|
Post by LucianG on Jul 20, 2007 5:38:39 GMT -6
Lucian entered the open door to JustinB’s office with a knock and a smile, “Hey, JustinB! I was hoping to find you before they shipped me out of here.” Lucian extended a hand to his friend….
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Jul 20, 2007 6:08:51 GMT -6
"Callisto Control, this is Shuttle GAL 351, inbound for the Callisto in accordance with pre-filed flight plan, switching from Fleet Control."
Geenie replied, "We have you, Shuttle GAL 351, inbound for Alpha Bay. Oh, hold on...Stand by."
"Roger, that."
The shuttle pilot looked at her co-pilot, a much younger man who she had worked with for the past few sectars. The young man's relative inexperience showed as he asked, "Why are they telling us to stand by. We're getting closer all the time."
"Yes," replied the seasoned professional, "but we still have plenty of time if they want to make changes...two or three times even."
"Shuttle GAL 351, this is Callisto Control. You are to redirect from Alpha Bay to Beta Bay. Repeat, you are to redirect from Alpha Bay to Beta Bay. Understood?"
"We copy, Callisto Control. Shuttle GAL 351 is to redirect to Beta Bay. Any idea why?"
"We were just informed that Alpha Bay is under temporary lockdown. No other information is available. Proceed as ordered."
"We copy, Callisto Control. We'll be arriving in Beta Bay in an estimated ten centons. Shuttle GAL 351, out."
* * *
In the back, there were a number of people heading to the Callisto, most for the first time. With their new assignments, most were at least a little apprehensive, with one woman being much more so than anyone else. Unlike, the others, she was not concerned about new surroundings or a new assignment; instead, it ran much deeper than that. She struggled with herself, wondering if she was doing the right thing. As she did, she didn't notice but the knuckles on her pale hands blanched white as she tightly gripped the arms of her seat. On the other hand, the man sitting next to her, though noticing her discomfort, was completely relaxed....
|
|
|
Post by JustinB on Jul 20, 2007 8:33:31 GMT -6
“Hey, JustinB! I was hoping to find you before they shipped me out of here.” Lucian extended a hand. I shook it with all the respect I could manage.
"I too was hoping to find you. I just wanted you to know how much I respect you and thankyou for the leadership you showed me when you occupied this chair. Also, I will miss having you aboard but I am sure you will do us proud over on the Galactica." I then handed him a parting gift. "I want you too have this. It is a picture of you when you were promoted to Black Squadron C.O. It took some digging but I found it. Also I had made this small plaque with the squadron emblem on it for a keepsake to remind you where you belong."
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Jul 21, 2007 7:04:48 GMT -6
Lucian was taken completely by surprise at being presented the gifts. He looked at them for several microns before looking up at JustinB. “My friend, this is really…really touching. I’m not sure what to say other than, ‘Thank you.’”
JustinB nodded knowingly as Lucian took a seat as he looked at the plaque. “You know,” Lucian continued, working for the right words, "it’s…wonderful to belong to belong to something, to be a part of it. Being assigned to Black Squadron and then being chosen to lead it were both great honors. You guys were, and are, great to me….”
He paused for a moment, then continued on a different track, saying, “JustinB, I want you to know that I requested this assignment. It wasn’t something that somebody cooked up as a ‘let’s-cause-Major-Lucian-a-problem” idea. I actually talked to Commander Sheba about it a little while back, with the idea of getting some additional training from someone with more experience. Of course, it had been a while, so the timing of the transfer took me by surprise. And now that I actually have the opportunity, I find I’m actually apprehensive in a way, but I'm really looking forward to it, too.” In more ways and for more reasons than one, he thought. Lucian looked back at JustinB….
|
|
|
Post by JustinB on Jul 21, 2007 20:09:27 GMT -6
"....I find I’m actually apprehensive in a way, but I'm really looking forward to it, too." Lucian said.
We looked at each other for a few microns saying nothing.
"As I said Lucian, it was a pleasure and a honour serving under you and I wish you luck on the Galactica. You just show them what Callisto officers can do." I extended my had to him and he took it. "On saying that I have a patrol to lead and I am sure your shuttle will be leaving soon and you have last minute things to do or people to see. Take care my friend and stay safe."
