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CH02: S [D06|0640] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

[ PO1 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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The morning after a battle was always strange. The Allegiant had only come in at the end of the fighting, but the crew of the Sword had been fighting for their lives against the Klingons, interrupted halfway through by the blood-chilling arrival of the Borg. They had survived only through ingenuity, blood and iron, but at horrendous casualties in return. The adrenaline and fear of such a struggle seeped away during at the night, as it must, through the tedious hours of repairs and recovery. After leaving the Allegiant, Lillee lost herself for hours in those repairs, working in the guts of a ship that she didn't even know. Finally, at 0430, she wearily followed a bleary-eyed petty officer to her quarters and collapsed onto the woman's bed alongside her. Both women were too exhausted and too drained to care about the violation of privacy, neither of them even registering the implication of sleeping in the same bed. They both simply needed sleep, and both achieved it within moments of hitting the mattress.

Far too soon in the morning, Lillee felt herself stirred to wakefulness, groaning at the interruption to her rest by the long habit of duty. She glanced beside her to see the petty officer still fast asleep, and with considerable reluctance, Lillee forced herself to get up, sweeping her blonde hair out of her eyes. She noted with irritation that she'd forgotten to take her uniform off before going to bed, resulting in the clothes being distinctly unsuitable for being in the presence of people with noses. After a quick shower, she peeked through the dozing petty officer's skant wardrobe, but the woman wore engineer yellow, not command red. With a shrug of her shoulders, Lillee simply tossed her uniform into the broken garment reprocessor and took out one of the engineer's pairs uniform pants and vests, attaching her rank insignia and combadge to the vest. It wasn't regulation, but really, who cared anymore? The Theurgy wasn't a Starfleet ship, not really, and the garment reprocessor in the engineer's quarters was offline. If anyone bothered her for a uniform violation, then they could go straight to Erebus.

So, still tired, Lillee grabbed a quick breakfast from the Chief's Mess before drifting back to the Forward Assault Bay, where the Allegiant was still nestled along with the few surviving Valkyrie fighters. Lillee had no official duty posting now that the Allegiant was docked, and many of the more simple repairs to the Sword had been completed during the night. Instead, she mused, she could tend to the repairs that were actually her expertise.

The expansive FAB was deserted at that particular moment, so with a resigned smile, Lillee grabbed a toolkit and moved to the nearest of the Valkyrie fighters. Not bothering to ask permission, she did a quick diagnostic, and after a couple of minutes, the Valkyrie's computer reported a handful of problems. Lillee hissed under her breath; the fighter's pilot had flown madly on their last sortie, resulting in considerable stress to the fighter's warp and impulse engines, along with overheating of the main phaser cannons and cracks in the tetryon cannons support strut. The microtorpedoes had long since been removed and safely stored in the FAB's munitions armory, but a quick look inside the torpedo tubes showed that they were deformed from rapid, continuous fire. The psychotic pilot in charge of this bird must've done a bombing run, Lillee realised with irritation. What kind of fhvai-brained lunatic looked at a kilometer-long Negh-var class battleship and thought that it'd be a good idea to attack it with a twenty-meter long fighter?

Grumbling under her breath, Lillee unhooked her blonde ponytail, allowing her blonde hair to fall free behind her. The Valkyrie was landed neatly in its dedicated berth, along with all the equipment needed for maintenance, so she at least gave the unknown pilot marks for considerate parking. She gave the computer a voice command to elevate the Valkyrie up in the air, to the level of Lillee's shoulders, and after opening a panel beneath the cockpit, Lillee grabbed a couple of tools, poked her head into the tight alcove and got to work.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #1 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

After being awoken from his sleep by the scientist in his quarters, Thomas had moved on from his company and left his friend to his devices. If that meant doomsday thinking about his impending date or about the Borg threat was yet to be seen. Thomas marched down to the place where he spent most of his day, the Fight Assault Bay. He could hear the few mechanics that were there at work. He made a stop in his office first as he yawned still somewhat tired.

He first checked the flight rotation his crew would be on before going through some paperwork. He had the after action reports and combat reports of the surviving wolf pack members and he skimmed them before sighing and looking out to the bay. He couldn't focus on paperwork right now. It always was a tedious and boring aspect to the job in the eyes of Ravon. He decided that he had to clear his mind and he knew just the job for it. Working on his fighter would be ideal as the ship had endured quite a lot with the fierce combat against the Klingon forces. Thomas changed outfits from his uniform to a worn overall that he had borrowed to use by Eun.

