiently for the group of people to arrive.

Teval, Hakaya, and Varkon all arrived on the deck a short while later, the unusual trio heading over to where Phoenix was sitting. Most of the pilots had quickly learned not to mess with them, especially with the massive walking tank of a Brikar wandering around, But Hakaya had to wonder of other pilots where putting the newbies up to it. However her own deck crew was not entirely innocent either. Though she wasn't there for that one, Anastaiya demonstrated how scary an angry Russian woman can get, when one of the new deck crew officers, decided to bully one of the smaller pilots. The medics where not to thrilled with the end result. Then there where pilots pushing each other around. Hakaya had to break up at least one fight when it got too nasty. Hakaya looked at Phoenix sitting on one of the fighters. She had heard stories about Phoenix, but after seeing Phoenix and Siaxx at that one night in the bar, Hakaya knew there was more to her than what the stories tell, so Hakaya decided she wasn't going to judge Phoenix until she got to know her.

Teval was the first to speak, "Hey Phoenix, what's up."

Phoenix shrugged. It was a typical day so far. Mostly pilots getting annoyed with her. But then pilots also fought with each other or with the deck crew.

"I'm waiting for the next stupid pilot of mine ta do somethin' moronic, so I can give 'em milk runs or somethin' just as dull to a combat pilot," Phoenix spoke rather casually while she eyed a young engineer in the pilot blue department colors, talking rather harshly to a young tech. "This shit has ta stop."

Hakaya and Varkon exchanged looks, while Teval took a glance at the brewing argument. They where all quickly losing patience with this crap, and Hakaya had to wonder how Anastasiya managed to put up with this for two years. She had seen the occasional argument on other assignments, but Hakaya knew that this ship was record breaking. So she asked Phoenix, "So, what do you want to do about it."

"Honestly? I think a good smoker might be good," Phoenix noted with a shrug. "Gets that tensions out of each other an' refocuses it to the enemies we face."

Hakaya though about it for a bit, then said," Yeah, I think that would be a good idea, a lot of the newbie pilots seem to do nothing but look for fights."

Fives looked around as he crossed the hanger bay, the scene reminded him of reports he had read about Operations Kangaroo, the allied defense of Australia.

He sighed as one guy backed up into him and then threw a punch at him, Fives hands became a blur of motion as he dealt with the idiot pilot before headbutting him. "What the fuck is wrong with you people... get this shit straightened out."he roared. "all of you pilots.. head down to the large briefing theater now.... Right now!"

Fives growled. "They saddle me with morons, this shit is gonna end now!" he growled as he reached where Phoenix and her companions were standing. "Lo Phoenix, whats new in this pit of hell?"

"Tryin' ta figure out how to keep the hangar bay from turnin' into a turf war with the pilots and deck crew. Floors open ta suggestions," Phoenix spoke, then chomped on her apple rather loudly.

Lieutenant commander Wukari Kalina, the new commander of 2nd Wing, and a newly promoted lieutenant commander at that, walked into the hangar bay. Stepping around the groaning pilot that fives put on the ground, the foxlike Shi'ar, silently approached the group. She was no taller then either Teval or Hakaya, and neither Fives, nor Phoenix had met her yet. Looking at varkon, she comments, "Whats the matter, is the Brikar not a sufficient deterrent for these idiots."

Fives regarded his opposite number from the second wing. "I guess not." he commented as he tapped his combadge. "Fives to all First Wing pilots, meet me in the Pilot Briefing theater in twenty minutes." he growled. "This shit is gonna end..." he added. "Fives out."

"Meetings aren' really helpin, Five," Phoenix retorted with a sigh. "Ninety-three percent of these goobers in the air group are ones that barely passed combat pilot training. Which means they are both stupid and arrogant because they got wings."

Fives raised an eyebrow. "Oh I'm not going to tell them how to work properly, I'm going to tell them about an exersize I'm putting together." he explained. "In which, you, me and two of our real pilots will take on everyone else..." he paused. "any ideas on who three and four should be?"

"Um," Wukari mentioned as she pulled up the service record of her best pilot., "There is Chief Warrant officer Kureek-Swai, he is a good fighter ace, and from what I know, he's been a pilot for a while."

Fives raised an eyebrow. "Mmm.. he could fill out the number three position.." he paused. "Who else do we got?" he inquired.

After waiting around for about a minute, Varkon sighed impatiently, and grabbing Wukari's hand, he raised it up for her.

Just then Rachael Yamaguchi came over with a PADD in hand, she then saluted the group. "Hello sirs." she greeted them. "Phoenix." she handed her the PADD. "The paperwork you requested."

"Thanks Cadet." Phoenix nodded

Fives looked at Rachael. "Can you fly birds Rachael?"

"Sims only... I've yet to fly the real thing.."

"Mm... you could fly RIO for one of our pilots.." he mused. "But I want you to fly one of these birds... I'll serve as your RIO for that flight.. that flight will be in about an hour, you have that long to prepare.. dismissed."

Rachael saluted him as she tried to keep a grin off of her face. "Thank you." and with that she turned and departed.

"I think we need to get the pilots focused on fightin' somethin' far more important than deck crews tryin' to fill quotas," Phoenix suggested rather simply.

"Agreed," Toval stated simply, "we are going to need that lift crane for other uses at some point."

Fives nodded. "Indeed..." he paused. "We need a new punishment.."
as he sighed. "Any ideas?"

Hakaya looked at the tower "We could bolt a stool to the floor, with chains on it, chain the miscreant to the stool, and put a dunce cap on their head."

Fives smiled. "What about magnetic boots... make them stand on the ceiling but they can't move..." he commented. "we could implement both.."

"I think it might also be nice to have a senior deck crew member come to new pilot orientation meetings to explain the process of fighter craft triage," Phoenix suggested simply. "But I also like the consequences too."

Hakaya and Varkon looked at each other and then nodded, "Well go," Hakaya said.

"Anything else?" Phoenix asked to the folks in front of her as she took another huge bite of her apple.

Teval shrugged, "I got nothing." Hakaya and Varkon didn't say anything.

Fives nodded. "If there is nothing else... I'm late for a meeting with the pilots..." he commented. "Then Rachael gets to take me out for awhile..."

Teval, Hakaya, Varkon, all left while Wukari stayed behind for a bit.

"Something you wanted to add?" Phoenix asked to Wukari.

"Eh, just decided, I might as well introduce myself," Wukari said nervously, "I'm supposed to be the 2nd wing commander."

"Fives is the first," Phoenix indicated, "I command the scorpion SpecForce Ghost Squadron."

Fives nodded. "So we have a second wing commander at least, excellent.." he nodded his head. "It'll help me with my workload.

"Yeah, and the workload does seem quite significant," Wukari commented, looking around the hangar bay. "At least with this bunch."

Fives paused. "We will make do.." he commented. "they will adjust and become real pilots or we will get rid of them... " he paused. "alright.. lets go to it guys.. I got a meeting to go to and so does everyone else."