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Jul 28, 2007 8:22:47 GMT -6
They shook hands, holding the grip for a moment as they smiled at each other. Then Lucian replied, “Well, I better let you get back to work. See you soon my friend.”
A few moments later, Lucian checked the status on the inbound shuttle from the Galactica. It was running a few centons behind, so he stood waiting, his mind returning once more to deep thoughts on his “situation.” He was going to be with Mar’nee at last, aboard the Galactica, and he finally had the opportunity to prove that it really was true love, that it truly was something that would last forever. Of course, Lucian had known since he met her so many yahrens before that it really was, and he knew too that she herself had suspected it even back then; however, her husband, his good friend, had stopped that love from being acted upon until well after Kaytoe’s untimely death. Now, was the time! With so many things coinciding at one time, he knew it had to be!
However, there was a little problem. With the severe damage to much of the Odyssey Nine (leading to its eventual salvage and recycling by the forge and manufacturing ships), Lucian had come to the Fleet with virtually nothing. He had borrowed some money from Captain Rostammer, the O-9’s ship captain, and it had taken yahrens for him to repay every last cubit plus interest from his meager income as a Warrior. Over the past couple yahrens, he’d been saving money diligently, but his nest egg was still woefully small. Now, he knew there was a good chance he would need more money soon. Therefore, he quickly found a comm unit and put in a call to the Engineering Office. At his request, Engineer Bostvin was found and soon said, “Hello, Engineer Bostvin here. How may I help you?”
“Bostvin, it’s Lucian, and I’m not sure, but I’m hoping that perhaps you can help me and yourself. You told me once that you were really interested in something I owned, and if I ever wanted to get rid of it, that you’d like to have a shot at it. Well, this is your chance.”
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Aug 31, 2007 19:58:57 GMT -6
A short time later (but feeling almost like it had been a sectar)….
Lucian looked at his chrono again. The shuttle was overdue. One of the Techs had told him that it had been delayed for a little while to allow a couple of shuttles to launch from the Callisto, so Lucian had taken advantage of the delay. He’d quickly found and accessed a terminal, and hooked into the Fleet’s on-line auction service. Scanning the selected items similar to the type he sought, he quickly sorted on objects available aboard the Galactica, Rising Star, or the Starliner Alpha. It didn’t take long to find almost the exact item he had in mind, aboard the Rising Star. “That’s appropriate,” he said to himself, thinking of his experiences with Mar’nee aboard the ship. As he looked at it, he momentarily reconsidered his earlier decision, wondering if the timing right, but in thinking about it, he realized that one never knows for sure about such things. In this case he decided, there was no better time than the present to give it a try…and assuming she said yes, to make it work.
Checking the price, he gritted his teeth slightly as he selected the instant purchase price. So much for the funds he’d received for the O-9 model from Bostvin! He quickly paid for the item and indicated that he would arrange pickup within the next few cycles. With the funds quickly in his account and then gone again, he sighed, “So much for the cubits from Bostvin!” There was just enough left for dinner on the Rising Star.
A small dinner…for one…maybe….
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Sept 1, 2007 20:18:42 GMT -6
There were several passengers gathered around, including Lieutenant Colonel Flynt and his team, who were returning to the Galactica at the first possible moment. Flynt stared at Lucian, ever so briefly, before giving a very curt nod, but a nod none-the-less. Lucian returned the gesture, then glanced around at the rest of those waiting for the shuttle. He recognized a couple of people and said hello, but he had no close friends happening to make the trip with him.
The shuttle landed as Lucian watched. It was quickly secured by the deck crew, and the door was opened so disembarking passengers could move out to allow the shuttle to reload and leave as quickly as possible. The delay for the Callisto’s departing shuttles had thrown it well behind schedule. The group of departing passengers shuffling toward the shuttle even as the inbound passengers began to exit.
Lucian recognized the first passenger out the door to be Teslor, now wearing the insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel. Wow, they’re a deci-cubit a dozen around here at the moment, Lucian thought.
Moving forward, Lucian greeted Teslor with a salute and then an outstretched hand. Teslor nodded and asked, “Major, I trust everything is in order with my ship?”