He walked through the hangar bay and up to his bird when he stopped dead in his tracks. He was quite sure where he had parked his ship and he was fairly certain that his ship wouldn't be up for maintenance just yet as the other fighters had taken priority. All he could see was the feminine figure seemingly working just under the cockpit. He walked further and came to a stop next to his fighter as he cleared his throat "Excuse me. But what exactly are you doing to my fighter?" he asked with a clear voice, yet with a slight irritated undertone.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #2 –
[ PO1 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 ] Attn: @Nolan
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"Fixing it," Lillee replied curtly, not bothering to see who was talking as she continued working on the Valkyrie's innards, running a blue-hued structural solder along the cracked fusion reactor. "Did nobody teach you impulse discipline? This poor bird's impulse engine is over stressed from what you've put her through. I haven't seen such a madly flown fighter in years. Even the Klingon beasts try to at least take some care of their fighters."

She sighed in irritation of her own as she kept working. "The microtorpedo tubes will have to be completely replaced. What manner of insanity drove you to strike a Klingon battleship with such small weapons? A death wish? Trying to impress your paramour with your heroics? Pah...fighter pilots, they're always the same..." With a tut of disapproval, Lillee dropped the structural solder into the open toolkit at her feet then kept her hand open at her waist. "The hypospanner, pilot, if you would. I must reconnect the fusion reactor to the primary EPS grid."

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #3 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

The reply the pilot got was far from anything he had expected. He exhaled through his nostrils and the slight agitation that grew on him became nothing short of an outburst at this point. Ravon was well aware what impulse discipline was, not to mention how much stress he had put his bird through. The human balled his fists as he kept hearing the denigrating voice of how he had fucked up the state of his ship.

It got more personal as she addressed fighter pilots in particular and when she asked for the hypospanner he clenched his jaws together "Get you head out of my ship and stand in attention if you please." he demanded with an authoritative tone to his voice. He folded his hands to his back and waited for the woman to comply. He knew somewhere that she had a point, yet that's why he was here. To fix up the damage he caused to his own bird. Clearly this pup hadn't have the faintest clue who she was barking up to.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #4 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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Her head still jammed into the tight alcove below the cockpit, Lillee sighed, realising far too late that her mouth had outrun her brain. The Theurgy, despite many appearances to the contrary, was still a Starfleet ship, at least in some respects. How could she have forgotten such a basic part of military life? Having not served on an active starship for so many years was a poor excuse.

Still, she knew an order when she heard it. Lillee duly ducked her head out of the Valkyrie's innards and stood at strict attention before the indignant pilot, her expression utterly serious. "Sir-" she began before stopping, realising that the human man wasn't wearing either a uniform or any rank insignia on his yellow overalls. Was he even an officer? Still, he certainly sounded like an officer, and there weren't many aboard who bore a lower rank than Lillee's modest PO3. Especially pilots.

"Sir," she began again firmly. "Petty Officer 3rd Class t'Jellaieu, CONN officer, sir. I had some free time so I was making repairs to this Valkyrie spacecraft, sir." The exaggerated formality of her tone was perhaps unnecessary, but hell, the uptight eff'lass did order her to attention. Who was this man, anyway? Older, perhaps late 30s, given how fast humans seemed to age...oh by Eisn, he'd probably be a squadron leader...

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #5 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

Waiting impatiently for the crewman to comply to his order, Ravon stood at semi attention himself as he saw the blonde hair and the Romulan face coming into sight as she stood at strict attention. He had to subdue the need to tap his feet on the deck plating as she started with a Sir, yet stopped after that as she looked him over. His brow cocked as she seemedto lose herself in thought before she started over and presented herself as PO 1st class t'Jellaieu. Explaining as to why she was halfway stuck in his bird didn't make his severe and authoritative look any lighter.

He gave it a few seconds as he looked her over and didn't recognize her as any of Covington's cubs. Which made him wonder where exactly she crawled out from. Allegiant perhaps? "Lieutenant Commander Thomas Ravon." he introduced himself "Any reason why you picked this fighter in particular petty officer?" he asked her as his eyes narrowed. He never liked strangers to work on his ship, he usually did the repairs himself when he had the time or had a few favorite cubs who could work on the ship. Change in deck hands usually lead to systems needing re-calibration or slight variations in the handling of his ship.

