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Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

[ CWO1 Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan

It had not been long after the Captain addressed the survivors of the Resolve that Covington had dismissed his people.  All he had gotten done was getting the bay put to rights and all fighters de-ammunitioned and rendered safe before calling it a night for them.  Which, really, meant he would be able to focus on what he needed to instead of simply keeping an eye on the goings-on on the flight deck.  Which was when he pulled up the maintenance manuals on the Valravn-class fighters. 

That much was something he needed to do, considering that soon he would have to start training his staff on working with those particular birds.  And if they were another one of Knight's infamous designs, there would be a lot to do, often, and it would require practically stripping the fighter down to its structural frames.   Modularity, he called it... more like an excellent way to clutter a bay where space was already at a premium! 

And, an hour into his reading, the Chief of the Deck found himself needing a cup of coffee, and so far as he could recall the urn that was in the pilots' ready room still had some in it.  Coffee he could help himself to, as part of the old agreement with Miles Renard...

But, as he stepped out of his office, he caught sight of an individual, standing in front of the decimated line of fighters.

"Razor, is there anything I can do for you?"

Re: Chapter XX: Wolves need wings | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[ LT Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: CanadianVet

Despite a few visits to several places like sickbay, below decks, his own quarters and a brief visit to Cir'Cie, Thomas still felt uneasy and lost aboard the multi vectored dreadnought. It was as if he was missing something, so he returned to the one place where he felt most at ease, the fighter assault bay. The lights there had been dimmed to a minimum and the normal beehive activity had seemed be gone entirely, leaving a rather ghastly impression of the bay.

He noticed there was still lights burning in Sten's office, yet his feet guided him over to the fighters. He gazed upon them and got sunken in thoughts as he spotted Kestrel. It seemed the walls of the bay were closing in on him whilst his viewpoint focused on the single fighter. It was as if he was going in a perfect form of tunnel vision whilst his eardrums were being placed under immense pressure. It was only when Sten spoke to him that he snapped out of the condition he was in and with a gasp he looked over to the chief.

"Papa bear...." he answered as he shook his head slowly, which wasn't his response yet simply a way to shake whatever had been caught in his head. "I was just looking at the fighters... I'll be needed a new one considering the Klutch over there isn't exactly a space worthy ship." he answered as a faint smile covered his lips. He nodded over at Kestrel, who seemed albeit in good shape despite the death of her pilot. "I was considering to adopt Kestrel. Skye and I...." he paused as he felt his mouth go dry and he sighed softly "You know, sort of a memory to keep alive for a fallen friend." he changed his words as he felt the tears well up in his sockets. Was it because he was alone now that he granted to let go of his feelings? Or was Sten the sort of figure where he allowed himself to do so. A true father figure which he never had...

Re: Chapter 07: Wolves Need Wings | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ CWO1 Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan

Technically, Covington was outranked by the bulk of the pilots.  He should refer to most of them as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am', and that he was their subordinate.  But in the facts?  He stood in a different sort of spot, one that was a combination of advisor, father figure, subject matter expert, and the man who had been in Starfleet since long before most of them had been born. 

And that experience served him well, for Razor, well, he looked like something had been bothering him.  But he wasn't going to be pushing for it.  After all, he was a grown man, and if he wanted to talk, he would.

And sure enough, he did.

Yes, he needed a fighter.  He was a pilot, and without wings he was just an overqualified helmsman, or under-qualified tactical officer.  And mentioning he wanted Carver's bird?  Well, that made sense all right.  After all, that hybrid of his was probably good for little more than getting stripped for parts.  And there was a reason for what he was asking, one that went beyond practical consideration.  He knew he and Carver had been friends, and he hadn't been there when she died...

"Well, you need a bird, and Kestrel's probably the one that's closest to ops-ready right now, even with needing a new cockpit module and a few other repairs.  But..."

"I think she would like having you take her."