“As of a little while ago when they relieved me,” replied Lucian. “And I haven’t received any emergency calls since then,” he said with a smile.
Teslor didn’t smile; in fact, for some reason, he looked downright grumpy. “There should never be any emergency calls, Major. THAT is the first rule for a good Chief Engineer. Everything must be managed and maintained so that you don’t ever have any emergencies. They’ll teach you that on the Galactica, but I’ll give that lesson to you for free, in advance.” He picked up his bags again, and gave Lucian a very curt nod that made Flynt’s earlier gesture look downright friendly. “Major.”
Lucian was surprised at the abrupt brush off, and he watched in silence as Teslor walked away. He was about to turn to get his own bags, when he was shocked to hear an unmistakable female voice call out, “Lucian!”
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Jan 31, 2009 12:08:57 GMT -6
Some sectars later….
Lucian looked at the five Tech trainees attempting to complete the repair, and it was all he could do to keep from shaking his head. A senior Tech should be supervising this group, not a senior Engineer who was supposed to be completing his own training, which was, after all, basically complete. Still secton after recent secton, the assignment had been the same—training duty. Due to his previous training experience aboard the Callisto, some of the senior staff had felt that this would be really valuable to the trainees, and perhaps even to the trainer. To Lucian, it was a repetitive torture. This group was even more questionable, more lackadaisical, and even, if it was possible, less skillful, than the last one. So frustrating, he thought, that he was now effectively stuck on the Galactica rather than being back on the Callisto! The reminder of that situation crashed heavily down upon him. “Frack!” he muttered as he slammed a balled fist against the bulkhead. All eyes of the trainees shot his way, widening, and Lucian was instantly sorry for the slip. One of the trainees, a young Gem-Lib, looked at him inquisitively and asked, “Sorry, Major. Is something wrong?”
“Yeah, a lot of things, but the one that is really bothering me will have to wait since it’s not your fault, Trainee Rochan. Carry on with the repair.” Lucian continued moving through the repair sequence, checking each item, until, moments later, he came to a problem.
|
|
|
Post by LucianG on Feb 7, 2009 12:21:13 GMT -6
“Everyone, look at this one,” said Lucian a bit testily, pointing to an inadequate connection that one of the trainees had marked as complete on the repair checklist. A couple of the trainees, who had continued to eye him apprehensively since his encounter with Rochan a couple of centons earlier, rolled their eyes, not realizing that Lucian caught the gesture, which was not the first. He had even seen the two female trainees whispering to each other, throwing surreptitious glances in his direction. “Okay folks, that’s quite enough. Quit wondering about my problems, and let’s concentrate for a moment on your own, because this one is yours, and it would cause a lot more problems for a lot more people than my own little personal issues.” He moved in closer, and started pointing to different aspects of the problem. “If you were to leave it like this, when the pump kicks in, the connection just might work for a little while…or, it might blow out at once. If you’re lucky enough for the initial burst not to kill anyone, then what about what that failure does to our overall system? We have a lot of redundancy built into the Galactica, but one failure can sometimes set off a chain reaction that causes a lot more problems. You end up with failure after failure, and perhaps moments later, one of those Raiders, or maybe a Base-Star, slips through our defenses, and takes out this ship! Where does that leave the human race, as ship after ship is destroyed because we didn’t do our job right and there’s no Galactica, or maybe no Callisto, to protect them? Who would be left? Who?” The trainees looked down at their feet, not saying anything as they endured the lecture. “Well, maybe not anybody, that’s who! Give that a bit of thought as you go back through that and get it right. Now, everyone take one more good close look at this to see how it’s not supposed to be done, and then then Rochan, Caudria, and Milek get in there and do it again, and make sure it’s right this time. If you have questions, ask!”
The trainees moved closer as Lucian stepped back and rubbed his eyes. When he looked up once more, he saw that someone was observing him from the entrance to the pump room. He moved that way and was quite surprised to see Major BatGal watching him. “Hi Lucian, I had a really hard time finding you down here.” Then in a whisper, she added, “You were just a little rough on them, don’t you think?”
|
|