"At ease." he eventually said so she didn't need to keep standing in attention "I've not seen you before. Where do you hail from?" he asked her, keeping a fair formality in his conversation with her as he walked past her and checked on the work she was doing. He didn't jam himself into his ship just yet. A mere glance to what she was doing would suffice for now.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #6 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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Lillee resisted the urge to react as the man looked her over, long used to the attention of hidebound officers, before the man finally introduced himself. Lieutenant Commander Ravon. Squadron leader of the Lone Wolves, because of course he was, and such a serious looking human too. Oh stars, of all the fighters...

Then she jerked with the shock of realisation as the man asked a question. That oh-so-sober look, so unusual amongst the typically gregarious pilots; she knew it. She had seen this man, back in orbit of Earth, mere hours before the universe collapsed around their ears. They hadn't talked, as she had merely seen the pilot in the FAB as she inspected the Valkyries, but he had left an impression...and for him, Lillee reminded herself, it hadn't been only a week since that day. It had been months.

Realising a second too late that Ravon was expecting an answer, Lillee explained firmly, "It was the first I saw, Commander. It's still listed as spaceworthy, so it'll be low on the deckhands maintenance list compared to the other birds. I had some free time and I know the Valkyries better than any deckhand. You can only really know a bird when you've flown her hard, and I flew my Mark I as hard as she gave during the war, so I thought I'd give you a hand."

Then Ravon seemed to relax fractionally, letting Lillee stand at ease as he moved to check her repairs, sparking fierce irritation within Lillee's green blood. It was only natural for the man to be concerned, but it rankled her nerves nevertheless. Just once in her career, could she find a pilot who'd trust her with their fighter?

"I flew that from the Stallion," she explained haughtily, jerking a thumb over her shoulder at the massive Allegiant that dominated the bay. "As for why you've never seen me before, Commander Ravon, I am, as you may say, a recent awakening. Your Doctor, Nicander. He awoke me from stasis and performed my surgery scarcely a week ago."

Lillee paused, and despite herself, her irritation grew as she beheld the gruff human, her cheeks flushing green. "Of course, if you'd rather refuse the offer of free expert assistance, then I can leave you alone to do all these repairs on your own as you manage the squadron and prepare for your next insane battle against impossible odds. Sir."

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #7 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff 

Ravon paid little attention to how the Romulan petty officer stood there as her mind raced through things. His focus was on his bird and his bird alone for now. Not that the blonde woman wasn't a treat for the eyes, yet he had other priorities at this time. It made him chuckle lightly. How he'd probably try to make his move on her a few weeks back, though the entire situation had changed. He had changed... The responsibilities now on his shoulders as squadron leader. He had a certain reputation to uphold perhaps?

Her response came rather delayed, yet he didn't fuss about it. His head in the compartment she'd been working in he inspected her work and had to agree that it was impeccable. It was interesting to hear that she flew mark I's in the past and he found it rather amusing to hear that she flew them hard. He pulled himself out of the fighter once more to look at her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

He learned about her recent awakening at the hands of Nicander and her huffed lightly at it before looking over at the Allegiant. "What were your injuries?" he asked her as he narrowed his eyes at her. There was something about her which he couldn't just push his finger onto. Her cheeks flushed green though and he soon enough realized what it was. Being asked if he'd accept free expert help or rather do it himself. A wry smirk covered his face as he rolled his tongue over his teeth.

"Do you have a problem here miss Jellaieu?" he asked clearly yet not on an authoritative tone like before "Disregard the rank and talk to me as if we were equals. From what I've seen you've done good work, mind you that some things are different on these birds then on the mark I. Some systems I bypass in order to get more out of the bird, hence why I don't like strangers fiddling on my ship." he explained "As for your skills, I'll happily have a competent woman work alongside me."

He looked over his shoulder to his fighter and looked back at Lillee "Besides, if you flew fighters back in the day, you know how tempting it is to have a crack at impossible odds. Or have you lost your sense for close calls with the afterlife in that surgery?" he asked her.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #8 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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"Severe, apparently," Lillee replied, crossing her arms defensively as Ravon ducked back out of the fighter's innards, although she did allow herself a small wry smile. "The medical report that the beast Nicander gave me was very long indeed. Much of my body on the inside is now like this fighter, I should think. Worn and battered, held together only by extreme repairs. A casualty of war in the flesh."