But there was that matter of the memory of Skye Carver that needed honouring.  "I'll assign you to her. I'll change the markings myself.  And there's a little tradition, not really widely known because whenever a pilot doesn't make it back usually their bird gets blown to plasma.  The nameplate needs to be changed, but Carver?  Kestrel will still be hers.  Her name and callsign will get electro-stenciled in the main spar.  I'll do it myself."

"And scuttlebutt has it you're in line to be become SCO.  You're going to be Wolf-01.  Carver was your friend.  Miles Renard was mine."

Re: Chapter 06: Wolves Need Wings | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ LT Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: CanadianVet

"Well, you need a bird, and Kestrel's probably the one that's closest to ops-ready right now, even with needing a new cockpit module and a few other repairs.  But..."

"I think she would like having you take her."

Covington spoke words of wisdom once more and most of it made sense as well. Razor wasn't used to opening up like he did. He had done so with Carver in the past, one of the few pilots he truly trusted entirely. He glanced over at Sten as he stood there, taking in his stature and stance as he spoke once more.

The idea of electro-stenciling her name and callsign in the main spar formed a smile on Thomas his face. Not a faint one, but a warmer one that made him close his eyes "I'd like that Chief." he whispered under his breath as he continued with the rumors about him being the next in line for SCO. "Wolf-01 huh... Renard was a friend of mine too. Perhaps a closer one to yours. I'll do my best to live up to his expectations. Wherever he may be at this time." he answered Sten before he walked over to him. "I'm pretty sure the old dog had a stash cornered away for moments like this with you. I don't suppose you know where it might be?" he asked as he stopped in front of Sten.

It wasn't a mandatory question, Razor wanted to know Sten more better at this point. If he made it to SCO he'd have to work with the man on a daily basis. There was no need to keep treating him the way he did while being just a pilot in the flock. He wanted to know what made the man tick, get to know him better as a person so that their joint venture would work more fluently and naturally.

Re: Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

Reply #4 –
[ CWO1 Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan

It was the name of the game for a Chief of Flight Deck Operations.  For people in that role, fighters and their crews, sometimes even whole squadrons, would just come and go.  Some would be reassigned, some stood down, others be eradicated wholesale.  But in the end, they just came and went.  And especially so for Sten.  He had been among the first to be in the position of being a dedicated specialist for the operation of a fighter bay.  He and other senior shuttlebay Chiefs had been put together to come up with the way things would go in the fighter community, and then he had been pulled into the world of fighter design as a maintenance advisor, and the training of deck crews and pilots towards safe and effective bay procedures. 

And he had been there when the tradition of electro-stenciling a dead pilot's name to his fighter main spar had been born.  And now he would continue it.  And it seemed that Razor approved of it.  That particular custom was not widely known about, but there were still a few old bastards in Starfleet who knew about it, and hopefully it would be passed down to other generations.  Because those things did matter, in a way. 

"Yes, Razor,  We did.  But... not right now, if that's all right?  He found the good stuff, I found somewhere to hold it; but it's a little early for that.  Later, we'll get into it, but it doesn't feel right just yet."

But there would be some points that needed addressing  before they'd become a real problem.  "You know I'm not too big on 'Sirs' to begin with, and it'll take a while before I feel comfortable calling you 'Boss'."  Indeed, Covington reserved his Sirs and Ma'ams for a rather limited set of people and circumstances; and other than Miles Renard and Natalie Stark, only the XO tended to get that kind of mode of address.  But Iron Fox had been mostly addressed as 'Boss' in public. 

"If you want to do something different, we can do it.  But unless you tell me otherwise, I'm planning to run my bay same as I've always had.  There's just going to be a different name for the signing authority on some of the paperwork."

Re: Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

Reply #5 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet

Thomas could recognize the face of Sten in a crowd, yet he had that look on his face which he had seen on other faces before. Battle hardened veterans, survivors. They all shared that same look, the losses and atrocities they've seen were burned on their faces somehow. With the loss of Miles, Thomas could only wonder how Sten felt. The answer to the stash was revealed to him and with a nod Thomas could understand.