Then Ravon asked his next combative question, and Lillee's green blood fired up once more before his words turned kind. The man was pleasant enough for one of his ilk, she realised as she smiled again, this time at him. He was direct, bold. A refreshing change from the far too nice Federation types that she had known since defecting from the Empire.

"Lost my nerve, hm?" Lillee finally laughed, shaking her head. "Is that what you think? You haven't known many of my kin, have you? I assure you, Commander Ravon, that I fly as I always have, and I'll prove it any day you like. Your point is well made, though, I grant you. I'm sure that whatever inspired you to indulge in that insanity with the Klingons, it was necessary to protect the Theurgy or your squadron."

Then she glanced at Ravon's Valkyrie, her smile turning contemplative. "I am an expert on the Mark IIs and IIIs as well, Commander. I flew one in flight tests to become qualified to inspect them. Your modifications and bypasses are interesting. Insane, absolutely, but interesting. I would've ridden you hard for violating regulations were we still in Starfleet, but under the circumstances, those modifications may have saved your life. So few pilots have the brains and desire to actually understand their fighter inside and out. Anyway, shall we continue this fighter's maintenance? I have no other duties to attend to, so I am at your disposal."

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #9 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

Hearing about the severe damage she had suffered before they could operate on her was a chilling thought, even more so since she had been saved by Nicander. A parasite... He did smile faintly thought as she compared herself to the fighter. Worn and battered only still operational through extreme repairs. "Well, as long as you aren't leaking from anything crucial out of certain places I think you'll do just fine." he joked.

The eagerness of the woman did certainly not escape Ravon. She spoke of a rather good track record and he was short staffed. He looked her over once more as she talked and he leaned with his shoulder against his ship. He gave a nod to her, confirming her words that his insane flying was necessary to keep his squadron and the ship safe from the Klingons. He had to nod again as she spoke of his bypasses "I'm sure that if I were still following regulations that I'd be long gone by this point for anyone to reprimand me on unregulated bypassing." he smirked.

"Yes, we shall..." he said as she queried to continue with the repairs "You want to continue what you started? I'll have a look at the engines in the meantime." he stated as he grabbed the needed tools "Just give me a shout when you need anything." he said.

As they worked on and finished up on changing the parts needed, Thomas went to sit in the cockpit as he fired up the systems to check everything would still be in working order "Petty officer t'Jellaieu." he called out to her "I'm finding my squadron short staffed at this point. If your credentials check out, would you consider a spot in my squadron? I have a bird that can't fly as her pilot is in Sickbay at the moment, so you can sub in for her until she gets back on her feet. See it as a trial period with a possibility to extension. What do you think?"

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #10 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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At Ravon's invitation to continue the repairs, Lillee bowed her head briefly in assent, smiling faintly. "Of course," she said in a businesslike tone before glancing back at the Valkyrie atop their heads, her smile vanishing into cold focus. Once more checking that her long hair was evenly laid back behind her shoulders, she grabbed another couple of tools from the repair kit and returned to the little alcove under the cockpit. Repairs to the connection between the EPS manifold and the fusion reactor further back in the fighter wasn't a difficult job, merely tedious, since Lillee had to maintain careful concentration to guard against any microscopic energy leaks.

Then the pilot asked her a question from the cockpit above Lillee's head, his voice passing through the duranium between them. "I have little else to do," she said nonchalantly, although her nonchalance held deep unease. There was something odd about it. She had fought several times already, after all. She had killed two Asurian boarders, flown the Stallion in another battle against the overhorned aliens, then flown the Allegiant once more against with the Klingons. She'd seen the evidence of the oncoming parasitic invasion and, perhaps even worse, the oncoming Borg apocalypse. Even then, at that very moment, as the Sword flew to rendezvous with its sister vector, dozens of Borg cubes could be erupting out of the gateways behind them.

Lillee had made her choice to fight with the crew of the Theurgy. So why did it feel so disquieting for that man to offer her a place in his squadron, even a temporary one? Why did it feel so strange to make that next step when she had already set off on the path of treason?

"It has been years since I flew in a squadron, but if you have need of me, Commander Ravon, then I am here," she called up into the cockpit, her confident voice masking the stomach-churning that she felt. Decision made, she sighed, feeling herself settle in relief before returning to her repairs. Such a little thing, that first move of commitment, but Lillee already felt better for having made it.  "Do a test pulse of the fusion reactor, please. Tell me if you are satisfied with the EPS integrity and flow."

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #11 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

The Romulan replied with a confident voice though informed the man in the cockpit that it had been years that she had flown in squadron related affairs "Good to hear it. Welcome to the squadron. I'll show you to the locker room and grant you the needed permissions." he informed her as she in turn asked him to test pulse  the fusion reactor. "Stand by." he told her as he fired it up and watched the readings as they fluctuated at first yet evened out.

He ran a few more checks first before he was satisfied with the results "Looks fine for me, perhaps a it more fine tuning to just get that EPS flow just a bit more smoother." he informed her before he powered down the systems once more. He climbed out of the fighter and jumped down onto the deck plating as he waited for the Romulan to pop back out from the insides of his ship.

"Shall I show you to the lockers and such first? Or would you rather get to meet your bird yet?" he inquired her as he looked into her eyes.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #12 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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At the SCO's question, whether Lillee would prefer to look over her fighter or get the administrative work over and done with, the Romulan sighed. Ducking her head out of Ravon's fighter, she looked longingly out at the few other fighters in the FAB, although the far larger Allegiant in the center of the bay did overshadow them. It was horribly tempting to take the commander up on his offer, as spending more time on a Valkyrie (her Valkyrie) sounded like a wonderful way of relaxing after a stressful few days, but common sense unfortunately intruded.

"The lockers would be the more logical place to start," Lillee said reluctantly, and so she went to follow her new boss to the areas reserved for the pilots. "I remember at Earth, when this bay was full of shiny Valkyries. Your losses must have been catastrophic in the past few months to be reduced to this. Even during the war, such casualties were rare outside the most bloody of battles." She paused. "The last battle. We came in at the end, after you had returned to the Sword, but there were still Klingon fighters on the ship's tail until we destroyed them. You lost many Wolves to those beasts?"

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #13 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff 

As the Romulan woman informed him that the most logical choice would be the locker rooms he had seen her envying glance towards the rest of the fighters. He chose not to ask her about it and simply gave a nod as they walked through the bay to the TAC CONN department of the fighter bay. His pace was somewhat relaxed if not casual as they reached the doors of the corridor separating the fighter bay from the lockers, briefing room and mess hall. He stepped through as he heard her ask the question about how big his losses were after the Klingon engagement.

"We started the sortie with eleven fighters. Five Valravns, Five Mark III's and a single Mark II. When you found us, I lost four Valravns, a mark III and we lost a pilot after landing. So that would bring the grand total of losses at five ships destroyed and ten pilots gone. Hopefully we'll recover Krystal along the way... But... I have to say this has been a rather rough command."
he admitted as he walked further to the locker rooms and opened the door. It looked ghastly empty at the time and he pointed at the occupied lockers "Those are in use, you 're free to pick yours." he informed her

"What brought you on the ship when you got injured?" he asked her as he crossed his arms and remained at the door.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #14 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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Hearing the SCO actually count their losses was sobering as they walked across the bay, and Lillee sighed. Even if she didn't know the dead pilots, it was still a difficult thing to think of. As worse, she knew that other squadrons in Starfleet and the ships pursuing the Theurgy must have been sustained similar casualties during their many battles with the renegade dreadnought. How many other squadrons, how many ships, were counting their dead? Thus far, Lillee had only heard scant details about the Theurgy's battles with Starfleet, ranging from the escape from Earth to the Theurgy's strike on a starbase, but she'd heard enough to chill her blood.

After entering the empty locker room, Lillee walked to one of the available lockers, typing onto the locker's little access pad to register it to her. At Commander Ravon's question about her old job, she smiled wryly at the memory.

"I was an aide to admiral, one of the people in charge of the fighter program," she replied as she tapped through the computer's registration process, "working out of a facility in Somalia, on Earth. He used me for a pilot's perspective among other duties, as I have very broad experience in the cockpit. There are few pilots to have flown fighters for both Starfleet and the Romulan Grand Fleet, and few to have engaged so many foes. Klingon, Breen, Jem'hadar, Cardassian...I even fought Federation fighters once. Admiral Sobral wanted me to inspect the Theurgy's squadron, see how you were doing."