"Yes, Razor,  We did.  But... not right now, if that's all right?  He found the good stuff, I found somewhere to hold it; but it's a little early for that.  Later, we'll get into it, but it doesn't feel right just yet."

The pilot didn't reply to it first, just agreeing to it in silence before Sten continued. "You know I'm not too big on 'Sirs' to begin with, and it'll take a while before I feel comfortable calling you 'Boss'."

A faint smile covered Thomas his lips as he nodded once more, looking up to Sten before answering him "I don't expect you to call me 'Boss' Sten. If anything, it feels like I haven't actually proven myself to be the boss. If en when I gt promoted, I don't expect it to be the biggest gift one could get." He paused for a second as he weighed his words "Of course it'll be an honor to do so, yet I think I'll have my work cut out for me with the combination of three air wings. Not to mention the backlash that it'll bring with me. Either way, I don't expect you to call me boss. If there was one boss..." he stopped talking and looked at the shut bay doors. 'He'd be out there somewhere.' he thought to himself.

"As for your way of running the bay, I don't expect you to make any changes." a smile curling up his lips "After all, you are God here." Razor extended his hand to the man "Let us just make the deal that regardless, you'll call me if you need anything and I'll call you if I need anything. Plus, if you ever want a sit down to talk or just reminisce about anything, my door will always be open for you. Sir." he concluded. He chose to address Sten with Sir as he truly believed Sten wasn't being paid enough for the things he did, but that was the least of it, Sten was something superior than just the man who handled the bay in his eyes. More than once, he had earned the respect of Razor and once more, the pilot wanted to recognize that the man was not a subordinate to him yet more likely an equal or something above.

Re: Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

Reply #6 –
[ CWO1 Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan

Sten wasn't sure how Razor would react to being told no at this point?  Would he wheedle?  Would he insist?  Would he resign himself in silence?  No, he did not.  If anything, he did what any officer, what any individual really,  worth his salt would do and just accepted it.  He did understand that the late SCO and the Chief of the Deck did go back a ways, and theirs was a friendship that extended well past their professional lives; oh, certainly the bay would have operated as efficiently had they not been friends, but it would have been a much different place all right...

And just as he understood that being called 'Boss' was a privilege he'd have to earn over time.  And it would take some time before that would come to be.  In the meantime, the Chief of the Deck would have to figure out something respectful enough to call him if he was indeed going to take command of the Squadron; or whoever would take over, for that matter. 

But, as Razor said, he'd have his work cut out for him; which meant so would Sten and his deck gang for that matter.  But they'd deal with it. 

In the end, when the pilot extended his hand, the Chief of the Deck reached out and his great big scarred, hirsute paw closed about the pilot's smaller limb.  "Deal.  And don't call me Sir, makes me feel old."  With that, the indeed older man grinned.  "Now, how about you go and get some shuteye?  Because so long as your ass is on this deck, I can't leave either."
 

Re: Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Wolves Need Wings

Reply #7 –
[ Lt. Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 15 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @CanadianVet

It was always a surprise to find out how big Conginton's hands were. Thomas looked in his eyes and smiled "Thanks again for the custom tradition on the wing spars. Where ever Carver may be, I'm sure she'd be happy for what you're doing." he said softly to the man in front of him before he broke contact with him physically and stepped back.

"I'll leave the old man to his rest in that case." Ravon replied with a grin while he nodded at the Chief "Good night Sten, see you in the morning." he said and gave him a final nod before he stepped off the flight deck and made his way back to his quarters as shut eye was the last thing the pilot needed. No, he needed to talk to at least one more person before his eyes would even be ready to drift shut. That and he needed to vent out some cropped up energy. The gymnasium would be his next stop.


~FIN
 
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