Finally the computer accepted Lillee's biometrics and the door opened. The blonde Romulan looked inside at the exosuit and helmet, considered for a moment, then took the helmet out, checking inside. "Human-adapted, of course. I'll modify this for Romulan ears and hearing later. Anyway, I was halfway to the transporter room when the ship went to red alert and we took the first hits. I had no duty station, so I just found a damage control team and started helping. It was hours before I even knew that we were fighting Starfleet. Two days before we took the hit that inflicted my injuries."

Putting the helmet back in the locker, Lillee turned back to Ravon, considering him. "I recognise you, actually, from that day. I saw you out there in the bay as I was inspecting the Valkyries."

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #15 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Locker Rooms | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff  

Ravon moved further into the locker room when Lillee had selected her locker and began to set her parameters to it. The ranking pilot moved to his own locker, resting his back against it as he listened to the story of Lillee aboard the Theurgy. He tried to remember her as she was the aide of admiral Sobral. He couldn't quite pin his mind to it and looked at the helmet in her hands as she informed him to modify it to her Romulan characteristics. He gave a simple nod and remained silent furthermore as she carried on with her story.

He could understand the confusion for t'Jellaieu to be fighting fellow Starfleet officers throughout the entire ordeal and he moistened his lips as he turned his gaze to the deck plating "It never really... Every time we head out there to fight Federation ships, it never really feels right to shoot them down. Even though its them against us. It eats at you I suppose..." he paused and shook his head.

He was surprised to hear from her that she recognized him from the day she was in the fighter assault bay. It felt like an eternity when he had joined the Theurgy, freshly transferred and under the command of Jaru Rel. He had been glad to be in the same squadron as Miles Renard, both of them eventually becoming his SCO before he took their path. "Do I want to know why you remembered me? Be honest." he smiled as he looked back up at Lillee.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #16 –
[ PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Fighter Assault Bay  | Valkyrie 01 'Kestrel' | Vector 02] Attn: @Nolan
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At the SCO's comment about fighting Starfleet, Lillee smirked humourlessly as she returned the helmet to her new locker. She pulled out a jumpsuit similar to Ravon's and considered changing for a moment, the garment more fitting for fighter maintenance than her grey tank-top, but she shrugged and put it back in.

"Ironic," she said thoughtfully as she continued to pick through the locker's contents, checking that everything was there. "I once trained using Federation ships as targets, drilling for war. We drank to the death of Starfleet, the destruction of their ships, and we laughed at thought of a triumphant victory over the arrogant Vulcans and the lying humans, a victory for the supremacy of Romulus. When I actually got the chance to fight Starfleet, I didn't hesitate for a second to shoot them down. Now, though, I am Starfleet too, and the thought of killing our comrades just makes me want to throw up. I don't know how you've done it for months on end."

She closed the locker and turned to her new boss, crossing her arms as he asked his next question, and she raised a very Vulcan eyebrow. It looked rather odd combined with her forehead ridge, blonde hair and teasing smirk. "I mean no offence, sir, but you weren't that memorable. There are merely advantages to being Vulcanoid, a superior memory among them, and I am no exception. You were only of note because you were so...intense, so serious in that moment when I saw you in the bay, even as the rest of your squadron was light-hearted and merry. It is rare for a fighter pilot to be like that, whether they be Federation or Romulan, and I wondered at the time how you functioned within your squadron if you were always so intense. It was only a fleeting thought. I did not know you then, nor do I know you now."
 

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0640 Hours ] Shoulders Deep In His Pride

Reply #17 –
[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay  | Locker Rooms | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
@Griff

"The occasional throw up in a corner or under a sonic shower does happen after some big battles." he smiled faintly as he shrugged "it weighs on you, but you know you're at war and cast it aside. I think most of the surviving pilots will feel some degree of guilt when this is all over." he looked at Lillee and he truly was convinced that all of this madness had to come to an end at some point.

Her comment about him being not that memorable made the man laugh as he relaxed in his pose and tried to think back to that moment.Where he had stood in the bay surrounded by new people, not being in his element at the slightest. He chuckled lightly and shook his head "I can't fully remember the moment you must've seen me in. I was the rookie though, fresh in from a new ship while the others knew each other somewhat. Plus, which pilot wouldn't be stoked to fly new prototype birds?" he laughed before he pushed himself off his locker and walked to the door "I hope I'll prove myself in a different way to you. Something more memorable then an intense serious flyboy. Anyway, I'll leave you to your work miss t'Jellaieu. If you need anything let me know." he told her before he saluted her and exited through the doors.

~FIN
 
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